Shopping Event #5

So after a whole week of blogging every day like a good blogger, i fall off the face of the earth.

Finals will do that to you.

But now that I have a moment to breathe (pre-run, in 40 degree, post rain weather), here some bad decisions on my part:

Smarty pants Lauren decided she would take a trip to target and whole food on Thursday afternoon (last thursday).

POOR CHOICES.

because after I said I wasn't going to grocery shop like a crazy person any more, I DID JUST THAT.

In my justification, a lot of what i bought from whole foods was on sale?

2 evol burritos - sale 2/$6 + b1g1 coupon = $3 (woooo!) (already eaten, haha)
organic baby spinach - $1.99 (almost already eaten)
pirates booty - sale $2.50
okois vanilla - $2.19-.50 coupon = $1.79
kettlecorn - sale $3.00
annies organic spelt pretzels - sale $3.00 + $1 + $.75 coupon = $1.25
adora dark chocolate calcium - 8.99
chia seeds(!!!) - 6.99
dr. praeger's veggie burger - 5.99 + $1 coupon = $4.99 (ate one)

= $34.36


In my defense, I was also iron-loading, which is like carb loading, but for donating blood.

old picture, but still badass :)

and guess what? i was 110% successful last monday morning. So i donated blood like a boss, and the jumped head first into finals week. It's starting to slow down again, so you can expect more consistent blogging next week.

Dexter-Ann Arbor Run + Cancer Kickers

After a heartbreaking afternoon at work yesterday, I signed up for the Dexter-Ann Arbor Run Half Marathon under the Cancer Kickers Team.

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Cancer Kickers is a foundation formed by Phil Brabbs, a former Michigan football player and a Multiple Mylenoma fighter.

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The Dexter-Ann Arbor run will be my very first half marathon, June 5, 2011. 48 days away.

By joining the Cancer Kickers Team, I'll be fundraising for the UM Comprehensive Cancer Center, clearly a cause I care about.

My donation page is here if you should ever feel like donating. Every little bit counts.

Working at the children's hospital has made me realize how important each and every day is. How I need to get out there and run every day because my body lets me do that.

And how important cancer research is. It is the cutting edge research that's going to save lives, day in and day out. Children should never have to die from cancer. And they do. Every day.

On this Marathon Monday, with all its excitement and passion, I think its important to recognize how those passions can help others.

Long Run + Friday morning Breakfast

Friday morning I woke up earlier than normal and headed with a few nutrition-concerned friends (aka members of the Student Advocates for Nutrition group), and headed to breakfast.

It was an unusual breakfast as it was at this house:

selma's

This is Selma Cafe. A local couple opens up their house on Friday mornings to serve a donation-based breakfast. All the money goes towards building hoop houses. And breakfast was incredible. They bring in local chefs every week.

We sat at the kitchen counter, so we got to see the awesomeness of the cooking process, and I had major kitchen envy from this absolutely beautiful kitchen.

There were two specials offered, and luckily both were ordered between the four of us so I could provide pictures of both!

deliciousness

This was my cheesy grits, fried egg, and wilted greens with bacon. It was incredible.

And this was the other special. Toasted bread, ham, poached egg, some sort of delicious (but bad for you) sauce.

We also drank the best coffee with incredible half and half made with raw whole milk and cream.



Oh and the other cool part - the entryway is covered with the nametags of everyone who comes and eats on Fridays.

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Yesterday morning was the long run. I was worried, because the weather forcast predicted rain all day. Luckily, after waking up at nine, eating toast and PB, and a banana, The rain was still holding off so I decided to get out and run.

It was possibly the best run I've ever had. I loved it. Usually the first few can be rough. This run was always good. I ran 6 miles without stopping, then grabbed a water, popped 3 shotbloks (which I LOVE. omg hello candy for runners), and did a quick pee break.

Then ran the two miles home fastest of all. Woo for negative splits (sort of).



This run had zero pain, zero struggles. and this morning I woke up without any pain either. AWESOME.



April Grocery Shopping Event - Post #3

Yesterday, is where my crazy grocery shopping kicked in. Yesterday is why I'm doing the April Grocery Shopping Event.

For some reason I felt the need to empty out trader joe's.

I think I did a pretty good job:

shelled english peas - 2.99
medjool dates - 4.49
coconut water zico x2 - 2.98
fat free balsamic vinagrette - 1.99
chocolate chips - 2.29
organic zucchini - 2.99
goat cheese medallions - 3.79
sunflower seed nut butter - 3.99
fusilli pesto pasta - 1.99
farfalle four cheeses - 1.99
tea tree oil - 6.49
organic applesauce x2 - 4.58
black beans - .89
organic frozen strawberries - 1.99
coconut chocolate ice cream - 2.99
coconut strawberry ice cream - 2.99
whole grain tortillas - 2.49
sweet potatoes - 1.79
happy days bouquet - 3.99

vola trebbiano pinot grigio x3 - 7.47
wine bag - .99

TOTAL = 67.29

I don't think I've ever spent $67 at trader joe's before.
WHOOPS.

Highlights:

so freaking adorable

English peas. My mom and I were just talking about how lame it is that I didn't have peas. Now I do!  I'm excited for these!

my life is complete

I was recently introduced to the beauty of coconut milk ice cream at Jolly Pumpkin, an awesome local restaurant. I am 110% hooked. I busted into the chocolate last night and it is SO GOOD. Also, at 2.99 each, totally reasonably priced. thank you trader joe's for fulfilling my wish for TJ's brand coconut milk ice cream.

Hello vino. Quite excited about this $2.49 italian pinot grig. One of the ladies I work with recommended it and I am so excited for it. I love fruity wines. So naturally i bought 3 bottles.

And to perk up my windowsill, an adorable little bouquet. Love fresh flowers.

So yes, my trip was a little excessive, but so many purchases were replacements for things I actually ate all of! examples: zico, balsamic vinaigrette, chocolate chips (well actually i just melted half of these on the stove -- whoops! fyi, you shouldn't leave a bag of chocolate chips on the stove when you're cooking muffins in a crappy apartment oven), applesauce, sweet potatoes.

If I can reduce my shopping next week, I think April will turn out okay in terms of food shopping, but we'll see.

I've also done some excessive online regular shopping -- whoops. See target go international dresses on clearance and j.crew 30% off sale. btw, i love being an enabler.

Tropical Smoothies + Michigan Awesome

I made some pretty impressive eats in the past 24 hours!

Trust me, when it comes to making meals, I am all about simplicity, and I don't have any problems straight up saying: "most of my meal involved me pouring things out of containers. no chopping, no peeling."

It did involve some boiling, and a tiny bit of sautéing.

This is the sauteing:

This is tj's frozen veggies mix + Mrs. Dash Extra Spicy

This combined with sweet and spicy tuna from a package:

and then wild rice cooked in chicken broth

Pretty delicious and pretty simple.

Breakfast this morning was equally simple. When Gabriela posted about a strawberry blonde smoothie yesterday, I knew I had to make it.

Super simple mix of: banana, strawberries, pineapple, coconut water, + vanilla

I was a little worried about my crappy blender handling all of this, but there was a generous amount of liquid thanks to the coconut water and all was well! (I added in the pineapples after, because there wasn't a ton of room at this point)

Blend blend blend

TADA! In my rockin' orla kiely for target tumbler.

I really really loved this smoothie. It was so tropical. I didn't put in as much pineapple because I wanted to actually eat some of the spears, so it was more strawberry-y than anything else. but still a very delicious start to my morning.

And for fun, the picture taking corner of my room. That window is seriously AWESOME. I take all my morning food pictures there. love morning light!

Yesterday's afternoon run was not my best, but I trudged through, and actually did it at a faster pace than my last five-miler. So wooo for that!

First mile? SO GOOD. and then downhill from there.

Not sure how many of my blog reader's are from Michigan (if you ARE let me know because I'd love to do a blogger meet up!! OR IF YOU KNOW ANY MICHIGAN BLOGGERS, link me to them so I can stalk them and encourage a meet-up!), but there's an awesome t-shirt company called (appropriately) Michigan Awesome that makes the best Michigan-spirited shirts ever.

They also have fantastic customer service. I ordered a "smitten with the mitten" shirt from them a few months ago, and they sent me the wrong size. So instead of having me send it back, they told me share the Michigan love and give it to someone else. AWESOME.

Today there is a LivingSocial deal for MichiganAwesome! Pay$15, get $30 worth of clothing/gear (including shipping costs!). I definitely bought one this morning. I can't wait to expand my Michigan-love collection.

All you fellow Michigangsters (this is a MichiganAwesome coined term as well which I LOVE): go buy the deal and show your michigan love :)

Passion Tea Lemonade

Yesterday after a long day of finishing up a paper, a class presentation, work, and yoga, I came home and was dying for something a little bit sweet and cool.


It just so happened that roomie was looking for a box of tea (that is strangely, still missing?), and the idea to make a huge container of iced passion tea arised arose. (blogger is telling me this is not a word. can anyone confirm/deny?) (Thank you kait for your english language expertise)

I took a page from miss ella and followed her very basic instructions here.

Just a bunch of passion tea bags, in a huge pitcher with half hot water, half ice.

This baby took 2.5 whole trays of ice cubes, but it was worth it to drink it cold almost immediately after making it.

Now this was just the tea, so its not quite shaken passion tea lemonade YET.

but all it takes is a splash of costco's organic volcano lemon juice:

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And it is essentially starbuck's shaken passion tea lemonade. WITH NO SUGAR.

sometimes I amaze myself.

With regard to the training plans, I have done little since Saturday's long run. Yesterday was my usual monday night power yoga. I'm bummed because next week is our last class and the instructor is graduating. I'm not sure how I'll get in my yoga next year, but hopefully I can find another fab instructor.

I had an easy end to my night plopped in front of the tv watching Bethenny Ever After. Oh my lord, when they were talking about what they were going to call Bryn's vagina?  And when Bethenny called Julie a sherpa?!  Oh lord, Bethenny KILLS me.

The weather is looking good today, so I'm planning on an evening outdoor run in the just under 60 degree weather. I'm excited :)

Half Registration and Relay for Life

Yesterday I signed up for my very first half marathon.

Now when I run it, it won't be my very first half marathon as I am planning on one in between now and then, that I just haven't registered for yet, BUT, regardless, I'm going to run a half marathon.

Come next October 16, 6 months, 5 days, and 12.5 hours from now, I will be running the Detroit Free Press Half Marathon, which includes running over the Ambassador Bridge, and back through the tunnel. Yes, I will be running underwater. 

I considered running this last year but the training never happened, and thus, I am still without a half medal :(

But not for long!

I'm considering doing some fundraising for this half as well.

Over the weekend, I spent some time at Relay for Life.

Relay has always been one of my favorite events. It's become even more important to me now that I've spent a lot of time working on the 7th floor of C.S. Mott Children's Hospital - Pediatric Oncology.

My Luminary this year was actually for one such 7-Mott patient.  Casey is the most adorable little boy I have ever met.  He loves lightning mcqueen, hockey in the hallways, and brightening my day every time I see him. Which thankfully, hasn't been in a while thanks to a cord blood transplant.

I recently came across giraffy's blogspot, and was reminded again of the prevalence of childhood cancer.

So yes, I'm thinking about fundraising for one of my half's. Someone should get something out of my struggles to run 13 miles right?

What are your charities of choice? What causes are you passionate about?