Weekday morning rituals.

As a SweatPink Ambassador, I was sent Vegabars for the purpose of reviewing. I was not paid for this review, and all opinions are my own.

When I started my current job almost two years ago, I was thrilled to have hours that allowed for a morning workout routine.  While I flip flop between hardcore 4-5 day/week or easy 1-2 day/week a.m. workouts, there's something that keeps me coming back.  That's my morning routine.   

The gym is the best in the morning.  It's not crowded.  I can easily get a spot in a class even if I arrive only five minute prior to the class starting.  There is a method to the a.m. workout.  I always prep my gym bag the night before, which is an art in and of itself.  I have to make sure I have everything necessary for getting ready for work (god forbid I forget a regular bra and have to wear my sweaty one to work).  Aside from my bag, one of the hardest parts of morning workouts is breakfast.  Since I can't fry up eggs in the gym locker room, I make smoothies the night before.  I used to eat a couple boiled eggs on the side for extra protein to keep me full (especially after a hard workout).  

I'm lucky enough to have a Whole Foods a mile from my job, so I make sure I plan extra time to stop in and pick up a hot tea or coffee to pair with my eggs.  I've been attempting to cut back on my egg intake, so I thought I would try pairing Vegabars with my a.m. beverage instead.

 

My favorite Vegabars are the Vega Sport bars.  There's a Sport Protein bar and a Sport Energy bar.  The Sport Energy chocolate coconut flavor was delicious (it would be a great pair with coffee), but I think the apple cherry would have paired better with my hot tea.  I appreciate that the Sport Energy bars are plant-based and gluten free.  My bar of choice is Larabars which have no additives I've never heard of. All of the Vegabar ingredients were plant-based but some seemed unnecessary.  The rice crisps got a bit soggy in the apple cherry bar and did not add to the flavor of the bar.  I wish there was no added sugar (organic coconut palm sugar).  Paired with my hot tea and smoothie, I did stay full for three hours (which I'm guessing I can contribute to the 27g of plant-based carbs)!

On mornings when I don't head to the gym, I relish my "me" time.  I used to get up with barely 45 minutes to spare before running out the door to get to work.  No more.  I like to get up with plenty of time to enjoy my breakfast, drink coffee, and read a few of my favorite blogs.

I believe that eating natural fruits and vegetables should be our main priority in our diets, but sometimes it's time consuming to prep smoothies or other fresh ingredients.  Fridays are usually my "freebie" days were I can take it easy and not worry about prepping a smoothie the night before.  This week I opted for a leftover half of a smoothie with chia seeds (still need those fruits+veggies!) and a Vega One bar.  I wouldn't promote eating this "meal bar" solo since fresh foods are always best, but on a lazy or rushed morning it was perfect.  The chocolate peanut butter was delicious (I mean I can't turn down that combo), but the ingredient list is quite extensive.  The bar is packed with 12g of protein and other plant-based ingredients.  I think it would be a perfect bar for D who is constantly on the road with few healthy meal options.  The bar+half smoothie kept me full for 3-4 hours which is nice because sometimes even my full smoothies don't do that!

What are your favorite weekday morning rituals?

Friday musings.

One of my mini-goals for February was to establish a consistent yoga routine.  I have been taking steps to create a consistent and workable routine for me.  In this process, I've fallen deeper in love with yoga. I am loving exploring all of the different options with the practice.  I believe one thing that always intimidated me about about yoga is my lack of strength and/or ability.  The crazy truth is that yoga principles are the exact opposite of that.  It's not about others seeing me struggle to hold a downward facing dog for five breaths; it's about me.  I'm continuing to explore the practice of yoga, so I won't pretend to be an expert on the subject.  This picture, posted to facebook by a local yoga studio, really resonated with me this week.

While I know this isn't necessarily pertinent to yoga, it's 100% applicable to life.  It can be difficult and sometimes impossible to share our story with others in our every day life.  I believe that some part of us is judgmental no matter how hard we may try to cast those thoughts aside.  Everyone has the opportunity to make snap judgements: your child's teacher (I'm guilty!), that person you accidentally cut off in a rush to beat the red light, the librarian you always see, your neighbor, that runner on the treadmill next to you, even friends.  Let's not even begin to discuss those who want to share their opinions of your health/your parenting/your cohabitation/your spending/your entire life. As I get older, I try more and more to remember that you never really know the intricacies of a person. 

And this is what I will strive for.  Judgements minimal and happiness & love optimal.  

Forgiveness.

Ashley's apology the other day really got me thinking.  I rarely share about my family, my intimate relationships, friends...the real personal stuff that gets to the core of who you are.  Why?  Mainly, I think that some things should be kept private.  Things can be said in a moment; any one can read what I say in little space of mine. And to be honest, I like to focus on primarily the happy and positive aspects of my life.  That's what makes me most happy. Reliving the best parts of my life, not the worst.  Sometimes though, you have to be brutally honest with yourself and get to the heart of matters.

[via]

Negativity can get the best of me.  At heart, I am a pessimistic and complaining person.  I've been trying to work on cutting some additional negativity out of my life.  I have drastically cut out blogs that annoyed me more than not and simply deleted (not just hid) facebook "friends" that gave me an additional reason to complain on any given day.  Unfortunately, the negativity, frustration, and anger that can not be cut out is family.

[via]

Back to forgiveness.  One simple thing Ashley said really made me think,

"I forgive you because I love you."

As an adult, not child, of divorce, with two young siblings (and one older) who still live at home, I hold on to so much anger, frustration, hurt, and helplessness.  I have no relationship with my mother.  A multitude of emotions are the result of this faulted "relationship."  Anger, hurt, confusion, worry, frustration.  I often wonder what would go through my mind if she ever reached out to me, tried {again} to bridge that gap.  Could I forgive?  Could I forget?  So much of me feels like these two go hand in hand.  Is forgiveness as simple as Ashley says?  My mind says I can not forgive and certainly never forget.  The hurt and emotion seem to go too deep.  Is there an invisible line that is crossed by another that leads you to feel incapable of forgiving, feel the fear of continual hurt?

Obviously, my feelings and emotions go much deeper that I would delve into in this space.  The hurt that I feel goes beyond me, to others much more innocent and incapable of fully understanding.  Families are a complicated thing.  My only hope and wish is that this makes me a stronger and better person in the end.

Camp away with me.

[via The Fresh Exchange]

This week has been a tough one.  I've been a little tight-lipped (unless you follow me on Twitter) about my injury woes.  If you read this post though, you know crutches are involved.  I've had a really difficult time finding the beauty that is around.  To be honest, I've had a hard time just getting out of bed in the morning.  I took a week off from the gym.  I drank. I wallowed.  I ate.  Do I feel better?  Actually I do. But only a little bit and probably because I'm becoming more accustomed to this injury.  More on that another day.

[via]

It's time for a little escape.  While I'm not up for being too mobile, D headed out today to set up camp at a lake nearby.  We {sort of} inherited a pop-up camper that's been in his family for years (and in wonderful condition).  I'm headed out to join him tomorrow for a little weekend getaway.  I'm armed with crutches, books, cards, music, and beer.

[via Nalaniee]

In the meantime, link-up with Sarah and I for Food & Beer Friday tomorrow.  In the meantime, check out a few links that I left out earlier this week:

• Such a simple, but amazing, post on reading your food labels from my healthy conscious Ashley.  Since my first Whole 30, I've been obsessed with looking at labels, but I'm really interested in this 80/10/10 theory.
• I'm pretty much obsessed with these comfy and inexpensive infinity scarves from Milo & Molly! I'm a sucker for stripes and pops of color in my scarves.
• I'm so obsessed with Anna and her trip to Denver.  D has mentioned Colorado, and I've never quite been that into it.  Until now...

Changes.

If you haven't noticed, I've added a little sponsor page up above.  While I've been skeptical as to beginning sponsorships, I've decided I'm going to give it a try.  If it doesn't work, I'll nip it in the bud!  If it does, then I am thrilled to be able to spread the blogger love.

Ps.  If I currently have your button on my sidebar, please email me about swapping!

A little love.

While my budgeting went awry this month (combined with next month's taxes due), I've been scouring Etsy for gifts and cards for friends, gifts (although the last few that I purchased from Etsy for D have been fails) and other projects.  My favorites list is getting so big that I can't even keep track of what shops I have on there.  I wanted to share a collection of what I've really been loving lately though.

Even though I don't eat bacon anymore, I don't deny the deliciousness of it.  I think this print from The Word Shop would be perfect on my gallery wall.  It would be an addition that I know D would be happy about.

With my 12 months of giving list in mind, I've been on the hunt for cool, different cards.  While I love all of the stationary from Row House 14, I especially love these geometric triangles!  And it's personalized!

I'm so obsessed with everything over at Crafts and Love that I couldn't pick one thing.  This colorful stretchy bracelet would be perfect for layering.  There is nothing I think more special than someone picking out something specific to be stamped on one of these customized brass cuffs; what a perfect gift.  And I just can't get over the beautiful necklaces!

Considering that two of my three tattoos involve animals (as is the next one), I have somewhat of an obsession with animals.  Little known fact :: I used to want to be a vet when I grew up.  I even volunteered at our local vet when I was in...5th grade?!  While foxes are extremely popular right now, Fox holds a special place in my heart.  As do feathers.  River Luna has done it all perfectly.  I definitely want this fox print to add to our gallery wall.  I'm obsessed with all of her feather art.

What are some of your Etsy favorites lately?  I'm coming to find that the only products I can trust may be prints & cards sadly...

Pardon the interruption.

Source: salad-eyes.tumblr.com via Kristin on Pinterest

There will be no Food & Beer Friday today as D and I headed off to the mountains yesterday to celebrate three years of being married.  I'll be off the grid for the weekend.

If you need a weekend beer (predictions are saying a bit warmer and sunnier this weekend here), check out this beer.  And for your food cravings, go make these vegetarian tacos!

Off into the sunset.

[via]

Well my friends, we are off.  We're headed to Georgia today for some family time and Fathers Day, then we're off on a plane to California to embark on our epic coastal road trip.  I've got some wonderful ladies doing some guest posts for me here and there.  I'll be off the blogging and email grid, but I'll most certainly be bombarding your instagram and twitter feeds!  Follow me if you want to virtually embark on my travels with me!  And trust, I'll be back with plenty of pictures, beer, and food to share with you!

Life lately :: There's been a lot of drinking going on.

How is it already practically June?  With that said, the days are slowly, steadily going by until school is over.  I've been doing lots of drinking, eating, and trying to fit in spring fun before the heat hits and it's summer.

 [Terrapin pint nights with D]

 [Breaking out the rain boots not often enough]

 [Party outfit for the Bee Ball]

 [Yeah, we won free carrots at the Bee Ball, no big deal]

 [Another try at homemade salsa, and I'm going to say it was a SPICY success!]

 [More poached egg obsession :: Avocado on toast with arugula + egg]

 [A round of tequila shots (my favorite) for the birthday boy!]

 [A glamour shot for the 28 year-old]

[Private brewery tours that I've done one too many times.  But I am excited about a special Terrapin cask coming to Raleigh that was spotted!]

 [A few too many margaritas and a bit too much food...but never enough time with friends at our favorite Mexican restaurant in Athens, GA]

 [Back in Raleigh for crowded pool time...worth it]

[Pooltime essentials]

Now we're busy waiting on sangria to "ripen" (yep, another version with peaches, pears, and kiwi!) and tuna steaks to be thrown on the grill with asparagus and corn.  That's a BBQ for a pescatarian :)

Hope everyone has enjoyed/were lucky enough to have a fabulous three day weekend!  Bring on 8 more days of school!

Super thrilled to link up with Haley AND Alli this week!

   

Life lately :: Bites, chickies, & sadness.

D was out of town a few days this week, so I wasn't super productive this week.  I had another pretty shitty week at work, so I spent quite a bit of time drinking and coping in the best way I can.

 [I had a whole month of noting things I'm grateful for as part of my mini-happiness project]

 [The sadness :: North Carolina passes a constitutional amendment allowing discrimination and hate.  It literally makes me sick to my stomach that my state will allow hate to continue to grow in this country.  Not me.  I voted no.]

 [Stocking up on delicious beer at Tasty Beverage Company]

 [See that bruise?  Yeah...that's a bite mark made by one of my students.  Can't imagine it's look if it wouldn't have been made through my pants...]

 [Our baby chickies graduated to the outside coop this weekend!  They're huddled in a tiny corner of the massive coop/run we have for them.  They're still learning...]

[Grilling out fresh fish, from our local seafood market, asparagus, and pineapple on a beautiful weekend]

When the week days suck, we have to make our weekends worth it.  Trust me, this weekend was worth it.  We spent Sunday with plenty of friends and stuffed full of mexican food and margaritas.  Game of Thrones is the best way to end our Sunday.  I am hoping this week will be full of good things and happy thoughts.  Until the weekend comes again where I don't think twice about returning to the work week #thewayitssupposedtobe

I'm linking up with the adorable Hayley today!

Check it.

If you haven't noticed, I got a little blog re-vamping done!  I'm pretty in love with all the work that was done!  Stay tuned this week (or next) for a sweet giveaway in celebration of the redesign and hitting 100+ followers!

And I have a pretty cool new link up being presented on Friday!

Thanks for reading and all of your support!

I'm on a vacay!

I'm sure you missed me yesterday.  I was busy making sure my head didn't explode with the ridiculousness going on at school.  I took a little vacay over to Kelsey's blog.



I took a vacation over here to talk about one of my favorite vacations!  Go check out Kelsey (whom I just adore! we're basically soulmates...) and my travel tips!

Ps. Thanks to you all for helping me hit 100 followers!  I could not be more thrilled!  I've got a giveaway in the works to go along with my new blog design!

Nighttime woes.

One of my "mini-happiness project" goals was to get up and do am yoga at least three times per week.  I only made it one morning.

Source: 30.media.tumblr.com via Jurgis on Pinterest

I am speculating that my problem getting up in the morning is related to my sleeping woes.  I have a really difficult time sleeping through the night.

I've tried essential oils, yoga, etc.  Melatonin (a natural sleep aid) is the only thing that partially works.  If I take it right before bed, it will keep me sleeping usually until 3ish or 4ish.  Then I'm usually up every 30 to 45 minutes following that.  When the last 3 or 4 hours of your sleep cycle don't consist of sleep, it doesn't make getting up an extra 30 minutes early very easy.

Source: 30.media.tumblr.com via Tereza on Pinterest

Regardless of when I am awake, I often wake up stressing about my to-do list or school stuff.  Am yoga helps me not obsess over work stuff and get on with getting up and ready. I have to get to that point though.  I just want a full nights sleep.

Do you sleep through the night?
Sleep aids?  What works for you?

I'm blushing over here.

Popping in for a Saturday post to express my gratitude to Robin & Ashley for choosing to honor me!

I'm so thrilled and surprised!  I adore this little award because it shines on us "smaller" blogs that have still made a footprint in the blogosphere.  The low-down on the Liebster goes like this:

• Choose five up and coming blogs to give the Liebster award to.  Blogs must have less than 200 followers. 
• Show your thanks to the blogger who gave you the award by linking back to them.
• Post the award on your blog. 
• Don't leave your recipients in the dark! List the bloggers you gave the award to with links to their sites.  Leave a comment on their blogs to let them know. 
• Share 5 random facts about yourself!

Thanks again to 333 Miles, with love... for thinking of me!  I'm still so tiny over here at Skinny Jeans that I don't even have a button (don't worry...I'm working on it!)!

Time for me to share my blog love!

[Kimberly at Wanderlustee]

[Christin at With a C.H.]

[Kristin at Mrs. Miller's Miles]

[Claire at Beaktweets]

[Anna at Life is Sweet*]

Now you need to know 5 completely uninteresting randoms:

1. I'm obsessed with Law & Order.  I have it on in the background as I type.
2. Even though I have two cats + two dogs, I'm unofficially allergic.  My eyes get all itchy and my nose stuffy when I get too much pet hair near my face.
3. I'm also unofficially diagnosed with asthma.  It's a real bitch for working out.  I have to use an inhaler before every physical activity.  This gets really annoying when keeping up with an inhaler and annoying financially (those things are expensive!).  Also, I think the asthma is allergy-related.
4. I might drink a lot of good (ie. quality and craft) beers, but I'm not opposed to a light, "crappy" beer when I am sitting at home alone.
5. I've been to Asia...Cambodia specifically.  I was a junior in high school when my family travelled there to adopt one of my sisters.  It was truly a life changing experience.  It sparked my love for children and social work.

And there ya go!  Now go give some shout outs to those "baby" blogs.  I swear I'm always 10x more likely to follow a blog that has a little blog following because I want to support them!

Just popping in.

I wanted to pop in real quick on a Saturday.  I'm headed to Athens today to spend some time with my family since it's my sisters' spring break too.  I'm taking my computer, so I won't be lost and alone in Georgia.  Being on spring break (and having a glorious two week spring break) has made me really grateful for a some things recently.  I'm grateful for...

• Having the time to sleep long enough to feel rested and wake up on my own.
• Having the time to eat my breakfast and drink coffee while I blog
• Waking up next to D Bailey D & Bailey when it's not dark out
• Running errands during the day
• Although it bemoans me to say it, I'm grateful to have a job that allows me this wonderful spring break no matter how fast it may fly by.
• D: for taking me on awesome trips, for helping me purchase things that make me happy, for taking care of and loving me

Of course I could go on, but I'll keep it simple and sweet.  I just stumbled upon Whitney's blog the other night (and now I'm currently obsessed), and she reminded me that I'm free to be happy.  Sometimes it feels like a never-ending battle when the majority of your days are consumed by a job that feels like it has more frustrating days than not (or days that give you literal, physical anxiety...I should probably take something for that).  I need to keep my head up and remember to make that daily decision to be happy.

Source: society6.com via Kristin on Pinterest

[It's a midset.]

Source: myniceprofile.com via Kristin on Pinterest

[I saw this a while back and tried to make it a daily mantra - I think it faded after a few weeks]

Source: ks-waiting.blogspot.com via Kristin on Pinterest

[I've got some ideas for this]

Let's go forth and be happy.