Recent Eats & Recent Things

Hey guys! I am in a fuuunk tonight and won’t be sleeping for like the sixth day in a row. We have new upstairs neighbors and they are making their presence known. They like to assemble furniture very late at night and don’t shy away from hammering and dropping and banging and anything else at 11 pm. OH, and they have a dog that incessantly barks all day long. I’m genuinely sick to my stomach about this situation. We stinking love our apartment, and this is gonna be a serious issue if it continues. A girl needs to sleep! I hope it calms down soon. I did talk to them once and they were aggressive (well the guy was nice, girl not so much) and denied that they were the ones causing the noise (although she greeted me at the door with a screw driver, lol!!!)….. come onn… I was super nice to them and told them I understand moving in is a loud process, but it’d be appreciated if it didn’t take place at 11 pm 🙁 Has anyone else had issues like this? I totally did NOT plan to go into a full on vent sesh.. but there ya have it.

I am gonna do a quick little catch up post of the in-betweens since our anniversary in the city 🙂

On August 10th, we drove back from SF, and I took a nice little walk around the neighborhood. I just love how the blooms change so frequently here- this massive purple tree really caught my eye.

 

 

 

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ohhh.. there they go….. *bang bang bang* like seriously how can someone make so much noise?! humph. I’m investing in noises cancelling headphones.

Back to the post… I am fuming right now.. can you tell?

On August 11th, we met with Alexandra, one of my dear friends from the residency program, and her husband Daniel, (from Denmark) for dinner at Eureka. It was such a blast and we really enjoyed hanging with them. Can’t wait for another chance to all get together. (Also, HIGHLY recommend Eureka’s sweet potato fries- yum!).

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STOMP, STOMP, STOMP. It’s like they are trying to be this loud. My gosh.

Anyyways, August 12th was church and then grabbing some “fill in” groceries from TJ’s for the day. I was honestly a bit tired from eating out which I didn’t know was even possible. I couldn’t wait to just eat at home and cook again! In order to save, I tried to plan our meals for the week around what we mostly had. The TJ’s trip basically was to stock up on just random little ingredients to make the full meals.

August 13th I whipped up some salmon with wild rice and roasted veggies for dinner. A favorite!

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August 14th was pretty uneventful, just house chores, knocking things off the to-do list and a beautiful run in the afternoon. These flowers were spectacular.

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DJ and I watched BIP in the evening. I stole his Oreos teheh. These mixed with Fairlife chocolate milk is an unreal combo.

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On August 15th, I read a bit and then sifted through grad school e-mails. I kept holding my breath every time I logged in- I was so irrationally nervous I wouldn’t be able to start for some unforeseeable reason or i’d be notified my acceptance was a mistake. #imposterssyndrome. It’s like I couldn’t believe I was actually in this program until the first day! And what is paranoia best solved by? Quesadillas with tomato soup, of course! I make mine vegan cheese and DJ’s with regular cheese.

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August 16th I had a weird medley of foods… I started the day with my go-to avocado and egg toast

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After snacking throughout the morning, I decided I wanted carbs… but I wanted veggies too. Solution? I put kale and hummus on a sandwich and it hit the spot. DJ thought it was disgusting hahah.

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Another snack kick I was on this particular week was Fage, peaches, and shakeology powder.

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August 17th, I made an acai bowl with oats, vegan chocolate chips, and peaches! I was just loving these TJ peaches.

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In the evening, I had a Dr. Praeger’s burger that had been sitting in my fridge for a while (SO GOOD), some wilted spinach, cauli rice, roasted sweet potato, and an egg. I felt like this was a very Kori-esque meal, and it was SO delicious!!

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STOMP, STOMP, STOMP.. it is 11:45. GO TO SLEEP! My gooodnesssss.

August 18th, I was so exhausted. It was one of those days where I was just so darn tired and hormonal and UGH. My girls get it! Nothing a cute cat can’t fix. I went to my friend Sara’s and we watched our show while I snuggled with this little fur baby.

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I had some leftover sweet potato and a veggie burger earlier on in the evening, but when around 9:30 pm rolled around I had a massive pizza craving (Like BAD). I ordered DJ and I some pies from Round Table. I had the baby pineapple with mushroom pizza and ordered DJ the large sausage. We rarely ever order pizza- I think we have maybe once in the past year, but gosh this hit the spot!

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In the morning of August 19th, I woke up with a sore throat. I decided to stay home from Church and watch the sermon online. DJ had to go to work this morning. The rest of the day I took it pretty easy just trying to recoup.

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August 20th, I felt a bit better when I woke up. I started the day with the standard avo & egg toast, and then went on a nice long walk to shake off the cobwebs.

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In the evening we watched Bachelor in Paradise, of course!

August 21-24th was just a whole lot of running errands, doing things on the to-do list like getting the oil changed, attending online orientation for school at 5 am (since I’m on pacific time lol), deep cleaning in the house, and some blogging in between while DJ worked a homestand.

August 25th I met up with my friend Alexandra for some scrumptious coffee from Voyager Craft Coffee. They have some of the best coffee- but it’s pricy, so I only go when meeting up with friends. It was a treat catching up with her and enjoying this coffee!

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In the afternoon I was craving something warm and comforting- I made up an oatmeal bowl with acai, cashews, and chocolate chips. Have y’all ever tried acai warmed in your oats?! It’s tasty!!

Ohhhh.. there goes the dog yapping. It is the yappiest little thing. hum bug.

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As we are trying to limit the groceries we buy and just use food from home (minus the pizza indulgence), I made DJ up these Special K Flatbreads we had in the freezer for breakfast. He loved them!

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We ran out of avocado, but determined to only use what we had in the fridge, I put some hummus on toast and egg over and called it breakfast. (Oh something I don’t picture but have nearly every day with breakfast is half or whole protein bar.. it keeps me full through the morning).

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August 26th I wrapped up all loose ends, got my ducks in a row with my books, finished laundry and read for pleasure for a bit because I was going to school the next day!! (and in undergrad the last thing I wanted to do was read for pleasure!).

August 27th was my first day of grad school! I started the day with a clear head by going to hot yoga around 7 am.

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I grabbed this new yoga mat at TJ Maxx for $7.99!! Way cheaper than anything I could even find on Amazon Prime.

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I made a turmeric latte at home to start the day and got started on the next 3.5 years of my life!

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I dedicated the rest of the day to school work. I am loving it, y’all! It’s a lot of work, a massive amount of reading, and a ton of discussion- but I have been anticipating this, and it feels great to be back in an academic setting.

My days basically are all the same now, which I love. I have missed routine! I haven’t had routine since 2016. I’ve been waking up around 8, have a massive breakfast, do some sort of workout whether it’s a run, insanity, or hot yoga, then work all day on school work, and then go on a walk to clear my head before cooking dinner. I then use the evenings to spend time with DJ, read, watch my guilty pleasure TV, and unwind with maybe a littttle bit more school work mixed in (Well… unwind best I can since the neighbors took over the apt. building, lol!).

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On repeat last week we had butterfly trout with roasted zucchini, forbidden rice, and greens.

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I changed it up a couple times with a veggie burger instead.

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The next couple posts I will recap our Labor Day! I am sooo psyched to share those.

Oh, one more thing! The month of September DJ, and I call “Saving September” every year. We go all out to try to save after a summer full of traveling and eating out. Basically we just keep to necessities- no eating out, no extra expenses (like those darn ICEs I am obsessed with), no shopping, etc. etc.  I always think it’s fun because it’s like a challenge to try to find new ways to make meals with what we have, get in better habits of not buying gum every time I’m at a checkout counter, forces us to just drink so much water that isn’t laden with chemicals, and get creative with clothes too! We put it off basically until this week because my parents were in town, but now we are all in 🙂 I’m eager to share how it goes!!

Also exciting- DJ is DONE with games until next season! That means his schedule goes back to a more 9-5 now. He’s super excited about that as am I.

Any meals/food items/etc. you have been loving lately?

xo <3

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Friday Fave…. nots? Friday Fails.

Hello all of ya positive optimistic lovely people! Today I am going to turn that smile upside down!!! Say what? Jk, jk. (kinda). I am embarking on a Friday Fave.. Nots, or rather, Friday Fails. Not only have I had a series of self inflicted unfortunate events as of late, but equally a series of.. humorous…events, and I feel I can’t keep these gems to myself- that’d be selfish. So allow my misfortune (all very silly – I recognize) entertain you for a brief moment. ** I hope you are not eating for this one **

  1. Dropping my keys…… in a gas station trash can… on accident. Yep, this happened. I was at a gas station last week and while throwing away empty water bottles and gum wrappers there went my keys. The moment I dropped them was a big ole’ “ohhhhh nooooo, that didn’t actually just happen, did it?”. I had to tip the whole giant trash can over, and shake it until my keys came to the surface. Y’all… I have done some not unpleasant things in my life as a nurse… and this was one of the nastiest things I have ever had to do. The worst best part? As I was getting in my car, the gas station cashier started chasing me (as I was now driving away in my car) yelling “What are you doing?!”. I was too mortified to explain… so I just zipped out of there. I think he thought I was stealing something out of it? Cause robbing a gas station trash can would be first on the list. Lesson learned: I cannot multi-task as well as I think.
  2.  Leaking leftovers. After our yummy vegan meal in the last post, I decided to take the leftovers to go. Wellllll, I discovered when I came home that my entire giant bag was saturated in their “special house sauce”. I tried washing the bag, but it was left a sad droopy version of itself. Sorry, bag. Lesson Learned: Sauce + Gravity= a sticky situation. Also, don’t put faux leather through the washing machine.

img_8078-13. Unapproved Carwash. DJ occasionally will get coupons from sponsors for the Giants and one of them was a free car wash. It was about twenty-five minutes away, but worth it if it’s free, right? I drove in allll the traffic (I even scored an extra 30 minutes for an accident), passed a legit wildfire on the side of the highway, and finally arrived to the car wash. I was unclear of how to proceed- go through the car wash or go to the cashier first? Naturally upon being given a 50/50 option, I chose the wrong one. I went through the car wash assuming it would be clear how to use the coupon, and when I arrived to the payment options- I pressed for “help”. “System down, please go inside” is what the prompt read. Well, with 3 other cars behind me I didn’t want to be that person holding up the line, so I proceeded forward into the car wash paying in full (the money slot still worked). When I went inside, the cashier wouldn’t hear my explanation for a single second, and basically shooed me out the door saying I had to use the coupon first. Better luck next time. Lesson Learned: Don’t drive through a wildfire for a car wash- it ain’t worth it!

4. Dis’ popcorn. Let me tell ya. It it no bueno. I am not picky when it comes to popcorn, but this… oh this…. be away with your protein infused self!img_8083-1

 Lesson Learned: Just stick to the Boom Chica & Smartfood.

5. When your oatmeal does this….

img_8082-1#Monday in a nutshell. They say don’t cry over spilled milk. But can you cry over spilled oats?! Lesson Learned: Watch out for the “wave” in microwave.

6. Broken Headphones.

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Yes, easy to replace- however I just bought these about a month ago (on sale from Amazon prime from a third party seller). Lesson Learned: Just buy the darn apple headphones, not the knockoffs!

7. K-Cup Shamed. Mmmmhmmm. At Trader Joe’s the cashier felt it his duty to remind me that it was more economically friendly to invest in the refillable K-cups at home, rather than buying actual K-cups. It is better, I acknowledge. I recycle, I try to take short showers (ok, that’s a stretch), I rarely use straws, but Trader Joe’s cashier, we can’t all be perfect. Just please scan my Reese’s peanut butter cups and let me live. Lesson Learned: You can always be more green. #conviction

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8. Dis’ Moroccan Oil Shampoo. NEVER AGAIN. This stuff made my hair so tangly, greasy and heavy. Never ever ever again. No wonder it was on sale for like $6 haha! Lesson Learned: A pretty package doesn’t mean it’s a good product.

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9. Beauty Fail. Confession time. This is actually a Flashback Friday Fave Not.. Remember those fake press on nails that I used for the wedding a couple weeks ago? Well have I got a story for you!! I haven’t told this to anyone yet; I think I was trying to block it out of my memory. While waiting in line to board my flight back, I was digging in my mess of a purse to find my boarding pass (Yes I realize non-mobile boarding passes are old school). Something goes flying and what do you know… it’s my nail… flying and then sliding under a suitcase of someone in front of me. I didn’t wanna be like, “Heyyyy, I dropped my fake nail under your suitcase, can you please move?”… So I waited until she moved a couple inches, watching her suitcase like a hawk, then snatched it before anyone could see. Although I’m pretty sure they couldn’t have cared less with it being 5 am. Lesson Learned: I am Murphy’s Law incarnate, and I need to get. it. together.

And this is where we meet our end. I am not going to list a number 10 because at the end of the day, the good always outweighs the bad…so I’ll leave a full 10 for my Friday Favorite posts. Life is gooood, and I feel cleansed, and I sound neurotic. Ahh. Have a wonderful day.

Xo <3

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Bowling, Buns, & Boba Fun!

Heyy yaaa heyyyyy yaaa! (anyone set it to the tune I did?). I have a short, teeny tiny recap to wrap up loose ends before taking off for MI tomorrow. My type A angel (or devil) on my shoulder would be severely bothered with smushing (apparently smushing isn’t a word?) this recap in with my Michigan one a week from now… soooo here. we. goooo!

^^ Was that not the most scattered, rambling intro you ever did see?

On Saturday the 14th, I attended the big bowling bash of the year for DJ’s work. It was such a great time, and a fun way to get to know his coworkers a bit better too!

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Deej and I shared a lane and alternated turns. We did horribly the first round, but didn’t do too bad the second. Guess it was the practice we had earlier in the week?! (nah, for me it was just dumb luck, lol). (We are “D” on the screen).

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Once we finally came home around 11:30 pm, we binged The Staircase and were up wayyy past each of our bedtimes.

On Sunday the 15th, I went to Church while DJ unfortunately had to go to work bright and early. After Church I met my friend, Tammy, downtown in San Jose for some vegan eats!

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I grow more and more fond of downtown San Jose every time I visit!

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I actually discovered this place through a fellow San Francisco blogger! I saw the Buddha bun in her post and couldn’t get it out of my head.

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This place is in an obscure spot in downtown, pretty easy to miss, but one you won’t want to! The inside decor is alll about that hippie life with earthly tones, calm music, and overall a general ode to nature.

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The moment of truth finally fell upon us… *pause for dramatic effect*. This magic bun cost less than $4 which is a STEAL in these parts. It’s pretty big too (there is a picture later on for reference). It is a rice flour bun (Bao) stuffed with sautéed mushrooms, tofu, cabbage, jicama, peas, and carrots. Served with a house sweet savory sauce.

img_7949In enthusiastic Kate mode I feel like there is only one way to express my excitement over this bun….

Guys!

Guys!!!

Guys!!!!!!

This is one of my FAVORITE morsels of food I have tried since moving to the Bay Area. Since EVER. Not sure what they use in this “house” sauce, but I would sell a kidney for the recipe. I told Tammy I want this for my birthday, and she joked they would just put a candle in it (My hopes are officially up 😉 ).

I have never had bao before then, and I loved it. I’ve never tried Dim Sum, but I have a feeling it would be a new favorite thing! *Cue Whole New World*

I also tried the sampler platter with Thai yellow curry, Jamaican jerk “chicken” and spicy basil tofu with quinoa. I brought back leftovers for DJ and he loved them too.

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Tam had their jackfruit pulled “pork” tacos, and let me try a nibble. They were phenomenal. I might get these next time!!

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We also split a local cider (with a fascinating history) & a rose lemonade.

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The rose lemonade was the definition of refreshing. And the cider was the greatest ale/cider/beer equivalent I have ever tasted. I want to take DJ back just to try this!

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We finished the whole smorgasbord with a piece of delicious vegan pumpkin pie over a chocolate crust.

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When I say I can’t stop thinking about this meal… I seriously cannot stop thinking about this meal! Winner winner chicken vegan dinner.

Next, Tammy noticed Tea Alley was across the street which is a place in SJ that sells boba in lightbulbs (leave it to the Bay Area to channel our inner Thomas Jefferson).

Tam made me laugh when she looked them up and exclaimed, “I just really want to drink out of a lightbulb!”. #overheardinSanJose

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It was a neat little place with super cute decor!

The moment of truth….

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It was adorable, but unfortunately luke warm- liiiiiike WHO DRINKS BOBA LUKE WARM?! Fun experience, and tam got her lightbulb. Lol. <3

This week has been more communicating with grad school trying to make sure all my classes are going to be scheduled okay, tons of cleaning, working on a present for my Grandpa’s birthday, laundry, and food prep since I’ll be gone! Per DJ’s request I whipped up the bison tacos again.

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I have one chapter of Harry Potter left- are y’all proud?! One more to gooo!

Any big weekend plans coming up?!

xo <3

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A Quite Ambiguous Life Update!

Hey y’all!! I haven’t done a hum-drum recap post since last year?! I’ve done our trip recaps, Friday Faves, and EVEN a recipe…. but not a recap. What. is . happening?!

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Yes, This is Us unleashed one of the most dramatic, tear-jerking episodes in probably history of television on Sunday. I think I need to see a therapist after that episode. But we won’t get into it. It’s so good, so heart-wrenching, so real…. it hits on a very visceral level for me.

Anywho, I want to document just some real quick recent happenings and answer everyone’s questions about, “What’s going on, what’s the school situation, what the lowwww down?”.

Once we came back from Texas (yes, I am going THAT far back), I worked January 2nd and had to take my first ever sick day the 3rd. Darn, I almost made it a full year without taking a sick day! The 4th and 5th I spent resting and worked through that next weekend. On that weekend, my sweet coworkers threw the sweetest surprise “potlock” for my birthday. It touched me to literal tears. They brought in all kinds of goodies & cupcakes. I’m so thankful for them.

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On the 11th, we had our preliminary presentation and the research scientists seemed to love it! They gave us tremendous feedback, so now we just have to make a few adjustments and we’ll be all set. Our official presentation is March 21st. I will be prepping hard for it before then! PS. I love our cohort education days because we always get a flamin’ breakfast of croissants & coffee! One time we had smoked salmon with capers (my weakness)!

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March 7-12th we worked hard so we could enjoy our vacation to San Diego January 13th-17th. Here are Part One, Part Two, and Part Three if ya missed um 😉

We’ve been craving comfort food lately as “winter” comes to an end (I feel embarrassed and rude saying that to my kindred midwesterners)….stay warm, friends. I empathize, I really do!

I have loved continuing to make cod. One of DJ’s favorite’s was a meal with cod, corn grits, asparagus, okra, and zucchini with marina/parm cheese. Now, it does not get more midwest than this folks (unless a casserole was involved 😉 ).

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One of my current projects is reading through “must read” books list. So far I have read The Giver, The Lovely Bones, and Fahrenheit 451. Would love your suggestions too! I think next I’m going to read Wuthering Heights and The Book Thief. Lemme say though.. all those gosh darn stupid reality shows are vying for my serious attention on Monday nights, so tryna’ find that balance 😉

(I’m still making my way through the Harry Potter series, but have been falling asleep the second I hit the sheets lately!).

On the 27th, DJ’s twin sister (WHO JUST MOVED HERE!!!!!!), drove up to SJ to have some breakfast with us. I can’t explain how excited I am that she’s here. You might remember her from when she visited us here. (Scroll to end of the linked post).

Anywho, we had to take her to the infamous Bill’s. We just had one open within a mile of our apartment (EEEEKKKK!!!!!) I am freaking out.

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What’s brunch without Bill’s Famous Mimosas?

DJ tried their country fried steak with biscuits and gravy.

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I had my tried and true, go to athena greek omelette. Goat cheese on an omelette is GOLD.

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Amy opted for probably one of my favorites on their menu- the Cinnamon Roll French Toast. Phenomenal.

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Amy headed back to the city in the afternoon after hanging out at our apartment for a little bit. This was one of the first Saturdays in months, probably all year, that DJ and I were both 100% free. We spent the day lounging, napping, took a walk, and relaxed. It was absolute perfection. We kept saying how refreshing it was to have a full day like that. It doesn’t happen often- I actually can’t even remember our last day like that.

On Sunday the 28th, I finalllly had a Sunday off of work to go to Church (EVERYONE CHEERS!). Lemme say, it was SO nice being able to worship with my community in person and not be listening to a podcast sermon on Sunday.

After Church, I went to lunch with my girlfriend Tammy that you all know probably well my now, and her husband, Ben. (DJ couldn’t tag along, but I brought him home some grub!).

We went to Mendocino Farms in Campbell. This may be our new local joint. I am obsessed!!! There are so many phenomenal pesce/vegan options!!!

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You order Panera style, and they give you a buzzer when food is ready.

I loved their farmhouse theme.

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I was craving a great salad. I had their avocado & superfood ensalad with butter lettuce & romaine, curly kale, quinoa & millet, housemade superfood krunchies, black bean, roasted corn & jicama succotash, red onions, cilantro, Cotija cheese, grape tomatoes, avocado with chipotle vinaigrette. There are no words to describe how yum this was!

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Even better yet… their sides.. the curried cous-cous and marinated beets were so savory. I am craving them again. I might just have to go in tomorrow to get more.

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Tam had the Mary’s Chicken Salad with shaved, roasted Mary’s free range chicken breast with balsamic glaze drizzle, butter lettuce & romaine, nitrate-free applewood smoked bacon, crumbled blue cheese, avocado, grape tomatoes, red onions, hard boiled egg with mustard vinaigrette. Good mendocino heavens.

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There was a Trader Joe’s plopped right next door, and this is where I had my epiphany that Trader Joe’s may be the greatest place on earth.THEY EVEN HAVE SUSHI!

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I went for an amazing run after, and saw this cute little lemon tree.

img_7975Monday morning I made an omelette with my leftovers stuffed in!

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For one of my birthday gifts, I received my first ever Fab Fit Fun box. This is allll over the place social media wise, but I’ve never pulled the trigger. I was thoroughly impressed with the box, and can’t wait to use the products. I’ll let you all know how they all work out.

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I can tell you this add on fuzzy blanket is amazing. (Duh, what girl doesn’t like a comfy blanket?)

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How stinking cute!

DJ is playing in a basketball league called the “Enginerds”. I’m not sure if I’ve mentioned this on the blog before, but DJ was (is) a tremendous basketball player. He isn’t hanging up the shoes quite yet as he is playing in a local league every other Wednesday. I’m obsessed with the name of their team (so Bay area)- The Enginerds! Lol.

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I have been thinking lately about doing a meal prep post about how I have been meal prepping for my twelve hour shifts! I never have really shared my prep days for work, but why not?! It took a while to get my routine down, but I think I finally have it figured out to stay full and stay nourished!

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On January 30th, I had the unexpected couple of hours off as our unit was over-staffed. I instead was able to go to work at 11:30 am. I walked into the shining sun and gorgeous fountain. That never happens. What a glorious day that was!

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Shall we chat Super Bowl on the the 4th?! Our unit was not about to neglect the celebrations. We had donuts, chips, and pizza galore. I worked extra extra extra hard to get my work done so I could catch a couple glimpses of the game. They were small glimpses, but I did get to watch JT do his THANG!

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That extra extra extra hard (aka every single shift, lol) translated into this…

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I’m glad Deej got to watch the game with his family though!

Yesterday, the 5th, I was able to squeeze in a gorgeous 10-miler. To be honest with y’all … doc says I need to chillll on the mileage. I’m trying, but struggling cause it’s the way I cope with my stress. My body isn’t handling it. I am going to try to incorporate more strength training & cross training > cardio.

Anywho.. these February blooms along my runs have been gorgeous. It is finally starting to warm up a bit again!

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Post workout nibbles/appetizer before dinner of veggies straws, dried okra, mushrooms, hummus, and smoked salmon jerky.

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Lately for dinners all I have wanted is warm comfort food due to the weather and perpetual ill feeling. Today after a great Insanity workout I was craving my giant refreshing salad with it being 72 degrees outside. I always love putting a veggie burger in my salad with hummus & some balsamic vinegar. MMmm mm!

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Let’s talk future now. I have an interview February 14th for a doctorate program. Gosh, I want this so badly. I was accepted into a local program here, so that’s a possibility too (it’s a master’s program). I am waiting to hear back from one last school in Nashville. I’m not sure what this year holds for us.. it’s all a big ole’ question mark… we are just trusting God with it all. He has proved faithful time and time again. DJ is still loving his job in marketing for the SJ Giants, and will probably look into getting his masters next year. I am excited and hopeful to see how this year unravels! Lots of questions will be answered in this next two months, and I am hoping to share some fun (and definite) updates with you all.

xo <3

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Friday Favorites #9!

Happy Friday, everyone! I know, it’s hard to believe… but I will have officially published three posts in one week- I turned my project in and now have a couple days before I have to start getting serious about prepping for the BIG presentation. To top off the streak here I am doing a Friday Faveeessss! I love them and I love reading yours. If you have one this week please leave it in the comments.

  1. This spoon from one of my best friends from college. It is perfection! I found a perfect match on Amazon. Jump on it if you know any nurses who love to cook!

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2. COD. For some reason, hubby and I have been LOVING seasoned cod lately for dinner with okra and brown rice. I usually grab salmon or tilapia, but hot dang this cod is terrific. Who knew! Also, one of my patients owns a bakery and gave us this amazing cheesy pesto bread (and a TON of other bread too) to go along with it!

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3. My guitar <3 I finalllllyyyyy had my guitar repaired. It’s been about three years since I’ve really played. I used to play in high school a ton, and I have about eight original songs (I didn’t say they were quality original songs- but they are original, lol!). I started missing it terribly when nursing school was over and FINALLY had it fixed up/repaired by the nearby Starving Musician. Stay tuned.. (literally).. maybe one day I’ll share a song if I gather up the courage. Buuuuut probably not. haha

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4. This travel map!!! It’s no secret we LOVE traveling. For Christmas, DJ found this map for us. If you look closely, there are little blue pins that we place on every city we have visited together. It is very clear that we are from the midwest and now live in California, haha. I want to book a trip every time I pass it in our hallway!

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5. TRADER JOE’S!!!! Ok. It’s alsooo no secret that Trader Joe’s is amazing. But I’ve only been a couple times in my life, and never since we’ve lived here. WHY NOT!?!?? I KNOW, I ask myself that everyday now. Why have I not been?! It’s like adult Disneyland. It is the freaking greatest place on Earth. I’m obsessed. I could EASILY name 10 items to make Friday Favorites from Trader Joe’s alone. I’m sure it will be a frequent visitor on this segment, so watch for new fun products!

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For instance, this King Salmon Jerky… a bit salty (but that never deters me), and so stinking good. It’s a pescetarian dream. Especially because in my past meat-eating life I loooooved me some beef jerky.

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& This Arugula Pizza was too delish. My willpower was at a big fat zero with this in front of my face. Let’s just say, this did not last long at ALL between the two of us!

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6. Avocado Toast Tank from Deej for my bday. Anything more perfect for a Cali girl?

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7. Shakeology oats. I am embarrassed to mention Shakeology honestly–… I’m always a bit of a skeptic of health formulary protein stuff (except my No Cow/Quest bars)…. I’d just rather eat my protein than drink it I guess. Anywho, lately I have LOVED making a big ole bowl of oats for breakfast with vegan Shakeology powder on top and stevia (maybe even a little whip cream). It’s like dessert!

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8. Impress Nails by Kiss!!! I adore these stick/glue on nails. As a nurse, I can’t really wear nail polish (it comes right off and chips with the hand sanitizer). This is such a great alternative and quicker than painting and waiting for my nails to dry. If I only have a day or two where I need nice nails, I loveeeee these!

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I wore some purple ones in San Diego.

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9. Lulus!!! Lulus is a new online shop I am OBSESSED with!!! Their style is totally my cup of tea. They have free shipping over $50 and free return shipping within 30 days. Their customer service is amazing, and selection is tremendous. Some of you asked where the dress was from in my first San Diego post, here is the link!

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10. SUPER BOWL time! I will be working during the Super Bowl, probably my favorite sporting event of the year (except when Cavs are in the finals)…..BUT we love these recipes below if you need some healthy ideas for your party…..and I’ll be making them regardless if I have to celebrate a day late 😉 !!

Buffalo Cauliflower “Wings”

Vegan Tacos

Loaded Vegan Nachos

xo <3

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Vegan “Chicken” Piccata

It’s been a hot minute since I’ve shared a recipe, but this is a new favorite in our household!!! We have had a bountiful supply of lemons lying around lately. Also, Kalpana at Surreyfarms has been sharing a plethora of lemon recipes that have been making my mouth water!!! I thought I’d try my hand at recreating a vegan chicken piccata. How in the heck do you do that?! I wasn’t sure if this was going to turn out… I used a regular chicken piccata recipe and modified it to work. I held my breath as we took our first bite, and it was phenomenal. DJ is a meat eater, but he LOVED this. He said we need to make it a staple. So when life gives you lemons, maybe try this out?!

Ingredients:

  • 5 medium size zucchinis, spiralized. If you need an AWESOME spiralizer, try this one here.
  • 4 large packages of tempeh (I used organic 3 grain from Trader Joe’s).
  • sea salt
  • freshly ground pepper
  • onion powder
  • garlic powder
  • all purpose flour (I used Bob Mill’s)
  • Olive Oil Spray- I love Pam’s EVOO spray!
  • 3 TBSP Vegan butter of choice
  • 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
  • 1/2 cup vegetable stock
  • 1/4 cup brined capers, rinsed

Directions:

  1. Spiralize your zucchini into a large bowl!
  2. Spray zucchini with olive oil spray, then transfer to large sauté pan. Sprinkle with a dash of sea salt, ground pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder. Cook on medium heat, covered until noodles are soft and most of the water is evaporated from the noodles- about 10 minutes. (Turn down heat if they start caramelizing- zucchini burns pretty easily!)
  3. Transfer back to bowl.

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4. Cut tempeh lengthwise in half.

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5. Spray both sides of tempeh with spray, sea salt, and pepper.

6. “Dredge” in all purpose flour (although it’s more like just lightly cover each side with flour- tempeh crumbles pretty easily, so be gentle with um!)

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7. In the same large pan on medium heat add 3 TBSP of butter and spray pan with EVOO spray.

8. Transfer the tempeh to the pan when butter starts to sizzle and cook until browned on each side, about four minutes each side (maybe a little longer depending how quick your pan cooks, turn up heat if cooking too slow).

9. Once browned on each side, transfer to plate.

10. In the same pan, add lemon juice, stock, and capers. Bring to a light boil.

11. Add Tempeh back to the pan and simmer each side for about three minutes each. Add olive oil as needed and before flipping.

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12. Serve over zucchini noodles

13. Enjoy!!!

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It really did taste like chicken….

xo <3

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A Texas New Year!

Happy 2018 y’all!

Come on in, lemme set the scene. I am sitting here with our Christmas tree & decor still fully on display. I refused to let DJ take it down this week, and that convo was officially our first squabble of 2018. I told him he could take it down when I’m at work this weekend, although I’d prefer to keep it up until it literally falls over and no pines are left. Compromise y’all- marriage at its finest.

I have my third cup of coffee in hand (clearly not on that “decrease caffeine” resolution train). I have jazz playing in the background. I am overcoming quite the cold, as I am sure many of you are also facing head on. So from me to you, HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU AND YOUR ___ (insert sickness here)_____ ! I mean, really, along with popping the champagne we may as well take Airborne shots and instead of confetti throw around tissues.

I cannot CANNOT believe how quickly last year went by. I usually think the sentimentality of a New Year is always a bit cheesy (yes, coming from the cheese-y queen), but this year I was feeling it. 2017 was rough rough rough, and I welcome a new year with open arms. Last year I knew I was walking into a difficult year, but I underestimated just how challenging it would be. This year, rather than having a feeling of foreboding doom and anxiety, I am filled with excitement & anticipation as I can nearly taste the completion of THE most challenging obstacle I have ever faced.

In my last post I was heading to Fort Worth to visit my momma, Step-dad, Pete, and pup, Jade with DJ on the 28th. (Side note: I have always called Jade, “Jadey” as a nickname… and when in Texas I always end up calling Jade “DJ”.. dyslexic tendencies slipping to the surface there..whooops!).

real quick…You can check out previous posts exploring the Texas area here and here and here and here.

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^ The diva dog hates her picture taken, but I had to snag a few!

The first night we arrived I was egg to the zausted. Momma Jill prepared the most delicious dinner for us including bottomless roasted veggies, grilled portobello mushrooms (for her and I), and Pete grilled up steaks for the boys. It was all accompanied by delicious wild rice, marinated mushrooms for the steak, and garlic bread.

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Good lawd, momma Jill knows how to cook up a storm (maybe quite literally if you look at the temperature & snow we had!).

I also just adore their Christmas decor, and they surprised us by having our stockings still hung above the fireplace. **CUE THE TEARS**.

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After dinner, we opened our stockings, chatted and soaked up my mom and Pete’s wisdom going into some big decisions this year ahead, and munched on homemade Christmas cookies. It actually felt like Christmas. Like I said in my last post, the day of Christmas is actually quite relative. And the best part of an untraditional Christmas is if you forget any figs for your figgy pudding there is actually a grocery store open! Howbowdat.

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^^ Ms. Beggar McGregor.

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Unfortunately, that night I dealt with a horrible bout of insomnia. I think it was the combination of coming off some crazy days in the hospital, the travel, and just general time change (it always gets me!). When I went to India a couple years ago I couldn’t sleep for three days straight. That jet lag, even a couple hours, kicks my butt.

But the next day we jet-started the day with a yummy fruit bowl, eggs, toast, and better n’peanut butter for my mom and I. Has anyone had this magic? It’s my treat when I go to Dallas. SO GOOD. I know I could technically stock up on it here… but it just reminds me of “home”, so I save it for those special trips to Texas. I think I’d be too sad eating it anywhere else. <— #emotionalmuch?

The 29thwas a day for the books. I actually did cry going through these pictures because I missed it too much already. My mom surprised me with a trip to Spa Castle and for DJ, a trip with Pete to the Cotton Bowl! I’ll recap Spa Castle right quick!

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So, this place is HUGE- very Texasesque! I have never seen anything like it. Basically it’s a giant Spa amusement park. They have everything from a fitness center, saunas galore, whirlpools with jet massagers, a plethora of spa treatments, and general lounging areas.

You receive this key to a locker when you come in and just badge in and out of your locker as you please!

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Momma bear and I decided to start with a hearty workout prior to a day of total bliss.

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Everyone is required to wear these uniforms in the sauna for probably several reasons that you could infer. I joked that this reminded me of a cult meets monastery, but I was all on board!

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The entrance area was absolutely breathtaking. Every inch of the facility is designed to make you relax.

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Now, the “Sauna Valley” was paradise. My pictures cannot possibly compare to the real experience, so I’ve included a link here that you can explore each room and all their benefits! Our favorites included the Himalayan Salt Room, The Charcoal Tower, and the Gold Pyramid.

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I thought the “Color Therapy” room was super fascinating. The health benefits behind each room just blew my mind.

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There is even an Iceland room if you need to chillll out even more.

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Let me jus say—- this was EXACTLY what I needed to shake out the anxiety & stress of the year. What a great way to say SAYONARA, Seventeen! These Saunas were out. of. this. world.

We then headed down to their pool area. All those silver bars jetting out of the water are massage stations. They are not for the faint of heart either. The next day I had that same sore feeling I get after a great massage that really works out the knots. It was too cool.

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Last, but certainly not least, we finished off at their indoor bar/pool/whirlpool area. It was all quintessential bliss.

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We had worked up quite the appetite by this point so we nommed on some sushimi and wakame salad to tie us over before the big Sushi showdown.

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We had every little bit of energy zapped from our bodies and knew it was time to head back home.

On our way home we grabbed some fantastic & fresh sushi to go and my mom pulled out her now famous tofu wedges. After getting cleaned up we sat on the couch, turned on some easy TV, and I blogged while my mom crashed in the cozy living room. It was the epitome of a perfect day.

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While we sat back and relaxed, the guys hit up the Cotton Bowl for the OSU vs. USC game. DJ was PUMPED about this, which probably goes without saying.

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They said it was an absolutely amazing game.

On the morning of the 30th, DJ, my mom, and I hit up the local Keller Pointe (my favorite workout facility in the WORLD). After we zoomed to Kindred Coffee…. oh. my. lanta. Calling all coffeee lovers & snobs: If you are ever passing by the North Richland Hills area, you must stop. This was everything coffee magic & more.

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We had a lazy afternoon, and I snuck in a much needed nap. I don’t nap often, but I always do so well in Texas, plus this nasty cold was beginning to make it’s debut. We then put our fancy clothes on and headed out to Lonesome Dove at the Stockyards.

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^^ We did not plan to match. I swear. Hahhah.

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Love love love love the stockyards.

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This place has one of the most unique menus I have ever seen. I avoid eating meat 98% of the time, but when there is something that is unique, I MUST try it. This was certainly one of those occasions. We tried a sampler of their appetizer options including wild boar ribs, kangaroo Carpaccio “Nachos” (yes, actual kangaroo) Avocado Salsa, Habanéro-Fig Demi-Glace, and blue corn lobster hushpuppies. The kangaroo and ribs were a hit among the table out of the three.

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My mom and I shared the shaved vegetable salad while Pete tried the butter lettuce with smoked bacon.

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I couldn’t get great pictures of our meals (calm yo self, mack), but they were all yummmy. My mom and I split the redfish En Papillote, with Fennel, Leek, Carrot, Yellow Squash, Chiles, & mint. We agreed it wasn’t the most flavorful fish we have had, but still satisfying. DJ tried the Wagyu skirt steak, but the winner was Pete’s Roasted Garlic Stuffed Beef Tenderloin, with Western Plaid Hash and syrah Demi-Glace (pictured below).

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The other big hit was the side of truffle mac and cheese. I mean can you go wrong with ANYTHING truffled?

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Outside they have a pit for s’mores too.

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We headed home for some Bailey’s & Pumpkin Pie with happy stomachs and lots of laughs.

In the morning of the 31st, we headed to my mom and Pete’s home church for an AMAZING service. The message was powerful and encouraging & the worship was beautiful.

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And what’s a Sunday without a little Sunday Brunch?!?! When I lived here the summer prior to our wedding in 2015, I loved walking up and down the main street of Keller to do my wedding planning. This was before I began blogging, but this would have been a favorite mention. The Snooty Pig is one of my ALL. TIME. favorite breakfast places, and Pete suggested we go. I was not about to turn that down!

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One of the reasons I love this place so much is their muffins. They have the most unique, but scrumptious muffins.

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We decided to try their lemon poppyseed ones, although I was nervous because with possibly starting grad school here soon I know I’ll have to take drug tests! I was like how long does it stay in the system for?!? We pulled out our phones and started googling. Turns out it’s only for a few days, so I should be safe. When the waiter plopped the lemon muffin down on the table DJ just looked at it and said, “Well, that’s just a drug test waiting to be failed”. I just glared at him as I took my first big bite. 😉

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And now I have this blog with pictures to explain if it comes to that. LOL. Pete had their strawberry banana one too. I said it’s a tradition now to try a different flavor every time we come. Last time we had the cranberry orange one- oh me oh my, not sure which I like better.

My mom and I split a veggie omelette with a side of the most fresh salsa.

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Pete had their western skillet. He’s too kind to let me always photograph his food. Oh, how these people put up with me and my antics.

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DJ had a classic pancake breakfast. He said the pancakes were definitely good. Still not THE best. This guy and his cakes..

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After, we hit up the gym for the last time in 2017 (tears), and then *attempted* to hot tub. It was so bitter cold outside so although our necks down were doing okay, we could feel our nose hairs and lips freezing. We didn’t last too long as you may imagine. Still fun though!

DJ decided to door dash a Whataburger.. when in Texas!

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It’s hard to tell from the picture, but these suckers are ginormous! Easily the biggest burger in diameter I have ever seen. DJ said it was fantastic, but still prefers in-n-out.

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Time to Ring in the New Year!!!!

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^Cuties

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We put on the TV to watch the NYE festivities, and then momma Jill set up the dinner table like a winter wonderland.

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We had appetizers of brie cheese with apricot spread from Trader Joes (GET THESE NOW), hummus, mom’s homemade guac (there is none that compares, and meatballs for the men.

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I helped my mom out in the kitchen preparing some of the food for dinner (But she honestly did most of the work). She gave me an Instapot for Christmas, so we had a fun little tutorial on how to use it by experimenting with au gratin potatoes! It was a blast, and I am itching to use mine!

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The dinner (That DJ and I cannot stop talking about) included crab legs, asparagus, au gratin potatoes, and red lobster biscuits. Rachael Ray move on over.

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We had a great time toasting to a new year, had fabulous conversations, and watched the ball drop. We haven’t spent a New Year together in ages, so this was a true treat and will be dearly treasured.

In the morning on the 1st, we gloomily packed up to head back to Cali. I had my breakfast of peanut butter toast one last time, and we exchanged big hugs. This may have been the hardest trip for me to leave. I was reminiscing on the days growing up when we would have breakfast with my Dad and then come home to my mom cleaning every nook and cranny to ring in the New Year. Bittersweet contemplations..

In the airport, DJ spotted a twisted root- him and Pete went to one before the cotton bowl, and he had to have one last burger before heading back. We had plenty of time since our flight was delayed about an hour.

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Even after writing this I don’t feel like I did justice to just how phenomenal of a trip this was. It was much needed, and gave me just the zest I needed to face the next couple months.

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I went back to work on the 2nd, and struggled through the whole day. I was in the Neuro Close observation room, masked up because of my cold. That evening and the next morning I had the knives-in-my-throat feeling and every inch of my body ached. I called in sick, but worked diligently on my research project instead. I just couldn’t risk giving my patients what I had, especially in the NCOR room.

OH oh oh! And we were startled awake to a crazy earthquake last night. I think they said it was a 4.6- but it was the weirdest thing. I woke up and the room was just swaying side to side. I woke up DJ and everything was just rattling. The first earthquake I experienced a few weeks ago I thought someone was trying to break in. This time it was like Goliath was shaking our whole apartment. Apparently the center of the quake was in Berkeley. No damage was done, but a few pictures are a bit lop-sided on the wall.

I hope all of your New Year celebrations were safe and fun. I pray for blessings, happiness, and all the other cheesy things (And lots of actual cheese) to you this year!

xo <3

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Crazy Wildfires & DJ’s Birthday Celebrations!

Happy Thursday, ya’ll (well, Thursday by the time anyone reads this- although it is currently Wednesday evening)! How’s it kickin’?

We said goodbye to one of my favorite charge nurses last week; I was super sad to see her go 🙁 (This send off banner was too funny not to share though!)

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DJ’s birthday was October 6th!!! I can’t believe I am just shooting this post up now. Sheesh! Anywho, we had a gift card to Open Table that was put to phenomenal use at the local Forbes Mill in Los Gatos!

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This sweet man.. I would usually not pull my phone out at places this nice to snap food pics, but he convinced me that it was just us two and it wasn’t a big deal…. I obliged pretty easily 😉

We started with the giant prawn cocktail. There is nothing better than a fresh shrimp/prawn appetizer. It’s easily our go-to!

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We also tried their crab cakes! They were tasty, no denying it…yet a far cry from the cakes we had in Baltimore.

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I also had their generously sized beets and macadamia crusted goat cheese salad. It was one of the best I have ever had,  and it’s so simple to throw together! I definitely will be recreating this at home.

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DJ tried the ULTIMATE surf and turf with a combo of waygu and lobster tail. I sampled the waygu because it’s supposed to be the highest quality of meat, and I couldn’t let the opportunity pass….. butttt I had an aversion to the flavor. After not eating meat for about four years it didn’t do anything for me.

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We also dabbled in a side of creamed spinach.. if it’s on the menu you know we are jumping on it! We absolutely loved it. I still think the creamed spinach from Ben and Jack’s in New York is the best of all time, but this is not far behind.

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And I couldn’t pass up the epic, rave-worthy, award-winning scallops….. I think the only ones that contest are Farallon’s in San Francisco. Gosh, just the thought is making my mouth water all over the darn laptop. They were served over forbidden rice- a new obsession of mine officially. Has anyone had this magical grain?! It’s ah-may-zin!

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I could go on for days and days about how amazing DJ is. He is a man of God, handsome, humble, hilarious, loyal as they come, my rock, courageous, intelligent, witty, intuitive, hard working, dedicated, and genuine. Those qualities just scratch the surface. I don’t know why God blessed me with such an incredible man, but I won’t argue with His provision 😉

The days are all kind of blurring together from the rest of the last few weeks. I do want to share of my favorite snap shots from random runs and of course, even more random pics of all the foooooodddd we’ve been scarfin’!

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The fall blooms are just as gorgeous as the spring blooms!!! Even though we don’t have the leaves change like back in the good ol’ midwest, we still have the beautiful array of flowers to admire in this season.

Unfortunately, my autumn runs had to come to a quick halt when the wildfires started last week. It smelled pungent with smoke in the hospital (which is closer to the fires than our apartment is), and then eventually the air around our home was saturated with the unescapable burning scent. In the morning when we woke up our eyes itched, our throats scratched.. it was surreal. We just keep praying for everyone affected by these horrible fires. I truly hope the madness stops soon and mother earth cools her jets.

If you would like to help, please visit this link with multiple options you can contribute!

Back to the random food mess… I’m still on the egg kick for suure. (I put some of the leftover creamed spinach on a piece of toast and then the egg on top, good heavens).

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I also have been CRAVING a Whole Foods trip. Since they have always been ugly pricey, I usually only go every once in a while. However, now that they are bought by Amazon their prices have gone down tremendously!

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Using many of the ingredients from whole foods, I made a fall salad that I’m ridiculously obsessed now. I was inspired by Stein’s Beer Garden’s salad. It contains jicama, roasted butternut squash, quinoa, light craisins, and I use a homemade apple cider vinaigrette (with some apple cider, a touch of oil, and a touch of sugar).

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I think ya’ll get the point. Haha.

Another thing I, and the rest of everyone, has been loving is spaghetti squash! Ugh, it is SO good. I have been mixing it with vegan butter, vegan meatless crumbles, and a touch of parmesan on top. So easy, so scrumptious. I know many of you out there have tremendous recipes for the spag-squa, please share em’ with me!

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And I’ve been whipping up a lot of capreses for DJ. This is one of his favorite snacks and the heirloom tomatoes were on sale at Whole fuuds and, oh man, were they ever fresh!

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I’ve been decompressing from the studying with lots and lots of running. I have been mixing in Insanity workouts, but as soon as the smoke settled and the air cleared I booked it back outside.

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I’ll just slide in another picture of morning toast with dried apricots, chia seeds, oats, high protein plain greek yogurt, and stevia.

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Something else I’ve been devouring lately is smoked salmon on pita with caramelized onions and a fried or poached egg. This has been hitting the spot and has been a great high protein/healthy “comfort food” during this super stressful time.

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I took my GRE yesterday …

I crammed for about two and a half weeks in my time off work for the exam, and just didn’t score as well as I would have liked on the quantitative. Algebra and me do not exactly tango in the moonlight. Ask me to tell you the symptoms of Moya Moya or the proper medication to treat tuberculosis..we can chat. But I don’ t have the faintest idea what in the Westeros math has to do with it. It’s not even real math. Like I get 1+1=2… or me +math= disaster….. but I will be the first to admit I do not know how to solve “If Tommy had five oranges and Shelly had 12 and 2 were taken away and thrown at a cactus, why is the square root of the Eiffel tower a bag of potatoes?!”

*Deep breaths, deep breaths*

*It’s not about the problem, it’s about the procccessss*

I get that people study for a looong time for this, but only one of the schools I’m applying to out of five require it. I just don’t think it’s worth it to slave over the study material when majority of MSN-FNP admissions don’t require it, and the app deadline for the one that does is November 1st. (Which is actually great because then I don’t even have the option to retake it for now). Now I’m rambling. *clearing throat*. Oh well, que sera sera.

HOW ARE YOU?!?  I am jumping off the crazy train now, and heading to bed before an early morning wake up call. Muah!

Blog Birthdays:

Cassie at Cassie’s Cookery on October 17th. Sweet girl, Happy birthday. You have changed my life more than you know, and you inspire me every single day. I am SO beyond thankful for ya, sweet thang. You are strong, loyal, empathetic, lovely, beautiful, and full of God’s grace and goodness. You exude His love more than most I know. Our conversations are always close to my heart, and I love you to absolute pieces, sista! <3 I hope your birthday was beyond perfect and you know what a treasure and gift you are to this earth.

PS. Cassie has an amazing cookbook out! If you wanna check it out go HERE. I know I am getting my copy ASAP! 🙂

xo <3

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Friday Favorites # 7

Hey y’all! Happy FriYAYYY! I actually get this weekend off too, so I’m pretty excited about that 🙂 DJ has been in Tahoe since Tuesday for work, and I miss him something fierce, butttt we’ll get to see each other this weekend! Without further adieu…. Here are this Friday’s Friday Faveeesss!

  1. The yogurt/toast is backkkk!!!! I am tucking away my avocado smoothie recipe from the summer and bringing back my yogurt/toast combo. I use either Dave’s or Ezekiel Cinnamon Raisin bread topped with Fage yogurt, low sugar craisins, stevia, and granola. It’s so stinking gooood.

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2. Pumpkin decor!!!! I picked these little punkins up last year and shared them with y’all then, and I was stoked to pull these back out from storage and blow off the dust! DJ said my autumnal excitement is a bit premature, but I say there is no such thing. Where is y’alls favorite place to find home holiday decor? Mine couldn’t be more predictable: Homegoods and Tarjay.

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3. I’m trying my hand at gardening for the first time ever with eco-culture herbs! My Aunt Terry (who was here nearly a year ago, SERIOUSLY, how has it been so long?!?) gifted these to us, and I am obsessed. These are little planters that you can actually plant indoors in the natural window light or outside. I am currently growing basil, cilantro, and parsley. Next I’ll be growing sweet marjoram, sage & garlic chives. They are so easy to use, and gardening (my albeit baby step gardening) is such a cathartic process. Stayyyy tuned!

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4. Just ….fall.. Can fall be a Friday Fave? I say yes. Leaves are falling (or one fell) & autumn is thick in the air (well I got a whiff). While out on my run yesterday I spotted these gorgeous Japanese maples & vibrant bright colorful landscaping. **Side note: I can identify many leaves after a biology project in high school- we had to identify tons of leaves as part of a final project, and weirdly, most have stuck with me. So if you need a leaf identified, send it over, lol.** **side side note : Ironically, I can’t identify flowers for crap though 😂**

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5. If you are a nurse, you have to follow nurse abnormalities on Instagram and also her blog here. Danielle has a real talent for encouraging new nurses as they begin this challenging career. She articulates phenomenally well about the realities and true abnormalities of being a nurse from the good the bad the weird, the hilarious and the absolutely beautiful. Recently her post to new grads hit home big time for me.

img_16676. The Black Tux! Ok, so I’m pretty bummed I just discovered this site, as it would have been SUPER ideal for our wedding. I know several of you are engaged or will be soon, so I figured I’d share this. Basically at Black Tux, you can rent tuxes/suits for wayyyyyyy less than typical rental/retail stores while also getting free shipping (and free size exchanges). We had groomsmen from several different states, so this would have made things a whole lot easier for us. Also, they are partnered with Nordstrom, so you know it’s gonna be high quality. If you know someone who needs to rent a tux, this company is definitely worth checking out!

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7. I promised I’d share the sermon that impacted me big time last weekend… you can find it on Itunes podcast.

img_16668. WINDIANS!!!!! I just have to throw in here that I am so beyond proud of my Indians ❤️❤️❤️ 22 game streak, baby!!!! Even though the streak is over, I am still so excited for my home team!

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9. Welp, we gave in! We done did it. We finally got the Target Red Card after much contemplation. DJ and I aren’t very keen on credit cards for stores, so we chose the debit option (zero risk involved!). Every time you use it you get 5% off. It’s added up a ton. I highly HIGHLY recommend this if you shop a decent amount at Target, or even if you don’t shop that often- it’s still 5%!img_1655

10. Last, but not least, the grocery store was having a huge wine sale, and I decided to grab this bottle for super cheap of Handsome Devil. I am not picky at all about wine, but I do love a dry, yet non bitter cab. This one hits the mark at such a small price!

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Have a TREMENDOUS weekend, y’all!

xo <3

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Friyay Faves! #6

I just love Friday Favorites.

Anyone else?

The last couple weeks have been work filled, and high stress, but there are definitely a few things that make each day a bit better.

  1. Pro Compression Socks. As a nurse, we are literally on our feet for 12 hours a day at least three days a week. Factor in running into this (I try to do a short run after each shift to get out my steam), I am on my feet sometimes up to 13 hours a day. Our legs in the dependent position create pooling of blood in our veins, which is no bueno. Plus when veins dilate from the constant gravity, varicose veins are much more likely. I discovered these little guys from a Facebook promo and am never going back. I feel weird on a shift without them now. It also just gives me a pep in my step knowing I’m wearing these fun colors beneath my gray scrubs. Holllla!

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2. Rx Bar. I’m sure you have heard of Rx Bars. They are sorta the rage right now. I was a bit stubborn to try them to be honest because I am a die hard Quest/ No Cow bar fan. But goodness gracious, these are SO tasty. I love eating them with Greek yogurt for lunch too. The blueberry and chocolate salted caramel are to die for. Such a healthy protein packed pick me up on my long days!

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3. Doug the Pug. I don’t follow a ton of celebrity/animal accounts on Insta- but I cannot resist this fella. His posts make my day, plus he has the same rug as me in my feng shui space, which obviously made me just love him all the more.

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4. Speaking of my Feng Shui spot…. I love love love this bean bag from Amazon. I didn’t quite give it enough love when I was in my egg basket frenzy, but it totally deserves some love!

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5. Zola. Hello, all things wedding registry perfection. I am slightly upset that we didn’t know about Zola when we had our wedding two years ago. Goodness gracious, they have the most unique, fantastic products for a registry that are so.dang.cute. I actually am shopping now for my best friend who is getting married in November- I’ll letchya’ll know what I end up getting her. I love that they have the “Experience” category- because that’s really what it’s all about right?! Even if the couple isn’t registered via Zola, they still have the BEST wedding gift ideas. I am obsessed.

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One of my favorite gifts to get couples that is a picnic Basket. Zola has one stocked with everything two could need for a night out, and it’s wayyy more affordable than the ones I have bought in the past, especially with all their options to choose from  (and MUCH cuter).

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6. 3M Littmann Stethoscope. My stethoscope is my baby. I feel naked without it around my neck and this one in particular is absolutely amazing. My coworkers occasionally will borrow it and are astounded at how well it conducts sound. If you need one, this is the way to go!

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7. Big Brother. I just started watching Season 19 for the first time. Where has this show been all my life?! Any fans out there?!

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8. Forks over Knives cookbook. I just adore this cookbook. I love the recipes and am always inspired to create new recipes myself from ideas sparked from this lil’ guy. I’m not vegan, but I do love cooking vegan many times. PS. Has anyone watched What the Health? I haven’t watched it, but I have heard mixed reviews. Super curious!

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9. Zoya. Where are my fashionistas at? Guys, you MUST try Zoya nail polish. It will change your existence. I am beyond in love with this. I actually am not sure why I haven’t included this in a FF sooner. My Aunt gave this to me as a gift a couple years ago, and I can’t imagine using anything else. This has zero toxins that all other main line nail polishes have and actually strengthens your nails. I have the WORST nails, but when I take this stuff off my nails are left without chips, layering, and are stronger than ever. Plus the colors are ah-may-zing.

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10. Seared Tuna. I recently discovered Seared Ahi Tuna in the grocery store and cannot get enough. I tried recreating the Lazy Dog tuna over cauliflower mashed potatoes, and I’m not gonna lie- It’s pretty gosh dang close.  MMM mmmm mmmm.

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What are some of your Friday Favorites?!

xo <3

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