Being My Own Valentine

Did you enter my Multigrain Cheerios Giveaway yet?

Patrick and I had a lovely weekend away celebrating my birthday.  This is how Patrick spoiled me this year (can you tell I have a slight obsession with the sparkles?):

It was great to relax and do nothing.  I suppose we could have done nothing at home, but at home I can't help but look around and think of all the things that could be done or cleaned.  Being away, it's out of sight and out of mind!  While we enjoyed ourselves, we also did a fair amount of eating, so it's back on the bandwagon today!

I'm extra proud of myself because I motivated myself to do this workout before I left for the day:

I consider it my Valentine's Day gift to myself.  Because I'm worth it!  This is the first time I tried this DVD out and I really liked it.  I don't own a kettlebell yet, but I like that you can do this workout with a hand weight.  The heaviest hand weight I have is only 5 pounds, so I'm thinking I need a heavier one.  I would eventually like to invest in a kettlebell though.  I only did Level 1 today, but the workout just flew by.  It was about 30 minute workout and I thought it was just the right length for this type of routine.

Did you treat yourself right this Valentine's Day?  Patrick and I also enjoyed a yummy meal (ok, so that wasn't so healthy, but you can't win 'em all right!).

Current Obsessions

1.  The Office

I love this show.  Seriously.  Patrick and I are currently working our way through the entire show, starting with season one, on Netflix.  I've seen a lot of episodes, by I'm trying to get caught up on the story line that runs through the show.  Someone once told me that they don't like The Office because Michael's office manner is crude and unrealistic.  Um, that's kind of the whole point of the show.  Everything they do is entirely ridiculous.  Besides, it's one of the few television shows that make me laugh out loud.

2.  Netflix

My next obsession is our new subscription to Netflix.  We were trying to live off Redbox alone, but unfortunately we were finding that every time we went to rent something they didn't have anything we wanted to watch.  The greatest part of this subscription is that Patrick has an XBox 360, so we're able to watch movies instantly.  Needless to say, we've been watching a lot of movies.  It's nice to have it there when you decide you want to watch a movie at the last minute and don't want to run to the video store.

3.  My Vacuum

This probably sounds entirely silly, but I am in love with this thing.  You would be too if this were your vacuum cleaner:

No, I did not pay full price.  It was hugely on sale and we had gift cards from our wedding so we didn't technically pay anything for it.  What is super impressive about it is that we don't even really have carpet, but this thing still works on our tile floors.  I don't really care to sweep or mop, so I generally just vacuum the floors.  I love it so much I don't even let Patrick use it.  Not that he really minds...

Three Things Thursday

1.  Don't forget my giveaway!  It ends Saturday.

2.  This evening I'm running the Hollis Fast 5K.  This race starts at the center of the town and is great because it is literally a gradual downhill the whole way.  Everyone keeps telling my that I will PR, but my PR from last summer happened when I was 15 pounds lighter.  I'm just not sure how that is going to factor into things tonight.  The weather is also damp and cold and rain is a real possibility this evening.  I've never raced in the rain, nor do I really want to.  I mean, what do you wear to race in the rain?  Either way, I plan on being there because a) I paid to be there and b) I've wanted to run this race for a long time.  Here are my goals for tonight:

I Know I Can: sub 33 min
I Think I Can: sub 31 min
I Hope I Can: sub 29 min (this may be really pushing is, but we can all dream, right?)

3.  Recently I mentioned the new camera we got as a shower gift in this post.  This is the camera we got (I told you we got spoiled):

It's a Nikon Coolpix S4000.  Personally, I'm a fan of Nikon and think they make a really great camera.  My mom has a Nikon (albeit a fancier one) and she really likes that.  I, however, wanted something more compact because I wanted to be able to fit it in my purse so I can always have my camera on me.  Well, this thing is not only compact, but I think it takes a really great photo.  We've been playing around with it a lot to figure out all the cool things it does.  One of the features is that it will take continuous photos, which Patrick really likes because then he can get better action shots at races.  It also has a touchscreen, which initially I thought I wouldn't like, but it turns out I love it!  It makes the camera more fun to play with. 

In The Kitchen

Recently I was contacted by Jamie from CSN stores to see if I'd like to review some products on my blog.  Since we all know my obsession with free stuff, naturally I said yes.  The best part was I actually got to pick the items I wanted to review from their Cookware.com website.  Aside from exercising, I really enjoy cooking and baking (and eating - and I wonder why I have a weight loss problem!).  I've been on the hunt for a nice 13x9 baking dish and some dish towels in the blue color I want for my kitchen.  So this is what I chose:

I chose a beautiful Le Creuset  12x9.5 baking pan in lime green and a set of MUbamboo kitchen towels in Pacific.  I choose the pan because the pan I currently have in this size doesn't cook evenly and it burns the edges of stuff while the middle isn't done yet.  Let me just say this new pan was the solution to my problems.  In the Le Creuset pan I baked a batch of brownies.  I found that it decreased the cooking time, but it cooked evenly.  I mean, look at how nice they look in the oven:

And here's the finished product:

Yum!  These came out so good.  The towels are also quite lovely.  The kitchen towels I currently have are ok.  They just don't absorb much, which is kind of obnoxious since that's the whole point of a kitchen towel!  These MUbamboo towels are awesome at soaking up whatever.  And the color is really pretty, although my crappy camera doesn't do it justice:

 

I also figured you might want the recipe for these bad boys:

 

This brownie recipe was given to my by my grandmother.  I wanted a recipe that produced a nice fudgy brownie from scratch.  No box.  Of course my grandmother had the solution!

Memere's Brownie Recipe

In a large mixing bowl, combine the following:

3/4 c. flour

1 c. sugar

6 tbsp. cocoa powder

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

To the dry ingredients add:

1/2 c. soft shortening (DON'T use butter)

2 beaten eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

2 tbsp. oil

Mix until blended.  If you like, you can add nuts, chocolate chips, or other goodies.  Bake in an 8x8 pan at 350 degrees about 30-35 minutes.  The trick is to not over-bake them.  In fact, I've found that just a little underdone is perfect.  If you are using a 13x9 pan, simply double the recipe.

Happy Baking!

Thank you to CSN stores, who provided the products I reviewed at no cost to me.  The review is all my own.

Violet Love Headbands

You poor people are probably starting to think that the only reason I have this blog is to brag about the stuff I get.  For that I am sorry.  I will have to work on a giveaway for the near future.

But first, I need to tell you about another product I was sent to review.  Recently I was reading Leslie's blog and she reviewed some Violet Love headbands.  She also mentioned that the CEO of the company, Rebecca Michaels, was willing to send some other bloggers products to review.  Remember I have an obsession with free stuff, so I had to jump on this one!

They sent my two different headbands to try.  One was from their Signature Couture collection, which is full of fun prints and colors, and one from the She Headbands line, which is a performance based line.  Here they are:

I love the print on the second one.  It's so pretty.  The blue one is also very nice.  I've worn the blue one, which is from the She Headbands lines, for almost every workout since I've gotten it.  Violet Love's goal is a headband that stays put while you're wearing it and doesn't give you a headache.  I also love that if you decide to take it off it doesn't leave weird lines in your hair like regular headbands do.  I took a picture of the headband on post-workout.  I didn't fix it or adjust it at all during the workout.

The second headband, from the Signature Couture line, slips around a little bit, but isn't too bad.  It can also open up to be wider, if you like to wear your headband that way.  I do have to report though, that I grabbed this headband on the way to class the other day because we were having a fire drill and I need a simple hairdo that I could do on the go and now I can't find it.  I had put it on my desk during class and I thought I put it in by bag and now it has vanished!  I'm really sad because I loved the print and it added a pop of color to an otherwise boring outfit.  I've checked everywhere!

Anyway, if you want to check them out, you can find them on their website here.  They also have an eco-friendly line of headbands, legwear, and a children's line. 

Progresso "Souper You Debut" Giveaway

So the nice people over at Progresso, through My Blog Spark, sent me this:

 

That would be 15 cans of Progresso Soup!  Plus a sweet mug that fits and entire can of soup in it that can be put in the microwave.  I also love that the mug matches our blue dishes.

Since I've got the package, I've tried the Light Chicken Noodle Soup:

 

I put the entire can in my mug and sat down to lunch.  I found the soup to be rather filling and I actually didn't finish it all (don't worry, I ate all the noodles out!).  I did find this particular variety to be a little salty, but not overpoweringly so.  My fiance and one of my roommates tried the can of Beef Pot Roast, which they said they enjoyed.

Now you have the chance to win some yourself!  If you win, you get this lovely gift pack from the nice folks over at Progresso and My Blog Spark:

The prize pack includes two cans of Progresso soup, a great big soup mug, and a jump rope that counts your jumps!

How to Enter:

Please leave a seperate comment for each entry.

1. Visit Progresso Soup website and tell me which variety you would like to try the most.
2. Become a follower of this blog or let me know if you already are.
3. Post about this giveaway on your blog and link back.

And that's all you have to do.  The contest ends on Monday, February 8th at noon.  I will announce the winner that evening.  Good luck!

Fruits and Veggies Anyone?

First, let me apologize for my lack of posting.  Homework and half marathon training have been consuming my life.  During the time I've been MIA, I discovered this stuff:

Awhile back, I was commenting that I feel I don't get enough fruits and veggies.  If anything, I tend to eat more fruit because it's sweeter.  Veggies I'm not such a big fan of.  Well, I was out shopping last weekend and I needed a snack because for the first time in my life, I forgot to eat.  That's right people, I forgot to eat.  The worst part of this is that I forgot to eat lunch after running 5 miles on Sunday.  You can imagine how hingry I was by the time I realized that I was in need of a snack.  My girlfriend and I were at the mall which equals not many healthy choices.  I found one sandwhich place in the food court where I could get a yogurt and a small bottle of the V8 Fusion Juice.  I had wanted to try it for awhile, but was apprehensive that it was going to taste like vegtable juice or have a funny texture.

I am happy to report that none of my fears were true.  This stuff is so good!  And one serving of the juice has a full serving of fruit and a full serving of veggies.  Not to shabby, if you ask me.  I was sure to stop at Target on the way home and bought two big bottle (and they were on sale!).  I bought one of Strawberry Banana and the other is Peach Mango, which I'm looking forward to trying.  I read the nutrition facts and it's 120 calories for 8 ounces (the equivalent of eating two pieces of fruit) and there is no sugar add (always a plus).  So in the end, I highly recommend trying this stuff out, if you haven't already!

The Journey Back Home

I am happy to report that I am back in Maine and preparing for the upcoming semester (by lounging around and doing nothing, of course!).  I actually got back yesterday.  My mom drove me to Freeport to meet Patrick and he brought me the rest of the way.  We had lunch in Freeport at a nice little place called Azure Cafe.  The food was yummy and I was surprised to find that their portion sizes were appropriate.  I was bad and ordered fettuccine alfredo, but it was really only about a cup's worth of pasta so I didn't feel so guilty.  It also came with a salad, so I got some veggies in too.  My camera was packed so I had to take a picture from their website.  Because we all know that this place did not look this pretty in January!

When Patrick and I got back up here we went grocery shopping.  I was so impressed by how many fruits and veggies we bought in comparison to the rest of the food.  We're going to have a healthy week.  Go us!  One of the few things that was not a fruit or a veggie was our ice cream.  I'm slightly addicted to sweets and I love a little something sweet before I go to bed.

Enter Edy's Slow Churned ice cream.  I love this stuff!  For a half a cup it only has 120 calories and 3 grams of fat.  How can you feel guilty about that?  And what I love most about this stuff is that I don't feel like I'm sacrificing.  There are lots of cookie dough chunks and chocolate chips and honestly, I can't tell the difference between this and the real stuff.  Patrick says he can, but I've got him eating this without complaints, so I think he's lying.  We also like the Peanut Butter Cup flavor and the Mint Chocolate Chip flavor.

 

And don't you love our little ice cream bowls?  My mom and I just had to stop at the Crate and Barrel outlet in Kittery on our way up.  I found these for 95 cents!  I like that they're on the small side so they keep portion sizes in control.

I also bought these cute vases while I was there.  These are the accent colors I want in my kitchen after we get married (we don't really have a choice right now).  And I was happy to see that my plants weren't completely dead.  In fact, my African Violet is in bloom!

What a nice thing to come home to!  Hope you all have been having a lovely weekend.  I'm off to run 4 miles!

Sweet Socks!

On Sunday I went on my first run in about a week and a half (since my trip to Washington).  While some people think taking a break is really helpful, I on the other hand, disagree.  It was a miserable run.  It was a beautiful day out, in the mid 50s, which is quite warm considering the weather we've been having.  Enter mistake number one: I wore leggings and a long sleeve t-shirt.  Completely unnecessary!  I should've worn shorts and a regular t-shirt.  So I started out moving right along.  Enter mistake number two: I started out way too fast.  After just ten minutes I was dying and needed to walk.  I continued the rest of my run by walking every 5-10 minutes.  Anyway, I did about 3 miles and it took me about 33 minutes.

However, my socks were wonderful!  I recently won a giveaway put on I Run Like A Girl (oh how I love winning!) for two pairs of Drymax socks.  Check them out:

I'm really excited about the winter running socks because it's really starting to get cold here in Maine and I've decided that I want to keep up my running through the winter.  And here are the socks on my feet:

I was actually a little worried that they wouldn't fit because they are a size mediums and I have huge feet (size 11, in case you don't believe me).  Luckily, they fit great!  The promise of these socks is that you will be blister free and your feet will stay nice and dry.  Now, I've never had a problem with blisters so I can't attest to that part of the promise, but I will say that these are some pretty darn nice socks!  I was impressed.  I noticed a difference from my regular cotton socks.  I had read that runners should really invest in good socks, but I couldn't see spending tons of money on socks.  These are worth it.   I will be asking for more for Christmas (hint, hint!).  I highly recommend giving them a try!  Happy running!

Larabar Review

As a college student who is super busy, I'm always looking for something that is good to grab and go. At my 10K race, Larabar was there handing out samples. I have heard good things about them, but was afraid to try them because one of their main ingredients are date, which is something I'm not a huge fan of. However, they were much better than I expected.

I was able to try the peanut butter cookie, whose only ingredients are dates, peanuts, and salt. Talk about natural. I liked it, but I'll be honest. I didn't exactly think that it tasted like a peanut butter cookie, but maybe I'm a little too familiar with the real thing. I also got a sample of the peanut butter and jelly flavor which I did not enjoy so much. Then again, I never like PP&J as a kid.

I did purchase a bar at the grocery store the other day and it was coconut cream pie (pictured above). The was by far my favorite of the three. I love coconut and cashews. I think what I like most about these bars is that the ingredients are so natural. Who would have thought that you could make a meal bar from just three ingredients. I will also say that these bars are a bit higher in fat than I would normally choose from a bar, but it comes from the nuts, which are healthy fats, so I think it's worth it.

Luna Bars

Luna Bars are my favorite on-the-go meal. If I'm too lazy to put together a bowl of cereal (pathetic, I know) or I just don't have the time, I grab one of these. I have tried a lot of the flavors including:

• Peanut Butter Cookie
• Dulce De Leche
• White Chocolate Macadamia Nut
• Caramel Nut Brownie
• Chocolate Peppermint Stick
• Cookies 'n' Cream Delight
• Nutz Over Chocolate
• S'mores

Basically, I've tried more than half of all the flavors they have. My favorites are the Peanut Butter Cookie and Chocolate Peppermint Stick. I think my favorite thing about Luna Bars is that they taste so good! I find that a lot of protein bars are way too high in calories and either taste like cardboard or artificial sweetners that have an after taste. Luna Bars can be a bit more expensive and a bit lower in protein, but I find them to be just the right size for breakfast or they make a perfect lunch paired with a piece of fruit.

Banish Fat, Boost Metabilism

This is the last of three Jillian Michael's videos that I've tried. Unfortunately, I must report that it is the least favorite of her three videos. This one is all cardio moves (think kickboxing, old school calisthenics, etc.). I guess it's good if it's a crappy day out and you don't have a gym near by and want to get some cardio in. However, if you have neighbors below you or your family is around, they may think there is an earthquake going on. There is A LOT of jumping around! My little brother was downstairs watching TV while I was upstairs working out. The poor kid! I also think it's harder than her other vidoes. Maybe that's because this one requires some coordination and I just don't have that. But I did break a sweat and I felt like I got a good workout in. The next day my calves and lower back were sore (a good sore). My verdict is good, but not great. It's a bit more like torture for me. By far, my favorite video of Jillian's is No More Trouble Zones.

And don't forget to enter my Giveaway!

No More Trouble Zones

As you know, I tried out the 30 Day Shred, a workout video by Jillian Michaels. I liked it even if she's a little bitchy. She's got a no nonsense attitude and that really works for me. So I decided to order another on of her videos call No More Trouble Zones. It's about an hour long as opposed to the half hour workouts in the Shred and it focusing more on toning. This means less cardio which equals less jumping around which equals less awkwardness when working out when other people are home. I did it with my 3 pound weights and I was actually a bit sore this morning. I liked the Shred and thought the workouts were intense, but I was never sore after. The next time I do this video I think I'm going to up the weights to 5 pounds though.

In weight loss news I am now down 10 pounds. That's 40 sticks of butter! Holy smokes that's a lot! I feel great too, which is real point of this whole weight loss business. That and I needed my clothes to fit again! It's not easy, but it's worth it. It's important to me to be healthy so I can have children and still be around to see grandkids and maybe even great-grandkids. Anyway, Patrick and I are away this weekend for a wedding and it should be a blast. Hopefully everyone else's weekend is just as fun!

The Shred

I had hears a lot about this workout video called The 30 Day Shred. It's let by Jillian Michaels, one of the trainers from the Biggest Loser (you know, the really bitchy one). Anyway, I was looking for a challenge and a good way to change up my routine. The workouts are only 20 minutes and they are hard, but I'm not as sore as everyone says that I should be. Luckily there are 3 levels on the DVD so I can move up to a more challenging level. Apparently this is supposed to take some major inches off. I'm out to find out for myself if all this hype is true. I took some waist measurements today and will report back in 30 days to let you know if it was all worth it.