things i'm dreaming of {march}:

 heels perfect for spring & summer.
having a bouquet of these on my kitchen table. (Same flowers I had in my bouquet!)
this fun twist on the classic sheet cake.
seeing a hillside covered in brightly colored buildings.
a kitchen made of dreams. especially that rug!
this photo that makes me happy.
lounge pants with some flair.
putting this little planter on my mantle.


image via

Whole 30: Week 4

Today's my last day of Whole 30!!! If you couldn't tell by the exclamation points, I'm pretty excited about making it all the way through without giving up! I'm down 8.5 pounds from March 1 and my clothes fit great. I plan on continuing to eat clean and sticking with Whole 30 foods for the most part since I've felt so much better this month, but will also allow myself to eat non-Whole 30 foods every so often. I can't tell you all how excited I am to make cinnamon rolls this weekend for General Conference!

What I've Been Eating/Doing This Week

I have to admit that I slacked off quite a bit this week as I got sick of making food multiple times a day and eating the same things over and over. Instead of making actual meals some nights, I'd dig through the fridge and eat stuff that didn't necessarily make up a meal. For example, I'd eat a bowl of strawberries, a handful of carrots, a sweet potato, and some tuna. Or a pear, some jerky, a fried egg, and some broccoli. I realized that I definitely do better with actual meals and meals that are better balanced. Friday night we went out to dinner with friends and I decided to have a slice of pizza since I was only a few days away from being done with Whole 30. Worst decision ever! I was so sick that night as my body digested the gluten and dairy, and now pizza sounds awful. (I guess that's why they say slowly add things back into your diet. :)) I didn't make any new recipes, but we used our favorites from the previous weeks.
^^Spaghetti squash, ground beef meatballs, diced tomatoes, & cantaloupe. Mixed green salad with a cilantro-lime vinegarette (grilled chicken not pictured). Two fried eggs & a banana.^^

Results From Week 4

I basically feel the same as last week - healthy and energetic! Sick of eating the same foods, bored, and getting lazy with food prep. I didn't get my 10,000 steps in each day this week, and with colder weather, I didn't too much in the way of physical activity. I lost half a pound this week.

Goals For the Upcoming Week

Stick with eating clean for the most part and work on discovering new recipes! Also, make the perfect cinnamon rolls for General Conference. ;)

good reads: volume 2.

With no evening classes this semester, I've been diving into books like they're going out of style. And Netflix . . . but, you know, that makes me sound lazy. ;) I'm really into listening to books right now which works well with my schedule and my need to always multitask. (Shout out to Ben for this wireless speaker that follows me all around the house as I do chores.) Over the last few months I've come across some fun and quick reads, and some more serious, heavy reads that I'd recommend to anyone.

(Find volume 1 here.)


1 // Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling
Harry Potter has no idea how famous he is. That's because he's being raised by his miserable aunt and uncle who are terrified Harry will learn that he's really a wizard, just as his parents were. But everything changes when Harry is summoned to attend an infamous school for wizards, and he begins to discover some clues about his illustrious birthright. From the surprising way he is greeted by a lovable giant, to the unique curriculum and colorful faculty at his unusual school, Harry finds himself drawn deep inside a mystical world he never knew existed and closer to his own noble destiny.

Synopsis from here.

Side note: After coming home from Christmas break, I decided that I wanted to listen to the books on tape as I walked to & from work and did stuff around the house. I finished the series in a few weeks after realizing how much better the books are than the movies. It was fun to read the series as a kid/teenager, but the second time through was even more fun as I picked up on the small details and caught more of the references.

2 // Bossypants by Tina Fey
If you're a fan of Tina Fey, you need to read her book. Tina takes the reader through her childhood and details how she got started in the acting/comedy business, and ends with her latest few endeavors. Of course, she'll have you laughing all along the way. I especially loved her thoughts on true beauty, balancing motherhood and a career, and how not to plan a honeymoon!

3 // We Were Liars by E. Lockhart
Three cousins (and their friend) spend each summer on their grandfather's private island with the rest of their extended family. There's tension between different family members and eventually an accident occurs that affects the whole family from that point on. Together, the four teenagers reveal to the reader what exactly happened as they work through the truth and lies.

4 // Mrs. Mike by Benedict and Nancy Freedman
Recently arrived in Calgary, Alberta after a long, hard journey from Boston, sixteen-year-old Katherine Mary O’Fallon never imagined that she could lose her heart so easilyor so completely. Standing over six feet tall, with “eyes so blue you could swim in them,” Mike Flannigan is a well-respected sergeant in the Canadian Mounted Policeand a man of great courage, kindness, and humor. Together, he and his beloved Kathy manage to live a good, honest life in this harsh, unforgiving landand find strength in a love as beautiful and compelling as the wilderness around them…

Synopsis from here.

5 // Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand
On a May afternoon in 1943, an Army Air Forces bomber crashed into the Pacific Ocean and disappeared, leaving only a spray of debris and a slick of oil, gasoline, and blood. Then, on the ocean surface, a face appeared. It was that of a young lieutenant, the plane's bombardier, who was struggling to a life raft. So began one of the most extraordinary odysseys of the Second World War.

The lieutenant's name was Louis Zamperini. In boyhood, he'd been a cunning and incorrigible delinquent. As a teenager, he had channeled his defiance into running, discovering a prodigious talent that had carried him to the Berlin Olympics. But when war had come, the athlete had become an airman, embarking on a journey that led to his doomed flight, a tiny raft, and a drift into the unknown.

Ahead of Zamperini lay thousands of miles of open ocean, leaping sharks, a foundering raft, thirst and starvation, enemy aircraft, and, beyond, a trial even greater. His fate, whether triumph or tragedy, would be suspended on the fraying wire of his will. Unbroken is a testament to the resilience of the human mind, body, and spirit.

Synopsis from here

Read anything good lately? I'm always looking for recommendations!

miscellaneous.

// I just started listening to The Book Thief and I'm loving it thus far. We also watched The Imitation Game this past weekend and rather enjoyed it. Anything WWII is my favorite.

// Because I was promoted to a clinical position at work, I had to get a drug screening done. Instead of having you pee in a cup, they shave a 1" x 1" square in the back of your head. I've never felt so attached to my hair.

// I read an article this week that ranked the top 10 worst cities to live in if you have allergies. Of course, St. Louis made that list. Ha. My eyes and nose can testify of the validity of that statement.
// I'm 24 days into the Whole 30 program and last night I had my first dream about food. Snowcones, to be exact. Am I dying for sugar, or am I dying for summer? Probably both...

// For 3.02938 seconds, Ben and I considered spontaneously going to Ireland until we realized that would be an incredibly stupid financial decision for us right now. It was a fun 3.02938 seconds though and I can't stop looking at Groupon vacation packages.

// I recently created a Goodreads account and love that it allows you to keep a list of books you want to read! Do you have an account? Let's be friends! (Random fact: I like to read multiple books all at the same time.)

Whole 30: Week 3

What I've Been Eating/Doing This Week

The third week was a whole lot easier than the previous two, mostly because eating clean has become almost second-nature and I crave things less. Granted, I was dying for a slice of chocolate cheesecake Saturday night, but the craving went away after I had a fried egg. Like I mentioned last week, food has become a bit boring but I tried to pick up some "new" fruits and veggies this week for variety. I also made a point of searching out new recipes on Pinterest. We really loved this one, and since it ended up making enough for 6 meals for both of us, I didn't have to make as many meals this week. It was a nice break!
^^Chicken Vegetable Chili. Taco salad: spinach, ground turkey, guac, salsa, tomatoes, and carrots. Fruit bowl: pineapple, grapes, and coconut chips.^^

Results From Week 3

I feel fabulous! Healthy and happy with what I'm fueling my body with. I still have lots of energy as long as I make sure I'm eating a snack every few hours and drinking lots of water. Unfortunately, my face broke out again really bad this week so I'm pretty sure that what I was eating before wasn't causing the acne; it has to be hormonal. I lost 1 pound this week.

Tips & Tricks

I set a notification on my My Fitness Pal app so it'll remind me each day around 5pm if I haven't yet met my steps goal. It's definitely keeps me on track!

Eating clean can get expensive so I try to plan my fruits and veggies around what's on sale that week (with the exception of my pears!). I've also been buying lots of what's on sale and freezing it if possible for the next week.

Find a friend that will encourage you to keep going. Whenever I have a craving for something sweet, Ben will remind me that it's only 30 days and that I shouldn't give in now.

If you're going to a potluck or dinner party, offer to bring a dish or two that you know you'll be able to eat.

Goals For the Upcoming Week

Eat more veggies than fruit, and try 3 new recipes.

Whole 30: Week 2

Another week come and gone, and I can't say I'm sad to see it go! I've been craving lasagna and homemade rolls for a few days and can't wait to make slightly healthier versions of them for a Sunday dinner next month.

What I've Been Eating/Doing This Week

To be honest, we had a lot of the same meals as last week with the exception of a few new recipes... there's only so much you can do with meat, fruits, and veggies. While grocery shopping a few days ago I tried to buy produce we didn't eat last week in the hopes that it would mix it up a little. I'm currently sick of salads and definitely sick of chicken. Overall, throwing dinners together got a whole lot easier when I stopped focusing on recipes and more on what flavors would taste good together. For example, one night we had chicken sausage, sweet potatoes, onions, spinach, tomatoes, and carrots all thrown together; it was amazing! One evening I didn't have time to make dinner before running out the door, so I stopped by Chipotle and got a carnitas salad (just the lettuce, meat, pico de gallo, and guacamole) and it was wonderful in every way. I have a feeling I'll be back again before the month is over! We tried a few new recipes and loved this one, but didn't care much for this one.
^^Spaghetti squash, meatballs, & mango. Spinach, tomatoes, carrots, & chicken sausage mixed with sweet potatoes. Chicken fajitas with romaine lettuce instead of tortillas & mango salsa on top.^^
^^Balsamic Glazed Pork Loin & spinach, tomatoes, and carrots. Frozen grapes. The cinnamon rolls I made for my husband's thesis committee that were my biggest temptation this week. It was a struggle to not give in!^^

Results from Week 2

This week was a little bit harder as I got bored with the food, but I kept up with tracking my calories and steps with My Fitness Pal. I definitely didn't meet my goal of getting 10,000 steps in for 7 days (Sundays are my downfall!) and I didn't go to the gym once last week! I'm okay with it since my focus is mostly on eating clean. I lost 2 pounds, but more importantly, my clothes are starting to fit so much better! I took myself shopping on Saturday as a reward and bought a new church dress.

Tips & Tricks

I've heard that cravings persist for 5 minutes. I found that if I started thinking about sugar and I waited 5 minutes, I usually didn't end up needing to eat a piece of fruit or some coconut chips.

Frozen fruit. I loved sucking on some frozen grapes or strawberries when I couldn't get rid of those cravings. :)

As I mentioned previously, I had to make cinnamon rolls and it was awful. It was especially awful to come home after a bad day at work and see a few leftovers sitting there. I made Ben give away extra cinnamon rolls so we wouldn't eat them. Out of sight, out of mind!

Try the coconut oil cooking spray from Trader Joe's instead of using EVOO. It adds such a great flavor to whatever you're cooking!

Goals For the Upcoming Week

Drink half my body weight in ounces of water every single day. Run outside twice and go to the gym twice with Ben, as well as hit my 10,000 steps for 7 days straight!

keeping your family healthy rain or shine.

In the last year and a half that I've been working at a hospital, I've caught 30 million colds. Or at least it feels like it. Fortunately, employees are required to get the flu shot (I'd avoid it like the plague otherwise!) and I haven't had to deal with it, but being even slightly sick from a cold can really wipe a person out. I'm all for preventing illness and love learning new tips to do just that so I want to share a few with you today from my friend, Alyssa. I especially love her reminder to keep up on daily vitamins!
Keeping Your Family Healthy Rain or Shine
Author: Alyssa Craig

Sick days are a part of normal life. A single illness can seem to cycle through the family from one member to the next and back again for weeks. While you’ll never be able to protect your family members from every single bug, you can help prevent illness and help reduce the amount of downtime when an illness does strike.

Staying Healthy
When life gets busy we tend to forget the basics of staying healthy. Check out these tips and reminders to help you get back to the basics.

  • Proper Nutrition and Plenty of Water: Nothing can replace a diet full of proper nutrition. This includes a lot of vegetables and fruit, whole grains, lean proteins and minimal to no processed foods and few foods that are high in fats and sugars. Good nutrition also includes drinking plenty of water and staying away from sodas and energy drinks.

  • Exercise Regularly: Get your family active to help boost their immunity. Encourage family members to join a sports team, play games outside, or consider going for walks as a family.

  • Take Daily Vitamins: Even with all you can do on your own, there are probably going to be gaps in your family’s nutrition. As a supplement to good nutrition, help your family members remember take a daily multivitamin. Gummies and chewables are available for children and adults.

  • Get Plenty of Sleep: Another great way to help your family stay healthy is to make sure everyone is getting enough sleep. The amount of sleep needed varies by age, ranging from 12-14 hours for kids 1-3 years and going all the way to 8-9 hours for kids 12-18 years.

  • Wash Hands Frequently: Germs are easily picked up everywhere so encourage your family to wash their hands often. If you are looking to go green, consider stocking your home with an organic no rinse hands cleaner like this one.  

  • Stay Away from People Who are Sick: This seems like a no brainer but it must be said, avoid those who are already sick. If you can, stay away from large social gatherings where your family may be exposed to a variety of illnesses.
Reducing Down Time
Even when you follow all the advice above, you or one of your family members may come down with something. Here are some tips to help the sick one get back to feeling better quickly and to keep them from spreading their illness to the rest of the family.

  • Quarantine the Illness: While this may not always be possible, try to keep the sick family member secluded from the rest of the family. Not only will this give them more quiet so they can get better quality rest, but it will help keep them from sharing the illness with other family members.

  • Cover Nose and Mouth: If the illness involves a cough, sneezing, or a runny nose, encourage the sick family member to cough into their elbow and sneeze into a facial tissue. Then promptly apply some cleaner, as mentioned above.

  • Disinfect Everything: Germs spread quickly, so do as much as you can to clean the house and disinfect all doorknobs, light switches, cupboard handles, and anywhere else all family members may touch on a daily basis.

  • Do Not Share Things Like Cups or Towels: Even when you are not showing symptoms, you may still be carrying sickness causing germs. Especially during this time of year, do not let your family members share things like cups or towels to keep germs from spreading.

  • Keep Common Areas Clean:
    This includes the bathroom, kitchen, living rooms, and family rooms. Keep these areas clean as much as possible to prevent the creation of an environment that fosters the growth of bacteria.

  • If You’re Sick Avoid Preparing Food Others Will Eat: This may be difficult to do if you have a young family, but if you can have older children or your spouse do the cooking while you are ill. Food can be a carrier of germs, so avoid infecting your family and ask someone else to do the cooking for a bit.

Keeping your family healthy is a top priority and while illnesses may come even after your best efforts, you can help minimize the consequences and have your whole family back in tip top shape in no time!

Whole 30: Week 1

My Motivation

If you read blogs or have an Instagram account, I'm sure you've heard about the Whole 30 program that everyone and their dog seems to be doing. (No joke, I know someone who made their dog do the Whole 30 program, haha.) I'd scroll past each blog post or Instagram photo with zero interest because it looked like it took too much work to make the approved foods, or maybe I was just in denial with how bad my eating habits were. Until recently, I'd never turn down a treat or I'd eat seconds at dinner, rice/pasta/bread became a staple at meals, and I definitely wasn't getting enough fruits and veggies. I'd been feeling sluggish the last few months, my face seemed to be breaking out more than normal, and my pants started fitting a bit tighter than I'd want them to. ;)

What is Whole 30?

If you don't know anything about Whole 30, here's the gist of it:
No sugar, no dairy, no grains and no legumes for 30 days. This is the list of approved foods.

My Goal

My main motivation for looking into the Whole 30 program was getting my energy back and clearing up my face. I plan on eating fruits, veggies, protein, and healthy fats throughout the month of March and then reintroducing dairy, grains, and legumes back into my diet one by one. I'm curious as to whether or not any of those "forbidden" foods are breaking me out.

What I've Been Eating/Doing This Week

I've been using My Fitness Pal every day to log what I eat and keep track of my steps. I've made a conscious effort to get my 10,000 steps in every day (a breeze on days I work, but much harder for me on the weekend), and I kept myself busy when cravings hit so I didn't think about all of the sugary treats I can't eat. I've been drinking more than half my body weight in ounces of water and it's become a game to me to see how many fruits and veggies I can get in each day. I gathered a few recipes to try and I really loved this recipe, this recipe, and this recipe.
Whole 30 approved meal ideas, Whole 30 tips
 ^^Chicken sausage, sweet potato, & broccoli. 2 fried eggs, 1/2 grapefruit, 2 slices of bacon, & 1/2 a pear. Asparagus, cantaloupe, and seasoned chicken.^^
Whole 30 approved meal ideas, Whole 30 tips
^^Pear, grapes, & coconut chips. Homemade vinaigrette, salad, strawberries, mango, seasoned chicken. Spinach with mango salsa on top & tuna salad (tuna, 1/2 apple, green onion).^^

Results From Week 1

Day 1 was a breeze. I was excited to start making new recipes and spent a lot of the day prepping food for the coming days. Day 2 and 3 were rough as I dealt with headaches and no energy from the sugar detox. I found that I was getting really hungry an hour or two before dinner and bedtime those days, so I started adding more protein to my lunches and dinners. Also, I couldn't stop thinking about sugar and all I wanted was a giant slice of chocolate cake. Days 4-7 were so much easier! I found that I was thinking about sugar less and less and that I started to crave a big bag of carrots or an apple. I noticed around day 5 that I had tons of energy and wasn't crashing around bedtime. I lost 5 pounds last week but I don't yet notice a difference in how my pants fit.
Whole 30 approved meal ideas, Whole 30 tips

Tips & Tricks

Food prep! I found that if I make food ahead of time, I'm more likely to eat right. Sunday night I made a big batch of pico de gallo and a batch of mango salsa, cut up fruits and veggies, and made chicken for my lunches throughout the week. Labeling the tupperware with masking tape kept me organized.

If you're going to a group function and know that there will be dessert, take your own! I went to a girls' night last week and knew that they'd be having ice cream, so instead of sitting out and watching everyone eat, I prepared a tupperware of grapes, pear, and coconut chips. It was delicious!

Buy a giant waterbottle and tote it with you around the house/to work/in the car/to church. I bought a 32 ounce water jug that goes everywhere with me.

Find a Whole 30 approved food that you love but don't normally eat a whole lot of and make that your treat. Even though I love pears, I don't normally buy them so they've made the perfect treat.

Throw a bag of jerky or an apple in your purse/bag each day as you head out the door. There's nothing worse than being away from home and realizing you're starving with only junk food around. It happened to me at work while I still had 2 hours to go. Needless to say, I was hangry by the time I got home. ;)

Goals For the Upcoming Week

Lift weights with Ben 3 times this week and get 10,000 steps in each day (especially Saturday and Sunday)!

Are you doing Whole 30, or have you before? Any recipes you love?

"these are a few of my favorite things"

receiving flowers
sleeping in
finding notes in the mail
going to the temple
date night
trying new restaurants
boarding a plane
Cafe Rio pork & tomatillo dressing
buying something I want or need for a good deal
clever memes
reading
going to bed after a long, productive day
soft and warm pj's
being home while it's raining
stripes and polka dots
organizing and cleaning
clean comedy shows
fresh, warm bread
trying new things
planning a vacation
decorating for a holiday
knowing I did my best on a task
Primary
candles
figuring something out that confused me before
surprising someone
being surprised
entertaining YouTube and Vine videos
multitasking
Amazon Prime
girls' nights and chick flicks
an empty laundry basket
new makeup
funny things kids say
pico de gallo and tortilla chips
finishing a project
mozzarella
wrapping up in a blanket
Christmas & church music