Breaking a Sugar Addiction in 21 Days

October 13, 2014 By Laura

This is week of firsts.

Well, one big one…

I’m going to Vegas for the first time! It’s also my first time playing in a softball World Series (the reason for the trip). And I play first base! It’s going to be a marvelous week.

I have a couple of fun things planned for the blog while I’m gone (stay tuned for an awesome giveaway Wednesday!). Today is the first treat – my friend Kenny and I met in grad school. As ~~class clowns~~ devastatingly beautiful straight A students, we were instant friends. 😉

Kenny came to me asking for help with a sugar addiction and I instantly identified with the struggle. If you’ve been reading for a while (or since last week), you might have noticed I have a ridiculous sweet tooth myself. I’ve posted tips I use for managing it:…

The Event Planning Life

September 15, 2014 By Laura

The big day has arrived.

Hold me.

At work, we host a 3 day conference every year. This year’s being today. It’s been a little nuts (<– understatement) leading up to it… but I am really excited! Here’s a little bite of what life has looked like the past few days.

There have been early mornings.

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Confessions of a Child-Free Woman

August 11, 2014 By Laura

Confession #1: I’ll never confess anything too incriminating.

Confession #2: I ruined my political career by the time I was 13.

Confession #3

Everyone around me seems to be having babies. Apparently this is supposed to induce some biological clock thing. In reality, it makes me happy I don’t have kids.

I missed the maternal gene. For starters, kids puke. Vomit makes me vomit. They say it’s different when it’s your kid. “They” are fooling themselves. Vomit is always repulsive. Even worse if you have a phobia (seriously – ask my mom; I’ll do anything to avoid puking)….

I was going to write a blog today…

March 3, 2014 By Laura

I was going to write a nice, informative post…

…maybe I exaggerate.

I was going to write, but instead I spent the morning lazily making jicama nachos:

…

Memorial Day Lounging

May 27, 2013 By Laura

Long weekends are made for lounging.

Which is what I’m doing… after I get back from the gym.

I’m taking the day off, and I hope you are doing the same!

Happy Memorial Day!!!

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Soooooo glad it finally got warm enough to hit the pool. I am glow-in-the-dark white.

Are you taking a day off?

Does taking the day off mean taking a workout rest day too?

I’m Taking a Day Off

May 9, 2013 By Laura

This is a foreign concept to me.

Rest? What is that?

I’m tired. I started writing a blog for today and realized I didn’t have anything compelling to say. Rather than throw up something half-assed I decided to take a day off of blogging. *gasp*

Instead, I’m catching up on my “real” job and eating tasty foods. ~~And praying the world won’t end.~~

And reminding you to click here to enter the giveaway for some bangin’ Bose Headphones (seriously – they rock).

Back tomorrow with some #strangebutgood cookies!!! Come by and link up your fun creations!

***

It turns out sanity/relaxation are not overrated.

When was the last time you took a day off?

How do you know when to cry “uncle!”?

4th of July and Paleo Oatmeal

July 5, 2012 By Laura

Can you imagine running a 10K in 27:36?

The 24-year-old winner of this year’s Peachtree Road Race (the largest 10K in the world) did it. His name is Peter Kirui. He’s Kenyan. ~~Surprise, surprise.~~

Peachtree runners

I spectated for a bit this year, but didn’t run. It’s a little disheartening because it’s the first I’ve skipped in 5 years. My knee and my trainer both have put a halt to my running, so I passed my number along to my boss’ wife. She didn’t win the women’s division. That prize went to Mamitu Daska from Ethiopia, who finished the 6.2 mile run in 32:22.

After a little cheerleading, I hit the gym to lift weights before heading to the lake for a day of ~~getting sunburned~~ fun in the sun. Having done shoulders with my trainer on Tuesday, chest and biceps yesterday, a jet ski ride, and a sunburn… I can barely lift my arms. Good thing its leg day!

Post-lake there were fireworks. My BFF and I hit the country club where we grew up for a 20 minute display that would rival and city production.

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The breakfast I began the day with for-sure kept me moving all day.

Several people had told me about Paleo “Oatmeal,” but I wast in a hurry to try a Paleo meal when I can have the real thing. You see, the Paleo diet shuns bread-y carbs. This oatmeal doesn’t actually include oats.

Despite my hesitation, curiosity got the best of me and I’m so glad it did. This creamy oat-less oatmeal is going in constant rotation.

The banana gets that yummy caramelized taste, and I was surprised and how much this actually LOOKED like oatmeal.

Even better, it came together quickly and delivered and TON of protein to my tired muscles. I amped it up more in my version with protein powder (I used Sun Warrior Vanilla here). The addition of butter extract really have it that oatmeal taste – you know the one. When you were a kid and would have a glob of melty butter on top of your oats… alongside wayyyy too much brown sugar. It’s cool, we didn’t know and better

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Paleo Oatmeal

1/2 C egg whites
1/2 scoop protein powder
2 T unsweetened vanilla almond milk (or other liquid)
1 T ground flaxseed
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 banana, well-mashed
1/4 tsp almond extract
1/8 tsp butter extract

Whisk together ingredients in a small bowl until well-combined.

In a small saucepan, cook mixture over low-med heat, stirring frequently to avoid lumps and reach oatmeal-like consistency (~5 mins).

Top your “oatmeal” with your favorite oatmeal topping. I went with blueberries.

Serves 1.

***

I’m a little annoyed with myself for getting so badly burned. Doh.

Did you run a race? Enjoy a fireworks show? Both?

Have you tired one of the Paleo oatmeal bowls before? Any thoughts on the program? It wouldn’t work for me right now, but I’m curious about others’ experiences!

Tattoos and Red Birds

May 1, 2012 By Laura

Has a red bird ever flown across your path?

My Grandmother, my dad’s mother, used to say that seeing a red bird was good luck.

She passed away when I was very young so I don’t have too many memories of her, but from what I do remember and the stories I’ve heard we had a lot in common. MamMaw loved the Golden Girls, shopping, and baking. She didn’t take a lot of crap and had a sense of humor that could make people blush. I have always sensed a sort of kindred spirit in her…

…and every time I’ve had something big going on in my life – a new job, taking the GMAT, a death – a red bird has flown across my path.

The words in my tattoo read: “All I ask of livin’ is to have no chains on me.”

It is a line from a Blood, Sweat & Tears song called “And When I Die.” If you haven’t heard of this band, it’s a jazz-rock group that was popular in the late 60s/early 70s – lots of horns/brass and a good beat. It was one my dad’s favorite bands.

One of the memories of my dad that sticks out in my mind the most was when we were sitting in the car after a softball game and this song came on. He turned up the stereo wayyyy too loud and we sat in the car and jammed out.

It sounds small, but it was such a fun, happy moment. Not a care in the world. Just me and my dad with some good classic rock.

July 6th will be 4 years since he passed away.

I’m positive he would hate the fact that I have a fairly large tattoo on my back. 🙂 I do think he would appreciate the significance. Whenever I see a red bird, I think of my grandmother and my dad. It’s a reminder to me that they are somewhere out there watching my back and hopefully sending a little extra luck my way when things are tough.

The song lyrics with the red bird remind me that the sky is the limit. All I ask of life is to let me keep living it so I can see how high I can go. My dad approached life like that – he believed that anything is possible, as long as you believe in yourself. He was an incredibly intelligent man. He owned his own business, built our family’s house, and excelled at everything he attempted. I never heard him complain about getting a bad hand dealt. He may have hit some hard times, but he would roll up his sleeves and fight his way through whatever roadblock presented itself.

Maybe it’s hokey, but this tattoo reminds me of the example he set. It reminds me that with hard work, confidence, and a little luck, anything is possible.

Thanks to my best friend’s husband, Greg, for designing my tattoo – it makes it that much more special. And, of course, a huge thanks to Danielle at Only You Tattoo in Atlanta for doing such an incredible job.

***

PSA – put a towel down before you sleep on a new tattoo:

Do you ever feel like you’ve been given a little extra luck just when you needed it most?

Is there a song you associate with one of your parents/grandparents?