SAMPLE

1) to take a small part of anything or one of a number, intended to show the quality, style, or nature of the whole
2) to experiment with a subset of a population in order to study the total population.
3) to take a sample or samples of; test or judge by a sample

Sometimes, I am thankful for social media. When Facebook serves its actual purpose of sharing things (events, milestones in your life, pictures, etc.) you are doing with with your friends -- cool things can happen. 

Without a friend sharing this event on Facebook, I would have never heard of the Gig Harbor Beer Festival. Thank you Brianna (and as an added bonus her boyfriend was playing in one of the bands)! Also, thank you for making sure we bought our tickets ahead of time -- because this event sold out!

Although we weren't too sure about the weather (you never know with Seattle spring), we ended up having gorgeous blue skies and fairly warm temps. We also weren't too sure about the location, as it was set up in the middle of the Uptown Gig Harbor shopping village -- but we ended up really liking it! This allowed for easy parking and a variety of options for our post festival meal. 

We ran into old friends and made some new ones; we tasted eight sips from local breweries; and we not only soaked up the sun, but also music from local talent. My favorite was Siren's Call from Narrows Brewing (seen in the bottom two pictures) because they use dried hibiscus in the brewing process which gives it a lighter cider taste and adds a pink hue. 

Next time, we are definitely making pretzel necklaces to eat while we SAMPLE. 

SING

1) to utter words or sounds in succession with musical modulations of the voice
2) to perform a song or voice composition
3) to produce melodious sounds, usually high in pitch
4) to compose poetry
5) to tell about or praise someone or something in verse or song

Back in December, I managed to convince my sisters to buy Ellie Goulding with me. Although they didn't listen to much of her music, and I did barely more than they -- I still thought it would a fun concert for us to attend, just us sisters. 

Over the coming months, I started to listen to Ellie more and more -- and getting beyond excited. Little did I know, my sisters were starting to feel the same way! There is something special about the quality of her artistry, something unique about her vocal range, and something praiseworthy about the variety of her songs. And, she has been popping up everywhere in the last few months: the Catching Fire soundtrack, the Diverget soundtrack, my Nike+ running app -- you name it!

Fast-forward to concert day -- my sisters met me downtown for happy hour at Dragonfish (yummy! and they have a great happy hour menu) then headed out to the theater. The balcony seats at the Paramount were general admission, so we knew we were going to have to stand in line (in the rain) in order to get good seats. Once the doors opened, we quickly rushed to the balcony where my sister snagged us front-row balcony seats! 

Ellie Goulding is one of the BEST performers I have seen (besides Macklemore, of course)! I was blown away at how captivating she is and how this petite 5' 5" girl commanded the theater with even the tiniest gesture. She sang, she told stories, she played drums and guitar, but most importantly she shared her music with us. Her performance was raw and it was real. At times she invited us to jump around and dance with her, and at other points we sat at the edge of our seats with tears in our eyes as she opened her heart. It you have the opportunity to see her -- YOU MUST!

Truth be told, I haven't been able to stop listening to her since her concert. Every time I go running, I am shuffling through her music (both of my last 10ks have been fuled by Elllie) and at work I am stuck on my Ellie Goulding Pandora station. Maybe her illuminati tricks have gotten to me (ha!), or perhaps she simply possesses a voice that was created to SING.

SURPRISE

1) to strike or occur to with a sudden feeling of wonder or astonishment, as through unexpectedness
2) to come upon or discover suddenly and unexpectedly
3) to make an unexpected assault on
4) to elicit or bring out suddenly and without warning
5) to lead or bring unawares, as into doing something not intended

One of my favorite birthday gifts this year (other than the Seahawks winning the Superbowl!!!!) was a surprise from my sister Colleen -- tickets to see Lorde! 

I knew Lorde was coming to WAMU Theater so I asked my sister if she wanted to go with me. Of course she said yes (there are few things she loves more than live music), she offered to buy the tickets and we planned that I would pay her back. Well, the day that tickets went on sale my sister texted that she accidentally missed her alarm and by the time she logged in to buy tickets it was sold out! What?! Nooooo...

Now, imagine my surprise when I am opening presents on my birthday and my sister hands me a very heavy box. I open it to find empty wine bottles(?!) and then I see the Lorde tickets! She did miss her alarm the day that tickets went on sale, but Lorde had not yet sold out.

Fast forward to the day of the show. Colleen and I decide we should grab dinner somewhere after I am off work and before the concert starts. Surprise! As luck would have it, Dine Around Seattle was going on -- which means we got to eat a thee-course meal, at a restaurant that would normally be too expensive for us, for only $28! Talk about serendipity! We enjoyed a delectable dinner by the canal at Ponti Seafood Grill, complete with sunny, gorgeous blue skies.

After we were stuffed full of salad, salmon, and dessert and took a short walk along the canal in the sun -- it was off to the show. Now, in full disclosure, my sister and I had braced ourselves for a less than stellar show. Lorde may be an extremely talented songwriter and singer -- but that does not mean her performance quality is on point yet. We heard less than awesome reviews from her past shows and knew she had just enough material to fill out a set. But we excited anyways!

Perhaps my sincere fondness for Lorde blinded me or maybe since we prepared ourselves to be underwhelmed worked in our favor -- but we were both pleasantly surprised by her performance! Her opener set the stage for a relaxed and fun atmosphere and then it was time for the main event! Lorde delicately commanded the stage, and stayed true to herself with her sharp/quirky dance moves. She may not be the most talkative nor is she anywhere near the performer that Macklemore is -- but she held her own up there!

Thank you again to my sister for such a wonderful birthday SURPRISE! 

DRIVE

1) to send, expel, or otherwise cause to move by force or compulsion
2) to cause and guide the movement of (a vehicle, an animal,etc.)
3) to convey in a vehicle
4) to force to work or act
5) to impel; constrain; urge; compel

Another year -- another President's Day weekend celebrated with a girl time. I can't even explain how much I love three-day weekends that include a mini-road trip. They are the perfect opportunity to explore somewhere close and get you out of your normal weekend mode. 

Despite the fact the weather (read: crazy pass conditions) tried to stop us from making it out to Yakima this year, we pushed through anyways. The drive was stressful and took double the amount of time it should have, but the trusty Subaru got us there in one piece. 

Weekends with my girls are always filled with catching up, laughing, and wine-ing -- and I wouldn't have it any other way. I truly hope that we can continue this President's Day tradition. And if we are keeping the wine theme -- maybe next year will be Napa (OK-- maybe just Walla-Walla or somewhere in Oregon)?

Also I have to share that while in Yakima, we tasted the BEST rosé I have EVER from Treveri Cellars. It was so good that our bride-to-be picked up six bottles for her wedding day -- and I bought one that I am saving for a special occasion. If you love sparking wine, everything at Treveri is good! Beyond the sparkling wine, we loved the food, service, atmosphere and the stories from our sommelier -- we stayed for hours just soaking it all in (or up?). If you aren't going to be in Yakima anytime soon but want to give these sparkling wines a try, we were told that Wine World in the University District carries Treveri Wines.

There are so many places to be explored right in your own backyard. So, next time you have a three-day weekend, back your bags and go for a DRIVE! 

PS. If you want to check out my post from last year's President's Day Weekend in Yakima, you can view it HERE. 

SMILE

1) to assume a facial expression indicating pleasure, favor, or amusement, but sometimes derision or scorn
2) to move the lips characterized by an upturning of the corners of the mouth
3) to regard with favor
4) to have a pleasant or agreeable appearance or aspect

I feel absolutely terrible about the tardiness of this post -- I meant to get this up around the holidays, but I never got around to finishing it! So, here it is now!

One of my favorite things about the holidays is that all of my high school besties come HOME! When we all are in the Seattle-area, we try to schedule a time to get together for a dinner or something along those lines. This year the way everyone's travel schedule worked out, we were able to have a little dinner party at my place. I LOVE hosting dinner parties/get together so I was really excited that this worked out. On top of it, I have a co-worker who also loves to host events -- so when I told her about my girls dinner she has the perfect addition to the festivities -- "PHOTOBOOTH" PROPS!

Last year our landlords let us pick an accent wall in our kitchen, so we chose a mossy green for the brick wall. This turned out to be the ideal backdrop for our "photobooth". Who knew?! We laid out all of the holiday themed props and took turns being photographed. Then using the collage feature at picmonkey.com -- I was able to string the photos together to make them look like actual photobooth strips. 

My girlfriends and I had so much fun with the props that I decided to bring them to my parents house on Christmas day so my sisters and I could also play around with them. This time we used our fireplace because it had a holiday feel and we propped my sister's phone up on a table. She has a feature that allows you to say "shoot!" while in camera mode and the picture will capture on a one second delay. This provided lots of laughs for us and some pretty cute holiday photos.

If you ever find yourself looking for a quick craft project for a rainy day -- make some props and throw together some prop bins! It is so fun to have these little items on hand for get togethers, no matter the reason or season. These photos will be the talk of your event! 

I loved looking back through these photos, as I put together the photo strips. I couldn't help but be thankful for the amazing women around me in the form of friends and family, and SMILE. 

FROLIC

1) merry play; merriment; gaiety; fun
2) a merry making or party
3) playful behavior or action
4) to gambol merrily; to play in a frisky, light-spirited manner; romp
5) to have fun; engage in merrymaking

A couple of weeks back, Roz and I frolicked in The Ugly Sweater Run 5k. We had a blast getting into the holiday spirit with this event. We were decked out in our ugly sweaters, fun socks and leggings, and best of all -- antlers! 

The course took us through Magnuson Park on a clear, crisp day -- the kind of day that keeps me thinking I should really stick to this running thing. We promised each other that we would break out of our Greenlake habit and come back to Magnuson! And the best part of this run was that Roz really pushed me -- we finished in just over 24 minutes! I never have 8 minute miles!

If I count my 8k (Beat the Bridge) then I have reached my new year's resolution of running five 5ks (but don't worry if I don't count it, I still have the Turkey Trot)! I am thankful that I found all of these fun runs to get me into running. In the future I may start to tackle some distance -- but for now  I will enjoy the FROLIC!

CLEANSE

1) to make clean
2) to remove by or as if by cleaning

Please excuse the long awaited blog post!

You probably thought that I had gotten lazy, and threw in the proverbial towel of my "blog once a week" new years resolution -- but alas! I have in fact been blogging every day of the last 30 days, and it is now ready to share. 

For the last 30 days I have been doing the Whole30, an eating cleanse. I know of a few people who have completed it and they raved about how it changes your tastes, your relationship with food, and your life. I thought that seemed a big dramatic, but something kept tugging at me to give it a try. 

I thought it would be a great way to kick off 2014 (as my future resolutions are starting to take shape, and are looking to be very fitness related), but the heart tugging wouldn't let me put it off. I read the manifesto every morning for a week, and this stood out to me: "don’t put this off, not for one more day. If you give yourself excuses or reasons to delay, you may never begin. Do it now." So I did. 

Many people thought I was crazy and many people didn't understand my reasoning for doing this -- but it didn't matter, I knew what I wanted out of it and truth be told, I got what I wanted. 

Results I wanted to get out of the Whole30:

-Healthy relationship with food -- no over eating, no "rewards" because I "deserve it", no "comfort food" because I "needed it"

-Learn more about food, reading ingredients and researching healthy alternatives

-Become more comfortable in the kitchen, do not settle for whatever is quick (PS. I will share recipes...in a separate post!)

-Lose weight/see toning in the hard to target locations

Knowing I was going into this with healthy objectives and a support system, and with friends who jumped on the bandwagon with me -- I took pre-Whole30 pictures and hoped on the scale for my weigh in. Then I dove it!

(Be forewarned -- this is a looooong post. If you want, you can skip to the end for my final reflections! I promise I won't be offended!)

Tuesday 10/29, Day 1:
Breakfast: Fruit medley (strawberries, banana, and satsumas), black coffee
Lunch: Salad (homemade dressing, romaine, spinach, bell pepper, cucumber, tomato, broccoli, snap peas, avocado), mineral water, lemon
Dinner: Chicken, asparagus, water, lemon
Snacks: Nuts, satsumas
Workout: Hot yoga sculpt -- and it felt good!
Reflection: As I am only one day in, I am feeling good! Right now I am inspired by the fresh ingredients that I will be using for the next 30 days and the results that I am only 30 days away from. Additionally, I am thankful that I have two friends who are doing the Whole30 with me so we have an excellent support and accountability system.

Wednesday 10/30, Day 2:
Breakfast: two eggs, black coffee
Lunch: Mediterranean Salad (chicken breast, tomato, olives, cucumber, onion), water
Dinner: Chili Lime chicken patties, sweet potato fries, guacamole, mineral water, lemon
Snacks: Lots of fruit
Workout: Rest day
Reflection: Today was not bad at all. I found myself hungry multiple times through out the day, but I am glad I started cooking breakfast so I have something more substantial in my system. I was looking forward to dinner all day -- and my feast with my two girlfriends did not disappoint! I am finding new meals I really like!

Thursday 10/31, Day 3:
Breakfast: two eggs, black coffee
Lunch: Mixed veggie chicken salad, mineral water, lemon
Dinner: Left over Chili lime chick patty, fruit, water
Snacks: Nuts
Workout: Hot yoga sculpt
Reflection: Today I woke up dragging. I am feeling tired, slow, and bloated. I know this is to be expected, but it doesn't make it easier. As the day progressed I felt better and by lunch, the dragging feeling had dissipated. Unfortunately, I went home to a house that smelled of yummy pulled pork in the crock pot...that I couldn't eat. I will totally admit I cried a little. Then I went to yoga which was a nice reprieve because we were celebrating Halloween with a fun class. The only problem was looking in the mirror was getting me down as I saw my bloated stomach. How do you not think to yourself, "I am eating healthier than I have been and I look worse that I have looked. What am I doing this for?!" I was proud of myself for finishing class and I left feeling a bit more positive. But I definitely wanted the day to be over -- so I went home, ate and went to bed as quickly as possible. Phew, let it go. 

Friday 11/1, Day 4:
Breakfast: Fruit, black coffee
Lunch: Mixed veggie salad, two hard boiled eggs, mineral water, lemon
Dinner: Steak, onions & mushrooms, asparagus
Snacks: Salami, nuts, fruit
Workout: Rest day
Reflection: This morning was the first morning that I did not wake up STARVING and I am feeling less bloated, so we are off on the right foot! Things are feeling a bit more second nature, but there are definitely things I am missing. Thankfully dinner totally satisfied me! SGT and I BBQ'ed steaks and then sauteed up some veggies (I am thankful that although SGT isn't doing the Whole30 with me, he will he clean meals with me when we are together!). I went to bed happy, full, and proud that I made it through my first work week! Now comes the question, which will be harder the work days or the weekends?

Saturday 11/2, Day 5:
Breakfast: 2 bananas (terrible I know!), doppio espresso (and I liked it!)
Brunch: I had a brunch event, so I packed my plate with a bunch of fruit, some scrambled egg and sausage (I am not sure if they were compliant!)
Dinner: Ham, bell pepper, onion omelet
Snacks: Apple and cinnamon
Workout: Rest day
Reflection: Today was the first day that I went to event where food was provided. It actually was not as hard as I thought it would be (although I am sure there will be much more challenging instances) . In the buffet line the fruit was first -- so I loaded up before I got to tempting items (like some beautiful pastries and yummy potatoes). Overall, today I am feeling good. Less bloating, no dragging, feeling lighter and satisfied by my food choices. 

Sunday 11/3, Day 6:
Breakfast: Apple and cinnamon, black coffee
Lunch: Two over hard eggs, two pieces of ham
Dinner: Beef stew
Snacks: Guacamole, sweet potato crisps, roasted artichoke 
Workout: Rest day (but I was definitely tired from cheering on the Seahawks at the game!)
Reflection: Today was a challenge because we headed out to cheer on the Seahawks against the Buccaneers. Although I tried to be Whole30 focused and I packed some snack food (nuts and fruit), we had a little crisis where someone who is not eating Whole30 spilled beer all over my snacks... No food for me. Although I was starving during the game, being at the stadium was not has hard as I envisioned  Maybe it is because my tastes are changing, or maybe I am very focused on doing this right -- but either way, looking at the garlic fries, nachos  and burgers around me didn't actually make me want one. I definitely could have used some beer -- that game was a nail biter! Thankfully I had dinner plans with my Whole30 girls -- they are so awesome and had some food for me when I arrived. I love when we get together and cook, it is so fun to try new recipes with them and to not have to do this alone! 

Monday 11/4, Day 7:
Breakfast: Banana, one over hard egg, one piece of ham
Lunch: Left over beef stew, mineral water, lemon 
Dinner: Chicken stir fry (broccoli, bell pepper, onion, mushroom, garlic, spices)
Snacks: Dried apples
Workout: Hot Yoga (Vinyassa)
Reflection: I feel really good today and I felt like I had energy all day. I am getting mixed reviews from coworkers. Today one person said "how are you feeling, are you tired" and one said "you look thinner". Hopefully I don't look thin and tired! In the evening I went to vinyassa and I felt surprisingly strong. I don't know if I am imaging things or if I am seeing new muscle development. Either way -- it is good to feel strong, long, and lean. 

Tuesday 11/5, Day 8:
Breakfast: Egg, ham, black coffee
Lunch: Chicken stir fry, mineral water, lemon
Dinner: Roasted cauliflower curry soup, salad, almond "ice cream", mineral water, lime
Snacks: Dried apple, fresh apple
Workout: Rest day, Tuesday is my weekly girls night!
Reflection: I love Tuesdays, cooking with my girls and trying new recipes. Tonight was just the energy boost I needed. Roz blew my mind with "ice cream" tonight -- which while I was eating it I swore there was no way this was allowed in the Whole30, but it was a compliant recipe. With all this meal prep, checking out new products from different grocery stores, and skipping the eating out -- I am glad that as different as these 30 days feel, there are things that are totally the same, like Tuesdays with my girlfriends. 

Wednesday 11/6, Day 9:
Breakfast: Fruit salad (I was a little bit over the eggs for a day), black coffee
Lunch: Left over roasted cauliflower curry soup, dried apple, water
Dinner: Spaghetti squash, chicken sausage, red sauce (the most disguising thing I have tasted on this cleanse)
Snacks: Dried apple, fresh fruits
Workout: Hatha
Reflection: Feeling fulfilled, satisfied and lean -- and it feels good. Last night we tried to talk Jo into joining the Whole30 and Roz challenged saying that we would go extra days so she wouldn't do the end of her challenge alone. At first I was thinking "what?!" but then I realized...I would do that. I like what I am eating and I like how I feel. As much as I am looking forward to putting some things back into my diet (read: peanut butter), I think I will carry the majority of these good eating habits on past the end of the month. I did make the mistake today of not giving myself enough time to make break fast in the morning, in addition to getting tired of the same breakfast I had been having. I was seriously craving protein -- so I will make sure to get back to the eggs tomorrow. Also, I was proud that I was getting the hang of this meal planning and cooking thing...until I had a terrible dinner. The red sauce I finally found that was Whole30 compliant was TERRIBLE. So dinner was a bit of a flop...

Thursday 11/7, Day 10:
Breakfast: Egg, ham, black coffee
Lunch: Left over spaghetti squash (seasoned with Mrs Dash), chicken sausage, mineral water
Dinner: Salad with chicken breast, water (well sort of...see below)
Snacks: Pumpkin Spice Tea
Workout: Hot Yoga Sculpt
Reflection: Dinner was a bit of accidental drama... I was a bit tired today, so I knew I need to get my meal prepping done ASAP when I got home so I didn't have to do it all after my workout, when I would be exhausted. I prepped tomorrow's lunch and veggies for my dinner salad, then headed off to yoga. When I came home, I pulled out the salad and began to cook some chicken breast to add to it -- that's when I heard the sound of glass breaking and turned to see shards of glass in my salad. My roommate had a little accident... which meant the loss of a planned meal for me. So today I learned to improvise and to get good food without the plan. 

Friday 11/8, Day 11:
Breakfast: Egg, ham, doppio espresso (Happy Friday!)
Lunch: Left over spaghetti squash (seasoned with Mrs Dash), chicken sausage, dried apples, mineral water, lemon
Dinner: Stuffed bell peppers (According to SGT, this might be the best thing I have cooked yet!), mineral water, lemon
Snacks: Pumpkin Spice Tea
Workout: Rest day
Reflection: Today marks that I have 1/3 of this Whole30 behind me. I think I am reaching the end of the up and down phase with my thoughts of the benefits of this cleanse. I have heard that the next third truly brings the good stuff, so here we go!

Saturday 11/9, Day 12:
Breakfast: Satsuma, almonds, doppio espresso 
Lunch: Chipotle
Dinner: Tri-tip steak stir-fry
Snacks: Nuts
Workout: Rest day
Reflection: Today was the first date that I have eaten out since I began the Whole30. Although there is advice out there for how to eat out, it defeats my purposes for doing the Whole30 -- so I have shied away from it until now. Chipotle has the "burrito bowl options" which provides PLENTY of food -- so although my regular order require many substitutions or omissions, it was still tasty and a nice break from cooking. 

Sunday 11/10, Day 13:
Breakfast: Sweet potato hash browns, egg cups, fruit, black coffee
Lunch: Fruits, sugar cookie sleigh ride tea
Dinner: A repeat of breakfast (without the coffee)
Snacks: "ice cream"
Workout: Rest day
Reflection: Today's breakfast was quite the undertaking -- I have never made hash browns (let along sweet potato hash browns) from scratch. Although next time I would opt to make sweet potato home fries, I am so glad I tried something new. This is exactly why I wanted to do the Whole30: to cook, to try new recipes, and to learn more in the kitchen!

Monday 11/11, Day 14:
Breakfast: Leftover egg cups, banana
Lunch: Salad (cucumber, carrots, mushroom, bell pepper, chicken), satsuma, apple chips, lemon, mineral water
Dinner: Chicken "Fajitas" (pepper, onion, seasoning, and chicken), guacamole, mineral water, lime
Snacks: fruit (banana, apple, satsuma)
Workout: Turbo Kick
Reflection: I am feeling really good -- not to jinx anything but this is the first day I have very really lean. I was a bit worn out after a day away from home Saturday and cooking so much on Sunday, so I opted for a quickly prepped salad and left overs for dinner. I did lots of grocery shopping last night so although I don't quite have a plan for meals this week, I do have the skills to throw something together quickly. Also, today Jo joins my Whole30 girlfriends and I on this journey. We are so happy to have her on board and excited to support her through the tough first days.

Tuesday 11/12, Day 15:
Breakfast: Eggs, ham, black coffee
Lunch: Salad (cucumber, carrots, mushroom, bell pepper, chicken), satsuma, apple chips, mineral water, lemon
Dinner: Two chicken sausages, satsumas
Snacks: Salami, sweet potato chips
Workout: Hatha
Reflection: HAPPY HALFWAY POINT!

Wednesday 11/13, Day 16:
Breakfast: Fruit, Larabar (I had to get out of the house early! I know I know...slacker meal), black coffee
Lunch: Catered Qdoba, mineral water
Dinner: "Pad Thai"!, mineral water, lime
Snacks: Fruit
Workout: Rest day -- we moved girls night due to Jo being in LA (great work keeping to the Whole30 while traveling!)
Reflection: Today we had a client luncheon, which consisted of catered Qdoba. It was so awesome that this worked out with my cleanse, creating a lunch similar to when I ate out at Chipotle. Also this evening, my Whole30 girls and I tried our hand at pad thai! I was a little weary, as I have never made regular pad thai -- but our spaghetti squash, Whole30 compliant version was DELISH, and no where near as hard as I thought it would be. Add that to the list of recipes I plan to cook again!

Thursday 11/14, Day 17:
Breakfast: Fruit, Larabar (Again?! I know...I know...slacker meal), black coffee
Lunch: Left over "Pad Thai", mineral water, lemon
Dinner: Chicken patty, guacamole, sweet potato fries, mineral water
Snacks: Fruit
Workout: Hot Yoga sculpt
Reflection: On the downhill -- starting research about what to put back into my system and how. Decisions, decisions! 

Friday 11/15, Day 18:
Breakfast: Eggs, ham
Lunch: Chicken patty, guacamole, mineral water, lemon
Dinner: Onion, pepper, chicken sausage, "applesauce"
Snacks: Fruit, carrots
Workout: Rest day
Reflection: Day 18 already? I can confidently say I am in the swing of things, and the days have/are gone/going by quickly! I have a countdown at my desk at work, and I am starting to look forward to Monday mornings, because I get to check off 3 days (Friday, Saturday, Sunday)!

Saturday 11/16, Day 19:
Breakfast: NO EGGS (this wasn't my fault...)?! Fruit, Larabar, black coffee
Lunch: Eggs, sausage
Dinner: Salad 
Snacks: Sweet potato chips, apple, salami
Workout: Rest day
Reflection: Living with roommates not doing the Whole30 is a little challenging...like when you are getting out the door by 7:45am on a Saturday, only to find you can't eat breakfast because there are no eggs. Whole30 also makes your social life a little awkward, like when you head out to a restaurant after a basketball game, only to watching others eat pizza and drink beer...

Sunday 11/17, Day 20:
Breakfast: Fruit, black coffee
Lunch: Chipotle
Dinner: Pad thai and "brownie with ice cream"!
Snacks: fruit
Workout: Rest day
Reflection: So much fun cooking! Roz and I have been trying a lot of new recipes -- a brownie?! Who would have thought?! We also discussed how to keep certain things out of our bodies and what we are trying to avoid the most -- dairy and gluten.

Monday 11/18, Day 21:
Breakfast: Fruit, Larabar, black coffee
Lunch: Left over pad thai, brownie, mineral water
Dinner: Curried roasted cauliflower soup, water
Snacks: fruit
Workout: Worked late...so no workout today
Reflection: Although I am feeling great -- I am a bit frustrated with the social aspect. People have been understanding, but without the control over how my food is prepared...I really cannot eat out (and drinks are WAY out of the question). Before the Whole30 I did not eat out often, but it was nice when I could for social engagements... having that back will be a nice change. 

Tuesday 11/19, Day 22:
Breakfast: Ham, eggs, black coffee
Lunch: Left over pad thai, brownie, mineral water, lemon
Dinner: Stuffed bell peppers, banana bread, mineral water, lime
Snacks: fruit nuts
Workout: girls night
Reflection: BAKED GOODS ARE AMAZING even without all the junk! Roz surprised us with banana bread, and I just about cried. DELISH! I have not stopped thinking about it since I ate it!

Wednesday 11/20, Day 23:
Breakfast: Egg, ham, black coffee
Lunch: Curried roasted cauliflower soup, mineral water, lemon
Dinner: omelet, paleo pumpkin pancakes
Snacks: fruit
Workout: Hatha
Reflection: Still trying out more fun new recipes, while starting to repeat old favorites. Either way, I am feeling much more at home in the kitchen. 

Thursday 11/21, Day 24:
Breakfast: Fruit, Larabar, black coffee
Lunch: Curried roasted cauliflower soup, mineral water, lemon
Dinner: Chicken sausage, fruit
Snacks: nuts, apple chips
Workout: Sculpt
Reflection: Only a few days left! I am fairly certain I am going to try to keep as much dairy as possible out of my diet (except the occasional cheese). I am interested in trying gluten-free products, and researching paleo -- but I do think a small about of carbs are healthy... the jury is still out on that one (yikes...can you tell I am dating a law student?!).

Friday 11/22, Day 25:
Breakfast: Fruit, almond butter, black coffee
Lunch: Leftover stuffed bell peppers, mineral water, lemon
Dinner: chicken breast, veggies
Snacks: fruit, nuts
Workout: rest day
Reflection: Home stretch!

Saturday 11/23, Day 26:
Breakfast: Larabar, fruit, water
Lunch: egg, sausage, doppio espresso
Dinner: chicken, veggies, mineral water, lemon
Snacks: nuts
Workout: Rest day
Reflection: This is the last weekend of Whole30 eating! Well, until the next time I decide to do the Whole 30...? (Who is with me in January?)

Sunday 11/24, Day 27:
Breakfast: fruit, Larabar, doppio espresso
Lunch: veggies, salami, mineral water, lemon
Dinner: Beef stew, mineral water, lemon
Snacks: none
Workout: Ugly Sweater 5k
Reflection: Today Roz and I ran in the Ugly Sweater Run. I was having slight vertigo symptoms, but as I began the run the symptoms dissipated. We ran the 5k in just over 24 minutes, which is by far the fastest I have ever run a 5k (and I have not run since September!). Roz as been such a good influence with my eating and running habits -- I would have never run that fast without her! (Also, with this run I have completed my "run five 5k's" resolution!)

Monday 11/25, Day 28:
Reflection: Today was a struggle as I had to deal with a morning/day of vertigo. It was a challenge to make healthy choices, as I really wanted comfort food (read: mac and cheese or grilled cheese and tomato soup) -- but I kept to my Whole30 habits. 

Tuesday 11/26, Day 29:
Breakfast: Larabar, fruit, black coffee
Lunch: beef stew, lemon, water
Dinner: pancakes, fruit, sausage, mineral water, lemon, Egg nog (Roz strikes again!)
Snacks: fruit, nuts
Workout: Rest day
Reflection: Although technically, this is the last Tuesday I have to do a Whole30 meal, we will continue to do Whole30 meals until Jo finishes -- but maybe we should continue the tradition of Whole30 meals on Tuesdays so we will have an arsenal of recipes next time we do this eating cleanse. 

Wednesday 11/27, Day 30:
Breakfast: egg, ham, black coffee
Lunch: Salad, apple chips
Dinner: Chicken, veggies
Snacks: fruit, nuts
Workout: Hatha
Reflection: How is the end here already?! This really went by so fast, and I feel amazing -- truly. I am excited to assess my progress, make changes going forward, and do another Whole30 in a few months! Also -- this made me feel like such a new person, I cut 7ish inches off my hair! Goodbye long locks, hello long, angled bob! Wooohooo!

Overall post Whole30 reflections:
-Before you start, set up a reward for yourself once you complete the Whole 30 (make sure this is NOT FOOD related). We have planned a mani/pedi date, and I might even treat myself to a massage -- that makes my mouth water more than cheese does at this point. 
-Other than having fairly clean skin, I noticed that my trouble spots cleared up (chin line) and my overall complexion looks better. 
-I am definitely cooking more and I love it! Kitchen gadgets and recipe books make great Christmas presents!
-Although this is huge in other cultures, I feel as though we are lacking in in America: gathering to cook as a social experience. I may not have really been able to go out to dinner with my friends, but I did get to have them to my house to cook together while we caught up with each other. I love that we weren't just sitting and eating -- but prepping a meal together that we were proud of. 
-Overall, I do not think that completing the Whole30 is hard -- there are much harder things in life. But I will say that doing the Whole30 is "harder" for some people than it is for others. Of my three friends doing the Whole30, I know I had it the easiest. I have roommate that did their best to respect my eating, coworkers who made salad dressing and juiced veggies for me, a boyfriend who applauded my discipline, and a family who supported my undertaking. What more could you ask for?!
-If you do decide to do the Whole30, you should know that you and Mrs Dash will become BFF.
-In the end, I feel amazing, exactly what I hoped to feel: lighter, leaner, strong, healthier, with no food guilt, and happier and satisfied with what I’m eating. I don’t feel stuck in the relentless cycle of food guilt anymore. Plus, I have plenty of energy (I was going to bed at 9:30pm, but now just 8 hours is perfect!)!
-And since the numbers help, I did lose 6+ lbs. (I do have before and after pictures... although I have decided not to put them up in this post.)

So there you have it, by Whole30 in a nutshell. I would love to talk to you about it if you have questions and I know I will be doing it again -- so let me know if you want to team up (accountability partners are the best)! 

What are you waiting for? You can feel so much better than you do...you just need a CLEANSE! 

HOOP

1) to use a hula hoop in the exercise of flow movement
2) to express one's self through artistic movement and dancing with a hoop (or hoops) used as a prop

3) to practice technical moves and tricks with freestyle or technical dancing
4) to rotate the hoop around parts of the body other than the waist, including the hips, chest, neck, shoulders, thighs, knees, arms, hands, thumbs, feet and toes

About a month ago -- my soul sister took a journey across the United States from Morgantown, Virginia to San Diego, California and I was fortunate enough to have almost four days with her as she swung by Seattle on her cross-country road trip (side note: her blog is WAY funnier than mine so you should check it out HERE for some laughs!)

I met Kaitlyn in college, as she was a transfer student and I was trying to rush her for my sorority. The funny thing is the more time I spent talking to her at the open house, the less it became about my sorority and more about how interested I was in wanting to make her my best friend immediately. You know those people that are simply captivating -- she's that kind. 

Kaitlyn did end up pledging, and even though we are sorority sisters -- we are much more than that. I have Kaitlyn to thank for stirring my soul, feeding my curiosity, praising my playful side, and most importantly, keeping me honest, genuine and real. OR maybe most importantly, teaching me to hula hoop. This girl is such a keeper. 

I cannot even explain how happy I was when I saw a text on my phone that said "I am trekking across the U.S. again and taking the northern route! I think I'll be in Seattle July 20th-ish." WHAT GREAT NEWS!

I started planning immediately and at the heart of my planning was one question "where are the best places for us to hoop together"?

We had a wonderful time, between Dick's Burgers at Kerry Park (past vegetarians unite!), sight-seeing/visiting places from 10 Things I Hate about You, soaking up the sun at bluegrass festival, and laughing at anything and everything. Some things never change -- and I am thankful for that. 

I am hoping that Kaitlyn has a big place in her heart for Seattle and will come back to visit soon (for longer!) since she is on the best coast now. Until then I will keep HOOPIN'.

STAND BY

1) to be ready or available to act
2) to wait for something, to resume
3) to remain uninvolved; to refrain from acting
4) to remain loyal to; aid or support
5) to keep or maintain

This year's Fourth of July weekend brought a number of firsts, including my first time flying stand by and my first time jet setting off to San Francisco for a long weekend with my girls. 

One of my best girlfriends is currently working for an airline, which allows her the opportunity to hop on a flight's standby list. Using this, she posed a great idea to me -- "how do you feel about San Fran for the fourth?" I think my bags were packed before I even said yes. I am up for any chance to travel! (Keep that in mind everyone!)

I definitely think the best way to see a city is to visit someone who lives there, that way you get the tourist aspect as well as the local's perspective. JD moved from Seattle to San Francisco just about two years ago, so she knew just the spots to take us. 

Although the trip was short and sweet, we hit the major sights I wanted to see and did the things I was dying to do: Golden Gate Bridge and Park, de Young Museum, Ghirardelli, fireworks watching at Chrissy Fields, trolley riding, Unuion Square, Fisherman's Warf, and Lombard Street. The weather was sunny for the Fourth (complete with a little sunburn) and then turned the next day to show us the frisco freeze. Sunny or not -- I was just happy to be exploring with my friends. 

I am so lucky to have such great girls in my life, ones who are ready for adventure, a challenge, a good laugh, or a solid talk. How did I find such amazing friends that are willing to stand by me in this crazy life?! Blessings I tell ya'...

Until next time San Francisco! I am patiently waiting for my next boarding pass and for my name to be called up from STAND BY! 

(Note: Just to be grammatically correct, STAND BY is a phrasal verb, and in most instances is actually used as a noun.)

HUNT

1) to chase or search for for the purpose of catching
2) to pursue with force
3) to search for; seek; endeavor to obtain or find
4) to search thoroughly
5) to scour in pursuit of game

My New Year's Resolution of running five 5k's has caused me to keep an eye out for any and every fun, active events in my area. 

A few weeks ago I was shopping at Lululemon and they told me about their 4th Annual Adventure race. The premise is as follows: 

"Celebrate our local downtown studios and community with a multi-stop, high adrenaline foot race. Teams will be sent on a wild trek through [South Lake Union] and visit a variety of our participating studios. At the studios, instructors will lead teams through a 5 minute workout showcasing what they do best. Celebrate the finish with refreshing drinks, tasty eats and high fives..."

HOW FUN, right!? How often is your workout a scavenger hunt?! Well it ended up being fun -- but WAY harder than I imagined. My girlfriends and I made a few wrong turns in our hunt, sweated like crazy through the stunning 90 degree day, and burned some major calories (which were replenished with Whole Foods catered food and the highly coveted cold beer). We started with a cross-fit workout, then went to barre, yoga, two bootcamp workouts, and ended with an ab series...running in between each workout...

Despite the fact that this was much more physically demanding than I initially imagined -- I would definitely do it again and I am looking forward to next year's adventure. Until then, I will continue to keep my eyes open for another fun and out of the ordinary activity -- I am on the HUNT!

DISTRACT

1) prevent (someone) from giving full attention to something
2) divert (attention) from something

I have been meaning to write this post for weeks! But here we are, better late than never... 

In mid-February two of my best girlfriends and I road tripped our way to Yakima to meet up with two of our other besties who are living in Eastern Washington. As much as I was super stoked beyond belief to have a weekend get-away and mini-road trip with my girls, I think what made me the MOST excited was having the chance to be a distraction for our favorite med school student for the weekend. 

Our future Dr. Quach does it ALL and she has been doin' it all ever since I can remember. She definitely makes my top ten list of "go-getters I am secretly a little bit jealous of". After becoming friends with her and watching her kick high school's butt, to fostering a long distance friendship as she took names in college, and now supporting her as she fulfills her dream to be a doctor -- I could not be happier to be one of her biggest cheerleaders. Let me also add, that despite the fact that she is a accomplished student, world traveler, and more, she is also one of the sweest, most down to earth and humble individuals I have ever met. 

So the the name of balance, and in upholding my life's mantra "work hard, play hard" - my high school besties and I spend the weekend with Dr. Quach in the name of fun. The aim was definitely to keep her mind off of school (ok...except for when we asked for a tour of her school), from a morning at the spa and a thrift shop themed wine tasting, to a sun-shine filled walk in the foothills and a PJ party watching Pitch Perfect - we helped our girl unwind. 

Here is the part where I get mushy, and say things like "you have no idea how thankful I am for my group of girl friends who are beautiful inside and out" and "we are the true definition of support system" or "I do not know where I would be with out my best friends"...but as cliche as they sound, I mean every word. I know not everyone is as lucky as I am to have such good company, so I aim to work every day to keep our bonds strong. If I meant even half the amount to them as they mean to me, I would be happy.

Dr. Quach, I am over-the-moon proud of your and your ability to stay true to yourself and your dreams. I hope as med school gets busier and more stressful, that you can think back at our hilarious moments over President's Day weekend and have a little laugh break. And when things get overwhelming, you can bet we will be right back there with you in Nola Loop, armed and ready to DISTRACT!