Friday Faves

Happy Friday!!

How is everyone today?  Any fun weekend plans?  I'm super busy (just the way I like it) with a wine tasting today (!), a Phillies game, a hair cut (#holyroots), Rascal Flatts concert, and a beach day!


As in true Friday fashion I'm going to share some of my favorite things from the week!

Amanda's Bridal Shower Cake!

So much talent!

Chocolate chip cake with delicious fondant frosting

Greek Salad!  Ever since Sam's wedding last year I developed a love affair with Greek salad.  I never liked olives until last year.  (Sam's wedding had these delicious appetizers called Greek Salad Spoons which were soup spoons with a mouthful of Greek salad.  It was a flavor explosion and I've been hooked ever since)

This Greek salad has the usual:  greens, olives, red and orange tomatoes, cucumbers, and goat cheese instead of feta.  BUT we added some avocado and a homemade lemon vinaigrette.  DALISH!  I also added a piece of Moroccan lemon herb chicken for some added protein.  I went to bed with salad dreams about this lunch.  I even wrote a note on the fridge to ask mia familia to save me some salad :)

Saladgasm

 This Peach and goat cheese pizza from THIS site.  It's the perfect blend of sweet Jersey peaches and tangy goat cheese!

These Target Buckets!  $1 a piece!  Target for the WIN!  New writing center here I come!

Pineapple!  All of the pineapple!

Bachelorette Viewing Party!  Love these girls!  We even roped in Deb!

THIS!  ALL OF THIS!  Jenna Fisher aka Pam Halpert posted this on IG today and my Office  loving heart melted a million times over.  She uses a Dunder Mifflin mug!  Lurve :)

Pam Halpert 4Ever

Thomas Rhett's new song!  I heard it last week at the FGL concert and was hooked!  It hasn't been officially released yet so I had to hunt around on youtube to find it.  But just tell me that your heart doesn't smile when you hear this song!  He wrote it for his wife because she asked him to write something that was like Tim McGraw's Just To See You Smile and not another song about beer.

Give it a listen and I'm sure you'll be hooked and desperately creeping on iTunes waiting anxiously for its release!

TR's new song


Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders Making The Team 10.  Thank you IG for letting me know that there were marathons of past seasons.  While watching said marathons, I found out that the new seasons is starting August 6 at 11 on CMT!



Have a great weekend!


Love,

E

When You're Chased By A Honey Badger

Happy Thursday!


One more day 'til the freakin' weekend!

Does anyone have any fun plans today??  For me it's usually Thursday Girlsday with my gym girl squad, but tonight my godfather is coming for dinner so we're going to push it to Tuesday.

This past week, Zach and I spent some time planning my upcoming NOLA visit!  He sent me a spreadsheet complete with price ranges and websites for all of the places we're visiting.  My Type-A heart skipped multiple beats when I saw how pretty and organized it is!  Is there any question as to why we're friends??



So back to the title of today's post.


In my training for Disney's Wine and Dine Half Marathon, I've been running 5 days a week--4 days 5 mile short tempo runs and one long run.  This week starts 11 Mile Month aka 11 miles every Sunday Runday.


Usually, my runs are completely uneventful.  With the exception of seeing some gym friends on my run, it's usually quiet and calm--just the way I like my runs.

Until yesterday.

I was on the last mile of my run when out of nowhere a rabid honey badger a Chihuahua named Pinky comes out of thin air and starts nipping at my ankles!  I'm 5'8" and my eyes are usually focused on the sidewalk ahead of me (let's be honest--I'm looking for uneven concrete so I don't wipe out like I did last month lol  Whatever, I looked like a serious runner klutz right?)

As a runner I have a few fears--albeit it some are irrational fears--but nonetheless very real fears for me:

-Chased by a dog
-Chased by a murderer
-Kidnapping
-Broken ankle
-Someone hearing/seeing me jam out while running

I've quelled some of these fears by realizing that I could climb a tree (see what I mean about irrational?) or start screaming (much more realistic)

Well, all of a sudden out of the corner of my eye I see a honey colored creature start nipping at my ankles.  It's about 6:30 am and I don't want to start screaming and waking up the neighborhood so I start making this weird, Mrs. Doubtfire's boobs are on fire scream sound.  I start doing this weirdo shuffle thing to try and avoid death.

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What is attacking me?

I have two thoughts:

Rabid Honey Badger

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(If you're wondering, Wikipedia informed me that honey badgers are indigenous to Africa and Southeast Asia.  NOT NJ)



Rabid Giant Squirrel

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Log.ic.al.

In those 10 seconds I really thought

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I'm going to die here.  A mile from my house, without make up, with a sweaty nest of hair, in mismatched clothes.  That is not how I want to go, people!  I want to be an adorable old lady with blue hair and pink lips a la the ladies in the VW commercial.  Those are my people.

About 10 seconds later, Pinky's (I know, the name couldn't have been something scarier like Dante or Damian…no no no…Pinky) owner decides to show up and call her killer 6 pound beast back to the threshold thus freeing me from my real-life nightmare.  Needless to say, I think I burned a few extra calories on that run.

Anyway, that is my eventful recount of my usually boring Tuesday morning run.

Has anyone else been savagely attacked by a wild beast miniature dog that celebrities usually keep in purses while running?

Happy Almost Friday!

I hear there's a wine tasting in my near future and a Phillies game, too :)

XOXO,

E

What I Ate Wednesday

Happy Hump Day!

How is everyone's week going?  Mine is pretty good-low key which is a nice change of pace from my busy weekend.


P.S. I'm still drooling over Amanda's cake :)


Monday was Bachelorette viewing party!

The A-Team

Deb made Mango Margaritas with spicy rim salt :)

Peach sangria!

Today is a busy one my friends.  I have a 5 am 5 miler scheduled.  Then it's b-fast part 2 (hello heavenly oats) and then tutoring from 9:30-10:30.  Then I have a weights date.  Then it's shower and snacky time before tutoring take two.  Then it's lunch and green juice.  Finally, it's happy hour followed by dinner and an early night.

So anyway, here's what I've been eating lately.

Breakfast is still the same oatmeal that I lurve.

Snackage has been pretty simple:

pineapple:) My favorite summer fruit

Carrots and garlic hummus



Green juice



Paleo chocolate chip banana bread.

I don't know what happened to it…no one seemed to like it ;)

Plutos or plumcots depending on the store.  These are delicious and super sweet yet tangy.

Lunches and dinners have been either this peach gorgonzola (goat cheese) pizza

So good and so simple!  

Recipe found her -------> best healthy pizza ever




or this big daddy.



Garlic lime Sriracha chicken with Southwestern Quinoa salad.

Freaking delicious! 

Today I also had a vodka with Crystal Light at happy hour.  Is it weird that I bring my own Crystal Light?


I hope everyone is enjoying their day!  I'll be back tomorrow with all the feels about Phillies fans and their *habits*.

XOXO,

E

PS!  Teacher friends-Target had these bad johnnies for just $1!  I used these last year and they were awesome!  I'm thinking of revamping my writing station so these will play into that :)

Awwww yeah!

Day In The Life

Happy Tuesday!

How is everyone doing? I'm doing pretty fab right now. Today is a nice quiet day so I figured I'd write out a quick Day In The Life post for you all. I read this on Jen's blog and loved the idea. 

I'm a nosy person and I love to know what everyone does all day? Anyone else like that or am I the only weirdo?

Here goes!

5:30 am wake up, brush teefers, wash face, make tight pony tail for my morning run. 

5:50 am eat breakfast cookie for some pre-run fuel 

6 am- 5 mile run

6:45-7- shower my sweaty face (also time for shower concert!)

7-8:30-oatmeal breakfast and catch up on RHOC from last night. Is anyone else loving Meghan this season?  I'm a HUGE fan!  I think she's refreshing and just what the doctor (Andy Cohen) ordered. Before her I didn't really have a favorite. 

8:35-go to hot yoga. I'm almost done my 5 session groupon and idk if I'm going to continue. I might try out some new yoga styles before I commit. 

9-10:30-sweat my asana off

10:30-11:30-return home for shower #2

11:30-12-eat lunch, check email, check social media, and blog. Lunch today is Wegman's organic vegetable and barley soup. 

12-4pool lounging and catching up on some glamour magazines

4-4:30-pm snackage of baby carrots, gahhhhhhlick hummus, and a green juice. 

4:45- leave for Pilates and barre. 

5:30-6:30-Pilates 

6:30-7-barre

7-dinner of grilled chicken with mango salsa and veggies

8-get ready for bed

9-RHONY. IM ECSTATIC BETHENNY IS BACK!

10-go to bedddddddd

I hope you enjoyed reading this day in the life blog. I swear j actually do work in the summer but today was a much needed (and rare) day off. 

What does a day in your life look like?

-xo

E

Weekend Recap

Happy Oxymoron Day,

How was everyone's weekend?

Mine was super bueno!  Busy, bustling, and full of friends.  Just the way I like it.

A little prep for the conert

Friday started out with a much needed OFF day from working out.  The girls and I went to Florida Georgia Line.  Thomas Rhett and Frankie Ballard opened for them.  All of them were fantastic.  TR performed a new song off his upcoming album and he told us his wife asked him to write a song that wasn't about beer.  So he penned a beautiful love song for her.  I melted.

FGL killing it!

Male entertainers rarely dance and bounce around the stage, but FGL kills it!  They jump around, bounce around, and dance.  It hypes everyone up.  If you want a party concert--you go to FGL!

Their logo

The girls getting ready to get our Shine On

FGL did a great job and we dance all night long!

Sometimes you can't really dance to country music, but FGL makes it easy.

25K strong

Random hibiscus flower in the bathroom…because why not?

Saturday was a packed day.  It started with my favorite kind of triathlon:  Zumba, Spin, and Pilates.  I also did a weight session.  After the workout frenzy, I headed to get my nails done.  My manicurist saved me the last bottle of O.P.I.'s Cajun Shrimp nail polish--she's a gem!  (It really is the best color, thus being sold out frequently from every store…EVER)

Cajun Shrimp FOR THE WIN!

After my mani, I headed home to prep for Amanda's beautiful engagement party!



I made watermelon, goat cheese, balsamic, and whole wheat petit toasts.

OMG!  

Flavor explosion!  These are delicious--creamy, crunchy, sweet, tangy, strong, mild--all things wonderful!

The beautiful bride and me!  I wore pink to match our bride's maids dresses

Adorable napkins picked out by the groom-to-be

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The beautiful happy couple!

Matron of Honor and two bridesmaids 

Lilly cups!  Green cups with pink sangria and a pink and white straw :)

Monogrammed water bottles?  How cute!

The beautiful cake that her aunt made!  The top layer was mint chocolate chip, middle layer chocolate chip, and bottom layer was vanilla.  I actually miss this cake. 

The delicious cake!

Cheers to chocolate covered pretzels

As a friend there is nothing better than seeing your bestie deliriously happy and in love.  I'm so excited to be a part of their big day.  I always feel like when my friends are settled and happy, I'm happier.  

Sunday was spent with a long 10 mile run.  The last 10 mile run of my training!  Next week starts 11 miles!  Every mile longer I realize that I'm 1 mile closer to Disney World.  I'm really excited :)  As you know, I've been dealing with a boy ghost (the worst kind of ghost) for a while, but last week I finally released him and my speed went down by a whole minute.  I think it's my karma reward for letting go :)

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Post-Run fuel, no?  

Amanda's aunt made these, too!  I ate the stem and shared the rest with the parentals.  They were mucho appreciative.  And yes, it was as delicious as it looked.

The rest of the day was spent meal prepping for the week.  Lunches and dinners will be garlic, lime, sriarcha chicken with Southwestern Quinoa salad.  I will post pics later before I demolish it.  

Sunday night, Kate and I went to Woflgang Puck's American Grille (not sure why an American restaurant is spelling grille the English way?  But I digress) at the Borgata.  We pretended we were real Housewives of NJ.  I had the Salmon Hong Kong style.  It was face rocking amazing!  

Sangria Cheers!  Note the matching Cajun Shrimp nails
#soulmates

Your lips taste like Sangreeeeeuhhhh!

*Fun Deb Story* Deb hates that song because she's like, "Why would anyone want to kiss someone who tastes like wine?  That's gross"  LOVE HER

Delicious Bread.  Seriously the square piece tasted like Thanksgiving

Triangle pizza flatbread thingy

Salmon Hong Kong Style

Kate's pasta dish!  We played switch-a-roo and hers was amazing

Doesn't this remind you of Belle's library in the Beast's castle

Ariel/Finding Nemo moment

Ahhh, gluten free chocolate cupcake :)

Classy girls wander AC with dessert

Reality of how we eat and wander the casinos 

Isn't this the cutest sign?  I love the message--little life happinesses

Elevator Photo Shoot

Because that's what we do

When we get bored

Fun fact-we kept sending the elevator to different floors so we could play and take pix.  

Anyway, I heard there's a farmer's market trip for me tomorrow so I'm off to bed so I can scour the cream of the crop (for real lol…like my pun?  I'm a dork, I know)  I'm in the (farmer's) market for peaches, zucchini, and maybe some raw honey.  Can you guess what I'm going to make?  I'll recap it and post the recipe soon!

Tomorrow the girls are coming over for The Bachelorette finale!  Whose team are you on?  I'm Team Shawn, but I have to say that I think he's too good for her.  I'm totally Team Ben Z. for Bachelor 2016, though.  He even sits like a hot guy!  He's so cute :)  I digress.

I'm going to leave you with a FGL quote that I'm fawning over:

Follow your trouble like a champagne bubble.  

Eventually it will pop and be like nothing was ever there.  

See you later,

E