Ready for the week ahead!

Thank goodness I got to have a weekend at home. Even a little time at home is nice. I honestly can’t remember the last time I even had half a weekend at home. It’s NICE.

Woke up at regular time and went down to the lake to run. Usually I plan to finish around the time the downtown location of the gym opens, so I can grab my Starbucks and then go to the gym and stretch and shower. NOTHING feels better than the shower after a run, it’s like the cleanest clean. Anyhow, gym opens at 8, so I started at 6:45. Not early enough. When I got done I wasn’t sure if I wanted to barf or pass out. Instead of getting money out of the car and walking back to CVS to get Gatorade, I opted for only the Starbucks. Regretting not having that Gatorade today. Nice knots in my calves. They tested the fire alarm when I was in the shower at the gym, that was nice. Luckily I was forewarned, or I would have been really mad. But I can say now that i’ve showered with sirens and strobe lights, lol!

Did some projects at home, grilled out for dinner. 3 different types of chicken (teriyaki, mesquite, and jerk), 7 different types of grilled veggies, grilled french bread, caprese pasta salad, and salad. It was HOT, but I got the job done and Dan and sister loved it too. Enjoyed those leftovers again today. The pasta in a fritatta for lunch and the rest of it for dinner 🙂

Today was pretty low key. Got to the gym when it opened (the only time I can tolerate it for strength training). Had an awesome workout. What a difference a week and some sleep makes! Got groceries, came home. Attacked the week ahead and did some prep for the week. I don’t do everything ahead, but given the opportunity, I at least do some of it. And I always do my breakfast containers for the week on Sundays. And I cooked lunch for part of the week. This saves time and energy for later in the week and makes sure I am prepared. Dan was actually awake when I got home and had been asking I make monster fruit salad again (did that alot last year), so he pitted cherries and we made a yummy fruit salad with pineapple, blackberries, blueberries, canteloupe, and strawberries. That ought to make a great dessert or part of a snack!

Breakfasts: ff sf lattes, vanilla oatbran (half of week has blueberries, other is peaches). I actually eat 2 breakfasts. The latte on the way to work and the oats around 9-9:30. On the mornings I workout, there is some else added in there when I wake up.

Lunches: 1 day will be out with coworkers. Other 4 are: Rustic Lentil Salad from Rhodey Girl Tests.

Snacks: I eat at least 2 a day, they are usually random. Things I like are hummus filled egg whites, dip and veggies, greek yogurt, fruit, banana and pb, etc. My evening snack is always cottage cheese or yogurt with fruit. I like my cottage cheese sweet and smooth, so I make it that way.

Dinners: The only thing I prepped was salad. It was huge with romaine, red and green bell pepper, green onions, cucumbers, and broccoli. The tomatoes will go on later when it’s served. Things on tap for dinner this week are Eggplant Parmigiana, Spaghetti and Meatballs, and maybe something grilled (fish?) toward the end of the week. We may be out on Wed and Thur, so those nights will probably be leftovers or something quick. I refuse to eat at Hill’s, their food is gross, no need to pay for shitty food.

Whew! For not doing alot, I sure feel like I did quite a bit. At least some food items, laundry, and some cleaning are done. At least I am ready for another week at work, well foodwise anyhow. Looks like I have to get there extra early to get some stuff done, not looking forward to that!

Have a fabulous week! Only 5 days until a 3 day holiday weekend! What is everyone doing for the 4th?

Weaning off of processed foods

This puts into words what i’ve been trying to explain myself. It just happened to be on the front page of Yahoo today. I’ll be the first to admit, that I still eat some processed foods, but for the most part, I stay away. I really like their explaination of it. (except I eat at LEAST 6 times a day with 3 snacks and 3 meals). It’s more of just the way I am it certainly has nothing to do with a “diet”. I don’t diet and I don’t deprive.

I do have a stash of Luna bars in my car and in my desk for “emergency snacks and meals”. If I get too hungry, then all hell breaks loose. Ask Dan. I’ll keep my somewhat processed pre-packaged junk in my stashes for those rare occasions.

Ways to run yourself down

Yes, quite literally. OMG, do I need to slow down and take a break! Working out was quite possibly the only thing that saved my sanity and freed my mind in the last two weeks!

Michele’s wedding was wonderful. I was in SA Thur-Sun of that week. I’ll post photos later if you aren’t on FB. The brunch was fabulous, although I neglected to take any pics of the awesome food we made! I kept her stress-free, although it wasn’t quite stress free for myself. Worked out everyday I was there, which helped alot. I even did “last chance workout” with her on Friday morning (Sat morning was out for her, since she couldn’t wash her hair). Did some pre-wedding destressing and did a long in Selma/Schertz. Holy heck was it hot at 6 am! So much so, that the shirt came off. I NEVER run without a shirt, i’m way too self-conscious of my middle.

I came home, did laundry, and packed for Dan and I. He was off to Canada and I was off to Corpus Christi for work. Wow, has CC changed since i’ve been gone. I’ve secretly missed it a little, but going back I know for sure I could never live there again. While there, I picked up an alumni shirt, which was my first. Yeah, i’m a little late on that. My hotels “gym” was a freaking joke. Seriously there was an out-of-order bike and a shitty treadmill. I opted for outdoors but no beach. The beach was nastier than normal and I wasn’t about to run in the dark on it. The food while there was DIVINE! Tuna steaks, shrimp-avocado, fish, etc. Yeah, I ate seafood the whole time even when we had Thai. Oddly enough, I didn’t eat it much when I lived there.

Got home from Corpus really late on Thursday, worked half a day on Friday and then headed up to DFW. Somehow in those few hours, I also managed to pack for Dan and myself. Got to FW and decided to take the long anticipated nap….WRONG. Dan calls to tell me he missed his flight. So I ran errands instead since he interrupted the nap, grabbed dinner, and did some stuff on my itouch,(since I didn’t bring my laptop). Dan got there super late, I tried to wait up, but I fell asleep. Should have crashed earlier, I stayed up WAY too late.

Saturday I ran Trinity Trails. It wasn’t pretty. I got a later start than I am used to and there isn’t much shade. Even though I was wearing sunscreen, I was super paranoid about a sunburn. I had a decent effort but it didn’t feel nice at all. I had to make a stop to Target to grab some Gatorade to down and try to avoid dehydration. Drove back to FW, had breakfast with Dan. Then we got ready and had lunch with MMM, Robb, Robb’s Mom at Chili’s. Not a fan of Chili’s but the other choice was Friday’s, which I also don’t like. I try not to say anything usually when we go out to eat, because then I end up being the “difficult one”. And yes, there is a difference between what I CAN eat and what I WILL eat. I can eat and drink anything, I just choose not to eat certain things because I don’t like them.

Amber’s wedding was lovely and we got to see many people we don’t get to see enough 🙂 I dug the food, had a giant plate of chicken, salad, fajita veggies, beans, and guacamole. Tasty. Yes, I ate cake (italian cream). If the cake looks like awesome cake, the cake gets eaten. I had half the piece with Dan, neither one of us was really in the mood for a whole piece (normal for him, not for me, lol!) Rewind back to Michele’s wedding. I tasted hers and didn’t like it, so I didn’t eat it. Old Melissa didn’t waste cake. I guess I didn’t waste it, I made my dad eat it instead, lol.

I didn’t go out with everyone after the wedding. I was far too tired. I crashed out as soon as I walked through the door at the hotel. Attempted a workout at the hotel gym on Sunday morning before we left because I couldn’t sleep (how does that happen?) That was the first sign i’d run myself down with no sleep and travel, I had nothing and a pretty crummy effort. Ate breakfast with Dan and hit the road. Lunch at Panera in Waco, which was nice, I never get to go there, although we just got 2 in town, they aren’t near us really. Then Dan found out he has to go back to Canada Tuesday for work, fun!

Run to HEB on the way home (which they remodeled in the last week, FUN!), get home, unpack, start laundry, take care of the kitties, try to clean up house, make lunch for work, make dinner for us. Caved and made tatertot casserole, which I don’t make anymore. It’s Michele’s favorite meal and I made it as a dish for her brunch after her wedding (that was Dan’s first time having it). I like it, but I wish there was a better crispy alternative to tater tots. I don’t care enough to experiment with that one, so I just made it normal. If you aren’t familiar with tatertot NI, check it out sometime. I know the first time I looked at it, it shocked the heck out of me. Had no idea they added so much crap to the potatoes, same thing with most hashbrowns. I make my own hashbrowns from time to time with fresh potatoes and EVOO, but I didn’t care to attempt tots.

I ramble when I am tired…can you tell I am tired? Can’t wait to get home and maybe chill a bit after I finish the last loads of laundry and help Dan pack. Oh wait, I have 3 suitcases from 3 trips and random assortments of crap all over my room. Maybe need to clean that up BEFORE Dan has to pack, after we do the yard. I think an early bed-time is in order for me on every day I can manage this week!

MIA already?

Not quite. Just prepping for my BFF’s wedding, which is this Saturday. I’ve blogged about her before, but I adore her and am thrilled that she’s getting married and I get to be her MOH. We had her bachelorette party last weekend, which she loved. I am pleased with the way everything worked out. I didn’t have a camera with me, for shame! But I set up a shared album for all of the friends to upload to and I took some with my sister’s camera, so hopefully I will have some to share soon!

I’ve been slammed at work and at home, so I haven’t had much of a life. Between helping with wedding planning, getting BFF organized, and packing for Dan, myself, and the stuff for the gift brunch, it’s been nuts. Gift brunch? Yeah, I decided Dan and I needed to host a brunch the day after the wedding, while they open their gifts. Not sure what I was thinking or where I thought I’d get the time for this little shindig. I am just hoping to be alive on Sunday morning! I’ve got my work cut out for me. At least Dan is going to take care of the bartending for me 😉

Dan is traveling most of June. He’s gone all week this week, then flies in just hours before BFF’s wedding on Saturday. I’m flying solo to rehearsal dinner, which stinks. Then he’s here for the wedding weekend but flies out again next week and I won’t see him again until I meet up with him at the end of that week in DFW for Amber’s wedding. I’ll be driving up Friday after work and getting him from the airport and then the wedding on Saturday.

To make things a little more hectic I took off half day Thursday of this week, all day Friday to do wedding stuff for BFF in SA. I’ll be in the office on Monday to catch up, then gone Tue-Thur to Corpus for work. I must be insane. I’ll probably lose my darn mind before then! Hopefully i’ll be able to get on the road for DFW at a decent time from here and beat rush hour.

Have a great weekend! Hopefully i’ll have some good photos and stories to share the next time 🙂