NEDA: food

when did food become the enemy? the thing that we did, but then regretted? a love-hate relationship that provided no comfort?
this is not what food is for! in today's world we are inundated with messages about what is healthy and what is not. what foods are "good" and what foods are "bad." this leads to everyone obsessing about what they eat, counting calories, feeling guilty when they indulge in a "bad" food, and general unhappiness.

it's time to change our attitude about food. 

it's time to remember that food fuels our bodies.

it's time to remember that food can be enjoyable. 

it's time to remember that there are no "good" and "bad" foods.

it's time to listen to your body- eat when you are hungry, and stop when you are full. 

we've forgotten that our bodies are amazing and that they have the capacity to tell us what we need to eat. so, if you're hungry, eat something. if you want a brownie, have that brownie. if you want a vegetarian rice bowl, you eat that rice bowl. find joy in food again.

because it's not the enemy.

gingerhead crush

if you didn't already know, i'm slightly obsessed with Harry Potter, and even more obsessed with Rupert Grint. we are pretty much MFEO. (mfeo=made for each other.) i think he is just adorable. now please enjoy this video and wonder and how Rupert can be so creepy and yet still so attractive. (also, the lyrics are wonderful and i love them.)

ok now onto more serious matters. today i was voting- for the People's Choice Awards. i know, i know. who actually does that? well i figure if i can vote, then i'm going to. i can't even talk about it. how do you choose? i stressed more over these votes than i did over my vote for president. . . do i vote for Andrew Garfield as best superhero or Christian Bale??? voting made me want to re-watch all the amazing movies that came out this year. i also realized that  i don't really go see a lot of comedy's. i usually just go see action movies. or maybe that was just this year. who knows. so, go vote! BE HEARD!

all joking aside, let's talk about humor. i'm thankful for people and situations that make me laugh! sometimes a small touch of laughter is really what gets me through the day. it is like a shot of chocolate sauce on top of plain vanilla ice cream. so thanks people who make me laugh.

speaking of ice cream, i have one week left of my No Junk Food Challenge! guys, it's getting soooo hard! it seems like everyone is blogging, posting and tweeting about delicious foods that i can't eat! your over there with your ice cream, chocolate, and cookies, and i'm over here like: "i've got this applesauce. . . " on the bright side, i have not been able to eat my emotions!

feeling like this right now. if i could just live in the castle or with Peter Pan (i'm sure he would be cool with it) and escape the stresses of now, that would be lovely.

reasons i'm awesome #239, #367, #381

i know i probably shouldn't have to toot my own horn and tell you all how awesome i am. but i really think i'm the bomb.com.

#239. homegirl can cook. and by cook i mean i bake, make waffles, invent salads, and brew soups. just this week i  made the easiest and most delicious homemade soup. like really i made my roommate try it because it was that good. it was one of those times when you just created something so awesome that you want to share it with someone.

i know this is a crappy unsmart phone picture, but i paired this tomato zucchini oregano soup with some homemade whole wheat garlic bread and it was completely heavenly. you want the recipe? well i'm making another batch in a couple days (it's that good) and i might just dedicate a whole post to it. if this quality doesn't make me awesome then obviously you underestimate the goodness of food.

#367) i have great teeth. ok, ok i don't have the "ideal" smile (whatever that means). but i've got great clickers in my mouth. i've never ever had a cavity. my dentist says i have great gums. and i wear my retainer e'ery night. i even wore my retainer every night while i was in Africa. awesome or not? well, just ask my dentist!

#381) i got my flu shot! you'd think i'd just voted for the next president of the USA by how excited i was. maybe it's because they gave me candy. note: they should totes give you candy when you go vote! i bet more people would vote. since i'm sure most people take health into consideration when making friends/getting dates/girlfriends, i just thought you all should know that i will be supes healthy this winter!

and i reiterate- i am so fabulous that i just don't understand why the boys aren't just lining up at my door for dates. (or why i can't actually date anyone.) it's a mystery so call in nancy drew and the hardy boys. 'cause i want it solved.

"you're a wizard harry"

as you should know, yesterday was Harry Potter's birthday. [the character, not Daniel Radcliffe.] i've been wanting to celebrate his birthday since. . . well the entire year, and it was on my summer bucket list. so i got together with Somer's and we made it happen! i made the cake and she made the butter beer. we invited a bunch of people and ate food and watched Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince. it was brilliant!

Hagrid's birthday cake

party people

guyssss i love Harry Potter! but then you already knew that. and if you didn't then well just know that i do. so much.
the cake i made for the party was this tie-dye cake. it was so easy too! make the cake mix according to the directions on the box. then divide into six bowls. i used just regular food coloring and colored the batter in each bowl until it was as bold as i wanted it to be.

next pour into the cake pan, one color at a time. you don't have to swirl the colors, simply pour each color on top of the previous color.

finally, cook according to the directions on the box. it's as easy as that!

ps. it's august today! the last couple weeks of summer are upon me! i'm going to be much better about posting, i promise. i may even throw in a few posts about dating, per madeline's request :)

trying to stay sane

this is just a small taste (no pun intended) of what i've been doing this last week to keep myself from going totally insane.

eating lunch outside

Hanging with Sam- visiting from NYC!

pizza pie cafe with Sam

cafe rio with Shaunzi

midnight crepes after a looong week

cherry cobbler i made and shared with friends

our domestic Sunday dinner

Sunday dinner with dear Julia!

let's not worry about how every single shot had something to do with food. hey, i like food. i did other stuff too (besides eat). for example, today i straightened my hair for the first time in two months! sometimes you need a change. . . 

yup, that's all i want to say for now.

national hamburger month

it's been on my "list" for a while now to go to Color Me Mine. in fact it was on my bucket list of 22 things to do when i'm 22 and so when i got a Groupon for a free studio fee, i had to use it! the Groupon expired tomorrow (obviously i'm all about doing things last minute) and so i got Allison, Mel and Megan (Mel's sister) to come with me. it ended up being a real fun time. i'm not super creative so i stick with the simple clean look. i painted a plate- orange center with a zebra edge. i am excited to see the final product!!! if you haven't been to Color Me Mine then you should definitely go! but unless you are made of money (or go there on a date- yay free stuff) i would wait for a deal on the studio fee because it's kinda expensive with the studio fee.

May is National Hamburger Month! did you know that? well i'm all about celebrations and i love me a good hamburger so i just had to celebrate. this afternoon Rach and I went to In-N-Out to get ourselves some quality burgers. ok i am ashamed to say that i haven't been there for probably three years. sad right? but their burgers are SO good and SO cheap! don't worry if you still want to celebrate National Hamburger Month, you've got one more day to go get yourself a burger!


oh, i also went on a date last night. bowling and froyo. really guys you would think with how many times i've been bowling on dates that i would be good at it. nope. i lost both games. but i totally think that i want to get on a bowling league here in provo next year. how do i go about doing that? do ya know? also, i just really like bowling shoes. the date was fun though. and i think i found someone who is a bigger harry potter nerd than i am! as my roommate said: is that even possible? yes. and i quite enjoy it!

thought on tuesday

one of the downsides of working at a desk is that my left hand stays fairly warm (because i can sit on it. tmi? maybe) while my right hand freezes. it's kind of a cruel irony.

i realized the other day that although i made a goal to run a marathon in September, i'm totally scared to even try. i just don't think i can do it. the thought of running farther than 13 miles is frightening. i guess i should remember that when i first started running i could barely run a mile, and then i did a half marathon. i guess i can do anything i put my mind to... right? but, any suggestions on how to stay motivated? how do do those long runs? how to deal with knee pain? or if you want to be my running buddy (i run about a 10 min/mile pace) let me know!

i'm at work for 9 hours today. in the same 25 square feet. it's quite exciting. not. but at least there were snickerdoodles in the break room. (i didn't even eat one, but knowing that they were there and they were free was a comforting thought.)

in my lunch today i had a chocolate chip cookie with coconut in it. ummmm ok, why has no one ever thought of this before?! it is crazy good. i want to go buy me some coconut right now and make some so ya'll can try it out.

i've been working out for about an hour every day and i'm going to start running every other day. it's fantastic. i just want to find a way to amp up my work out. ideas?

in between going to three sacrament meetings on sunday (i better get really blessed for that), i discovered a few things. i was sincerely pondering and praying about something i really want. something that i, in fact, require in order to reach the Celestial Kingdom. it is a good thing to want. but because i went to three sacrament meetings i heard a great talk by my friend Casey. he said that we should be asking God how we can be an instrument in His hands. i think i make the mistake of asking, asking, asking. but i'm not asking the right questions. so i guess i gotta work for that. the Lord wants me to turn my life totally over to Him. it's probably going to be hard because i'm not patient and i like to do things my own way, but, even more, i want to help His children, and being His instrument is the only way i know how.

speaking of church, i'm giving a talk on sunday. it's only been two years. the topic? "why is memorial day significant to us as Latter-Day Saints?" let's just talk about how my family always "celebrates" memorial day by planting our garden and weeding the entire yard. the only thing we are remembering is how much we hate weeding and how we did this last year, so why are we doing it again this year. obviously i'm off to a great start.

i feel like everyone sees me through rose colored glasses. to them i'm: super athletic, a good writer, smart, a good listener, supportive, an example of righteousness, etc. but honestly i don't feel like i'm any of this. i see myself as a pretty mediocre individual who is constantly attempting to catch up to everyone else. i feel like i'm being left in the dust. so who's right? my inner self, or the people i live with and associate with day to day?

ok we are getting too deep and i don't really feel like being all philosophical and psychological and emotional today. even though i have two loooong hours left at work. i've given you enough to go on. have a great tuesday!

ps. it's National Hamburger Month! who wants to celebrate with me?? i'm thinking either In 'N Out or JCW's!

dr. oz's challenge

have you heard of Dr. Oz? he has a tv show (which i have never seen) about health and stuff. it's been a while since i posted anything about health (my bad) and since summer is here and school is out i have lots of time on my hands! my friend Adam remarked the other day that if he was in Provo he would be working out a lot! so that is going to be one of my goals. i also want to start eating healthier than i have for the last little while. i've had this pinned on Pinterest for a little while. it's from Dr. Oz and i really like it! everything on here is something we've heard before and should really be no brainers. but sometimes eating healthy is a lot harder than working out.
Dr. Oz's Challenge
1. Cut out soda- i don't really drink soda, but sometimes i just like a good dr. pepper. soda has tons of sugar and is so fattening! plus, caffeine isn't good for you either.
2. Stop eating at least 3 hours before bed- this is one of my big problem areas. i like a good midnight snack. i'm going to set the time (since i don't have a set bed time) to stop eating each at 9 pm. at 9, the fridge and pantry is locked up tight. (of course there will be exceptions like if it is a party, ward function, date, etc.)
3. Move for 10 minutes each day
4. Exercise portion control
       - no snacks larger than your fist
5. Weigh yourself everyday
6. Take a vitamin every day (one that includes a vitamin B complex) and calcium daily
7. Reinvent recipes
8. Conquer your cravings

Pretty simple right? i hope so! i'll be focusing on the two highlighted items this week and i will report back next week. then i will go on to one or two more. i'm excited to do this and to work out more! i want to work out at least an hour each day and really start training for my marathon (if my knee will permit). yay for being healthy!

i just love this. this will be me

my life: happiness round 2

this last week was good. i was more social than i have been all summer, and thought less about certain boys that i have been. i also left my camera at home yesterday so you will have to wait for the weekend rewind. i'm also probably the world's worst blogger daughter because i did not do a mother's day post yesterday. i started one on saturday but didn't have time to finish it (i was too busy talking to missionaries and making my mom brunch and dinner). i feel lame because i'm horrible at expressing my feelings vocally and i am much better at doing it through writing. but i guess my mom will have to wait for next mother's day to get an epic post about how awesome she is.
here are a few pictures from my (not smart) phone from the past week. don't worry about how most of them are of food.

1. you've seen this on Pinterest? i made it this week.

2. homemade oreos topped with strawberries

3. margherita pizza from Cafe Paesan

4. avocado egg pizza

remember how i am trying to be more happy? somedays it's easy, and somedays it is hard. i realize that i have to do things that i love and that i know will make me happy. one of these things is being social. but, it's hard for me to be social when i feel crappy about myself. it's basically a catch 22. so here is where you come in. i like being around people. correction- i love it. i like having friends. i think am a very loyal friend and i guess i get expectations of what my friends should do, because i would do that for them. sometime's it is very frustrating. i get upset when friends ditch out, or when they say "we should do something" but then never respond to texts/phone calls, or when they say they will keep in touch and they don't. i appreciate so very much the friend who calls me, even when they are on the other side of the country. or the friend who invites me to do stuff with them. or the friend who is willing to be my wing man. so i am asking you, my readers, to do something for me. will you invite me to do stuff with you? i'm a pretty fun person. i am up for adventure or for just a chill night with a movie. i like being outdoors and i like dancing. i can't guarantee that you will love me (some people don't), but you might have some fun. and since i can't go to africa to be happy, i gotta find my happiness here. so for reals, invite me. facebook, e-mail (beka.arnesen08@gmail.com), or seriously give me a call. i will probably jump for joy. and don't worry i always call you back!

i know this is a super selfish post. but i really need to do something with my time so i am not sitting around feeling sorry for myself and eating way too much chocolate. so yeah.... i feel weird about this post... maybe i will post it. maybe not. i just can't live the way i've been living anymore. (at least i'm not dreaming about him anymore.)

ps. i have a confession. i sometimes get a little jealous when i hear that a friend is starting to date someone, or they really like someone, or their dating relationship is moving to a more serious spot. is that totally horrible? probably. i really try not to though! i just want to be there too ya know?

weekend rewind

in the summer, pretty much every day feels like a weekend. but i still like doing weekend rewind because that is when the party is supposed to happen. i don't have tons to say about the weekend.

on friday, after Allison got out of class we went on an afternoon adventure. we first went to the Provo Library and got library cards! i felt like a little kid again! if you live in provo and want to get a library card, you just have to have a letter addressed to you here in provo and photo id. pretty simple. after we checked out a few library books, we walked over to Shirley's Bakery and bought some pastries. yum! we ate them out on the grass. it was the perfect afternoon treat.

Allison left friday night to go up to her family's cabin, so i was alone the rest of the weekend. *sad face* it is interesting how it is going from having roommates who never talk to you or hang out with you, to having a roommate who always wants to hang out with you. i love it but then when allison isn't here i get lonely!
on saturday i worked in the morning and then went grocery shopping. of course i forgot like half the things i meant to buy. oh well. then i went shopping with amberly. if you live in the provo/orem area and you like getting good deals on name brand clothing you should go check out Trendy Xchange! I am sold. I got a cute shirt for $4! i'm definitely going back. we also stopped at F21 and i picked up some sunglasses. since it was cinco de mayo i celebrated (alone because no one would celebrate with me, except claire who is in china so that didn't really work out). i made some nachos and drank my Mexican soda (mango=yum!) and watched It Takes Two. oh and i drew a mustache on my finger so i could be truly Mexican.

sunday i went to my ward for the first time. for the most part people were very friendly. i got a calling to the missionary and friendship council. i'm excited because i definitely need the extra push this summer to be friendly! after church i went to a reunion dinner with some family's we home schooled with when i was like five. it was so great to see everyone who came! also, eating food outside in the mountains definitely makes everything taste better. i don't even mind that i smelled like smoke for the rest of the day. it was totes worth it. ward prayer was another gathering in which i should have put myself out there, but i am sad to say that i didn't really. i met one new person. that's it. i gotta work on myself. i mean really? after ward prayer i watched The Help- finally. ok can i just say i loved it?? skeeter reminds me of me a little bit. it is really an inspirational movie and now i want to read the book (next trip to the library?).

this weekend was good. i was happier than i have been. i was happy all three days of the weekend. i am glad about that. how was your weekend?

{trying to} let go

i had planned today to write a really wonderful post about letting go and moving on. but i'm really not ready to do it. i would be writing about what i want to happen, but my heart wouldn't be in it. so i've decided not to write about happiness and moving on. that would just be hypocritical.

i'm doing pretty good right now. mostly because my coworker brought me a slice of pepperoni, sausage, bacon pizza. and we all know that pizza = happiness. i'm pretty sure it's impossible to eat pizza and be sad at the same time. but maybe it is. speaking of food, last night i made this Ready to Eat chocolate chip cookie dough recipe. it's not that i don't want to eat raw eggs (i have been eating raw cookie dough since i could walk and i've been just fine), but i didn't want to have to make a whole batch of cookie dough that only i would eat, and this recipe makes a single serving. i doubled it so i got some for today. booyah. i used whole wheat flour instead of white, and i used water instead of milk.
ok! enough talk of food, down to my feelings and junk (mostly because people seem to comment slash read more when i write philosophical, emotionally driven posts. . . apparently my day to day life is not exciting.)

it's easy to talk about the unimportant stuff. like pizza, chocolate chip cookie dough, cute stuff you found in Pinterest, or your favorite summertime activity. it's hard, for me, to talk about stuff like being hurt, feeling confused, moving on, and being impatient. mostly because it's my fault that i'm not moving on. people i talk to have the expression of "giiiirl, get over yourself. we all get hurt. now move on. we are all sick of hearing about how you loved and lost." i feel like people think i should be back on the dating bandwagon- confidant, spunky, and flirtatious. i hear people saying things like "it will work out when it's the right one" or "it's only going to hurt until it is the right guy." and sometimes i want to throw this back in their face because i know that if it was a trial of theirs that they had a really hard time understanding, they wouldn't want me (an outside, inexperienced observer) telling them how to think, feel and do.

and the thing is, i know that they are right. in the deepest part of my heart, i know that one day i will have all my dreams come true. "God is eagerly waiting for the chance to answer your prayers and fulfill your dreams, just as he always has. But he can't if you don't pray, and he can't if you don't dream. In short, he can't if you don't believe" (Jeffrey R. Holland.)

but it's not as simple as that. a part of me wants to scorn men. forgo being the endlessly rejected girl, to being the brazen breaker of men's hearts. be so fabulous that every one wants me or wants to be me. making all those heart breakers of the past regret their decision to let me go. toying with men everywhere but crushing their hopes of dating me.

are you laughing? i am, a little. i'm not that girl. i'm not a scorner or a heart breaker. i'm a people pleaser. the girl who wants to change the world. the girl who hates to see people in pain. i'm a dreamer. and a fighter. and then i realized, that who i am is the part of me that will never change, no matter how many times i get hurt or how many times i have to start over.

i don't know when i will be able to let go. it's not so easy as it seems. i want closure. i want resolution. i want my questions answered. i want to know if there is still a chance. i hate seeing relationships (of any kind) die because i am unfailingly loyal and i am not a quitter. but maybe it's time to cut my losses, recognize that i chose someone who was not right for me, and quit. not because i did something wrong. or even that he did something wrong. but because it wasn't right.   

i hope i can let go soon. the pain (and the eating of sweets) is really starting to pay a toll. it is emotionally draining. all the cute sayings and pictures on pinterest make letting go seem so easy. but it's not! it's maddening. scary. and sad. 

how can i let go? how can i refill my days with happiness and laughter? how can i take the peace i receive each morning through prayer and scripture study, and carry it with me throughout the day? how can i recognize the good parts of the relationship and not focus on the ending? how can i look to the past without bitterness? how can i forgive him but not forget?

*please bless that my weekend provides some relief from all these questions*

finals wrap up

i promise that although i have been having a rough time lately, and i've been busy with finals, i have been social too! i've really been trying after finals finished too.

Mountain West Burrito

wednesday: i got news that daniel was back in the good ol' USA right before i took my last final. if my score is compromised because i was so excited, then i will just have to live with it. i called him after i was done and it was glorious. i mean, there are some things that never change. awesome. that night i went to dinner with Heather that night. she had texted me earlier in the week, after finding out what was going on, and suggested we go. we went to Mountain West Burrito. it was my first time there and i was excited to try it out because i've been hearing about it for a year! i got a half and half (steak and carnitas) chimichunga and we also got a side of chips and salsa. ok people, you know how i love costa vida, but this place is delicious!!!! all their food is fresh made and organic! i loved it. after dinner, Heather, Chris (her super adorable baby), and I went back to my place to chill for the night. a girls night was so greatly needed! we watched The Biggest Loser, made homemade oreos and talked. Heather is terrific because she listens to me and also gives good advice. i can vent to her, but she won't let me flop and give up on something important. she is also really great at seeing the good side of a situation i might see as bad. we stayed up until midnight but it was so worth it. i'm looking forward to a summer full of Just Dance, working out and more fun times with Heather!

so excited school is over

thursday: i planned on sleeping in, but i got a text from my coworker at 8 asking if i could work for her at 10. boo. work was fine, but after work was even better. i went to lunch at costa (where else?) with daniel! guys, it was the best. again, i will say that some things never change and i am so grateful for that. i mean he teases me to know end and sometimes i just want to throw water in his face, but he always listens, always brightens my day, always manages to made me laugh, and he is a loyal friend. anywho lunch was great! i worked again that night (i'm thinking about just setting up camp for the summer in the Bean Museum) and it was super slow. i wanted to die. after work i went and saw my apartment for spring/summer! it's stinkin cute and i'm psyched to live there with Allison!

friday: in the am i had a job interview (for a secretarial position at the Bean), said good bye to some friends, and cleaned a little bit. i went to lunch at Zupas with shaunzi which was fabulous. i have a secret goal to try everything on their menu. we ran by shopko where low and behold we found 2 copies of "While you were sleeping" for $7 each! what a steal! i love this movie, but i don't think i'll watch it for a while because i would probably cry. once again i was at the Bean all afternoon (welcome to my summer). friday night i hung out with my good friend sam crossley. we were best friends in high school apparently. the night was hilarious. folks this only the second time sam and i have hung out and its like we were meant to be friends. i exchange sarcasm with the best of them. we went to Macy's (yes the department store) to use a gift card sam had. he bought me a yellow teapot (perfection!) and i helped him pick out a very attractive sweater. we do make good shopping buddies. then we went and saw Mirror Mirror. have you seen this movie? i was a little wary since it is a fairytale remake. . . but, it was awesomespice! funny. romantic. and full of girl power. i say- go see it! the night was fantastic. my two favorite moments: 1. when the cashier at Macy's asked if we were having a boy or a girl. ummmm neither. i do not look pregnant! it was the gift card that said "baby" on it that threw her off. 2. when the older gentleman at the theater said he could either sit right next to me and make sam and i feel very awkward, or he could leave a one seat distance between us so that no awkwardness ensued. he was hilarious. i gotta marry someone like him. later that night (after i had a late dinner of Costa leftovers and oreos) kevin brought me a chocolate fudge cake from him and claire! it was so nice and even though it was 2 am i wanted to hug him. i'm so lucky i get to be claire's roommate this fall!

saturday: woke up early to do cleaning checks. i like cleaning, but i like having peace while i clean. there was no peace and so i got irritated. whatevs. out apartment is spotless- and we passed! i didn't really eat lunch. it was one of those rough moments. i tried to make a quesadilla but it burnt. so then i was super mad and just cut up a tomato for lunch. and i ate like 5 homemade oreos. healthy real healthy. i also talked to adam and said good bye for the rest of 2012 (he's going to china for fall semester!) and now i'm at work. booyah. please bless that tonight is good and i don't sit at home being the loner i am destined to be.

for my friends just getting into finals season, hang in there. we will play when you are done!

Sugaraholics Anonymous

[this is just a short post, not the important post i told you all about. however, this IS very important, so check it out!]

my good friend melissa started a blog called Sugaraholics Anonymous. it's basically a blog about being healthy and overcoming the -aholic in all of us. she asked me to be the very first guest poster on the blog and i am thrilled beyond belief that i got to do it! check it out, and follow the blog, here.

National Nutrition Month

March is National Nutrition Month. [I know I totally failed at posting about heart healthy foods and such last month, but this month I vow to do better!]
The theme for National Nutrition Month 2012 is "Shape Up Your Plate."

So much of being healthy has to do with nutrition! So often what we eat is totally out of proportion with what our body really needs and with what is healthy. We tend to load our plates with sugary carbs and fats, leaving little room for vegetables and fruits. We get our protein from high fat sources and our carbs from white bread, white rice, and other less-than-healthy choices. I will admit that I am not the most healthy eater, my excuse being that I don't have time or money (I mean I am a poor, stressed-out college student). However, my ultimate goal, what I think an "in shape" plate looks like, is basically like this:

source

One of my favorite (dinner) meals as of late has been this- rice with cream of chicken soup on top (low fat of course), baked asparagus, and a small side of fruit (berries, orange slices, etc). It's really filling!

This month, in celebration of National Nutrition Month (and because it's almost spring and I want to look good in a swimsuit this summer) I am doing the 21 Day No Junk Food Challenge! I will finish on March 21 at midnight. I hope that I can get some good eating habits from this and not be such a snacker/sweet tooth. For some accountability I will be doing weekly updates on the Challenge- starting with week one this Thursday. Wish me luck!

If you want to read more about National Nutrition month, follow the blog, here.

the day i ate enough meat to feed a small african village

this one time i went to Tucano's on Leap Day because it was the only day of the entire month of February when i could go. thank goodness there was an extra day in this year because i needed me some grilled pineapple.
foods i loved:
rolls!- their rolls are freakin' amazing. i'm pretty sure craig ate like 5.
salad bar-  i'm a sucker for any sort of salad bar. this bar got bonus points for having bleu cheese crumbles and bleu cheese dressing.
mango crusted halibut- i love having my birthday in february because tucano's always has their seafood meat buffet during that time. this one is crispy, sweet, and not too fishy tasting.
mozarella balls- i like cheese.
bacon wrapped turkey
GRILLED PINEAPPLE- i could eat a whole pineapple. no joke.

get in my belly

foods i didn't love:
all the red meat- i'm not a huge red meat fan anyway and most of their red meat seemed a little on the dry, flavorless side.
sushi- it's a Brazilian restaurant serving a Japanese food. i should have known better.
chicken hearts- tough and weird tasting.

craig eating a chicken heart

i think i should work at tucanos. free food? count me in. plus, i'm pretty sure all the guys who work there have to pass some sort of an "attractiveness" test because most of the male species whom i saw there were not terribly sore on the eyes. i like working with attractive men.

funniest sayings of the lunch
craig: "you're having a sad stroke." (this was when we were walking in the bitter cold and my left eye started randomly watering.)
our waiter: "oh no, she's got the fire in her eyes. she can go for a while" (in reference to my being able to continue to consume massive amounts of food.)
craig: "i am going to have an acute case of bulimia."
you see why i am glad i chose the funniest guy at the Bean to go to Tucano's with? awesome.

leap day

i have nothing to write about.
my goals for this week (that i wrote about in this post) are going well.

- i have yet to start the challenge (tomorrow!) but i'm getting all the junk food i can before. i went to Sammy's with erin last night for 2 for 1 tuesdays. i forgot how much i lurv Sammy's pie shakes. seriously. the best. and because that wasn't enough (and there was no where to sit in Sammy's) we went to the Malt Shoppe for fries. i felt like i got my junk food intake for the month! on a healthy note, i'm finding yummy, healthy meal (thanks pinterest) that i want to make during the challenge. i also am looking for healthy snack ideas. any favorites you have?
- no television has been watched. i did watch some Mormon Messages last night while eating dinner, but i don't really think that counts. i am a lot more productive and i hope i am understanding my schoolwork better because i'm not distracted by tv.
- i have successfully gone to bed by 11 every night. i feel so much more rested in the morning and getting up at 7 is not a chore.
- i have worked out every day this week. i only got in 20 minutes this morning and i know i won't have time the rest of the day, but a little is better than nothing right?

i love food. i love free stuff. i love today. because i get free lunch and free dinner. free lunch via the tucano's birthday club. free dinner via a blind date (which i am quite excited for).  i hope the free treat at institute tomorrow is something healthy that i can eat. if not, i might die. i hope my mom buys me a block on monterey jack cheese because i need some cheese in my life.

i painted my nails last night. not too springy, but not too wintery. i know if i paint my nails too springy i will expect the weather to be warm and then i will be disappointed. as you can see, it is far from warm here in provo. anywhooo, i love the color! erin, my nail polish supplier, i owe you my gratitude.

i'm starting to stress a teensy bit about getting a job/internship for summer. i really need to make bank this summer and i would love to do something i enjoy. the Bean is closing beginning in june-ish (for a big remodel) so i will be officially out of a job. any ideas?

i am out of sandwich bags. this is going to present a problem when i need to pack a lunch tomorrow. kind souls willing to take me to smiths???

wow i feel like i asked a lot of ya'll in this post. so help a sister out will ya?

ps. it's leap day. i'm leaping with joy that february is over. it wasn't my most exciting month...

cloudy with a chance

snow?

really?!

i hope winter knows that March is in 2 days which obviously means green grass, blue skies, shining sun, cropped pants, skirts, cadbury egg weather.
on a positive note: this snow is making spring fever hit full throttle. i have definitely been spoiled this whole "winter." i rarely had to walk to school in the snow and it wasn't nearly as bitter cold as it normally is. however, this is no excuse for winter to come now! i want me some warm weather lovin! (a boyfriend would be nice too.)

but what if? it was snowing ice cream?

i would be singing a different tune. maybe. because i love ice cream but hate the cold. still i could eat it and that would be yummy.
what else would i love the snow to be?
oreos
sweet potato french fries
dollar bills (heck, 100 dollar bills)
tucanos grilled pineapple
fancy cheeses and crackers
tickets to everywhere/anywhere in the world

but really, the thing i want the most is for it to stop snowing.
k please? thanks. bye.

spring fever

winter has got me down in the dumps. february, a month which should have been filled with celebrations and accomplishment, instead became the slacking off month. i let winter get the best of me. i let all my good habits fall by the wayside and i became lazy, a procrastinator, unhealthy, and a little bitter. sometimes it just seemed like i was staying in the same place and i wondered why i wasn't progressing and why i didn't feel better about my life. i think that melissa and i have kind of been on the same brain waves or something because we have been thinking the exact same things! i need to get back into my usually sunshiney attitude and do some spring cleaning in my life. then i can get on to the real spring fever :)
1) starting March 1st I am again doing the 21 Day No Junk Food Challenge. i just have not been eating healthy since Christmas. i eat pretty healthy meals, but i snack almost constantly in between and they are not healthy snacks. i was doing the challenge in January (if you remember) but i stopped because i realized i was not doing it for me and that i ended up just comparing myself to others and feeling bad about myself. i am excited to do the challenge this time! the only exception to my following the challenge 100% will be if i am on a date (i don't want to make any guy feel bad).
2) starting tomorrow, until next Sunday (March 4th) i will not be watching at TV shows. i usually start one while i'm eating and then end up watching more and more. it's bad and it is causing my studying to be much less effective. it's going to be hard this week not to watch any of my shows! but i know if i can go cold turkey for a week then i can find a way to still watch the shows i like and still get studying done. this week, if my studying is done, i will work on projects around my apartment, or read Harry Potter!
3) this week i am going to get to bed by 11 pm every night. while studying for midterms i got in the habit of going to bed late (because i needed to stay up and study). however since midterms are over i just stay up late, wasting my time, and then i wake up late and my whole day is off to a horrible start. so i promise to get more sleep (hopefully it will also prevent me from getting sick.
4) remember Fab Ab February? well i haven't been doing so great. it's not horrible but i usually only get in 3-4 days out of the week. needless to say, my abs are not fab. so i am going to do better at working out. i decided to do my first marathon this fall so i am going to start training for that ASAP and i am going to start weight training again. this week my goal is to run 1x, spin 2x, and do the 1000 rep workout 1x. can i do it? i hope so! i gotta get back in to shape!

are you ready for this? i sure am. i've been sitting around on my butt for long enough. it's time i took control and made 2012 the best year yet.

rhubarb crunch

a few weeks ago i went over the jane's apartment for dessert night. because it really had been too long since i'd seen her. we made the most delicious dessert! rhubarb crunch. it is so delicious that i decided to share it with ya'll.

Crunch:

2 Cup Flour

1 1/2 cup Oats

1 cup Melted Butter

1 t Cinnamon

2 cup Brown Sugar

Rhubarb:

8 cups diced (but not too small)

Sugary Sauce:

1 cup Water

1 t Vanilla

1 cup Sugar

2 T cornstarch

*boil until clear & thickened

In a 9x13 pan line the bottom with half of the crunch. Spread the rhubarb evenly and then pour the syrup evenly over that. Then sprinkle the rest of the crunch over top! Bake for 1 hour in a 325 degree oven. MUST serve with vanilla ice cream

it was so yummy!

even if you are a little sketched out by rhubarb, you should try this! it's tart and sweet at the same time! it also helps if you make and eat it with good friends :)

birthday week: day 6-7. Family.

on saturday (after doing nothing friday night) i slept in until almost ten! it was so beautiful. you don't even know. mom came out to pick me up for the weekend. funny story: i was wearing my fake glasses (because i'm so hipster) and when i answered the door, mom didn't recognize me! no joke. she comes inside and says, "is rebekah around?" i thought she was joking and when i realized she wasn't i saw like, "hi mom....." awkward. yet hilarious.

on the way home from provo we stopped in AF and got Coldstone ice cream. finally my ice cream craving was fulfilled! i used to go to Coldstone every year for my birthday (in high school) but with no transportation slash no money the last few years i haven't gone. it was delicious. i got cake batter with brownie and sprinkles mixed in. mom got dark chocolate peppermint with snicker's mixed in.
at home mom realized she forgot to start the crock pot dinner, so we decided we would just have a late dinner. i took a car and ran a few errands. another good story. i went to rue 21 to buy my perfume (they have so many stinkin cute clothes in right now!) and this girl (probably like 14 years old) comes up to me and says "i know this is weird but you are the most beautiful person i've ever seen." i was kinda shocked. because i thought my outfit was pretty cute and stuff, but not that cute. and then i smiled and was glad that she say that. compliments always make my day! and i realized that my outfit was completely modest and i like being a role model to girls to show them that you can be cute and modest!
before dinner we watched Newsies. have you seen this flick? it is the best. young Christian Bale is in it and he is very attractive, along with his supporting actor. i was singing along to all the songs- in my mind of course.
we finally ate dinner around 9 pm. it was totally worth the wait. i'm so grateful my mom humored me and made something she had never made before! it was indian food- chicken tikka masala, rice, naan, and grapes. we even ate on the floor and had indian music in the background! i learned to love indian food while i was in africa, which was great because i already had a liking for it. we used this crockpot chicken tikka masala recipe and it turned out great! it does take some prep time though. the naan wasn't as good as what you would get at india palace or something, but it was still great. we had cake and ice cream after dinner- of course i made an epic wish. i hope it comes true! mom made carrot cake which was the best carrot cake in the state. i'm pretty positive about this. i have never had carrot cake which has measured up to it. i got some sweet presents including a book with all my letters from Uganda! i was surprised and happy about it! grandma also gave me two jars of her raspberry jam! i cannot wait to eat it! yum. i also got a groupon to Color Me Mine. it pays for the studio fee so all i have to pay for is the ceramics i buy. i can take up two 4 people. i'm thinking a double date?

later that night my friend spencer came over and had some cake. then we went back to his house and hung out with his family. i like his family a lot! have you had blue bell ice cream? well they just brought it to Utah! since spencer went to texas on his mission and i am a self- proclaimed ice cream connoisseur, we have decided we will go. can't wait!

sunday morning i woke up to snow. lame. i definitely did not pack winter sunday wear! however, i did look super springy and cute! one of my favorite ladies from my home ward said she was shocked i don't have a boyfriend. (that's twice in one week! what does this mean?)  going to my home ward was great! after church i took a nappy nap, ate dinner and then went back to provo.
it was a good weekend. i wish i could just party on forever. but i can't. monday is the last day of birthday week, and i don't have any big plans. work, study physics, blah blah. oh well. we can't party all the time!