Speed Work and Sweet Potatoes!

First off Happy Friday and Happy Royal Wedding!!! I'm not one that is totally into the whole royal wedding I didn't have a countdown or wake up at 3 am to watch the wedding...but it is a pretty historical day and congrats must be given to William and Kate (love her, want to be her)!!

As for my little, less important life; I have been enjoying sweet potatoes...super exciting and monumental dont you think?! I may have told you about my new love (which is now a sick obsession) with sweet potatoes and how I bought a 10 lbs. box of them at Costco.  Since I am moving in a week (ek soo soon), I have made it my mission to eat all 10 pounds before then so I don't have to move the giant box with me! Needless to say, my lunches and dinners and snacks have been filled with the orange goodness!

Chicken and Sweet Potatoes for dinner

Salmon burger, salad and Sweet potato for lunch :)

As yall know I am knee deep in exam week...which means a whole heck of a lot of stress! So what do I do to relieve stress?! Bake, Run and when all else fails...run really fast!  Yesterday I was freaking out so I hurried myself on over to the gym for an intense interval run.  I was so distracted I didnt even feel my legs moving, but most certainly feel the workout today!!

My work out:
Incline at 9.0 for the first 5 minutes at 4.0
Then 1.0 incline until 8 minutes at 6.5
Followed by 30 seconds at 9.0 (8:30)
Then back to 6.5 for 1 minute...
Then pumped it up to 9.1 for 30 more seconds...
and back at 6.5 for 1 minute...
get the picture?! I did this until I was up to 10.1 and then keep it at 6.5 until 30 minutes was up!

It was tough and definitely relieved some stress! I then followed the run with some free weights and the "skank" machine that my sister and I refer it as but it really works your inner and outer thighs which maybe the pain Im feeling now!! But it was a great work out and I can't wait to get back there for another!!

After the gym, I went to the library (awful choice, never go to the library the day before an exam...people just freak you out more) and then went on a nice walk with Ali before dinner (with sweet potatoes)!  I was a tourist for a little bit and took a picture of our street and my dream house.  And we even saw the CofC basketball head coach.  Admittedly I have no idea who he is, but Ali said he was someone well known...so I took a picture of him haha!

Our Street!

Dream House!

CofC coach...sideways!

Colonel Lake...it started raining on us!!

Hope everyone is enjoying this gorgeous Friday...I'm definitely going to be celebrating the Royal Wedding/Halfway done with Exams this evening hope you do too :)

I Survived=No More Contracts!!

Finally after all the hours in the library...I took the exam and I have survived with no tears :)!! I did all I could do and now its over! AS for last night I fueled my brain with a big salmon salad and admittedly had 2 1/2 cookies...the brain needs sugar to run right?! I bought salmon burgers the other week from the grocery store because they were half off and salmon is my favorite fish...these babies are definitely amazing! Its a bummer that the original price is so high, but they are dang tasty.

Salad with garbanzo beans and salmon burger

This morning I woke up early and decided to treat myself to a big breakfast.  I couldn't decide on turkey bacon or a morningstar sausage, so I had a piece of both on the side of my eggs...waffle house look out! And I had a special treat on my sugar package this morning, I can definitely use all the luck in the world when it comes to finals :)

Pre-exam breakfast

Good luck sugar :)

After my exam, I was physically and mentally exhausted...I don't know why but taking tests takes a lot of out me (as I'm assuming everyone else).  So I decided to run a few errands and treat myself to my favorite...cereal and popchips! I have become obsessed with popchips and cereal is always a comfort food.

Little shopping excursion 

When I got back home (after eating a few handfuls of chips) I decided to have the ultimate comfort food...my mom's chili!! Last time I was at home my mom made a huge batch of chili and let me bring the rest back to Charleston (I froze it and hopefully it is still alright to eat...guess we will see?!) I put it over spaghetti and headed straight to bed to watch some Friends and enjoy this rainy day with one exam done :)

Spaghetti chili with a side of Friends season 8!

Blog and Nap time :)

Off to enjoy another bowl of cereal, its been a long morning I deserve to indulge myself...right? Well I think so :)

Guess who's back back again...

Hey everyone!! So I have been MIA big time...but trust me there is not much to tell about the time I have been gone.  It is finals for the next couple of weeks, so needless to say I have pretty much been camped at the library, my room, the porch or even the occasional beach trip with books in hand everywhere I go.  I can't believe that the end of my first year of law school is quickly approaching...need to not get ahead of myself, first I need to survive these next couple weeks before I get too excited, but still time is flying by! 

Studying w/ Jordan...yes I drank an entire 2 liter :/

Told you life isnt exciting...lean cuisines and a side of contracts!

I was originally waiting for my big sister, Lee, to update her blog before I blogged again, but I need a little procrastination time so figured I'd just go for it!  Last weekend, Paige came into town and we celebrated her birthday! She is a month younger than me, but when we were younger we always thought I was the youngest (probably because I act like it)! Paige would always take care of me: making nests of tp on public toliet seats so I could sit (gross but we all do it), speaking up for me b/c I was a mute as a child and let me sit in the highchair (I insisted on it) because I was supposedly the youngest.  Now that we are older we finally understand that she in fact is the youngest...so as a older, wiser individual I got to show her how to enter into the wonderful age of 23!! We had a blast together, I'm by far the luckiest girl in the world to have such an awesome best friend :)

Birthday Girl with her bday beer and burger!

Riverdogs Opening game!

As for today, I woke up feeling like P-Diddy again and cooked a wonderful Easter omelet with turkey bacon! I bought turkey bacon in bulk at Costco last week, it's the same price for bulk as one package at the grocery store, so I will be enjoying turkey bacon for many weeks to come! I gave up sweets for lent, which I have to say I ended up caving at the end and convinced myself that sweet-tarts and jelly beans are totally not sweets (even if it is in their name), but for the most part I stayed on track and didnt have any chocolate or cookies or cupcakes or cakes...basically I am trying to make myself feel better about my cheating but I really didn't have any "desserts" so today I was super pumped to finally get back in the kitchen and BAKE!! 

Easter breakfast with the snowman coffee cup!

My "dessert" for the past 40 days...cool whip w/ cereal and frozen fruit

As may or may not know when I get stressed I love to bake...I don't know why but its some sort of stress relief! I think maybe its because I'm creating something that actually turns out right (most of the time :/) and when studying I get so nervous it's not going to turn out right...so maybe if my baking comes out right so will my tests?!? Pretty philosophical...right?  Anyways, I sure hope my logic is correct because tonight I baked the most AMAZING cookies I have ever put in my mouth...maybe ever! I was looking for the perfect thing to bake as it was going to be my first "dessert" in a long time so after searching I came across these amazing chocolate chip cookies that engulf a double stuff oreo!! I mean can you get any better than that?! They definitely aren't the healthiest cookie for you, as my dad calls double stuff oreos "fat pills" but they most certainly are delicious!

Two of the best ingredients combine together...

to make an awesome cookie!!

SOO TASTY (and well worth the 40 day wait)!

Hope everyone had a wonderful Easter Sunday! Back to hitting the books :) 

Confused Weekend...with amazing food creations :)

Happy Weekend!!
I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend.  The weather in Charleston was pretty bipolar and couldn't make up its mind.  One moment it was gorgeous and sunny and the next it was cloudy and windy...but nevertheless it was a nice weekend.  My weekend kicked off with my school's talent show and dinner with a few classmates, which was so much fun and hilarious!  I don't hang out with people in my class much, because it is sometimes nice to not have to think or talk about school when you are trying to relax.  I have talked with a couple friends that feel the same way with co-workers...but when I do hangout with fellow classmates it is always a blast and makes me want to hang out with them more :)

Talent Show!

Happy Birthday Lauren!

Anna and I out on Friday night :)

Mother nature was very indecisive on Saturday.  I got a bunch of work done early in the morning and then went to the beach with Mary Foster and Christina.  It was gorgeous for the first hour and half, but then the sky turned gray and literally half the people on the beach left.  I was determined to stick it out--but 15 minutes later my body was one giant goose bump so I decided to go back home :( Surprisingly, it was the perfect amount of sun...got a little pink but thankfully no red (I've been trying to be better at protecting my skin and don't like burning)!!

Saturday night was filled with TENNIS! The Family Circle Cup has been going on all week, and I got to go on Saturday night to watch the expedition.  It was a ton of fun and really, really made me want to play tennis.  I absolutely love tennis outfits too, it makes me think I picked the wrong activity to like! Tennis is an awesome, fast-paced sport...but I think I'll stick with running with maybe a little tennis on the side :)

Tennis!

with Tennis Legions :)

Sunday was filled with work, but I went on a wonderful walk on the beach at night.  I decided that it was the perfect way to end the weekend and prepare for the week ahead.  I absolutely love how close I live to the beach.  Literally 15 minutes and I am walking on the sand.  The beach is so peaceful, relaxing, and basically amazing.  I highly recommend a Sunday stroll on the beach to anyone...best decision I have made in awhile soo calming :)

As for dinner, I bought kale from Whole Foods last week and it was looking a little welty so I decided that it was now or never to test it out...and boy was I glad I did!  I talked to my sister about how to make kale and she suggested to make kale chips.  I was very hesitant at first, but then intelligently took her advice.  I tore the leaves off the stem of the kale in bite size pieces and tossed them with some evoo and sea salt.  I put them in the oven on  350 for about 15 minutes...and like magic they were done!  The kale chips tasted like potato chips...I have no idea how in the world they do but they do.  They were phenomenal and make me want to run out to Whole Foods again and purchase all the kale they have! No worries I won't actually do that but I will be back to buy a couple bunches of kale and make these magic chips again :) 

Kale Chips...perfect side dish or snack!

As for my "dessert" last night (trust me I am trying to make the best non-dessert dessert I can...only a couple more weeks until I can eat the real thing)...

Frozen Blueberries, Coolwhip and cereal...

with a Vitamuffin top :)

It was the perfect end of a wonderful weekend!! Hope everyone had a great weekend too :)

Gifts and Recaps!

So first and foremost, I'm officially awful at blogging.  I was so excited when I first started blogging and excited for my next post...but have been slacking hardcore so hopefully Ill get back to blogging (almost) daily!

Not going to go into a boring recap of life...but lets just say that this weekend was certainly one for the books!! A short photo recap (thanks to Christina who carried her camera the entire Cooper River Bridge Run)!!

Wake up call 5 am...

Midtown at 9:30 am

Celebrating in the afternoon (stayed in my workout clothes so long) 

Dinner at Jim and Nicks (sweet patch on my eye)!

This weekend was so much fun and was the perfect start to the weekday ahead! After a super stressful week last week, I am so grateful for a more relaxing week before countdowns to exams :)! Yesterday, it was a gorgeous day and I went for a nine mile run over the bridge.  It was sooo windy, I felt like I was literally going to blow away! It was comforting because everyone else walking/running understood and was quick to remark about the strength of the wind...but I survived it and didnt fly away :)

Today, I picked up a package from the post office that I missed last week (postman can't leave things at my apartment because people will-and do-pick steal them)!  I received a package last week from my mom and a gift from annie and today a package from my dad...I'm one lucky girl! 

My mom sent me a wonderful care package filled with gum, mints, and sweets (which I have to wait until lent is over to enjoy)!! I am a huge gum addict and this package gave me the chance to test out different types...the overall best gum is spearmint trident (its not too big, so you can chew it a long time, and it doesn't deteriorate or lose flavor...basically the best gum ever)! 

Annie bought Christina and I these cute tervis tumblers for finishing the half marathon...they even have our names on them!! It is such a sweet gift, now we just have to convince her to run a half so we can get her one too :) 

My Dad sent me these compression recovery sleeves.  When we were at the Atlanta Half Marathon expo, my dad and I talked to this guy that invented these recovery sleeves.  I absolutely love my compression sleeves, but I tried these on at the expo and they seem even cooler! They have these pockets in them that you can slip ice packs in so that it makes recovery even better.  The guy ended up sending my Dad a pair to try and me one too!!

As for todays adventure, I decided to try and eat bigger meals...still testing out this whole eat like a king, princess, peasant thing (but turned into king, prince, princess)! I started off with a bowl of oatmeal mixed with granola and craisins; then lunch was a gigantic omelet with turkey bacon, peppers and onions; followed by a few snacks and then dinner with bbq chicken, sweet potato, and sauteed veggies!! I haven't eaten this well in a while and it feels amazing :) I have been heating up lean cuisines and eating salads for a while, but finally eating normal meals again is awesome!!! I feel the need to get back in the kitchen and today was a great kick off day!

Lunch Omelet

Home-cooked dinner

Not-dessert dessert!! 

Off to watch Friends with the roomies, hope everyone had a Terrific Tuesday :)