Weekly Gratitude

This week FLEW by! I can't believe its Friday, but I'm so ready for the weekend. I am grateful for:

-The group of girls I have gotten close with at work. I don't work directly with any of them anymore, but we 'grew up' together in our entry level roles and have continued to get together. This week we had happy hour, in a couple weeks we will meet for book club. They are all so great in their own unique ways!

-My plot in the community garden at my work. This week I visited it for the first time this year and spruced it up with some new soil. I planted spinich, snap peas, kale and swiss chard. I can't wait to have my own fresh greens in the kitchen in a few weeks! And it will continue all summer!

-Gluten-free pizza dough. I discovered this from Red Mill this week and tried it out. It was delicious and I didn't miss the gluten!

-The two friends in my life celebrating birthdays this weekend. Peter is turning 31 and having a "10th anniversary to my 21er" party and Laura is turning 25 and she is having a bunco party! Oh I love my friends.

-Thankful for my running legs! I just registered for the Oregon Wine Country Half Marathon and am also training for Hood to Coast with my friends. If you want to run the Wine Country Half with me we have a team (and a team discount!) so let me know!

What are you thankful for? Grab the button below and play along with Love, Life, Lace!

Gluten Free Pizza

I used Red Mill's Gluten Free Pizza Dough mix to make some delicious pizza on Monday night. The dough mix is made of several different kinds of grain flours and yeast that you add to eggs, water and oil to form your own crust. The crust was surprisingly good--it was moist but not flaky and had a nice flavor. It didn't have a 'fake' taste and I wouldn't have guessed it was gluten free. For toppings I used asparagus, red bell peppers and apple chicken sausage. On one pizza I used tomato sauce and ricotta cheese with cilantro, and on the other pizza I used pesto sauce with four pepper goat cheese. You could easily make this a vegan pizza as well by omitting the meat and using vegan cheese. Check out my photos and give this pizza dough a try, whether you have a gluten allergy or not!

this package makes enough for two small pizzas

some of my toppings

the dough was easy to spread on my pizza stone

success!

My gluten-loving boyfriend actually really liked the crust despite it being gluten-free, saying it was filling, moist and had great flavor!

Oh Beautiful Day!



{Via}



24 week baby bump photos

Sister is at 24 weeks! These photos are actually a week old already and I can't wait to snap more once I see her again. I have already started dreaming about the baby shower that is coming up in May!

Weekend Breakfast

I've been doing some posts about my weekend breakfast's lately and I'd like to continue! Here are previous breakfasts that I've either made or had out at a restaurant hot spot in PDX here, here and here. This weekend I made banana pancakes and they were super yummy!

Weekly Gratitude

This week was awesome! My list is short but super sweet. I give thanks for....

*The beautiful house I am house-sitting in this week, as well as the super cute yellow lab I'm taking care of. House-sitting is like a mini vacation for me:)

*Hitting the sweet spot at my golf lesson...it feels good to make progess!

*My little niece, who is growing inside my sister's belly as we speak!

*All my birthday wishes from so many dear friends! The love was overwhelming!

How are you doing on those New Year's Resolutions?

Remember that? The resolution you made back in January? Yes my dears...it's nearing the end of March, and I hope you are still thinking about the goals that were so important to you back on January 1! Remember when I shared my New Year's Resolutions with you? I had two: to be more positive and to have more "me" time. Well, it is March and I have not fallen off the boat yet! I have focused the most on "me" time. I vowed to slow down and smell the coffee. Today is it's own day, yesterday is over and tomorrow is still many hours away.

(Via)

I have been focusing more on the moment and not filling up my schedule to its brim where I don't have any time to breathe. I have spent lots of nights after work doing things for myself only, such as trying new recipes, painting my nails on a regular basis, taking the time to make healthy lunches for the next day, reading and taking yoga classes or running. Being less scheduled on my social calendar leaves this time for me to be spontaneous and do things for myself! I feel healthier and more at peace because of it.

Tell me...have you done anything for yourself lately? Have you kept your resolution, or are you ready for a new one?

Cake Pops!

My friend Ada is just getting started with her own baking business. She made the cake pops for my birthday party! Cake pop are like lolly pops but made with cake. It's basically a bite of cake on a stick! I love these little cuties so much not only because they are adorable looking, but because Ada can make them deliciously soft and yummy. They come beautifully packaged with custom colors of sprinkles and ribbon. I have tried the Starbucks cake pops and they just do not compare! I may or may not have done a photo shoot with my cake pops after she delivered them to me, and by the following photos its pretty clear that I did....come on, they are just too cute not to!

Purple is my favorite color and I love how she complimented the ribbon with the silver sprinkles!

*Please let me know if you'd like to order cake pops or other goodies from Ada and I'll get you in touch! She is local to Portland but can also ship!

Auntie Mandee

Yes....it's true!! I am going to be an Aunt! A real Aunt, not an honorary aunt as I have been to my friend's babies for the past few years. My older sister is pregnant and expecting a GIRL! I am so excited and overwhelmed with the news! I have been trying to tell all the people closest to me but haven't been able to tell everyone yet, but wanted to get these pictures up so we can start documenting her progress!

The planner I am has already began planning the baby shower for late May and thinking about all the things we need to do before she arrives in July. I have been scouring the blogosphere for baby shower inspiration. Do you have any suggestions or links to share with me??

22 weeks- she is so small for how far along she is!

we have always been the same size so here is a comparison photo!

weekend breakfast

I love sleeping in and making a big breakfast on the weekends. Shane and I love to go out to brunch as well but sometimes its nice to stay home and whip something up! Here is a snapshot of one of my recent breakfasts!

making a scramble with veggies and sausage

yum!

fruit salad

What do you like to make for breakfast on the weekend?

25 Years!

My 25th birthday party at Mint 8/20 was last night. It was so much fun! I am so thankful for my many friends that came out. Tomorrow the girls and I are off on a Wine Tour, escorted by my handsome boyfriend! I can't wait to share those photo's with you as well, but for now check out the ones from my cocktail party last night!

getting ready!

Mint 820 Lounge area...so cute!

some of the girls

the handsome boyfriend

cheers!

just being chatty

Kelsey and I

chocolate cake!

delicious cocktails!

Weekly Gratitude

I hope I have inspired you to link up with Love, Life, Lace and post your Weekly Gratitude! Verablizing my thanks has really opened my eyes to how lucky I am! I am thankful for....

-Savasana...or corpse pose, which we practice in yoga at the end of a session. I love rewarding my body for its hard work, and let's be honest, it's awesome to just lay there. On Tuesday I actually fell asleep during my lunch hour yoga sesh during savasana!

-The home I am house-sitting for this week. A beautiful, spacious old charming home in the Grant Park neighborhood of Portland. House-sitting is like a mini-vacation for me!

-The Bachelor reality TV series ending. I am SO GLAD the season is over. I love it, but it is such a time-waster! I wish I wasn't so addicted to reality TV.

-My older sister...and someone else related, who I have not shared with the blog world yet...or many other people for that matter. Details to come soon!! It is super exciting!

-My birthday festivities began this week, although my actual birthday is on Monday. On Tuesday my girlfriends had a potluck dinner in honor of my 25th, and tonight all my friends, not just the girls, are going out for drinks at Mint 8/20. On Sunday, Shane will escort just the girls through Oregon Wine Country as we taste wine at four vineyards! I know that may be over-celebrating my birthday....but come on, 25 is a big one!

Wish I was Here Wednesday

I'm playing along with Olivia again! Lately I have had the urge to bake, but being on my detox stopped me and now I just can't find the time with starting my new job and all the birthday celebrations I have been planning for myself:)

I wish I was here, in this beautiful, white, spotless and perfect kitchen!

{VIA}

Where do you wish you were? Play along with Olivia by clicking the button below!

Shamrock Run

On Sunday I joined 32,000 other runners in downtown Portland for the Shamrock Run. I love running in this race every year because it is so uplifting to see so many people in my city interested in fitness and getting out there to have a good time! I ran the 8K with one of my sorority sisters and we chattered the whole time. It was super fun and so awesome to see all those people out there running in the rainy weather!

My 'big sis' Zoe'

Start line

My personal cheerleader who met me at the finish line!

...formerly known as Date Night

Last night Shane and I tried one of our recent Groupon purchases for Eleni's Philoxenia & Estiatorio, which turned out to have the most delicious Greek food I have ever had outside of Greece! If you haven't read about my vacation to Greece last year, you can skim the long version here.

We tried the spanakopita (spinach pie in filo dough) as an appetizer. Shane got the rack of lamb which was seasoned perfectly, and I got the eggplant filled with zucchini, tomatoes, onions, squash and other veggies. We ended the night with the best Baklava I have had since the Greek Islands...which is really hard to find in good old Portland!

very dark picture of my stuffed eggplant (the lighting was very romantic, but not photo friendly!)

Date night in my relationship has quickly become "Groupon" night. If you haven't signed up for Groupon and you love a good deal...you are seriously missing out! I buy groupons for restaurants, spas, dessert places, events, movie tickets, magazine subscriptions, you name it! Basically you purchase a gift card to the business for a deeply discounted price. Sign up for Groupon here, you won't regret it!

Weekly Gratitude

Happy Friday! I have so many things to be thankful for this week. Here is my Weekly Gratitude:

I am thankful for:

My new job! I have loved each day of learning and exploring the product development world. I love driving or taking the train into work every morning and being excited for what the day will bring!

The gym. Thank you Pilates, Yoga and running for keeping my mind sane and my body healthy!

Portland races. I will run in the Shamrock Run on Sunday with several friends and 20,000 other Portland runners. I love this city's enthusiasm for fitness!

My friend Ada for agreeing to make cake pops for my upcoming birthday! More on this later...hopefully pictures and info on how you can get these too! They are so cute and delicious...I think its the new cupcake:)

My parents, for being excited when I invited them over for dinner on Saturday night.

My sister, for inviting me to happy hour this afternoon when I haven't seen her since Christmas!

Don't forget to visit Love, Life & Lace by clicking on the button below where you can see the original weekly gratitude blog!

Sunday Afternoon Golf

On Sunday I went golfing with my boyfriend and his Dad at Pumpkin Ridge Golf Course. It was a nice sunny day and we had a ton of fun! Tomorrow I start my golf lessons. I took lessons last year for the first time and I learned so much that I am going back for more! Six weeks of lessons will hopefully prepare me for a summer of golfing!

First day on the job...

I got my lunch packed up, my boots tied tight, hope I don't get in a fight! ohhh back to school, back to school.

That's how I feel today as I start my new job. Prepared, but nervous, like the first day of school. I have a lot of training to do and lot of work ahead of me. This is the job I have wanted and worked so hard for and it is hard to believe it is finally here!


I love this style for my new job. Put together but still casual. I love boyfriend jackets!



Byways Cafe

This morning in Portland it was about 50 degrees and sunny, which is great considering the downpours and low to mid 30's temperatures we have been having all February. Shane and I decided to walk down to Byways Cafe in the Pearl District, which is about a ten minute walk from my Northwest apartment. We enjoyed their famous scrambles and potatoes. I got the Space Needle scramble, which had tons of veggies and sausage. See the drool-worthy picture below! This was a great way to celebrate our 2nd to last day of the cleanse and gave us lots to look forward to, like not asking for no cheese and no toast! Next weekend we want to try a place with great pancakes since our detox will be over and we can have wheat and sugar again...any suggestions?

Weekly Gratitude

"Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it" -William Arthur Ward

I'm playing along with Tatiana over on Love, Life, Lace. I love her idea about doing a weekly gratitude. Here are my thanks!

*Thank you to my new manager for believing in me and hiring me in a product development position

*Thank you to my boyfriend who believed in me from the start of my career and always encouraged me even when I was discouraged and feeling down. You always knew it would happen, and although I had trouble believing, your support kept me going.

*Thank you to my yoga instuctor, Claudia, who is there even when I'm not (oopsies). Just knowing you'll be there on Monday nights so I can destress and take care of my body is wonderful.

*Thank you to my mom for answering the phone each and every single time I call, on the first ring, and for wanting to talk for as long as I do.

*Thank you again to my boyfriend for enduring 4 long weeks of the detox diet that we did together. Yay, we did it! Our bodies are super healthy and refreshed. Now that it's over, bring it on, dessert, although I know I'll enjoy you in smaller portions from now on!

*Thank you to the Oregon Rain. Am I forcing this thanks? Yes. But my runs would not be nearly so peaceful or beautiful without you and my umbrella and cute Cole Haan rainboots would have no purpose.

*Thank you to my co-workers and teammates over the past two years. Oh, who am I kidding, you guys are like my family! I have loved so much about our group and will miss this atmosphere dearly. It is a special place and I am so thankful for my time with you!

I love Trader Joe's

I really do! I go there every Sunday to get my healthy food for the week. It has been perfect for getting the items I need for my detox. While I experiment with trying new things all the time, here are the basic items I cannot live without:

-hummus
-organic whole carrots (NOT the baby ones)
-baby spinach
-romaine lettuce
-either green beans, asparagus or zucchini
-pomegranite,bananas, pears, apples, or other fruit.
-quimoa or brown rice
-almond milk
-steel cut oats with flaxseed
-fish in the frozen section
-homemade corn tortillas
-pineapple salsa
-hemp chips made with chia and flaxseed

What are your favorite items from Trader Joe's?

My Good News!

I recently accepted a new position within my company! It is a huge career move and taking my path in a totally new direction that I am so excited about. I am very lucky to be moving into product development for graphic t-shirts and screen prints, specifically for the NFL. I am thrilled to join the product creation team and become a developer. It has been a long road trying to maneuver this career change and I am so happy to start my new job next week!

Week 4 of the Detox

I can't believe it but I have reached week 4 of the detox! I am completely used to eating the foods I am allowed to eat and have mastered my grocery shopping for the week. I have been paying way closer attention to the labels and watching for things like sugar, citric acid, high fructose corn syrup and words that I don't understand. If I see any of those, it does not go in the cart. It has really opened my eyes to what is in my food!

Meals I have been eating that are detox friendly:
(reminder: no sugar, alcohol, caffeine, dairy or wheat)

-Mahi Mahi marinated in olive oil and spices with brown rice and grilled asparagus
-Fish tacos made with corn tortillas, sauteed onions and bell peppers, with salsa and hemp/chia seed chips (can be found at Trader Joe's)
-chicken salad made with baby spinach and romaine lettuce with olive oil and red wine vinegar dressing. I add avocado, asian pear and whatever other veggies I've got
-Yumm Bowls: black beans, brown rice or quimoa, avocado, tomato and Yumm sauce (found at Yumm restaurant or New Seasons)
-Organic soups. I usually add quimoa to the soup to add protein.
-Spaghetti Squash with marinara sauce (make sure there is no sugar added) and Italian sausage

Week 4 also includes drinking a drink called Sole each morning before eating or drinking anything else. Sole is made from pink Himalayan salt. The benefits include harmonizing acidity and alkalinity, re-mineralizing the body, increasing circulation, dissolving and eliminating sediments that lead to stones or arthritis and helping with your skin. To make Sole, dissolve the pink crystals in a little water but make sure there are still a few crystals in the water, making sure the water is completely saturated. Take one teaspoon each morning on an empty stomach.

Recap of the drinks I had each week:
During week 3, I was drinking 8 ounces of pure cranberry juice each day. During week 2, I took 20-30 droplets of a tea tincture called Healthy Liver Tonic from New Seasons, which was meant to clear our my liver and make it healthy again. Week 1, I started my days with the lemon drink I described on the detox post.

Overall, the detox has treated me wonderfully. I am never hungry and have much more energy. Cutting out caffeine and sugar has left me with even energy levels all day and does not allow me to crash as I believe I was doing before. Cutting out the wheat and dairy allows me to never get that uncomfortable "I'm so full" feeling and prevents my stomach from bloating. While weight loss was not the goal, I have lost 3 pounds in 3 weeks without starving. My goal was to make my body more healthy and fuel it with only nutritious foods and I feel much better because of it!

If you have any questions about the detox, please let me know! I am more than happy to help.