I’m sitting here right now listening to an online sermon & having a cup of organic hot cocoa while the hubby is working on the bath remodel. It is so pretty and sunny here today!

Sooo good

So backing up to Friday, my boss mentioned going golfing, but he was worried about leaving me alone at the office since I was new. I reassured him that I would be fine and could handle it on my own- he apparentally trusted me, because around 1:20 he left to go golfing. But before he left he gave me my paycheck and a $25 bonus just for doing a good job- he told me that he really appreciated how hard that I worked this week He was going to buy me a restaurant gift certificate but he knew I wasn’t big on eating out- I may have my nails done instead. Anyway, I handled the office just fine on my own- I had a few payments over the phone and walk-ins. Once 4:00 rolled around, my Mom in law came to pick me up to go shopping!!

At TJ’s Mom bought me this Raw bar- it was pretty good!

I found lots of work outfits!! Thanks to my praying beforehand- I pray about everything!

We made a quick stop at Publix to pick up a few necessities.

We also stopped by Tuesday Morning and I found some gardening gloves- perfect timing since I am planting my garden this weekend! I also found lots of baby items for the shower, but I can’t post them on here since my sister reads my blog.

Okay, so I wanted to model the work outfits that I bought- I want your opinion, so here goes:

Here is the first outfit- I added leggings because the dress was too short.

Outfit #2

Oufit #3 (sorry for my dirty floors- I am cleaning them this weekend )

Outfit #4- this would be for Fridays.

 Oufit #5

 Outfit #6.

Okay, so I want to know what you guys think about my new work outfits- cute or no?

We also stopped by Redbox to pick up a couple of movies, since we had a free code- we rented Inglorious B. and Julie & Julia (for me). I have to tell you Inglorious B. was not my kind of movie, it was gory, too much blood and violence- it was definitely a guy movie and for most of the movie I had my face and even ears covered. Julie & Julia- I LOVED!!!! What a fabulous movie- it was definitely my type of movie

So now onto Saturday…

I planted all of my garden seeds!! Plus some parsley, basil and cilantro.

I made myself some jicama fries for lunch- sooo good

I decided to marinate some mushrooms since we were going to grill out- Saturday was so beautiful and sunny! I marinated them with olive oil, sea salt, pepper and  some Georgia Muscadine wine from when we went to a festival and stomped the grapes- so fun

Of course, hubby wanted some more of the hot wings as well

I did have several organic mushrooms then I had a grapefruit yogurt mess for dessert.

Accomplisments this weekend:

• Laundry
• Organized hubby’s closet- have lots of pants & shirts to pass on to my nephew.
• Dishes
• Planted Garden Seeds
• Shopped for Work outfits & set out oufits for work next week.
• Cleaned bathroom
• Cleaned Microwave
• Cleaned Fridge
• Listened to 2 encouraging sermons!
• Paid several bills

On the Agenda for today:

• Bathe Roscoe
• Myself- bath
• Big Lots- to use 20% off coupon- pick up more baby shower items
• Watch Survivor online- missed last episode.

 I also noticed alot of blogs having an “Ask me Anything” Session- so I want to let you guys know that you can ask me anything as well! No questions are off limits- so please ask away! :D I hope you are all having a fabulous weekend!!

*Giveaway Here!

Okay okay, maybe that’s a bit dramatic- I may eat spaghetti noodles again, but I forgot how good spaghetti squash is!! More on that in a minute..

Wow, I can’t believe it’s almost Friday already- woohoo!! This week has been crazy good- I’ve been enjoying work, getting things organized. I even sat down with the Boss today and we had fun chatting about life/our childhood/morals/values- things like that I’m so ready for the weekend- I have a few  things planned that I need to work on- packing up things that I don’t need, shopping for some work outfits and finally planting my garden seeds!! If I get those three things done, it will have been a successful weekend!

Headed to work

Living Harvest sent me a couple of coupons and I bought this vanilla hempmilk the other week. I have been putting it in my green monsters, but I tried it in my coffee today and it was sooo good! It gave it this awesome vanilla creamy taste- I think I will save this for my black teas/coffee I’m not sharing this with the hubby I kid, I kid- I will totally share if he wants some

This Hempmilk is dairy and soy free, vegan, tree nut free, gluten free, cholesterol free, non-gmo, kosher and low sodium- what more could you ask for? Seriously, what more?

Ingredients

Hemp Nut Base (Filtered Water, Hemp Nut [Shelled Hemp Seed]), Brown Rice Syrup, Organic Evaporated Cane Juice, Natural Vanilla With Other Natural Flavors, Tricalcium Phosphate, Carrageenan, Sea Salt, Vitamin A Palmitate, Vitamin D2, Riboflavin, Vitamin B12.

I had cooked this organic spaghetti squash the other day and needed to use it up- so I had spaghetti for lunch- omigosh how did I forget how good this stuff is!!

Topped with organic raw cheese that I was sent to review

I was beyond excited when Steve (thanks Steve!!) from Next Organic Generation Dairy sent me some cheese products to review!!! Yes!! The cheese above is what I used to grate on my spaghetti squash and boy was it goood! Roscoe was begging me for my cheese and I let him try a bite. Big mistake, he kept wanting more and I finally had to put it away!

I really loved the cheese sticks that they sent me as well- these were perfect when I was snacky- I also brought these with me to work to snack on.  Each stick or 1 ounce of cheese is equal to 7-six ounce cups of yogurt in terms of actual viable bacteria. Are you kidding me?? Bring on the cheese It also is great for boosting the immune system as well as supporting digestive health.

Next Generation only heats their milk to 102 degrees, the same temperature that it was when it was produced and milked from the cow. This light heating is necessary for coagulation to take place in the cheese making process.

All of our cheeses are tested for pathogens after they are produced and then again before they are released for sale. The only requirement by the FDA is that raw milk cheeses age a minimum of 60 days to bring down the pH of the cheese which kills pathogens if they exist naturally.

What this process does is create a true “raw” milk cheese, full of life and naturally occurring digestive enzymes. That is why true raw milk cheeses are not constipating and have a live robust flavor.

Our company is truly committed to the “Next Generation.” Whether it be the soil, plants, animals or our innocent children. We believe that Mother Nature still knows best and our dairy producers strive hard to adhere to the strict Organic standards, which include grazing.
Don’t let a processor destroy one of God’s greatest gifts, “real food.” Buy a product you can feel good about feeding your family and know that by choosing to do so, you are making a difference in the lives of our family farmers and your own. Taste the difference of real live food.

This is really important to me when buying organic dairy:

Cows need fresh pasture. Large dairies (including some organic dairies) confine their cows and feed grain but do not allow for sun, grass and natural exercise. You may be surprised that this management style may still earn the dairy a 100% Certified Organic status. Take the time to get to know your food source. Insist on seeing pictures of the farms, cows and farmers. Grazing is an essential ingredient in the quality of the dairy products we produce and science cannot decode, clone or replace the ingredients found in sun, grass, gentle care and fresh air.

Our cows are raised on healthy, grass fed diets located in West Central Wisconsin. Our management methods and land stewardship practices help to sustain the ecological integrity of our watersheds and groundwater. We also believe that grass fed milk from cows that are well treated and less stressed means the creamiest, most flavorful milk available.

I am definitely sold on this product, not just the delicious cheeses but also how they treat their cows- I like knowing that the dairy that I eat comes from an unstressful environment for animals. You can go here to check out their different cheese and purchase online-unfortunately, I don’t see a location near me since I live in the boonies, so I’ll be ordering mine online in the near future. I love that they have pretty low prices as well!

I started on this post last night and right now I’m headed to get ready for work- it’s Thursday- yeah!! I did finally make it to the gym last night for 1 hour- I am just going to have to work out a schedule to fit everything in. Anyway, hope you guys have a fabulous Thursday!!

Tags: Living Harvest free coupon, Next Generation Organic Dairy free samples, Product Reviews, spaghetti squash, weekend plans, work

Hey guys! I’m blogging during the workweek! Unfortunately, I’ve missed the gym both today and yesterday- I took a 3 hour nap today but it was supposed to be only for 30 minutes- I was extremely exhausted! Work has been going great, but I stay extremely busy with my sister being on vacation- honestly, I will be glad to have an extra hand when she gets back! Anyway, onto to my week so far!

On the way to work

Pre-cut organic veggies the night before.

And remember this sprouted bread from Alvarado Street Bakery that I picked up last week? I was so stoked to try it out! Thanks for the coupons Julie!

 Ingredients:
Sprouted Organic Whole Wheat Berries, Filtered Water, Wheat Gluten, Honey, Molasses, Organic Millet, Organic Cracked Wheat, Organic Corn Meal, Fresh Yeast, Sea Salt, Organic Oats, Organic Rye, Organic Sunflower Seeds, Organic Flax Seeds, Soy Based Lecithin, Cultured Wheat.

I made my avocado & egg (organic) salad sandwiches- I loved the chewiness of the bread. And I have to admit I liked it so much, when the hubby wanted a slice b/c he was out of his honey wheat, I was hesitant to share :oops:. But I did finally and he really liked it as well! I have eaten half of that loaf already-sheesh!

Besides being so tasty, another thing that I LOVE about this bread is that it is pretty low in cost in comparison to other sprouted breads, like Ezekiel- I’ve seen it priced over $5 per loaf. The same loaf that I bought, is available online for $2.29.  Although, they do recommend to buy it locally since it costs less- you can go here to find places that carry Alvarado Street Bakery products near you. Besides lots of breads, they also carry tortilla, granola, rolls & buns, pizza bread and bagels (Next time I plan on picking up some sprouted bagels for breakfast ) 

Additional Info about Alvarado Street Bakery Products:

• The sprouted wheat breads are “flour-less”- organic wheat berries are soaked until they sprout. The berries are then ground into the dough.
• No GMO ingredients
• No refined sugars, No added oil, No dairy and No preservatives.
• All bread and bagels are vegetarian, several are vegan.
• We support organic family farms. Our products are certified organic by QAI.

What goes perfectly with an egg salad sandwich? V-8 Juice! I had gotten this organic V8 juice on sale a couple of weeks ago for 1.60 per bottle and have been working on drinking some this week.

These organic oatmeal raisin cookies were great as a mid-day pick me up at the office!

I also wanted to tell you guys about a product I recently tried out.

Vermont Soaps sent me some organic soaps to try- I am always buying lots of soaps, especially hand soaps- I guess we are germiphobes and go through lots! My hubby is always asking, “Did you wash your hands?” What am I five years old? lol He is definitely an extreme gerbiphobe, I am the obsessive compulsive “everything needs to be in perfect order” one. It’s not hard to drive me crazy with things out of order, okay okay I digress. So onto my review of the soaps

I really loved the Lemon grass Zen Foaming hand soap- I loved the smell- amazing clean and fresh! It only takes a tiny amount to wash your hands and they felt so clean afterwards.

The bar soaps- I loved the Oatmeal Lavendar- it was my fave because of the actual oats in the bar, it felt great on my skin. And the smell was divine!

I also loved the shower gel- I love the fact that it is a pump soap. Definitely way easier when you are in a hurry trying to get ready! (like I usually am)

Liquid Sunshine- I have mixed feelings on this one. I did Love the smell of the soap- it kind of reminded me of murphy’s oil/lemony smell BUT it did not suds up on the dishes which made me feel like it really wasn’t cleaning the dishes. It’s also used for laundry, which I plan on using it for since I didn’t like it for dishwashing. (I do have a dishwasher, but I kind of prefer washing dishes unless I have over a ton of company) I would definitely purchase any of these products in the future, especially the hand soaps- like i said, we go through a bajillion of these!

Vermont Soap Organics produces USDA Approved, Certified Organic alternatives to the often irritating, chemical and detergent based personal care products now in general use. We manufacture handmade cold process bar soaps for sensitive skin, liquid soaps for skin and cleaning, the first truly organic shower gels, numerous organic nontoxic cleaners and much more. Our Master Soapmakers blend organic food grade ingredients into soap products the old fashioned way. Our special bar soap process removes excess alkali from the soap, creating a super mild bar for the most sensitive skin.

Here is a close-up view on the Oatmeal Lavendar soap- I told you it had big oat pieces in the bar! I love that this is soap for sensitive skin- I only use organic products because I have had skin allergies since I was a baby- my Mom had to switch laundry detergets because Tide would break me out.

I was able to clean off our patio & kitchen (all of my hubby’s house remodeling tools) and organize the garage Sunday- so that was a big thing that I was able to mark off my list! I also helped the hubby work underneath the house clearing out some dirt- I guess my body needed some rest today.

Not sure what else I have planned for tonight- even though it’s late (10:21), I just slept for 3 hours, so I’m not tired. I am thinking I will watch my tivo’d Real Housewives of NJ, give myself a facial scrub & mask and pre-make my green smoothie for tomorrow. I am definitely feeling better after getting some rest and I’ll be ready for my day tomorrow! Hope you all have a fabulous day tomorrow!!

Tags: Alvarado Street Bakery review, coupons, free product samples, Vermont Soaps Review

I’ve been a terrible blogger!!! I don’t know how you girls juggle work, home, gym and school, etc. it’s alot to keep up with!!! Does anyone else have a hard time blogging during the week? Anyway, my week was so busy and fun at the same time and we had snow for the second time in my life where I live!!! The last time I saw snow was when I was about 11 years old and that’s been a little while obvi But before I get to the snow, I want to back up to my week at work!

Me & my sister, Shelly taking pictures right before the boss got in The lighting sucks at the office because it’s all flurescent lighting- so these aren’t the greatest pictures. Not to mention I didn’t sleep well this week trying to fit work, home, gym, etc. into my life. I think next week will flow better.

My sister took this crazy one of me at my desk- my hubby brought me that orchid & a soy candle for Valentines Day- I was so surprised when he brought it! I have the best hubby

My green smoothie- I make these the night before so I can have them for breakfast at work.

Some work snacks- organic apple, organic banana and organic oat & raisin cookies that I made

Along with the occasional Larabar

And I try to drink 4 bottles of water while I am at work- it’s so nice to go to the fridge and drink all of the water I want to at work! Plus I can take all that I want home- I usually grab a couple of bottles to take the gym as well. It definitely helps on time as well. For those wondering, I do recycle my plastic bottles

A better view of the orchid & candle that my hubby got for me- and that is my daily black tea w/a dash of organic coffee & milk, cinnamon & stevia. Around 2:00 or so it started snowing lightly, by 3:00 it was full on snowing!! The boss let us leave early - I was outta there by 3:20!!

The hubby picked me up and we headed to the his parents to feed their kitties since they are out of town- it really started snowing hard around that time!

We hurried back to our house and got changed so we could play in the snow!!!

This was Roscoe’s first time seeing snow and he was really intrigued- it was so funny watching him run around trying to bite the snow and playing in it- I haven’t seen him that excited in a long time!!

We set up the tripod so we could have proof that it actually snowed in Southwest Georgia!!!  I actually didn’t believe it when the forecast said there would be snow- I was like, yeah right

The hubby and I

The snow started melting Saturday, so we decided to drive up to Tally since the weather was better and do a little shopping

See the sun shining? It was such a gorgeous day for a drive- I really enjoyed the pretty views on the way & listening to my Christian music station- it was so nice to unwind after such a busy week!

I shared this peach yogurt with the hubby- he really liked it! It was definitely enough for 2 people!

This was after a 1.5 hour drive and 2.5 hours of shopping (I did find 2 pairs of pants and 1 dress for work, so I was happy about that! I also found a couple of baby shower items)- I was tired and looked it too! We grabbed a coffee at Target and picked up 4 packs of Energy Saving Lights- guaranteed to last 6 years or your money back! If that is true, that’s pretty awesome

Here is my loot:

Alvarado St. Bakery sent me a few free coupons to try out their bread- I will be back with a review later on in the week!

Organic Tangelo’s were $2.99 per bag- so I got 3 bags!

Organic Mangoes were .99 cents each-I bought 4.

Kashi bars were on sale for $2.50 and I had a $1 coupon so I got these for $1.50.

These were $2.49 after my $1 coupon off

I also had $1 coupon off of 2 brocs. & $1 off of the Ziploc & .50 cents off of Stonyfield yogurt- I printed my coupons & shopping list before I went shopping. I just google the name brand products that I like, for example- chobani coupons, kashi coupons, organic valley coupons, etc. and most of the time you can find a coupon online and print it out to use at the store. I look at the Publix Grocery ad and circle the things that I want to buy that are on sale and get those coupons so I would save more $$- Publix matches other store coupons, which I just found out about- I wish I had known this a long time ago!!

I had $1 coupon for the oikos which made it only .50 cents!! And a buy 2 get 1 free chobani.

Our Co-op had these new Tree of Life organic eggs- there were almost $1 less than Publix eggs!

This week has been really great, I’m still trying to figure out how to balance it all. I just have to get into the routine- usually, it’s work, home- clean (dishes, laundry, pre-make meals/green monster), gym for 1 hour, back home for tv/hubby time, then to bed. I am enjoying having a routine- being a Type A personality, I love having a routine and staying busy.

My sister is going on a Disney Cruise (from doing a good job at work) next week and I will be left alone in the office w/Jimmy, which means the bulk of the phones, payments, customers will be left on me. I am a little nervous, but nothing a little prayer can’t help I am definitely depending on that to get me through next week- my boss, Jimmy and my sister are really happy with my progress so far though and say that I am a fast learner, so I’m glad that everyone is happy! On another note, my sister said that there is an extra Disney Cruise that may be given away, she said that if I do a great job, that maybe I could possibly get to go- I would be so excited! I’ve never had a job with such great perks and incentives- it is such a blessing!

Job Perks/Incentives:

• My own office
• Free Cases of Bottled Water
• Free Trips as Incentives
• Elaborate Christmas Party
• Paid Holidays
• Friday- leave early!
• No Clock watching- so if I’m a few minutes late, I don’t get into trouble.
• Annual Sam’s Club Membership
• Discount at the Nail Salon (they are close friends)
• Laid Back, funny boss- he is also very patient and lenient.
• Paid schooling for Sub Agent’s License
• If I get my License and sell policies, I receive a commission per every policy that I sell!
• I get to work with my sister and hang out- it’s fun having someone to talk to

Well, I better get busy since this is the last of my weekend! I did manage to finish the laundry, pay some bills, put more yard clippings in the alley to be picked up, and set out all of my work clothes, shoes & jewelry. I still need to do some tidying up, cut up some veggies for work and hopefully I can get the garage & back patio cleaned as well. I should be back mid-week with some product reviews that I’ve been working on. Hope you are all having a fabulous weekend!!

• *Giveaway!!!! Kristin at Iowa Girl Eats is having a giveaway here!!!
• A Chobani giveway!

This was Friday’s lunch- Turkey & cheese grilled cheese, raw veggies & hummus- all organic except for hummus.

The main computer was down b/c the hubby was updating new hardware, so I used my laptop to check out some web deals- Amazon has a great deal going on for Nutiva Coconut oil- I think 2- 16 oz. containers for about $13. I haven’t tried that brand before I don’t think.

Saturday

Green Smoothie w/banana, strawberry yogurt, maca, bee pollen, wheatgrass, milk- all organic

I also got a box of office stuff together from the house- I’m so excited to decorate my desk area!!

I made some organic chili for next week.

I made the hubby a bowl served with organic chips.

I had a tiny bowl (1 cup ? or less) with an organic salad- love the combo

I put the rest into some jars and put them up for next week’s lunches/dinners

I also made the hubby some brownies- I used half of the box so it wouldn’t make so many.

I made organic veggie soup for next week to go with grilled cheese- it’s still cold here, so it’s perfect soup & sammie weather!

Sunday

Getting ready to go clothes shopping to find some work outfits.

I grabbed a Larabar to snack on- I had 1/2 cup of organic chili on the way out the door!

I enjoyed an organic coffee with the hubby when I got home from shopping

Then we made hot wings! I made the sauce while hubby prepped the wings. We bought these HF/No antibiotic chicken while at Sam’s Club Friday night.

Hubby enjoyed them while he watched the Superbowl- I blogged instead

 This weekend has been so busy- I tried to cram in as much work possible since I have to work during the week now!

• Laundry
• Dishes
• Made food ahead for the week - organic chili, organic beef & veggie soup, brownies for the hubby
• Paid Bills online (I paid a huge credit card off- yay!!)
• Printed coupons for next weeks grocery trip
• Helped hubby carry tree limbs to alley/he trimmed up everything (I can’t even count how many times I walked back and forth carrying huge branches!)
• Cleaned out fridge a little
• Cleaned the half bath
• Cleaned the kitchen sink
• Went shopping to try to find some work outfits (I’m trying not to get discouraged about losing this weight, but NOTHING fits!! So frustrating and shopping was no fun for me today, and that never happens. Sorry, I had to vent, I know things are going to get better!) 
•  I did find a couple of things for the baby shower- oh by the way, I forgot to tell you guys, my sister is having a GIRL!!!! Honestly, I am so excited to spoil her and have tea parties!! My sister and her husband have come up with some beautiful little girl names- do you have any favorites that you would like to share with my sister? They are having a hard time deciding- right now they are stuck on “Olivia Claire” which I think is really pretty.

 I still need to go and cut up some celery and carrots for tomorrow’s lunch, then I plan on going to bed soon. I am going to take a melatonin now, hopefully it kicks in soon!! Hope you all had a fabulous weekend!!!

Gosh this week has been SO great but busy as well! But I love staying busy and the feeling of accomplishment that comes with a job well done! Before I get to my new job, here are a few pictures from the week.

My first day of work- 8′ish- my work hours are 8:30-5:00

I made some organic black tea for the mornings w/stevia, raw honey, cinnamon, organic milk- so good, I will definitely be having this every morning

Thursday- I filled out my “official” application even though, technically I was already hired I also filled out my w-2’s.

It was fun getting dressed up to go to work- Friday = Jeans day!! (The house is under construction so excuse the extention cord, etc.)

At my desk- I love all of the space that I have to stretch out

I watched some Tutorials on the new Hawksoft Program so I could get ahead of the game- I actually love this program. I’m a total nerd- I get excited by well organized computer programs

I brought my green protein smoothies to work to make sure to get in all of my nutrients

So about my new job, I absolutely LOVE it!! My boss, Jimmy, is so nice- he offered me awesome pay, holidays, 3 weeks paid vacay, he will pay for me to go back to college to get my Sub-agent’s license and even let me know that I would be offered incentives on a job well done (my sister is going on a paid Disney Vacation for her whole family- including the Polynesian Lodge + a cruise next week!) That’s definitely an incentive! We also get free bottled spring water- we can bring home a case or two each week, which is awesome seeing how me & the hubby drink alot of water. I also love how we can take a leisurely lunch and don’t have to clock in/out- I used to work underneath bosses that ”clock watch” and it’s so frustrating to be treated like a child. I actually worked late for both days so it’s not a big deal if I have an extra 5 minutes on lunch or whatever. Also, the other girl pretty much quit today and is not coming in at all- so I am kind of nervous as it is all being left on me! eek! I did take a couple of customers payments today and learned how to look them up in our new File Management Program & also pay their bill online- so that is a good start! I am already on the boss’s good side- he said that he loves how organized & efficient I am- and he also said I was catching on fast- this Insurance business is no joke- I seriously have to stay focused! I do have to say the job is really busy, but I like it that way because it makes the day go by faster and I have less time to stress about the house remodel and instead I can focus on work. Today, I cleaned up my office space/desk and got everything organized- seriously, I am an organizational freak, but I have it just the way that I like it now We should be designing/ordering my business cards next week as well as my name plaque for my desk- I have a few things from home that I want to bring to the office on Monday to make my office space look fabulous! I will take pictures once I get it the way that I like

Oh, and on Fridays, we get to leave at 4:00- love it! My sister, Shelly wanted to take me to Publix so we could do some shopping & test out this coupon thing that my other sister told her about. Apparentally, you can “stack” coupons- you can go to www.southernsavers.com and find all of the deals going on at different places- we went under Publix weekly ad for their deals. I’m so excited to try this out- my one sister that does this saves tons of money by doing this!

This is my older sister Shelly (the one that I work with now & also we “kissed & made up” this year- we are like besties now!!) That is her loot from Publix-she had a rebate for $7 back for buying those Pepsis + they were on sale for like 4 for $10, so she got an awesome deal!

My sister snapped a picture of me on the cell phone - I was talking to my hubby We met up with him afterwards at Sam’s Club.

I got a few items- several coupons were used. I had $1 off since I bought $5 worth of produce. I also had $1 off of my deli turkey since I bought 1 bag of Stacy’s chips. Amy’s pizza was free from winning Kristin’s Giveaway.

I had to replenish my organic eggs & yogurt and finally got some cottage cheese for extra protein The TGI Fridays were on sale 2 for $3.59 plus I had $1.50 coupon off so they were pretty much $1 per box- what a steal! I think may become the coupon queen!

More deals- Avocados .50 cents each! Seattles Best- $5.99, pickles B1G1 $2.79 for both, organic mustard $1.79 each- I love mustard on my sandwiches

After all of that shopping, the hubby and I went to Moes to grab a bite to eat- we had a “casual” date night We split this Homewrecker burrito at Moes- so good!

After checking out the goods at Target & leaving with just a sweatshirt, we got a Tall Verona Coffee (they freshly brewed it for me- I can’t stand coffee that is older than 25 minutes- anyone with me?) It was so good- me and the hubby shared it and walked around the park chatting. It was nice out- so happy that we picked up that sweatshirt from Target!

The hubby stopped by his office on the way home to grab these cookies that Mom bought for me- they are made from freshly ground wheat, cane sugar, sunflower seeds, etc. We shared one- it was perfect along with our coffee

Wow, this week has been crazy and fun! I still can’t believe that I have a new job! I guess I need to get to bed soon, we plan on waking up early to go work out at the gym and then get started working on the house remodel, so I need to catch some zzz’s!!

Agenda for Saturday:

• Gym Workout (8:00-9:30)
• Run by Wal-greens to pick up collage photo of me & the hubby (hopefully, I can use this at my office)
• Laundry
• Dishes
• Help hubby on house remodel work
• Go through closet see what kind of office clothes that I need to go & buy, if any.
• Set out Office Work Clothes for Next Week
• Catch up on Real Housewives last episode
• Call my Mom & sister
• Plant Garden Seeds

*Giveaway Alert- Janetha is having a giveaway here!!

And Sunday I may be going down to see a friend that I grew up with- I am not sure what the plan is yet- we shall see. Anyway, hope you all have a fabulous weekend!!

This week has been so great! I have really been enjoying my new eating plan- here is what my breakfasts have looked like all week

Organic toast, jam & butter & 2 organic eggs, organic mango juice- this makes me happy

One of my blog readers sent me a book to read and some larabars- thanks Kathleen!

Some magazines that I have not had time to read yet- I haven’t made it to the gym this week..

Alvarado Bakery sent me some free coupons to try out their bread- I can’t wait to use these!

And Domino sugar sent me several free coupons as well!!

Living Harvest sent me some free coupons as well- I guess I will be making a trip to our Co-op soon since our small stores don’t carry these.

And lastly, some coupons from Ian’s - I’ve never tried their products- I will let you know what I think.

Most of the day was spent filling out College applications, looking at the class schedule and emailing the advisors for information- which is on the way thankfully! We should be starting B-term March 4- 2 days after my Bday!!

I had a late lunch, turkey on organic wheat, organic beef & barley soup & some organic raw veggies dipped in hummus

And I will be working here soon!!! I start my job tomorrow at 8:30 a.m.- my desk is across from my sisters. I am still pinching myself- I just prayed about my future last week & finding a job and God blessed me with one that fast! It doesn’t always happen that way, but I am definitely happy about it! Today, I am picking out my work outfits for both Thursday and Friday including accessories, shoes, bags, etc. I also need to do some prepping for lunch, etc. I want to start decorating my desk space soon as well. My sister said that if I was interested that I could get my Sub Agent’s License and sell insurance & quotes as well- which means that I would also get paid extra per every policy that I sell plus I would get paid more. I think this could be a great learning experience and I love learning new things! I will definitely be updating you guys on the work situation and how it is going. It may mean a little less blogging, but I will still be updating during the week

Okay, enough about work and onto a new product that I recently got to try out!

Artisana sent me some mini-sample jars of their products to review. How cute are they?

About Artisana:

What makes Premier Organics special?

We are devoted to making unique, superior, organic products.

We believe in sustainable living; minimizing our collective impact on the Earth; and through our community, supporting the organic and living foods movement, the Earth and forests.

We support small, organic, family farms. The farmers from which we buy grow their produce in harmony with the land. They pledge to treat and to compensate their workers fairly.

We endeavor to exceed your expecations for service.

Our goal is to make available to everyone the healthiest, freshest, best-tasting, organic all-natural foods, while giving something back to the communities we serve.

I of course, made some sweet goodies with my new products- I don’t have an exact recipe- but I pretty much used one jar of each product and added some oats, raisins, a few nuts, amazing grass wheat grass, stevia and agave. After rolling them into balls- I made some raw chocolate sauce by mixing cacao powder, agave and I think I used milk. Pour chocolate sauce over balls and refrig. So good!!

Honestly, they tasted almost identical to the Amazing Grass bars!!! Which are my faves! I really loved all of nut butters & coconut butter that Artisana sent for me to try out. Here is a list of retailers that sell Artisana products, I would definitely recommend checking them out

My Agenda for Today:

• Put together work outfits for Thursday & Friday
• Give Roscoe a bath
• Me a bath
• Pedicure
• Prepare work lunch/teas, etc.
• Call Tony’s gym- cancel membership
• See about switching back to wordpress- save $$ on hosting & domain name (will you guys still follow me?)

*Giveaway Alert- Kristin at Iowa Girl Eats is having another giveaway!!

Okay, I’m out, I have alot to do before I start my new job tomorrow! Hope you are all having a fabulous week!!

Tags: artisana review, coupons, free product samples, New job, prayers

I started the morning off with a fabulous breakfast! Organic toast w/organic jam & butter & 2 organic eggs w/organic mango juice- so good!

Today was another awesome day in 2010- but seriously, February already??? Hard to believe. Anyway, my sister, Shelly (the one who I recently made up with-yay!) emailed me this morning asking if I’d come by her office for lunch. So I packed up some turkey sandwiches on wheat, some organic carrots, granola bars, pineapple and organic pita chips (I wasn’t sure what she liked so I grabbed alot of food )

I had to hurry and get ready- so excuse the lack of makeup.

I got to use my new Amy’s tote- so cute, I love it!

 We had the best time hanging out talking and having lunch- I had my turkey sandwich & some pineapple.  About 2.5 hours later, we decided to go hit up Steak and Shake since they serve Seattle’s Best Coffee

I had about 2 cups and then a coffee to take with me back to the office

We weren’t that hungry so we split the steak sandwich w/portobella mushrooms & swiss cheese & skinny fries- the cook actually forgot the cheese the first time so halfway through we noticed and they made us a new order. Way better with cheese! My sister was so sweet and insisted on treating me to lunch

My sister’s office desk- she’s not messy, they are just super busy and she has alot of work to catch up on. After all of the coffee that we had, I was kind of way too hyper and I ended up helping her file alot of folders and clean/organize the office- I realized that she has a big workload (i.e. stress) and I wanted to help her out. Apparentally, her boss was so impressed that he now wants to hire me He said that he would give me a call and let me know about the times I could work- so that is great news!! He also said that from now on, he is buying me coffee all of the time! lol I ended up staying at the office all day and helping my sister and she dropped me off back home. She came inside and I showed her around the house and the remodeling that we had done- we had a great visit. I’m still pinching myself that we are getting along so well!!

Later, she had to head back home, and the hubby was just getting home as well, so I sat and talked with him for a while. Then I got a little munchy, so I made me up some dinner.

I had black bean salsa mixed w/1/2 avocado & some hot sauce & chips I’m counting the salsa & avo. as my veggies for the day

And a fabulous dessert- I’ve been eating some many carbs today that I needed some fruit

Some great things happened today that I wanted to share!!

• I now have a part time job- meaning whenever they need me. Which may turn into full time because the girl that works there now may be leaving soon!
• I talked to my Father in Law and he wants me and the hubby to get back to college this year and finish school and said he would pay for our tuiton, books, everything- I am thinking I agree with him on that..it might be hard juggling a job, school and remodeling but it’s kind of now or never. This would also mean we’d save $30 or more on gym fees every month since the college has a nice gym, pool, tennis courts and even a sauna that is free for students. I’m also digging the student discount that I would get at New Leaf Coop B-term registration starts February 25- I think we might sign up for a couple of classes so we won’t be too stressed out and see how it goes. I’m so ready to get our life in order, the house remodel, college, jobs- ahhhh the joy of being an adult!!!
• And I realize that it’s only Day 2 or 3- can’t remember- but I’m loving the whole “adding proteins & grains” back in thing- I feel so great lately!! Definitely not deprived- it feels freeing to not be so controlling over my diet!  
• I also saw a situation that could have gone bad and instead of putting my own two cents in- I prayed about it first and God gave me the words to help heal a relationship between 2 people that was badly needed. Honestly, it hurts me to see people hurting and I just felt that it was my job to stand up for this person and everything worked out perfectly! Prayer is so powerful!!

Well, that’s it for today guys- Unfortunately, I didn’t make it to the gym today- the hubby needed a break and so we took a night off. I may watch the Bachelor later and maybe a cup of Teecino as well. Hope you are all having a fabulous night!!!!

 *Lauren is having a Progresso soup giveaway here!!

*And check out this awesome giveaway here!

*Giveaway here at Prevention RD!!

 If you read my last post, you know that I have TONS of dry goods thanks to my Big Lots shopping trip- but I needed to stock up on my fruits, veggies, milk, eggs, etc. So surprise, more shopping!

Organic bananas for the week

Organic spaghetti squash.

Something that I haven’t had in a while- organic strawberry yogurt!!

Some organic eggs- for protein.

Amy’s organic pizza- LOVE!

Pink Grapefruit- the only kind I will eat!

Avocados for my salads. I lucked up and got a pack that had 6 avos instead of the usual 5- score!!

Some organic milk- I had a $2 coupon off of 2 Organic Valley products.

Full fat coffee creamer- honestly, I missed this after using Silk coffee creamer- the soymilk creamer is just not creamy enough for me. I find that a dash of this is better than having to pour and pour the Soymilk creamer and it still not have that creamy taste.

Gotta have my organic fujis

Organic onions for my many salads

2 huge containers of organic spinach- my weekly usual

I had to restock on butter since I finished up my raw butter yesterday- this butter is from Italy and looks divine.

Hormone Free Roasted Chicken

Boars head turkey breast & cheese.

 Okay, I think that is all of the food shopping for now, so onto the weekend eats!

Friday-The hubby brought me home a small piece of a raw bar that he had- it was good!

I had a coconut water before we hit the gym- loved the pink guava flavor! We only had 50 minutes to work out so we made the most of it and just did weights.

I had several oranges that needed to be used so I made the hubby some orange juice

Some of my breakfasts:

Bob’s Red Mill Organic Buckwheat oats with organic apples, raisins, raw butter, cinnamon & stevia- yum!

Organic raisin bran with coconut milk and a protein drink.

Organic Berry smoothie.

Organic beef & barley soup (1/2 can) & turkey on organic wheat w/muenster cheese, lettuce & organic pickle. (I know I know, I will explain in a minute)

I still have a ton of organic goji berries that I need to use up, so I made some goji berry juice. I soaked the berries overnight in water, then strained it off. I just added some stevia and it was quite good!

Okay, seriously the best combo ever! 1/2 pink grapefruit, handful of granola & strawberry yogurt- need to repeat this soon!!!

And I just had to show you guys the beautiful salad that my hubby made for himself- isn’t that gorgeous? He had some pizza to go with.

I made this beef & veggie dish on Saturday-with local, hormone free meat, all organic veggies- carrots, celery, onions, garlic, rosemary from my herb garden & some organic beef broth. So so good

Organic long grain wild rice.

All together now

A couple of BIG things happened this weekend that I wanted to share with you guys..

First Huge thing that happened- I pretty much have a JOB!!! I talked to my sister, Shelly on Saturday about the job and she said that she would talk to her boss on Monday, but I’m pretty much a shoo-in!! She also has some work for me to do photos from home, so I’m excited about making some extra $$ doing that! That was a huge blessing because I have been praying about me finding a part time job so I would have something to do and make some extra money to pay towards bills, so I’m super excited! I also talked to my other sister, Becky and my Mom (she’s in Cali right now with my Grandma visiting). This year I am trying to call my family more and communicate better.

Another big thing going on this week is that I’ve decided to go back to eating protein because I’ve been having some health issues that started showing up in 2009. I feel like for me personally (not anyone else) that I am lacking something in my diet that is causing these problems and I keep feeling like maybe I need to add in more protein as well as whole grains and dairy. For a long time I’ve been eating mostly raw vegan and I don’t think that was the best eating plan for me- this new plan will include organic, hormone free meats like turkey, chicken, organic eggs, organic milks, organic cheeses, whole grains like rice, oats, etc. I can’t tell you guys how long it’s been since I’ve eaten grains or meat. This is going to be a Trial test run to see how my body reacts to eating differently- I will be updating periodically on how I feel and any improvements that I have. I can tell you honestly, that already I feel fuller longer and I no longer have the out of control cravings or feeling like I can’t have this or I can’t have that. And my weight hasn’t gone up from eating all of the extra foods like I thought it would!

I may have some other good news- it depends on how the phone call goes..this man was interested in buying our land a few years ago and at the time we didn’t want to sell. But now, I’m thinking of calling him and maybe selling it if he offers a good enough price. I’ve been looking at houses on the market, and it would be so much cheaper and less stressful to buy a home already built than to start building one. My ultimate dream has been to just find the perfect house and move in (and maybe a little paint updating if necessary)- that would be so exciting!! I’ve been having a really good feeling about this whole thing and I’m going to continue praying about it- I’m excited to see where it leads! Anyway, I just wanted to share with you guys I will let you know what happens- I plan on calling him first thing tomorrow. Btw he’s a bijillionaire so it’s not like he is lacking in the $$ department, so that’s a good thing

Other than those things- I’ve pretty much just been organizing and doing some tidying up around the house this weekend. Nothing major- I did get some spray paint and painted the “Family” sign that I bought the other day from TJ’s and also gave Roscoe a much needed bath. Hope all of you are having a fabulous weekend!!!

  Check out these fab giveaways!!

*Giveaway Here!!

* And Kim is having a Giveaway here!

Oh wow, yesterday was like the best day ever and exactly what I needed, seriously awesome! But before I get to that, let me back up..

So the nice people over at O.N.E. sent me some awesome coconut waters to try out!

I had one before we hit the gym on Wednesday and seriously I was so energized during my workout!

O.N.E. Coconut Water has five essential electrolytes (calcium, potassium, phosphorous, magnesium and sodium) and more potassium than a banana! There are no added sugars, water or preservatives in O.N.E. Coconut Water.  I also love that their packaging is eco-friendly! I loved all of their drinks- the Coffee Berry was Amazing!! I also loved the Amazon Acai- I honestly felt more energized having one of these before my workout and it was so convenient to take along with me to the gym.

You can go here to find a store near you and find O.N.E. Coconut waters. I definitely recommend trying these if you haven’t yet!

Okay so moving on to the best day ever! Thursday was awesome!

I started the morning with some organic granola & coconut milk- later I added some raisins which made it perfect.

After breakfast, my Mom in law picked me up to go shopping! We headed to Big Lots because I had a 20% off coupon since I am a Buzz Club Member.

They had these organic cereals for $1.15 plus the additional 20% off so they were 93 cents per box- ridiculous right? That’s why I bought all 6 boxes that were left!

A very necessary eye mask

I also found organic V8 juice which I love! They were only $1.60 after the discount.

I love Big Lots because they carry alot of things that I usually have to buy at Whole Foods, but much cheaper and closer

So get this, the hubby calls me while I am with my Mom in law and we are finishing up shopping and he tells me that if I hurry home, I can ride with him to where my sister lives because he had some out of town work to do. I was so excited and immediately called her and we decided to meet up and go shopping after she got off of work so she could take advantage of the Big Lots discount as well. Plus she’s my fave sister ever! Love you girl! (she totally reads my blog) So anyway, here is the second Big Lots loot of the day!

I got these for my sister’s baby shower- instead of having to cook so much, I am trying to pretty much buy everything pre-made so I won’t get so overwhelmed

I also found frontera chips which I love and some enchilada sauce for the hubby’s enchiladas.

Earthgrains Natural Thinbuns- love these for veggie burgers, sandwiches.

I also got the hubby some blueberry and cinnamon raisin bagels- he loves these with cream cheese & some organic jam

And some strawberry fig newtons-3 packs- my sister wanted them for the baby shower.

They also had this great artisan chocolate that I got for me and my sister to share- we enjoyed it on the way back home

Okay, so are you ready for this? My sisters Big Lots loot….

She found alot of great stuff!! She does have an almost teenage boy, so he eats lots of snacks! She got all of this for $71 after the discount- how awesome is that?!

My sister also took me to the Thrift shop- I was so excited, thrift shops are my fave! I love finding unique items that no one else has, plus you can’t beat the price

I found the cutest old navy sweater- love!

And the cutest AE shirt

Abercrombie tee.

And I’m kind of obsessed with unique belts- I loved this one with the rabbit! So cute with a white shirt and maybe some jeans?

Best find of the day- Express Jeans- I’m In. Love. YES

 Today (Friday) was really busy and honestly, I have only had a few cups of coffee this month and today was one of those days. The caffeine helped me to get alot done!

• Dishes
• 1 load of laundry
• Went through hubby’s closet & drawers & organized and threw out some things
• Went through my closet & drawers & organized and threw out some things
• Gave Roscoe a bath
• Emptied some trash
• Called my sister about working at the office part time (she is going to check w/her boss & let me know)

*Check out the Fabulous Giveaway that Averie is having here!!

Later, I plan on hitting the gym and I need to pick up some veggies & fruits at the store. Anyway, hope you all have a fabulous weekend!!

Tags: Coconut water product review, free product samples, mom in law, shopping, sister