Valentine's Day Picks

Valentine's Day is coming up quickly and I for one, cannot be more excited. It is hands down, without a doubt, my favorite holiday of the year! I know some people hate the day, especially people who are single, but I've had some fantastic Valentine's Days sans-boyfriend. It's a day to celebrate love - romantic, familial, friendship, or what have you. Everyone deserves to feel a little more loved on February 14th!

That's probably why I couldn't help but put together a little collection of Etsy finds that are all about Valentine's Day. Just saying...

1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7 / 8 / 9 / 10 / 11 / 12

There are so many cute {and inappropriate} Valentine's Day cards on Etsy that I can't decide on which one to get for Trevor. The two I included above are PG, but I have my eye on a few others that are a little spicier!

What are you getting your significant other for Valentine's Day? Do you have anything fun planned?

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Cake Batter Cookies {with a healthy twist!}

Even though I have a love for all things organic and am a little bit more health conscious than the usual 20-something, I harbor a deep, deep love for sweets.

Maybe it's because my sugar intake was very controlled as a kid. Maybe it's just because I love candy, ice cream, and chocolate. Who knows! All I can tell you is that if you asked me to pick between giving up sweets and desserts for a year and giving up TV for a year, I'd hands down choose to eat candy.

My heart always skips a beat when I can find recipes that Trevor and I love made with healthier ingredients. You may remember my chocolate zucchini bread or easy pumpkin spice muffins - they definitely fall into that category.

The recipe I'm sharing with you today is my healthier version of cake batter cookies. It's incredibly simple and easy to make. Plus, the texture of these cookies is to die for - super soft and fluffy on the inside with a little crisp crunch on the outside. They're so good!

Here's what you'll need to do:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.

Gather a box of confetti cake mix, 2 eggs, 1 teaspoon of baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract, and 1/3 cup of plain Greek yogurt.

Mix the dry ingredients in a small bowl. Mix the wet ingredients in a separate, larger bowl. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and stir it all up!

Plop rounded spoonfuls onto parchment paper or a silicone baking sheet. {For the record, I made half my batch on parchment paper and half on a Silpat sheet - I couldn't tell the difference, they both work fantastically well.}

Your batter is going to have a sticky consistency.  I usually like to portion out my cookie dough using a cookie dough scoop to keep everything uniform but this batter only stuck to the scoop and didn't work. I found the best way to make these cookie-shaped was to transfer the dough from one spoon to another and make rounded piles of cookie dough on the sheets.

Bake the cookies for 9-10 minutes. I let mine get a little bit golden on the tops and they were perfect. Cool on a baking rack. Top with more sprinkles, if desired.

Enjoy!

Note: My batch made 39 cookies - though, I had quite a few larger cookies. If you make 39 cookies, each one is 60 calories, on average. However, you can definitely make smaller cookies that contain even less calories!

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Saturday Inspiration

Source: shes-fine.tumblr.com via Sara on Pinterest

Trust. It's so much easier to say than do.

Trust yourself, today and always.

Trust so that you are happy to the core.

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High Five For Friday

It's that time again!

 If you follow me on Instagram {@trisaratoppz, come follow along!} you saw this picture yesterday. You'll have to check out IG for the backstory, but it made my day - no it made my week :)

Last Sunday, I spent a handful of hours at Starbucks drinking something frothy and working through some tough times with an old friend. Lately, so many friends have had difficulties in their marriages and relationships. So sad.

Wisconsin is very blah in the winter. I snapped this on a particularly boring stretch of road. So.much.time.in.the.car!

Fell in love with this amazing salad dressing. Not gonna lie, I kind of wanted to drink it after I tasted it for the first time, it's that good.

We spent a few hours at Trevor's uncle's house last weekend for our annual post-Christmas bash. He pulls out all the stops when he decorates for Christmas, like the one he has in his hallway above. Each bedroom houses a tree that's just as extravagant and the largest tree of all goes in the living room. He decorates the mantles, the end tables, the dining tables, the shelves, the couches, the chairs, the walls, the doors, and everything in between. His house has been in magazines, that's how amazing it is! Christmas just isn't the same without eating dinner surrounded by family in a house that's decked out.

How was your week?!

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Valentine's Link Up

Related to yesterday's post, I am a co-host for The Life of a Not So Ordinary Wife's Valentine's Day Link Up.


I'll definitely be participating for two reasons: 1) I love finding ways to incorporate Trevor into this blog without him actually being an author and 2) Valentine's Day is my ABSOLUTE FAVORITE holiday! I love it, I love it, I LOVE IT!!

We'll be posting questions that you will answer as you think your spouse will answer. Confused? Basically, you're going to try and guess what your spouse is going to say. Then you'll have your spouse answer the questions for real and we'll all get to see if you're in sync or if you two were way off base. It's bound to be a great time and we're all guaranteed some laughs!

More details will be posted on February 7th {so don't forget to check back!!}, but I wanted to make sure you know about this fun time coming up soon!

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Our Marriage

A couple of weeks ago, I asked you guys what you'd like to see more of here at You.And.Me.Are.We and a couple of you wanted to see more posts on marriage. You want to get to know Trevor and I better and that's pretty darn cool!

I've written about our marriage before, so you will definitely want to read these posts as well. I promise they contain words of wisdom that you won't find in this post. They're worth reading!
Strengthen Your Relationship - Communication Tips
Words of Wisdom
Something I'm Proud Of
My Hunny, My Sweetie, My Valentine

He's a little run down on who we are and what our marriage is like:

Trevor and I met in high school {although, technically, we met when I was in 8th grade because I was friends with his younger sister and was at their house a few times - he didn't like me then because he didn't like ANY of his sister's friends} and officially started dating in 2005 when I was a junior and he was a senior. We had a handful of mutual friends and kind of stumbled upon each other... for whatever reason it just clicked.

Trevor went off to college that fall and I finished one semester of my senior year, graduated a semester early, and headed off to college myself. Incidentally, we both attended the same college. College was good and bad for our relationship; there were periods of time that we "cooled" it off when we were both busy as ever with school, but there was a year that we lived across the street from each other off campus and made it pretty easy to make dinner together.

Us at a friend's birthday party - this is from the early college years; 2006 or 2007, I think.
We look so young!

Trevor proposed in June 2010 - a year and a week before we said "I Do". Be on the lookout for our engagement story in the coming months {I've got a series in mind!}. We planned an intimate wedding for June 2011 and managed to host the most beautiful wedding I've ever been to - though I may be biased.

We had lived together for less than a year before we were married because Trevor's lease was up and he couldn't move home due to a new baby in the family. Our families never suggested we live together, but in order to save a great deal of money, it was agreed that we'd do it. I always had thought that living together before marriage may be useful because you could work any kinks out before heading to the altar. Trevor is the most easy-going person I know and we never found any big adjustment issues when he moved into my tiny one bedroom apartment.

On our honeymoon in Jamaica - June 2011

I didn't think that getting married would change a lot in our relationship - boy, was I wrong! It did change, and it changed for the better. I was completely elated to know that I was forever bonded with my best friend and that we'd worth our way through whatever was thrown our way. I loved him more than I thought I could. My love grew in ways I had never imagined and it positively changed the way I felt about my husband.

First anniversary dinner at the restaurant that catered our reception - June 2012

We haven't even been married for two years but we've been through our fair share. We are constantly struggling financially and still wanting to buy a house as soon as possible. We live as frugally as we can right now because Trevor is still looking for a job where he can use the degree he earned in December. I work to support us while going to school. We don't buy any extras and get as creative as we can with what we have. It's not a forever solution, but it is teaching us skills we will need to have if and when we run into similar issues later down the line.

At the cottage - August 2012

We've also learned we need to forgive each other - always. We cannot let issues in our lives take over the best thing that's happened to us {our marriage}. Forgive, forgive, forgive. And when you think you can't forgive any more, forgive again.

We've traveled together, we've cried together, we've jumped around in excitement together, we've changed together, we've sacrificed for each other, we've laughed till we pee our pants together, and best of all, we've loved each other.

Marriage is a wonderful, amazing bond to share.

If you're married, tell me about your marriage! If you're not, tell me what you're looking forward to most after you say "I Do".

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Saturday Inspiration

Source: fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net via Sara on Pinterest

There's something good in every day! I challenge you to find it. Keep a notebook next to your bed. Every night before you fall asleep, jot down the good you found that day. Reflect back on it, be grateful, and most of all, be positive!

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H54F and a giveaway

Wrapping up another week with some photos for you!

Related to yesterday's post, I've been spending blocks of time searching for cheap airfare to Jamaica. This is about as cheap as I've found. I just have to keep telling myself that one day we'll go back and it will be fan-freaking-tastic, right? Uh, right. I'm going to go cry now.

On Monday, Trevor and I sat our butts on the couch and got sucked into The Bachelor. Even better? We spent the time texting back and forth with another couple who live an hour and a half away because they were watching, too. Long distance double date? Yes, please! and this is what we drank during the show - so good!

I was on call last Saturday and embraced it. I could have pouted because I wasn't getting paid to work yet I still had to be ready to run into work at the drop of a hat {read: I couldn't leave the house!} but instead I donned some comfy slippers and pretended my scrubs were pajamas. Here's to hoping I don't have another pay period like the last - I only worked 15 hours in two weeks because I was low censused and put on call for the rest of the hours. The way it works at my job is that you have to take PTO for the rest of the hours you were scheduled for but put on call. I pretty much drained my PTO that I was saving for a vacation. Not cool.

Trevor and I went through some boxes that were given to us around Christmas. They contained belongings from my Oma's house {she no longer lives at home} and we were pleasantly surprised by what we found. She gave us an entire set of this china. I am in love with the pattern - it's definitely my style. Even better is the fact that she brought it all over from Germany when she and my Opa moved to the US which means that our {new to us} china is super duper old.

School started this week, too. If all goes well, this was my last first week of school until my intense nursing year starts. I am hopeful! And who can say no to pretty planners and colorful pens?

I also want to add that I'm part of Paige's {from A Dose of Paige, formerly Eloping Stethoscope} 1000 follower giveaway. To make it easy for you to enter, I've included the Rafflecopter widget. Enter and enjoy!

a Rafflecopter giveaway


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Winter Blues

I mentioned it last week, but I've got a bad case of the winter blues. Actually, I've had a bad case since November or December but was able to keep the nagging in the back of my head. You see, we went to a resort in Ocho Rios on our honeymoon and we can't wait to go back. However, we are also trying to save money to pay for nursing school, other student loans, and we want to save enough money for a really nice down payment on a house... which means we aren't going back for at least another two years. So that nagging wasn't too loud...until now.

Now, the beach is calling my name louder than ever and I check prices to Jamaica at least once a day.

Yup. Every.Single.Day. Told you I was obsessed.

In an effort to calm myself and pretend Trevor and I will be packing our bags and hopping on a plane to warmer climates soon, I have been making packing lists and thinking about what I would take with me.
Don't judge! A girl can dream, can't she?

With a little help from Polyvore, I bring you my beach must haves!

Vacation2 by youandmearewe featuring bandeau bikinis

Make sure you take more than one swimsuit with you on your vacation to the beach. Nobody likes to put on a wet suit first thing in the morning and I can promise you that your bikini will not dry out overnight because paradise is humid. You will spend more time in your swimwear than wearing anything else, so don't skimp out on these. Also important? Take as many bikinis as you want, but also take a one piece for a day you may be more active - especially if you head on excursions.

Take a beach bag that's big enough to hold a lot of stuff. If you're super smart, you'll use it at your personal carry on item on the plane and save yourself some room in your luggage for more swimsuits!

You'll need a brightly colored cover up. I like the purple one above from Victoria's Secret. It's super easy to put on and looks tropical.

Speaking of tropical, don't forget to take a long, flowy dress! You will want to wear it to dinner or in the evening but you can also use it as a cover up in a pinch.

Make sure you pack your sandals! Take a comfy pair that can be worn on the beach and with your dresses so that you don't over pack.

You've gotta have enough sunscreen and lip balm to last you all week. This is one thing you can't skimp out on! Protect your skin - you don't want to get burned and you certainly don't want to get skin cancer. You'll still come home from the beach with a tan even if you use SPF.

The same goes for your sunglasses. Protect your eyes!

Last, but certainly not least, make sure your toes and fingers are painted with gorgeous colors! You'll be taking lots of pictures {toes in the sand, anyone?} so you'll want them to look their best. My picks are a bright happy fuchsia for toes and a nude for fingers.

Beach packing doesn't require a lot of bulky items. My husband and I like to travel carry-on only and it's completely doable when heading to the beach!

What are your must-haves for vacation and traveling? 
And please, for the love of Pete, tell me any ideas you have to get rid of my intense need to go on vacation!

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Have You Met Meghan?

Have you met Meghan?
She's one of my favorite, favorite bloggers! In fact, she's so lovely that we teamed up {along with Meagan} for the Holiday Mixed 'Tape' Swap a couple months ago and I loved every second of it!

You may recognize her as being the blogger behind Shine On, however, she just completed a HUGE overhaul of her blog and is now known as
 

Here's what she wants you to know about her --

I'm a single, twenty-something, coffee-loving, social media-addict. I love and live in Seattle. I am a daughter, sister and friend. The EWU Eagles, Mariners and Seahawks usually have me pacing back & forth in my living room. Total sucker for a good book, and huge lover of animals.

Some more things I love...Twitter, Facebook, love, photography, chocolate, hope, Alpha Omicron Pi, the sun, the Space Needle, kittens, public relations, television, faith, sweats, Zumba, country music, spoilers, my family, ice cream, puppies, pizza & Pinterest.

Kind of makes you wish she were your best friend, right? She's got a little bit of something for everyone - she loves sports, has her own photography business, she is in the midst of losing weight {you go, girlfriend!} and becoming a healthier person, she loves The Bachelor as much as the next girl {Come on, you know you can't deny your love for Sean... or his abs!}, is a serious bookworm, and she can hold her own on Pinterest. Seriously, she's every bit as exciting and wonderful as she sounds - you need to stop over to The Book of Meghan and see for yourself.

If she and I lived in the same state, I know we'd see one Broadway show after another, eat some sushi, watch reality TV, and be blog buddies! You've got to check out her blog {really, you do} and you'll see why I can't say enough good about this girl!

While you're at it, follow her on Twitter, Pinterest, GoodReads, and Instagram!


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Saturday Inspiration

Source: backonpointe.tumblr.com via Sara on Pinterest

For those who needed to hear this today, remember who you are and where you're going. Sometimes stepping away and taking a break can ignite your inspiration again. Do what you need to do, but stay true to yourself. Keep your eyes on the prize!

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Needing an update...

While this colorful, floral blog design is barely six months old, it's really lacking. I hate to say it because I love the colors and the pattern, but I am in need of a design update!

So if I love my current design, why do I need a new one? Simple. This one doesn't show the whole picture anymore. I have an Instagram account {follow me @trisaratoppz} that I'd love to add to my social media buttons and I have a Bloglovin account that I wish I could share with you on the right hand side of the screen as well.
{Follow my blog with Bloglovin}

What's a girl to do? Guess I'm on the hunt for a new design that fits my needs. If you know of someone who can help me out, let me know!

Since I'll be starting out fresh, what are some aspects of other blogs you love that you wish you could see here at You.And.Me.Are.We? Is there anything you would like me to incorporate into the new design to make it more user friendly? What about anything you wish I wouldn't transfer over to the new design?

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High Five For Friday

It's been a few weeks since I've highlighted my week so I thought I'd jump back on the bandwagon.

Finished the Green Smoothie Challenge. I recapped the week for you in a post, but something I didn't reveal until now: I lost weight doing it. I was impressed that drinking 7 smoothies led to a couple pound weight loss. I'll definitely be smoothie-ing again soon!

 Watched this adorable baby. I babysat for my husband's cousin while she was gone for a few hours. Usually babysitting is great birth control. I come home from it vowing not to have kids for a couple years. But in this case, the baby was so wonderful and well behaved that, only for a minute, I wanted my own right away. Sorry, blog friends... not happening right now!

Trevor and I had a couple "date nights" this week. He is still looking for a job so he has had enough time lately to make super yummy dinners while I am at work. I came home to a candlelit dinner one night and just about melted - it was so sweet.

Yesterday, I went with a friend and her 3 year old son to our children's museum. We had a great time running all over and playing out little hearts out. It brought out the inner teacher in me - I wanted to have my own classroom again! The picture above was taken inside this giant treehouse climbing thing. Think McDonald's playland on steroids. Pretty sure it wasn't made for adult women to be attempting to climb around in, but my friend's son was scared and needed someone to help him. Oh, the things I do for children :)

I've really been missing Jamaica lately. I am so emotionally attached to that country, its not even funny. I've cried over the fact that we have no plans to go back and can't afford to be taking vacations when we will {potentially} be paying for a $50K year-long nursing program in just a few months.

How was your week?!

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questions for you, questions for me

I've been reflecting on my blogging habits lately - now that I've been on winter break and have actually had time to write! - and I realized there are a few things that need to be said. I have some questions for you about You.And.Me.Are.We and I am hoping that you have some questions for me, as well!

I have some really great readers - I mean really great - that read and comment on a regular basis. I've been replying to their comments via email as to encourage more of a conversation and to make sure they're notified of what I'm replying. Because I do have some regular commenters who are 'no reply' bloggers, if you have commented here before and not received a reply, chances are that you do not have your email address linked to your account. Don't worry, it's easily fixed! Leisha explains here how you can quickly change that. And if your issue is because your blogger account is connected to Google+, then you will want to check out this step-by-step to fix it from Kristina.

So first, how do you prefer I respond to comments? Should I continue emailing my responses? Should I start replying directly to the comment and risk you not seeing it?

Second, I want to hear what you like and dislike about YAMAW! 

Should I do more tutorial posts? Cut back on the recipes? Host more giveaways?

Introduce more series? Talk more about my marriage? Talk less about nursing school? 

Would you like to see more guest posts? Should I post more or less often?

What keeps you coming back for more?

And since I'm asking that of you, I'm hoping you'll ask me some questions, too! Are you curious to know more about our marriage? Nursing school? Life in Wisconsin? My habits? My likes and dislikes? Let me know! I enjoyed the vlog I did right after Christmas and I'm ready to do another. I'd like to collect a few questions from you to address during the vlog so pretty please leave some questions below!

I started You.And.Me.Are.We as a place to document our marriage and our life as newlyweds without kids. As with anything around here, I reserve the right to turn down your suggestion or skip over a question if I don't feel it's a good fit for this blog. However, you should know that I'm an incredibly open person and usually will try just about anything once {except bungee jumping}. So don't get freaked out about my disclosure; leave your question and suggestions anyway!

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Challenge: Complete

It's been a week since I posted that I was participating in a week-long green smoothie challenge. Since then, I've posted about a hiccup or two I ran into and I've shared the ins and outs of what green smoothies are all about. And now, the time has come to recap the entire week!

I did it. I managed to drink a green smoothie in place of a meal every day for the past week. Yeah, a week isn't that long, so what? It wasn't easy! I struggled with the texture of my ground flax seed and have found that it's better if I just leave them out completely. I struggled with washing my one blender every.single.day. - it gets monotonous! I struggled with the motivation to wake up, wash some spinach, measure yogurt, and go to town making my smoothie. Do I have to say it again? I struggled this week.

I learned that, like exercise, I do much better when I just get it out of the way in the morning. I knew previously that I like to work out after breakfast but I can now say that I also like to replace my cereal with a smoothie. Morning is key for me to succeed! It sets the right tone for the rest of the day and since it's over and done with before I've fully woken up, I don't spend all day dreading it. In fact, instead, I feel proud that I did it!

Because green smoothies for breakfast works best for me, I found myself missing breakfast food this week. One night I couldn't take it any longer and made some low-fat waffles topped with peanut butter for dinner while I left Trevor to fend for himself. For this fact, and this fact alone, I know that I could not mentally survive any long period of time only drinking breakfast drinks. I need a little Shredded Mini Wheat lovin' in there to mix it up!

But you know what!? I also felt fan-freaking-tastic during this week! I felt skinny, I felt fit, I felt energized, I felt healthy, I felt like I was on top of the green-smoothie-drinking world! The way I felt this week FAR outweighs any of the struggles I dealt with. I'm being real with you here, so listen up: we all can stand to eat more greens, right? Try green smoothies for yourself. Do it. Your body will feel great because you're feeding it what it needs {Wait, you mean those french fries aren't what my body needs?! Coulda fooled me!} and you'll be hooked on 'em too.

Don't know where to start? Well, first, check out a few of the links I included at the beginning of this post. I break down green smoothies to a point where they're easy to understand. And after that, check out some of the links I'm including below, because they'll take you to some great {and easy!} green smoothie recipes.

I really want to introduce you to Lynley. She's a friend of mine {we met while planning our weddings - she got married a week before I did} who is on a mission to get healthy. Like a lot of us, she has dreams of being healthy and fit but has hurdle after hurdle in front of her that makes weight loss so much harder than just going to the gym or doing cardio 4 times a week. She has health conditions that have limited her ability to work out so she makes up for it in the kitchen. She recently started blogging about her health, recipes, cooking, and her own green smoothies. You're really going to want to check out her blog, She's Losing It, because she's not only my friend, she's a terrific writer and highly entertaining! {Leave her comments! Whether it's tips on blogging, love for her blog, your own fitness struggles, whatever - just leave her some love and welcome her to the blogging community!}

Some of my favorite smoothie resources:

Strawberry Spinach Smoothie

Mango Banana Green Smoothie

Christmas In A Cup

Clean Green Smoothie

Peachy Green Monster Smoothie

Glowing Green Smoothie

I'd love to hear how Green Smoothies are working in your diet - both the good and the bad! If you haven't tried them, do you think you will?

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Saturday Inspiration

For all of you out there struggling with your not-even-one-week-old resolutions...

Source: fitsugar.com via Sara on Pinterest

... stick with it! Get a workout in today, read a new book, write a letter, be more kind, smile at strangers, save money, read the Bible, organize a single room in your home, or anything you vowed to do when you rang in 2013.

It takes 21 days to make a habit of something so don't give up now.

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Halfway There!

As I sit here sipping on my fourth smoothie of the week long challenge, I feel fantastic! And I want to share that feeling with all of you!

A few readers have asked some questions about green smoothies since I mentioned I was part of a challenge to drink one a day for a week. So, here's the low-down:

Green smoothies incorporate some sort of leafy green vegetable in them. Sounds gross, right? Wrong! You can't even taste it - I swear!

They're loaded with the stuff that's good for you and you can pack a lot of veggies and fruit into a single glass. I mentioned in my last recap post that I've been adding ground flax seed to pump up the drink.

I find that kicking my day off with a healthy smoothie gets me motivated like none other. I log my drinks using MyFitnessPal and can see just how little calories I'm drinking {vs. the coffee drinks that sometimes start my days} and I want to continue that throughout the day. It encourages me to make smart choices!

I've noticed that I'm less bloated and feel better about myself when I drink a green smoothie on a regular basis. I swear that my stomach is flatter now, even on only the 4th day!

I never ever thought I'd be drinking carrots and spinach for breakfast... much less loving it. You should try a green smoothie, too! Here's the basics:

Grab a blender, spinach, fruits/veggies, milk or milk substitute {I love almond milk because it tastes great and is only 15 calories for 1/2 a cup}, and some plain yogurt.

Toss the spinach, milk, and yogurt into the blender and turn that baby on! Your smoothie will quickly take shape a turn a yummy green color - hence, the name.

Once that's smooth enough, add your frozen fruit {or just add ice if you're using fresh fruit!}, veggies, and any extras {like flax powder, honey, protein powder, stevia, etc.}. Blend that until smooth, and...

Enjoy!

Mean, Green, Clean Smoothies!

I mentioned here that I am taking part in a week long challenge to kick off the new year right by drinking a green smoothie at least once a day. I am not new to green smoothies - I was won over last year when I realized you can't taste the spinach that goes into them - but I hadn't been drinking them nearly as much as I used to.

I replaced dinner on New Year's Day with my first smoothie of the challenge. I made sure to use a lot of organic baby spinach and enough unsweetened almond milk to make it my desired consistency, but I also added ground flax seeds that messed with my "smooth" texture. Also in my first smoothie: nonfat organic yogurt, frozen strawberries, a dash of cocoa powder, and a packet of stevia.

It didn't come out green at all because the little bit of cocoa powder helped it resemble something you'd find in a baby's diaper. Not appetizing, but it tasted pretty darn fantastic!

Today's smoothie took the place of lunch. Again, I used organic baby spinach, unsweetened almond milk, ground flax seeds, stevia, yogurt, and strawberries. This time, I added carrots, half a banana, and cinnamon - all of which were yummy additions! I have the same texture issue today as I did yesterday {I prefer my smoothies to be smooth and not chunky - that's why I don't like to use raspberries in smoothies; too many seeds!} so I think I am going to have to grind the flax seed powder even finer for tomorrow's drink.

For those of you wondering, I calculated today's smoothie's calorie count and it came to 340 calories for the whole shebang. It took me 2 hours to drink the entire smoothie {which was about a glass and a half} because I was busy. Hours later, I'm still full.

Next up: I'm going to add a spoonful of peanut butter {or Better'n Peanut Butter} and work on perfecting the flax powder.

Have you tried green smoothies at all? What do you like to add to yours for added health benefits?

365 days to a better me

I don't "do" resolutions. Maybe it's because they're always broken before the month is through. Maybe because I don't think you need a start of a new year to try and make yourself "better".

What I am cool with is adding to my Goals page. Trying to be better inside and out. Holding myself accountable.

So, here's what I'm doing this year:

• I need to take more time for myself. I get so caught up in helping other people and I find spending money on myself is sometimes hard to do.
• I work 12+ hour shifts and purposefully dehydrate myself so that I don't have to go to the bathroom {because there's just no time to pee when you're a nurse!}. I am going to drink at least 2 hospital cups of water per shift - which is about 700mL... not the greatest, but still better than not drinking at all!
• Take a vacation with Trevor before nursing school starts in October {if I get in!}. Jamaica would be our first choice, but depending on finances it may have to be something as simple as a weekend in Chicago.
• Saving money. Trevor's working on finding a real world job now that he's done with school. We have student loans that we'd love to pay off, a $50K nursing program to {hopefully} pay for, a house to save for, a vacation to take and savings accounts to beef up!
• Be healthier. I'm planning a post soon about my own version of clean{ish} eating this year but I'm also participating in this challenge to kick off the new year right. I love green smoothies, so I'm sticking with what I know and love!
• Make more time for my husband. When he starts working regular hours, we won't be able to spend as much time together as we have these past couple of weeks and I'm going to miss it. We sacrificed our time together last semester but now that he's done with school we need to make our relationship more of a priority.
• Finish this spring semester with a bang! I'm taking the last two classes before nursing school takes off and gets crazy hard and crazy busy. I'm going to make it count and learn as much about microbiology and biochemistry as possible.
• Get into nursing school! This is out of my hands as I've already applied and the ball is rolling, but I'm keeping the faith alive that I will be getting an acceptance letter before June 1st.

You may see some follow up posts to this list, but because these are all personal standards I'm setting for myself, you also may not hear another peep about some of them. Stay tuned to see how the 7-Day Challenge goes!

How do you feel about resolutions? Do you love 'em? Hate 'em? Have you set any that are similar to the goals I've set?