aka OBC 12!
The short version:
Saturday:
work, Fall for Greenville (aka amazing food!), and babysitting.
Sunday:
lots of homework, and some good eats.
Monday:
adventures in Asheville with the roomie. It was a wonderful day of food, hiking, and Blue Ridge Parkway views.
Questions of the day:
Did you get off this Monday?
What was the best thing you did this weekend?
Hey y’all! Are you having a Marvelous Monday today? I had a ton of fun this weekend, but it’s good to be back on the schedule and back to getting work done!
A marvelous summary of the weekend:
Beautiful morning walk around the Swan Lake. I feel blessed every time.
This ridiculously simple yet delicious breakfast. Turkey bacon, asparagus, spaghetti squash and tomato sauce.
A super sweaty workout. I had some extra time on Saturday (after we spent the morning at the pool!) and ended up doing a long workout. It was so relaxing– no complaints here.
Carrots and hummus. Or chips and hummus. I couldn’t stop eating this hummus over the weekend- I love the chunks of veggies and the flavor they add.
A dinner date with my two favorite boys in SC. Whole Foods salad bar? Don’t mind if do.
The most wonderful thing I did this weekend.. Made another batch of PaleOMG’s Coffee Cake Banana Bread… y’all have to try this. It is the most like ‘real bread’ that I’ve made since going gluten free, and it is so so delicious. Top with some Kerrygold butter and you are good to go.
Have a marvelous monday you guys!
Question of the day:
What was the most wonderful thing you did this weekend?
Hey y’all! How was your weekend? Mine seemed to just fly by- isn’t that always the way?
Here’s the short version of my weekend!
Saturday:
On Saturday morning, I woke up early to get started on work and chores for the day. First up, I made some breakfast for myself, and a little later when NMK came over, breakfast for him as well!
^^Breakfast for me. Fish, vegetables, and sweet potatoes.^^
^^Chocolate pancakes for the boy^^
While my boy was over, I did a little devotional and shared some prayer time with him. There is no better way to start the day.
Then it was homework time. Physics, Spanish, and MCAT work. Boring stuff, you guys don’t care about that!
A few hours later, I headed over to the dining hall for lunch with my roommate. The options were pretty slim, but I managed to get some good vegetables, some hummus, and a few chips for crunch.
The rest of the afternoon was spent studying. Boring.
I did manage to fit a workout in- 45 minutes of easy steady state on the Elliptical. Perfect for the weekend.
A little bit later, we gathered our Spring Break group to sort out details for the week. Next week is finally our Spring Break, and we’re going to Savannah, but I’ll fill you all in more after I make it through this crazy week!
We had planned to eat at our on-campus restaurant, but when we got there, the line was wrapped around and just horrifying. We ended up back at the good ole Dining Hall. Not my first choice for a Saturday night, but hey- free is free! ^^I ended up with some Moroccan Vegetable Stew and potatoes on the side. Simple and healthy {ish}.
After dinner, I finally took a break from homework and hung out with my boy and our friends for the rest of the night. Simple and fun.
Sunday:
Sunday was pretty much the same as Saturday– filled with homework. So I’ll just hit you guys with the details!
^^All dressed up for Sunday morning Church. The message was all about praying, and something I really needed to hear this week. I usually feel that way though :)^^
^^Workout– another 45 minutes on the Arc but this time it was a HIIT workout. And it nearly killed me. But in the best way ;)^^
^^A healthy dinner to round out the night, whilst watching the Oscars with my roommates. Sweet potatoes, asparagus, Sole fillet, hummus, artichoke hearts, green peppers, and onions. I spoil myself!^
Question of the day:
What was the highlight of your weekend?
Hey all! If you haven’t noticed, I’m running a bit behind schedule with the posts this week. Settling back in to a class/work/study schedule has been a little hectic. Not to mention catching up with friends! Busy busy , but so wonderful to be back and getting into the swing of the semester. Here are some highlights from Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday:
Workouts:
Wednesday– A quick 41 min workout on the Arc Trainer. I love this machine- easy on my body, but still allows me to challenge myself!
^Since starting school, I’ve been getting shorter, more efficient workouts in– I walk a mile {one way} to class, so it adds a lot of activity to my day {in addition to running around campus all day long}.^
Thursday– on Thursday my workout was a little all over the place. I had about 30 minutes before a meeting with a professor, so I dropped my bags off and went for a 2 mile run outside. So refreshing! I often spend very little time outside during the school week, and it makes me sad. I have to take more advantage of my gorgeous campus.
Later on after dinner I ran 2 more miles on the treadmill {it had gotten dark + freezing outside} and then walked another 10 minutes on an incline for a good cool down.
Friday– Friday was another jumbled workout. I wasn’t sure if I would have free time in the afternoon, so I between my first class and lunch/my second class, I did a quick 15 minutes on the Elliptical, followed by a 15 minute circuit from the Nike Training Club App.
After being in the lab all afternoon, I still had some time before I was meeting up with friends, so I hopped back on the Elliptical for 20 minutes, before walking the mile back to my apartment.
Eats:
^Breakfast– oats, apple, greek yogurt. Delicious. And coffee…necessary.^
^These are all salads, Dining Hall style. Usually it’s lettuce/spinach, lots of toppings, feta cheese, some sort of protein {beans or tofu–the meat is sketchy, and since I just started eating meat…I’m not that adventurous yet}. A couple of corn chips if I feel like it- but I try not to get them too often/too many because I’m not sure if they are 100% gluten free.^
^Kind bar snacking. This flavor was amazing. Try it ASAP!^
^Curry Soup, dining hall style^
^Roasted Red Pepper Tomato Soup, from Trader Joe’s. It’s so good. I actually just had some for breakfast… veggies first thing in the morning? I have to keep this soup around..^
^green peppers and hummus. Perfect snack. Did you know green peppers are full of potassium?^
^A little dessert- rice chez, greek yogurt, and a bit of granola.^
Scenes:
^waiting for my meeting on Thursday. I was checking to see if I was too sweaty/red from my run…^
^On Wednesday afternoon, I went for a coffee date with a friend. I had the most delicious cappuccino and 2 hours of great conversation. There is nothing in the world like chatting with a wonderful Christian friend about the ups and downs of our lives!^
My new Fitbit!! I can’t wait to share the review with you guys.
Last but not least. I took a Buzzfeed quiz last night and found out that I should actually be living in Barcelona! I was so so so happy to hear that- I love Spain and Barcelona is absolutely my favorite city I have ever visited in Europe. Guess I have a new life plan 😉
Questions of the day:
What city should you live in? Find out here!
What is going on with your weekend?!
^tailgating^
^pre-party dinner- veggie burger, sweet potato fries, and side salad^
^he’s 21 now!! {fun fact– that small glass is actually espresso ha!}^
^friends + functions^
^last gem of the night– this is what happens when you have a 30 min drive back at 1 am…^
Do you go to Homecoming at your Alma Mater?
I love Homecoming here at Furman– seeing alumni is the best!
This past weekend I had the amazing opportunity to travel down to Florida with my boyfriend and his parents. We spent the {long} weekend at their apartment in Naples, Florida. I was so lucky to go and enjoy the relaxing 4 days! Here’s the recap:
Friday:
On Friday we headed off to Florida. We had a late night flight and barely made it. An hour of standstill traffic left me driving 80+ and just getting to the gate with 2 minutes to spare! Needless to say it was an exciting start to the trip..
^spent the morning on the beach…which was about 10 steps out the door :)^
^the view from the apartment…5 floors up and straight over the ocean. Pretty amazing^
^on Saturday night we headed downtown for a delicious Italian dinner. I ate a delicious salmon, followed by some pumpkin mousse. TOO good! Also spotted- a sweet Rolls Royce and a good looking boy.^
Sunday:
^breakfast and snacks were had in the apartment throughout the day. The boy and I went for a speedy run, which left me hungry the rest of the day! Food and snacks included pumpkin bread, pumpkin cream cheese, eggs, hummus, cheese, and veggies^
^for a late lunch we headed out and grabbed some food at a sports bar. I actually ended up with a pretty impressive salad! Then my boyfriend’s mom and I headed out to get some more decor for their apartment while the boys watched a football game. Go Packs!^
^later we headed onto the beach to chill before sunset. And managed to get some pretty amazing photos. The view cannot even be described in photos… it was breathtaking. I am so blessed to have experienced this manifest of God’s creation in person.^
Monday:
^chillin and exploring^
^lunch at Tommy Bahama’s. Yum! Veggie burger with an awesome side salad.^
^we spent the rest of the day chilling on the beach. It was AWESOME. You’re never too old for sandcastles- especially if you have a great best friend to build one with!^
final thought:
Naples, FL was so marvelous.. I am blessed to have been there and had a refreshing weekend!
this weekend was filled with friends + fun {ok, and some schoolwork too}. the perfect mix, no?
Saturday:
This Saturday started off early with a trip to the annual sale at Sunrift Adventures in little ol’ Travelers Rest, SC. Isn’t that the cutest name for a town? It literally got its name from being a rest for travelers before they went on a bit north where you come to the mountains. It’s also because travelers would have to wait here during the winter before the snow cleared and they could pass over the mountains into North Carolina. Pretty cool.
At the sale, I planned to look for a bike. My apartment {on campus} is pretty far from main campus this year {about 1.2 miles. which sounds close, but it’s the farthest you can be from academic buildings for my lil’ school. the backyard of our building is the gate to leave hah}, so I was looking for a bike to make the morning commute a little less painful. Unfortunately, all the bikes were considerably more than I was looking for. Oh. Guess I’ll be looking at Walmart or some garage sales.
After breakfast we headed over to The Forest Coffeehouse for some coffee to wake up. My treat to thank the boys for waking up before 9 on a Saturday! A feat in itself.
A little later in the day, we drove to Whole Foods + Trader Joe’s for some groceries and some lunch! Yummmmmm. I’m a total sucker for the Whole Foods prepared foods sections. Can y’all resist? This plate is a total mish mash- strawberries, lettuce, roasted peppers, buffalo tofu {legitimately delicious, probably the best tofu I’ve ever had. My meat-eating boy was actually the one who suggested it. So, that’s a good sign} quinoa salad, and a little apple crisp because either A) I have no self control or B) I hadn’t eaten yet and had no discretion in loading my plate up. {answer is actually A and B}. Everything was delicious. I felt so spoiled, enjoying a classy meal, on a beautiful day, with a bunch of great friends.
We stopped to see some puppies…these were 5 days old. My heart melted into mush for these little guys!
Workout happened later in the day, as a study break. Some biking, elliptical, arc and then a barbell circuit with the boy.
Saturday night, we headed out to support our Furman Paladins Men’s Soccer team against College of Charleston. The game turned out to be SUPER suspenseful, tied at 0-0 at the end of both halves. We went into overtime, and within 4 minutes, a freshman scored the winning goal. It was even more awesome considering they had just put him in for OT and it was his first appearance of the season. Woo! Go ‘dins!
Sunday:
A full breakfast…oats with a little granola for crunch, mini apple, apple cider vinegar, and my beloved coffee.
Then I headed downtown for some church time with the boy. We’re currently in the process of figuring out which church we’d like to belong to in Greenville. So far Christ Church, and Renewal have been great, but we’re going to try a few more out settling on our final decision.
After heading back to school, I made myself a little lunch in the apartment. Veggies, black bean burger, and plenty of hummus. Those cherry tomatoes have my heart.
Afternoon snack- greek yogurt for some protein and granola for some carbs.. I was fueling up ….
Because I was about to go run 9 miles! My farthest distance yet. I still can’t really believe it happened… but I am so so happy I did it!
Mid run photos never turn out too well….
The run was a LOT harder than my 8 miler last week. For almost the entire run, my legs felt tired and I really had to drag them along. Maybe it’s from a bit too much activity this week? Maybe I was dehydrated? I’ll have to reassess for my next long run!
Anywho- I finished it! And felt like a champ!
After my run, I quickly showered and dress {a challenge when my legs felt like collapsing} and headed over to the Vista House {an intentional Christian community} for their Sunday night $4 dinner. It was amazing {and mostly local/seasonal :)} as expected. Rice and beans, salad, homemade bread, and some avocado.
When I got back from dinner, I did a little {we’re talking MINIMAL} more homework, then got up to some tomfoolery. Mostly taking selfies, eating some cookie dough {hey I ran 9 miles! I got to reward my bod a little!}, wearing my compression socks, and cuddling with the roommate and boy. It was the perfect end to the weekend!
Can’t wait to see what this week brings!
Saturday:
^Tupelo Honey brunch before saying goodbye to my best girls Carolyn and Krista^
^thrown together dinner…yum yum yum^
sunday:
^my decorated room^
^nuun pre-8 miles.^
^mid run^
^post 8 miles. It was legit. more on that later^
^re fueling {post church :)} with the boy. sweet potato fries YUM. and there’s a veggie burger under that lettuce…with brie. so so good! Go to Grill Marks y’all {if you find yourself in Greenville}.^
happy Tuesday!
So…as promised, regularly scheduled posting is back in action. Here’s the last few days in review.
Thursday:
Thursday was another day of babysitting. The amazing + wonderful thing about my little kiddies is that they love love love to be outside and moving around. I hate to be cooped up inside, PLUS I really believe spending time playing outdoors is one of the best things you can do for/with children {in my NOT expert opinion}. We go for walks, play soccer, draw with chalk, and just talk. It’s deathly hot outside, but hey, at least they enjoy it!
^that babe. seriously, my heart can’t handle all his cuteness.^
^loving on those babes.^
^lunch Thursday was some leftover quinoa salad with veggies on the side. Simple yet truly delicious.^
^later on… an amazing flatbread out at Trio {downtown Greenville}^
^later on….frozen yogurt with my best girl Krista and my boy. Topped with whipped cream? Yes please.^
^some cute ducks from our walk. Three little ducks in a row :)^
Workout Thursday was- 1 mile {each way} jog to the gym. 25 minutes of biking, and of course… babysitting.
Friday:
^breakfast- greek yogurt, banana, and muesli from Trader Joe’s. It’s been my go to breakfast all week. Topped with a little honey? It’s divine.^
^after classes I headed to the Lazy Goat with Krista. We split some pimento cheese as an apetizer- the chunks of roasted red pepper were the perfect compliment. For my meal I had vegetable kebab on a bed of cous cous and tabouleh. Our waiter was so nice and helped me piece some things together to come up with a vegetarian lunch that was satisfying and delighting for my tastebuds.^
^rounded the meal out with some french press coffee. I find french press so much smoother than normal coffee. It goes down particularly well.^
In the afternoon I worked out- keeping it simple with 60 minutes of the Arc trainer. I definitely felt the burn!
^after a dinner out with a friend’s mom, we headed downtown for the first party {official party} of the school year. It was hosted in Liberty Tap Room. It was ridiculous. We were all hot and sweaty, which basically means we had a fantastic time and danced the night away.^
finally it’s Saturday! Happy weekend!
nfinally, I’m back with a recap! after being away all weekend, and then having a huge test today….the past week has been a little insane. And it’s not stopping! Next Thursday I’ll have my final exam {praise the Lord!} and then only 3 days later I’ll be leaving for my mini roadtrip back to school. Although it’s going to be a whirlwind {and stressful} 2 weeks, I’m so happy and excited for everything that’s coming!
Anyway…this past weekend I traveled up to Vermont for a wonderful lake weekend with friends and I am so excited to share it with you all!
^the weekend started with our trip up… first was an hour ferry ride, followed by 5.5 hours of driving^
^Luckily, my amazing friend Krista came with me which made the time literally flyyyyyy by. by the end of the drive we were getting a leeeeeeeetle loopy but, that just made it all the more entertaining^
^we passed through a bunch of quaint little towns, it was a really lovely drive^
^driving through the Green Mountains….I was in complete heaven^
^in Vermont, we stayed at my friend Tyler’s lake house. It’s the MOST amazing {and huge} house, right on Lake Champlain {like we’re talking dock in their backyard}. These are some of the views from my bedroom the first morning. Looking out over the lake onto the Adirondack Mountains. The house is right behind an awesome mountain retreat called Basin Harbor Club where my friend Tyler works during the summer. Tyler’s family has been coming there since his grandma was a little girl…. yup. Pretty cool.
Basin Harbor Club is an amazing “resort” in the mountains, with a very relaxing, calming, family vacation atmosphere. They don’t have televisions {which I love} but they do have watersports, a gym, a golf course, and so so many activities for family fun! They also have a cozy bar/restaurant called the Red Mill where we went for some dancing the first night. Long story short, if you are looking for a relaxed, unplugged retreat with friends or family…this is the perfect place to go!^
Saturday:
^On Saturday morning, we headed into the little town of Vergennes, VT to explore. Well, there’s not much there to explore, but it is certainly a quaint, adorable country town.^
^For brunch, we headed to 3 Squares Cafe to try their brunch, which Tyler and his girlfriend raved about^
^well, all I can say is, I am SO GLAD we went to 3 Squares because brunch was unforgettable. My friends Sarah, Krista, and I split 3 different dishes so we could get the most out of our brunch! I wish I had gotten pictures of them all, but I only captured my own dish. Above is the egg white frittata. It was delicious, but my friend Sarah’s peach and strawberry pancakes STOLE THE SHOW. I need to go back….the 6.5 hour drive is totally reasonable for some good brunch right?!
^Krista got the Challah French Toast, which was also to die for! I’m so glad we split everything, because I got to try so many unique and ah-mazing dishes.^
^after brunch we cheesed around some before heading back to the lake for some fun!^
^It was admittedly a little chilly, but Krista and I were GUNG-HO! We put on our bikinis and got into the sun! everyone else put on sweatshirts and blankets haha but it warmed up before long, and everyone else joined us in our sunny daze.^
^before long, we were all ready to jump in and get our lake on!^
^we finished off the afternoon with a long walk around the Basin Harbor Club. bliss.^
^Saturday night we gussied ourselves up and headed to dinner at the Black Sheep Bistro. The food seriously tasted superb. The bread and olive oil was scrumptious. For my meal I had the Black Olive Caesar Salad, and split an order of the Spring Rolls with Krista. It was all great, but a little small. The only vegetarian entree was a vegetable + cheese tart, and I wasn’t feeling that. But my choices were definitely awesome, and the fries + mashed potatoes served to the table (yes they do this for everyone!) were pretty amazing too^
^the rest of the night was filled with chilling by the lake, quality friend time, and…a little debauchery as well ;)^
Sunday:
^Sunday started at Tyler’s house, with some relaxing chats and coffee by the lake. Then some eggs, bacon (the famous Dakin bacon from Dakin farm….I didn’t try {obviously} but I did hear some rave reviews!)^
^then BOATING. I love being on a lake {or ocean} so much! As a Long Island girl, I’m much more familiar with beach days, so when I get a chance to get in that fresh water….I’m all over it! Some lovely pictures of Krista and I tubing… total horror {and joy} on our faces^
^sadly, Krista and I had to head out early afternoon in order to make the evening ferry and make it back at a reasonable time. But, we made sure to take time for a last minute shopping stop {I got a super comfy + cute Basin Harbor pullover}, and some ice cream. I don’t normally do ice cream because I try to avoid dairy but… this was too good to pass up. Cake batter ice cream {legit one of my favorite flavors ever} with a swirl of chocolate icing… yes. Done.^
^we made it back to the ferry just in time to see it pulling away!! Oh well, we had a short 45 minute wait till the next one, and then only a 10 minute drive from there to get home.^
Visiting Vermont was amazing. I am so glad that despite my class and stress I decided to focus on friends and good relationships this weekend. Sometimes, you have to look at the big picture and decide what’s important in the long run. A weekend with friend {especially Sarah who is transferring schools!} was definitely worth it. I have our Frekend {our unofficial name for the friend weekend} will become an annual event 🙂
Have you had any fun trips lately?
What do you prefer- lake or beach?
eat, pray, and work it out. 