I don’t remember the last time I was this sick. I don’t remember my entire body aching, my head spinning and my tummy being twisted & turned in knots. And I most certainly don’t remember ever in my life spending 20 (yes, TWENTY!) hours in bed consuming less than 100 calories in one day.
I’m sick. I’m down for the count. And there is no getting up on my own terms. My body wasn’t being given the attention it deserved and clearly was requesting some down time.
Middle of the day: still sleeping, Willy wants to play, MacBook sits waiting to be picked up...
Health is something so easily taken for granted until you lose it – even just for one weekend. I promise I will go to bed earlier, consume my daily vitamins and drink more water…come back energy!!
Our dear friends recently told us about their switch over to the “cash diet” with cash in jars, inspired here. Being attached (liked GLUED!) to my debit card, the thought of removing it with cash seemed daun-ting. However, it only took one week of their success and her whismiscle remarks of “it’s so easy” to make me march right up to the teller and request a wack of 20’s!
I came home and decorated two jars – one for Him and one for Her, obviously. Cut the cash in half-ish (he gets more, i need less). Wrote the Rules of the Jars on the fridge. And week #1 has been A) a success and B) so darn easy!
This is how it works, for us:
* All necessary expenses: mortgage, bills, credit card spend, groceries, transportation costs (ie. bus tickets & gas), Willy’s requirements & health expenditures (ie. massage/chiro/acupuncture – because they are returned to us) come out of our joint account.
* Then we set a weekly amount that is fair and reasonable for all other expenses: gifts, coffees, lunch, coffees, dinner, clothing, fresh flowers…you get it…comes out of our cash jars. When the cash runs dry, so do the fresh flowers! It is replenished on Saturdays and lasts until Friday.
And it works. In one short week, it has given meaning and purpose behind every purchase. I value what I spend my money on and have learned to have a new relationship with cash in my wallet (it used to burn a hole!).
Created and inspired by this ladyo’love, dinner tonight: Goddess Bowls. DEFFO a new fam fav… Mr. Fab highly recommends it!
Because all things fabulous deserved to be shared… grab your fav bowl and add the following:
QUNINOA (cooked)… a few spoonfuls of BLACK BEANS… a handful of shredded BEETS (raw)…several BROCCOLi’s (steamed, our preference)…1/2 roasted YAM, cubed, seasoned with S&P&Cumin… a sprinkling of finely chopped GREEN ONiONs…Toss on a few MIXED NUTS…And drizzle with MISO GRAVEY!
(Extras for a special touch: half an avocado or steamed edamame beans – you won’t regret it!)
Ladies & Gentleman, Boys & Girls, Friends & Foes (but can’t we all be friends now?), I’m so WiLDLY excited to introduce you to…
It’s about offline dating – not online faking. It’s about generating smiles. It’s about starting a happiness movement…and we want YOU to be a part of it!
Team NoMo – the hugest high five and big hug to each of you – you’ve made the dream come true! xo
Top 10 Highlights of our last-minute-super-fantastic-getaway to “sunny” San Diego featuring HappyDoug, SmilingShan & BlissedOutSteph:
11. Video evidence thanks to Flip, the camera. *hilarious*
10. Mexican Fiesta in Old Town – with heaps of beans beans the musical fruit!
9. Running on the worst storm day of the winter. Pouring rain, blustery winds, massive waves, broken down palm trees. Shan & I ran in tanks while the locals sported down jackets and toques. They shivered, we smiled! Hello, we are running in California!
8. Brunch at Brockton Villa. ‘Nuff said.
7. SEALS! GALORE!
6. The discovery of the deliciousness of Yogi Topi: make your own non-fat yogurt sundaes. It was kinda like produce – we consumed 3 servings/day!
5. National Yoga Day in the USA: celebrated at a jam-packed lululemon La Jolla Saturday morning Yoga Class! Followed by a run on the beach and brunch with the waves. Awe-some!
4. Cruiser bikes around beautiful Coronado Island. Best pre-race taper!
The start of our Saturday morning ride!
3. LaJolla Shores Beach with ballerina Lindsay, who reminded us of the joys of being a kid.
2. Pit Stop @Target – magazines & cheap energy bars – check!
1. Carlsbad Marathon! Decided on Tuesday to run the race on Sunday – I needed a hit of mental toughness – I needed to remind myself that I can do anything, if I want it bad enough. I wanted to break 4hrs and ran 3:52, and came home with a rejuvenated hit of TOUGH! POW!
* Huge gratitude to Mark Shorter for a) his race number, b) his offerings of salt/gels/smiles along the way and c) running the last 2miles with me!
** HUGEr High Five to Shan who ran a massive PB – 3:12 and a top ten finish, with the hugest smile on her face the whole way!
Post race: Too sore to stand; too happy not to keep smilin'!
*** Special shout out to Team Ernsting for giving Willy more love, walks & treats than he ever receives at home:)
Sometimes you need to *bam bam* run away…you’ve got to *bam bam* get away! 2010: I’m really ready for ya…
He works shift work. I work a day job. We both live in the StartUp Kingdom. I blog; he UAVs. He can stay up late; I fall asleep standing up. Among our crazy schedules, I’ve been missin’ my man lately.
He was off to work early this morning and it was all that i could do to get up for a yoga class @7AM – apparently the ride killed me yesterday! As I laid on the mat, I looked behind me to see an older couple – a man and a woman – side by side at their Sunday yoga class together…it made me smile.
And I thought about my Firefighter and what life will be like when we are old…
We will go to yoga class Sunday morning and then read the paper and sip our americanos? Will I have a garden that I tend to while He surfs every possible wave? Will we live in Hawaii or Canada? Will the kitchen have a jar of cookies on the counter for our friends who stop by and will i have learned enough self-discipline to not eat them all by then? Will I still have a group of crazy girlfriends who are balanced by his wholesome dudes? Will he golf whenever he wants, just cause he can? Will we ride bikes around town just cause we can? Or maybe we will gallivant the globe for a lil bit of all of it and meet new friends along the way? Ummm…
Whatever it is we are doing, I know we will be having fun. I can’t wait to grow old with you… xo.
My amazing training buddies from 2009 have not fallen off the wagon like me. They sweat their faces off on trainer rides all week long, run when it is raining sideways and swim diligently. I, on the other hand, have committed to running and swimming throughout the week – but only in the mornings. And hit a few yoga classes in the evenings. Note: I have refused to ride a trainer. Indoor rides simply don’t bring me joy. However, they would probably help decrease the diameter of my thighs and lower my heart rate when I try to ride up a hill, err bridge, not to mention, help me hang on to TeamAwesome!
The sun was out in full force today – blue bird skies called for a ride! It was Agatha’s first spin of 2010 – she was a lil dusty. I could barely clip in and forgot how to change gears. Oh good golly, this was gonna be interesting… Not sure how long I’d be able to hang on to TeamAwesome, I thought I’d start and not worry about where I may finish. (I think this may be a good attitude to approach the rest of life with, eh!) With a credit card and a phone in my back pocket, I had all a girl needs on a bike ride…
Long story short – these girls have the power of persuasion or am just an easy sell…but we enjoyed those blue bird skies allll day long – 100km long in fact. With one coffee stop, loads of laughs and hoots & hollar’s, I was quickly reminded of the pure bliss found in riding bikes. It’s the company of amazing (fierce!) chics; it’s the hit of endorphins; it’s the fresh air; it’s the joy in pedalling yourself around the entire city just because you can and enjoy the views along the way.
Suz (mother of two: Oscar & Nellie), Steph (mother of Agatha), Alli (mother of Carlos) & Shan (mother of Bernie)!
Agatha’s Back in Action - Honu, here we come! Thanks TeamAwesome…you bring me bliss:)
The morning cereal trend was getting boring lately, so I decided to bring back the morning dose of bliss: Good Morning Fabulous Muesli. I forgot JUST how delish it was! The most recent batch includes some ground flax seeds and almonds. I highly recommend it!
But, if you feel so inclined to indulge a lil, I did also come across THE best french toast recipe I’ve EVER had – Coast Toast from La Jolla, CA. (Available at the one and only Brockton Villa – worth the wait in line – you can watch the seals and triathletes!)
Thought it may be a perfect rainy weekend brunch option for you:
1 loaf soft French bread (slice diagonally, about 1 1/2″ thick)
1qt whipping cream (yep it’s true!)
10 eggs
3/4c orange juice (pulp free preferably!)
1/2c sugar
a pinch of salt
2TBSP vanilla
2TBSP orange rind, optional for some additional flavoring
Combine liquid ingredients. Pour over bread slices. Cover and refrigerate at least one hour. Remove bread and discard liquid. Spread butter on flat grill. Cook bread until golden brown, then bake at 4450 for 5-7min or until bread is puffed up like a souffle. Dust with powdered sugar. Serve and enjoy immediately!
…and then go for a run for the remainder of the day to pretend you just didn’t consume a quart of whipping cream for breakfast! HA!
Every morning you make a choice: will it be a good day or a great day? You've reached my daily dose of gratitude where I celebrate all things fabulous! Welcome.
Not sure how long I’d be able to hang on to TeamAwesome, I thought I’d start and not worry about where I may finish. (I think this may be a good attitude to approach the rest of life with, eh!) With a credit card and a phone in my back pocket, I had all a girl needs on a bike ride…
