December 1st

Good Morning, and Happy Decemeber 1st to everyone!


December is by far one of my favorite months only becuase it means CHRISTMAS is right around the corner. I love the Holiday season and everything that comes along with it. Family and friends gathering together to spend time with one another in celebrations.

One thing that i started doing last year that i quite enjoyed, was posting a Christmasy picture on my Facebook account as a Christmas Countdown. Since I'm not a HUGE fan of having chocolates everyday, this was a great alternative for me to get into the countdown and have a little fun with it.

24 Day Till Christmas (Today's Photo)

I wouldn't just post any old Christmas picture i could find. Generally the picture on posted on the specific days had a meaning behind it. For example, my momma bear and I enjoy going to see the Nutcracker every year at Christmas time so I posted a picture of a scene from the ballet for that particular one. If anyone reading this is from the Vancouver BC area, I Highly recommend seeing the Goh Ballet's rendition of traditional Nutcracker. It's a beautiful display of colors and performance. 

Christmas Day 2011

December 1st marks the start of all the Christmas Events for my Mom and I. Although...On Thursday we did happen to go to the Vancouver Christmas Tree Lighting! :D I am a little sad that I work this Sunday because it is the Santa Claus Parade down town. I've ALWAYS wanted to go, but I've always ended up working on that particular day.

***
One of my favorite bloggers, Courtney at Sweet Tooth Sweet Life is holding a Challenge  for the last month of the year! The Challenge is simple, 2,012 repetitions of a few exercise's of your choice. Go on over to her post and check it out! There is already over 300 participants that have accepted her #closeoutchallenge.

Off to do some work on this Blustery Saturday morning.

....Just kidding...its not so blustery as it is....pouring rain! gross.

Enjoy your Saturday!

Full Week Success.

Well...I am proud to announce that today marks the official 1 week stand against Peanut Butter consumption.

I knew if I set my mind to something I would be able to do it. :) I am thinking that I may just keep on going with this though. See how far I am able to go, who knows...perhaps it will be a dietary change for me.

Since I had such great success with that this week, I am thinking that I'd like to do another challenge for myself. I am a HUGE cereal monster....I just absolutely cannot stop at one bowl. So since this could be a bit of a problem when you can consume a entire box to yourself in one sitting , I thought it would be wise to make this a new challenge.

Nature's Path Organic Crunchy Maple Sunrise.
Favorite cereal

1 Week minimum without snacking on the cereals in my house. They are all in a cupboard about the stove, so lets hope and pray that the saying "out of sight out of mind" is true in my case.

****
Jumping backwards yesterday...

I worked the evening shift 3-11pm, typically when I get off work I immediately get ready for bed once I am home. Last night was a odd case. I decided to bake....CUPCAKES. I made chocolate fudge and vanilla swirl cupcakes, with White chocolate buttercream Frosting that I found one Courtney's Blog.  This girl has SO many amazing dessert recipes and dinner recipes. She is definitely one of my favorite blogs out there.

My house currently smells like a cupcake! :D

I hope everyone had a Fun, Safe, and Happy Halloween! :D

Staying Accountable...

Short post for my own personal satisfaction... I decided last night to go an entire week (minimum) without my love...peanut butter.

This may sound like its an easy task to many people...but let me tell you..this is a true test to my own willpower. I'm happy to announce that it is 8:00pm on Friday night and I have no had one single lick of Peanut Butter today. Going strong! gotta keep it that way for 6 more days. I've also up'd my h2o intake, I set alarms for every hour on my phone to remind me to chug some water during the hour.

I thought it would be sorta silly at first, but its actually been so helpful! I've had water by my side literally all day, with the exception of an hour or 2 where I was over at a friends house.

Anyyywaayyyss, thats about all i have for that before i start to ramble. Check in day 1.

Busy Fall

Hey Everyone

Hike up Elk Mountain (September 2012)

I can't believe its been so long since I last made a blog post. Time has just gotten away with me since school started. School, work, gym, eat, sleep & repeat has been my life..somewhat. Throw in some fun days with friends to.


Since I last posted..the weather has SIGNIFICANTLY changed...the temperatures have dropped and the leaves have changed. I can't complain though, it is breathtaking out there. I love the colors and the smells that fall brings. With the welcome of fall, there is the welcome of PUMPKIN everything back into our lives. PSL anyone? ;)

I can't believe it's almost Halloween time! I have to work this year. I always looked forward to giving out candy and seeing all the cute little costumes that are popular that year, I think the Superhero costumes for the boys are always a classic, and the princess costumes, for the little ladies. I remember when I was younger I always wanted to be Dorothy from the wizard of oz! Sadly I never got the chance to be her, but i do remember being Pocahontas, Belle (beauty and the beast), I dream of jeanie, and a FURBY...remember those awful, creepy little things?

Meet Tyler & Belle, his princess

One of my Favorite things about Halloween/Fall festivities is carving pumpkins. I love everything about it, picking a design, carving, gutting and making pumpkin seeds! Last year I made cinnamon pumpkin seeds :) They were so yummy. Sweet and crunchy at the same time :) mmmm. Oh then there is just going to the pumpkin patch, corn mazes, haunted houses, fright night for those of us who live in the lower mainland area! Also the more simple things in life, long walks at the river in great company, leaves changing, cozy nights in watching movies, and having tea or hot chocolate. Cooking dinner at home with friends and just enjoying time together. 

my Questions for you are:

1.Are you doing anything for Halloween? What are you dressing up as?

2. Do you give out Candy, or a healthy alternative to the trick or treaters?

3. Who is pumpkin carving this week??

The Dark Side ;)

Good Afternoon!!

Today has been an interesting day weather wise.  It's been so inconsistent today, you never know what to wear on days like today. :(

Did a little planking today....

After the gym today I made SUCH a delicious smoothie, and it was so easy and simple to make. 

Banana Peach Green Monster I like to call it!

1/2 Frozen Banana
1 Frozen Peach
2 Handfuls of Spinach
Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk

Blend that in your blender and you have your self a delicious smoothie!!
(I like to blend my liquid and leafy greens before I add the frozen fruit. If need be i add more liquid as i go, also to make it 'lighter' you can add ice. I like mine on the thicker side)

Smoothie in a bowl

***

Pretty much right after that I had to go to my Hair Appointment at 11:45...I was planning to go dark, but i had no idea I would end up going THIS dark...I truly went to the Dark Side on this one :P

Back at it!

Good afternoon everyone out there! :D

I hope you have all been having a great Monday so far! Its my first full day off of work in a week! It feels good to be able to just relax and not constantly watching the time, you know how it is?

(Exactly! :P)

This morning I had my usual oatmeal for breakfast. I wish I had taken a picture, it was one of the prettiest oatmeal bowls I have ever eaten...that's saying a lot considering oatmeal usual look gross!

In my bowl I had:
1/2 cup oatmeal
1 cup mixed raspberries & blackberries
1 egg white
*Topped it off with 
2tbsp FF cottage cheese
1/4 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk

So yummy. Oatmeal is such a great option for breakfast. It is so healthy, nutritious and versatile with what you mix in it. Keeps my tummy full and happy for hours!

After eating breakfast and getting ready for the morning, I took my pup out for a walk & then head to the gym. I had nothing particular in mind of what I was going to do today. I thought I would do a quick 1 mile warm up around our indoor track and then skip. After skipping, i ended up heading on over to the treadmill and ran another 5 mile HIIT! It felt so good to be running today.

I've taken some time away from running cause it was just causing me to feel exhausted and it was starting to feel like i was forcing myself to run. But its been a month since I last ran 10 km, it felt SO good to be back at it today.

(Must be the motivation from getting new runners the other day ;))

I was starving by the time I got home from the gym. Doing HIIT takes a lot out of you! It is such a great form of cardio if you are crunch for time. It's has more benefits in a shorter period of time then you standard "steady pace" does.

I made myself 3 egg whites with some Mrs. Dash "southwest chipotle" spice on top and microwaved it for 1:30 . I put the eggs on top of 1 brown rice, rice cake with hot sauce and spinach. On the side for a little sweetness I had an apple sprinkled with cinnamon.

Lunch time came around pretty quickly afterwards! I decided to try something new today for lunch! My first time ever trying Tilapia! Tilapia is an amazing lean white fish protein! I seasoned it with Mrs. Dash 'onion & herbs". On the side I had a colourful salad filled with veggies & fruits.

(Instagrammed ;))

Veggies: (celery,green pepper, red pepper, yellow pepper, carrots, sugar peas & spinach)

Fruits: (blueberries & a sliced up peach) topped the salad off with some balsamic vinegar! 

Have a great rest of your Monday! =)

Healthy Baking

Busy day today,

How was your sunday? Last night I had an awful sleep, and was completely exhausted for work this morning. It happens...what can you do right?

Anyways onto different things...I did a little tid bit of baking this evening after supper. I made some High protein Low carb banana bread as well well pumpkin bread. I'm so excited for the fall and all of the pumpkin flavored items that come out. Starbucks pumpkin spice soy latte <3 love it!

(so cute! I want to make them this fall!)

I know I'm a few days late on "Throwback Thursday" but I just went through my journal from a year ago...if you ever need a good laugh...I highly recommend reading through your old journals if you have them! So animated. I Love it...great way to cheer yourself up in a pinch ;)

(One year ago, when I got my Aria! <3)

Hope you all had a relaxed day and refreshed to start of the week tomorrow!

Last Full Weekend!

Hello out there! Happy Saturday to you all! :D 

Let me start by saying...

Can you believe that this weekend is the last FULL weekend of August. September is right around the corner and the start of a new school year is quickly approaching.

I know so many people  just dread this time of year...gearing up to go back to school, the end of freedom, the start of homework and endless assignments, papers, and deadlines to make. For me the return to a structured routine is exciting. I look forward to having more discipline and routine in my life again. =)

I've always LOVED enjoyed the shop for back to school supplies, organizing my book bags, binders and preparing my schedules. It's almost as good as Christmas ....o.k maybe not THAT good, but it comes pretty close to it in my eyes. ;) 

If you were to ask me what my top 5 favorite things to shop for are, school supplies would definitely make the cut. I love school.

(Insert cheesy photo of I <3 School here) ;)

***

Onto other things, I did a quick workout at home today which got a little Insane, in the form of pure cardio with Shaun T! Hes BANANAS ;)

I also did 20 minutes of jump rope! Jump Rope is probably my new favorite cardio exercise! It doesn't even feel like your "working out".

**Rewind a bit back to yesterday...

An exciting day in my books it was...you might be sitting on the edge of your seat dying to know WHAT could have possibly been so exciting :P...well wonder no more! All my excitement was cause by a little shopping trip with my mom and the purchase of a new workout bag & running shoes! Whose with me on this one, new gym clothes always makes a workout more exciting!!

I've always loved getting new workout clothes (another one of my top 5 favorite things to shop for!)

***
Enough about me! I have some questions for YOU =)

1. Are you looking forward to the start of a new school year?

2. Did you fit in a workout to your last Saturday in August?  If so, lets hear about it!

3. Top 5 favorite items to shop for!
Mine are:
->Food
->Gym Clothes
->School Supplies
->Books
->Clothes & Shoes for everyday life

Enjoy the rest of your weekend! I hope the sun is shining wherever you may be!! =)

 

My Blog

On my blog your likely to find bits and pieces about how I balance my life, family & this beautiful dog of mine! 

Blog world...meet Aria, a playful 1 year old chocolate lab. She is FULL of spunk and energy, she loves to go swimming, play ball, go for runs, meeting new friends... and of course EAT (much like me her owner :P ). She is such a beautiful dog and truly is my princess. <3 

A New Chapter

 

Hello to the blogging world!

My name is April, I am a university student passionate about healthy living, fitness and food!

With a new school year quickly approaching, and a new chapter in my life. I have been juggling the idea of starting a blog for myself! I have chatted with family & friends about the possibility and have also had some great support/feedback from fellow Instagram-ers. :D
So with that being said... let this be my first official post of many more to come... I hope ;)