Thankful for No-Shave November

Hey peeps!

Breakfast started out with an Autumn Apples bowl...I'm crazy about these things. Lunch was been there, done that too (Tuna and Cottage Cheese salad). Since I've already showed you these....nothin' to see here folks...move along, move along...

Today's workout was strength training day with Carrie. She's my fav. She's so real I love it. She doesn't pretend like everything doesn't hurt, she actually complains a lot  but I like it, because then I don't feel like such a loser. She's great, she brings her daughters to class sometimes and tells us her wild weekend escapades (not in the same class).  It was just what I needed to stifle some killer cramps I had this morning.

So.. last night's festivities were exactly what I needed in my life after days of isolation with my nose in the books... woe is me!!

Campfire.
Pumpkin beer.
Friends.
Fall food.
The outdoors.
Yellow lab.
Pumpkin carving.
S'more roasting (or SAH-more as Allie says it, damn yankee.)

I did it. I have conquered the impossible.

The perfectly toasted mallow.

Look at that masterpiece.

Christie, Allie, and I with
"The Mallow".

The key= rotating continuously!

Plus, Allie may or may not have broken out a legit marshmallow roaster from her past. It looks like an industrial strength fishin' pole with a handle that you spin to rotate the mallow.

Wow.

Where was this my whole childhood?

Ok, so one of the blogs that I have been loving recently, Carrots n' Cake, has challenged people to write about/blog about one thing they're thankful for everyday in November. I love this idea, because there are so many days that go by that I don't consciously think about how lucky I am. It just feels good to be thankful!

Since technically yesterday was the first day in November, let's say yesterday I was thankful for a perfect way to celebrate being done with my test!

Today, I am thankful that practice got cancelled tonight.

I was going to have to be gone 3:30-11:30pm for class and dance. I don't know about you guys, but I am so much more of a morning person than a night person, with the exception of Fridays and Saturdays obvs.

I swear my brain shuts down around 5 o'clock and just wants to sit, eat, stare.

Ultimate laziness.

Really people?

The classic segway/stroller combo. Efficiency, people, efficiency.

Also, as I was walking to get the mail today, I heard a guy that works at our apartment complex talking about how he left Puerto Rico at age 16 and didn't know most of his family.

So....ya about that whole practice being cancelled thing....

ummm.... let's just pretend I said something really important like..... hmmm.....

Growing up in MM'URICA and knowing every person in my family. Wow, how quickly things are put into perspective :)

So, this whole November thing got me thinking about No-Shave November. You know, the cute little game guys play to see if they can go the whole month of November without shaving. Ya, real cute when you chafe 2 layers of our skin off with your beard guys.... How about this for cute.... girls are participating this year....

Yeesh.

Ummm.....

Watch out kids, things are about to get hairy. Not so adorable now, is it :) Just something I was thinking about today...

Speaking of hairiness, I did something today for the first time and am sooo excited I had to share. So, do any of you loooveee expensive hair products, but are on a budget?

I have tried using the cheap stuff for a while now to save money.... and it just doesn't do shizz.

I have been blessed in certain areas, however my hair is not one of them... if it gives you any idea at all of what my hair used to be like, my girlfriends nicknamed me K-Mart hair one of the summers in middle school.

I know "great friends" right?  :) (Love you bastards)

So, needless to say, my hair needs a little...how do we say....extra attention.

Today, I got the idea to buy Redken products online wholesale and saved a TON of money!
1.) Google search whatever product you're looking for
2.) Go to their shopping category and sort by lowest to highest price

See shopping results in the middle of the screen? That's where you wanna be.

There are tons of beauty wholesale sites out there. Use them! Do it. Amazon is a good resource as well. Also, go big or go home when it comes to Shampoo and Conditioner, get the econo size soccer mom, you know you want to!

But really, it's way more cost effective, and you don't have to buy anymore for quite some time.

Tonight's Recipe-

Thai Coco-go-nuts Noodle Soup (Adapted from Hungry Girl)
Ingredients:

• 2 bags House Foods Tofu Shirataki Fettuccine Shaped Noodle Substitute
• 1 1/3 cups chopped yellow onion (about 1 onion)
• 1 cup sliced mushrooms
• 1 tbsp. canned diced green chilies, drained
• 1 1/2 tsp. minced garlic
• 1 tsp. ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes
• 4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 2 raw boneless skinless lean chicken breast cutlets (I used already grilled and it worked out fine)
• 1/2 cup canned lite coconut milk 
• 1 tbsp. reduced-sodium/lite soy sauce
• 1 tbsp. lime juice
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro, divided
• S+P to taste

Use a strainer to rinse and drain noodles well. Pat dry. Place noodles in a large microwave-safe bowl, and microwave for 1 minute. Drain excess liquid. Dry as thoroughly as possible, using paper towels. Cut noodles up a bit with kitchen shears (if you've got 'em), and set aside. 

Bring a medium-large pot sprayed with nonstick spray to medium-high heat on the stove. Add onion, mushrooms, chilies, garlic, ginger, and cayenne pepper. Stirring occasionally, cook until onion is soft, about 4 minutes.

Add broth and bring to a boil. Add chicken and return to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes. 

Add coconut milk and soy sauce, and mix well. Continue to cook for an additional 10 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through.

Remove chicken and place it in a bowl. Shred each piece using two forks -- one to hold the chicken in place and the other to scrape across the meat and shred it. Return the shredded chicken to the pot. 

Cheeeekin!

Stir in noodles, lime juice, and 1/4 cup cilantro. Continue to simmer until noodles are hot, about 2 minutes.

If you like, season to taste with salt, black pepper, and additional cayenne pepper.

Evenly top each serving with remaining 1/4 cup cilantro (2 tsp. each) and enjoy!


(All directions taken directly from Hungry-Girl.com)

It was delicious!

I scarfed down two bowls and ran off to class. It was pretty intolerable today. Listening to the same professor for 4 hours= maybe starting to drool a bit on my sweet trapper keeper.


So, obviously after 4 hours of torture, I deserved this little treat!


Chocolate frozen yogurt topped with coconut, walnuts, grapes, Sunbutter, marshmallow fluff, and choco chips! 

Don't judge me, you know it looks good. 


Then, I discovered on my second bowl that grapes covered in mallow fluff and nut butter is maybe the best thing ever.


Now, it's time for Modern Family, my favorite show ever (besides SYTYCD...if you don't know what that stands for...we have an issue)!!!


Yay Wednesdays!