Coast to Coast...

Thanks for your comments about the new car :) I am so excited, and I love it so much! As you know, I have a long commute, so having the new car makes it 10 times better! 

Today's run was cancelled, and I'm actually pretty tired, so I decided to take the night off. Tomorrow will be lots of strength training! I love strength training, but I hate it. It's so hard, but it makes my runs so much better. My legs NEVER get tired when I run, I usually want to stop because I'm winded or my feet hurt. I have to credit all of the lunges and squats I do for this! Also, my core is stronger, and my back and arms, so that helps me stay erect and keep going! If you haven't done strength training before, I recommend starting with something like The Shred, or doing circuit training at the gym!

For dinner tonight, I was on my own. So that meant making a dinner of things JJ doesn't like - Tofu and Cauliflower! I made a mock Olive Garden salad to start, then roasted some tofu, cauliflower and brussels sprouts. I also made 1/3 cup (dry) quinoa, then topped it with a sauce of 1/2 cup lite coconut milk and 2 tbsp. red curry paste. Delish!

At Whole Foods last week, I found this Fair Trade Organic Quinoa. I love buying Fair Trade stuff (I've said it a million times, I know) because it really does make a difference for extremely poor farmers. The box had some information on the side....

For dessert, I had an apple with a CARAMEL OIKOS!!!!!! And a cup of tea with soy milk. Yum! I am loving the caramel oikos. It's amazing! A reader pointed out in a comment that yes, Oikos is expensive, but Stonyfield Farms does offer coupons on their website. I have been in contact with them a few times in the past, and they told me that the coupons reset each month. I always print mine off at work and at home. Sometimes Whole Foods also has coupons in their coupon magazine in stores. So yes, it  can be pricey, but if you coupon and stockpile when it's on sale, it's not as bad! Since I don't eat much meat, Greek Yogurt is a great protein option for me!

So one of the best/worst parts of our home is the GIANT master bedroom. I say best/worst because I love having a big room, but there is so much empty wall and floor space, and the bathroom and closet are small, and I wish they had made the bedroom smaller and those bigger.

So anyway, I have always been in love with the Pacific Northwest. I was determined to convince my parents to let me go to Pacific Lutheran University (in Tacoma, WA). They said it was just too far. Then after JJ graduated, I tried to talk him into taking a job in Washington state, but he also said it was too far! So rather than move where I wanted to, we moved to the opposite end of the country, the southeast. I'm just not a beachy landscape person, I like my lush, green forests!

So you all know I love, love, love the Twilight series. After watching the Victoria/Cliff Diving scene in New Moon, I was determined to find some prints of that forest and put them in our room. I suceeded! Thanks to allposters.com, I now have a little Pacific Northwest in my home!

It looks amazing in person, I promise! It's hard to get a good photo because of the light glare.  Anyway, now when I walk in my room, it feels so cozy and forest-like. I love it! And I'm still determined to one day move to Washington...
Have a great night!