FULL SIZED?!

So Alexa and I ordered our nachos, sat down and thought:
"That seems more expensive than usual"......THEN we got our order and realized that we forgot to say half size!" WHOOPS! It was massive....BUT so delicious that I didn't have any trouble...............

And still managed to savor these babies! :D

Soo Much to Do.....SOOOO little time!

G'night!

P.S.....Check out CCK (Chocolate Covered Katie's) Giveaway!

I forgot to tell you!

I ran for 20 minutes straight yesterday @ 6mph! This may not seem like alot,but I am not really a "runner" per-say. However, I love to do it! My body just completely gives up and starts sweating and heavy breathing around 15min and my mind is like "This is great"! But my body won at 20 min! However, I have not ran a STRAIGHT 20 minutes for about a year! I hope to continually increase my running time! ANY SUGGESTIONS!?

On to the eats!

Breakfast: Jocalat Chocolate Hazlenut Bar and Banana

Ohhhh man! This bar tastes like a dense brownie with little bits of hazlenut taking charge (almost like they used half "Brownie batter" & "half hazlenut flour or grounds"....SO good! If only I had thought to microwave it! :(

Lunch! Salad (with broccoli, sunflower seeds, hard boiled egg, green pepper, romaine & a BIT too much dressing, but owell!) and fruit cup.

SNACK! MMMM! Tiramisu Gelato.....tastes like a Wendy's Frosty! :D

Apple (to fuel my upcoming workout!)

**I am about to head to the Gym with Alexa! Just some light cardio workout because we are headed to a cute little Health Food Store for dinner afterwards and I get sweaty so fast! lol

**I have a group project due tommorrow and do not have anything from my group yet (They were supposed to email me!). Great, huh?!

**My Art Test Went Well! (Why is that all caps?!)

**I will be catching up on all of your blogs....as soon as possible!

Intaglio, Etching, Weaving,......blah

Just a quick recap...

First, I feel a little better about my art test tommorrow (always a good thing!).

Yogurt, Apple, Carrots and Laughing Cow Cheese
Then my yogurt got upgraded to First Class! (aka...a Whole Foods 365 Vanilla Sandwich cookie crumbled on top!)Some SmartFood Popcorn (too small and not anything special!)Some Kashi Island Vanilla Cereal with Almond Milk (meh....not the best..the cereal that is! The Almond Milk Rocksss!!!)....excuse the messy desk! ;)And I just had about a cup of Honeycomb cereal (FUEL = studying! haha)

And sleep = doing well (or at least being awake enough to try!).

G'night!

The Windy City

Ok, My city is OFFICIALLY stealing that name right out from under Chicago!

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In other news, I didn't have time to upload my dinner from last night (which was so worthy of being uploaded)...sooo, without further ado....

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A warmed Whole Wheat Wrap with black beans, chicken, lettuce and a bit of shredded cheddar cheese. Alexa and I ventured to a new place on campus and BOY was it delish! More of this in the very near future! ......A pack of Almond M&M's followed! :)

This morning, I eventually got out of bed (Oh mondays...!) and after rushing around, I tried my free sample of Starbucks instant coffee.

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Let me explain my history a bit: I thought I loved Starbucks (no scratch that!)...I DO love Starbucks! HOWEVER, when I get a starbucks it is usually in the form of a latte (aka about half milk with sugar). This morning I just put the coffee and 2 packs of Truvia (I'll get to that in a second!) into my coffee mug and boy was it strong/bitter. Don't get me wrong....IF you are like my dad and love your coffee extra black, this is for you! Otherwise, I suggest adding milk.....I have almond milk in my fridge, but was trying to be respectful to the roomie who was still asleep!

Now for the TRUVIA! I am surprisingly pleased with this prodcut. From what I can infer from the box, it is a very natural product (unlike my former....Splenda) and while it is not as nearly as strong as splenda....I think that after a few days I will get used to the more natural & subtle sweetness!

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Lunch was a PBJ (deeeeeeelllliiiissshhh!!)and this bar: :D

After Chem Lab Kristen, Alexa and I hit up Keva Juice where I ordered the 24oz of my beloved Kevaccino (what am I going to do all summer without it?!!?). Also (because we are regular visitors and known very well by all of the workers/owner! LOL), the manager brought us a sample of their newest product that they are thinking of putting on the menu.....I am not sure if I can tell you about it, but It was VERY similar to a Kevaccino! :D Ummmm yea....it was utterly delicious!

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ANYWAYS! I hope everyone survived thier Monday.

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Here's my to-do list for the foreseeable future (Which is not very far! haha)

1) Abs class/Gym at 6:40

2) Study for Art (Procrastination got the best of me)

3) Meet with Advisor tommorrow

4) Finish Chem Lab with Kristen

5) Write 3 Food Reviews

5) Have a life

(ok, so I probably won't have time for the last one!.....lol)

SmartFood

Breakfast: ThinkFruit Chocolate Pomegranate Power
Meh....it was ok, but it was a little to compact and gummy. Instead of chocolate, It was like a chocolate gummy bear or jelly bean. No trouble finishing it, but probably won't buy it again!

Ok so the verdict:

The Boy in the Striped Pajama's: Saddest Movie Ever! However, it really made me think...and to think there are some people out there who don't think the Holocaust happened?!?! The ending is horrible! Uh, so sad.....yet I would recommend it!

Fireproof: I have seen it before, but here's my review. BEST MESSAGE EVER and has some really funny times in the Firehouse and workplace.....and some really sad moments....and some really sweet moments! The acting reminds Alexa of "Lifeftime" movies and I have to agree, but to tell you the truth: who doesn't like a little "Lifetime" from time to time!? haha

Alexa and I went to Jason's Deli for lunch and I got a huge bowl of Southwestern Chicken Chilli....Followed by 2 MASSIVE Ice Cream Cones! :D

We then went to the store and I got:

*Bananas

*Apples

*Yogurt

*Laughing Cow Swiss Cheese

*Carrots (to accompany the cheese, of course!)

*Sara Lee Whole Wheat Bread

*A new fangled item: (which I am bringing with me to the library in a few, so I will let you know how they are!)

[EDITED: there is probably about 12 or so whole pieces of basically caramel corn and sure there is a slight cookie flavor that is pleasant, BUT overall....It leaves your teeth feeling sugary and is WAYYYY tooo small! Sure it has added vitamins....take a multi-vitamin if that is a concern....Do Not Recommend!)

*Truvia (after all of our Artificial Sweetener talk, I decided to try something a little more natural (per-say) than Splenda.....I'm always up for trying new food products!)

I decided to make a little PBJ with the heel of bread for a snack.............I combined the beloved PB & Co Cinnamon Raisin Swirl spread with a Blueberry and Cherry Preseves (with plump cherries and blueberries in the jar). The PBJ half that I just ate tastes 180 degrees different from my usual PBJ with chunks of fruit and that amazing PB! Maybe my scrumdidlyumptious PBJ's this week will make up for having 3 Tests?!

Having a good Sunday? I hope! :D

Soup, Salad and Breadsticks

CHEA.....you know where Im goin' for dinner tonight!! Owww Owww!!! After dinner Kristen, Alexa and I are heading back to watch 2 movies we rented:

1."The boy in the striped pajamas"

2."Fireproof". I am not married (lol), but Fireproof is SUCH A GOOD MOVIE! Seriously, Kristen has not seen it yet, so I insisted it HAD to be one of our picks tonight! SOOO good!! :D Can someone please back me up on this!?

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Soo....Seems like Splenda gets the blogger crown for Artificial Sweetener (with Truvia and Stevia being runners up). One blogger summarized my thoughts pretty well:

Of course I know I'm a lot less worked up about this than a lot of people and I contribute that to my food science background...NAOmni

Now, I don't have a strong food science background, yet. However, I can already see it building in me!

I have been snacking today: Here are some of the pics....

Alexia Aged Cheddar Cheese Crunchy Waffle Fries

Here's the verdict: They are delicious and have an airy yet dense texture thanks to their waffle fry shape that I have never tasted before AND a wonderfully cheesy flavor.....BUT the bag seems SOO small and the serving seems a bit small too?! hmmmmm

Kashi crackers with PB & Co CINNAMON RAISIN SWIRL! Oh man! This PB ROCKS MY SOCKS! Yea, it has added oil and evaporated cane juice! So what..I like to branch out every now and then....especially if it tastes like this! I managed to find it on a major sale (or the frugal in me would not have bought it!) and I am soo glad I did! It has a STRONG flavor that reminds me of a snickerdoodle cookie (with raisins!). YUM! Food Science Notes! They seem to be all the rage these days! ;)

I don't want that job!

The weather was 80 yesterday and our lovely weatherman (lol) predicted it was going to snow and be blizzard-y today. I didn't believe him. He was SPOT ON! Oh my....it was/is SOOOOOO cold today! Yesterday I had on shorts and today I had on 2 shirts, a zip up jacket, a wool coat and all of the winter accessories! (And was STILL cold....go figure!).

Anyways, I was working on a Biology outline for a presentation and thought "what else could I be doing right now?". Being a studious student and all, I thought of blogging! ;)

I had a Choc. Chip Clif ZBar this morning and a nice, juicy plum for breakfast with a big mug of that tea I have pictured in the previous post. I hate to say it, but Celestial Seasonings Sugar Cookie Tea just got dethroned! ALERT THE MEDIA! This stuff is bursting with so much comforting flavors, you would think I put a load of sugar and spices in there...nope! Just one tea bag of GoodEarth Sweet and Spicy Herbal Tea! Oh man.... you must (see, that's not a suggestion!) find this tea!!!!

Lunch was the usual Friday Sammie with some friends in the dining hall! Today's included Boar's Head Mesquite Turkey, Colby Jack Cheese, Lettuce, Tomato, Black olives, Green pepper on Wheat Berry Bread Grilled to perfection! (and a few chips!).

And to stay on the good eats track I have been cruising down all day, I decided to break out the COOKIES! If you have yet to try these cookies and have a Whole Foods anywhere nearby.....well, shame on you! (hah just kidding!). Words can't describe:

I happened to find this article on Yahoo and was wondering what ya'll thought about it! I, obviously, am not afraid off Splenda; but I am wondering if this might be another sugar alternative. Don't get me wrong, regular sugar is just fine in moderation; but I find myself reaching for the splenda packets when I drink two cups or so of coffee (that might be a little overload on sugar at 7:30AM!). Anyways, what are your opinions? This new & natural sweetener, Splenda, Equal,... the real stuff?

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Dont forget to check out this Pure Bar Giveaway!

Is it my Birthday?!?!

I have about 5 minutes before I have to be downstairs and in Alexa's car for Pizza and Paradigm (bible study). Someone clock me.......

Gelato! TIRAMISU Gelato to be exact (and it reminded me of a creamier version of my QT Frozen coffee love!)! Yea, I know, I just had some yesterday; but seriously, this stuff CANT be beat!!!!! A quick snackie! I also had my Luna Teacake this morning, which was delish (I have had one before!) And a salad/fruit combo for lunch!

DUN DUN DUN!! I have the BEST cousin in the world (sorry guys, but it's true!). She is so sweet, loving, caring and just about any other good adjective you can think of! :D So being the best cousin ever and all, she sent me the biggest package I have ever recieved at school! (I have no clue what that number means; but whatever, we'll go with it!).

HELLO! A fabulous purse with a satin-y interior and tons of compartments! I will totally make good use of this baby! (sorry for the wierd pic) [[All of that stuff covering my bulletin board is all cards (mostly homemade ones from my mom; but also tons from my aunt and the best cousin in the world)......gotta love family!]]

Her new favorite tea (and by the smell of it, possibly MINE!). Some super cute cupcake cards and a coin purse, which is perfect for my laundry quarters! I have been storing them in a Zip-loc....(boring!)

An obbsession of mine! AND I can't get them at home or school because there is no Whole Foods nearby (but, my trusty cousin NEVER lets me down!)

Her adorable card that she sent to me!

Apparently, I had ALOT to say! :D

Refreshing

I have had a FUZE Slenderize drink before and strongly disliked the flavor! Seriously, it scarred me away from FUZE ....until today. As I was standing in front of the drink selections, I decided that nothing else sounded good to fuel my intense abs workout (my legs were shaking by the end! lol). Therefore, I picked up FUZE Slenderize Tropical Punch Low Carb Beverage just now and I am in love after first sip (which is not looking good for my dining plan that has to last me until the end of the year because these drinks are more expensive! lol Owell...it's worth it!). Anyways, this particular flavor is bursting with fruity notes. Pineapple, mango and vegetable juice are the only juices in here, but it tastes like there is peach, apple and so much more! SOOO refreshing! I also brought a Tropicana Fruit Squeeze beverage from home with me and just got around to drinking it yesterday (this week has flown by!). Anyways, this drink is also super refreshing and very natural tasting. It reminds me of when I take apple juice and add water to create a light and refreshing drink (how many times can I possibly say refreshing?!) (however, with this drink you need to replace the apple with lemon for the comparison to work!). And my pistachio gelato from earlier! <3>

I got a veggie pizza tonight! Oh Baby......but it cant compare to One Guy's pizza tommorrow! Time to write some food reviews (I have products piling up!) and hopefully make time to catch up in the blog world and read my brand new food tech mag that just arrived! (I'll let you know if there is anything that is blog worthy!)!

Tommorrow is Thursday......in case you forgot! :)

I was just reading Lesley's Blog and found this verse that is SO powerful:

"No test or temptation that comes your way is beyond the course of what others have had to face. All you need to remember is that God will never let you down; he'll never let you be pushed past your limit; he'll always be there to help you come through it. "
-1 Corinthians 10:13 (The Message)-

"I'm gonna have to drink a lot of coffee to keep up with you two."

Sherry (Christopher's wife) says this to Rory and Lorelai. Needless to say I had coffeeS this morning! Except I have to keep up with my professors at 8AM!

Hello everyone! I just got done taking my BIO test and it went WELL! I am not sure if I made an A, but I do know that I think that those 6+Hours of studying payed off! (which is always good!)

Since the last time we talked (feels like ages ago), I have eaten the Peanut Butter Cookie Larabar and the Chocolate Cherry Jocolat Larabar.

PBC Larabar: It was really good with a stellar peanut-y taste. However, I am not sure if I would purchase this particular flavor again. Why? As you break off each piece your fingers get coated in oil. Now I know that this is all 100% healthy fats, but it still is not very appetizing or practical for on the go eating. C or A if you do not mind having greasy fingers!

Chocolate Cherry Jocolat Larabar: This bar tastes like a moister (is that a word? lol....now it is) and slightly more natural version of the Almond Brownie Balance Bar that I reviewed a few weeks back.......with a prevalent cherry kick! WOULD definitely buy again! A+

I also had some of the Kashi Vanilla Cereal that I pictured about 2 posts back and it was delish with a subtle vanilla sweetness going on! The squares are not as compact as say, post shredded wheat, so they do not have quite the same crunch. I want to try it in milk though because I think it would absorb the milk great and be even better. B+

Ok, well I am about to go get some yummy gelato with Lex! Ill be sure to take a picture because I have been lacking in that dept!

Be back later! Yay for no tests for the rest of the week (not that the hectic-ness of life is gone.....that only happens over vacations! lol)

P.s. There is a "Scheduled Outage" at 4pm tommorrow. Would some lovely blogger care to tell me what that is?

P.p.s. Some of you are wondering how I get all of these samples. Here's the trick:

Just ask!!!!! Email them with a link to your blog and a request and the nice ones (lol) will be more than happy to share their product with the public!

What do you expect?

Hey hey hey! So it's monday (in case, like me, you were blocking that little detail out of your mind) and it's been a loooong day! I had a whole host of good eats today....but the highlight was that Honest Foods Bar I pictured in the earlier post. Holey Guacamole! This thing has a delightful sweetness that I have never tasted before and the perfect chewiness like a fresh baked cookie with oats, raisins and seeds thrown in for some body. I mean the fact that I had a free coupon for this little guy was awesome, but next time I will be digging into my piggy bank because these guys are worth every cent! OK: rant over!

Ok so I lied just now because....I also had a KEVACCINO with Alexa and Kristen which is ALWAYS worth mentioning! :D

AND I got a these two lovely items in my mailbox (and a yellow package slip, which means I have a package to pick up tommorrow.....**smiles**)

Im excited to try the free samples from Starbucks....did anyone else pick up on this offer? Or have you tried it?

And LARABAR generously sent me a sample pack with a cute rubber band! lol I have honestly not tried too many of their flavors and I am psyched! Reviews to come! (Have you tried any of the ones below?....the verdict?)

For dinner tonight I got a salad and a fruit cup! So great and refreshing!

I love ya'll and I wish I could do a review of an interesting article or write up some coolio food science facts; but I have already wasted too much time and need to get studying for a FOUR chapter BIO test I have Wednesday morning....and I haven't started......

It's the Monday after Spring Break......what do you expect?

Second "home"

I made it safe and sound! :D Great driving weather too! I ended up eating animal crackers, cheddar Flip Sides crackers, honey comb cereal, a 22oz QT frozen coffee drink (aka liquid crack) and another diet coke float from sonic! I also ate almost half of a tuna fish sammie with lettuce (I couldnt eat the other half b/c it was tooo messy and hard to eat while driving and fighting off the strong wind!) and half of a not so messy PB&J (more PB, less J).
Alexa's mom packed her lunch......(cue: "awwww") P.S.....my mom would have packed my lunch too (she's cool like that), but I like making my own food when I have the option! Cooking (or even assembling food...haha) is fun! Which, by the way, is why my family loves it when I come home (among other things!) :)

Look at this 7-11 ad we parked by (BAD lighting, I know!)......ummm so when you are hired is that what happens....because I am not sure I want my head & hand to blow up!

Check out this billboard! Love it! (minus the lovely pole....thanks Lex! haha just kiddin'!)

I ate this sometime at home and it's really bad lighting BUT I wanted you to see my other GG mug!

Once we were home and done unpacking it was 6:00 and I was hungggrrrryy! So off to the fancy grocery store (aka....GOOD food options!) we went! I got some brown rice veggie sushi! YUM! It had advocado, cucs and carrot! Totally hit the spot and very filling (from all the rice and healthy fats!). When I came home I ate all of my dried pineapple (it was not very much...sad it's gone!) and now Im off to study, prepare for tommorrow and wait for the roomie to get home!

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I will catch up with all of your lovely blogs tonight or tomm sometime! Keep commenting though! I love reading them!

QUICK RECAP

I figured you should say bye to these CUTIES! :( My mom and I went to the grocery store yesterday to STOCK UP! We got some candy from the bulk bins and my mom thought it should be featured (hint: the jelly belly bag on top of my cereal!)

The Animal Crackers and Honey Comb are for Alexa and I to snack on in the car!
The PB&Co was on sale for about the same price as the rest of the PB, so I snatched it up! And 2 new bars to try!! :D


Some old and some new! (That Kashi cereal is definitely new and Im psyched to try it!)
SNOW PEAS! "Energy Bites" and dried pineapple bits!

Dates.....I found them!

One of my many snacks last night! (Those straws are not that good!)

FRUIT...I was too lazy to take it all out of the bags!

Brunch....Cinnamon sugar toast and egg with Mozzarella CHEESE! (+ a BANANA!)

Im in love! :D

Time to go get a pedicure with my mom and then we are having a "game day" with my bro, his girlfriend, my mom and possibly alexa! I see sequence in our future!! Tommorrow I hit thee road at 7:30!! eeek!

I just got a DIET COKE FLOAT from sonic! HOLY MOLEY YUM! This is my new favorite thing! Soft serve ice cream and diet coke, together at last! :D TRY IT!!