save me sunshine

Chilly February....I am tired of you. Everywhere I look, stores are debuting their spring/summer lines and I just can't take it anymore. Bring on the sunshine, please!!! 

Painful temptations...

bright colors! dresses! tanks! shorts! ahhhh, you're killing me

{piperlime}

bright pink, short & strapless. I crave the day....

{j.crew}

shorts, t-shirts and wedges. come on sunshine, you can do it

{gap}

Instead...we are stuck in this miserable mantra...

 How many times can I make an outfit with black skinny pants and long tunic sweaters? It's getting old. 

{all pics from pinterest...duh.}

save me sunshine

:) amc

signed, sealed, delivered

When Josh & I got engaged, I was told by numerous brides and wives that one of my first purchases should be a return address stamp. 


So being the "Bride of the Year" that I am... {uhhhh}....two months later, I have made the purchase! 


Check out how perfect the "font" is!!!

I love this calligraphy look!

This will make Thank You notes so much more fun

Thank you to Pinterest and Etsy for introducing me to Feather Letter- great prices and products! 

oh wedding planning...

:) amc

"Bride of the Year"...

7 new thoughts

Thanks to a wonderful friend, this afternoon I have been hooked on two websites: "Eve Was Partially Right" and "Food Matters."


I just came across a post on EWPR that reminds me so much of the daily conversations that the girls and I have throughout the day at work. 


Had to share:
{but I changed the pics...the others were gross}

7 New Thought Patterns to Replace Old Ones

{via Eve Was Partially Right blog}

1. Old loop: I ordered the grilled cheese, so why not get the fries, too?


Switch to... One treat at a time. I'm indulging in grilled cheese, so I'll trade the fries for a salad.


Here's How: "The thought pattern is, I've already blown it for today, so I might as well keep going," says Janet Polivy, PhD, a psychology professor at the University of Toronto. She calls it the "what the hell" effect and says it causes people to devour so much food that they feel they'll never get back on track. To prevent this scenario from playing over and over, Polivy says, you have to redefine your idea of healthy eating. Allow yourself the occasional treat, as long as it's accompanied by smarter food choices like fresh fruit and vegetables. At roughly 500 calories, one melted cheddar on rye a week should hardly make you fat. Habitually tacking on a large order of fries, however, might.

2. Old loop: I'll just have this one cookie.


Switch to... If I can't stop at one or two cookies, I shouldn't have any at all.


Here's How: We stand by the above tip that it's okay to eat your favorite foods, provided you're the type who can stop after a small amount. "One cookie could turn into 1,000 calories or more if you proceed to eat the whole bag," warns Stephen Gullo, PhD, president of the Institute for Health and Weight Sciences. He suggests that you take a step back and honestly assess how you've reacted to your favorite foods in the past. You may discover that chocolate chip cookies trigger uncontrollable cravings but one square of dark chocolate appeases your sweet tooth quite nicely

3. Old loop: My husband says I look fat, so I guess I should start exercising.


Switch to... I want to get in shape for myself, not for him.


Here's How: Whether or not you need to shed a few pounds, acting in response to someone else's hurtful remarks will breed self-doubt and lower your self-esteem, says Marlene Schwartz, PhD, codirector of the Yale Center for Eating and Weight Disorders in New Haven, Connecticut. To reset your weight loss goals so they revolve solely around you, sit down and figure out how you could benefit from changing your lifestyle. (Writing your thoughts out on paper might help.) If you identify areas that need improvement, talk to your spouse about how he can play a part: Plan low-fat weekly menus together in lieu of eating out, or take walks after dinner instead of watching TV. Alternatively, if you're exercising, eating right, and feeling pretty healthy the way you are, Schwartz says, "tell him that this is his problem, not yours."

4. Old loop: What's the point of losing weight during the winter? I'll get in shape come summer.


Switch to... By eating more now, I'm creating a lot of extra work for myself when spring rolls around.


Here's How: A study by scientists at the National Institutes of Health tracked 195 people through the holidays and found an average weight gain of about a pound.
By the following year, most had gained another half pound, and the researchers predicted that the trend would only continue. To prevent this outward creep, Gullo says, keep thoughts of summer in your house all year long by hanging a bikini or skimpy sundress on the back of the bathroom door, and visualize yourself wearing it every time you head for the leftovers. He also proposes committing to a regular exercise program in the fall, "before the winter blahs set in," because lugging last night's comfort food through an hour-long spinning class isn't so comfortable

5. Old loop: Fat runs in my family, so why bother exercising?


Switch to... I can't change my DNA, but I can change my fate.


Here's How: "Genetics helps determine your natural weight range, but you have some control over where you fall within that range," says Edward Abramson, PhD, an expert on obesity, dieting, and weight disorders and the author of Body Intelligence. Rather than aiming for a size 2, aim for health: If being overweight is a family trait, diabetes, heart disease, and other obesity-related illnesses could be, too, Schwartz says. Walk to the grocery store, choose the stairs over the escalator, and take good care of the body you were born with. "It's important to distinguish between body size and body health," she says. "Research shows that people who are overweight and physically fit can live longer than people who are ideal weight and not physically fit.

6. Old loop: After that grueling workout, I deserve a bacon double cheeseburger.


Switch to... After busting my butt at the gym, my body deserves the VIP treatment.


Here's How: "Most people overestimate the number of calories they've burned," says Brian Wansink, PhD, a professor of marketing, applied economics, and nutritional science at Cornell University and author of Marketing Nutrition. To burn off a bacon double cheeseburger, the average 140-pound woman has to jog at a rate of five miles per hour for more than 60 minutes. Recast your concept of reward: Instead of seeking food, take a luxurious bubble bath, rent a guilty-pleasure movie, buy a new pair of shoes, or lose yourself in a good novel.

7. Old loop: I'll grab a candy bar to get me through my mid afternoon slump.


Switch to... When my energy flags, I need food that will help me go the distance.


Here's How: Candy and other sweets have little nutritional value, and they destabilize blood sugar, causing you to have more cravings later on, Gullo says. To head off a snack attack, he suggests, "reprogram yourself to seek out a mini-meal 30 minutes before you usually hit a slump." By eating before you're famished, you should be able to resist the sweet stuff and choose foods with enough protein, fat, and complex carbs to keep you sated and energized until dinner. Some of Gullo's top picks: bran crackers with low-fat cheese, a hard-boiled egg, or a cup of low-fat yogurt.




Hope you enjoyed the article! 

and....shout out to world's greatest dog! 

It is Mr. Mason's 5th Birthday!!!!!

We love you handsome buddy! 

:) amc

going green

Earlier today I came across this thing called the Blended Salad. I had a good bit of veggies about to go bad that I had to use- so I thought this could be just the ticket! 


Here it goes:


Blended Salad/Green Soup

The cast of characters: baby spinach, tomatoes, mushrooms, garlic, onion, lemon, zucchini and flax seed

{basically any and everything that I had on hand and was considered a vegetable...+ 2 roma tomatoes}

Every good meal begins by sauteing onions and garlic {no oil}

Chop up veggies- I used mushrooms, tomatoes and zucchini

Add them to the pot along with seasoning of your choice- I went with a mixture of some Mrs Dash and Garlic Powder {I mean really, can you have too much garlic?}

Top it off with some heaping handfuls of spinach

Then dip the immersion blender into the mix and puree away

so honestly, I thought it would be a bit...smoother... but it just didn't work out like that. 

Tasty though! 

and ready for this week's lunches! 

go green 

:) amc

choo choo i love you

Happy Valentine's Day! 

Last weekend Josh and I escaped town and spent the weekend in Chattanooga, just the two of us. Like grown ups- whoa! :) 

But first we exchanged some pretty gifts. 

Some Jack Spade for Josh

& a Kitchen Aid Food Processor for me!!! OOOOOOOh guys! You have NO idea how excited I was to open this! I have been drooling over a food processor for quite some time; it was such a surprise to get one! 

Then off we went to the beautiful Chattanooga Choo Choo 

old train cars

incredible windows 

and sky lights

Josh had a thing for the lion. I think it was beard envy. 

During the day we scouted out a great little craft brewery way too close to our hotel

the place had a great look

and wonderful beer :)

this is josh contemplating our future... :) 

a toast to an engaged valentine's date weekend

dinner & wine time! the best part of the night--- outstanding four-course dinner and romantic atmosphere. Plus my date was just the best ever!

{dinner at Alleia}

and today my tulips have fully bloomed and are a special addition to my desk at work. 

Thank you Josh for the most wonderful Valentine's weekend! I love you!

:) amc

cookblogs

I loooove cookbooks. I read them like novels, display them like awards and add more to my collection on the regular. 


The thing is...when I do my grocery list, I rarely have the books around. I am happy to have found many great #EatClean blogs jam packed with recipes as a solution. 


Some inspiring #EatClean recipes to try:

Black Bean and Quinoa Salad

Cook once and have lunch for a week. 

{via Choosing Raw}

Creamy Fusilli with Beets, Kale and Pine Nuts

pink pasta! Josh would freak...

{via Choosing Raw}

Zucchini Pasta with Roasted Butternut Squash and Cream Sauce

That zucchini pasta looks so fun. Josh got me a food processor and I am dying to use it- this cream sauce could be just the recipe!

{via Choosing Raw}

Coconut Curry Smashed Sweet Potatoes

Yummmm! A small scoop could make for a warm and satisfying afternoon meal/snack

{via Edible Perspective}

Carrot Fries

I love a veggie in fry form! 

{via Choosing Raw}

Green Soup/Blended Salad

It's rainy. It's cold. I am in a soup mood. I love green smoothies in the morning, I would probably enjoy a green soup for my lunch. 

{via Choosing Raw}

Harvest Soup

Or I could go for a nice, rich bowl of roasted veggie soup. Comfort. 

{via Kristen's Raw}

Roasted Potato, Broccoli and White Bean Soup

For a hearty, chunky soup. Josh approved. 

{via Clean Eating Chelsey}

BBQ Tofu

I finally had my first taste of tofu this week and I love it! I know not to eat it too often, but I have some in the fridge and I think it should become barbecued very soon. 

{via Clean Eating Chelsey}

Notice all of the pretty colors in these foods...lot's of orange & green. My favorite colors... very fitting. 

Speaking of fitting...my clothes have been fitting much nicer since going "clean"- this is a very rewarding "lifestyle" that I def recommend. 

I love discovering new blogs and recipes- so please share them with me when you find! 

:) amc