We’re creeping up on finals here at Oregon very quickly. The begining of the week was super stressful with a couple of project deadlines and getting the apartment for next year! We were supposed to camp out all night in front of the office, but never got there. Thankfully, things ended up okay and it looks like we have the place!

Though before I become a permenant resident at the library, I’ve been having so much fun recently.

My sorority had a sisterhood at a local skating place

It was like a flashback to the 90′s when I was in elementary school and we had skating parties.

I’m good on inline skates, but since those were an extra $3 I went with the retro 4-wheeled ones.

I had trouble at first

But eventually figured it out and was even able to cross my feet over themselves at the corners again.

Yesterday my sorority had our dodgeball philanthropy

Me and my future roommates

It was SUCH a blast. We got to coach one the guys of one of our favorite fraternities. Getting up at 7AM and running around all day was completely worth it.

Have a great Sunday!

What reminds you of the 90s or of your youth? The silly putty, sticky hands and glowsticks I saw at the roller skating place put me right back to 1995.

Two days ago it was warm and sunny enough to eat outside on the sorority’s sun porch.

It was so wonderful to soak up the sun before I had to run to my doctor’s appointment (more on that later though)

For lunch the sorority’s cooks were serving burger bar. The chefs usually offer beef patties, chicken or turkey patties as well as vegetarian. The vegetarian patties hadn’t come in yet and I was in desperate need of protein. So I topped my salad with the chicken patty.

Salad with tomatoes, bell peppers, corn, peas, avocado and broccoli with Annie’s Creamy Asagio Dressing.

I’m actually starting to like raw broccoli. So strange.

However this weather has got me running back to the nice, warm oatmeal for breakfast again.

Pumpkin Oatmeal

I forgot to top it with Almond Butter in this picture. I absolutely can not eat pumpkin oats with out it.

PB&J Oatmeal

An old favorite! Technically the toppings are almond butter & raspberry fruit spread, but you get the jist. I also added raisins, craisins and a mashed up banana to the oatmeal which added fantastic flavor and texture.

For a pre-workout snack I went with a Sunflower Seed Butter & Banana sandwich.

In a few healthy eating books that I have read, they have mentioned that the problem with getting people to eat fruits and vegetable is because it’s hard to advertise on them.

Chiquita–I should have known. To me it’s kind of frightening how they’re marketing for people to eat bananas because they’re fat free. Fat still has a negative connotation in our society which is so sad.

I’ve also been hitting up VitaTops for dessert

I warmed the vita top in the microwave for 15-20 seconds with the almond butter on top to create an ooey-gooey dessert. It’s also really great with honey!

Doctor’s Appointment

Despite having my ride fall through at the last moment, and scrambling to figure out how to get to the hospital for my doctor’s appointment, I hopped onto a bus and it took me straight there. I am so fortunate that Eugene has a great public transportation service.

I have had this appointment for what it seems like forever. 5 or 6 weeks maybe?

The appointment was with a Gastroenterologist to check out my stomach issues. The issues of:

1. Eating certain foods is painful to digest. Foods such as: citrus, grapes, soy sauce, teas, yogurt and cottage cheese. Apples and carrots too if there’s absolutely nothing in my stomach

2. I’ve had to miss class a couple of times because I would get stomach cramps from being just a little bit hungry. I eat lunch later than usual on Thursday because of my class schedule, and my stomach cramping always happened on Thursdays. I had to miss class twice because of this.

The doctor was really great (although I was incredibly intimidated at first) but said that it was basic Irritable Bowel Syndrome. It sounds so gross, but basically that some certain foods don’t agree with me and it causes uncomfortable stomach cramps. Apparently 1 in 6 people have IBS, and its most common in women. I didn’t know that!

I’m just glad that I’m not going crazy for my stomach really hurting when eating a lot of random foods.

Hey bloggies. I hope everyone’s weekend is going well! I started to write this post last night, but alas apartment hunting, Bicentennial men watching, facebook stalking and heart-to-hearts made me close my computer and enjoy my sorority sisters company. I truly enjoyed being able to stay in, sit in the TV room and talk with friends and their boyfriends about random college happenings.

I was also able to update the blog a bit! I have been wanting to clean up the blog and make it a bit more fresh. New layout, new header and an updated list of my top 10 posts. I’m still tweaking the header a bit, but like I said above, sorority fun got to me and I wasn’t quite able to finish the job. How do you like it?

Respect

Although the Dalai Lama addressed the world with his Millennium Instructions for Life over a decade ago, I still find his words inspirational.

I keep the Instructions on the bulletin board by my desk and love looking up and reading them.

Number 3 has been recently catching my eye, so I thought to do a post around it.

3. Follow the three Rs:

• Respect for self
• Respect for others and
• Responsibility for all your actions.

Respect for Self

I find myself respecting myself in the way I eat. I respect the wishes of my body to crave carbs, healthy fats and chocolate and to eat when I need the nourishment.

Breakfasts

Two pieces of whole-grain toast topped with almond butter, honey, cocoa nibs and chia seeds. I love that all 4 items are a staple in my food supply and they mix wonderfully on the toast.

I also had a tropical-esque smoothie with the meal, but I was way too full from the toast to even put a dent in it!

I also respect my body’s needs for pumpkin. And to have parfaits like the rest of the girls in my sorority.

In the mix:

• 1/3 c. oats
• 1/3 c. organic canned pumpkin
• 2 T raisins
• a few shakes a cinnamon
• a shake of pumpkin seasoning
• enough water to cover the mix and fluff up in the microwave

The cook made beautiful yogurt and blueberry parfaits in glass dishes for breakfast that morning so I asked if I could make my own with the blueberries since my stomach doesn’t process yogurt made from cow’s very well.

I used vanilla goat milk yogurt instead and mixed with thawed frozen blueberries.

So I didn’t get the glass dish, but it was still heavenly

Apparently I have been craving toast recently, because here it is again.

One piece topped with earth balance and raspberry fruit spread and another with almond butter, honey, chia seeds and cocoa nibs

With a kiwi for a bit of breakfast dessert

Lunch

My schedule on Saturday was a bit crazy, so I ended up having two small, identical lunches. One at noon, and another at 3:30.

1/2 a can of Annie’s Tuscan bean and rice soup, and leftover couscous and squash from the sorority’s cooks.

One plate eaten at noon, and another identical one eaten at 3:30.

It was a super nice, warm winter lunch. I also really enjoyed eating it in two parts so I wasn’t stuffing myself. Plus I got to enjoy the meal twice

Respect for Others

No pictures for this one, but I feel that this has taken a big portion of my life. In respecting others, I feel like I am one to be there for someone when life seems to get to be too much. In the past 3 weekends, 3 girls have been heartbroken by guys. I have been so glad that I could be there with them and let them talk it out.

Responsibility for my Actions

Showing a basketball game seems like kind of a weird one to be showing. But in a way I’m respecting my actions. I’m respecting my actions to live as a college student and take a break from the books for a bit to support our team.

With midterms taking a huge toll on me and knowing that I have 2 cumulative projects and a paper due all in the same week coming up soon, I have been responsible by planning out my working periods, but still leaving room for some fun.

Have a wonderful rest of your weekend!

How do you like the new layout/header? Do you have any suggestions?

How do you respect yourself?

Ok, so grab the kiwi.

Got it?

Good.

Now bite off the top. (Sorry fuzzy shell haters, you gotta do what you gotta do to be lazy) If you really must spit it out, you can spit the top part out.

(and try to focus the camera on the kiwi instead of the hand next time)

Now dig in with a spoon!

For this absolutely ingenious idea, I would like to thank:

1. Local kiwi that’s in season apparently (3 for $1!)
2. Me being insanely lazy
3. The sorority house for being so big
4. Me for stashing plastic spoons in my drawers but not knives so I don’t have to go downstairs when I want a bowl of midnight cereal–or kiwi.

Ingenuity at it’s finest.

Onto some recent eats.

Lunch

A vegetable sandwich on whole wheat bread (my own that I buy, not the kind that the sorority stocks which has sugar and high fructose corn syrup in it)

A side salad topped with kidney beans, cucumber, corn, peas, sunflower seeds and carrots.

With some Mint Dark Chocolate for dessert

(It apparently cost $2.50 for the entire bar–whoops)

Dinner

The sorority was having Breakfast for dinner complete with cinnamon rolls, sausage and white pancakes plus I had a late night class so I rolled with my own dinner.

I made my own salad during lunch, then warmed up Annie’s Three Layer Enchilada Pie to put on top.

I’m sorry to say but it wasn’t one of Annie’s best.

In all seriousness (but not really), are you a kiwi-fuzzy-outter-shell hater? I used to eat kiwis straight with the fuzzy later. The texture has honestly never bothered me.

I’m way too obsessed with Nordstrom.

My accessories department has been lacking, so I spent a good amount of time bulking it up.

I also bought:

A necklace from Forever 21

A flower clip from H&M

And a flower headband from Claires

A friend went in there for a plastic-y tiara and I left with a flower headband.

My energy for shopping has stemmed from Pumpkin Oatmeal

Surprise, surprise?

In the mix

• 1/3 c. oatmeal
• 1/4 c. organic canned pumpkin
• 1 T flaxseed meal
• 2 T raisins
• Topped with about 2 T almond butter

Amazing.

Do you have a shopping addiction? What is your favorite thing to shop for?

I’m a huge fan of accessories and athletic wear

Due to me recently really getting into rock climbing, my hands have started to look like this. Sorry in advance to any guys I go out on a date with in the near future haha.

Recent Eats

Breakfast

Almond Butter, honey, chia seeds and cocoa nibs on whole wheat toast.

Banana with coconut milk and cinnamon

Pumpkin Oatmeal (x4 other times)

Huevos Rancheros (x2) I overdid the amount of eggs that time, but on the weekends I’ve been enjoying having two eggs over easy on top of the toast.

Oatmeal topped with strawberries, blueberries, craisins and raisins.

The sorority has started to have already made oatmeal almost everyday they have going in a crockpot. Good thing, because I have been craving oatmeal!

Lunch

Homemade clam chowder, salad covered with Annie’s Asagio dressing with a hardboiled egg on the side for some protein. I saved the clam chowder for lunch on Saturday.

Basketball Games

I finally made it to a couple of basketball games this weekend at the new Matthew Knight Arena

We played both the University of Washington and Washington State University

The ducks won both games! It’s sadly the first games I have been to that the ducks have won.

and of course a picture with Puddles the duck.

CSN Giveaway

Thank you for all the entries! I have read each and every one of your quotes. They are all very inspirational.

The winner of the $40 gift card to CSN stores is:

Dannielle

Congratulations Dannielle! I will contact you shortly with your prize

What is your favorite sporting event to attend?

Midterms have been killer. I definitely got my butt handed to me on my midterm yesterday–yikes! 1 midterm down, 3 more to go? Plus two projects?

Le sigh.

I’ll leave you with a giveaway!

CSN is offering Give Me the Almond Butter followers a $40 gift card to any CSN stores. You can get items like modern furniture in addition to kitchen items.

I will pick a random entry by Monday, February 7

To enter:

1. Tell me what your favorite saying or quote is in the comment section

Additional Entry:

2. Add me to your blog roll (and let me know!)

Happy Friday!

It all just may be in the shoes. I had been wearing my new running shoes around, walking to the gym and such but yesterday was my first run in them when magic happened.

Breakfast

I ate a fantastic breakfast of Pumpkin Oatmeal

I tell you I’m in love. I’ve had this breakfast the past 4 mornings in a row.

I also had a glass of unpictured green tea for a bit of caffeine to get my body going for my run.

Run

Eugene has been experiencing absolutely beautiful weather lately: sunny, but cool.

I had ran my normal 2 miles and was turning back on my street to go home. I usually run about two miles or a bit more, because this is about the point when my body starts aching.

Except this time, I felt good so I kept on going. I set bench marks for myself: make it to Mac Court–but I still felt really good when I got there, make it to Matt Court–but then I still felt really good. Then I saw the trail that led to the Willamette River Bike Trail and decided to keep on going. I was at about 3 miles by this point, but thought that I could get to my all time high of 4 miles.

Then this happened:

7

As in 7 miles. I ran 7 miles, when I haven’t ran more than 2 1/2 miles since last Spring. And I’m not one of those crazy runners. I just run when I feel like it.

I don’t recommend for anyone to suddenly increase their mileage like this. I just did what my body felt it could do. And apparently my body was in enough shape for 7 miles.

I’m so incredibly proud of myself. I never thought that I would run more than 4 miles in my life and then I almost double it in one run.

I will definitely not be running 7 miles from now on, or anything close to that mileage just because I did it once. I’m going to keep doing what my body feels like, which may be 2 miles, or it may be 10.

Post-Run Food

After my run, brunch at the sorority house was closing and I knew I needed food. I ordered up two eggs, on top of toasted whole wheat bread spread with laughing cow cheese and a bagel thin spread with sunflower seed butter and banana. I gobbled it up before I could even begin to think about taking a picture of it.

Later I had a turkey sub sandwich from a Sub Shop. I ate the 12″ sub throughout the day.

La Perla

Because of my project for a class, you will be seeing A LOT of food from La Perla. Not that I mind eating authentic Italian Pizza 3 times a week…

Today I ordered the Insalate de Caprese. Essentially a Caprese salad on top of foccacia bread.

I ate about 1/2 and I was stuffed!

What is a feat that you have accomplished recently?

But truly, although there hasn’t really been any clouds over Eugene lately, there has been a lot of crankiness, unhappiness and grouchiness all over campus. And I refuse to let it sink in. I have been so good this week about keeping the upbeat glow radiating off me, despite midterms.

Some things keeping the glow going?

Pumpkin…Everything

Probably one of the grossest looking meals of all time, but I have been craving it every day since I got my hands on organic pumpkin.

Pumpkin Oats!

I added:

• 1/2 c. oats
• 1/3 c. canned pumpkin
• handful of goji berries
• 6 drops of liquid stevia
• 1 1/2 T of cinnamon
• topped with 2 T of almond butter

I don’t have any nutmeg, or other seasonings so I just went with a heaping amount of cinnamon. It still worked though

A few days ago the sorority served an amazing pumpkin dessert. I saved a few servings of it and finished it off today.

It also doesn’t look that appetizing, but heating it up in the microwave for a few seconds is amazing! It gives me a bit of a stomachache for a few minutes after, but its so worth it!

La Perla

In a project for one of my architecture classes we have to study a place. My group decided to study a place with benefits AKA beneplace. As in La Perla, which serves excellent handmade, woodfired, Neopolitan pizza.

They have a beautiful open kitchen where you can watch the chefs make the pizza and salads

Richard and I went for lunch today, so I could observe human behavior at lunchtime. It sounds like such a creepy topic, but its actually really fun to just people watch!

I got the 1/2 Sandwich 1/2 Salad option. A Caprese Sandwich with an Insalata d’ Arugula.

With water to drink. I absolutely love how they serve the water. It’s so charming!

I had no problem finishing off my lunch

Flowers

On the way back from La Perla I stopped at a local flower store and picked up some daisies for my roommates and I

Just a little something to brighten up their day.

New Running Shoes

My new running shoes came in the mail!

I thought they were going to be red, but ended up being bright pink! They’re really fun though.

My Summer Plans

Ever since I found out my summer plans two weeks ago I have just been beaming. I keep thinking about the adventures, the fun, the relaxation and the killer tan I will acquire while I study abroad.

(source)

In Rome.

(source)

I almost peed my pants when I found out.

Good thing I’m preparing my taste buds with all this Italian food

If you could study abroad anywhere free of cost, where would you go?

And although I haven’t seen that particular kid that makes me smile in a while… I’ve been smiling constantly today.

Exercise

I’m taking a rock climbing class this quarter and have improved so much! My instructor has really taken an interest in pushing me to be a better climber. He really worked with me on my technique to climb a higher difficulty level than I have climbed before (a V1 for people who know climbing). I didn’t reach the top of that route today, but I’m getting close!

Dance Marathon

On Saturday I participated in Dance Marathon in which participants dance for 12 hours which benefits Children’s Miracle Network. It was exhausting, and I’m definitely sore (I got a bit carried away with the first pumping) but so worth it!

The Puddles the Duck was there for a bit and danced with a few of the kids who benefitted from Children’s Miracle Network.

The morale captains seeing to “Don’t Stop Believing” like the Glee Cast

Me and a friend who went to high school with me. Its fun to see a familiar face. This was about 10 hours in, so please excuse the sweatiness.

I got pretty dizzy nearing the 11th and 12th hour but didn’t realize it till I stepped outside.

So when I got home I refueled with some Zico Coconut Water to aid in my recovery.I also drank some on Sunday morning, since I was still pretty dehydrated and tired.

Food

Sunday I woke up at 8:30, took a shower, ate breakfast, and then went back to sleep till 11:30. I was so exhausted, but my stomach just couldn’t turn itself off.

Two eggs over easy on top of sprouted grain bread with salsa.

Pears, nectarines (maybe peaches?), mandarin oranges and blueberries for some fruit. They normally serve cantaloupe and honey dew on the weekends from a bucket which is tasteless. This stuff definitely wasn’t fresh, but it was actually really good!

Weather

I must admit, this weather is making everything pretty sweet.

Not too shabby for the Pacific Northwest that’s for sure! I took a walk in the sun today after climbing.

These are days where I just love life.

Do you do any charity events? This was my second year doing Dance Marathon as well as I’ve done Relay for Life for the past 5 years!