Nerding out

Happy end of week 4, friends!!

So many great ideas for getting more fruits and vegetables into our diets this week.  I did some juicing, which was delicious (well, actually it was super bitter but still good) but only did it once because it is a real pain to clean up.  I did try to add a fruit to my breakfast, usually an apple or strawberries and that worked out really well.  I made a smoothie with some frozen berries a few mornings which were delicious.  I also made some quinoa with beans and veggies for lunch that lasted a few days.  I ate it with arugula and a little oil and vinegar.  Yum.  HL just suggested making large amounts of roasted veggies at the start of the week and eating them in various ways (sandwiches, snacks, etc) throughout the week.  I am going to try this for sure.  I love roasted veggies.  My beautiful Aunt P also suggested making a big ol salad without dressing at the beginning of the week and reaching for that.  Did any of you try some new ways to get more fruits and veggies in?  Do share!

Week 4 was a tough one at work but ended really well with my greatest friend, EP and her fiance (1 month engaged!!!) visiting here in SF.  The weather was in our favor with a break in the rain providing a beautiful sunny day to wander all around the city, eating good food, seeing beautiful things and just enjoying being together.  It was the best.  It's amazing how friends and family can totally lift you up and make things so happy. 

I am excited for week 5!  The goal is one that I have been thinking of for a while.  So without further ado, week 5...

Spend 20 minutes everyday learning something new.

Yes!  I am a total nerd about this one.  I can learn a new song on the piano or guitar, work in my French workbook, relearn (for the 100th time) how to cast on a new knitting project, take 20 minutes to learn about a new country or person or event - the options are limitless!  Nerd out friends.  I love learning new things.

I am thinking of changing the format a bit by writing down a bunch of goal ideas and picking them out of a hat so there is a little more of an element of surprise.  My friend, AJ, the inspiration for this whole thing, does it that way and she gets so excited before hand to find out what the goal will be.  We could all use a little excitement like that in our lives, yeah?  If you have any goal ideas - send them my way or put them in the comments.  I was even thinking of doing goals that aren't necessarily everyday things but more of something that could be done over a week like try a new recipe this week or take a new class at the gym.  I'll let you know what I come up with.

Hope you guys have a totally nerdy week 5!

xoxo
ea

Finding it a challenge to keep up with challenges

I am going to try and write this from a forgiving and loving place...I am going to try and write this from a forgiving and loving place...I am going to try and write this from a forgiving and loving place....

This is one of those things that drives me absolutely CRAZY about myself and I want to change it but never have.  I don't keep up with things.  EVER!!  It really is so frustrating.  Here I am blogging about challenging myself every week and making weekly challenges so I will be able to keep up with it and I don't keep up with it.  Gar.  Come on, me!!  Pull it together!!  Two weeks in a row of not doing what I said I would do.  BUT on that same note, I did do some great things otherwise.  So there.  Some love.  Good job, me.

I did keep up with exercise and enjoyed playing more tennis, running, doing Comcast videos, going to the gym and doing Zumba.  So that is great.

We are having a lovely weekend - watching movies, visiting with some friends and just enjoying being together.  I really do love just hanging out with that guy, my husband.  He is so much fun.

I also wrote a few letters.  I wrote three thank you notes, a happy new home card and a happy engagement card.  I still need to write three more thank you notes and a new pan pal friend letter!  (thank for the letter, new pen pal friend, MS!!!)

So remember that at the beginning of this whole thing I told you about the inspiration coming from a friend who was picking a challenge each week?  Well the challenge she picked last week was to eat 8 servings of fruits and vegetables every day and drink 90 ounces of water.  She rocked it.  I am doing a modified version of that this week. 

Here it is, week 4's challenge:
eat a fruit and/or vegetable at every meal, including snacks

Now you wouldn't think this would be much of a challenge, right, but I have been finding that I don't eat as many fruits and vegetables as I should! We eat a ton of vegetables for dinner and lunch but I need to get in more fruit.  So I am looking forward to buying a bunch of produce at the grocery tomorrow and going for it.  Do any of you find this as a challenge too?  Any good ideas for me?  My friend HL is a rockstar at eating lots of veggies and fresh foods all the time, especially kale.  I should check out her blog for more ideas.

How is everyone out there doing?  How is your 2012 so far?

xoxoxo