Quotes to live by

Trivia was HARD last night. I hardly knew any of the answers, but it was still a fun night!

Breakfast was vanilla Chobani Greek yogurt mixed with Iz granola, sliced banana, and TJ's Valencia PB with Flaxseed. I ate breakfast while I studied for my last Italian quiz of the semester!

Lunch was chicken salad over a big salad filled with tomatoes, cucumbers, bell peppers, shredded carrots, dried cranberries, and walnuts. I had half of a croissant (un-pictured) and strawberries and grapes on the side.

It rained again today, so I went to the Rec after lunch. The weather is really interfering with my running schedule! I hate running on treadmills, so I did 45 minutes on the arc trainer and 15 on the stair master.

When I got back, I was craving cereal, so I made a bowl of Kashi Honey Toasted with Silk Almond Milk.

I didn't have class the rest of the day, but I used my time productively to work on a few papers that are due next week. Next week is "dead week", which means teachers are not technically allowed to give tests. Somehow, I still always have a ton of work to do! Can't believe next week is my last week of college. The reality hadn't really hit me until this past week. I'm trying to have as much fun as possible and soak in everything that college has to offer in these last two weeks. Even though there is a huge part of me that's excited about the future and what is to come, I'll really miss certain aspects of college, especially the friendships I've formed over the past 4 years. 

Dinner tonight was a shrimp boil with potatoes and corn on the cob. It was good but spicy!

I've always been a big fan of quotes, so I thought I would share a few of my favorites. Hope these quotes will provide you with encouragement no matter where you are in life.

"The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams."

-Eleanor Roosevelt


"Anyone who has never made a mistake has never tried anything new."
-Albert Einstein

"Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all."

-Helen Keller


"Always be a first-rate version of yourself, instead of a second-rate version of someone else."
-Judy Garland


"Pick the day. Enjoy it-to the hilt. The day as it comes. People as they come. The past, I think, has helped me appreciate the present-and I don't want to spoil any of it by fretting about the future."
-Audrey Hepburn


"The best thing about the future is that it only comes one day at a time.
-Abraham Lincoln


"You are never too old to set a new goal or to dream a new dream."
-C.S. Lewis

"Twenty years from now, you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover."

-Mark Twain

"All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them."

-Walt Disney

"Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined."

-Henry David Thoreau

"It takes courage to grow up and become who you really are."

-e.e. cummings

"Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you’ll land among the stars."

-Les Brown

"If we did all the things we were capable of, we would literally astound ourselves."
-Thomas Edison

"To be nobody but yourself in a world which is doing its best, night and day, to make you everybody else means to fight the hardest battle which any human being can fight; and never stop fighting."

-e.e. cummings

"You have brains in your head.

You have feet in your shoes.

You can steer yourself in any direction you choose.

You're on your own.

And you know what you know.

You are the guy who'll decide where to go."

-Dr. Seuss

I'm looking forward to going home tomorrow for Easter!

Good night everyone!

Typical Tuesday

I really love my Tuesday night adventures! My night felt more like something I would do on the weekend, but I think that's why I like it so much-it's a nice little break in the week!

Dinner at FIG (FIG stands for food is good) last night was wonderful!

My entree came with a strawberry spinach salad with balsamic on the side.

French bread + fig butter rocked my world!

Carribbean Mojo Chicken served over rice pilaf and topped with black bean and corn salsa

It was a beautiful presentation of food and it tasted delicious!

After dinner, M.A. and I headed over to Chloe's Cup for our first round of jazz music. We both ordered decaf coffees and sweet potato biscuits (to save for this morning's breakfast) and chatted while listening to the Voodoo Saints. I loved this picture that was on the wall!

So true!

After enjoying a little pre-game jazz music, we headed over to the Alcove. I still haven't caught the name of the jazz band there, but I think they were even better this week than last week. Craft beers of the night included Delirium Tremens and Abita Amber.

I woke up early this morning to study for my math test. Breakfast featured my sweet potato biscuits from Chloe's Cup and a side of strawberry Oikos Greek yogurt. After taking a bite, I topped the biscuits with some PB & Co White Chocolate Wonderful. It was a good call!

Despite the monsoon on UA's campus today, I still made it to my morning classes. Such dedication. Lunch at the sorority house was kinda random but pretty good. We had tomato pie and beef tenderloin salad with strawberries, pecans, and bleu cheese. I finished off the meal with some cantaloupe and honeydew. The tomato pie was like a mix between quiche and pizza. I went back for another small slice!

The rain prevented me from running outside today, so I went to the Rec after my math test. I ate a banana with PB & Co White Chocolate Wonderful on my way out the door, and I did 45 minutes on the arc trainer and 15 on the bike. It always feels good to exercise after studying all day!

Dinner at the house was BBQ chicken, macaroni and cheese, cole slaw, and baked beans. It was a good night for comfort food. Can you tell I like baked beans? They spread all over my plate!

Off to trivia! 

Pita Pizzas

I knew today was going to be busy, so I worked out after I ate breakfast. For some reason, this always makes my mornings seem rushed and stressful. I woke up at 5 or 6 AM every day last semester for my nutrition rotations, so I don't know why I suddenly think it's so hard to get to the gym by 8. I only had time for a 45 minute session on the arc trainer before I had to leave for class. Parking is a long process on UA's campus. Definitely will not miss it!

Breakfast was Quaker Maple and Brown Sugar instant oats prepped with water and topped with a sliced banana and spoonful of TJ's Valencia PB with Flaxseed.

We had pita pizzas for lunch today, my favorite meal at the sorority house EVER! I filled my plate with a slice of each: spinach and tomato, sun dried tomato and bacon, chicken spinach and artichoke, and hawaiian with chicken pineapple and tomato. My favorite was the one with spinach and tomato!

Today is the 2nd annual Sustainability Day at the University of Alabama. I helped out by working at a table on the Quad. We gave out free snow cones to people who answered questions about sustainability on UA's campus. The snow cones were lime-flavored (go green!) and were a huge success!

Interesting Facts I learned:

1) The Crimson Ride uses biodiesel.

2) UA received a B+ on the sustainability report card this year. In 2010, they received a B- and in 2007, a D! Progress, people!

3) UA offers a sustainability package that can be added onto your meal plan for $25. This package includes a recyclable to-go box, a reusable coffee mug, and an organic t-shirt. In addition, 5 lbs. of food will be donated from Bama Dining to the West Alabama Food Bank and a tree will be planted under your name.

4) UA has a bicycle rental program, where you can rent a bike for only $10/yr!

5) You can buy a reusable coffee mug at any of the Bama dining locations. It normally costs $9 but will only be $5 this week (April 18-22). It only costs 55 cents for each additional refill!

I ate a green apple from the fruit bowl downstairs and some marcona almonds before I went to photography class. Not the best apple I've ever had, but I guess it did the job.

I just finished my stock project and am getting ready for jazz night! Mary Alice and I are going to dinner first at FIG, then Chloe's Cup, and finally the Alcove!

Unmotivated Monday

It's only Monday, and I'm already ready for it to be Thursday! It's so hard to stay motivated when I only have one real week of class left in my entire college career. Of course, it would be the week I have a million things due. Senioritis, anyone?

Breakfast:

A "yogurt mess", consisting of Vanilla Chobani Greek yogurt, Kashi Golden Goodness, Iz granola, a sliced banana, and Justin's Chocolate Hazelnut Butter.

Lunch:

A baked potato topped with cheddar cheese, a dollop of sour cream, and chives. I had a large side salad with cucumbers, bell peppers, broccoli, sunflower seeds, dried cranberries, grilled chicken, and balsamic vinaigrette. I needed a little chocolate fix after lunch, so I had two Dove dark chocolates with almonds.

Snack:

Apple Slices

Dinner:

Chicken piccata served over linguini with steamed vegetables and a roll. It was really good!

Dessert:

A sugar cookie from Mary's Cakes and Pastries. And possibly, another mini sugar cookie or two that my friend Catherine's mom made. Can't seem to satisfy my sweet tooth today!

Right now I'm working on a stock project that is way over my head, but at least jazz night and trivia night are in the future! Facebook used to be my go to when I wanted to procrastinate, but now it's reading blogs!

Good night!

A Pleasant Surprise

Kozy's is another hidden gem in Tuscaloosa!

Literally. It's just a house on the side of the road!

But once inside, it transforms into a fine dining experience! There are black and white pictures of old movie stars all over the restaurant.

We ordered Kozy's Famous Mushrooms (stuffed with beef tenderloin and Gruyere cheese) for the table to share.

Molasses Salmon with Mascarpone Risotto and Sauteed Spinach.

I spent the rest of the night watching The Office on my laptop and then Harry Potter in the TV room with some friends. Exciting, I know.

Breakfast this morning was Kashi Honey & Cinnamon instant oats (I like Maple and Brown Sugar a lot better), 1/2 C water, 1 T chia seeds, 1/2 sliced banana, and PB & Co White Chocolate Wonderful. I also crumbled in part of a leftover bran muffin from yesterday's breakfast.

Mary Alice and I met for a mid-morning training run. We wanted to go on a 10 mile run, which would be our last long run before the half-marathon. Being the laid back runners we are, we didn't have a planned out route. We've never really timed ourselves or kept track of how far we're running until after we get back, because we want to avoid burning out and becoming obsessive. It's worked for us so far! I can still honestly say that I'm having fun! We haven't even been really following a specific training schedule. We've just been listening to our bodies and doing what works best for us! I've also found that running is a lot of trial and error. You have to figure out what works best for you. I'm happy to report that I had no blisters after this run! We ran 2 loops around campus that we estimated to be about 10 miles. However, when we got  back and mapped our run, we discovered that we had run 12.5 miles without even realizing it!!! I was shocked!

While we were running, we talked about how fun it is to see the progress we've made over the course of the semester. I wouldn't consider myself the fastest runner in the world or anything, but I've definitely come a long way. Earlier in the semester, I would get excited about running 3 miles, and now I'm running 12.5!  It was such an encouraging run, and I finally feel like I'm ready to run a half-marathon. Nashville here we come!

When we got back, I made a quick lunch using stuff I had at the sorority house. A PB&B Sandwich and strawberry Oikos Greek Yogurt topped with Iz granola and fruit. I ate a lot more of the granola straight out of the bag!

I took a really long shower after lunch and headed to Panera Bread to work on some homework. It was a pretty day, so I sat outside and drank coffee. I also ate a Clif Mojo Trail Mix Bar, while I was there.

I got dinner to-go from Moe's Southwest Grill before I met with a group to work on a project at 7. I've been to Moe's a lot recently, but it's just such an easy walk from the sorority house. I also think it can be healthy and provide a wide variety of nutrients, if you order the right thing! Today I got a junior burrito on a whole wheat tortilla. I filled it with tofu, rice, black beans, onions, peppers, cheese, lettuce, and pico de gallo. My friend Hillary got tofu in her burrito when we went on Friday and really liked it, so I decided to give it a whirl. I thought it was delicious!

After I finished working on my group project, I went through the drive-thru at the old school TCBY where you can't choose unlimited toppings. I got a small cup of white chocolate mousse topped with Reese's. Simple but so good!

One more fun pic from bar crawl:

I'm on the back row, 3rd from the right.

I've got a busy week ahead, so I'm gonna try to get back to work! We'll see how long that actually lasts:) Good night everyone!

A-Day

It's been a busy day! Here's where I left off yesterday:

The weather ended up being REALLY bad, so we all took cover in the hallway downstairs.

Our house mom made us cookies to make up for it though! Nothing better than a warm PB cookie (and coffee) right out of the oven on a stormy day. I devoured it before I actually thought about taking a picture.

I was so incredibly lazy, but it was the perfect rainy day for it. After the weather cleared up, I walked to Moe's Southwest Grill with my friends Katie, Callie, and Hillary. I ordered the Chicken Rice Bowl, which I filled with black beans, sauteed onions and peppers, cheese, pico de gallo, lettuce, and guacamole. I topped it off with more salsa. We shut Moe's down! We ended up sitting and chatting for over an hour and a half!

Later in the night, we met up with more friends at Innisfree! There was a fun country band, and we danced the night away!

The Alabama A-Day game was today (scrimmage against the offense and defense). We had a continental breakfast at my sorority house for parents and guests. I had a bran muffin with lots of fruit. I went back for seconds on the berries. I could eat fruit all day long!

My parents came up for the game and we met for lunch at Crimson Café, a casual sandwich shop located on the strip. I ordered a veggie quesadilla that came with onions, peppers, mushrooms, and a side of salsa for dipping.

I sat with my parents in The Zone (the new part of the stadium) and munched on Roll Tide Trail Mix, a mix of nuts, chocolate covered raisins, M&M's, and PB malt balls, during the game.

It was a beautiful day!

My dad and I at the game

Now we're off to dinner at Kozy's! Finally getting to check it off my list!

Senior Fun

Last night was so much fun! Here are a few pictures from the night:

Ready to go!

On the bus

AXO parade to Innisfree

Roomie Love! 

Breakfast this morning was Kashi Cinnamon & Honey instant oats, 1/2 C skim milk, 1 T chia seeds, 1/2 sliced banana, blueberries, and Justin's Chocolate Hazelnut Butter.

I went to my one class of the day and came back for lunch at the sorority house. Today we had veggie burgers! They were delish! I also had a side of grapes, and I had to have some tater tots today.

Another tornado warning this afternoon, so we're watching movies all day in the TV room!

Happy Friday!