Day one of 25 days of Kristmas Fitness/Healthy Eating!

Okay so fyi I am counting 25 days til Kristmas EVE (we all know we eat Santa's treat that night so the 25 days start now!). I started my morning with overnight oats (1/4 c cooked quinoa, oats, almond milk, T chia seeds, 1/8 c pumpkin puree, 1 scoop vanilla protein powder, 1/2 over ripe banana, craisins and cinnamon!), I had a trail mix snack (bulk from Freddie's), left over corn enchiladas for lunch and carrots (recipe to come later!), and a spinach left over turkey craisin shaved almond Walla Walla Sweet Onion dressing salad for dinner! I just realized I hardly ate any fruit so an apple for dessert will be perfect! Doin' my workout circuit with the kiddos at dance tonight! :) peace and love, don't forget about your Kristmas List, the world needs it!! xoxo

Kookin Left-Overs!

So the last few days I have been enjoying the last bits of turkey from Thanksgiving in a yummy healthy way and I thought I'd share!

Toasted Sesame Ezekiel Bread

Spread light mayo on one side and canned whole cranberries on the other

place on left over turkey over the cranberries

light string cheese in piece over the mayo

pop in the microwave for about a minute

layer on baby spinach

sandwich and enjoy:)

Getting back into the groove of working out has been especially difficult after the holiday break (so far I have done a workout every day since Sunday: running in intervals at the rec along with arms and abs workout on the machines after and Tuesday/Thursday mornings I do the circuit in my bedroom haha...I will find and post a new circuit soon!). What is a good workout with out healthy eating though? Nothing. No results will come of it so, with the 25 days of Kristmas starting tonight at midnight I am starting a 25 days of healthy eating! Then, on Kristmas day those delicious treats will be all the more worth it and taste so much better! So here we go, today I had a smoothie for breakfast, trail mix snack, Turkey Sandwich for lunch, an apple for snack and I have yet to eat dinner and workout so I will probably go workout after teaching and then have a smoothie after:) mmmm Smoothie will be posted tomorrow! How are those Kristmas lists comin'???
peace and love xoxo

Kristmas Lists

As we begin to make and check off Christmas lists I am reminded of the song Grown Up Christmas List by Amy Grant, if you have never heard it, here it is! Listen to it! I think it is wonderful children write letters to Santa (they are practicing their writing skills!!) and I think it makes life a lot easier when adults do as well! So  rather than saying writing wish lists for your own personal gain is bad, I CHALLENGE you to write a Grown Up Christmas List alongside your childish one;) Maybe one that includes some K's? Who will you "send" this list to? 

This is a great opportunity to reflect on what really matters when things can get a little out of hand in December! Create your lists, write some well thought out letters and send them to Santa, hold on to them, or lift them up...see who brings you what you really want this Christmas, sometimes gifts that are not wrapped and cannot be found under the tree are the BEST gifts of them all!!! Peace and Love xo

I will share mine if you share yours with me:)

Kindness and Joy

Fullness of joy is discovered only in the emptying of will. And I can empty. I can empty because counting His graces has awakened me to how He cherishes me, holds me, wildly values me. I can empty because I am full of His love. I can trust. I can let go. ~Ann Voskamp's One Thousand Gifts

This is exactly how I feel at this moment! After counting my many blessings during the Thanksgiving season I have come to realize I have much to be thankful for and in turn much to give. "To whom much is given much is required" one of my favorite quotes. As I sit here doing homework, listening to beautiful Christmas music, thinking about everyone I know or know of that may not be feeling the blessings and therefor can not let go. I feel it is our job NOW in this Christmas season to help find the JOY and SPREAD IT! Take time to count even the smallest of blessings, find comfort in the seasonal hymns and His word, and let go. There's no time like the present to find your own PEACE and JOY! There are 28 days until Christmas, that gives us plenty of time to let go of our own strongholds and take note of others', be kind to one another despite our differences  (A kind word, or kind gesture can go a loooonnng way for someone who may not be feelin that cheer and joy of the season quite yet:)) and just in time for Christmas the JOY will be spread to more people than you can even imagine! It's contagious!

This time can be stressful, busy, cold, dark, you may feel alone and discouraged with certain things or people but those are only the strongholds on your life! They are fooling you and keeping you from seeing the reason for the season: JESUS. Those things are only keeping you from the potential joy and peace you might hold and spread onto others around you! And just as Jesus never gave up on you we mustn't give up on others (that we might really want to give up on or already kinda have!), just today an apology many many years, like decades in the making finally happened! Just when you think it's hopeless, hope proves you wrong! Truly a Christmas miracle. Don't EVER give up on people!

I am challenging myself and all of you to let go in the spirit of the season, find your inner joy and peace, and reach out to EVERYONE (even the little ones need the joy!) around you and SPREAD IT! Everyone would like a little holiday joy and peace whether they realize it or not...and who knows, some people's reactions and openness may just end up surprising you and bringing you even MORE JOY! Man, I love Christmas!

Share with me stories on here or message me on Facebook if you feel so inclined I'd LOVE to hear them:) xoxo We can do it!

How 'bout a Holiday Kocktail to Kick off the Season!

This is just so delectable and fun- Pumpkin Pie Martini!

2 shot glasses of vanilla vodka

2 shot glasses of pumpkin liquor 

Shake shake shake in a martini shaker and 

pour into a martini glass rimmed with cinnamon and sugar xoxo 

Share with the ladies in the family;)

Thanks and Giving!

It is finally here! The Macy's parade is on, a walk on this glorious morning has been accomplished, breakfast has been made and eaten and now we prepare and wait for turkey! Take some time today to reflect on all the many blessings we have at some point today:) God is GOOD! Here are some prayers I found and liked, maybe for your dinner tonight or just a little something to say on your own at some point:

For each new morning with its light, for rest and shelter of the night, for health and food, for love and friends, for everything Thy goodness sends. ~Ralph Waldo Emerson (my favorite guy!)

Funny One:

When turkey's on the table laid, and good things I may scan, I'm thankful that I wasn't made a vegetarian!  ~Edgar A. Guest

Dear Lord, On this Thanksgiving Day, we are thankful for all that You give us,

 for all that You do for us, for all that You teach us. 

Thank You for guiding us to live our lives in Your will, in Your purpose, in Your plan for us.

 Thank You for your protection from worldly influence and danger. 

Thank You for bringing us gently to a deeper knowledge of You and what You want from us, 

with Your love, mercy, compassion and grace. 

And thank You Lord for the blessings we are experiencing right now at this very moment- 

the food, and the precious people who are with us to enjoy this meal and this day. 

Thank You Lord, Amen. ~ by unknown

I am SO thankful for everyone that follows my blog:) 

Kookin with Kisses!

Well after an Insanity workout last night with my sister and a core/step class this morning at the good ol' YMCA it was time to get a head start on some much deserved treats for the big Thanksgiving celebration tomorrow (can't believe it's already here)! Those of you who have time, this is a must have for an alternate to pies for Thanksgiving dessert! The age old family recipe of Peanut Butter Blossoms, with a holiday twist, Pumpkin Spice Hershey's Kisses!!!

Recipe:

1c sugar

1c packed brown sugar

1c butter 

1c creamy peanut butter

2 eggs 

1/4c milk

2 t vanilla

3 1/2c flour

2 t baking soda

1 t salt 

1-2 packages Pumpkin Spice Hershey's Kisses (unwrapped...put on a great TV show) 

Cream sugars, butter and peanut butter, beat in eggs, milk, and vanilla. Mix together flour, soda, and salt in a separate bowl and slowly add into wet mixture. Shape into balls, roll in granulated sugar, and place on baking sheet. Set oven to 375 and bake for 8-10 min depending on the oven. Immediately press a Kiss in the middle of the cookies and place in refrigerator (the PS Kisses want to melt faster than the regular)! Makes roughly 5 dozen. Delish!!! (it received a man's approval)

It is so wonderful to be able to share yummy treats like this with family and friends, I am thankful :) 

More Krafts..for Kids!

Here is a fun Kraft I whipped out the other day for a fairly easy and cheap gift for a going away gift for my Kindergartners in my field experience:) 

Wooden Star Ornaments:

25 wood stars from Joanne's (about $0.65 each)

Silver/gold sparkle spray paint (already had this at home!)

Red/green glitter puffy paint

$1 Owl/sock monkey stickers from Joanne's!

Sharpie

Just spray and allow to dry (the gold glitter looks the best on wood and super rustic if you wanted to leave them like that for an addition to your tree or gifts for family!), puffy paint edges and allow to dry, stick stickers in the center and write the name of a student, "You're a super star" or "Follow your dreams" or "Thanks for being a star students"...something like that, and sign from (your name). Also, I was thinking of making it a lesson with a "star" poem of some sort. Bam! Easy, fun, meaningful Kraft for Kids from a teacher who cares but doesn't have a ton of time! I am thankful for easy fun Krafts! Enjoy:)

Pointe Shoe Kraft!

Sorry I haven't uploaded any new posts the last couple of days, I took the weekend off and am now on Thanksgiving break! Whoooo! So what do to? Well Pre-Christmas Krafts of course! I did this craft with a wonderful high school friend that I danced with every year from elementary to high school! Kind of nostalgic decorating our old pointe shoes we used to dance on together:) 

Materials:

• Old pointe shoes
• loose glitter (we used gold)
• matching spray paint
• modge podge (Elmer's glue mixed with a little water)
• paint brush 
• Christmas balls 
• Holly Leaves 
• hot glue gun
• Aqua Net Hairspray! 

Directions:

This was an experiment and took some time but so worth it! First, spray paint the shoes all over including the ribbons (both sides!). Let dry. Second, paint the modge podge on the shoe and sprinkle with sparkle! (We did it in sections so glue didn't sink in and dry too much). Let dry. third, spray hairspray all over to help keep sparkles in tact. Fourth, hot glue two leaves, a Christmas ball and a few berries (or whatever you want!) where the strings are tied on top and voila! Hang somewhere in your house every Christmas in memory of the many Nutcracker Saves Toyland performances you used to dance in every holiday season and save to tell your kids someday you really did wear those things and dance on them! ;)

 I am Thankful for the experiences I had on these shoes, for the love of dancing, and thanks for Krafting with me OE! 

Thankful for Goin Home!

TGIF!! Today is a traveling day so here is a very special, healthy, protein filled snack I made for my love and I as we venture across the mountains!

"Holiday" Protein Balls

1 cup oats 

1 cup shredded unsweetened coconut

1/2 cup ground flax

1/2 (a little over) cup almond butter

1/3 cup honey (or agave)

1/2 cup white chocolate chips

1/2 cup craisins

This is not an exact science you made want more/less of some of these things but just mix everything together and get messy by forming it into bite size balls:) WARNING these are addicting it's like cookie dough! 

Craving Pumpkin Pie? Try a Pumpkin Shake!

Okay this is a MUST TRY! It is delicious, I feel like I am drinking pumpkin pie for breakfast as we speak:)

Pumpkin Pie Protein Shake:

1/4 c unsweetened Almond Milk

1/4 c Water

1/4 c Pumpkin Puree (just plain ole pumpkin in a can!)

1 serving vanilla protein powder (I used Aria)

about 1/2 t vanilla

some cinnamon (I used a lot!)

pinch of nutmeg

1 T Agave Nectar (so good for you, just for a little sweetness!)

1 T flax seed oil

1 T chia seeds

a couple pinches of an over ripe banana 
5-6 ice cubes

SO GOOD! Did you know that pumpkin puree is low in calories and fat and offers a number of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that support a healthy diet?! 

It contains tons of vitamin A for things like immune function and bone health and K (my favorite) for blood

 coagulation and osteoporosis prevention, C to support immune systems (so important when around kids this

 time of year!) and even some B and E just to name a few benefits. It also contains high amounts of 

potassium for your muscles, and you made have heard bright orange=antioxidants, well that's true and in 

there too, and what about orange=vision health (like carrots), again true and in the pumpkin! One more

 benefit, there's 7g of fiber per cup; The Institute of Medicine recommends women take in a minimum of 25 g 

of fiber daily and men a minimum of 38 g daily. Who knew this thanksgiving treat was so HEALTHY?! 

 I am thankful for this Thursday off of class, sleeping in, and this protein shake while I watch my favorite show KLG and Hoda:) Have a great day, share your blessings! 

Thankful for Wonderful Wednesdays and...

Pumpkin Overnight Oats (same as the last overnight oat recipe but I added some over ripe bananas on top and 1/8 c pumpkin puree) warmed it up in the mornin with an espresso made with Almond Milk and about a tsp of Praline Pecan coffee mate creamer (I know it's bad but a drop goes a long ways for flavor!)  for a tasty treat before an early a.m. workout...warm up jog 10 minutes on treadmill, 30 second intervals at speed 10, 10x, cool down, ab machine, arm press machine, arm pull machine, and inner thigh/outer glutes machine 12 reps each slowwwwly 2x...I should really know the names of these...

 ...and WHOLE FOODS opened today so Jake recommended a lunch date, so thankful for him;) It was cRaZy but delicious, I ordered "the Gobbler" panini: Turkey breast, cranberry sauce, LOTS of brie, honey mustard, and arugula fresh and local. YUM plus it took so long it was free! And we had samples, coffee so good I could drink it black, and sat in their cafe area and relaxed for a while. Nothin like a place like this to inspire healthy and whole eating! So much energy in there!  Now, here's to an evening filled with teaching little dancers! I AM THANKFUL.

Kookin Pancakes!

Happy Terrific Tuesday Everyone! Workout circuit is complete, yummmmy protein pancakes  in my tummy and now it is off to school! Remember to be thankful and give thanks and kind words to others to cheer their hearts <3 

Today I am Thankful for Kids!

         

 I am thankful for the kids I work with in my kindergarten field placement because they are so sweet and smart! 

Today, I did an interactive writing lesson by starting with a read-aloud of this story by Margaret Sutherland to develop an understanding of what "thanks" "giving" is all about. Then we discussed the concept of an author's job, to write the sentence, and the illustrator's job, to describe the sentence with a picture. Then, we brainstormed some ideas together about what we might be thankful for and why. Then, the students wrote their own sentences, drew their own illustrations, and here is the final product (well a couple)! They were all so cute and helped me reflect on some of the simple stuff in life we don't think about being thankful for as adults! I assisted students in using their letter sounds for things like "hot wheels because their cool" and "Grandma because she gives me me snacks" but my 2 favorites are above.

1. The child's on the left says "I am thankful for my daddy because he came home." This little boy's dad is deployed in Iraq and has been gone for a very long time but just got home for Thanksgiving. Honestly, brought tears to my eyes. He was so happy today.

2. The child's on the right says, "I am thankful for Jesus because I love you." How sweet is that!? Anyways just thought I'd share a little bit of inspiration from one of my favorite K's of life, Kids. I love teaching! Now it's off to eat leftover squash and workout!  

Day 1 of the 12 Days of Thanksgiving!

What a glorious Sunday! Today marks the very first day of counting down 12 days until Thanksgiving (yes this is normally the 12 days of Christmas but why not do both?! Twice the love!). With homework, sickness, bad roads, and obligations my bible study group was unable to get together this weekend; instead of being sad I thought I would share a little faith on this first day :

An anxious heart weighs down a man but a kind word cheers him up!

~Proverbs 12:25

So for the next twelve days thank a little more, count a few more blessings (I am in the thirties!), and GIVE a little more...give a kind word! Everyone is anxious for one reason or another but isn't cool that YOU can change someone's mindset? And after you warm another's heart you warm own in return:) Here's to giving!

Stuffed Buttercup Squash (Thank you Kristal!!!!): 

 

• 1 buttercup squash (may use small acorn too)

          cut into 4ths and scoop out icky seeds, place on cooking sheet

• Mix together: 1 can cranberry sauce, 1 chopped apple, a little cinnamon, a little nutmeg, a little citrus (I used about 1 tbsp of orange juice) 

          scoop mix into the hallowed squash 4ths

• Pop in oven for 30-40 minutes on 385  and sprinkle with more cinnamon if desired before eating!

Thankful for Kool Weather!

Well I believe it is officially winter in Boise but it's so beautiful; the sky is clear, sun is shining, leaves are falling, and I am inside doing homework;) Here is recipe to warm you up on a Kool day such as this; and it's easy as pie! Mmmm pie, who worked out on Fitness Friday or today so they can have pie on Thanksgiving?!?! Let's stay motivated people!

Crock Pot Southwest Chicken:

4 raw, thawed, boneless, skinless chicken breasted 

1 (15 oz) can pinto beans (I used white northern)

1 (15 oz) can black beans

1 (28 oz) can diced organic, low sodium tomatoes

1 lb (16 oz) frozen organic corn (thawed)

1 (12 oz) jar of favorite salsa! {I used a 16 oz can of lowest sugar/cheapest one I could find which was medium spice Fred Meyer thick and chunky.}

Literally so easy! Just layer chicken, tomatoes, salsa, beans, and corn and cook on low for 5-7 hours. Thank you Pinterest! Have a warm Saturday:)

Salad for Lunch?

Okay so I guess this month is going to be all about food, Kookin, here's a yummy salad for lunch time that's surprisingly filling!: 

             

TGIF! Literally I am thankful for Fridays...it was a little difficult to get up this morning because it was freezing!!! (And because I did that circuit again with my class last night and did an hour of pointe after, yikes!) When I woke up and saw snow on the roof tops I realized why:) Gotta be thankful for the changing seasons! This bowl if deliciousness made it a little easier to get up, good thing I prepared it last night: 

Overnight Oats:

cooked 1/4 cup quinoa

1/4 cup Almond Milk

1/4 cup oats

1/2 tbsp chia seeds

a little almond butter

a little cinnamon 

a little raisins

overnight in the fridge 

warm up in the morning and add a little honey on top (or anything!) 

P.S. It's FITNESS FRIDAY! Do ONE thing today (or more) for your fitness! Starting my morning healthy helps me maintain a "healthy" mindset the rest of the day, I'll upload some more healthy recipes from yesterday that could be tried this weekend. Have a fabulous Fitness Friday! 

Happy Thursday! Next 'K' I'm thankful for today, Kinesthetics, a fully functioning body with no aches or pains or sprains, thank you Jesus! Sometimes it is hard to fit a work out in your day but I once saw something that said a one hour workout is only 4% of your day....I guess there really is no excuses when it comes to maintaining a happy healthy body! Here is a Pinterest work out I did this morning in my bedroom...yes my BEDROOM haha NO EXCUSES! And let me just add it is hard and will make you sweat! The neighbors downstairs may not have liked the jumping however...;) I finished this workout with a yummy protein shake: New Aria Protein Powder I found at Fred Meyer, really yummy, no artificial anything, PLUS Vitamins vanilla whey, 100% cran-water mix, frozen fruit, flaxseed oil, and chia seeds.

Be Thankful, Give Thanks, Help Others Count Blessings

Alright here is the first post! Starting this blog in the season of gratitude I will be posting a lot about what I am thankful for :) This season is the perfect time to reflect on all our blessings, all of those little things in life that we may take for granted each day or forget to take note of how much they change our mood for the better and by doing this, I would like to bet you will begin to feel a little more satisfied and a little more happy. Focusing on the positive, forgetting about the negative, especially during a busy busy time of year (school, papers, tests, events, performances, traveling, preparing, frost on your car in the morning ect!) can really change our outlook on life. I am doing a challenge with one of my friends to write down a few things I am thankful for each day up until TURKEY DAY and so far my mind set has been more positive and peaceful...So here is the first K of life I am thankful for, Kookin! And all the fresh, yummy, healthy foods available to us. So far this week...

Tuna salad! a little mayo, dijion, raisins, carrots, and apples. 

Homemade espresso with a little coconut creamer:)

                           

Delicious baked sweet potatoes with a little olive oil, honey, brown sugar, apples and cinnamon with a spinach  peppers, cheese salad with homemade vinaigrette!

Lunch while I was creating this blog: Ezekiel cinnamon raisin bread with a spinach, peppers and Parmesan egg scramble. mmm mmmm:)