Wedding Crasher.

My Oatcake flipping technique has improved immensely!
This recipe always satisfies my pancake craving!
All without gluten! And today I even made it vegan by swapping the egg whites for a flax egg.
Ground flax and warm water can be used in baking as a sub for eggs.
There are a couple different ratios but for this one I used 2 1/2 T Flax with 3 T warm water.
Let it sit and get gelatinous then use in your recipe!
Worked great and no worries about getting enough fiber in my diet thats for darn sure.  

Farmer's Market day!
Like my basket? I got it specifically to haul my FM loot!
Duck eggs, 2 basil plants, Marigolds, vegan cookie, Loaf of GF bread!

Yum, Honey Millet bread.
I really like Millet in breads, may be my favorite non wheat....

Vegan GF Ginger snap!
What is in it you ask? Sugar... and molasses... which is basically just a different type of sugar.

Then I crashed a wedding.

Well not really... I did know the groom. Just barely. Ha!
Katy needed a partner in crime on this one and I never miss an opportunity to scope out groomsmen...
Still no heels for this girl!
I went on a run after the wedding.
Could have been the glass of wine or the big dinner I ate, but it was rough and my left leg was hurting.
This running thing is so up and down! Stop playing with my emotions!

Check out the HS senior portrait! :)
Actually the point of sharing this one is so you could check out my bling!
Stella and Dot!
I love their jewelry! This piece is massive and colorful and every time I've worn it I've gotten a bunch of compliments!

Time to go to sleep! Early morning tomorrow and a late night planned!

Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious.

Such a great weekend! I don't want to go back to reality! The weekend was go-go-go! Mom and I stayed over in Seattle Thursday night so we would be up bright and early on Friday to walk around town and shop! After a sunshine shopping filled day in the city.... my best friend and her mom, my sister-in-law and her mom, sister, and aunt met up with us for dinner then we all went to see the musical Mary Poppins at the Paramount! Such a great time with the girls! We stayed another night in Seattle and went to Pike's Place market to get our veggies for the week. We also got flowers for the event at the Poulsbo Historical Society that Carly and I coordinated. The event was a huge success, but by Sunday I was soooo tired! So I'm back to blogging after my mini-blogging-vacation!

Sunshine in Seattle!!!! Finally!

P.F Changs for dinner! I love me so fried rice. They also have an entirely gluten-free menu!

Our fortunes.... I hope my Mom's alien one comes true... ha! 

Breakfast of Champions!
We were wasting no time or money on breakfast!
We came prepared with quick oats, bananas, and granola.
Simple easy breakfast that we could make right from the mini coffeepot!

I may not need coffee in the morning anymore, but I still like something hot! Yummy tea!

A guy asked if he could take a photo for us and wanted to know where we were from...
um.... you could call us local tourists.... 

Turns out we got up too early!
The market was just setting up and the stores weren't open yet!
I even had time to go to the hotel gym.
Which is totally a first for me! I forgot my ipod so I only lasted 2 miles.
But the hotel gym was so neat! on the top floor so we had views of the city and the mountains!

I want these tables!

I love market flowers!
These are peony tulips!

Shopping break for Nordstrom cafe lunch.
Its a tradition... and thats my favorite salad.
Salmon Nicoise.

Mom & I right before the dinner. 

The whole gang!
Palomino's was awesome Italian food!

Two of my favorites!
The show was a lot of fun, but I still like the movie more.
Nobody can do Mary like Julie Andrews and nobody can be Burt like Dick Van Dyke.

Ashley and her mom.
Look how preggers she is!

Good morning market. 

Fresh Produce.

Gluten Free Pasta in Fun Flavors.

More Veggies.

We loaded up with veggies and flowers!
I don't think we had ever been up ready shopped and back on the ferry before noon in our lives!
But the sun was out and our energy was high!

Carly at the Historical Museum event!
They would have been lost without us :)

Have a happy Monday!

Seeing things in 2D.

I love Saturdays... They mean Farmer's Market! I took mental pictures all afternoon because I lent my point and shoot to Carly for the day and left my big honkin' camera at home. I didn't really need anything at the market today, but had a great time walking around with my Mom and life-long friend Ashley. It sort of reminded me of when we were little and my Mom would take us with her shopping. 

Today the was the market's 4th annual wellness festival. It had booths from local wellness centers, and information booths. One of the booths was dedicated to Gluten Free info. We picked up some free samples and pamphlets. Then walked on over to my Mom's favorite tent... The Gluten Free Bakery! (I'll admit I like it an awful lot too! They have vegan cookies!) They were out of the millet english muffins we went for so our next stop was to their actual bakery and store just up the street. They have a mini market with some great options for gluten free and whole food eating. I picked up some pretzels and palm sugar... I have a recipe in mind! I guess they hope to one day add a cafe to the bakery. I have a feeling they would serve great food, but the location of the bakery is pretty terrible.

Vegan and Gluten Free mini pizza!  

After the Bakery we went to lunch at a newer mexican restaurant in town.
The lady thought I was crazy when I ordered a quesadilla with no cheese...
To be fair though it had spinach, beans and pico de gallo and guac on the side.
Usually Mexican food makes me feel too full, but this made for a perfect light lunch.
I'm liking this no cheese thing.

After lunch we went up to a plant sale up the street from my house.
It turns out the Clear Creek Nursery is going to be turning a vacant lot into an extension of their nursery.
The new area is also going to feature fresh fruits and vegetable from the eastern side of the state!
This is within walking distance from my house!
Fresh and local! Love it!

Girls night with Katy!

She came over for dinner and I made my favorite soup!
Yummy Squash and White Bean.

After dinner we went and saw THOR (I felt like I had to capitalize all those letters).
We saw it in 3D.
In my personal opinion... 3D is overrated.
The movie was great though.
I love me some superhero action.
My Mom was right... the guy who plays Thor... is "hot" :)

Highs and lows.

Sugar high. Runners High. Sugar low. Runners low.

That just about describes the past week for me. Tuesday I had a great (although slow) 4.5 mile run. By Friday all I could manage was a 2 mile walk.... my calves hurt so bad. I can't begin to describe how emotional training for this half-marathon has been. When I have a great pain-free run I feel like I'm on top of the world, but after a hobbling run attempt like yesterday I'm below low. My feelings are such a mix of being stressed, nervous, anxious and exhausted. But the biggest emotion is frustration. I have done everything... EVERYTHING in my power to get better and I am so angry that I can't just run. I just don't think that I can come to terms with the idea that just "participating" in a 1/2 is good enough for me. Walking is not as satisfying as running. Will I ever be able to up my miles past 4 without pain? Remember when I said that running was sort of like a relationship? That was no joke. I've shed more tears since I started training that I have over any guy.

On a brighter note, I had a really great day with my Mom and Carly at the Market!

Local eggs from the Farmer's Market!
I also got 2 basil starts! Ones a regular... the other is purple!
I also picked up some spinach, I've been in love with baby spinach lately so the big leaves should be a nice change.

They may be more expensive than the ones from the grocery story, but they are much fresher!
Obviously you can tell that I have re-embraced eggs into my diet.

Tomorrow I plan to set some food rules for myself. I need to reevaluate and detox. Ever since the Naturopath told me I should limit sugar, I've been craving it like crazy! Seriously, tell someone they shouldn't eat so much sugar and I guarantee that is all they'll want! And I've been totally caving to those cravings!! I love local bakeries and that they are at the farmer's market.... but they still aren't good for you! Also, when it says they are gluten-free that doesn't mean they are a diet item!!

From now on, I'm only going to set one new goal a week for myself. I seem to have too much going on right now to keep up with four or more a week and it is doing nothing for my mood when I'm unsuccessful.

I think my Debbie-Downer mood is based on a mix of coming off a sugar rush and a lack of endorphins from not running... Tomorrow the sun is supposed to be shinning and I'm hoping for a bike ride!

Blended oats.

I was dragging pretty much all day. The kind of tired that makes it hard to concentrate. Luckily I had a short day at work. I'm starting to connect when I eat really big meals like big family dinners that end in cake or apple pie (I love birthdays!) with being more sluggish and grumpy the next day. I'm so glad today was Saturday... That means farmers market day! Carly, Callen, Mom, and I explored. It was so cold though that I couldn't inspire myself to buy any more starts, even though I need to pick out my herbs and possibly a tomato plant. I figure I can pick them up next week when we go to pick up our new potting tables! These things are seriously cool!

You can't really tell from my secret agent photo, but the table is the wood stained one on the right. The legs fold up into the table and you can use that handle to carry it! So neat!

You know what I love about a small town? That in the course of the day I:

1: Walked past my cousins and aunt getting their nails done at a local salon.

2: Saw a different aunt and uncle and their two kids at the Farmer's market.

3: Saw my best friend and her mom downtown. 

4: Then had my cousin and aunt join us spontaneously for lunch!

I got a good portion of my book read while on the stationary bike! I love that multitasking! I never feel like I get an incredible work out, but feel better than sitting on the couch reading! Then I did a mini run. Felt some pain today so I'm still taking it easy. But Monday I have big plans to start up my training again! Did I mention Mondays are rest days?! :)

Breakfast was AMAZING!
You know how much I love overnight oats?
Well this is overnight oats on crack.
Put everything in the blender the night before...

Blender Oats:
1/3 C oats
1/3 C milk
2 T Kefir
1 tsp Chia
half banana
Strawberries

In the morning add another 1/3 C milk and blend into a smoothie heaven!
The oats make it so thick and delicious!
Like dough!
I topped it with a handful of puffed kamut and PB
Yummers!

Callen's 1st high five.

This kid is hilarious.

He even cracks himself up!

Lunch was spectacular and amazing!
No way it was good for me!
I can't remember what they call this, but it was under the panini section.
That isn't a tortilla... no sir, that is pizza dough!
Are you imagining the heaven I was in now?!
The inside was roasted veggies and pesto garlic bliss.
I literally couldn't stop eating it.
I tried to stop at half, but it was too amazing.
Too bad the service at Sogno De Vino is so terrible!

Sometimes you just have to have cereal for dinner!

All natural and amazing!
Possibly a new obsession.

I'm off to go get lost in a book... and maybe get more than 6 hrs of sleep tonight!