Wednesday, December 24, 2014

Christmas Eve Catch Up

Merry Christmas Eve!! I have a hard time believing it's already Christmas Eve, this entire month has flown by. I am happy to report all of my Christmas shopping is done, everything is boxed, wrapped and ready for Christmas morning. Shopping on Christmas Eve would definitely rank on my list of nightmares- I hate crowded malls, it stresses me out. The only thing I have left to do is make my signature healthy no bake peanut butter pie for tomorrow (I will post the recipe!).


This year has been so busy for my family and between all of mine and my dad's doctor appointments we didn't get our Christmas tree up until a few days ago. I am proud to say this is the first year we haven't had to be ashamed to put our Detroit Lions ornament on the tree! It wasn't even hung in the back this year, it is proudly displayed near the top of the tree :) 


Despite all the craziness of the Christmas season I have been working out really hard these past few weeks. I always used to do weights, but recently I have really gotten into weight lifting and hard core strength training. I have been LOVING it! Seriously nothing feels better than dripping in sweat after a killer workout. I had a really hard core leg day the on Monday and later that day my legs were already so sore. It hurt to go up and down the stairs in my house. In a strange way I find being sore extremely satisfying, it means I'm building muscle! If you do lift weights it is important to have a spotter and remember to stay hydrated! 


Weird food combo confession. I didn't feel like making an elaborate lunch so I got out all the leftovers I had in the house and this beauty was born. It's gluten free bread smeared with smashed avocado, organic romaine lettuce, oven roasted turkey breast, sliced tomato, cut up hard boiled egg, a pinch of pepper and lemon seasoning and just a hint of jif whips brown maple sugar peanut butter. Strange? Yes, but also extremely delicious!


My parents wanted to go out to over the weekend, but I just wasn't feeling it. I stayed home and Cora kept me company while I cooked. I made gluten and dairy free oven baked turkey meatballs, roasted asparagus, a small side salad and a few blackberries. I will do a separate post with all of those recipes later. Even my dad who hates my  "strange" food as he calls it tried a meatball and liked it. Little did he know they were healthy :)


My brother was supposed to fly in from California Sunday night and stay for Christmas. Only problem was his airplane got overloaded with cargo so his flight ended up being delayed by over and hour and a half. He missed his connecting flight, got stuck at the Minneapolis airport for the night and didn't get home until early afternoon on Monday. When he finally got home Cora could not have been happier. My mom and I had saved a giant toy for my brother to give her. The toy was almost as big as she was and needless to say it was soon destroyed, but she had fun doing it.


I have been having problems with dairy recently, so I've had to cut it out from my diet. I stumbled upon Silk dairy free yogurt at Kroger and it's delicious! I honestly cannot tell the difference between Silk dairy free "yogurt" and the greek yogurt I used to love. It's not as thick, but taste wise it's amazing! I have loved mixing in fresh blueberries and blackberries in with it. 


I may have managed to polish off another jar of Peanut Butter and Co. Cinnamon Raisin Swirl Peanut Butter (it's so addicting!), which means OVERNIGHT OATS! There was less than a tablespoon left so it was perfect for overnight oats. I mixed in 1/3 cup gluten free oats, 1/2 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk, 2 teaspoons cinnamon, 1/2 small banana sliced and 5 blackberries. I threw everything into the jar, shook it up and let it sit in the fridge overnight. I added another pinch of cinnamon and 1 additional tablespoon unsweetened vanilla almond milk to the jar before I ate it. Overnight oats are the best, if you haven't tried them you are seriously missing out! 

I am off to make my pie before finishing last minute Christmas stuff for my parents and heading off to Christmas Eve service at Church. I hope you have a wonderfully blessed Christmas Eve and a very Merry Christmas surrounded by loved ones. May you remember the real reason for the season! Merry Christmas!

 "Don't be afraid Mary," the angel told her, "for you have found favor with God! You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be very great and will be called the Son of the Most High." Luke 1: 30-32 NIV

"I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all people. Today in the city of David a Savior has been born; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: you will find the babe wrapped in cloth and lying in a manger." Suddenly a great company of heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace to those with whom his favor rests." Luke 2: 10-14 NIV

No comments:

Post a Comment