Weekend Recap

This past weekend was so good and so relaxing. I haven't had a weekend that fun in such a long time and it was beyond needed. My heart is full to bursting at the moment. Bear with me as this might be long.

I finally got back in the kitchen to test out a few recipes. First up on the list was granola. I've been making a few gift baskets and packages in recent weeks and granola is always a hit. It's something that's perfect for a quick snack or to use as topping for yogurt, nice cream, etc. I'm the first to admit that I do buy packaged granola, but I'm super picky about brands- normally I stick to Purely Elizabeth or Jessica's (which is made in Michigan!). Homemade granola is nice because you're in control of what goes into it and you can tailor it to your taste. The end result of my recipe testing was this nutty granola which was used in a few gift packages over the weekend. 

The weather has been so gorgeous that I've been outside almost all day, the only downside is that it's been rather humid. We had a harsh winter though so I'm not going to complain because I know what's around the corner, unfortunately. Cora has been in the lake pretty much 24/7 these past weeks because of the heat. I'm pretty sure she's half fish. 

Speaking of being in the water nonstop I've been out on the lake a ton. A few friends and I rented paddleboards again and were out almost all day. I have to admit when the wind gets whipping it gets hard to paddle and my upper body was totally dead by the time we got back, but that didn't stop me from going back out the following morning after working out at the gym. I was out on the water by 7:20am and it was perfect. The lake was glass and so peaceful. After paddling for a few hours I was tired and sadly had to come back in to get the board on the car to return. I'm looking into buying a board so if anyone has any recommendations let me know! 

I have to say paddleboarding makes me extremely hungry. I think it's because when I go with friends we are out all day, so when we come back watch out because we are all hangry. One of my go to post paddleboarding snacks has been coconut milk yogurt or fresh watermelon. I like both of them because they're cold and refreshing, but not too filling. Coconut milk yogurt is a great dairy free alternative and it does not contain soy, which personally I've found soy to cause skin problems.

Saturday I had a few friends over to hangout by the lake. A few of them I hadn't seen in over a year because we've all been busy finishing up school and living hundreds of miles apart doesn't make it any easier. It was coolish so no one swam, but we grilled, drank wine and laughed so hard my stomach hurt by the end of the night. I didn't take any pictures (probably a good thing) because I was just enjoying time with my friends, but it was funny to see my guy friends drinking wine out of girlie glasses. The guys mostly drank beer but I convinced them to try some wine and they liked it, don't doubt me or my wine picking skills! 

I did not track macros on Saturday, but instead focused on having a good time. Now did I go crazy and eat everything in sight? No. I had worked out in the morning and knew what my macros were for breakfast and lunch (because I eat the same thing a lot) so for dinner I focused on balance. I had some grilled chicken, salad, watermelon and baked beans. I also had a few glasses of wine. Sometimes you just need to let lose and have fun with your friends without worrying so much about macros. 

Sunday was a much needed recovery day. We stayed out way too late the night before so I cut myself some slack and didn't go to the gym. I slept in until 6, which is unheard of for me and that's probably because I didn't get to bed until around 2- way past this grandma's bedtime! A few of the neighbors were around so I hung out with them and later on we took the boat out for a ride. Cora isn't a big fan of the boat, but we are working on it. I'm hoping that if we keep exposing her to it that she will become less afraid of it and learn to enjoy it. So far she loves when she sees other dogs. 

The night was capped off with a beautiful lake sunset. If you've never gotten to experience a Michigan summer sunset then you're missing out. I definitely hate on Michigan, especially in the winter, but in the summer there's no place like it and no place I'd rather be. Being out on the lake is the perfect way to spend the day and watching beautiful lake sunsets remind me how lucky I am to call this place home. 

What did you do over the weekend?
What's your favorite thing to do with your friends?