HAPPY EARLY BIRTHDAY TO ME!

Saturday Evening

What a fantastic night!!! Let's start at the beginning. Mom and Dad came over and brought me some birthday presents to open before we left for dinner. Look what Jordan acquired...

EEEEE!!! A food processor!! Ya'll KNOW how excited I am about this! I can not wait to start using it :) Oh the things I can make...

Then it was off to Indy for a fancy dinner at Capri. Capri is an Italian restaurant that is always in the back of Indy Monthly as one of the featured restaurants. It is true, authentic Italian and we unanimously agreed that it. was. super.

We started off with bread with real delicious butter and Mom and I had a bottle of chardonnay.

Then for dinner I had the Tortelloni alla Papalina: home-made pasta stuffed with ricotta cheese and served in an old world sauce made with pancetta ham, crimini mushrooms in a light cream sauce.

Oh wow. It was sooo delicious! I think my dish was my favorite!! Though I of course tried Zach's pumpkin ravioli special, Dad's Fettucina di Mare and Mom's Petto di Pollo Valdastano. Everyone was majorly in love with their food :) Our service was impeccable too! You felt like a very important member of society eating here haha

When we got home lots of my friends came over to our house to hang out and then we went out. It was so great to have so many of my friends around to celebrate.

I had three red-bull and vodkas that miraculously went unphotographed haha.

We ended the night at Sunshine where my food again escaped the camera, but it was a tasty boatload of eggs and hashbrowns!!

What a lovely birthday I have had and it's not even my birthday yet! :)

JUST A SATURDAY BIRTHDAY AFTERNOON

Saturday Afternoon

Though I am somewhat bemoaning not being on exercise equipment in the gym, I am SO GLAD I was able to get outdoor activity in today!! It is THE consummate fall day out, just perfection :) Mom and I went on a long hour (plus a little?) walk on the Greenway today and though we started out in jackets and sweatshirts it wasn't long before we shed them. No wind, no clouds, gorgeous blue skies and changing trees. Nothing to complain about! Also my leg did not hurt one bit on the whole walk!! I was aching to test it out by jogging a bit, but refrained to allow it to fully heal.

Once Zach got home from soccer (his girl's last regular season game- the regular season is already over!!) we ventured out for lunch. Noodles and Company was our choice for being one of the only places with more healthful options. As you have heard me say so often before. I got the Med salad and a Thai Curry soup.

I was supposed to get a small salad and they brought me a regular! Luckily Zach helped me eat it :)

After lunch Mom took me shopping and bought me a dress, which I will be wearing for dinner tonight :) Then we went to Tonne winery and shared a bottle of Traminette on the patio.

 I also had world's-largest-grasshopper try to off me by flying into my neck...

 Don't be fooled, half of his body is shoved down in the sidewalk for some odd reason.

A great afternoon to do so! So far it has been a wonderful birthday day with Mom and I can't wait for tonight!!!

Side note #1: I FINISHED MY PUZZLE!!! Finally :)

Side note #2: I found the "Zach doll"

Let's see if he can spot where he hides next....

A BANANA BY ANY OTHER NAME

Saturday Morning

HOORAY!! I am going to exercise today! I know not everyone exercises every day, and I by all means do not go to the gym every day, but I do at least always do something active and yesterday was pretty hard on me. My leg didn't hurt all night though and it woke up feeling good this morning! I would love to go out and run a 5K but I know I need to take it easy. So I am getting ready to go on a walk with Mom here in just a bit!

This morning's breakfast? A banana. I wish I had other words for banana since I know you have to read it so. much. Sorry? Nonotsorryreally. They are awesome!

Very excited about tonight- we are going to Indy to have a fancy dinner with Mom and Dad for my birthday!!! YAY!!!!

KACY J'S

Friday Evening

Dinner date!! My birthday is next Tuesday but is going to be a pretty busy day. Zach says he has a birthday weekend planned, but it won't be for a couple weeks because of soccer season. So we decided to just go out somewhere for dinner around Muncie tonight to kind of take place of what Tuesday's dinner would have been. (So excited for my birthday weekend or trip or whatever he has planned though!!)

We went to one of our only non-chain restaurants around here- Kacy J's. Their food isn't amazing but it is still good and it is also pretty cheap! Plus it's a little airport and it is fun to eat and watch the planes fly in and out.

We shared a bottle of riesling:

It tasted extra crisp and delicious!

Then for dinner I got two things that are SO surprising for me, and one that's not at all. I ordered a FILET with a BAKED POTATO and mac and cheese. You can guess which one is not surprising ;)

I never get steak, you may remember my trouble with eating meat that I have always had and am very wary of ordering steaks. The good news is- this steak was great and so easy to chew!! Which is good since I ordered it mid-rare to get all that extra flavor! The baked potato is also something I never order places, I am just not a huge fan. I like the skin the best, haha weird I know. Tonight it just appealed to me though.

We had a nice time and Zach suggested a dessert later and I said NO THANK YOU! I think today has had enough in it! I am sure you agree :)

THE LUNCH YOU CAN'T SAY NO TO

Friday Afternoon

Sorry for the Friday posts coming up late- I couldn't get my SD card to upload!!! It was getting very frustrating but luckily I got it working again this morning. So all morning my leg was hurting off and on and I decided to be whiny and ask Zach to bring me some lunch so I didn't have to fix anything. Look what he showed up with:

Recognize that? It's my baked fettucini alfredo dish from Fazolis. I did NOT ask for something so delicious heavy, but once it was sitting on my couch, how could I say no? ;) Oh well, we all have our vices. As long as they remain occasional; that's what really matters!

So I talked with Zach and with some persuasion he convinced me to take the whole day off formal exercising and to just keep moving around the house instead. I have a race in 30 days! This needs to fix itself and fast!!!

NOUGH SAID

Friday Morning

Banana.

'Nough said.

Okay, so not enough said- my leg is sore :/ It isn't aching and throbbing like it has done, but it feels sore like after a really hard workout. No gazelle this morning and I am not sure about the day but I know there will be no turbo kick tonight. Serious bummer. But on a happier note- It's almost my birthday!!!!

Have a fun birthday weekend ahead :)

A GUSSIED UP BURGER

Thursday Evening

I did 30 minutes on the arc trainer at the gym and my leg felt great the whole time! I kept waiting for a twinge or ache but none came. This was very encouraging :)

After the gym I went straight to Indy and got to hang out with Christine for several hours just chatting and having some wine. It was so nice to be able to catch up and see her again! Once Kaitlyn got off work the three of us went to dinner at Brewstone, a newer Indy restaurant.

I had a glass of merlot

And a burger with fries. Not just any burger though- a burger with a fried egg and avocado mayo and chipotle aioli! MMMM!!

A night of tasty food and fun friends :)

SUB-PAR SUB

Thursday Afternoon

Half days are glorious!! I'm so excited to get off at one that it's crazy :) So lunch was ridiculously easy today because Zach had Subway leftovers in the fridge! I never really eat Subway (or fast food in general- though I know Subway is the least of the evils) so I decided to give it a shot.

The sandwich was a 6 inch some type of ham on whole wheat bread with lettuce and I think mayo? Baked chips and a cookie on the side! It felt like a high school student's packed lunch, haha.

The chips were all right, the cookie was great (duh) but I only ate half of the sandwich. I just didn't care for the meat and there was too much mayo (not a fan). At least now I know how I feel about THAT sandwich.

Now I will be off work shortly and am heading to the gym for the first time this week. I have tried so hard since Saturday to rest my leg and do exercises that won't aggravate it. I would L O V E to run today but I am not going to. I'm going to stick to machines where my feet are planted since the gazelle at home doesn't seem to bother me. Then I am going straight to Indy to see Christine!! She is up visiting from South Carolina for just a few days and I am so excited!! A little early birthday present :)

I REPEAT, THE EGG IS IN THE BASKET

Thursday Morning

I cajoled my loving husband into fixing me his specialty for breakfast this morning- eggie in a basket!!

Accompanying my eggie were two slices of Jennie-O turkey bacon!

I think I have had eggs or egg whites the past three days!! Good thing they are so good for you ;)

Did my 30 minutes on the gazelle with minimal leg aches. I have a half day of work today and am going to attempt the gym!

WE NAILED IT

Wednesday Evening

Well I did my Shred at nap time and though my leg twinged a bit it was much better than during the Shred on Monday! Good news I hope...

Tonight was a date with Hillary! Zach is, per usual, gone at soccer games and so it's a girl's night. Only a handful of regular season games left though, next week starts sectional play!! EEE!!

Hillary and I had a girly night of getting manicures and partaking in wine-down Wednesdays at Johnny Carinos. We shared a bottle of riesling and the bread: (Hillary wanted to show her nails!)

Here's my short, stubby nails!

For dinner I ordered something I had never tried there- the eggplant parmigiana! It was good, though a little over-breaded.

We had a fabulous time though, it's always nice to have a girl date :)

ELVIS IN THE HOUSE

Wednesday Afternoon

Do you know what is considered the universal combination of Elvis flavors? It's a kind of strange combo! I'll give you a hint- banana/bacon/peanut butter. Oops. Not much of a hint.

I cooked 3 slices of turkey bacon, sliced half a banana with PB and made an egg white omelette with red peppers/grape tomatoes/fontina cheese.

So I know you want to know- did I make an Elvis combination? Well, I did put a little piece of turkey bacon on a slice of banana and added some PB just to try it. Not bad! Though I prefer to eat the turkey bacon by itself ;)

Afternoon workout I am going to run through a Shred with Jillian. Here's hoping my leg survives....

A STORK AND A HITCHHIKER IN MY LIVING ROOM

Wednesday Morning

I really feel as though I did a good job resting my leg yesterday and it didn't hurt all day. Woke up this morning...and it started aching a bit as soon as I stood up! What in the world is going on with this leg?! Sigh. Instead of doing the gazelle this morning I did an arm circuit:
-10 Hitchhikers per side
-10 tricep extensions per side
-10 Stork Stance curls per side
three times through. Hoping my leg feels better by nap time!

What do you get when you have a slice of Ezekiel cinnamon raisin toast + a pluot?

BREAKFAST! Did you know breakfast literally means "breaking the fast" that your body has been carrying on all night? This is why it is necessary to eat within an hour of waking so that you jumpstart your metabolism for the day. Today's message- eat breakfast! Seriously, I would rather have you eat a doughnut or something than nothing!

It's pouring outside today but I am still a happy girl! I just feel grateful for everything and everyone in my life :)