"Healthy" Cookies

I just made chocolate chip cookies made with beans.

Really, I did.

I'm trying to eat better. I haven't had fast food in 3 weeks which is a pretty big accomplishment for me. I mean, it's such a pain to have to cook every single meal. Plus, cooking for one person gets annoying because I have to eat whatever I cook for a quite a few days. Also, I think a lot of times eating out (for one person) is cheaper than buying all the ingredients to cook. Besides, when if I try something new and it's a complete bust (aka: a Pinterest fail), then I have all these random ingredients hanging around that I'll probably never use again.

Anyway, I am trying to be healthier...and I feel better. I'm eating a whole lot more fruits and vegetables and I can totally tell a difference in how I feel which is pretty awesome.

I had to do it in baby steps. I stopped (except for my bday weekend) drinking Mountain Dew (and all other soda) in February and it was very interesting that just that step helped me to not hit the drive-thru so often. I noticed such a huge difference immediately. I slept better, so was able to get up easier and I just had more energy in general. It's not rocket science, I know, but I was really surprised that it was such an immediate improvement. Most things in life don't work like that.

I'm not going to do a marathon or anything like that anytime soon, but I feel better, so that's what really matters. I have also started doing yoga. I just do Jillian Michaels DVD in the privacy of my living room and, sure, I spend probably 1/2 of the workout face down on my bright pink yoga mat just trying not to throw up, but I'm starting to feel stronger.

So, back to the white bean cookies: I have been really excited to make them for a few days. It's taken about a week to carve out time to bust them out (I'm currently feeling super overwhelmed!) and I finally was able to make them tonight. I've always had a little crush on Rocco Dispirito.

He's pretty adorable.

Anyway, I was flipping through the channels the other day and caught the end of one of his shows where he was demonstrating this triple chocolate cookies that looked pretty awesome. I knew right away that I was up for the challenge.

So, I whipped up a batch tonight and...

...they were....

....well....not really that great, to be honest.

A little disappointing.

In fact, I think they'll end up in the trash. They are made with 1.5 cups of artificial sweetener and I think that's what ruins it for me. I can't really stand the after-taste of it. I was hoping that the beans and cocoa would mask the taste enough, but they do not.

Here's my cookie failure journey in pictures:

Well, part of the journey anyway. I have so much going on right now that I'm suffering from a severe case of A.D.D. so I'm easily distracted and basically forget what I'm doing. In fact, this post has taken me over 3 hours.

While I've been doing this I have made cookies, edited photos, talked to my sister on the phone for 2 hours and worked on crafts for Super Saturday. Oh, and made address labels for a friend. AND, moved all of my photos from my iPhone to my computer.

It sounds like I'm super productive, but I'm not. I just have a lot of unfinished stuff laying around. My living room literally looks like a craft bomb exploded but it'll just have to wait because I am exhausted and going to bed.

Great, now I have heartburn. Those cookies are from the devil!



Rocco, you are in big trouble...

And the BEST dad award goes to...

I am so blessed to have such a fantastic father.

Isn't he a stud?

[I have this picture on my desk at work and it's a little (ok, a lot) awkward when people ask if it's my boyfriend. However, the expression on their face when I tell them it's my dad is super hilarious].

He gave us all this picture framed one year for Christmas.

He's so humble.

(I had him autograph it for me).

Anyway, I am so blessed because he is most definitely the best man I know. I'm glad we have a day to celebrate fathers. But, since I'm so on top of things, I didn't get a gift in the mail for him in time - plus, my budget doesn't allow for many extravagant gifts so I sent him a super sappy (but very true) email:

I may or may not have gotten the idea from a TV show, but I think it's great and I hope it made him feel special. He's so awesome.

***

I got to make the tags for the Father's Day treats at church.

I cut out 127 tags. My hand was so sore the next day but I didn't mind at all. I was in my happy place the whole time.

I Did It!

I am obsessed with Etsy.

And it's getting to be a problem.

An expensive problem. I have the app on my phone and when I can't sleep, it's just way too accessible.

Dang Paypal.

Anyhoo, a few months ago (well over a year), I was on Etsy and found the most adorable round address labels I had ever seen. 

I knew immediately that I had to have them.

(Even though it's sad that correspondence via USPS is getting really outdated. Remember when it used to be fun to check the mail?! Now all that's waiting at the corner are bills and junk mail that I immediately throw in the trash ----> the junk mail, not the bills).

Anyway, I am trying to go old school and send more cards to loved ones. If nothing else, to at least make checking the mail a little more exciting. Plus, I have 100's of cards in boxes in a random closet that should probably go to good use. You know, from back in the day when I had time to make cards. I kind of miss it.

So, back to the labels. They were cute, so I ordered some. Which happens way too often when I peruse the Etsy merchandise. There is a ton of cute crap on that site. I was not disappointed when I received them in the mail a few days later. They were super adorable and fun to use.

But, they were expensive. I can't remember how much, but I remember thinking that it was silly that I was spending so much for something that isn't really that necessary. I mean, I could just write my return address for crying out loud, right?

So, like most cute & un-necessary stuff, there had to be a way that I could make it myself. After all, I do know a thing or two in Photoshop. So, I set out to learn for myself. It actually turned out to be quite a labor-intensive project. Not only did I have to figure out how to design the label {find images, learn how to type in a circle - aka: type on a path (thank you YouTube), figure out sizing and resolution}, but I also had to figure out how to print them. I ordered blank labels online and downloaded the template from the same website and excitedly skipped (not really) to the print shop last week, certain that I was about to reap the cute rewards of my hard work.

I was really bummed when the copy girl handed me the printed sheet and I saw that the images did not match up with the labels at all.

It was a total bust.

However, I was so close to figuring it out that there was no way I was stopping.

I'm happy to say that all the hard work, blood, sweat and tears (not really all of those) culminated into success on Saturday.

Hooray!!

I've done a few designs but am too tired to post more than one.

I know it's not a cure for cancer or really anything super impressive or important but I believe that achievement builds confidence and to be truly happy in life, it's important to find joy in the small things.

The small round things.

Plus, it's fun when you're able to create something new.

New Digs

My office is basically my home. I spend more waking hours there during the week than I do at my own house - just like every other responsible adult, I guess. Big news: After a few years of planning, the owners of my company built a new building and we moved in last Friday.

And it is awesome!

I mean, I'm still living the cubicle life, but at least now I'm right by a window so I get the benefit of natural light and I can check the weather without creepily looking through someone else's office. And, as an added bonus, our cubicles are super nice. Also, in the old building, I was right smack in the middle of all the chaos. I had loud people around me all day long and it was such a pain in the butt because I am easily distracted.

Wait, what's that shiny thing over there?

Okay, I'm back. In our new building, I'm off in the corner basically all by myself. It is as close to heaven as you can get while surviving the daily grind. Pretty much everything in the whole building is brand new and new stuff is always fun. There's a new energy that is pretty exciting.

And did I mention we have a waterfall in the front? I guess it's more of a water 'feature' but it's pretty cool. The landscaping will be beautiful when it's done. I'll post photos as soon as that happens.

The only bad thing is that I.T. is all the way on the opposite side of the building. Bad planning if you ask me (however, it is completely possible that they requested - begged? - to be as far away from us as possible!). We need them all the time. Especially our favorite guy Mark. It's been a really rough 4 days having him so far away.

So, to make his travel across the building more fun - and a lot faster, Erica, Brianne and I bought him a Razor scooter.

We think we're pretty funny.

Mark is such a good sport. He was a little hesitant to ride it around - you know, the whole acting professional thing at work is kind of a big deal for him. Plus, he said he needed a little practice so as not to damage any part of the new building. But, today he took it for a few spins.

He is so great. Seriously the nicest guy you'll ever meet.

Which helps keep the stress levels down.

I'll take more photos of my new work space and post them soon. But, here is my view to the outside world.

Okay, so it's not the most glamorous view (I'm super excited about the dumpster and the port-a-potty - I hope they stay a long time), but after 6.5 years of the 100% artificial light literally sucking the life out of me, I'll take it!

A definite upgrade.

Sad News

This is my dear friend Nikki.

We have known each other for about 16 years and she is as beautiful on the inside as she is on the outside. I am blessed to know her.

A few days ago, she posted this on Facebook:

I am absolutely heartbroken. Nikki, her mom and her 2 sisters all live within a couple of blocks of me and I feel like they're family. I see them a lot and crash their family dinners on a regular basis. I didn't know her dad too well because he has been working in Florida, but he was such a great man. I am so sad that these sweet friends are going through such a hard time right now.

I have called my dad a lot over the past few days. He hates talking on the phone and has pointed out more than once that my frequent calls are not necessary.

Let me have this Dad.

I don't think anyone is ever ready to live without their dad. I know I never will be. My heart is sad and I've been so emotional these past few days. Nikki asked me to take pictures at his viewing and at the cemetery. It was really hard, especially when the family said their final good-byes, but the day was so full of love and I am grateful that I was a part of it. He was buried on his 74th birthday.

I am praying for peace and understanding for this sweet family.

Imagine Dragons!

Imagine Dragons has quickly become one of my favorite bands.

I got this photo here.

Rachelle and I went to their show on May 20th and it was really fun.

Well, aside from the fact that I am an idiot and bought tickets on the floor instead of in the seats. I'm way too old to stand in a crowd of sweaty, smelly people for 4+ hours. The 2 opening bands weren't great and a couple of people next to us were super annoying, but Imagine Dragons put on an awesome show.

People watching was fun since there were a ton of weird people there. Maybe it means that I'm weird too, but concerts sure attract a wide range of interesting people.


And by interesting, I mean straight up crazy.

The show was on a Monday night which basically wiped me out for the whole rest of the week.

According to my friend Erica's husband Ron, once you hit 40 you can't go to concerts anymore.

I'm sure I'll get my fill before I'm 40.

Dandelion Invasion

As soon as the weather warmed up, all these beauties decided to pop up all over my lawn. They literally appeared within 24 hours. 

So annoying.

(Betcha can't guess where my property line ends and my neighbor's begins!)

So embarrassing.

I really am mortified that I have the ugliest lawn on the street. And it's not like I haven't researched fertilizer and paid a lot for the 'right' blend . . . cuz I have!

I promise.

I'm basically on a first-name basis with the all good folks at the local IFA.

And whatever the below weed is (clover?) - it isn't my friend either.

Thankfully, my lawn currently looks better than it did in these pictures. Fingers crossed that we (my lawn and I) are on the right path.

There really is a learning curve to yard maintenance.

In other yard news, there are some pretty things around my home.

I'm so happy for spring!