The Ineffable Gromit

Gromit is my dog. You know?

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How to Make Scary Decisions

How to Make Scary Decisions

I did something scary this past weekend.

Scary, exciting, and bittersweet.

…

I quit my job as a Group Fitness Instructor.

Like, quit quit. Donezos. Bye bye. Arrivederci, mama!

My national Group Fitness Certification was set to expire on July 31st, and instead of doing all the online quizzes necessary to re-certify, I just…

…didn’t.

Now, let me pop a little disclaimer in here:

I have nothing…

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Healthy Blueberry Muffins (using almond pulp from homemade almond milk)

Healthy Blueberry Muffins (using almond pulp from homemade almond milk)

Y’all.

Prepare yourself for a slew of food-related posts, because I have REDISCOVERED MY LOVE FOR COOKING & BAKING.

Lemme tell you:

Nothing (NOTHING) feels better than making something with your bare hands.

ESPECIALLY when it’s something you get to eat afterward. Like… HOLLA!

Last week, I had a little adventure in the art of making homemade almond milk (something I’ve wanted to try for YEARS).

ht…

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Do you ever have those things, where you keep thinking “I’m totally going to do that someday,” and then 5 years later you’re like “Why haven’t I done that thing?!”

Also, have you noticed that when you FINALLY end up doing that thing, it takes like 5 minutes and WAY less work than you thought, and you’re like “WHY THE HECK DID I WAIT 5 YEARS TO DO THIS THING?!”

For me, that thing is making homemade almond milk.

Not to give you way too much insight into my digestive system, but when I drink cow’s milk (or “milk,” as lactose-tolerant people call it), ugly things happen.

So, I do what any sane person would do, and buy almond milk instead.

But here’s the thing:

Most almond milks have weird additives.

Like, here’s the ingredients label for my current almond milk (HyVee brand, unsweetened vanilla):

Almond milk (filtered water, almonds),

(interjection: why didn’t they just stop there?! They were doing so well!!)

But on the list goes:

Tricalcium phosphate, natural flavors, sea salt, gellan gum, dipotassium phosphate, xanathan gum, sunflower lecithin, vitamin A palmitate, vitamin d2, dl-alpha-tocopherol acetate (vitamin e).

Now, before you start yell-typing at me, I am fully aware that most of these things are vitamins.

But A) I get all the vitamins I need from my daily superfood smoothie, and B) What is “natural flavors?” What is “gellan gum?” What is “xanthan gum?”

Sure, maybe these things won’t kill me or give me cancer, but I’d rather play it safe. My prerogative, you know?

SO.

I went to HyVee (my grocery store of choice), and bought almonds from the bulk section (near the natural foods section), for $9.00/pound.

One pound of almonds was about 3 cups, and this recipe called for 1 cup. The total recipe ended up making 4 cups of almond milk.

Almond milk, feat. Brother Arm.

Math (notice how I sprinkle pictures in the mix, so you don’t get bored):

Normal almond milk usually costs like, $3/half gallon.

Half a gallon = 8 cups.

In order to make 8 cups of almond milk, I would need to double this recipe, which would utilize 2 cups of almonds.

2 cups of almonds = (roughly) .66 pounds.

Based on HyVee’s almonds, this would be roughly $6.

SO, depending on where you get your almonds, it’s not necessarily more cost-effective to make your own almond milk.

HOWEVER, some very smart ladies informed me that Sprouts often has their bulk almonds on sale for $4.99/pound (WHAT?!).

Moist pulp – mmm *vomit*

So, to make 1/2 gallon of almond milk from Sprouts almonds would cost about $3.33.

That’s just an extra $.33, for peace of mind and zero preservatives, thickeners, “natural flavors,” etc.

Mmm, and look at that leftover pulp… <3

Worth it, in my book!

If you know of any cheaper places to buy almonds, please let me know in the comments! I would be forever indebted to you!

Here’s what’s leftover. This was like modeling clay – could be a fun tactile thing for babies to play with, and if they eat a little, who cares?

Okay. Without any further ado, here’s the recipe:

Homemade Almond Milk of the Gods:

grab your cup (or two, if you’re making 1/2 gallon of almond milk) of almonds, and throw them in a bowl. BOOM.

Cover with filtered water, and allow to soak overnight.

Look at those plump, juicy nuts! (I had to).

Drain & rinse the almonds.

Throw them in your Vitamix or other blender, along with 3.5 cups of water for each cup of almonds you originally used.

Optional add-ins: vanilla, cinnamon, sea salt, the blood of your enemies.

Blend. BLEND THAT MO-FO! ON HIGH! Cackle like a villain, because nobody can hear you.

If you want the almond pulp removed from your almond milk (most people do), pour the almond milk through a fine mesh sieve into a bowl/cup/whatever.

Take the rest of the moist pulp (*shudder*), and toss it into a cheesecloth, nut milk bag, OR $1 dishtowel from Wal-Mart, if you’re smart like me and hate spending money.

Squeeze! Squeeze that mo-fo! (Into the bowl of almond milk). *note: this is the most satisfying part of making almond milk, and is probably the reason I’ll be an old maiden making various nut milks to sell at the farmer’s market. Anger = obliterated.

Have a sip. Or ten. Or drink all of it, because you’re a boss and you deserve it.

Who’s got some other add-in ideas to share with me??

If you follow this recipe, be sure to comment below and let me know how it turned out!

HAPPY SATURDAY! <3

  Homemade Almond Milk Do you ever have those things, where you keep thinking "I'm totally going to do that someday," and then 5 years later you're like "Why haven't I done that thing?!"

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The Power of a $90 Paycheck

The Power of a $90 Paycheck

I’m currently reading one of the most amazing book I’ve ever laid eyes on: “You Are A Badass: How to Stop Doubting Your Greatness and Start Living an Awesome Life,” written by the stellar, entertaining, hardcore queen, Jen Sincero.

I mean, LOOK at that face. That is the face of someone who’s thinking, “Yeah, I wrote this book. What of it? I’ll write another one, no big deal. Oh, this old thing,…

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Why I Became a Beachbody Coach

Why I Became a Beachbody Coach

Hey booboos!

This past weekend, I made a leap into the Beachbody world by signing up as a Healthy Lifestyle Coach.

For those of you who don’t know what Beachbody is, it’s the company that created Insanity and P90x, along with TONS of other amazing workout programs, as well as Shakeology, which you can read more about here.

I’m gonna cut right to the chase:

YES, it’s an MLM (multi-level marketing)…

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3 Ways to Brighten Up a Dark Week

3 Ways to Brighten Up a Dark Week

Guys, I’m not going to lie…

It’s been a rough week for me.

I’m one of those people who, when faced with something hard (i.e. my husband going to basic training and then officer training and being gone for FIVE MONTHS), I’m all: “Omg it’s totally going to be fine. It’s going to be GREAT! I’m going to focus on ME! Everything is going to be TOTALLY TOTALLY FINE I KNOW IT!”

Then, about two weeks…

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A Fierce Flourishing

This morning, a speaker came to my MOPS (Mothers of PreSchoolers) group.

She was one of those gorgeous humans who seems to have the type of wisdom that only comes from – for lack of a better phrase – walking through hell.

She was tall, unassuming, and carried a bible decorated with bright strips of patterned tape.

I wasn’t sure what she was there to talk to us about. Usually we get a “sneak…

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Last night, the inspiration struck me:

IT’S TIME TO FIX UP JOLIE’S NURSERY!

When I was pregnant with Jolie (and for the first couple months of her life), we lived in a small, 1-bedroom, 400 square-foot apartment in St. Louis (and yes, we had our dog at this time too!).

This meant three things:

We shared a bedroom with Jolie.

She didn’t have a nursery.

I didn’t get to to “nest” & decorate her nursery. :(

But now, we DO have a nursery (praise the Looooooord), and I’ve got some catching up to do!

My mom said it perfectly last evening while we were working on this mobile:

When you have to wait for something, it makes it THAT much sweeter.

True that, mama. True that.

Since we’re planning to move out of my parents’ house and into our own (fingers crossed) house or duplex in about 6 months, I really just want to spruce her room up in ways that can be easily transferred to her future room.

I saw this gorgeous ribbon mobile on Etsy (pardon the screenshots):

And I thought… Fifty-Five bucks?!?! Um, no thanks. I’ll make my own. ;)

So here we go!

DIY No-Sew Ribbon/Fabric Baby Mobile Tutorial

Step 1: Find a ring of some sort.

My mom found this at Savers for $1. Perfect! Right in my price range! ;)

Step 2: Find a bunch of fabric & ribbons & lace that you like, and start ripping!

I went with pink, grey, white, and cream for a soft, eclectic look (and to match Jolie’s new rug – more on that later!). These long strands will be doubled over, so make them TWICE the length you want the mobile to be! Shoot for longer – you can always trim excess off at the end.

Step 3: Tie the ribbons/fabrics/laces to the ring.

..Like so! It’s up to you if you want the knot to show – try it both ways because it looks cool either way! You could also alternate having the know show versus not having the knot show (every other strand). I wanted my knots hidden, which I think gave it a slightly cleaner look.

Step 4: Hang up, step back, and trim any excess.

Step 5: Stand back and marvel in your creation!

This only took about 1 1/2 – 2 hours to make – granted, we already had all the fabric lying around (perks of having a costumer for a mother!). If you’re starting from scratch, you could always look for free fabric on Craigslist, or just purchase small amounts of lots of different fabrics from Hobby Lobby or Joann’s.

I can’t wait to hang this up in Jolie’s nursery! I’ll be sure to keep you guys updated once we have her nursery lookin’ fly. ;)

DIY No-Sew Ribbon/Fabric Baby Mobile Tutorial! Last night, the inspiration struck me: IT'S TIME TO FIX UP JOLIE'S NURSERY! When I was pregnant with Jolie (and for the first couple months of her life), we lived in a small, 1-bedroom, 400 square-foot apartment in St.

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Feasting & Fasting

Right now, I’m working my way through a beautiful devotional called “Savor,” written by Shauna Niequist (highly recommend).

In her daily devotion for January 13, she writes:

I’m learning, slowly, a rhythm of feasting and fasting that brings a rich cadence to my year. I use the word fasting loosely, as on opposite term to feasting – permission and discipline, necessary slides back and forth along…

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Hey friends!

This morning, for breakfast, I had something I’ve never tried before.

Those of you who know me (and maybe some of you who don’t), know that I usually have a smoothie for breakfast. It looks a little something like this:

Kelsie’s Usual Breakfast Smoothie:

1 frozen banana

a handful of frozen berries

a handful of greens, either fresh or frozen

roughly a tablespoon of peanut butter

one serving of chocolate protein powder

skim, whole, or almond milk, depending on the day

Pretty healthy, right?

Lately I’ve been a little tired of it, though. I’m in a total smoothie rut. I have all these different smoothie recipes, but it’s the protein powder I’m tired of! I don’t really have a favorite brand, so I usually buy whatever is cheapest (depending on the ingredient list). And I’m pretty sure the brand I have right now is making my mouth hurt. You know that feeling, like you *might* get a canker sore but your mouth hasn’t decided yet? Yeah. That feeling. Every time I drink my morning smoothie.😥

So, after two friends were sweet enough to give me some samples, I tried something totally new this morning:

Shakeology.

Chocolate Shakeology.

As many of you know, I’m very, very particular about what I put into my body, which is why I want to bring you on this little journey with me. I’ve been brushing off this whole “Shakeology” trend because I assumed it was just another gimmick or supplement or blah blah blah. Well, my plan is to drink Shakeology every day for a week or two, while doing some extensive research on the ingredients (so far, it passes the “Kelsie test,” but time will tell if it withstands).

Basically, Shakeology contains protein (from a few different sources), as well as your daily vitamins and minerals, and tons of different herbs to support your body in lots of different ways. You can simply shake it up with your liquid of choice, or you can blend it with ice and liquid for a “milkshake”-like effect. Here’s the label for Chocolate Shakeology:

I blended mine with 10 ounces of whole milk and about a cup of ice, and lemme tell ya – it was REALLY yummy! It actually thickened up like a Wendy’s frosty or chocolate milkshake, and the taste was incredible. I’m craving it a little as I type this.

Here are my thoughts on day 1 of replacing my normal breakfast smoothie (recipe shown above) with Shakeology:

My initial thoughts:

Cost Factor: My normal smoothie > Shakeology

This has been the one thing holding me back – Shakeology runs at about $4 per serving. If you become a Beachbody coach, it’s about $3 per serving, but STILL. I usually purchase my normal ol’ chocolate protein powder for like $20 and that contains about 18 servings, running at just over $1 per serving. BUT, that chocolate protein powder doesn’t contain vitamins, minerals, and herbs, and usually DOES contain artificial flavors and sweeteners. So, in this category, you really do get what you pay for.

Taste Factor: Shakeology > my normal smoothie

Surprising, right? I thought it would taste like one of those nasty nutrition shakes like Carnation Instant Breakfast or something like that… but NOPE. It was super creamy and delicious and tasted like chocolate milk/Wendy’s frosty. Count me in!

Fullness Factor: Shakeology > my normal smoothie

I did NOT expect this one, to be totally honest. I’ve even tried blending my normal smoothie with whole milk, and it just doesn’t keep me full past 2 or 3 hours. I usually have to have a protein bar or something along those lines to get me to lunch! After drinking my Shakeology and having a piece of 100% whole grain toast with coconut oil and cinnamon (which I always eat alongside my normal smoothie as well), I was STUFFED. I felt like I had just eaten a feast! I drank it at 8 a.m. and it kept me full until about noon, noon-thirty. Win!

Time Factor: Shakeology > my normal smoothie

This is a big part of the reason I was so interested in Shakeology to begin with. It’s getting a little labor- and time-intensive to lug all the ingredients out (frozen bananas, frozen berries, frozen or fresh greens, milk, PB, knife or spoon, chocolate protein powder), “measure” them out (somewhat), then put them all away. Shoot, I have a one year-old! I don’t have time for that business! This morning I simply grabbed my packet of Shakeology, threw it in the Vitamix, added milk, added ice, blended, and drank (slurped, more like). Much less cleanup, much less time, much less mess, and less dirty dishes to boot! I’m a fan. I just need to find a really big cup, because I had to use two to hold all that Shakeology goodness!

Exhibit A: I forgot to take a picture until I had already drank (drunk? Drinked?) one of the cups! My bad. Also pictured: delicious Calcium gummies from Costco.

Energy Factor: Shakeology > my normal smoothie

I didn’t expect this one either! But it’s only been ONE day, so I’ll monitor this one closely. In retrospect, though, I’m not surprised – Chocolate Shakeology contains 6 grams of sugar (about 1.5 sugar cubes), whereas the banana ALONE in my normal smoothie contains about 17 grams of sugar (over 4 full sugar cubes). Yes, yes, calm down, I know it’s FRUIT sugar, but sugar is sugar. It enters the bloodstream and does its thing regardless of the source.

The sugar in my banana smoothie. And that’s not even counting the protein powder and berries!

It’s 2:00p.m. right now, and usually I’d be getting sleepy, but my energy has remained constant throughout the entire morning. This is huge!!! Usually I’d be contemplating a nap, but instead… I’m writing this post. Obviously. So this is a huge win for Shakeology! I’m all about eating to feel good and fuel your daily activities – if Shakeology will get rid of my afternoon “shlump,” then you can go ahead and call me a fan.

Wow, guys. That’s 4/5 for Shakeology, on Day 1 of this little adventure. Color me impressed, but I’m going to keep drinking it before I get too excited! Time will tell.

I’ll keep you guys posted!

Have you ever tried Shakeology? What’s your favorite flavor? Do you have any recipes that use Shakeology? Please share in the comments below!

Have a happy, healthy day!

  Today, I Ate Something I’ve NEVER Eaten Before! Hey friends! This morning, for breakfast, I had something I've never tried before. Those of you who know me (and maybe some of you who don't), know that I usually have a smoothie for breakfast.

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Three Things You Should Be Eating if You're a Full-Time Worker

Three Things You Should Be Eating if You’re a Full-Time Worker

During my pregnancy with Jolie, I nannied full-time. It was really important to me to be putting good things in my body (you know, “eating for two” and all that), so I was constantly on the lookout for convenient, make-ahead snacks and meals that I could pack, bring with me, and eat throughout the day.

(By the way, I’m still eating these things on the regs even though I’m not pregnant and don’t…

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Basement Makeover!

CHANGE.

Sometimes, you just need a change.

For me, this usually happens after things have escalated to the point of “Okay I absolutely cannot do this anymore, I NEED A CHANGE RIGHT NOW.” Anyone else? Just me? Okay.

This past week has been nothing but change, change, change:

Colson left for basic training

my daughter transitioned from two naps to one (*shudder*)

and…

I moved out of my daughter’s…

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Jolie's "Busy Bench" (our version of the Busy Board!)

Jolie’s “Busy Bench” (our version of the Busy Board!)

  Let me tell you – it’s been a bittersweet week.

Sweet, because Jolie turned ONE last week! :)

Bitter, because Colson left for Army Basic Training exactly a week later. :(

*all the feels*

Before he left, though, we had a project to work on together, which I’m incredibly thankful for – Jolie’s Busy Bench.

(more…)

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My New Years Revolution

My New Years Revolution

I work in childcare.

(this is how most of my notable stories start, in case you’re wondering).

The other day, I overheard a little boy talking to a friend about his “New Years Revolutions.”

First of all, isn’t it cute when kids confuse words like that?

Secondly, is there a chance he’s onto something?

(more…)

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Maybe I'm a Bad Person ... Or Maybe I'm Human.

Maybe I’m a Bad Person … Or Maybe I’m Human.

Because it’s Tuesday, and because I have precisely ten minutes before I need to wake Jolie up, feed her, and leave to teach my yoga class, I’ve decided to start something new:

Ten-Minute Tuesdays. Or #TenMinuteTuesday for those of you who secretly like hashtags as much as I do.

In other words, I’m going to type for ten minutes, and post whatever comes out of my brain.

Today, I’ve been thinking…

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Things I've Learned: Four Months Post-Grad

Things I’ve Learned: Four Months Post-Grad

THIS. Everything about this entire post. Especially the Gilmore Girls GIF. S/o to my friend Lily for being honest and raw. Life isn’t Pinterest-perfect, amirite friends?

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The Playlist Your Hump Day Needs

The Playlist Your Hump Day Needs

It doesn’t matter if the glass is half empty or half full…

…There is clearly room for more wine.

Wednesdays, amirite?

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