My Finals Wisdom (a beer to relax is usually a bad idea while cramming)

Finals week. A time of late nights, terrible junk food, procrastination, and finally relief.  Having spent hours on papers and projects, pressing the submit button on my Philosophy final felt fantastic. I can finally breathe a sigh of relief.

Funny how I've had more time in the past two days to get to the gym than the whole semester!  Yep, I went two days in a row.  I can see a wonderful picture of me in a little black dress on New Year's Eve already...

FINALS: WHAT TO AVOID

For those of you still in the midst of finals, here are my best cramming tips I've learned throughout the years.  They do not involve alcohol, so don't look for it (these are for if you actually want to do well on your tests) ...

1. Keep healthy snacks near you.  You are going to want food, and munching on carrots, nuts, or grapes will keep your mind much more focused than sugar or worthless carbs.
2. Do it in sections, and take a lot of breaks.  There's only so much time you can stare at one page or computer screen.  Taking little breaks can actually cut down on your time because you are more productive when you come back.
3. If you can, move around during those breaks!  Go to the gym for half an hour, take a walk, or just do jumping jacks in your bedroom if nothing else. Moving will help you think clearer and memorize material more quickly.
4. Sleep as much as you can... then get a good breakfast and a lot of coffee.
5. Do not, under any circumstances, log onto Facebook.

Good luck! 
P.S. I just joined Pinterest and I'm obsessed.  More to come.

I've spent hours trying to find a new blog template/background that I like, and so far I just haven't.  You might see some changes and experimentation... I want something better!

well that was easy - How to Follow Me

Hey readers, did you know you can follow me from my blog so that updates are sent to you and you don't have to spend time looking for them? 

1. Look to the right, under the "About Me" section. 
2. See the button that says Join This Site? It's blue. 
3. Become a follower by signing in with either your Gmail, Twitter, or Yahoo accounts.
4. YAY get updates delivered to you

Don't have a Gmail, Twitter, or Yahoo account?  You can also follow me by email.  Just type it in the box a bit farther down and press submit!

well that was easy

Shopping Sobriety

Money Saving Monday - (This was supposed to go out yesterday so sorry it did not get published!)

This blog entry by Lafemmeroar called Five Money Saving Tips This Holiday Season cracks me up.  Check it out!

My favorite is...

2. Tell people that you’re in the 12-Step Program for shopaholics. Shopping would not be conducive to your sobriety.

Thanks to Lafemmeroar!

Get Fit Friday - Just One Morning!



Because this is how I feel right now. Damn you Christmas goodies!

 I live five minutes from the gym, and it's still hard to get there.  I'm paying for a membership, but when was the last time I used it?  Probably about a month ago. Don't judge. When was the last time YOU got there?

While a month is better than four months, or six months, it's still too long for me.  So here is Get Fit Friday Challenge!

I'm challenging myself, and you, to get to the gym at least one time by next Friday.  Can we do it?  Yes, it will be the week before finals.  Yes, Christmas is in 24 days (as my room mate was kind enough to point out to me around 12:30 am).

24 Days. I haven't started any shopping, planning, or even crash dieting to look better in pictures.  I haven't even had time to decorate a tree! But next week, I'm picking a morning to get up early, and I will get myself to the gym!

If I never start, I'll never get there. One step at a time back into a fitness routine!  Who's with me?

Peanut Butter, Oatmeal, Chocolate Chip Cookies!

Happy late Thanksgiving!  As we fly into Christmas season, my hungry boyfriend and roommates start requesting more sugar filled baked goods. I was only too happy to come through for them last night with Peanut Butter, Oatmeal, Chocolate Chip cookies! Yummmm thank you Kraftrecipes.com for this awesome recipe!  I usually have trouble getting cookies to come out right from scratch but these were perfect!  A great treat for the holiday season and easy to make.

Peanut Butter, Oatmeal, & Chocolate Chip Cookies



My cookies actually turned out like the picture!



What You Need

1 cup flour

1 cup  old-fashioned or quick-cooking oats

1/2 tsp. baking Powder

1/2 tsp.  baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 cup  butter, softened

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup  packed brown sugar

1/2 cup Creamy Peanut Butter

1   egg

1-1/2 tsp. vanilla

1/2 bag Semi-Sweet Chocolate chips

 

Make It

HEAT oven to 375°F. (I used 350 and they were great. If you use 375 don't keep them in more than 10 minutes!)
MIX first 5 ingredients until well blended Beat butter, sugars and peanut butter in large bowl with mixer until light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla; mix well. Gradually add flour mixture, mixing well after each addition. Stir in chocolate.
DROP heaping tablespoonfuls of dough, 2 inches apart, onto baking sheets.
BAKE 10 to 12 min. or until lightly browned. Cool 1 min. on baking sheet; remove to wire racks. Cool completely.

Kraftrecipies.com

While looking for a dish to take to my family Thanksgiving, I came across a fantastic site! 

Kraftrecipies.com has just about any recipe you could possibly be looking for, and hundreds a great themed and holiday ideas.  Every recipe has easy to follow instructions and beautiful pictures.

I thought this looked delicious and fairly easy to make, so I'm going to give it a try!  But I might leave out the coconut...

 

Maple Leaf Oatmeal Pie

If you like pecan pie, you'll love this rich maple and coconut pie. Top it with cinnamon-spiked whipped cream for a Thanksgiving spectacular.

Prep Time: 25 mins

Total Time: 1 hr

Servings: Makes 8 servings

Ingredients

• 2   eggs, slightly beaten
• 3/4 cup  pure maple syrup or maple-flavored syrup
• 1/2 cup  granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup  packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup  milk
• 1/2 cup  butter, melted
• 1 teaspoon  vanilla
• 1 cup  flaked coconut
• 3/4 cup  rolled oats
• 1/2 cup  chopped walnuts
•   Pastry for Single-Crust Pie*
•   Cinnamon Whipped Cream Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. For filling: In a large bowl, combine eggs, maple syrup, granulated sugar, brown sugar, milk, butter, and vanilla. Stir in coconut, rolled oats, and walnuts. Pour filling into unbaked pastry shell

2. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center of pie comes out clean.

3. Cool on a wire rack. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate within 2 hours. Store in the refrigerator for up to 2 days (do not freeze). If desired, serve with Cinnamon Whipped Cream.

Makes 8 servings

Cinnamon Whipped Cream (optional): In a chilled medium bowl, combine 1 cup whipping cream, 2 tablespoons powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, and dash ground nutmeg. Beat with chilled beaters of an electric mixer on medium speed until soft peaks form (tips curl).

*Note: Or, use a refrigerated piecrust, piecrust mix, or a deep-dish frozen pie shell.

Get Fit Tip: DRINK WATER!

So, I FINALLY got my license renewed this morning at the DMV.  After getting up at the crack of dawn and still waiting over an hour, I was ecstatic to actually get it done.  Something else that made me happy?  I could tell the lady to lower my weight and be honest about it!

I was very happy to note that I weigh less than I did five years ago, but sad to realize the number was more than six months ago!

So, I'm starting a weekly GET FIT! tip for myself.  More of a goal, but whatever.

Doesn't that look good?!

This week..... DRINK WATER!  In the past few months I have started drinking WAY more soda than I ever have before.  Late homework nights and 60 hour weeks will drive you to the caffeine.  While I used to carry a water bottle around with me, I now have a liter of Diet Mountain Dew.  A combo of less water, more junk, and a LOT more sugar made the scale go up.

So, for the next week I'm going to focus on drinking water.  A glass when I wake up, a glass before every meal, and certainly a glass before I touch the caffeine!  The cold is drying me out anyway, so hopefully this will be good for my health, skin, and voice!