When husbands away!

Husband had to go on a work trip last week which is something I dread every time it happens. Thankfully this was a short 3.5 day trip as opposed to his 12 day trips! I tear up just thinking about the 12 days trips. Husband being gone means several times a year I revert back to my childish ways like becoming afraid of the little noises in my house! Now, mind you, before I got married I lived alone and loved it. Phil is just so strong and manly that I never worry about someone breaking into our house until he's gone. Why is it that when your husband goes away there are more spiders to kill, gun shots heard (aka: fireworks, but hello, they do sound like gun shots!) and kid meltdowns than normal!?!

As much as I hate it when Phil is gone I know someone has to work to put coffee on the table, I mean food. Now usually I spend the time either at my house or I load up the car and head to my parents. This time I changed it up. My bestie Katie just happened to be home alone with her two kiddos this weekend too so I loaded up the car and had a sleep over at her casa. Our kids are almost the same ages so they played beautifully with each other and Katie and I spent the day catching up and sipping coffee. You know you can only get a sip in at a time when you have an almost 2 year old and a 6 week old! Memories were definitely made with this crazy bunch.

 

 

 

Lunch break at 11am

Yesterday I had a surprise lunch date. My sis and niece Chloe were in my area and decided to have coffee with me! Now, normally I take my lunch break around 1:00pm but yesterday I took it at 11am. My cube-mates all looked at me with surprise. I think they were staring at me that way because I had just finished my breakfast around 10:30am. Hungry again Laura? Is what those stares meant. What... a girl needs to work hard to keep this girlish figure!? And that means eating on the hour and and on the half. I didn't indulge the fact that I was having coffee with my sis and Chloe because I need to keep my co-workers on their toes, and always guessing. Why, you ask? Who knows, but I have to do something to make the day interesting. I sell toner for 8 hours a day people.... TONER!

The Daniel Fast

Husband and I have been eating super healthy lately. Our meals consist of fruit, veggies, whole wheat, and water. No meat, dairy products, sugar, or anything to drink besides water. Basically we are eating like rabbits. Or vegans. Man, I have a lot respect for the vegans out there, this is a hard diet to maintain. I truly never realized how many products have dairy or meat, or products made with animals help! Did I mention we only drink water? So I've definitely missed a dear friend of mine... coffee. I think husband has missed coffee too because without it I tend to get cranky. 


The reason we are eating so much healthier than we normally do is because we are doing the Daniel Fast. It’s what Daniel from the bible ate for a period of time. To read more about it click here. Anyways,  since we are eating so healthy it has really stretched my cooking abilities and I’m loving it! Here is what our meals pretty much look like…


Breakfast

Whole wheat tortillas, with peanut butter and fruit. Oh so delicious!

Lunch

A bowl of fruit and we've made our own whole wheat chips too. 

Snack time

Almonds. Mmmm good.

Dinner

Every type of veggie you can imagine.

Dessert

Yea, we haven't exactly been eating dessert. Dessert and coffee has definitely been the hardest thing about this!

Do you have any fabulous recipes that you'd like to share? Have you ever done this fast before? I'd love to know!

Coffee date

Every week my sister, niece and sometimes Mom meet me for coffee on my lunch break. These are some of my favorite moments of the week. It takes me away from my usually crazy work day, and I truly get to relax. Since I know everyone that works at my Starbucks (you think I’m kidding? A few of the baristas even came to my wedding. I might have gone to Starbucks at least once a day for the past 3 years.) they usually come over and say hi to Miss Chloe. Chloe loves everyone besides one barista. She will be as happy as a clam, and as soon as that barista walks over she immediately starts crying! Then barista feels bad and steps back…. Chloe is fine. The barista comes back….. Chloe screams. Barista walks away…. Chloe is fine. I guess this little girl has her favorites, which I’m sure I’m #1 on that list. At least that’s what I tell her, “You love Auntie Laura the best!”

N’awlins

Holy moley this trip was a blast! Phil and I did so many things and I’m about to overload you with pics, so beware. By the way, the locals pronounce New Orleans as N’awlins, and I like to fit in so I quickly changed my pronunciation. N’awlins it is!

Friday was our touring day which included a swamp tour with alligators, Bourbon Street, a jazz festival and a lot (A LOT) of walking and sightseeing. The swamp tour guide thought he was funny (which of course he was) and decided to drop a fake spider, the size of a softball, on my head in the middle of the tour! I convulsed andjumped so high that I practically fell into the swamp with all the alligators! Okay that’s a lie. I did jump really high and freaked out though. Husband thought it was the funniest thing he ever saw. Oh yea and that alligator I'm holding in the above pic. It's real. A real baby alligator. I held a REAL baby alligator!!









When you step onto Bourbon Street you are greeted by some phenomenal street musicians, and some ladies that could really shake their stuff. Parts of that street I was definitely not a fan of though. Like the naked ladies part. Oh no you didn’t just flaunt half naked ladies in front of my husband!! We walked Bourbon St. for a little while then crossed over to Royal St. which was much more our taste. No nakedness over there.

The jazz music festival was definitely one of my favorite parts of the trip. Music, street vendors, and hundreds of people enjoying the evening together, it was good stuff. Plus those musicians make it look like playing their instruments is the easiest thing in the world! Jealous, party of one!

Saturday we walked about 3 miles to a restaurant we heard was to die for. When we got there all sweaty and gross we were told there was a dress code. Fail. Apparently shorts, sandals, heavy breathing, and sweaty faces are not allowed in that joint. After that we rode the trolly (MUCH better!), saw a cemetery, walked though an antique store, did some shopping, and ate at the famous Café Du Monde.

 

Sunday was definitely a more relaxed day. We woke up late, ate at a delicious restaurant (that I can’t remember the name of! Shame on me, I know.), and walked the Riverwalk. Phil is staying in N'awlins for another week because of work, so he got me a taxi and sent me on home. You know how in movies when they say goodbye and get into a taxi it seems all romantic and moving? Surprisingly, that’s not at all how it is! Saying goodbye to Phil is just no fun at all. Traveling with husband is waaaay more fun than traveling alone. However, I’m more than thankful for my hardworking hubs and his incredible job, because of him working so hard we were able to take this vacation!

Oh yea and this was out gorgeous hotel room view!

Thank you to everyone that sent me suggestions and tips about New Orleans!

95% of the time, everytime

If anyone knows me, you know I love coffee. My coffee traveler cup might be my best friend. I’ve been drinking coffee for years. I drink it black because I love the different tastes of different blends. I drink at least 2 cups in the morning, 1 in the afternoon, and sometimes 1 in the evening. Now, let me mention that I drink tons of water throughout the day too, so I’m not overly dehydrating my body to the point of death. Thanks for your concern though.

Now since people know that I love coffee, they assume they should always make me a cup if I come over. Generally this is a fantastic idea. I’d say 95% of the time I’m on board. Keep the coffee goodness coming, and don’t let me see the bottom of that coffee cup! There are those rare occurrences when I don’t want a cup though. I’ll go over to someone’s house and they have made a whole pot of coffee just for me. A whole pot! That’s about 10 cups of coffee! Then often no one else there wants any so I have to drink some just because it was made for me. *Sigh*

Coffee, I love you, but sometimes I need a little space. Sorry, I sometimes choose green tea over you.