WIAW #40 – Don’t Freak Out Yet

Posted on May 22, 2013 by Kaitlin

Four weeks left of school? Ever? No, I’m not freaking out. Maybe. Ok, there are times I panic and then I realize, I can’t stay in school let alone the same school forever. Honestly, it’s time to move on and there are wonderful opportunities waiting for me when I graduate. But it’s the fact that once I start to get the hang of things, start to learn my routine around campus and make new friends, let’s play a little Yahtzee and shake it all up. Life’s about
shaking things up, right?

Who doesn’t love some sun in Northern California?

Let’s jump into some tasty meals I had yesterday. I tend to take pictures of most of my food, but decided this was the most picturesque. Hey, at least I’m being honest Muchisimas gracias to Jenn for hosting this fiesta.

Breakfast – Now normally I am up and ready to hit the gym or some sort of morning workout. If I don’t work out in the morning, it is very unlikely that it will happen. But, I had planned to attend a couple sample workout classes after class and decided waking up to work on homework would be a solid alternative.

Here we have some regular Chobani yogurt with juicy strawberries from this weekend’s farmer’s market and a failed attempt at peanut butter granola. Not sure why it failed but the oats didn’t stick together and really it just ended up being peanut butter covered oats. Not complaining, but disappointed at my failed experiment. Next time! I also threw in some failed chia jam (mix of chia seeds, water, protein powder and frozen berries/cherries…again, not sure what went wrong)

After class, free-weights, and a couple of express workout classes, it was back home for lunch. I finished off the peanut butter last night, so instead of PB+tortilla, I went for a quesadilla with Mexican blend cheese, mini wheat tortilla, chicken breast, and avocado. That along side an apple and viola…lunch.

T’was alright, but I found myself snacking on a couple of my homemade energy bars (SO TASTY I will have to share with you this week) from the freezer. I knew if I didn’t leave my apartment I would get absolutely no homework accomplished and would snack away my afternoon Anyone else have this issue? The kitchen just seems so much more appealing than my homework.

I know a lot of people complain about the quietness and the confines of the library, but I have to say, it’s one of my favorite places on campus. I love being able to study at a large table and still be surrounded by people. Sure, we aren’t throwing a party, but it can still be social.

This is one of the books I have to read for my Science of Happiness class and I highly recommend it. It’s a quick read and interesting if you are feeling good about life or even want to improve some things just a tad.

Around 6, I headed over to a local field (St. Ignatius Lawn to be exact) for our last senior event. It was a wine tasting, which turned out a LOT better than I had predicted. A spread of cheese, fruit, some bread slices and wine made for a solid young adult dinner. Let’s just say our table dominated the cheese for sure. Not to mention we got to walk away with a spiffy new wine glass. I’m not usually a wine drinker, but it’s nice to have my first wine glass.

The rest of the night was spent with a cup of camomile tea, my computer, and House of Cards. I have trouble finding television shows that I actually want to follow and think this one is a winner.

Alright, peace out and ready to dominate the world. In four weeks. Just to make that clear Happy Wednesday and have a FABULOUS Memorial Day weekend!

“If you spend your whole life waiting for the storm, you’ll never enjoy the sunshine.”
– Morris West

HIPPO-GRAHAMS

Posted on May 21, 2013 by Kaitlin

I may or may not have stumbled upon a new favorite recipe – homemade graham crackers. Meghan is actually the one who discovered these gems and it was with a little love and care in the kitchen that we created our most recent experiment…hippo-grahams.

So I have a certain love for hippos, a trend dating back to my senior year in high school, and Meghan has a love for graham crackers. I swear, she is the connoisseur and has tried every style from HoneyMaid to Trader Joe’s and beyond.

Oh, side note: my birthday present from Meghan? A HIPPO necklace I’m proud to say another piece of jewelry has made the daily cut. I can be a creature of habit and wear the same pieces every day. So far it’s a pair of earrings (rotating between turquoise, pearls, or hearts), silver bracelet, Livestrong, and turquoise ring. It must be all the time I spent in high school playing sports, where we weren’t allowed to wear jewelry and it became a hassle to take it off every day before practice. So, while I try my best to wear statement pieces, I just forget.

Back to the hippos and more importantly, graham crackers. These were quite simple to put together and would be fun in any shape or size. In fact, they would be beyond delicious for summer s’mores, ice cream sandwiches, or even an afternoon snack. Meghan’s favorite is usually a bit of nut butter with a few chocolate chips or a dollap of cinnamon butter.

Honey Graham Crackers
~12 crackers/shaped cookies
(note: recipe split in half and adapted from The Stock Pot)

Ingredients

¼ cup agave
¼ cup skim milk
1 Tbsp molasses
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
2 cups flour, (+little for rolling)
½ cup whole wheat flour
½ tsp salt
½ tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
7Tbsp cold, unsalted butter
For the topping:
2 tablespoons sugar
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions

Mix the honey, milk, molasses and vanilla in a small bowl and stir until smooth.
In a food processor, add in flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon and brown sugar. Pulse to combine.
Start to add in the butter and continue to mix until it resembles coarse crumbs.
Add in the honey/milk mixture and pulse just until the dough forms.
Place the dough on a floured cutting board or piece of parchment paper. Divide the dough in half and wrap in plastic. Place in the fridge until the dough is firm ~2 hours. (We used the freezer for a bit to speed the process up)
Preheat the oven to 350F. Roll the dough on a floured board into a rectangle about ⅛-inch thick. You can either cut the dough into different shapes or into 2-inch squares.
Put the cookies on a baking sheet, place in the fridge for about 30 minutes. Poke the tops of the cookies with the tines of a fork. Mix the sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle over each cookie. Bake until golden brown, ~ 8 minutes.
Cool and then enjoy

Do you like graham crackers? Any strange or unique combinations?

Breakin’ the Bay with Meghan

Posted on May 20, 2013 by Kaitlin

Oh me oh my, my sister Meghan was in town for a whole weekend and we ran this city wild! Here’s a quick glimpse at our fantastic adventures. She has a solid month to herself at home and then it’s off on our European family adventure. Details to come. For now, let’s start with day one and work our way into Bay to Breakers.

Started off the weekend in the library to finish up any last minute essays before Meghan arrived. She arrived in the afternoon and after I picked her up, off we went to Santana Row for a boba tea. My big exposed me to this dangerous place, but I have yet to try anything besides the Passionfruit Tea + pearls. I had been craving one all day and had hoped she would be up for a trip around Sur La Table. Who doesn’t like to explore the wide opportunities kitchen gadgets hold?

We picked up some ingredients from Safeway and then headed back for the evening at home. While I started to plan our summer trip, Meghan started in on a quinoa cheesey-chicken bake filled with garlic, broccolini, and sauteed onion. Mmm, delish. We also experimented with a few snack/treat recipes which shall be on the blog soon.

Saturday we went on a short jaunt around town (~3.5 mile “shake-out” as she called it), farmer’s market with my friend Alexis, and then more planning. I absolutely adored the farmer’s market as it was filled with fresh peaches and nectarines. There were samples galore, students, families, and beautiful sunshine.

We sampled the local ice cream (s’mores for Meghan/Alexis and strawberry for me), I split a bear claw with Alexis (just to test it out…not my favorite, but know I know), and picked up some yummy cauliflower. I’ve been wanting to try mashed cauliflower or pizza crust made from cauliflower, so that will be in the works.

That night, we went with SHPE (Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers) to the beach for a bonfire. Wasn’t exactly the healthiest spread, but tasty and thematic all the same. I mean, it just makes sense to grill hot dogs and make s’mores at a bonfire, right?

Sunday SUNDAY! Wake up call around 4:40, which isn’t even early since I know people who didn’t go to bed or woke up and were ready to go around 3! Have you heard of Bay to Breakers? It’s a MUST-DO if you live in the Northern California area and attend one of the schools up here. This would be my fourth year running the race and the only time I actually “ran” the whole thing. In the past, I have walked with my friends, but I never really took the “authentic college route” as most of my cohorts do. Boy, that makes for a LONG day It is quite a crack-up to see everyone in costume and storming the Embarcadero at 6am on a Sunday. However, I do think this year was the most organized Bay to Breakers yet.

There were police organizing us on the trains at Santa Clara as well as on the way home in San Francisco. A stark comparison to my freshman year where it was a stampede to get a spot on the train and kids climbing all over street lamps.

Here we are in our race-day getup, organized by the lovely Meghan. Choosing costumes can always be difficult, but we went with the good ‘ol patriotic theme. There were Minions (Despicable Me), Flamingos, The Hangover, and yes, the nudists were out as well.

A little over an hour and 7.5 miles later, we had finished out 12k! I wasn’t kidding when I said this was the fastest time of the 4 years. I guess that’s what happens when you put two runners together and let them loose. My legs (shins mostly) were killing me at this point, so I guess a few weeks rest is in order before summer training starts. No, I’m not training in particular for anything, but I like running at home and with my sister over the summer.

Because we are our father’s daughters, we decided that saving $15 on a bus ticket would be smart and instead, we walked the 8ish miles back to Pier 39 for lunch.

Starting after the race around 8:15, we made it across town just in time for an early lunch at Boudin around 11:30. Yes, there might have been a quick trip to Ghiradelli for a free sample in there as well

I was fascinated by this juice bar and almost decided to get one but was still finishing up my coffee. Goodness, I wish they had one closer to school. Does anyone else like these juices? Or juice bars?

LUNCH TIME AT BOUDIN! Meghan’s bread cravings were fully satisfied with a grilled cheese and sourdough bear to-go. I decided upon the half grilled cheese and half spring salad, which was just right. I could have gone for another side of grilled cheese, especially after running/walking almost 16+ miles. Alas, we had a better plan…ICE CREAM

Meghan’s nifty navigating skills led us to multiple MUNI trips after we decided that walking was no longer an option. For $2, it wasn’t half-bad. We made our way back through the city and instead of Ghiradelli, we tried out Bi-Rite Creamery.

You might remember my post on Bi-Rite Creamery back in February. I wrote about it, but never actually got to test the ice cream out since it was Lent. However, a nice long race and extra walk plus sunny day made for a perfect combination for ice-cream, don’t you think?
It sure was a popular place with a long extending around the block. Meghan and I were on a bit of a sugar low, but managed not to snap at each other and were soon satisfied by our single-scoop options. Toasted-coconut w/ mint chip for me on a sugar cone and mint chip w/ cookies and cream for M. The rest of the day was rather uneventful – experienced underground MUNI, almost missed the right train but were able to run around the entrance just in time, took the Cal Train home, showered, and then dropped M at the airport. It’s always fun to spend some time with family and I’m glad I had a weekend away with my partner-in-crime.

I honestly believe there are adventures out there waiting to be had and there are people out there waiting to join you. It’s up to you to take the first step. Carpe Diem!

“The difference between a successful person and others is not a lack of strength, not a lack of knowledge, but rather in a lack of will.”
– Vincent Lombardi

Using Media as My Mask

Posted on May 16, 2013 by Kaitlin

Have you ever thought about how our society and especially generation relies on technology? I’m talking about text messages, Facebook, and maybe even e-mails. Long gone are the days where we meet for coffee and are fully immersed in the conversation and what the other person (or even people) have to say. We whip out our phones, snapchat, take pictures (um, necessary if we are food bloggers), text someone else, maybe even upload something to Facebook. Why do we need to constantly update our lives? Can’t we just enjoy the moment? Well, it seems as though if we don’t post something ASAP, it never happened and we don’t exists. Did you know that increased Internet use actually has been proven to decrease one’s happiness.

People tend to hide behind media, creating a particular persona, using it to discuss things they wouldn’t have the courage to discuss in person, basically saying whatever they please. Sad thing about this, is that we are better able to hurt those around us. Cyber bullying anyone? We also use it as a protection, enabling us to to prevent any disappointments or rejection. Each person was born with so much human emotion, that it’s wrong not to share with others.

Where is this all coming from? Well, I happened to read a couple articles for my religion class (yes, religion) about media and relationships. I’ve also been brewing over this for the past four years and wondering why friendships and relationships in college are so difficult and confusing. One article was called “Alone Together” by Sherry Turkle. Honestly, if you are interested in the particular chapter, reach out to me and I’ll send it along. It’s fascinating to read how we have become reliant on social media tools. There was also this great article on Paid Content about mass media. Somewhat along the same lines and interesting none-the-less.

Alright, I am going to go ahead and said I’m certainly guilty of this. In fact, I’m going to make a concerted effort to speak my mind (in person) more often. There’s no way I won’t STOP texting or using social media, but I hope to talk about some of the tougher subjects in person. Maybe I’ll be able to “man” up (excuse the expression) and discuss things face-to-face rather than sending a quick e-mail or text message, both of which remove any sort of emotion, tone, or feeling.

Now that I’ve shared my media rant for the morning, are you up for the challenge?

“If we wait for the moment when everything is ready, we shall never begin.”
– Ivan Turgenev

WIAW #39 – Crazy Quarter Concoctions

Posted on May 15, 2013 by Kaitlin

Just another week on the quarter system. BOY WE ARE GETTING CLOSE TO GRADUATION!!! Yikes. That’s all I have to say on that front. My dad asked me if people are excited and I just said I didn’t want to talk about it. Ok, I lied. I’m very excited for the opportunities that lay beyond this small college campus, but am not sure about leaving such a life style yet.

Well, until I can formulate actual thoughts about this, I’ll move onto FOOD. Aloha to a day in the life of Kaitlin And mahalo to Jenn at Peas and Crayons for hosting. I was still recovering from my half marathon this past weekend, so running wasn’t really an option. Boy, I don’t know what I did but my quads are still on fire. I still wanted to work out, so I settled for a little stationary bike, elliptical, and weight circuit. I chatted with my dad as I biked home from the gym, took a quick shower, and threw together a breakfast. All throughout my workout I had planned what to eat. But, when I actually made it to the kitchen, everything changed. Oh well.

I was SO excited to finally find this Califia almond milk at Target. Supposedly it was at Zanotto’s market as well, but I’ve been out of the grocery store circuit for a couple of weeks and haven’t made it to that side of town. Sad, I know.

I added a dollap of almond milk to half my yogurt and threw in half a banana, flaxseed, sunflower seeds, and almonds. Pretty decent for a Tuesday morning.

Off to the Science of Happiness class I went where we learned about stress and relationships. Not together of course, but there are some interesting studies on the matter. Tip, surround yourself with people that make you comfortable and happy. :)

After class, I headed straight to the cafeteria where we were selling baked goods for a community service project. The project is to raise money for Shared Adventures, a non-profit organization that host outdoor events for disabled individuals. I’m sure we all take it for granted that we can go bowling, hiking, kayaking, or surfing. Well, this is the perfect opportunity to grant such individuals the same joy of exploring the outdoors that we have.

Lunch of carrots, iced coffee, and leftover tuna dish over a bed of lettuce.

I whipped up some snickerdoodles and epic blondie bars for the occasion. Blondies = regular cookie batter with Dark Chocolate Milanos and Dark Chocolate/Sea Salt Ghiradelli squares.

In the afternoon, there was a senior social event called BBQ Basics. Even though my dad taught me how to barbecue I was hoping to learn some tutorials. No, just another event to mingle with people we do/don’t exactly agree with (aka our cohorts) , have some beverages, and snack on chips/bratwurst/salsa. Yes, in that order.
Because we weren’t really feeling the mass amount of grilled chicken, we headed out for our own BBQ selection at Armadillo Willy’s. We had been here before but not since they changed management. I have to say, the place looks much cleaner, more put together, and the menu looks even more delicious. Not to mention the food was a whole lot better.

Tuesday night was tri-tip special night and while I could definitely have gone for some brisket or BBQ ribs, I thought I’d give it a shot. Sorry for all those who like your meat burnt, it was a bit pink, just the way I like it.

Did you know they have exactly 40 marshmallows in each bag? I’m not sure why they didn’t just say 1 bag of marshmallows. No, I decided it would be worthwhile to count each one out to see if they were right.

Later on, additional baking for today’s continued bake sale (this time throw back to childhood classics – Cinnamon Toast Crunch Treats!), ~~blogging~~ homework, and another senior social event. This time it was to hand out pilsner glasses for the first 500 people.

Happy Wednesday to all! Have a fabulous rest of your week!

What are some of your favorite childhood classics? Any good eats lately?

Monday Mermaid Recap

Posted on May 13, 2013 by Kaitlin

I hope everyone had a fabulous weekend! Random, but did you know that most people are depressed on Sundays? Probably because of the stress that might come, but a reason to celebrate Monday

My Friday night was quite low-key. After attending a rather uninspiring alumni networking dinner (hm, dinner of Swedish meatballs, spinach turnovers, stuffed mushrooms, and wine? Yeah no.), I hung out with Alexis. We attempted to go see the Great Gatsby but when we arrived at the theatre, we found it was sold out! Instead, we drove back to school, picked up a scoop of ice cream from the local creamery and called it a night. My friends were out and about at the local “Rave Run,” but I decided a little TV time on the couch was necessary to prep for Saturday.

So, what was Saturday? Well, I ran in my 7th half marathon! I love looking up new races and let’s be honest, when I sign up for races, I am a tad more accountable for my workouts. Eh, maybe not, but I like to think I work out more It was the Mermaid Half Marathon put on by the South Bay Mermaid Series and was located out in Fremont.

The alarm was set for 5:45, but of course I would wake up much earlier. After putting together an unappealing bowl of oatmeal, brown sugar, applesauce, and banana, I changed, got my gear together and met my buddy Claire outside. She was such a doll and volunteered to drive us (along with our friend Carolina) to the race. Picked up a coffee along the way, retrieved our race bibs, and spent some time stretching and chatting.

Free products and swag are AMAZING. I was actually really happy with the t-shirt selection. Normally the dri-fit shirts are a bit too snug, but this one was just right. Not to mention the wide selection of porta-potties. Runners – you know understand this greatness

The race started around 8 and off we went. There were also participants present for the 18-miler, 10k, and 5k, but the waves were scattered throughout the morning. The course was completely flat and wrapped around a reservoir and then out and back along a river/bike path. I’m not the biggest fan of running and looking at the endless stretch ahead of me, but it was fun to experience a new course. I also decided to play games in my head in terms of counting mileage, racing against other runners, and so on. There’s only so much that music can do for you and 13 miles. I was surprised at how fast I was able to run for the first 10 miles. After not really training and absolutely no speed workouts, averaging 7:45 isn’t half bad in my mind. Although, when I hit mile 10, I thought the muscles above my knees were going to seize up and I would have much rather collapsed. I’m pretty sure I was imagining all the worst case scenarios. Do you ever do that? I’d feel BEYOND guilty for giving up, but it never stops me from brainstorming what would happen. Of course, it also served as another mind game. I didn’t really grab any water or Gatorade during the race, but did eat part of a gel before mile 10. I was hoping it would give some oomph to my aching calves and sort of did the trip.

Sure I probably could have added a few more songs to my music playlist, but I was running out of inspiration and creativity of good pump up songs. But, it was all meant to be because as I rounded the final corner of the Mermaid Half Marathon race (that seemed to go on forever…such a tease), I was listening to Train’s Mermaid. Perfect, right?

The mass amount of people finishing the 10k and 5k made it a bit difficult to finish strong. There was quite a bit of weaving that occurred, but I was proud to say I almost ran a PR – 1:42.21. I’d call it a PR for running solo because the last time I ran that fast, I was chasing after my sister and her two high school xc buddies. Also, may not have been stick thin like the first couple finishers or even Kara Goucher, but like I’ve said, strong is the new skinny and not bad for 12th place finish overall.

Each runner received a necklace charm (note above) but since I am choosey about my jewelry, I decided to put it on my car keys. That way it will actually see the light of day I also was awarded with an adorable blue hat for winning 2nd in my division! As my sister put it, the benefit of entering small races Ah, other benefits include FOOD, free samples (although coconut water was out ) and some stretching/massage tables. The same crowd that was hogging the finish line was focused on grabbing as much free food as possible (bagels, cream cheese, muffins, strawberries, and bananas). I managed to obtain a chocolate chip bagel with cream cheese/strawberry cc and banana to satisfy my stomach.

Overall, a VERY successful morning, we headed back to Santa Clara. Originally we were planning to go out to lunch, but between our stomachs being in knots, the extra two hours spent waiting to get massages, and our pure exhaustion, we decided to postpone our adventure. Spent the rest of the day doing homework, napping, and dinner out with my friend Katie. It was sort of a splurge at In N Out, but I figure once in awhile is alright.

It probably was the most complex order (protein style extra veggies, cheese, grilled onions; black and white shake; and fries extra crispy), but was delish and left me in a food coma.

There aren’t any races (besides Bay to Breakers) in my future, but will probably keep training. There’s also a chance I’ll stumble upon a race or two this summer. Are you training for any races?

“Victory is won not in miles but in inches. Win a little now, hold your ground, and later, win a little more.” – Louis L’Amour

Just A Bit of Mexican Flair

Posted on May 10, 2013 by Kaitlin

The best thing about food, is that it’s a wonderful way to get to know people and be social. I honestly abhor eating alone and let’s be honest, minimizing recipes for 1 can be a pain and so I end up with the same grilled vegetable display. Another issue is finding people with the same quirky tastes or willingness to try something new other than the Kraft Mac & Cheese. Of course, eating with others on a constant basis isn’t reality and I have to get used to it. But, to spice things up, my friend Alexis, Liz and I have been meeting once a week to test some of our favorites or simply new recipes. In the past, we have contributed various lentil dishes, a pasta bake (actually using Kraft, so I take back that statement above), and other vegetable sides.

Alexis is honestly one of the most amazing people I have stumbled upon here at college. We crossed paths a few times in freshman and sophomore year, but didn’t really hang out. Mistake We actually both ended up in Barcelona together and I’m not sure why we didn’t hang out more because she, Liz, and I were not nearly as interested in going out and raging on a nightly basis as the rest of our American program seemed to be. She was into healthy food, had a blog (still has a blog – just not updated as much) and oh so much fun. She attends the farmer’s market on a weekly basis, makes her own almond milk, and makes the most amazing energy bars (with less – no sugar). I will certainly share that one with you soon!

When we got back we had a marketing class together and would pass one another in the halls but STILL not get together. Fast forward to senior year (finally) and I decided to just ask her over for a Barcelona reunion dinner. We splurged with paella and chocolate con churros and it was delish. Throwback to all those wonderful memories She is now in Liz’s capstone class so they see one another on a daily basis and I decided to revive our dinners. Alright, after that winded explanation, let’s jump into some dinner fun.

Although she really doesn’t look it, Alexis is half British and half Mexica. She grew up on some of the best Mexican recipes and was dying to share them with us. I was ready for the challenge as I grew up on good ‘ol Tex-Mex with taco salad, quesadillas, and enchiladas. Don’t get me wrong, those are classics and boy am I craving some right now, but experimenting and learning to move beyond my comfort zone (…olives…gasp) makes for an adventure. For last night’s extravaganza, I prepared a classic – guacamole and Alexis brought out the “Atun a la Vizcaina”. It’s basically a tuna and potato dish with tomatoes, olives (couldn’t taste them) and red peppers. DIVINE!

I was hoping I could have a recipe or two to share with you and last night’s dinner presented the perfect opportunity. It’s quite a simple process and makes a LARGE batch so I’d recommend it for a party, large family, or be prepared for leftovers.

ATUN A LA VIZCAINA

Ingredients

2 tbsp olive oil
3 cloves Garlic
1 medium Onion
4 medium (chopped) Tomatoes
2 medium Red peppers
2 cans Tuna
3 potatoes (chopped or cubed)
2 tbsp Capers
1/2 cup Green Olives
1/2 cup Black Olives
1/2 cup (chopped) Almonds
2 tbsp (chopped) Parsley
Salt & Pepper (to taste)
1 tsp Chicken bouillon
Optional: Sourdough slices or a bed of lettuce

Hopefully she won’t kill me for putting this up. I wanted to get the healthy chef in action

Directions
1. Heat olive oil in a sauce pan.
2. Add garlic and onion and cook until transparent.
3. Add tomatoes and peppers; cook for 5 minutes, medium flame.
4. Add tuna, potatoes, capers, olives, almonds, parsley, chicken bouillon, salt and pepper. 5. Cover with a lid and cook at low flame for 20 minutes or until potatoes are soft.
6. Serve with sourdough bread or crackers.

As you can see we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. Also, having the ability to cook and chat with a few down to earth girls was amazing. Definitely a great change of pace.

Do you get together with friends to make food? What are some of your favorite dishes?

WIAW #38 – Mah Birthday Eats

Posted on May 8, 2013 by Kaitlin

What a classy title to start off this Wednesday. Usually I like to review my Tuesday eats but since my birthday on Monday was soooo much more exciting (just kidding, it was a normal day of school), I’ll share that with you.

Let’s start with breakfast. Some good ‘ol paleo pancakes. I skipped working out as I was feeling a bit sore from Sunday’s Wildflower triathlon.

Topped with some Greek yogurt, banana slices, and maple syrup

Yes, I did wake up feeling 22, thank you Taylor Swift for putting such a feeling into words. My friends and I had gone out the night before to Gordon Biersch for dinner, so today was more of a low-key day. I was surprised by the amount of “friends” responded to my birthday on Facebook. Such an interesting phenomenon. I swear I don’t talk to 3/4 of them, but hey, it made the day special and that’s what counts.

After class and work, I sat down to my leftover Safeway chicken sandwich, carrots, and pretzel sticks. Then it was off to my marketing class where we had a guest speaker (with a fabulous British accent), which made the class go by a tad bit faster.

For some reason, I’ve become quite the snacker. I try to supplement with various drinks such as green tea and coffee, maybe iced coffee. Then there is the occasional apple and cookie (oops). The cookies as featured below were a special treat made by my friend, Jessica. They were apparently on my Pinterest board (guess I should go through that board a bit more often) and were made with funfetti cake mix. After my midterm, I biked to Safeway and picked up my groceries for the week (or maybe two?) I stopped by my friend Sam’s for a little Ecuadorian fiesta. I’m not sure what she made (below my other snack of green beans) but it was DIVINE! Some sort of empanada with queso fresco and sugar on top and plantains is what I’m thinking it was. Really, couldn’t get enough. This is why I can’t do paleo Of course I would have the longest day ever on my birthday…class, work, class, midterm, and chapter. But, I didn’t mind because it kept me out and about. When I arrived back at home, I decided a little splurge for my birthday wasn’t terrible. The swimsuit workouts will begin Tuesday (or today?) This was leftover from this past weekend and provided by my lovely roommate. I also “had” to sample the dark chocolate almonds I had been gifted. Just to make sure they weren’t poisonous or I’d have to complain to TJ’s. Juuuust kidding. You can never go wrong with Trader Joe’s. This was just a little glimpse at how cute and creative my friends and family are. The funfetti cookies I was telling you about, an amazing little gift set from my little (I swear, this year in Theta has been so much better than any other year combined…it’s great having a solid family and a little that is basically my clone), a fun movie pack from my friends (because they know how I need a “movication”), and GORGEOUS flowers from my family. Just wanted to express my thanks to all for such a wonderful day. People sure do surprise you in brilliant ways.

And that my friends, would be what I ate on my 22nd birthday. Rager, I know Any good meals you have had lately? Any fun foods I should try to make?

“We must live as we think, otherwise we shall end up by thinking as we have lived.”
– Paul Bourget

Prayers and Gratitude

Posted on May 7, 2013 by Kaitlin

I’d like to take a day to reflect upon the people that surround us and the wonderful opportunities we are graced with. Too often we take these moments and people for granted and do not realize how much they mean to us until they are gone.

There is a junior at Santa Clara, Michael Kelly, whom I have never met. However, like many other Broncos, he had a great presence on campus. I’m not too sure of the story, but found out he had some complications with his blood. What started out as a headache this past weekend, soon turned into something much worse. He was taken to the emergency room and there was not much that the operators could do.

He will never know how many people he impacted during his time at Santa Clara and beyond. Please keep Michael as well as his friends and family in your thoughts and prayers. Also, take a moment to thank those you love. You may not realize how many hearts you have touched and what sort of a presence you have in this world.

“Sometimes when we are generous in small, barely detectable ways it can change someone else’s life forever.”
– Margaret Cho

Fiesta Festivities!

Posted on May 6, 2013 by Kaitlin

Really, I was digging the last couple days filled with fun activities and am excited to say I’ve planned more to come. Ok, reality check. I have a midterm this afternoon, a paper due tomorrow, two midterms on Friday. But a girl has to plan her “study breaks” right?
This would be my attempt at “Hippie” themed party for my friend Bonnie’s birthday. It was great. I think it was quite the successful night Was nervous at first because I didn’t know anyone, but it ended up being a blast.

Then it was onward to Wildflower at Lake San Antonio. Goodness, a lot of those people are BUFF!! Maybe one day I’ll do an Ironman. Maybe Kona. Maybe just a marathon. Maybe I should actually train and focus. Ok, onto the race.

When we arrived on Saturday, many participants were finishing up the long course (~1 mi swim, ~56 mi bike, ~13 mi run). I swear, I enter these events so nervous and ready to get my butt into gear. Above is an accumulation of the food I did have with the food that was offered. The top right and bottom left probably would have left me with a heart attack on the course had I consumed it. Instead I went for a Jamba parfait for Saturday’s lunch and Safeway chicken sandwich with grapes and carrots for dinner.

Yes, even though this was the third time I would have competed at Wildflower, I was nervous all day! I wonder how the pros feel. Well, they probably spend most of their time training, so not usually the same problem. I’ve found it’s difficult to split my time between so many activities in school but was happy with the fact that I could compete. Hey, we even look legit with our uniforms this year! No hodge podge of work out clothes

The weather was a HUGE surprise. Normally this race calls for extreme hydration because the run alone can be in 90F weather and that’s at 11 am! Nope, this year the temperature dropped a solid 20 degrees for the Sunday races. I wasn’t sure how to feel, but after transitioning between the swim + bike and bike + run, I was very happy that it was a bit overcast.

Didn’t get a PR this time, but given the circumstances (not training cough cough) with the wind causing issues in the water and bike ride, I was proud of my effort. And shout out to Megnan for the good pep talk I love how they announce your names as you finish down the chute. Wildflower really has the BEST atmosphere. Everyone there is jazzed to race (or nervous but not willing to show it) and is in the mindset to work out. Best feeling ever. The time by my watch (because I am so much more official…duh) was as follows: swim (29.35 for 1.5k), bike (1:41 for 40k) and (49.55 for 10k) for a total of 3:06.59

The race was at 9am and I didn’t actually arrive back to campus until 6. :/ Not such a happy camper (more tired than anything else). But, I was soon cheered up by the fact that all my good friends agreed to a dinner out! We made our way to Gordon Biersch in San Jose and enjoyed a lovely and long dinner. I had to go with something slightly unhealthy, so fish and chips it was. My friend John Mark also has the same birthday, so he was there and because our waitress liked us all so much, she brought two massive slices to celebrate. No, this was not one of those pity birthday sundaes, it was grand and as you can see consumed by the table. Note: we did have 10ish people.

It was a wonderful way to finish the weekend and while there were no tequila shots going around, I think I enjoyed my last day of being 21 and enjoyed Cinco de Mayo VERY much. Hope y’all did too

“The power of imagination makes us infinite.”
– John Muir

California Endless Summer

Do What You Love & Love What You Do