I woke up smiling this morning.
So did my oats.
Simple banana ‘n’ oats, topped with chia seeds, Natures Path Pumpkin Flax granola, peanut butter, coconut and two dark chocolate chips for eyes. 
Twas a delicious morning.
I took my first day of vacation and ran with it. Quite literally. I decided to lace up my sneaks and run. I’m not sure if it was the cold weather numbing my legs or if my knees were truly having a really good day. Whatever the reason, I had no pain in either my knee or my foot. It allowed me to zone off and really take in the run. It was quite honestly the best run that I’ve had since being injured. I relished each and every moment, wishing it would never come to an end.
My run, of course, did come to an end. And when it did, I felt like a new person. If I was smiling this morning, I was positively beaming at this point. Four miles of walking and running with no pain. What an invigorating morning! 😀
As I was icing my knees, I filled up a ramekin with nonfat, plain yogurt and topped it off with kashi heart to heart, raisins and a sprinklin’ of coconut. All while reading the new Cooking Light magazine. Everything about this morning felt so indulgent…so luxurious. I almost felt guilty, as if I should be studying…writing…reading. Something.
When lunch time rolled around, I had “jarlsberg” on the brain. Shooting for simplicity, I grilled up two slices of whole wheat sourdough with a thick slice of jarlsberg cheese and a smear of homemade strawberry jam for a positively delicious lunch. One bite into this crispy, gooey sandwich, and I immediately thought to myself, “this is what France must be like.” Hey, a girl can dream every now and then. 😉 On the side, I cut up half an apple and poured a cold glass of milk.
I’m not normally the type of girl who can lounge all morning long without a care in the world. In fact, I can’t even remember the last time I read a book in the afternoon hours. But that’s exactly what I found myself doing this afternoon. And I loved every single minute of it. After all, if I was going to spend the day in “luxury”, I may as well go all out. 😉
I read. And read. And then I read some more. I finished the book “Lunch in Paris” which I started to love during the first few chapters. But then I found myself becoming increasingly bored!? Her descriptions of food and life in Paris were absolutely beautiful, but I felt like the author started to lose interest in her own writing by the end of the book. I was ready for it to finish and I sort of felt like she was too. Of course, I know some people who absolutely loved this book, so maybe it’s all a matter of perspective?
Anyways, grocery shopping was one thing on my list that I did want to do finish today. So I packed the other half of my apple with a few carrot sticks and trotted off to the grocery stores.
I’m sure that eventually grocery shopping may reach the feeling of being a “chore” for me, but as of right now, it’s such a joy. 😀 Some of my best food-related conversations have been in the grocery store. Whether talking about artisan breads or the best dark chocolate. People have their opinions and I love to hear them. 😀
I even love putting the groceries away when I get home. I especially love that, once again, there’s food in the house. 😉 I put together a quick snack of dried plums and almonds to munch on.
Dinner tonight was kept simple and came together in a flash. Mom made the sauteed chicken breast, which had a light sauce of chicken broth, thyme, salt, pepper and a bit of butter. So juicy and fresh! I roasted up some sweet potatoes with cauliflower, drizzled with a bit of olive oil, sea salt and fresh pepper.
Super simple. Super satisfying.
The highlight of my day came with a gentle “tap, tap” on the door.
When a deliverer handed me a boquet of an Edible Arrangement, I handed it back to him with a reply, “Oh, I think you have the wrong house!” He looked back at his address tag and said, “Sarah?” I must have looked shocked, and the poor man was left standing there with the fruit. Then my face lit up as I thanked him and read the note.
Nicole and Nate sent me this gorgeous arrangement of fruit. I chose a strawberry as the first fruit to try and my mouth nearly exploded with the sweet juiciness. It tasted as if it had just been picked! The rest of the fruit was equally delicious. My parents and I nibbled our way through, mm’ing over each different fruit. Let’s just say this will no longer exist come tomorrow. 😉
Who knew living the life of luxury could be so exhausting? I’m sleepy and it’s only 9 o’clock.
Question: What is one thing that you like to do to pamper/spoil yourself? Aside from having a leisurely spent morning, I also love reading magazines outside on a sunny afternoon (preferrably with an iced coffee in hand,) long walks or bike rides, or eating breakfast in bed. 😀
Running To Slow Things Down 