Feature Friday: Fitting It All In

Feature Friday time! Tonight's featured blogger is...

Clare, from Fitting It All In!

I started reading Fitting It All In a few months ago, and found I could really relate to Clare's life. She's a recent college graduate who's balancing healthy eating, exercise, a full time job and a social life. Definitely a lot on one plate, but she handles it with grace. She's a pescatarian and hummus lover like me, and I can especially identify with the way she makes meals for one- reading her blog always gives me some good new meal ideas that don't feed an army!

Plus, Fitting It All In is well-balanced and real; she comes across as genuine and sweet in every post, including lots of life tidbits, which I love! Clare's blog reads like a friend's journal, complete with funny stories or anecdotes, her thoughts on bigger issues, and her ups and downs on life in general. In other words, it's refreshingly real- just someone sharing how they life their own healthy life.

So pop on over and say hi to Clare at Fitting It All In! I hope you enjoy her blog as much as I do.

What's the latest addition to your reader? Have you read any especially great posts this week?

This Is Where It Gets Embarrassing

I'd say 1998 was the "switch" year for me. Over the course of a few months, I went from cute and endearing to chipmunk-cheeked and unwashed. I'll let the pictures speak for themselves...

There are three things wrong with this: I'm wearing a t-shirt with dolphins on it, I'm wearing smudged hooker eye makeup and I'm drinking a glass of red wine. Yes, my mother gave it to me. Don't worry, it's legal in France.

I still do this in the privacy of my own bathroom sometimes. I'll leave it up to you to decide if I'm kidding.

There's the chipmunk cheeks!! They were great for saving snacks for later. Fact: I suck at sailing.

Our old dog, Indy. I miss him!!

Just a casual rendezvous with the Clintons in DC. The guy on the far left was my brother's Slovak camp counselor, Peter. Shame I was too young to fully appreciate his good looks. By the way, aqua headband + lime green shorts + baby blue tank top = stylin'.

With my bunnies- Inky and Caramel. They lived until they were like ten and my poor father had to take care of them after I realized that bunnies don't actually do anything and lost interest.

Oh and once, my brother shaved half his head. Good look, right?

* * *

Anyway, onto lunch!

I had a big slice of asparagus and brie pizza leftover from last night, with some baby carrots with pesto hummus and a handful of almonds. This pizza was so good. I'm not even a cheese lover, but I can't believe brie isn't more commonly used on pizzas!

Almonds. I saved some extras in my chipmunk cheeks for snacking on later.

I also had two chopped up peaches.

Said lunch came after a gym session: 40 minutes of steady state cardio on the elliptical, followed by some abs. I think abs are actually my least favorite body part to exercise...they hurt so quickly!

What's your least favorite body part to strength train? And your favorite?

I'm A Barbie Girl

June passed way more quickly than I thought, so I need to light a fire under me if I want to finish the picture project in the next few days! Here's the end of 1997 and beginning of 1998:

Halloween '97. I was a witch, in a costume my mom made me.

Playing the piano in our elementary school talent show! I look so little.

1997 Christmas card. I wonder how my parents bribed Luke to put his arm around me and half smile.

Horrible picture quality, but I got a book about the Titanic for Christmas. So exciting.

Luke, this picture is payback for the turtle incident.

Getting my hair braided in Punta Cana. Cute face.

Doing a dance to "Barbie Girl" by Aqua at the Club Med in Punta Cana. Is it weird that I still remember the choreography to this? Seriously, I do.

Doing the splits with my cousin Eric, who's now like 15. Crazy!

My 8th birthday party was smiley themed. I even wore a yellow and black outfit. That's embarrassing.

Hunting for Easter eggs with Luke! Like my shoes? I remember thinking the platform was soooo cool.

This was the last picture ever taken with my dad's SLR. Because approximately two minutes later, I stepped on it. RIP.

Luke broke his collarbone and got breakfast in bed. And then my mom made him pose with it. Evil.

* * *

For breakfast this morning, I actually made a smoothie!

Into the blender went:

• 1 banana
• .5 cup almond milk
• 1 scoop chocolate Sun Warrior
• 1 spoonful Hershey's special dark cocoa powder
• large spoonful crunchy peanut butter
• 1 scoop chocolate Amazing Grass
• squirt of agave
• lots of ice

I didn't use a lot of milk so the smoothie would come out really thick and creamy. Success.

Time to face the day. Have a good one!

Most embarrassing outfit you ever thought was cool? I had bell bottoms embroidered with the words "Bubble Girl" on the bottom. Yeah, I don't even know.