bolthouse farms vanilla chai tea

This is the most amazing beverage in the world.

Rich and creamy and light and flavorful all at the same time. The first time I tried Bolthouse Farms Perfectly Protein Vanilla Chai Tea was when my mom had bought an economy-sized pack from BJ's and it was just sitting in the refrigerator at my parents' house. I took a sip, skeptical because of my slight dislike for soy milk, and was in heaven. To me, it tastes like a mixture of carrot cake and white chocolate morsels in liquid form.

But the best part is, unlike carrot cake and white chocolate, it's good for you! Only 3 grams of fat and 160 calories per serving - and 10 grams of protein to top that off with a punch.

I've had it for breakfast the past three mornings and will probably have it for breakfast the next three mornings; this drink is perfect for an after workout refuel.

Since my boyfriend lovingly got me a plethora of Starbucks Chai Tea concentrate for Christmas, I can't wait to try mixing it with vanilla soy milk instead of the usual skim. We'll see how it turns out, but nothing can match Bolthouse Farms.

I will never tire of this tea. :)

there's a spring in my step

Spring is finally on its way!! This past weekend was a stunning 56 degrees. That's like a heat wave in the arctic, wind-and-snow soaked climate we've been having as of late.

Which gave my boyfriend and me a chance to enjoy the outdoors. My boyfriend, who we will call "X", was quite encouraging as I mustered up the energy to run two miles with him Sunday morning. You see, he was born to run while I was born to dance. After our run, we walked Caesar for awhile and talked to X's neighbors, enjoying the first nice day of the year (where are you, robin?). Later we went grocery shopping and made omelets for brunch aka not really brunch because it was already 2pm.

I am a tax accountant, and for those of you who don't know, it is tax season. That one hated and loved day of the year [APRIL 15TH] we accountants look forward to and dread is what keeps us fueled. Oh the inspiration of the IRS. So you can imagine the long work days mixed in with studying for the last two parts of my CPA exam mixed in with dieting and training intensely for upcoming Redskins Cheerleaders tryouts. But we'll get to these aspects of my life at a later date.

That entire Sunday morning - lying in bed together, no makeup, waking up to run and breathe in the fresh morning air of the first day that you can actually hear birds chirping happily in anticipation of spring and flowers and rebirth, and even grocery shopping together (free food samples Sunday mornings at Giant!) - those are the things that made my weekend worthwhile. They say time is money, but to me - time is so much more.

These are the little things. The moments and the experiences together. Stopping to smell the roses. To chat with a neighbor. The transition from hectic and tense winter to lazy and unbound summer. Winter spins you so tight and erases all color and summer is like a relaxant to your muscles until they droop, numb, in beads of sweat. But spring is the lightness and perfection of the two extremes. Baby bear's porridge. And what better way to let spring lighten your soul than spending it with the one you love?

little caesar knows no wrong

Meet my puppy, Caesar.

Of course, this was about four months ago when he was a cute tiny puppy instead of a cute little puppy but nonetheless he is the most jubilant ball of fur you will ever meet. How can so much happiness fit into one tiny little soul? Sometimes his energy amazes me and I stop to think, why aren't humans just like this tiny little creature?

Well, for one, we humans are a MUCH superior race. We have knowledge and emotions and technology and idols. We have ideas and desires and and passion and mystery. But what good is all of this really if we aren't happy like little Caesar? His joy is abundant no matter who he is meeting, for the first time or for the tenth time. His content is pure when he is simply chewing on a rawhide bone (hopefully we will not have to resort to chewing on aged pig skeletons but I think the metaphor is there). Too much time we spend gloomy and in the doldrums because of something that someone said or we lose excitement through repetition. Find what makes you happy and find happiness in every opportunity.

Caesar knows no prejudice. His tiny life is simple and honest. Playfulness is his dominant quality. I'm not saying we should revert back to the Stone Age of animalistic tendencies but there is definitely something to be learned from a puppy's tiny heart.

Quoting one of my favorite humorists, Mark Twain,

"The fact that man knows right from wrong proves his intellectual superiority to other creatures; but the fact that he can do wrong proves his moral inferiority to any creature that cannot."

Well, he may be cute but sometimes, he is the devil. Like when he bangs on his pen at 5am while I'm getting ready to go to the gym. Or when he leaps onto the couch only to swing his rubber chicken into my boob. Or barks incessantly if he wants my dinner. But I suppose these things can be gently overlooked as a result of the companionship he gives me. And his fluffy swirl of a tail.

resplendent ego

So I'm starting a blog. I'm not quite sure how I feel about this yet - do I have enough interesting thoughts and things to say or am I simply filled with the opinions and quotations of others?

I suppose this will be an experience in discovering myself. And if I'm a consolidated carbon copy of others' ideas. Hopefully along the way I can embrace a true sense of self and pull things from every day (yet extraordinary) life in order to find meaning and discrepancy.

This blog, I think, will be midnight deep at times and candidly shallow at others. It will be a "sound of fury" resonating from my cluttered brain. I may blog about fitness, food, music, friendship, love, and most of all - mySELF.

A blog is so completely selfish and egotistical but I'm not ashamed. According to Experience Life - the magazine my wonderful gym Lifetime Fitness has sent me - 59% of Americans say they do not have enough time for themselves. Startling? Maybe. But maybe this blog will help me to not be a part of that apparently derogatory statistic.

So here is day 1. Happy blogging to me! :)