Lost in a Winter Wonderland

Sunday was one of those perfect winter days. A day that'll fondly be remembered on a hot muggy July day when your stuck in traffic on your way to the beach  Your AC hasnt worked in months and you thought you'd be able to make it through just one more summer.

Let's not go there.

Back to Sunday. I invited myself got invited to head north to Camden with my mom and dad to go cross country skiing. YES I'll go. Cross country skiing has always been a favorite winter activity of mine.

First things first, renting skis for Andrew. They were a 20 dollar rental- and I think he'd say it was worth it. Upon reccomendations from a super friendly salesman at Maine Sports Outfitters, we were directed to go skiing at the Tanglewood 4-H camp a few miles up the road in Lincolnville. What a great tip!

Oopsies!!

Momma

 

creeps in da forest

 After a few hours of cross country skiing, we headed over to Camden snowbowl for the toboggan shute. The shute is a fun thing to do whether you're 7 years old or pushing 60.  

hahaha.

Such a fun way to get outdoors and truly take in the beauty of all that white stuff.

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HEALTHY LIVING CHALLENGE!!!

All throughout January, I refrained from eating any meat products. I have never been a huge meat and potatoes kind of person, but it was still a challenge. I really wanted to do it completely healthfully, so I always tried to make sure I had a good ratio of protein/carbs/healthy fats for each meal. Since I am still eating eggs and dairy it really wasn't hard. It was fun to mix up things with my diet. I don't know if I'll keep with the vegetarian-ish diet, we'll see.

Meat free January

My new goal for Februrary is to not drink any alcohol. Frankly, I think a month off will do me (and my wallet) some good. Plus, bikini season is right around the corner ;) Basically, I am blogging about this to hold myself accountable.




I'll take a milk on the rocks, please.

 
Have a great day!

P.s photos courtesy of the ever delightful and beautiful Sandy Martin!

Top Three Budget & Earth Friendly Cleaning Ideas and The West End Deli

In my old age of 23, I have picked up some AWESOME cleaning tips that need to be shared with the world. I am always look ing for more natural way of cleaning things that won't make my skin itchy or make my house smell like ammonia.

1. VINEGAR not only is vinegar great for salads, fries, and and making dressings it is also an amazing cleaner for windows, mirrors, and more. I feel a lot better sanitizing my kitchen surface areas with a 1:1 mixture of vinegar and water.


2. BABY OIL  Want to make your kitchen sink look like it came out of a Homes & Garden Magazine? Squirt a little bit onto a paper towel and rub away. Your sink and other stainless steel appliances will look brand spankin' new.

 3. SWIFFER- Buy a swiffer. They are durable and last a long time. But- and here's the moolah saving trick- don't buy the wet/dry pads for it. Use an old rag and BAM your floors look amazing again! Once one side of the rag gets dirty, just flip it over.

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Andrew and I tried out The West End Deli the other day on Spring Street in Portland. The store is adorable. The (assumed) owner was super friendly and was rambling off how everything was made in house- she was a doll! She said the only thing that wasn't was basically the meat which doesnt affect my new vegetarian efforts anyway!

 The deli sell lots of different sandwich/salad options, egg wraps, and they also do catering.

In the store, they also have an affordable and great selection of wine, beer, and sake.

:)

Of course, Andrew found a great brew that he gave two thumbs up. It's a Rogue Hazelnut brown nectar ale.

For wraps, I went with the Portabella mushroom and spinach in a wheat wrap. Andrew got the warm sweet potato and provolone cheese in a garlic and herb wrap.

Mmmm, the sweet potato wrap was out of this world. It was simple in ingredients and healthy yet tasted like comfort food. I definitely can't wait to recreate it. Maybe sweet potato, over easy egg, and caramelized onions? We'll see!

My portabella mushroom and spinach wrap was good- but not as amazing compared to Andrew's.

I would definitely reccomend the West End Deli for good sandwiches made with fresh ingredients.

The next post will be about an adventure in Camden, Maine.

hahaha.