A Big Post for The Big Move

I am as happy as I’ve been in years right now!!!!  I just bought a house and we are about to move in!!!!!  In an hour.  Well, the buying process started the last weekend of April, so a mere 4.5 months later, the day is finally here!

I had intended to send this post out 2 days ago from San Diego, but time got away from me.  Just as well, because in the past 48 hours we hit more snags that a raggedy blanket has, but now all is well and we are about to unpack!!!  

Thanks also to everyone who commented that they missed me and I am really glad you enjoyed my dairy-free crack post, I mean ice cream post!!! 

Also, thanks to everyone for getting all excited about the contest and entering.  Lucky winners announced on Monday!  And then, I have another contest already lined up after that one so stay tuned…

Ok here’s the post I never sent but am finally sending:

After 5 years of living in Southern California, we are moving to Arizona and cannot wait!  For as much as we have enjoyed SoCal, we are so thrilled about becoming home owners in AZ!!!  Woo-hoo!!!  Buying a house, in a different state, in this economy has been harder than trying to crack the DaVinci Code, but we are finally moving.  Today actually.  The movers are going to be here today to load our truck and then bon voyage, a nice drive through the desert en route to our new digs!  Unfortunately, I’m not sure about the internet situation for the first few days we’re going to be in our brand new house getting settled in. And I will be up to my eyeballs in boxes….fun times.  So the posts may be a little shorter and I may have to take a day off, but I’m thinkin’ of you….

So for my last California post…

I made myself a Vanilla Breakfast Cookie.  This worked so well.  Mmmmm….yum.
1/3 c oats, 1 Scoop Sun Warrior Vanilla BRPP, 1 small mashed nanna, dashes of vanilla, agave, & stevia.  Going into the fridge…

…And coming out the next morning.  Really hits the spot and keeps me satisfied.  Since I’ve got just a few boxes to hump, I need fuel.  For anyone who wants to see Gena’s original how-to on this bad boy, here ya go.

 

 

Stats

I have to thank my new bloggie friend, Deb, for the recommendation.  I asked her if she had to pick just one or two different butters…between almond, peanut, sunflower, or whatever….what she would choose?  

She mentioned a specialty, boutique-ish PB that I was not familiar with.  And she also mentioned Sunflower Seed Butter for it’s wonderfully sweet, rich taste.  Oh…I definitely concur.

My only complaint, and this is because I really love a good thick, heavy, hunk-o-peanutbutter, where it’s so thick that you can hardly get it off your knife…well, the Sunflower Seed Butter is a little thin.  No where near as thin as AB, but not as thick as PB.  The SB is also needs to be stirred.  Normally, for PB I like the no-stir formulas like Marantha.

But cest la freakin’ vie, the taste of the SB rocks, so I’ll deal with the thinner texture and stirring needs.  I’ve dealt with far worse.  Can anyone say, interstate real estate transaction and interstate move with a 2 year old in tow?  I rest my case.

Moving right along (on the long desert highway, hopefully, by the time you’re reading this)…

If you thought the medjool action with PB and dark choco chips was good, wait til you see how I’ve pimped up this game.  My twist on Sliders.

Medjools + ….

….+ Sunflower Seed Butter + …

…. + Raw Cocao Nibs = Mouthgasm
(Sorry the raw cocoa nibs kept falling off and weren’t lookin’ pretty so they didn’t make the final photo lineup here, but use your oh-so-vivid imagination)

The folks at Navitas Naturals hooked me up with some Raw Cocao Nibs and I could not be happier to indulge my chocolate cravings than with something raw & organic that tastes as sweet and yum as those little buggers do on my sliders.  And after sitting in the 100 degree heat in a moving truck, I can vouch, they’re still intact.  Wish I was.

So after all that nutbutter and chocolate eating, it’s probably time for something greener.  I know just the thing.  My dinner.  B.S., greens, red & yellow pepps, tomatoes, and OJ, agave, & cracked black for my dressing.

And there was also this plate of rabbit nibbles.  Greens, cukes, & red pepps.

En route to the new casa, I’ve got plenty of road food to take….

Like Pure Bars

And some dried fruit like raisins and these cranberries from Equal Exchange

And of course fresh fruit like apples and blueberries

And veggies to munch on like carrot sticks

And a coupla green juices to wash it all down with.

What do you like to munch on on road trips??

Since I may have to skip a day with posting, I’ll grace you with some extra pics today.

First, house pics, courtesy of my iphoto stash of pics I took about 5 months ago when the house was not yet even completed.

The outside, still under construction

This is Skylar and me standing in the unfinished kitchen/dining room area 5 months ago.

My semi-finished kitchen. I plan to be spending lots of time there and I am so thrilled to have an unobstructed view out my kitchen window and compared to my downtown San Diego urban kitchen, this bad boy new kitchen is like Kitchen Stadium on Iron Chef for me! I cannot wait! Stainless, granite, and nice cabinets. Seriously, it’s like the best thing ever for me. I cannot express how grateful I am to be moving into this house. Really, words cannot describe the gratitude I have for this house that I will make into our home. It’s been a loooonggg time in the making getting here, and we’re so ready!

And here’s a few extra Yoga shots du jour

Contemplating Mayurasana

This pose requires sheer brute strength.  And flexibility because you have to get in full lotus with your legs…

…And then kid, pick yourself up.  Feminists eat your heart out because in yoga traditions, women are allowed to cheat in mayurasana and not fully extend your legs because we have higher center’s of gravity so we are given the cheat card of crossing your legs in lotus, theoretically making the pose easier.  Of course, feel free and extend your legs like this chap.

This is one of the asanas that is a work in progress for me.  If anyone has any tips, bring ’em!

This asana is not a work in progress.  This is urdhva muka paschimottasana grabbing the big toes.

And now urdhva muka paschimottasana wrapping the outsides of the feet.  Pretend you’re an Olympic diver and you’re going into a pike position.   Conjure up the mental image of Greg Louganis in a yellow speedo if you’re taking your yoga practice a bit too seriously.  You’ll snap right out of it.

:)
Averie

P.S.  Please take advantage of the contest I have going on, my first one!   If you haven’t heard yet, here are all the spectacular details.  Go getcha self entered!

Wish me luck on my move and getting a few essentials unpacked…like my pillow and my Vita-Mix.  A girls’ best friends.