Any iPod experts out there? I have quite the dilemma (I’m obsessed with my music!):

1. All of my songs that are currently on my iPod, were kept on Mike’s computer.
2. Mike just got a virus and had to COMPLETELY reset his computer – therefore erasing ALL OF MY SONGS!

Here’s where I need your help.  I have about 75 purchased songs on my iPod, and 2,000 other songs (that I’ve acquired over the years).  Itunes won’t recognize my iPod when I plug it in to his computer – and it just asks if I want to “Erase and Sync” – which would erase all my songs PERMANENTLY .  Anyone know any secret tips, or have any advice as to how I get my songs OFF of my iPod and back on to my computer as actual files?!?!?!?!   Please help!  

I’m out of oats and eggs – and trying to not spend money until Friday – so it was OLD SCHOOL PB&J toast for breakfast:

with some leftover broccoli salad for lunch!

Thanks the awesome hook-up I got from the folks at Newman’s Own Organics – I had the best, sweet, treat ever! 

I didn’t read all the flavors when I got the box of chocolates – so when I realized there was actually an Orange Dark Chocolate bar – I freaked with excitement! 

While I wanted to eat the whole bar – my serving size was:

Verdict: 20 million times better than I expected (AND I HAD HIGH EXPECTATIONS!) That wonderful dark chocolate bite, with a hint of fresh orange – MMMMM HEAVEN! 

The snack I had right before I left work, was less than exciting – PB and carrots:

But it held me over quite well – because I wasn’t sure what kind of food was going to be at this jewelry party.   

When I got to my friends house – there was a TON of fabulous jewelry (it was Premier Jewelry for those of you who were wondering) to look at:

and a TON OF FOOD TO EAT! 

My mouth started watering as I was looking at these pictures to try and post.  My boss brought our “party favorite” – homemade spinach dip! (GOD I LOVE THIS STUFF!!!!)

Here’s what I ended up snagging:

On my plate, I’ve got:

• cucumbers, carrots, and some dip
• 1 extra large piece of veggie pizza (MMMMM!)
• some cheese
• a bacon stuffed tomato (I’m not a fan of bacon, but this app was too cute – I had to try it!)
• chips with buffalo chicken dip, and spinach dip
• sliver of stromboli!

SO SO SO YUMMY!

The party was a great time (I didn’t buy anything since we are a little tight on money right now) – but I didn’t get any pictures with me and my friends.  How terrible am I?  I remember to take pics of food, but not my wonderful friends!  These are the girls (ladies really) who I’ve worked with for years, and we are getting together again in August – so I”ll just have to redeem myself then! 

Hope you are all having a great week, and if anyone has an iPod advice – PLEASE SHARE!

Lastly – look at this sick picture of Madonna.  Girlfriend needs a workout intervention (I’m being serious!)

There are a handful of things that drive me nuts – and wastefulness is up at the top of the list.

In a typical week – we have little, to no waste.  Shopping for just myself and Mike – I’ve been able to get things down to a science.  Unfortunately – being “summertime busy”, and joining Costco have thrown a wrench in my system.  We’ve been eating at home less than normal, and we’ve been buying larger packages than normal. 

Sunday night I threw out:

• equivalent of 1 head of broccoli
• peppers (3 peppers – with about 1/4 left in each)
• 2lbs of iceberg lettuce
• 1 cucumber
• some broccoli slaw
• about 1/4th of a full watermelon

I’m very mad at myself for not staying more on top of it (TWSS?!) 

I think I’m going to skip Costco this paycheck and stick to the Farmer’s Market, and Aldi.  Maybe even institute a Kath style grocery challenge for August!

Not to mention – our pantry is pretty well stocked thanks to the FABULOUS people over at Newman’s Own Orgranics and all the free samples they sent.  Mike has seriously been going to town on the cookies.  He finished of 2 of the 3 “Newman-O’s” packages before I could get a close-up picture!  I made sure to snap a pic of the “Hint-0-Mint” package before I left for work today (and perhaps – possibly – taste tested one at 7:45 in the morning):  

They obviously taste delicious because Mike is absolutely inhaling them (and might I add – I swear – losing weight while doing so.  Boys and their freakish metabolisms!) 

First breakfast of the work week – none other than spicy oats:

Lunch was my homemade broccoli salad:

with a side of peppers (what was salvage-able from the peppers that got thrown out):

For a snack – I broke into these bad boys:

SALT AND VINEGAR! Hands down, my all-time, favorite chip flavor.  I have searched high and low for this flavor of the Pop Chips and FOR YEARS NOW, have not been able to find them!  Finally – TARGET has them!   They are just as delicious as I would have imagined! 

To balance out the salty, a little sweet:

Last night – I FINALLY – put the 2nd-to-last coat of paint on the wood trim in the bathroom (remember me talking about painting the bathroom in May? – yeah.)  My plan is to put the final coat on Wednesday night – and be 100% done with that room!  We’ll see! 

By the time I was done painting it was almost 8 – so I wanted super quick, and super easy for dinner.  Two microwaved hot dogs and a microwaved sweet potato.  I don’t think it gets any easier!

I always show “naked” pictures of my burgers/hot dogs – because I tend to put a LOT of condiments on top – and then it doesn’t always look so pretty.  Just for an example – here’s my hotdogs all gussied up (what?!?! did I just say gussied up in reference to hot dogs?!) 

While we were watching the season finale of the Bachelorette (What does that Reid guy not understand?! She doesn’t like you, dude!) – I decided to break in to my Fig Newmans (seriously love that name):

It was really nice to see all the actual seeds of the fig inside the cookie.  And while I am never one for portion control (do NOT put a full container of any food in front of me – I won’t stop until it’s gone!) – I could only eat one of these, they were THAT filling! 

I never liked Fig Newtons as a kid – but Fig NEWMANS get two big thumbs up in my book! 

Off to a jewelry party tonight with some of my friends from my old job!   HAVE A GREAT TUESDAY!

Hope everyone had a great weekend! Sorry I was M.I.A!  I went out and had a little too much fun Friday night, which left the GDW household layin’ low on Saturday, and just barely returning to normal yesterday! 

I don’t have pictures of everything I ate – so consider this, the highlight reel!

Boca burger with big fat pickle chips:

My newest Sabra flavor addiction – SUPREMELY SPICY!!!!! (now if they only sold this is the hugh jass tubs at Costco – I’d be in heaven!) 

Delicious Sangria (that got the party started Friday night!) 

Lando – looking less than thrilled with our party attitudes:

I found THIS on my doorstep Saturday (typical “I got a package!” jigging ensued) – and I could not wait to use it!  (Thanks for the advice Erin!!!!)

We didn’t have any produce is the house that was spiralizable (is that even a word?!) – so the spiralizing had to wait until Sunday! 

Sunday morning I got up bright and early to hit the road for my 11 mile run in.  For breakfast – toast with Naturally More PB, and Sugar Free Strawberry Preserves, with a side of cottage cheese and Frank’s (I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again.  Frank’s.Goes.On.Everything!) 

and washed it all down with a giant mug of coffee.  This is one of the mugs I scored at my work sales last week – I love it! 

It was pretty hot out yesterday – so the 11 miles were a little slower than usual, but it was a pretty easy run overall.  My past 2 long runs have gone pretty well, but have all been distances I’ve run before.  I’m a little apprehensive to see how my 14+ mile runs start to go…

After I got home, I was out of coconut water (ZICO – not gross disgusting VitaCoco) – so I tried out this Cashew Fruit drink:

Verdict:  BLECH! No chunks (like gross VitaCoco) – but there was a very distinct, very pungent odor/taste that went along with this drink.  It had a nutty flavor (which I could have handled) but that other strong flavor I couldn’t put my finger on, made me dump the rest of it out.  Lesson learned – I’m a Zico girl – ALL THE WAY!

Sunday afternoon, after my in-home interview with the Boxer Rescue (it finally happened!! – I can’t wait to start helping out there!) – I couldn’t take it any longer and FINALLY broke into the spiralizer. 

First up – 2 regular baking potatoes:

While the shape was totally fun – these didn’t bake as evenly as my normal fries do!!!   Anyone have any suggestions for evenly cooked spiral fries??

Next up:  zucchini pasta!

This was AWESOME!!!!!! I used 1 small zucchini, and threw the strands into the oven for about 10 minutes.  SO DELICIOUSLY AMAZING!  The squashy taste from the zucchni was really muted (I’m not usually a HUGE fan of zucchini) – and once I topped it with a little spaghetti sauce – I was a happy camper!   It’s official.  I want to spiralize everything I can get my hands on!  

I got pretty bored around 8 last night, and started thinking of recipes I could make, with supplies we had in our house.  Thanks to the awesome people at NuNaturals (MORE REVIEWS TO COME!), and Newman’s Own Ogranics – I came up with the perfect idea:

Healthified Broccoli Salad!

No bacon bits! 

I used the recipe located here – and subbed out the following:

• instead of 1 cup of mayo – I used 3/4 cup of fat free mayo
• cut out the bacon bits
• instead of 2 teaspoons of sugar, I used 2 packets of NuStevia

You’ve seen the full stash I got from Newman’s already, so I figured it’s only fair I show you all the fabulous loot I got from NuNaturals!

As I use each of the products – I’ll definitely let you know what I think about them! 

HAPPY MONDAY!