Adventures at Mount Bonnell

Happy Monday Friends!

How was your weekend? Ours was pretty fun with a bit of work mixed in. I trained a client at 5:30am on Saturday (yikes!) then taught at the Pilates studio from 12:00pm-3:00pm. After that, E and I just spent some time relaxing. Sunday, I taught a barre class in the morning and then we headed out to go hiking/exploring at Mt. Bonnell. Mt. Bonnell is apparently the highest point in Austin and has absolutely breathe taking views. First things first, lets pack the snacks!

Banana and almonds for me, Nature Valley bar for E, and sunscreen and water all around! It was only about a 15 minute drive to Mt. Bonnell. They actually have a huge stone staircase you can climb to the top and then explore the trails from the top. We stopped to read up on our history first!

I can't believe all of these beautiful sights are so close to our house!

E decided he didn't want a farmers tan so he ditched the shirt! He's all mine ladies, Sorry!

There was nature eye candy in every direction!! We walked around for a bit up on Mt. Bonnell, then we headed down to the nature preserve to check out the trails down there. We were greeted by some pretty beautiful but scary sounding peacocks!

I had no idea peacocks were so loud!! They liked to yell at each other. After checking out the wildlife, we went for a little walk and climbed a few trees in the process. It was just a yoga kind of day I guess!

We wrapped up the day with a quick trip to Academy and then headed home to grill up some dinner. E whipped up some pork chops, and I made his favorite side dish ever......... bacon wrapped green beans. I don't know if they really count that as a vegetable, but I like to spoil him rotten what can I say! :) Notice how many bacon wrapped green beans E has. Can you believe he went back for seconds and had about 8 more on the second round??

E's plate on the left, mine on the right.

A close up on the goods!

That is a wrap on the weekend. I'm headed off to teach a Barre class at 1:30pm. I hope you all have a wonderful Monday and a great week!

How was your weekend?

In health,

Give Me Strength Da****!

Howdy Friends,

How are you today? It's hump day which means back porch time for me. I've set up shop with the computer, my new book, and my guard dog in the back yard. It's simply gorgeous outside, and just the right temperature not to fry. I know blistering hot Texas days are just right around the corner, so I am trying to soak it up while I can!

I'm also enjoying a new beverage I have heard so many people rave about - La Croix sparkling water. It has zero sugar, sodium or calories which are all wins in my book. I don't usually love sparkling water, but the hint of fruity flavor in these make them delicious. They are perfect for squashing a diet coke craving! This is the Cran-Rasberry flavor, but I am excited to try the other flavors as well.

Another new find that I am loving lately is So Delicious Coconut Milk Yogurt. I love the strawberry flavor! It is thick and creamy like Greek yogurt. Plus, it is dairy and gluten free and full of healthy fats from the coconut milk. If you need to avoid gluten, dairy, or both, I would definitely recommend giving this yogurt a try!

Last night's dinner was a quick one dish meal consisting of chicken sausage, green beans, new potatoes for E + sweet potatoes for me, and a pinch of Cajun seasoning. Simply throw all the ingredients together with a little coconut oil and bake at 425 degrees for 45 minutes. Easy as pie! This is one of E's favorites so we have it about every other week.

I think all veggies are better when cooked in coconut oil! Today's lunch consisted of scrambled eggs with a side of roasted butternut squash tossed in coconut oil, salt, and pepper. I could eat butternut squash cooked like this every day! Toss all the ingredients together and roast at 400 degrees for 25 minutes. I love to use the leftovers as salad toppers. They add just the right touch of sweetness to your salad.

Let's end on a funny note shall we? You guys all know that I teach a lot of barre classes, and that I am slightly obsessed with them. Barre is by far one of my all time favorite formats to take and teach. However, if you've ever taken a barre class, you know they can be a real butt kicker and leave you begging for mercy 5 minutes into class (partly why I love them). Anyways, I saw this cartoon on facebook today and thought it was extremely fitting!

Love it!! I'm off to teach my last Pilates class of the day! I hope you all have a wonderful rest of your Wednesday!

Have you ever taken a barre class? If so, can you relate to the cartoon?

In health,