I moved!

I renamed & moved my blog. Come check it out! www.smilemilegirl.wordpress.com

It's not goodbye, it's see you later.

Happy Sunday everyone! (:

I haven't blogged in way too long. Last week was band camp, which meant I was at school and outside from 8 in the morning to 9 or 10 at night Monday-Friday. I had a half day on Sunday too. Since I'm on Cross Country, I got to school at 7am to run with the team.

My body didn't like it. I've been having terrible pains on the inside of my knee up the rest of my leg. I kind of limp most of the time. 

I took Thursday and Friday off, but I felt better yesterday so I ran. Tomorrow I'm supposed to have my very first meet ever (!!!!!) but I just have to see how I feel. 

Yesterday was the "Mad Dash" so the orientation/party for the incoming freshmen. I was a leader! (:

Leaders! My group was pink giraffes. Like my tutu?? (:

I have some things I need to say. 

When I started running with the cross country team this summer, I really didn't think I would ever actually be on the team. Then I fell in love. I knew that if I wasn't on the team I would regret it. I've already missed out on two years. This was my chance. I decided to take a huge risk and join the team. 

You're probably wondering why that's a huge risk. First of all, it's a risk because of my confidence. I'm not fast! I'm not "good" at cross country. Joining the team means I will get faster-but what if I don't? These injuries have been causing me to have to take runs off or do very reduced mileage. I'm scared of what this season will bring. I'm scared of being bad and I'm scared of being good.

What's absolutely terrifying is the time. I'm already in marching band and I have practices 2 nights a week plus every other friday for band. I have competitions, all day events, almost every Saturday. 

Cross Country practices every day after school. We also have meets on some weekdays and we have meets almost every Saturday. 

I'm taking 7 classes, 4 of which are AP/honors. 

I don't know how I'm going to do it, but I know I have to try. 

There will be many nights I'm not home until 9:00. I have to make it work by managing my time really well. This is what I've chosen to do. I am taking a risk and putting it all out there. 

I'm doing this for me. People say to do what makes you happy- well, running with a team makes me really, really happy. I am so excited for this year. I am the happiest I have ever been. I have this confidence and positive attitude and I feel like I'm ready for anything. 

Now here's the tough stuff.

I love the blogging community. I have become a healthier, happier individual and I've made some great friends. However, because of my choices, I need to take a few months off from blogging. I won't be posting here or on instagram. I may continue to read blog posts, but not daily, and I may not be commenting much. 

Thank you all for reading and supporting Emily Smiles for Miles. I'll be back. I will be blogging, just not at this point in my life. Thank you all for the amazing comments and the amazing blogs you run. I love reading and being inspired by other bloggers. 

It's not goodbye, it's see you later. 

-Emily

Healthy Eats Week Day 4: Snacks!

Happy Saturday! I'm excited for the weekend. First off, I have to apologise. This post was meant to be for Friday morning, but that didn't happen. I was at CC team bonding day when suddenly my insulin pump stopped working. It did the same thing that happened in the bahamas! I was so angry. I spent my morning on the phone so they could ship me a new one and then figuring out giving shots for the day. Fun...

I wasn't about to let that ruin my day though. I had something really exciting planned.

Extreme Trampolining!! I went with some of my middle school friends. It was so much fun!!

flips... definitely not me! (; my friend used to be a gymnast and is totally awesome.

Yesterday night my mom & sister & I finally found a couch! (My dad took our old one). Walking around furniture stores is so exhausting. It took forever. I never want to smell furniture again. Ever.

Time for Healthy Eats Week!  Here's the fun stuff, guys. Get ready.It's SNACK DAY!

Apple chips: Got the idea from a girl on the CC team. However, I burnt mine. Oops. The few un-burnt ones were delicious. The rest I couldn't get off of the pan. Better luck next time (:

Peanut Butter Lover's oatmeal cookies.  Yum! These were gone in like three days. I think I'll have to add in more PB next time, but they were really soft and delicious. Thanks Katherine (:

These Emerald snack packs used to be one of my favorite snacks. Now, they aren't unhealthy, but they certainly have more ingredients than they need. I decided to recreate the mix on my own. I got mini marshmallows and slivered almonds and unsalted peanuts and chocolate chips but the COCONUT! It was missing the coconut! I was so excited when I finally found these at TJ's. Can't wait to make my s'mores trail mix later today! (:

$2?? Yes please! (:

The finished product. Delicious. The perfect dessert/snack.

These aren't a perfect snack, but they are much healthier than chips. A treat for me (:

My "need a quick snack that has carbs for on-the-go". My favorite flavor ever.

Horsey Sauce at Arby's, anybody?? This is my "clean" version of it!
I found it at TJ's and I got so excited. I love eating it with carrots and peppers. It would be totally delicious on sandwiches and wraps, too.

I snack on nuts all the time. My ultimate favorite is TJ's roasted cashews. Yummayyy.

Now, I have a confession to make. I am addicted to chewing gum. The Extra or the 5 kind? During the school year I may or may not have 6+ sticks in one day. That's just the school day.

After reading some books on clean, healthy eating, I realized all the chemicals and additives in gum.. It really grossed me out.

These mints don't have most of the dangerous stuff that gum has. They taste great too! 

That's it for my snacking. Have a wonderful weekend! (: 

What are your favorite snacks? What do you eat on-the-go? Do you chew gum? 

Healthy Eats Week- Day 3: Dinner

Hellooo and happy Thursday! (: 

I am in the best mood. Today I ran 5 slow miles. I haven't run anything over 2 1/2 miles in TWO WEEKS. That's a long time. I am proud to announce that I had no pain whatsoever! I had terrible, terrible shin splints and a resulting knee pain, but now it's mostly gone. I really hope I don't jinx it!

That "runner's high" kicked in right after mile 4. Suddenly my brain got really happy and I ran the last mile a lot faster than the rest. I love long runs for that reason. It's feels like torture until you get to "that point" and then the rest of your run (and day) is wonderful. 

I had hill repeats after the 5 miles, and we had to run to and from the hill, so it was actually closer to 6 miles today. I'm allowed to do 15 miles a week this week, and I did 2 on Monday, 2 on Tuesday, and I couldn't run yesterday (blood sugar low- wouldn't come back up). I'll probably do the rest of my weekly miles Saturday. We have team bonding tomorrow instead of practice. 

Time for Healthy Eats Week- Day 3.

Dinner!

Now, I'm not a picky person, so I'll normally just eat whatever my mom makes or gets. It's summer, so I'm out a lot, and eat out more than usual. These meals are just what I make when it's up to me. 

Quinoa/rice mix (not that great, from a microwavable bag), broccoli (from TJ's), and a Veggie Masala burger topped with plain chobani (!!!)

My new favorite thing in the whole world. Tried these as a sample, and I fell in love. They are just a little bit spicy and oh-so delicious. The chobani on top? Genius. 

 Sorry for the ugly picture. Lately I've been loving salmon filets with dry rub. So yummy, and salmon has those Omega 3's. (:

My mom doesn't always add vegetables to our meals. Frozen veggies are perfect for me since they don't go bad and I can quickly make them to add with any dinner. 

That's it for dinner. I am severly lacking in this post! Does anyone else totally forget to take pictures of their dinner until it's gone?

Healthy Eats Week isn't over.. I still have a post or two with snacks! (:

What's your favorite dinner? How do you incorporate more vegetables into your meals?
-Emily

Healthy Eats Week- Day 2: Lunch

Happy Tuesday! Hope you're having a great day. (:

Today I am SO BUSY. I had summer running (ran 3 very easy miles today), then I ran to skit practice. My high school puts on a event for incoming freshmen. I am one of the leaders, and we have to put together skits. I had practice from 8-12 today.

For healthy eats week day 2 I am writing about what I am eating right now... lunch!

Perhaps my healthiest habit is lunch. (Almost) Every day, I try to have a BIG FAT SALAD. (:

I start with dark greens (baby lettuce, baby spinach, whatever we have around. Always dark though, never iceburg or similar!!)

Then I add whatever I feel like adding. Usually a red/yellow pepper, sometimes tomatoes, slivered almonds, walnuts, cheese, dried cranberries, strawberries, pretty much whatever I have lying around. 

I always top it with my Annie's light raspberry vinaigrette dressing. My all-time favorite dressing. 

Not only does a BIG FAT SALAD pack in TONS of nutrients, it tends to keep me pretty full until my afternoon snack. Yay! (: Normally for lunch I will add a cheese stick or some chobani or crackers or Ezekiel bread or whatever for a bit more protein.

I think I'm obsessed with my Big Fat Salads. I just finished eating this one! Spinach, red pepper, almonds, and a cucumber from someone's garden! 

That cucumber made me want to start my own garden. If I only had the time! I would love to garden and grow my own fruits and veggies when I am older. 

Tonight I have dinner at Carrabas- free! I saw a promo on facebook and signed myself and my mom up. We each get to bring a guest and try a "trio" for absolutely free. I can't wait! Certainly not the cleanest/healthiest meal, but things like this are worth it. If I have an option, I'll try to order the healthier option! 

After that I have Marching Band practice! We start our weekday practices tonight. 6-10pm. Then I go home quickly and get to sleep so I can wake up at 5:30 for running. 

I'll leave you with some Tuesday funnies:

Are you busy this week? What's your go-to lunch? 

Are you going to watch PLL tonight... Or are you going to watch it On Demand tomorrow like I am? (:

-Emily

Healthy Eats Week- Day 1: Breakfast.

Hey everyone! Happy Monday. Where did last week even go??

First of all, I have to mention the amazing support I got from you all on my last post. I really appreciate the comments and love I got after writing that. I was really scared to share my story, but I don't regret it. My blogging friends are the best! (:

Over the past few weeks, in my efforts to lose a bit of weight but more importantly just become healthier overall, I've been experimenting with some healthy "swaps" and recipes.

This week I will be sharing my latest eats and fabulous food finds. I'm calling it Healthy Eats Week because I want to. Disclaimer: These are just what I consider healthy. I'm not a nutritionist and I know "healthy" is a matter of opinion! My idea of healthy is as close to natural as possible.

Today I am going to start with breakfast! Most important meal of the day, right?? (:

I tried Sunnie's recipe for Overnight Oats, and I think I'm in love. I have yet to buy chia seeds, but I just make it without, and even though the texture isn't perfect without the chia seeds, it's still delicious! I think this is a new staple in my mornings (;

I just bought these over the weekend. I LOVE homemade oatmeal. So much better than my packets! (although packets are good for quick mornings). I love that this is all natural, and I can add my own toppings. I like adding fruit, protein powder, & always vanilla and cinnamon.

New obsession: Ezekiel 4:9 bread. It has no flour, it's made using the whole grain. I don't know the details, but it is much better than white or even plain wheat bread. It is SO filling, and I really enjoy the taste and texture. I guess I'm weird, but the nutty taste and thicker texture really appeals to me!

My favorite thing to put on my new bread? Chocolate PB2. Pair it with fruit, and we've got ourselves a breakfast!

For breakfast, I tried to swap out the quicker options for more whole & natural options. I also try to eat a bit of fruit with breakfast every day. That seems to help me stay full for longer. Sometimes fruit really doesn't appeal to me until the afternoon, so I'll skip it.

Yesterday I had a lot of fun! I went with Andrew's family to the Michigan dunes. 

We had fun on the mud hike. (:

What are YOUR favorite breakfasts?? Care to share any easy recipes? (:

What changes are you making to healthify your life?

Have a wonderful day.
-Emily

Quick life update: My dad finally moved out and things are better for me! However, he isn't in a very good place right now and is extremely negative whenever I am around him. He acts terribly around my mom and constantly complains about both her and my little sister, who just wants to see my dad more. I only have to see him every other weekend, and I'm really glad all that negativity is, for the most part, out of my life. It's been years since I have lived in a truly peaceful home and I am so thankful for having that now.

The one that's hard to write.

Wow. I looked at my blog today and realized it's been a full week since I posted anything. How did that happen??
Happy Monday blogging family!
I had such a busy week.

Wednesday I went to the city with two friends and Andrew. We were supposed to go to Ohio Street Beach but then this happened...

It's the middle of July in Chicago.

It ended up being the coldest day of the summer. Literally. 

We decided to go to Dick's Last Resort and just walk around instead.
For those of you that don't live near Chicago, Dick's is one of those restaurants where the waiters are rude to you on purpose. It can be a little inappropriate for younger kids, but it's a lot of fun if you don't take anything too seriously (;

Part of the fun is the hilarious "hats". I don't really have a rash, I promise.

We walked to Water Tower Place and did what all cool teenagers do: Played with Legos.

Like my best friend's tan? Lifeguard probs.

By the river! I was totally freezing.

Ah. That picture. To you it may just be a cute picture of us, but to me it really hurts. Here's where this post takes a bit of an unexpected turn. Let's venture into self esteem body eating disorder land. 

When I was younger, my parents fed me really healthy food. I had all my fruits and vegetables, and rarely ate packaged foods. My mom doesn't "do" Organic, but she always fed us plenty of "real" foods. I only had desserts on "dessert nights" (friday, saturday, and sunday) and my desserts were definitely portion controlled. I was a really lean, healthy kid. Pretty perfect childhood, actually, as far as health goes.

Then middle school came and I had the ability to buy zebra cakes at lunch. This became almost a daily thing. But I was about 100 pounds so it didn't really matter. 

Then, right after my 13th birthday, I was diagnosed with diabetes. In short, my father screamed at me, right after my diagnosis, telling me it was all my fault because I ate so much shit. 

My sister hated me, thinking she would never be able to eat "normal" foods ever again. 

None of that ended up being true. There was nothing I could have done to prevent getting Type 1 diabetes. It was DEFINITELY not caused by my diet. My sister could eat normal foods. So could I for that matter.

I just tried to stay happy. I saw the positive in every way I could. "Well, this is something that is going to make me stronger" "This makes me unique" "My vision cleared up for two weeks!" "At least it's me, not my sister. I used to enjoy getting shots (because of the cool band-aids, duh) and she had panic attacks at the Dr.'s office". 

For the most part, I was okay. There were some comments at school that left me crying in the bathroom instead of in Algebra, but I really was okay. 

What wasn't okay was my relationship with food. I was suddenly forced into eating lots of healthy, low carb foods. I didn't eat pizza or cupcakes (hard to count carbs for). At first, it was fine. 

Then I slowly realized that diabetes didn't mean I couldn't eat like a normal person. 

This was the start of my binge eating disorder. 

I dealt with stress by eating "bad" foods that tasted so good. Cookies. My absolute weakness are those packages of Keebler cookies. Like the fudge stripe ones? 

I would come home from school and eat half, if not more, of a package of these. Or whatever crap was lying around the house. Obviously this wasn't every day, but it was a lot of days. I justified it with anything. I was sad? Food. Stressed? Food. Celebrating something? Food. The first two years of high school were the worst. They sell Zebra cakes in high school too. 

I watched the number on the scale creep up. My size zero jeans got too tight, then my 1/2s, then my 3/4s... I had made a promise with myself that if that scale said anything above 120, I would lose weight. I didn't keep that promise. I waited until it said 130 until I actually made changes to my health.

I didn't wake up one day and decide I needed to stop fueling my body with crap and start treating my body with respect. I did, however, wake up and decide I wanted to run. 

It started when I asked my dad to join him on his morning health club visits. I completed the Couch to 5k program. I was hooked. Obviously (I mean look at this blog...) I love running! 

Nutrition came second to running. Slowly I made active changes in my diet in order to improve my running. I know that healthy weight loss does and will make me a faster runner. It also makes me a happy, healthier person. 

I had missed so much school this past year because I was constantly, constantly sick. Infection after infection. I have no proof, but I believe it was all caused by the lack of nutrients from a nutritious diet. 

It's been months since I've had a true binge. I am so proud of that, you really have no idea. I am fixing my relationship with food one day at a time. 

I say a "true" binge, because I have had setbacks! I still eat ice cream, sometimes a little more than I should. I have trouble controlling my portion or what I'm eating when my blood sugar is low- but that's because my brain isn't working properly. At camp this year, I definitely ate terribly, but not to the point where I felt so sick like I used to.

So what did I do? I added fruits and vegetables. I read blogs and follow instagrams and I am inspired. I choose the healthier option, when there is a choice. 

I stopped eating my "trigger foods", such as anything Little Debbie, packages of cookies, and most cereals. When I have them, it never goes well, and I've found that it's easier for me just to cut these foods out. 

I still enjoy treats like ice cream and homemade goodies. I don't eat much LESS, I just eat smarter. 

This is how I was able to conquer my terrible relationship with food. Oh it's far from perfect. But it's so much better. 

And now I'm trying to lose some of the pounds that I put on in the past year. I know it's tricky for a teenager to write these things so publicly. I don't want it to be taken the wrong way. I am doing it the healthy way. I never EVER go under 1,300 calories (what my body needs just to function) and I listen to what my body tells me the best I can. This means I'm not dropping pounds very quickly at all. This means some days I weigh more than others and that's okay. I'm not going to get caught up in a number on the scale! I know muscle weighs more than fat. I'm just hoping to nourish my body better so that I can feel more confident in my skin. So far, I've been doing pretty good. I posted a progress pic on my Instagram @emilysmilesformiles. I've lost ~4/5 pounds so far, with lots of setbacks along the way. We will see what the future holds for me and my health (:

I think this is the longest post I've ever written. Hope I didn't lose you... I am not trying to get any sympathy, or anything like that, I am merely sharing my story. If any of you are looking to clean up your diets, I'd love to hear about it!! (: 

What's YOUR story? I'd love to hear it (or get links to your posts!) in the comments below. (:

Weekend Recap.

Helloooo and happy Monday! (:


I had such a busy weekend. Friday night I had a "New Runner" dinner & bonfire. I love the Cross Country girls. They are all so sweet! I loved hearing the inspirational stories. One of my good friends started the season with a 29 minute time (3 miles), and finished the season under 23 minutes!! I can only dream of that kind of improvement. Amazing.

Saw this on instagram. love it.

I got home a bit before 10:00, so that I could do my long run with the team on Saturday morning. Unfortunately, I accidentally slept through my alarm.. I got up at 6:30, when I was supposed to be running!

I was so upset. I had really been looking forward to this long run, and I had promised to bring the team bagels, but at that point it was too late. I decided it was my body's way of saying I really needed a day off. I had terrible shin splints, and I figured a rest day couldn't hurt.

Since I got to eat a real breakfast, I got to try PB2! I had picked up the chocolate kind with a 30% off GNC coupon I had.

PB2 with a whole wheat bagel. Totally delicious.

UMMMM YUM. That stuff is delicious! I like it more than normal peanut butter. It still has all the protein of regular peanut butter, just with less calories, because of the absence of oil. 

I spent the rest of the day walking around Chicago with my dad & sister. I needed compression socks, but couldn't find anywhere that carried them :( Any suggestions?

Totally random, but I love healthy snacks & colorful sharpies.

Things are a bit awkward here at home. My parents are at court this morning to finalize everything. Yesterday, my dad got an apartment. He moves out this weekend. My sister really liked the apartment, but I haven't seen it. Both of my parents won't shut up about each other. "Your father only cares about money. He hasn't paid for anything for you for over a year!!" or "Your mother is walking away with all my money. I can't afford anything."
Divorce makes parents become children, I swear.

Hopefully things will finally get better after this weekend!

I spent Sunday cleaning my room. I am naturally a very messy person, and I have more clothes than a normal person should own. I went through all my clothes, did lots of laundry, and got bags ready to donate! My room is a lot more organized now. I'll post more pictures once I am done with the "stuff" part of it, not just the clothes (;

This morning was NOT my morning. I got a charley horse last night, and I had to roll it out today... OUCH. Also, I managed to drop my iphone. I keep it in an otterbox, but now the lock button and the speakerphone mic don't work. Yay.

At least I had a nice 5-miler today! Running makes it all better (; I also get to meet up with a friend for DQ tonight! Haven't seen her all summer.


How was your weekend? Did you do anything exciting?
Are you naturally messy or naturally organized?


-Emily

Grading my food & Chicago run!

Hello! Happy Hump Day.
I love that commercial. Hehe.


Sorry for the terribly late post- today the cross country team went to Chicago!

We took the train and ran on the beach for 50 minutes.

Honestly, it felt terrible. It was 90+ out there, and we were running with absolutely no shade and no wind. Despite the water every 1/4 mile, we were going incredibly slow and it was really hard to get through it. I have shin splints... and my legs hurt. A lot.

Of course, when we finished our run the clouds came out and it got cool. Of course. We got to swim in the lake though, which was wonderful.

Then we headed to Navy Pier for some Jamba Juice and lunch!

I don't have any pictures, since I only took pictures with friends, but I had a great time.


Now I'd like to share with you a recipe or two.

1. I found this recipe for protein bars on Pinterest. I figured I would give them a try, since the ingredients list looked decent, and the nutritional facts are pretty wonderful. 

Overall, I was pretty disappointed. They are kind of tasteless.. Definitely don't taste like chocolate to me. However, I discovered that with a bit of peanut butter (as shown above) they are actually not that bad! I also crumbled one in Chobani, which was good too.
I would give them a C. Great nutrition facts (only 96 calories and 10 grams of protein for 2 bars!) but the taste was not so great.


2. I decided I should be eating more protein, so I have been trying to have a smoothie/shake with protein powder after runs. I discovered this recipe for an apple cinnamon shake. on Meals and Moves, and I knew I would have to try it! (pictured above)
It was SO delicious! I give it an A for both nutritional facts and taste. (:


This week I really want to try Brittany's Sweet Potato Protein Pancakes. Yum! I love sweet potatoes!

Tomorrow night I get to babysit, which I am totally excited about. I sit for the sweetest girls! I love kids!

That leads me to a question: I have the opportunity to volunteer for a camp for 5-6 year olds in my community. However, I would have to miss summer running for a week, but I could probably run on my own. Should I miss running and volunteer, right before the season starts? Part of me says I totally should, since I love volunteering and kids, but the other part of me really wants to dedicate myself to becoming a good runner, and to me that means attending summer running daily.

Which do I choose? (:
Thanks guys.
~Emily

P.S. I apologize for the lack of pictures in this post.

P.P.S. My $5 Target blender is dying. What should I replace it with? I would love a vitamix but I think it needs to be under $50. Should I get a magic bullet? Other suggestions>

ABC's of me!

Happy Monday everyone! I can't believe we are halfway through July! Freaking out here!

On Sunday I did the Graffiti Run with Andrew! So much fun. There is still pink on my scalp though!

First off, I think everyone should go read Aurora's (from Fitness is Sweet) guest post. I thought it was totally interesting and informative. Let me know what you think!

I feel like I need more things to blog about! I can't talk about running every day. So today I decided to be creative and do a get to know me post.

I got this from Katherine over at Peanut Butter Lover. I loved the idea! (: Thanks Katherine (:

A. Attached or Single? Attached! I've been dating Andrew for about 2.5 years. He's the best (:

The 4th!

B. Best Friend? Besides my dog? (;

I snapchat my friends constantly. Brooke is a bit too obsessed (;

I have a few. Andrew (duh), my friend Julia and my friend Brooke. 

C. Cake or pie? Either. I really can't choose! If it's The Elegant Farmer, I choose pie. If it's Kirshbaum's, I choose cake.

D. Day of choice? Fridays. I love Fridays. Or Sundays because I get to eat a real breakfast instead of just pudding at 5am. Oh the weird things I do for running.

E. Essential Item? Iphone, mousse, gel, and cream (all for my hair...), mascara, running shoes, and sugar free gum. I have made trips to the store just for gum. That's pretty sad.
Oh, and I need insulin to live! That's important (:

Pretty purple pump.

 F. Favorite color? I love pink and purple. And neon everything. I even had a neon party! 

My friends at my neon party. It was blacklit. And my friends are very attractive people, I promise.

G. Gummy bears or worms? Either one, as long as they are sour. Otherwise I don't care. My vitamins are gummy bears but they aren't sour because Costco/Sam's don't sell sour bears. :(

H. Hometown? Stranger danger! But seriously, I don't feel comfortable putting that on my blog. We'll just say a suburb of Chicago! I still live in my hometown so...

I. Favorite Indulgence? Ice cream/Froyo. Is that even a question??
J. January or July? July because no school and especially no FINALS. 

K. Kids? I babysit sometimes. And I think babies are cute. 

L. Life isn't complete without? Running. (Totally would never had said that a year ago- and my life wasn't complete back then.) Friends, love, and family. 

M. Marriage date? I won't be getting married till after college! So that question does not concern me.

N. Number of brothers/sisters? One sister. She is 12 but looks like she is my age. She got the pretty hair and beautiful blue eyes. Not fair. Currently she loves calling me a sassy hobo. Not sure if it's an insult or a compliment. 
O. Oranges or Apples? Apples with PB. One of my favorite snacks ever.

P. Phobias? I really don't like ants or bananas. 
 Q. Quotes? My iphone background. "She turned her can'ts into cans and her dreams into plans."-Kobi Yamada

R. Reasons to smile? I smile because I am so lucky. I am lucky to be loved, to be cared for, to have been given the opportunities I have had and will have in the future. I am lucky to be healthy and to be able to run and to have wonderful friends and family who love me. I am lucky to be alive today, because if I was born 100 years ago, I wouldn't be. 

And this.

S. Season of choice? I like them all. I really like Winter but only till January 1st. I love winter outfits and Christmas. I have so much Christmas spirit you have no idea. 

T. Tag 5 People. Brittany @ DulceVie, Liz @ The Girl On Fire Now, Sunnie @ Modern Girl Nutrition, Alex @ Veggin' Out in the Kitchen, and Christine @ Apple of my Eye.  

U. Unknown fact about me? I'm trying to get past BED (binge eating disorder.) I have never been formally diagnosed, but I know what goes on in my head and with my body. Ever since blogging, I have been getting better & better about it. I can almost say I have a healthy relationship with food now! I will talk more about this in another post on another day (:

V. Vegetable? Peppers and Cucumbers. I always have some around!

W. Worst habit? Leaving gum wrappers everywhere instead of just throwing them out. It's annoying and it bothers my mom a lot. I don't know why I do it, I really don't. I'm not a very organized person, I'm okay having things be a bit messy, so that's how it tends to be.

X. Xray or Ultrasound? I have never had either done to me!

Y. Your favorite food? This changes about 347204812078397589137 times a day. I have no idea. I just know I really like chocolate and peanut butter and veggies and cold desserts and mexican food and... you get what I am saying. 
Z. Zodiac sign? I had to google this one. Taurus, I guess! Cool (:


Hope you enjoyed getting to know me a bit better (: Have a great Monday!