Countdown to Freedom!

Just checking in here!

Guys, I'll be free in 5 days! No more studying! No more practice tests! 

Let's keep our fingers crossed that it all pays off, shall we?

Anyways, it hasn't been all work and no play, we did celebrate two birthdays (shout out to my brother and also to my sister-in-law shayla!) and I also managed to see The Great Gatsby again, so you don't have to feel too bad for me ;)

I've been stockpiling a list of "things I'm going to do after the MCAT is over" and it's getting quite long... most of it consists of things like:

> find passports

> get ready for France 

(cause THAT won't take long........)

> clean apartment 

(this shouldn't have to be on a list, but unfortunately it is)

> do laundry

 (sometimes JP and I like to play the 'lets see how long we can go in between laundry days' game)

> update computer

(does anyone else also have a million windows open at all times and having to close them all and restart your computer to install updates is the WORST THING EVER?)

and other normal everyday things that somehow get put on the not-everyday-things list when you have a huge standardized test looming in the near future. 

And now, some fairly random pictures from the last week or so,

Enjoy!

 ^^^ Breakfast club with my best girls. I ordered the "Silver dollar pancakes" and ended up with enough pancakes to last through the weekend.

(we went to Joe's Cafe -- I talked about this place in this post!)

 ^^^ JP does love milk but no, that is not all for us haha. 

^^^ our resolutions to not eat out usually last anywhere from 24-36 hours. and that's on a good day. 

We just committed ourselves again yesterday so lets see how it goes! :)

Provo Food Crawl: Breakfast Edition

I get a lot of questions about mine and JP's favorite places to eat go out to eat, because apparently it seems like we eat out a lot... haha... maybe I should start cooking more. 

Anyways, I've decided it might be kind of fun to put together a little series of good restaurants around town and keep them all under that tab up there labeled "Eating in Provo"

So without further ado, here's the first installment of some of our favorite breakfast places to eat in Provo!

PS: we're always looking for new options... So if you have a favorite breakfast place please leave a comment and share the love!

A Farewell Breakfast

My girl Jordan left on her mission this week. 

The people of Independence Missouri have no idea how lucky they are, and they best take good care of her. 

Before she left, we had a last little breakfast club meeting with the 6 of us that have been friends since high school to give her a proper send off, and thanks to Marley's we polished off blueberry pancakes and Provo's best cinnamon rolls while we enjoyed Jordan's company for the last time in 18 months! 

The Ultimate Healthy Breakfast Cookie

When I wake up at 7 AM in the mornings to go to work, my routine goes a little something like this:

• hit snooze 3-5 times, 
• then finally get up and realize I am late
• fumble around in the dark looking for the right color of scrubs to wear that day (I can't turn on the light because Mr JP is snoozing)
• brush my teeth and hair simultaneously because, if you remember, I am running late
• grab my shoes and socks to put on in the car at one of the red lights I am sure to be stopped at (because doesn't it seem like the world is against you when you're running late??)
• and then I grab something, anything I can eat for breakfast in the car as I run out the door

And that brings me to the reason for this post. 

Usually I grab a yogurt for my breakfast because it's healthy and fairly easy to eat on the go, but I get really sick of eating yogurt everyday. (unless it's frozen yogurt, but that's a different category entirely)

So when I saw a recipe for healthy breakfast cookies on pinterest I was super thrilled (breakfast cookies?! What a novel idea!) and gave it a try. 

And I love the results! They're high in protein, low in fat, have no eggs or flour in them, are naturally sweetened and taste delicious! So now I am sharing the recipe with you, enjoy! :)

2 ripe bananas, mashed until smooth & creamy

1/3 cup peanut butter ~ creamy or chunky 
2/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 scoop vanilla protein powder 
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp butter flavor extract (optional)
1 1/2 cups uncooked oatmeal  (I grinded mine in a blender!)
1/4 cup chopped nuts (almonds, walnuts, or your favorite)
a few chocolate chips!

In a large bowl, mix mashed banana & peanut butter until completely combined then add in the applesauce, vanilla protein powder & the extract(s) & mix again until all are completely combined. 

Add in the oatmeal & nuts to the banana mixture & combine.  

Let dough rest for 10 minutes.

Drop cookie dough, by spoonfuls, onto a greased cookie sheet & add chocolate chips on top if you want them.

Bake cookies approx. 20-30 minutes, or until golden brown & done.  

Remove from oven & let rest on cookie sheet for 5 minutes, then move to cooling rack.

And voila! You have delicious, healthy breakfast cookies. 

Makes 16-24 cookies depending on the size you want them to be!

Confession: I definitely eat them all throughout the day, not just for breakfast. 

Original Recipe found here

Road Trip Up The Coast: 1st Leg

// Breakfast in Santa Barbara //

The morning after the wedding, Mr JP and I left L.A. and drove up the coast to San Francisco, stopping along the way. It was one of the best days we've ever spent together and we both agree that everyone should do that at least once in their lifetime.

If you're ever in Santa Barbara (it was my first time!) I would definitely recommend Tupelo Junction Cafe for breakfast (or brunch for that matter).

They make french toast out of baguettes. Baguettes! 

and served orange juice in mason jars.

We were sold. 

An Engagment Party for Five!

Remember when these lovely ladies got engaged? 

Well one more has been added to the numbers since then and to celebrate, my friend Jordan and I threw a quint-engagement brunch extravaganza for the whole lot of them!

There was baked french toast, a scrambled egg casserole, and a greek yogurt parfait bar; along with a match-the-fact-to-the-engaged-girl game, and lots of chatting and catching up! 

It was so nice to see everyone and I cannot wait for all the weddings!

 

The Best Breakfast in Utah

 

Hello from St George!

I hope your Martin Luther King Jr weekend has been as lovely as mine!

A mini-vacation down south was exactly what I needed after a grueling first two weeks of school (haha)