ready? okay!

Anyone else reminded of cheerleading when they hear that? Haha, yes I know, but it is also "super" appropriate for this marathon post. Let's see, it's been 10 meals since I last checked in. Wow. Alright, let's back-track! 3... 2... 1...

After packing the car, I brought my dad to my favorite little cafe, A la mode. They sell the best sandwiches, soups, and, of course, ice cream! I chose the Veggie Delight Wrap: a spinach tortilla stuffed with hummus, lettuce, roasted red peppers, cucumbers, onions, tomatoes, and pure deliciousness ;). I also packed an apple and Dunkin' Donuts Iced Skim Latte for the car but it was another few hours before I even craved a snack. I just love satisfying lunches!

Fast forward about 5 hours and I finally got home. I pulled in a few minutes before my dad and raced inside to warm up the dinner my mom had made. Having been driving for so long I really worked up an appetite! She had made Raviolis (gold star for being vegetarian-friendly Mommy!) with a garlic tomato sauce.

While I quickly warmed that ^ up I turned to the fridge in search of veggies to round out the meal. Unfortunately produce was scarce but I managed to find a lone tomato and bag of baby carrots which I turned into my makeshift salad.

It may not have been the most creative meal but it hit the spot and within no time I was on the run again to watch my sister perform in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory at the middle school (she played Violet's mother).

The next morning I woke up bright and early with a growling stomach! I love waking up hungry because breakfast is by far my favorite meal of the day. I had a lot to do though so only had time to have Multigrain Cheerios with banana and flax. Oh well, it still was yummy! Could you tell from my empty bowl?

Mid-morning I took a break from unpacking and took my 2 dogs for a 45 minute walk. It was really nice to get some fresh air and bond with my puppies (I miss them when I'm at school!). When I got back I was feeling a bit hungry again so I ate an apple and a handful of almonds.

When lunch rolled around I had to throw something together quick before Mother's Day shopping & food shopping with my little brother. So, I made a classic of mine, Toasted PBJ. Yummy!

Alongside it I steamed broccoli and added a mix of different spices I found. I should do this more often because not only is broccoli on of my favorite vegetables but it was also a lot more decadent-tasting than expected.

Once I got back I wasn't all that hungry but had to eat because I was going to be running around for the next six hours serving other people food. Still, it was my first night back at the restaurant and I was home from the stores later than expected. I needed to make another quick meal, this time, even quicker. While I was figuring out what to eat I enjoyed a perfectly fresh, gorgeous, red pepper.

I ended up finding an Amy's Black Bean Burrito in my freezer. I love Amy's meals! They are not always the most photogenic but I find they definitely make up for it in taste.

I found Larabars on sale at Mrs. Green's when I had gone grocery shopping earlier in the day. One of the best food finds ever let me tell you! I never tried them before but was eager to after reading everyone's rave reviews. I brought the Cinnamon Roll flavor with me to work. Here's what it looked like after being ever so slowly enjoyed in tiny moments of bliss throughout the night :).

We're almost there! Happy belated Mother's Day! Unfortunately, as a waitress, that meant a lot of hard work. Beforehand though I made sure to eat a warm breakfast with my Mom, another bowl of scrumptious Peanut Butter Banana Oatmeal. Then, us kids gave our wonderful lady her gifts. I ended up buying her a webcam for the home computer. She is devastated that she won't be seeing me for so long when I'm abroad and I know we won't be able to talk as often so it seemed like the perfect gift and sure enough she loved it!

After seeing our list of reservations the night before I was convinced that I wouldn't have a chance to eat lunch at the restaurant so I made sure to pack a bunch of snacks: baby carrots, an apple, and mixed nuts. It was great to have these quick foods because I couldn't sit down from 11 am - 6:30 pm but I should've packed more, by the time 4 rolled around I was already feeling shaky.

I finished up at work around 9:30. Long day, right?! I ended up eating about a cup of Ziti Marinara, large Mixed Green House Salad, and a slice of Broccoli Pizza but didn't have a chance for photographs since it was in between waitressing tables. I shouldn't be complaining though. Financially working Mother's Day was worth it and I did make it home in time to watch TV with my Mommy for a bit. Deep in my exhaustion, I began craving something sweet and refreshing so I split blueberries with my mom (they're her favorite fruit) amongst two bowls.

Today I worked all day again! Just kidding, not quite. I was at my CVS job from 9-4. Doesn't mean that I didn't needed another bowl of oats and big mug of green tea to get me going though!

I had to leave earlier than yesterday so by the time lunch rolled around I was starving and empty-handed. I went next door and bought a 6-grain Bagel with Vegetable Tofu Spread and a Mixed Greens Salad. Oh my gosh was I full after that! It was a nice treat but I usually prefer to pack my lunch as it's more economical and I'm more in control of how what exactly I am nourishing my body with.

Tonight I surely feel as though I've crashed. I have been working seemingly non-stop since I passed the county line! Thankfully my mom came to my rescue and prepared a comforting dinner. She made chicken cutlets for the rest of the family but whipped up my most favorite soup ever, and she definitely makes it best! I had a bowl of Mom's Homemade Lentil Soup, with Roasted Asparagus, and Baked Sweet Potato on the side. Mmmm... good!

Phew! We made it! The past 3 days have been absolutely insane but I think I did pretty well making sure I was eating a healthful and balanced diet. I swear that my life is not usually this crazy. I'm sure that I'll be able to make some delicious vegetarian family-friendly meals before I leave and either way I'll try my best to keep it as interesting as I can! Speaking of cooking, I want to purchase a vegan cookbook for inspiration. I know that there are a seemingly endless number of great ones out there but I really can only get one. Suggestions?! Please and thank you :). Alright well, I am beyond in need of sleep so I think I'm going to get ready for bed now. I've got another working day ahead of me! Be back soon!