FOOD PORN!!

Time for that food porn post I promised.  

I now have access to farmer's markets 6 days a week. I've walked through all of them with my heart and baskets full. :) I need to get a job to support my new habit! The kid has accompanied me to a bunch of them and has loved it too! 

I also found THE most amazing spice shop called Buck's! The lady who runs it is super cool and she ships all over the world. I felt like I was walking into a shop from Harry Potter. I almost piddled on her floor in excitement! Check out her site for more info  http://culinaryexotica.com/

Yesterday we took a 15 minute drive to go purchase eggs from a local farm. The chickens ran right up to us to say hello when we arrived. Thirteen Cedars Farm also raises lamb to sell for meat. We met the lambs that will provide meat for our table come winter. They are treated VERY well and they don't even leave the farm for "processing". 

http://localhens.com/farms/profile/thirteen-cedars-farm/

Same with my chicken ladies from G and H Farms. I'll be going to visit them at some point but they are a bit farther out. The difference in the meat from grocery store meat is VERY noticeable!
http://gandhpasturedpoultry.com/

Several amazing local bakeries too...no crap added. Loving the baked stuff a little too much based on the way my pants are fitting. 

http://8armsbakery.com/

http://www.blueheronbakery.com/

http://sfsbakery.com/

Now for the food---all this has been made/consumed within the last 3 weeks. :) Lots of fish from the Olympia Seafood Company and almost all local produce. 

We've dine out a lot more than usual too. Here a just a few pics of the tasty things we've bought/eaten. 

Tugboat Annie's 

Twister Donuts

Two Sisters Tea Room

Darby's 

Lots of good vino consumed too. I've branched out into whites twice and found two not too terrible ones that are WA made. Lots of Ruby Hill reds consumed too.

Annnnnnndddd a few obligatory scenery pics because I'm so freaking in love with where I live! :) 

There's No Place Like Home

Well...we moved to WA and it feels damn good to be here. I've gotten emotional at least 4 times while exploring our new hometown. It's gorgeous, there's a HUGE slow foods movement, lots of quirky people/shops and I truly love it. Our kid has met a couple of neighborhood buddies that he gets to play with almost daily. My heart feels happy and full. :) I miss my amazing peeps back in CA very much but I know I'll stay friends with them and several are planning to come visit soon.

Since this is a fitness blog mostly, ya'll know I'm headed towards something fitness related right? I took almost 2 weeks off (lifted once, ran 3 times) and I'm trying to get back into the game. This week I lifted Monday and Tuesday.  It's been tough. I've not been sleeping well since we moved (it's light like almost 915 pm for frack's sake!!) and I've been eating like an asshole (my friend Knapp coined
that phrase and I like it so I'm using it). I attempted the whole IIFYM approach and was trying to consume 1700 cals a day while burning upwards of 2200-2700 on high activity days. Waking up and 530 am and unpacking my house til I dropped at night, not sleeping and underfueling....yeah...that's smart. No wonder I lost my mojo. My runs have been slow, my lifts as week as can be. I've cried over how uncomfortable I've felt in the new gym and in my own skin. Two of my new neighbors are awesome fantastically fit ladies and of course I'm comparing myself to them and everyone else around me...tearing myself apart daily. Nothing fits, my poor belly is massive and I just feel like shit on a cracker in general.  I feel like I "don't look like I lift" or like I'm a fitness lover. I feel like I'm out of shape and doughy.YUCK! You can tell me it's silly, you can compliment me all day long....it won't be taken to heart. I have a ton of work to do on my inside before I'll every appreciate the hard work I've put into the outside. **sigh** I'll get there. It's time to mentally reset for sure.

Been thinking a LOT about my goals and what I want. Truly, as always, I want to love myself as I am and appreciate how far I've come. I think I need to take a step back from focusing on specific physique goals like bigger guns or leaning out. I want to workout because I LOVE to workout. I want to focus on being a better athlete all around while enjoying life with my family. Today I slept in and didn't run but I DID go for a 22.9 mile bike ride with my hubby. It was glorious. I'd like to give myself some flexibility in my training so I can actually ENJOY what I'm doing instead of being such a hard-ass about it. I have a 4 day a week lifting routine I'm going to follow for a while just so I have a game plan. I'll run at least one day a week and bike as much as I can. I can't get over how bike friendly Olympia is! :) I want to get back to making fitness part of my daily routine. I need it...it's my xanax and it's cheaper than therapy.

That's the long and short of where I'm at right now both physically and mentally. Expect a food porn and scenery pic to come soon! :)