Encouragement and Challenges

This kitten picture actually has nothing to do with encouragement or challenges, but it's my foster kitten Maggie Moo and sometimes I am just overwhelmed with her cuteness so I thought I'd share. :) She's also up for adoption through Tenth Life Cats if you're in the market for an adorable kitty cat!

My favorite weight loss/fitness blogger, Kim, from Living, Laughing, Losing is hosting a weight loss challenge on DietBet.com. For $15 I joined the challenge to lose 4% of my body weight in 4 weeks. Wish me luck! If I win, me and the other winners get to split the pot, which is now up to $600. I could use some cash. :)

I want to give a shout out to my friends old and new who read this blog. Every little bit of encouragement helps so much. Knowing that you all are reading this really means a lot and does wonders to help me stay on track! Also, I love that some of you comment in person and tell me what you would have written if you did comment on the blog. It's adorable and I love that you are lurking and sending me happy thoughts! A special thanks to my baby cousin who is also a blogger (and is now over 30, WTF) who read the whole thing start to finish in one sitting! Please don't stop being awesome, every damn one of you. ((((hugs))))

In preparation for the challenge this week, I did some cooking so lunch wouldn't be such a hassle and also so I could save a few bucks. The food on campus is quite good, but it's also pricey. This week's lunch menu is all about spinach and the adorable pear tomatoes from my garden. Also blue cheese. And olives. And all things sour and vinegary. I don't have a picture of it, but I made some pickled banana peppers (we grow them every year and finally I figured out what to do with them!) I'm waiting for them to finish marinating so I can add that to my salad, too. Bring the heat, baby!

I've been dreaming about peaches lately, so this past weekend I went to my favorite orchard about an hour from my house and got a gazillion pounds of them. A peck and a half to be exact. I've processed a peck and still have a half peck to deal with. I might dry them. I haven't decided. 

Every once in a while I can't get pictures to cooperate and land right side  up,
but I promise you these peaches are SO FREAKING GOOD, even sideways.

I have already eaten a jar of the canned peaches and I had to stop myself from downing the peachy infused syrup they are soaking in. This particular peach is called a yellow stone and I highly recommend it. Buy ALL THE PEACHES.

I've been feeling really drained by the heat and haven't had much mojo for exercising. It's been so dang hot even breathing seems taxing. Dear universe, please give us a break, 107 is too hot for even this heat-loving girl; we are not lizards. Tomorrow I'm making myself go to the air conditioned gym no matter what. In fact, I might move in if it's cooler than my house (my a/c unit is the little a/c that couldn't, it's barely holding its own). I'll just sleep a pile of yoga mats and sustain myself with protein smoothies until the heat breaks.

Alrighty kids, time for me and the fuzzy pooch to snuggle.