Things I Love Right Now

I am firmly in the doldrums of winter, I think.  Tired, cranky, all I want is bad-for-me carbs and sweets and the motivation to exercise is dwindling.  (But don't worry- I'm still working out 6 days a week- logging about 20 miles and 2 sessions of strength training- I just resent it!  Ha!)

We're doing our best to stay on the straight and narrow but I find myself trying to rationalize calling in sick, one more biscuit with butter, another chai...

And so, in my grand tradition of trying to pull myself up by my bootstraps and remember the good shit, here's a list of (healthy) stuff I'm loving right now:

1.  Classical music.  I listen to our local NPR station's classical frequency at work and I find that it gives a nice sophisticated calm to my day.  They play really great stuff.  Lately I've been pairing it with

2.  Green tea with local honey.  Nom.  I feel much better when I have a big thermos of this in the morning...its scary but I think coffee and I may have broken up for now...

3.  Avocados and blueberries.  These have both been on good sales at the supermarket lately and the nutrients and antioxidants really do give me a boost. 

I've been putting avocado in pretty much anything and everything or just eating them on their own, scored and salted then drizzled with lime juice.  Their (good) fat content satisfies my cravings for fatty fatty goodness.  (For the most part :) )

The blueberries have a place in my cereal bowl every morning and go after that sweet craving I've got going on right now.

4.  Books, blankets and rice bags.  Nearly my favorite part of every day is when I finally get to curl up under my down comforter, crack open a book (or turn one on, if I'm using my e-reader, heh) and snuggle in with a warm rice bag on my aching, stress-harboring shoulders.  Heaven.

5.  Soup.  I've been making this veggie-packed Minestrone (from my favorite cookbook)  and it is nourishing and filling and healthy- onions, garlic, celery, carrots, zucchini, tomatoes, chick peas, pasta...the only think I really do differently is use chicken stock or broth instead of water.  We've had this at least once a week for the past month or so and we're all addicted.

6.  Of course, my kiddo is a bright spot of color in this monochromatic landscape of winter.  I'm so lucky to be his mama.  We've been taking advantage of any sunny days that come our way by going outside for as long as possible, which seems to pay off in lifted moods.  I lurves him.

And hey!  Its almost February.  And we have a fat tax return headed our direction, which is always heartening.  See?  It's all going to be ok.