Hello world, Sara here!!!  Guyyyyyyys, where the hell is SPRING!?!?  This meme is everything right now:

Last week when we last spoke I was making what ended up being maybe my favorite meal ever…or at least for right now #ilovefavorites Potsticker burgers, butternut squash fries and asian coleslaw! All of the recipes are on our Pinterest page with is: meatballsgetfit and they are under the board “today 2”.

I also treated myself to some disposable gloves for the kitchen…have we talked about my obsession with not getting salmonella!?

These were a life saver (LITERALLY) when mixing the raw turkey for the burgers!!!

Then Monday, out of nowhere, it snowed in Raleigh!!!

When I was a kid, there was no more exciting news in this world than the possibility of snow.  I would glue myself to the tv to watch for snowclosures…just waiting to see Wake County scroll by.  As an adult…I do NOT feel the same.  First of all “snow” in the south is usually ice.  We aren’t prepared, we don’t know how to drive (as anyone who did not grow up here but lives here now will tell you repeatedly) and honestly….it’s March, enough with this shit!  My mom loves snow and I know so many others who still delight in this weather, so this ins’t meant to squash your love.  But when you work in a commission field, your want to be open and to have clients who can make it in is high!!!  Luckily, the snow ended up just being beautiful and totally gone the next day.  Sooooo, all that bitching for nothing hahaha!  Ben came over and we enjoyed the beautiful snow globeish flakes and a healthy, delicious classic: Korean Beef!!!

Ben loves ALL the sriracha….and it was cold so it was a great way to warm up.  This meal is so comfy and so incredibly easy to make, which I really appreciate now that I cook all the time.  Tuesday was sunny and beautiful and it was hard to believe that the day before was dumping sweet little buckets of snow.  Work was amazing and then I came home to cook another weeknight favorite: Spicy ground turkey and green beans!

Which became an instant Wednesday night date night classic!  I added a spring mix salad with pine nuts and Tessemae’s Ranch dressing to beef it up since I had already been eating on it for a few meals!  I also saw Terri from Structural Wisdom on Wednesday, my structural integratist/therapist/shaman and I just love her.  I feel like I’ve been taking everything really personally lately and that isn’t always like me.

So we talked it through and decided that I suppressed my feelings for so long that I may just be trying to sift through my actual feelings and she gave me some great coping mechanisms!  Plus we worked on my constantly twisted body and working out the kinks.  I feel so amazing when I leave Terri, my body feels better and stronger and my heart and soul do as well!  She always helps me look at myself and how I contribute to the situation and what I can do differently.  #loveyouterri

Then Thursday rolled around…how do the weeks fly by so fast now!?!  Work was amazing and again, flew by but I’m grateful that I got to meet with my meatball! #hijenny

And then after work I did something that I haven’t done in TWO YEARS…I went to a yoga class…at a new studio!  I have really been struggling to get my butt in gear with moving my body.  I was talking about it on Wednesday and my friend Denise said, come to yoga with me.  She proactively got her phone out and we picked a class I thought I could handle…restorative flow.  Yoga has been on my brain literally for two years.  My insecurities show up in weird ways.  I don’t like going back to something when I’ve gained weight.  Now let me clarify that I realize that this is BAT SHIT CRAZY!  Honestly I’ve needed yoga so desperately, but my nerves just wouldn’t let me go.  I love feeling strong and capable and when I backslide I have a really hard time showing up again.  But the fact that we signed up for a class the next night didn’t give me much time to stress or back out.  I found a cute outfit which always makes me feel better, brought my clothes to work, changed after my last client and met Denise at Yoga Inspired off of Lead Mine and Sawmill!  My client Christine had been telling my about how much she loved this place and a lot of my co-workers had gone, so I knew it was going to be great.  I ran in to Denise’s friend and the owner of the studio, Anil as soon as I walked up!  He had a great calm energy meanwhile,  I couldn’t have had more pent up nervous energy!

The space was beautiful and the class was everything.  I even ran in to my client buddy Christine who had told me I should try it out! #fate

I really took for granted though that I haven’t spent much time on a wooden floor on my knees since my knee surgery and it was intense!!!  But what I love about yoga is that you can do you if you need to.  At times I just stood up to take the pressure off, but I for sure need to get some knee pads before I go next time!  I had forgotten all about my yoga breathing, setting intentions, breathing through poses!!! I can’t wait to go back.  I’ll be more upfront next time about my limitations so that I can know what the alternative poses are!!!  Thanks so much for a great class Anil and thank you so much Denise for bringing me back to something I love.  You made it so easy to say yes! Xoxo can’t wait to do it again!

Then wouldn’t you know it, it was already Friday.  I am the Director of Mentoring at Samuel Cole Salon as well as being behind the chair.  I work with an associate everyday and I am in charge of teaching them everything I know.  I am so grateful to be in this position, I have had the joy and pleasure of working so closely with most of my team at the salon.  The relationship that you build working so closely with someone is a dream come true for me.  I love watching the associates learn, progress, grow, become stylists, get promoted…etc…I love it all.  Friday happened to be my last day with sweet Zoey before she moves on the her new mentors and when I came in, this was on my station!

A hand written/painted card with the most thoughtful and kind words and a beautiful mason jar of fresh flowers #myfavorite in my favorite color!  Zoey, I am going to miss working with you every day, but I love seeing how much you’ve grown and can’t wait to see you on the floor!  Love you!!!

And just like that it was Saturday morning, off to acupuncture with my mom!  So relaxing!!!  She thought me how to do a Gua Sha facial to help me with my rosacea and I’m so excited to commit and see the results…this is my official before pic!

Somebody look at those rosy cheeks…and say goodbye to them!  I made lunch for me and mom after our session: Egg Roll in a Bowl!!!

Then my sister, my nephews and myself met at our parents for a cook out! I have been on a real breakfast salad kick lately…

So naturally, I brought a salad!!!

IT WAS DELICIOUS!!!!  I took at bag of spring mix salad and layered in shredded carrots, diced tomatoes, diced shallots, minced garlic, pickled jalapeños, avocados, toasted pine nuts and Tesserae’s Ranch (so good and made with great ingredients)!!!  The cookout was a blast and super healthy:

Mom made loaded baked sweet potatoes with ghee, crumbled bacon, chives and spring onions.  Kelly brought Italian sausage, chicken wings and hot dogs and her and dad cooked them to blackened perfection on the grill along with peppers and onions!  So good and look at all that green for St. Patty’s day!  We had a blast hanging out together and unlike the beginning of the week, the weather was GORGEOUS!  As you all know, I love my family.  I love that we can eat healthy together and just enjoy being together.  We are headed to the beach in a couple of weeks and I literally can’t wait for all the togetherness!!!!

And for once, I took zero pictures… I lived in the moment and snuggled all my boos!  Then I turned the amazing leftover salad bits in to breakfast this morning!

I then started laundry, got a mani with my main squeeze Lee and had my first Aldi shopping experience!  I had been a little extravagant lately and I need to reign in my spending and pay off this damn HVAC bill!  I saw a video on Facebook and the lady made it seem like you were insane if you DIDN’T shop here and save money.

I got allllll of this for $35!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Two kinds of meat, two kinds of nuts, all of the produce!!!!!  So excited to save money and get all of the things I need to stay on track.  I’m going to start cooking right after I publish this…on the menu for the beginning of the week: Chicken Chow Mein and another round of Spicy ground turkey and green beans..I just didn’t get enough last week!  Then it is off to see Black Panther again with the fam, so flipping excited!!!!!!!!!!!

Lesson learned, try new/old things again!!!  Do the things your heart is telling you to do…you can always go back!  And as always, spend the time with the ones you love!!!  One final food for thought:

Until next week!!! Xoxo