Bites of My Life

Life is busy, but full of only fun things. Something I’ve struggled with the past year. Something I complain about, but feel silly when I do. As someone who thrives and absolutely recharges by having down time, this stage of life has exhausted me a bit. Weddings, parties, happy hours, etc. All things I absolutely love doing, but still… I’m not sure there is a fix, besides doing my best to carve out more ‘me’ time. I’m ranting and don’t really know the point of all this besides to say, life is busy, but life is fun. A double edge sword, that I think I’m okay with…

-i’m officially a paraphernalia junky. Thanks sis for my shop girl mug! My movie and tv show coffee mug and crewneck sweatshirt collection is near but not yet out of control.
-Valentine’s Day dinner at ‘Annie’s Express.’ Much thanks to The Defined Dish and her Paleo Lemon Chicken (from her new book)!
-Vday tulips in my new vase I’m obsesssssed with!
-Ladies night with my special Sladies! TY to our host for the cozy vibes and soup topped with potato chips.
-Was reminded by a friend this week that I need to be drinking more poppi. This stuff is good, and good for you.
-Friday foot massage turn up!
-Back on the Blender Bombs smoothie train this past week. This chocolate raspberry concoction was top notch. ANNIE10 for 10% off your BB purchase!
-Tiny tacos and tinis with some of my best!
-Sunday mahjong lives on no matter who or where!

Annie

Bites of My Life

A full week of fun friend time, a weekend with family, capped with a Sunday night spent with more bffs has me ~feeling the love~ for Valentine’s Day. You can bet I’m in a pink sweater at work today, Rom Com Valentine is on in my airpods, and Defined Dish healthy Chinese food is on the menu tonight. I’m happy to report February is trumping those dreadful January blues. Proof in the pud here.

-First time making tofu for myself. The recipe was on point, but I didn’t use extra firm tofu and that was my first mistake.
-Another successful galentine’s in the books. PJ-themed and not without heart-shaped pizza.
-When the movie scene inspo meets the result.
-Early spring pieces thanks to The Avenue.
-Pulled into Austin right around happy hour on Friday.
-We always get *blessed* with yucky weather when visiting Austin. Friday was gorgeous and Saturday was rainy and cold. My brother-in-law and I made Alison Roman’s One Pot Chicken with Caramelized Lemons and Dates and it was superb for a chilly night.
-Attempted my first run of a copy-cat to Honor Bar’s Trout Dip. It’s one of my favorite things and my first go was close. Hoping to perfect and post soon.
-Biggest sis and littlest nephew!
-North on I-35 just in time for the Super Bowl with this crazy crew.

Annie

Bites of My Life

Letting the pictures do the talking today. Keep scrolling and reading. K thanks bye!

-Have you ever made Sheet-Pan curry? Pretty genius. I used this recipe.
-Cutie pre-valentine nails with a neon pink tip.
-Drinks on a Monday, who is she? But when it’s with one of your best friends and you girl talk for an hour, it’s worth it. Highly rec the bar at DL Macks.
-I bought ingredients for veggie tacos, but quickly realized they weren’t cutting it, so I added some cheese and turned my meal prep into black bean and mushroom quesadillas.
-Woke up Thursday to snow and ice! I didn’t really believe the weatherman that this would happen, but it was a fun surprise.
-A snow day needed cookies, but I didn’t have everything I needed for perfect CCCs, so I came up with this vegan riff.
-When my weekend reunion with my college friends fell through, I had to make some plans to get out of the house after being cooped up from the snow. Tequila, tex mex, and the best tres leches cake did the trick.
-Unexpected and unplanned weekends are my FAVORITE. A leisurely Saturday afternoon day drinking, dinner, and games with my OU crew filled my cup to the top.
-Mahjong Sundays are going strong and the best way to cap the weekend! How cute is this Amazon set?

Annie

Less than a week until Valentine’s day, have you listened to Rom Com Valentine yet? And let’s give some attention to my OG Val playlist.

Bites of My Life

Wait…it’s still January? No way.

-I cooked from Camille Styles 5-day Plant-Based meal plan last week and loved the recipes. I only made it through 2-3 recipes, but I’m carrying them over and making a few more this week. Last week was the lentil salad with roasted vegetables and green smoothie, this week is the black bean tacos and sheet-pan curry.
-New Colleen Hoover! Didn’t have much time for reading last week, but can’t wait to dive into it this week.
-Gosh I just love friends. Friends are the best, especially these 4!
-Is that you I see celery juice?? Welcome back old friend.
-Friday lunch at my new obsession Trova Wine Bar. I had happy hour drinks here last week and the best veggie sandwich for lunch this week.
-Night in with my mocktail and Jess Mariano. Quickly followed by popcorn and binging the whole season of Maid on Netflix.
-Name that restaurant. Not pictured: a round of cosmos.
-Sunday morning granola baking had my apartment smelling amaze.
-Sunday mahjongg with my fellow crack dragons 😜!

Annie

P.S. come back for a fun post tomorrow :) Hint Rom Com….

Bites of my Life

Do you journal? I was talking with a couple friends about how I’m a journaler. Accidentally might I add. I never set out to or have really thought about how much I journal. What likely started as prayer journals and notes I took on middle school church trips, has turned into stacks of personal journals over the years. I write to God, I write to myself, I vent, I recap, I write about anything. In addition to my paper journals, these bites posts have become my digital journal entries. I absolutely love to go back and reach old bites posts and feel so thankful for these accidental years of journaling on paper and web.

-I visited a new to me coffee shop a couple of times last week. It’s cozy, has delicious matcha, and allowed me to be extremely productive. I’m now hooked and I’m about to spend $6 too often to sip on matcha and work there more.
-A recent RTR rented coat that I just couldn’t be more obsessed with.
-I’m addicted to lattes ahhhh! I go through phases of loving making coffee and matcha at home and then phases, like I’m currently in, where I only what to buy a creamy latte out.
-Dinner by Pete! A recipe I would maybe look over, but totally loved. Perks of having a sous chef!
-Popcorn for dessert is a favorite weeknight dessert ;) Now I love an after-dinner sweet, but popcorn always does the trick too!
-I’m hooked on using the Libby app for loaning books on my Kindle. I just finished Malibu Rising, It was OK, if you read it, what did you think?
-I can’t believe I’m even posting this photo, but sister had a bit too much accidental fun Friday night, and I 100% blame these little red jell-o shots.
-Was grateful to wake up Sunday to have a healthy and productive day starting with this golden milk smoothie (inspired by this old recipe of mine), grocery shopping, meal prepping, a walk with a freind, and finishing my book.
-Was on a bit of a stuffed sweet potato kick last week. Essentially just quick cooking sweet potatoes in the microwave and then stuffing with whatever I had in the pantry and fridge.

Annie