T.G.I.F! O man, I am so happy this week is almost done! Ah, I am so worn out! 2 AP tests down, one today, and my last on will be on Tuesday. These tests are so incredibly dumb. They give you way to much time and I always end up sitting and staring at the wall or trying not to fall sleep for at least an hour on each section. Anyway, I am glad that Latin one is over...it was not fun, but not as horrible as I thought, just way to much time! I am so looking forward to the weekend and getting some work done, cooking! (finally!), yoga yoga yoga, and just simply vegging out! Plus it is Mother's, mom's, mama's, ma's, mommy's, mum's, maternal parent's Day on Sunday! I have some fun stuff planned...see below!
Here is my 17th link-up to FTSF (Finish The Sentence Friday)! FTSF is that you are given a sentence each week and you finish it however you want, long or short. This week’s sentence was, "Dear mom..."
Dear Mom,
You are cordially invited on May 11th, 2014, to a formal dining experience at Culinary Perfections by Rebecca Pytell. You will have a fine-dining experience at this elegant yet cozy establishment. Dishes will feature fresh, wholesome, organic, and local ingredients all transformed on site into mouth-watering delicacies never before seen. We stick to strict cleanliness and food allergy standards to prevent any cross-contamination and so you can breathe-easy. We are having a special Mother's Day service where you will be treated like a queen to thank you for all the loving, caring, and work you do. Your dinner will be provided free of charge, just sit back and enjoy the ambiance. Please arrive promptly at 5:10pm dressed in your Sunday finest. You will be seated at out most requested table with a special guest to share you dinner and night with. We can't wait to have you at our establishment and provide you with dining experience you will never forget.
Sincerely,
Culinary Perfections by Rebecca Pytell
SS Posts from the week:
Saturday: I Think I Found A New Like With #VegaBars
Monday: Power Monday #43 The 2014 Gluten-Free Challenge
Tuesday: Pineapple Strawberry Smoothie
Wednesday: Lentil Paleo Wrap Burritos + Hidden Sources Of Gluten
Thursday: Gluten-Free Products To Try
Blog Posts and Links I loved this week:
Life, Mind, Body, Spirit:
Need some help with confidence and self-love? Read this post!
+ Stop The Negative Self Talk! 5 Tips To Turn It Around And Improve Performance
What you say in your head can be majorly holding you back from success.
+ 6 Ways To Become Incredibly Sexy
Yes! Let's all be sexy and confident 😉
+ How To Friggin' HUSTLE
Yea, go get it!
Are you an "over fixer"? Can you just let things be?
+ What Are You Doing TO Your Body?
It is not about "doing", but what you do for your body!
+ Be Here. Right Now.
Beautiful. Let the worries go and be present.
Love this girl's outlook! You should feel better and better about yourself as you get older! Confidence kids, that is what it's all about!
+ Fatigue Is Voluntary
Do not give up! Do not give up!
+ Now we're Questioning Encouragement?
I love Cori's response to this article and totally agree with her. This is a must read!
+ 8 Lessons I've Learned From My Dog
What a sweet beautiful pet can teach you about life! Plus I think Atticus is one of the cutest pugs! <3
Fitness:
+ Ask A Yogini: What Does Vinyasa Mean?
My favorite type of yoga. But Vinyasa also is a movement!
+ Picking The Right Running Shoe - Science Or Art Form?
A running shoe is not just a pair of flip-flops. There are so many factors to consider.
+ Where Earth Meets Skyscraper: My 25 Favorite NYC Running Snapshots
Now I hate NYC, but these just kill that feeling. Beautiful!
+ Five Ways Failing At Handstand Has Made Me A Better Yogini
This is what yoga is all about! Challenging yourself and celebrating small successes along the way.
Read and learn all about the yoga bandhas!
The evolution of a love for strength!
+ Compound Movements Mean EFFICIENT Workouts!
Love the KB Swings! But Thrusters...o, they kill me!
+ 3 Tips To Master Challenging Yoga Poses At Home
I have been making some major strides in new poses lately! And guess what? It is all on my own!
Food:
+ Diet Cults - You Are Not What You Eat
Having a label to "hide" behind will not make you any better than anyone else. Just eat for yourself and your optimal health!
It is possible! I always see great looking "Paleo" recipes, but then always cry because they contain a mass amount of eggs :/
+ My 7-Step Plan For Quickly Cleaning The Kitchen Before Guests Arrive
Why can't the kitchen just stay clean? Maybe because it is the most used room in the house...at least in my house.
+ 8 Tips For Successful Meal Planning
Great tips!
+ What's The Deal With Protein
All about protein and guess what? You don't need to eat meat! Why is that so hard for people to grasp?
Health:
+ Is Ibuprofen Causing Leaky Gut & Making Your Sick?
Bad, bad, bad! I have not taken Advil or any of the like in years.
+ Is Stress Sabotaging Your Health And Fitness Goals?
Stress is so bad. It affects your health in so many ways.
+ Why Do We Keep Our Home Gluten Free? (Why Wouldn't You?)
Beautiful! This is what support is all about 🙂
+ A Note To A Friend Interested In Being Healthy
Always encourage and help anyone who wants to get healthy!
+ The REAL Secret Of Eating Disorders
A completely honest and eye-opening post from Natalie.
Blogging & Social Media:
+ Better Blogging Series: 15 Quick Tips For Pinterest Success
I have been slowly doing some more organizing of my huge recipe boards. There are just so many pins, it gets so overwhelming!
+ What Makes A Good Product To Review
Are you really picky with your product reviews?
+ My Stats Monitor Was A Gremlin
Do you fall victim to your own blog stats?
Sometimes when ew step back from this crazy blogging world, we see what we are missing. But we always seem to get drawn right back in.
Beauty & Fashion:
+ DIY Soothing Cucumber Lotion
O, this looks so lovely. Have you ever made your own lotion or cosmetics?
Favorite Pins:
(Follow me on Pinterest – RebeccaGF666)
Wavy Hair. O, so pretty. My hair is rather boring...
Strawberry Mint Quinoa. Okay, this looks absolutely amazing! So fresh and beautiful for spring! I love it, don't you just want to dive right into that?!
Golden Beetroot Risotto. No cheese here! Just pure bliss in a bowl 😉
Almond Joy Chia Pudding. So I am not sure if I will ever get on the chia pudding bandwagon, but this recipe looks to good to pass up!
Spring Griller. The perfect sandwich in my opinion! Just use some GF bread! 😉
Wok-Seared Cashews with Scallions and Sesame. Cashews make my world go 'round.
A few things I loved about my week or am grateful for:
+ Getting through AP Psych and AP Latin!
+ Some really awesome stuff will be happening with my job at Plant Fusion! We have tons of new ideas and things in the work. Once school is over I will be able to focus a lot more time and getting things together and I am so excited!
+ I am so happy you all are liking the Gluten-Free Challenge and Gluten-Free posts! I have so many more great topics to discuss! Make sure you comment if you want to join in on the fun!
+ I will end with saying I am grateful for my beautiful mom. She is the perfect mom because she always does her best with taking care of my brother and I. She makes me feel safe and loved. I always say this, but she really is my best friend. When someone is always there for you and will never let you down, that is what makes a best friend and I have only found that in her. I am there for her and she is there for me. We can talk about anything with each other and we both support each other though the rough stuff. We have needed each other more and more over the last few years, it has tested our relationship and I am positive that it really is the best! A mom is something special and can be found in so many different ways in a person. A mom is love, care, nurturing, safety, kindness, self-less, generosity, strength, confidence, beauty, and whole-heartedly giving all they have to see the best for there loved ones. That is a mom, that is my mom. I love you Mommy! XOXO
So Tell Me:
+ What do you love about you mom?
+ What do you call your mom? I always called her mommy, but over the last few years I usually just say mom now. I still like mommy though 😉
+ Planning any fun Mother's Day shenanigans? Or are you a mom and hoping for something special?
+ Any specific topics you want me to cover for the Gluten-Free Challenge?
Have a lovely weekend friends! Share it with loves ones, moms and all!
———————————————-
Stay connected: Facebook: Strength and Sunshine Twitter: @RebeccaGF666 Instagram: rebeccagf666 Pinterest: RebeccaGF666 Bloglovin’: Strength and Sunshine
Danielle (@itsaharleyylife)
Thank you for sharing! (:
Strength and Sunshine
Your welcome Danielle 🙂
jessielovestorun
You sure did share many awesome links to check out (hello 101 egg paleo ideas!), but you should also know - your posts this week were just as lovely 😀 Hope you had a wonderful Mother's Day!
Strength and Sunshine
Thank you so much Jessie! Your so sweet 🙂 I was able to make Mother's Day pretty good for my mom so I'm happy 🙂
Lindsay Cotter (@LCCotter)
loved your posts this week too friend! so awesome and love the lentil wrap!
Strength and Sunshine
Thank you Lindsay! XOXO
Anna (@AnnaFitfunner)
Great Mother's Day post! Your Mom will definitely appreciate both the post and the wonderful meal!
Strength and Sunshine
Yes! Hopefully everything runs smoothly!
clare @ fitting it all in
love your links each week!
Strength and Sunshine
Thanks Clare 🙂
Nichole
That is such a cute letter to your mom!! I bet she is going to love that!! Have so much final!! You're almost done with school just keep pushing:) you've got this!
Strength and Sunshine
Thank you 😉
And yes! Less than a month! I just need to get to June 13th!
fitnessmomwinecountry
I am going through your post again Rebecca because your food photos/links are so awesome.. I must check them out more...I love the love you have for your mom...:)
Strength and Sunshine
Haha, thank you sweetheart! Have fun reading and have a beautiful Mother's Day! XOXO
Live from La Quinta
Thanks for sharing my post. That is a beautiful picture with you, your brother, and your mom. That recipe for the Chickpea and pea pesto grilled sandwich looks amazing!
Strength and Sunshine
Well, thank you love!
It so does! The perfect summertime lunch 🙂
Hailey @ Striding Strong
Aww loved the letter to your mom :). Nothing wrong with calling your mom, mommy. I still call momma and I’ll be 25 soon. Haha. My mom is my best friend too for all those reasons you listed. Our plans for Mother’s Day is to go see the movie The Other Woman with my brother and sister-in-law. It looks pretty funny 🙂
Strength and Sunshine
Aw, I hope you have a wonderful time! I heard a lot of people liked that movie, but I know nothing about it!
Teresa Kander
Love the letter to your mom….and the picture of you with her and your brother.
Strength and Sunshine
Thank you! Its an old reused picture from Christmas, but we just never seem to have up to date photos!
Dana
Sounds like your mom will have a great Mother’s Day! My teen still calls me Mommy sometimes – I love it. Thanks for including my blogging post in your list of articles, Rebecca, and have a great weekend!
Strength and Sunshine
Have a beautiful Mother's Day Dana 🙂
thelatchkeymom
What a sweet and thoughtful daughter you are! My daughter is only 9, but I hope I get an invite like that one day:)!
Strength and Sunshine
I'm sure she had something special up her sleeve 😉
Lizzy - Muddle-Headed Mamma
Your mum is a very lucky lady! My mouth is watering at the thought of all that yummy wholesome food! You’ve got a really interesting list of blog links there too, so I’m off to browse some of them now 🙂 Happy Mothers’ Day to your mum!
Strength and Sunshine
Thanks Lizzy! Have a wonderful Mother's Day yourself!
Fairytalesandfitness
You remind me I need to check out Pinterest more often! Happy friday! #SPA
Strength and Sunshine
I love Pinterest! My recipe database 😉
Tina Muir
You are so cute!!! Oh my gosh, I cannot believe how adorable that message at the start is! If I was a mum, I would be so proud of you!
Love the linkups as always, I have read quite a few, but now I have a lot more 🙂
As I cannot be with my mum for mothers day, I love her because she is the most caring person in the world, always puts my sister and I before anything. She is the sweetest person ever, and I could not miss her any more 🙂 Happy Mothers Day to all the Moms/Mums/Mamas out there 🙂
Strength and Sunshine
Haha, thanks Tina 😉
I'm sure your mom is absolutely amazing! She raised one fabulous daughter 🙂
Janine Huldie
I loved that picture at the end of you, your mom and your brother and will say that it sounds like you have the perfect evening planned for her this Mother's Day. No doubt she will enjoy and seriously I think you are one hell of a daughter and know your mom has to be so very proud of you!! 🙂
Strength and Sunshine
Thank you so much Janine! XOXO I hope you have a glorious and well deserved Mother's Day! Your daughters are blessed to have you 🙂
jillconyers
Wow, so many awesome links. I can't resist checking out the yoga and blogging articles.
Have a fabulous day Rebecca 🙂
Strength and Sunshine
Thanks Jill! Have fun reading! XOXO Have a great Mothers day!