Save A Horse, Ride A…..Camel?!

Happy Weekend, my fellow bloggies/blog readers!

This weekend has been busy, yet wonderful…as always!  Started out with a fannnn-tastic Saturday full of Eight To The Eight action!  We went to a local park for a 6 mile hike to the top of a massive Fire Tower….some of the views in this place are gorgeous!

Even the deer needed a break from the sweltering heat!  Snapped this pic as she cooled herself in the shallow waters.

The race up was intense!!!!  Brian from the Black Team narrowly beat the others and claimed the prize!  He BOOKED it up the mountain!

We hung the winning medal on the base of the “Fire Tower” which is this HUGE tower that overlooks our city:

Check that bad boy out!!!!  Scary stuff!  (I don’t ever go up it, it is too rickety!)  A fellow BLOG GIRL did go up the tower!!!

Emily came with us today!!!!  :-D  :-D  :-D

All in all, one fantastic day!  Can I also just say what a workout it is to try and JOG a trail run with massive rolling hills!  Worked those hamstrings way harder than I anticipated!  Awesome workout, though.  I can’t get enough of this park…..and being outside in general this time of year.

Once I had finally made it back down, and waiting on the teams….I snacked on one of the little cuties that were sent to me courtesy of The Protein Bakery!

This was the perfect carb replenishment I needed post-hike/jog!

Can I also just randomly mention my absolute favorite method for consuming my precious Chia Seeds?!?!

I like to water down a Crystal Light Fitness packet, and then add the Chia Seeds!  It turns into a gel’d up flavored water!  So good.  The consistency takes some getting used to, and I am pretty sure you either hate it or love it.  I happen to love it.

After a day of heat and sweat, a nice dinner was needed to wind down the Saturday!

Thai food is always an instant win.  I went with the peanut sauce over mixed veggies, with steamed brown rice.

There also may have been some Martini action involved.  Come on people, when the owner is begging you to “sample” some of his favorites….how can a blogger resist?

mmmmmmmm.

After a day of Thai, hiking, and hot sun…..I can’t think of a better way to ring in the summer than a free Summer Solstice yoga session in the park!  My favooooorite instructor, and all around awesome human, Wendy led a free session under the stars!  It was beyond fantastic.  It was dark, so no pictures.  I will let your imaginations run wild.  Needless to say, I will not be happy until I complete this pose…which was a complete FAIL last night!

With that awesome Saturday to a close, it was time for an equally rockin’ Sunday which included a trip to the ZOO!!!!!!!  The inner animal freak in my was as giddy as a school girl with all the animal anticipation!

(notice the murse…)

Lots of fun animal encounters!!!!

The face only a mother could love…………………….or me.

The “random nerdy tourist” photos continued….

We also did what everyone secretly wants to do on a daily basis.

Ride a CAMEL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Eek!!!!  So much fun!

This bad boy needed a bath.

More zoo shenanigans:

Also picked up a new bracelet to commemorate the trip!  (It’s the blue one)

We also ate at a new to me, and super yummy Vegetarian friendly place in Knoxville, Tomato Head!

One sandwich immmmmmediately caught my eye, mostly because of all the cheesy goodness.

(I opted for fruit instead of the standard blue corn chips)

We also stopped by one of my favorite grocery store, Fresh Market, and picked up one of my FAVORITE cookies of all time.  (Heck, I am going to go ahead and throw out there that this is, indeed, my favorite cookie.)

And on THAT note, dears……..I am bidding you farewell as I sit at the Starbizzle…blogging, and updating Eight To The Eights schtuff.

Question -O- The Weekend:

What is your FAVORITE cookie.  Why?

Craezy Thursday!

Thursdays are nuts!  With KidFit at 4:00 and Total Body at 6:00, I am running around like a mad man!  Where did I leave off….oh yes, lunch!  :-D  While prepping for my classes I decided it was a fruity sort of day, and listened to what my body was craving/screaming.

I started my cereal/fruit bowl by mixing the “wet” ingredients, which were the natural peach jam, AB, and Greek Yogurt (hmmm…like my Giveaway???  More on that at the end of this post)

I then added my diced fruit… (strawberries/nectarine)

Topped with my cereal(s), mixed, and bathed it all in some cinnamon.

Who wouldn’t want to eat this for lunch, may I ask?!?!

Got to work on some new moves for Total Body HIIT, and then headed to Johnson City for KidFit!  We had a ton of kids and it was super fun.  I had them run lots of suicides, needless to say they were red-faced and sweating.  Mission accomplished.  Before class (and still not running because of the injured knee) I tackled 30 minutes on my beast of choice, the elliptical.

Chowed down on this between gyms:

Oh, Nutz Over Chocolate….you are simple, yet still my favorite.  Although your cousin Peppermint Stick comes in a close second, so watch your back, ya dig?

It was then time to head to the YMCA for Total Body HIIT!  Was totally stoked because another local blogger, Ashlie was coming!!!!  She is super sweet and I adore her blog!  Here was the agenda for class

(pardon the chicken like scratch handwriting.)

Everything should be self explanitory except for “Baby Makers!”  hahahahaha.  This is a KILLER move where you take a resistance band/strap, loop it through the risers of the bench…secure it to your feet, and then lift them straight in the air.  We would take them down and up slowly, and hold high pulses.  They killlllllllllll the inner thigh, it is fun times.  This is the most “groan” worthy move for sure.  Try it out, and tell me what you think!  Here were some random class shots!

Here is Ashlie and I in post-sweat glory!  Is she not adorable?!

And she came bearing gifts!  LOOK, the elusive Coconut Butter!

SCORE!  Does she know me well or what??  I think this is going to be the beginning of a beautiful friendship.  YOU ROCK ASHLIE!

Also, another veggie (no blog ) friend was kind enough to bring me DINNER when she came to class tonight!  Check this out:

I love homemade goodies, and having this quick and easy dinner right after class was perfection!  I headed to the Holiday Inn to visit some workin’ pals, and enjoyed my dinner right there and then.

Check out all the Quinoa goodness…

The soup was amazing as well!

And the best thing about visiting friends at the Holiday Inn….COOKIES!!!!

This little cranberry/oatmeal gem was the perfect end to a delicious dinner.

From meeting Ashlie, to her coconut butter gift, to a FREE veggie/delicious dinner, and a cookie courtesy of some good friends…..today has been an awesome day.  I have been GIVEN everything today, now it is YOUR turn to receive!

Entries start NOW for the Oikos Greek Yogurt Giveaway!

My friends at Oikos are giving one lucky reader 4 of these beauties (any flavor!)

And one of these big beauties:

You also get this cute tote:

All you have to do is comment, in this post.  Tell me why you want to win Greek Yogurt, and provide your email so that I can contact you once the giveaway is over.  Also, since the theme of this post has been gifts/kindness…tell about the best thing you have ever given/received!  ;-)

Good luck bloggies!  I will keep voting open until Sunday at midnight, at which point I will use a random number generator to choose a winner!  One post per person, please! Happy voting, and good luck!

Spin class at 5:45 tomorrow morning, which means it is most certainly sleepy time for this blogger boy.  Later days!