Three Ingredient Pumpkin Pie Chocolate Chip Cookies

It's fall and you know what that means...pumpkin! Pumpkin everything.

Pumpkin pie, pumpkin spice, pumpkin lattes, pumpkin bars, pumpkin pancakes, pumpkin cheesecake, but most importantly, pumpkin pie chocolate chip cookies!

Yep, you heard me. Pumpkin pie and chocolate in cookie form! No, you are not in heaven but it's pretty close.

My roommate Jessica whipped these up in a matter of minutes! The secret to her speediness? Three easy ingredients. A can of pumpkin pie, one box of spice cake, and a handful (or two) of chocolate chips.

You just mix everything together in a big bowl, place spoonfuls of batter on a cookie sheet, and pop them in the oven at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes.

Once they're cool, enjoy them as is or top with cream cheese icing. We chose to go the homemade icing route but a jar of store bought icing will work just as well!

Enjoy these ooey, gooey, warm, and delicious cookies at your next fall party or on a night in with friends (like we did!)

Question

What is your favorite way to enjoy pumpkin during the fall?

Chase Charlie 5K

Each year on family weekend the university hosts a 5k race called Chase Charlie. Charlie Cardinal is our school's mascot and he always begins the run! He doesn't finish it though, just runs a few yards. I mean, I can't blame him - I would never be able to run in that costume, especially with those huge feet!

Before the race I met up with a guy from the running club so we could run it together. I only ran twice the week before the race so I wasn't sure how I was going to feel while running but I did feel pretty good, despite going to bed after 1 a.m. the night before and having to wake up at 7! (bad idea)

I finished the race in 27:20 (Garmin time) for a pace of 8:49. Since I hadn't ran in so long, my goal for the race was to have a sub 9 mile pace and I did it!

After the race we rushed back to my apartment so I could shower and get all cleaned up for a Dean's List Recognition Ceremony. My mom (who also came to the race, hence the awesome pics!), my dad, and my dad's girlfriend, Liz, all came to the ceremony. My sister came and ate the cookies that were served before hand and then headed out.

(mom & dad)

(dad & Liz)

(Stephanie & I)

I'm really glad they were all able to make it, especially because they all had over an hour drive. I really don't know why I always schedule races the days that I have something else to go to immediately after. After my half-marathon, I had to go home and shower and go straight to a wedding! Talk about craziness. Hopefully after my next half nothing important pops up!

Question

Do you ever make plans after a big race or do you like to relax the rest of the day?

Fall Favorites - Recipes

Fall is officially here! Well it has been for almost a week but to get in the spirit I am sharing a few of my favorite fall recipes from Pinterest.

Healthy Pumpkin Muffins

Seriously, who doesn't love anything pumpkin during these chilly fall months? Invite a friend over and enjoy these while sipping coffee! (P.S. these only take TWO ingredients!)

Pumpkin Pie Spiced Popcorn Mix

Sweet, salty, and pumpkin-y! What better snack to enjoy while watching a movie this fall?!

Low-Fat Pumpkin Waffles

I don't know about you but personally I would love to wake up to these waffles on a brisk fall morning.

Question

What are your all time favorite fall recipes?

Two Months Later

I'm still alive, don't worry!

A little over two months ago I blogged saying that I was going to blog more when I could and honestly I just haven't had the time but today after my run I felt this sudden urge to hurry to the computer and let you all know that I'm still here and I plan to pop in more often!

So here's whats new: School has started back up, I'm still working, I have a speech therapy client now, and I just began training for my second half marathon in November. I have a lot on my plate so can you really blame me for hiding from the blogging world?

Here's the latest news with my running.. this afternoon I went on a 3 mile run. First off, I had to drag myself out there because I had no motivation whatsoever to go and run. Second, I set a new personal record! I ran negative splits for all 3 miles! I am so excited because that is the first time I have ever done that!

That's enough for now because I have to go write lesson plans and do homework, so now you tell me, what's new with you?

While I Was Away

Hey strangers. Or am I the stranger here? I haven't blogged in... awhile.

While I was gone I seriously debated on whether or not to keep this blog alive and active and then it hit me - I love blogging when I can. So that's what I'm going to do, blog when I can.

It was stressing me out being away from the blog and not posting anything but I've realized that life comes first. I need to focus on my classes, work, and training (I'm going to start training for another half very soon!) and will definitely update you on that!

Anyways, the only fun and exciting thing that happened when I was gone was my 21st birthday! My mom took me to Chicago for my birthday and some of her best friends tagged along! We went out to eat at a fun Italian restaurant, went to several bars (some were very interesting!), and did a little shopping on Navy Pier. It was definitely a great trip.

Speaking of trips, I'm leaving for Cali on Monday to visit family and I couldn't be more excited! I love it out there. I will share pictures when I return!

For now, enjoy some pictures from Chicago!

Question

Any exciting vacations coming up for you?! 

 

Rockin' Ribbons Headband Giveaway & Discount

I hope all of you have been having a great week! I have been busy with the summer semester winding down and working out! I was so busy for awhile that working out wasn't a priority. I am going to Cali to visit family soon so I am making it a goal to do some sort of running every day and a plank a day! If you want to stay up to date with my progress you can via Twitter.

My 21st birthday is this weekend and 4th of July is coming up so I am ready to celebrate and have some fun! To keep it fun here on the ol' blog I am offering up a fun discount code and giveaway to all of my readers!

First: the discount.

To see all of the available headband patterns and colors click here. And check out the photo albums on the site. Then message or email rockinribbonsheadbandco @ aol.com to order!

Now: the giveaway.

One lucky winner will win a Rockin' Ribbons Headband of their choice. A winner will be chosen on July 3, 2013 and will be contacted via e-mail. To enter complete use the Rafflecopter widget below. Remember, you can earn extra entries each day by coming back here and tweeting about the giveaway!

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Happy entering and have fun celebrating the holiday!

Question

How do you celebrate 4th of July?

Run For Your Lives Race Recap

As you all know, over the weekend I was able to participate in the Run For Your Lives 5k! The race took place at Boonestown Farm - the perfect place for a creepy, zombie infested run!

If you remember, I had told you all that my mom was going to strap a GoPro recorder on me to record the race. Well she did strap me up with the camera but she didn't have it turned on! Fail! She still managed to get some awesome shots of the race.

As soon as the race began we all ran out and a huge pack of zombies was waiting for us! We all sprinted our hearts out and then sighed a sigh of relief when we realized that they weren't everywhere - they just came in packs randomly throughout the race. I didn't know anyone in my group but quickly found some people that knew my mom and ran with them. It was neat to see everyone form packs and take on the zombies all at once!

There were several different obstacles throughout the race. Packs of zombies were the main one! Other things we had to do were monkey bars, crawl under barbed wire, go through a dark house that was full of wires that put off a small electric shock if you grabbed them, go through mud puddles, jump over walls, and walk waist deep through rivers. At first all of that sounds scary but trust me, it was a blast.

Mom also managed to capture a picture of me doing the final obstacle of the race. Climbing a wooden wall to get to a slide that went into a "blood" pit - can you tell I am happy that I have almost completed the race as a survivor? Once I get out of the blood pit I will have to tackle one last batch of zombies and crawl under wire to complete the race!

And I did it! I survived! Only one other person in my group had survived and the other two had transformed into zombies! It took about an hour and a half to complete the entire course. We walked and did cool obstacles more than we ran but when we ran, we ran for our lives!

We were able to take pictures in the cool zombie infested booth that RFYL had set up.

At the end of the race they handed out our t-shirts. I was so thankful that they put them in plastic bags so we wouldn't get them all wet and muddy! They also had outdoor showers there for us to clean off in. If you ever plan on doing the RFYL race remember to bring a towel! It completely slipped my mind so I had to sit in wet clothes for an hour on the drive home.

If you think this race sounds amazing then you should definitely look into running one! There are numerous locations all across the U.S. and there may be one near you! :)

On a side note: the headband I am wearing in the pictures above is a Rockin' Ribbons Headband! I did not have to readjust it once throughout the entire race. From jumping over walls to going through water, it stayed put. You can check them out HERE.

Disclaimer: I received a free entry into the RFYL race in return for advertisement before the race and a race recap after. All opinions are always my own.

Question

Would you ever be interested in doing a race like this?
 

Run For Your Lives (Countdown)

Do you guys remember me talking about the Run For Your Lives 5k race I am doing? Well it's this weekend and I couldn't be more excited! My mom and her friend are going to pick me up from school and then we are going to head down to the race. My mom just bought a new car so she was definitely sure to inform me to bring extra clothes so I don't get it all muddy ;)

(photo source)

The other exciting thing about this race is that I am going to be video-recording the entire thing while I am running it! My mom is a photographer so she is all into the techy, photo equipment. She has a special water, mud, and shock proof camera that she is going to attach to me! I think it will be so fun to capture the race, jumping through obstacles, and running away from zombies! I will be sure to share some video with you guys.

Anyways, what are your suggestions for what I should wear?! I am going to be getting super muddy and wet and this is my first race like that!

If you are interested in running a Run For Your Lives 5k race, check out all the info here. You can also read my full review of the race.

Question

What is the muddiest, dirtiest race you have ever ran? Have you ever ran in the Run For Your Lives race?

Ten on Tuesday

First I have some exciting news! Over the weekend my younger brothers graduated from high school! I was able to spend the entire weekend at home and go to their graduation and party.

Their party was a lot of fun and it is always good to see friends and family you haven't seen in awhile. And let's not forget the food. My mom made 50 pounds of shredded BBQ chicken and it was delicious!

I was told about these fun surveys and thought I would give them a try! A way for you guys to get to know me better and to have some fun here on the blog.

Ten on Tuesday

1. What is your favorite Pixar movie? Have you seen all of them?
I don't think I have seen every Pixar movie but I have seen a lot of them which makes it hard to choose a favorite. Some of my favorite ones are Lion King, Toy Story, and A Bug's Life.


2. Do you enjoy soccer?
I used to play soccer for a few years when I was younger and in middle school. I also played on a team with my two brothers and sister and my mom was the coach. I think I would have loved it more if I was good at doing all the fun tricks. I could run to the ball and kick it but wasn't very good at dribbling the ball down the field.

3. Are you musical?
No. I played the recorder in elementary school but everyone had to. My grandpa used to try and teach me some things on the piano but none of it every stuck.


4. How many push-ups can you do?
I haven't done any in awhile but a couple of months ago I was able to do 15 regular push-ups!

5. Did you have braces when you were younger?
Yes. Braces, expanders, rubber bands, retainers, I had it all.

6. Summer or winter? Coffee or tea? Wedges or flats?
Summer. I hate being cold.
I like coffee and tea but if I had to choose I would pick coffee with lots of flavoring, sugar, and cream.
My mom always tells me because I'm short that I should wear heels more and when I dress up I love wearing heels and wedges but on a day-to-day basis I am definitely a flats kind of girl.

7. Do you buy new or used cars?
Used. Brand new cars don't really fit into the full-time college student, part-time worker budget.

8. Are you afraid of needles?
Nope.

9. Do you get cranky when you’re tired or hungry?
Cranky when I'm really tired.

10. Write your newest favorite recipe.

• Italian Chicken:
• 4 chicken breasts
• 1 packet zesty Italian dressing
• 8 oz cream cheese
• 2 cans cream of chicken
• Mix it all together and throw it in the crockpot for 4 hours.  I love it over noodles.

Puppy Sitting

First off, I want to say thank you for the amazing feedback on the Quest Nutrition Giveaway I held last week. I already contacted the winner, #161 Kaitlyn, and she is beyond excited to receive her bars! If you didn't win this giveaway and have never tried Quest Protein Bars before then you should definitely give them a run for their money. They are so delicious.

See this cute little guy below?

His name is Rex and he is Alex's furry little nephew! I've been puppy sitting him all week while his owners are out of town and he is so much fun. Sometimes he can be a handful but how can anyone resist an innocent puppy dog?

When we take him in the car he sits in the laundry basket and doesn't jump around the car! I'm not too sure what will happen when he doesn't fit in it anymore!

I have taken him on a few walks over the last week and the other day I took him for a short run! He did really well and seemed to enjoy it because the next day when I took him on a walk he just wanted to run!

While I have been watching him this past week I have been thinking more about my summer workouts and how I am going to fit them in with my busy schedule. Right now it's kind of hit and miss. Some days I go straight from class to work an 8 hour day and don't get home until it's dark out and I won't run outside at night by myself so I normally just skip those days. I am going to make a sincere effort from here on out to schedule more runs in the morning first thing so I don't have to miss as many. I hope to have some more fun workouts for you on the blog soon too! It's been awhile since you all have seen one of those!

Also - be sure to follow Rockin' Ribbons on Twitter! A giveaway will be happening over there sometime soon. But you must be a follower to enter!

Question

Do you have a dog that will run with you? My dogs are not runners at all.

Rockin' Ribbons

Hey everyone! For those of you who have been following my blog for awhile now, you know that I have been selling non-slip headbands that are perfect for running, every-day wear, and looking cute!

Today I am announcing that I now have a Facebook page specifically for the headbands where you can easily see all of the patterns and colors available, message me with orders, and stay up to date with everything headbands!

You can also follow Rockin' Ribbons Headband Co. on Twitter and Instagram!

Want to see what others are saying about these amazing headbands? Here are two reviews to check out!

Review by Its Progression and Review by Hungry Healthy Girl

Quest Nutrition Review & Giveaway

* This giveaway is now closed *

 

The kind people over at Quest Nutrition sent me an assorted case of Quest Bars and Quest Cravings High Protein Peanut Butter Cups to review! They also agreed to let one lucky reader win an assorted case of Quest Bars too!

Before Quest Nutrition I was eating other protein bars after workouts or for breakfast if I was running late. When I came across Quest I learned more about how good Quest Nutrition Bars were for your body and how horrible other protein bars were. I knew that other protein bars had a lot of carbs and sugars but I needed that extra punch of protein in my diet and didn't really think too much into it. I quickly learned that those extra carbs and sugars were bad for you and that Quest Bars eliminate the extra carbs and sugars so you won't ruin your hard work.

The first Quest Bar I tried I thought was somewhat chewy. I didn't mind it too much but after reading around I noticed that some people were putting theirs into the microwave for a few seconds to make it warm and gooey. When I tried that technique I was in love. The Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Quest Bar in the microwave for 20 seconds tastes exactly like a fresh baked cookie!

The other great thing about these bars is that they taste exactly how you would expect them to. The Apple Pie bar tastes like apple pie, Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough tastes like chocolate chip cookie dough, Strawberry Shortcake tastes like strawberry shortcake! Normally with other protein bars if it says Strawberry Shortcake it just has a strawberry flavor to it, not the actual strawberry shortcake taste you were longing for. It's almost like you are indulging in your favorite dessert but you are giving your body what it needs which is a win-win in my book.

Now if the Quest Bars aren't enough, the Quest Cravings Peanut Butter Cups are amazing. I love chocolate and peanut butter so I quickly dug into these. The cups are huge so you can eat just one and be satisfied. The other great thing about them is their nutritional stats. How can a chocolate peanut butter cup have such amazing nutritional stats? I have no idea but somehow Quest manages to do it! And they do it well.

If you are looking for the perfect protein bar that won't ruin all of your hard work and tastes as good as a candy bar then Quest is for you! Head on over to their website and order the Sampler box and a few Quest Cravings PB Cups today. I can almost guarantee that you will love every single flavor because I know I did.

Giveaway time! Enter the giveaway below to win an assorted case of Quest Nutrition bars. One lucky reader will be chosen at random on Saturday June 8th when the giveaway closes. Remember you can tweet every day for extra entries!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Stop Trouble Before It Starts®

Ever find yourself stopping earlier on a run than planned because chafing and blisters are making it unbearable? Do certain materials or hot weather make you chafe? Have you tried countless products and remedies to eliminate chafing and blisters but nothing works? Well I'm here to tell you that I have found a product that really does work - and it's BodyGlide.

I personally find chafing to be at it's worst when I am running inside (because of how hot it gets), when I am running in the summer, or when I wear certain pairs of running shorts. Now when I run in tights or in the cooler months I don't have a problem with chafing at all but it's not realistic to run in tights in the middle of June nor is the weather always going to be perfect for running.

When I contacted BodyGlide and told them about my chafing problems they quickly offered to send a sample of their product. I was sent the BodyGlide For Her Stick and BodyGlide For Her Pocket Size. Immediately I wanted to go on a run and test it out. Once I did I was extremely happy with the results.

I thought the Pocket Size ones were adorable! Perfect for throwing one in your gym bag and another in your purse.

Some info about BodyGlide For Her from BodyGlide:

Bodyglide® For Her provides comfort in sensitive areas such as with bras and on thighs, it’s resistant to perspiration and water, but it lets skin breathe even as it holds-up in heat and humidity.

Added Vitamin F Forte helps to hydrate and smooth skin, along with aloe and Vitamin E. 

The long-lasting formula is ideal to maintain skin comfort all day, in any weather, and under all conditions. 

Like the original technically advanced formula, it’s invisible, dry, fragrance free, and never oily or greasy.

It’s also ideal for feet, protecting against raw skin and blisters caused by footwear, from athletic shoes to everyday and formal wear, flats and strappies, boots and heels.

Seriously, this stuff is awesome! I 100% agree with everything above - from it being perfect in any condition to letting skin breathe even in humidity. If you have problems with chafing, bra straps becoming irritating, or blisters you need to try this stuff out! They have products for men, women, runners, swimmers, work, blisters.. the list goes on, so go check it out now!

Disclaimer: I was sent this product for free however all opinions are my own.

Question

Do you have problems with chafing? Have you ever tried BodyGlide?

Indy 500 Race

Over the weekend I had the chance to go to the Indy 500 Race with a few friends. My dad gets free tickets each year and wasn't going so he gave them to us!

I'm normally not the type to want to sit around and watch racing but going with good friends makes it 10x more enjoyable. And not to mention the crazy people behind us who love racing a little too much!

The forecast showed a chance of rain all day but luckily for us it held out until we got back to our car after the race. It was an overcast day too, which is unusual because I feel like every time I go to a car race I get fried because it's so hot out!

Alex was able to come down for the holiday weekend too. He had to go back home for the summer to work so I don't get to see him very often now. Having him here all weekend was definitely a blast and he loves racing so it was a win-win for both of us :)

 

I hope you all had a fun Memorial Day weekend!

P.S. If you haven't done so yet, enter Kim's giveaway to win one of my non-slip and ouch-free headbands by clicking HERE! She's choosing a winner on Thursday!

Question

How did you spend your holiday weekend? Do you enjoy going to car races?
 

Hard Work Pays Off

If you remember back to when I started this blog, the sole reason I began blogging was to raise ovarian cancer awareness while training for my first half marathon in honor of my aunt.

This weekend I had the chance to present the money that was raised to my aunt, Hala, in front of family and friends.

Through fundraising, a bake sale, a t-shirt sale, and lots of hard work, together we were able to raise $2,149.39! My initial goal was to raise $1,300 and with the help of family and friends I was able to surpass that goal! 

It was wonderful to see how happy my aunt and uncle were when I presented them with the check. It meant so much to see all of the hard work really pay off. They are going to use this money to help pay off some of their medical expenses.

Another fun thing that my uncle did for the celebration was mow a cancer ribbon in his front yard! So awesome!

This whole experience was really life changing. It was amazing to see yourself make an impact in someone's life, no matter how big or small the deed you do is. It's hard to believe that just a few months ago the idea of raising awareness and training for a half-marathon in honor of Hala was just an idea floating around in my head. Seeing it come true was amazing and I hope to keep on running the mini-marathon race and raise awareness!

Question

Have you ever raised awareness to an important cause/charity/foundation before?

A Sweet Deal

If you saw my post about the perfect headband then you already know that I have began making and selling non-slip headbands that are perfect for running and working out! I wear them for my long shifts at work too and find that I never have to adjust them and forget I am wearing it because they are so comfy!

Feel like headbands are always slipping off of your head? The special ribbon backing on these headbands keep them from slipping all day long.

In an effort to get my little headband business up and running I am offering $2 off the regular $8 sale price! You can't beat $6 for an amazing headband! And as always, free shipping :)

I have several different patterns, solids, and chevron headbands available. I am always on the lookout for fun new ribbon so new headbands will always be making an appearance!

You can see every headband that I currently have available on my Facebook page. Once you pick the headband or headbands you want to purchase, just send me an e-mail with your order! I will then invoice you via Paypal and once your payment has been received in the mail they will go!

Question

Take a look at the headbands I have available and let me know which one is your favorite!
 

Favorite Pinterest Finds: Memorial Day

Are you having a small get-together or a large celebration to celebrate Memorial Day this year? No matter what your plans are here are a few fun Pinterest finds that are sure to please!

Red, White & Blue Parfaits

Patriotic Strawberries

Red, White & Blue Mocktails

Fruit Flag

I hope these Pins help to inspire some of your party favors and recipes!

Question

How will you be celebrating Memorial Day?