Recipe: Fruit Salad

This is so ridiculously easy that you really don’t need a recipe. However, since there are so many ways to make a fruit salad I thought I’d share one of my favorites with you [plus the pictures just look so delish!]. Obviously, you can substitute with different fruit and with different flavored yogurt or juice.

FRUIT SALAD

What you need:

2 small bananas
2 kiwi
Strawberries (probably about 1-2 cups, I just added until I was happy with it)
1 single serving of yogurt (I used light raspberry)
Orange Juice

What you do:

1. Slice up all your fruit.
2. Toss fruit and yogurt together in a bowl.
3. Add a tablespoon or two of OJ - just eyeball it to the consistency you want!

That’s it! A quick and simple dish that you can make at your next brunch! Enjoy!

Birthday Shopping Trip

We have lots of great traditions in my family and this past weekend we did one of my favorites...Birthday Shopping!!  You see, every year my grandmothers and my mom take me out shopping for my birthday [which just happens to be exactly one week before Christmas...yea.], so that they can get me things they know I will love and that fit!  Here's a little glimpse of what I got. 

*One note, the polka dot shirt on the bottom left I actually got in blue.

Birthday Gifts by kassienichole featuring black heels

Health Report

For the past couple years now, I have been making efforts to be healthier and more active. I officially started this 2 years ago with Weight Watchers Online. I’m going to go ahead and get a little personal now and be completely honest. At my worse I weighed between 165-170 lbs. and I’m only 5’4”. Not good, not good. Of course I didn’t like the way my body looked, but more importantly I wasn’t healthy. With WW I very quickly [but not easily] took off about 10 lbs. and kept it off for a good year or so with the things I had learned. Earlier this year I decided it was time to get serious again and I am happy to report that I am down to 140-145lbs - which is in my healthy weight range, go me!. Unfortunately, my focus has been lacking lately at the worst possible time - HOLIDAY SEASON! I thought it would be beneficial to myself [and hopefully others out there] to do a little biweekly post on health, weight loss and my personal experiences.

Today, I thought I would just talk about tracking calories and a couple sites to help out! First off, tracking calories has been essential to my weight loss, at least in the beginning. I haven’t been doing much of it lately, but I’m starting up again today! When you track your food intake it really puts everything into perspective. It’s right there in front of your face how much crap your eating...or how bad it is for you. It was a major wake up call for me. It shouldn’t have been really, but I guess I just never thought about sodium, calories, and such. I also think it’s just as important to track calories burned, aka. your activity.

Like I said above I started with Weight Watchers, but let’s be honest I’m always broke and cheap, so I did that for a few months and then moved on to some free options.

Sparkpeople.com 

 This is a great community website. I don’t love the interface, but it works. It also has lots of articles packed full of information and tips. When you sign up you will put in your weight, weight loss goals and other information and it will spit out a calorie plan for you. I haven’t used this site in awhile, but I definitely recommend it for when you are just starting out. It has all these goals you track and “stages” that help you build healthy habits. My “healthy habits” are not so great lately, so I think I will be revisiting this site.


Myfitnesspal.com 

This is the site I am currently using, mainly b/c it has a super sweet [and simple] app for my android. There aren’t articles and all in information like SP.com, but there are some good user forums. Basically, this is a calorie counting site/app and it’s my favorite I’ve found so far!

Do you use any online resources to stay on the healthy track?

Friday Favorites: Thanksgiving Edition

Hope you all had a great holiday yesterday! If you’re like me, then your festivities may still be happening! I’m off to Thanksgiving #2, but first here is some more love for Thanksgiving. :)

Source: etsy.com via Angela on Pinterest

Source: yummly.com via Elizabeth on Pinterest

**grasshoppers!**

Source: laylagrayce.com via Jenny on Pinterest

**how pretty!**

Source: cookiesandcups.com via Kaylynne on Pinterest

**I’ve brought this the last couple year, and will be making it again this year! YUM!**

Source: marthastewart.com via Amy on Pinterest

**Who doesn’t love homemade mashed po’s?!**

Source: pizzazzerie.com via Elyse on Pinterest

**how cute!**

Source: cleanandscentsible.blogspot.com via Mikrah on Pinterest

**So pretty! If only it was warm enough to do this in my neck of the woods!**

Source: Uploaded by user via Charlene on Pinterest

**so fun!!**

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving!!

I’m guessing right about now many of you are sitting down for Thanksgiving supper! I know I am! This year, I am sitting down with my boyfriend’s family...tomorrow we will be with mine. :) I know a lot of people get stressed out around the holidays [I admit sometimes I am one of them], but I really love this time of year. In honor of this wonderful holiday, I thought I’d write about what I love most about this holiday and what I’m most thankful for.

1. I love being able to see my family so much! I’m oddly close with my parents and it’s just great being around them and they rest of the gang!

2. I love turkey, homemade mashed potatoes, corn and my grandmother’s fantastic Grasshoppers!

3. I love getting cozy in front of my parent’s awesome fireplace - I also love the smell of the fire. :)

4. I love playing board and card games with the fam after dinner. A favorite in the past has been Phase 10! This year we are adding some Apples to Apples! Gotta watch out though, my family gets competitive!

5. I love holiday candles! Fresh baked cookies, Apple Cider, Fir Tree...

6. Speaking of...I love having my tree up! The lights from a Christmas tree just set the perfect mood!

7. I love watching all the holiday movies on TV and listening to holiday music (check out the She & Him Christmas album)! [in moderation!]

8. I am thankful for my job. This may seem shallow, but considering how many people need jobs right now, well I’m very happy for mine.

9. I am thankful for my life as it stands. This might sound crazy generic, but honestly I’m happy with my life and I’m so thankful for that. People always seem so dissatisfied with things [and I am too at times], but the thing is you have to make the best of what you have. For the most part, I’ve been pretty lucky in life and when I’m not as lucky I’m good at being positive. I’m very thankful for both of these things...and for where my life decisiveness have led me.

10. Most of all, I am thankful for my loved ones. My family is incredibly supportive and loving. I honestly don’t think I would be where I am today without them. My close friends have also been there through thick and thin. As you get older, you really do discover who those “kindred spirits” are and I’m very thankful for those who have stuck around. Then there is Brian, who I’m extremely thankful for. He’s everything I could have asked for and more. It sounds so corny, but he completes me; he’s my other half and I feel so blessed to have him in my life. Last, but not least, Theo - my dog. He’s my little man, my little buddy and is literally there for me whenever I want or need him. He is the definition of unconditional love. :)

#30 Date Night

 

I’m finished. FINALLY. For real, I started to loathe this challenge at times, but I’m glad I stuck it out. I actually did it! It may not have always been pretty, but I did it, I followed through!

Anyway, Brian & I are headed back home tonight. Once we get there we are going out for sushi! I can’t wait! I’ve only had sushi once, but I loved it! I’ll be sure to take some yummy pictures.
Have a great Thanksgiving!

#29 Dirty Feathers

 

 Ahh, warm and comfy. That’s how I like to dress this time of year. Want to hear something gross? I haven’t ever washed this vest. It’s down feathers, so I can’t just throw it in the wash and I’ve never bothered to have it dry-cleaned...or whatever you have to do to down feather clothing. Ha! I haven’t a clue. Either way, it doesn’t smell I promise! I kind of look at it like a jacket, you just sort of wash it when it gets dirty, or maybe once a year or two years. Hmmm, based on that I suppose I should get this guy washed soon.

#28 Baby Steps

 Still chilly here in the midwest! Even so, I braved a skirt - with no tights! Lately it’s been pretty warm in the office, it’s just the getting there part! At first, I wasn’t sure about this outfit, the colors to be specific. Now that I see it in a photo, I definitely think it works. I’m generally pretty conservative when it comes to wearing more than one color. I mean, I’ll wear color, but I usually pair it with a neutral. Although, navy blue is basically a neutral. Baby steps folks, baby steps.

#27 Holiday Cheer

Just getting into the Holiday spirit a bit!  Yes, yes that is my Christmas tree!  It's up, just not decorated.

 
Anyway, I was packing and trying things on for the upcoming holiday...and decided to take pictures for my 30 for 30! It’s that blue plaid dress with my black sweater over top, that I just sort of tucked into a belt. You can’t tell from these pictures, but my leggings are sparkle-y! I’ll be wearing this wearing over the weekend!

#26 Teal Me More

 
It’s Monday...again, still. Whatever. It was freezing this morning and it hasn’t gotten much better, so I scrapped my skirt for pants. I’ll wear the skirt tomorrow, it’s suppose to be a smidge warmer. Happy Monday!

Monday Funday: Holiday Photo Shoot

Photo Shoot: Brian + Kassie Holiday 2011

Here is a sneak peak from our little “photo shoot”, Lol. Brian and Theo were both good sports about it all and we got some great photos for our Holiday card! Check out my fanpage for the full shoot!

#24 & #25 Fiday Plumday

Happy Sunday!

I actually wore this on Friday, but I haven't been near my computer since then!  I didn't get any photos of the dressier outfit, oh well! 

 

Today my boyfriend and I took pictures for our holiday card!  I think he had more fun then he expected to, or maybe that's just what I'm telling myself?  At the very least, he played along and was a good sport about it all!  I bribed him [and my pooch, Theo] with super yummy deer jerky!  Food is always a good way to get cooperation out of men...and dogs.  :)

Friday Favorites: Spectacles!

If you haven't already noticed I'm one of the millions of people in the world who may have been called "four eyes" once or twice in their lives.  I've worn glasses [and/or contacts] since elementary school, so I'm pretty used to waking up and not being able to see as I hop out of bed.  I do have contacts, but for work I prefer to wear glasses [it helps with the computer screen stuff] and actually enjoy it.  I love picking out new fun frames and I have recently found an awesome site!  If you haven't been on Warby Parker yet, do it now [there's plenty of stuff for you perfect vision folks also!].  I'm seriously considering purchasing my next frames from there, so here are a few of my favorites courtesy of their Virtual Try-On Tool

 

The Thatcher

 

The Beckett                                               The Colton

I'd also like to say that they have this awesome Home Try On program where you choose 5 lenses to try on for free...at home!  I will be participating in this as soon as they have the Sinclair available in the Burgundy Fade!

The Miles                                                The Sinclair

Right now I think that the Miles and the Sinclair are my favorites.  I feel like the other three [especially the Thatcher] dominate my face too much.  Your thoughts?