WF Pancake Syrup....packets!? + Lulu STEALS!

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ok. DID YOU KNOW...... waldenfarmspackets

that these even existed!? are these packets not FAN-FLIPPIN-TASTIC for traveling instead of having to shove the entire bottle of WF Pancake Syrup into your purse?  i may be alone on that one...but it's all good!  never heard of Walden Farms?  check out one of my most popular posts about it.

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i needed a super special fit last weekend so i headed to a place i knew i'd have great luck- LULULEMON!  Dego and i visited the 1st Colony location for the first time and they took extraordinary care of us.  every single employee went the extra mile in their own special way.  i found this Wild Tank on sale for 39 bucks, what, what! it is actually sold out online... but that's why it's so much better to go in to the store and dig around for the deals.  as much as i don't like clothes shopping, i will put in the foot werk for some lulu!  the built in bra supports a B/C cup and don't you LOVE the strappy back action?!

PhotoGrid_1443905311222 honestly guys, since i'm still breastfeeding and have become a pro at manipulating my body fat, my boobs fluctuate like crazy. some days built in bras work and some days they are a joke.  these days i'm hovering around 16% body fat and i'm parking it right here for a while.  #maintenancebeastmode

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 even when they get all up IN the way....i wouldn't change a thing. is this what growing up feels like? my perspective on life continues to change... and it should the longer you live and experience life for sure.  things that used to frustrate, discourage, upset, or put me in a funk simply.....don't.  i hear having kids'll do that to ya though.

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along with that top, i snagged another pair of wunder unders.  basically these are my FAVE bottoms to work out in and live in. they are suuuuper comfy and super flattering! if you don't have much of a booty, well these do a great job of creating one.  seriously. try on a pair and tell me you don't love the way they shape your body!

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lastly, i found another tank on sale for 29 bucks in this beautiful turquoise color i could not leave without.  we hit the road just in time to pick up big brother from preschool.

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about that perspective, take a look at this list!  i found this photo via Facebook but it originated on another mommy blog, momentsaday.com.  i HAD to share this immediately!  there is always a bright side!  people pray for the things you take for granted every.single.day,  so give God thanks for those things every.single.day. your children, that noise, those crumbs, that gigantic pile of laundry... my kids are my little labors of love!  make a conscious effort to thank God for answering your prayers in His time, big and small.

Q: what are you grateful for that you sometimes take for granted?

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mini Trader Joes haul + healthy travel snack tips

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TJ's is such a fun specialty store!  they walk to the beat of their own drum.  i stopped by there yesterday and picked up a few healthy travel snacks ( hellooooo wedding anni #8!) and also some things that looked too interestingly tasty to pass up:

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boo-yaaaaah! i exercised a little restraint and didn't get any chocolate. yet.

  1. PhotoGrid_1442027550671Trader Joe's Roasted Plantain Chips - one of my guilty pleasures!
  2. Trader Joe's Pineapple Salsa - salsa + eggs = :)
  3. Creamy Sun Butter - hey there, portion control!  both my boys eat this stuff right off a spoon. it's basically roasted sunflower seeds. so yummy.  it's nut-free if you or any of your loved ones have nut allergies.
  4. Trader Joe's Freeze Dried Raspberries - so i picked up every single pack of freeze-dried fruit they had and the raspberries had the lowest amount of sugar per serving @ 12 grams.  the serving size is one whole bag  though and how about that fiber count-- 11 grams per serving!

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  1. Trader Joe's Wild King Salmon Jerky - high protein, non-refrigerated snack.  turkey jerky is great too.
  2. Organic Sriracha Ranch Dressing - i knew my hubby would FLIP once he saw this!  two of his fave things combined in one.
  3. Coconut Oil Spray & Olive Oil Spray -  i don't normally use oil to cook, so these are perfect.

 healthy eating travel tips:

  • a lil' planning goes a long way.
  • never let yourself get too hungry between meals! keeping snacks on you saves money and keeps your hunger attitude at bay.
  • they never give you enough snacks on the plane anyway!
  • are you even hungry.... or just thirsty?  guzzle your water every chance you get.
  • protein rich, non-refrigerated, and/or nutrient rich snacks that won't leak or get smashed in your bags are best. examples:
    • low sodium turkey, salmon, beef jerky
    • roasted, unsalted raw mixed nuts (cashews, almonds, pistachios, walnuts)
    • single serving nut butter packets
    • Modern Oats for a healthy breakfast
    • fresh or freeze-dried fruit (apples, bananas, raisins, avocados, halos),
    • raw veggies (carrots, red bell pepper, broccoli)
    • rice cakes
    • Quest Bars
    • Stevia packets
    • Magic Pop
    • whole grain, air popped popcorn
  • take a cooler bag (or actual cooler) for refrigerated snacks like:
    • babybel / string cheese
    • unsweetened applesauce
    • pre-cut fruit
    • hummus/pretzel combo single serving
    • greek yogurt

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found some new mustard i'm lovin' on!  they are from HEB and were 2 for 3 bucks.  the whole grain one is DELISH on top of fish.

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so i made some for dinner!  fresh steel head trout was on sale as well and came home with us.  i used South African Smoke seasoning & coconut aminos from Trader Joe's on it, and i bake it the same way i bake salmon-- high heat (450 degrees) @ 5-7 min per lb.

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someone missed their first official day of school!  my hubby is very proud of the fact that he had perfect attendance from preschool through high school. crazy!! anyway, apparently there's a stomach virus going around that got the best of him. we sure do miss the Sprout channel's Summer Family Movie Night, but we watched his fave shows while he ate Trader Joe's (how many times can you say Trader Joe's in one post :D) turkey corn dogs, Go-Go Squeeze applesauce, and strawberry magic pop on the couch. enjoy your friday night too, fit friends!

Q:  the very last trip you took on a plane....where did you go?

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what itch? 7 year anni wkend

 aaaahhh!! so many pictures! well thank God for pic collage apps or this blog post would be 2 miles worth of scrolling.  we had a low-key, relaxing time in Lakeway (right outside of Austin) at the Lakeway Resort & Spa this past weekend for our 7th wedding anni. time for a new mattress.

this sweaty selfie was taken after my last workout before our anni weekend began.  i had only managed to unbraid half of the what seemed like 1 million braids in my head at that point, so i threw on a head scarf and got some upper body and cardio done regardless.

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 not gonna lie, i worked out with the anticipation of some good food in my near future! intensity is everything and i turned it UP. here's my stair slaver workout: (video coming soon)

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after i posted this pic of my go-to traveling snacks on Instagram i remembered it would tip Sonny off about our trip, whoops.  it's my year to plan and i hadn't told him a thing about leaving to go anywhere. oh wells.

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i hardly ever leave for trips without:

  • fresh fruit (nectarines this time)
  • bottled water
  • turkey jerky (high protein snack)
  • Quest Bars ( i like Double Chocolate Chunk and Sonny likes Cookies & Cream the best)
  • gum to combat mindless munching! that gets me in so much trouble
  • roasted, unsalted nuts
  • granulated stevia (for my coffee, tea, and oatmeal when eating at restaurants still operating in the stone age)
  • Beats headphones + Spotify
  • fitness or foodie mags

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off we went!  breakfast, snacks, and breast pump in tow.  i actually sat in the passenger seat first but soon as my butt hit that seat Sonny reminded me that it was my year to host.  yeah, yeah.  i actually had another stop planned along the way, but the weather ruined it! i did NOT even check nor consider the weather when i was planning everything, seriously. i just knew it would be clear, hot, and sunny as usual. no. so i'll save that stop for a later date.

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we're here!  however, our room wasn't ready since we arrived earlier than expected.  we were hungry again though so we hit up the resort's breakfast buffet per the front desk attendant's suggestion.  boy was he right!  everything, and i mean everything was as delicious as it looked. so.many.options.  we love a good omelette bar and both got egg white omelets loaded with veggies.  no surprise there.  Sonny is prepping for a few upcoming shows and did his best to stick to his meal plan.

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bacon, sausage, pancakes, french toast, migas, fruit... sensory OVERLOAD.

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next, a couples massage i have been anticipating since i booked the appointment. we were already full and lethargic from breakfast and the massage was the icing on the cake for Sonny. at one point he was over there drooling.

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the view overlooking the pool from the spa. the gym was right across from the spa and you knoooow we checked that out next.

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impressive! you can get an excellent full body workout done in there, oh yeah. hotel gyms are high on our amenity list and this one gets 5 stars from us. they had my beloved arc trainer, treadmills, a full rack of dumbbells, and a bunch of machines including a Smith machine. lovely.

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our room was ready by this time so we headed to check it out and take the most incredible, uninterrupted nap, EVER.  boooo to the weather though.

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it didn't start clearing up until the day we left, but we will certainly be back with the kiddos so they can have the time of their lives out there on that slide!

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 next up, an early dinner before the big Mayweather fight.  so this was my first time seeing my hair straightened (my beautician wrapped it at my appointment friday and i kept it that way) and i was blown away.

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 may not seem like much to anybody else but man my hair has come a long way as far as length and texture! i decided not to get another perm but i knew that as soon as the tiniest drop of moisture hit my head, it would never be the same!  after wearing my braids for a year (shout out to my gorgeous, mobile (yes, she will come to you), braid lady, Ogechi) with 3 short breaks in between, they really are the best fit for my sweaty, on the move lifestyle. they'll be back very soon, but i enjoyed being girly and flipping my hair around town all weekend, lol.

one of my regular Lifetime class members, Sally,  lives in Austin and really hooked me up with the scoop on where to go in ATX.  she suggested we stay downtown close to 6th street with the youngins' but after i told her how Sonny just wants to actually relax on his vacations she said to stick with the hill country, (i.e., Lakeway).  we hit up Oasis and saw a little bit of the sunset.  through the fog.

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after perusing the menu for forever i finally decided on salmon with sweet potato cakes, grilled veggies w/ a side salad, and Sonny went with a grilled shrimp salad. i ate most of those chips. 20140913_192822_1

then, we stopped by the landmark Whole Foods Market in downtown Austin for snacks and gelato! so many nostalgic memories here for me. you can read about one of them in the IG post i made that day <3

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gosh i love this store.

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especially this aisle.

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unpictured are the plantain chips and chocolate covered raisins i killed before the fight even started.

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was it just me or was the Mayweather fight...boring?? anyway, the next morning we were both up super early as usual and headed to the gym before breakfast. who forgot their workout shoes? :'(  so unlike me!  i went anyway but i don't advise working out in flip-flops around weights, guys. in addition to the shoe fiasco, i had one of THE dumbest workouts ever.  complete waste of time. i was so worried about my hair puffing up i didn't want to move. and i love to move. i think i did the arc trainer for like 8 minutes super slow, then some dumbbell curls, lunges, and squats holding the dumbbells. didn't sweat a drop. ridiculous. i love my hair like this so much but unless i flat-iron it every single morning (and i definitely won't) then i just can't rock the straight look with my lifestyle. THE struggle.

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we got cleaned up, explored the resort a little more, then headed to hit up the omelette bar again.

20140914_103932_1_3 7 years in the marriage game! hard to believe i've known this dude for almost 14 years. we had plans to go out on the lake that fell through, so we hit the Lakeway Galleria Outlet Mall to look around and get some lunch and fro-yo.

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found a new fave flavor i've never had before-- taro. yum! i discovered it at Red Mango back in houston too.

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pistachio & taro fro-yo randomness.  worth every bit of dairy bloat.

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while walking through the galleria, i did a double-take after seeing the word Chiso!  close enough. what a rare sighting.  from there we went back to the room to pack up because #Texans. yeah, they were apart of last years Miami trip too.  so was the Mayweather fight now that i think about it!

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i requested a fridge to our room to freeze and store the milk i was pumping.  gotta get it out, and gotta get it done.  we headed to watch the Texans game at Sally's beautiful home in the hill country before heading home to our boys.

our actual anni this year is on monday, september 15th, and instead of going out to dinner, we went to the gym and sipped on anniversary protein shakes.

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wouldn't have had it any other way.

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happy 7th anni, Mr. Egwuatu!

thanks for reading:)

le

starter grocery list + Paleo Roast Pork with Apple Chutney & Butternut Squash

'i want to be healthier.'

you do? ok, read!

first off, breathe. don't over-complicate things.  this process does not go from 0-60 in 3 seconds and you won't either. it's a gradual thing. a lifestyle thing.  one that you will see and feel the effects of if you just stick with it.  little by little, a little becomes a lot.  we know by now that proper nutrition and physical fitness is a package deal. can't have one without the other.  i will be focusing on the nutrition part of the equation for now as this is where your journey begins:

supermarket

here is a staple starter grocery list to save, print out, and take with you to the grocery store.  i go into detail about each section below and provide some of my favorite brands and where to get'em. keep reading.

fflstartergrocerylist

key:

WF = Whole Foods

SFM = Sprouts Farmers Market

WM = Walmart

TG = Target

TJ = Trader Joes

HEB = HEB Pantry (local)

K = Kroger (local)

ALL = available at all listed stores

grains / cereals / breads

  • Ezekiel brand breads and tortillas WF, SP
  • Ezekiel cereal varieties WF, SP, WM, K, HEB
  • Alvarado Street Bakery brand bread WF, SP
  • La Tortilla Factory tortillas & wraps WF, SP, WM, K, HEB
  • Nature's Own Double Fiber Wheat Bread WM, K, HEB, TG
  • Sara Lee 45 Calories & Delightful brand bread HEB, WM, K, TG
  • Trader Joe's whole grain breads TJ
  • Sprouts Farmers Market whole grain breads SFM

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i find that rolled, quick oats, oat bran, rice, quinoa, and couscous are cheapest when bought in bulk.  whip out your calculator and do the math if you must and compare the price per lb to whatever way you previously purchased these items.  yeah, those Uncle Ben's single serving rice pouches are DELICIOUSLY easy to prepare and taste so good, but they just aren't cost-effective and you know it! buy your rice in bulk and season it yourself.

flours / nuts / oils

  • Bob's Red Mill flour varieties  WF, SP, HEB, K, WM, TG
  • flours & nuts from the bulk bins of WF, HEB, or SP
  • choose unrefined, virgin, and cold-pressed oils ALL
  • roasted & unsalted mixed nuts (almonds, pistachios, cashews, pecans)  in bulk WF, SP, HEB

starchy veggies 

  • fresh & frozen are best. if you must do canned, look for a low/no sodium option. these are veggies that are carbohydrate rich, higher in sugar content, have an adverse affect on blood glucose levels, and load you with energy. any on the list above will do; pick your fave. if unsure about how to classify a particular veggie, use this helpful list of starchy veggies. ALL

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non-starchy veggies

  • fresh & frozen are best. if you must do canned, look for a low/no sodium option.  these are veggies that contain fewer calories and carbs, lower sugar content, and have little to no effect on blood glucose levels and are loaded with essential vitamins, minerals. any on the  list above will do; pick your fave. if unsure how to classify a particular veggie use this helpful list of non-starchy veggies. ALL

fruit

  • fresh & frozen are best.  beware of packaged and canned fruit which can contain crazy high amounts of sugar. read your labels!  don't forget avocado is a fruit and high and good fat. we know fruit is an excellent source of vitamins, minerals, and natural sugar, but the sugar content does vary per fruit, so choose wisely.  here's a chart of some of the most popular and available fruit choices that gives you an accurate depiction of the sugar content for a 1 cup serving. ALL

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here's a more detailed list:

fruit-chart

dairy

  • Lactaid brand milk & cottage cheese ALL
  • Greek yogurt brands: Fage, Chiobani, Oikos, Trader Joes ALL
  • Laughing Cow Spreadable Cheese Wedges ALL
  • Mini Babybel light cheese ALL

non-dairy

  • Blue Diamond, Silk unsweetened vanilla and original almond milk ALL
  • Lisanatti Almond Cheese (cheddar, pepper jack, mozzarella) WF, SFM
  • Tofutti non-dairy cream cheese spread WFM, TJ, SFM, HEB, K
  • Trader Joe's canned light coconut milk TJ

meat / seafood  / protein

  • boneless & skinless turkey and chicken breast ALL
  • 97-99% extra lean ground turkey, chicken, and beef ALL
  • choose  cuts of beef with the least marbling
  • leanest beef cuts: eye of round, sirloin tip and steak, top & bottom round roast & steak ALL
  • shellfish: scallops, mussels, lobster, shrimp, crab ALL
  • choose low sodium canned beans and rinse beans under cold water before cooking: navy, kidney, black, lima, chick peas, pinto, black-eyed peas. ALL
  • HEB & Crystal Farms egg whites ALL, HEB
  • fish: cod, salmon, tilapia, flounder, trout,  halibut, mahi mahi, perch, snapper, sole, tuna (canned and packed in water) ALL

seasonings / sauces / sweeteners

  • Bragg's Liquid Aminos WM, WFM, SFM, K, HEB
  • Bragg's Apple Cider Vinegar WM, WFM, SFM, K, HEB
  • all fresh herbs (sage, cilantro, oregano, basil, dill)  ALL
  • any salt-free standalone spice or seasoning blend (Mrs. Dash, McCormick, Trader Joes, Generic brands ALL
  • use fresh lemon / lime just for natural seasoning, flavoring & marinating ALL
  • liquid smoke WM, TG, K, HEB
  • Heinz low carb ketchup ALL

so do you just go buy the entire list at once? no! remember, i spoke with Tiara in HEB the other day and here's that grocery shopping advice i gave her in a nutshell: 'depending on how ambitious you feel, pick 2, or 3 recipes you know you'll be making in the next 2 weeks or so and do your grocery shopping based on those ingredients.  else, there's a good chance you may not use everything you purchased and have to throw it away.  we know some items have longer shelf lives of course, but the majority of what is thrown away is spoiled produce.' i try to limit my store visits to 2-3 times a month.  i make large batches of a recipe at a time, and we have those meals/leftovers for the next 2-3 days before switching to something new.  sometimes i'll cook two large batches of two different recipes at a time and alternate those meals for more variety.

 grocery shopping tips:

  1. buy fresh AND frozen produce
  2. only buy produce in-season and on sale to save $
  3. make a list first and stick to it
  4. don't shop when you're hungry
  5. set a monthly or bi-weekly budget and don't go over it
  6. buy meat in bulk and freeze what you don't use immediately
  7. buy generic brands whenever possible
  8. shop the perimeter of the store (fresh meat, bread, produce, dairy).  processed foods tend to rule those isles.

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Q: questions?  FIRE AWAY!  what would you like to see MORE of? what wasn't covered or covered in enough detail?  i need your feedback. email me or comment below.

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my featured FITzee meal of the week:

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Paleo Pork Roast with Apple Chutney and Butternut Squash

all natural, dairy-free, gluten-free, Paleo friendly & smells and tastes like FALL.

place your FITzee Foods order to be shipped right to your doorstep now.

le

Sprouts Farmers Market *KATY*

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that is HILARIOUS cause you know it's true!!!!  however this is also how stuff gets lost. forever.

IMG_20130328_085137i made Chiso some lemon-blueberry french toast Thursday morning that i cannot stop thinking about!  we will prolly have it for Easter breakfast tomorrow too.  this recipe will certainly be in the Fit Foodie Le ebook, and the nutritional stats are bananas! see? 156 cals, 3g fat, 6g fiber, 21g carbs, and 10 grams of protein! and yep for the whole she-bang.  2 slices of bread and all the toppings.

what Easter dish will you be making?

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it's HEEEEERE!!! so i've been seeing the back of this building for MONTHS and had no earthy idea that it would be home to Sprouts Katy.  it's in the same lot as one of my gyms so you know what that means :lol: .  i literally pulled out of the gym parking lot, turned on my gps, and she made me turn right back in. #blondemoment!  anyway, the  future frequent trips won't do crazy damage  cause these prices.... WOW.  i was blown away.

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something tells me these aren't just grand opening prices either!  you can even go to their website and print out your own coupons before hand.  also, Lifetime Fitness members get 5 dollars off their total bill at this location! not sure how long that lasts, but you can login to the Lifetime website and print out that coupon yourself too.

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we walked through the doors and immediately went left to the bread section.  i found these new, 80 calorie light flour tortillas by La Tortilla Factory and i was not thinking straight and only got one package.  they were amazing and i have so many recipes for these guys!

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i didn't take a pic of EVERYTHING this time lol, just a few landscape type shots.  the store isn't too big and i kinda like it that way. i go in HEB and get lost for hours but since everything is so close together in here, i'm in and out. i appreciate that.

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sample mode ON.

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just taking a peek! didn't grab any THIS time, but i'm glad to see they have multiple Arctic Zero flavors instead of just maple vanilla.  AND they have those 85 cal bars too!

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we visited every single department (trust me).  the produce section was nothing short of amazing cause again, those prices! best i've ever seen. anyway, this was our last stop before heading to check out. popcorn!  i planned on getting a bag of Popcorn Indiana Kettle Corn and i was eyeing the bacon ranch flavor too until i saw these:

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really now? olive oil, parmesan & garlic, and sea salt flavors.  awesomeness!  i'm on my second bag of parmesan garlic in 3 days. it's good.

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first Sprouts shopping trip is a wrap!

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one mo landscape shot at the front registers.

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one of the kindest sales associates brought Chiso a cup of gummy bears while we waited! that was extremely nice of him.

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indeed!

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got another free grand opening grocery bag to add to my collection.  great experience, great store, and we will TOTALLY be back! a lot.

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i got outta there with some good stuff- Justin's nut butters were 79 cents instead of the usual 99, cuties were just 3 bucks for that big crate, the cherry tomatoes were a whopping ONE dollar each, strawberries and blueberries were 2 for 3, and those bags of mini peppers were 2 for 5. yessssss!

i immediately whipped out those tortillas and went to work on these grilled chicken burritos.

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alfalfa sprouts, tomato, grilled chicken, and homemade guac all rolled up.

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the next day, Good Friday, we did an early family gym date.  we made grilled quesadillas  for our post workout meal this time!  Sprouts pineapples salsa and greek yogurt for dipping on the side.

and for dessert....

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how did those get in there?

HAPPY EASTER, y'all!!!

le