Hey friendidos!
Last night was great – I cleaned the house from top to bottom, then Ben and I went on a nice, long walk. When we got back it was already 9:00, but you would have never have known it because it was still so light out. Aren’t carefree, Summer evenings one of the best things in life? I happen to think so… 
So, this morning I worked out when I woke up! Since I came home to get some things done after work last night and didn’t get my scheduled 7×400 run done – I woke up early today and ran a 12×400 – or three miles. It was super hot and challenging due to the monster hills on the course I took, but it felt amazing to start my day with a great workout and a hearty sweat. Mmm…TMI?
After my run, I got ready and packed my breakfast and lunch…because I’m off to the dentist! Yep, this lady is due for a checkup – fingers crossed for no cavities. I’ve lasted almost 26 years without any and I’d hate to start now!
For breakfast I packed:
A crispy, Braeburn apple:
Some carrot sticks – random but crunchy and fun:
And an Apple Cinnamon PURE bar!
Let me tell you why I love PURE bars:
- They are certified organic, raw & vegan
- Each bar contains 14 essential vitamins and minerals
- They count as 1 1/2 servings of fruit
- I can pronounce every single ingredient
- The texture of the bar is amazing
- They are delicious!
Honestly, none of the things I listed above would matter to me if this bar didn’t taste great, as I don’t eat things that I don’t like, no matter how “certified” they may be – who’s with me?! I’m excited for the winners of the giveaway to try these!
Look at the big chunks of nuts and fruit – yum!
Alrighty – for lunch I packed a mixed green & vegetable salad with feta cheese, pineapple and mandarin oranges – which are insanely good with this roasted garlic balsamic vinaigrette dressing that I have on hand! Yummmm 
And a Lemon Chiffon yogurt!
OH! I need to tell you guys what Dutch Letters are for the people that haven’t heard of them! I guess I didn’t know that not everyone knew what they were – these delicious, treats must be a Midwest thing!!
Dutch letters are a flaky pastry stuffed with an almond flavored filling, topped with big crystal sugar and generally in the shape of a big “S”. They are spectacular in every way and if you’ve never had one, you need to find a way to get one – fast! I ate mine too quickly to get a picture, so here’s one from Kathy McCloy:
![8375[1]](http://iowagirleats.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/83751.jpg "8375[1]")
Actually, I am feeling SO pumped about these Dutch Letters and the fact that many of you have never even tasted them, let alone HEARD of them – that I’m adding one to the GRAND PRIZE PACKAGE in the Real Simple + PURE Bar Giveaway!! YAY – I’m so excited for the winner to try them! Don’t forget that you’ve got up to three chances to win 1 of 6 packages until Friday @ 1:00pm Central time!
Ok, wish me luck at the dentist!
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Oh…you didn’t think I forgot about three question Thursday, did you?! Of course not!! Here they are:
1. Are you afraid of the dentist/doctors? If so, did you have one bad experience that turned you against them?
2. Would you rather have eyes that are always smiling or a voice that makes people calm?
3. What’s your biggest phobia? Insects, heights, Alliumphobia (the fear of garlic?!)
My answers:
1. NO – I LOVE going to the dentist! Few things compare to the feeling of sparkly, clean teeth and, knock on wood, I’ve never had a scary experience there!
2. I’d rather have a voice that makes people calm. There’s this woman at work who’s got the most soothing voice that I could literally listen to all day!
3. As you know, I have irrational levels of arachnophobia (fear of spiders) and ophidiophobia (fear of snakes) – ahh!!!
#1 – biggest fear IS the dentist….51 years old and never had a cavity BUT the sound of that drill in the next cubicle terrifies me – it might be me someday:(
#2 – eyes that are smiling…I love looking at people that have happy, sparkling eyes all the time!
#3 – Fear of mice..to the point of nausea at the thought of encountering one..it’s almost a sure thing I will faint on site if I even have to look at one!
1. Dentists don’t bother me – I’ve never had a cavity, so I have no reason to fear them
2. Smiling eyes, they’re just so inviting!
3. Heights!
1. Love going to the dentist (well, I love leaving with very clean teeth!
2. Smiling Eyes
3. Biggest fear?….hmmm, being kidnapped…yes, I’m 12.
I’m going to look for some more Pure bars, I tried the chocolate brownie and liked that one but Cinn Raisin sounds great too!
1. I love the dentist because I love to take care of my smile!
2. I am torn. Both!
3. Definitely spiders. I HATE them! If I see one, I will literally have nightmares about them.
I hope I win the grand prize! I would love to try a dutch letter. I live in the Midwest (KY) and have never heard of them.
I’m glad you explained what a dutch letter is because I had no idea. They look DELICIOUS though!!
1. I’m not afraid of either. I love getting my teeth cleaned. I don’t really like stuff grinding on my teeth though. Got my braces off recently and that was sort of tramatic but the end results are great!
2. I would rather have smiling eyes. I have people tell me I do and it’s such a nice compliment.
3. I’m scared of falling…constantly. I’m kind of a klutz so I’m very careful walking up stairs or anything that could make me lose balance. lol
1. I love the dentist! My teeth just feel so good after a cleaning.
2. Smiling eyes. That way even if you were just passing someone while walking down the street you might make there day just a little bit brighter.
3. I hate spiders!
Thank you for explaining the dutch letters–I had no idea what they were.
Fun giveaway! Good luck at the dentist. I am not afraid of dentists or Drs. I hate going to hospitals though.
I would love to have a calm voice and I am afraid of being in a car underwater and not being able to get out.
Thanks for explaining the dutch letters I can’t believe I was raised in the same state and have never heard of them!
1. I’m not afraid of either, I just get a bad case of white coat syndrome (elevated blood pressure) on the way to the office, it’s not the doctor, it’s the traffic!
2. Smiling eyes, makes a person so approachable.
3. We have these tiny little clear lizards here that are smaller than a normal texas roach, but, they are so fast and they are everywhere!!!! YUCK!
#1 – I’m not afraid of dentists or doctors but I have had certain procedures that I’ll never have again.
#2 – I have a voice that makes people calm. It’s an asset working with patients and their families or dealing with people on the phone.
#3 – my only phobia is lightning. A lightening bolt struck just above my head when I was 9 and since then I’m terrified of lightning storms.
1. Not so much, but i do hate the dentist, but i’ve been better about it now that i’ve found one that i like, and am going to every 6 months as of last august… for a while there i hadn’t gone in like 2 years. eek!
2. A voice that makes people calm. I never really realized how someone’s voice makes a difference. a co worker of mine has a grating voice, and with t he CI it’s even more enhanced, and really grates on my patience!
3. Snakes! and dammit i had nightmares last night, that i was so tired i couldn’t get up and work out…my boyfriend at first thought it was irrational, but he understands, it’s not like i had a bad experience, i’m just terrified, even pictures freak me out. even stories, agh!
1. LOVE going to the dentist. He gives me good drugs to deal with the visit.
2. smiling eyes.
3. heights. My muscles freeze up and I can’t move. I feel like I’m going to fall. I have pet snakes and have been bit by spiders including a brown recluse.
Those bars DO look amazing, now I’m even more excited to win!
1. I wouldn’t call it a fear, but I have an extreme annoyance of dentists. When I got my wisdom teeth out, they did the procedure wrong, so I got two dry sockets. I had to put medicated packs in them every day for 3 weeks (going in at 7 in the morning before classes!) until they finally figured out that they had left bone fragments in both sides of my bottom teeth, so they had to do another surgery to remove those and then I still have to go in every morning to get them checked. I was on pain killers for almost 2 months. I don’t know how I passed that semester in college!
2. Smiling eyes fo sho
3. I’m not a brave soul to say the least, but my single biggest fear is spiders. It’s debilitating and embarassing.
Good luck at the dentist!
1) I’m not afraid of the dentist or doctors. i don’t like getting my teeth cleaned with the scrapey thing, though.
2) smiling eyes
3) I’m scared of being in a plane crash. It’s so hard every time I fly
1. Not afraid of either! Mostly annoyed when I have to go! Ha!
2. Eyes tha smile:)
3. Snakes are my biggest fear!!
1. Nope I’m not afraid of the Dr. or Dentist. I trust that they know what they are doing and want to help me!
2. Smiling eyes because people who seem constantly happy are easily approachable and are usually kind no matter what their voice sounds like.
3. I’m not terribly afraid of anything, but I suppose flying in a plane always makes me pretty uncomfortable.
1. Don’t like either- I love having clean teeth but hate having someones hands in my mouth and pushing/pulling around
It’s tough making friends when you don’t drive so it’s definitely something I have to overcome.
2. I guess a soothing voice because I already have the smiling eyes unless I’m sad:(
3. My biggest phobia is driving- I had a very traumatic car accident when I was 17- I flipped my bronco like 6-7 times with me and my sister in it and I find it hard to drive now without being scared of getting into a wreck- I drove for about 2 years after but after that I’ve only driven a handful of times- it’s something I am working on
1. Not afraid of dentists b/c mine have always been great. Docs can be frustrating when they can’t help/diagnose an injury/problem or make you feel stupid.
2. I’d rather have eyes that were always smiling. That way, even when you don’t have something to say, you’re saying volumes.
3. Biggest fear? Death. Started at age 7. Hasn’t really gone away. I guess I’ll just have to get over it someday…
Yay for giveaways! And I love the grill recipe. I’m going to try that soon.
PS-Do you have a budget for your groceries weekly/monthly? The manfriend and I are trying to determine what we should be spending on food.
What a cute blog! I saw your comment on Eat Like Me. Nice to meet a fellow follower.
Here goes:
1. Are you afraid of the dentist/doctors? If so, did you have one bad experience that turned you against them?
I’m not afraid. I just really don’t enjoy it.
2. Would you rather have eyes that are always smiling or a voice that makes people calm?
I would rather have eyes that are always smiling. It brings people joy.
3. What’s your biggest phobia? Insects, heights, Alliumphobia (the fear of garlic?!)
(I was talking about this w/a co-worker!) I can’t touch a dry potato. If I do, it will instantly cause goosebumps up and down my body. Visible goosebumps! lol. It’s ridiculous. I’ve had it all my life.
You just killed me dead with the Dutch letters pictures. I’ve had my family and friends shipping me almond paste so I can make them myself. I haven’t quite reached Jaarsma quality yet, but they satisfy the yearning.
1. I actually really like going to the doctor. There’s something satisfying about leaving and knowing that you’ve got a clean bill of health – or at least taking all preventive measures. It’s empowering!
2. Eyes that are smiling. I’ve got big old blues – and they’re my favorite feature!
3. Phobia? Birds. It’s actually pretty much a disability. I FREAK out. Especially around pidgeons and seagulls. The funny thing is – my dad used to raise hawks and falcons when I grew up, predatory birds – I’m fine around. But throw a canary at me and I’m a freaking mess. Seriously. My friends find it very comical.
1. Nope not afraid just hard to get there due to schedules!
2. Eyes that are smiling. People with smiling eyes can make my day if I’m in a funk and are nice anytime.
3. I get a little freaked out with raw chicken and really go into a full on decontamination of the kitchen. I like to cook large batches and then freeze cooked portions so I don’t have to go through it too much.
1. I don’t dislike going to either, but I really hate it when a doctor doesn’t listen to me! I had one doctor tell me that if I would just find a man, my stomach problems would go away! Nice.
2. Probably the calm voice. I hate tense situations & would love to be able to diffuse them!
3. Germs totally freak me out. I must wash my hands 50 times a day. Driving in parking lots also makes me really nervous. I know that’s weird, but it always has!
1. love the dentist/don’t mind Drs as long as I’m not getting shots:)
2. smiling eyes – totally
3. hairs in my mouth