My goal for this year….be healthier than I was last year.
Let’s compare:
- 29lbs lighter than March 17, 2012
- fasting glucose 94
- 3 sizes smaller
- running more miles
- lifting more weight in CrossFit
- no stomach issues which I now know is gluten contamination
I would say goal has been met!
This morning was beautiful! I slept in until the sun and birds finally woke me up. I have to say, sleeping on an air mattress in a huge double sleeping bag with my own pillow feels like cheating. But I like camping in style when I sleep as good as I did.
Let’s talk cake.
This year, enjoying my traditional cupcakes is a lot harder than previous years. I cannot find anybody in Tuscaloosa who makes gluten-free cupcakes. I had planned on making my own brownies from a mix that I’ve tried before and they were really good. And even though I’m eating a primal/paleo plan, I always planned on enjoying some sweet treat on my birthday. But, time got away from me this week and I didn’t make my brownies.
Thanks to a little place 5 miles off the beaten path in Guntersville, I enjoyed some gluten-free cupcakes on my birthday!
Cardinal Rose is a little log house owned my a couple of ladies who run a gluten-free and organic grocery and bakery. They serve lunch daily and make their various bakery goods each day. Most of their business is online based so I’m sure I’ll have these again next year.
The guard dog, Ginger
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One last view before we leave.
After we packed up the campsite, we started the drive home. I spent a lot of time thinking about how much better I feel about this birthday and looking forward to many great adventures coming up.
Lunch at Whole Foods bar. Salad bars are easy for me to find a large variety of things that I can eat. This one had mixed greens, grilled vegetables, chicken salad, their famous “garlicky kale” and more grilled vegetables. No dressing needed thanks to the marinated vegetables.
We got home in time to enjoy getting together with some friends from church. It was good to be back home and laughing and swapping stories. One thing I do miss is not being with family. This is the first year Stephen and I celebrated by ourselves and it was exactly what I wanted. I wanted us to get away together and do some camping and I wanted to race on my birthday. I got all that I wanted. However, we missed a birthday celebration with Stephen’s family. Also, since my birthday is usually during Spring break, most years I’m celebrating with my family in MS. I’ll have to wait until next weekend to see them. I don’t really mind taking two weekends to enjoy my birthday 
