The sun was shining bright for my last day in California!!! It was an absolutely gorgeous day and Ben and I were totally basking in the sun. My mom and I took the dogs for two walks 🙂 I’ve been in Maryland so long and only wearing two pairs of pants that I forgot girls are supposed to shave their legs!
When we came back from our second walk my mom and I found Ben in the backyard in his trunks making orange juice! He was literally fresh squeezing juice from the oranges from our trees. You can’t get any fresher than that!
He made a ton of it!
Good thing we also had a lot of vodka to make a lot of screwdrivers!
Lunch was many bites of salad and guacamole with chips. I didn’t take pictures because I was cooking and rushing around. Please forgive.
For the Superbowl Party I made an Asian Salad with: cole slaw, green onions, mushrooms, ramen noodles and chickpeas. I made my own dressing with soy sauce, PB, rice vinegar, maple syrup, orange juice and red peppers to taste. It is amazing!
One secret to healthy eating at a party are to bring a salad with beans – this way you are guanteed to eat some veggies and protien in case they are not vegetarian options at the party. *Note: This healthy eating tip only works if you don’t show up at the party and proceed to eat your weight in chips and chocolate chip cookies. Guilty as charged 🙁
Guacamole! We also brought a ton of freshly made organic guacamole – courtesy of the tree in my mom’s backyard. I ate a ton of it after we made it. Note to self: Guacamole is better in CA 🙂
Here is my plate from the party. Plus some other bites of Ben’s food.
And my guilty add-ons: Chocolate Covered Pretzels
and chocolate chip cookies. 
I made carrot cake cup cakes because my mom’s birthday is the 14th (Valentine’s Day!) and we won’t be here to celebrate. I had to test one of course and they rocked!
This was obviously a very indulgent cheat day, and I’m going to get back on track with less treats tomorrow. Just wanted to say that I am aware.
I am typing this post while watching the Super Bowl and counting down the minutes until we have to catch our flight. I have a hard time sleeping on air planes, so I think it’s going to be a rough night. We’re getting into the airport around 9am tomorrow morning. Our flight is going to be super packed since most flights were canceled this weekend.
I’ll probably eat another snack at some point since I’m going to be up so late. I will note it and try not to make it too bad!
Wish me luck and I’ll see you tomorrow!
Squeezing oranges fresh from the tree, in the backyard… Now that’s an experience I would like to have.
OK, all of your treats looked delicious! I love chocolate-covered pretzels – they’re my nemesis. LOL!
Can I just say that I love your parents’ back yard? I can’t believe there’s an avocado tree AND an orange tree! I would love that!
K
I had a similar day of eats yesterday, the super bowl = too much sugar for me!
Have a safe flight back 😉
Ohh that fresh orange juice looks so yummy! I need an orange tree.
I love that Asian slaw! My coworker used to make it for every potluck and I think I could eat my body weight in that stuff. LOL
What beautiful weather! I’ve missed the sunshine these last few weeks..
I’m a bit jealous of all that sunshine and fresh squeezed oj and guacamole! Mmmm….The chocolate covered pretzels also look divine.
Hope your flight is going well!
ooohhh….that Asian salad looks AMAZING! And those chocolate chip cookies? DELISH!
YUM fresh guac and OJ! I definitely started giggling when I saw the vodka with the OJ! (Even though I’m a mimosa kind of girl!)
Have a safe flight. You look so cute in the pic with the doggies 🙂
Hi Monica!
I just want to say how much I love your blog!! You are an awesome inspiration. I read often but don’t comment as often as I should!
Anywho, I forgot to ask you something in the “ask me anything” series and would like to know more about why you moved to MD and how long to plan to stay there for! You may have already answered this!
You’re so lucky to not be stuck here in the snow! It’s even worse than it was in December. Ugh. I’m so jealous of your sunny weather!
Ahh look at that OJ! Yum! Hope you have a safe trip home and get some sleep. I have a very hard time sleeping on airplanes unless I am major exhausted.
Carrot cake cupcakes sound and look divine!
Dude!! Ben juiced the whole tree!
Freshly squeezed orange juice? Talk about fresh and delicious!!
<3 jess
xoxo
Have a safe trip back!! It looks like you had a great time and those treats look amazing!
I think that all of your treat look amazing and if you think about it, it is only every once in a while that you are with family in Cali. I hope that you have a great flight home and I am sure that you WONT be wearing shorts when you get back, so you wont have to worry about shaving your legs in Maryland!!
Ha, I know. I should look on the bright side – I’m saving money on razors 🙂
Good luck and have a safe flight! Brace yourself for all the snow!!
I have been trying to mentally prepare!
You sound so happy!
Super bowl day is always about indulgence! Chips and dip pretty much make it amazing! (Although, I was a party pooper this year).
Have a safe flight back!
Have a good flight!!!
And that food sounds fantastic!!!! Carrot cake cupcakes.. yum! And the fresh orange juice and avocados… I want to move to Cali!!!
(sorry for all the exclamation points haha)
It’s okay. I love exclamation points!!!!!!!!
1. Have a safe flight home!
2. Those chocolate chip cookies look delicious (your cupcakes do too, I’m just not a carrot cake fan :))
3. Just so you know, you have awesome legs!
Good luck getting home. Those cupcakes look rocking!
haha yes to winter time = no shaving of the legs. 🙂
YAY first comment.. hehe
YAY treat days, love love love (three times LOVE) them