Evening, my friends! I hope you all are having a great weekend so far. I know I have. I started off with that great run, then got to dine with a wonderful crew of blog friends, and have enjoyed time with the family this afternoon. It’s official. I am BACK to myself! And it feels wonderful. I now present you with this week’s FFF Features. Happy Saturday!

Featured Post of the Week: My 7 Links Post

Featured Workout Post of the Week: Ten Moves To Tighten The Tummy

Featured Meal Post of the Week: Peanut Butter Graham Truffles

Okay. Not a meal, but if you missed this recipe you must get in on that action!

Featured Fun Post of the Week: My Birthday Wish List

Featured Cuteness of the Week: Baby B’s Laugh

Featured Reading of the Week: Jen @ This Runner’s Trials

Jen is a super inspirational woman who has openly shared about her struggles with infertility and is now halfway through her first pregnancy. She gives such a refreshing perspective of body appreciation during pregnancy and motivation on her healthy attitude and lifestyle. I love Jen and have no doubt you will too if you check out her blog. 🙂

• What is one feature (high moment/good meal/stellar post/etc) of your week?

I don’t think I have ever looked forward to a workout as much as I did this morning. I guess not feeling too well for a week means motivation suddenly through the roof! I didn’t even mind being called out of sleep at 6 am to eat my pre-run fuel. It’s like my body screamed at me to get back on the bandwagon NOW! I said “let’s get the party started” with some Pink and set out for my long run of the week.

Knowing I had taken off since my not too successful tempo run on Wednesday morning, I simply had one goal in mind. Take it slow, so you can finish.

After a week of feeling less than stellar, my body didn’t quite feel the same. Not in a painful sense, though. Purely in a what-the-H-E-doublehockeysticks-are-you-doing-to-me sense. It felt like a brutal wake up call. A GOOD brutal wake up call because once I got going I felt on top of the world. I finished with an unexpected average 9:30 pace. I will happily take that 8 miles!

After a less than optimal week on the healthy living front, a run left me with a ginormous craving for a green smoothie. Today’s mix went back to a basic favorite of mine -

• 1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond breeze
• 1 frozen banana
• 5 frozen strawberries
• 2 large handfuls fresh spinach
• 1/2 scoop vanilla protein powder
• pinch xanthan gum for thickening

Ahhhhhhh. A run and a smoothie (in a wineglass of course!) are good for the soul, I tell ya! Now I plan on foam rolling the heck out of my legs to make sure they don’t put me in soreness rehab as I get back on track. I got a half marathon to train for, after all. It’s only 14 weeks away!!!

• When is the last time your body said “what-the-H-E-doublehockeysticks-are-you-doing-to-me”?
• What foods/activities help set you back on track with your goals?