What a crazy 24 hours it has been! I got delayed at work, so we hit the road a little later than we’d hoped – around 4pm. We are heading north for the weekend to Indianapolis, to visit with Casey’s parent and see one of his high school friends get married. I LOVE weddings!!
As always, I stocked the car with healthy snacks so that we could save money and calories on the road. I picked up something new at Trader Joe’s this week…
Yes, that bag in fact does say Sesame Seaweed Rice Balls! They were not gross or fishy at all – they actually kind of reminded me of cheese balls – yum. I’m not usually one for processed or packaged food, but road trips are one of my rare exceptions, and I still always make sure that it is healthy.
It is official and I am ready to make the declaration – Vitamin Water Zero Lemonade is my favorite naturally sweetened bottled drink. I have tried every flavor of Zero and Sobe Lifewater, and this one takes the cake. I just wish they weren’t so expensive.
As we drove, we listened to an audiobook – Malcolm Gladwell’s The Tipping Point. Clearly I have heard much about this book, but I had never actually read it. It’s great so far! I also highly recommend his other book Outliers, if you haven’t read that one…
We hit major RAIN and traffic as we drove through the mountains. I feel like literally every single time we get in the car to drive a long distance, the sky opens up and pours on us. I am terrified of driving in the rain, and usually sit and have a panic attack in the passenger seat. :(
To distract myself, I busted out the vegetarian sandwiches we had packed for dinner…
English muffin with cucumbers, hummus, and avocado – yum.
Once we made it past the rain, we saw one of the most beautiful sunsets I have EVER seen!
Purple, pink, and blue – so gorgeous!
After last week’s super late night drive home from DC, we decided that we were too old (and too responsible) to keep trying to struggle through these ridiculous dark and dangerous late night drives. We decided to stop 3/4 of the way there at a nice Hyatt in Lexington, Kentucky. Check out our fun couch!
And HUGE flat panel TV that swiveled back and forth to both sides of the room. I LOVE staying in hotels!
Blogging couch! :)
We got there at midnight and were out the door by 7:30 this morning – $120 hotel room for 7 hours of sleep = totally worth it to not feel sleepy behind the wheel. Before we checked out, we hit up the free continental breakfast in the lobby (another reason I love hotels!).
Hotel breakfasts actually tend to have a lot of healthy options. They had a big assortment of cereal and yogurt, but I opted for a big scoop of fruit and whole wheat toast with PB&J. Yum!
Three hours later, we were back in the land of familiar cornfields and pastures…
Sweet home, Indiana! :)
We got to Casey’s parents house and realized we haven’t actually been back here since Thanksgiving! We’ve visited them in Cincinnati and Charlotte, but haven’t been up here in Indy in way too long. I noticed that Tina had her mother’s blood pressure monitor on the kitchen table, so immediately I started playing with it.
I don’t know a ton about vital statistics, but Tina and Casey assured me that this was very good.
Next patient…
I declared it a blood-pressure-off. Pssssh, I totally won. :)
Being here in Indy is always fun because Tina is literally the world’s most fun mother in law. We have so much in common, and the two of us could sit and talk for days on end. She is really into healthy, natural food so everything here is organic, soaked, dehydrated – you name it.
She even had the dehydrator going when we got here! I’m thinking I kind of want one of these…
Just got back from a yummy lunch, and now I’m off to shower and get ready for tonight’s wedding festivities. Back later with details! :)
32 Comments so far
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what a fun trip! i love roadtrip snacks…for some reason some things taste better on the road :)
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Looks like you are having a good time so far. Good call on the stop over! I see they have Seattle’s Best…you started your day off right! Have a good time!
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I definitely agree about the lemonade being the best flavor. I like the orange one too, but not really any of the others.
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Emily @ The Front Burner Blog Reply:
July 18th, 2010 at 10:25 am
It is AMAZING!
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I love healthy road trip snacks! They are so important.
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120/80 is ideal, but 110/70 is even better, so you’re golden! However, if the systolic (top number) is less than 100, you’re at risk for LOW blood pressure problems such as diziness, confusion, lethargy, and weakness. These all mean your vital organs aren’t getting enough blood circulating. Blood pressure is such a fine line and most of our society blows those ideals right out of the water, in a bad way.
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Emily @ The Front Burner Blog Reply:
July 18th, 2010 at 10:25 am
Good to know – thank you! :)
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Ok – I saw you today at the Greenwood Park Mall (the four of you were leaving Stir Crazy! btw, what did you think of it?)
You were heading the opposite direction and I said to my daughter (also named Emilee) -”hey, I think that’s Emily from Front Burner Blog!” We both read your blog!
They we saw you inside the mall and once again you were going the opposite direction and too far away for me to yell or chase because I didn’t want to look like a creeper! Ha!
Maybe someday we’ll meet! I like hearing that your MIL has some healthy habits! I feel like I might be one of your oldest blog readers (49 years old!), but I’m working on a healthier lifestyle after surviving cancer twice in my lifetime!
I’ve been loving the recipes you’ve posted from the farm…right down my alley since I buy all organic produce or grow my own. It’s fun finding new ideas for my favorite foods!
Have fun in Indy this weekend and come back soon. Maybe next time we can have a blogger meet-up (and I’ll probably be the oldest one there!Hee!)
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Emily @ The Front Burner Blog Reply:
July 17th, 2010 at 3:38 pm
Oooommmmggg that is so weird!! I so wish we’d had time to meet! Scary that you recognized me on my grubby road trip clothes. :) Stir Fry was actually pretty good. I got tofu subbed in and they gave me lots of veggies!
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SentimentsbyDenise Reply:
July 17th, 2010 at 6:07 pm
Funny thing, because when I read on your blog the other day that you were coming to Indy, I thought it would be great to meet and talk to you. Then I blew my chance because I’m not one to make a scene!
Who knew your visit would be on the southside of our city where we live/shop!
Stir Crazy is really good – another place, Thai Spice (right across from the mall in the other direction) is another great place to eat Asian food. I always love the variety of vegetables they give in their stir fry dishes! Maybe you’ll try that place next time!
When I saw you coming out of the restaurant I just caught a glance and thought, “she looks familiar” and then when I saw your husband I knew who your were! Your hairstyle (in the headband) is your signature!
Hopefully next time I won’t be so shy! Have a fun weekend!
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Emily @ The Front Burner Blog Reply:
July 18th, 2010 at 10:24 am
Casey’s parents live right here in Greenwood, so we will definitely meet up next time we’re here. Thanks for the restaurant suggestions – we tend to go to the same places over and over again! :)
I’m scared of driving in the rain too- I have hydroplaned while driving before!
Have fun, I love weddings too :-)
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I agree with hotels having quite good healthy options but sometimes it’s hard to stay away from the unhealthy options!!
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I’m so bad at doing the healthy thing on roadtrips. Your sandwiches held up pretty well though! Sounds like the start to a great weekend.
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Welcome to my home state! Indy’s definitely a fun city — I’m sure your wedding will be a blast! You definitely summed Indiana up great with cornfields and pastures, not to mention wheat and soybean fields! Just think of the gas you’ll save when you’re on flat roads than through those crazy mountains!
On the vitals — I think it’s nuts that both you and Casey were at 60 BPM for your heart rate! We’re taught in Nursing school 60-100 is the normal range for adults, and being as active as you are it should be on the lower end! You guys should get a lottery ticket. :)
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Emily @ The Front Burner Blog Reply:
July 18th, 2010 at 10:23 am
Haha! We drove our hybrid through the mountain to save on gas this time. :) I was glad my vitals seemed pretty good!
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I know right where that house is! Right at 65 and the Greenwood exit! That is literally minutes from my house! I saw someone else on here saw you at the Greenwood mall. Next time you are here let’s definately meet up! How fun! Have a great trip! P.S. Does your mother-in law know about Farm Fresh Delivery? It’s an organic produce home delivery service. I wondered because those organic strawberries are always the brand I get in my weekly bin.
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Emily @ The Front Burner Blog Reply:
July 18th, 2010 at 10:20 am
Ha, that is so funny! Yes that is exactly where we were. :) I would love to do a meetup next time! And so funny that you ask – YES, my MIL totally does Farm Fresh Delivery!! She LOVES it! Small world. :)
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Where in Indiana are you from?
Don’t those cornfields feel like home? :)
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Emily @ The Front Burner Blog Reply:
July 18th, 2010 at 10:18 am
I’m actually from Cincinnati, but Casey is from Indianapolis. His parents live in Greenwood!
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I live in Franklin and I recognized the farmhouse too. So fun to see something so familiar here. I am now going to check out Farm Fresh Delivery!
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Adrianne@ Flex-appeal Reply:
July 18th, 2010 at 12:56 am
Sandy let me know if you have any questions about it. They are great!
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Emily @ The Front Burner Blog Reply:
July 18th, 2010 at 10:17 am
That is awesome! I had no idea I had so many Indy readers – love it! :)
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So glad you;re having a nice trip home. I love Vitamin Water 0 Lemonade sooooo much. It’s getting to be quite an expensive habit. Worth it though ;)
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Ok I am OBSESSED with itamin water zero lemonade since may haha..I buy cases when its onsale for$1 each. It is out of the world with half unsweetened iced tea + a little stevia, healthy arnold palmers..my addiction. The orange flavor is not too bad either :)
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Emily @ The Front Burner Blog Reply:
July 19th, 2010 at 8:02 am
Yuuuuuuuuuuum.
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This is really random…but I was googling (we all know that is a real verb right?! ;) ) how to quit drinking yesterday and I came upon a link to your blog on ehow or something. I was excited because I am already a reader. I can’t find that post right now because I think it was old but it was really helpful to me. I wouldn’t say I am a huge drinker at all, but one drink really affects me and my eating disorder recovery. Thanks for making me feel like its okay and for the tips on how to handle the naysayers. :)
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Emily @ The Front Burner Blog Reply:
July 19th, 2010 at 8:02 am
Oh wow! Congrats to you for trying to quit drinking, especially if it’s having a negative effect on you. I can assure you from my experience that life is much better without drinking. :)
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I’m reading “Tipping Point” right now, and I recently finished “Blink,” another of Gladwell’s books. They’re both quite interesting.
If I’m remembering right, one of my closest college friends is from Greenwood, IN. Who knows, she and Casey may have gone to the same high school — small world!
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I was born in indiana!! and all my relatives live there :)
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OMG! YES! I grew up spending every summer in Stone Harbor, from May to August. It’s one of my favorite places in the world. My extended family has a house there on 95th street, just a block over from all the shops and restaurants. I am SO jealous you are going there for the week! My mom was there last week and said it was amazing. Have FUN! :)
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Georgia Reply:
July 21st, 2010 at 1:04 pm
Stone Harbor is great! It’s a small world! My in-laws have a place on 104th street, so quiet and relaxing. Love your blog!
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