Weekly Wardrobe.

I was chatting with a coworker recently and she mentioned to me that she plans out her full week's worth of outfits on Sunday nights.  I've posted before about how we plan our weekly meals on Sunday and that if I don't make it shopping the rest of the week is an absolute mess!  She said the exact same thing about her outfits - when she doesn't plan them out she can't out the door on time.  I have to say, I was shocked by this idea!  But I'm completely guilty.  I'm late nearly every day because I can't decide what to wear, and even more so now that I've got the challenge of a bump to dress.  I'm learning that a good portion of my closet just doesn't fit the same way anymore - or at all!

So what about you?  Do you plan your outfits for the full week?  I might try it and see how it goes.

Dress the Bump.

I'm going to let you in on a little secret. Maternity clothes suck! Now that that I'm an expert on the matter - you know, since I'm almost half way there - I can impart some wisdom. Skip the maternity wear, embrace stretch, and size up!

Initially, I didn't want to wear and stretch out any of my existing clothes but I'm embracing a new perspective. If I can find super affordable non-maternity wear, what's the big deal if it's stretched beyond wear post-pregnancy? Since I'm not finding great fit in maternity wear and it's so expensive, a new game plan was in order. Here are a few of my recent purchases, that I couldn't be happier with!

dress the bump by thedailyromantic featuring long sleeve dresses

I've worn the black dress to several holiday parties and it's a steal for $18! I just picked up the striped ponte dress and it can easily be dressed up for a cocktail party or dressed down for work. I spotted an adorable bodycon dress on Pinterest and it led me to the brand Leith. This pink number was 40% off and I'm hoping it will work for an upcoming engagement party we're attending.

Oh boy!

Welp, figured it's time to dust off this here blog and start documenting a pretty big period in my life.  It's been a crazy few months filled with lots of intense work, my LAST (like ever!) semester of grad school, and a baby on the way!  I always imagined that I'd do weekly surveys to keep track of this special time but that definitely hasn't happened. Better late than never!  Let's start with week 18!

How far along? 19 weeks on Sunday!

Total weight gain/loss: Just about 4 pounds. 

Maternity clothes? Boy are maternity clothes disappointing... I started off strong at about six weeks with some adorable cropped work pants from Gap. Very misleading, everything else I've tried is terrible. So far I'm having the best luck with normal, stretchy clothes. Some maternity jeans are a must though, so the search continues.

Stretch marks? Nope.

Symptoms: Feeling great! I've been pretty lucky. The only issues this week have been lower back pain and an annoying pain in my ribs on the right side when I eat too much. 

Sleep: It seems like I have a great night's sleep every other night. On the off nights I'm tossing and turning or staring at the ceiling.

Best moment this week: Finding out the sex of our little peanut! Christmas eve/day were a close second.

Worst moment of the week: The drive to the ultrasound - let's just say pregnancy brain is in full effect and we won't ever talk about it again, k?

Have you told family and friends: Yes! The hubby tells perfect strangers everywhere we go.

Miss Anything? Champagne. No question. It's just not a holiday party (or hell, a friday night!) without it!

Movement: Not sure. A couple possible kicks here and there.

Food cravings: Up until this week I was having a total aversion to sweets. Those days are definitely gone. All sugar, all day, these days.

Anything making you queasy or sick: Nope.

Have you started to show yet: Yes! I've had my first couple of strangers asking if I'm expecting. I'm half insulted, half excited!

Gender prediction: Girl! I was sure of it. And it turns out we've got a little boy kicking around in there!

Labor Signs: None.

Belly Button in or out? In

Wedding rings on or off? On

Happy or Moody most of the time: Happy with a side of emotional!

Looking forward to: Starting on the nursery. I can make some decisions now that we know what we're working with.

12 Years.

What a summer it's been.  My boss, and mentor, of many years unexpectedly passed away and it has turned my life up side down.  I knew she had been battling cancer for the better part of a year but when she returned last fall from a couple of months of intense treatment it didn't seem she wanted to discuss it and it was clear she didn't want to be treated as though she was ill, so I just continued on as things had been before her illness.  Partners in crime, my go-to for all things large and small.  

When she first died, I was consumed with wanting to know exactly what had happened and how she could have died so suddenly.  Did she know she was dying?  If so, why didn't she find a way to say goodbye?  To offer some guidance about how to move on?  I prayed that a card - wrapped in a giant ribbon, the way she always did - would arrive with a perfect note from her.  But time, as it always does, has healed those "wounds."  Two months later, though, I am still having difficulty accepting her death.  There are fleeting moments where my brain can't resolve whether this has all been a dream or not.  And the dreams.  I've always been prone to dreams of people who I see often, but I've been dreaming of her most nights, always trying to work out where she's been, relieved that she didn't really die after all. She was just so alive.  

More than anything, I've been thinking of how special she was to the world.  She was only 42 and had a six year old daughter, and I keep thinking how unfair it is that she had so little time but also how much she did with it.  I've been dumbfounded by the outpouring from the community over her death.  Perfect strangers, who must have no idea how closely we worked together, are still reaching out to me to express their condolences.  Most of them remember her graciousness and poise and her smile that could fill up a room.  A charitable fund was opened in her honor and it's already raised $150,000, a small fortune that will be bestowed upon the nonprofits in the area she most loved.  What I most treasured about her was her desire and ability to nurture talent.  I don't think I'd be the same person without her encouragement and guidance. She brought out the little bit of moxie that was hiding in me. She was generous with praise and often gave me more credit than I was due.  And she wrote so beautifully that I remember thinking the only thing missing from her obituary was her own wordsmithing.   

I can't help but think, if I had only 12 years left what would I make of them?  And if I were gone tomorrow, what would people remember of me?  I hope that they would remember a kind, compassionate and empathetic person, whose heart beat for others.  I've thought a lot about what I learned from this admirable woman and though her gold paperclips and pulled together wardrobe gave us a window into who she was, I want most to embody the way she never worried that letting others shine would diminish her own light.  Rest in peace, Leigh. You lived so beautifully.  

Giving.

Big news in the Bay Area today!  The headlines are abuzz about the $120 million dollar commitment to education in our area by a local philanthropist.  Even though I work in this world, I'm quite surprised by the negative commentary all over the internet, ripe with judgement about where and how the money is intended to be spent and critical of how money on a past project was spent.  I, myself, have been quite excited about this announcement, especially given that I live in the middle of the area we're talking about.  Do I have professional concerns about what that kind of money can do to a community?  Yes.  But do I think it's not worth trying to make a difference?  No!

I have an awesome job.  I think of my work like being a financial advisor – only I get to help people give money away to charities.  It really is the best kind of job, but often people ask me (somewhat jokingly) how they can get on my list!  The truth is, I often have zero say over where a client decides to give.  As long as the law allows it, I can seldom stand in the way of a contribution.  Sometimes I do have doubts.  Maybe I feel there is a more qualified charity doing better work, or maybe the organization has a mission I don’t personally believe in.  Worse yet, maybe it’s an organization I feel is promoting what I view as oppression or bigotry.  Or maybe I have concerns about the style of funding or potential outcomes.

This got me thinking about a class I took in college.  It was your basic sociology 101 but we spent a good amount of time talking about cultural norms in various communities.  The professor posed a question to the class about whether or not we thought it acceptable for a person on welfare to use the money (in part or in whole) to purchase an Escalade.  Most people felt, and my initial reaction, was that it was absolutely not OK!  “How dare they,” we all said!  But the professor persevered until he had swayed at least me that it’s not my place to judge.  You either buy into the concept of welfare or not, he said, and then you must trust the recipient to use the money as they see fit.

I share that story because it’s quite similar to how I feel about my clients.  It’s their choice to give money to charity, and it’s not my place to judge how or to whom they give.  Recently, a client asked me to help with a grant to an international organization that gives cash grants in extremely poor countries.  The organization has no reasonable way of tracking the cash once it’s been distributed, but they fall back on studies that say that people – poor or not – will generally always use money to sustain themselves.  Some of my colleagues had very strong opinions about the legitimacy of this organization and at first I did, too.  But then I thought of the Escalade and my reaction softened.  In a sense, I feel the same way about this announcement. The community isn't due this money - not under our current social contract where money equals power.  It's a gift from the philanthropist, and I hope he'll heed the advice of seasoned professionals and experts, but either way it's his to give.

Is it really my place to judge?  Or is it simply my calling to facilitate?

Williams-Sonoma wasn't lying when they said these are the.best. chocolate chip cookies around!  I needed a little study break this weekend (can we all celebrate that I'm finished with this semester of graduate school!) and spotted this recipe on Pinterest.  Seriously, these are heavenly!

You can follow the recipe here.  I used gluten free flour and I have to rave about that, too! I've always been a huge fan of Pamela's Products.  I use her baking and pancake mix for anything sweet (cookies, cake, and of course pancakes!) and her bread and flour mix for anything bread-y (bread, dough, crusts, etc.).  They've always done me right but I've had one small complaint which is that the pancake mix has almond flour.  I have a bestie who is allergic to nuts.  She loves desserts as much as I do so it's always a bummer when I make something g-free that she can't partake in! Anyway, I noticed at Whole Foods the other day that Pamela's had a new artisan mix (which is nut free), and I've been eager to try it!  On Pamela's website it advertises that the new mix is closer to a cup-for-cup replacement  for wheat flour (meaning you don't have to estimate with the salt and baking soda/powder amounts).  

Well, it's a hit!  The tell tale sign we were onto something is when my husband kept coming back for another spoonful of raw dough.  Even though the finished product is always good, the raw dough isn't always as appealing with g-free flours.  Now will someone please send me an equally delicious oatmeal cookie recipe, please?

Alteration Success.

I wanted to share quick post on an alteration I made to my birthday dress.  I found this dress on Karmaloop on sale for $15!  When it arrived I loved it!  But it was way too short.  I just turned 30, afterall.  I continued to look around for other options but I really loved this dress. So I decided I'd spend a few more dollars at JoAnn to see if I could make it work. The hubby was convinced it wouldn't turn out, so sadly, I didn't bother to document the process.  But since it did turn out, I thought I'd brag to the internets about it instead...  Look, ma!

I sent this before and after to one of my girlfriends and she congratulated on my hard work at the gym.  When I explained that I haven't worked out since January and that I was actually showing her the difference in length, she was very concerned for my health... I'm happy to report I'm going back to my favorite workout, The Dailey Method, at the end of the month!

I Pink I Love You.

This is my favorite nail polish of all time.  If I ever had a 'signature' anything, it's this nail polish.  Annnnd, OPI has discontinued it.  Major bummer!  I learned it had been discontinued about six months ago and since then I haven't been able to find it anywhere for under $30.  I figured better to focus on finding a suitable replacement until a few weeks ago I spotted a very familiar color out of the corner of my eye on an abandoned display at CVS.  There it was - three whole bottles of I Pink I Love You!  For some reason I let my frugality get the better of me, and I only bought two of the bottles.  My husband thinks.I'm.crazy.  Rightfully so!

This was pre finding-the-miracle-bottles so it's only two coats.

This is with my beloved three coats.

I have come to accept that eventually I will run out of my supply.  Any recommendations for a similar color?  What I love about this is that it's opaque with three coats, iridescent rather than flat, and a cool pink.  Tall order!

Birthday, Part II.

At SUR, wearing on the patience of some impromptu but kind photographers.

Well, I can barely remember this trip at this point but I figure you can't leave a part one hanging without a part two!  A few weeks ago I headed to LA with my best girlfriends to celebrate my birthday.  We made it a super quick trip and flew up for just one night.  The time with my girlfriends was the best but I can't say that I fell in love with LA.  

We stayed in West Hollywood at just about the BEST Best Western I've ever seen - seriously, check out the Best Western Plus Sunset Plaza if you're in LA.  It's centrally located, down the street from the Andaz and up the street from The Chateau Marmont and The Standard, but probably half the price per night.  It also has the most darling pool.  

When we arrived we did some window shopping, some bottomless mims (evidence below) and then we rested up for a long night.  We started with cocktails at SUR.  I'm not ashamed to say I was dying to catch my favorite Real Housewife, but no luck.  Next we went to Laurel Hardware for dinner.  The food was delish and I had my first ever Moscow Mule - as an avid soda water drinker how did I ever go so long without having one?!  I think I thought it was like a White Russian.  

Anyway, the night took a turn after dinner.  We asked around about where the hot spots were and we were terribly misadvised to go to Supper Club.  Now there's a Supper Club in SF, but it's nothing like it.  The club was fine inside but it wasn't exactly my scene so we decided to try something else.  Outside, it was like an apocalypse with all these strange characters grabbing at us.  Now, I grew up in San Francisco and I've lived in some shady areas since (in fact, I currently live in a city that was dubbed the murder capital of the country - 20 years ago - it's lovely now!).  Let's just say it definitely wasn't our crowd!

Plenty of time for cab selfies.

Next we tried the Standard Downtown LA.  I'd been to The Standard in Manhattan so I had an idea of what to expect. After 30 minutes in a cab, it was less than we'd hoped for.  The view was nice, though.  We decided to call it a night and when we got back two of my girlfriends surprised me with Cool Ranch Doritos from the vending machine.  And the world was right again.  

Paper Goods.

I'm going to let you in on a little secret.  I'm obsessed with paper goods!  I've always loved stationary but following our wedding, I'm officially over the edge.  I mean getting to choose coordinating announcements, shower invitations, shower thank you notes, wedding invitations, place cards, menus, and wedding thank you notes was seriously one of the most fun parts of planning!  If I could decide on a style for personalized stationary, I'd have reams of it!  Anyway, that's not even the secret.  The secret is Verrier.  

Last year around this time I was in New York City for work and I found this delightful stall at a pop-up shop at the Chelsea Market.  Ashleigh and her mom/partner Jude were so sweet, and when we got to talking it turns out Ashleigh is originally from Mill Valley, born in San Francisco - like me!  Well, as soon as I told her we were set to get married in Mill Valley, we were fast friends.  She's a fashion designer but also makes the.most.amazing prints and cards.  I bought several pieces that day and I've been buying a steady stream of thank you notes from her website since.  She really has a card for all purposes.  I may or may not have purchased birthday cards for all of my girlfriends that I've saved to send throughout the year...

I la-la-la-LOVE this set of thank you notes.  I've given my first set out and I've seen more than one card face cut out and framed around my office.  How's that for double-duty?  Anyway, if you're crazy for paper goods like me, check out her shop online or in NYC!

Am I the only one who's crazy for paper?

Birthday, Part I.

This past weekend the hubby took me to Sonoma to celebrate the big 3 - 0.  Originally, we were going to go to Napa and eat at the Culinary Institute (which is actually in St. Helena), but after my husband made the reservation they called to say they'd be closed for spring break - boo!  So we decided to try something slightly new and go to Sonoma instead of the much hyped Napa.  And it was great!!  My birthday fell on Easter Sunday so I'm not sure if that made it quieter or busier but it was perfect.  

First we went to Cornerstone, which was a little development with tasting rooms, restaurants, and shops.  Next, we went to a smaller family estate, where they offered to take us on a tour of their caves when the hubby mentioned it was my birthday!

Our hotel was fab!  We stayed at The Lodge, which was a stone's throw from the charming downtown.  The customer service was great and the rate was good considering the resort atmosphere.  We stopped mid-day to eat lunch on the pool deck.  Delightful!  After lunch we went did more tasting in another little town called Glen Ellen.  

We had dinner at The Girl and the Fig, which was great.  We had some great cocktails, some mediocre rose (shhh!), and some YUMMY salad and asparagus appetizer.  We were pretty full from eating.all.day, so we opted not to get dessert.  Later we ordered room service from the hotel restaurant. This was just so so, but there is always something so luxurious about ordering room service!  

I was on the hunt for a winery that makes champagne, so the next day we stopped at a chateau with a gorgeous view, where I had just about the best breakfast I've ever had!  Yes, please!

And this is one of the things I love most about my husband - the laughter never ends.  We were laughing about almonds.  Yep.

Next weekend I'm going to LA with my girlfriends and I can't wait!  And between then and now, I'll have my head buried in books.

Meme.

I've been buried in school work this past week but trying to keep my spirits up with a few laughs! This might be my all time favorite internet meme.

I just love the little guy's conviction.  I laugh every time I think of it.  And of course, I'd like to think of myself as someone who keeps it exceptionally real.  I suppose my girlfriends can attest to that - or not!

P.S.  If anyone would like to know about the misplacement of minority math students in ninth grade geometry or residential segregation and its association to crime, you know where to find me!

Sunday Shopping.

I was thinking it might be fun to do a weekly meal planning series.  To kick it off, I'll tell you how we plan our weekly meals and what's most important to us in planning.

First, we HAVE to get our groceries over the weekend.  If that doesn't happen, the rest of our week is a total mess. Second, I plan a specific dinner menu for each night.  Mostly I'll only plan five nights worth to allow for anything that might come up.  The hubby sometimes forgets to tell me about business dinners, guys' night out, etc.  I also like to be able to switch the meals around within the week to accommodate other changes that crop up - like I just don't feel like fish tacos tonight!

A couple of other key elements for us are potential for leftovers and level of effort/time.  I used to cook 80% of the time but being in graduate school - particularly these last two semesters - has totally turned our night-time routine up-side-down!  Thank goodness for the hubby.  He's now on deck to cook the two nights I'm in school, and the reality is he winds up cooking the two nights in between, too, because I'm either exhausted or still doing reading/homework throughout the week.  So, given the current situation I try to plan at least one meal that will have enough leftovers for another night's dinner.  Alternatively, I try to think about what would make for good lunches.  And because I'm still doing the planning and shopping, I try to think about recipes that won't be too complicated or time consuming if he has to step in unexpectedly.  A quick note here - the hubby is a fantastic cook!  I mean, everything he makes is seriously good!  But you know how after years of doing it your own way, you tend to write yourself notes in shorthand, or you forget to document a change or shortcut from a recipe you've been making for forever?  The devil is in the details, and those darn details have started more than a few fights!

Finally, this is probably obvious, but it took some serious effort on my part to get it down.  I carefully check to see what we have left from the week prior so that we minimize anything in our fridge going bad.  This also helps me sequence the menus.  Call me crazy, but I also like to check the week's weather forecast.  At this very moment we happen to be having a downpour and lasagna sounds so comforting!  But the weather has been crazy, and what if it's 75 degrees on Monday night and lasagna winds up being way too heavy?  Details I tell you!

Anyway, on to this week's menu:

Sunday: Lasanga (I couldn't resist!)

I use my mom's recipe, which is traditional Sicilian style.  The hubby says there's too much cheese and not enough meat, but I've been eating it and making it this way my whole life.  I know the recipe by heart now but one of these days I'll write it up and post it.

Monday: Crab cakes and edamame

I love Trader Joe's Maryland style crab cakes.  Delish!  I like to serve it with edamame on the side - aso from TJ's.

Tuesday: Southwestern Quinoa

We love this recipe!  This is one of my go-to blogs for healthy recipes.  When we can find it (did you know the world is currently suffering from a shortage?!), I throw in shrimp.  Another shout-out to TJ's - we love their Red Argentinian uncooked, deveined shrimp.  This recipe makes for great weekday lunches, too! 

Wendesday: Tuna Melts

Yum!  The hubby likes to make open faced tuna melts.  We use sourdough bread (gluten-cheat!) and extra sharp cheddar cheese.

Thursday: Leftovers

Usually I plan leftovers more carefully, but I'll be dining alone Thursday evening, so I'll either eat leftover lasagna or leftover Southwestern Quinoa.

Friday and Saturday, as usual, we'll wing it!  What are some of your favorite weeknight dinners?

Wedding Fail.

A friend of mine is getting married tomorrow and I sent her quick note today with the same sage advice I received from many, many people before my own wedding.  If you've had a wedding, then I'm sure you've heard some variation of this advice: soak it in, be present, enjoy the moment, it goes so fast!  This got me thinking about some of the less than perfect details about my wedding and how I dealt with them - or rather, didn't deal with them, but just let them go!  

After scouring countless wedding websites throughout the planning process, I knew there were a couple of things we'd do to manage the day of.  First, I decided to create a "call anybody but the bride" list.  Essentially, you create a list with all of your vendors and their contact information so that you can hand it off to a trusted family member or bridesmaid.  I added arrival times for each vendor so that my designees would know when something was off schedule without me telling them.  I gave the list out at the rehearsal, letting everyone know who had them.  Most importantly, I made abundantly clear that if there was any kind of problem (no matter how small) I did not want to know.  Everyone laughed when I said that but they knew I meant it!

The other thing we did that I am so, so grateful for was ask one of our dearest friends to be the MC.  We debated about this because we had a DJ and we knew he could probably play this role as well, but having someone so close to us run the show left me feeling like there was not a thing to worry about.  Looking at the photos now, I always chuckle at this one of me waiting to cut the cake.  The cake cutting was at 8:30pm on the timeline and the clock above the cake table is at precisely 8:30pm!

As much as you prepare, the biggest challenge is making yourself let go on the big day. Things will go wrong and you've just got to commit to yourself to be present and enjoy no matter what.  Here are a few things that didn't go quite right and how I dealt with them...

Bubble gum linens

At the last minute I decided to switch my linens from ivory to pale pink after seeing the most beautiful and romantic photos of someone else's outdoor wedding.  I didn't get to see the linens or a swatch beforehand, so I was eager for them to arrive the day of.  Unfortunately, the truck with the linens was stuck in terrible traffic and as the hours ticked away, still no linens. I was so glad my MOH had the vendor list because she stayed on top of tracking the truck. When the linens finally arrived I was just finishing hair and makeup and it was time to get dressed for photos.  As soon as I saw them I knew something was wrong.  They were pink but not pale pink!  I wanted light, airy and romantic but I got bubble gum!  This is probably my only post-wedding gripe, but in the moment I just had to let it go.  I never even said anything to the caterer - what good would it have done?

City setting

We got married at the Outdoor Art Club in Mill Valley.  It's right downtown but you'd never know it was there if you didn't know it was there.  We looked long and hard for a venue and we just loved this space because it felt like an oasis in the middle of the hustle and bustle (albeit, small-town hustle and bustle).  Well, with a city setting comes the potential of city sounds.  Right as the ceremony started a fleet of ambulance/fire trucks went by with sirens blazing.  I think it rattled our officiant but we just had to laugh!

Lovebird down

Whoops!

When I was first looking for wedding inspiration and browsing around for cake toppers I found on Pinterest these adorable fabric love birds dressed in wedding attire.  Well my mother-in-law became a Pinterest sleuth and at Christmas I unwrapped the.most.beautiful handmade love birds.  I've since turned them into ornaments so that we get to admire them once a year.  They inspired a bird theme throughout the wedding and I couldn't wait to stick those birdies on the cake!  We used a sweetheart table at our reception and it happened to be set at one side of the room with the cake on the opposite end.  At some point during dinner I noticed the photographer taking photos of the cake and to my horror, I saw that there was only one bird!  I thought, "Doesn't he notice there's only one bird?!"  I knew there was no way I'd make it across the room in my dress so I told my husband and like a stealth he got across the room in time to retrieve the other bird.  Fortunately the photographer got photos with both!

All better!

Family drama

By far, the hardest thing to deal with on the big day was family drama.  It really paid off for me to be clear that I did not want to know about any issues, because it turned out there was plenty of drama and I didn't know a thing about it until after all was said and done!  What makes me sad is that my husband had to shoulder the burden and didn't have my support but he knew that it would pull my focus from all the positives that day, and I'm so glad he decided not to say anything. Now that doesn't mean I didn't notice some cold gusts coming my way but I had fortified myself and promised that no matter what I would choose to honor the love in the room and pay no mind to any negativity.  I'm so proud of myself for following through on that.

What went wrong on your wedding day and how did you stay in the moment?

Chopped.

I had heard of the post wedding chop, but I never thought I'd do it myself.  Well, a couple months following our wedding I did it - I chopped off my long locks!  Here's the before, the hairspiration, and the after.

Before

     

One of my very favorite photos of my dad and me <3

Hairspiration

After

Please excuse the closet selfie!

I've actually cut my hair even a bit shorter now, which I felt was more flattering.  I visted my hairstylest today and she asked me if I think I'll grow it long again.  I have to say, I'm not sure!  Actually, I'm sure I will, just not anytime soon.

Did you do a post wedding chop?

Cleanse.

Have you heard of the Dr. Oz 3 Day Detox Cleanse?  Well I've done it a few times - most recently this past weekend - and I'm a fan.    

The hubby and I did our first cleanse together after watching Fat Sick and Nearly Dead.  That one is a juice cleanse and we did it for five days.  The first time was great actually but each time after that was torture.  And by torture I mean by day three you're dreaming about the McDonalds french fries you haven't even eaten in 15 years!  I like the Dr. Oz cleanse because it doesn't strip out the fiber in the fruits and vegetables and frankly, three days is way easier than five!  Or seven, or 30...  

Unless you're planning to do a serious - I mean like 30 or 60 day - cleanse, it's not a good way to loose weight.  The first time we did the cleanse we both lost about 10 pounds, but I gained back half that as soon as we started eating regular food again.  A cleanse is a great way to reset your eating habits, or to jump start some other kind of health regimen.  I usually do them at the end of winter or if I've been particularly bad about eating gluten.  

We had a lot of the ingredients already (like the coconut oil, probiotic, and stevia) and there were a few things I just skipped (like the lavender and multivitamins) so I spent about $30 for all three days.  

Morning

I think the morning drink is my favorite.  It has bananas which I HATE but I use a half instead of a whole and it's not so bad.  If you squeeze a little extra lemon you can barely taste it.

Afternoon

You'll notice that I had to use a food processor for this one.  I have no idea how other people prepare it, but it is thick and there is a lot of it.  My poor immersion blender could barely stand up to the kale, cucumber and celery!

Evening

I also quite like the evening drink.  Who can turn down blueberries and mangos?