Salted Caramel Protein Smoothie

Lately I've been really enjoying making this smoothie, and the funny thing is, there actually isn't any caramel in it.  It's super good, tastes like caramel and is packed with protein!  These are just the ingredients I use, you can experiment a lot with this recipe. Sorry for the bad picture quality, I just took these on my iPhone.

Salted Caramel Protein Smoothie:

1 1/2 ripe or over ripe bananas
2 Medjool dates
1 tsp Himalayan Rock Salt (or sea salt, or regular rock salt)
3/4 cup Macadamia Milk (or almond milk, or soy milk)
1 small handful of raw cashews (or 1/4 cup cashew butter)
1/2 tbspn honey (I'm just guessing how much, put whatever you want!)
1/2 cup ice

Blend till smooth and enjoy!

An Adventure's Approaching

Tomorrow a team of 33 of us depart from San Diego, California and fly for a few hours to get to Washington D.C. where we will spend 8 days on the National Mall sharing the good news of Jesus Christ!  

As I was packing today I was trying to keep in mind my packing 101 knowledge.  I tend to overpack- big time, haha, so it can be hard to pack light for some trips.  

1.  Bring sun protection

Whether this is a cute hat or fun sunglasses plus

lots of sunscreen, this time of year it's important to be safe from the sun's harmful rays.

2.  You're allowed to bring musical instruments as a carry on item so pack them up!

3.  Pack your airplane clothes and carry on bag and set them out ahead of time.  This eliminates unnecessary anxiety on the morning of the trip and helps to avoid forgetting anything!

I'm so excited to see what the Lord has in store for this mission trip!  Prayers would be appreciated!

7 Ways to be Productive

I don't know about you, but some days I really have a hard time getting into the swing of things while staying motivated... so here are my 

Numbero Uno:

Eating healthy.   

When I eat less junk food and sugar and more fruits, vegetables and yogurt parfaits (seriously love them), I feel way better. In a way I am more motivated, as well, to keep moving, than I do when I consume lots of carbs and processed garbage.  

Number Two:

Exercise!

Along with eating right, exercising keeps you awake, alert and motivated throughout the day!  I'll be honest, I hate working out... but I feel so great when I do!  I can't seem to find a good workout routine, I usually just stretch and jog on the treadmill.  What are your work-out tips? 

Number Three:

Plan it out: Make a list!

I am a HUGE fan of making lists.  Writing down everything that is on my mind really helps me to relieve stress and having a list keeps me more organized.  I've found that when have a goal for my day all written out I stay more on top of things and am, well, more productive.  

                           

Number Four:

Listen to some tunes.

Music is a huge motivator for me.  I love to sing (and dance sometimes too) when I'm cleaning and working around my house; praising the Lord through song always keeps a smile on my face:) Some of my favorite bands are Rend Collective, Needtobreathe and Colony House, if you want to look them up!

Number Five:

Reward Yourself.

A lot of the time, the work that you're completing doesn't pay well...or pay at all (like school and housework) so I like to have a reward for myself to look forward to, once I complete my to-do list.  Most of the time this is food (not good lol:) but sometimes it's watching a movie, crafting, going on Pinterest, or hanging out with friends!  Let me know what you like to reward and motivate yourself with!

Number Six:

Change of location.

It has been so beautiful, sunny and warm outside here in So Cal lately, I've done a lot of my homework outside!  Sitting on the floor, on my bed, at a desk, outside, or at the kitchen table are some examples of what I do to "change my view" and my "location" when I'm working.  It's tiresome sitting in one place all day long- change it up!

Last but not least (it actually is the best), Number Seven:

Daily quiet time.  Find rest in the LORD!

I like to try to do my quiet time in the morning to mentally prepare myself for the day ahead, as well as get my heart right with the Lord.  I love to journal down my prayers and random thoughts and talk to God as if He's sitting right next to me.  It is so important to have a daily quiet time and have your relationship with the Lord as your #1 priority, even before your to-do list.

Colossians 3:23

"Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working of the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward.  It is the Lord Christ you are serving." 

Capturing Emotion

You know how some people talk about how candid pictures are the best?  Have you ever realized how hard it is to actually take non-blurry candid pictures?!  If you're not sure what in the world I'm blabbing about, a candid picture is one that is simply not planned.  How are you supposed to even take a picture if it's not planned? Sound legit right (sarcastic).

• Candid pictures are NOT POSED

You've all seen those awkward photos taken of families posed in front of a sheet... or the ones where the photographer has no sense of creativity.  Just get over it- let people stand the way that they would normally stand- sometimes this looks a whole lot better!  Of course, there are times when it is wiser to adjust people's posture or arm and hand positioning, I just think it can get carried away sometimes, that's all. 

I promise this was NOT posed! Mikayla just sat next to her brother and put her arm on his shoulder.  I thought it was sweet and hit the shutter button:) 

• Candid pictures are NOT PERFECT

Sometimes they come out blurry, that's ok, sometimes they actually look cool!!

Sometimes the person's smile isn't perfect, and sometimes there are unappreciated things happening in the frame... sometimes this is ok!!

These are my adorable cousins, who you'll see a lot of pictures of from me.  I think this picture is a perfect example of a candid shot, and even though it annoys me that it isn't in focus... it truly captures their fun personalities!

• Candid pictures CAPTURE EMOTION 

What more can I say about this?  Emotion is everything in art.  Smiles.  Laughter. Tears. They are beautiful things.

This is probably my favorite picture that I've ever taken.  It was such a wonderful moment:)

-These people are obviously not posed.

-The angle is weird and there are unwanted people in the background.

-It's not perfect by any means, but it captures true emotion.

I took this in Washington, D.C. last year on a mission trip.  These two African men were hearing the Bible in their heart language through an app called 5fish.mobi!  Their expressions were priceless:)