This gorgeous woman is having a birthday tomorrow, and only the perfect gift will do for one of my best friends! Luckily, my mom is a lady who knows what she wants, and has already dropped some hints on present ideas for us. I have to say, I am definitely just like her on that one (and in many other ways!) — my Christmas list had the exact link to a pair of boots I wanted, with color specified. Ha Ha!

I may have to do a little shopping for myself today as well. As pregnancy goes, my clothes are starting to get, well, snug. My shirts and jeans are fine, but a lot of my business pants are getting tight in the waist. They still zip and button, but I feel like I have a muffin top 24/7. I’ve read that this is perfectly normal at the stage I’m at in my pregnancy, so I’m going with it. Won’t be long until I’m browsing the maternity section…yay!

I figured I better eat a good breakfast that would get me through all this retail running around, so I made an amazing bowl of oats:

In the mix:

• 1/2 each of organic oats, low-fat milk and water
• dash of salt
• one small banana
• tablespoon of all-natural peanut butter
• 1/2 cup blueberries
• Scoop of Living Harvest Hemp Protein Powder

So yummy, and I am super full! I also had a mug of plain tea, and my “horse” pill. Ha!

This huge green pill is my prenatal vitamin, and the white is a Vitamin D supplement. (I found out last year I was deficient in D.) I’m actually going to pick up a prescription for a new prenatal that has more D in it today, and they aren’t as big as these!

A nutritious morning meal!

I better get moving if I want to get in a workout before heading out to the mall. I think today is going to be Summer Sanders Prenatal Workout DVD. It’s a good one!

Have a wonderful Saturday!

If you keep up with my blog, you know I ♥ my yogurt bowls. About 99 percent of the time, my bag of eats that I take to work every day consists of: a banana, a Tupperware of Kashi GoLean cereal and a container of Chobani yogurt. It’s a great blend of protein and carbs and quick to put together when you stay in bed too long like I tend to do. But if variety is the spice of life, I think my a.m. meals need a big heaping spoon dash of salt!

So, I decided to be a bit of a copycat and try something I’ve seen on many blogs I read — a protein-packed smoothie. I was a bit hesitant — would thickish liquid truly fill me up? Would I be hungry 20 minutes later and attack the snack machine? Could I go a morning without my beloved Chobani? I’ve had smoothies before, but usually they were the chocolate variety that has a day’s worth of calories in, oh, a couple sips. But, no worries. My green-tinted shake kept my tummy full and snarky hunger monster in timeout until lunch. And I may or may not have snuck my favorite yogurt in the mix.

Here’s the magic potion:

Eight tablespoons organic Living Harvest Hemp Protein powder

Two more-brown-than-yellow bananas

Two cups Silk soy milk. Regular or Hemp milk could also be used.

Two handfuls of spinach -- couldn't even taste it!

One container Chobani plain yogurt -- old habits die hard.

Throw everything into a blender

Done!

A bubbly breakfast delight!

I actually split this into two containers, so I have an extra for tomorrow. Calories equal about 385 for 15 ounces. Delish!

Off to watch “Four Christmases.” I’m a big fan of Reese Witherspoon, so I hope she doesn’t disappoint.

What’s your favorite smoothie flavor?