Q & A Fun

Hiiiiii 😀 How are you guys? Hope your day has been wonderful!

We’ve been snack machines today 🙂

Smoothies:

smoothies

(Banana Peanut Butter for him and Strawberry for me- my Sun Warrior came while I was away, so that was a happy surprise! I missed it so)

Snack plates:

snack

and ballz 🙂

ballz

I couldn’t wait to make some amazeballz using Sun Warrior (instead of the icky Standard Process protein I used in the meantime), with homemade cashew butter:

cashew butter

(Roasted cashews whirred around in the mini food processor with cinnamon, vanilla and sea salt)

Thank you so much for all of your sweet comments you’ve posted about the Pilot’s return and our goobery love for each other 🙂

image

Just to prove it isn’t all sunshine and rainbows –coming back from deployment is a HUGE adjustment for everyone involved- here’s a snippet of our conversation while the Pilot was driving today.

Me: Stop braking like that! You’re making me sick! Guess who hasn’t driven a car in 6 months?

Pilot: I like the sound of enemy gunfire more than listening to you complain.

Hahaha.

We took Bell to the dog park this morning –she was in heaven- and then to look at the house I’m in love with.

dining room

He likes it, but isn’t as crazy about it as I was hoping….

If anyone has some legendary persuasion techniques, please send them my way 😉

We also grabbed some groceries. A stocked fridge is a very good feeling 🙂

fridge

+ plentiful produce

produce

Well I’m off to get ready to teach, but I hope you have a great night! Meet me back here in the morning for Luon for a Cause – e have a TON of amazing items to choose from, as well as a macaroon raffle 😀

See ya in the AM!

xoxo

Gina

Something to talk about: Q&A time! I lovelove when other bloggers do Q&A sessions –I’m kinda nosy like that haha- and think video posts are even more awesome. So since it’s been over a year since I’ve done a Q&A post, the Pilot and I were thinking it would be fun to do a little Q&A video together.

Please leave any questions you’d like us to answer in the comments section, and we’ll post the video in the next couple of days.

Post Navigation:

109 Comments

  1. Ashley @ Feeding Ashley on March 24, 2011 at 7:33 am

    I have a question, how do you and the pilot resolve fights? Does it just happen naturally because you’re both easy going, or does it take a lot of work to get over it?

  2. Fancy on March 24, 2011 at 7:38 am

    My question would be: How do you guys manage in the same household with such different eating habits? My husband and I have been married for less than 1 year and that has been a challenge for us…he is NOT a healthy eater and I am 🙂 There are not many foods that him and I can agree on…I would love to know your advice on that 🙂

  3. Chelsea @ One Healthy Munchkin on March 24, 2011 at 7:46 am

    I hope the Pilot warms up to that house you love! But I’m sure you can find a way to persuade him! A simple pouty face tends to work for me haha. 😛

  4. Colleen on March 24, 2011 at 8:19 am

    What kinds of dance have you studied? Will you do a dance for us on the video post?

  5. Alicia F. on March 24, 2011 at 8:28 am

    Q:
    Are both you really into fitness & healthy eating or is one more into it? I feel me and my hubby are opposites, I’m the health nut and he could care less. Any suggestions or words of advice to ease him into the heath nut world??

    Q: how do you manage to eat well around family & friends, such as at social gatherings? My family is Hispanic and it’s always meat, rice and beans. Never any veggies. 🙁 is your family conscious of your healthy eating lifestyle? I hate it when my& hubby’s family will tell me “eat cake” you can work on your diet tommorrow. It’s not a diet, it’s a lifestyle for me. Is your family supportive of the way you eat?? Any advice or tips on how to handle this!? Thanks!
    P.s. You totally sounds like me in the car, I always comment on my husbands driving! Lol

  6. jenna on March 24, 2011 at 8:38 am

    i was actually wondering about how you all adjust after not seeing each other and growing as people in 6+ months you were away from each other. I’m sure it’s quite a change when you’ve been doing your own thing. your smoothies look super refreshing!! 🙂

  7. Kari on March 24, 2011 at 8:46 am

    My Q&A Contribution (I love them too!)- questions for both of you:
    -What is one food you could not live without? (mine is cheese)
    -What is your favourite music artist of all-time? (mine is Bryan Adams)

  8. Erin H on March 24, 2011 at 8:54 am

    Love your convo snippet, very funny!!! And, I’m sure you’ll have no prob using your powers of persuasion on him, from the pics, that house looks amazing, and I’m sure you are beyond ready to get all your stuff back and to decorate!

    I LOVE Q&A’s! (I’m also nosy)
    So, like with the house decision, how do you guys handle differing opinions? Especially with major life stuff. I know it’s about compromise, but you guys seem to have a great balance, how to you handle situations when you disagree?

    Also….I’d love to hear about how you fit in your healthy eating habits when others (friends, co workers, or the Pilot) eat “bad”. I know by now, it’s probably second nature, but when you were first starting to lose weight/learning how to eat healthy, how did you fit in night’s out with friends and stick to your healthy eating plan? How did it become how you WANTED to eat verses being about what you COULDN’T eat.

    Thanks, G$!!!!!!!!!!!! 🙂 🙂

  9. Mo on March 24, 2011 at 9:01 am

    Persuasion technique . . . don’t have one. But my husband the car salesman has a great saying, “It’s easier to ask for forgiveness than permission.” And no, he’s not your stereotypical salesman. His customers love him – they come in to chit chat, they bring him gifts like wine . . . he totally goes out of his way for them and never steers them wrong. You would think he wouldn’t stand a chance in that business, but working for a small town dealership – he’s been there 15 years, must say something. Masochist? Take care you guys – Mo

  10. Nicole @ Fresh & Fit on March 24, 2011 at 9:05 am

    Persuastion: “happy wife, happy life”. hehe 🙂

  11. Molly on March 24, 2011 at 9:12 am

    I am always interested in people’s pet peeves! Mine is when people don’t wipe the bathroom sink down. I hate leaning against the sink and coming away with a wet spot on my shirt!

  12. Emma on March 24, 2011 at 9:20 am

    Is the Pilot going to come to a dance trance class?? 😉

  13. Pinky on March 24, 2011 at 9:35 am

    YAY, I love question and answer sessions! It’s fun being nosy in the blog world. 🙂
    I might be piggy-backing on others, but my question is how do you stay SO healthy around other people when you eat? And how long did it take before cravings for sweets and processed food went away?
    Thanks for answering and being so inspirational :)!

  14. Emma on March 24, 2011 at 9:38 am

    Okay so this is going to be my last time commenting with questions, I promise!! What I’ve been wondering lately, do you ever wish you didn’t have to take photos for the blog? Like when you went for a meal when the Pilot got back, do you ever just wish you could focus on the meal and company without having to worry about taking photos? Also, have you ever got in trouble for snapping a photo somewhere??

  15. Katy @ A Healthy Shot on March 24, 2011 at 9:41 am

    I see that’s it’s been mentioned already, but I was thinking ‘Happy wife, happy life!’ haha I just posted a Q&A section on my blog too!
    Question: How do you manage to stay healthy when you’re out at a bar/restaurant with the Pilot and friends?

  16. Kat @ My Fruity Life on March 24, 2011 at 10:00 am

    Hahaha my hubs and I have had that exact same convo in the car on more than one occasion!

    A question I’d like to know the answer to… What’s your favorite quality about the other person? What’s the one thing about each other that makes you just swoon?

  17. KimLivesHealthy on March 24, 2011 at 10:01 am

    We were just talking in our marriage prep class about how all couples argue when driving!

    For the house, try showing him parts of it that will appeal to him, like a nice back patio for him to chill & drink on, or a big living room for a TV… I know my man doesn’t care at all about closet size, daylight, or modern appliances.

  18. KimLivesHealthy on March 24, 2011 at 10:02 am

    Question – do you have a regular workout routine now that you’re settled in Tucson (like run 3 days/week, dance 2 days…) or does it change every week?

  19. Stephanie on March 24, 2011 at 10:10 am

    Bahahahaha! Love that convo snippet. As for persuasion…doesn’t lingerie always do the trick? 🙂

  20. Elyse on March 24, 2011 at 10:10 am

    Hey,
    I’m a new follower of your blog and I love, love, LOVE it! For a long time I’ve been comtemplating making the switch from dairy milk to almond, and peanut butter to almond butter but I haven’t really been convinced of the full benefits yet so I haven’t bothered to spend the extra $$ on it. What made you a fan of almond milk and butter and what makes it better for you than the standard dairy milk or peanut butter that so many of us have been raised on?
    Thanks 🙂

  21. Crystle on March 24, 2011 at 10:16 am

    Hey Gina, I was just wondering, have you tried the Vega Protein powders? If so, in terms of taste, how do they differ from Sunwarrior?

  22. Beth on March 24, 2011 at 10:22 am

    Okay… I asked earlier how you and Pilot met. I found the answer to that one… so here’s another! How did pilot propose?

    • Laura J. on March 24, 2011 at 2:08 pm

      Oooh I want to know this too! 🙂

  23. Rachel on March 24, 2011 at 10:35 am

    Yay! I love Q&A! 🙂 I also want to know how the Pilot proposed 🙂 I love me some gooberly love.

    Have you noticed a change in your body since you started eating chicken again? I’ve been an off and on veg for a very long time and am thinking about adding chicken back into my diet. I’m just having a little more difficult time firming up like I used to. I don’t need to lose but maybe 5 pounds but those are hard to get off…I’m thinking adding a little more protein may help???

  24. Mel on March 24, 2011 at 10:35 am

    Haha, love the convo. Too funny. I don’t have a good question, but I see a lot have already been posted in the comments. Persuasion? I would say just give him space and let him see all the other houses and how they compare. My hubs usually comes around with stuff after I back off a little, but that’s really hard for me. It pays off though 😉

  25. Joanne on March 24, 2011 at 10:36 am

    Hi Gina,

    My question isn’t so much food/health related, but more a question about coming to mutual agreements now that you are married. My boyfriend and I had an intense convo last night (talking about when we get married…) how to handle our finances. I actually make more that he does and spend money on things a woman does: hair, nails, keeping up with fashion (I feel like most men don’t know how much upkeep it is to stay on top of things). I am no over-spender by any means, but he was talking about putting us on this strict budget and how I shouldn’t buy this or that. Right now it’s my money and I don’t want to feel like I am being told how to live my life and be asked to give up my little splurges- even though he kept saying that wasn’t the case but that things would just be diffrent once we are married. Any advice on how to deal with coflicting opinions about money?!

    Thanks! 🙂

  26. kirsten on March 24, 2011 at 10:41 am

    how did the pilot propose to you? and was it a total surprise or did you know it was coming? 🙂

  27. Allie on March 24, 2011 at 10:53 am

    Hi Gina! My question is this: You are two young people who clearly enjoy a good time, and often with young people (or people in general) that includes drinking. Whether it’s a beer after work to unwind, or a few drinks out with friends, or a bottle of wine shared between boyfriends and girlfriends, drinks are a fun and present part of my life and my friends’ lives, but they seem to be pretty rare for you. You’ve said before that you don’t document everything you consume—no pressure to do so!—I’m more just curious: Do you ever get a little tipsy – i.e. drinking more than just one glass of wine, especially when you’re at fun family or friend gatherings?

  28. Ashleigh on March 24, 2011 at 10:58 am

    1) How long did you date/know the pilot before you got engaged? How long before you got married?
    2) Did you live with him at all/move in together before you were married?
    3) (Not really a question) so, you guys got married and then immediately moved across the country (NC?), right?
    4) Is the Tucson house the first you’re “buying” or did you own the one in Valdizzy?

    Sorry for all the questions! I’m uber curious because my live-in boyfriend and I have been having all kinds of serious marriage/buy-a-house talks lately and I was just wondering what your experience was like. You both seem so happy and I’m wondering, is it better to take baby steps or just drive in head first? I know it’s different for everyone, but you guys seemed to have such a whirlwind romance and its still going sooo strong!

  29. Maryz on March 24, 2011 at 11:05 am

    Yeah for Sun Warrior! I got mine last week too! So glad you run those Open Sky sales!

  30. Denise on March 24, 2011 at 11:15 am

    persuasion is **ahem** offerings of sort. I offer things he enjoys ALOT more than I do…. It works and we are both happy!

    Also, the enemy fire comment made me HOWL with laughter!

  31. Brett Marie on March 24, 2011 at 12:06 pm

    Hi there! I am a relatively new reader & loving every post. As a newly-wed Army wife my question is how have you dealt with putting your career on the back-burner because you know his career has to come first? I know that you have recently been able to move home & follow your passion to start a business; for me it’s a little different because we are stationed in Germany & to come with my hubs meant I had to walk away form my career in advertising. It has been really difficult trying to find a job I can be passionate about here, but I amtrying not to let it get me down Suggestions & wisdom will be appreciated 🙂

  32. Laura on March 24, 2011 at 12:07 pm

    For the pilot-how long did you guys date before you thought of proposing and marriage and starting making plans? How can a girl tell when a guy is ready?

  33. Laura J. on March 24, 2011 at 2:11 pm

    The most successful persuasion always happens in the bedroom…just sayin! 😛

  34. ashley on March 24, 2011 at 2:55 pm

    I’m weighing the pros and cons of moving in with my bf so I’m curious as to if you and the pilot lived together before getting married.

  35. Brittany on March 24, 2011 at 3:45 pm

    I would love to learn about how you two have embraced your unique situation/marriage (the Pilot being deployed sometimes, moving around, etc.). It seems like so many couples (especially the female in the couple) have a tendency to compare their relationship to those around them or those they see in movies, which is sort of a relationship “death sentence,” if you ask me. I put a lot of effort into focusing on MY own marriage and not comparing it to others, and since it seems like you two have a great handle on this, I’d love to hear your thoughts.

    Gina, I don’t know if this is necessarily material for the Q+A video, but I always love to see bloggers’ “favorite things” or “must-haves” — video form would be a fun way to do that!

  36. Anonymous on March 24, 2011 at 4:36 pm

    I’ve always wonder…what is your ethnicity? What’s the Pilot’s ethnicity?

  37. ashley on March 24, 2011 at 5:39 pm

    hi gina. i’m wondering if you would be willing to talk about how you organize your money. ive seen other bloggers do it and maybe youd be interested? joint bank account or separate?

  38. Lori on March 24, 2011 at 6:28 pm

    HA, I know exactly how you feel about the fighting when they get back from deployment. My hubby and I have a great time for about two or three days when he gets home then we start to get on each others nerves. You love them, but at the same time you want to pinch their heads off too, lol.
    Congrats on the hubby coming home! Watched the video and I started crying b/c I’ve picked up my hubby in Valdosta at the same airport from 3 deployments and one major injury flight home.
    Good luck with convincing him on the house, hopefully he will see what a great choice you’ve made…just make him think it’s somehow his idea. 😉
    Enjoy each other…and tell him thank you for all he does and thank you for all you do supporting him b/c our jobs are not an easy task.
    Lori

  39. Nicole on March 24, 2011 at 7:55 pm

    I have just always been curious about what religion ya’ll are (if any)? I totally understand if you don’t want to discuss it, though. 🙂

  40. Bee on March 24, 2011 at 8:08 pm

    Just wanted to say I know what it’s like to be excited about a house and have my husband be not as excited. We had quite a pattern of that with both the homes we have purchased together in our years together. He drove me nuts! But! — and this is really important — he always felt it was better to hold out for something that was really right, and both times his patience was the best thing for us! We wound up with great places both times, and if we’d gone with my initial choices, well, they wouldn’t have been as good. Food for thought…..

  41. Nikki on March 24, 2011 at 11:14 pm

    For the Pilot: Do you have any fitness goals? Do you think you will ever run a long distance race?
    For the Fitnessista: How long does a smoothie stay fresh? If I make it at say 8 in the morning and keep it in the fridge, will it still be as delicious at say noon or later?

  42. Valerie on March 25, 2011 at 12:33 am

    What a great idea! My questions are

    1. Whether the Pilot has any special recipes up his sleeve.
    2. How many hours of sleep do you get a night, Gina. You seem like such a busy bee and your days must have more hours than the rest of us to get it all in.

    Also, I wanted to thank the Pilot for protecting this amazing country.

  43. Holly on March 25, 2011 at 4:44 am

    Cute house! I love how it is so open and light.

  44. Heather on March 27, 2011 at 12:15 pm

    Legendary persuasion techniques a la COM 315: Persuasion in Business

    The more that someone is exposed to something (a person, item, etc.) the more likely that person will begin to like it (mere exposure effect)

    So, talking about the house a lot, or going to visit it a lot will make most likely make him like it more. Also, try visiting some obviously not so great houses and that house will seem better and better by the second!

    • Fitnessista on March 27, 2011 at 12:44 pm

      amazing!!! thank you 🙂

  45. Megan on March 27, 2011 at 10:40 pm

    Love the blog Gina 🙂 And I love all of the love questions!!! This might be way too personal as I am very nosy too, so feel free to ignore. I saw you went to your sister’s on a recent post, but I’ve never heard you mention her before! How many siblings do you have and do you get along with them? Does all of your immediate family live in Tucson? Also, sorry if these have been answered before. I also must reiterate how adorable you and the Pilot are. Your stories make my heart so happy for you two!! (And your squabbles make me laugh – your love wouldn’t be real without a few of them, right?!)

  46. Rebecca on March 27, 2011 at 10:44 pm

    Q for you:
    How has your body changed as your diet has evolved? Ex: more protein yielding a flatter stomach? Your diet has clearly been a work in progress for a long time and I’d be interested to hear how you found what worked for you and how you knew those changes were effective.

  47. Paige on March 27, 2011 at 10:50 pm

    Q&A questions 🙂

    For Gina: I’m curious to know how sleep affects the way you feel & what time you tend to go to bed/wake up. I’ve been trying to sleep between 11pm and 7am instead of 1am & 9am because my nutritionist said that your body produces the most human growth hormone between the hours of 10 and 6, so it’s a better time for restorative sleep.

    For both Gina & the Pilot: Anything you want to say about dealing with deployments & long distance would be interesting 🙂 I’m getting pretty serious with a boy who’s about to graduate from USAFA & start pilot training (he’s trying out for special forces next year as well, so we’re not totally sure what he’ll end up doing).

    Y’all rock. love the bloggie 🙂

  48. Kyla on March 28, 2011 at 12:28 am

    What is some of the best advice you can give to young couples who either plan on getting married/will be getting married? Anything you wish you knew before marriage happened??

  49. xandra on March 28, 2011 at 12:50 am

    What part of Mexico is ur familia from?

  50. Katie on March 28, 2011 at 7:42 am

    Fun question: Who hogs the covers when you sleep?

Leave a Comment





This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.