Fun girls dinner tonight at Earth Fare!  I shop there all the time, but I’ve never actually stopped to eat anything from their delicious salad bar.  Kath, Michelle, Kate, Diana, and I all met up and filled our bowls with goodies…

I started with a bottom layer of lettuce, sprouts, and mandarin oranges, and then made my way over to the mixed salads to top it all off.  Wheatberry salad…

Quinoa and grape leaves…

Israeli couscous and so much more.  It was fun to sit and talk to the girls and get to know them better.  It is so nice to finally feel like I have a LIFE in Charlotte!  :)

I actually headed to Earth Fare a little bit early, in order to get some shopping done.  This week’s freebie coupon was a GOOD one – a free 1lb bag of organic coffee and a box of granola!  All you had to do was buy something – what a deal. 

I got the French roast beans and they smell amazing.  I can’t wait to try them in the morning!

Also picked up something fun for this weekend’s road trip.  Ever since quitting artificial sweeteners, I’ve had the hardest time finding things to DRINK.  Especially on road trips, when I used to suck down can after can of sugar free energy drinks (aka battery acid).  I was pretty excited to see that Steaz, a really good organic drink company, is making no calorie energy drinks now!

I don’t normally drink the energy stuff, but on road trips they are a lifesaver.  There is only so much coffee I can stomach!  I got all the way to the parking lot when I realized that I had abandoned Casey for dinner for the second night in a row, and I should take him something tasty.  Ran back into the store (for the 3rd time) and filled up a to-go box for him with all the delicious vegan and vegetarian side salads.

He did his best to enjoy it, despite the vultures lurking beneath him…

Seriously, could these dogs be more intense right now?  Huey looked physically pained with every bite Casey took. 

The eater’s perspective.  I think the see through container made it extra painful for them.

And now I’m heading to bed EARLY because I am getting up absurdly early.  Spring break week, and I am setting my alarm for 4:30am, so that I can meet Kath for an early bird EIGHT mile run!  I am telling myself that I will be thankful for getting it out of the way so early.  Here’s hoping…