Texas Bound

Well I am officially off to Texas! My amazing little brother qualified in two events for the USATF Jr. Olympics! I am so excited and proud of him and his team. I have just a few more days before I am off on my first Texas trip! If anyone has any places that I should go eat at or see leave a comment and let me know. I will be in the Houston area.

Independence Day

I hope everyone had a great Fourth of July! I had a great one getting to go home and spend time with my family! 

Crepes for Lunch

This week one of my best friends is visiting me in Auburn for the first time, so I need to hit all the hot spots and best local places. Our first stop is Crepe Myrtle Cafe for their mouth watering crepes. Crepe Myrtle is the perfect place to go to sit outside, relax, and have an amazing meal.I love this place not only because their food is great, but it is a local store that only uses local farmers ingredients. While you are waiting on your food you can shop in their local farmers market which has some of the lowest prices in town! Crepes are not just for dessert, here they are for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. My favorite savory crepe is the Tomato Lover, which is filled with fresh Roma Tomatoes, Spinach, Feta Cheese, and Balsamic Vinegar. I had the special crepe of the day and it was the exact same as the Tomato Lover except it had chicken and strawberries added to it and it was the best crepe I have ever had. Then once you finish your savory crepe be sure to check out some of the delicious dessert crepes. From the Nutella Crepe to the Sinful Strawberry there is no wrong choice in satisfying your sweet tooth. Next time you are in Auburn make sure you make a stop at Crepe Myrtle Cafe for some of the best local food you can get. You can see more about the restaurant and their menu by going here and don't forget to check out their specials of the day by going here. When you visit make sure to tell them my blog Journey`s With Jordan sent you and let me know how you visit went!

Ride On

If you love cycling as much as I do you are going to love this amazing store I found today called James Bro. Bikes. I was in need of a pair of cycle shoes and I asked my trainer where the best place to go because I could only find a store in Georgia. He told me about this local shop named James Bro. Bikes and I am so glad he did. I am a huge fan of shopping local and could not wait to explore this new shop. The shops atmosphere made me feel like I was in a cabin about to suit up for a relaxing ride. The customer service was beyond any bike shops that I have been in. They were so friendly and made me feel like family. They carry anything you would need for any cycle styles (indoor, mountain, road, you name it they got it) and the best prices around. They fixed me up with a great pair of Bontrager Evokes and they make my ride so smooth. If you are ever in Auburn this should be a stop on your list and if you cant make it here dont worry they have an online store which you can access by clicking here. Happy riding!

Farmers Market Thursday

Every Thursday we have our local Farmers Market and I love to make a recipe with all the yummy fresh ingredients. Today I made a side tomato salad. It is great for summer parties because it is cheap and will go a long way. You can add or take away to fit the size of your crowd. If you have left overs you can eat them the next day, but I do not think it is as good because the vinegar takes all of the strong flavor out of the red onion. You can keep the leftovers up to three days before going bad. Let me know how y'all`s came out! Enjoy!

TOMATO SALAD

Serving Size: 4

Total time: 10 minuets

Ingredients:                                          Directions:

1 pint red grape tomatoes                      Halve the tomatoes & add

1 pint yellow grape tomatoes                  them to a large zipper bag 

1/2 red onion (thinly sliced)                     or flat dish with the red onion.

1/4 cup olive oil                                     Add the olive oil, balsamic, 

5 tablespoons balsamic vinegar              basil, & sprinkle with a little 

3 tablespoons minced fresh basil            salt & pepper. Make sure all
                                                            the air is out & place in the
                                                           fridge until you are ready to use.

Studying and Stress

Well school is getting down to the wire and that means even less time for a life than usual. This week I have my biggest tests and projects so I have stress upon stress. When I stress I break down and am worth nothing and think more about how I am a failure and that my stress eating is making me gain weight. I have a few prescriptions for people who are in the same boat. 

1. Read Gods Word
You should never be to BUSY (Being Under Satans Yoke) for time with the Lord.
"Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him and he will make your paths straight."

            -Proverbs 3:5-6

"Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as Christ God forgave you."

            -Ephesians 4:31-32

"Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal."

            -Romans 4:16-18

2.Exercise

I am the person that is obsessed with exercising. If I miss my workout I go crazy and won't eat and when life gets rough and you are crunched for time by studying or work I have a perfect 15 min break to burn some calories! I usually study and hour or 30 minuets and then take a break by running through this workout to give me energy to study more! 

• The first round you are going to do 2 minuet intervals with a minuet rest second round 1 minuet intervals with 30 seconds rest and third round 30 second intervals with 15 second rest.When you are resting do not sit down unless you are going to pass out. Keep pacing or do a simple toe tap to help your heart rate go down. Make sure to use your arms and always keep your core tucked in tight!

3. Eat and get plenty of rest 

I am a picky eater but when it comes to stress snacking I am the worse. I love sweets but i over indulge in them. When studying stay hydrated with plenty of water and add some lemon in there to give it an extra boost! Green tea is also great for a kick of energy! Some great snacks include:

• Avocados with cheese or tomatoes
• Peanut butter and strawberries
• Frozen grapes
• Yogourt parfait
• Airpop popcorn (add toppings like season salt, cinnamon, sriracha)
• Granola

Also don't be afraid to have some chocolate or cookies! You deserve them! Rest is a great key in success. You need at least 7-8 hours of sleep for your brain to recharge!

Just relax and know that with GOD anything is possible. I know it is hard believe me but when you don't stress life is so much better! Check back for more great tips especially with finals coming up. Dont forget to subscribe or leave a comment on what you think about the post.

Family Spring Break

For my Spring Break I just went on a few adventures back home, but my families Spring Break was this past week and they came down to visit me at school. The weather was not the best but we had a great time anyways. Thursday we started our journey off with a walk to eat the BEST BBQ in Auburn, which is Mike & Ed`s Bar-B-Q. 

If you are ever in Auburn, AL you need to make sure this is on your list of places to eat. All of the meat is slow smoked and cooked to perfection. The meat is smoky, tender, and juicy you cannot go wrong with anything on the menu. One thing that you must get is a big glass of Sweet Tea, it is the best in the South! The prices are great, you do not have to wait long, and they also do carryouts and catering. Feel free to check them out by clicking the link above! If you go visit them be sure to tell them you heard about them here. After eating our delicious BBQ we walked back to my apartment they relaxed while I finished German homework and studied for test. Friday our journey began after my classes. They meet me on campus for breakfast at Chick fil`a. Then I gave them a fast tour of the campus because it was cold and rainy. We made our first stop at Platos Closet. The one in Auburn is great for guys, my brother always find great designer brands for under $20, but the girls is hit or miss, mostly miss. After that I was getting hungry so decided we would go eat. We ate at one of my other favorite, The Hound. It is a very rustic bar that has all fresh ingredients. I am not the "bar" person, I don't drink or ever go out to bars so I always go eat here for lunch before it gets going. This place should also be on your list to eat in Auburn. The atmosphere is great and on the weekends they serve and amazing brunch! One of my favorites on the menu is the Bison Burger. For those who don't know me I do not like hamburgers at all because I can't stand the texture of ground beef, but when I tried this Bison Burger it was like Heaven in my mouth. The patty itself is so lean, juicy, and smooth when you bite into it, the large fried onion ring has the perfect crunchy batter to compliment the beef and it is also toped with the best sautéed mushrooms and a slice of swiss cheese. If you get anything that comes with a side make sure you get the hand cut fries as a side. They are so amazing! 

Our  last stop of the day was to the number one tourist spot in Auburn, AL, Toomer`s Drugs. This store has been here since 1896 and is still serving up the best Lemonade in the country. Even Esquire Magazine ranked Toomer`s Lemonade number one in "163 Reasons It`s Great to be an American Man". Not only does Toomer`s have the best lemonade but the also have some amazing food. One of my favorites is of course a dessert, the Ice Cream Sandwich. They take a huge chocolate chip cookie and you pick your ice cream flavors which they layer between those cookies! It should be the number one stop on your list when coming to Auburn. 

Auburn is full of so many great places these are just a few that you should visit when you come! Be sure to check out Toomer`s amazing lemonade and ice cream sandwiches, Mike & Ed`s smoky and tender BBQ, and The Hounds juicy Bison Burger!