Homemade Lara Bars

I love Lara Bars.  They're not completely raw - but for a prepackaged food, they're as raw as you get.  They're yummy and my husband LOVES them too.  When he's feeling peckish, this is his go-to snack.  The down side of Lara Bars or any packaged convenience food is that they're expensive.  And since I'm on a mission to keep our monthly grocery bill below 400 dollars, I can't really afford them.

So why not make my own?  I did a little research and found some great looking recipes!  I'm going to give them a whirl this week and post back here with the results.

Raw Fruit and Nut Snack Bars (Source)

Ingredients for 8 pieces:
300 grams of unroasted mixed nuts
300 grams soft dates, coarsely chopped
1/2 apple, peeled and coarsely chopped
3 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
Dash of sea salt
Dash of agave syrup

Pulse the nuts in a food processor until just coarsely chopped. Sprinkle the chopped apple pieces with 1 teaspoon lemon juice. Put nuts, dates and apples in a large bowl. Add the remaining lemon juice, salt and agave syrup. Knead until it sticks together. Lay on waxed paper and roll flat. Cut into 8 bars and store in the refrigerator.

Raw Energy Bars (Source)

Ingredients

1/2 cup of raw nuts (walnuts, almonds, pecans, coconut, cashews) or roasted peanuts 1/2 cup (loosely packed) of pitted dates 1/2 cup (loosley packed) of another dried fruit (apples, apricots, cherries, pineapple, or more dates)

Directions

1. In a food processor fitted with the steel blade, grind the nuts fine, then tip them into a bowl.
2. Now grind the fruit until it turns into small clumps, then add the nuts back in and process again until a small handful of the mixture holds together when you squeeze it. (If this never happens, then add in a few more dates; conversely, if the mixture seems too damp, add a few more nuts.)
3. Tear off four squares of wax paper, then tear them in half to make 8 rectangles.
4. Divide the mixture into 8 parts by picking up handfuls and squeezing. Squeeze and press some more to form each lump into a rough rectangle, then wrap in the wax paper. I do this the way I would make a burrito: I lay the bar near and parallel to a short side of the rectangle, then fold the long sides in, then roll it all up. Store them in air-tight container in the refrigerator.

Recipe Note: Follow the basic 2 to 1 ratio of dried fruit to nuts and create your own flavors. Here are some combinations to try:

Cherry Tart: walnuts, almonds, dates, cherries
Peanut Butter Snap: peanuts, dates, dash of vanilla, sprinkle of salt
Apricot Muffin: almonds, dates, apricots
Apple Brown Betty: pecans, dates, apples, pinch of cinnamon
Key Lime Pie: coconut, pecans, dates, apples, finely grated lime zest 
http://family.go.com/food/recipe-890256-raw-energy-bars-t/

Maple Pecan Bar

1/4 C. dates

1/4 C. raisins

1/3 C. pecans

A drizzle of maple syrup

Lemon Zest Bar

1/4 C. dates

1/4 C. raisins

1/3 C. cashews

Grated lemon rind

1 tsp. flax seed (optional)

1 tsp. hemp seed (optional)

Chocolate Pistachio Bar

1/4 C. dates

1/4 C. raisins

1/3 cup pistachios and pecans

Sprinkling of unsweetened chocolate or carob powder

1/2 tsp. vanilla

Vanilla Coffee Bar

1/4 C. dates

1/4 C. figs

1/3 C. almonds

Instant coffee or coffee substitute (I used Roma)

1/2 tsp. vanilla

And if you don't want to make them into bar shapes, you could create little snack balls!

source

Walking Again

I love going for a walk.  When I first began the Smaller Sarah journey, walking is what kicked it off.  I had no idea where to start, but I knew that if nothing else, I could at least head out the door and walk.  Since I started boot camp and running, I rarely take the time to walk anymore.  Its a shame, because I love walking. 

Enter Jessica.

Jessica is a doll.  She lives down the street from me and we recently ran into each other at a neighborhood social.  She is on her own "get healthy" journey and mentioned that she was looking for a walking partner.  Perfect!  So now, when the mood strikes (about twice a week), we leave our husbands to put the kids to bed after dinner and we head out the door together.  We walk for about 45 minutes, chatting the whole way and when we land back home we always think, "Wow - that went fast!"  So Jessica, thank you for getting me back into a walking habit.  Its a great way to change up the boot camp and running.  Plus, I get a quick dose of lively conversation and neighborly camaraderie.  What could be better?

Don't Feed the Bad Wolf

I know that negative self talk is no good for me.  I know this in my heart and yet, I still have to consciously walk away from it and find positive ways of moving through my day.  Where did it come from?  I don't know.  I had a great childhood - no more difficult than most.  I had some hard knocks in love and marriage before I found my true path - but it was no more difficult than most.  Its so hard to silence the ego - especially when the self talk becomes cruel.  Why do I keep posting about negative self talk?  Because it takes time, repetition and stamina to overcome.  One post just isn't enough.

So, how about a story...

An elderly Cherokee Native American was teaching his grandchildren about life… He said to them, “A fight is going on inside me, it is a terrible fight and it is between two wolves. One wolf is evil—he is fear, anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, competition, superiority, and ego. The other is good—he is joy, peace, love, hope, sharing, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, friendship, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion and faith. This same fight is going on inside you, and inside every other person, too.” They thought about it for a minute, and then one child asked his grandfather, “Which wolf will win, Grandfather?” The Elder simply replied, “The one you feed.”

Weigh In - Week 41

Thanks again to all of you for the support and well-wishing as I completed my first 5K.  It is a great feeling to set a goal that you're pretty sure you CANNOT achieve - only to go out and achieve it.  I kicked butt this week on the exercise front: 3 boot camp classes, an evening power walk with a neighbor, a 2.5 mile jog on my own and a 5K race to end the week.  However, I was pretty relaxed about my food intake this week.  I ate lots of foods that I normally don't eat: salty snacks, a little ice cream and even a burger (which did not sit well in my poor tummy).  But oh well.  Forgetaboutit.

I stepped on the scale today, horrified by the number I saw.  Then I remembered that I'm on my period and bloated beyond belief.  So I'm not going to do the numbers this week.  I don't think its fair, so I'm boycotting the scale until my body is returned to me in a stable condition after this menstrual ransom.  For our purposes, lets just say I didn't gain or lose any weight this week.  Alright?  Alright.

Pounds lost this week: 0

Total pounds lost: 63

The "I Did It" List

attended 3 boot camp classes

power walked two miles with my neighbor

ran 2.5 miles on my own

completed my first 5K in 42 minutes without walking

had a brunch date with my husband and didn't eat everything on my plate

hosted a baby shower and ate cake without feeling guilty

bought a basket of produce from the Bountiful Baskets Co-Op

5K - I did it!

I ran my first 5K race this morning at Bachmann Park in Dallas.  I'm happy to announce that I ran the entire way and came in somewhere around 42 minutes.  I'll know my real race time when they post them online.  I was excited to start the race, but I knew that I would be one of the slower participants so I positioned my self toward the middle back of the gathering crowd.

I was surprised though when we started that I seemed to be behind all of the walkers.  I didn't realize that there would be so many 5K walkers.  As soon as I began, I also had this overwhelming urge to go to the bathroom.  I kept thinking, "Oh great! I'll have to stop half way through and hunt down a bathroom".  I also had the unfortunate luck of swallowing a fly immediately after beginning the race.  I kept running and hacked a few times trying to dislodge the twitching bug at the back of my throat.  No luck.  Finally I just swallowed it down - runners love protein, right?   So after a 1/4 mile, I had a little space around me and was happily positioned with the slow runners, while trying to ignore my urge to pee.

I spent most of the race behind a sweet pair - a daughter, who looked to be about 10 years old, running with her dad.  Behind me was a group of runners who I knew were together because of their matching ball caps.  It was a Mom with a double stroller and a pregnant woman with a jogging stroller.  These two women were pushing three babies had had every manner of item strapped to their bodies and strollers: water bottles, iPods, picnic gear, plastic bags, diaper stuff, Mardi Gras beads and more.  They looked like the Joads heading west in their jalopy. 

The volunteers were all very nice and one of them took a photo of me as I crossed the finish line.  I was surprised that there wasn't a lot of "Hey, good job!" or cheering or really any kind of motivating behavior from the on lookers.  Everyone was very chill, having their own conversations, looking up every once in a while to see if their friend or spouse was coming in to the finish.  It wasn't until the very end, a man in his 60's came running in the opposite direction - he clapped emphatically and yelled YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL!  I smiled and said "thank you".  Then he yelled, BRING HER HOME!  And so I did - with a smile.

My family stayed home today for logistical reasons.  It was actually really nice to arrive alone, prepare alone and run alone.  Sometimes our biggest "you did it moments" happen in silence and only you and the asphalt know what you've accomplished.

5K Tomorrow

Tomorrow I will run my first ever 5K race.  I'm really excited and curious about how I'll do in a race environment.  When I signed up for this 5K in December, I couldn't even run a mile without stopping and walking to catch my breath.  I didn't really think, I'd make it to three plus miles by the end of March.  But here I am.  I've run 5K many times in the past month and I feel ready for the race!  I have two goals: to run the entire distance without walking and to beat 42 minutes.  I will be thrilled to accomplish either of these goals.

Wish me luck?

Any racing tips from my runner readers out there?

Slow and Sure

I know I'm not the only one who feels like a tortoise sometimes.  This weight loss journey tends to be of the "speed up - slow down" style.  Some weeks I lose a bunch of weight and eat like a lean green machine.  Other weeks, I feel lethargic slogging through work outs and finishing each evening with popcorn and a glass of Pinot Gris.  But whatever, right?  That is how most things progress.  Fast and then slow.  Two steps forward - one step back. 

The trick for me is finding a centered place to inhabit where I don't perceive the amazing dramatic results as "the norm" and I don't perceive the blobby doldrums as "failure".  There has to be a middle ground where I can stay grounded, focused and forgiving.  Its a tough balancing act that I have yet to master.  Any ideas, dear readers?

Weigh In - Week 40

Twelve more weeks to go until June 1st.  Twelve more wonderful weeks to lose the weight and feel great!  I can't believe I've already made it 40 weeks.  I was off my routine this week, but I had lots of time to be with family and enjoy spring break.  I ran 2.5 miles on Monday with sprint intervals.  I got over-zealous at one point and sprinted up a big hill.  Bad idea: my hamstrings were super sore for the rest of the week.  Despite my discomfort, I went for a 5K run on Wednesday.  I'm prepping for my first ever 5K race this Saturday!!!!  I'm really excited.

There was no boot camp this week due to the spring holiday, so I did lots of little bursts of push ups, sit-ups and other strength training at home in the odd hours. Oh, and this weekend I also built an 8X3 foot raised bed in my backyard and planted a vegetable garden. You can read more about it and see photos HERE.  I've never had a veggie garden, so I'm crossing my fingers for a good yield.  Any gardening tips from the experienced Texas natives out there?

Thanks to everyone who commented or emailed after my last post.  Negative self talk is not something that I like to share about, mostly because its humiliating.  Sometimes I feel that I should know better - I'm a smart girl, I know how to avoid the pitfalls of self effacing commentary.  Wrong.  It turns out, I'm just like everyone else.  A perfectionist who is trying to meet somebody else's standard of perfect.  I once read a wonderful quote somewhere - "Perfectionism is self abuse of the highest order".  I don't remember who wrote it, but I think its true.  Thank you especially to my friend Mallory for her beautiful response to my post on the Positively Fit Lake Highlands Facebook Page.

I want to share some links that I found inspiring this week:

Go Easy On Yourself

Fantastic article about self compassion.

50 Bodyweight Exercises You Can Do Anywhere

Found this from Mallory at Positively Fit Lake Highlands.  Its a fantastic group of exercises!

Runs for Cookies - the 100 Pound Difference

Katie writes a blog called Runs for Cookies about her weight loss journey  This is her amazing list of 99 non-scale victories she noted after losing 100 pounds.

"If you want to fly, 

you got to give up the shit that weighs you down."  

- Toni Morrison

Pounds lost this week: 0

Total pounds lost: 63

The "I Did It" List

ran 5.75 miles this week on my own

built and planted a vegetable garden in my back yard

did some strength training every other day on my own

went on a date with my husband to Kalachandji's - a marvelous veggie restaurant in Dallas

Don't Let Your Mind Bully Your Body

This is a big one for me.  I'm battling a few bad habits that I want to address.   The first concerns food.  For 32 years, I've been eating eating eating.  I'd eat everything on my plate and go for seconds or thirds and I wouldn't give it a second thought.  Then things changed and for the past 9 months I've been eating healthy food in smaller portions.  Even though my habits have improved drastically, my overwhelming impulse is to continue eating large portions even when EVERYTHING in my body is saying "Please stop - that's enough".  My body needs very little now and I'm constantly allowing my brain to take ten or fifteen more bites than my body requires.  For whatever reason, my brain is not following the internal cues that my body gives.  So now I'm currently in the process of developing an external cue (rather than an internal one like a full tummy) that reminds me to put my fork down.  Any ideas?

The second thing I'm dealing with is also a brain vs. body issue.  Once I've over eaten or consumed a food that doesn't agree with me, I feel bad and guilty.  Its like I hear a little voice inside saying, "You know better than to eat that shit" or "Why do you compromise all your hard work like this?"   The thing is, I'm not compromising my hard work - I'm still losing weight and eating healthier than I ever have in my life!  So what gives?  Why am I bullying myself over tiny details?  I'm not eating fried chicken and doughnuts or anything heinous like that.  My mind is bullying my body over silly things like having 1/2 and 1/2 in my half cup of coffee or using a store bought salad dressing instead of the raw one in my fridge or eating a veggie sandwich with low quality bread.  Silly right? 

Art by Lori Weitzel

Weigh In - Week 39

No matter how secure, independent or self possessed you are, you are never too old to need your mommy.  My Mama has been visiting this week from the West Coast and it has been marvelous.  She is so good at giving me gentle reminders to take care of myself, to be grateful and to expect the best.  She even ate my raw meals and went to boot camp with me!  She rocked boot camp like a champion.  I am so proud to be her daughter.  As I watched her sweating it out in the plank position (she has perfect form, by the way) I thought, "This is the genetic line from which I come and being fit in my 30's, 40's, 50's and beyond is my birth right!"  What a wonderful realization.  Thank you, Mama!

There's my Mom in the light blue shirt with my boot camp class!

This week, I broke my juice fast and started eating solid food again.  As I anticipated, some of the pounds came back on.  But not all!  I lost 13 during the cleanse and gained back 3.  So a 10 pounds loss overall!  I'm back to my partially raw food diet with a few treats here and there (I can't help having a few martinis when my mother is in town.)  I also had some frozen yogurt yesterday with my children - a yummy Sunday tradition.  Generally I'm feeling good and grounded after the cleanse.  I become full a lot faster and I'm also more aware of the affect certain foods have on my system.  For instance, I notice that bread makes me feel really good and high while I'm eating it and then horribly bloated and lethargic while I digest it.  The cleanse has been a wonderful way to re-educate my body about the way food makes me feel.  I hope it continues.

Pounds lost this week: 1

Total pounds lost: 63

The "I Did It" List

attended 3 days of boot camp

finished my 9-day juice cleanse

ran my fastest mile EVER (11 min. 19 sec.) on Mon. morning

lost 4 inches off of my waist and 1.5 inches off my hips this month

fit into a beautiful black dress that I haven't worn in over 10 years

went power walking with a neighbor on Mon. and Wed. nights (4 miles total)

Is that all you're eating?

I've now been back on solid foods for three full days.  I've been keeping my portions small - much smaller than I normally do.  Since coming off the juice cleanse, I feel almost immediately full when I'm eating any kind of dense food.  I've been sticking to fruit in the morning and a light lunch of greens.  Dinner has been all over the map, but all of it in small portions.  I've been out to eat twice, since I have family in town.  The first time, I could see the waiter look at my 75 percent uneaten plate with concern; "Are you sure you're done?"  The second time, I ordered a soup and the waitress sat waiting for the rest of my order.  "That's all, thank you." Sure, both of these people are in the food service industry, but on some level, I guess I feel self conscious eating such small portions.  I'll get used to it.  I'll have to, because my tummy simply won't allow me to eat anything too dense or rich without a little retaliation.  I'm grateful that the juice cleanse has re-tooled my sense of portions. 

Juice Cleanse Finale

The cleanse is over!  At least for the time being.  I had a fabulous experience and I'm ready for more.  Last night, I made the return to solid food with some raw spiralized zucchini squash topped with mashed tomato and ground pepper.  It was delicious! I've got a big month ahead of me, filled with family visits and my first ever 5K run!  So my plan for the next month and a half is to eat clean and green.  I'll continue to juice in the mornings as I usually do and I'll stick to a mainly raw diet.

However, I loved this juice fast so much that I'd like to try another one in late April and May, after I've completed the Warrior Dash on April 24th. I would also like to extend the juice fast to 20 or 30 days.  Why?  Because physically, I feel better than I have in years!   The juice fast has allowed me the space and time to focus on other areas of my life - my work, my art, my kids, my marriage.  How did the cleanse support this?  I'm not sure except to say that doing a juice fast slowed down my inner metronome and forced me to distill my tasks and interactions down to their essence.  Everything seemed a little clearer and less harried.

All told, I've lost 13 pounds on the cleanse.  Time will tell if it stays off or comes back.  The weight is less important, though, than my new-found sense of focus and my heightened appreciation for the food I eat.  The fast has also created a shift in my portion control, water intake and digestive awareness.  Thank you everyone for your amazing support and suggestions over the past nine days!  Its been a good ride. 

Artist: Nikki McClure

Weigh In - Week 38

Hello everyone!  The weeks seem to be ticking away at break-neck pace these days.  Life at our home is busier than it has ever been.  My natural reaction to increased business is to increase my organization.  These past few weeks, my husband and I have revamped our weekly schedule and created more time in the week for him to be at work, while I take the boys, tend to the house, food prep, home office, Charlie's mounting therapy appointments, etc.  Hubby is hard at work finalizing his submission file and personal statement for tenure.  Its an enormous undertaking and I'm more than happy to accommodate his new work schedule.  As I sit and write this, he is cleaning our kitchen - something he does without fail EVERY night.  So, I think we've found a good groove over the past few weeks.

With all of this controlled chaos and schedule switching, I've had to be diligent about making time for me and my Smaller Sarah priorities: boot camp, training for my upcoming 5K (it's only a few weeks away!), eating well, and of course my juice cleanse.  Today, is day eight of consuming only green juice.  So far, it's been pretty successful.  But it took some serious planning and the support of my husband, who is 100% behind me.  (Thank you, darling!)

Overall, the cleanse has been a great experience.  I'll continue the juicing today, tomorrow and then break the fast on Wednesday morning.  One of the many benefits of taking a break from solid food is that I am experiencing a heightened awareness of tastes and smells.  When I was eating the standard American diet, high amounts of salt, sugar, white flour and processed genetically modified food substances overwhelmed and dulled my sense of taste and smell.  During the past week, I have noticed a big shift - I can taste the astounding differences in the green juice I make.  One kind of celery tastes saltier than another.  Kale from one bunch has a sharper bite than a previous bunch.  Some cucumbers are sweeter and produce a denser texture.  An apple juiced on Tuesday is so different than an apple from the same bag juiced on Friday.  These differentiations are really eye opening to me.

I am also experiencing a sense of deep gratitude for and respect of the food available to me.  I have never really respected my food - not really.  Don't get me wrong, I love food and have always loved it - but respect it?  Not so much.  I was preparing dinner for my husband and son last night - salmon fillet on a bed of butter lettuce with cucumbers, Roma tomatoes, and raw pecans.  This might sound a little hippy-dippy, but when I touched the salmon, I could feel the whole fish at a time when it was water bound.  It was just a little flash of the fish's previous existence, being farmed with thousands of other salmon.  And the butter lettuce too.  When I was washing the leaves and could sense a time when it was root bound.  I could feel the pecan tight in its shell, attached to a swaying limb and then battered as it was sent through a shelling machine.  And it went on and on this way as I cleaned and prepped each ingredient.  So strange.  And silly, too!   I've never taken that much care with food.  When I set the salmon salad down in front of Jack with a fork, I said a silent "thank you" for all of the countless natural and unnatural interactions that brought this meal into my home.

See?  I told you this would sound a little hippy-dippy.

As for my weight loss, it has definitely accelerated because of the juice cleanse.  (So don't freak out, Mom, I don't have an eating disorder or anything...)  I don't expect all of this weight to stay off - I'm sure some will come back.  However, when I did the three day fast in September, I lost 4 pounds that never came back.  So, I'm crossing my fingers!

Pounds lost this week:  9

Total pounds lost:  62

The "I Did It" List

consumed only water and yummy nutrient-rich green juice all week

attended 2 boot camp classes (I missed the 3rd because Charlie was sick)

ran 2.5 miles on Saturday and another 2.5 miles on Sunday

I made home made meals for my family most every night while juice fasting

bought another round of veggies from the Bountiful baskets Co-Op

wrote in my journal every day

Juice Cleanse - Day 6

A video for you...

Here's a quick shot of me and Charlie headed out for a run this morning!  Charlie is the perfect running partner.  He keeps exactly the same pace as I do and doesn't require me to make lots of conversation while I run. 

And in honor of hitting the 9 month mark - that's right, I began this journey 9 short months ago - I thought I'd post a "before and now" photo.  I've still got a ways to go before I reach my goal (3 months and 21 pounds) but I'm feeling very content with my current pace and trajectory.

Juice Cleanse - Day 5

Hello everyone!  Its day five of my juice cleanse and so far its going very well.  I'm feeling centered, calm and clear in the head.  I also have enough energy to take care of two little ones and attend boot camp classes and go to Charlie's medical and therapy appointments and all of the other things required of me during the day.  I'm not having any big energy dips or mood swings either.  I haven't murdered a child or held up a Krispy Kreme at gunpoint yet, so I'd say I've had a successful cleanse thus far.  However, I'm only half way through, so stay tuned!

I wanted to check in about a few questions I've had from readers and friends.  The first is "Why are you doing this?"  This is a totally fair question.  I am doing this because I was inspired by a documentary.  (Of course, this is the last thing a mother wants to hear... "I did it because I saw it on TV".)  It was called "Fat Sick and Nearly Dead" and documented a man's journey to cure an autonomic immune disease and lose some weight.  He did a 60 day juice cleanse and it worked.  I was inspired, looked into it and that's why I'm doing it.

The second question that has come up is why juice?  Why not smoothies or herbs or eat a big box of veggies every morning?  The goal of a cleanse is to give your digestive system a break so that your body can focus its energies on other things - like healing damaged tissues, restoring the efficiency of your eliminitive organs, and clear older more impacted waste.  "Isn't it true that your body can heal itself AND digest at the same time?"  Yes.  It can.  Your body is always doing both at one time.  Except when you sleep.  When you sleep, your body has a little digestive break and kicks into high gear.  When you sleep, your body grows more hair, more cells, knits up muscle damage from the day and a host of other amazing things.  By juicing, I am giving my body a flood of nutrients and live enzymes, while allowing my digestive system to skip all the fiber and roughage that slows down my body's healing process.  And by juicing, my body can restore itself 24 hours a day instead of the small window at night, which for me is about 2 hours because I'm up at night with babies.  (Another reason for me to be cleansing right now.)

The last question that comes up a lot is "Aren't you hungry?"  The answer is "no" and "yes".  When I am living my normal eating life I eat solid food.  Then after a while I get hungry and I eat more food.  Its a pretty simple process.  Its the same when juicing.  I drink water when I'm thirsty and I drink juice when I'm hungry.  If I find that my belly is grumbling, I drink more juice.  The juice, just like the solid food, fills me up for a while until I need more.  I'm averaging about four 24oz glasses of green juice a day.  Sometimes its more, sometimes its less.  It depends entirely on how hungry I am. 

When I initiated this cleanse, my plan was to have some raw green evening meals in the middle of my cleanse.  But  I've been feeling so well that I've decided to skip the nightly meal.  I planned for the meals to help me get through the 9 days with success, but I find now that I don't need them.  So I'm currently on my fifth day of green juice only.  My plan now is to continue with only green juice through the 6th of March.

Thank you for reading Smaller Sarah, staying connected with the blog and asking such great questions!  Your inquiries always help me gain more clarity and specificity about my choices.  Thank you so much!

FYI - Awesome Giveaway

Hello sweet readers.  I just wanted to draw your attention to an awesome giveaway I'm hosting on my design blog La Maison Boheme.  Bedding Style (a great bedding company) is giving one of my readers a full bedding set for free.  You really must enter!  Go HERE now for your chance to win.  Contest ends this Friday.  It's super easy and you have no excuse not to enter - except that maybe you don't sleep, or like free things, or think you deserve totally gorgeous bedding. 

You could win this or any other bedding style of your choice!