Happy, happy weekend! We survived the first full workweek of 2015 – go, us! What do you have going on this weekend? There is hardly anything on my calendar, which feels really refreshing. Everyone seems to be laying low after all of the holiday indulgence and sparkle and cheer has subsided, and I think that’s kind of nice, a good way to ease into a new year.

Enjoy your weekend as well as some fun links from around the web!

I am on the fifth day of a 10-day AdvoCare cleanse and, without a doubt, this has been my easiest cleanse yet (knock on wood). It helps that I’m actually looking forward to cooking and eating fresh, lean meals after consuming so many Christmas treats, and it makes it easier that my calendar isn’t jam-packed with plans that are coupled with lots of opportunities to give into temptation. I haven’t even been craving sweets as much as I usually do, but I thought it might be fun to try my hand at this raw meyer lemon & vanilla bean cheesecake nonetheless. The crust is made from dates and almonds, and the “cheesecake” filling is made with a mixture of cashews, coconut oil, and other goodies. In other words, it’s totally cleanse-approved! I’ll let you know how it turns out.

Speaking of cleansing, doesn’t this detox green smoothie look delicious? I am adding these ingredients to my grocery list. I love the fun addition of topping the smoothie with pomegranate seeds!

The only downside of the timing of this cleanse is that it coincides with the Golden Globes, my favorite award show of the season. I’d rather be enjoying some take-out Thai food and champagne while I watch, but maybe I can scrounge up a couple of healthy snacks to enjoy (it would be perfect if my NatureBox treats show up!). There are so many movies nominated for awards that I haven’t seen yet (and want to!) but the one that’s been intriguing me the most lately is Cake, starring Jennifer Aniston. It looks like such an amazing breakout role for her, something so different from her rom-com past. I like that the actress’s profile on the Golden Globes site paints a picture of how deeply contrasting her role in Cake was to her role as Rachel Green in “Friends” (which she won a GG for over 10 years ago).

I am this close to finishing Unbroken – I have absolutely LOVED the book. I can’t believe all that Louie Zamperini overcame in his amazing lifetime, and Laura Hillenbrand does an amazing job of capturing each and every scene so vividly. I especially loved learning about his conversion to faith after being filled with the Spirit at a Billy Graham revival. I can’t wait to see the movie! I like this interesting article about 5 Key Lessons Every Entrepreneur Can Learn from ‘Unbroken’ – I think it presents an interesting modern-day spin on how we can apply what Louie experienced to our own lives, even in very small ways.

It’s not even that cold here in Dallas compared to the rest of the country but it’s certainly chilly by Texans’s standards, so I liked this article about reasons to get outside even when it’s frigid. I know that Callie always appreciates it when I bundle up and take her for a walk during the winter months – this seems to be her favorite time of year.

Image via Riches for Rags