Yet ANOTHER recall...

Well, it's happened again. ANOTHER beef recall. If you want to read about it, go to www.usda.gov. I'm not going to talk about it here because I'm SO TIRED of these stupid recalls!!! Is ANY commercially prepared food safe anymore? I swear... from the pesticides on produce, to the chemicals that preserve foods, to hormones and antibiotics in meat... you have to be SO careful about what you eat. And unfortunately, I'm going to be bold and say that some 95% of Americans (at least 95% of the people I know, so that's a good estimate) DON'T HAVE A CLUE about any of this. WAKE UP!

So many people go out and buy raspberries, blueberries, strawberries, apples, lettuce, etc., and think that they're eating food that is good for them. Well it CAN be good for them- IF THEY BUY ORGANIC. For those of you who don't buy organic produce, you might as well be drinking weed killer, because THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE DOING!!! Why do people not get this?!

When you buy milk, you go to the grocery and buy the 2% (or whatever) that's on sale, in the gallon jugs, right? Do you understand that you're drinking EVERYTHING THAT THE COW INGESTED? Including anti-biotics, hormones, more corn than they know what to do with and in turn, more anti-biotics. Buy ORGANIC MILK, or drink ALMOND MILK.

The moral of the story is that you HAVE to eat clean. All of that crap that is not good, wholesome FOOD builds up, and causes things like cancer, weight gain, tumors, birth defects- the list goes on and on.

So, until next time, spend the $$ on ORGANIC food. It's better to spend the money now, than have to pay even more for treatment later. Namaste.

My new dehydrator!

Good morning! So I want my Disers (and whoever else is interested) to look at this pin I won yesterday. It's a pin used for Pin Trading with Cast Members at Disney, and I am very grateful for being the winner of it... but... it is the weirdest pin I think I've ever gotten. I think this one will HAVE to be traded (HAHAHA!)

Yeah.... weird.

So on another note, I was very excited when I got home yesterday and saw a big box on the porch. YAY!! It was my food dehydrator that I got off of ebay.


I was very excited to get started, so I cored and sliced up 4 organic apples (3 small and 1 big), and a banana, soaked them for a few minutes in a mix of 1/3 c lemon juice and 1 c water, then spread them out on the tray. This was about... 5:30pm or so. Here's the 'in progress'...


As you can see, I didn't use all of the trays, but I thought that might make them dry faster. OH MY GOODNESS-- I was so impatient. It was like watching paint dry. Dry already, you little fruities!! Well, I went to bed, and got up this morning around 6am, and they were done!!


I've decided what my Christmas presents for my music lesson students are going to be this year!! They're all getting dried fruit! Hehehe! I'm so excited! I tried a piece of apple and a piece of banana. Both tasted REALLY good! So sweet, especially the banana (which surprised me). These are going to make GREAT 'on the go' snacks and good alternatives to my dark chocolate obsession. Hey Dis'ers... park snacks?? YEAH!!

Make it a great day everyone! Happy Thursday- it's almost a long weekend!! Until next time, Namaste.

Yummy Bean Burger Recipe!!

Hello bloggies! Last night I made some ultra easy, and ultra yummy bean burgers. Check out this recipe! It is a vegan, soy-free, and can be gluten-free (depending on the ketchup you use) recipe, and we were surprised at how YUMMY it was!

1 can Kidney Beans (I used Meijer Organic)
1 can Pinto Beans (I used Trader Joe's Organic)
2 cups of COOKED Brown Rice (which is about 1 cup dry) (I used the quick cook brown rice)
1/4 cup Chopped Onion
2 T Ketchup (I used Meijer Organic)
1/2 t Garlic Powder (I also added a T of pre-chopped jarred garlic)
1 t Oregano
1/4 t Thyme
1/4 t Sage
Salt and Pepper to taste

Blend all ingredients together in a food processor
Form into patties
Cook on Medium in a pan (lightly greased to prevent sticking) until browned on both sides

This recipe made 9 good size patties (we ate 3 for dinner last night, and froze 6 on a parchment lined baking sheet- see picture below).



Super yummy!! Have a good day, and until next time, Namaste!

If you think you can't, you're wrong.

Hello bloggies! Do you ever get the feeling that you CAN'T do something?? I do sometimes. Sometimes I think to myself ''well, I can't do that because....(fill in the blank)". Well, it's the 'fill in the blank' part that really needs to be evaluated. WHY? Why can't you do whatever it is you want to do?

Last night my husband and I jogged 2 miles. Most of you that read this blog are very physically fit, and I'm sure you're thinking 'ok, 2 miles... big deal'. There was a time in my life that I couldn't even jog to the end of the street, or around the block- and it wasn't that long ago. Actually, it was about a year ago. About halfway through my jog, I kept thinking ''I can't do this. I can't go any further. I have to walk". And then, I would switch songs on my Ipod and get another burst of energy to keep going. And then I would let my mind wander, and before I knew it, I had jogged 2 WHOLE MILES!

The 'why', I realized, was because my mind was getting bored. It was psyching myself into wanting to do something else (walk) because I was getting tired. It was pretty amazing, though, because when I switched songs on my Ipod, and a song that I really liked played, I was able to forget about the 'why', and switch my thinking to the positive ('hey, I like this song!). In my head I would sing along, and forget about getting tired. The power of positive thinking, people.

So what can't you do? Are you sure? You're wrong.

Until next time, think positively. I'm positive that you can do what you think you can't. Namaste.

Operation 'Lose 9 Pounds'

Good morning bloggies!! Today marks day 1 of 170 of "Operation 'Lose 9 Pounds' ". Let me tell you a story-

Last year, I competed in our office 'Biggest Loser' competition. At the very end of the competition, thanks to some water manipulation and other factors, I lost 22 lbs. Of course, since most of it at the end was water weight (around 5 lbs...), I knew I wasn't going to be able to keep it off. And since I knew that going in, I was ok with it. Today, a year from when I first started the competition, I am still 15 lbs. lighter. (YAY!). Since I've been able to maintain weight for this long, I have decided that I want to drop one more dress/pants size. I'm going to lay it all out here- I want to be a size 6. I haven't been a size 6 (consistently- not including the brief pilgrimage to that size when I had an anxiety disorder my first year of college) since I was probably in middle school.

So why 170 days? We're going on vacation to Miami in October!!!! WHOOO HOO!!!! So, since this will be the first time in a bathing suit in a LONG TIME, and I'm not in a 'lose as much weight as fast as you can' type of competition, 9 pounds over 170 days should be MORE THAN MANAGEABLE!!

I know that your anticipation is rising, so here is my plan--

My BMR is 1521. I'm going to eat at my BMR, and exercise 180 to 200 calories off every day (or, eat 200 calories less on my off days). This will make a deficit, by the end of my 170 days, of around 34,000 calories. Crazy!! This is about 10 lbs... give or take.

As far as exercise goes, here's what we're going to be doing-

Day 1- Jillian Michaels 30 day Shred

Day 2- Run for 30 min

Day 3- 30 min of Weights

Day 4- Billy Blanks Bootcamp (an hour long)

Day 5- Run for 30 min

Day 6- Denise Austin Yoga

Day 7- REST!!, then repeat the next week

As far as eating goes, here's what today's food plan is-

Breakfast: 1/2 cup of Oat Groats (soaked overnight) with Mashed Banana, 1 T Almond Butter, and 1/3 cup thawed Blueberries and Raspberries. ...and a cup of hot tea.

For a snack, I'm going with my trusty Larabar- in Cherry Pie. YUM!

Lunch today is a cup of Bean Soup that I made yesterday (thank you Trader Joe's Bean Soup Mix!), Celery and Tomatoes, an oz of Low Fat Cheese, a Small Apple, and a square of Trader Joe's Dark Chocolate. YUM!

Dinner tonight will be Chicken on top of a salad made of Spinach, Tomatoes, Onion, Celery, with a spritz of Lemon for dressing. It's not made yet... but my Chicken is cooking in Trader Joe's Chicken Broth in the Crock Pot as we speak!

This time around, losing weight should be pretty easy. We only eat quality foods anyway- not that crap that diet plans endorse (you know, the fat free, chemical laced death "food"...). It's all about the math, people!

Until next time, count your calories and get up and move. Namaste.

Your Car- Sanctuary??

TGIF! I wanted to share with you another 'me time' strategy that I have....

Is your car a sanctuary?? Or is your car an chaotic mess? My commute to work is no less than 35 min. per way, and if I have to run errands after work or on my lunch hour, I end up being in my car at least an hour every day, if not more. Why not create a serene space to make that time more enjoyable??? Here are some tips:

1- CLEAN OUT YOUR CAR. And I mean REALLY clean. Use a vacuum, wipe of the dash board, clean out the crevices, empty out your trunk. Your mind will be much clearer if your space is cleaner. Plus, you won't hear all of that junk rattling around all over the place, sliding here and there.

2- MAKE SURE YOU HAVE THE ESSENTIALS. When you're on the road a lot, it's very important to have the following in your car/trunk at all times--
*Spare tire and jack
*Umbrella
*Reflective Sun Shade for the windshield
*Map of the state you live/travel atlas
*Registration, Insurance Card
*Ice Scraper
*Blanket

Now, here's the fun part!!

3- FENG SHUI YOUR SPACE. Hang a faceted crystal from a blue ribbon from the rear view mirror if you are prone to road rage, or hang a silver ball from a red ribbon for protection.

4- CLEAR THE AIR. If your car has a stale or musty smell, consider opening the windows and leaving it outside, or in an open garage for a while. I like to use essential oils like Lemon or Lavender on the dash board, and sprinkled on the carpets. A little goes a long way! Stay away from air fresheners- the scents are not safe to smell all the time, and can cause headaches.

5- TIME TO GET COMFORTABLE. Be sure to sit up straight, with equal weight on both of your 'sits' bones. The seat should be adjusted so that you are as far away from the steering wheel as is comfortable. If you have back pain, consider buying a lumbar pillow for behind your back, or a wedge cushion for the seat.

6- PLAY SOME TUNES. I like to play 'smooth jazz' when I'm in the car, because it reminds me of being on vacation in Florida- my happy place. Play soothing music that appeals to you, whether it's classical, to pop. Stay away from hard rock, or anything that makes your blood pressure rise.

7- PACK SOME COMFORT ITEMS. Some items that I like to keep in the car, in an organizer (like this) are:
*Trash/plastic bags
*Travel kleenex
*Cleaning wipes
*Waterless hand sanitizer
*Magazine
*Hair comb
*Napkins
*Eco Bags (for those farmers markets!!)

8- AND DO NOT... Keep plastic water bottles in the car. When the plastic heats up, it leeches cancer causing chemicals into the water!!

Go make your car a sanctuary! Until next time, Namaste.

When in doubt, grab a tea bag!!

Hello bloggies! Teenytiny post today- just have a tip!

Since it's summer time, bugs are beginning to fly! If you get bit by a bug, don't reach for the Cortizone 10! Instead, grab a TEA BAG!!! Let me tell you a story-

Three years ago, my husband and I were on our honeymoon in Sunny Isles Beach, FL. We were waiting for the valet to get the car for us so we could go to the mall, when all of a sudden, I get bit by what looked like a fat black mosquito. Twice. My arm swelled up so much because the venom from the two bites conjoined. We went to CVS to get every bug bite cream we could find... and NOTHING worked. My arm itched soooo bad! We called my husband's mom, who is a nurse, and she told me to lightly wet a black tea bag, and hold it on the bite for 20 min. AMAZING! It was the ONLY thing that worked! It drew the venom out, the swelling went down, the itching stopped... it was fantastic! Now, I always carry a black tea bag wherever I go, and so should you.

So, go buy some black tea bags for those annoying summer bug bites! Until next time, Namaste.

Read your ingredients!!!!!

I do not understand what is so hard about this. Why can't most of America understand that it is SO important to read what is IN THEIR FOOD?! Just because something is made by Kraft, for example, doesn't mean that it's GOOD FOR YOU!!! For Heaven's sake, people!!!

When I was on Weight Watchers, I was taught that Fat Free was the way to go. Knowing what I know now, that makes me sick!! It's amazing how deceiving food labels can be, and how so many people can fall into the trap. Fat doesn't make you fat- CALORIES make you fat. Sure, you can say 'oh well, a diet high in saturated fat causes heart disease, so fat isn't good' blah blah blah, but people, listen to me- if something is high in saturated fat, it is also high in calories. Fat is not the sole bad guy all you Weight Watchers fans... do your homework.

What's even WORSE, is the ingredients that make up your food. I would much rather eat a handful of nuts, like almonds, than a handful of Fat Free BBQ Pringles. Sure, each almond is 7 calories (thank you, Calorie King), so 14 would be, what, 98-ish calories, and 8.5 grams of fat (Gasp! Fat!! -rolls eyes). 14 Fat Free BBQ Pringles have 70 calories, and 0 grams of fat. BUT- check out the ingredients, taken from Pringles.com-- INGREDIENTS: DRIED POTATOES, OLESTRA (OLEAN BRAND), MODIFIED CORNSTARCH, MALTODEXTRIN AND RICE FLOUR. CONTAINS 2% OR LESS OF: SALT, BROWN SUGAR, SUGAR, NATURAL FLAVORS, MONOSODIUM GLUTAMATE, ONION POWDER, DEXTROSE, AUTOLYZED YEAST EXTRACT, MALTED BARLEY FLOUR (GLUTEN), GARLIC POWDER, PAPRIKA POWDER, CITRIC ACID, MALTODEXTRIN, PARTIALLY HYDROGENATED SOYBEAN OIL, MALIC ACID, PAPRIKA EXTRACT (COLOR), CARAMEL COLOR, SULPHUR DIOXIDE, POLYGLYCEROL ESTERS*, MONO- AND DIGLYCERIDES*, ALPHA-TOCOPHEROL ACETATE** (VITAMIN E), TOCOPHEROLS (TO PROTECT FLAVOR), VITAMIN A PALMITATE**, ASCORBIC ACID (VITAMIN C), VITAMIN K** AND VITAMIN D**.

Uh, yeah, I'll eat my almonds, thanks. It's all of these, what I call death ingredients, that will kill you!! Maltodextrin!? Monosodium Glutamate?! Olestra?! Partially Hydrogenated Soybean Oil?! Come on, people!! Read your ingredients!! Take a little time, and find a brand of, chips lets say, that is made with natural ingredients! It's not that hard. Take the chips that I buy- Meijer Baked Tortilla Chips. What's in them? Corn, Oil, and Salt. That's it! Take the time, and read your ingredients. Just because something seems to be healthy, like spinach veggi soft tortilla doesn't mean that it's not colored green by Yellow #5 and Blue #1.

I made a big scene at Meijer on Sunday. I was looking for coconut. I found a bag that said 'Sweetened Coconut'. I thought... 'ok, let's see what's in this bag here'. I didn't get past the first three ingredients before my mouth dropped open, I yelled "OH MY GOSH!!" and dropped the bag. The ingredients were ''Coconut, Sugar, PROPYLENE GLYCOL" and others . AHH! Propylene Glycol?! Yeah, that's lighter fluid, also used in anti-freeze. From Wikipedia:

Potential health effects
Eye : Causes mild eye irritation. Contact may cause irritation, tearing, and burning pain.
Skin : Causes moderate skin irritation. Contact with the skin may cause erythema, dryness, and defatting.
Ingestion : May cause gastrointestinal irritation with nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. Low hazard for usual industrial handling. May cause hemoglobinuric nephrosis. May cause changes in surface EEG.
Inhalation : Low hazard for usual industrial handling. May cause respiratory tract irritation.
Chronic : May cause reproductive and fetal effects. Laboratory experiments have resulted in mutagenic effects. Exposure to large doses may cause central nervous system depression. Chronic ingestion may cause lactic acidosis and possible seizures.

Did you know that???

Read your lables, people. If you can't pronounce it, don't eat it.

Until next time, Namaste.

Something to look forward to....

Well my bloggie friends, I'm home sick today. The cold that I thought I had gotten rid of returned. This weekend, after the 5k, I started feeling my cold symptoms again. Not severely, but more nagging than anything. So, I took a half day at work to come home and take care of myself. After almost a 2 hour nap, I'm feeling better. I'm sitting here watching Oprah, eating organic yogurt, and on her show is an American Idol of sorts. A young Chinese girl name Jane Zhang just performed with a BEAUTIFUL voice. She said that she got her motivation to be a performer one day by walking into a music store and hearing "There's a hero, if you look inside your heart. You don't have to be afraid, of what you are" (you know, that Mariah Carey song from way back when). That got me thinking- what motivates people to do (or not do) what they do? What motivates me? Here are some examples:

-My husband used to be the opposite of adventurous when it came to eating. Once he encountered the tv show 'No Reservations', starring Anthony Bourdain, and followed him in his eating adventures, my husband now will try new food items at restaurants, try my raw foods and my new recipes at home. His interest in Anthony Bourdain and his travels have inspired him beyond words. Now, instead of eating burgers... mac and cheese... and well, lets face it- CRAP, he'll eat more wholesome and healthy food-- even veggi sushi!

-A year ago this month, I weighed 168 lbs. The motivation to lose the weight started with a work 'Biggest Loser' competition. I had the desire and drive to win, because I am a very competitive person. I got 2nd place, but in my mind, I won in the long run because I have kept the weight off (now, 153 lbs-- that's 15 lbs for those of you not counting) and have a whole new outlook on food and exercise. In turn, I created this wellness blog that you're reading now...

Just to give some perspective, and to toot my own horn- toot toot- here are some pictures...
Here's a before picture (that's me on the right):



And here's an after picture:



Yeah, I'm pretty proud of that. Oh by the way, those jeans that I'm wearing in the first picture are tucked away-- far far away, for use at a much later date... aka- for baby time--- at a much later date... hehe.

What motivates you? I'm motivated by many factors, depending on the outcome that I want. And more and more, the limits I put on myself are becoming less and less. The mantra ''why not me?'' runs through my head now, more than ever. Why not me to be rich? Why not me to be healthy? Why not me to be happy? Why not me to do what I want to do in life? Why not me to try new things?

So, why not you, too?

Until next time, Namaste.

Raw Cookies! YUM!

Good morning bloggies! Yesterday was a busy day, and today will be the same. I made another breakfast cookie this morning (yum), but before I remembered to take a picture of it, it was gone!! Oh well, it looked like yesterday's!

We celebrated mother's day with my mom yesterday afternoon. I brought over some 'cookies':

These are chocolate:



And these are cinnamon roll:



Here are the recipes that I found here:

CARLIBAR RECIPES
For each, blend in food processor until dough-like. If it's too dry, add a
little water 1 tsp at a time. Press into an 8x8 pan. With a sharp knife, cut
into 16 pieces. Wrap in saran wrap if desired.

Cinnamon roll
1 c. dates
1/4 c. Walnuts
1/4 c. almonds
1/8 c. cashews
7/8 tsp cinnamon
5 TBS raisins

Ginger Snap
1 c. dates
1/4 c. almonds
1/4 c. pecans
1/8 tsp ginger
1/8 tsp cinnamon
1/16 tsp cloves

Chocolate Coconut
1 c. dates
1/4 c. almonds
1/4 c. walnuts
2 TBS coconut
½ TBS + ½ tsp cocoa powder
1 tsp water

They were VERY VERY similar to Larabars!! YUM!! I was able to make about 12 cookies per recipe. They were a big hit, especially the Cinnamon Roll ones. Note to self, and all DISers out there- these would be GREAT park snacks!!!

Happy Pre-Mother's Day!

Happy Pre-Mother's Day to all of you mothers out there!

I just got home from 5K #2 of the season. I shaved a minute off my time- WHOO! I'm going to be paying for it tomorrow I'm sure.... we'll see. For breakfast, I made the breakfast cookies from Ms. Fitnessista, and they were fab! Here's a picture:



These are my husband's... the one on the left was made with ginger and cinnamon, and the one on the right was made with coco powder. YUM!!

So last night, I tried my hand at making some veggi sushi- and it was Fab too!!

Here's the Nori on the mat, before I stuffed it with, well, stuff.



Here are the condiments to go in it- onion, avocado, carrots, and cucumber... oh, and short grain brown rice.



And then I layered the brown rice and veggies- here's the pre-roll picture:



And after rolling, here's the first attempt! Not, well... horrible, but surely not professional yet haha!!



So besides the stuff sticking out at the end, I think it went pretty well!!! I'd definitely make it again- and actually, might make some again with the left overs for dinner!! This was the recipe I used.

Make it a good day! Namaste.

My first RAW recipe... success!

Today, I decided to be adventurous! Thanks to Gena, I decided to try a RAW recipe! Here's what I tried:

Raw Chocolate Pudding

1 Avocado, pitted
6-10 dates, soaked if needed (use as many as you'd like, depending on how sweet you want your pudding)
4 T of Cocoa
1/2 C water
Agave (if needed)

Blend all ingredients but water and Agave in a food processor. Then, scrape the sides, and add water. Blend again. Test it- if Agave is needed, add as much as desired.

Ok, can I just say- YUM-O!!! Even my husband liked it!!! He couldn't guess what the 'main' ingredient was (avocado), but he could tell that there was 'fruit' in it... hehe. Here's the work in progress:

The avocado and dates in my food processor:




Rest of the avocado and the cocoa powder (note the computer in the background- yep, that's the Golden Girls on youtube...):



The finished product!!:



Super yummy!!! I'd make it again. It was so easy.

Until next time, make some raw pudding and freak out your non-raw friends!! Namaste.

Road to recovery...

Yesterday, I was sick. I woke up with a sore throat, and just plain felt 'off'. With the scare of the H1N1 virus running rampent these days- I decided to stay home and take care of myself. I'm going to share with you what I took/did to help myself feel better quickly. Now, what I took to get myself over the cold was not recommended to me by a doctor, but rather, was taken because of my own knowledge and the knowledge of others that I'm close to (mainly my sister).

Here's what helped me to feel better, FAST!-
Zinc
Orange Juice (fresh squeezed, not from concentrate)
Oil of Oregano
Kombucha Tea
Echinacea Tea, Peppermint Tea (hot)
Water
Zicam Nose Swabs (gross, but I swear by them!)
Probiotics
Ricola Throat Drops (the original)

And.... SLEEP AND A HOT SHOWER!!

The combo of all of these things helped me to feel better very quickly, and they're available through my Amazon Store. I'm still on the up and up, and feel even better than yesterday! Colds are no match for me, no sir!! I think what happened was I ran myself too thin this weekend, and then it caught up with me...

One very good thing that came out of my self-nurturing was that I discovered my absolute FAVORITE NEW SWEET SNACK- Plain Organic Lowfat Yogurt (Greek, especially!!) with HONEY drizzled on top. YUM-O!!! The texture is so great! I didn't mix it up- I just ate it with the swirls on the top. Heaven in a cup.

I would also like to say that I am THRILLED to enter to win a Spirooli from Gena!!! I would LOVE to try some raw pasta made out of summer squash topped with fresh garlic, tomato and basil! HOW COOL WOULD THAT BE?! YUM-O!!!!!

Take care of yourself, then each other. Until next time, Namaste.

What do you love?

I was thinking this morning when I was getting ready for the day “I love my new bathroom!”. That, then, got me thinking… “what else do I love?”. What was amazing was there is so much in my life that I love! My list continued to grow and grow throughout the morning. And what was funny was there were things that I love, about the things that I love (I don't expand on those in this list). Here is my list:

I love…
Family dinners
Playing the flute (alone and in groups- especially when I get paid for it!)
Teaching the flute and clarinet
Vacations to Florida (Walt Disney World especially, but Florida as a whole is nice too!)
Traveling around the U.S. (I haven’t been out of the country yet)
The sound of a breeze rustling palm tree leaves
Swimming
Reading magazines
Blogging, and reading blogs
Cooking/baking
Eating healthy food, and how good I feel afterward
The feeling I get after I exercise
Kombucha tea
Organizing
Making lists (ha!)
Hot tea
Chocolate and peanut butter combo
Holidays (Christmas, Easter, Halloween, 4th of July, you name it!!)
Naps
Fresh bed sheets
Hot showers/baths
Painting
Re-purposing items to be used in other ways
Putting on makeup
Hot tubs
Guided meditation
Yoga
Massage of any kind
Running 5k’s
Raspberries, Blueberries, Strawberries, and Blackberries
A clean home
Coming home after a long day and putting on my ‘snuggle clothes’ (as my husband says)
Being prepared for the week, ahead of time (making meals ahead for busy days, etc)
Donating items to those in need
Taking walks
Going to the park
Watching airplanes take off and land
Airports
Planning (for everything!)
Going to the driving range
Being outside in 70 degree, sunny weather
Flowers
Growing my own vegetables
Watching the Golden Girls
Making my own ‘conventional’ foods (like granola bars)
Going to museums
Going to zoos/aquariums
Watching home movies
Shopping at yard sales, and at discount online retailers (check out my Amazon Store to the left!!)
Ohio State Football games (tv)
Putting together gift baskets
Making my own sugar and salt scrubs
Making decorations for my home (holiday)
The smell of baked goods
Getting a haircut
Reading travel books
Watching HGTV, Discovery, The Travel Channel, and DIY
Farmers Markets
Warm laundry right out of the dryer
Wearing sundresses and flip flops
Packing suitcases, carry-on bags
Chips and tomato salsa (organic jarred salsa, and salsa I make myself)
Saving money on things I have to buy, to use for things I want to buy

There are so many more things, I’m sure!! It’s amazing what small things we can enjoy in life every day!! Take time to enjoy things and do things for yourself!! It is my goal to do no less than 2 of these things EVERY DAY. Enjoy your life- it’s the only one you have!

Oh, by the way, I made a fantastic, SIMPLE cold pasta salad last evening—



Pasta Salad Ingredients (2 servings):
Whole Wheat Pasta (1 cup, dry)
Frozen Organic Vegetables (1 cup, thawed)
¼ Diced Onion
Handful of Organic Cherry Tomatoes (cut in half)

Dressing Ingredients (1 serving):
Juice from ¼ Lemon
¾ T of Olive Oil
Salt, Pepper to taste

Cook pasta as directed, drain
Mix together vegetables, onion, and cherry tomatoes
Refrigerate

Mix together dressing, and apply to pasta salad just before eating/serving. Double the dressing recipe if you’re serving all of the pasta salad at once. I put the dressing on just before I eat, so it doesn’t make everything so mushy.

I ate ½ of the pasta salad, with the dressing, and it was FAB!!! I have the other half at home, which I will look forward to eating tomorrow or Wednesday!!

Have a wonderful day! Until next time, Namaste.

My Bathroom Re-Do!

Good morning, bloggies!! In the spirit of Spring Cleaning, I decided... on Thursday... to re-do my bathroom this weekend! Pretty lofty goal, but I was ready for a change. I was ready to make my bathroom "my own", rather than feeling like I was just borrowing the previous home owners.

So, first thing was first- what on earth should I do?! Here's what the bathroom looked like 'before'...



See? Mostly a hodge-podge of stuff... that didn't match anything- each other, my personality, our house... nothing! An un-zen place, surely throwing off my chi!! In talking with my sister, I decided that I wanted a home spa!! And why not?! Those commercial spas are so expensive, and use toxic paraben-ridden products. I'd rather use my olive oil, thank you (as you see in the above picture in the canning jar). Keeping all of this in mind, me, being the frugal person that I am, did not want to spend a whole lot. I knew that I wanted to paint the walls (and decided on some sort of blue/green that reminded me of Florida!), and get some new things like a shower curtain and floor mats, but didn't want to buy a whole lot of new accessories. So, I decided to re-purpose the bathroom set.

It went from this...




To this, with a little silver paint!...



Off to a good start! I had picked up some canning jars and a basket at a yard sale (oh how I love thee...), for under $.75 total, and since they were clear, I didn't need tinker with those.

I picked up my paint, and had left over painting supplies at home to use. Here's the new color!!



Then I went to town!!!

Here's the bathroom, under construction....



New color on the walls!! It's coming together!!



After 3 hours of painting the walls and accessories (including the light fixture), then cleaning up, and installing a new toilet seat, shower curtain, and laying of the rugs (all myself!!)... the new bathroom was a success!!




This re-do cost me under $100, and maybe 5 hours of my time. I say it was WELL WORTH IT! A zen bathroom, is a happy me!

Until next time, organize a room, and make it your own!! You'll feel good every time you walk in.

Namaste.