Pooled data from 12 different studies: High meat intake increases diabetes risk

Pooled data from 12 different studies: High meat intake increases diabetes risk

El Pinto Wild and FIery Chipotle Salsa

This stuff is not hot enough to hurt you but just warm enough to get you thinking. I would rate it 3 out of 5. But you have to love the smoked chipotle or you won't be happy. I will keep this one on the shelf for days when I don't have time to make my own.''

Pictured is the hot salsa.  Photo from their website was acting goofy.  This one is from Amazon.

http://www.elpinto.com/16oz-products/3-salsa-products/15-el-pinto-16-oz-wild-a-fiery-chipotle-salsa-hot

It's Magic Monday

Time to rejoice over the good stuff and let the bad stuff go!

Goals for the Week

Finish Up Closet : (  This one keeps haunting me. lol

Put the little guys new Bakugan sheets on his bed. 

 They are actually quite soft for comic character sheets.

Update the Calendar for summer events

Exercise and embrace my love for vegetables.

Start the Little Guy on his Veggie  Boot Camp

Finish reading the book Eat for Health

Add Mexican or Mojito mint to the garden.

Clear off my desk.

Catch up on my good friend mount Laundry

Have at least one Me-date.

Watch the Lakers win the finals!

Hey Momma! Watcha Reading?

Just finished reading Paula Deen: It Ain't All About the Cookin'.  It was a pretty good read, especially the first several chapters about her early years before the Food Network changed her life.  There are several recipes if you just happened to love butter and mayonnaise.   But watch out, she has a bit of a sailor  mouth. lol  I would have never known. But nothing is said in a mean spirited way so its totally okay and she does not take the Lord's name into the mix.

'

Paula Deen: It Ain't All About the Cookin'

p.s. If you have not had much Southern cooking in your life try the Steam Fried Chicken first and then get yourself a good recipe for Baked Cheese Grits.  I make mine from memories from way back or I would post one.  lol

I am still reading the Eat For Health set.  I am still loving the yummy dressing but cutting down the recipes calories by adding extra vinegar and water.  I am now comfortable enough with the method to start creating my own high nutrient dressings.  But this book is so full of information.  I just love it.

Eat For Health: Lose Weight, Keep It Off, Look Younger, Live Longer (2 book set)

p.s.  I am still on Phase One if you get a chance to read the book.  I have a hard time finding places to dine out with really healthy food.  But I am still looking!

I am currently reading Winning By Losing by Jillian Michaels.  I am reading it pretty quick so I can get to the training part of the book.  I need a real strength training routine.  This book is great for people new to her books.  My favorite is Mastering Your Metabolism, the recipes are pretty good in that one.  : )  

p.s.  All I really want is to fit into last summer's shorts!  Haha

Reading is the best hobby ever.  If you don't have time to read then MAKE time.

The Last Day of the Little Guys Kindergarten is Tomorrow

I am just so sad.  My baby is growing up.

Magic Monday

Its the start of a new week.  I have been working on straightening and decluttering my closet 15 minutes at a time for about a week now.  I am almost at the finish line.  The poor thing was a train wreck like most of my house because I started working from home.  I am slowly but surely adjusting.  My answer to keeping up with it all.... less is more and my time is worth more than a bunch of stuff I no longer love or need.

I know!  It is truly shameful.  If you knew me, you would know this kind of clutter just makes my tummy hurt.  But I have really made progress!

Dr. Fuhrman's Dijon Date Dressing/Dip

This man hands down has made the best vegan friendly dressing I have ever made or eaten.  I am a food snob or foodie and have been for over 30 years.  These are so yummy you just want to grab a spoon and a chair, sit down and indulge!

For the dips to make them salad green friendly I add more water and a bit more vinegar. Just love them.
Will make a pic one day but I am dashing off to see Marmaduke with the family.

Johnny 3 Quote of the Day

Are you crazy mommy? My t-shirts don't get stinky when I wear them four times! Only on fridays you silly goofy! ~me... ~ what?~

Johnny's favorite playtime activity is Bakugan an his favorite t-shirts are his Bakugan t-shirts. PIctured above is his awesome Bakugan pose.

Kids Headquarters - Licensed apparel Boys 2-7 Bakugan Short Sleeve Tee,Red,5

My Summer Time Every Day Bag

Purseket Purse Organizer Lime Dot Medium

This is everything that is going into my summer bag.

Wallet

Sunglasses

Reading glasses

Tissues

Lip balm (Dr. Pepper)

Eyeglass cleaner

Pill Box

Antibiotic cream

Band-Aids

Dental Floss Sticks

2 Shout Wipes (for cloth clean-up emergencies)

2 or more Pre-moistened Wipes

Cell Phone

I-Pod –I Touch (still waiting for Verizon to come around and simplify my life)

Earbuds to keep Itouch quiet for long waits in restaurants. (These are for the little guy)

Travel size sun block

Compact camera

Personal Items in zipped bag or utilize a hidden compartment in handbag.

Small zipped bag containing index cards, 8 pack crayons, 2 small toys (Bakugans with ability cards) and one Kashi granola bar.

It would have been impossible to find anything in my handbag without this tool.  The Purseket was suggest by a fellow flygal in our local Flylady group.  I just love it!

And there she is, my huge handbag totally organized!  I am a happy mommy!

p.s. this is a pretty good sized handbag so I purchased the large Purseket.  I believe most handbags would use the medium size unless you carry a pretty tiny purse. lol  

I purchased a medium and large and am happy with both.

Summer Bag and This and That

Working on a list of items that need to be in my handbag for the summer.  With the little guy with me all the time it needs to be a pretty roomy bag.  I usually end up carrying around quite a few Bakugans, Bakugan cards, the current Happy Meal toy and Johnny's Itouch.  That alone is enough to fill a small hand bag.

When I finish my list I will post it, this will for sure be a way for me to find it exactly one year for now.  And of course it will be interesting to see what the little guy has me carting around for him a year from now.

I did 3 miles on the treadmill and my legs really felt it about half-way through my day.  Pretty proud of that one... but of course I made a chocolate lava cake for dessert so that pretty much zapped out any extra calories burned for the day.

The picture above is me before children and responsibilities.  I like looking at these pictures to remind me that there was a me before wife and mommy.  She was a pretty carefree and happy girl.  And I reckon she liked flowers as well.

Peace and popcorn,
Me

The 5- Minute Face by Carmindy

Carmindy- Five Minute Face




In taking time for myself or rather finding time for myself I discovered through a web search this nifty book.  Although you can learn the tips watching the video on Carmindy's website the book is wonderful.
It has a listing in the back of high priced and affordable makeup selections.

I was up late last night at CVS buying a few of the items listed after zipping over to the local bookstore to purchase the book.

This morning I followed the directions and it worked!  5 minutes and I look rested ( even after staying up to read my current novel ) and refreshed.  You can buy the book on Amazon for around 7 bucks and there is a 2 dollar coupon inside for the Sally Hensen line she helped to develop.  So now my morning has shimmied down from 10 minutes of face stuff to 5 minutes!  These five minutes are going toward a little big of strength training.  Which is 5 more minutes than I have actually been doing since the little guy started Kindergarten.

Yeah!  I am really happy.

: )

Johnny 3 Quote of the Day

Johnny 3 quote of the day. ~while eating a rice crispy treat~ " Wow, this is way better than fast food!"

Johnny 3 and Bubble Gum Gelato

Today Johnny 3 discovered Bubble Gum gelato. He spent several minutes operating on the concoction to remove all bubble gum for safe-keeping. After finishing his gelato he then proceeded to chew his ice cold bubble gum. He did this with a seriousness of any brain surgeon.... extreme concentration and optimism. He is my heart because of these little things.

TO DO 'TIL I PART

To Do “ Til I Part

Honestly,

Have you ever looked at a mommy TO- Do list. I have never witnessed one with less than ten items and have been amazed and fearful of the ones that are more than four type- written pages long. I personally run about mid-stream on that index. I have around 50 to 60 items on my list at any given time. The only reason my lists look so short is because I omit so much as not to scare myself.

If you take a look at one of these lists chances are it involves family, work, finance, household chores, errands, groceries, doctors appointments for the children, veterinarian appointments, and the list goes on and on.

But the odds of seeing something on that list that actually is intended for the mommy are slim to none and its kind of sad. I am totally guilty of this particular notion. Although I do faithfully write exercise on my list it is located near the bottom because I will get to it if I have TIME.

Time is everything. Lately I have heard myself say I just don’t have the time to my little guy, my older son and my husband so much that it has caused some sadness and stress.

I like things a certain way and now that I am working again, it is just not happening. Everything seems to be half finished and disorganized. I can’t seem to find a BALANCE in my life.

A friend of mine was recently diagnosed with cancer. This has made me really think about how I am spending my TIME and how I am BALANCING all my obligations and how I am taking care of MYSELF.

Oddly enough, the word MYSELF is something I really have not taken a hard look at in many years. I have been a mom for 24 years of my life. I only know how to be a wife, mom and worker bee.

In the next month I am going to start exploring how to add MYSELF to this unbelievably important part of my existence. LIFE is short. We hear it all the time. Life is a gift and should not be taken for granted at any point in time.

So in I am taking a turn in my journey. Myself is going to take the time to balance, organize and enjoy what I have. I have a wonderful healthy family that needs me. And if I am going to keep giving my time for all of the mommy-items on my TO DO list than I am going to need to take a look at MYSELF each and every day.

And when I do PART from this crazy wonderful life… then energy and memories I leave will surely be wonderful. Because I would have left part of MYSELF and not just a partially complete TO- DO list.

Worm on the Loose!

Yesterday Johnny brought home a worm in a paper cup. Poor little thing was sitting in the little cup of dirt with a little leaf for food. I put him in the cup holder for safe keeping in the car. I absolutely intended on depositing him into the garden when I got home. But the whirlwind of homework, dinner and life in general got in the way.

I went to retrieve the cup this morning and Mr. Worm was gone. Very sad. Johnny is not thrilled with me this morning.

Johnny3 thought for the day.

Johnny 3 is my 6 year old son. He is so funny in his honesty and youth He brightens every single day of my life.

Johnny 3 thought of the day: We were at the hair salon inquiring about ways to deal with the damage Super Cuts did to Johnny's hair last week. She was not to busy so I decided to get my hair trimmed. ( The salon was suggested by my co-room mom and I was nervous for Johnny so I was the guinea pig.)

In the midst of the haircut a gentleman walked in that was pretty lean and buff. ( can you be lean and buff at the same time?)

Johnny walked over and whispered to me..." Mommy, that guy must have did really good on The Biggest Loser." Have mercy, does my son think the only people in good shape are BL graduates?

Super Mom

I love the idea of being a Super Mom. But the truth is I just try to wake up every morning and tell myself that I can make this day happen. I go about my morning routine, praying that I won't forget to pack my little boy's snack and turn in his library book. I write out my To Do list and always manage to add exercise into the list. This of course does not mean it actually happens.

My family is the best. They inspire me to be the Super Mom that I dream of.. happy and healthy and this is really all I can ask of them.
I hope to add to this blog often now that I have finally managed to sit down and start. What a joyous journey life has been so far.

I can't wait to get nosy and explore other mommy blogs. Because collectively we are a unit of Super Moms.

peace and popcorn,

Pam