Beginning the Advent Calendar

Yesterday started the first day of Advent for 2013.  I'll be honest.  This is the first year I've done the Advent Calendar in my house.  I had not fully understood what it was and kind of thought it was significant to only certain denominations. That couldn't be further from the truth.  Yes it is celebrated differently in different denominations and even held to a higher regard, but simply put it is a way to look forward to celebrating the birth of Christ.  A way to remind ourselves of the prophecy of His birth, the miraculous fulfillment of that prophecy and that Christmas day symbolizes the New Covenant that the birth of Jesus put into place.  If you are like me, you find it very difficult in this day and age of constant toy commercials, Santas on every corner and trains full of cookies and hot chocolate to keep Christmas focused on the birth of our Lord and Savior. It's almost impossible really.  You say Christmas and my kid immediately starts barking out a list of toys he wants. Short of unplugging the TV and putting blinders on my son, how do you keep your family focused during the season?  That's why I decided to look into the Advent Calendar.  There are so many great ones out there that guide you through scripture readings, provide prayer topics and even suggest activities.  I scoured Pinterest and pinned several great scripture reading calendars http://www.pinterest.com/rose9778/christmas/ and I also found a wonderful explanation and kind of a How-to on the Focus on the Family website. http://www.focusonthefamily.com

I know a lot of families that open a little gift each day.  Some light candles.  Many use the little calendars with the windows that you open each day to count down.  Some end Advent with a giant birthday party with cake and all in honor of Jesus! An idea Focus on the Family had that I thought was wonderful was to gather all the Christmas cards you received that day in the mail and pray for each of those families during your Advent time. I'm not sure it really matters as long as you are pointing your family to the reason for the season: a celebration of the birth of Christ. Of all the things I've read, the best bit of info I got was this: whenever you refer to Christmas with your family, call it Jesus' Birthday. Maybe, just maybe, this will help to make Christmas more than just presents and lights.  Even if we can't see it now, every little bit that our kiddos absorb will help shape their hearts and make an impact.

Good luck dear friends and Merry Jesus' Birthday to you all!!

Punkins!!!

Pumpkins are awesome.  They taste good, they are awesome for decorating, they taste good and they are in season for home decor for 2-3 months!!  And did I mention they taste good? The spice, the cinnamon, the yummy yummy coffee...But that's a separate entry! Tonight, I want to talk about the decorating.

Every year I look forward to the pumpkin covered magazine covers that come in the mail every September, October and November.  And it seems like every year the pumpkins get more and more unique and fun. I'm not talking about Jack-o-lanterns.  Those are fun, yes, but they are strictly Halloween decor.  I'm talking about all the wonderful things you can do to a gourd without cutting them open.

Owls with sunflower seeds

multi-colored sequins

 This year, I saw the most adorable owl made out of a pumpkin and sunflower seeds in Every Day with Rachael Ray's October 2013 edition.  On the same page was a fantastically chic gold-sequined covered pumpkin.  This got me looking online for more ideas like this.

The owl pumpkins in Rachael Ray use anise pods in the middle of the sunflower seed eyes and its perfect! And her sequined pumpkin was solid gold and gorgeous! And of course, I'm always a huge fan of making my Halloween Jack-o-lantern a fall planter by simply turning it around and adding mums! I'll be using some of these inside on my table or mantle. I hope you have fun this year making your pumpkins look amazing!

layered gold sequins

sequin stripes

Get out of town!! (for cheap)

So Southwest Airlines has just moved in to Memphis, and to celebrate they are offering $50 flights.  Surely you jest, you may say.  But no, tis true! But only if you purchase in the next 2 days!  And as always, enjoy your COMPLIMENTARY peanuts, your COMPLIMENTARY beverage and your COMPLIMENTARY checked bag!  I heart Southwest! Even with the cattle call boarding.
click here to see the offer on Southwest's website.

You are welcome world!

Have a Jewel-Toned Thanksgiving!

Every Day with Rachel Ray has some great little crafty tips for Thanksgiving this year.  But what caught my eye was not the craft ideas, but the gorgeous jewel-toned Thanksgiving table she created.  Observe:

How beautiful is that!  My favorite part is the "gold"ware! 

And look how gorgeous this is:

or as Rachel puts it: Gourd-geous.  Haahahahaha!

Mainly what this is telling me is that I don't have to stick to the traditional colors of the season.   I can make any holiday "me"! And anyone who knows me knows that this purple pumpkin is TRIPPING me out!!! Go check out her webpage and while you are there, don't forget to enter her daily contest to win fantabulous kitchen accessories.  Today's was the NINJA slow cooking system which I've been kind of drooling over for a while now.

www.rachaelraymag.com/easy-party-ideas

I love November and Disney World!

Bring on the magazines with Thanksgiving recipes, Fall decor ideas and lots and lots of PUMPKIN!!  Time to pull out my Orange Rachel Ray Bubble and Brown bowls that I love love love!  My dishes are all purple and orange and this is the perfect time of year to use them! Think I'll serve potatoes in one and green beans in the other!

I've ordered a new magazine...I know I know....that makes like 25, but it's completely different than all the other ones I get.  This one is called Celebrations and its all about Disney World.  That's right!  DISNEY WORLD.  My absolute favorite place on Earth.  I got my first issue this month:

It has articles on attractions, what's new, what's old and little tidbits about the park that I never knew, like where the murderous bride's wedding ring is at the Haunted Mansion!  I find it so incredibly interesting.  I may be posting some little facts about these mags as I read more.

FREE Martha Stewart Living and Martha Stewart Wedding magazine subscriptions

You heard me right.  I recently signed up with Recyclebank.com and have been collecting points by recycling and/or watching little videos about green products.  I've done very little and have already earned enough points for a free subscription to Martha Stewart Living.  Quite possibly the best magazine in print at the moment.  I also got a BOGO free Dasani and a free milkshake at my local Frost Top.

Highly recommend it if you like free stuff. :)

http://www.recyclebank.com/referafriend/?___store=us&bl=YWxseWNhdHRrNDIxQHlhaG9vLmNvbQ==&utm_campaign=Refer-a-friend&utm_medium=direct%20link&utm_source=A7980021&cm_mmc=Refer-a-friend-_-direct%20link-_-A7980021-_-referral

Pinterest Challenge Day 3

Bruschetta Chicken Bake


Pinned from the Kraft Foods website: kraftrecipes.com, this is an extremely simple and quick recipe. Seriously...3 steps and done. Both my husband and I really liked it.  It seems to be easily changed.  If you were in the mood for Mexican, you could change the cheese to Monteray Jack, the tomatoes to Rotel and the Stove Top flavor to Cornbread.  I will definitely be trying it that way as well. I think I will add this to my normal dinner rotation.  I served it with a side of quick and easy green beans that I found on Pinterest as well. Just put whole green beans on a baking sheet, toss them with olive oil, cracked black pepper and Sea Salt...bake on 400 for 8 minutes or so and done.


Scorecard:
Ease of Preparation: A+
Flavor: A-
Margin  for Error: A
Leftover Appeal: B
Overall Appeal: A-

what you need

1

can (14-1/2 oz.) diced tomatoes, undrained

1

pkg. (6 oz.) STOVE TOP Stuffing Mix for Chicken

1/2

cup water

2

cloves garlic, minced

1-1/2

lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces

1

tsp. dried basil leaves

1

cup KRAFT 2% Milk ShreddedMozzarella Cheese

make it

HEAT oven to 400ºF.

step 1 MIX tomatoes, stuffing mix, water and garlic just until stuffing mix is moistened.

step 2 LAYER chicken, basil and cheese in 3-qt. casserole or 13x9-inch baking dish.

step 3 TOP with stuffing. Bake 30 min. or until chicken is done.

Pinterest Challenge Day 2

Citrus-glazed Salmon and Avocado Salsa


My second pinterest recipe had a lot of potential.  I love Salmon and I love Avocado.  This recipe came from the Eating Well Living Thin blog here: eatingwelllivingthin.wordpress.com. Please click on the link to view the recipe.

Ok, making this was super easy.  It took very little time and very little effort. However, it wasn't my favorite.  First of all, let me just say that the Salmon and flavor of the glaze was amazing.  I kind of wish I had just stopped there.  The salsa was weird.  I don't think oranges and avocados are complementing flavors.  This is strictly my opinion though, because my husband thought they meshed well.  He really liked the flavors together. But we both agree that there were WAY too many onions in the recipe.  I like red onions just as much as the next person, but every bite seemed to be overpowered by the raw crunch of them.  I did like the heat of it.  It made it seem more like salsa than just a salad.  And this meal doesn't keep well for leftovers.


Scorecard:
Ease of Preparation: A
Flavor: Salmon-A, Salsa-C-
Margin  for Error: B
Leftover Appeal: C
Overall Appeal: C+

Pinterest Challenge: Day 1

Crock Pot Orange Chicken


I pinned this recipe from a blog called "The Pursuit of Happiness" team-t-adventures.blogspot.com. So to find the recipe for orange chicken, please refer to the above blog.

Ok, it started off fine. what I was cooking looked just like the pictures on Ms. Lisa's blog.  I'm nearing the end of the crock pot session and decided to start the rice.  While playing on the blog-site, I boiled over my rice.  Maybe the internet is to blame for my cooking skills declining.  At least that's what I'll tell myself.  My chicken is not looking much like hers now.  It seems really runny.  I'll give it another half hour in the crock pot and see how it turns out.

Half hour finished and here's the verdict: Pretty good.  It's a hair tangy, but I may have put in a little more OJ than I should have.  My husband said the chicken was really tender and it was really good.  He'd like for me to add pineapple chunks to it next time, so I will try that. Even my crazy picky 5 year old liked it.

Scorecard:
Ease of Preparation: B+
Flavor: B
Margin  for Error: B
Overall Appeal: B+

Day 1 finished Pinterest Challenge finished....pictures to come.

New Pinterest Challenge

Starting today April 6, 2012, I will be challenging myself to learn new recipes via the most wonderful website in the world....Pinterest.  The existence of this website has negated the need to keep up with magazines, save their content or blog about it really.  It's all on pinterest and easier to save.

Starting in November, my go to recipes have all been flops.  I've ruined chicken and dressing, sweet potato casserole, spaghetti, etc.  It's an epidemic.  So I have decided to cook three recipes off pinterest a week and blog about it.  Kind of like Julie what's her face from "Julie and Julia" minus the extremely complicated art of French cooking.  Anywho....today is day 1.

This and That and how to Give Back

Sorry for the hiatus, let's get back into it shall we.

First of all this week is National Volunteer week.  So many vital organizations run on mostly volunteer man-power, like the Arkansas Rice Depot of the American Red Cross.  How can we help this week?  Or better yet, how can we make a long-term plan to help this week? I love volunteering, because it's incredibly easy, ridiculously appreciated, and I come away feeling embarrassingly good about myself.  Oh and it actually HELPS PEOPLE!  Want to help? Visit this site if you don't know where to start or want a fresh idea on where to pitch in: http://www.handsonnetwork.org/


What's the new trend this season? Bright-colored stripes!!!  How fun and cheerful is that?  Also, wedges making an appearance again this year, but with a fun twist...patterns on the wedge itself.  (A great way to play on something everyone already has....just enough to make the ones we have null and void, thanks).  I found these in Real Simple's April Edition:

Not only are they patterned, but they are also brightly striped, making them quite possibly the trendiest shoe in the world right now.  (plus they're nine west which totally rocks my world.)
Or how about these:

no fun stripes, but could totally match some fun striped little dress.  I've got to admit, I think I like it.  Let's be honest, some are just plain obnoxious:But, if that's your thing, don't let me stop you!!

Ok, so the April Issue of Real Simple is totally rocking my world.  It's got so much.  Martha Stewart is either the most brilliant person on the planet, or she hired them, which I guess still makes her brilliant.  Just check out these article titles: "Speed-clean your refrigerator in 20 minutes"  "Spring-cleaning shortcuts"  "Trends worth trying" "15 minute dinners"  "10 ideas for eggs"  and that's just a few.  I will post as much as I can that I find post-worthy.  But we all know I had to start out with the shoes!!

Project: LGN--The skinny on fad diets and rumors

I am anti-diet.  You will never find anything on my blog promoting any kind fad diet. Most diets I have watched people undergo have resulted in some kind of health issue or massive weight gain as soon as they finish with it.  Hey Dr. Atkins, you realize that eating little to no carbs for several weeks causes severe bad breath AND your body needs carbs to work.  I'll say it again....calories in, calories out.  That's really all you need to know.  But I understand that we like to feel like we are following some kind of food and work-out plan that keeps us on track and that we know has worked for others.  For me, this usually just means I spend more time reading about it, shopping for it and preparing for it than I actually do exercising or losing weight.  If only I had jogged instead of reading that 200 page book then I would have actually lost weight.  Glamour magazine's February 2011 issue puts some of the myths to the test once and for all....it's very interesting:

"Will __________ help me lose weight?"-Cynthia Sass, R.D. tells what's fast, what's healthy, and what's not. (Her quotes are, in fact, in quotes, my personal narration in parentheses)

• A Juice Fast: No. "You will gain it back when you eat real food again."
• The Master Cleanse: No. "Subsisting on a mix of cayenne pepper, maple syrup, and lemon juice is like an extreme juice fast--but it doesn't contain any substantial food. At least with juice you're getting some calories and antioxidants."
• Going Raw: Maybe, all the veggies will keep your calories intake low, but many people eat too many nuts and seeds and end up gaining.  Plus, it's very hard to stick too.
• Cutting out "white" stuff: Yes. "Refined foods like white flour and sugar have been stripped of vitamins and minerals, not to mention fiber--which leaves you with a more compact grain that has more calories bite for bite. cutting these out means you'll cut your total calories." It's quite possibly the healthiest, fastest way for any woman to lose weight.
• Drinking Milk: Yes, A new study found that dieters who consumed at least 12 oz of milk or other dairy lost more weight over the course of two years than those who had less. How this works isn't clear but the protein in dairy (stick to low-fat) may help keep you full.
• Spicy foods: Yes. "It boosts metabolism, and the more you eat, the more effect it has. It could take off up to 10 pounds in a year. (I was totally shocked to hear this, you can bet I'm adding spice to more things these days)
• Paying with Cash: Maybe. A recent study found that people who use a credit card made more impulse junk food buys.  And tend to buy more food in general.  (I would think it also makes us run through the drive-through more, it does me)
• A Gluten-free Diet: No, "Eliminating gluten--a grain protein in wheat, rye and barley--has nothing do with weight, even among people who are truly intolerant to it.
• Eating Breakfast: Yes. boosts you metabolism, keeps you from getting hungrier later and making poor choices.  Best bet is a mix of a sustaining protein, a little fat, and fiber.
• A Low-Carb diet: No. You may lose in the short term, but mostly water weight. "Carbs are the body's preferred fuel--that's why they're so plentiful in nature. Eliminate white carbs, and you'll likely lose weight, but take away whole grains, and you risk mood swings and cravings" (not to mention heart disease and halitosis!)
• Small meals; yes. nibbling something every three to five hours keeps your metabolism at a constant high and prevents the dips in blood sugar that lead to cravings and binges
• Taking Adderall--(personally I can't believe this even made the list....how stupid and dangerous to take an ADHD drug to lose weight...I don't believe I need to dignify this with the explanation.  Just don't be stupid)

So there you have it.  I thought a lot of that was pretty interesting.  So design your very own way of eating to achieve your goals...and speaking of goals, how am I doing??  Let's just see!!

Long-term Goal: 38 pounds by December 31
Short-term Goal: 10 pounds by May 1
Total weight loss to date: 7 pounds

Prescription: Friendship!

I've always been a pretty happy person.  Of course there have been times when I've been down in the dumps for an extended period, but it usually revolved around some sort of situation that eventually passes as do the blues.  It seems like I'm happier than ever overall in my present stage of life.  I contribute this to a combination of factors: strengthened relationship with Christ, growth in marriage, addition to family, and of course, an irreplaceable, incomparable circle of friends.  Come to find out, having friends is scientifically proven to make us healthier and happier.  Better Homes and Gardens published an article with some really interesting facts and research on the subject.  Allow me to share:

First of all, loneliness is on the rise. According to surveys conducted by Duke University, our social circles have shrunk by one-third between the years 1985-2004.  Nowadays the average person has just 2 close confidants (down from 3 in 1985), who are far more likely to be family members than unrelated pals.  And that only counts people who confide in anyone at all. 25% of the survey respondents in 2004 admitted to having zero close relationships at all--family or friends.

This is unfortunate since studies have also shown that social interaction significantly reduces cortisol levels (the stress hormone), and physical touch of friends increases activity of dopamine and oxytocin (feel-good brain chemicals).  In addition to this, loneliness was shown to lead to increased blood pressure, higher morning rises in cortisol and less restful sleep. If that's not enough, people with ample friends showed less symptoms when exposed to the cold virus and more effectiveness with flu vaccines.--BH&G April 2011

Now these scientists, though brilliant, can come up with the most absurd reasons why this occurs.  Like this is an inherited trait from our ancestors who were in physical danger if alone and tended to live in clusters for protection.  Really, so I feel better around my friends because my caveman ancestor might not get eaten by a saber toothed tiger or a woolly mammoth hanging in a crowd? Please.  It's how we were designed by our Creator.  God is relational.  He designed us to love and to be loved.  So obviously, when we are doing this, we are healthier and happier.  I can attest to this.  I've always had a lot of friends.  I've always enjoyed hanging out with people.  But in this stage of my life, God has surrounded me with a new breed of friend.  A group of women who would literally do anything for me I feel like.  And I would bend over backwards to do what I could for them.  Yes, they enjoy just hanging out, but it's more than that.  There is a genuine love for each other, a wish for the best to happen to each other, hurt when each other hurts.  No selfishness, no pettiness. 

The result: happiness, healthiness, support, and the overwhelming feeling that no matter what I take on....I am never alone.

Heart Healthy

I'm 32.  I'm stating this because I have felt like this number means I don't really have to worry about things like heart disease and blood pressure yet.  That's for older people right?  50? 60?  The fact is, if we don't take preventative measures in our 30's and 40's, it will not just be something for us to worry about later, it will be a reality, a problem, and possibly our outcome.  Yesterday, a dear friend of mine died of a heart attack.  A healthy, active man in his early 60's.  This is not an eye-opener, this is American reality.  Cancer or heart disease, and it happens younger and younger.  So I thought I would post some heart healthy alternatives just to help us make better choices, no matter what our age is.

Most of these are from Good Housekeeping February 2011 (I'm not sure what they mean by some of these percentages so I'm just writing them as is)

• A little Dark Chocolate (up to three 1-oz servings a week) can lessen the odds of heart failure 32%--Holla!
• Fill your plate with veggies and fruits to lower your heart disease risk and drop blood pressure
• Substituting seafood for beef cuts chances of heart disease (24 % for each day you make the substitution)
• Sweet Potatoes, oatmeal, dried apricots, and spinach are all rich in potassium and magnesium-two minerals that help promote healthy blood pressure levels (Family Circle June 2010)
• Try to stick to a DASH diet (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension developed by the National Institute of Health and proven to lower blood pressure): Each day-3 servings of whole grains, 2 servings of low-fat dairy, 7 servings of fruits and vegetables. Each week-3 servings of nuts, seeds, and legumes. (Family Circle June 2010)

For more in depth info on DASH go to http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/dci/Diseases/dash/dash_what.html.

And don't forget to exercise.  Even 20-30 minutes a day of walking can help lower your risk of heart disease.  Also be mindful of your family history.  Some forms of heart disease can be genetic meaning you have to start working on it earlier. Thanks for listening to me babble about this.  It's therapeutic in a way to try and keep this from happening to other people I love.

Project LGN: Progress

I wrote last week that I had really been slacking and wanted to wait a week before weighing.  I'm glad I did because I weighed today and my weight is unchanged.  This probably means I gained a little during my bad week and lost it again during last week. I can totally live with that.  This week will continue in the downward direction and hopefully next Monday I'll have a better weight loss report.  I have to be honest, this blog is one of the reasons I made myself get back on track.  The cyberworld is holding me accountable, whether they know it or not.  I read in one of my mags that discussing your weight loss goals and your methods to achieving them online was a great way to stay on task.  I got to put a big check mark next to that helpful hint cause I'm already doing it and it actually works.

Long-term Goal: 38 pounds by December 31
Short-term Goal: 10 pounds by May 1
Total weight loss to date: 4.4 pounds

Bring on Spring--part 2

Martha Martha Martha, everybody loves Martha!  And for good reason.  She has some amazing, easy to follow ways of getting just about anything house or craft related done.  She has published a book called "Martha Stewart's Homekeeping Handbook" that writes it all out.  744 pages of "how to" and "you wish".  That's longer than a Harry Potter book AND the print's smaller.  Everything from "How to dust sculptures" to "Types of air fresheners" and even "How to Move". I know what you're thinking and no, I didn't read it all.  But there is a fantastic little section in the front about cleaning with a checklist for daily, weekly, monthly and seasonal tasks.  Figured I'd give you all the Spring Cleaning list and see how we all measure up to the incredible Martha:

Kitchen

1. Vacuum refrigerator grill and coil
2. Wipe the inside of the freezer

Living Room

1. Rotate heavy curtains, rugs, and throws for lightweight ones

Bedrooms

1. Replace cool-weather bedding with warm-weather bedding
2. Launder or dry-clean blankets

Bathrooms

1. Discard expired cosmetics, beauty products, and medications

Home Office

1. Clean out files
2. Review ad update insurance policies, contracts, and household inventories

Closets

1. Reorganize closets, giving away unwanted items
2. Replace cool-weather clothing with warm-weather clothing

Utility Spaces

1. Remove line from the hose attached to the back of the clothes dryer
2. Clean the attic and basement, giving away or discarding unwanted items
3. Vacuum and mop attic and basement floors

Outdoor Spaces

1. Scrub porch ceilings and walls
2. Scrub porch floors, decks, patios, the driveway, and walkways
3. Scrub outdoor furniture, umbrellas, and awnings
4. Wash light-fixture covers
5. Clean gutters

Throughout the House

1. Vacuum and wipe walls and ceilings
2. Shampoo wall-to-wall carpets and area rugs with backings
3. Send area rugs without backings out for professional cleaning
4. Steam-clean upholstery
5. Dust radiators
6. Reseal stone surfaces
7. Reseal grout
8. launder machine-washable window treatments
9. Dry-clean non-machine-washable window treatments
10. Take books off shelves, dust shelves and books
11. Polish metal door and window hardware
12. Oil window and door hinges
13. Wax wood furniture
14. Wax wood, stone, concrete, brick, and unglazed tile floors
15. Strip and rewax vinyl and linoleum floors
16. Wash windows and window screens
17. Remove, wash, and store storm windows.

Intense isn't it.  I'll probably do about 8 of these things.   Maybe. OK Ok, probably 4 of them.  She's a beast!  But I've got news for her "Homekeeping" is not even a word, so there.

Bring on Spring--part1

I love the beginning of each season.  The welcomed change of temperature, the new smells in the air, the memories each season brings back, and of course the decorating.  Spring is no different.  Now we can start worrying about our tans, our waistlines, cute spring clothes and colors, and of course the dreaded spring cleaning.  Thankfully our generation has Martha Stewart to help us through the cleaning part which I will get to in my "Bring on Spring--part 2" post coming soon.  For now, let's focus on the super fun part of spring: NEW STUFF!!

I've found a ton of cute ideas and potential purchases in magazines so far this spring and I can't wait to pass them on.

• Super cute flower dress from Simply Vera.  Meshing all the popular spring colors: sun yellow, cobalt, a hint of purple *smile*.  Best part: it's actually on sale at Kohl's right now for $48 (reg. $68) Better Homes and Gardens April 2011

• Ponytail weather!!!  Two 15-year old girls have designed their own line of hair ties that won't rip or dent your hair.  On top of that, they give a portion of their proceeds to Operation Smile. Check them out at emi-jay.com Better Homes and Gardens April 2011
• Spring is when I start looking at changing out my make-up.  Throwing out the old stuff, getting some new shades, maybe a little tanner?  Saw these super cute make-up brushes and can't wait to go get them.  Sonia Kashuk's (designs for Target) high-quality/low-cost brushes in a gorgeous cobalt-colored tile print.  5-piece set for $15.  They are not out yet, but you can pre-order them on line: http://www.target.com/Sonia-Kashuk-Brush-Set-piece Better Homes April 2011
• Fitness!!  Springtime is the time to get skinny right? April 7th is National Start Walking Day.  You can find new local routes to walk in USA Track & Field's database--just search by city and state and check it out (or share your own route). www.usatf.org Better Homes April 2011
• Easter craft.  Ok, I'm not personally gonna do this one, but I am totally intrigued and am dying for someone to try it and let me know:  Line your Easter basket with cellophane, add vermiculite (available at garden stores), sprinkle grass seeds, and mist with water.  Sprouts should appear in 10 days and Voila! real grass in your basket....sure beats that fake stuff I feel I'm still vacuuming up in July. Better Homes April 2011
• Spring decor craft.  The in color for Spring decorating.....Lilac!!!  woo hoo for Purple.  Love this idea, Baby-food jars become gingham-banded, light-infused hanging vases for pansies.  Suspend in a window at staggered heights using craft wire and ribbon.  *love*Good Housekeeping April 2011

That's all I have time for, but I could go on and on.  And may do a part 3.  We shall see. :)

Project LGN: Best choice

I've slacked....a lot.  I only worked out one time last week and my eating habits.....let's just say I've done better.  So I opted not to step on the scale this week.  Seeing a gain would un-motivate me so I am just categorizing this as a minor setback and trudging on.  I'll weigh next week and hopefully be back to where I was.  It's all about choices.  Something is better than nothing.  Exchanging one Mountain Dew (my vice, my addiction, my calorie demon) for water a day.  Anything and everything inches us towards a more healthy lifestyle.  But we've got to be smart in our choices.  Just the other day at Wal-Mart I wanted to buy some graham crackers to use as one of my snacks each day.  I had a choice: Honey, Cinnamon, Sticks, and Reduced Fat.  Well I'm trying to lose weight right?  So of course I picked up the Reduced Fat.  Yay me.....til I read the label.  The reduced fat graham crackers have more calories than the regular graham crackers.  You heard me right....MORE calories.  I promptly put them back on the shelf and grabbed the regular fat ones.  (It's not imperative to watch fat grams if you are watching calories and eating healthy.  The fat grams will stay in a healthy range because of the types of food you are eating.)  We can be fooled by the food industry.  We've got to be smart.  I got the following fast food surprises from the April 2011 edition of Good Housekeeping (with my thoughts included).  I was pretty stunned by the facts:

Which has fewer calories?
1. Quiznos Small Veggie Sub of Quiznos Small Traditional Sub?  I so would have picked veggie.  I mean the other one has 3 different kinds of meat.  And it says "Veggie" so it has to be healthier right??  Wrong!  The meats on the Traditional Sub happen to be lean meats and the calorie count is 430.  The Veggie Sub has two kinds of cheeses and guacamole making it weigh in at 520 calories.
2. McDonald's Premium Grilled Chicken Classic Sandwich or the McDouble:  Easy one...has to be the grilled chicken.  Grilled chicken will always have less calories than a greasy 2-patty concoction on the dollar menu.  Wrong again.  The McDouble only has 390 calories.  What?  The Grilled Chicken is nestled in between a huge 240-calorie honey wheat roll bumping it's total caloric value to 420.  To be honest, it's still probably healthier than a McDouble, I'd just need to throw away the top part of the bun.

The third one is a restaurant called Au Bon Pain which we don't have round these here parts so it didn't really make an impression.  So I'll leave you with the most eye-popping comparison I've come across:  The US Pizza Salad Supreme.  Even if you choose to put Turkey on it instead of ham it weighs in at a whopping 1564 calories.  Let me repeat that number 1564 calories.  You'd do better eating 2 slices of supreme pizza at 580 calories.  Heck, have 3 slices at 870, you're still 700 less than the salad! Incredible right?  Our salads can be the downfall of our attempts at weight loss.  My advice, get the salad.  But order it without the cheese and the house dressing.  Try a vinaigrette.  Then maybe just eat half of it :)
But my point is made.  Just because something is advertised as better for us or healthier, we still need to be careful.  The food industry is, after all, trying to sell more food.  And we are striving to eat less of it.  Good luck!!

Bento lunches

This has absolutely nothing to do with magazines, but it is something that should be in one.  Bento lunches for our kiddos.  I am totally sold.  I have been bitten by the bento bug.  What's a bento you say?  Well I didn't know either so let me explain:

A bento lunch is a compact, balanced, visually appealing meal packed in a box. Historically, it’s a Japanese box lunch of smaller portions but big variety.

Um....those are boiled eggs!!

These are so cute I can't stand it, and I love love love the no baggie approach.  I was just thinking this week as I was packing crackers into the 4th baggie of his lunch how I wish there was a better way.  My favorite website about the bento lunches where I got these two pictures is www.anotherlunch.com. You just wait.  Pretty soon I'll be posting pics of my own bento lunches that I've made for my preschooler.  Can't wait!!!!

Craft for old folding tables

So I used to have a set of TV trays, but one got ruined, one got broken, and who hangs on to half a set of TV trays.  Then I saw this little craft idea and wished I'd kept them. 

1. Take any kind of old small folding table or TV tray, sand the table with medium (100 grit sandpaper).  Wipe all surfaces with a damp rag.  Brush on two thin coats of primer and let dry between coats. Apply two thin coats of semigloss latex paint to the legs and rim; let dry between coats.
2. Trace outline of tabletop with a pencil on the back side of a sheet of wrapping paper. Cut just inside the penciled line and check for fit. Trim if need be.
3. Using a foam brush, apply a thin layer of Mod Podge to the top of the table and let dry.  spray one to two light coats of latex primer onto the back side of the cut paper and let dry. Brush a second coat of Mod Podge on surface and apply the paper in small sections, working from one end to the other. Smooth any air bubble, pressing outward from the center.
4. Seal the tabletop with 5-10 thin coats of Mod Podge. let dry for 15-20 minutes in between. If your table will be used often, apply a clear acrylic sealer.

I couldn't get the picture on here because it's not online yet so I'm sorry you can't see how cute it is.  However I highly recommend visiting the blog of the creator.  Her name is Suzonne Stirling, she has her own column in Family Circle now and she has an awesome crafty blog:
www.urbancomfort.typepad.com

Family Circle, April 1, 2011