21 Day Fix!

WOW, this is so true!  

I just started doing the 21 day fix and it really makes you think about the food choices your making.  Heck, you get to eat a ton even with the plan so you really don't need any extras.

If you haven't heard about the 21 day fix it is big right now on social media.  I started looking up all the information and decided to just get my own containers and do it on my own.  I've had a few mishaps with eating extras and not all that I'm supposed to eat on the plan but I know I'm not perfect.  I've always looked at eating as I'm not going to deprive myself something that I want, I just need to have it in moderation.  We do a lot of serving sizes here at our house and that's it.  If the package say two cookies then that's all you get until tomorrow.  Otherwise the package will be gone in a day if we all eat 3 or 4.  Yes, I eat COOKIES! But in small quantities.  

I'm doing the 1,200 calorie 21 day fix ~ Here's what it consist of:

2-8 oz    Fruits (Purple)

3-8oz     Veggies (Green)

4-4oz     Proteins (Red)

2-4oz     Carbs (Yellow)

1-2oz     Fat/cheese (Blue)

2 - 2 Tbsps  Seeds/oils (Orange)

6 - 10oz waters

For the water, I fill up a clear 2 quart pitcher every morning and drink that throughout the day.  That's 64 oz of water which is what we all need everyday.  8-8oz glasses of water every day, so DRINK UP!!!

Here's the break down and how to figure out how much healthy eating you should be doing.  This gals website breaks it down really well.  Check out her site for more info.  sarahromanello.com

         

SuPeR BoWl ApPeTiZeR - YUM!

My mom has been making this delicious appetizer since I was in my teens at least or before.  I haven't seen this anywhere on Pinterest yet either, so this is a new appetizer for you all to try.  I will be up front here and say it is definitely not a healthy appetizer but if you only have it on special occasions then go for it.  My best and worst memory of this dish is when my mom made it for a New Year's Party one year and us kids were doing our thing at the party and parents were playing cards like usual.  No monitoring of the junk that we ate that night.  Well I overindulged in this delicious appetizer and ended up getting sick because of it.  Up until this year I haven't eaten them because of that.  The last time I saw my mom she had made them for her book club and had some left over so I tried some and they sucked me in.  I got the recipe from her and made them for New Year's Eve and they were hit.  Then I made them again for the Super Bowl and they were a hit again.

Chili Sausage Bites ~ Step by Step of what to do.  

You can print the recipe below.

Take these tasty chili sausage bites to your next New Year's Eve, Super Bowl or whatever your having a party for.  You'll be the hit of the party!!!

Chili Sausage Bites

Yummy appetizer to take to parties!

Course: Appetizers

Cuisine: American

Serves: 16

Ingredients

• 4 packages Sausage links
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup chili sauce
• 4 Tbsp butter (melted)
• 1/8 cup vinegar
• 1/8 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 tsp garlic salt

Directions

1. Cut up each sausage link into 4 pieces. (4 packages of 8 skinless links.) After they are all cut up put in a skillet and brown until grease is minimal.
2. Put the rest of the ingredients in a bowl and mix together.
3. Once sausage links are cooked put in bowl with sauce and mix them up.
4. Put all ingredients in a crock pot to keep warm for serving.
5. I got all mine to fit in my mini crock pot.

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#superbowlfood #appetizer #sausagebites

Motivation Monday!

Can you believe it, January is over?  I can't, this year is flying  by on me already.  Well if that new year's resolution that you made has come and gone out the window already then think about this.   Do you have two legs?  Why yes, most of us do and do you use them to their full ability?  I sure hope so, but if not then let's start using them more and get moving.  Have you heard of Amy Purdy?  If not, then go to the link below and find out who she is.   She is an amazing woman and is a great inspiration for all of us  to get up and move.  If she can do all that she has done after what she has been through, we have no excuse.  I first learned about her when she was on Dancing with the Stars. 

Who is Amy Purdy?   Click the link to find out make sure to read the 2 paragraphs under the personal section.  http://www.teamusa.org/para-snowboarding/athletes/Amy-Purdy

WOW, if this doesn't get you moving then I don't know what will.  Amy Purdy was on the Dr Oz show the other day and what she said was amazing.    Amy said, "I have two prosthetic legs and there are people that have two legs and having more problems than her when it comes to moving".  So get up and move if you got legs, use them how they should be used.   Do your body good!

She also has a new book out that I can't wait to read.  

On My Own Two Feet by Amy Prudy

Check it out here:  http://amypurdy.com/

GET UP AND MOVE!!!

#exercise #moveit #womanofaction #motivation

SNEAK PEAK!

Joy's of Scrapbooking ~ this is still the only scrapbooking I'm getting done in this area of my life right now, is my bulletin board up at the school.  I will admit I did get on the Picaboo online scrapbooking website the other day and I got several pages put together (appox. 10) in my sons scrapbook from 2010, UGH!  Need to get back on it and get this particular book done. It's amazing how many pages you can whip out in a short amount of time if you just do it.  

Here's a little sneak peak into what my PTA bulletin boards look like so far this year.  Can you guess what our theme might be just by what I've said so far???  Hmm, could it be something to do with the movies?  Our theme this year is BE A STAR! 

August / September

October /November & December
December should have been a new board, my bad!

On my bulletin boards I don't like to write things out as my handwriting isn't the best.  I stick to using the computer with fun fonts and printing them, then back them with color coordinated paper. I purchased all my borders & supplies this year from School Supply Giant as they had the best prices.  

I just did the January bulletin board the other day and forgot to take pictures.  You'll have to wait unitl the end of the school year to see what I come up with for the rest of the year.  I try to do them every other month but the 2nd one was up a little longer than planned.  Happy Scrappin'!!!

#bulletinboards #scrappin' #beastar

I think I'm gonna like it here!

Well I have to say that I'm officially a Jazzecise Queen!  When I first signed up and started doing it I didn't know what I got myself into.  Now, I can't wait to get to my class and dance away.  They have a great program, and like most programs you get out of it what you put into it.  If you just do it half way that's what your going to get but if you give 100% you'll get that back and more.  Jazzercise has lots of different classes to offer and each instructor has different routines as well.  Each dance class starts out with cardio going up the curve and then we go back down halfway through the hour.   The last 15 minutes of class is strength training, abs, and stretching.  Jazzercise hits it all.  They also have a 60 minute and 45 minute strength class as well.  Love them all!

I'm just going to throw this out there as well.   I'm not advertising for Jazzercise, I'm just letting you know what I've been up to in my exercise routine.  I do highly recommend checking it out and giving it a try.  Just know that you can't just do one class and get it.  I started out going to as many classes as I could get which helped me out tremendously in learning all the different steps.  Heck, they still throw in new moves and routines but now I just go with it and enjoy it.  

The place I go to has classes each day during the week starting at 5:30am until 11:30 then they are closed for awhile and start back up at 3:00pm until 6:00 pm.  I was going to try to do the 5:30 am class on M & F since I work those days but that crazy idea went out the window real quick.  I love my sleep and since I'm a night owl getting up at the crack of dawn just doesn't work for me.  I now do double classes on T / TH back to back and then go to class on Saturday and Sunday.   They are starting a challenge for the month of February to do 30 classes in 35 days.  I think I'm going to sign up and earn a new shirt.  My double classes won't count so I'll have to get there on another day now but will cut out one of my double days and just go to one class on one of those.  

GET UP AND MOVE!

2014 book list!

I read lots of great books this past year and tried out some NEW authors that I haven't read before as well. Check them out!

Oldies but goodies that I read this past year were by James Patterson, Karen Kingsbury, Charlaine Harris and Janet Evanovich. 

1.  Along Came A Spider by James Patterson
2.  Found by Karen Kingsbury
3.  Family by Karen Kingsbury
4.  The Roots of the Olive Tree by Courtney Miller Santo (NEW)
5.  Gone by James Patterson & Michael Ledwidge
6.  Takedown Twenty by Janet Evanovich
7.  The Bride Wore Chocolate by Shirley Jump (NEW)
8.  Amazing Grace by Megan Shull (NEW)
9.  Divergent by Veronica Roth (NEW) - 1st book in Divergent series
10.  Fanny Bower Puts Herself Out There by Julia Ariss (NEW)
11  Chasing Justice by Danielle Stewart (NEW) 1st book in Piper Anderson series
12.  Cutting Ties by Danielle Stewart
13.  Changing Fate by Danielle Stewart
14.  Choosing Christmas by Danielle Stewart
15.  Betty's Journal by Danielle Stewart
16  Finding Freedom by Danielle Stewart
17.  Settling Scores by Danielle Stewart
18.  Dead in the Family by Charlaine Harris
19. Insurgent by Veronica Roth - 2nd in series
20.  The Chase by Janet Evanovich and Lee Goldberg
21.  Allegiant by Veronica Roth - 3rd in series
22.  Forever by Karen Kingsbury
23. Hearts of Clover by Danielle Stewart
24.  Cinder by Marissa Meyer (NEW) 1st book in Cinder series
25.  Scarlet by Marissa Meyer
26.  Battling Destiny by Danielle Stewart
27.  Number the Stars by Lois Lowry (NEW)
28.  Summer by Karen Kingsbury
29.  Cress by Marissa Meyer
30.  The Christmas Bucket List by Ella Fairlie (NEW)
31.  Revived by Cat Patrick (NEW)

Pinterest Pin of my books so you can check them out.


Sorted by author:

James Patterson / James P. & Michael Ledwidge
Along Came A Spider 
Gone by James Patterson & Michael Ledwidge

Karen Kingsbury
Found 
Family 
Forever 
Summer

Courtney Miller Santo
The Roots of the Olive Tree (NEW)

Janet Evanovich 
Takedown Twenty
The Chase by Janet Evanovich and Lee Goldberg

Shirley Jump
The Bride Wore Chocolate (NEW)

Megan Shull
Amazing Grace (NEW)

Veronica Roth
Divergent  (NEW) - 1st book in Divergent series
Insurgent  
Allegiant 

Julia Ariss
Fanny Bower Puts Herself Out There (NEW)

Danielle Stewart
Chasing Justice (NEW) 1st book in Piper Anderson series
Cutting Ties
Changing Fate
Choosing Christmas
Betty's Journal
Finding Freedom 
Settling Scores
Battling Destiny
Hearts of Clover (New series)

Charlaine Harris
Dead in the Family

Marissa Meyer
Cinder (NEW) 1st book in Cinder series
Scarlet 
Cress 

Lois Lowry
Number the Stars  (NEW)

Ella Fairlie
The Christmas Bucket List (NEW)

Cat Patrick
Revived (NEW)

Well I didn't make my goal of reading 40 books this year but that's alright.  Sometimes life gets in the way and you have to get other things done as well.  Make a new goal for yourself on Goodreads.com and see if you can do it this year.  It's a new year for new things.  Happy Reading!

Pick up a book and read!

Reading, reading and more reading!

I've had some good book reading time over Christmas Break during our travels back and forth to see the family.  I finished Cress, then picked up a short holiday book called the Christmas Bucket List and finally started reading Revived and fished that as well.  I'm trying to make my goal that I set for myself at the beginning of this year on Goodread.com.  I've read 31 out of the 40 books that I made as my goal.  Oops, I'm behind by 8 books right now!.  With only 3 days left I don't think it's going to happen but hopefully I can squeeze in one more over the break.  


Cress by Marissa Meyer 
I rated this book 5 out of 5 stars, it was amazing!  I went through this series of books lickity split.

Cress is about a girl living on a satellite and is similar to Rapunzel with her long hair.  But that doesn't last for long when utter chaos happens.  This book had me sitting on the edge of my seat as I wasn't for sure what was going to happen to everyone.  Not real happy how it ended with this last book but come to find out there is now going to be a fourth book. Which isn't a bad thing because I don't want it to end.  Can't wait for Fairest: Levana's Story to come out on January 27th.

Goodreads.com Preview:
In this third book in the Lunar Chronicles, Cinder and Captain Thorne are fugitives on the run, now with Scarlet and Wolf in tow. Together, they’re plotting to overthrow Queen Levana and her army. 

Their best hope lies with Cress, a girl imprisoned on a satellite since childhood who's only ever had her netscreens as company. All that screen time has made Cress an excellent hacker. Unfortunately, she’s just received orders from Levana to track down Cinder and her handsome accomplice. 

Christmas Bucket List by Ella Fairlie

I rated this book 5 out of 5 stars, it was amazing!  This book showed up on my kindle as a free book to read.  I thought why not since it's the Christmas season it's a perfect book to read over the holidays. Cute, quick and easy read.  The bucket list was fun but Isobel Gray learned so much more along the way.  The storyline had so much more besides the bucket list.  Who did you spend Christmas with?

Goodreads.com Preview:
It’s Christmas time in London: there’s snow in the air, Regent Street is bustling, and the Trafalgar Square tree’s all a-glitter. Isobel Gray is dreaming of a perfect movie-style Christmas for her first Noël away from home, and with a hot man and a bucket list of festive fun ready to be ticked off, she thinks she has it all wrapped up. But when her boss-slash-boyfriend goes AWOL just days before the holiday, she finds herself a little Lost, Actually instead. Will she end up home alone, or is there a Christmas miracle waiting under the mistletoe?

Revived by Cat Patrick

Here's another book my daughter told me to read. I gave it 3 out of 4 stars, it was good!  This book didn't suck me in like others I read but I wanted to finish it and see what happened to the characters in the end.  Can you imagine being in an accident, dying and then being revived with a special drug.  No CPR allowed if your family wants to try the drug on their loved one, it's the risk you take.  Well that's what this book is all about but with lots of rules along the way if something happens later on.  Huge twist at the end when people are playing God with others lives.

Goodreads.com Preview:
It started with a bus crash.
Daisy Appleby was a little girl when it happened, and she barely remembers the accident or being brought back to life. At that moment, though, she became one of the first subjects in a covert government program that tests a drug called Revive.
Now fifteen, Daisy has died and been Revived five times. Each death means a new name, a new city, a new identity. The only constant in Daisy's life is constant change.

Pick up a book and read!