3 Ways to Upcycle Boxes

 All of you fans of recycling, upcycling, DIYing, or saving money are going to love this quick post on creative and useful ways to upcycle old boxes.  This includes 12 packs of pop, cereal boxes, snack boxes, and more.  If you're trying to get organized, that's a plus too!

Fifty Shades of Grey Movie Director Selected & My Opinion on Casting

Announced on the Fifty Shades of Grey Trilogy facebook page, the movie (anticipated to be released in 2014) director has been chosen.  Sam Taylor-Johnson, whom I've never heard of, will be directing the movie.  Her debut was, apparently, in 2009 with some other movie I've never heard of--Nowhere's Boy.  It starred her husband, so I'm wondering if I that really counts?

Hit & Run and Identity Thief: One Old & One New Movie Worth Watching

 My husband may be a movie junkie (and TV show junkie, and horror junkie, and music junkie...), but I rarely turn on the television without purpose.  And by purpose I mean for drooling over Ian Somerhalder.  Anyway, he happen to be watching Hit & Run while I was half asleep one night last week and the next day I had to watch it myself.  We borrowed Identity Thief, and watched it, as well.  Two great movies in one week and both we free to watch?  I'll call that a win!

Healthy Eats: Low Calorie Tuna & Broccoli Pasta

Whether you know it or not, it's very ironic that I'm posting a broccoli and anything, let alone broccoli and cheese recipe on my blog.  I'll tell you why...  Up until about six months ago, I was not a broccoli eater.  Actually, I thought it was gross and I hated the smell of broccoli and cheese soup.  Ew.  Talk about rancid after breath.

Short story: broccoli was not part of my diet.

A few months ago, when I was still working at the preschool, broccoli was served as our vegetable with lunch.  I ate it (with lots of pepper) and guess what?  I love broccoli!

 Well, this past weekend I whipped up a delicious, low calorie, quick supper that could have fed all four of us (had we all been home).  Try it.  You won't be sad you did.

Being Accountable: Writing Down Your Goals

Many people find that writing down their goals, dreams, plans, etc. help them accomplish those things and follow through.  I'm one of those people and you probably are too, in your own way.

For example, tracking my food via Calorie Count keeps me accountable for what I eat.  I see how good or bad something is for me and I see where I make good choices and where I can improve my selections.

Food is not the only place I need to be accountable, though.  I want to share my goals, for all the world to see, so that they're in writing and public and I'm accountable for achieving those.  Plus, by writing them down, I'm admitting that they're possible and something I can work and am working toward.

My Resignation Letter

I was going to try and come up with some fancy title, but I figured I'd just make it plain, simple, and obvious.  I've been teetering on the edge of decision and indecision for a long time now, but Friday finally blew me over the edge.  I decided it was time for me to walk away from the center (and possibly the career field) I am working in.  It was time for me to put in my two weeks notice and resign.

My Goal to Live a Healthier Lifestyle: Being Food Conscious

 I'll readily admit that I have never, ever been conscious of what I was putting in my mouth.  I didn't care how much I ate or what I ate.  If I wanted it, I ate it.  I was always blessed with a relatively high metabolism and small to medium build.  Before I became pregnant with my son, the highest weight I had ever been was 138 lbs.

After having my bundle of joy, I cinched the weight easily with being actively employed and breastfeeding for a year.  One year after giving birth, I weighed less than pre-pregnancy.

I don't know what happened.  It was a combination of job shuffling, bad eating habits, quitting smoking, and other bad habits.  However, I eventually jumped up to over 150 lbs.  Yes, I know this is not fat, and I'm not saying I was.

I was unhappy with my body, my habits, and my health, though.  I believed this had to be the beginning of a downward spiral for me, because women like me grew up to be 40 year-olds who are overweight and bury their problems in food.

I wasn't disciplined.  I exercised occasionally and only casually.  I ate candy bars galore (my weakness is chocolate) and stuffed my face with whatever else I deemed delicious for the day.

3 Week Before & After

It's been about three weeks since I started trying to live a little healthier.  Only in the past week and half have I really stepped up and really pushed myself to exercise daily and count my calories.  The results aren't drastic (not yet, anyway), but I'm still proud and ready to share.

Healthy Eats: Flourless Pancakes & Three Ingredient Waffles

My sweet tooth is probably one of my biggest weaknesses.  I love chocolate, baked treats, and anything packed full of sugar and sweetness. So, while trying to be a little more food (and calorie) conscious, I've been getting a little creative finding healthy and low-calorie ways to feed my sweet tooth and get other nutrients.  Thus came the Flourless Pancakes and Healthy Waffles.
 If you didn't know already, you should know that breakfast is the most important meal of the day!  I think it's one of the most common skipped meals, too, and it's very important that we have a good, healthy breakfast to be on the fast track to health success!

Well, my breakfast goal is to be full until lunch (between 11:00 and 11:30), be under 250 calories, and be nutrition packed!  This is so hard to do!  However, thanks to Blogilates, I discovered this simple pancake recipe!

Wordless Wednesday 6/5/13

The Ear Ache Crisis Aversion: Home Remedies

So it's a holiday (Memorial Day) and my son has just came home from my sister's.  He is being so awful, I'm wondering if I should send him back for a few more days.  The hubby says he's just woken up, so that's probably why but holy cow is this kid cranky!

Well, Gabe finally settled down on the couch with some chocolate milk and the iPad.  However, fifteen minutes later he comes stumbling into the computer room making the saddest noises ever!  On top of that, he's gripping his ear and telling me, "Ow, Mom.  Ow.  Boo boo."  He's whimpering and I can really tell he's suffering.  Well, this explains a lot.

I really, really, really didn't want to go to the ER.  I mean, the ER sucks, right?  You never know if you're going to be in the waiting room five minutes or forty-five minutes...or more.  Then it could be another hour before you're even seen!  After being seen, if all you need it a prescription and maybe one dose of medication...well that could be whole 'nother half an hour!

It's the last day of my long weekend or rejuvenation and that sounds the opposite of rejuvenating!  Well, I give him some pain medicine and get him all nestled in the couch, but that doesn't last long.  Now, the guilt is really piling up.  Do I just suffer and take him or can it wait until tomorrow?

In swoops Google!  I searched 'ear ache' and came across How to Cure an Earache and felt like I might be getting somewhere!  Well, I think it was the warm compress that really did the trick, because he had me warm the wash cloth up a second time and seems to be doing much better.  However, the pain meds could've just finally kicked in and maybe that's why he's feeling better.

I made sure I cleaned out the ear a bit, put Vicks on his chest to clear his nose, and even tried the two drops of olive oil in his ear.  Still, I think the meds and warm wash cloth saved my night.  I still feel a little guilty, but tomorrow he can go see his regular doctor; and maybe we'll only have to wait 2 hours instead of 3?

My Goal to Live a Healthier Lifestyle: Kicking the Smoking Habit

Time and time again I have told myself that I could do better.  I've always been a bit of a perfectionist, but I procrastinate and get easily sidetracked, so it's not unusual for me to lose sight of my goals...whatever they may be.  Well, health is something I've always attacked passively.  It's never been a priority of mine, unfortunately.

I started smoking before I was even in high school and was smoking a pack a day by the time I had my son in May 2010 (what would have been the end of my senior year).  It wasn't until late January of 2012 that I kicked the habit, after smoking for about seven years.  Seven years!  I can't believe, in my young life, that I smoked for seven years!