HiHoRosie's Place

Thoughtful Thursday

2012-01-26T00:39:00.000-08:00

Continuing on what I'm calling my healing journey, we've moved from pride to humility to forgiveness with today's thoughts.

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Winter

2012-01-22T15:27:00.000-08:00

Happy Sunday everyone! Hopefully, the weekend has been great for you. They’re never long enough though, huh?

So all last week, I worked from home due to the snow. You probably saw it on your news (sorry about that -- our snow made your news, believe me, it was on here too. All. The. Time.) and Californians made fun of us. Silly. In our defense, we're not equipped for much snow nor are we used to much snow. We get occasional snow in the city but not often do we get amounts equal to other winter wonderlands like we experienced last week (at our house, we got about 8 or more inches). This stuff is for the mountains! We don't have a fleet or two of snowplows at our disposal to help us get around and we have lots and lots of hills. However, most Seattleites cannot drive in the snow even when there's a little bit so you can imagine the mess. And because I know this after living here long enough, I also realized I didn’t want to get stuck on the bus for hours while listening to the repetitive, annoying sound of chains hitting the asphalt so I opted to stay home. I'm pretty smart like that.

Fortunately, we have a good car with awesome snow tires and Sam, being a good driver, we weren't completely snow-bound.

Anyway, I was supposed to have jury duty all week but that was cancelled each day. It is/was supposed to last a week but I don't know what their definition of a week is. Monday through Friday or Tuesday to Tuesday (I was supposed to start Tuesday since Monday was a MLK day)? Guess I’ll soon find out, as I will be calling them tomorrow. Don’t want to get in trouble!

The last time I served, and actually sat on a jury, was over three years ago. I was in my first trimester with YS2. I thought about using him as my excuse to be excused but I didn't. Decided to properly fulfill my duty and ended up finding it to be an interesting experience so I'm glad I did it.

Going back to our snowy week, I took some pictures I thought I'd share. For those of you who are friends with me on facebook on my personal page, some might be repeats.

not many cars out...

snowy entrance

trekking thru snowy entrance

gotta have a snowy fence pic...

Someone with a sense of humor...

a real snow man

warming up at a cafe

Thanks for sharing our snow week with me. It was pretty while it lasted. It warmed up and rained finally so most of the snow has melted. Sad actually. It felt like we had a real winter. Next up: heavy winds and rain. Boring. ;)

Thoughtful Thursday

2012-01-19T00:32:00.000-08:00

So last week for Thoughtful Thursday it was all about pride but now it's time for some humility. More good reminders for me.

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A sarcastic person has a superiority complex that can be cured only by the honesty of humility.

~Lawrence G. Lovasik

Affliction is the wholesome soil of virtue, where patience, honor, sweet humility, and calm fortitude, take root and strongly flourish.

~David Mallet

Do you wish to be great? Then begin by being. Do you desire to construct a vast and lofty fabric? Think first about the foundations of humility. The higher your structure is to be, the deeper must be its foundation.

~Saint Augustine

Do you wish to rise? Begin by descending. You plan a tower that will pierce the clouds? Lay first the foundation of humility.

~Saint Augustine

Humility is like underwear, essential, but indecent if it shows.

~Helen Nielsen

To become truly great, one has to stand with people, not above them.

~Charles de Montesquieu

I claim to be a simple individual liable to err like any other fellow mortal. I own, however, that I have humility enough to confess my errors and to retrace my steps.

~Mahatma Gandhi

One may be humble out of pride.

~Michel de Montaigne

Sigh...

2012-01-17T19:56:00.000-08:00

image

Many of you have probably heard or read about Paula Deen, Food Network star and lover of all things with butter and oil, has type-2 diabetes. She's actually had it for at least three years but is now confirming the diagnosis publicly (it was previously rumored). Sad to say, this doesn't come as a surprise to me.

Let me say, I like Paula Deen. She's fun to watch, has an infectious laugh and seems genuinely happy in life. She loves her boys too!

I'm just sad to hear that she has no intention of changing how she cooks on TV (source). Hopefully, her own diet has changed...Anyway, to me, this would've been a great opportunity to show her loyal fans that healthy eating can reverse this diagnosis without the aid of medication and that healthy food isn't boring or bland.

I think the thing that bothers me is her saying, "moderation." That she tells her viewers to eat in moderation but her shows do not show moderation. I think each show features at least a pound of butter and it's not even a holiday! Granted, one has to take responsibility for their own health and make good choices but I believe she has a responsibility in the message she's sending out. She's a huge personality with a huge following.

Shoot, I'm even crabby about Jamie Oliver having one of the unhealthiest cookbooks (source) out there while promoting healthy menus in schools, etc. Something's wrong here. (I am still supportive of his foundation though, just wish it would carry over into his cookbooks. I mean, it just makes sense...)

Okay, we're not all perfect and it bothers me that I'm being so critical but it's just frustrating when there are these mixed messages being thrown about with little intention of correcting it.

However, I am glad that Paula's son, Bobby, is featuring her recipes on his show with a healthier twist. It's a step in the right direction. I just hope there can be more focus on healthy eating and lifestyle in general. One doesn't have to be raw or vegan for that matter, to make some positive changes.

Now, I'm off to exercise and eat an apple so I don't come across as a total hypocrite. ;)

DIY: Carpet Cleaner

2012-01-16T00:05:00.000-08:00

The quality, not the longevity, of one's life is what is important.

~Martin Luther King, Jr.

Happy Monday and MLK day! It's a snow day for me today. Well, sorta. I'm working from home. My bus doesn't run today because of the holiday and then we had a big snow storm (for here) blow thru that my commute would be particularly long that I decided to just stay home.

We went from this one night:

To this the next:

The weathermen were right for once! It's so beautiful. Cold but beautiful. And it's better when you don't have to drive in it. We're just not equipped around here for such snowy-ness. But, it's been fun taking YS2 out to play. Everytime I try to make a snowman though, he kicks the snow. Sorry Frosty!

So I'm back again with another DIY for you, the main reason for today's post. It's fun doing homemade stuff, I think. Glad a lot of you liked the makeup brush cleaner. Many of these DIY projects are so simple and cost so little and are definitely a whole lot better than many store-bought products. I like it when I have most of the ingredients in my cupboards already.

The carpet cleaner might be one that many of you have tried before but it's a first for me. Ingredients: warm water, dishwashing soap, and white vinegar [source].

There's a preceding step of using baking soda on the soiled area to absorb the moisture and/or odor, then vacuuming it up but for the spots I used it on, I stuck with the vinegar mixture. I didn't need to use the baking soda step but it's good to know.

Anyway, I picked a few unsightly spots to test on.

I took an old rag and worked the magic solution. What's nice about this is I don't have to let it sit for X amount of minutes like many carpet cleaners. And it's non-toxic and not fumey or smelly!

For the most part, I didn't have to scrub too hard or too long. The spots quickly disappeared. For the tougher stains, a little more effort was needed but still got it all out.

Looks better, eh?

Please forgive the cell phone pic...looks yellowy in the middle but it really isn't. It's just the pic.

I'm working on an area that got some soot spilled on it (not pictured). It's working but I think it will take another try or two (or maybe I should try letting it set for a bit).

So there you have it. Non-toxic carpet cleaner. Now, I can get rid of all the old bottles I have.

While I was in the mood for some DIY, I made some Cinnamon Roll Lip Gloss a la Rawdorable. I want to make her beet gloss/stain but I want a lipgloss roller like hers. Anyway, for the Cinnamon Roll gloss, I used some leftover sample Artisana jars. I made one for home and will make another for work.

Hope you have a good day!

Don’t Dew It!

2012-01-13T00:38:00.000-08:00

image source

Happy Friday the 13th! I'm not superstitious so bring it on. :)

Confession: I used to drink Mountain Dew. Note the words used to. It’s been at least four+ years since I last had a sip, but I used to drink more than my fair share (I ain’t kiddin’ folks). Where some drink lots o’beer or Gatorade or Red Bull or Dr. Pepper or Coke or whatever, I drank Mountain Dew. That was my vice but since I didn't drink alcohol, what's the harm in a daily shot of MD? I’d go to Costco and buy cases or stop at the store and pick up a pack if it was on sale, “it’s a good deal!” I’d say. Many of my friends were dew-heads and we’d party-harty downing the dew and chasing it with tons of Smarties then filling up my fireplace with the empty cans (crazy kids). You know, pyramid style or whatever fancied our creativity (like that tree). Just silly mayhem, really. I didn’t think much of it then.

Silly young me. What shit that was! Excuse my language but it was and still is.

Check out Mountain Dew's ingredients:

Carbonated water, high fructose corn syrup, concentrated orange juice, citric acid, natural flavor, sodium benzoate (preservative), caffeine, sodium citrate, erythorbic acid (preservative), gum arabic, calcium disodium EDTA (preservative), brominated vegetable oil, and Yellow 5.

Let’s break some of these ingredients down:

HFCS, despite what the corn industry and others want you to believe that this a natural and safe ingredient, it isn’t. Plain and simple, it’s poison. It causes diabetes, obesity and no doubt contributes to a whole host of other diseases and problems. Plus, it contains contaminants, including mercury, that are not regulated by the FDA (source).

Sodium benzoate. Labeled as a preservative but um, it causes cancer (source).

Sodium citrate. A preservative. Also used to treat metabolic acidosis and some kidney problems by neutralizing excess acid in the blood, urine and other bodily functions. It can cause involuntary, uncontrollable muscle spasms or contractions, diarrhea, nausea and vomiting or worse. It’s also an anti-coagulant (source and source).

Calcium disodium EDTA. How ‘bout that, another preservative! Helps maintain flavor and color. But in addition, it can cause intestinal upsets, muscle cramps, kidney damage, and blood in urine (source and source). Sweet.

Brominated Vegetable oil (BVO): Used as an emulsifier in citrus-based drinks but turns out it disrupts the thyroid function aaand it’s a flame-retardant. Mmm, nummy. It’s actually banned in many European countries, but not here. No sirree! It is composed mainly of bromine, a poisonous chemical whose vapors are considered both corrosive and toxic; also known as a carcinogen (source and source).

Yellow #5 – Tartrazine. It’s artificial (made from coal tar), that right there should tell you it’s not good. Causes migraines, blurred vision, depression, anxiety, hives, hyperactivity, asthma, and other things...you know, no biggie stuff (source and source).

Then on top of all of this, there are 170 calories in a 12 oz can, 54 milligrams of caffeine, 65 milligrams of sodium and 46 grams of sugar (straight from the source).

Oh and it can dissolve a mouse. Now, there’s something to be proud of. :/

Thirsty?

Let me just point out real quick, this post is not to say I'm better than you or anyone else. It's also not to say I'm perfect. I'm far from it, actually. I learn as I go and still cave into foods and drinks I shouldn't. This just happened to strike a cord with me because I used to drink so much of it without even a thought.

I am so glad I’m no longer a dew-head. Or, a heavy pop drinker for that matter (I do sample once in awhile but usually something more healthy). Mountain Dew isn’t the only one that's bad for your health.

Some nay-sayers reading this might say that this is just as much garbage as those empty cans once filling up my fireplace or that I'm being overly dramatic. It's just a soft drink, right? Yeah, but day after day? Hey, it’s your life and your body. But, please reconsider. Do your own research. You just might find it's not worth it to drink this. If it’s a fizzy drink you crave, I suggest making your own natural version with mineral water and fresh citrus or reading labels and finding a healthy alternative.

I’m done here. Stay healthy!

Thoughtful Thursday

2012-01-12T00:41:00.000-08:00

I had a falling out a couple years, around this time, with someone once very close to me so it's been on my mind quite a bit lately. And because of this, I keep coming back to the word, PRIDE. Pride in the negative sense is very dangerous, unflattering and something we all have to watch. We are humans after all. It's good to have righteous pride (? doesn't sound quite right...) or to be proud of something but once you lose sight of HUMILITY, ugly pride takes over and the quest to prove you're right or justified at all costs is a taxing and lonely road. So for me, these quotes are good reminders to help stay on track.

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“A proud man is always looking down on things and people; and, of course, as long as you're looking down, you can't see something that's above you.” ~CS Lewis

“A real friend is one who walks in when the rest of the world walks out.” ~Walter Winchell

“Temper gets you into trouble. Pride keeps you there.”

“The proud man can learn humility, but he will be proud of it.” ~Mignon McLaughlin

“Pride makes us artificial and humility makes us real.” ~Thomas Merton

“Pride attaches undue importance to the superiority of one's status in the eyes of others; And shame is fear of humiliation at one's inferior status in the estimation of others. When one sets his heart on being highly esteemed, and achieves such rating, then he is automatically involved in fear of losing his status.” ~Lao Tzu

“Pride is a vice, which pride itself inclines every man to find in others, and to overlook in himself.” ~Samuel Johnson

DIY: Makeup Brush Cleaner

2012-01-10T00:10:00.000-08:00

Hey-ho! In an effort to be a little more green and live a little more healthy, I've been doing a few DIY projects that I'd like to share with you over the next week or so.

Many of my inspirations were found via Pinterest (what can't be found there?!) and I even created a board for such ideas. None are new; no doubt, you've seen, heard or even used one or more of these ideas. I decided to give some a try in my home instead of saying what a cool idea. I'm putting it in action!

First up, makeup brushes.

My source.

I don't know about you, but my makeup brushes do not get cleaned often. I think I've washed them twice...and not recently. Frankly, I don't think much about them until I go to use them. So I put it at the top of my DIY-to-do list.

ignore the q-tip

Tipnut lists 7 different recipes to choose from. I went with option #3: one cup warm water mixed with one teaspoon castile soap.

I filled a small jar and stuck a few brushes in to clean. Um, gross. The water instantly changed to a murky pink (blush brush). I have a lot of brushes so I did this process a few times starting with a fresh batch of solution (other gross colors appeared).

After all were washed and rinsed, I shook off the excess water and placed them in the jar I had been using (cleaned out of course) to completely air dry. I'm sure I'm supposed to lay them flat to be proper or something but nah, this way is just fine with me.

I feel better now that they're clean! So simple and only two ingredients. Doesn't cost much and with the different options, you could find one that you like best. No need to buy the pricey, chemically stuff.

I'll have another DIY to share with you soon.

Guest Post: Water and Your Body: How to Make Water Taste Better?

2012-01-09T01:59:00.000-08:00

Water is essential for life. It is required for the proper functioning of the body. However, not everyone has a liking for water. Packaged drinks cannot be used very often because they are very expensive. Water is one of the cheapest drinks available everywhere. But people do not have fun drinking it just because it is tasteless. The truth however is that pure water is healthier than all kinds of sweetened, flavored and carbonated drinks. Water can be made interesting by a number of ways. You can add a lot of natural ingredients to it in order to enhance its flavor. Given below are some simple ways to make water taste better.

1. Ginger water

Ginger water is good for your health. It can help you to clear your throat and sinuses if you consume it often. If you enjoyed spiced drinks, then try making ginger water at home. Add a piece of ginger to the water when it is boiling. The resulting water has a special spicy flavor.

2. Salt

Most of the energy drinks are known to have electrolytes in them. They are necessary for your body. Most of these electrolytes are the ions found in common salt. So, you can make similar kind of water by adding a bit of salt to the water. However, care should be taken not to add overdoses of salt. The salt in the water helps the body to absorb water quickly. This is a great drink for those who are engaged in workouts because your body may lose a lot of salt due to sweating.

3. Herbal water

Various kinds of herbs can be added to water to make it taste better. Some of them include parsley, lemongrass and mint. Along with adding flavor you will also be adding some aroma to the water. To get the best out of the herbs, try crushing them a bit and then adding to water.

4. Citrus fruit

Adding citrus fruit to water can greatly enhance the water flavor. One of the best fruit to add is the kalamansi. You can freeze the fruit along with the ice cubes and then add it to your drinking water. The resulting water will be a rich source of vitamin c as well.

5. Wine flavor

If you enjoy the flavor of wine, then try adding a little bit of umeshu or plum wine. The wine is made using green plums. You can enjoy its sweet flavor with water. Add about one part of wine to ten parts of water. Other kinds of syrupy liqueurs can also be added to water to make its taste better.

6. Cucumber

Another interesting way to make the water taste better is by adding some cucumber slices to it. The distinct flavor of the cucumber gets transferred into the water. You can enjoy a very refreshing drink with the taste and smell of cucumber.

7. Herbal tea

Herbal and green teas are better than black teas. They are healthy and do not contain caffeine. The best thing about the herbal and green teas is that you can choose from a wide variety of flavors. They are available in most of the health food stores. If you are a tea enthusiast, use some of the exotic and special varieties of teas.

8. Fruit juices

This is one of the best tasting and interesting ways to drink water. Make juices using different kinds of fruits such as apples, grapes, pomegranate, cranberry or any other fruit you like. Try to use fruits because you can enjoy the natural flavors and nutrients of the fruits.

9. Vinegar

Some people enjoy the taste of vinegar water. The water becomes a bit sour in taste but will contain vitamin c. It may be similar to citrus water to a certain extent. Apple cider vinegar can also be added for enhancing the taste. Try using only clear vinegar. Vinegar like balsamic vinegar has some oil content and will not taste good with water.

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About the author: Ellen is a blogger by profession. She loves to write on technology and gadgets. She recently completed an article on hot-air balloons. These days she is busy in writing an article on plastic pollution to save environment.

Product Review: Morrocco Method Pomade

2012-01-06T00:42:00.000-08:00

Recently, Morrocco Method contacted me asking if I’d like to sample one of their products.

Now, if you don’t know MMI, they are a fair-trade, cruelty-free company who specializes in chemical-free hair and skin products, many of which are raw and vegan. Get all that? Basically, they’re an awesome company who cares about your needs…and the environment…and fair trade…and animals. :) You can read more about them on their website.

So yeah, when they offered of course I said yes. I’ve reviewed their shampoo before, which I love! They have many other products I’d want to check out like their henna but I don’t want to do it myself -- it’s kinda difficult to work with in my past experience.

Anyway, MMI sent me a jar of their new product, Styling Dragon Pomade. As you know, my hair is my challenge so any help I can get is great.

I wasn’t sure how to use this when I first got it. On wet hair? Damp hair? Dry hair? So I experimented in all ways. I used it when wearing my hair curly and when I blew it out. Basically, no matter how I used it, it helped my hair with frizzies, control and smoothing things out. I’m sure it helps with shaping if I knew how to do that or had short hair.

And with it being chemical-free, I didn’t have to worry about it flaking in my hair (I hate that!) or clumping or being crunchy. Don’t you hate crunchy hair?

The Styling Dragon Pomade contains beeswax for those needing to know.

It comes in a 4-ounce jar and is priced at $29. Sure, a little more than other pomades but this is waaay better for your hair and will last a long time (only need a dime size to use). Worth a look.

Check out Morrocco Method’s website for other interesting, natural, and holistic products for your hair, face, body, kids or pets.

Disclosure: MMI sent me a full-size jar of mentioned product for review purposes only. I was in no way influenced, paid or obligated to write a favorable review but just be honest and share my thoughts if I wanted.

Thoughtful Thursday

2012-01-05T00:42:00.000-08:00

2012: A new year, a new beginning, a new time to take charge of the direction you're headed or where you want to go. I typically don't make New Year's Resolutions because I believe one should create or establish goals (or intentions or dreams or ideas or focus or whatever you want to call them) at anytime in the year but I'm feeling it at the moment. Right now is a good time to start and to get started, I (and maybe you too?) need motivation and encouragement. Today's Thoughtful Thursday is all about that.

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Happy New Year!

2012-01-01T00:02:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year, friends!

Isn't that the best happy New Year's quote? Thanks Tamikko via Pinterest!

Hope you had wonderful holidays and celebrations or simply enjoyed some time off. :) It's been a fun and busy time for us as YS2 understands more of the hoopla surrounding the holidays.

I had been wondering if we'd raise Caleb to "believe" in Santa. He'll know the real reason for Christmas and he'll know of Santa, of course, but wasn't sure I wanted to get into the whole Santa thing. Well, Sam convinced me (with little arm-twisting) to follow tradition and enjoy the spirit of Santa. So YS2 got Santa gifts and all that. I failed to get a picture of him with Santa this year though. #Lame. I think he recovered from last year's Santa experience but I guess we'll never know for certain. Looking back at my childhood, I'm not sure if I believed in Santa. At least, I don't remember being disappointed in learning he wasn't real -- I mean I have older brothers and a sister so there you go. Anyway, it's been really fun getting into the traditions we grew up with to share with Caleb.

the concentration...

some of the aftermath...

So now...it's 2012. Wow. I hope time slows a little. Egads. But with the end of the world coming I suppose it won't matter a whole lot. Enjoy every minute with everyone! That's what I say. :)

I am, however, looking forward to this new year. The vision board I created last year really seemed to work so I'll be revamping or recreating a new vision board. One improvement I've made already is investing in some workout clothes. It's one of the reasons I failed in the fitness department. A beautiful friend pointed out that that is a lame excuse because one can at least go walking in jeans or whatever. I did seem to look for excuses when really, I had none. So now, I officially have NO EXCUSES to not exercise in some way. But besides improving my fitness regime, I feel optimistic, motivated, and excited for the new year. Helps I'm getting a head start. Yay for new beginnings!

Hey, we might even see more nutritious and fun food on this ol' blog! That'd be a switch. Wink wink. Not promising anything though. Ha!

Many thanks to those of you who've been loyal and supportive of me and my blog. I will still be blogging about different things that have nothing to do with food or nutrition or my goals (hello! YS2 - and hello! it's my blog) as I like variety but I know it stumps and frustrates some so I truly appreciate those who've stuck around.

Hope you're having a great start to a new year! I love you all and look forward to keeping up with your happenings, too.

Cheers to a very good new year!

Thoughtful Thursday

2011-12-29T00:08:00.000-08:00

"Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right."

~Oprah Winfrey

"A new year is unfolding – like a blossom with petals curled tightly concealing the beauty within."

"People are so worried about what they eat between Christmas and the New Year, but they really should be worried about what they eat between the New Year and Christmas."

"New Year's Day is every man's birthday."

~Charles Lamb

"We meet today

To thank Thee for the era done,

And Thee for the opening one."

~John Greenleaf Whittier

"Your success and happiness lies in you. Resolve to keep happy, and your joy and you shall form an invincible host against difficulties."

~Helen Keller

"Celebrate what you want to see more of."

~Tom Peters

The more you praise and celebrate your life, the more there is in life to celebrate.

~Oprah Winfrey

"Be always at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let each new year find you a better man."

~Benjamin Franklin

"We will open the book. Its pages are blank. We are going to put words on them ourselves. The book is called Opportunity and its first chapter is New Year's Day."

~Edith Lovejoy Pierce

"In the New Year, may your right hand always be stretched out in friendship, but never in want."

~Irish Proverb

"Time has no divisions to mark its passage, there is never a thunder-storm or blare of trumpets to announce the beginning of a new month or year. Even when a new century begins it is only we mortals who ring bells and fire off pistols."

~Thomas Mann

Guest Post: Memory Boost From Food: 10 Tips to Improve Your Memory!

2011-12-26T07:11:00.000-08:00

From the day a child is born to the day a person dies, something that remains constant despite the inevitable changes is the process of learning and understanding. Humans build a knowledge base for themselves which helps them lead their lives, be it the daily chores or the acts that require a more complex understanding. Therefore, ensuring adequate nutrition for maintaining and enhancing one’s memory is essential. All one needs to do is to incorporate certain foodstuffs in their diet regularly to keep the cognitive machinery well oiled. We list the prominent ones’ for you.

1. Apples
The fruit guards you against the incidence of Alzheimer’s disease, an ailment that hits the patient’s memory. This is all thanks to the quercetin antioxidant, known to be effective in healing and warding off diseases. Do not peel the fruit prior to eating, lest you be deprived of anthocyanin in the skin. The anti-neurological disease property of the compound makes it a must have for you.

2. Wholegrain food
Make sure you're eating a diet full of a mix of wholesome foods such as cereal products, wheat bran, wheat germ and whole-wheat rice. Females, who improved their supplement vitamin B9 (also known as folic acid), supplement B12 and supplement B6 consumption, revealed a development in remembering information compared to females who were not taking a supplement.

3. Blueberries
The anthocyanin rich fruit works well not just in contributing towards prevention of memory loss but also in reversing the memory deterioration process that aging brings about. A good diet can play the savior in ensuring that humans retain good cognitive abilities till the very end.

4. Caffeine
Excess of everything is bad; it is moderation in intake that holds the key. The same holds true for coffee. In appropriate amounts, the beverage is a prescription for avoiding memory loss over the long term.

5. Grapes
These are akin to apple in their nutritive properties when it comes to boosting the memory. The compounds quercetin and anthocyanin are the winners here all over again. The darker variants of grapes, red and purple, prove beneficial. Grapes may be replaced by red wine, taken in moderation.

6. Nuts
Here too it is the antioxidants that come to the rescue in the form of Vitamin E. Almonds are an excellent source of Vitamin E, so too are the seeds of sunflower. As little as thirty grams of these seeds meet as much as one third of the daily requirement of body when it comes to the Vitamin E.

7. Onions
Onions in varieties red, yellow and white are all beneficial due to the presence of quercetin, but it is the red onion that scores above the other two varieties being a better source of quercetin as well as anthocyanin.

8. Rosemary
It is particularly significant considering that the compounds in rosemary aid the proper functioning of the central nervous system. These compounds ensure that the amount of acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter responsible for movement of signals in the body, does not see a rapid decline.

9. Tomatoes
There are good proof that lycopene, a highly effective free radical cleansing found in tomatoes, could help control the kind of toxin damage to tissue which takes place in the progression of dementia, particularly Alzheimer's.

10. Spinach
Green leafy vegetables are a rich source of Folic acid. Folic acid is widely known for its anti-Alzheimer’s disease properties.

The ailments that humans suffer from are often a result of inappropriate eating habits. Ensuring that the diet carries all the essential nutrients serves as a precautionary measure that increases the odds of a disease free life. The same holds true for disorders pertaining to the memory.

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About the author: Karien is a blogger who is a health freak and very environmentally aware. She strictly follows low cholesterol diet and believes in green living. And her intense desire is to have a showroom of jogging strollers.

Close-up

2011-12-23T00:09:00.000-08:00

Warning: picture-heavy post.

Hey there! Remember my tree when we first brought it home?

It's gone from that ^ all bare...

to this...

And no, it hasn't taken me all this time to decorate but it has taken me all this time to post about it. Anybody else do colored lights? I prefer white but YS2 loves the different colors so that's what we do.

Here are a few of my favorite or interesting ornaments:

My mom gets each of us siblings an ornament every year and has been doing this since we were all kids. We have different things we collect and well, if it's not obvious, I collect angels. I have a lot of angel ornaments!

YS2's first ornaments -- now, two years old. (sniff)

Homemade ornaments:

My mom is pretty crafty and made this mitten, along with other similar decorations, for me.

I made this bear with holly (?) leaves and white berries yeeears ago. It's missing a berry now as you can see. Looks like it was made by an 8 year old. Nope, I was an adult. Ha!

Here's another one of my amazing creations (as an adult again). Tried to be extra creative and ended up with something space-y! It was still fun to make.

My great aunt made this for me when I was little. There was another one she made where you'd pinch the cheeks and find a chocolate kiss but I lost that one. Anyway, this has some sentimental value because it is from my auntie but the bear (or is it a mouse?) looks a bit kooky now. lol

Some various ornaments:

A very dear friend of mine got me this real silver dipped pinecone -- she's moving away so this will now be even more special to me.

Sam and I have ornaments we collect each year, usually something made of glass. Although, we have a Swarovski (or two) and other ornaments that have gone AWOL. I'm too lazy to go digging thru the garage trying to find a misplaced box. A sample of our growing collection:

This year's handblown glass ornament -- made locally.

another local original

I think this is a Pottery Barn mass-production. But I still think it's pretty.

Gotta have some fun and whimsy and silliness, too...

lemon

There's a lot more fruit and different kinds too -- not really silly but it is fun.

is this a crab-apple?

musketeer cat

Love it when the lights shine on my disco ball tree

I think I got these in a white elephant gift exchange, they seem a little worse for wear now

After the tree was decorated (not fully, since I'm missing that one box still...), off we went to see the Halloween House transformed into the Christmas House. YS2 quickly pointed out (over and over) that the "house is not scary." Poor guy, remembers when it was scary.

I know this is a horrible shot but this is to give you an idea of all the craziness that goes on here. Their top deck wraps around the whole house and as you can see, there's something every foot -- around the whole house!

I could see in one of their windows and yeah, there's Christmas Cheer there too. And, it's nuts!

Well, my friends. I think I've either overwhelmed you enough with all these pics or bored you to tears so I'll end this now.

Hope you and your families and friends have a wonderful holiday season, no matter what you celebrate! Thank you for sharing this time with me and mine.

Thoughtful Thursday

2011-12-22T00:35:00.000-08:00

Happy Holidays!

Guest Post: Top Five Eco New Year’s Resolutions for 2012

2011-12-21T05:00:00.000-08:00

Good morning! I have another great guest post today brought to you by EthicalCommunity.com.

Please note: there are suggestions for things that are non-vegan/vegetarian. Obviously, you don't have to do anything you don't want no matter what side of the fence you're on. Please use them as inspirations to do what is best for you.

Oh, and one other thing. Where it references the UK in spots, you could replace with the US, although, our stats might be more staggering.

****

The New Year is both a time for reflecting on events across 2011 whilst looking forward to the exciting things that 2012 might bring. But what makes up a good New Year’s Resolution? Before you follow the crowds and rush out to join a gym, this year you might want to consider looking at how the things you choose to eat can impact our planet. Small changes can make a huge impact across the year and certainly are easier to stick with than promising yourself to look like Arnold Schwarzenegger by the end of the year!

A new fast growing website, EthicalCommunity.com launched last year which aims to help us all purchase eco-friendly & natural products, direct from the people that make them. Natural food lovers can browse from over 7,000 products, learn about the story and person behind each product, so we decided to quiz them on their top eco food resolutions.

1. Don’t waste a meal

With the UK throwing away an astonishing 3.6 million tons of food each year maybe its about time we all pledged not to waste a meal and to make our ingredients go that little further, such as making delicious stock and gravy from left over food.

2. Never buy bottled water again

Lose your bottled water addiction in 2012 and do your bit to reduce the 275,000 tonnes of plastic which the UK sends to landfill each year, equal to a staggering 15 million plastic bottles per day! This will also save you a fortune and you can always ease the pain by treating yourself to an Aquatina collapsible pocket bottle (as seen on the BBC’s hit show “Dragons Den”).

3. Have a meat-free Monday

Join Gwyneth Paltrow and Sir Richard Branson in reducing the amount of meat in your diet and have a “meat free Monday”. Cutting meat out of your diet can decrease your carbon footprint by a third of a ton and coming up with meat-free meals isn't as hard as it sounds. Try pancakes and fruit for breakfast; fresh salads or roasted vegetable sandwiches for lunch; and veggie bean soups, and creamy risotto for dinner – lovely!

4. Grow your own food

One step better than buying local and organic food is growing your own, not only is this cheaper but it’s also far more rewarding as there is nothing quite like the taste of home grown food. If space is limited or you live in a flat with no garden don’t despair as a vertical garden such as the Woolly Wally Pocket allows anyone to build their own living wall perfect for producing a small harvest, working both indoors and outdoors.

5. Eat Real Foods

If you don’t already, start eating real foods. By that we mean whole foods. Pack your diet full of a wide variety of fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, beans, and whole grains. Add a little bit of dairy, eggs, and meat if you wish. That means skipping out on all of the processed foods that dominates many of our diets and supermarket shelves. All of the cookies, crisps, fizzy drinks, all go out the window. That’s not to say you can’t ever have it again, but try not to keep processed foods in the kitchen cupboard where it can tempt you on a cold night.

About the authors/EthicalCommunity.com:

Young co-founders and serial entrepreneurs Liam Patterson (aged 24) and Jason Dainter (aged 26) have previously run successful internet based businesses.

EthicalCommunity.com has already won a number of prestigious awards including the Shell Livewire Grand Ideas award and an enterprise scholarship which Liam was awarded whilst at the University of Leeds, graduating in 2009.

Guest Post: Could Switching to a Gluten-Free Diet Benefit Your Family?

2011-12-19T05:00:00.000-08:00

Hello friends! I have a guest post for you today from Amanda on the benefits for eating gluten-free. I'm not gluten-free but I do try to reduce my intake or appreciate when I find gluten-free products. I found this topic to be quite helpful and I hope you do too. Thank you, Amanda!

****

Diet is a four-letter word in my family. We don’t do it. We don’t even think it. We eat what grows in our region’s farmland and occasionally nibble (okay, devour) what comes out of their pastures. We eat what we feel is best for our bodies, our sanity, and our planet, and we forgive ourselves and try harder next time when we slip up.

Let me make this clear: this is not me telling anyone to lose weight.

The gluten-free diet will, admittedly, help with that. It can help with a lot of other, probably more important things too, like digestive health, skin clarity, and overall I-feel-awesome-ness. But that’s for each family to decide for themselves.

What is gluten?

Gluten is a protein composite derived from wheat and grains like barley and rye. It’s not just found in bread and pasta, though. It’s often the culprit of many ingredient labels like “shortening,” “natural flavoring,” “thickener,” or “emulsifier.” It’s often what gives soy sauce its caramel color and why our lips feel gooey and kissable when we wear lip balm.

Why shouldn’t we eat it?

The primary beneficiary of a gluten-free diet is someone with Coeliac’s Disease or other autoimmune disorders of the small intestine. For such an individual, eating something as seemingly benign as French toast can cause extremely painful stomach cramps.

Some of us may have trouble digesting gluten and not even know it. Many people who have adult acne or other skin irritations actually may have food sensitivities, and one of the prime suspects is gluten.

What can I expect if my family goes gluten-free?

Firstly, a lot of complaining. No bread? No pasta or pizza? No cake? Not everyone does well without cake.

Many families also do poorly on “diets,” anyway. It’s a little-known statistic that over 90 percent of diets fail and many dieters—many unknowingly—progress to full-blown eating disorders. Family fare and eating habits can play a strong role in a child’s image of food. Be sure that if you do decide to go gluten-free, children are introduced to it gently and informed of its health benefits, not its weight benefits.

There are, of course, many options to keep the family gluten-free and happy. There’s no reason—excepting Coeliac’s Disease—to go full-on gluten-free starting in 2012. Try eliminating gluten from one meal at a time and see how everyone feels. Do your tummies feel better? Do you feel less lazy? Is your skin clearer? If so, slowly and steadily continue replacing breads and pastas with rice (and rice pasta).

In fact, there are many gluten-free options on the market now, like beer brewed from sorghum, gluten-free pizza crust, gluten-free cookies, and the like. Check ingredients lists for those key words like “thickener” or “natural additives” and avoid them if possible. Eat whole, fresh, and naturally high-fiber and -protein foods. Experiment with recipes and have fun. You know the drill. If you’re feeling more energetic, more regular, and less bumpy, you’re doing it right!

About the author:

Amanda Tradwick is a grant researcher and writer for CollegeGrants.org. She has a Bachelor's degree from the University of Delaware, and has recently finished research on grants for women returning to school and student grants in oregon.

Wayfair Winner

2011-12-16T21:37:00.000-08:00

Thank you all who entered, supported my Wayfair giveaway! I'd say it was a success!

The winner of the giveaway, any item up to $65, is...

#203 bitt "Like" Hihorosie on Facebook

Congrats Bitt! Have fun shopping!

And I'd like to point out like I did in my last post, that again, the winning entry was a "like" for my facebook page. ha ha! I swear it's not rigged! It's all been random, but I'm telling ya, it must be good luck. I did have to update one of my NuStevia winners so it turns out that it was 50/50 but if you count all winners from these two giveaways, which is five, then 3 out of 5 were for liking my page. Still good odds, I think. :)

Anyways...

I'm done with giveaways for the year, however, there will be more coming up next year and I'm thinking of something a little unique for one...I'll let you in on it once I have it all figured out.

More posts coming up soon so for now, enjoy the weekend!

NuNaturals -- Winners and Free Samples

2011-12-15T13:18:00.000-08:00

Hello!

I have my four winners of the NuNaturals giveaway:

#6 Emily follow @NuNaturals on Twitter
#35 Nancy "Like" Hihorosie on Facebook

#9 Christy "Like" Nunaturals on Facebook
#23 sharanya "Like" Hihorosie on Facebook

Woo hoo! Congrats to all of them! I would like to point out that 3 2 of the 4 winning entries (I had to update one winner) were for "liking" my facebook page (winners were selected 100% at random -- honest!). So there's something to liking my page....heh heh. Just a thought...

Anyway, if you didn't win and would still like the chance to try some NuNaturals for free, here's how you can get in on the action:

NuNaturals is offering free samples to all Continental US readers. Just send them a self-addressed, stamped #10 envelope to this address:

NuNaturals, Inc.
2220 West 2nd Ave. # 1
Eugene, OR 97402

Also, just to remind you they are running a special discount on all future orders only available from ordering through their website:

http://www.nunaturals.com/

When you go to their website's checkout page, enter this code: BLG1211 to receive a SPECIAL DISCOUNT of 15% off your total order. Ordering from their website you'll also receive free shipping anywhere in the continental U.S. on orders totalling $35.00 or more, after the special discount.

Offer ends December 31, 2011.

Quick reminder, the Wayfair giveaway ends today! I suggest liking my facebook page to increase your chances. ;)

Thoughtful Thursday

2011-12-15T00:13:00.000-08:00

Ha -- true! ;)

Product Review: Farmaesthetics

2011-12-14T13:43:00.000-08:00

I’m usually very basic when it comes my daily face cleansing routine. I’m smart enough to use a gentle organic oil to remove eye makeup but it’s not uncommon for me to use regular soap to wash my face (tsk, tsk). And I don’t know about you, but most soaps are extremely drying. I wear makeup during the week so I need something that’s effective and non-drying and well, regular soap doesn’t work, at least, not in all the right ways.

I recently had the chance to try some wonderful products from Farmaesthetics, specializing in natural herbal skincare. Founded by Brenda Brock and based in Newport, Rhode Island, all of their products are "100% natural, utilizing certified organic herbs, flowers, oils & grains from American family farms" [source]. Also, no animal testing.

These products are found and used at many resorts and spas around the world, including the Four Seasons Resorts and Spas. Impressive!

I wish I can remember where or from whom I first learned of Farmaesthetics, possibly a newsletter. Thanks whoever! I checked out their website and found many products I’d love to use.

Let me point out, that not all products are vegan. Some contain bee products. However, a lot of care and quality ingredients go into each one. You’ll find full disclosure on their website with the ingredient lists.

When I got the package containing the Fine Herbal Cleanser and Nourishing Lavender Milk, they’re well packaged btw; I was so excited to find they’re in glass jars. And they both smell wonderful. I like that they are in glass, one obvious reason is it’s non-toxic but the other reason? Feeling fancy!

Sure, I could make my own stuff but sometimes you’ve got to have a bit of luxury and a bit of fancy.

The cleanser cleans well without leaving your skin dry or feeling stripped. I don’t have to scrub and scrub either; in fact, I sometimes don’t use a washcloth but will just wash and rinse. Rinses well, too.

The moisturizer is nice and light, which is perfect for me. Most of the time I don’t use moisturizer because it’s either too heavy or greasy or just plain ol’ doesn’t work. This I can use under my makeup or alone and my skin feels great.

I will point out one ingredient the Nourishing Lavender Milk contains that I find to be interesting: borax, not to be confused with boric acid. Borax is one of those things that’s confusing as to its value, safety and place in beauty products (and household products for that matter). So do your research and decide for yourself if it’s okay or not in your beauty regime. Personally, I’d rather do without it so I don’t have to question or worry but my contact with borax is far and few between that I’m okay with it for the moment. That’s helpful huh? :)

But aside from that one ingredient, I enjoy Farmaesthetics products and love that there are many others (w/o borax) that are of high quality that would be great to have or address skin issues one might be experiencing. Their Rosehip & Clay Mint Mask and Hand to Heel Softening Salve and Midnight Honey Bath & Beauty Oil all look good to try.

At first glance, one might experience sticker shock seeing some of the prices for various products but when you stop and think about the quality ingredients involved, they seem rather reasonable. I’m finding with the cleanser and moisturizer, they are long-lasting so again, the prices seems reasonable.

Overall, I’d recommend many of Farmaesthetics’ products and consider them worth the value. My skin feels smoother and is definitely a lot less dry despite our unusually dry and cold weather as of late.

If you try or have tried Farmaesthetics, I’d be curious what you thought.

Disclosure: I was provided full size samples to review but was not paid or expected to provide anything other than my honest opinion.

Wayfair Giveaway

2011-12-09T14:26:00.000-08:00

Hello good buddies! I've got another goodie for you today. Read on...

Have you heard of Wayfair? No? You may remember them when they were called CSN. Well, they changed names, updated their website but still have a TON of great stuff to offer the online shopper. Everything from baby strollers to area rugs to all things for your kitchen or office. Basically, a you-name-it-they’ve-got-it one stop shopping place. You get the picture.

I suggest checking out their website. You’ll quickly find yourself making a wish list. Seriously.

To help create that wish list, Wayfair was kind enough to offer a giveaway for my readers.

How about a chance to win whatever you’d like, up to $65?!?!?!

Yeah, you read that right.

Look around Wayfair and see what they have to offer because if you win, you can pick whatever you want (up to $65) and they’ll ship it out to you for free!

If this sounds awesome to you then go ahead and enter below. I must point out this is for US addresses only.

To get started by way of Rafflecopter, just click on ‘view comments’ if you don’t already see the widget below. Might take a moment to load. There's one mandatory entry (worth 3 entries!) but there are other easy ways to increase your chances. Time to get started!
Giveaway will run from right now till December 15th.

Thanks to Wayfair for sponsoring this great giveaway.

Good luck to you!

Disclosure: Nothing but love to you! I wasn't compensated for this post or obligated to host a giveaway. Wayfair is being generous in offering to sponsor this giveaway. That is all. :)

Thoughtful Thursday

2011-12-08T00:11:00.000-08:00

NuNaturals-NuStevia Giveaway

2011-12-07T23:42:00.000-08:00

Good day folks! With it being the holidays and all, lots of goodies are being made and passed around that contain sugar. Sugar sugar and more sugar!

Now, I’m not anti-sugar but sometimes it’s a bit much. Or a lot much. And for some people, sugar is just a big no-no period and for others, it’s something they’re trying to reduce or avoid for various reasons. This can be a challenge in many ways especially around holidays with pies and cakes and cookies all staring at you in the face. Ahhh!

In comes NuNaturals to save the day! Sound the trumpets! (ahem, please excuse the cheese…)

But seriously, NuNaturals is all about health and wellness while still being able to enjoy those tasty treats we’ve come to love and obviously, don’t want to miss out on occasion.

NuNaturals offers a variety of all-natural product sweeteners that range from liquid stevia to liquid vanilla stevia to baking blends to quick dissolve tablets to individual powder packets. Just about anything that will aid any kind of dietary restriction or preference. They also offer products used for baking, low or no-carb, and can be used hot or cold.

They are:
   ๑low-glycemic
   ๑gluten-free (most are certified, however, MoreFiber Baking Blend contains oat fiber and is not certified at this time)
   ๑dairy-free
   ๑soy-free
   ๑non-GMO
   ๑all natural
   ๑safe for diabetics, hypoglycemics, vegans, and vegetarians

Their NuStevia White Stevia Powder is less bitter than other sweeteners, including artificial. Speaking of artificial sweeteners, stay away from them! They’re poison! Use NuStevia instead and feel good inside and outside. /rant

I will say they aren’t kidding when they warn you of NuStevia’s sweetness or that a little goes a long way. For my morning tea, I just use part or maybe half of a packet unless I’m needing the extra sweetness then I’ll put the whole thing in. But it’s best to start out with a little bit then add more if needed.

You can buy NuNaturals online including at iherb.com and amazon.com but you’ll also find them in your local health store – I found them at my local Fred Meyers, which I believe to be a miracle. Ha!

Anyway, if you don’t want to wait for the giveaway below, NuNaturals is offering to my readers a special discount when ordering directly from their website. When you go to the checkout page, enter code BLG1211 and you’ll receive a 15% discount on your total order. They offer free shipping to anywhere in the Continental US on orders over $35 (after discount). Take advantage of this offer by December 31, 2011.

Now, for the giveaway!

NuNaturals is offering FOUR readers (1) 50-count box of NuStevia Packets AND (1) 2-ounce bottle of NuNaturals Vanilla Stevia Liquid

Open to Continental US residents only. Giveaway ends December 14th.

To enter, use the Rafflecopter widget below (click ‘view comments’ if not currently displaying – may take a moment to load) and follow the instructions listed.

Many thanks to NuNaturals for sponsoring this giveaway.

Good luck to all who enter!

Disclosure: I was provided with samples to review but was not paid for a favorable post nor was I obligated to host a giveaway.

Ho-ho-ho!

2011-12-03T22:20:00.000-08:00

Happy Holidays, friends! We are in process of decorating our home with holiday cheer. In fact, today, we finally found our tree. Yippee! And it only cost $38 -- score! Darn good deal since most lots we went to charge $85 or typically more for a noble fir of the same size (about 8+ feet). Plus, I got a fresh wreath for our door. Smells so incredible!

Why is it when you’re at a tree lot and find the “perfect” tree you bring it home only to find it’s, well, less than perfect? Suddenly, you notice how one side it’s not as full or even or the branches are a little funky or with this tree, the trunk is crooked so getting it to appear straight was a challenge. Mostly for Sam, because it was way too heavy for me to maneuver. Anyway, I say it’s got character and now that it’s finally in place, leaned this way and that way, and turned once or twice, and moved here and there, it’s now perfect and ready to decorate.

A year ago, which seems like a blink in time, our tree was half decorated to keep breakables away from tiny hands and strands of lights were hanging off. Obviously, not safe from tiny hands. Tee hee! Since then, tiny YS2 has grown so much (he’s pretty much outgrown all his baby strollers *sniff*) that I hope it’ll be less of a challenge keeping not-as-tiny hands away this year. He still is fascinated with lights but knows to not pull the strands, or so he says. He will soon be tested…

To show off my little tot and how much he’s grown, here he is cruisin’ on his bike the other day, hence no need for a stroller.

Wasn’t that long ago he was just learning how to ride it and now, he’s a pro on this thing! I highly recommend a prebike.

Now, for a few random topics and pics.

aww

Love how this leaf was literally blown into the bark of this tree; hanging out until the next wind blows him away elsewhere.

I’ve mentioned before getting a new juicer (I’ll show it off another day) so I’m trying to get back into frequent (daily is the goal) juicing. Not a juice fast/feast but more as a supplement or one meal replacement. It’s hard during the winter sometimes but to make things a little easier, I created a juice kit, where I have everything washed, trimmed and ready to go, including the container it's in will be used. Although, I’ll cut up the apples just before I juice them.

We’ve been having a houseguest lately:

You can read more about him and his friends here.

Also, I’ve got at least two more giveaways coming up, including one for NuNaturals. But checkout the one I have going on now for a Shabby Apple skirt.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend!

Thoughtful Thursday

2011-12-01T01:07:00.000-08:00

Oh Nuts!

2011-11-28T14:34:00.000-08:00

The holidays are upon us so it’s time to break out the good eats! We tend to have more nuts around during this time of year for either snacking or incorporating into various recipes.

Recently, I had the chance to try some raw macadamia nuts and raw, shelled pistachios from Oh Nuts! Oh yum! These are great to snack on all by themselves so it was becoming difficult setting some aside for something else delicious.

Let’s start with the macadamias. Macs are full of fat – good mono-unsaturated fats – which translate in lots of energy. They also contain ample amounts potassium, calcium and protein. So while it’s probably not wise to eats these non-stop on a daily basis, consuming some now and again, is very good for you. Better for you than buttur n ol (say it like Paula Deen).

My original plan with the macs was to make some raw vegan cookies. Mm, that failed (note to self: do not over-process nuts!). But…not all was lost, my friends. Instead, it became decadent, sweet nut butter.

Sweet Macadamia Nut Butter (raw, vegan)

1 c Oh Nuts raw macadamia nuts

3 TBS agave nectar

pinch of Celtic sea salt
½ vanilla bean, scraped

Blend in food processor or high speed blender until smooth. Serve immediately or store in fridge. Suggestion: if storing in the fridge, scoop out what you need and place in dehydrator until warm or ready to use.

This will be great on toast or on something more fancy one leisurely morning (pumpkin waffles maybe?). Even in smoothies or topped on ice cream. It can put whatever you do with it “over the top!”

Next, pistachios. These little green gems help in lowering cholesterol and contain lutein, beta-carotene, and gamma-tocopherol. Also, antioxidants! These are definitely a fave around here. YS2 loves to eat pi-tach-i-ohs, as he calls them. Again, it was hard to not just eat these straight up. Well, actually that didn’t stop anyone so I had to act fast.

I present to you Pistachio-Cranberry-Oatmeal Cookies. Yum is all I gots to say!

Pistachio Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies (vegan)

½ c pure cane sugar

½ c packed brown sugar

½ c Earth Balance spread

½ tsp baking soda

½ tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp vanilla
¼ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp Celtic sea salt
2 TBS cornstarch or arrowroot whisked with 2 TBS water (or other equivalent to one egg)
1 ½ c regular oats
1 c all-purpose flour (I used refined spelt flour)
½ c Oh Nuts raw pistachios
½ c dried cranberries

Preheat oven to 375.

Mix all ingredients, except oats, flour, nuts and cranberries. Now, stir in remaining ingredients.

Drop rounded dough (I used a cookie scoop) onto an ungreased cookie sheet about 2 inches apart. Bake for about 10 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool.

And hey, Christmas colors!

I love using raw and unsalted nuts because they’re healthier and have great flavor. Plus, they’re more versatile, I think.

Click here for more info on the macadamias I used and for the pistachios, click here.

Oh Nuts currently has specials going on that you might be interested in (hello, Cyber Monday!). And now’s the time to stock up! Besides nuts, they offer seeds, candy, chocolate, gift baskets for any occasion, granola and snack mixes…and more.

Enjoy!

Disclosure: I was provided with products mentioned above to review and use in recipes; however, I was not paid or influenced to say anything but my honest opinion.

Giveaway: Shabby Apple

2011-11-25T15:28:00.000-08:00

Hey hey hey! How was Thanksgiving? Ours was nice, low key and turkey-free. :)

Now, the chaos begins as Christmas isn't too far away. I love Christmas and I love to shop but shopping during the holidays and fighting the crowds isn't my idea of a good time. Maybe some of you aren't fans either and prefer to (and smartly) shop early, which I should do, or online. Perhaps you're in need of something special just for YOU.

Shabby Apple, an online boutique of women's dresses, has some great specials going on as you may have seen posted in my sidebar. If you love shopping online, check out some of the deals going on.

Now the giveaway news! Shabby Apple is generously offering one reader their Francine skirt!

Love!

Shabby Apple has so many women's dresses...and skirts...and accesories to choose from, it's actually hard to choose! Even maternity and little girls'. But the Francine pencil skirt, made from canvas twill, is versatile yet classic with a vintage flair. Its high-waist and bow are the kind of details that keep it from being the least bit boring.

Time to enter -- follow the instructions posted in the Rafflecopter widget below (click 'view comments' to get started). Follow the instructions, then once completed, hit 'I did this!' It's really easy.

Giveaway will go from now till end of day, December 8th.

Thanks Shabby Apple! And good luck to all of you!

P.S. I am an affiliate of ShabbyApple.com but was not compensated to host this giveaway, nor was I obligated to host this giveaway.

Thoughtful Thursday

2011-11-24T04:23:00.000-08:00

If the only prayer you said in your whole life was, "thank you," that would suffice.

--Meister Eckhart

Thanksgiving Day comes, by statute, once a year; to the honest man it comes as frequently as the heart of gratitude will allow.
--Edward Sandford Martin

For each new morning with its light,
For rest and shelter of the night,
For health and food, for love and friends,
For everything Thy goodness sends.
--Ralph Waldo Emerson

Thanksgiving dinners take eighteen hours to prepare. They are consumed in twelve minutes. Half-times take twelve minutes. This is not coincidence.
--Erma Bombeck

Thanksgiving comes to us out of the prehistoric dimness, universal to all ages and all faiths. At whatever straws we must grasp, there is always a time for gratitude and new beginnings.
--J. Robert Moskin

For flowers that bloom about our feet;
For tender grass, so fresh, so sweet;
For song of bird, and hum of bee;
For all things fair we hear or see,
Father in heaven, we thank Thee!
--Ralph Waldo Emerson

Who does not thank for little will not thank for much.
--Estonian Proverb

O Lord that lends me life, Lend me a heart replete with thankfulness!
--William Shakespeare

Gratitude consists of being more aware of what you have, than what you don’t.
--Unknown

We often take for granted the very things that most deserve our gratitude.
--Cynthia Ozick

Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it.
--William Arthur Ward

When eating bamboo sprouts, remember the man who planted them.
--Chinese Proverb

Hem your blessings with thankfulness so they don't unravel.
--Author Unknown

Gratitude is the sign of noble souls.
-- Aesop Fables

Not what we say about our blessings, but how we use them, is the true measure of our thanksgiving.
--W.T. Purkiser

Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all the others.
--Cicero

To hear someone say 'Happy Turkey Day' makes me sad because they have nothing to be thankful for and no one to whom to be thankful.
--Robert Flatt

No longer forward nor behind
I look in hope or fear;
But, grateful, take the good I find,
The best of now and here.
--John Greenleaf Whittier

Hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving (or Thursday if you're outside the US *wink*)! I am thankful for all of my connections with each of you, the friendships, and the support. I love being part of such an amazing community. Enjoy the holiday, traditions, and family as you create memories.

Fall in the PNW

2011-11-23T13:37:00.000-08:00

Hey-ho everyone! Tomorrow is Thanksgiving, can you believe it? Where has this year gone?! Want to wish little Baby A a happy birthday tomorrow! She's one. Aww!

Par for course, it's definitely Thanksgiving time here in the Pacific Northwest because since Monday it's been a soggy mess. Pretty much every Thanksgiving (maybe the same elsewhere?) the storms set in. And it seems in an instant there are now more leaves on the ground than on the trees. Just last week, there were still a ton yet to fall. Show's over, I guess. If you're traveling, please be safe!

So to remember those crisp beautiful fall days we had just not too long ago, here are a few pics:

reminds me of Charlie Brown for some reason

YS2 was a little nervous about this swing, in due time he will be racing to it

Got a funny story to share. Sam and YS2 worked on a fun project recently where they made bird food suets. We have a store-bought one, which you know, has funky ingredients. Anyway, after it was made and set, a chunk was placed in the little suet cage and hung outside next to the other suet. Birds love both but it's nice to see they really love the homemade one (do little chickadees need rendered beef fat???).

One morning I noticed the cage to the homemade one was open and the suet had fallen onto the deck, which is on the second floor. Hmm...curious but figured the latch just came undone but I left it for Sam to fix later (lazy? yeah, but it was cold out!). I'd forgotten all about it until a few hours later. When I looked outside it was GONE! Huh, what? Where would the big chunk of heavy suet go? Who could possibly take it? The birds we get are really small and with the deck on the 2nd floor, there are no animals large enough running around that could jump up there so that leaves the squirrels, I think. Squirrels or one beefcake squirrel apparently made off with the suet. Tsk tsk! Can you believe that? I knew they were crafty and clever but didn't realize they're so strong too. Oh well, at least we know they're well-fed and that it was a tasty treat. Crazy thieving critters.

Because there's not a whole lot to do outside with it raining so much or previously, being so cold, YS2 and I often visit the kitty shelter. He loves animals and especially kitties and puppies. At this shelter, he's able to interact with and pet the kitties (he's still learning how to do these things properly -- hee hee). Most of these kitties are so sweet I wish I had huge property to rescue them all! But at least I know they're being taken care of here and are often adopted.

getting the hang of the kitty toys

brother or sister?

sister or brother?

this one is so sweet and pretty

There's one kitty, Lucie, who is either feral or had some things done to her before coming here because it's not often she allows you too close -- it's like once she realizes hey I don't know you, she socks ya! She won't use her claws but you will become her punching bag most times. It's actually kinda funny seeing kitty paws move that fast.

Lucie hiding

Got more things coming up for you but this is all for today. A special Thoughtful Thursday is coming your way tomorrow being Thanksgiving and all. :)

Wishing you a wonderful Thanksgiving and hopefully, a long weekend at that. Some real craziness begins now right? If you're one to brave the crowds on Black Friday, just know I think you're nuts! heh heh! Enjoy it all!

Profile: Cymax Stores

2011-11-21T22:53:00.000-08:00

Cymax Stores, Inc. – have you heard of them? No? Well, let me introduce you. I hadn’t heard of them until recently either, which is rather surprising because they’ve actually been around for nearly eight years.

This Canadian (Vancouver, BC) company was founded in 2004 by Arash Fasihi and they primarily sold TV stands and other entertainment furniture. Later that same year, they started their own website and began selling online. Today, they have 120+ online specialty stores that sell everything from small kitchen appliances to home décor to furniture for your office and home (Wikipedia). Of course, they still offer TV stands and entertainment furniture but now so much more. And with specialty stores, you’re more likely to get good quality merchandise, customer service and warranties.
They ship anywhere in the US and Canada. You can order by phone and obviously, you can order online. With your order they ensure your privacy and security, which is so important these days, so there’s less worry when shopping online with them.

Everyone appreciates a guarantee so Cymax is committed to making sure your shopping experience is positive and that you’re happy with your purchase. It can be challenging buying something online without seeing/feeling the product first but they will work with you if you happen to be less than satisfied.

They also want to hear from you! If when browsing their website you can’t find what you’re looking for, just ask them and they’ll try and find it for you. Never hurts to ask, right?

Because of their values and commitment to each customer, Cymax has continued to grow over the years and rapidly. In fact, they have earned a spot the last four years in the Top 500 online retailers by Internet Retailer Magazine and in the Top 200 the last two years. And just recently, they were nominated as one of the Hot 100 Best Retail Websites of 2010. Pretty impressive achievements and recognitions, I think, in a relatively short amount of time.

So the next time you’re in the market for furniture of some kind or housewares or anything, give Cymax a look. You just might find what you’re looking for. And with the holidays coming up (ack, so soon!), now’s a good time. I’m thinking Cyber Monday as I try to avoid Black Fridays. "Like" them on Facebook to keep up with specials or new products they have.

Cymax is also on LinkedIn so if you are too, feel free to connect with them.

Winners: Kroeger Herbs

2011-11-21T11:12:00.000-08:00

Hello Friends! Happy Thanksgiving week! I have loads to talk about but I'm challenged with a lot of work so posts will be slowly but surely coming along. Hmm, maybe even my garden post I keep meaning to share (ugh, so late with that one and I keep saying I'm going to post it...just need to download pics).

Not sure if you've noticed but in my sidebar I've been posting daily specials from ShabbyApple.com to check out and take advantage of. There will be another sale tomorrow on a specific item (can't reveal what it is yet!) and then on Wednesday, the 23rd, there will be one last one. And from what I understand, it's not to be missed! I have no idea what it is yet but you'll see for yourselves on Wednesday. Just an FYI, I am an affiliate of ShabbyApple.com so if you go through my site, I have the opportunity to earn a small commission, however, I won't get all pushy about it. There will be a link in my sidebar with the occasional blip from me but mostly, I just wanted to alert of you the awesome promotions going on now and a head's up of ones coming up.

Let's get to the two winners of Kroeger Herb Products. Many thanks to Kroeger Herbs for sponsoring this giveaway. Please check them out; they offer a lot of great products that are natural and healthy. Also, thanks to those who tweeted and helped spread the word.

Winners!

#14: Sharanya -- winner of a bottle of Resveratrol Six
#45: Nancy -- winner of a bottle of Schizandra Complete Concentrate

Congrats ladies! I will be emailing you shortly. Please respond within 48 hours with your name and shipping address.

Stay tuned for another giveaway! It's also a goodie not to be passed up.

Thoughtful Thursday

2011-11-17T00:52:00.000-08:00

Do not regret growing older, it is a privilege denied to many...embrace the lines on your face, they are the maps of your journey. Love the laughter lines for the memories that created them; appreciate your frown lines, since the struggle that formed them helped you find your strength. Respect your body, with all its scars, they are testament to your survival, and may mark you as a mother. Be kind to yourself, you made it this far, enjoy the rest of the days you are blessed with, and for goodness sake, please don't waste that time resenting your body's imperfections, a perfect corpse has not lived, only existed. Embrace life, and celebrate its marks on your physical form, let the beauty in your heart shine through, you're too beautiful not to!

[source]

Product Review: Inspirin

2011-11-13T08:20:00.000-08:00

Recently, I had the chance to try a new product (to me) called Inspirin by Versativa. Its main purpose is to help ease pain and stress in your body. For me personally, it’s an afternoon pick-me-up. Read on and you'll understand why.

Inspirin is a superfood in and of itself but it consists of the following super foods:

     *Essential oil of black cumin seed -- the compounds of the seeds boost production of bone marrow, natural interferon, and immune cells, all of which help in fighting against diseases and viruses.
     *D-Ribose -- a naturally occurring five-carbon sugar, made by the body to combine a number of important compounds such as DNA and RNA but also ATP, the “energy currency” of the cells. ATP is critical to health and maintaining normal energy-dependent body functions.
     *Malic acid -- most commonly found in fruits and veggies, this natural substance is important for the energy producing cycle that usually takes place in the human mitochondria present in cells -- the small structures in cells that generate energy for the cell to use.
     *Red raspberry -- helps the body ward off illness.
     *Essential oil of black raspberry seed -- rich in antioxidants including tocopherols and tocotrienols. Tocopherols are great in rounding up and beating out free radicals. The oil is low in saturated fat and a rich source of polyunsaturated omega-3 fatty acids.
     *Magnesium malate -- a combo of magnesium and malic acid. Magnesium is essential for heart health. Magnesium malate has the ability to chelate metals, and most importantly, toxic metals.
     *Resveratrol -- comes from grapes. It’s cancer-fighting!
     *Blackberry – it contains omega-3, vitamin C and vitamin K. It also is rich in anthocyanins, which are beneficial in preventing inflammation and increase collagen production.
     *Hemp seeds -- protein, amino acids, digestible, calcium, iron, zinc, copper, magnesium, manganese…
     *Marine phytoplankton – provides energy and vitality, good for liver health and heart health, good for your vision, improve sleep, stabilize your body’s sugar levels, relives pain and inflammation, and great for your brain.

*source

I wasn’t kidding when I say Inspirin is a superfood. They come in one-ounce packets that are handy to tote around for when you’re on-the-go. Just take one out and drink up! Because these contain no chemicals or preservatives, they’re safe for anyone, anytime (you don't have to wait till you're experiencing pain or need a stress reliever) plus they give you all the nutrition and omegas you need. Sometimes I start my day with one.

I will say it’s sweeeet! It has stevia, organic cane juice, and xylitol in it. So yeah it’s sweet. But this is why it’s the perfect afternoon jump I need to keep going (usually just one). A case of the sleepies goes away. Some may not agree with xylitol, in thought or in body. Xylitol is an artificial sweetener derived from plants, usually birch bark. So it’s a personal preference in that regard. For me, I did not experience any ill-effects. No spikes or crashes.

I half expected this to taste funny or have a lingering aftertaste but it didn’t. Sometimes stevia (and xylitol) tastes kind of artificial to me so I was pleasantly surprised this didn’t. At all. After the initial shock of sweet in my mouth, I found it to be rather tasty.

Awhile ago, I also got to try Versativa’s hemp raw energy bars. Very good! My favorite is the cherry. Much like the Inspirin, it’s made with wholesome, organic ingredients. Love that!

If interested in trying any of these products or others, contact Wendy. Her info is located at the bottom of the page. And if you do try either of these products, let me know what you think.

Disclosure: This is not a paid post. I was provided samples for review only and opinions expressed are my own. Yours may differ. This product is not a cure-all but a health food supplement. Please do your own research or contact your health practitioner.

Thoughtful Thursday

2011-11-10T00:01:00.000-08:00

♦

Kroeger Herbs: Review + Giveaway

2011-11-07T10:37:00.000-08:00

Hey friends! Survive the weekend? Love that we've gained an hour, don't you? It was so nice waking up a bit more refreshed Sunday morning. Falling back isn't too bad, it still messes up schedules especially with little ones but it's the spring forward time change that's a doozy. I just wish the whole time change hoopla was done away with. Moving on...

Stay with me as I share a couple of reviews for you + a giveaway at the end. Yay! My good pals at Kroeger Herb sent me a couple of their new products to sample. No problem! They have awesome products – you really should check them out if you haven't yet.

Schizandra. Are you familiar with this fruit or have you been hearing the name lately? It’s gaining in recognition for its medicinal properties. The shrub, also known as the magnolia vine, produces berries that are harvested and dried. In traditional Chinese medicine, schizandra is used to help with sleep disorders, depression, anxiety (and other mood disorders), sexual dysfunctions, liver health, skin health, resist infections, and increased energy -- just to name a phew!

Resveratrol Six. Gingko biloba, grapeseed, hawthorn, pomegranate, rosemary, and resveratrol. This one means serious business with this combination of herbs. Talk about protecting you from the inside to the outside! Rich in anti-oxidants, it’s anti-aging, fights free radicals, improves cell function and elasticity, and also improves the condition and appearance of the skin.

I’ve been taking these, somewhat regularly (I don’t always remember to take vitamins and supplements everyday -- oops), and have noticed some slight improvements. I do have more energy and feel balanced (not that I’m typically out of whack but you know…). Time will tell though if I have other notable improvements. It certainly can’t hurt! And with Kroeger Herb products they are the real thing: no fillers, binders, flowing agents, or excipients. You get exactly what you expect.

You can buy these now at Hanna’s Herb Shop. The Schizandra Complete Concentrate is $14.99 and the Resveratrol Six is $19.99.

…or...

You could try to win them! Kroeger Herb Products is generously offering a bottle of each.

There will be TWO winners

one will win a bottle of Schizandra Complete Concentrate

and

one will win a bottle of Resveratrol Six.

*Limited to the Continental US only.*

Just start entering by way of Rafflecopter below (click ‘view comments’ to get started) and follow the instructions there.

Two great natural herb products from Kroeger Herbs – worth a look.

Go enter -- good luck!

Thoughtful Thursday

2011-11-03T00:29:00.000-07:00

[image]

"You can spend minutes, hours, days, weeks, or even months over-analyzing a situation; trying to put the pieces together, justifying what could've, would've happened...or you can just leave the pieces on the floor and move the [bleep] on."

~Tupak Shakur

Halloween

2011-11-01T13:55:00.000-07:00

Bye-bye October, hello November! How is everyone? I should title this the Post-Halloween Post because that's what I've got for you today. Please excuse the very amateur photography. Different cameras were used and not much attention was paid to detail. I'm losing my touch I think!

We carved pumpkins. ha ha! Little ones anyway. Martha Stewart (and her gang) I am not.

Hers:

[source]

Mine:

*snort*

I could only find glow-in-the-dark teeth and tried to paint glow-in-the-dark eyes (which is the white part you see -- it was drying) but for some reason they didn't turn out. Oh well. Things were still festive around here with other decorations (sorry, no pic).

For Halloween, YS2 dressed up as a train engineer (he loves Thomas the Train). I finally found his hat a couple hours before we headed out. I knew I should've bought it when I first came across it but held out for something better. Something better wasn't found (either too big or too small) so a Thomas & Friends hat it was -- still cute.

He can be a tough sell when it comes to hats. He'll wear them when there's a purpose. Such as, he's outside when it's cold or snowy or rainy. He won't wear a hat, or rarely, just because. But, an engineer wears a hat. At first, he wasn't having anything to do with it. Once I showed him pics online of little kids dressed as train engineers with a hat, he got on board with it. In fact, at one point I asked him if he wanted to take it off. Uh. The answer was a big fat no. ha ha!

The whole trick-r-treating thing is still a relatively foreign event for him. I mean, it's not like it happens every day, right? I explained to him about Halloween and going door to door. I was met with looks of whatever mom. And candy? Still something he doesn't eat but after he got his first piece at the first house we went to, he promptly told me candy is num nums. He didn't eat it but just figured out that this is a treat. He's no dummy.

Fortunately, it was a great night to T-or-T. A little chilly but not too bad and not raining (or snow like some of you had -- yikes)! Yee haw!

I wanted to take him to a particular neighborhood where one house is completely decked out for all major holidays and Halloween is the ultimate. Yup, I drove out of my way so Caleb could have the full experience.

We drove up and saw we were far from the only ones with the same idea. This house draws scores and scores of people from all around, known as the Halloween House. I wonder how much candy, in terms of cost and pounds, they invest each year? I can't even begin to imagine. No doubt they are shopping right this very minute picking up tons of marked down Halloween candy for next year. Like any kid cares that it's old. I don't because we're there for the experience anyway.

We stopped at the first house to get warmed up. YS2 is funny. He's shy but then again, he's not. He doesn't hide behind me; he'll stay close but he has no problem standing front and center. He'd have no problem walking in their house, taking extra candy, petting their dog (when permitted) or giving the dog candy (no-no to the chocolate, sweet boy -- whoops, that was close). The only thing: he won't say things on command to strangers so 'trick or treat' was never uttered. Neither was 'thank you.' He can say those things but only on his terms. Oh well, maybe next year. :)

We then went to the Halloween House. I always think, where do they store this stuff? It's not just Halloween but Thanksgiving, Easter, and of course, Christmas. Anyways...

Because there is so much stuff going on there with ghosts, graveyards, music and all manner of scary, YS2 wasn't too sure about this place. We practically walked the perimeter of the house (they decorate the WHOLE house -- these pics only show about two-thirds, I'm not kidding), walked up the steps, almost at the door when he wouldn't go any further. He said he was scared so we left and as we were walking away he told me it was a "really really scary house." Aw, I don't want him to be scared! Poor baby.

We hit more houses that weren't scary but just fun. We did end up at another scary house but he went thru with it because there were a bunch of other kids but it also was "really really scary."

We slowly scoured the neighborhood begging for candy he won't eat then headed home. He had fun except for the brief scary moments. He wanted to eat some candy but uh-uh. No way jose! I'm not naive in thinking I can keep him from candy all his life but I am putting off the inevitable experience he'll one day have. I'm sure he'll like it too but I hope that doesn't happen for a long time. (Updated to add: in exchange for candy he got two new toy trains. He had no problem with this, of course.)

green pumpkin grown in our garden

I just had a flashback from a time when I was about 9-10 years old and trick-or-treating with a couple of my friends. We stopped at one house that was on the edge of the neighborhood. Our subdivision was still fairly new too so this area wasn't as lit or populated. We're invincible at that age right? So we knocked and an older man opened the door, surprised to see us there shouting 'trick or treat!' He looked around for some candy admitting he'd forgotten it was Halloween and mumbled something about his wife not being home who normally took care of things like this. So he fumbled around looking for candy and when he couldn't, he invited us into his house! Yeah, we were crazy enough to follow him in. He looked all over his kitchen for candy, maybe he found pieces here and there, don't remember but I do remember him opening up his fridge and handing us cans of pop. Awesome! We felt like we had hit the jackpot. We left, laughing over our sweet load, drinking pop. My mom would be horrified to know (then and maybe now) that we had walked into some strangers house like that. Things you certainly wouldn't do these days.

Sorry this was bit lengthy but I had to get it all out while the memory is still fresh. Hope next year YS2 says trick or treat! :)

How was your Halloween? Did you dress up? I didn't unless you count my purple shirt. #lame. It's funny walking around on Halloween not knowing who's in costume and who's not. Sometimes it's hard to tell.

Happy Halloween!

2011-10-31T11:34:00.000-07:00

It's here! Halloween is here! Here are a couple of fun videos to keep us in the Halloween groove.

Thoughtful Thursday: Halloween edition

Fingers crossed I find the last detail of YS2's costume today so I can share a pic with you tomorrow.

Have fun, be safe -- Happy Halloween!

Half a Minute of Sweetness from a 2 Year Old

2011-10-29T07:52:00.000-07:00

Happy Saturday! Hope your weekend is going good so far. Thought I'd share a cute little video of YS2 with you today. I try to not inundate you with a lot of pics and videos of my sweet angel here on my blog, although, I probably do more than my fair share of pics...but it has been awhile since I've posted a video of YS2 in action and this one is just too cute (IMO) to not share. This was taken recently by hubby of YS2 being a little scared -- he got himself in a predicament and needed help. My fave is at 0:04. So sweet I wanted to rescue him myself. It's also funny how quickly the energy shifts -- so two.

Hope you enjoy!

Daydreaming

2011-10-28T01:50:00.000-07:00

So I've been thinking lately about my future ~~castle~~ home. Lots of land, a wraparound porch...but the first thing I think (daydream) about is the kitchen. Who doesn't right? I may not be a stellar chef but I do like being in the kitchen, just not doing dishes. Anyways...

My kitchen would be kickin'! The Kickin Kitchen. I have always wanted my kitchen to have a built-in space, like a cubby-hole, for my dehydrator. Is that weird? Nah. There'd be lots of counter space, cupboards, and drawers; a huge walk-in pantry, an extra-large refrigerator (there’s never enough room as it is it seems) and a cozy breakfast nook.

Maybe even something like this wood bar counter?

[source]

I do want a counter bar of some sort, which means, I'd need some barstools from here. The kitchen seems to be the heart of the home so a bar and barstools would be ideal. I love it when everyone hangs out in the kitchen -- usually watching you (or whoever) cook or wash dishes.

Not sure what my ultimate style would be but I have a few in mind...

Of course, with the barstools I’d conveniently place my new juicer front and center. Belly up to the juice bar guys!

More on my new juicer coming up soon. I’m off to dream a bit more of my future kickin kitchen.

What’s in your dream kitchen?

Thoughtful Thursday

2011-10-27T00:05:00.000-07:00

Happy Halloween!

Double, double toil and trouble; fire burn and cauldron bubble.
--Shakespeare, "Macbeth"

From ghoulish and ghosties and long leggety beasties and things that go bump in the night,
Good Lord, deliver us!
--Scottish saying

Eye of newt, and toe of frog,
Wool of bat, and tongue of dog,
Adder's fork, and blind-worm's sting,
Lizard's leg, and owlet's wing,
For a charm of powerful trouble,
Like a hell-broth boil and bubble.
--Shakespeare, "Macbeth"

Clothes make a statement. Costumes tell a story.
--Mason Cooley

What fearful shapes and shadows beset his path, amidst the dim and ghastly glare of a snowy night! With what wistful look did he eye every trembling ray of light streaming across the waste fields from some distant window! How often was he appalled by some shrub covered with snow, which, like a sheeted spectre, beset his very path! How often did he shrink with curdling awe at the sound of his own steps on the frosty crust beneath his feet; and dread to look over his shoulder, lest he should behold some uncouth being tramping close behind him! and how often was he thrown into complete dismay by some rushing blast, howling among the trees, in the idea that it was the Galloping Hessian on one of his nightly scourings!
--Washington Irving, "The Legend of Sleep Hollow"

Winner: Tropical Traditions shredded coconut

2011-10-21T10:03:00.000-07:00

Good morning and happy Friday to you!

Thank you to all who entered my giveaway for the Tropical Traditions shredded coconut. Three and a half pounds worth of yumminess!

Let's get to announcing the winner, who was selected randomly...

#139 Debra F
Share!

Congrats Debra! I just emailed you -- please respond within 48 hours with your shipping info.

Thanks to Tropical Traditions for sponsoring this giveaway.

Be sure to check back here in the week or so for another giveaway. Yay!

Enjoy your weekend!

Thoughtful Thursday

2011-10-20T00:11:00.000-07:00

♥

“People always ask me, ‘You have so much confidence. Where did that come from?’ It came from me. One day I decided that I was beautiful, and so I carried out my life as if I was a beautiful girl … It doesn’t have anything to do with how the world perceives you. What matters is what you see. Your body is your temple, it’s your home, and you must decorate it.” --Gabourey Sidibe

Quick Weekend Recap and a Guest Post

2011-10-17T15:13:00.000-07:00

Hello Friends! Hope you had a great weekend -- I did! YS2 and I worked on some Halloween decorations while papa was busy at the community garden for their big fall work party, which was a huge success I might add. I think Mr. Yardsnacker fits into his presidential role quite well and the garden has really taken shape with improvements and unity. Anyway,YS2 loved the decorations so much that some are now looking a bit "loved" --hee hee! We had fun making pumpkins and bats and ghosts and other fun things.

Let's get to today's post which is brought to you by guest blogger, Lauren Bailey:

5 Eco-Conscious Children's Books: Get Your Kid to Go Green and Eat Healthy

Confession: My family was not always the most eco-friendly. In fact, we've only recently started eating organically and doing our part to sustain the environment. The transition to living a healthier and greener lifestyle was "different," but relatively easy for my husband and me. But for my kids? Not so much. Not until I introduced the concept in a fun way—through children's books. There are tons of great children's books available that are especially written to serve as a "primer" to eco-living and to get your child thinking about the importance of eating healthy. While your local librarian can help you locate books targeted towards your children's specific age group, the ones listed below are a few that worked their magic on my children—ages preschool to 10-years-old.

5. The Curious Garden, Peter Brown

This beautiful and vibrant illustrated book follows young Liam as he revitalizes a dying garden found in the middle of a dark and dirty metropolitan city. After Liam nurtures and tends to the garden, the garden starts to grow until it eventually floods the streets of the drab city, converting it into a lush green haven. It is the perfect example to show that even one small person can make a difference in the world. To make the experience more interactive and to help your child reduce his or her carbon footprint, this would be the perfect opportunity to plant your very own garden with your child like I did with mine.

4. Grandpa's Garden Lunch, Judith Caseley

While extremely simple—it's more of a picture book—it's a great way to get your kids to eat fresh fruits and veggies. This is because it tells the story of a young girl named Sarah who has a blast choosing vegetables from her grandparents' garden and then makes a delicious meal from her pickings. While planting your very own vegetable garden could be an excellent way to get your child to learn about healthier eating, another option is taking them to the farmers' market or even just the organic section of the grocery store so that he or she can help "pick" some wholesome ingredients for lunch.

3. George Saves the World by Lunchtime, Jo Readman

George is a pretend cape crusader who one day tells his grandfather that he want to actually save the world. Unsure how to complete his goal, George's grandfather gives him a list of realistic "villains" he can help defeat on a regular basis, such as pollution the landfill. Filled with realistic tips that your child can adopt, the book's main purpose is to teach children that even the smallest tasks such as recycling paper everyday and working to conserve energy can truly help save the planet. Take this time to introduce your child to home-recycling etc. if you wish.

2. Giggles the Green Bean Turns Stinkytown Into Greentown, Lauren Davis

This book, which is fairly new (published in 2010), is the first part of a five book series that teaches children about water and energy conservation, healthy eating habits and recycling—all through the eyes of Giggles the Green Bean. In this first book, Giggles starts off as a seedling that doesn't want to come out of the soil because above ground is a complete mess—there's pollution in the air, the trees are dying, and the sky is gray. With the help of his grandmother and a wise cabbage, Giggles learns five ways to make the environment clean and livable. The author, who is a working environmentalist, promises a portion of the proceeds will go to the U.S. Forest Service Plant-A-Tree Program.

1. The Lorax, Dr. Seuss

While this book is certainly the oldest in the bunch—it was published in 1971— it still has the most impact on small children. In this classic story Dr. Seuss is able to artistically demonstrate the ramifications of depleting an area of all of its resources. The animated version can be found here.

This guest post is contributed by Lauren Bailey, who regularly writes for best online colleges. She welcomes your comments at her email Id: blauren99@gmail.com.

****

Thanks Lauren! I hadn't heard of some of these books but now I have some gift ideas for YS2 come Christmas time.

Be sure to contact Lauren with any comments or questions you have or leave your comments below.

Nature Walks

2011-10-14T00:34:00.000-07:00

Hello friends! I wanted to say thank you so much for the birthday wishes and the support and kind comments on my ups and downs post. I had a great birthday even though it started out a bit rough when we witnessed a single car crash. Fortunately, all persons will be okay (phew). I am making a little progress on my "get movin'" goals (baby steps, right?) -- more on that later but not in this post.

Now, onto today's post...

[warning: lots of pictures]

This post is long overdue but hey, why not relive some past moments anyway? The weather has turned so nature walks with YS2 (more like strolls with the occasional sprint when you've got a tot) aren’t as frequent in the evening but here’s a sampling of some of our walks from this summer and early fall…

let's go!

hot air balloon in the distance -- it actually appeared closer but the lens on my cell isn't that great. this eventually landed where we were. I would've taken pictures then but we were already in the car.

taking a break

peek-a-boo!

that's a big leaf

as evidenced on his face, YS2 loves wild blackberries

sorry if you're seeing this more than once (I posted to twitter) but got to see a double rainbow the other day

this tree is appraised at $13,300 -- never seen that before

see the little birdie?

again, the moon was closer but my camera makes it seem farther away -- still a pretty moon-rise

a boy + water + rocks + dirt = happiness

he looks so small -- love

some randomness...

nature imitating nature: stuff (technical term) fallen from a tree -- looks like a dragonfly!

someone was busy lining these pinecones up (no, it wasn't us)

random to me -- the only flower around so I wondered if it was planted by a person or the wind

this wasn't really on our walk but it's still random -- that must've taken a long time to do! Can you imagine having to take it all off before it rains?

the end!

Thanks for joining us on our little adventure walks.

Thoughtful Thursday

2011-10-13T07:06:00.000-07:00

***

Who's with me on this one??

Happy Birthday to ME!

2011-10-10T02:54:00.000-07:00

I guess I'm not bashful about shouting to the world that today is my birthday. *<:-)

Hope it's a good day for me, you and everyone!

***

Tropical Traditions: review n giveaway

2011-10-06T03:10:00.000-07:00

Hey hey! It’s time for more Tropical Traditions goodies! We love them don’t we?

Today, I am reviewing their shredded coconut. Any chance to have some coconut I’m all over it. I currently use their coconut chips, which we snack on frequently but I was interested in trying the shreds.

What I love about this is it’s certified organic. So no sulfates, no pesticides, and no preservatives. Also, it’s unsweetened, which I prefer (besides, the store-bought sweetened kind usually has suspect ingredients).

It comes in a one-gallon, reusable tub (about 3.5 pounds). It was a little challenge getting it open at first but it can be done I tell ya. What’s great is when you run out of coconut, just order a refill bag then fill up the tub with the new coconut. No fuss, no muss, no excess packaging.

It’s great to snack on by itself but it’s also great to sprinkle on top of cereal, muffins, smoothies (hey, any kind of coconut is good in or on top of a smoothie!) or whatever you want. I throw together a trail mix of raw almonds, raisins and coconut to keep in the car for YS2.

For a yummy raw vegan treat, hubby will make some quick cacao macaroons or truffles. We’re usually too antsy to let them set so we just eat it up with spoons. Just mix up some cacao, shredded coconut, coconut oil (or coconut butter), agave, maybe a pinch of salt (did I get all the ingredients?) and voila! Treats! Or you could be proper and roll them, then roll in more coconut shreds or use a cookie scoop to make macaroons and place on a dehydrator tray.

I’ve made a basic granola (vegan but not raw – next time) by mixing together rolled oats (not the quick kind), kamut flakes, raw almonds (roughly chopped), grated apple, agave (or maple syrup), cinnamon, vanilla, a sprinkling of raw sunflower seeds and of course, plenty of shredded coconut. Mix it all up and toast at 350 degrees F in the oven for about 15 minutes or so, stirring once, and you’ve got some granola. Take or add whatever you like and it’s so good, especially with almond milk.

I have also made some vegan coconut cookies (sorry, no pic). Now these are super good and I have even shared the recipe with non-vegan friends who loved them.

*I use sucanat in place of brown sugar, which causes the batter to have a little “grit” – doesn’t get as creamy as it would with brown sugar but it’s so good when baked. Caramely.

Chewy Coconut Cookies (vegan adaption)
adapted from AllRecipes.com

Ingredients
• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt (I omit usually)
• 1/2 cup earth balance spread
• 1/2 cup packed sucanat
• 1/2 cup (vegan) white sugar
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons water (for the 1 egg)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/3 cups shredded coconut

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
2. Combine dry ingredients; set aside.
3. In another bowl, cream the “butter” and sugars until smooth* (see my comment above). Beat in the cornstarch/water mixture and vanilla until light and fluffy. Gradually blend in the flour mixture, then mix in the shredded coconut.
4. Drop dough by teaspoonfuls onto an ungreased cookie sheet, about 3 inches apart.
5. Bake for about 8-10 minutes in ready oven or until lightly toasted. Let cool.
6. Lick beaters, bowl and spoon clean while waiting for the cookies to cool. :)

Of course, Tropical Traditions has a whole host of recipes using dried coconut you can peruse here.

So if you love coconut, you’ll want to enter the giveaway.

Tropical Traditions is giving away to one person a ONE-GALLON tub of Shredded Coconut (RV $25)

It is limited to the US and Canada.

Giveaway will go from now until Thursday, October 20th. Winner will be selected randomly and announced/contacted the following day. Make sure you provide an email address I can contact you with because if you don’t I must select another winner.

I’m using Rafflecopter again to manage the giveaway. There is no mandatory entry but please follow all instructions.

Thanks Tropical Traditions for sponsoring this giveaway.

Now go enter and good luck!

Disclosure: I received said product for review from Tropical Traditions but was not paid or expected to give a favorable review; nor was I obligated to host this giveaway. The other product mentioned above, coconut chips, was never sponsored by Tropical Traditions but paid for with my own money. I say this because it's another product I enjoy but was under no obligation to mention. Now stop reading this fine print and enter! xo

Thoughtful Thursday

2011-10-06T00:01:00.000-07:00

[source]

"That's been one of my mantras -- focus and simplicity. Simple can be harder than complex: You have to work hard to get your thinking clean to make it simple. But it's worth it in the end because once you get there, you can move mountains." [source]

“Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking. Don’t settle. As with all matters of the heart, you’ll know when you find it. And, like any great relationship, it just gets better and better as the years roll on. So keep looking until you find it. Don’t settle.” [source]

"You can't connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something -- your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. This approach has never let me down, and it has made all the difference in my life." [source]

"Remembering that I'll be dead soon is the most important tool I've ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life. Because almost everything -- all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure - these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important. Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart. ... Stay hungry. Stay foolish." [source]

Rest in peace, Steve Jobs.

Ups and Downs

2011-10-05T10:44:00.000-07:00

Heyho! How is everyone? I’m trying to get caught up with all the posts I have planned so bear with me if several come at you at once. Not on the same day mind you (the exception being on Thoughtful Thursdays – there might be some overlap) however, over the next week or two. Some are “past their prime” but still want to share.

Moving on to the title of this post: Ups and Downs.

[source]

Anyway, recently I was asked about a little thing I so excitedly talked about awhile back. Remember the Climb for Air I was planning on signing up for to get me back into exercising regularly? I wanted to do this as an incentive to get moving (besides it being a great cause).

Well...

I failed. I dropped the ball. I sat on my butt.

[source]

Oops.

This apparently wasn't my start. It'd be so easy to berate myself right here right now but instead I will find a new start. I can begin again.

[source]

So while I might have failed to get moving in time to commit to this worthy cause, I can still commit to getting fit. And if it takes me several tries to get in the habit then so be it.

[source]

I will say that I have been a little more active in going for walks with YS2. He loves to be active (well, he is two) and he loves to be outside. We’ve got some great trails nearby we can venture down. With the weather changing though, this will be my challenge because it gets dark earlier and I just want to be cozy. It's easy to rationalize or talk yourself out of something. But honestly, I have no excuse for my failure to train in time for this month’s event.

[source]

Some might say I could still participate in time for the big climb that takes place in 2.5 weeks but let’s be realistic. Climbing stairs can be intense and I don’t want to put my body into shock!

[source]

So here’s what I’m going to do: I’m going to start over. TODAY. I have some exercises I can do at home or at the gym (if the weather is fairly decent, hiking/walking outside is the plan). My goal is to do something active every. single. day.

[source]

I know it’ll be tough at first when I just want to be lazy or find other things to do but have to remember slow and steady and that I can find the time. Just 20 minutes a day even.

[source]

I’m hoping that owning up to my falling-short-of-my-goal publicly will get me motivated to improve and make good on my new goal(s) but I have to remind myself to be nice to me when things get bumpy or I reach a stumbling block.

[source]

As always, I appreciate your support especially as I admit to my shortcomings. There will be future events for me to participate in but for now, it will be a daily event to get where I ultimately want to be.

[source]

I'll let you know how things go next week.

Thoughtful Thursday

2011-09-29T00:01:00.000-07:00

♥

Thoughtful Thursday

2011-09-22T01:00:00.000-07:00

♣

Juice Contest Winner

2011-09-19T11:29:00.000-07:00

Happy Monday, friends! Hope you had a good weekend -- we did. Went by way too fast though (typical). I'm sad summer is going but I am looking forward to fall and this weekend was very fall. Cloudy, rainy (at night), still a little warm but breezy. Cozy. Which got us in a movie mood. Have you seen (or read) "Water for Elephants?" I haven't read the book but heard it's good. Now that I've seen the movie, I won't be reading the book but then again, I wasn't planning on it anyway. I won't review the movie here because I don't want to give anything away (I'm horrible with stuff like that) but will say I heart Rosie.

When it comes to books though, I like to read them before seeing the movie (does anyone ever see the movie first then read the book?). Depending on the subject matter or some situations, I sometimes will pass on the movie because reading the details was enough that having it played out before my eyes might be more than I can handle. Like the "Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" will be one I won't see. Reading was enough thank you.

Anyway, enough about that. Today's post is about the Juice Contest I was co-judge for with Elena of Vegalicious. Sorry it took longer than expected but we made the Top 3 juices and tasted each one and now have the results of the contest. The winner will receive all three of Elena's e-books ($25 value -- participants will receive a 50% discount code to use towards any purchase in her e-book store).

     1. Guilt Free Vegan Desserts
     2. 3-Day Green Smoothie Cleanse
     3. One Week Raw Food Detox

First, the Top 3 vote-getters (based on readers' votes) -- in numerical order:

(2) Nikki - Everything's Peachy
(3) Kristina - Green Grapefruit Juice
(5) Karriann - Watermelon Summer Blast

We made each of their spectacular juices -- amazing! Now, the hard part: deciding the winner.

The winning juice was a wonderful balance of flavors and beautiful color.

The winner is...

NIKKI

Congrats Nikki! It truly was a wonderful and beautiful juice - we all loved it!

Everything's Peachy by Nikki
2 yellow peaches
3 golden beets
1 lime
2 fuji apples
1 orange
1 inch nub of ginger

Btw, photo credit goes to Nikki. The photo above is the one she submitted to the contest. I took a pic too but it pales in comparison.

Thanks Elena for hosting and sponsoring this contest and inviting me to be a part of it.

I loved this contest because I love all the creativity of each one, the flavor combos, and now, more recipes to try and add to my collection (with credit to the originator of course). Thanks to the participants and those who voted. We'll have to do this again sometime.

Sun's out today so gotta enjoy it while I can. Enjoy your day!

Funny

2011-09-15T23:19:00.000-07:00

The weekend is here! The weekend is here! Yippee!

Hey, have you seen this video? So cute and so funny. I promise to post some posts with a bit more substance that are currently in the works but this I just had to share.

Enjoy!

Thoughtful Thursday

2011-09-15T01:00:00.000-07:00

Hey hey! Hope your week is going fabulously!

I'd like to start a new series on my blog here called Thoughtful Thursday. I love quotes and sayings, poems, lyrics, signs...you get the idea. I know some of you like them, too, so I thought I'd share one every Thursday. Some might be funny, thought-provoking, kick-you-in-the-butt, beautiful, sad (well, maybe not too sad because I don't like to be sad), holiday-ish, spiritual, or contain a vulgar word or two (but hopefully nothing too offensive). Just kind of whatever that day. Feel free to join in on your blog too.

♥

Coocoo-nut water taste test

2011-09-10T23:57:00.000-07:00

It's been awhile since I've mentioned anything about coconuts but let me refresh your memory or clue new readers in: I'm cuckoo for coconuts. I often refer to them as coo-coo nuts. It wasn't until about four years ago or so that I actually tried a young coconut - I never looked back. The water it contains is perfect. It's amazing. Far different than the mature (brown) coconuts.

The health properties of coconuts are incredible so it's no wonder that its water is too and serves as the ideal isotonic thirst-quencher. Assuming you know this (if you don't or would like to know a little more, check out my past post here), let's move on to the purpose of today's post.

One of my favorite brands of coconut water is C20. It comes in a can but I'm not certain if it's a BPA-free can or not. Aside from that, it's a fave - very tasty. But, today's post isn't about C20 either...

Today's post is a Taste Test between two other coconut waters.

Blue Monkey coconut water and Taste Nirvana Pure Coconut Water.

It seems someone somewhere blogged about Blue Monkey recently. I don't remember who! I'm sorry if it was you.

To preface, Taste Nirvana we've had and have all the time in the glass bottle. We love it, especially YS2. Blue Monkey we've never tried till now and it comes in a can, however, Taste Nirvana now comes in a can too. So for the taste test we got both products in a can, which are BPA-free.

Bottom line first: both taste YUM! I would drink either but given a choice I'd choose Taste Nirvana.

The low-down:

Taste Nirvana: 16.2 oz (they say on the can this is one serving size - thank you!)
Blue Monkey: 17.6 oz (they say on the can this is about two serving sizes. Bah!)

Seriously, how often do you buy a drink that is labeled two servings or more but you only drink one and save the rest for later? I do wish TN would put MORE in their can and still label it as one serving. :)

Price: Taste Nirvana was slightly more expensive at $2.39/can.

Blue Monkey

Taste Nirvana

Both are made with 100% coconut water, however, when reading their nutrition labels Blue Monkey has twice as many calories and carbs. Hmmm...there is an obvious sweeter taste to Blue Monkey than Taste Nirvana. So depending on your preference this may or may not matter to you.

Sodium: 80 mg (Blue Monkey) vs 72 mg (Taste Nirvana)

Let's remember that Blue Monkey has slightly more beverage in their can over Taste Nirvana. Might not seem like much but still noteworthy.

Potassium: hands down as you can see on the labels Taste Nirvana wins here. The comparison is not even close.

My assumption is that the differences I pointed out are due to how they're processed. I'm merely guessing but what else could it be? Different types of coconuts? Not sure...

While Blue Monkey is a very tasty beverage and one I'd never turn down, I think Taste Nirvana tastes more like fresh young coconut water. And with all the beneficial health properties, you can't go wrong.

If you see either, pick one up and try it or conduct your own taste test.

By the way, this was not a sponsored review - both products were purchased with my own moola. Blue Monkey and Taste Nirvana have zero idea who I am.

Reflections

2011-09-09T10:27:00.000-07:00

source

I walked into my building this morning and saw a huge US flag carefully hung on the wall. A reminder of the 9/11 attacks that happened ten years ago Sunday. Has it been 10 years already?

I still get emotional thinking about what took place that day, the many lives taken and the many others forever changed. We all changed in some way that day I believe.

Putting aside any politics and theoretical explanations as to who, why and how this tragedy occurred, I just wanted to reflect and express what is. Innocent lives were taken that day and hardened many hearts.

I remember where I was and what I was doing that day. I remember being in my bathroom getting ready for work and having the radio on as I normally do, turned low so it served more as background noise than anything. So even though the volume was low I detected a mood and emotion from the dj. I turned up the volume and didn’t understand what he was talking about but it was enough for me to turn on the tv. I couldn’t believe what I was witnessing. I froze trying to comprehend. I’m sure I thought as many others, what just happened and how does this happen in the US? Who would do this?

*Bubble burst*

The air was heavy. Even though it was just me moving about my apartment, I could still feel the heaviness; the cloud following me as I tried to understand.

I went on as usual – finished getting ready for work, listened to the news, got on the bus. The bus was particularly quiet. The heaviness was here too – there was no escaping it apparently. It was real.

A woman on the bus listening to the news through her headphones announced in a quiet tone that one of the towers just fell. I wondered again: what was happening????

At work, I couldn’t concentrate. I was listening and watching the news. Then the second tower fell. Horror had struck and I felt vulnerable. I didn’t want to be in my office building downtown on the 17th floor. I was suddenly very scared. My boyfriend (now hubby) called me to see if I was alright. More heaviness. He came and picked me up.

We went back to my apartment and stayed glued to the tv. I cried. This day was the day that truly told me I was an adult and would be dealing with adult things. I wanted to be little again or continue living in my bubble where all was well.

I remember talking to a someone at the time -- maybe a few days later – who was put off by all the coverage of the attacks. Like they didn’t understand why this had to continue to dominate everything. Uh…I don’t know, maybe because this is a significant event that’s never happened before that we just witnessed? Yeesh. It was a lot to process though and everyone deals with things differently.

Now it’s 10 years later. Talk about in a blink of an eye. I wish we could live in simpler, happier times where everyone just got along.

Sorry this really isn't about me but it did have an impact and no doubt it did on you too wherever you are in the world. My blog is normally one that’s light and fun and happy but today I want to express my gratitude for the many who sacrificed themselves 10 years ago (and those who have and/or continue to do so today). To them, you are amazing and my heart aches for those who lost loved ones.

source

Vote Now! Juice Contest

2011-09-07T16:10:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone!

Remember the juice contest Elena is hosting on her blog...and I'm co-judge? Well, entries have been submitted so now it's your turn to vote for your favorite.

**Click here to vote**

Spread the word to your readers, friends, and family to vote! Top 3 will move to the final round where Elena and I will make and taste the recipes to determine the winner of Elena's three 3-books.

Voting is open now until Sunday, the 11th at 2 PM EDT. You can go to Elena's blog for more info.

Go vote and good luck to the contestants!

I'll be the judge

2011-09-03T14:16:00.000-07:00

Howdy ho kidlets! Probably didn't expect to hear from me so soon didya? Well, inspired by juice (see my previous post) several of us on twitter got to talking about juice. How can you not when they're so pretty and made with such wonderfulness? Twitter pal, FitVeganTrainer (Elena) thought hey! why not a juice contest? I said great idea! Which brings me here now.

Elena is hosting the contest on her blog and I will be sharing judging duties with her.

Her post has all the info but I've listed the info here too.

To enter, submit your whole juice recipe and photo in the comment section (underneath the comment box is a '+' for image, click on that to post your pic). Can be made with a juicer or blender. One entry per person.

Submit your juicy recipes and pics NOW till the end of Tuesday, 11:59 pm, PST, September 6th.

Elena and I will work together on selecting the 10 best (most creative, beautiful, interesting, etc.) juicy recipes.
Next, YOU be the judge! Voters will vote from the best 10 their favorite.
Top 3 with the most votes move to final round.
Finally, Elena and I will make the top 3 recipes for a taste-test and pick the winner!

Winner will receive all three of Elena's e-books ($25 value).

Guilt Free Vegan Desserts
3-Day Green Smoothie Cleanse
One Week Raw Food Detox

ANYONE can enter! So get your juicy game face on and submit your entry now. Spread the word, too!

**Click here to get started.** All the rules and everything else you need to know are there but feel free to ask either us anything.

Good luck!

Juicy

2011-09-02T22:14:00.000-07:00

Happy Labor Day weekend! Hopefully you've got fun plans in store.

So I know I need to do a garden post and this isn't it (working on pictures - there are a lot!)...but our garden has exploded! Well, that means it's time to get JUICY!

With fresh carrots, cucumbers, beets and so much more I've been able to make some tasty juices. Love the fact that many of the veggies I'm using are homegrown.

These juices are ones I shared on facebook so for some of you this is a repeat. Hope you enjoy again. :)

First up, the Ultimate Pink Drink or the Two Juice:

2 apples
2 cucumbers
2 carrots
2 red beets

Cleansing but really really good.

Next, the Sunflower Juice:

2 apples

2 cucumbers

2 carrots
1 golden beet
1 valencia orange

Not as much of a cleanser so it was safe for my kiddo to drink (which he did happily) and to me, it was just happy drink and my favorite. I'm making more tomorrow!

Have a good weekend!
-heidi

Winner of Skin Exfoliator

2011-09-01T09:55:00.000-07:00

Thanks to all who entered and supported my giveaway! Have to say I liked using Rafflecopter to manage the entries - I didn't really have to do anything. They even use Random.org to pick the winner. I'm assuming you liked it as well since I didn't get any negative feedback. I'll use them again.

Anyway...

Time to announce the winner of the Tropical Traditions Skin Exfoliator.

#26 Kelli - follow on GFC

Woo hoo! Congrats Kelli! I'll be emailing you shortly and you'll have 48 hours to respond with your info.

Don't be sad if you didn't win. I'm planning on doing another giveaway once I work out the details.

Thanks again to all those who entered and to Tropical Traditions for sponsoring.

Last Day

2011-08-31T09:51:00.000-07:00

Happy Wednesday kiddies!

It's the last day of the month of August 2011. Wow. Where's the year going?! Sheesh. Seems like it just began and now it's nearly Labor Day, the unofficial last day of summer. Bummer. However, summer around here is not going without a fight I'm happy to report - it's my favorite season after all (autumn is a close second).

Speaking of last day though, today is the last day to enter my giveaway for a jar of Tropical Traditions Skin Exfoliator. If you haven't entered, do it! If you want bonus entries, get them in! Ends at midnight.

And speaking of giveaways, I'm thinking of doing a very special one that involves something homemade. Yeah, feeling crafty and want to share my craftiness. You game? I've got a couple of ideas in mind of what I'd like to do - anyway, it's a thought in process.

Now speaking of homemade, I recently made some fruit rolls, as YS2 likes to call them. They're basically fruit roll ups or fruit leather. Remember those? As a kid, I remember how badly I wanted them as all my friends had them. My mom wasn't into buying those sorts of things. Little did I know at the time how better off I was without them. Thanks Mom! So anyway, how about a healthy and yummier version made with real ingredients? Not just for kids either.

no petunas were harmed in the making of these fruit rolls

You can make these with whatever fruit combo suits your fancy or whatever is in season. Fresh is always best but frozen can be substituted, just thaw first.

Mango Fruit Rolls (raw/vegan)
2 ripe bananas
1 large mango
1 cup strawberries

Blueberry Fruit Rolls (raw/vegan)
2 pears, peeled
1 pint or 2 cups blueberries

Blend all ingredients until smooth, making sure there are no chunks. If you have a dehydrator, pour onto the teflex sheet (probably will need two) and spread thin but not see-through leaving the edges a little thicker.

Dry at 110 degrees for about 8-10 hours or until no longer tacky. Peel from teflex sheet and flip onto mesh screen for additional drying time till no longer sticky but still pliable.

Cut into strips (or shapes if feeling extra creative) and roll. Store in an air-tight container or wrap individually. Not sure how long they keep but I would think for at least several days or longer if individually wrapped.

I haven't experimented making these by using the oven. No doubt it's possible - just keep the temperature at the lowest setting and maybe keeping the door open a bit, too.

YS2's fave are the mango ones but he won't turn down the blueberry ones either. :)

Anyway, enjoy this last day of the month on the last day of my giveaway (go enter! you really should) and enjoy a fruit roll if you can.

Life is art

2011-08-23T22:37:00.000-07:00

≈

true.

Review n Giveaway: TT Organic Skin Exfoliator

2011-08-18T00:01:00.000-07:00

I wish my skin was always smooth, youthful looking and never dry but…

     I wear flip flops and sandals all the time
     I chase a toddler in said footwear thru playgrounds, dirt and grass
     I wash my hands a lot and then some more
     I don’t always drink enough water
     I’m outside a lot, even if it’s not always sunny

…so, as you can see from this small list, my skin gets dry and rough (especially feet – ew). You can probably list some of these same things or others, I bet.

Thankfully, I now have a quick spa treatment I can use at home with Tropical Traditions’ organic skin exfoliator. Smells nice too, not perfumey. My choice: citrus-mint.

I used it on my hands – so soft.
I used it on my feet – way smoother.
I used it on my elbows and knees – ahh.
I even tried it on my face - nice. It’s a bit rough for the face so I wouldn’t suggest doing it often or if you have sensitive skin. But I used this a couple of times knowing it wouldn't clog my pores. Some might find it too oily for their face but I didn't; I actually like using organic oil (olive, coconut, or almond) as a moisturizer so this was great for me. Tip: mix scrub very well before using!

The oil content is a bit high, so be careful stepping out of the shower! No, I didn’t slip but still thought I’d caution you a bit anyway. Just wanting to keep you safe. :)

When I first got the package (fast shipping btw) it was a little oily on the outside and some had accumulated in the lid. The seal itself wasn’t compromised or damaged so I chose to keep it. Obviously, the jar isn’t leak-proof plus it’s summer so this didn’t bother me. However, I did notify TT just to be sure though, and they apologized and assured me it’s not common for that to happen. They would've sent me another jar if I had asked. You can be sure, too, they will take care of you if you have any issues with any of their products. They’re great to work with.

Tropical Traditions uses all natural and organic ingredients in their scrubs, including virgin palm oil, which is said (from their website) to “contain high concentrations of a powerful form of Vitamin E called “tocotrienols” which published research has shown is 40–60 times more potent than alpha-tocopherol (the most common form of Vitamin E found as an additive in most skin care products.).” So nice! Click here for a list of ingredients or more info.

It’s available in Citrus-Mint, Lavender, and Unscented. It’s currently on sale for $11.99 (regularly $16.95).

Now for the giveaway!

Tropical Traditions is offering one person a jar (4 fl. oz) of organic skin exfoliator – scent of choice.

To enter this giveaway, I’m switching things up a bit and trying something new. Introducing Rafflecopter (widget follows disclosure)! This will help me not be frustrated when people don't follow the rules (no offense). Should be pretty easy and straightforward when entering but feel free to let me know if you have any questions or problems or whatever.

HINT: to get started, you may need to click 'view comments' if initially you don't see the Rafflecopter widget. Do the mandatory first (click instructions) then hit the "I did this" button once completed. After the mandatory entry is completed the bonus entries will become available to you. Be sure to hit the "I did this" button when necessary (usually after leaving a comment) to have your entry counted.

Contest goes from 8/18 to 8/31 and is open to US and Canada.

Thanks to Tropical Traditions for sponsoring this giveaway.

Good luck!

Disclosure: I was provided a full-size (4 fl oz) sample jar for review by Tropical Traditions. I was not paid or asked to give a favorable review or host this giveaway. These are my honest opinions of this product. If I didn't like it you wouldn't even be reading this right now. :)