No Meals But Exercise

I'm not going to record my meals today because I wasn't very good in making the best choices. I did have a couple of cups of fruit/veggie smoothie and a handful of almonds so all my food choices weren't bad, but too many were, involving sweets & simple carbs. Ugh.

I did ride for twenty minutes on the recumbent bike but didn't go walking in the rain.

Here's to better choices tomorrow!~TJ

Meals, Snacks & Exercise

In an attempt to keep track of what I'm eating so I don't lose focus on my objectives of getting healthier, I'm recording my meals &, snacks as boring as it may be to any poor soul that happens to stumble upon my blog, lol!
I do find it is keeping me more aware of what and how much I'm eating on a daily basis and actually causes me to think through what I eat even when tempted by not so healthy things. Like today...

Upon awakening: 1 reg coffee & 1 decaf coffee both with 1 teaspoon each of heavy cream.

Meal 1:  1/2 egg white veggie omelette, sliced tomatoes

Meal 2: the other half of my egg white veggie omelette & sliced tomatoes

Snack: 7 candy corns (craving sweets BUT used portion control)

Meal 3: brown rice & mushroom recipe I tried. It contained cream of mush soup, butter, brown rice and addition fresh mushrooms.    1 &  1/2 cups. Dessert: I treated myself to 2 rectangles of Hersheys dark chocolate. Again, portion control, which for me is HUGE.

Drinks throughout the day: unsweetened iced green tea, water

I took my dog for a twenty minute walk and then also went for a 45 minute spin on the new recumbent bike we bought yesterday (& hubby put together today!).

Todays Meals & Snacks

I find that the more I incorporate the extra fruits and vegetables into my daily diet, the less I crave the usual junk that I normally am drawn to. Interesting.

Today-

Upon awakening: 1 cup reg. coffee with 1 tsp cream & 1 cup decaf wih 1 tsp. cream

"Meal" 1: 2 1/2 cups fruit & veggie smoothie (leftover from last night)

Snack: 1 oz. natural unsalted almonds

Snack: 5 of those new Burger King lower fat & calorie French fries, "satisfries" is what I think they're called. Out running errands & shopping & wanted a little something before I went into starvation mode (which could equal binge mode if I'm not careful).

"Meal" 2: BK fish sandwich, large lettuce & tomato salad (w/ mung bean sprouts) & lemon vinaigrette

Snack: banana "shake" made with only frozen bananas, rice milk & a bit of Truvia

I did weigh in today so every Thursday will be my weigh in day.

Have a great day!~TJ

Some Objectives of Mine

I thought I would post some things I would like to work toward with my eating and nutrition and the "whys" behind them. These are "for now" as I'm sure, like the oceans tide, they may change.

Objective 1- Weight loss of 50 pounds. This is the big one. For aesthetic purposes, yeah. But the main reason is that I want to be vibrantly healthy as I get older, not sick and suffering as I am now. And I believe that a healthy weight is the foundation in many other health related issues.

Objective 2- Get off my blood pressure meds. Which I believe is tied into Objective 1.

For now, those are two lofty goals I'd like to focus on in my journey for better nutrition. Again, this is for me and I realize food and nutrition are very, very personal. I'm not trying to preach to anyone. I'm just recording this journey so I can look back to see any changes and how long they may have taken.

How do I plan to obtain these objectives? For starters, I am aiming for more fruits & veggies in my diet. And portion control.

That's it. For now. I don't want to overwhelm myself as I have always done in the past by trying too much, too soon, getting overwhelmed, losing focus & then quitting. I tend to be all or nothing in so many areas but find that that tendency backfires on me all too often.

So, for now that's it. If I can maintain these simple changes, I feel I'll be on my way to great changes!

With visions of broccoli and berries in my head~TJ

Meals & Movement

As I've alluded to previously, this past year has taken it's toll. As many of us do when faced with a loved ones illness, we put ourselves on the back burner. It's all a matter of priorities.

Some days, I don't put on makeup or go beyond making sure I'm bathed, wearing clean, presentable clothes that aren't too slobby looking and popping in some earrings so I look like I've put in some effort.

Yeah. It's been pretty bad. Because that's really soooo not like me. I've always enjoyed primping, wearing makeup, jewelry, nice clothes, smelling purty and getting out of the house once in a while. And while this past year hasn't been the cause of my excess weight-I've been carrying around a good (bad) extra 50-60 pounds for a few years now-the stress of it all sure isn't helping matters. I also find that since I'm heavier than I would like to be, I'm not compelled to dress up this package and, heaven forbid, draw attention to myself. Some women, I've heard, overcompensate by wearing extra makeup etc., to distract from the fat. I'm the opposite. I guess it's all a matter of perspective in how you view your camouflage.

Anyway, to add insult to injury, I was diagnosed with high blood pressure a while back, which I don't have to tell you, could lead to devastating health complications. Oh, and let's not forget, mildly high cholesterol. In spite of all that, I still have the bad eating habits that I established in my youth: binging, emotional eating, and a few sweet teeth the size of Texas y'all. It's all a viscous cycle exacerbated by stress. Oh. And even my weenie dog's fat. Something's reeeeally gotta give.

Today my meals & snacks look a little something like this (keep in mind, I don't eat on a strict schedule at set times so that's why I label my eating times as I do):

Upon awakening: 2 cups of coffee with a teaspoon of heavy cream in each (heavy cream=a delicious indulgence/habit started in my Somersizing WOE days)

"Meal" 1: One cup of fruit/veggie smoothie (contained spring salad mix, broccoli florets, mung bean sprouts, pineapple, banana, strawberry, apple, mango, grapes, blackberries, water) . Threw it all in my Ninja the night before for morning convenience...and to not wake the whole household up to the blending noise.
One ounce of natural, unsalted almonds.

"Meal" 2: One and a half Lean Pockets 3 Cheese Spinach (whole) & spinach, artichoke & chicken (half).

"Meal" 3: 3 cups of fruit/veggie smoothie (broccoli, mung bean sprouts, celery, carrot, grapes, pineapple, banana, cantaloupe, lemon juice,  maqui juice and water. Oh, and a couple of packets of Truvia to counteract the tartness of the lemon juice! *pucker*)
I know to some, these smoothies might sound disgusting but I like them and I am getting in a greater variety of fruits and veggies than if I were to try to eat all the different items separately and whole. I don't follow a recipe, I use what  have on hand. I hope to eventually work up to a higher veggie to fruit ratio.

Snack: 1 ounce of Tostitos & 2 Tablespoons of salsa

Beverages (throughout the day): unsweetened green/black tea blend, iced; water; hot herbal tea, unsweetened

I have been trying to get out in the evenings and walk my pup but since today was fairly busy taking hubby around for errands and shopping, I was whipped by the time we got home so our walk didn't happen. I just made an effort to chase her around the house for a bit playing "I'm gonna get you". She loves that! (: It gets us both up & moving, *giggle*.

I want to add that, while I don't want to be a slave to counting calories, carbs etc., I don't mind measuring & weighing so that I have right portions when necessary.



my handy, dandy, trusty food scale

Thanks for stopping by & here's to a happy, healthy YOU!~TJ

PS~I totally forgot to weigh myself this morning...

Diet: Something's Gotta Give

After watching my sweet hubby go through his health issues this last year, it has made me realize I. DO. NOT. WANT. TO. GO. DOWN. THAT. ROAD. PERIOD.

Peer-eee-od.

'Cause it ain't been pretty. And I have decided that if I don't do everything within my power to age healthily then, well...shame on me. What a fool I will be.

Now just so any of you high minded, know-it-all, sassy, young 'uns who might be reading this and going through that lovely "I'm invincible and will never die" time of life are thinkin' "who are you trying to fool? You won't live forever, so why not live it up? Enjooooooy life!" Well, I know I won't live forever (but I do plan to live to at least 144 :D ) And if I'm going to live that long, I want to be as healthy and vital as possible. I don't wish to be a burden on my family, live in some sort of home while dying a slow death or have someone wipe my butt. And I figure that if I don't do what I believe I should be doing for my health and I end up in one of those fashions, shame on me. However, I do understand that we can do everything possible, be healthy as a (healthy) horse, and still have a devastating, traumatic health catastrophe happen to us. But still, NOT to try and treat our bodies as the temple it is would just be wrong.

I've said before that I have major food issues. Food addiction if you will. If it's fattening, creamy, decadent, down home, junky, sweet, salty, crunchy, crispy, ooey, gooey, Paula Deen-ized, super sized, chewy, chocolatey, fried, drizzled upon, iced, frosted, candy/candylike, cake/cakelike, cookie/cookielike...(well, shall I go on?), I LOVE it. And to add to the food addiction, I have a condition: I have a large amount of lead in my butt. And that makes it very difficult for me to move. At. All. 

No...really.

And since I've tried (no, I haven't "tried them all") enough diets to know I'm OVER them, I have given it a lot of thought and come up with this: I need to do something. And I need to do something that 1) works for me; 2) I could conceivably do the rest of my life and not feel that it's an imposition; 3) allow me to eat anything I choose and not forbid any food and...(drumroll) 4) (MOST IMPORTANTLY TO ME) be healthy. Because I've already been diagnosed with high blood pressure and mildly high cholesterol so we know where that can lead if not kept in check. And honestly, I would love to reverse those conditions and not have to take those meds and then I could be med free. (Not a bad thing for a fiddy year old.)

What does all this mean TO ME (not wanting to come off as an expert or pretend I have all the answers for others since food and "dieting" is such a personal issue)? What I've concluded is this: I feel I need to 1) eat more veggies and fruits; 2) implement some semblance of portion control (ugh) and 3) move my oh-so-sedentary body. For now, that's it. Sounds simple enough. But can I carry it out? Do it meal after meal, day after day?

So, here's a what I'm a gonna do. I'm gonna keep track of my meals, snacks & what not on here as a journal of sorts, since this is really intended to be a journal for me anyway in general. And yes, I've started record keeping before and life got in the way (I MUST quit allowing that to happen!). So, tomorrow, I will weigh in (won't be sharing that number with the general population however), and begin posting and sharing the journey.

I can begin by saying this:

• As of this moment, I'm 5'5"
• a size *semi-tight* 16 (but I refuse to buy any bigger sizes. Just wont do it.).
• My blood pressure remains in a good normal range with meds.

Here's to great, fantastic, super, excellent health!~TJ

Pet Palooza



We all love our pets. I personally enjoy animals of all sorts and one of my hopes is some day to have the means to have a ranch with the room and resources to take in animals that need a home. A furry heaven on earth!

 

Anywaaaay, I was browsing through some of the recent photos of my critters and thought I would share. If you care. Ha, made a rhyme, right on time. Ahem. Moving on...



 

This fine specimen is Bobo. He loves to be loved. But only when he wants to be loved.

 

 And this is Bobo wondering why I'm bothering him. He requested, in no uncertain terms, that I move along, as there was nothing there to see, ma'am...

 Here we have Dollface. She's never met a stranger. She looooves everyone and is quite the social butterfly. This is her "me so comfy" pose which she assumes when she is really into gnawing on something. And I have obviously disturbed her here as well. Move along mom, por favor. (She also speaks a little Spanish and is quite mannerly.)

 Here is Dollface doing her seal impersonation. She can bark like a seal as well but it comes out sounding more like a dog bark. She promises to keep practicing...

 This is Dollface on her tempurpedic mattress (aka daddy's pillow. Shhhhh...) all snuggled up with her baby after a busy day of sleeping, eating and playing. And in that order...

 Meeting a new friend, Scooter... 

 Back to Bobo. Oh, and let me introduce Bob. He sort of adopted us. Or I guess I should say, our accommodations. He doesn't really want anything to do with us personally. This is a picture I entitled: In the Jungle...

 And another masterpiece of mine entitled:

That Look of Love...

 In the spirit of the upcoming Halloween holiday I had Bobo do tricks for treats (you can see he works hard for his money)...

 Bobo generally enjoys the great outdoors like the manly man that he is. Until it starts raining. Then he cries like a little girl and wants to come in and enjoy the comforts of home. (Bob? I guess Bob would prefer to weather the storm rather than be touched by filthy humans, lol. FYI~we call him Bob because of his bobbed tail.)...

 Mommy and her snuggle bunny... 

 Mommy's snuggle bunny fast asleep on mommy. (Yes, I'm one of "those" dog owners. And yes, I made and embroidered her blanket with her name on it. No shame.)...

 

 

I hope you enjoyed this little bit o' silliness!

 

Wishing you furry kisses kinda day!~TJ

September Favorites

Since I enjoy seeing and learning about others favorite things, I thought I would post some of my favorite things for the past month. Let's get started, shall we? ;D

1) Pumpkin anything. In this case, pumpkin spice chai latte.

2) Time. To do things like explore my phone camera's features. 

 3) Licorice nail polish. But NOT licorice candy...ack!

4) Savings.

5) Seasonal flavors. Oh, and sweets. (Just in case it's not obvious by now.)

6) And last but not least...a concoction I can only believe in the depths of my soul was created by the diet demon's minions...

DOU'SSANT.

It's what happens when a doughnut marries a croissant and, well...ya' know.

 

 

These are a few of my favorite September things. So what are some of yours? I'd love to know!

 

Happy October!~TJ

 

 

 

 

Healthy(-er) Biscuits and Eggs~~~Yummy!

With Autumn upon us, I have been in the mood for some good ol' down home cookin'. But I must also keep in mind our health when whipping up meals. This morning, I was hankering for biscuits & eggs. Steaming hot biscuits with butter slathered on and over medium eggs on top, to be exact.

Okay, so it's not the healthiest meal but it could be made healthier right? And all things in moderation. Right?

                                       Right? (please just agree with me (; )


I took out my Pamela's gluten free Baking & Pancake Mix and followed the "Bisquick" type drop biscuit recipe on the back of the package. Where it called for shortening, I substituted LouAna Pure Coconut Oil and for the milk, I subbed Rice Dream brand organic unsweetened rice drink.



 

And they turned out GREAT! Even hubby complimented them and he can be quite the food critic! (Too bad he doesn't get paid for that ;D )

 

Anyhoo, I fried up some over medium eggs in coconut oil, split a biscuit in half, buttered it and gently placed the eggs on top of the biscuit........

only to stab them so their golden, creamy yolks could cascade ever so elegantly over the biscuit beneath.

 

Hahaha!

 

Bon apetit y'all!

A little healthier, right? ( just nod please)

 

Thanks for stopping by!~TJ

The Avon Corner~My New Beauty Obsession: AHA's!

 

 

*Please note: links may take you to my personal Avon website
My latest beauty obsession is AHA's, also known as alpha hydroxy acids. As we get older, we don't shed our outer, dead layers of skin as quickly as we did when we were younger. In order to reveal the newer, fresher skin hiding underneath, it helps if we give ourselves a little help! That's where the AHA's come in handy for me.

Avon has a new Foot Works product that includes alpha hydroxy acid:

Foot Works AHA Moisturizing Cream

 



 

Right now, as of Campaign 22, you can purchase a 2.5 ounce tube for only $3.99! I love to pamper my feet with this luscious lotion and also rub a little on my knees and elbows too.

 

 

You can check out the complete Foot Works line HERE.

 

Happy shopping!~TJ

 

P.S. take advantage of the FREE SHIPPING when you purchase $30 or more!



AND...be sure to visit my Avon blog at: Avon Lady TJ to get to know my business and products a little better!

Summer Updates...

It has been a long, hot, dry (hardly any rain) but humid summer. And it's still going strong! Temps that climb well past the 100 degree mark have kept me inside during the hottest parts of the day. When I do venture out, it's usually after the sun has faded a bit in the late afternoon/evening. I don't really "do" mornings so by the time I get up it's usually pretty hot already!

Even though I'm a cave dweller, we have managed to accomplish a few things around here this summer!:

Home
1) I have actually made it out most days to water my plants, fruits & veggies and to collect any bounty (I'm still working on my gardening skills /: ) that they've produced.  

Pears from our tree begging to be processed

Even though I have really improved upon my watering and fertilizing efforts from years past, I still find I have the most success with some herbs. Right now I have basil and oregano flourishing in containers. And I bought a Meyer lemon tree at a half price garden center sale in hopes I don't kill this citrus tree. The pomegranate babies that a friend gave me are still alive and need to be transplanted soon since their milk carton as been their home long enough (they say)! On my walks through our neighborhood, I notice that citrus and pomegranate trees flourish here so I have high hopes for mine.

2) We are in the process of having solar screens installed on all out windows. We are hoping they will put a dent in our astronomical electric bills! Two a/c units battling this bad ol' Texas heat is pricey! It sure has cut down on the damaging sun rays that come in and fade out fabrics and photos. I don't know if this is a normal practice around the country, but it is common in our neighborhood since many people have many large windows in their homes.

the east side of the house with solar panels on the windows

Family
1) My "baby" graduated from high school and turned eighteen! She wants to continue her Cosmetology courses at a local college but for now she's looking for a part time job.

the proud grad (top) and family (bottom)

2) My son moved into his own place. I miss having him here but he assures me that he plans on finishing up his courses (which is the reason he moved in with us in the first place~to take some of the burden of full time work and going to school off him). He's a hard worker so I'm sure he will be just fine.

Work
1) I have a new Facebook page for my growing Avon business! I'd love for you to pay it a visit and "like" my page!

2) I have stepped up my "door to door" brochure canvasing, even in this sweltering heat. I get to workout and make money at the same time!

Health and Fitness
1) My hubby's health continues to improve, although it's a very slow but steady progress at this point. Several weeks back, he had to be rushed to the emergency room again but all is well now.

summer salad supper

2) I continue to try and make (for the most part) healthy, balanced meals, but I still have my darned sweet teeth! Hubby seems to want to eat only "comfort" type foods most of the time as those type foods are easier for him to chew. He doesn't enjoy the "experience" of certain foods anymore, so that cuts out a lot.
3) I've been trying to do a little something each day for exercise. Most days it's 5-10 minutes of free weights or a Youtube video that I'll follow along to. I look forward to the day when ten minutes being all I can do is just a memory and my body is back in better shape.

Of course, there's always more happening around here, but I won't bore you by going on & on.

How has your summer shaped up? Let's all go out and savor what's left of the season!

Stay warm & sunny~TJ

Happy 4th! And Green Onions too!

Happy 4th! 'Round these parts, that means the beaches will be packed with families, couples, lone sun worshippers and fishermen trying to catch a fish or two. Firework displays will begin around 9pm. And in between, the smell of grilling and barbecue will fill the air.

I'm not sure if we will venture out into the heat this year as hubby had to be taken to the emergency room last Thursday suffering from a TIA. He's been resting a lot since then. I will be happy to spend the day with him and the kids (if they are around) and flitting from one project to the next. I know there's some figs that need picking and pears that need plucking. I might just pull out my countertop grill, throw some burgers, hot dogs and sausage links on there & call it good!

Here's a little experiment I tried and am surprised at the results:

 

The last time I had a bunch of green onions (from the grocery store) I was cutting up, I decided to save the lower 1/2 to 1 inch of the whites that had a fair amount of roots growing and stuck them in my strawberry pot, watered them daily & soon, they began sprouting more green onions! These will come in handy as I snip off what I need for meals until my green onion seeds do their thing. 

 

Have a safe, sparkly Fourth!~TJ

Estate Sale Lamp

A couple of weekends ago, hubby & I happened upon an estate sale. We wandered through the home, looking around to see if there was anything that caught our eye. This lamp, sitting quietly lit in the  corner of the den, kept calling my name. I noticed it as soon as I walked into the home.

 It's golden glow. It's tiny little panes. I admired it but we left without it.

That day.



hubbys orchid & plant corner is our lamp's new home

The very next day, hubby went back and got it. And everything was marked half off! I think he ended up paying around $30 for it. When he got it home he noticed a crack in the piece that cradles the lamp shade (?~I'm not sure if that's what you'd call the stained glassy looking part that covers the light bulb.) I don't care. I love that lamp

And there's always Gorilla glue.

~TJ

Sum-sum-summertime!

It's summertime! I'm honestly not a big fan of the heat~it's been at least 104 degrees one day that I know of. Personally, I don't really want to know how hot it is because, combine that with our humidity, and it ain't a pretty picture. Frizzy hair, shiny face, sweaty as soon as you towel off from your bath or shower...icky I say.

But all that aside, I try to make the best of it. I try to focus on the good, and not the heat, of summer. I partake in the summery delights that this season abounds with. Icy cold, juice dripping from your chin, watermelon. Our pear and fig trees heavy with fruit just waiting to be plucked. Chilly glasses of Sauvignon blanc and rose' enjoyed as the sun sets over the horizon. Sizzling food, grilled to perfection in a joint effort by hubby & me. Iced tea, sea breezes, graduations, birthdays...all the wonderful things of summer. Because I know, soon enough, it will be Autumn, my favorite time of year. And to get to that, I have to endure go through summer. Kind of like life's challenges. 

And it's not so bad, if I focus on the good.

How do you enjoy your summer?

~TJ

Computer Woes & How I Make Up to $400 a Month Working Weekends

Ahhh....technology. The wonders of it all. I've long since been dealing with a laptop that has been begging for mercy to be put out of its misery as it slowly died that wouldn't allow me on Blogger, no matter what I tried. But then, our desktop decided to implode and left me high and dry.

Over the last few days, we managed to get a new desktop and today, plan on replacing my laptop.
********************************************************
Now on to a way to make money if you are looking for extra cash...

After a stressed out sounding voice mail from my scheduler this morning, telling me how much she needed to fill positions, I thought I would stop in and share how I make some extra money by working as a product demonstrator on weekends, since I know many are looking for ways to earn much needed money.

I work with a company called Tallgrass Talent Group doing product demos mostly at Target stores and mostly on the weekends. My shifts are generally only 5 hours long but that five hours is on my feet. I enjoy interacting with the shoppers and my co workers. And as much as I LOVE being at home for the most part, it allows me to get out of the house and interact with others.

Sign up is easy and I would recommend it highly if you need to add a bit o` extra money to the fam's funds. Tallgrass Talent Group dot com. (<<not
a referral link just sharing!)
Have an in-the-green financial day!~TJ

Breaking Those Blogging Rules

I make no secret that I enjoy visiting Money Saving Mom's blog. I just this morning ran across her recent post: "Why I Think You Should Break the Blogging Rules" and this was my response/comment:

Whew! I just breathed a sigh of relief because your post was a verbal "picture" of me & my blog! I started it as mainly a "journal" of my and my families life. But I found I lost sight of that MANY times, resulting in frustration & just flat out not blogging, which is SO not what I wanted from it. Just this past week or so I have tried to re-focus on, and be at peace, with that: just a lil' ole' journal of me & my life. And if others wanna hop on board & peek into it, "welcome on in, y'all!".
Thank you!~TJ

If you are a blogger, any type of blogger, I would highly recommend reading this post! It made me feel better anyway!

Now I'm off to make myself that second cup o' coffee and get ready to go watch my baby graduate high school!!!

Now where did I put that waterproof mascara....?

Wishing you tears of pride and joy this weekend!~TJ

Clutter Bustin'

Amidst the anticipation and preparations for graduations in our family (nephew & daughter) I'm soldiering on with my attempt to rid our home of some unnecessary things, today's things I rounded up:

Passing along some computer learning programs to my grandson;

an old sheet set for donation

and a couple of shelf liners that I may sell if I can't find any shelves that need lining (I originally bought them for craft projects).

 

And

I cleaned out some saved recipes that I have had way too long and never made, after realizing I probably never will make them. If I need such recipes in the future, there's a great big world web just brimming with recipes. Off to the recycling bin with them!

 

I hope you enjoy the upcoming weekend and whatever summery things you have planned! See you soon!~TJ





Busy Day; Happy Day

Wow! Yesterday was a busy one! At this season of my life, most days have taken on a nice, easy flow, with things such as doctor appointments, sprinkled in here and there several days a week.

But yesterday? I started off by dropping my daughter off at school, returned home to get ready to take my hubby to his physical therapy appointment. Dropped him off and figured I would head to the hair salon a block over to have my hair cut and styled so I would feel presentable for the graduations we will attend. 

After his therapy and my haircut, we then headed over to the Blockbuster that is going out of business here to see if there were any movies we might like to add to our collection since the markdowns are tremendous! (Results? ten movies for $18!).

Once back at home, we had lunch and I recharged my batteries by laying down a bit while hubby tinkered around in the man cave (garage).

At 4, I had to run over to DD's school to be her "model" for cosmetology testing. Once that was done, a quick trip to the grocery store for a few necessities, a run through the drive through at hubby's request for the only thing he can think of to eat that doesn't make him feel queasy, a fish sandwich.
Back at home, with the groceries put away and hubby fed, I grab a quick bite before running back to pick up my DD.

Boy, I was so happy once we got home and I could put on my comfy, cozy clothes and settle in for a little t.v. show catch up with my baby girl before she headed up to bed for the night.

Now, I know many have much more hectic schedules on a daily basis than I, (even I have had seasons of life that were much busier and more hectic) but when you aren't used to it anymore, well...I kinda feel like I had been kicked by a horse when it was all said & done!

Through whatever each day brings though, I try to always remember to savor the moments, because I've learned through trial and error that one day you wake up, blink, and wonder where all the years, and your little ones, went.

Have a savor-licious day!~TJ

Food Mood~Summer Fruits & the Dessert Possibilities!

Do you ever get in a "food mood"? I do. And lately I've been in a cobbler kind of mood.

It all started when hubby ordered IHOP's Peaches and Cream Brioche French Toast. That got my mind on peaches. And then peach cobbler.

I couldn't get peach cobbler out of my mind for days. And then when, finally, my po' brain got some blessed relief from thoughts of peach cobbler, we find ourselves in IHOP again. And he orders that dang peaches and cream concoction again. And my obsessive brain grabs hold of visions of peach cobbler, yes...again.

So, I made myself some peach cobbler, stat. And since no one else seemed to have any interest whatsoever in peach cobbler, I ate the whole thing. By myself. Over the course of a few days. I sure did.

And now, just this morning, I ran across some blackberries I had stashed away in the freezer. And that got me to thinkin'...

 

Blackberry

 

COBBLER

 

!!!!!!!!!!

 

Oh yeah!

Blackberry Cobbler~I made it! Couldn't wait!

 

Also, while I was looking in the freezer, I happened to spy some raspberries. And that's got me to thinkin'...

 

Raspberries

 

Mmm mmm!

 

Cobbler?

 

Crumble?

 

Hmmm. Decisions, decisions.

 

The summer fruitiness of it all is making my tummy hungry!

And my mouth water!

 

Happy fruity desserts to all!~TJ

Weekend This & That

This weekend I worked both Saturday and Sunday doing demos so, I am not going to pressure myself to go through things collecting "stuff" for trash/donate. Even though I only work five hours at my demo gig, I'm on my feet for those five hours and I'm no spring chicken, lol! Now, even though the Clutter Busting challenge is over at Money Saving Mom's, I am still planning to post my daily Clutter Bustin' accomplishments since I hopped on their bandwagon late in the game. Besides, I have just come to the conclusion that it's something I will need to do for quite a while to get my clutter under control.

Saturday, hubby surprised me by making pasta for dinner when I got home and only asked me to bring home some garlic bread from the freezer section at the store, which we love just about as much as my homemade garlic bread! And it's a whole lot less work! And today, when I got home, he had the Papa Johns website fired up & ready to order pizza for dinner tonight. What a good hubby I have :D.

Between all that & my DD manning the dishes for the weekend and I'm a happy mama!

Speaking of my daughter, this week she turns 18 and graduates from high school! Yay! Almost too much excitement for me to handle!

Well, I'll close this little "journal entry" for now but not forever! See you soon!

Enjoy the rest of your weekend!~TJ

Clutter Bustin'

Today's clutter collecting feat:

A pair of ankle high boots that hurt my feet, a book that I bought at a thrift shop but never read, a magazine (all to donate) and more papers from the file cabinet to trash.


Join in at Moneysavingmom !

Turning my mountains (of clutter) into molehills one day at a time.~TJ

Clutter Bustin'

My clutter bustin' saga continues...


Todays achievement:

An old book (donate) and some more papers from the file cabinet.
I didn't have a whole lot of time to delegate to collecting things to throw/give away but a little is better than nothing, I'm telling myself!
To be continued...

Trying to stay off of the next episode of Hoarder's~TJ

Thanks again for the inspiration, Moneysavingmom !

Grocery Shopping Adventures

Since I enjoy taking a peek at what others put into their shopping carts, I thought I would share mine!

Yesterday, after picking up my daughter from school, I ran into a grocery store that regularly has great prices on various items. When I have the forethought to do so, I like to go through our local grocery store ads that are delivered into my mailbox on a weekly basis, make a list of sale items, and when I'm near the stores and have the time, I love to run in and take advantage of the great sales. The store I went to yesterday is, unfortunately, way out of my usual beaten path, except when I am near my daughter's school. I will miss having regular opportunities to go to Food Town after she graduates )'= .

Here's what a snagged yesterday:

2 pkgs. of 12 oz. spaghetti noodles 2/ $1
80 oz. jar of dill pickles                       $2.59
5 cucumbers                                     5/ $1
jar of minced garlic 32 oz.                   $3.99
Kraft mayo 30 oz.                                $1.33
3 lemons                                               $1
mustard                                                 $ .89
12 oz. bacon                                          $1.99
4 pkgs. deli smoked ham 9 oz. each     $1.49 each
4 lb. bag oranges                                   $1.99
5 pkgs. Ball Park franks 1 lb. each        $1.49 each

Grand total: $29.19

Most of the items, with the exception of the fresh produce, will go into our stockpile.

Here's wishing you happy "sale-ing"!~TJ

Clutter Bustin'

I am not naturally inclined to be organized and orderly. There. I said it.
BUT
I aspire to be. And after being inspired by Crystal over at Moneysavingmom , and after many of months (dare I say years?) of hit or miss false starts to my organizing attempts, I'm gonna give it another go. And hold myself accountable to post what I've done to bust up some of my clutter 'round these here parts. On a daily basis. Gulp.

And if I don't succeed (realistically, I know this will be a forever, ongoing thing that will need to be done /=)? Well... be on the lookout for me on a future episode of Hoarders.

Todays clutter bustin' results:

1) Finally got rid of my failed kombucha that's been mocking me every time I walk in the pantry.
2) Continued going through file drawers and culling paperwork that's no longer needed.



3) Got rid of a couple of lip glosses that were way too sticky feeling for my liking. Plus, some old receipts that were no longer needed. (I save receipts for the length of the return policy time allotment, on things that might need returning for whatever reason, in case I need to return something.) 

Hoping YOU have a clutter free day!~TJ

Gluten Free Blueberry Muffin Morning

I try to go gluten free as often as possible and have been experimenting with Pamela's Baking Mix in my baking adventures. So far, I am really impressed! I've made M&M cookies with it, drop biscuits, pancakes and these blueberry muffins! ALL have been delicious and have passed the "hubby test"!

I would highly recommend Pamela's to anyone that hasn't tried it! And if you don't like it? I find most stores will refund your money with no problem (I would double check first though) and since this baking mix is a bit pricey, you would have nothing to lose!

Have a sweet morning!~TJ

Flavors of Summer!

Have you tried these yet?

Pillsbury Key Lime & Pillsbury Pink Lemonade Premium Cookie Mixes along with their accompanying frostings: Pillsbury Creamy Supreme Key Lime & Pink Lemonade?

Oh so yummy they are! And easy too. I saw a Pink Lemonade cake mix on the grocer's shelf as well but decided to try out the cookies first. These would be so fun at summer get togethers!

Try 'em, you might like 'em!~TJ

*I'm not getting paid for this, I just think they are delish!

Summer...and Scents

Wow! Summer is upon us! After our weather going back and forth between chilly mornings and days to warm, almost hot ones for several weeks, I think the warm (hot!) weather is here to stay. We graduate from toasty mugs of hot chocolate afloat with tiny marshmallows to tall frosty glasses of lemonade! And barbeque, homemade potato salad and chilly slices of watermelon!

But for now, we are looking forward to our "baby" graduating from high school! So exciting!

And a little tip I though I'd share that has been fun for me:
Some fragrances I buy end up not agreeing with me so... instead of just throwing them out or passing them on (just yet), I've been spritzing letters and cards that I send out with just a bit of the fragrance so the recipient has a sweet smelling letter to open from sweet lil' ole me, lol!

Violets anyone?

Here hoping you have a safe, fun Memorial Day in your neck of the woods!~TJ

Sam's Club is Opening It's Doors to Non-Club Members this weekend!!!

Non Members: Get into Sam's Club FREE this weekend! April 26-28, 2013

Whoo Hoo!!! I just recently let my Sam's Club card expire. And even though I love shopping there for stocking up on certain items, the store is a bit out of my way and with gas prices what they are, I decided that, with careful planning, I could save just as much by shopping the sales at the stores nearer my home.

I always got the basic membership for, I think about $35 and since I don't keep careful track of my actual savings versus the layout of the membership fee + gas + the 20-30 minutes it takes do drive there (time is money after all), I just don't know if I can honestly say I "save" all that much going there.

But, if I can get in free, and enjoy some yummy free samples while I'm there (go between breakfast and lunch for a free "brunch" (; ), stock up on things I know we really need and will use, then sign me up!

Well, I'm off to make my shopping list! Hope to see you there!

I wish you a weekend of great buys and lip smackin' sampling!~TJ

Hair Colorista

It started out innocently enough... 

then she grew up and

began following in her mama's (hair coloring) footsteps...

Platinum...

Brunette...

 Auburn...

and then...

it started getting interesting.

She took her hair color places her mama's had never been before /= ...

ummm...Calico(?)...

 Purple

AND

 Blue...

 Red, White and Blue

(or as I called it: The bomb pop)

 Turquoise...

 Cherry, a bit 'o blue and orange-y blond...

Rose.

 

I must admit, at first I was shocked, appalled, beside myself! I didn't like the wide array of hues. (Egads!!! WHAT would people think!?!?!)

 

But...she is not me, she is she: a sweet girl and a budding cosmetologist. 



 

 

I've learned to choose my battles.

 

Thanks for stopping by!

I hope you have a rainbow-licious day!~TJ