_bbR3iY5lLSjzaZNziPYc6VX6tk Inspiration CAN be found EVERYWHERE!

Monday, October 18, 2010

Quotes of the Day

You may be disappointed if you fail,
but you are doomed if you don't try.

~ Beverly Sills ~



If we don't change, we don't grow.
If we don't grow, we are not really living.
Growth demands a temporary surrender of security.

~ Gail Sheehy ~



The best index to a person's character is
a) how he treats people who can't do him any good and
b) how he treats people who can't fight back.

~ Abigail Van Buren ~

Sunday, October 17, 2010

WearEver Cookware GiveAway

Have you met Christy from Southernplate.com?  If you haven't, you really should.  Right now she is on a book tour - that's right, the lady is a PUBLISHED AUTHOR!

If you've ever had good ole Southern Cooking (and yes even us "northerners" have had it once or twice) you probably know just how good it tastes.  It's that good comfort food that sticks to your ribs and makes you smile. 

The people at WearEver featured Christy's cookbook in their latest newsletter, which can be found Here.

They are also providing 2 sets of their cookware, WearEver Admiration Pots and Pans, to Christy to giveaway to 2 members of the Southern Plate Family.  Not a member of the Family?  Oh sure you are - you know Southern Hospitality - everyone is treated like family.  So you should go check out SouthernPlate.com and see what's going on.

While you are there, you really should enter the win a set of pots pans giveaway.  Who knows, you could pick up a few great recipes AND a set of pots and pans just for going and setting a spell.

Oh and go look for her cookbook - which seems to be quite popular - Amazon just loves her (but then we all do too).  Borders, Barnes and Noble as well as small bookstores and others are also carrying her book.  I can't wait to get mine.

Contest closes on October 23rd, so make sure you stop in and check it out before then - you really don't want to miss out on some of the great things that you will find there.

Saturday, October 16, 2010

Something to make you laugh today

Sometimes the women in my office have a warped sense of humor ...... That's part of the reason I love them - you just never know when you really need a laugh.     Thanks Chris!


Thursday, October 14, 2010

Another Reason to Slow Down

My cousin posted this on her facebook page - and I just KNEW I had to capture it.  Thanks Gail
There are times when we need to be still. 
Impatience or frustration will not help any situation.
Desired changes sometime take time to unfold. 
You may feel like you are ready to jump into a new arena... but wait. 
The situation or person that you are wanting to meet may not be ready for you just yet.

Quotes of the Day

People are like stained-glass windows. 
They sparkle and shine when the sun is out, 
but when the darkness sets in, 
their true beauty is revealed 
only if there is a light from within.

~ Elizabeth Kübler-Ross ~


There are two ways of spreading light ...
To be the candle, 
or the mirror that reflects it.

~ Edith Wharton ~


The most common way people give up their power is by thinking they don't have any.

~ Alice Walker ~

It's A Great Season with Charlie Brown

It's almost that time of year again - you know that time when we want hay rides, pumpkins to carve and spooky things that go bump in the night .......

I asked a friend to contribute something about how he feels about this special time of year for kids of all ages.

This is what I received as a contribution by Jacques Carr:

When the sweaters come out and the leaves start to turn, a few things come to mind: Friday night football, grinning pumpkins, and the timeless cartoon classic "It's The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown." Who can forget Chuck and the gang heading out for "tricks or treats," the Red Baron's infamous flight, and Sally and Linus waiting anxiously in the pumpkin patch? I laugh out loud every time Charlie gets a rock in his trick-or-treat bag.

When I was a kid, you only got one chance to watch this holiday favorite. It was shown annually on one major television network. Boy, was I upset the few times everyone saw it but me. Fortunately, with the invention of the digital video recorder, catching it is as easy as pumpkin pie. I can even set my DVR to record it when it shows on any satellite from www.BestChoiceTV.com. So, I won't have to miss Charlie's embarrassing time as a jack-o-lantern model or Sally's eventual breakdown in the pumpkin patch.

My family watches the cartoon when we come together to carve pumpkins and prepare for the annual weenie roast. I can hardly wait to watch it with my giggling nieces and nephews while we chow down on stew and grilled cheese sandwiches. There's just something about this classic that brings everyone back year after year.

Wednesday, October 13, 2010

The Fresh Diet - Day 7

Yesterday was Day 7, I can not believe it has been 7 days already!  7 days on a great journey through the meals prepared by The Fresh Diet.  If you haven't already read about my other 6 days - you really should go back and read those posts as well - here is where you can see where it all started  - day 1, and then make sure you check out each day after that - it has been different every day.


I seem to start my days the same way, every day at 5AM, which now that it is "officially" Fall is rather dark.  The other consistent thing is my coffee.  I just can't seem to get moving without it, but then I somewhat jokingly say that I would do just fine with a "mainline of coffee" every day - especially during tax season.  I even got an email late this morning, from my office telling me that there was "fresh coffee" in the kitchen - but that's another story.

Today was no exception to the norm.  I came down and put on the coffee on and looked out the door to see that my little green buddy was back!  I guess because today is my last day of my winning week, he had to come back to say good-bye.  It was so nice to see my friend sitting there waiting for me.


Breakfast today was Tri-Color Bell Pepper & Cheddar Cheese Egg Bake with Fresh Pineapple.  I have to say I have never had anything for breakfast who's main ingredient was egg that tasted so good.  I thought that yesterday's eggs were good, but this was exceptional.  There was no way you could tell that it was warmed in the microwave, it truly tasted like it was just freshly made.


Lunch was Whole Wheat Pizza Alfredo with Portabella Mushroom & Pepper Jack Cheese.  OMG OMG OMG!  I have to say that my poor local pizza place would be very lonely if I could have this on a regular basis!  If Chef could freeze these I'd fill my freezer in a heartbeat!  I know the whole idea is to have fresh good for you food but it was just that good.  I am soooo glad that I decided to try this meal today.


My snack today was Whole Wheat Chicken Quesadilla with Pepper Jack Cheese and Mango Salsa,
that was so very filling.  Hard to believe that these little jewels would be filling - but they were.  I don't know how to explain how light it was but all the same filling.  The sauce had mango pieces that were just a perfect compliment to the slight spicy taste of the quesadilla.


Dinner was Roasted Pork Loin with Apricot Curry Sauce with Herbed Celery Root Puree and Steamed Snow Peas.  Now the pork slices were huge!  I would have thought there would have been just 1 slice, but there were 2, that were so very tender - I was really impressed.  I make roasted pork quite a bit at home, so I know that it doesn't take much to make it tough/dry/tasteless.  Even microwaving it to warm it through, this was the furthest from those things as day is to night.  I've never had celery root, but I am so very glad I picked that as a side.  It was really good!  Looks like mashed potatoes but has the taste of celery without being overpowering.  I will need to try to make this at home.


Dessert was ........... Pistachio Crusted Chocolate Dipped Figs.  I know, you are thinking - what happened to the cheesecake?  She ALWAYS has the cheesecake.  Well I decided to break out and live "dangerously" for my last day, but I could have had cheesecake again.  Figs are another thing I've never had before.  Lets see, how to explain the taste of a fig?  It was actually rather sweet and dense.  And it was covered in chocolate and nuts.  WHAT could be wrong with that?  I really enjoyed these.  Now I still like the cheesecake, but these were really good and if you've never tried these gems - put them on your list, you will not be disappointed.

I am proclaiming my week a total success.  I got to try many different dishes, some of which I wouldn't have thought about cooking or eating together and others I've never had before, but will definitely try again.  When I started this week, I decided that I would not change anything except my meals and making sure I got at least 1 quart of water a day.  I wouldn't add any exercise or activity that I wasn't doing as just "living".  I stopped doing any additional exercise - so no walking, Wii fit or walk it out for the week.  And then over the weekend I ended up with this mega cold.

I've learned a few things this week -
first - we eat too much food on a regular basis and call it a meal.
second - a diet does NOT mean death to eating or enjoying food.
third - my food choices can be color challenged - I need to live a little and experiment with colorful food.
fourth - my plates are really really white!  I need to do some swapping here to add some color into my world.

It has been an incredible journey, that I wouldn't have missed for the world.  Thank you the fresh diet for your contest that made all of this possible.  If you haven't checked out The Fresh Diet Facebook page - what are you waiting for?  They have contests all the time giving away days, weeks AND months of free meals so you can try this incredible food.

When I got on the scale this morning and realized that over the course of this weeks food journey I lost 5 lbs, I was beside myself.  You see whenever I've gone on a diet before, and like many women there have been many "befores", I've struggled to lose 5 lbs in a month - and here it was IN A WEEK!  A week that included a road trip with my husband that included diner food and very little water (frequent rest room stops are NOT usually an option) and getting hit with the mother of all colds.  I have to hand it to The Fresh Diet - this is the diet from heaven. 

Update ..... I was sad to think that I had to say good bye to my newest buddies - green and blue bag - but I have good news ...... I have been able to figure out how to continue receiving this great food for another 7 days.  I will be restarting my Fresh Diet meals on Monday and I will definitely share with you my menu choices for the next 7 days as well.  I think I will go back to my Walking it Out on the Wii and either my kettlebell or Zumba DVD and see what happens that week!