A Honey Bee Birthday for a Most Bee-utiful Little Miss....EPIC

Ah, would the phrase, "Better late than never" be appropriate here? Indeed! A full week + a HALF after the little princess's "bee-day" soiree I am finally getting the post on this lovely event, well...posted! Hence the EPIC-NESS warning...I've got lots to catch up on people! But read on, because it's worth it...and there are many a link for all of my shopping adventures for said party. So with that, we will begin at the begining; what could be a more lovely way for a little girl to begin her birthday than with flowers from her daddy?... I'm not sure exactly what the deal is, but it seems that when it comes to throwing a party, no matter how much time I think I have, I always end up running a bit behind! I was left to defer to my Mister to be the photographer...only to realize now that he missed one or two shots from the party that I would have liked to have shared with you! One such photo would have been a still life of the entire kitchen/ great room area; the island decor made complete with sheer sparkle material {in pale yellow from Jo-Ann Fabrics} for a table cloth + center piece doctored up from last year's fairie party. It really was quite lovely. But moving on to what we were able to capture, let's begin with the Buzzy Bee Headbands! I have found that headbands make wonderful "costuming" for at home parties + excellent party favors for guests to take home! Let's say that I have a WHOLE NEW APPRECIATION for the clay work done by geniuses like Tim Burton after making all of these bees from crayola molding clay { which is super light when dry, so it was perfect for the headbands}. The wings were made from bits of faux flowers hot glued to jewelry wire...the same wire, incidentally, that we used to secure the suspended bee to the headband {After, I wrapped the wire with floral tape}. Headbands were purchases here on Etsy.I think special lollipops are such a nice alternative to favor bags filled with random sugary candy...so I made these! Just google chocolate/ candy/ lollipop mold and loads of options should pop up! Yeah, I know. My Mum just shook her head and said, "oh, to be SO OCD", while she watched as I painted each color of chocolate into the molds so that my bees looked like bees...slightly demented, but SO PRETTY!And what was on the menu you ask? Champagne Sangria {MAKE THIS!!...you can thank me later!}, mini quiche + an endive, artichoke + edamame salad for the grown up folk. For the bee-utiful little girls...strawberries + blueberries with pistachio dip and a variety of finger sandwiches: P-Nut Butter, Cheese + Cream Cheese with Lemon Conserve. They were quite the hit...and I'm guessing that using these Bee Hive + Honey Bee cookie cutters {Amazon.com} didn't hurt!What would a party be without balloons and plenty of treats? Since I went a little egg + cheese happy with the food, I kept the dessert on the Vegan side: Lemon Bee Hive Cake {Mold + Little Sugar Bees}, Banana Mini Muffins with Vegan Chocolate drizzle and these Coconut Lime Mini Cupcakes. {Cards, letter stamps, bee stickers + cupcake wrappers courtesy of Michael's Crafts}.And a party should have an activity, correct? So this year we made little bracelets! Here was the one I made the day before the party as a reference for the kiddos. My Mum + I had presorted the beads into these adorable paper dishes {from Michael's- found in the baking section! These were the most similar they offered online, still very cute!} When it was time to get our craft on, each child was given a dish of beads {purchased from Michael's}, a honey bee charm, a bee hive charm found here and the pre measured wire with toggle clasp already attached. All of this prep made the craft run rather smoothly, allowing us to move right along to cake eating!Oh, it is so unfair how quickly those little knuckle dimples start to disappear... and what a heart-breakingly beautiful little lady she has become! I might say that I am slightly relieved that she has 2 brothers + a daddy with many a tattoo to keep any boy suiters in check when she is older...but no need, she is as tough as she is beautiful...that's my girl!Brining us to the end of the party... it seems a rather smart custom that rather than attempting to have a group of very small children sit patiently + watch the birthday little open their gifts; that now, gift opening is saved for after the party has ended...leaving much more time for chatting + PLAYING!! On behalf of the Fif, I have to thank everyone for comming over to celebrate her special day with us + for giving her such thoughtful gifts! Here are just a couple that kept with the bee theme that I wanted to post the links for: The bee backpack from my Mum was a huge hit: perfect for carrying around all of the Fif's new art supplies, Littlest Petshop + Calico Critter toys her friends gave her! And the Bee Wheely Bug was actually a 1st Bee-Day gift! We now have 2 of these Wheely Bugs in both the large + small sizes and I can;t tell you how much all 3 of my littles enjoy riding them around! And this last gift {photo above} was for me! Ok, the lovely little Anthro cupcake apron was for the Fif, but the gardening journal was for Mama from a fellow gardening enthusiast girlfriend of mine! I think this is tradition we should all encourage: that the mama's should get the presents on the kids birthdays! What a wonderful idea! Don't you agree? I've been spending lots of time thinking about + watching our front yard farm grow like crazy these last few weeks, so this book will be put to good use as I have a good amount to journal...and many a photo to share here as well! Thanks for being patient with me until I pulled my act together...or rather, tied-myself-to-one-place-long-enough to get this post written! It can be hard to find a still moment when the weather warms up + you have 3 little folk on the move! I'm glad I was finally able to steal a moment...I DO hope you have all been as busy enjoying the spring season as we have!
xo.

My Mister is on vacation this week...I'm thinking a random tuesday sounds like an exceptionally perfect day for a Champagne Sangria!

Shhh!...Ye Shall Not Eat Pasta + Post...

Sorry friends, nothing scandalous to report...although I have had a wee bit o' wine + am currently indulging in a small {ahem, MEDIUM} vat of leftover veggie pasta at 11pmon a sunday night. We are just getting home from a super fun Cinco de Mayo/ May Day townie BBQ! Woohooo! Ah, yes, a great time was had by all...I made mini versions of my Coconut Lime VEGAN Cupcakes {FYI: bake for 15 min}....the kids had a BLAST...+ I was really glad to have the chance to meet some of the mama's from town who have little folk who are closer in age to my 2 smaller to babes. Good times indeed!

So at the risk if sounding a bit "Santa-like"... my 2 boys are all snuggled in their beds...the Fif has managed to capture my Mister {who I believe, may have had too much "mister-time-fun" with the boys at the BBQ + the homemade brew...he'll be paing for it in a big way tomorrow I am sure!} They are both passes out in her room..And this mama is sitting at the computer... Hummm? Sometimes, I really love it when my Mister has a rotating schedule + has random days off duing the week. Yes, while I do have a class to teach over at the college tomorrow afternoon, it is NOT I who will be waking up super early to pack lunches + to drop the little folk off at school {Ha! Ha!..yup tomorrow is "OFF Day"} Sometimes, it does pay to behave one's self; tonight, I will go off to bed with a clear head + make the most of a good + long night's sleep, in the big bed all by myself! So with that, I bid you all a VERY happy Sunday night...as I finish the rest of my veggie pasta + enjoy {?} this riduculously random+ rare bit of quiet. Shhhh! So strange to not hear a peep!
...and while I'm at it...Happy Monday to you too!
xo.

Guess what I'm getting.....

Your eyes do not decieve you friends...this is my new chicken coop that was purchased this past weekend + should be arriving this week! Why would a person want such a thing? And how was such a feat accomplished {getting the Mister to agree to said coop}? Well, last monday, my Mister decided it was time for him to have all of his wisdom teeth removed. He was hoping to have them extracted on the spot, since by the time he went to the dentist a couple were already in and they were pretty sore. But alas, he was referred to an oral surgeon + was to be given anethesia.I personally, have a horrible reaction to anesthesia and I have to confess that after being poked + prodded at through pregnancy after pregnancy...well, I got such satisfaction that for once, it wasn't ME who was about to undergo a "procedure". Here is where the chicken coop comes in. While my Mister's tooth extraction was a success, once we got home the combination of not eating, his minimal experience with having been "put under" and perhaps too much anesthesia...well, he got up from a nap, his blood pressure dropped and passed out he did hitting the back of his head on the kitchen island. This kitten lost a couple of her 9 lives when I found him fumbling amongst the pools of blood on the floor {sorry for the TMI}. Thank God my neighbor just happened to drop by and having been an intensive care nurse, she took over.

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My Mister later admitted that he really had no business even being out of bed at that point...but you know men, they think they are invincible...or sometimes, they just don't think at all! His little episode resulted in 8 staples to the head, but luckily {post CAT SCAN} no concussion. Thick headed bleepity bleep. Oh, I was SO angry with him...but it was because I was just so scared! And upset! And completely out of my element! {My flitting about in semi shock earned me the nickname Butterfly MCQueen from Gone With the Wind} It was all pretty terrifying...not knowing what to do first or next, with 3 littles to manage aswell... Some "Spring Break" from teaching at the college I had this past week, eh?

So I'm getting my chicken coop...and chickens! I had been wanting them for a while but I think my Mister felt so bad about what happened with the head thing, he just caved in. Actually, he jumped to say yes, knowing that it would make me so happy! Traditionally, a Vegan doesn't eat or use ANY product that comes from an animal...but as I had written before, I do indulge in the occassional egg and I do not raise my littles on a stict vegetarian diet. I am so excited that #1, when I do have an egg, it will be my own, organic-fed/ pesticide + antibiotic free egg. #2, my littles will be able to bond with the chicks and help raise them, care for them + collect eggs, etcetera. And #3, that my littles will have the experience of seeing + developing a respect for the food that we eat, where it comes from and the animals who provide it. For not living on a farm, I think it is a pretty awesome experience. I'll be sure to post more on this new adventure of ours soon!!

xo.

me taking photos of me making cauliflower...

That title sounds uber geeky...and IT IS! Here is me making my all time, new, most favorite food! Roasted Cauliflower! Huzzah! Throw some cauliflower on a baking sheet with parchment paper, drizzle with EVOOil, and DOSE with some Goya Adobo. Then sprinkle with Chipotle Chili Pepper {to taste, depending on how hot you like it!} Then bake at 350 for about 35 minutes. {Another tip: Don't skimp on the EVOOil and roast a bit longer to make softer, ends up a fantabulous tapenade that goes great with some hummus + cucumber!}

This yummi-ness is a favorite mama snack for playgroups. And this little herbivore bunny t is a new favorite clothing item again, especially when paired with this ruffled cardigan top...a random find from the Marshalls.

Hope everyone had a GREAT weekend...Happy Monday!

xo.

Coned

I was going through some photos and I came across this fun little something sweet that I made for a playgroup last week. I know I have mentioned my "little ward" {the 11 yr old little neighbor girl of mine who I watch during the week when her mom is working?} Well, last week it was her "Gotcha Day"; she was adopted from Russia and the "Gotcha Day" is the adoptive date which many families will celebrate almost like a birthday. So I decided to try out these cupcakes- in- a- cone. There are lots of different ways to make them, but I just made the cake batter, poured it directly into the upright cones + baked for about 20 min. They turned out to be such a fun playgroup treat because of how self contained they were without all of the messy crumbs typical of regular cupcakes.

This post is kind of bittersweet because last week was my "little ward's" last week of being with us. Her mother had been let go from her job and no longer needed her to be with us. It is a scary economy to be unemployed in, but the mother was quite unhappy where she was, so in a way I am happy {?} for her + hopeful that she finds something better.

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I have to admit though, that there were some times since September when I thought I might have bitten off more than I could chew, having another older {often kind of needy} child in my home every day {in addition to my 3 littles}. However, since her mom worked such long hours in the city, she was with us each morning before school + each afternoon until past dinner; she had become part of the family! In the end, I did feel bad about how everything ended {emotionally...and when it came to finances, as I was paid for my "little ward's" care}. But mostly because the change was so abrupt! Life has carried on in usual whirlwind style for us since Tuesday when this all went down {...although in many ways, life has also been much calmer too!} But every now + then I can't help but think that this all must have been quite hard on this little girl, who went from being a part of a big family with a mom+dad, pseudo siblings...even a dog to, well, not. I know it seems perhaps a bit more dramatic when I say it like that, afterall, this little girl + her mom only live right across the street form us. However it is the drastic + sudden change in routine her routine, that has me hoping that this transition goes smoothly for her.
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Change can throw you off balance a bit, especially when it is sudden...especially for someone like me who is SO routine oriented. But I do believe {and have experienced time and again} that everything happens for a reason {even if we don't realize it right away} AND that when one window closes, there is usually another that opens. And that is most certainly the case now! However that is another post for another time...

xo.

Nutella IN Bread; Anything This Good Must Be A Crime.

From Let's Bring Back: a new favortie book I am currently enjoying...

Blume writes of Bread..."Ever since trend diets declared bread the enemy, eating it has become akin to visiting a beloved friend in prison. I eagerly await bread's parole."

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I must admit, it is a pretty rare occassion that I eat sandwich bread these days. Aside from eating a solid vegan diet {generally, a really healthy way to eat when done correctly}...I wouldn't say that I really have NOT been "dieting"...except when it comes to laying off the bread/heavy carbs. Which is not to say that I wouldn't eat bread...it's more that I have become picky about what kind of bread I am going to splurge on. Fair enough, right? Well, this bread just happens to be a little slice of heaven! It is made from the same basic Artisan Bread in 5 Minutes a Day recipe we usually use...and we roll out our portion of dough similarly to when we made the Olive + Rosemary Rolls. Only this time, instead of savory, we opted for adding a sweet Nutella filling...and instead of cutting the dough into little rolls...we shaped it into...well, a little halo. Very apropos, don't you agree?

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We finished this bread off with a bit of a sugar water wash {could use the more traditional egg whited if one is not opposed} and then sprinkeled the bread with coarse raw sugar. If you have tried none of the other breads I've posted...THIS is the one to make! This weekend infact! I INSIST! You will not be disappointed!

Happy Friday!
xo.

Olive Rosemary Rolls

Last week, I think I had mentioned that my Mister was going to try out a new bread recipe...and I was going to whip up some lemon hummus in my new Valentine's Day food processor!

While I have used my new kitchen toy for a few other meals in the last week...the lemon hummus wasn't actually something I got around to making! {The hummus was on sale in the store, so I was pretty stocked up}. However, we DID make the Olive + Rosemary Rolls...

We used the same Artisan Bread in 5 Minutes recipe whose praise I have been singing for some time now. It is unbelievably good...and easy...and consistent! We used the basic recipe + rolled the portion of dough out in a thin oval shape. Next, brush inside with E.V. Olive Oil, add olives + sprinkle with rosemary. Finally, we just rolled the dough up, cut it into pieces + allowed it to sit a little while. When it was baking time, we placed the little rolls on the "pizza stone" seperately, swirl side up {like mini cinnamon buns}.
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These were just amazing! Bread is something fun that everyone can get involved in making, however these little beauties came out so exceptionally "professional looking", don't you agree that they would be perfect for serving or bringing to a dinner party?!

So I leave you with a couple of quotes:
“If thou tastest a crust of bread, thou tastest all the stars and all the heavens.” --Robert Browning. And even better... "Acorns were good until bread was found." --Francis Bacon
Happy Baking

xo.

Vegan Sloppy Joes... BAM!

So the end of last week, my children {well, all besides the Fif who was couchbound with the fever from breathing this damn airplane air for the last few months of winter} spent 2 days running out- of -doors in their shirt sleeves. {Haha Mum} Even though we are starting to feel the chilly temps again so far this week, well, those couple of days had me ready for spring!

However, before we move on to the delicious menu of vegan yummy foods available in the warm months, lets visit a quick meal that is so good on a cold day when you have NO TIME. Vegan Sloppy Joes. Ok, whatever, they are good in all 4 seasons! I know I've mentioned how much I LOVE this Fantastic Brand mix {available on Amazon.com} when I used it for my Vegan Chili...well, the Sloppy Joes are just as good if not better!

All the box calls for is a small can of tomato paste...and I add in the red beans, just to be the annoying mama/ wife that I am. And really, what Sloppy Joe is complete without being served on a paper plate with a side of potato chips? Terrible on multiple levels, I know.

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Hey, we can't be perfect all the time...but we can sure as h*ll eat some fabulous {...and VEGAN} food!
xo.

A First Birthday...+ the incredible meal which was had!

Guess what? We got more SNOW again today!! Not enough for the kid's school to be cancelled this morning... However, it was enough for the class I had to teach over at the college to be cancelled {gifting me some much wished for time to type this post!}

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Last weekend was a very special little man's first birthday! After the Monks' birthday bash in November, then all of the holidays...well, I thought it might be easier {scoff!} to just have seperate "little" get togethers with family + friends rather that put together a big party...?

In the end, not having a big party was probably the best plan, since for the little Liam-b's first birthday, the universe decided to let him begin cutting his very first tooth...+ gave him a cold to boot! My poor little man has been drooling, gooping + dripping like it is his job. He has been such a champ about it though, still the sweetest, happiest, most loving little babe there ever was! So while I will spare you my own blubbering about how unbelievably much I love this sweetest pea of mine + how I just cannot believe that it has already been a year since the most wonderful day when he was born, I will say that 3+ weeks sprinkled with several birthday meals, cakes, gifts + singing {rather than just one} seems only fitting for my little miracle baby boy.

With all the napping that was taking place due to teething + running noses, my Mister + I were afforded the time to try out an amazing new recipe to serve at one {of 4} of the "family" birthday get togethers we've had planned. A Vegan Eggplant- Potato Moussaka with Pine Nut Cream complete with homemade bread, a simple Eddie's Scetties + a Tomato Cucumber salad with a Mediterranean Olive Oil + Lemon Vinaigrette...

Birthdays always seem to be a wake up call for me; of how fast time flies by! They make me appreciate life in a different way. Instead of cursing the snow, I'll think about how beautiful it is; how in a month or so it will be gone until next winter. Instead of thinking about how the kids will be bonkers when they get home from school this afternoon, I'll embrace it, have a playdate + spend time with good friends. Instead of feeling helpless while my little birthday boy is teething, I'll soak up those moments where even though there is nothing I can REALLY do to take his pain away, all he REALLY wants is for me to hold + snuggle him...that is enough. For all that I have to be so grateful for as I celebrate the first birthday of my smallest guy, I am most grateful for the fresh perspective his birthday brought me...and {hopefully} the ability to live in this carpe diem kind of mentality...making the most of each day, doing the things I enjoy + being with the ones I love most.

xo.

Vegan Mexican Lasagna

Ok, I told you I'd be a busy bee this week getting back to teaching at the college {TODAY!!!, just sayin'}...but here is a delicious post that I've had up my sleeve, just a waitin' to be shared....

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Yes, you most certainly DID read that header correctly. My Mister is a huge fan of Mexican food, tacos + all things spicy. I like a little spice + Mexican myself...but the whole "taco production" I can do without! Too much work for a little bit of food, if you ask me! So here enters the influence of my Italian heritage: Vegan Mexican Lasagna.

I treat the soft {whole wheat} tortillas like they were lasagna noodles {begining + ending with them} and just layer my filling. Here I used vegan baked beans and then a layer of taco flavored tvp, corn + black beans. The top layer of tortilla always looks kind of naked to me, so I usually make a sauce, or just dump a jar of salsa on top if I'm in a pinch.

I'm a big fan of the Tofutti Sour Cream, but decided that I was in more of a guac mood, so that's how we finished off this delicious-ness. As much as I love inhaling it, the BEST part about this meal is that it is super easy to make + always big enough for a big group {OR, so there are LEFTOVERS!} And when it comes to this meal, it is almost better the second time around!

Make this...you'll be so glad that you did + will wonder how you ever lived without it?!



xo.

Winter Solstice...and the Night Kitchen

Famous last words...or thoughts...

Recipe for Vegan Chocolate Raspberyy Thumbprint Cookies found in Zine on Sidebar......

Why is it that the shortest day of the year also happens to be the day I have the most to do?

And yeah, they really do taste as good as they look!

Happy Winter!

xo.

Swappin' Cookies

Each year for the last, oh... 4 years, on December 23rd I have hosted a cookies swap with some of my mama friends from town. The holiday season is usually so chock full of parties, that ironically, having the "girls night cookie swap" so close to Christmas actually worked out really well! Over the years, the number of ladies + friends who would be in attendance have changed, but I am so happy to say that this year, I will be having not only the largest group I have hosted, but also the most ecclectic group of friends to date! I am just brimming with excitement about all of the great conversation that will be had, {ahem, wine that will be drunk} + new friends that will know each other better after this girls night in!

::: courtesy of Macy's holiday window display, NYC 2010 :::

In the past, I had all my ladies pick one kind of cookie + then bake enough so that each person swapped 6 of each cookie. This year, because it is a large group, we are making enought cookies for 4 cookies each...giving us all a most wonderful assortment of Christmas cookies to either bring with on your holiday travels or offer in your home.

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Just for fun, I put together the 2010 Vegan Christmas Cookie Zine that you may have noticed along the side bar. It was not a requirement, but I figured that I would throw out some healthy alternatives to your traditional cookie...and I am thrilled that I had a couple of guests who were willing to try out one of these recipes for the party!

It's not too late! Send out some emails to some girlfriends and have a cookie swap of your own! I know it is close to the holiday...so if need be, I always make my parties as optional "Bake, Borrow, or Buy"! I know many will bake, but one friend is baking for 2 {the borrow}...and no one will ever be cross if someone has to buy...{'tis the busy season and c'mon, it's baking...sh*t happens!}

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xo.

Chilly Time Chili

Truth be told, I love making this Chili Summer, Winter, Spring + Fall! It is a staple in our house for sure! These is something about being able to make vat of chili + letting simmer on the stove that really warms your heart.This is the Chili mix I use for the base of my Veg. Chili. The Fantastic brand also makes other TVP {Textured Vegetable/Soy Protien} products, like mixes for "Taco Crumbles" of "Sloppy Joe" mix! Mmmmm! These little boxes of deliecious aren't always easy to find, so I usually stock up whenever I happen to be in the store that carries them!


After you prepare your box of Chili Mix, add your diced tomatoes {large can}. Then I add a large can of both black and red kidney beans, a small can of garbanzo beans + a can of corn. Sometimes, I will also chop a green pepper for some more color. This is probably way more bean than what the back of the Fantastic Mix box calls for, however, I make up the difference by seasoning to taste with cumin, a bit of chili powder and hot sauce. Beans are so important for everyone to eat...every day really, since they carry the essential amounts of fiber that our body needs each day. While the Monks isnt the biggest fan of beans, everyone else in our house devours their dishes of chili. We usually serve it over rice with some Guacamole on top...but straight from the pot works amazingly well too!

Happy Monday Everyone!

xo.

Thanksgiving Prep....Vegan Style

I have been talking alot about health, fitness and healthy eating lately. While it was my intention to NOT be fanatical about vegan eating...well, the new routine has really taken hold of me. Initially, I just started preparing vegan options when I hosted/attended playdates and for family meals. While I told myself I would "cheat" if I really wanted to, well, I haven't. Haven't cheated and really haven't wanted to!

The Whole Foods catalogue of prepared Thanksgiving meals came in the mail a few weeks back, and since then, I kept thinking about this one vegan meal that included a Hazlenut Cranberry Roast. Per the box, it reads: a rich, hazlenut-infused vegetarian grain meat stuffed with "Feild Roast Sausages", crystallized ginger, cranberries and apples- wrapped in a savory vegan puffed pastry. Come ON! So I went on a little trip to ye olde Whole Wallet over the weekend to see if it was possible to just by this deliciousness without buying the rest of the meal {which I will be preapring at home....with the turkey}.

The roast most certainly was available and I bought it right up! {Just remember to read the directions and allow for the "thawing time".} I do feel kind of bad that I can't offer a real life account of this actually tastes, as I haven't tried it yet...but it has to be better than the tofurkey! Actually, the description sounds rather delicious, don't you agree? And that brings me to what seems to be the theme of this holiday season: Options. If you provide some food options {and healthy ones at that}, I think people will be willing to give it a go! If you are interested in trying this yourself...head on over to Whole Foods. We can pow wow on how it was after the holiday!!

xo.

Harry Potter Weekend, Vegan Style

There are just no words to describe just how much I want to dive through my computer and devour this plate of Harry Potter Vegan goodness! I can't take responsibility though! This fantabulous meal is from the very magical Very Vegan Holiday {...at wordpress dot com}

Don't be shy...go, loooook....you know you want it.

Butterbeer
Herbology Salad with Liquid Luck Vinaigrette
Shepherd’s Pie
Sauteed Gillyweed
Golden Galleon Beets
Pumpkin Pasties

This is all most definately on my to make list.

xo.

Nothing tastes as good as skinny feels...

You only have to look at me to see that I can be a little on the, ahem...excessive compulsive side. I'm also not the most patient person...{See this is what happens when you have studied psychology for years...and went to Catholic school all of your life....I have a talent for picking at my character defects + a need to confess my flaws to someone!}

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But that is not the point of this post, but rather just a bit of insight into me. Knowing what you do now, it probably makes a boat load of sense that when I decided recently, to take off the rest of the baby weight I've been carrying around, I jumped in with both feet. After 7 years of having my head in my uterus, trying to make a family, we are done! It is bittersweet, but I am so grateful to have 3 healthy littles + am embracing this as the begining of a new chapter where I will try to make a bit of time for myself. So to start, I knew that I needed to change my diet...and that sucks, not being able to eat all of the things that I like. However, being a bit on the extreme side, I have re -adopted a diet that I know how to do {and how to do the healthy way}. I enjoy cooking and eating the food, which can be half of the battle...so far, so good.

But I also needed to exercise. Diet is not enough without a movin' your body. I don't love exercise, but it is something that I eventually get used to once I get going. The two {diet + exercise} really go hand in hand though. If I am going to put in the time to exercise, I am certainly going to think twice about what I put in my mouth after I worked so hard to burn those calories! I have put alot of effort into these changes over the last month {hence, the limited crafty/cool posts, lol}. And so, I have a few posts on this, {my new passion/ obsession} that I'd like to share. Some of which are on exercise {with some embarrasing photos of me "exercising", which alone, is worth comming back to laugh at}...and in addition, I think I'd like to post on a healthy recipe that I have made each week. I promise I will never be preachy or try to convert anyone. While I'm not an expert, I hope to offer some information and some recipes that my family likes that are both healthy + delicious. Because in the end, that is what it is really all about. Eating healthy foods, setting a good example for our children...and being alive long enough to see our grand children + great grand children. So while you might be thinking, "why not wait for this to be a "New Years Resolution"? My response is that there is no time like the present to make a positive change. And watch out, the weightloss/ exercise "feel good" is contagious! A few of my mama friends are on health kicks of their own and it is such fun having each others support. So when healthy living gets tough, my mantra is Nothing tastes as good as skinny feels. Ha! It always makes me chuckle, but it is true. Since I have started this adventure, I have lost close to 10lbs.! So I figured, why not go into the holiday season feeling good about myself and making splurges only here + there...and looking fabulous all along the way? That is my plan, won't you join me?

More posts to come on this....

xo.