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Tuesday, December 28, 2010

My new "do"

For a few years now, I have had the same profile picture.  I liked it because it was a bit anonymous.


Then yesterday I finally decided it was time to update it to something a bit more current. 

AND of course, TODAY....I totally changed my hair!!!!   

So in keeping with starting the New Year with a new Me.  I updated my profile pic. 
Change is good....right?

Monday, December 27, 2010

Where have I been?

WOW, I can't believe its been so long since I updated my blog.  No excuses other than life:-)

Had a wonderful Christmas!  Probably the best one in a long time.  Was lowkey with just my family, my brothers family and my mom.  NICE.

Some good news is I attended my WW weigh in today and lost 2 pounds over the holiday.  THAT was rewarding.  AND, I have lost 35 pounds for the year.  AND, I am at a weight I haven't seen in a LONG time.  Feeling motivated on that front.

Along with losing weight, one of my goals for the New Year is to do more things for ME.  One of those things is journaling, taking pictures....and sharing it all here.

I have a busy week ahead. Going for a year end "makeover" tomorrow.  Changing my hair color and style.  I am BEYOND excited for that.  Of course, I seen a few pics this weekend of myself that I really liked and I had a few seconds hesitation on going for a change.  BUT, I need it ...and I am worth it!   THEN, I am spending the rest of the week getting ready for vacation.  WOOT WOOT.  Friday we are heading to Santa Barbara to visit family, do some sightseeing and having some relaxing time.  David and I are going with my brother and his family.  Only one of my kids that is going is Kayleigh.  Will be interesting to spend New Years down there.

So now, I need to do a bit of research and figure out how to update my blog from "the road".  HA!  Not sure if I am taking my laptop or not?  So you can either expect updates....or you will have to wait till the following weekend when I return.

Happy New Year.  Here's to a GREAT year ahead!!

Tuesday, December 21, 2010

The Light is Reborn

The Light is reborn.
In the greatest darkness
Out of Winter's cold
From our deepest fears
When we most despair
When all seems lost
When the earth lies waste
When animals hide
From fallen leaves
When the river is frozen
When the ground is hard
From the midst of the wasteland
When hope is gone
Out from the hard times
Shadows are fleeing
Light is returning
Warmth will come again
Summer will be here once more
Plants will grow again
Animals will be seen once more
Life will continue
Green will come again
Death is not forever

The Sun is back

He is born again.
~~ Ceisiwr Serith

Thursday, April 08, 2010

Top of the World on a Blistery Day

What does my son do when he has some free time?  Jumps into a friends 4x4 truck and heads up to Mt. Pilchuck to check out the snow levels. 

AMAZING view!!

Thursday, April 01, 2010

Full Circle Farm

Yesterday, I mentioned picking up my vegetables from Full Circle Farm.  I thought I would take some time to share what they are about and why I love them so much!!

Full Circle Farm is a local farm  that provides farm fresh organic food.  I started with them about a year ago and LOVE them.  They offer a program of buying a subscription to their FARM TO YOU program.  For a weekly fee, I get a box of tasty organic produce.  They have several "pick up" spots around Puget Sound.  (I pick mine up at Grilla Bites, in Snohomish). 

Their box of "goodies" is available year round (which is not always the case in other local CSA type farms). In my box I get food grown from their farm, food grown at other local organic farms and occasionally out of state organic farms.  They have a network of organic farms that help supplement my box each week to provide a well balanced variety

Another thing I love about them; is thier Green Grocery.  I can add other products to my box each week.  Depending on the season they offer cheese, herbs, freshly baked bread, chocolate, tea, coffee and even flowers.  They are currently looking into providing milk and meats!!!

Before I joined them, last year, I did a lot of  research into other farms.  I feel that Full Circle Farm is the best out there. ONE thing I liked was if I didn't want to...I didn't need to buy a YEAR subscription.  I could do weekly subscriptions.  Also, most of my subscription is managed online.  I get a weekly email that lists the upcoming selections in my box.  I can go online and make substitutions, shop from the Green Grocery or even cancel a week if I am out of town.

The most important thing to me is I totally trust them. If they provide produce from other farms....I know I can trust that farm too. 

In this age of Fast Food and highly processed food; I think that eating 'greener' is very important.  Becoming a member of Full Circle Farm was the first step for me.  A step that I am so happy I made!!! 

Check out their FAQ's for more info.   Make sure you take the time to really explore their site too.  They have lots of good info regarding why organic food is so good for us...and the enviroment.

I'm off to gobble up the rest of that Pasta Primavera........all made with vegetables from Full Circle Farm!!!

Wednesday, March 31, 2010

A DELIGHTFUL Hump Day!!

Ahhhh, do you see that?  Blue skies and...dare we say it...SUNSHINE. 

LOVE IT.  Although apparenly we are going back to grey and rainy fairly soon. 

Figured I better take advantage of it while I can.  I put on my walking shoes and hit the Centennial Trail.  I went to a part of the trail that I hadn't been to before.  I admit, I was a little nervous because its more of the secluded part of trail and not as populated.  But no one jumped out of the bushes and tried to kidnap me.  Always a plus!!!

I walked for an hour.  I even jogged a bit.  Okay, Okay....it was only for a few seconds and it was when a bee was terrorizing me.  BUT HEY....I JOGGED!  Anyway, it was so nice to get out and move.  Its been a week and a half since I last walked!  I enjoyed the sunshine, scenery, occasional biker that passed me, and wildlife (NOT the bees!!!)  But by the time I got back to the truck, I was done.  My feet were a bit sore and knees a bit wobbly.  As of now, an hour seems to be my limit.  I shouldn't complain since when I started in January, I could barely make 20 mins!!!!

Afterwards I drove to Snohomish.  Went inside the Snohomish Bakery and got some wonderful Italian Bread for dinner.  Then picked up my veggies, from the drop off spot for Full Circle Farms.

Dinner tonight was a simple but delish Pasta Primavera, with whole grain spiral pasta.  Seems to be on our menu weekly since its a great way to use up veggies before they go bad!

Right now, I am sitting on the couch, basking in the stream of Sunshine that is coming through the back door!!!!  All while relaxing on the computer...waiting for my Wednesday night tv shows to begin.

I LOVE SUNSHINE!!!  I LOVE WEDNESDAYS!  and I LOVE DAYS WHERE EVERYTHING GOES RIGHT!
 

Monday, March 29, 2010

Healing

Healing may not be so much about getting better, as about letting go of everything that ISN'T you - all of the expectations, all of the beliefs - and becoming who you are.
-- Rachel Naomi Remen

Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Pasta Primavera

Sadly, I don't have a new camera, yet, to dazzle you with my fabulous meal. (just pretend there is a fantastic picture here that inspires you to make it TONIGHT!!!)

I had an abundance of veggies that needed to be used, and just happened to catch an episode of Healthy Appetite with Ellie Krieger, this weekend, on the Food Network.  PERFECT way to use up all my veggies and enjoy a healthy, flavorful meal!!!!

Pasta Primavera

I added zucchini,  a bit of onion and some jumbo shrimp. 

TRY IT!
edit: (I've made it several times and each time have used diffrent vegetables. Very easy to adjust to what you have on hand!!!!)

Thursday, March 18, 2010

Risk

"And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom"
Anais Nin

Sometimes we wonder how we got to where we are.  Not our surroundings, jobs or life around us.....but the person the world see's and accepts.  Because honestly, I don't think that person is always the person that we feel on the inside. 

I think we all make changes along our lives path that we don't consciously agree to!  We get married and give up a part of our freedom....we sometimes conform to what we think is the ideal spouse.  We have children and begin to behave in a way that we think is THE way that a parent behaves.  We don't always share our strong opinions because they are deemed NOT politically correct.  We start to dress a certain way, behave a certain way....and conform ourselves.   ALL so we can be liked by the masses.  So we fit in.  Molded into a cookie cutter image of what we think we need to be.

But what if that is not how we feel on the inside?  What if we want to be more true to how we really feel?

The RISK is: what if no one likes the person we are on the inside?  What if we offend someone?  What if they laugh at us?  What if they talk about us?  What if not EVERYONE likes us?

Is the RISK worth it?

Tuesday, March 16, 2010

FIRST 5K ~ St. Paddy's Day Dash

WOO HOO.  I DID IT!!!!

I walked 3.8 miles in the St. Paddy's Day Dash.   THANK GOD for all my training!  If not for training, that 1+ mile on that slow incline would have kicked my ass!

Here is me and Kayleigh afterwards!!! 


Now on to the next one!!!!

Thursday, March 04, 2010

Ya know that old saying....

If you don't have anything nice to say....then don't say anything at all?

So yah....that's me today.

Sunday, February 21, 2010

I hit a Personal Best Part 2

Today, was soooo gorgeous outside.  Talked David into heading out to the Centennial Trail.  As we were walking...I finally found the mile markers on the trail!  So we got to about where I had done it last Weds. (about 1.5 miles).  I decided to push it a bit more.  We walked all they way to the 2 mile marker then turned around and headed back. 

4 MILES!  WooHoo!  I am so excited.  I did that in 1 hour 11 minutes.  Not sure if that is a good time...but doesn't matter to me.  I DID IT! 

Now I KNOW I can do the St. Paddy's Dash.

I'm rewarding myself this week with new shoes.  And if I can squeeze it in: an Ipod armband, fanny pack and a new hat to keep the sun off my face. 

I'm off to gloat to my family.....

Thursday, February 18, 2010

I hit a Personal Best

Sooo, I have made the commitment (along with several friends) to participate in the St. Paddys Day Dash.  It's a 5k+ (3.8mile) walk/run in Seattle.  It is sponsored by the Detlef Schremph Foundation.  I have a fondness for Detlef....my oldest daughter met him when she was about 5.  He was really nice to her, signed his picture for her daddy and complimented her on how cute and polite she was:-)  The Dash and the Detlef Foundation is raising proceeds to Dash Autism.  

I have been training since the beginning of the year.  Yesterday I hit my "personal best".  While in Snohomish I decided to stop at the Centennial Trail.  I walked it from the beginning in Snohomish to the Pilchuck trailhead.  I estimated it 1 1/2 mile each way.  Tried to find it online and all I could find was a reference in this wonderful blog

I figure I walked AT LEAST 3 miles.  Took me an hour, knees were sore...but I DID IT!!!!  The furthest I have gone so far:-)

YEAH ME!!!!

Friday, January 08, 2010

I wear my sunglasses at night....

OMG...check out these SUPER cool and chic sunglasses!!

You can find them here. If ONLY I could afford that for sunglasses. 

But I can't....so I settled for these SUPER cool retro ones:


More in my price range!!!! 

I found both of these at The Zoe Report.  Which is my fave place to look to find ideas to try to be cool. 

Is it working??????

Friday, January 01, 2010

Happy New Year!!!

SADLY....Ben Affleck was NOT under my Christmas Tree.

BUT on the flip side....I received some wonderful presents:-) 

Now on to the New Year.  Diving in head first........