Tuesday, April 24, 2012

Baby steps!

Good morning everyone. I am glad to have a moment to check in and catch up with everyone. So much going on over here. I know everyone is busy too. It gets hard to keep up with all that has to be done. Baby steps right.? It all always does seem to get done, so don't fret and take things one step at a time.

 I have always been a planner, but I'm starting to realize that sometimes you just have to let the urge to control, schedule, and micro manage things, go out the window and take things as they come. Believe me, while dealing with a family death, two devasted kids, and a brother whose whole life has been ripped apart, I am learning this lesson all to well. I can't fix things, and I can't control things. I can only control myself, my body and my life.

recipe imageIt's important for me during these hectic times to be able to automate my life as much as I can. I learn so much from all of you and your blog posts. I am constantly looking for ways to make things easier. I love the microwave scrambled eggs in the morning. Adding some fresh spinach, or artichokes along with some cheddar or smoked gouda ( thanks Carey for the idea!!) makes it a creamy delicious and quick breakfast.

That and the one minute flaxseed muffin have been my go to breakfast for weeks now.
I tried minichicks version on Saturday and it was very good. I made it in the bowl and poured the almond milk on it. It was very warm and delicious. Next time I may top it with some natures hollow sugar free jam next time. I love adding the sugar free josephs maple syrup. It adds alittle more sweetness and a hint of maple flavor.

 Can you all list some of your favorite go to breakfasts? I'll post them in a future post and maybe we can all get some new ideas.

 Instead of a thought for the day, I am posting a quote from the facebook fan page of The Beck Diet Solution.  If you have not checked out this website, there are some really good ideas to help you stay on track for whatever diet or lifestyle you are following. Check it out at www.thebeckdietsolution.com


Sending love and hugs to all of you from me!

Tuesday Reality Check: While resisting a craving might be uncomfortable in the MOMENT, giving in to that craving and then feeling bad about yourself and your eating will be uncomfortable for so much longer.

Monday, April 23, 2012

I'm still standing....

Hello Everyone:

I am still with you all.I have been swamped lately. And all those balls I'm trying to keep in the air, are dropping now and again. I never was good at juggling. But I'm getting better. I am yearning for some boredom, some quiet times, and some peaceful moments. Life is going by so fast and so slow. I promise a longer blog post in a day or two. I just wanted to say that I'm still here, still committed to this blog, to my healthy eating habits and to keeping in touch with my friends. I'm learning that there is so much in this world that you cannot control. But you can control what you say, what you do, what you put into your body and how you choose to react to situations. That's all you can really do in this world. Hugs and love to you all.

Saturday, April 14, 2012

Let them eat bread!!

Good afternoon everyone. Just wanted to sit and catch up a bit with all of you. Things over here on the east coast are going well. Gorgeous sunny weather, blooming flowers, trees budding.  I have been going about life as usual, spending a few days a week at my brothers, and trying to keep up with my life on the other days. The next few weeks are going to be so busy. Every weekend is committed....trip to the shore, wedding shower, college mba graduation weekend in Indiana, bachelorette party weekend at the shore, college graduation in Connecticut, Memorial Day weekend at the shore, 2nd wedding couples shower, then a few weekends free before the big wedding day on July 21, 2012. I have been busy helping plan one of the showers, and I have the rehearsal dinner to plan. I finally booked the place where we are having the dinner. It's a beautiful country club, with lovely views from the terrace. I think it will be a perfect place to celebrate the night before the wedding. And my niece is turning 16 at the end of the month, so we are having a family dinner of some sort. She doesn't want anything big. I think it's too tough to think of celebrating without Beth. Maybe next year we will have a big sweet 17 party. But for this year, she just wants a small family get together. So be it.
Blooming crabapples. The rose bushes below are starting to fill out their leaves
My tulips and hyacinths in full bloom.

Creeping mazus blooming too!
I am stuggling as usual. I am not one of them most successful BFC followers. But I keep trying, and believe that following a low sugar and limited high quality carb eating plan is the best way to eat.And I know that this is how I can and want to eat for the rest of my life. So I stumble, I get up and I continue on. All of you keep me going, and the connection is what makes me know I can be successful in reaching my goal. While I was reading the posts today, I sensed there is an underlying feeling of struggle among some of us, and also a problem limiting the carbs or overeating the bad carbs. That's my problem too. I've got the sugar thing pretty much down, but that bread basket keeps calling my name. This week I came up with a little breakfast idea, that let me feel like I was eating a chewy, dense bagel, without all those white, doughy carbs found in the real thing.

Laughing cow recently came out with their little wedges in cream cheese form. The store I went to had a sale, so I bought one of each. I've tried them all but the cinnamo,n and they are really good, portion controlled, sugar free and less than 1 carb per wedge, except for the cinnamon which has 2 carbs.There is a  lower fat plain flavor and a regular plain flavor.  The only difference is 10 calories and 1 fat gram. I have been enjoying these on the whole wheat Arnold sandwich thins. I do not break it apart, but toasted it with the halves together. Spread with one of the cream cheese wedges, and with my eyes closed, it seemed almost like a bagel. Not quite, but satsifying and very good. So try it and let me know if it helps with those carb cravings!

Almost like a toasted bagel!!

Thought for the day:    "Men can starve from a lack of self-realization as much as they can from a lack of bread." --Richard Wright

Sunday, April 8, 2012

Easter Blessings!

Wishing you all a wonderful Easter. Hope it is filled with.....


Sunshine,



 Eggs, 





Bunnies, 



Baskets,







Flowers,





 and





 Loved ones.


Me and my Daddy!

Monday, April 2, 2012

For better or worse!

Hello sweet souls. I am just checking in to say I am alive, and still following all of your blogs,and still following the BFC. The weekend was a bit rough. We went down to our shore house to start to get things ready for summer. It was a carby weekend, but back on track this fine Monday. I have kept up with all of your posts. Please forgive me for not commenting. It's hard for me to comment on my phone and I wasn't around my laptop all weekend. Congrats to Beth on the birthday and the puppy. I am here with any advice you may need, having impulsively taken two puppies from the shelter 3 years ago. What was I thinking?? I have to tell you my story.

I have done insane things for the love of pets. One example would be taking two pound puppies from the Last Chance Ranch 3 years ago. Yes, I said two, as if one wouldn't be enough for the two dogs we already owned in our family, Steve (another rescue)

 and Sadie (a glorious and regal harlequin great dane) The last thing these dogs needed was two rambunctious puppies. They were just settling into the lazy, sleep most of the day, get up to eat and drink, then back to the comfy frontgate dog bed, dog days of senior life. No one to bother them, steal their food, chew on their ears, jump on their head. Just blissful naps lasting hours and hours. They had earned these luxuries of old age, and they were going to make the most of it.

Enter  Riley and Roscoe.


 They were about three months old, heinz 57 variety, mutt puppies. Life as we all knew it changed. Up went the baby gates, out came the doggie crates and new puppy bowls. Puppy classes, training sessions and potty training filled the days that I had planned to fill with me time. This was the year I was going to get serious about yoga, cook from all those cookbooks that had been piling up, do things that I had put off. Time for me. I sent my baby to college and impulsively...yes I can admit it now honestly, it was impulsive. I went to a shelter and took TWO puppies.

I didn't plan it. I wanted a two or three year old, house trained dog. One without any real issues. One that would fit in and not be too needy. The shelters were full of them. I worried that once Sadie was gone, Steve would be lonely. He would go nuts without another dog. He needed a companion. But those shelter people saw me coming. They brought out one puppy and then another, told me they were crate mates and I instantly felt bad about taking one and leaving the other. Not to mention they were cute and cuddly and I had my 19 year old son along. "Mom", he said, "you can't take one and not the other!" He was right.

So our lives have changed since these two entered it.   Sadly our Sadie is gone, and Steve is enjoying being the grumpy pack leader. Riley is meek and mild, Roscoe is wild and wacky...oh and he has bladder issues! But a few hundred dollars in vet bills, and some expensive food for dogs that form bladder crystals, have resolved that issue!! I love them and I commited to them....for better or worse!! But it's mostly better! Mostly!!!

P.S. Did I mention Riley grew into a 80 lb tank??  What happened to that little puppy?

Thought for the day: "Dogs are not our whole life, but they make our lives whole." ~ Roger Caras