Invitations Made Easy

Y'all, I have found the most AHMAZIN' way to order invitations. Yes, the paper kind that are old-fashioned but still so fun to send for a special gathering.

The worst parts of getting invitations are: 1) they're expensive and 2) you have to wait (for them to print, ship to you or go pick them up and then mailing them, after you go buy stamps).

Never fear, a fantastic website is here! cardstore.com Although it's been around for about 10 years and has since been aquired by American Greetings, cardstore.com is a great find. They have lovely and affordable options for every occasion and I haven't even gotten to the best part yet: they will print and mail your invitations to your guests, for you! It truly made invitation ordering as easy as 1-2-3.

Here is an example of a fun, seasonal card for a summer gathering:

I used the website for the first time a couple of weeks ago for my sister's lingerie shower invitation and it was a time-saving, wonderful experience. I have another shower to host at the end of May, and will be using this great shop again.

Thank you cardstore.com!

I love shopping discount apps

For those of you who have not discovered premium brand, discount shopping apps, please continue to read-on!

I have found hautelook.com and fab.com to be a very fun, unexpected and impulsive way to learn about fabulous products at great prices.

Just today, I purchased a lovely colorful horse print (maybe for a future kids room???).

Last week there was a sale on fab.com for the beautiful melamine items from frenchbull.com. I purchased a few items for cheap, cheap, cheap - what a find!

A few weeks ago, I purchased the most fun portable cheeseboard (plus an extra to use as a gift for a friend).

They start new sales each day. My only recommendation to them is: add more photos of your wares! The more  details I can see on the fly (vs. having to do extra searches online), the faster I will buy your products and probably more of them at that.

Happy shopping!

Grilled Kabob Bar

Last Sunday we hosted a couple of our dear friends, Jon and Emily for a Sunday evening of grillin'. One of the easiest and most delicious meals to make in the summer is kabobs.

Cory and I like to have guest participation in meals and decided to do a kabob "bar." We set out all of the fresh ingredients and everyone could assemble their kabobs with what they wanted. Due to the addition of raw meat, we did have one designated chicken person.

Our selection included: red onions, vidalia onions, yellow squash, zucchini squash, cherry tomatoes, red/green/orange bell peppers, mushrooms and chipotle-lime marinated chicken. The chicken marinade is FANTASTIC and the recipe link is below.

Chipotle-Lime Grilled Chicken

Having Fun (OMG really?) Maintaining My Weight!

Friends,
I'm sorry it has been so long since I have posted any recipes or updates! To be honest, we have been crazy busy. With what you say? For one, selling our first house, also, with all of this gorgeous weather, we have been outside a ton, jogging, walking the dogs, riding our bicycles and enjoying nature. Some nights, we'll look up and it's already 9pm!

I am still doing well on the "adapting" part of my life-style changing diet. At about 1,200 calories per day, I can intake the food I need to maintain a healthy thinking attitude and to exercise like I want to. Cory has been incredibly supportive as well, even picking up the "my fitness pal" app habit, to support me as I use it. By the way, it is a wonderful app! Link to the My Fitness Pal app.

Here are a few useful tips I have discovered during my adapting back to food:
1. Continue to drink 64oz of water per day! I have found that when I start to get the snacky/munchies, I'm most likely slightly dehydrated and can have a glass of water and feel fine.

2. Also, when feeling snacky, I get out of the kitchen! Sometimes, just having the option of an refrigerator or pantry door to open, can trigger "I'm hungry (but really not)" feelings.
3. When finishing a meal or again, feeling snacky but knowing you're not, go for a piece of gum. I've found some great flavors out there that suit every taste need: Trident Cinnamon is wonderful for anything, Trident Original gets the food taste out of your mouth, Extra Desserts are nice when you want something sweet. I haven't ventured out to try the Apple Pie or Strawberry Shortcake yet but the Orange Creme Pop and Mint Chocolate Chip are good.

4. If you have tried the ideas above but are still hungry, you really might be! Instead of going straight for the carbohydrates (fruit included), reach for some fresh veggies. Our nutritionist encourages us to definitely 6 servings of vegetables today. Once you try to plan that in, it is quite a challenge. I've been able to accomplish this too! Some of the new snack veggies I am loving: sweet baby peppers, sugar snap peas and baby carrots. Sam's Club sells a great value pack of all three (separately of course).

5. Another food Cory and I love, but couldn't afford to eat in the past calorie-wise, was peanut butter. The fat content was too high. Then, I took a work trip to Springfield and discovered PB2 at a Dillon's store. WOW, this stuff is awesome. If you truly love peanut butter, you are going to love this stuff as it tastes like pure peanuts. This type of peanut butter removes 85% of the fat that comes from oil by processing the peanuts like normal, dehydrating them and you buy it on shelf as a peanut butter powder. After you bring it home, you mix it with water to your consistency of choice and voila, a healthy peanut butter! They also offer a chocolate peanut butter. Look it up to find out more on the Bell Plantation Website. It's most cost effective to purchase from their website vs. Amazon, at least that's what we found in our research.

That's all for now. We are headed out for a hike with our pups. More to come later on our delicious grillin' out night with our friends Jon and Emily - we're making Chipotle-Lime Grilled Chicken Kabobs, yummmmm.

I'm Proud to be an Arkansan!

Tonight, I will not be focusing primarily on food but rather, the serious incident that our state has had to encounter this week: scandal on the University of Arkansas football team. Our former head football coach Bobby Petrino came under intense University and public scrutiny after the details of what seemed a commonplace motorcycle accident were gradually revealed. As a result, his integrity came under question and investigation. 


Today, a new leader emerged in our state, Jeff Wood. Many may have known him as the U of A's Athletic Director but today, he proved a premium example of what a public figure with great influence and power should behave like. One of my favorite quotes from the obviously difficult press conference earlier today:


"No individual is bigger than the team"


Later, as he became choked up, he discussed how his position is bigger than himself, that he has an obligation to the athletes, the students, fans and the state to provide leadership befitting of the University. You could visibly see the stress and strain this entire situation had placed on Wood, yet, he definitely made his state proud. 


To say this was a defining moment for our state, would be an understatement but I can say that we are definitely going to rally behind the team and this great, Razorback nation! Go Hogs and Pig Souie!


Link to another blog - great letter: http://www.theaccidentaldoctor.com/2012/04/11/934/


Of course, as he was talking about finding another coach, Wood also gave a great shout-out to the SEC by saying: we're the best conference in the nation...booyah!

Grace Point, Sunday Sermon, Easter Sunday 4/8

Finding New Direction Through and Empty Tomb
Philippians 3:2-14

Easter is not a holiday you celebrate; it is a life you live. 

The Romans were expert at killing people by crucifixion - Jesus was fully dead. Josephus said: back in the day, they didn't have enough crosses for all of the people they were killing. 

There are hundreds of eye-witnesses to the resurrected Christ - 
Jesus was fully alive. Over 500 people sighted him in a 40 day period after his resurrection. 

Sir Norman Anderson - the empty tomb, forms a veritable rock on which all rationalistic theories of the resurrection dash themselves in vain. 

HCSB: my goal is to know him and the power of his resurrection...I will somehow reach the resurrection of the dead. v10.

The resurrection was the center point on which Paul was building his life. What is our center point?

You can't control the length of your life but you can control the depth. 
1) the resurrected life gives you a SUBSTANTIVE FOCUS for living. 

Book that 35+ yrs old should read: Half Time, Bob Buford. Transition from success to significance. Does your success have substance to it?

V3-8 Paul was the "who's who, of the Hebrews," he was blameless under the law. Yet, puts no confidence in the flesh.

Quote from Leonard Sweet, Carpe Mañana - "The greater the material fullness, the greater the spiritual emptiness." 

2) The resurrected life gives you a FUTURE TO HOLD ON TO. 
v12-14 - pressing toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. 

In my faith, how much am I pushing through my walls? 

Mike said someone shared this quip with him in the gym: PAIN is WEAKNESS leaving your body.

A challenge in pressing forward: to be free from the PAST v13
Quotes:
LP: your past should be your TEACHER, not your MASTER. 
Dutch Sheets - Roll Away Your Stone
Don't settle for SECOND PLACE in the FAITH. 
Henry Blackaby - You cannot go with God and stay where you are. 

Israelites approach the red sea - The Lord said to them (Ex 14:15 - The Lord said to Moses, "tell the people to go forward."). 

Set faith building goals:
Tithe
Serve in a global capacity, sign up today!
It seems those we love the most, we fight with the most. Where are you in communication?
If you have been far from God, turn to him now.  
Surrender your tongue to him.
Maybe you just need to say...YES to God! 

A Splendid Sunday

Our Sunday started with the 7am service at Grace Point Church - it was wonderful and I will post the sermon from the service shortly.

After church, Cory and I basically spent time together enjoying the beautiful day, what a wonderful blessing from God!

Healthy Lunch I Made Today

• deli turkey, swiss cheese rolled-up in iceberg lettuce
• whole grain brown rice with olive oil sauteed peppers and garlic
• PB1 (the best new product EVER, check it out here) with a sliced apple
• Arnold Palmers (fresh and delish, non-alcoholic)

We went for a refreshing bicycle ride to Crystal Bridges and then walked the Dogwood Trail - the trees were in full bloom and completely beautiful! We had never seen as many people as we out today; it's great to know so many people are taking advantage of such a beautiful place. Here is a photo from our walk.

Fresh Dinner of Mini Sirloin Burgers on Pitettes (mini pitas) and Cory's Greek Deviled Eggs in honor of the Easter holiday (very simple, add chopped olives and crumbled feta to the classic recipe and omit the cayenne pepper/pickles). 

 

As a bonus: look at the new candelabra I bought! Thanks TJ Maxx!

Productive (Rainy) Saturday

Our original plan had been to take the kayaks out on their maiden voyage for 2012 today but the weather had other ideas in mind, which was fine with us! We woke to a slightly cool, fresh air morning (windows open!) 

I settled down to my first breakfast back on food - yay! I enjoyed English Breakfast hot tea, 1/2 c of plain non-fat greek yogurt mixed with stevia and topped with blueberries. Dr. Feezell would have been proud. I also drank water before I started my meal. The 64 oz of water a day habit, is one I really want to keep maintaining. 


Next, I went for a 20 minute jog (a full loop around the neighborhood, including hills!), cooled down with a brisk 20 minute walk and wrapped it up with about 25 minutes of free weight training on my upper body. I was feeling great. 


For lunch, I had a chocolate shake with fiber and again, plenty of water.


As an in between snack, I had 2 slices of Swiss cheese rolled with 4 slices of Oscar Meyer 98% fat free hardwood smoked turkey delifresh slices. 

Dinner was another special treat, salmon with an olive oil lemon sauce (link to recipe here) - approximately 4.8oz. We flash grilled asparagus (lightly brushed in olive oil, freshly cracked salt and pepper) and drank a cocktail of Perrier with fresh blackberries.

Now, we are going to watch one of my most favourite movies, Chocolat, while noshing on some high quality chocolate (E. Guittard Nocturne chocolate bar for me, 1/4 of it; Dagoba - Xocolatl - Dark Chocolate, Chilies and Nibs, 0.5 oz for him). We will also finish the night with a 5oz glass of merlot. Oh delight!

Happy Easter!

New Blog to Follow: Kayln's Kitchen

While I was visiting with my ND physician today, he recommended I Google the following words "Utah, Mediterranean and South Beach diet." He said this would lead me to a great website that has healthy but filling recipes also based on the various levels of the South Beach diet. 

Here is what I have found so far:
Cotter’s Borlotti Bean, Zucchini and Roasted Red Pepper Soup
Easy, Herbed Sugar Snap Peas (I'm wondering if you could use olive oil instead of butter here, I bet so).
Za’atar Roasted Cauliflower  (If you're wondering what za'atar is, like I was, here is the definition from wikipedia. Basically, it is an herbes de provence but from India. Za'atar is generally prepared using ground dried thyme, oregano, marjoram, or some combination thereof, mixed with toasted sesame seeds, and salt, though other spices such as sumac might also be added).
Brussels Sprouts Chips
Thai Spicy Cabbage Slaw (the color on this is beautiful, as you can see below)
Baked Mustard Lime Chicken
Asian Lettuce Cups with Pork (I'll just use pork tenderloin)
Pork Sirloin with Spicy Peanut Sauce (I'll just use pork tenderloin)
Colombian-Style Pork Chops (Chuletas de Cerdo)  (these sound delicious but make sure to plan ahead because they need to marinate overnight)
Mediterranean Collard Wrap with Hummus, Artichoke Hearts and Sun-Dried Tomatoes (these sound delicious)
Vegan Picadillo Lentil Stew with Sweet Bell Peppers and Green Olives
Cumin Lime Stewed Lentils (I keep hearing Lentils are great - we'll give a few recipes a try!)
Basil Pesto with Lemon (http://www.kalynskitchen.com/2010/08/recipe-for-basil-pesto-with-lemon-and.html)
Baked Pesto Chicken (this sounds amazing)
Balsamic and Onion Pot Roast (with South Beach, you can't have more than 10% fat, which means you must trim the fat off of the chuck roast)


That's plenty for now!


Happy Easter and have a great weekend!

Hip, Hip, Hooray! I Get to Eat!!!

Hallelujah, I have reached my goal weight by losing 31#s and I am proud to say I weigh a healthy 125# and my BMI has dropped from a high of 28.5 to 22.3. I am very thankful for the New Directions Weight Loss Program and the impact it has made on my life. This is definitely a fresh start to a full and active life. Not only have I benefited but my husband has too. By eating healthier foods and becoming more active, even Cory has become more trim. 


Tonight is the first night for me to eat a real dinner and of course, we are only making the best: beef tenderloin and a mixture of vegetables to grill after lightly brushing with olive oil. No more basic motor oil for this Ferrari body!


Tuesday is my first 1:1 appointment with the ND nutritionist, Casey. I can't wait to meet with her and review the recipes I have compiled. After attending the multiple classes ND offers, I'm curious to see if I've picked ones that will take our eating habits the right direction while we cook and even while we are out in the busy world, eating on the fly.


Cheers to a happy, new beginning to a healthier me!