One of the most entertaining review of red carpet dresses is on Saucy's blog. Her witty descriptions are really right on. If you want to have some fun head over there and check out her opinions!
Monday, August 30, 2010
Friday, August 27, 2010
Cupcake Martini
Since being on this cleanse I have seen more great recipes on the blogs I read. Here's one I had to share. If you have one of these, have one for me too!
From Saucy's Sprinkles...
Introducing: the Cupcake Martini. If you can imagine a chilled glass of liquid red velvet, this is it. With a kick.
Thursday, August 26, 2010
Suggestions for Cleansing and Detoxing Our Bodies
Fall is a particularly good time to pay attention to cleansing the body. Detoxification means cleaning the blood. It does this mainly by removing impurities from the blood in the liver, where toxins are processed for elimination. The body also eliminates toxins through the kidneys, intestines, lungs, lymph and skin. The body has its own natural healing system. Detoxification enhances this system.
Everyone should detox at least once a year. A short detoxifying program is generally safe; in fact, scientific studies show that a detox is beneficial for health. However, nursing mothers, children, and patients with chronic degenerative diseases, cancer or tuberculosis should not detox. Consult your health care practitioner if you have questions about whether detoxing is right for you.
OK, so I went to my sister’s chiropractic clinic and had a test done that shows how well your body systems are working. I thought I was pretty healthy—eating fruits and veggies, running, getting enough sleep. You can imagine my surprise to find that my oxidation and inflammation levels were off. Lots of toxins not being eliminated from my body. (Health experts believe that the toxins build up is the source of a broad range of diseases ranging from heart diseases to more serious illnesses like cancer.) My dad has a horrible history of heart disease in his family and has undergone heart surgeries and procedures. Not wanting to follow in his footsteps and not wanting to keep the risk of cancer up, I decided (on the advice of my chiropractor daughter and sister) to start a detox/cleanse program that lasts 25 days.
Now there are countless ways to cleanse, but here is just a sampling of ideas to consider:
1) Digestive Cleansing
This is one of the most comprehensive ways to rid our body of toxins in our digestive track. Digestive cleanses may involve fasting, juicing, cayenne pepper, enemas and/or colonics. These are intended to assist the body in the process of elimination of all the “bad” things we’ve ingested over the years. Often you’ll feel more “clear-headed”, lighter, more aware, less fatigued, energized. (I am on a sugar-free,dairy-free,gluten-free diet with some other restrictions. I am also taking a medical food.)
2) Skin Brushing / Dry Brush
Brushing your skin with a dry body brush is one of the best ways to clean your skin. It may feel kind of odd but it is very effective. Skin brushing removes old skin cells, stimulates the lymph system and draws out toxins through the skin.
3)Breathing
Give your body fresh air, exercise your internal organs and detoxify your entire system by taking deep breaths .A breathing practice, with breath retention, and focused on expelling all the air out of the lungs helps invigorate and cleanse the lungs.
4) Detox Bath
Use a combination of epsom salt, sea salt and baking soda to help pull out toxins from the skin (another great way to eliminate toxins).
5) Water Flush
Most of us know that it’s important to stay hydrated and drink lots of water. Drink at least 2 quarts of water daily. (This is very hard for me. I’m just not a water drinker. However, on this cleanse I have felt a little thirstier so I’ve been really trying to drink more water.)
6)De-stress
It’s a good idea to detox stressful life situations along with detoxifying your body. Yoga and meditation are simple and effective ways to relieve stress
7) Exercise
What is the most important way to detoxify? Exercise! Even if you don’t have enough time for a full workout, stretch a little throughout the day to keep your blood flowing and your body flexible.
8) Food
Organic foods actually promote good feng shui and good energy, so make sure your kitchen is stocked with organic vegetables and grains. Add lemons to your diet. Lemon is renowned for its detoxifying properties. It is also a good source of the antioxidant vitamin C. To prepare hot lemon water simply add one slice of fresh lemon to a mug of hot water. This should be drunk first thing in the morning, before breakfast, to kick-start' the liver (the body's central detoxifying organ) into action.
Today is Day 12 for me. At first I felt kind of sorry for myself because I couldn’t have the foods & treats I was used to. Then came the day I was invited to see the new MN Twins Stadium and watch a game. No hot dogs, beer, peanuts, popcorn for me. So…I asked the concessioners what kind of oil they fried their potatoes in (canola) and realized I could have French fries! (although they just don’t taste the same not slathered in ketchup!) I know I can’t have them every day but it was kind of fun to find one food I could eat there.
I have changed my grocery shopping and my cooking. It’s kind of fun to see what new foods I can eat (quinoa—I never knew what that was!) and to find some new recipes. It has been a challenge to find things like a gluten-free bread that tastes good or to get used to putting apple butter on my rice cake. I’m half-way through and have to admit I am looking forward to being done. But I do know that I WILL change my eating habits when I’m done with the cleanse. (but I don’t think I’m giving up dark chocolate!)
Have you ever done a cleanse/detox? Any tips or recipes to share? I’d love to have some new ones…
Everyone should detox at least once a year. A short detoxifying program is generally safe; in fact, scientific studies show that a detox is beneficial for health. However, nursing mothers, children, and patients with chronic degenerative diseases, cancer or tuberculosis should not detox. Consult your health care practitioner if you have questions about whether detoxing is right for you.
OK, so I went to my sister’s chiropractic clinic and had a test done that shows how well your body systems are working. I thought I was pretty healthy—eating fruits and veggies, running, getting enough sleep. You can imagine my surprise to find that my oxidation and inflammation levels were off. Lots of toxins not being eliminated from my body. (Health experts believe that the toxins build up is the source of a broad range of diseases ranging from heart diseases to more serious illnesses like cancer.) My dad has a horrible history of heart disease in his family and has undergone heart surgeries and procedures. Not wanting to follow in his footsteps and not wanting to keep the risk of cancer up, I decided (on the advice of my chiropractor daughter and sister) to start a detox/cleanse program that lasts 25 days.
Now there are countless ways to cleanse, but here is just a sampling of ideas to consider:
1) Digestive Cleansing
This is one of the most comprehensive ways to rid our body of toxins in our digestive track. Digestive cleanses may involve fasting, juicing, cayenne pepper, enemas and/or colonics. These are intended to assist the body in the process of elimination of all the “bad” things we’ve ingested over the years. Often you’ll feel more “clear-headed”, lighter, more aware, less fatigued, energized. (I am on a sugar-free,dairy-free,gluten-free diet with some other restrictions. I am also taking a medical food.)
2) Skin Brushing / Dry Brush
Brushing your skin with a dry body brush is one of the best ways to clean your skin. It may feel kind of odd but it is very effective. Skin brushing removes old skin cells, stimulates the lymph system and draws out toxins through the skin.
3)Breathing
Give your body fresh air, exercise your internal organs and detoxify your entire system by taking deep breaths .A breathing practice, with breath retention, and focused on expelling all the air out of the lungs helps invigorate and cleanse the lungs.
4) Detox Bath
Use a combination of epsom salt, sea salt and baking soda to help pull out toxins from the skin (another great way to eliminate toxins).
5) Water Flush
Most of us know that it’s important to stay hydrated and drink lots of water. Drink at least 2 quarts of water daily. (This is very hard for me. I’m just not a water drinker. However, on this cleanse I have felt a little thirstier so I’ve been really trying to drink more water.)
6)De-stress
It’s a good idea to detox stressful life situations along with detoxifying your body. Yoga and meditation are simple and effective ways to relieve stress
7) Exercise
What is the most important way to detoxify? Exercise! Even if you don’t have enough time for a full workout, stretch a little throughout the day to keep your blood flowing and your body flexible.
8) Food
Organic foods actually promote good feng shui and good energy, so make sure your kitchen is stocked with organic vegetables and grains. Add lemons to your diet. Lemon is renowned for its detoxifying properties. It is also a good source of the antioxidant vitamin C. To prepare hot lemon water simply add one slice of fresh lemon to a mug of hot water. This should be drunk first thing in the morning, before breakfast, to kick-start' the liver (the body's central detoxifying organ) into action.
Today is Day 12 for me. At first I felt kind of sorry for myself because I couldn’t have the foods & treats I was used to. Then came the day I was invited to see the new MN Twins Stadium and watch a game. No hot dogs, beer, peanuts, popcorn for me. So…I asked the concessioners what kind of oil they fried their potatoes in (canola) and realized I could have French fries! (although they just don’t taste the same not slathered in ketchup!) I know I can’t have them every day but it was kind of fun to find one food I could eat there.
I have changed my grocery shopping and my cooking. It’s kind of fun to see what new foods I can eat (quinoa—I never knew what that was!) and to find some new recipes. It has been a challenge to find things like a gluten-free bread that tastes good or to get used to putting apple butter on my rice cake. I’m half-way through and have to admit I am looking forward to being done. But I do know that I WILL change my eating habits when I’m done with the cleanse. (but I don’t think I’m giving up dark chocolate!)
Have you ever done a cleanse/detox? Any tips or recipes to share? I’d love to have some new ones…
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
It's Back! Free Picaboo Photo Book
Several months ago, Picaboo offered a free photo book for new customers. Lucky for us, It’s BACK!!! Whoo hoo! This offer is for a large ’8×11′ PhotoBook {not the smaller 8×8′s or flip books}. Having recently created a Picaboo photo book, I can honestly say they are top quality.
This amazing offer is only for new customers and expires August 31st. Watch out that August 31st deadline will sneak up on you and this offer is too good to pass up!! This would be the perfect time to create a Summer Memory Book, or a Family Vacation Book.
New customers can choose a 20-page ‘Large Classic’, ‘Classic Leather’, or ‘Classic Custom’ high quality photo book (valued at $39.99). Your only cost is shipping ($8.99).
FYI – Grandparents love these as gifts. (I know I sure do!)
Monday, August 23, 2010
Give Yourself A Present?
One of my fav things is spending time at our local flower garden.I read a blog article by JoAnna Rothman that really got me thinking. JoAnna decided to start giving herself presents. She loves getting presents and wanted everyday to feel like a birthday. (I'm guessing without the age increase!)She thought giving yourself presents would be like really caring for yourself.
She decided to do it for just a month. She didn't buy herself something everyday but instead made of list of things she loved like taking a long hot shower, putting on some favorite lotion or taking a drive through the canyons. JoAnna didn't include things like cleaning the house. While it did make her feel good when that task was finished, the actual cleaning was not a gift to herself!
After the month was over she realized it was very easy to be kind to herself. Small things became presents--like hitting the snooze alarm. It's now been over 5 years since she started giving herself gifts. She hasn't missed a day.
Well, I like presents as much as JoAnna does. So I'm going to try it too. I'm going to start with a week and see where it goes. I'll make my list of things I love and see which of those would be easy to give to myself. Since I love shopping, I'm sure there will have to be some boughten gifts too!
So...I dare you to try it with me. Let us know what kinds of gifts you are giving yourself.
Friday, August 20, 2010
Operation Nice
Melissa over at Operation Nice has an assignment for us. I think it's a really good one so I borrowed the wording from her blog.
Today's Assignment: LML!
Maybe it's because it's so much easier to complain online than to showcase the great things going on. Flat tire? FML. Root canal? FML. Wallet stolen? FML. But how often do we say, "My kids gave me a big hug! LML!" or "I won a blog contest! LML!" or "Just enjoyed the most delicious ice cream sundae! LML!" We need gratitude and positivity to overcome all the bellyaching online.
So here's my proposal. If you have a Twitter account or a Facebook profile or a blog, I want you to use "LML" or an #LML tag seven times this week. Once a day. There has to be something that makes you love your life every day.
I'm a little behind on this since I only read her blog today. However, I did write about it on my FB wall and here's my contribution on my blog. ( My brother just called and offered his season tickets to the MN Twins game tomorrow. I get to see the new stadium! LML!!)
Care to join me in a little homework? What do you love in your life today?
Today's Assignment: LML!
Maybe it's because it's so much easier to complain online than to showcase the great things going on. Flat tire? FML. Root canal? FML. Wallet stolen? FML. But how often do we say, "My kids gave me a big hug! LML!" or "I won a blog contest! LML!" or "Just enjoyed the most delicious ice cream sundae! LML!" We need gratitude and positivity to overcome all the bellyaching online.
So here's my proposal. If you have a Twitter account or a Facebook profile or a blog, I want you to use "LML" or an #LML tag seven times this week. Once a day. There has to be something that makes you love your life every day.
I'm a little behind on this since I only read her blog today. However, I did write about it on my FB wall and here's my contribution on my blog. ( My brother just called and offered his season tickets to the MN Twins game tomorrow. I get to see the new stadium! LML!!)
Care to join me in a little homework? What do you love in your life today?
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Do I Feel Old!
Most students entering college for the first time this fall—the Class of 2014—were born in 1992.
1. Few in the class know how to write in cursive.
2. Email is just too slow, and they seldom if ever use snail mail.
3. With increasing numbers of ramps, Braille signs, and handicapped parking spaces, the world has always been trying harder to accommodate people with disabilities.
4. A quarter of the class has at least one immigrant parent, and the immigration debate is not a big priority…unless it involves “real” aliens from another planet.
5. Clint Eastwood is better known as a sensitive director than as Dirty Harry.
6. Colorful lapel ribbons have always been worn to indicate support for a cause.
7. Trading Chocolate the Moose for Patti the Platypus helped build their Beanie Baby collection.
8. Fergie is a pop singer, not a princess.
9. They never twisted the coiled handset wire aimlessly around their wrists while chatting on the phone.
10. DNA fingerprinting and maps of the human genome have always existed.
11. Leno and Letterman have always been trading insults on opposing networks.
12. Unless they found one in their grandparents’ closet, they have never seen a carousel of Kodachrome slides.
13. Computers have never lacked a CD-ROM disk drive.
14. They’ve never recognized that pointing to their wrists was a request for the time of day.
15. The first computer they probably touched was an Apple II; it is now in a museum.
16. Czechoslovakia has never existed.
17. Second-hand smoke has always been an official carcinogen.
18. Once they got through security, going to the airport has always resembled going to the mall.
19. American companies have always done business in Vietnam.
20. Russians and Americans have always been living together in space.
21. Nirvana is on the classic oldies station.
22. Rock bands have always played at presidential inaugural parties.
23. A purple dinosaur has always supplanted Barney Google and Barney Fife.
24. Beethoven has always been a dog.
25. Their parents’ favorite TV sitcoms have always been showing up as movies.
Really puts things in perspective! Have you ever twisted the coiled handset wire aimlessly around your wrists while chatting on the phone? Yes, I'll admit it--I did!
1. Few in the class know how to write in cursive.
2. Email is just too slow, and they seldom if ever use snail mail.
3. With increasing numbers of ramps, Braille signs, and handicapped parking spaces, the world has always been trying harder to accommodate people with disabilities.
4. A quarter of the class has at least one immigrant parent, and the immigration debate is not a big priority…unless it involves “real” aliens from another planet.
5. Clint Eastwood is better known as a sensitive director than as Dirty Harry.
6. Colorful lapel ribbons have always been worn to indicate support for a cause.
7. Trading Chocolate the Moose for Patti the Platypus helped build their Beanie Baby collection.
8. Fergie is a pop singer, not a princess.
9. They never twisted the coiled handset wire aimlessly around their wrists while chatting on the phone.
10. DNA fingerprinting and maps of the human genome have always existed.
11. Leno and Letterman have always been trading insults on opposing networks.
12. Unless they found one in their grandparents’ closet, they have never seen a carousel of Kodachrome slides.
13. Computers have never lacked a CD-ROM disk drive.
14. They’ve never recognized that pointing to their wrists was a request for the time of day.
15. The first computer they probably touched was an Apple II; it is now in a museum.
16. Czechoslovakia has never existed.
17. Second-hand smoke has always been an official carcinogen.
18. Once they got through security, going to the airport has always resembled going to the mall.
19. American companies have always done business in Vietnam.
20. Russians and Americans have always been living together in space.
21. Nirvana is on the classic oldies station.
22. Rock bands have always played at presidential inaugural parties.
23. A purple dinosaur has always supplanted Barney Google and Barney Fife.
24. Beethoven has always been a dog.
25. Their parents’ favorite TV sitcoms have always been showing up as movies.
Really puts things in perspective! Have you ever twisted the coiled handset wire aimlessly around your wrists while chatting on the phone? Yes, I'll admit it--I did!
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