tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-90524815769463775982024-02-20T01:55:42.822-05:00Better Version of MeJourney to a better version of me. Healthy cooking, local and slow foods. Healthy living. Eco-friendly.Better Version of Mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06406683627246325831noreply@blogger.comBlogger249125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9052481576946377598.post-73918493071177631392017-05-16T17:22:00.002-04:002017-05-16T17:23:26.859-04:00Summer is almost here.Well summer is almost here and I am getting really busy. I may not post on here much but you can always find me on Facebook at Better Version of Me (@bvofme) and on Instagram betterversionofme.tracie <br />
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Thanks! TracieBetter Version of Mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06406683627246325831noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9052481576946377598.post-20513867680709290442017-05-08T12:44:00.001-04:002017-05-08T12:44:16.643-04:00Where did the time go!<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioKTfPmOAM_dRQnJsIf5FdlvmAiQBF2OxReJ-YaUY-_9gIkE5H2Xo1FlvQijJHM5Kb2b6BO8qFjp-OCVlBKtyLBOlejHqrf8Rq-1_QbnZebQzVr0fIDy_DRdue1vLk7Rd4TrAgOwBU_ABx/s1600/Image.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="275" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioKTfPmOAM_dRQnJsIf5FdlvmAiQBF2OxReJ-YaUY-_9gIkE5H2Xo1FlvQijJHM5Kb2b6BO8qFjp-OCVlBKtyLBOlejHqrf8Rq-1_QbnZebQzVr0fIDy_DRdue1vLk7Rd4TrAgOwBU_ABx/s400/Image.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My first car. </td></tr>
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Today my 15-year-old starts driver's training! Last month, I sold off the last her Barbies and Little Pet Shops. I don't know where the time went. I am sure a lot of parents feel this way. I think it is hard for me, because she is my only one. Only a few short years and she will be off to college and starting a life of her own. It makes me sad for me and excited for her at the same time. Some of my fondest high school memories are of driving around with my friends. We would take road trips to Grand Haven to go to the beach. We would meet up at Hudley's Pizza and see what was going on for the night. Sometimes, we would just cruise. (Do teens even do that still?) We had freedom! I think one of the hardest things for me is going to be letting her have the freedom I did. But, I am trying really hard not to be a helicopter mom. I guess this is the first stage in the letting go process. I have at least a full year until she can get her license. So, I still have a little time before I need to start letting her go, letting grow, giving her freedom. Are your teens driving yet? Any tips? Better Version of Mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06406683627246325831noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9052481576946377598.post-3685622942175275202017-04-25T12:13:00.002-04:002017-04-25T19:37:20.620-04:00I traveled 1169 miles to meet my neighbor in Fort Collins, Colorado OR My fabulous trip to Colorado.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Sometimes you just know things were meant to be. That is how my whole vacation felt. It started off with me trying to minimize the items that I own. While packing, I decided to bring some items to leave where we are staying. I do not know why I did this as it is not something that I normally do. I brought an painted owl stone that I bought on Drummond Island (one of my favorite places), a tiny owl figurine, and a felted wool bag that I made a few years ago. I love all of these items but I have similar items and do not need more than one of each. I will get back to why I am mentioning these items later.<br />
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Rob and I departed on Friday afternoon starting our 20 hour trip. It was pretty uneventful but I do need to mention the nice little cafe we stopped at for dinner <a href="http://spoonsrestaurant.net/">Spoons, in Princeton, IL </a> The food and service were excellent and the town is really cute. We drove through the night, only stopping for gas and for a couple of hours at a truck stop to sleep and at a diner to have breakfast. We took I-80 out and I always love the approach to the mountains. There are a ton of wind turbines, miles of prairie with cattle and deer, and watching the mountains get bigger as you get nearer just fueled my excitement. <br />
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We arrived at <a href="http://www.solariumhostel.com/">The Solarium International Hostel</a> on early Saturday afternoon. This photo above is what we walked into after we checked in and I was immediately in love with the place. It is truly like being in the tropics. The air is warm and soft and you can tell it has more oxygen. All of the plants are beautiful and there are statues and interesting planters everywhere. There are so many hidden gems that I didn't even notice there is a Koi pond until we had been there for 3 days! <br />
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Our room wasn't quite ready, because it was before check-in time, so we left our stuff there while they finished with the linens and decided to go grab some lunch in Old Town. We found this great deli, <a href="http://backcountry-deli.com/">Backcountry</a>, and split an Italian sub and some delicious potato salad and then headed back to The Solarium. We debated whether or not to nap but decided to stay up and just go to bed early. And instead we cleaned up and went to hang out in the tee pee. This is where we met Suzie for the first time. She is a very outgoing, talkative, woman, with a heart of gold. She pretty much was the unofficial greater to The Solarium and welcomed everyone. She had been staying there for about a week when we arrived. We spent the afternoon relaxing in the hammocks and the tee pee. We then decided to go get dinner and walked down to <a href="https://blackbottlebrewery.com/">Black Bottle Brewery</a> and had an awesome dinner of Oyster Shots; a Salmon, Cheese and Crackers Plate; Sliders; and of course, a couple of beers.<br />
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When we arrived back at The Solarium, they had a bonfire going in the tee pee so we decided to check it out. There were numerous guests hanging out and when I sat down the lady next to me asked me where we are from. When I told her, "Michigan", she asked, "Sand Lake?". I was taken aback and said, " Yes". She went on to explain that she had checked in after us and saw our city, state, and zip on the registry AND that she was also from Sand Lake, MI!!!! So, we traveled 1169 miles to meet my our neighbor! Crazy how small the word is. Lisa and her sister, Laurie, were in town for a wedding and would be there for the week. (We ended up playing Euchre with them later in the week and hung out with them on and off.) We hung out for awhile but were exhausted and decided to hit the sack.<br />
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I am not going to bore you with all the details of the rest of our trip but these are some of the things we did:<br />
<a href="https://www.fcgov.com/parks/trails.php"><br /></a>
<a href="https://www.fcgov.com/parks/trails.php">Spring Creek Bike Trail and Biking in general</a>:<br />
Fort Collins is very bicycle friendly and there are paths, trails, and lanes all over. The Spring Creek Trail runs right behind The Solarium and along Spring Creek which has had man-made improvements done to it to control run-off from the mountains. There are parks all along it and it is beautiful. The bike lanes make it very easy to get around the town. We biked to <a href="http://www.equinoxbrewing.com/">Equinox Brewing</a> and <a href="http://thekitchenbistros.com/fort-collins/">The Kitchen Bistro</a> with no issues at all.<br />
<a href="http://www.rockymountainhikingtrails.com/emerald-lake.htm"><br /></a>
<a href="http://www.rockymountainhikingtrails.com/emerald-lake.htm">Emerald Lake Trail-Rocky Mountain </a>:<br />
We drove to Estes and then hiked the Emerald Lake Trail. It was breathtaking, not only because of the beauty, but the elevation change makes it hard to breath! At Emerald Lake the elevation is over 10,000 feet. I had to stop frequently. One of the things I really liked about CO is that everyone we met was incredibly generous and kind. We had forgot our sunscreen in the car and my husband asked a lady we met on the trail if she had any. She dropped everything, dug down into the bottom of her backpack and found us some. I am so grateful because with the almost 4 feet of snow pack and a very sunny day, we would have gotten fried! We hiked the rest of the way with her and her two friends and found out they live there. I told them my plan was to move out there after our daughter graduates from high school and she said that was exactly what they had done. As we were hiking, one of her friends noticed that I was struggling a little and that we did not have grampons or poles, and offered me one of her poles for the rest of the hike. She said I could just drop it at Kind Coffee on the way back through Estes. I am so touched by this kindness. We ended up running into them in the parking lot on the way out. It was such an amazing day.<br />
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I-70 to Eagle, Vail, and back:</div>
My aunt and uncle live in Eagle and I couldn't make a trip to CO without visiting them. We also have some friends from MI that happen to be in Vail, so we left The Solarium for Eagle for a couple of days. The drive out there is worth it alone. In Eagle, we relaxed, went on a road trip to <a href="http://cpw.state.co.us/placestogo/parks/SylvanLake">Sylvan Lake</a>, where it snowed! We were going to go to Hanging Lake but it was closed due to some idiots vandalizing the trail. We also went to <a href="http://bonfirebrewing.com/">Bonfire Brewing</a>, which is a great little, dog-friendly brewery in Eagle. We also stopped on <a href="https://www.oskarblues.com/">Oskar Blues Brewing</a> in Lyons.<br />
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Dispensary Tour on 4/20<br />
Being that cannabis is legal in CO and The Solarium was offering a free tour and because we arrived back at The Solarium at exactly 4:20pm when the tour was leaving, we decided to join them! It was really cool because one of the dispensaries,<a href="https://www.choiceorganicsinc.com/"> Choice Organics</a> we visited also grows and uses organic practice. One of the growers took us through 4 different grow rooms where the plants were at different stages and he explained the whole process to us. It was very interesting, being a gardener, to hear about how he builds the soil, insect control, and fertilization methods. We also went to <a href="http://organicalternatives.com/">Organic Alternatives</a> which is just a dispensary but very pretty inside. The owner used to own an older bar in Fort Collins and took the wooden back of the bar with mirrors and stained glass and Tiffany style lamps and put them in the dispensary. We also went to Mellow Yellow and another cool gift shop.<br />
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<a href="http://www.newbelgium.com/Beer/home">New Belgium Brewery</a> and <a href="https://www.odellbrewing.com/">Odell Brewing</a><br />
Our last full day was all about beer. We did the tour at New Belgium and our tour guide Mindy was great. We learned all about the history of NB, the brewing, bottling, and canning processes, their sustainability practices and how well they treat their employees (free bikes, free healthcare, trips to Belgium, etc). We also got free beers along the 90 minute tour. It was extremely cool and now I want to work there!<br />
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<a href="http://www.solariumhostel.com/">The Solarium International Hostel</a><br />
I loved this place so much that it was really hard to leave. Chelsea and Clayton have done an amazing job with the place. They have numerous private rooms, a couple of apartments, and the dorm rooms. We had a private room with an en suite bathroom so it was a little like staying in a small hotel. The difference with a hostel is that it fosters the sense of community. I think that is what I loved the most. All of the shared spaces really encourage interaction with other guests. I loved the kitchen, not only because we saved money making some of our meals, but because we had a lot of interaction with other people.<br />
In addition to the other people mentioned we got to know:<br />
Aaron, the truck driver who was just staying for the weekend, who was very generous and made extra breakfast to share.<br />
Dan, the massage therapy student that was living at the hostel, and brewing kombucha!<br />
Val, the traveler and musician, that was just staying a couple of days and then going back to camping.<br />
Gia and her husband who were also on vacation<br />
A group from South Bend, IN<br />
Others, forgive me because I am a terrible with names, two young men who were working as electricians for 12-16 hours a day and were spending a couple days off there relaxing. Numerous people from the neighborhood that would come and hang out at the almost nightly bonfires.<br />
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And, I have to mention again, Suzie, my soul sister, crystal loving. bohemian woman, who reminded me to be true to my higher self and practice inward integrity and self-love. We had many bonfire and hammock conversations and we are going to stay in touch and keep each other on track. I gave her the felt bag I brought and she and Chelsea (the owner) came up with the idea of having people take a rock from the tee pee and sign and date it. Rob and I instead signed and dated the back of the owl stone I brought and left that. I also hid my tiny owl in a tree close by our room. I don't know why but I knew before we even went to The Solarium that I would want to leave a little bit of me there. It is a magical place, a tropical oasis in the dry mountains, a community, and was so much more than a typical vacation. Our last night, Suzie quoted to me, my favorite poet, e.e. cummings, and unbeknownst to her the poem read at mine and Rob's wedding, <span style="font-family: inherit;">"<span style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-size: 16px; text-indent: -1em;">i carry your heart with me(i carry it in </span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; text-indent: -1em;">my heart)." </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The last day, I attended an amazing yoga practice held by Dana from <a href="http://www.mahamunahealingarts.com/">Mahaṁūṇa Healing Arts</a> with live music, palo santo incense, and tea. It was an amazing gift for my last day and left me leaving The Solarium with light, intention, and gratitude. Thank you, Chelsea and Clayton for the amazing space you have created, it is truly a gift that I will always carry in my heart. </span></div>
<br />Better Version of Mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06406683627246325831noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9052481576946377598.post-21174372597070635562017-04-11T10:02:00.000-04:002017-04-11T10:02:15.838-04:00Colorado Bound!I started off this very busy week seeing my favorite band, Elephant Revival at Bell's Brewery in Kalamazoo. Both them and the opener, The Dead Horses, put on fabulous shows! EV is from Colorado, which happens to be where the hubby and I are headed on Friday. So, this will be my last post until we return from vacation later this month. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">photo credit from Solarium International website</td></tr>
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We are headed to Fort Collins and get to stay at this gorgeous hostel, <a href="http://www.solariumhostel.com/">Solarium International,</a> which is pictured above. And we got a great deal through AirBNB from $69/night for a private room with a private bath. This place looks amazing. In addition to the beautiful atrium, it has an on-site yoga studio, community kitchen, hammocks, bikes for rent, and for those who want to partake a 420 friendly tee pee outside. <br />
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We will also be going into the mountains to visit my aunt and uncle in Eagle and some friends in Vail. I can't wait to do some hiking and brewery tours! I will, of course, blog about this when I return. I will post lots of picks on my Instagram account. You can find me there @betterversionofme.tracie<br />
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<br />Better Version of Mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06406683627246325831noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9052481576946377598.post-57668302498387240682017-03-22T12:20:00.000-04:002017-03-22T12:20:58.288-04:00Wordless Wednesday<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />Better Version of Mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06406683627246325831noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9052481576946377598.post-40504455234782984672017-03-20T18:33:00.000-04:002017-03-20T18:34:17.834-04:00Meat Free Monday: Flexatarian Cooking repost from 2015Reposting this one:<br />
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As most of you know, I have been a Flexatarian for a long time. I finally talked my husband into reducing the amount of meat we eat to once or twice a week. We still will eat fish, eggs, and cheese. Over the past 6 months I have been trying out a lot of new meat replacements and even some cheese replacements and am quite happy with the things I have made.<br />
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Here are a few of my favorites:<br />
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This <a href="http://www.theppk.com/2014/02/chicken-stylee-seitan/" target="_blank">Chicken Stylee Seitan</a> recipe from Post Punk Kitchen (This is where I found the Seitan O' Greatness that I use to make sausages.). I love this blog, she has so many recipes.<br />
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These are some of the things I made with it.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">Chicken Stylee Cutlets</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px; text-align: center;">Chix nuggets</td></tr>
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These were easy, just cut the cutlets to bite size, bread with dry tempura mix, and pan fry until golden.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">Plain Chix wings on bottom, Buffalo style in dish.<br />
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Again, just cut the cutlets into the shape of wings. These I dredged in corn starch mixed with: garlic powder, onion powder, and a little salt,;then in egg,; then in panko. I deep fried them in my deep fryer. For the Buffalo, just mix melted butter and Franks and drench the wings. So yummy!</td></tr>
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I have also been making fermented nut cheeses which I totally love. These were made with blanched soaked almonds and I used red miso as the probiotic agent, which you need for the fermentation process. It made a semi-soft, spreadable cheese. </div>
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I am going to try cashews this week. </div>
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This one has green onions in it and a walnut crust.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3uVb-BPPnItjIJ2dUul8IfMEl4gwHBsS0cFouUIQyX6C6YS1Onz51u-cQd2RcsCIkbP2maybEjHW3pmcIhyphenhyphenf60LULH9jz0OlCYoiz8qt7PVV0Rgl5lOB7UhCWIesd5oQqG6qKVaFIzTVA/s1600/1922071_10203975965732814_2710419225081854027_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3uVb-BPPnItjIJ2dUul8IfMEl4gwHBsS0cFouUIQyX6C6YS1Onz51u-cQd2RcsCIkbP2maybEjHW3pmcIhyphenhyphenf60LULH9jz0OlCYoiz8qt7PVV0Rgl5lOB7UhCWIesd5oQqG6qKVaFIzTVA/s1600/1922071_10203975965732814_2710419225081854027_n.jpg" width="320" /></a>This one is flavored with garlic and crusted with thyme.</div>
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This is the thyme crusted served with lemon zest.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHe0PdxzRF0KYyBgcRIe0mK0T7JToblGXbsyLYlm1IEQ2EmkstQBWozR8O4ZKa4D-FHXO5y0Td7cRLXMaOguQ4imUHbKzO4CJ101OrgiWWYJUzpYR9hQsOsifRqaJUWcKOF6nWf415nF4b/s1600/10432985_10203839630164510_2774608186205148969_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHe0PdxzRF0KYyBgcRIe0mK0T7JToblGXbsyLYlm1IEQ2EmkstQBWozR8O4ZKa4D-FHXO5y0Td7cRLXMaOguQ4imUHbKzO4CJ101OrgiWWYJUzpYR9hQsOsifRqaJUWcKOF6nWf415nF4b/s1600/10432985_10203839630164510_2774608186205148969_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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I stumbled on <a href="http://eatneat.com/" target="_blank">Neat </a>meat replacements a couple of weeks ago. I went grocery shopping yesterday and they had them on sale at Meijer 2/$6 and they are normally $4.99 each so I stocked up! There are about 4 servings per package, so compared to meat, even at full price, it will save you money. They are really good, GMO and gluten free, and have no chemicals, preservatives, or artificial colors. So much better for you then frozen veggie burgers. Very simple to make, just add 2 eggs or egg replacement and little bit of water. </div>
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I haven't made burgers with them yet but I plan to soon. </div>
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I tried the original first and made <a href="http://www.chickensoup.com/foods/product/sloppy-joe-meal-builder/" target="_blank">Chicken Soup For the Soul Sloppy Joes</a> with them. I love the CSFTS because there is no HFCS in the sauce. They turned out great and the family loved them. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUbzmyHrE5G6-04Hd6eQhkdmPSHX1rkFSXQPdyF4lyYVd_3U4R-dGm5tY5zzVC5VWFGg6WBAoPfPMjdk298HzNeqDW9UyFZekgoQoLcRBRI0rlyFhc_fYWsc6GW_0ddqH9fEnrYgLXNJyz/s1600/11002612_10204734189607937_1292547561059570770_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUbzmyHrE5G6-04Hd6eQhkdmPSHX1rkFSXQPdyF4lyYVd_3U4R-dGm5tY5zzVC5VWFGg6WBAoPfPMjdk298HzNeqDW9UyFZekgoQoLcRBRI0rlyFhc_fYWsc6GW_0ddqH9fEnrYgLXNJyz/s1600/11002612_10204734189607937_1292547561059570770_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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.So then I tried the Italian Neat ball mix and made penne. So yummy. </div>
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This morning I made these egg cups<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , "lucida grande" , "tahoma" , "verdana" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;">Preheat oven to 350 degrees</span><br />
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6 eggs<span class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline;"><br />1 package of Neat breakfast + 2 more eggs 2 tbsp of water<br />mix ins I used mushrooms and green onions other ideas would be spinach, bell peppers, cheese, etc.</span></div>
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I made these three ways.</div>
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Start by mixing Neat with 2 eggs and 2 tbsp of water. Grease a muffin pan (I used coconut oil) Then divided neat into 6 of the muffin cups and press it up the sides</div>
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ways to use eggs</div>
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1. just crack an egg in each cup<br />
2. add mix-ins into cup and then crack egg on top<br />
3. beat eggs and add mix ins and then pour into cups.</div>
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bake from 15-20 min depending on how firm you like your eggs.<br />
Garnish with fresh cut chives or tarragon</div>
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Neat also has a Mexican mix, which they didn't have at Meijer. I will have to try, but I did find this other one from <a href="http://www.fantasticworldfoods.com/products/productdetail.aspx?s=073825120796:Taco+Filling+Mix+-+4.4++++++++OZ." target="_blank">Fantastic Foods</a> which is also pretty good. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicC8PzF0EPFgxOA2VQ3otqvcbPE1nYVVo-eXGz9kHnTcuhFFaHvhzuNZ22-QXl1ZDHfZp_ssseQXqQypuPMIfu3Cz-NVdfw52baU4SAJgG7qSpXGUm1TmfbMLN1cE58m4GDpvlA7b3gzsf/s1600/11013511_10204684833854074_1253515535710691302_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicC8PzF0EPFgxOA2VQ3otqvcbPE1nYVVo-eXGz9kHnTcuhFFaHvhzuNZ22-QXl1ZDHfZp_ssseQXqQypuPMIfu3Cz-NVdfw52baU4SAJgG7qSpXGUm1TmfbMLN1cE58m4GDpvlA7b3gzsf/s1600/11013511_10204684833854074_1253515535710691302_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Finding these options makes it so much easier to cut down on the amount of meat we are consuming and reducing our carbon footprint. What are your favorite meat replacements? </div>
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Happy Meat Free Monday!</div>
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PS I have not been paid for this review. </div>
Better Version of Mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06406683627246325831noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9052481576946377598.post-42724246899591963112017-03-16T08:56:00.000-04:002017-03-16T09:02:30.232-04:00In Time By CD Brennan<div class="MsoNormal">
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<span lang="EN-GB"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Time-Play-Book-2-ebook/dp/B06WP5K66F/ref=as_li_ss_il?ie=UTF8&qid=1489432707&sr=8-1&keywords=in+time+cd+brennan&linkCode=li3&tag=lovelust02-20&linkId=0fc149bfc01d67d05fe4aa7d95a24fb3" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B06WP5K66F&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=lovelust02-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=lovelust02-20&l=li3&o=1&a=B06WP5K66F" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /></span></div>
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I have read two of CD Brennan's other books and loved them. I started reading this one last night, and am excited to promote it! Support local artists! Get it now while it is 99 cents.<br />
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<span lang="EN-GB"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Time-Play-Book-2-ebook/dp/B06WP5K66F/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&qid=1489432707&sr=8-1&keywords=in+time+cd+brennan&linkCode=sl1&tag=lovelust02-20&linkId=1a3bbc0377627ffeae9b291c19fc9ff3">BUY
HERE</a></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><b>Blurb<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">Hot. Intense.
Relentless.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">Rory Cameron is all about rugby. He’s been
playing since he<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">was a wee bairn in Edinburgh. By now, he
should be a powerhouse with his<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">single-minded dedication to the Traverse
City Blues Rugby Club. But something<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">is missing. With his dad breathing down his
neck to make a big club, the last<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">thing he needs is a sassy country girl
distracting him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">Grace making the men’s team? Improbable.
Rory coaching a<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">women’s rugby team? Unbelievable. Falling
for the girl? Absolutely.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">Grace Bowman moves to Michigan to forge a
new life without<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">her family’s constant mothering. She
refuses to let her diabetes keep her from<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">the life she craves. Time to live big and
take chances—carpe diem and all that.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">Still, the last thing she expects is for things
to heat up with the coach of<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">the women’s rugby team. If her new
lifestyle doesn’t kill her, rugby just<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">might. But Grace is willing to take the
chance for a winning try with Rory.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">Most people assumed if you were quiet, you
were passive, if<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">you were an introvert, you were
dispassionate.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">That was the farthest from the
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<span lang="EN-GB">Ruaridh, or Rory as everyone called him,
was a very<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">passionate man. It just didn’t show on the
outside. Or rarely. Even when Rory<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">was in pain, like he was now. He had mucked
up the game for the Blues again,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">and he couldn’t stop thinking about it.
They had lost Saturday’s match on a<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">play Coach called the Americana. Not sure
if the name was based on the coffee<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">or the culture… Actually, the coffee was an
Americano, so no. And did it even matter?
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<span lang="EN-GB">He stretched his neck from side to side,
pops and creaks as<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">he did. For the hundredth time, he thought
perhaps he wasn’t made for rugby.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">Maybe it wasn’t in his blood like his
father claimed. Maybe there had been a<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">leap in generations, the ball gene bouncing
haughtily over the top of his head.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">All the weight training, conditioning, the
protein smoothies, rugby videos for<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">strategy—eating and breathing rugby—and
still no results. At least not what was<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">“Rory!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">“Bro, grab that other side of the table and
help me move it<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">to the far
wall.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<o:p></o:p><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span lang="EN-GB">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">“Oh, sure, Del.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<o:p></o:p><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span lang="EN-GB">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">They shuffled and maneuvered the table down
the long aisle<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">banked with treadmills and rowers nearest
the window, stationary bikes and<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">ellipticals on the other side. It was a
Monday at Crunch Fitness Gym, one of<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">the busiest nights of the week, almost
every machine taken, and the reason they<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">were here to do a bit of recruitment for
the Blues. The bigger the pool of men to<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">play, the better chance of winning the
games.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<o:p></o:p><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span lang="EN-GB">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">“Right along here, Rory, boy.”
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<o:p></o:p><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span lang="EN-GB">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">Del placed his side of the table first
along the back wall<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">of the core strength area littered with
colorful exercise balls. Rory then<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">followed with his own side of the table.
“Where’s Irish?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<o:p></o:p><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span lang="EN-GB">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">“He probably waited for Gillian to get home
from work for a<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">bit of humpty-dumpty, but he’ll be here.
Come on, cuz, let’s grab the chairs.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<o:p></o:p><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span lang="EN-GB">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">Rory followed Del back the way they had
come. Padraig, who<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">the team had nicknamed Irish, had been new
to the Blues last year but already<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">had landed a woman and a spot on the USA
Eagles national team. “I kind of miss<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">him at the
house.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<o:p></o:p><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span lang="EN-GB">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">Del gave him a look over his shoulder as
though he was<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">completely daft. “We’re talking about the
same Irish, right? Moody fucker as<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">fun as a torn
ligament?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<o:p></o:p><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span lang="EN-GB">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">“He’s gotten better. You have to
admit.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<o:p></o:p><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span lang="EN-GB">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">Del handed Rory three folding chairs and
then collected the<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">box with their flyers and sign-up sheets.
He grabbed their banner that was<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">still set along the brick wall at the
entrance to the gym. “Mate, that’s true.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">When he first came, never thought I’d see
the day.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<o:p></o:p><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span lang="EN-GB">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">“Who’s
that?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<o:p></o:p><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span lang="EN-GB">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">Both turned to see Irish standing just
inside the door with<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">a gear bag over his shoulder.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<o:p></o:p><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span lang="EN-GB">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">“Ah, speak of the devil. Help Rory with one
of those chairs,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">mate, and give us a hand setting
up.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<o:p></o:p><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span lang="EN-GB">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">Irish dropped his bag where he stood and
offered a hand to<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">Rory, who refused. “Nah, you’re good. Need
the extra training. I got this.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<o:p></o:p><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span lang="EN-GB">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">Irish shook his head. “Do you ever stop,
like?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<o:p></o:p><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span lang="EN-GB">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">“Not until I get there.” Rory shimmied past
both the lads,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">ignoring the look that Irish had thrown
Del. He’d get there. Any day now and<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">things would click, all come together. His
rugby stars would align, and he’d be<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">a streak of lightning on the pitch. This
Cameron would play for a big European club,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">just like his da wanted. He’d be a blur on
the field, dodging and spinning, one<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">try after another—a
champion.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<o:p></o:p><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span lang="EN-GB">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">Lost in the beautiful daydream, Rory missed
helping with the<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">setup until Del yelled at him to help hang
the Blues banner across the front of<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">the table.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<o:p></o:p><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span lang="EN-GB">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">The three of them took a chair behind with
Del in the<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">middle.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<o:p></o:p><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span lang="EN-GB">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">Behind the row of ellipticals and bikes was
a wall of weight<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">machines that divided the room between the
cardiovascular equipment and the<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">large area for free weights. The gym had
become something of a second home to<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">Rory over the years, and although
comfortable in the space, he recently found<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">it boring. Always the same people, often
many trying to show off, the stench of<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">sweat and body odor now overbearing. Where
the noises of a busy gym used to<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">offer him a type of relief, a recognition
of who he was in a way, he now found<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">them irritating and abrasive.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<o:p></o:p><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span lang="EN-GB">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">They had barely sat down when a couple of
girls walked by<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">the table. A blonde with big breasts in a
tight gym shirt and leggings slowed<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">as she passed and smiled. Her eyes
flickered over all three before they settled<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">on Del. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<o:p></o:p><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span lang="EN-GB">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">“Good evening, ladies, you want to play
rugby?” Del waved a<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">flyer at them, his smile bright against his
darker skin. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<o:p></o:p><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span lang="EN-GB">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">Her friend with short, spiky hair and more
muscles than Rory<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">tugged on the blonde’s hand until she moved
again.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<o:p></o:p><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span lang="EN-GB">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">“Aw c’mon,” Del teased. “We could use some
fit ladies like<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">yourselves.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<o:p></o:p><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span lang="EN-GB">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">The blonde smiled over her shoulder and
shook her head.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<o:p></o:p><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span lang="EN-GB">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">“Del, you’re off to a bad start,” Irish
said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<o:p></o:p><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span lang="EN-GB">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">“What do you mean, bro? I think I’m off to
a perfect start.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<o:p></o:p><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span lang="EN-GB">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">“Wrong sex,” Rory pointed out.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<o:p></o:p><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span lang="EN-GB">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">Del tipped his chair onto the back legs.
“Nope. Right sex.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<o:p></o:p><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span lang="EN-GB">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">“Coach said we can recruit women?” Rory
asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<o:p></o:p><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span lang="EN-GB">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">Irish leaned his elbows on the table and
made a point to<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">roll his eyes at Rory. He hated when the
bastard did that. Padraig had a<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">boarding school education, just like Rory,
but he didn’t have to show it off<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">all the time. “He’s not talking about
gender, Rory.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<o:p></o:p><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span lang="EN-GB">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">Ah, got
it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<o:p></o:p><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span lang="EN-GB">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">“I’m interested,” a female voice
interrupted.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<o:p></o:p><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span lang="EN-GB">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">Their heads turned in unison to a petite
woman who stood<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">just left of the table. She wore old-style
gray tracksuit pants the Americans<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">called sweatpants, heavy cotton and bunched
at the knees, and a pink T-shirt<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">with black letters that read I don’t wear
bows. I shoot ’em. Rory snorted a<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">laugh. She had her brown hair pulled back
with a headband and a water bottle in<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">her hand, but it was her eyes that he
returned to again and again in his assay.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">Big and bold, a beautiful dark blue, like
the deepest fathoms of the ocean.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<o:p></o:p><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span lang="EN-GB">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">“Uhhh…” Del finally broke the awkward
moment, but with<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">nothing that could save their arses. Even
with all the swishes of the machines<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">and the clank of weights dropping, an
uncomfortable silence had draped itself<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">around their
table.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<o:p></o:p><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span lang="EN-GB">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">She crossed her arms. “I thought I just
heard y’all ask that<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">blond chick if she wanted to play.”
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<o:p></o:p><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span lang="EN-GB">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">Irish covered his mouth with his hand, most
likely hiding<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">the smirk that Rory knew well, and Del just
sat there with his mouth open. Rory<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">wanted to say something. Anything to help
her. Or maybe not so much help, but<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">break the horrible discomfort that hung in
the air. Rory rubbed at his chest to<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">ease the ache.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<o:p></o:p><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span lang="EN-GB">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">Hands up in the air, she asked, “Well? Can
I play or not?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<o:p></o:p><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span lang="EN-GB">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><b><br /></b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-GB"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span lang="EN-GB">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
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Better Version of Mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06406683627246325831noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9052481576946377598.post-11715925660391729172017-03-15T10:38:00.001-04:002017-03-15T10:38:12.646-04:00Wordless Wednesday<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTOyWdJDB0KinAPWGfp3abDPujKR7gEnRpXAG7xfqIKj8OOnZq4xSPpw1uZotUcvbgQKj2abmXA729-fWy8OxG16eliHhTfry_-j69vnIB1DBLcgYVDc8YYhWUzzKYvf6D0ul_cwA2HT-1/s1600/DSC_0010.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTOyWdJDB0KinAPWGfp3abDPujKR7gEnRpXAG7xfqIKj8OOnZq4xSPpw1uZotUcvbgQKj2abmXA729-fWy8OxG16eliHhTfry_-j69vnIB1DBLcgYVDc8YYhWUzzKYvf6D0ul_cwA2HT-1/s640/DSC_0010.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">by Tracie Simons</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">by Tracie Simons</td></tr>
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Better Version of Mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06406683627246325831noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9052481576946377598.post-57068010926371692062017-03-14T11:40:00.002-04:002017-03-14T11:44:07.086-04:00Poetry, coping with loss of my brother. I have been writing poetry since a very young age. I have not shared it with many people but I am going to be brave and start posting past poems on here every once in awhile. <br />
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Writing poetry for me is an emotional outlet and something I only do when I am struggling. That being said, I haven't written in years because I am happy. <br />
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In 1991, I lost my younger brother to very long and painful fight with a rare brain cancer. Today is his birthday and he would have been 41.<br />
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This is some of the poetry I wrote when he was really sick, after we found out that his cancer was terminal. His death was hard for our whole family to watch and it took months. Poetry helped me deal with that.<br />
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<span style="color: blue;">Dear Chad,</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;">you never seem to realize</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;">the things that you have</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;">until you see someone</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue;">with so much less</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;">I never thought that time</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;">meant so much</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;">then I realized, I've got</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;">my WHOLE life</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;">not days</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;">or weeks</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;">but years</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;">I've experiencesdso much </span><br />
<span style="color: blue;">that I've taken for granted</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;">I've accomplished so much</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;">when I thought that I have done nothing</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;">I've lived so much</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;">When I thought that I have just begun</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;">But, what if it was me</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;">what if I was dying</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;">what about all the things that</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;">you will never do</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;">the places you will never see</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;">the people you will never meet</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;">the sunsets you will never gaze at</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: blue;">If I could give you </span><br />
<span style="color: blue;">just one thing</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;">I would grant you your wish</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;">I would give you life</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;">I would give you time</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;">I would let you go on and grow</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;">to see you drive a car</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;">and graduate</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;">to fall in love and have kids</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;">to be whatever you want to be</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;">to let you be free</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;">I know you feel trapped</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;">I know you are afraid</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;">I can see the pain in your eyes</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;">But I can't imagine how you feel</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;">I don't know what to do</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;">All I know is that I love you</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;">and I don't want you to die</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;">I just wish I could change it</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;">I wish you didn't have all of this pain.</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: blue;">Moments before </span><br />
<span style="color: blue;">death</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;">I feel......</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;">numb, nothingness</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;">it's not as though</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;">I can't feel</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;">I chose not to</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;">because the emotions</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;">would be</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;">way to much to handle</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;">I want to say</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;">I am afraid</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;">because I know I should be</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;">I want to say</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;">I hurt</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;">but ....</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;">I don't</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;">I want to scream</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;">IT'S NOT FAIR</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;">WHY YOU</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;">but I know</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;">there is a reason</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;">to all this madness</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;">so moments before</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;">I have to say</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;">Good-bye </span><br />
<span style="color: blue;">I know someday</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;">I will see you</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;">I will miss you</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;">I do love you</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: blue;">Moments before</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;">death</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;">I see myself</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;">losing a brother</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;">but......</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;">I see my brother</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;">losing a life</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;">but gaining peace</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;">and freedon</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;">from pain </span><br />
<span style="color: blue;"><br /></span>
Every year, on his birthday, I wonder what he would have been like. Would he have kids? What would his life be like? I can't believe he would be 41-years-old. He is missed.Better Version of Mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06406683627246325831noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9052481576946377598.post-6878152043647499012017-03-13T09:43:00.002-04:002017-03-13T10:19:24.809-04:00Meat Free Monday: Spicey Riced Cauliflower and Bean Tacos<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Shortly after starting this blog, my husband and I started doing the 17 Day Diet. This brought me to using cauliflower to replace a lot of things, i.e. pizza crust, bread, and rice. (search cauliflower on this blog for more recipes) This is one of my favorite recipes with riced cauliflower thus far. It is a great low carb side dish with bean tacos for Meat-Free Monday.</div>
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<h2>
Spicey Riced Cauliflower</h2>
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1 head of cauliflower</div>
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1 small onion diced</div>
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3 cloves of garlic minced</div>
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1/2 bell pepper diced ( I used orange)</div>
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1 15 oz can of corn or 1 1/2 cups of frozen corn</div>
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1 24 oz. jar of diced tomatoes (I used Bella Terra Organic Roasted Garlic diced tomatoes that I found at Meijer in their special Italian section. You can use any diced tomatoes or crushed tomatoes which this was a combo of both)</div>
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1 tbsp of chili powder</div>
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1 tsp of cumin</div>
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1 to 4 tsp of Chipotle pepper powder (you can also use cayenne or adobo instead or completely omit) </div>
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salt to taste </div>
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1 to 3 tbsp of olive oil or coconut oil</div>
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optional: 1 cup of black beans, cilantro to taste, jalapenos </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifmAHBIELM2ExJBWNx1l2DPPo9wVAQUYugQwsozcO9Z7LBIMQH4vjZJcaxL29axtDT9hz33n9NIkpwVgGuMvXUKmAGIKW34x_EvQPUUMXLv-LUaq4FYbdeP0TF8uT7RLCMxQdfscsNyFt0/s1600/20170305_172600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifmAHBIELM2ExJBWNx1l2DPPo9wVAQUYugQwsozcO9Z7LBIMQH4vjZJcaxL29axtDT9hz33n9NIkpwVgGuMvXUKmAGIKW34x_EvQPUUMXLv-LUaq4FYbdeP0TF8uT7RLCMxQdfscsNyFt0/s400/20170305_172600.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"ricing" cauliflower<br />
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Remove leaves from cauliflower and cut into chunks that will fit in your food processor. Process with either the s-blade or with the grating disc. I have done both but like the size with the grating disc better. </div>
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Dry fry (no oil) in a skillet on medium heat for about 5 minutes, stirring constantly so it doesn't burn. This will evaporate some of the water and gives it a more rice-like texture. Put cauliflower in a bowl.</div>
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Add oil to the pan and make a sofrito with the onion, garlic, bell peppers. Saute on medium until onions are translucent and soft. Add diced jalapenos if using. Add tomatoes, corn, and beans if using. Stir. Add Chili Powder, Chipotle, and Cumin. Add the cauliflower back in. Stir to coat. If sauce it too thick, add a 1/4 cup of water at a time. <span style="font-size: 12.8px; text-align: center;">Cook on medium heat for about 5 minutes or under the sauce is the consistency of the first photo in this post, stirring occasionally so it doesn't burn. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.8px; text-align: center;">Add cilantro and salt to taste. Serve with bean tacos for a perfect Meat-free Monday meal. You can also make ahead. We ate the leftovers about 5 days after I made this and they were still yummy.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiMAF75l-KkFgeWdmWRYyxR81Fy8H5PlPA3OSNQ8xAC_LZKaNgnAFT-s7djyiga00rdZGyRuNMrcSvlBfAu5tKOf6Jp19RteEivxQjFEPo6QIFvIDWsDicxdpF96hOAXNyhUc2sZibHe0w/s1600/20170305_175749.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiMAF75l-KkFgeWdmWRYyxR81Fy8H5PlPA3OSNQ8xAC_LZKaNgnAFT-s7djyiga00rdZGyRuNMrcSvlBfAu5tKOf6Jp19RteEivxQjFEPo6QIFvIDWsDicxdpF96hOAXNyhUc2sZibHe0w/s320/20170305_175749.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
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*thank you to my husband, Rob, for taking photos for me.<br />
<br />Better Version of Mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06406683627246325831noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9052481576946377598.post-56442723626971870112017-03-10T11:46:00.003-05:002017-03-10T11:47:13.099-05:00Friday Favorites: Drummond Island<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSXAX2GVobLKv3cT-xEOicTvqttU1WsC3Xo9OeWWi6kG-AtjjhrEsxSdKx118YkOz10B5DdDWvg7ToBcVxMeX6Ji0bJ1zoG_Zr7oDXfvsxEbA3GAb7rXh6UQu4HmtBOWvoQtDrGg763LHF/s1600/13652945_10208249563890097_851580840868613106_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSXAX2GVobLKv3cT-xEOicTvqttU1WsC3Xo9OeWWi6kG-AtjjhrEsxSdKx118YkOz10B5DdDWvg7ToBcVxMeX6Ji0bJ1zoG_Zr7oDXfvsxEbA3GAb7rXh6UQu4HmtBOWvoQtDrGg763LHF/s640/13652945_10208249563890097_851580840868613106_o.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kayaking at sunset in Sturgeon Bay.</td></tr>
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My favorite place in the whole world is Drummond Island (DI). I have been itching to go camping since we had extremely warm weather this winter. We go camping on DI mid to late summer almost every year. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On the ferry to DI with all of our gear. </td></tr>
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<span style="text-align: left;"> DI is the largest island in Lake Huron and is located between the eastern most tip of Michigan's upper peninsula and Canada. You have to take a ferry to get there. </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Campsite at DI Township Park</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM32L8yUschgJFv_iKouJ9Wzq5nb3drm_zW7Q9tkYIhaTpCChtHRiKLLMiOemHUlxmgOGkfD1JaevB3FN0xYPJl8qP9DAvJqssgfaVqeXAc3lzKRcMPF9iu62lqNF0KH2UGf0EblXtjLZ_/s1600/13903176_10208246078162956_5404458369979286292_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM32L8yUschgJFv_iKouJ9Wzq5nb3drm_zW7Q9tkYIhaTpCChtHRiKLLMiOemHUlxmgOGkfD1JaevB3FN0xYPJl8qP9DAvJqssgfaVqeXAc3lzKRcMPF9iu62lqNF0KH2UGf0EblXtjLZ_/s320/13903176_10208246078162956_5404458369979286292_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our camper.</td></tr>
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We usually camp in the DI Township Park but have also stayed at my best friend's in-laws' property on the St. Mary's Chanel, which runs between Detour, MI and DI. It is a great place to watch the ships coming and going to The Soo Locks. We love the park as it usually is not crowded and there are numerous sites right on the shore. It is a rustic campground with pit toilets and no showers. There is potable water and some sites have electricity. There are hiking trails right off the park. The kayaking there is amazing. Last year, we have perfect kayaking weather most of our stay. I would start my day with my coffee on the kayak and end my day with the sunset on the kayak. There is nothing like just floating on the water, in the silence, watching the sunset. </div>
The hiking trail is so beautiful. There are ledges of bedrock covered with mosses. Part of the trail also leads to the shore but most of it is in the forest. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hiking trail at DI Township Park</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Moss on the trail</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">St. Mary's Chanel. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYsZdYuuML4gWMb7cBGMkp6t8uzicdzQVqWjd_L8VqKNDbFJkyV6IpxrqcOhGOHNYxme249UsjSi6IAjjnaQgMOYFBwR0gGS5a5krmxCvBY8T6QPeVGNLxvIKweO32Z08UjtyPpScjzobK/s1600/2012-08-26_15-28-09_560.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYsZdYuuML4gWMb7cBGMkp6t8uzicdzQVqWjd_L8VqKNDbFJkyV6IpxrqcOhGOHNYxme249UsjSi6IAjjnaQgMOYFBwR0gGS5a5krmxCvBY8T6QPeVGNLxvIKweO32Z08UjtyPpScjzobK/s640/2012-08-26_15-28-09_560.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Ledges with high water.</td></tr>
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There are some really cool nature areas on the island. One of them is The Fossil Ledges. You really need 4 wheel drive to get it to it. It is part of a nature preserve called Maxton Plains and is on the northern shore of the island. Maxton Plains is one of the rarest ecosystems on earth. Here is a link to MSU site with more information: <a href="http://geo.msu.edu/extra/geogmich/maxton_plains.html">Maxton Plains</a> The drive back to The Fossil Ledges is beautiful and goes through forested and marshy areas. This area is called The Fossil Ledges because, when the water on Lake Huron is low, the shoreline is steps or ledges of bedrock out into the water and there are tons of fossils. Here is more about that area at the DI Chamber of Commerce Site: <a href="http://www.drummondislandchamber.com/index.php?page=Fossil_Ledges">The Fossil Ledges</a><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fossilized shell<br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">Even though we have been going there for years, it seems like we are also discovering something new. A couple of years ago, we found <a href="http://www.drummondislandchamber.com/index.php?page=Hatchery"> <strong style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial;">Potagannissing Wildlife Flooding</strong></a> on our last day and didn't have time to explore. Last year, we had a very windy day and thought our luck might be better kayaking this area rather than the bay. Unfortunately, it was windy there too. So, we didn't even make it out to the first lake. We will be trying again this year. This inlet goes back to a chain of 4 lakes. There are beaver houses, which did see on this trip! We were also told that this is a great area for bird watching. </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Potagannissing Wildlife Flooding</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sunset paddle</td></tr>
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So until summer, I will just keeping dreaming that I am floating in my kayak on the bay, watching that beautiful sun set.<br />
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Where is your favorite place?<br />
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Better Version of Mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06406683627246325831noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9052481576946377598.post-65007800961636320632017-03-08T10:15:00.001-05:002017-03-08T10:15:40.494-05:00Wordless Wednesday<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNhHK7T4WxegSnMB6QVBg9KqiWoqYBod82dHIKuPax_wAZ_osmQQ8jSXHPtgjy-C8BL7Zp6qUx9YzpCCAuy02afbW4VjyZA4-AB5VdvrSvS2InZpsPdEoxiwq-b3VkQHw0IuSXCyr4QcgN/s1600/IMG_20170125_194645.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNhHK7T4WxegSnMB6QVBg9KqiWoqYBod82dHIKuPax_wAZ_osmQQ8jSXHPtgjy-C8BL7Zp6qUx9YzpCCAuy02afbW4VjyZA4-AB5VdvrSvS2InZpsPdEoxiwq-b3VkQHw0IuSXCyr4QcgN/s640/IMG_20170125_194645.jpg"> </a> </div>Better Version of Mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06406683627246325831noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9052481576946377598.post-4428352544203547182017-03-07T10:03:00.001-05:002017-03-07T10:04:25.763-05:00Fresh Jackfruit vs. Canned Jackfruit<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I have been interested in Jackfruit for a couple of years but it is hard to find in my area. I did order some of Upton's Bar-B-Que Jackfruit and ate it last week. It was super yummy. So when I went to our local Meijer the next day, I was pleasantly surprised to see fresh Jackfruit!!! I bought a 12.5 lb one and gave it shot. They remind of sugar apples (Soursop) which I ate when I lived in the US Virgin Islands. Soursops are much smaller though.<br />
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I looked up online how to prepped and everything I read stated that the Jackfruits ooze a white latex-like substance that is very hard to remove. So, I took the advice of a couple of other blogs and lined my counter with newspaper and oiled my hands and knifes. My Jackfruit didn't ooze any of this substance. It is very labor intensive to prep. You have to cut it, peel, separate all of the stringy fibrous parts from the seed pods, and separate the seeds from the pods. </div>
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I bought this with the intention of using it as a meat replacement. I tried to make mock Carita's out of it and found out after the fact that it is the young unripened Jackfruit that is used for this. (I am going to check the India Market on 28th St to see if they have canned young Jackfruit there.) While the flavor was good the consistency was not. It was way too mushy. I am using them as a sweet fruit instead. They smell and taste, in my opinion, like Juicy Fruit Gum or a mix of mango, pineapple, and melon. Yummy! This morning I make a smoothie with the pods, banana, orange juice and some of the boiled seeds. Delicious!<br />
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Speaking of seeds. These are also delicious. You just boil them for 20-25 minutes, rinse and dry, and then you have to peel, which is a pain in the arse. I found cutting them in half made them easier to peel. The have the taste and consistency of boiled red potatoes. They are really good with just some salt. They are very nutritious. Here is more information on the seeds at<a href="http://www.livestrong.com/article/546837-nutrition-in-boiled-jackfruit-seeds/"> Livestrong.com</a></div>
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<span id="goog_1386913388"></span><span id="goog_1386913389"></span>Here is some other good information on the whole fruit at <a href="http://www.nutrition-and-you.com/jackfruit.html">Nutrition and You.com</a><br />
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I ended up freezing two bags of the seed pods, which you can do raw. I heard you can make custard out of them, so I will be trying that in the future. In the mean time, I will just enjoy this crazy fruit in my smoothies or as a snack!Better Version of Mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06406683627246325831noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9052481576946377598.post-83980569513855256852017-03-03T10:27:00.002-05:002017-03-03T10:27:48.243-05:00Friday Favorites: Dr Bonner's Castile Hemp Soaps<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I try to only use natural cleaning supplies because who wants all that nasty chemical exposure! Dr. Bonner's is one of my favorites because it is so versatile. Their bottles state there are 38 different ways to use it! Click here to see their whole line of products: <a href="https://www.drbronner.com/">drbonner.com</a><br />
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Here are some of the ways we use it in our home:<br />
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<u>Shampoo and Body Wash</u><br />
We love camping. We are also very concerned about our environment. Most of the camping we do is very rustic, with no showers. Since we usually camp for a week or more at a time, we end up bathing in a lake. Dr. Bronner's is eco-friendly so I do not feel bad about doing this. We use it straight from the bottle as shampoo and body wash. I usually buy Lavender for this purpose. It is not shown here as I am out. <br />
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<u>Foaming Hand Soap</u><br />
In a foam soap dispenser, I add one squirt of the Peppermint or Orange Dr. Bronner's, 30 drops of Young Living Thieves Essential Oil, and fill the rest with water.<br />
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<u>Washing Dishing</u><br />
We also use this when camping to wash our dishes. It doesn't foam up much but that doesn't equate to cleaning power! I just starting using the SalSuds and it does foam. So, I will be trying that for dishes this camping season.<br />
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<u>Household Cleaning </u><br />
<u>Toilets </u><br />
To clean my toilets I just do one squirt of the orange Dr. Bronner's, one capful of Young Living Thieves cleaner, a cup of baking soda, and about two cups of white vinegar. I let this sit for a couple of hours, come back and scrub with toilet brush and flush. <br />
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<u>Laundry</u><br />
I use soap nuts in the washer which for normal wash is fine. (I will post about that in the future) If I need extra cleaning power, like for stinky workout clothes, I just add a squirt of the Sal Suds.<br />
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<u>Spray Surface Cleaner</u><br />
In a spray bottle, I add a squirt of Peppermint Dr. Bronner's, about 30 drops of Young Living Thieves essential oil, about 30 drops of Young Living Lemon or Orange essential oils. Then I fill 1/3 of the bottle with white vinegar and the rest with water. <br />
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What are your favorite eco-friendly cleaners?<br />
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<br />Better Version of Mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06406683627246325831noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9052481576946377598.post-8735450556659223692017-03-02T09:22:00.001-05:002017-03-02T09:22:59.360-05:00Thirsty Thursday: Going Alcohol Free for One MonthI love wine. I love beer. I love mixed drinks. But once a year, my husband and I take a month off from drinking alcohol. This is a great way to help lose those holiday pounds and get ready for summer. In addition to not drinking alcohol, I also stopped drinking pop about 3 weeks ago. The challenge has been trying to find substitutes when craving something sweet or fizzy. Right now we are back on the 17 Day Diet which doesn't allow for juice either! So, what's a girl to do?<br />
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I found that sparkling waters help to calm that craving. I like LaCroix because they have a lot of different flavors. Peach-Pear and Cherry Lime are my favorites. A full list of flavors is here: <a href="https://www.timeout.com/los-angeles/shopping/17-la-croix-sparkling-water-flavors-ranked">LaCroix</a><br />
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I also recently tried Klarbrunn Black Chery (my favorite flavor of everything) and it is really yummy and a little less expesensive than LaCroix. Their flavors are here: <a href="http://www.klarbrunn.com/sparkling-water/">Klarbrunn</a><br />
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Another thing I do is add Young Living Vitality Oils to plain San Pellegrino water or if I want more flavor to the ones listed above. These are the ones I have that I use for that and also Lavender and Citrus Fresh (out of right now) which is yummy with the Lemon. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Click here for more information on the <a href="https://www.youngliving.com/en_US/products/essential-oils/dietary-essential-oils">Vitality Line</a></td></tr>
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If I want them a little sweet, I add stevia. This is a great no-calorie option. I use <a href="https://www.nunaturals.com/collections/nustevia/products/nustevia-pure-stevia-extract-powder">NuStevia </a> When I start drinking alcohol again, these also make grear no-calorie mixers! Better Version of Mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06406683627246325831noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9052481576946377598.post-37434568576394086212017-03-01T11:39:00.001-05:002017-03-01T11:40:23.184-05:00Sweet Dreams Are Made Of This<div dir="ltr">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuXmup80Sa35bUEQFyw6j9PYtSOkk901_6K1RltswgF7hyphenhyphenz_2yWuflAJHzYKXSPnjLKcNWiU0Co-Ht728vwmDin6Z99U5-cB3dEmgBnRVmedPI0XGvCO5ou9FA09tFceT1qp5Q2ifc37AT/s1600/P1030808.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuXmup80Sa35bUEQFyw6j9PYtSOkk901_6K1RltswgF7hyphenhyphenz_2yWuflAJHzYKXSPnjLKcNWiU0Co-Ht728vwmDin6Z99U5-cB3dEmgBnRVmedPI0XGvCO5ou9FA09tFceT1qp5Q2ifc37AT/s320/P1030808.JPG" width="180" /></a>Many people I know have trouble either falling asleep or staying asleep. I used to suffer from insomnia and these are the things that I now do that help me.</div>
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Create a comfy bed: I bought a foam topper for our bed and a foam pillow with a cool gel pack built right into it. As someone who suffers from hot flashes this is a huge plus. If it is cold, I also use my extra large heating pad to warm my side of the bed up. </div>
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Soothing sounds: One of my favorite radio programs is<a href="https://www.hos.com/"> Hearts of Space.</a> I have been listening to them for over 20 years. They have a weekly show that airs on Sundays on PBS stations across the country. They also have an app for streaming the shows, which is what I use. Headphones are must for me, especially if the reason I can't sleep is my dear hubby snoring. They play a mix of music: electronic ambient music, ethic, classical, and even choral music around Christmas. The show is different every week and if you pay for a subscription you can have access 40 years of archived shows. Sometimes I also use an app called Lightening Bug which has numerous tracks you can layer, including rain, thunder and lightening, waves, white noise, fans, chimes, chanting monks, etc. You can actually play this app over music too. </div>
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Essential Oils: These have been a huge help. Sometimes I will take a bath with Epsom Salts and some relaxing oils, especially if I am getting muscle spasms (bad back). Sometimes I use a linen spray on my sheets and pillow. Most night I diffuse oils that help with sleep, unless we are sick, then I diffuse oils that help with breathing. Because quality is important to me, I only use Young Living Therapeutic grade oils, because I know there are pure (<a href="https://www.youngliving.com/en_US/discover/seed-to-seal/index">Seed to Seal</a> ). I rotate the oils that I use. Here is a list of oils that I use for sleep:</div>
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Lavender</div>
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Cedarwood</div>
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Peace & Calming</div>
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Stress Away</div>
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Citrus Fresh</div>
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Orange</div>
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Ylang ylang</div>
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Roman Chamomile</div>
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Frankincense</div>
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Geranium</div>
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Jasmine</div>
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Another blend that I find really relaxing that reminds me of the woods is:</div>
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Sacred Mountain</div>
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Pine</div>
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Cedarwood</div>
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Northern Lights Black Spruce</div>
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Blue Cypress</div>
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Palo Santo</div>
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Vetiver</div>
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If we are sick or my allergies are bothering me I use these:</div>
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Eucalyptus Radiata</div>
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Eucalyptus Globulus</div>
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RC</div>
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Peppermint</div>
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Lemon</div>
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Lavender</div>
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What are your tricks for a good night's sleep?</div>
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Better Version of Mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06406683627246325831noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9052481576946377598.post-4390206550889846492017-02-28T10:45:00.003-05:002017-02-28T10:53:03.674-05:00Smoothie of the Day: Beets!<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWnXodrUjebYyREll-O61R9g-eQTgdZu1RCSVTkweh6glc4sW7xiYfWNXIIOnpcQ4_EOHaLWfpETGghMpffcgwBd91dg5Uwa09Knu2Scilpg5WPaNqgnmWFq47t8yfzU-BJuXWdSia8gsf/s640/IMG_20170228_102838.jpg" /><br />
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I love smoothies. It is a great way to start the morning. Especially if you are like me and do not like to eat breakfast right when you get up or have a large meal first thing in the morning.<br />
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I love beets but do not like the hassle of peeling and cooking them. On my last run to Costco, I found these organic roasted beets that are shelf stable. </div>
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Not only are they pretty, but according to this <a href="http://www.livestrong.com/article/413049-why-are-beets-good-for-you/">Livestrong.com</a> article, they are packed with nutrients, heart healthy, and may help prevent some chronic diseases. What better way to start the morning than a boost like that?!</div>
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<span style="color: #660000;"><b><u>BEET SMOOTHIE</u></b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000;">1/2 medium sized or one small precooked beet</span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000;">1/4 avocado</span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000;">1 hand full of baby spinach</span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000;">1/2 cup frozen strawberries</span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000;">enough walnut milk to get to the consistency and volume that you want, I use a bout 1 1/2 cups. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000;">optional:stevia or other sweetener to taste</span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000;">Put all ingredients in a high speed blender and pulse until well blended,</span></div>
Better Version of Mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06406683627246325831noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9052481576946377598.post-1722843950245847602017-02-27T07:00:00.000-05:002017-02-27T08:43:07.771-05:00Music Mondays: Sources for new music.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I don't know about you but I am always searching for new music. Music, for me, is an integral part of my day. It makes chores more enjoyable. It makes car rides better. It lifts my mood, when I am feeling down. It enriches our lives in so many ways. Maybe that is why I married a musician! <br />
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One of my favorite sources for new music is <a href="http://www.npr.org/music/" target="_blank">NPR Music</a>. I discovered my favorite band, <a href="http://www.elephantrevival.com/">Elephant Revival</a>, on there and am so thankful for that. I will write more on this incredible band later but here is their new music video for <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y-nZpkR4HqQ" target="_blank">Petals</a><br />
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Another one of my NPR favorites is <a href="https://www.prairiehome.org/">A Prairie Home Companion </a> (APHC) I have been listening to this radio variety show for years. Last year Garrison Keeler, retired and they very talented Chris Thile (of The Punch Brothers and Nickle Creek) took his place. This came with some great musical changes of guests that I feel are targeting a younger audience. There have been so many great guests this season including, Regina Spektor, The Avett Brothers, Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats, Jack White, Andrew Bird, The Shins, <a href="http://www.jescahoop.com/">Jesca Hoop</a>, to name a few. AND, one of my favorite things about the new APHC is that one of my favorite solo artists, <a href="https://www.sarahjarosz.com/">Sarah Jarosz</a> is on as a regular guest. I discovered on PBS's <a href="http://acltv.com/">Austin City Limits</a> and finally was able to see her in concert this past summer at Interlochen in Michigan. She didn't disappointment. <br />
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I am very sad to hear that #45 is starting the process to stop funding the <a href="https://www.arts.gov/">National Endowment For The Arts</a>. I have used so many public sources to find new music. While I give monthly to NPR and PBS, and I know many others do, I know they rely on the federal funds that they receive for most of their programing. Please consider donating here: <a href="http://www.npr.org/series/750002/support-public-radio">Donate NPR</a> <a href="http://www.pbs.org/">or PBS</a><br />
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What are some of your favorite sources for new music?Better Version of Mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06406683627246325831noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9052481576946377598.post-83892607796740547352017-02-20T11:15:00.003-05:002017-02-20T11:16:57.032-05:00SinusitisThe dry winter air has been reeking havoc on my sinuses. I have been getting cracking in my nostrils and sinusitis (swelling in the sinuses). I routinely use a neti pot and have used Eucalyptus and Tea Tree oils in the past with some relief. A few months ago I found this great EO app on Google Play <a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.abundanthealth4u.refguide4eo&hl=en" target="_blank">Ref. Guide for Essential Oils</a>. I looked up Sinusitis and decided to make a blend of the oils it had listed that I have on hand. I ended up using castor oil as the carrier oil in a 50ml dropper bottle with 10 drops each of Eucalyptus Radiata, Eycalyptus Globuls, Rosemary, RC, Melaleuca Ericifolia , Peppermint, Sage, and Lemon. I have been using two drops in my neti pot and also taking a cotton swab and coating the inside of my nostril with it 3 times a day. Over the past week my nose has completely healed. On top of that, my husband has been fighting a nasty cold so I also starting rubbing this on my face over the sinuses under my eyes (careful not to get in my eyes) figuring that it couldn't hurt. I haven't been able to breath this well in weeks!!!!<br />
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I have my husband now using it to help him get over his cold, rubbing on his chest, face, and swabbing his nose. </div>
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I am hoping this helps with my seasonal allergies, too! I will let you know as that is right around the corner.</div>
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Better Version of Mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06406683627246325831noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9052481576946377598.post-365048547428689722017-02-15T16:33:00.004-05:002017-02-15T16:38:28.108-05:00There is a burning in his heart and it ain't love.<br />
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My hubby suffers from heartburn. He was taking a prescription medicine but we found out last year that proton pump inhibitors have some bad side effects. We gave Digize Vitality a shot and it seems to be helping him. I put 3 drops in a veggie capsule and fill the rest with grapeseed oil. He has been taking them at night before going to bed. </div>
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Young Living has a whole line of dietary supplement oils called Vitality! I also have been using a lot of them in cooking. Click here to see them all: <a href="https://www.youngliving.com/en_US/products/essential-oils/dietary-essentail-oils" target="_blank">Vitality</a></div>
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<br />Better Version of Mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06406683627246325831noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9052481576946377598.post-26050821528685720662017-02-12T10:45:00.000-05:002017-02-12T14:56:18.438-05:00Natural Cleaners <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Now that I am a Domestic Goddess again, I am trying to get caught up on cleaning. I didn't realize until I started how dirty my house had become. I have been using natural cleaners for years but have not always been happy with the results.</div>
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Thankfully I had just ordered the Thieves Essential Rewards Kit which includes the following:</div>
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<li>Thieves essential oil blend, 15 ml</li>
<li>Thieves AromaBright Toothpaste, 4 oz.</li>
<li>Thieves Household Cleaner, 14.4 oz., 2 bottles</li>
<li>Thieves Mouthwash, 8 oz.</li>
<li>Thieves Foaming Hand Soap, 8 oz., 2 bottles
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<li>Thieves Waterless Hand Purifier, 1 oz., 2 bottles
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<li>Thieves Spray, 1 oz., 2 bottles</li>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqu8lAtgGcPtzMZ3x8MCL4EQByiteCr-ahyphenhyphenK2UFDf7FfMLP3PD5sLBayE1E5foNAnGaDnamet_qnLN3y9hVaKhOjpj4QhqMZXmBrb3bpl_93vu6y2G6uyS-FPMA-dFdcJ5f8TLyZcEFku4/s1600/Thieves.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqu8lAtgGcPtzMZ3x8MCL4EQByiteCr-ahyphenhyphenK2UFDf7FfMLP3PD5sLBayE1E5foNAnGaDnamet_qnLN3y9hVaKhOjpj4QhqMZXmBrb3bpl_93vu6y2G6uyS-FPMA-dFdcJ5f8TLyZcEFku4/s320/Thieves.JPG" width="250" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglagElZini2Du_beUdnoAxrg35GZZsBCsUe_EeMh9YNGbtcD5p1dik1H5WaVlhUw9GbXuUsh_U7jTDmjTJQ2njVR7v3TCnA0YldMm2DfuLW20KhrN0IxBA6PsLOoWSFQVCXqKDMNyEsEtg/s1600/Capture.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglagElZini2Du_beUdnoAxrg35GZZsBCsUe_EeMh9YNGbtcD5p1dik1H5WaVlhUw9GbXuUsh_U7jTDmjTJQ2njVR7v3TCnA0YldMm2DfuLW20KhrN0IxBA6PsLOoWSFQVCXqKDMNyEsEtg/s320/Capture.JPG" width="248" /></a></div>
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These are the cleaners I made yesterday:</div>
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Thieves surface cleaner:</div>
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In spray bottle:</div>
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1 cap full of Thieves cleaner</div>
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1 squirt of Bronner's Salsuds</div>
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10 drops of YL Citris Fresh </div>
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10 Drops of YL Orange</div>
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20 Drops of YL Rosemary</div>
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Fill bottle 1/2 white vinegar and the rest with distilled water </div>
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I use this on bathroom surfaces, my stove top, and my non-wood kitchen counters and as a spot cleaner on our hard surface floors (bamboo, cork, and Forbo Marmolium).</div>
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For the toilets:</div>
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1/2 cup of baking soda</div>
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1 cap full of Thieves Cleaner</div>
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2 cups of white vinegar </div>
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10 drops of YL Citris Fresh or Orange</div>
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Glass cleaner:</div>
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1 14 oz glass spray bottle full of white vinegar </div>
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10 drops of YL Lemon</div>
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10 drops of YL Orange</div>
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use newspaper instead of papertowel</div>
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This worked amazing! The photo below is my husbands mirrored wardrobe which was covered in finger prints. I should have taken a before photo. I also used this on the bathroom mirrors and on my window above my kitchen sink. I worked beautifully to get all the splashes off. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQpZamH_qy86xqrB3cAPHUHGiKxXERz9tnIRsBzKdPidEP3dxZlDfa-5sZnbBpUBqjpcfsshYMGUREAsdD5MmW3xJ81GfrMmQlTYhNtabn_9w5CCP8JizXkorf3JNXYz_LeuhihyphenhyphenDuJNcU/s1600/IMG_20170211_151403_881.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQpZamH_qy86xqrB3cAPHUHGiKxXERz9tnIRsBzKdPidEP3dxZlDfa-5sZnbBpUBqjpcfsshYMGUREAsdD5MmW3xJ81GfrMmQlTYhNtabn_9w5CCP8JizXkorf3JNXYz_LeuhihyphenhyphenDuJNcU/s1600/IMG_20170211_151403_881.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQpZamH_qy86xqrB3cAPHUHGiKxXERz9tnIRsBzKdPidEP3dxZlDfa-5sZnbBpUBqjpcfsshYMGUREAsdD5MmW3xJ81GfrMmQlTYhNtabn_9w5CCP8JizXkorf3JNXYz_LeuhihyphenhyphenDuJNcU/s1600/IMG_20170211_151403_881.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQpZamH_qy86xqrB3cAPHUHGiKxXERz9tnIRsBzKdPidEP3dxZlDfa-5sZnbBpUBqjpcfsshYMGUREAsdD5MmW3xJ81GfrMmQlTYhNtabn_9w5CCP8JizXkorf3JNXYz_LeuhihyphenhyphenDuJNcU/s1600/IMG_20170211_151403_881.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQpZamH_qy86xqrB3cAPHUHGiKxXERz9tnIRsBzKdPidEP3dxZlDfa-5sZnbBpUBqjpcfsshYMGUREAsdD5MmW3xJ81GfrMmQlTYhNtabn_9w5CCP8JizXkorf3JNXYz_LeuhihyphenhyphenDuJNcU/s320/IMG_20170211_151403_881.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Wood cleaner:</div>
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I just squirted the wood with food safe mineral oil and about 5 drops of YL Orange Vitality (FDA approved for oral use, so safe for food areas) </div>
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This stuff smells amazing, got all the gunk off my wood surfaces and conditions the wood. I am going to try this on my bamboo and wood cutting boards!</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxYqqpf2_4HGYarEMI1zr0ypMUoN_-iFE4QXHvEdrlVKysFaay0KIJyZ3XF0simCTifbKGa73sBGL9hBOdhgEQs0EhOV0Wgvwx2Kqa6fSnXYQOQt23RR0_T5gKdFNDNAenGiIkh7KCRIxf/s1600/IMG_20170211_130840852.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxYqqpf2_4HGYarEMI1zr0ypMUoN_-iFE4QXHvEdrlVKysFaay0KIJyZ3XF0simCTifbKGa73sBGL9hBOdhgEQs0EhOV0Wgvwx2Kqa6fSnXYQOQt23RR0_T5gKdFNDNAenGiIkh7KCRIxf/s320/IMG_20170211_130840852.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk5IJQ3oqoPnUEshrKnQs7Oxdkxdtwp7-omV4nPiTOtTxtEk5dHARv-Ga-2E0jKr7wkESsN5gNxwCcC0Q4hyphenhyphenZCjah2S1dUPnbg0LoKpE4UKFscHqCc165x5QL-WTpS8ShKUcV-U-bOEIvb/s1600/IMG_20170211_130449.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk5IJQ3oqoPnUEshrKnQs7Oxdkxdtwp7-omV4nPiTOtTxtEk5dHARv-Ga-2E0jKr7wkESsN5gNxwCcC0Q4hyphenhyphenZCjah2S1dUPnbg0LoKpE4UKFscHqCc165x5QL-WTpS8ShKUcV-U-bOEIvb/s400/IMG_20170211_130449.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
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What natural cleaners do you use?<br />
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Better Version of Mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06406683627246325831noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9052481576946377598.post-88036302460530328062017-02-10T10:08:00.001-05:002017-02-10T10:15:21.239-05:00Oily JourneySo, I put in my two week notice at my JOB and am returning to my position as Domestic Goddess and going to try to build my Young Living lifestyle.<br />
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I have used essential oils for years. About a year ago, a friend of mine introduced me to Young Living Oils. They are all therapeutic grade and so much better, in my opinion, than the other high end oils I had been buying. My collection has steadily grown to over 50 oils that I am currently using. I will be posting a lot in the near future how I use all these wonderful oils to support my natural lifestyle. <br />
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In the meantime, one of things that I love is if you order a starter kit, you get the wholesale prices for life, even if you do not want to sell them. Here is a link to get that deal <a href="https://www.youngliving.com/vo/#/signup/new-start?sponsorid=3645600&enrollerid=3645600&isocountrycode=US&culture=en-US&type=member" target="_blank">Young Living</a><br />
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There is also this cool thing called Essential Rewards where you can earn points to use for free products and also get free oils. This is the current monthly special:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLq0Y63IKBj949Op85iZdKUlsTTzhgn2stMe1q5LJ1eYKHLk9hXkcFyuAImBiuo4p01eJA_D3TWfBqTbdnUF7MzSkzso5hl1cnBq8RpF5NVHHlRyPAqVFNwYu7HjOaEQALC7uq1EymP37O/s1600/FebPVPromo_Flyer_US.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLq0Y63IKBj949Op85iZdKUlsTTzhgn2stMe1q5LJ1eYKHLk9hXkcFyuAImBiuo4p01eJA_D3TWfBqTbdnUF7MzSkzso5hl1cnBq8RpF5NVHHlRyPAqVFNwYu7HjOaEQALC7uq1EymP37O/s320/FebPVPromo_Flyer_US.jpg" width="247" /></a></div>
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I took advantage of that and ordered a Thieves Kit to try the pre-made Thieves products and some other oils that I wanted and got the maxium freebies for the month. All of the oils on the left were free! </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6_nwyBcmy2fD_GQf89b4Dv3mNiBIal20zudcpO4gP-5vwZzRJTlApNDMJ8Er-H47J3MD4UrsxFNCP3_yXzuaC3Y6SxyXbMH9JLKTDmAsB3forMvbEb-YxB26LD-7HsKv2SnVimNrZSjlC/s1600/16707494_10209925663991552_5389899165525841734_o.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6_nwyBcmy2fD_GQf89b4Dv3mNiBIal20zudcpO4gP-5vwZzRJTlApNDMJ8Er-H47J3MD4UrsxFNCP3_yXzuaC3Y6SxyXbMH9JLKTDmAsB3forMvbEb-YxB26LD-7HsKv2SnVimNrZSjlC/s320/16707494_10209925663991552_5389899165525841734_o.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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I am really excited to try the Thieves cleaner, it is concentrated it will last a long time and you can make spray cleaner out of it. </div>
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I will be posting recipes for things you can use YL oils for in the future.</div>
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Thank you for joining my on oily journey!</div>
<br />Better Version of Mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06406683627246325831noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9052481576946377598.post-39965366105435080322016-04-06T12:21:00.002-04:002016-04-06T12:21:55.327-04:00Starting OverNow that I seem to have my histamine and allergy problems under control, I am starting over and making a commitment to get to healthy weight. I recently started a PiYo class and in doing so made some new friends! They also seem committed to living healthy but are doing so in a very balanced way from what I can tell. <br />
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I started using all of these products about 3 weeks ago and I have really noticed a difference in digestion and sinus and eye issues. I am still getting flushing but overall I am feeling really good. With no allergy symptoms even though I have heard other people complaining about them. Spring is typically a VERY bad time for me but I have been doing great.</div>
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<span style="color: #38761d;">GAIA HERBS ADRENAL HEALTH LIQUID PHYTO-CAPSULES<br />TULSI (HOLY BASIL) TEA<br />YOGI GINGER TEA</span></div>
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<span style="color: #38761d;">FOUR SIGMATIC INSTANT REISHI SUPERFOOD MUSHROOM DRINK MIX</span></div>
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<span style="color: #141823; line-height: 19.32px;">I just ordered some dried reishi pieces and am going to make my own tea and extract because it will be a lot cheaper. </span><br /><span style="color: #38761d;">YOUNG LIVING OILS (DIFFUSING AND ORALLY)<br /> LEMON<br /> PEPPERMINT<br /> LAVENDER<br /> THYME<br /> GINGER<br /> FENNEL</span></div>
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<span style="color: #38761d;">NIGELLA SATIVA SEEDS</span></div>
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In addition to these, I have been taking the following for a couple of years:</div>
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Calcium</div>
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Vitamin D</div>
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Vitamin C</div>
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B-complex</div>
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Probiotics</div>
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DOA</div>
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Maca<span style="line-height: 19.32px;"> </span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 19.32px;">Tumeric</span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 19.32px;">Quercetin.</span></div>
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I also think that eating a lot of anti inflammatory foods is helping me regulate my system and stop the histamine reactions. I am still taking Zyrtec and Singulair but when spring season is over, I am going to try to wean off those too.</div>
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So, my plan is:</div>
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1. To do PiYo twice a week and walk 5 times a week.</div>
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2. stay on a reduced carb diet.</div>
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3. Eat mainly whole fresh foods and low fat high quality meats and proteins. </div>
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4. Lose at least 35 lbs. by the end of summer, that is about 2 lbs a week. </div>
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And I am not going to get stressed about it because if I don't meet these goals, I can always start over!</div>
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Better Version of Mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06406683627246325831noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9052481576946377598.post-23268337595343483492015-11-17T09:10:00.000-05:002016-04-06T12:28:48.313-04:00Homade made Raman <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;">The first thing I had to do was make Dashi. <a href="http://www.justonecookbook.com/recipes/how-to-make-dashi/" target="_blank">Just One Cookbook</a> has an easy recipe for two kids of Dashi and for Furikake with the leftovers from making Dashi. For the Furikake I did pan dehydrate it but it starting to burn so I popped in in the oven on parchment 200 degrees for 20 min until it was dehydrated.<br />
<img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixJbqO1TCQezqnJpG8oRdEqRmbGZxt0N3HNbX5_tMZcwU8dDghNrebZp_xQS2kS1xlvEhVvG2u19DJFK4T31laVH6-3n-nY5TSEbOFxIiMSi0_ym0oSRqb3_tzavwLrGA_2TNnSQUwhRz4/s1600/11069999_10204797271784952_8234958650291838000_n.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kombu soaking</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_Xr3R_rsXRC6niONWX8TT7CHF0wtcMcJoBVNBAUHrEFp-JSBj584XMTbbnsIkM-q2Fpb5q1Z75MamQNqU9NuZmwYJ_7JWVSS5P-0IskO2ZBboB-z6x7HalMc3fXBvwkaxmMs0Op_DBoHt/s1600/11066525_10204798425333790_5602131418471178082_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_Xr3R_rsXRC6niONWX8TT7CHF0wtcMcJoBVNBAUHrEFp-JSBj584XMTbbnsIkM-q2Fpb5q1Z75MamQNqU9NuZmwYJ_7JWVSS5P-0IskO2ZBboB-z6x7HalMc3fXBvwkaxmMs0Op_DBoHt/s1600/11066525_10204798425333790_5602131418471178082_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">First batch of Dashi</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixJbqO1TCQezqnJpG8oRdEqRmbGZxt0N3HNbX5_tMZcwU8dDghNrebZp_xQS2kS1xlvEhVvG2u19DJFK4T31laVH6-3n-nY5TSEbOFxIiMSi0_ym0oSRqb3_tzavwLrGA_2TNnSQUwhRz4/s1600/11069999_10204797271784952_8234958650291838000_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> </a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAF67AHah0YrpMmSOupDUKcD9fQIsyFgVPu_q1ELkDANAUcM2pUJfyBTwyj7KmZdW7GbwQAh3ZOoq_4gJA4DBm2NTRkPfDWxeYuWYrGdDHCJCAK7ExmBpVHmOwBOF5CHyX98DmobKgYAoW/s1600/11080985_10204798851864453_1808586075209158157_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAF67AHah0YrpMmSOupDUKcD9fQIsyFgVPu_q1ELkDANAUcM2pUJfyBTwyj7KmZdW7GbwQAh3ZOoq_4gJA4DBm2NTRkPfDWxeYuWYrGdDHCJCAK7ExmBpVHmOwBOF5CHyX98DmobKgYAoW/s1600/11080985_10204798851864453_1808586075209158157_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Furikake</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOFrVL26Fh_6bWzYs8pu8BKqQHvt5yaVCvOTUCU4Qj8ymQlAQcs0QM99V6J60lZotx3umm1DYKWHY1lgPnfZf8tZnKKoSWXl0ZGEfBLxx5KEpIhqw6QC8i6Jjrj8TD0wzkoILPofPBgsw9/s1600/11075230_10204799024868778_5562800871682754258_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOFrVL26Fh_6bWzYs8pu8BKqQHvt5yaVCvOTUCU4Qj8ymQlAQcs0QM99V6J60lZotx3umm1DYKWHY1lgPnfZf8tZnKKoSWXl0ZGEfBLxx5KEpIhqw6QC8i6Jjrj8TD0wzkoILPofPBgsw9/s1600/11075230_10204799024868778_5562800871682754258_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Finished Furikake</td></tr>
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While I was making the Dashi, I also pressed and dry fried some extra firm tofu and marinaded with a marinade for Chashu pork and also marinating soft boiled eggs for <strong style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #313131; font-family: 'Open Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 25.6000003814697px;"><a href="http://www.justonecookbook.com/recipes/ramen-egg/" target="_blank">Ajitsuke Tamago</a></strong><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR4ALEH9Johk3HnWQBlokRVHLNJIQcl87-zpOcbWrzKAY8rVe4bBnFjjLkAKBeEt44am8wNnTTTXUGl5RECOnLOwU4czTtxlirCh_D7UFjSRSB2VojsRw99AifLpMHu_GdZ95s2QzfHGvl/s1600/11073493_10204797728796377_7498667124554691131_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR4ALEH9Johk3HnWQBlokRVHLNJIQcl87-zpOcbWrzKAY8rVe4bBnFjjLkAKBeEt44am8wNnTTTXUGl5RECOnLOwU4czTtxlirCh_D7UFjSRSB2VojsRw99AifLpMHu_GdZ95s2QzfHGvl/s1600/11073493_10204797728796377_7498667124554691131_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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I used this <a href="http://forbiddenriceblog.com/2013/11/16/miso-mushroom-ramen-with-vegetarian-wontons-with-crispy-tofu/" target="_blank">Broth Recipe</a> but adjusted it because I made the Dashi. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrKxBxZFROWJBmqUpiM4XtoUgxlvFaID-Le0jBsPXcqeWBIzIM7HkI-tULkAkKdlRm6y_fDQtB9VJnbSOs0tUE_XyGtH3v3pB2QInttSax0YQucUmLBZAy65e8ikc_d2zEDKipSPUdoo-Z/s1600/11083837_10204798933026482_2919675906824692830_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrKxBxZFROWJBmqUpiM4XtoUgxlvFaID-Le0jBsPXcqeWBIzIM7HkI-tULkAkKdlRm6y_fDQtB9VJnbSOs0tUE_XyGtH3v3pB2QInttSax0YQucUmLBZAy65e8ikc_d2zEDKipSPUdoo-Z/s1600/11083837_10204798933026482_2919675906824692830_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii9tK1owgFLYTxZjyq9oq-Muu0gT8-dNBdwr9-MX_bcHai9qw3ohZHwWGYQxr7odHL0F07clGJXYF6LTXjGFxsswEo4fqzJSIqzjbYQANMcQ25C0JbCZanijtSKCbNhG2lx5E7QE0yYtYa/s1600/11081054_10204799273274988_74531117380502984_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii9tK1owgFLYTxZjyq9oq-Muu0gT8-dNBdwr9-MX_bcHai9qw3ohZHwWGYQxr7odHL0F07clGJXYF6LTXjGFxsswEo4fqzJSIqzjbYQANMcQ25C0JbCZanijtSKCbNhG2lx5E7QE0yYtYa/s1600/11081054_10204799273274988_74531117380502984_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />Better Version of Mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06406683627246325831noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9052481576946377598.post-90362786542568890532015-11-17T08:55:00.001-05:002015-11-17T09:12:54.774-05:00Histamine Intolerance --food was making me sickI have suffered with severe allergies all my life. Not just seasonal allergies but weird rashes and reactions to things that I couldn't pin down. I have undergone allergy testing and tried immunotherapy twice, but they were unable to get me up to a maintenance dose without me going into anaphylactic shock. Allergy medications don't work well for my either. I also have numerous organ systems diseases: endometriosis, adenomyosis, osteopenia, oesteoarthritis, denegertive disc disease, migraine, IBS, chronic sinusitis/rhinitis to name a few. <br />
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About a year ago, I started suspecting that I had something like Fibromylasia or Chronic Fatigue Syndrome because I was extremely tired all the time and had wide spread pain. I started following a group on Facebook for people with chronic diseases and in chatting with someone on there, Mast Cell Disorders where brought to my attention. So about two months ago, I meant with my allergist and started doing some testing, medication and diet trials. We are pretty sure I have Histamine Intolerance or HIT but there are no definitive tests, it is all diet and medication, trial and error. I started on Zantec twice a day, Zertec once a day, Xyzal once a day, and Singular once a day. It helped immensely but the more research I did the more I decided to try diet, supplements, and meditation following <a href="http://thelowhistaminechef.com/" target="_blank">The Low Histamine Chef</a> . Please check out her blog for more information about HIT, the bucket theory, and some great recipes and books. <br />
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So today I am starting: to ween off the antihistamines; continuing on a low histamine diet; taking supplements including Vitamin C, B Complex, DAO enzyme, Quercetin, Vitamin D, Calcium, and probiotics that are low histamine. <br />
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While I have been eating healthy for years, I was not eating foods that were healthy for me. I read that fermented food were good for you. Not if you have HIT. Along with a whole bunch of others. This is the part of the list of foods that I have cut out and am slowly adding back into my diet a little at a time as to not overflow my histamine bucket. <br />
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Fermented foods or any kind<br />
Canned foods<br />
Leftovers unless immediately frozen<br />
Meat ( unless extremely fresh, organic, free range)<br />
No cured meats at all<br />
Nightshade veggies(tomatoes, potatoes, peppers, eggplant)<br />
mushrooms<br />
Most processed foods<br />
Any ages or cultured cheese<br />
Wine<br />
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I basically had to change the way I was cooking but it has been a delicious adventure.<br />
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So instead of meat I have been making a lot of other protein based means like this dish before. I am not cutting meat out entirely, just limiting it. In the back of the plate are<a href="http://www.vegrecipesofindia.com/pakora-recipe-basic-pakora-recipe/" target="_blank"> Pakoras,</a> which a garbanzo bean base fritter, this one with shredded zucchini in it. The veggies are kohlrabi, cauliflower, broccoli, and carrots with Za'atar spice, and those are not mashed potatoes but mashed rutabaga which is lower in carbs and calories but just a delicious.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOrlETsJC3Lv7F6kxLb9ouSzpDLFgWeZN5Dr5gKxzBJISW0xHNMlyNVH7RZPGdSLIA4t7CL-zQ687kapm1My-T5HKtcWAwijl956lF_zivMMiYtfxZt7Yc4dziaNuciMLXMrypTzxVPU7R/s1600/12187981_10206355642143237_7151779619340477685_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOrlETsJC3Lv7F6kxLb9ouSzpDLFgWeZN5Dr5gKxzBJISW0xHNMlyNVH7RZPGdSLIA4t7CL-zQ687kapm1My-T5HKtcWAwijl956lF_zivMMiYtfxZt7Yc4dziaNuciMLXMrypTzxVPU7R/s320/12187981_10206355642143237_7151779619340477685_o.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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So I have decided to try to get my blog going again, mainly as a place to keep my recipes. You welcome to come along on my journey to feeling better, I am already halfway there. Enjoy!</div>
<br />Better Version of Mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06406683627246325831noreply@blogger.com0