What a relief!

Since my confession about not feeling like myself for a while, lots of things have been happening.  I've been to my doctor for a LOT of blood work.  I'm working with a wellness coach and I am starting to feel a bit better.

One thing is just knowing that I am not losing my mind!  My hormones are out of whack, I am borderline anemic and my adrenals are exhausted. So, there really is a reason behind all this!  What a relief!!

I've started bio-identical hormone treatment, taking some supplements and changing my diet up.  It is working!  Thank you Jesus!

I'm ready to be myself again!

A couple of weeks ago we took our family photos. We had a good time and they turned out wonderful.  I really recommend Your Pic Photography if you need pictures taken!

Here's a couple of my favorites (keeping my fingers crossed that this goes better than the last couple of days!)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Long, fun day!

A great time was had by everyone at Mad's birthday party!

She loved her present and the cake,

(I really do have photos, but it has taken almost one hour to load the first one, I give up!  Hopefully it will work better tomorrow)

 she didn't love all the attention when it was time to blow out the candles, but loved the singing, especially Grumpy's song...

Yesterday was a super busy Madelyn day!  Since school is back in session (for Mommy), Madelyn gets to come and play with us on Wednesday!

We played HArD!

We hula hooped, painted our nails, ate fruit, played the piano and talked on the phone in the phone booth ( Yes, we have a phone booth, strange I know).   We shopped and had lunch with Grumpy.  Then we were exhausted and had to take a nap!

LONG day, but a FUN day.  It's been way to long since we got to hang together all day long! I LOVED every minute of it!

Dead Ringer - a good read!

I did a post a while back about a good book I had read.  Well, I was very happy to have the opportunity to read another good book by the same author.

Dead Ringer by Allen Wyler.


I have to say that I think I liked this one better than the first book!  It is not a series, but just good books!
 I was into the book from the very first.  I had a hard time putting it down!  I love to read and read all kinds of books, this is one of my favorites I've read in a while.

Heart Stopping Medical Thriller Takes On

True-to-Life Body Snatcher Syndicates

Recent Newspaper Headlines Confirm Horrifying Premise

"In the tradition of Robin Cook, Wyler takes us behind the scenes to show us things the medical establishment doesn’t want us to see. DEAD RINGER builds a high-speed plot on a startling but all-too-plausible premise. This is the stuff nightmares are made of."

-- Joseph Finder, New York Times bestselling author of Paranoia and Buried Secrets

“…Wyler does for hospitals what Benchley did for the ocean.”

--Joe Moore, Co-author of the International Bestseller, The Grail Conspiracy

“Neurosurgeon Allen Wyler knows of what he speaks, and writes, and the result is a thriller that equals and updates the best of Robin Cook and Michael Crichton.”

--Jon Land, bestselling author of Strong at the Break

While speaking at a Hong Kong medical conference, neurosurgeon Dr. Lucas McCrae slips the cloth off a cadaver’s head during a routine medical demonstration, and is overwhelmed by what’s staring back at him: The face of his best friend, Andy Baer.

Stunned, McCrae races back to Seattle to discover that Andy is in fact missing and may have been murdered by a gang of body snatchers who operate a legit funeral business and make a fortune by selling recovered body parts to medical researchers.

McCrae teams up with an unlikely pair—a beautiful but hardnosed female cop and a gang member whose family was victimized by the cadaver ring—to try and expose a macabre web of corruption that involves law enforcement, politicians, funeral home curators and murdered prostitutes.

Internationally renowned neurosurgeon Allen Wyler takes us deep into a nightmarish scenario, shockingly ripped from recent headlines, to deliver a horrifically plausible, page-turning thriller.

EDITOR’S NOTE

Medical research has always been a cornerstone of medical innovation, and thus of our society. But throughout history, many suspect that the gathering of human bodies for research has never been purely ethical or legal. Many believe that today, sophisticated international syndicates exist that traffic in body parts for medical research; the most recent incident appearing in the New York Times just weeks ago. (http://nyti.ms/NfU5kU)

We feel this crime has been elusively clandestine, easily dismissed, and in many cases overlooked for cynical reasons. We would like to go on record as agreeing with ethics scholars that everyone involved in the medical community, be they students practitioners, media or affiliates should remain vigilant and forthright; and embrace the high standard of responsibility inherent in the ethical conduct of medical research, especially when it involves human remains.

Grab your copy of Dead Ringer today.  Follow Allen Wyler on facebook and twitter. http://www.allenwyler.com/

Trust me, you will enjoy this one!

For some reason, blogger is not letting me post photos.  Sorry Charlies!

What good books are you reading?

It's Madelyn's Day!

Happy Birthday to my sweet babycakes, Madelyn!  She is 3!

Today is officially Madelyn day!

She's had a long birthday celebration already.

She had a swim party with friends and family

Got a GREAT birthday present yesterday from her Nana and Aunt TT and family,

Birthday Donut today from her Daddy

and  we will be celebrating tonight with the obligatory chocolate cake with cherries ( it's a Moritz tradition!!)

Can't wait to see her and give her a big birthday hug, and of course more presents!

Happy Birthday Babycakes, Nona and Grumpy love you bunches!

Living the quiet life, for now!

I've had a pretty boring week, but that is ok.  I needed it.  I'm tired!

But, one good thing!  I got a new computer.  I'm so excited.  I finally have all my stuff loaded on it and am ready to go!  You may remember that I was having a LOT of problems with my old one and I finally sent it in to be fixed.  They told me that it was not going to be economical for them to fix it.  So I got a gift card for the original purchase price and a NEW computer.  You can bet your sweet bippy that I did NOT get another Asus!  I am VERY thankful to Office Depot for their customer service.  They are AMAZING!  I highly recommend them!

So, I am now ready to roll!

The weather here has been beautiful!  Madelyn was here yesterday.  School has started again and Madelyn will be getting to come and play on Wednesdays again!  We went for a walk yesterday, created sidewalk art, played babies and hide and seek and of course had to watch a movie!  All in all a great day!

Remember, I'm a blogger, not an artist!

  She asked me not to take any pictures, WHAT?  How am I supposed to share the adorable Miss M without any photos?  So, hopefully she will be ready to pose next week!

When we did our family photos last week, she was not very happy and cried the majority of the time, must be a phase she is going through....  hope it doesn't last long!

I had a dr's appointment yesterday, since I have been so freakin' tired lately, I am getting more blood work done to see what in the world is going on.  I am under quite a bit of stress lately, so it may just be that.  BUT, I have to rule out all possibilities!  Should have some answers in a week or so.

So, as you see, pretty boring week, but I'm okay with it!  Living the quiet life is ok for now!

My friend Tina is hosting a giveaway of her book.  Check it out!  I have a link on the side of the blog for you to click on and get entered!

De-stressing Tip!

How do you de-stress?  Stress is such a huge part of all our lives.  Currently, I have a lot of stress in my life and so I am always looking for ways to spend my downtime.

For me, reading, taking baths, walking, spending time with my family, taking baths are all ways to de-stress.

Some times the stress just won't go away. I am in that position right now and my body is just not happy with me!  So, I am having to cut WAY back on exercise, make some dietary changes and try to get through this time without putting so much stress on my body.  It's HARD!

Today's Tuesday Tip is about baking soda baths.  There is nothing more relaxing than a nice soak in the tub and when you add in the baking soda, it makes your skin extremely soft and helps to alkalize your body.

Prepare your bath and let the water run for a while before you add your baking soda.  ( I buy the BIG bag at Sam's just for this reason!)  Add in 1-2 cups of baking soda to your bath water while the water is still running.  I recommend staying in for atleast 20 minutes to get the full benefits. You don't want to sit in the tub and sweat, so make sure your water is hot, but not too hot!  I also recommend a good book or some relaxing music.  Really take advantage of the time to relax and not worry about anything for a few minutes!

BIG Congratulations to the winners of The Vitamin D Cure books - Luanna and websitedesigndiva!

Please be sure to get me your mailing address so I can have the publisher send out your copies right away!  YAY!!

What is YOUR favorite way to de-stress?

Scenes from my week....

Got to see one of my mentors - Jeff Olson, author of The Slight Edge and founder of Nerium International

got a Pearl pedicure

Flowers from Judy's birthday party

Madelyn's Rapunzel's tower birthday cake - Daddy made it and did a fantastic job

The birthday party girl with her Mommy and Daddy

We also had family pictures, can't wait to see them!  Good week!

Do you get enough D?

By that question I do not mean enough Dana, I mean enough Vitamin D.....

A few months ago I had my blood work done.  I found out that my vitamin D levels were too low.  This doesn't come as a surprise to me, it is so hard to get adequate vitamin D just from being outside.  So, I started taking Vitamin D as well as spending time outside.

About this time, I got an offer to review The Vitamin D Cure, Revised Edition  book by James E. Dowd MD and Diane Stafford.  I jumped at the chance since I was having this exact problem.

The book is pretty easy to read and pretty straightforward.  I was leery of the promise on the cover (Drop the pounds and feel great, stay younger longer, reduce pain and prevent disease) until I read the basis of the book.  It is recommended that you eat a diet rich in fruits and veggies and lean protein, exercise and taking the proper supplements.  This will help you do all of the above.  The book even includes recipes that are delicious! Gazpacho, Portabello Egg Stack, Smoothies - YUM!

The authors have provided me an excerpt from the book to share with you!

The Sun and Vitamin D
By James E. Dowd, M.D. and Diane Stafford,
Authors of The Vitamin D Cure, Revised Edition

Most people mistakenly think that they get enough vitamin D from casual sun exposure or their diets. Unfortunately, this is not true. People in today's urban digital society rarely get enough sun exposure to fill their vitamin D requirement, and nondietary sources must meet about 90 percent of your daily D needs.

The more melanin you have in your skin and the faster you tan, the more sunlight you need to convert pre-vitamin D to vitamin D you can use. The melanin in your skin acts as a natural sunscreen that blocks up to 90 percent of UV light. Dark African Americans need about seven times as much sunlight as fair-skinned European Americans to manufacture the necessary amount of vitamin D.

When equatorial dwellers immigrate to the United States, they move from overexposure at the equator, and their melanin, which once provided protection from the sun, now turns into a handicap in making vitamin D. This is a major reason for African Americans' higher incidence of obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes, gout, heart disease, systemic lupus, and cancer.

You may be thinking, I just need to take this book to my doctor and ask for a prescription to move to Florida or Southern California so I can get enough sunshine.

That's not the solution, and here's why: you have to live a lifestyle that lets you get outside to soak up sunlight. If your lifestyle doesn't allow that, you could live in Hawaii and be D deficient.

You won't see much difference in the D levels of people living in Florida and those from the northern United States, simply because culture, urbanization, and technology have lured all of us indoors and out of the sun during the last quarter century. Moreover, the smog in large metropolitan areas decreases D production, compared to rural areas at the same latitude.

The casual sunlight exposure of today's urban lifestyle isn't enough to produce adequate amounts of vitamin D, no matter what your latitude. That's why the Vitamin D Cure is essential!

The above is an excerpt from the book The Vitamin D Cure, Revised Edition by James E. Dowd, M.D. and Diane Stafford. The above excerpt is a digitally scanned reproduction of text from print. Although this excerpt has been proofread, occasional errors may appear due to the scanning process. Please refer to the finished book for accuracy.

Copyright © 2012 James E. Dowd, M.D. and Diane Stafford, authors of The Vitamin D Cure, Revised Edition

Authors Bios

James E. Dowd, M.D., co-author of The Vitamin D Cure, Revised Edition, is an Associate Clinical Professor of Medicine at Michigan State University and the founder and director of both the Arthritis Institute of Michigan and the Michigan Arthritis Research Center. 

Diane Stafford, co-author of The Vitamin D Cure, Revised Edition, has published more than twelve books, including Migraines For Dummies and No More Panic Attacks.

For more information please visit http://www.drjamesdowd.

com and follow the author on Facebook and Twitter

Think you might need to read this book?  You probably do, Luckily, I have 2 TWO copies to giveaway!  Just leave me a comment  with your favorite outdoor activity and you will be entered to win!  Easy Peasy!!!

I will draw the winners on Monday, August 20!  Good luck to you!

For the LOVE of chai!

I am not a coffee drinker.  There I've said it, put it out there and my world didn't even come crashing down around me!  I LOVE the way coffee smells, wish I liked it even a little bit.... but, nope, can't stand the stuff.

I love the whole idea of holding the warm cup, mingling with friends over a cuppa joe, the whole deal.  I felt like I was missing out on so much UNTIL I discovered my love.....CHAI!

I'm part of you all now, I can drink it hot, blended, iced, even mocha....  I've tried it all ways and I love it!  Chai makes me happy!

So, I promised you my chocolate chai recipe and I am all about keeping my word!

I have used Tazo brand and the Oregon Chai brand.  The only reason I prefer the Tazo brand is because they make a decaf.... I don't do well with caffeine, but that is another story for another day!

I did not receive anything from Tazo, just professing my love....

First step is optional, but more fun...

Find a pretty friend to help out.

1 cup chai mix or brewed tea
1 cup milk of choice  - I use unsweetened vanilla almond milk
1-2 tbsp hot fudge sauce (click for recipe) or chocolate sauce of your choice

Mix all ingredients together and pour over ice or heat. Enjoy!

YUM!!!!  You can thank me later....

Now I just need to find a good vegan sweetened condensed milk recipe.  I'm on the hunt!

Last night was THE night!

First things first today.... I want to thank each and every one of you that responded to my post yesterday.  You mean the world to me!!  THANK YOU!!!

I had a pretty good day yesterday, I got a haircut, had a welcome call with a new team member, got a little office work done, cleaned a rental property, got my workout done and ate healthy!  I had dinner and a girls night with a good friend.  Pretty good day in my humble opinion!

So, when we headed out for dinner last night, we decided to take some photos.  We had these GREAT murals in Joplin that are in tribute to the tornado and the victims and survivors of the tornado.  I've wanted to take some photos there for a while and just didn't take the time to do it!  So, last night was THE night!

I think they turned out pretty cool!

Robin even got in on the fun!

Thanks to  Robin for being such a great photographer!

Since it is Tuesday it is time for the Tuesday Tip!

This is one I learned many years ago and it works FANTASTIC!

When you are shaving and you don't want to get those nasty red bumps ( mostly in the bikini area), rub your deodorant on the area after shaving and drying off.  Then be on your way.   This WILL prevent those bumps!  Brian has even used it on his neck after shaving and it works for the guys as well!  You have to do it each and every time you shave!  Now I have only used this with stick type deodorant, not the roll on kind.  If you use it and it works, let me know!

It has been requested to share my chocolate chai recipe.  Look for that excitement tomorrow!

Confession time...

I have to confess, I haven't felt like myself for a LONG time.  I'm guessing well over a year.  I don't know what is going on, just that I am exhausted.

For several months, I've even had to take a nap in the afternoons.  I've tried so many different things to give myself energy, but so far nothing really seems to work.

I had my blood work done, my B12 and vitamin D were low.  So I got B12 shots for 8 weeks, now I just get one per month and I am taking 10,000 IU of vitamin D and trying to get outside for a while each day.  This didn't seem to affect it in any way.  I was hoping that this was going to be the answer.

We've had a lot going on in our lives for the past year or so, but I wouldn't think that would cause this tiredness.

So, I'm plugging along, trying to stay away from sugar to get that energy rush, I can't do caffeine or I will have other issues, so I avoid it already. However I am addicted to chocolate decaf chai!  YUM!  I'm using the healthiest ingredients I know of, but it still isn't the best choice.

I'm still doing my workouts, eating healthy, taking my supplements and quite frankly, I'm at my wit's end with it.  I'm tired of being tired :)

So, I'm going to do some more research, have my blood work checked AGAIN and see if I can't figure this out.  I know that stress causes so many problems, but surely that isn't the only contributing factor.

If you have any ideas or info to share, please do so.  You can post it here or email me directly.  I'm always open to suggestions!

In the meantime, if I appear to be out of it or a little down in the dumps, tell me to SNAP OUT OF IT!  Please!

Please keep my neice's daughter, Lexi in your prayers.  She was diagnosed with diabetes yesterday after being rushed to the hospital with a blood sugar level of 600.  GEEZ!  She's only 7 and such a sweet little girl!  They will have a long road ahead of them to deal with this!

Fit Friday!

It's Friday, It's Friday!  

Are you doing your happy dance?

We are heading to the lake for the day.  Bill has a dr's appt today and the weather is going to be great!  I'm so excited for that!  I can sit on the deck and enjoy the time without sweating my head off!  Plus, I am going to make Brian take me for a sunset cruise!  ( He may not even know it yet, but he will!!)

The sunsets at the lake are stunning!

We are really wanting to take a trip soon!  This summer has flown by and we have been so busy that we haven't been able to travel as much as we would like.  We are trying to plan a trip to Niagra Falls.  I'm so excited and HOPE that it all works out that we can go.  We are also planning a trip to Vegas.  It's been YEARS since we have been there!  I missed getting to go recently for the Beachbody Summit and I really wanted to go to that, but this will be better since I will be with BP!

So, a few things on the horizon and I'm ready!

Since it is FITNESS FRIDAY, I want to tell you about my latest workout routine.

I just started a new round of Les Mills Pump/Turbo Fire Hybrid.  This time I am focused on listening to my body and letting it respond!  I'm working out 6 days per week, with Saturday workouts being a walk and yoga.  So far it is working out really well, I feel GOOD AND STRONG!  These are my two favorite workouts and I think they work together well.  I am stretching everyday and while I have been super sore, I am feeling good!

What workout routine are you doing now?  I'm think after I finish this round (it's 90 days) that I will do the Ultimate Reset again.  I didn't get the right blood work done before I did the last one, so I want to get it done properly and I just like the way I feel when I eat super clean!  Of course, you can't work out hard while doing the Reset, so I want to wait until my rotation is over.

I'm sad that they Olympics are almost over.  I've so enjoyed them!  GO USA!!!

How are you going to work FITNESS into your day today?

What's in YOUR fridge?

Do you want to eat healthier, but just not sure how?  What do you need to have on hand?

These are the staples in my fridge and pantry.

Quinoa/brown Rice - I try to always keep some of this cooked in my fridge.  So easy to pull out and throw in some fresh veggies for a quick meal.  It's also so good for a side dish on it's own.

Avocadoes - good anytime!  Love avocado sammies with a little hummus and cucumber.

Salad greens/spinach/kale - you can have a salad, steam it for a nice warm treat!

Cashews/Almonds - great to add to salads, make a base for soups and just to eat a handful!

Almond Milk - use this every single day in my smoothies and shakeology!

Sweet Potatoes - plain is my favorite way to eat them!  But they are good roasted, boiled, fried.....

Dark Chocolate - hey a girl has to have a healthy treat!  I'm a choc-o-holic anyway!

Shakeology - I have this EVERY SINGLE DAY!  Love it and so many recipes to use to change it up!  Haven't tried Shakeology, but want to?  Let me know and I will get you a sample, but you can order it and try it for 30 days with a bottom of the bag money back guarantee!

Blueberries/Strawberries - good to eat by themselves or in salads, smoothies, ice cream....

Bananas - I usually have a banana in my morning shake most days!  Such a good treat!

Broccoli - love this veggie, broccoli soup is one of my faves, but steamed is a close second

Tomatoes - must have for my salads.  I prefer home grown or the grape tomatoes if I have to buy from the store.

Oatmeal - Such a superfood and so easy to make.

Sesame seeds/pumpkin seeds - use these on salads and sandwiches, stir fries, etc.

Olive Oil/balsamic vinegar - use for homemade salad dressings ( once you make your own, you will not buy them ever again!)

Coconut oil - I use this for cooking and in smoothies

Beans - a good source of protein and beans and rice is one of my favorite meals.

I feel like if I have these on hand, then I can make any type of meal a success and healthy to boot!  When in doubt, eat plenty of colorful foods!  Eat the rainbow, but not skittles!

For those of you that eat meat, keep lean protein on hand.  Chicken, turkey and salmon are good choices.  It is best if they are organic or fresh/wild caught.

I LOVE shopping at the farmer's market!!  I just wish it was available year round.  I may need to move to a different climate!!

What a Feeling!

Good Morning!

I woke up more rested than I have in a while!  That is a GREAT feeling! I'm so singing What A Feeling from Flashdance in my head right now.  Sorry, I know it will be stuck in your head too!  In case you are a LOT younger than I am, check it out here!

I am pretty sore from my workouts yesterday.  Les Mills Pump, Pump Revolution, walking and swimming were on tap yesterday and I am feeling it this morning.  I pushed through my workout this morning and finished with a glorious stretch!

It's a busy day around here today.  Working in the office, fundraiser lunch, painting on the rental and of course, just general busyness.

When I have a jam-packed day like today, I still have to get the normal things done ( picking/cleaning up the house, a load of laundry etc).

So, in order to be as quick as I can, I grab the handy-dandy timer.  Set it for 30 minutes and GOOOOO!!!   I get as much done as I possibly can in those 30 minutes ( or however much time you have) and call it good! Put on some good music and you are good to go!  HINT:  Song above works pretty good :)

Not only do I get the house picked up in lightening speed, I get a little cardio boost as well.  WIN-WIN!

So, Ready, Set, Go!

Happy NRBFD!

Hey, did you know?  It's National Root Beer Float day.  I think there is a day for EVERYTHING!!!

So, in honor of NRBFD, I came up with a healthier version of a root beer float!  YAY!  I get to play too!

I made protein ice cream - vanilla!

in the ice cream maker

1 can coconut milk - the whole can
1/2 cup almond milk
1/4 cup agave nectar
2 tsp vanilla
1 scoop Sun Warrior Vanilla Protein Powder

Mix in blender and put in the ice cream maker and follow those directions for making the ice cream.

Then I used my Sodastream to make Natural Root Beer.

Put them together and what do you get?

A super yummy root beer float!

How can this be any better?  Sharing it with a friend right after a swimming pool workout and watching the Olympics while drinking.

Sounds pretty perfect to me!

Friendship Day!

What a fun day - it's National Friendship Day!  I just realized it and had to make sure I talked about it because what is better than friends?

It's weird, I do have plans with some friends today!  YAY!

I am so blessed to have MANY friends.

Friends from high school, we still get together frequently!

Beachbody/fit friends!

Good friends!

Summertime friends ( well, all season friends, really!)

Can't forget my BEST friend!

Thank you to all of you - my online friends!!!

Happy Friendship Day!

Infomerical Queen

I really don't watch a ton of tv, but Brian does.  I sit in the room with it on whatever Brian happens to be watching and I'm either on the computer or reading.  I will look up and put in my two cents worth now and then, but for the most part I don't pay that much attention.  I do have a couple of shows I won't miss, but they are usually on Monday nights (Brian's poker night!) I love Smash, Project Runway and my guilty pleasure - Real Housewives!  ACK!

However, I somehow always seem to get sucked into those darned infomercials.  I've seen most of them and probably have WAY to many of the products.  I even got one of my jobs from an infomercial.  I really am the infomercial queen!!!

Yes, I have a tiara....


Just the other day I was wondering through the room and the tv was on (Brian wasn't here, but he thinks the tv will get mad at him if he turns it off) and now I NEED the Malibu Pilates chair and the Diamond skillet.    Have you seen those?  I really do NEED them....  There's More!

But Wait!! I've had the magic bullet, bare minerals,  too many workouts to even count, oxyclean, the Ginsu knives, and I can't forget about the thighmaster.  That is just a few of them!

I did avoid the psychic network though and the spray on hair, I do have my scruples :)  I thought about the flowbee, but never got one....

But don't call now, I will not be doubling your order!!