Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Paleo Diet ~ Week 2


So easy a caveman can do it? I'm really not sure if I would go that far because this diet is a pain in the ass! First off, since there is no processed food (yes, i'm still having withdrawals from my taco bell volcano burritos) that means weekly shopping trips to the grocery store for fresh produce. You try taking a gaggle of kids to the grocery store and see how you feel after. I'll bet you'll be hiding right next to me in the garage sneaking a beer. Which of course is NOT allowed on this diet! Then there is the prep work. Grant it, it does make the rest of the week meal making a lot easier. But it's still an afternoon of washing, chopping, dicing, and packaging. Pretty much what I've learned after week 2 is this... dieting is a pain in the ass!

A few things we ate during week two...

Beef Stir-Fry:
Tip Steak - sliced
Carrots - shredded
Broccoli - flowerets
Asparagus - diced
Bean Sprouts - 1 small bag (may or may not be allowed, i don't know)
Water chestnuts - diced
2 tsp Sesame Seed Oil

~ Saute carrots, broccoli, and asparagus in sesame seed oil. After about 5 mins add tip steak and cook until steak is at the temperature you desire. Add bean sprouts and water chestnuts, toss for a few more minutes over medium heat. Enjoy!

Pork Roast and Veggies (slow cooker):
3lbs Pork Tenderloin
15oz tomato sauce
2tsp basil
1tsp garlic powder
Cauliflower - flowerets
Zucchini - sliced
Asparagus - cut ends off

~ Mix tomato sauce, basil, and garlic powder in your slow cooker. Coat pork roast with seasoned tomato sauce. Add Cauliflower. Cook on low for 6 hours. After about 4 hours add zucchini and asparagus and cook until done. If you aren't able to add the zucchini and asparagus until after the cook time you can always steam them. 

Egg, Turkey, Veggie Scramble:
4 eggs - scrambled
1/4 cup red/green bell peppers - chopped
1/4 cup spinach - chopped
Turkey - diced
A couple dashes of hot sauce

~ Saute spinach and bell peppers for a couple minutes. Pour in scrambled eggs. Once the eggs are almost done to your liking toss in the turkey to warm. I have doubled this recipe and split in half to eat the next day.

Friday, May 27, 2011

Its A Strong Word

I know hate is a strong word but it's been one of those weeks and that's just where I'm at, at the moment.

I HATE...
1. Wasting food - So much goes into it. The money that buys it, the time it takes to purchase and prepare it, and the thought there are starving children all over the world.

2. Slow drivers - I'm not saying you need to go over the speed limit, but the speed doesn't change for the left, middle, or right lane. If you are going to drive 55mph take the back streets! Slow drivers cause accidents! There's actually been a study on it.

3. Laziness - It's whats wrong with America. PERIOD!

4. Empty food bags in my pantry - Yeah I know it's kinda random, but it drives me ABSOLUTELY CRAZY. I don't understand why it's so hard to just throw the damn things away. You are walking into the kitchen so why not throw it in the garbage? Mind boggling!

5. Kiss asses - You aren't good at your job because you have your head so far up the bosses ass. You are good at your job because you have the skills and knowledge to do it. Ugh! So annoying!

6. Our school system - 30 to 1 ratio without teacher aides. No librarian. REALLY?? These children are our future. What is this saying about us? Let me tell you as nicely as I can put it... WE DON'T GIVE A F*CK ABOUT OUR FUTURE. We'll all be dead, or close to it; so it doesn't effect us. Right?

I'll leave you with lucky number 7...

7. Non listeners - We don't have to agree on everything. Hell, we don't have to agree on anything. But I'll bet money (which I don't have much extra these days) if we actually listened, truly listened, to one another we could change things. It's called COMPROMISE. And that's not just for government issues, but relationships too.

I need a long run and a STRONG drink!


Wednesday, May 25, 2011

I'm Tired ~ by Robert A. Hall

I got this in an email yesterday, so you may have already seen it, but I felt compiled to share...


I’ll be 63 soon. Except for one semester in college when jobs were scarce, and a six-month period when I was between jobs, but job-hunting every day, I’ve worked, hard, since I was 18. Despite some health challenges, I still put in 50-hour weeks, and haven’t called in sick in seven or eight years. I make a good salary, but I didn’t inherit my job or my income, and I worked to get where I am. Given the economy, there’s no retirement in sight, and I’m tired. Very tired.

I’m tired of being told that I have to “spread the wealth around” to people who don’t have my work ethic. I’m tired of being told the government will take the money I earned, by force if necessary, and give it to people too lazy or stupid to earn it.

I’m tired of being told that I have to pay more taxes to “keep people in their homes.” Sure, if they lost their jobs or got sick, I’m willing to help. But if they bought McMansions at three times the price of our paid-off, $250,000 condo, on one-third of my salary, then let the leftwing Congresscritters who passed Fannie and Freddie and the Community Reinvestment Act that created the bubble help them—with their own money.

I’m tired of being told how bad America is by leftwing millionaires like Michael Moore, George Soros and Hollywood entertainers who live in luxury because of the opportunities America offers. In thirty years, if they get their way, the United States will have the religious freedom and women’s rights of Saudi Arabia, the economy of Zimbabwe, the freedom of the press of China, the crime and violence of Mexico, the tolerance for Gay people of Iran, and the freedom of speech of Venezuela. Won’t multiculturalism be beautiful?

I’m tired of being told that Islam is a “Religion of Peace,” when every day I can read dozens of stories of Muslim men killing their sisters, wives and daughters for their family “honor;” of Muslims rioting over some slight offense; of Muslims murdering Christian and Jews because they aren’t “believers;” of Muslims burning schools for girls; of Muslims stoning teenage rape victims to death for “adultery;” of Muslims mutilating the genitals of little girls; all in the name of Allah, because the Qur’an and Shari’a law tells them to.

I believe “a man should be judged by the content of his character, not by the color of his skin.” I’m tired of being told that “race doesn’t matter” in the post-racial world of President Obama, when it’s all that matters in affirmative action jobs, lower college admission and graduation standards for minorities (harming them the most), government contract set-asides, tolerance for the ghetto culture of violence and fatherless children that hurts minorities more than anyone, and in the appointment of US Senators from Illinois. I think it’s very cool that we have a black president and that a black child is doing her homework at the desk where Lincoln wrote the emancipation proclamation. I just wish the black president was Condi Rice, or someone who believes more in freedom and the individual and less in an all-knowing government.

I’m tired of a news media that thinks Bush’s fundraising and inaugural expenses were obscene, but that think Obama’s, at triple the cost, were wonderful. That thinks Bush exercising daily was a waste of presidential time, but Obama exercising is a great example for the public to control weight and stress, that picked over every line of Bush’s military records, but never demanded that Kerry release his, that slammed Palin with two years as governor for being too inexperienced for VP, but touted Obama with three years as senator as potentially the best president ever.

I’m tired of being told that out of “tolerance for other cultures” we must let Saudi Arabia use our oil money to fund mosques and madrassa Islamic schools to preach hate in America, while no American group is allowed to fund a church, synagogue or religious school in Saudi Arabia to teach love and tolerance.

I’m tired of being told I must lower my living standard to fight global warming, which no one is allowed to debate. My wife and I live in a two-bedroom apartment and carpool together five miles to our jobs. We also own a three-bedroom condo where our daughter and granddaughter live. Our carbon footprint is about 5% of Al Gore’s, and if you’re greener than Gore, you’re green enough.

I’m tired of being told that drug addicts have a disease, and I must help support and treat them, and pay for the damage they do. Did a giant germ rush out of a dark alley, grab them, and stuff white powder up their noses while they tried to fight it off? I don’t think Gay people choose to be Gay, but I damn sure think druggies chose to take drugs. And I’m tired of harassment from cool people treating me like a freak when I tell them I never tried marijuana.

I’m tired of illegal aliens being called “undocumented workers,” especially the ones who aren’t working, but are living on welfare or crime. What’s next? Calling drug dealers, “Undocumented Pharmacists”? And, no, I’m not against Hispanics. Most of them are Catholic and it’s been a few hundred years since Catholics wanted to kill me for my religion. I’m willing to fast track for citizenship any Hispanic person who can speak English, doesn’t have a criminal record and who is self-supporting without family on welfare, or who serves honorably for three years in our military. Those are the citizens we need.

I’m tired of latte liberals and journalists, who would never wear the uniform of the Republic themselves, or let their entitlement-handicapped kids near a recruiting station, trashing our military. They and their kids can sit at home, never having to make split-second decisions under life and death circumstances, and bad mouth better people then themselves. Do bad things happen in war? You bet. Do our troops sometimes misbehave? Sure. Does this compare with the atrocities that were the policy of our enemies for the last fifty years—and still are? Not even close. So here’s the deal. I’ll let myself be subjected to all the humiliation and abuse that was heaped on terrorists at Abu Ghraib or Gitmo, and the critics can let themselves be subject to captivity by the Muslims who tortured and beheaded Daniel Pearl in Pakistan, or the Muslims who tortured and murdered Marine Lt. Col. William Higgins in Lebanon, or the Muslims who ran the blood-spattered Al Qaeda torture rooms our troops found in Iraq, or the Muslims who cut off the heads of schoolgirls in Indonesia, because the girls were Christian. Then we’ll compare notes. British and American soldiers are the only troops in history that civilians came to for help and handouts, instead of hiding from in fear.

I’m tired of people telling me that their party has a corner on virtue and the other party has a corner on corruption. Read the papers—bums are bi-partisan. And I’m tired of people telling me we need bi-partisanship. I live in Illinois, where the “Illinois Combine” of Democrats and Republicans has worked together harmoniously to loot the public for years. And I notice that the tax cheats in Obama’s cabinet are bi-partisan as well.

I’m tired of hearing wealthy athletes, entertainers and politicians of both parties talking about innocent mistakes, stupid mistakes or youthful mistakes, when we all know they think their only mistake was getting caught. I’m tired of people with a sense of entitlement, rich or poor.

Speaking of poor, I’m tired of hearing people with air-conditioned homes, color TVs and two cars called poor. The majority of Americans didn’t have that in 1970, but we didn’t know we were “poor.” The poverty pimps have to keep changing the definition of poor to keep the dollars flowing.

I’m real tired of people who don’t take responsibility for their lives and actions. I’m tired of hearing them blame the government, or discrimination, or big-whatever for their problems.

Yes, I’m damn tired. But I’m also glad to be 63. Because, mostly, I’m not going to get to see the world these people are making. I’m just sorry for my granddaughter.

~ Robert A Hall - former Massachusetts state senator and US Marine Corps veteran. Written in Feb 2009.

Tuesday, May 24, 2011

Paleo Diet ~ Week 1


Week 1 of our diet adventure is over and all I can say is.... Thank goodness there is only 3 more weeks to go!  I am not a diet person, I like food!  You know the saying, "eat, drink, and be merry?"  I live by those words.  But my husband wanted to give the Paleo Diet a try, and since I'm such a great wife, I figured I should be supportive and follow the 30-day plan with him.

Friends of ours choose the book, "The Paleo Solution: The Original Human Diet" and have had great results, so we decided to read the same book.  The Paleo Diet pretty much takes eating back to the hunter and gatherer days; meat, veggies, and fruit.  No processed foods (DUH, that's just common sense), no refined sugar (more common sense), no dairy, no grains, no potatoes, and no legumes.  That's a whole lot of no's and I don't like no's. Just ask my husband! ;)

So far Adam has lost about 6lbs.  Me?  Yeah, the scale and I have major issues so I refuse to stand on it. Ever since I can remember I've had this number stuck in my head of what my weight "should" be.  And even though I know it's unrealistic, not only because it's unhealthy but also muscle weights more then fat,  I can't shake the number.  So instead of beating my self-esteem up over a number, I chose to gage my results on how I feel and look.  And with that... I better see some damn results quickly or this carb loving girl is going to throw in the towel!

Monday, May 16, 2011

Who Am I

Who Am I?

I am a mom who works evenings so she can wake up and spend part of the day with 3 little smiling faces.  I am a wife to an incredible man who whole heartedly loves me for who I am and not for who he would like me to be.  My tombstone engraving will read, "you can sleep when you're dead; that time is now."  If my body didn't require nutrients I would live off of coffee, beer, tequlia, Taco Bell's volcano burrito (w/beans no meat) and reeses pieces. Probably in that order.  I am passionate, random, enthusiastic, and opinionated.  I speak fluent sarcasm!  Yoga pants, flip flops, and running shoes make up most of my wardrobe.  I believe the NFL should play year round.  I am an Aries! The tool box must be organized but my kitchen island is another story.  I run because I can't afford therapy.  I've made many mistakes, but no regrets.  Dancing with my kids ALWAYS brings a smile to my face.  I'm a concert snob!  Toilets are gross, I do NOT clean them.  Did I mention I married an incredible man? :) I like to pretend I'm crafty.  I only use white hangers.  The louder the music, the better.  I should have been a beach bum but instead my life turned out crazy and chaotic. I'm sure glad it did!

Friday, May 13, 2011

Flashback Friday

IMG_1360

(10/2005) 

Mason: Mom, why is Tay-Tay wearing a boys shirt?

Me: That’s you Bubba.

Mason: No it’s not.!

Me: Trust me, that’s you.

Mason: Why did you EVER let my hair grow like that?

Me: Cause it was cute.

Mason: No it’s not!! I look like a girl! Don’t ever show anyone!

~ Haha. Blackmail.: It’s a parents form of pay back.. ~