Up, Up, & A Pain

So, I got a little ambitious with my workout plan today.

This was not my normal walk around the park's fountain area.

I should have re-considered, but I was already committed when I saw the views from where I parked.

And did I even know where this leads? No, but I do now!  Something about the Y in the trail should have prompted the following question; Y would I want to do this today and Y would I want to go there alone! Y oh Y oh Y. And my answers are:

1. Because I am curious 2. Because I LOVE ADVENTURE! 3. Because I needed to challenge myself & 4. Because I am a glutton for punishment, obviously!

And because I am COMMITTED and DETERMINED. And impulsive at times. [THIS WAS NOT PRIOR-PLANNED] Never The Less, READY, SET, HIKE!

And where she goes, only God and the Trail Blazers know.....

But like the little energizer Battery Bunny Rabbit... she keeps Going, & Going, & Going

MOSES WAS HERE!

                                                                               

What? Too Much Junk in the Trunk?

Swing Low, Sweet Chariots, Coming for to carry me home!

NOT!

At this point my knees were begging for THAT to happen!

Here my heart, lungs, knees, arms, and legs were SCREAMING, 

"HERE'S YER SIGN"

Tis The Season.....

Give and it shall be given unto you....

Peace, Joy, Hope, Love, & GOODWILL....

Even here, reminders to remember those in need of what we are no longer in need of..

Love the views on this Hiking Trail, BUT WHERE OH WHERE IS MY CAR!

WAIT! Is That little black speck way up ahead, my car?
 PLEASE! PLEASE! PLEASE SAY YES!

My Sweet Little SOUL, I was beginning to think I was lost from you, forever! But thank GOD, my adventure led me back to you!

FINALLY!

After my hike, I actually felt energized and refreshed, except for my knees.

I knew I needed water, food, Ibuprofen, and rest!

So I took my wearied self home to my reward!

In honor of my Trail Hike, I named this TRAIL MIX, Salad. It has left-over Garlicky Kale Salad, with shredded Oven Roasted Turkey Breast, Goats Milk Gouda Cheese, Torn Pieces of a freshly baked Soft Pretzel Roll, and a few carrot sticks. INCREDIBLE!

Since dinner I have been in recovery mode, in my bed, 

pillows under knees 

waiting for the Ibuprofen to kick in.

IF THIS PAIN DOESN'T GO AWAY, I WILL HAVE TO REFER TO THIS WORKOUT AS;

 MY NEW HIKING ADVENTURE ON THE

TRAIL OF TEARS

Alas, I now know the meaning behind this warning sign!

Oh Christmas Me, Oh Christmas Me,

From my house and heart to yours! Hope you enjoy this card with the photo of my Christmas Tree, aka, Jack's Tree. Here is another shot of it with the old porcelain Nativity that my Momma purchased many years ago. I am so blessed to have it and all the decorations she saved through the years, recently unearthed in a storage facility we hadn't cleaned out for years. It's wonderful to see them and hang them on the tree this year. Memories, So Sweet.

Can I just say without sounding like a braggart that I am so blessed to own a  lovely home provided and preserved for me by the Lord. The reality is that by all indications, I should not be able to even rent such a beautiful home even half the size of mine, let alone own it, not with all that I have been through financially and physically these past several years. Yet, only because of His goodness, and favor, am I here, now, about to celebrate 6 Mortgaged years and going strong! I know beyond the shadow of a doubt that this home has not been given to me except that I am to share it with others and to use it for His glory.

Jack and my Mel's Hubby, Donny

                                              
                                                  Mel and daughter, my other Hannah!

                                                                                Me & Melody

                                          Me & my other Hannah, Mel & Donny's Daughter

Unfortunately I didn't get any good photos of Bekah & Kaylen but we have already decided to have another party for New Years, so, hopefully I will get a few then.

Below is a glance of the table and foods from my Christmas Party Luncheon.
Back Left to right: Garlicky Kale Salad, Kale Chips, in the crock pot is the warm Spinach & Artichoke Dip, with a bowl of fresh baked herb and olive loaf bread for dipping, A platter of chips also for dipping, a platter of crudites with homemade buttermilk dressing, A Brie & Crescent Roll Bake, Crescent Rounds, another platter of Crudites and Buttermilk Ranch Dressing. Missing from this photograph are both the Spaghetti Squash with herbs and parmesan, and the better than Olive Garden Zuppa Tuscano Soup that my friend Mel made. It was to die for!

Here's MY PLATE and MY BOWL of Zuppa Tuscano. I'm dreaming of all these goodies as I Blog. If only you all could have been here to share it all with me! It would have been perfect! That Garlicky Kale Salad that Kaylen makes has to be my favorite salad these days! YUM..

Love me some Zuppa Tuscano Soup



For dessert, Bekah made Pumpkin Cheese Cake Dip served with apple slices. Mmm! Mmm! GREAT! We also had Ginger Snaps Cookies made with REAL Molasses and Ginger!

I call this Brie In A Blanket - It is the Brie Cheese and Crescent Roll Recipe you may have seen on a tv commercial [I did]  and just had to try it. It was unbelievable! So simple and So flavorful with those tender and flaky crescents covering a round mound of soft creamy melty brie cheese goodness that somehow holds it's shape even though baked inside the Crescents. Amazing! So richly satisfying!

This is the first Christmas since my Momma passed away, 4 years ago, that we have had a happy Christmas celebration in the house without tears of sadness and loss and grief. But she was part of my Christmas Luncheon yesterday. When I found I didn't have enough  decorative pearls for both candles on my dining room table, I took my Momma's old pearls and wrapped them around the candle on the left. It warms my heart to see them. They looked beautiful , especially bathed in candlelight.

An old, antique, solid cherry desk being served as a side table for extra accessories.

Below is the view from Jack's favorite comfy chair, after dinner where he went channel surfing as you can see while we reminisced about the wonderful afternoon we shared.

Christmas Party Luncheon 2011 was super successful.

Here is a recap of the Menu

 Zuppa Tuscano Soup,

Garlicky Kale Salad,

Hot Spinach & Artichoke Dip,

Kale Chips,

Brie In A Blanket Crescent Roll Bake,

Spaghetti Squash with herbs and Parmesan,

Crescent Rounds with Real Butter,

Crudites with homemade buttermilk dressing for dipping

Pumpkin Cheese Cake Dip with Apple Slices & Ginger Snap Cookies for dessert

and last but not least,  glasses filled with Chilled Sparkling Grape Juice to drink!

Hands down it was the tastiest & healthiest Christmas party, I have ever had.

That makes me SO Happy! It's not difficult to eat healthy and tasty during the Holidays. Who says you can't begin New Traditions! I just proved that you can! There is more to come as the month is still young! YAY! Love Christmas!

 

Just like my favorite Christmas Movie.... IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE.......  No matter what.

All because of our wonderful Savior, & Lord of All, Christ Jesus, our ultimate gift, it truly is a Very Merry Christmas!

Blessings, HUGS, and Love,

Tina Maria

S.I.S.

I love when the weekend begins with a S.I.S. [Sleep. In. Saturday]

I didn't get up until 8:30 and I feel like a new woman after 9 hours of desperately needed mostly uninterrupted rest. It's a very good thing too because I am getting ready for a Christmas Luncheon at my house and I have a lot to do and only an hour to get it all done. First, I wanted to post some photos from my work Christmas Party yesterday.

Who says we can't eat dessert first! This is my one and only bite of this group shared brownie pie. I didn't like it because it was fried. I didn't know that until I tasted it. Just give me a regular baked brownie please. But it made it easy to avoid eating more than one bite, so I was happy!

Now this, I REALLY liked, a lot. So much so, that I was blessed with all the leftovers to bring home which is going to be invited to my Christmas Party Luncheon Table at my house later today. YAY! This was my one and only plate of food during the work Christmas Party because I was too busy bowling! That's right, we bowled. Old fashioned style, BOYS AGAINST THE GIRLS. Too Much Fun!

Since it had been 30 years since the last time I bowled, I picked a score of 70 for me to bowl. I outdid myself and had to throw gutters for the last 2 frames. The way we played is you decided what your score is going to be and the person who comes the closest to their own score, either under or over,  wins. So, look at that!!!! It was fun and we all had a good time. We had a lot of fun and we all want to come here again. Bumper Cars, next time!!!!

Dinner last night for me and Jack was SIMPLE! Apple Glazed Pork Loin, herb & olive bread, potato salad and sprakling water! That pork loin is a must-have-again-soon! So delicious, tender, & juicy!

Gotta rush away from here for a while to get ready for a little Christmas Luncheon Party at my house. Hope you have a wonderful Saturday.

HUGS ~
Tina Maria

And THE WINNER IS.......

CONGRATS GOES TO:

Wait, Hold it! First Things First! Let me say a HUGE, GIGANTIC THANK YOU to ALL who entered your name for up to 3 chances to win the first GIVE AWAY on my Blog Milk & Honey. It was so much fun to read all your comments and see how enthusiastic you all were in wanting to win. I LOVE IT! this just infuses me with enthusiasm to host more Give Away Prizes, so to those of you whose name did not get selected to win today, hold your places because a new prize give away will soon be announced. NOW TO THE WINNING NAME!

Thank you to Miss Rebekah Raabe who randomly selected the winning name. I am glad I didn't have to do that. I wanted you ALL to win. If I had Oprah's money I would gladly say, "and each of you who entered are being sent your own Fitbook today". I mean, who of us wouldn't want to be able to do that! I hope I do get to do something like that, someday soon.

But For now, 1 and only 1 Winner has been selected for our first M&H Blog Give Away.....

AND THE WINNER OF THE NEW FITBOOK GIVE AWAY IS.........

Dawn Charlebois

Dawn, YOU are now the lucky winner of your very own brand new FITBOOK.

Thank You so much for entering the first Milk & Honey Give Away. Your kind comments and encouragement have been such a blessing and I hope you will use your Fitbook to help you track all your progress and that you will think of me and pray for me as often as you use it.

I hope you enjoy your Fitbook as much as I do mine. I would be very interested to know how it helps you achieve your goals as we journey along together.

Dawn, please send me a private message in Facebook with your Address and I will put your Fitbook in the mail to you, this weekend. YAY!!!!! SO EXCITED FOR YOU!!!!

Until it arrives, here is a link to Fitbook's Website for you to browse through and learn more about your new gift. http://www.getfitbook.com/introducing-fitbook-s/35.htm
Click on the "Check It Out" view demo and turn the pages of the virtual Fitbook to see what you are getting. It's a great little gem.

I'll be thinking of you when I write in mine. :-) 

Blessings, HUGS, & Love,
Tina Maria

Sidewalk Sale

My day started before daylight and I was not in the mood for food yet when I left. I did however stop off at a favorite coffee spot on my way to my first place of work. The combination of rain and cold temps pushed me to work at high intensity levels so I could hurry back home for lunch.

On my way home the rain turned to big, fluffy, white snowflakes. It was so beautiful and I wanted to get home and finish decorating for Christmas to the view of the falling snow.

When I drove up the little hill to my house I could see the snow had topped the grass but the sidewalk was only wet.

The afternoon was filled with finishing the Christmas decorations. Here's a peek at the bottom of my Tree. I just love these big beautiful ornaments Jack brought me this year.

They remind me of giant hard candy Christmas balls. The Nativity is old and has been in our family for years. I just love that I have it. I like to place it front and center because after all, without Christ, there would not be Christmas. So, everything else pales in comparison. Thank God for giving us the best Christmas Gift that has EVER been and will ever be, given.

After a while those yummy looking Christmas Candy Ornaments drove me to the candy jar I worked up a need for a break and a little something sweet to eat. These little gems of dark chocolatey goodness did it for me. With these, who needs mistletoe!

I did eat a healthy and well balanced California Grilled Chicken Salad that I enjoyed at my kitchen table decorated for christmas with a view of the stockings all hung. I treasure the lovely centerpiece that my dear sweet Aunt Dorothy had made for my Momma for her last Christmas on earth. Such memories this pretty basket recalls.

My salad bowl contained romaine lettuce, Grilled Chicken Breast, Goat Milk Cheese,

Dried Cranberries, Walnuts [which I later paid for by breaking out in hives]

& a slice of Ezekial Bread halved. I topped it with a light drizzle of Poppy Seed Dressing.

I LOVE CHRISTMAS!

Blue Plate Special

Seems the color blue is the latest Diet News that has been all the buzz in the media this week. In case you haven't heard, apparently we fill our plates with portions determined by the color of the plates we are using.

When the plate color matches the color of the foods we are eating, it is difficult to see where the food ends and the plate begins. For example; If you have a white plate and you are eating White Meat and white mashed potatoes with white gravy, or chicken and white rice, those foods are too close in color to the plate and it is easy to over eat them. Makes sense!

For healthier portion sizes that will help toward losing weight and keeping energy levels high for hours rather than the larger portions that tend to plunge energy to the couch, try using plates that offer a color contrast to the foods you are eating. Such as my breakfast bowl this morning; Goat Milk Vanilla Yogurt with a sprinkle of cinnamon on top of a layer of healthy whole grain cereals. I tried it first in a white bowl and honestly the yogurt looked very small in portion size until I transferred it into the blue bowl. It looks nearly twice the size. I had a cup of coffee and a Black Beauty Apple to round out my healthy breakfast this morning. Yum!

Researchers say the best color is BLUE. Hence, the diner fave,  "The Blue Plate Special". 

Hmmm. Interesting! Fortunately blue is my favorite color so I have a lot to choose from. Don't be surprised if you see it alot on here. Perhaps, eating out of the blue, will prevent getting the blues on the scales. I love any tip that makes it easier to avoid overeating. Now, if you will excuse me, I am heading to the kitchen to fix me a Blue Plate Special Lunch!

Just might have to put Elvis's BLUE CHRISTMAS on Pandora while eating today. :-)

What's Your Fitlosophy

Everybody basically has their own ideas about how to eat to lose weight, exercise, and take care of their own health. Yet everyone tends to chase after or at the very least be curious about the latest and greatest diet, book, person, TV Show, products, programs, and philosophies that claim to be the magic trick  help we are looking for to change all the things we don't like about the way we look.

After 22 years of studying nutrition & fitness, I am always on the hunt for easier ways to help me do the things I firmly believe in and I definitely believe in JOURNALING everything from what I eat and drink to working out, and of course those ever exciting WEIGH days.
                        [Re-Start weight August 20th, 2011 340. Weigh-Off Nov. 30, 2011 310] =    an average of of 10 lbs a month of FAT GONE BYE BYE FOREVER! Happy Dancing going on!

So, I am always on the hunt for notebooks, journals, diaries, daily trackers, and all kinds of writing tablets to add to my endless collection that was started when I was still in elementary school. I remember my very first little palm size diary that I received for Christmas when I was 9. It was green with a little gold lock and key and I wrote all my secrets and dreams and stories in it. [I wish I still had it. what a great read especially on days when what is most needed is a HO HO HO lotta belly laughing]

My beloved Momma, such a kid at heart she always was, fed and encouraged my writing passions and continued adding to my collection every year. I still have the last one she bought me and after her death, I found more she had purchased but had yet to give me. I have added one or two since then but have not been as excited about any in particular UNTIL I LEARNED ABOUT THIS NEW DIET & FITNESS TRACKER BY FITLOSOPHY,  "Fit Book". As soon I heard about it and checked into it online, I had to go get it. Fortunately I live only 5 minutes from a Super Target Store so I was a proud owner of my very own copy of FIT BOOK within a half hour after I found out about it.

I justified the purchase with cutting 22.00 of my eating/drinking budget for the week and told myself that even the Lord would be pleased with my purchase because there is scripture to support it.
                                                     In Habakkuk 2:2-3, it says,
                                "Write the vision and make it plain on tablets that he may run
                                       who reads it for the vision is yet for an appointed time."

So, since I Re-Started my healthy living program I have been journaling it on Facebook and now here on my new official blog, but I also just really like the nostalgia of taking pencil or pen in hand and writing it all down the old fashioned way in a more personal fashion. I love modern technology as much as anybody does. I seem to be glued to my Smart Phone, Laptop, and my iPAD 2 as soon as I get it, I am sure I will be. But to me, nothing compares personally with seeing my own handwriting & my own words, on paper, with pages to turn and a book to hold in my hands and look through. I don't know how you guys feel about it but that just does it for me! I carry it with me and write down what I eat. For example here's a glimpse at my breakfast and lunch today.

So I was especially pumped up when I found about this awesome little gem of a book that helps me write down not only what I eat but also my goals, vision, plans, ideas, hopes, dreams, prayers, oh and of course all the technical and important stuff such as what I actually eat, drink, workout, weigh, and all those necessary measurements and sizes. I mean this little beauty covers it all.

It really is wonderful and because I do not want to have one all by myself, I AM GOING TO GIVE ONE OF THESE SWEET LITTLE BEAUTIES TO ONE OF YOU LUCKY READERS!

To win your very own Fitbook all you need to do is: read this blog and make a comment about my blog that will help me to know in what ways my blog is a help to you. 
You can get a 2nd chance to win by posting a separate comment with a personal lifestyle improvement goal of your own. You can get a 3rd chance by posting an invite to your FB friends and a 4th  and final chance to win if you SHARE THE LINK TO MY BLOG WITH YOUR FB FRIENDS

WIN YOUR OWN FIT BOOK: Starting NOW!
Comment, comment, post, share, and a winner will be chosen randomly next Friday morning.  A video of the drawing will be shown here on my BLOG next Friday Morning! So, start your comments now! Good Luck everyone!