Off To See The Wizard

Hello my Fellow Blog Buddies,
I have to apologize for the lack of blogging. A serious amount of
life happening right now and I am try to keep my head above the water. Nothing bad,
just extreme busyness. Which sadly, has kept me from keeping track of
myself in the exercise, eating healthy realm.
Busyness seems to be my number one enemy when it comes to taking
better care of myself. I tend to drop that first in my list
of things to do, when I'm overwhelmed.
You may have noticed I haven't updated my weigh in yet this week and I
have to say, I would rather wait til I get back from my trip, and
try to regroup. I need a moment to rethink everything and come
at it all from a different angle/mindset, or possibly with a
fresh, well rested and lots of giggles mind. (this all happening
on my trip)
Lots to do yet, before I head off to see the Wizard. I better
scoot and get after it.
Have a wonderful week and I will get back to you next week.

Keep your buns moving, if possible!

Happy Day!
Carrots in a Whirlwind

An Unexpected Trip

On my 40 Things list, I put, Take an unexpected fun trip.
Well, guess what? I am taking that unexpected fun trip, this week!
I leave on Thursday to go visit my 3 sisters and 1 brother.
It's been two years since we were all together. I always have such
a blast when I get together with them. They're a lot of fun.
My dad lives there too, (Whidbey Island) and decided that
he would fly me out for my birthday. Hooray! My brother lives
in Italy, so we don't get to see him that often.
I am looking forward to this trip, it's going to be great.
But that means, I probably won't post for a few days. I will
definitely let you know when I get back though. I hope to get out
and walk as much as possible while I'm there. It is truly
beautiful there. Maybe even go to the beach, although it may
be a bit chilly yet. Either way, I will take photos and keep
track of every exciting moment.

Inspired

Have you ever played blocks with your children, or even by yourself?
You probably recall the wooden block set, that was filled with squares,
rectangles, arches and pillars. I loved playing with blocks, building
all sorts of cool places, but I have to say I had always wished there
was a bit more to them.
My friend Jackie is an amazing and inspiring artist. I love all that she
creates. It's unique and whimsical and a lot of times, three-dimensional.
She has created a fantastic set of blocks that has a picture on every side.
Sometimes it's a staircase or a detailed window or a plant. No matter
which way you turn the blocks, there is something there. They are
magnificent.It makes me want to sit on the floor and create wonderful
houses. The possibilities are endless.
If you would like to check out her site and see all of her wonderful
creations, this is her web address:
http://www.jacquelinehaltom.com/Site/index.html
Enjoy perusing her site and get inspired from the imaginative,
creative way she works with paper, ink, and any sort of three-dimensional
item she can find.

Have a wonderful weekend,
Carrots

Go Bananas!

Bananas!! A recent study has shown that
bananas have quite a bit of health benefits.
Some of the health issues eating a banana or two can help with:
Depression
P.M.S.
Anemia
Blood Pressure
Brain Power
Constipation
Hang Overs
Heartburn
Morning Sickness
Nerves
Overweight
and that is just to name a few. There are more! With so many health
benefits, I think we should all go a little bananas. If like me,
you're not too keen on peeling a banana and sticking it in your mouth,
due to funky texture issues, you can turn it into a fabulous smoothie.

This is a recipe shared with me by Marie.
I've altered it a bit and I also add Kale for green benefits,
since salads are out of the question.
I call this little concoction

Green Chunky Monkey's
(it's more interesting for the kids)

1-2 bananas (depending on how much you want to make)
ice, ice baby (a few cubes)
frozen strawberries (about 5-6)
1/4-1/2 cup of water
a couple of stalks of kale, broken off the whole bunch
1/2 tsp. of coconut flavoring (adds yummy)

Put the water in your blender, then the ice and crush or grind, whatever works for you. Add the strawberries, and crush again until fairly smoothish. Add in the Kale, until nice and smooth, then toss in the coconut. Now add the banana, this will actually hide the Kale flavor and make the smoothie more creamy..(yum).
Pour in a glass and your ready for a good, healthy breakfast or treat!

Other add ins: orange juice (instead of water), yogurt for more creaminess, other flavorings that you prefer and of course other fruits. Play with it and have fun!
Have a healthy, happy and wonderful day!

Red Chunky Carrots (soon to be sleek and slim)

40 Things For The Year I'm 40.

I promised to post this on my birthday, so here it is. I will print this and hang it where I can be reminded of it daily. As I accomplish the items, I will check them off and let you know I've done it...hooray! I don't think it really matters how old you are, sometimes just getting things down on paper is really helpful.
These are not in any sort of order, just written in the order I thought of them.
I'm excited, I think I'm going to like 40.

1. Lose 40 pounds, (of course, I had to put that in there)
2. Develop a better Attitude of Gratitude (this needs work)
3. Find and try at least one new healthy meal for each week (picky proof)
4. Become more organized, less cluttered..simplify.(this seems to be a lifelong goal)
5. Finish my U.F.O's, they're taking over.
6. Publish or sell some of my artwork. (I'm a chicken in this area)
7. Do some form of exercise everyday, on purpose.(couch to kitchen, doesn't count)
8. Take an unexpected fun trip.
9. Karaoke, without caring what anyone thinks. (Be brave, little Piglet)
10. Plant a successful Pumpkin Patch
11. Wear more skirts, fun, flowy, summery skirts.
12. Give people your full attention when they're talking to you.
13. Be more gracious towards others.
14. Love unconditionally.
15. Get to a point of walking 3 miles a day.
16. Read 10 really great books.
17. Knit a fun, cotton summer top.
18. Call, write or visit family and friends more often.
19. Be more spontaneous, you don't have to plan everything out on paper.
20. Put up goat fences and finally get goats and chickens.
21. Grow sunflowers.
22. Fly a kite.
23. Laugh a lot.
24. Get a massage.
25. Learn to belly dance.
26. Go for bike rides with your family.
27. Inspire others.
28. Add some low-lights to your hair, just for fun.
29. Stop procrastinating, just do it.
30. Go on more field trips.
31. Paint a large picture for sitting room. (stop making excuses):P
32. Plan and take a trip with hubby to Ireland. (you only live once)
33. Wear Levi 501 button up jeans again, I love those jeans.
34. Skip (this will be better when there's less of you to bounce)
35. Play jump rope (see 34)
36. Paint your fingernails more often.
37. Help plan and prepare for your daughter's wedding, it's going to be amazing.
38. Think less, Do more.
39. Create a bunny haven for Twidget and Toodles, complete with flower maze.
40. Enjoy every day, every moment, stop thinking about what's next and focus on what's now!

Picky?

Have you ever noticed that the word Picky is typically associated with children? Don't children become adults? Where have all the once Picky Children gone? Am I alone in my freakish dislike for funky textures and fears that with a name like Asparagus, it can't possibly taste good? I'm not sure where this pickyness came from, both of my parents eat healthy foods, my mother is an excellent cook, who always served well balanced, made from scratch meals.
I am determined to try new foods, healthy foods, I know I can do it.

After browsing through several sites and finding that most everything is geared toward picky little tots, toddlers and kids, I finally found a site that I think is going to suit me quite nicely.
http://allrecipes.com
If you've never checked out this site, I encourage you to do so. It's quite fantastic. You can type in ingredients you want and don't want, find a recipe for just about anything and the rating it received, as well as, the nutritional value of the recipe, ie: calories, fat grams, fiber, etc. Also, if the recipe is set for 2 people and you are feeding 8, it will calculate the measurements for you. Wowee!!
It's definitely a very well organized site and from what I've seen so far, I'm quite impressed and looking forward to checking out a few new recipes. I am in need of a good grocery shopping, so I will start by picking out a few new recipes, so I can be sure to put the ingredients on my list. Oh, happy day!

Stay On Track!

Somehow, the week flies by and at the end of it I look back and think Oh yea, wasn't I supposed to be doing that (insert new goal or challenge here) all week. Apparently, I am somewhat forgetful. This week's goal, write down the goals I have made so far and post them in a handy spot, so I will see them daily and remember what it is I am working on. Printing out my list of habits I want to change and new habits I want to develop, as well as the weekly challenges will help me to keep these at the front of my mind. I've always been a pretty good multi-tasker and once I write something down I typically remember it, but lately I am feeling a bit scattered. Eating healthy will hopefully help with that too.
My Challenge for this Week, write out your goals/habits that you want to fulfill for the week and post it where you'll see it.
Changing years and years worth of bad habits, isn't as easy as I hoped it would be.
This could take a while. It's a good thing I have the 40 Year, a little less pressure. By the way, counting down now.... 40 in 30 hours and 10 minutes. Oh my!!

Carrots :D

Powerless

I have to apologize for the fact that Friday is almost over and I'm just now putting my TGIF post. We had quite a storm last night (actually very early this morning) and we were without power, pretty much all day. But I suppose, better late than never.
With Mother's Day right around the corner, I decided to make something for my mom. This is a fairly quick project and I thought I would share it with you. I used only what I had, which usually requires me to be more creative. I find with so many fabrics on hand, it's silly for me to go out and purchase more. The only thing I had to purchase for this project was the stuffing, which I was fresh out of. I haven't finished the project, due to the lack of electricity, but I will get it done quickly in the morning. I'm almost there. Oh, I suppose I should get back to what I'm doing.
This will be a decorative pillow. My mom has a wonderful antique wooden church pew in her sitting room and when I last visited her, I noticed it was in need of something. When thinking about what I could do for her, this project came to mind. I used fabrics that match the colors in her room and I chose the word Gratitude, because I am very grateful for my mother. I took a piece of muslin fabric, wrote the word gratitude with a fabric marker (the kind that erases after a bit) then cut off the edges, 2 inches out from the first and last letters. (Take a moment to decide about how big you want your pillow to be) I then picked out two complimentary fabrics I thought would go well with her room, and cut them into strips and sewed them around the edges of the muslin. (be creative in this area, when I have made one of these before I did a few fabrics and cut them in various sizes and pieced them together for a more scrappy look) I then cut out some batting (you could also use felt or flannel) and a piece of scrap fabric for the back. I pinned them together and did a basic straight stitch for the letters, in a dark, doubled thread. I used a button for the i, but you could also do applique' or something else creative. I then quilted a 1/4 inch straight line around the seams, for added cuteness, and if I hadn't procrastinated, I would have done something a bit more whimsical for the quilting...such as stars or swirlies. My next step (now that I have the power) will be to cut off the rough edges, and sew on the back piece of the pillow. Cut out your back fabric the same size as the front piece (you can also piece together some bits of fabric) and put your right sides together then sew up three sides, leaving one of the short ends open. Turn it right side out, pulling out the corners, then stuff with fluff. I am using poly-fil (I bought two bags, I'm not sure how much it will take) then blind stitch up the open edge. Voila, you're done. A quick little gift that has your own unique, fun flair to it.
Other words you can use: Simplify, Joy, Love, Peace, Grace. A great way to get your word onto your fabric is to find a font you like on your computer, make it the size you want, then print it out in black. Tape the paper to a window (during the day) then put your muslin (or other light fabric) over it and trace the word with a washable fabric pen. This is a great way to get the lettering you like. Or if you're like me, you can just wing it and make it up as you go. :D
If you have any questions, let me know.
Again, I hate to be so late getting this to you. I did time myself though, and altogether it's only taken me 2 hours. I have probably an hour more of work to do, and I'll be done. My total cost: Approx. $5.00 for the fluff. Not bad!
Have a Wonderful Mother's Day!

Power Carrots

Hum Ditty

When I up, down, touch the ground
Puts me in the mood.
Up, down, touch the ground,
In the mood (smack your lips) for food.
I am short, round and I have found
Speaking poundage wise,
I improve my appetite,
When I exercise!

If you're a lover of Winnie the Pooh, you probably recognize that little ditty.
Pooh and I, think alike! We're both simple minded and stuffed with fluff.
I must agree with him too. The more I exercise, the more I feel as though, I really deserve that Peanut Buster Parfait. There's something wrong with this picture.
I'm not sure there's enough miles, to walk off a Peanut Buster Parfait.
I haven't found an alternative to that tasty treat, but I promise you, I will.
When I do, you'll be the first to know.
Darn you ice-cream, peanuts and especially you...HOT FUDGE!!

I better go for a walk.

Carrots and Ice-Cream, I mean low-fat yogurt.

Hosta La Vista, Baby!

As I stepped out the door this morning, I was faced with this beauty of a plant. The dew drops perching on the leaves. I have come to the conclusion, that I love Hostas. They are simple and sweet. They require little to no effort. They're hardy. (good, when you have animals) They come back bigger and better every year. They grow nicely in the shade. I am going to plant more of these babies. They're quite lovely and lovable. Don't even get me started on Peonies....you'll probably get an earful or at least an eyeful of those too!

Happy Gardening!
Carrots in the Garden

Progress

I thought I would show you what progress looks like.
This is it, my birthday present to me. It's a bit slow in the
workings, but I am getting there. I have only to make the triangle
parts of the stars, put those blocks together, add a border and off
to the quilt guy. Woohoo! I could quite possibly have that
beauty lying on my bed by mid June. Of course, the Americana quilt that is there now, will have to come back out for the month of July.
I love coming to the end of a project and it's even more exciting to know that
I will get to enjoy the fruits of my labor. yippee and hip hip hooray!!

Quilted Carrots

I'm In Love With John

Deere that is!
Would it be wrong if I put on a polka-dotted bikini and laid on the hood of my mower? Don't worry dearies, I won't do it, I don't want to be responsible for you needing therapy. Although someday, I may show up in an issue of Tractor Babes! (you never know)

As the rain stopped for an entire day, the grass dried a wee bit, John and
I set out on our long awaited date. He was a perfect gentlemen. In and out of the trees we frolicked and he was always smooth and on the cutting edge. He even hummed quietly while I talked on the phone. How wonderful it was to spend time together finally, oh the sweet memory of it. Alas, our time was cut short. The rain began again and although I was perfectly happy to be in the rain, he said, "No, my dear, I don't want you to catch cold." He sweetly kissed my cheeks (wink) and we said farewell.
Til next time, my love!

Weight!

You may have noticed, I am now going to post my weekly weigh-in, in the side-lines. I think it'll be a quick way to show whether I've improved or failed... :(
Obviously, this week's weight falls under the FAILED category! WAAAAAA!!! I'm thinking the lack of daily walking last week is showing, with feeding farm animals, you'd think that would've made up for it, but apparently not. And the rest of the time, it seemed to be continuously storming, so walking did not happen. Exercise didn't happen much. At my age, it's a must. Oh, and that bag of Flaming Hot Cheetos, I am pretty sure that didn't help the cause either. Have I told you my husband works for Frito-Lay? Being surrounded by all sorts of snacky things, can really hinder the healthy eating. This is why a meal plan would be most helpful.
I think I can, I think I can, I think I can....okay, I know I can and I am going to have a productive and fabulous week! I hope you will too!!! :)

p.s. yes that is a full body picture of me, yikes!
Cheesy Carrots

An Attitude of Gratitude

This week's challenge for you dearies, and for myself, is to begin keeping a Gratitude Journal. I have been reading a book called, Thanks! by Robert A. Emmons, Ph.D., and I have thoroughly enjoyed this book.
To have a grateful outlook on life, has some serious health benefits, and actually leads to a longer more fulfilled life.
This is a concept that I think most people already know, but it's so easy to get caught up in our lives and get frustrated and spend more time complaining or worrying than looking at the all of the positives and blessings we have. At least, I know this is definitely true for me.
So, my challenge this week is to spend more time reflecting on the positives and truly appreciating what I have, rather than focusing on what I don't have, or comparing myself to the world and wishing I had longer, leaner legs, or a nice tight, firm butt. :)
Don't worry, it doesn't mean I'm giving up on the exercise and healthier eating, I'm just going to have a better attitude about it.
Keep your journal entries simple, I know there are days when it's difficult to feel grateful (hopefully this isn't often), but something as simple as, I am grateful for our tree swing, the rope is long and so it makes the ride very smooth and it's a wonderful place to sit or swing, when I just want a moment to myself or feel the breeze in my hair.
I am planning to continue this challenge, I feel it will be beneficial in all ways.
Have a beautiful day!! :D

Swinging Carrots

Flapping Undies

A Tip of Frugalness.
In these times of tightening our budgets and pinching our pennies, here's a simple way to keep some of those pennies in your pocket.
With Summer coming our way quickly, the warmer weather and sunshine is something you can take advantage of. If you have the space, hanging your clothes out to dry can save you approximately .75 cents per load. I typically do 2 to 3 loads per day, 5 days per week. That's a savings of $7.50 - $11.25 per week. Over the course of the Summer that can add up to $90.00 - $135.00, that's just for 3 months. How awesome is that?
Not to mention, if you do it right, you will be getting added exercise. Carrying a load of wet laundry all the way out to your yard. Squatting down to pick up each item, don't forget to tighten those buns when you stand up, twisting to put the item on the line and stretching your arms to pin the items. If you wear your bathing suit, you can get some good sun, as well as the fresh air.
I typically set my timer for about a half an hour, so I can check and see if it's ready. I like to get mine off the line before it's entirely dry, then I pop it in the dryer with a dryer sheet for about 10 minutes, so it'll be a bit more fluffy.
If you live in an apartment and can't hang your clothes out, you can use drying racks instead. It takes a bit more time to dry though.
Save money, save energy, get some fresh air and exercise. Yippee!
And I must say, there is something completely satisfying about this old fashioned way of drying your clothes. On a hot summer day, the cool, damp clothes feel good against your skin and it helps you to take a minute, slow down and enjoy the moment.

Have a Fabulous Friday,
oh and Happy May Day!

Carrots on the Clothesline