Happy Holidays!

Went home to visit my family two weeks ago!  BWI was abuzz.  Not really it was dead.  Rode on over to Odenton to surprise the folks.  Spent a great week in the DC/MD/Va area.  I can't wait to come back home again in the spring!

 Had a blast and I spent time with my ADORABLE nephew Xavier.

Then we had sister spa day!  Fab-u-lous!

Jessica...she misses her baby boy Xavier.

Jessica, Christina and Me...my grey boots - Avenue.

I hung out with Xavier on Sunday...We had brunch after church at my parents house!  Just like the old days!

Monday I spent the day with my best friend Melissa...she is expecting and Im so excited about that!

She drove me around to all of our old hang out spots.  We went to the National Harbor.

This tree is gigantic.  See me in the bottom of the picture.  This tree makes me look skinny.

Cakelove.  Meh.  I don't know what the big deal is about this place.  They have the driest cupcakes I have ever tasted.  Oprah must have been coming off of a diet when she ate these and deemed them worthy of being called Fabulous.  There are FAR superior cupcakes in DC.  This is an insult to me.

Then we went to the Peeps Store.  I know.  Heaven on earth.  A store dedicated to peeps and things related to peeps.  Gotta love it.

Hugs!

My bestie Melissa...Chillin with my peeps!

DC Peeps! They need one that says PG County peeps...

Corny shot with props.

               

 .

Loving my gray boots!

The DC Nationals Stadium - they suck.  I'm a Baltimore Orioles fan anyway because we didn't have the Nationals when I was growing up.

So this is pretty much it.  Had a blast.  I miss everyone now that I'm back in Nashville.  But there is NOTHING like sleeping in your own bed!

Im Alive

Hey all!  In case you missed me...I am alive and well.  LOL  I have been on this low carb kick and I am in my third week. I dont know how much weight I have lost but I know I have alot more energy and am much more pleasant and confident.

Im not taking a break from blogging.  Im just really at a loss for what to write about.  But I want to be authentic...and not force it.  So when the spirit moves me I will post again.  It could be tomorrow or next week.  Who knows!

LOL it will probably be this week...since Im off until the 28th!!  Who am I kidding I HAVE to keep up with everyone and share whats going on in my life!

Anyways.  I made a low carb cheesecake today.  Its in the fridge.  I will post the results! I am having a blast cooking up stuff that I can eat on Atkins!

Until next time.  XXXXOOOOXXXXOOO

Low Carb and Lovin It

Sooo I have been "low carbing" it since Wednesday.  I have been doing well.  Resisting eating snack with the kids...having high protein meals and drinking alot of water.  Im not weighing myself.  Im just going with it. 

So I need to grab something quick because I dont have time to cook and I need to go grocery shopping.

Enter Hardees (or Carl jr) Depending on where you reside.

The Hardees Low Carb ThickBurger!!!  Who knew?

No pickles, ketchup or onions OF COURSE.




Get yourself one...buns are over rated.

Booties Booties Booties

So I saw these online and decided that I have to have them. 

 I went to Avenue to see if they were in fact as cute in person as they were on my monitor.  They are.  I'm going to get them before we head to Chicago for Thanksgiving on Wednesday. 

Oh yeah...forgot to mention that we will be in Chicago for the holiday.  I can't wait.  Q is going to take me to all the tourist attractions! Im going to have deep dish pizza and lots of other goodies!  But I wont go crazy out of my mind like I normally do when I get around great food.  On thanksgiving Im going ot pack my plate with veggies and lean protein and then have a sampling of the other faire.  Oh and my day after Thanksgiving leftovers will consist of a turkey sandwich on wheat with some cranberry sauce!!!

What are you doing to keep yourself from going crazy at the table on Thanksgiving?  Or are you just going to go for broke...??? Let me know!

Salmon Cakes

I Love Salmon Cakes.  When my mother would make them for breakfast on Saturday with eggs and fried potatoes or for dinner with once again fried potatoes and some kind of veggie...I would annihilate them.  So one day I had a taste for them, and decided to try to cook them.  Well they turned out well...not quite like hers but more my own flavor. 

I tweaked the recipe by adding red bell pepper and carrots.  I also added lemon juice and miracle whip instead of the shortening.  I added a little and kept adding until I got a consistency that stuck together and could be rolled into a ball then flattened into a patty.  MAKE SURE YOU GET THE BONES OUT.  I hate them.

Ingredients

• 1 (14.75 ounce) can salmon
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 medium onion, chopped  (didn't use a whole one)
  
• 2/3 cup cracker crumbs
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley (WHAT! Come on...you know I used dry flakes)
  
• 1 teaspoon dry mustard (Dry mustard.  That's so fancy..I used regular old yellow mustard)
  
• 3 tablespoons shortening (who the heck has shortening chillin' in the pantry?  I used miracle whip)
  

Directions

1. Drain the salmon, reserving 3/4 cup of the liquid. Flake the meat. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium- high heat. Add onion, and cook until tender.
2. In a medium bowl, combine the onions with the reserved salmon liquid, 1/3 of the cracker crumbs, eggs, parsley, mustard and salmon. Mix until well blended, then shape into six patties. Coat patties in remaining cracker crumbs.
3. Melt shortening in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook patties until browned, then carefully turn and brown on the other side.

Runnin' Scared

So one of my oldest dearest friends Diane sent me a message on Facebook proposing that we do the Nashville Half Marathon.  Of course I said Yes.  Then I thought about it and said, "What a minute...how far is that?" My husband said he was wondering what I was thinking agreeing to a half marathon and figured I didn't realize how far I would be running.  Well.  Let me tell you.  I didn't realize how far I would be running.  And now that I know.  I'm scared.  Petrified to be exact. 

I cannot run for two minutes. Even though I can do the elliptical for an hour.  They are NOT the same thing.  Two different monsters actually.  Now Im supposed to start training for this half marathon.  What am I supposed to do? 

What I would normally do is sabotage myself and just act like I never agreed to be in a marathon.  Let April come, Diane get to nashville and I say.."Let's do lunch."  As if Im not suppoesd to be running a half marathon.  Avoidance is my go to thing when I am unprepared.

So. Tomorrow.  I will wake up and do pilates then I will go to the gym and run/walk (more like walk and slow jog) for thirty minutes.  I need to do this at least four days a week.  With a long one hour workout thrown in there somewhere.  Now my husband is in my face talking about I need to work out for an hour at the gym.  This pressure makes me not want to do anything.  Like its no fun if I am being stressed.  I feel the need to rebel...just because he said something.  Even though he is right.  I hate it when he is right.

Im so childish and petty.  But really.  Can none of you relate to this pettiness I speak of?? Are you petty sometimes?  I know you are no need to answer.

Anyways.  Wish me luck.  With this hour workout and Pilates three days a week. 

Baby It's Colder Outside

Fall and Winter in Nashville is a roller coaster of temperatures.  If I had my way, I would buy all three of these wonderful toppers from Jessica London.  Too bad my wallet has other plans...

I might get that lst one though because it is too sassy!

Bowl of Teddies

Ever have those days when you feel down and are forced to partaking in self loathing?  Well that's how I'm feeling today.  I was going to send my husband to get something chocolaty gooey hot and cold...but I didn't want to send him back out.  Sooo I made due with what I had....Teddy Grahams and Cool Whip Lite. 

 

Don't judge me.  I have a lot on my mind. I figure this is better than what I planned on eating...and it didn't cost me any additional money.

Anyways. I need to figure out what to wear to my brother's engagement party.  I'm thinking this will be the place to wear the sequin jacket I'm going to buy. This look but with black pants not leather ones.

Jason Campbell sucks...he needs to be benched STAT.  Go SKINS!

Attention...Attention

Update.  My transition from relaxed to natural is going so well. I have hat days but I have really good days that make me so happy I decided to take this route.  I stepped out on a limb and did a Bantu Knot Out and here are my results!  I LOVE IT!

This is definitely going to be one of my go to styles as i didnt need rollers just hair pins and I was able to let my hair dry 90 percent of the way then twist it up.  With my braid outs i get better results when I braid wet and it never dries by the morning.

Anyways...I am past the six month marker and I can see a year in the horizon. 

Yes that head band has huge different colored fake rhinestones on it.  Its so tacky but I love it and so did the girls I worked with today!!!!

Want it Need it

Black Sequined Beret

I'd wear with with like something totally laid back and chill like a white tee...straight jeans flats or boots or something.  This is the funk on a regular errand running Saturday.

Fluorescent Specked Jumper

I love this...its a cute date look when paired with skinny jeans, leggings, and ankle boots.

Black Knot Detail Boots

Sexy.

Black Sequin Jacket

Everyone is wearing these sequin jackets...so I want one too! Its so full of personality.

Better Choices

So where have I been! I mean what aisle have i been getting my groceries from? I finally crawled out of the ice age...rather out of the middle aisles and back to the perimeter of the grocery store. What I found there was amazing!

Two Words. Broccoli Slaw.


This stuff is amazing. I can and have been doing all kinds of things with it! Stir Fried it one day...added some fat free poppy seed dressing another day fora sweet coleslaw...today I used it in the place of lettuce for my "Taco Salad hold the Shell" and it was so good and filling. I just made some ground turkey added some chili seasoning, dash and parsley. Threw it in a bowl added a little cheese, broccoli slaw, salsa and a DAB of ranch dressing.

Sooo good!

Sorry no picture...I was hungry and my camera battery is dead.

Tonight I will be taking on Egg Muffins. We wake up super early and do not have time for breakfast...and we know its the most important meal of the day! Stay tuned!

Better Choices

Keep it Simple Sister! I told you I was coming with my better choices. The picture sucks but I had to get one taken and my camera was dead...enter Blackberry!


Best way to eat right and stay on the journey is to KEEP IT SIMPLE. Organic carrots and a banana did the trick for my afternoon snack craving!

Purple People Eater

Deep rich hues are so in this Fall and I plan to be "in" because trends are fun. I dont mean trending in the sense of me looking like a clone. More accurate would be me putting my own spin on a trend...Im going to do these colors my way.

This way is very similar to my way minus all the accessories...I DONT DO BANGLES! And that headband would be reworked into a hairpin, if i wore it at all. But I still love it. Thanks Ally I love your style!

Untitled by AllyTheOdd on Polyvore.com

And THIS is such cute Fall weekend wear. Since I look like crap at work...I like to look nice on the weekend. I love all of this MINUS that cat bag...who let the cat out of the bag! I dont know...I hate cats and prefer animal print not animals!!!!! See above about the bangle. But I might consider wearing this one!

Untitled by AllyTheOdd featuring Forever21

In other news. Yesterday we had our Wednesday Stepping It Up session at work. I educated the kids on the Grains food group. We have whole wheat bagel minis apples and peanut butter.

They demolished it...which lets me know for sure without a doubt that kids will eat anything that is easy to pick up and eat - especially if its presented well!!!! They ate the bagels plain which surprised me because I had peanut butter on mine!

All in all...I actually love the Stepping It Up curriculum so do the kids. They look forward to it and ask what we will do Wednesday! It is a little bland on its own, Im really glad I have the freedom to add some flavor to the mix!

Better Choices

So I'm going to start posting the "better" food choices I have made during the course of the day/week. This came out of an idea I had for work. We are doing this thing called Stepping It Up...and I'm really trying to do better...one day at a time.

So today I wanted ice cream or a milkshake. I was going to stop at Sonic...but I knew if I even mentioned it Q would blast me and say I didn't need it...etc etc etc. He would've been right of course but it sucks coming from someone else so I didnt even go there. Instead I came home and made myself a yogurt parfait. I just spooned the yogurt into a cute cup and crunched up some granola bars and created different layers. Soooo freaking good.

I found this great website...it tells you how to remake a lot of the things the average person loves to eat! THERE'S A RECIPE FOR MAC AND CHEESE...I'm going to try it this week sometime!!!

Hungry Girl's Blog

So that was the good choice I made today. I'm proud of myself. Next time I'm going to add some fruit to my parfait...if I'm not feeling lazy!

I Would Totally Rock This!

Date Night! by Miquette featuring Old Navy

So I found this outfit on POLYVORE and I love the shrug and I love the purple. I would totally rock this just for my husband to come home and see me it. Oooo TMI!!! LOL but he loves it when I dress up all sophisticated and cute. Im going to buy all of this tomorrow!

Smlendid Summer

Dude.

I love saying - Dude. Just. Dude. Emphasis on the first D...but very little emphasis on the last d...like barely say it. Yes. Start saying Dude like me when referencing one or more people male or female and you will also be cool. Like me. Of course.

But dude...seriously. You all are so out of the loop...or are you! How come none of you all told me about this revolutionary concept...this spin on an old classic that combines my love of all things classic and genius and DELICIOUS.

Why the heck have you all neglected to tell me about SMENCILS!

I'm all over the Pineapple!!!

So they are made with recycled newspaper, then these lovelies are soaked in gourmet scented oils. Why didn't I come up with this. I mean this is just what the world needs!

Smencils <---------

Signing off with a picture of me BEFORE Zumba at the Y in Hendersonville...the after was a well a mess. But I love it and I pretty much travel metro Nashville hitting up the classes that fit my schedule. Also a pic of my hair...my transition is going well and its easy to maintain! Twist...roll...sleep...wake...unroll...untwist...shake out work with hands in hair 1 minute clip back...GO. So easy!

Well I hope you all have a wonderful three day weekend. I might squeeze another post out on Monday!

Couch to 5k??

Soooooo can I do this guys???

Couch to 5k

I'm starting tomorrow along with trying to get Zumba in at least twice a week. I have never been able to run. If anyone ever asked me I would always say..."I don't run..I walk." Well I don't run because I am afraid of running. I'm afraid of that feeling that tells me I'm giving my heart a work out...because well it feels like I can't breathe and that's a scary!

But I can run because well I have two feet and I want to be able to run a few miles. That would be huge for me and since I'm making great strides in my life to move in a positive direction I want to try this. Couch to 5k.

So I'm supposed to do this for 3 days Week 1:

Brisk five-minute warmup walk. Then alternate 60 seconds of jogging and 90 seconds of walking for a total of 20 minutes.

No problem Right!

So the message I need give myself is that this is NOT about losing weight...its about being WELL physically emotionally and mentally. I will not be buying a scale or getting on one. I just want to be able to run for now. One small step at a time, one foot in front of the other and before I know it my goal will be attained.

So I'm working on two of my goals right now.

1. Going natural - Hair care
2. Running

What things are you guys working on right now???!!!

So Thirsty

So I don't have much to say. Being that I am in the process of transitioning (letting my hair return to its natural state...no more relaxers) I have been having a blast trying new products in my hair and playing around with what will work with my hairstyle of choice. Well I have found that RAW Shea Butter (yeah straight from African by way of my local beauty supply store)...mixed with Hot Six Oil after a Co-Wash is best. I use the Shea butter on my skin too.

I mean personally I think that using a gazillion and one products defeats of purpose of going natural. Conditioner contains enough chemicals to clean the hair and I only shampoo once a week...I co-wash several times a week.

But alas I have found the conditioner of the Gods. I'm not joking folks. This stuff works well for ANY AND EVERY hair type. And to make it even more desirable I can get it from target...which means its affordable.

So yeah...this stuff is truth. Get yourself some and make sure you thank me! Oh and my husband likes it too and he normally doesn't make a fuss about products as I have been going through conditioner like crazy and trying new ones since my journey began.

On another totally random note...my husband is building us a computer. I'm excited...I will pot pics next week when we get everything situated in our little apartment!

Have a great weekend!

Funky Cold Medina

Sooo I took this quiz on courtesy of one of my most favoritest bloggers (plural its two in one) BonBon Rose. I love their blog because they are always putting me on to steals...which are better than deals!

So this quiz was about "decor style".

And this is what I got:

Erica you are a Dramatic Eclectic

You have wide-ranging interests and influences, and so appreciate a mix of styles, periods, and objects. You would never dream of using matching suite of furniture or could stand a home that seemed cookie-cutter. You are a risk-taker and a trendsetter. You are not afraid of glamour or humor, and you love bold, theatrical statements—a fantastic color, out-there wallpaper or paint treatment, or a wonderfully graphic fabric. Your home surprises and delights others, thanks to your unique vision. Because you embrace an exciting sense of color, art and drama your home makes a happy impact.

You value creativity. You are stylish and fun loving, and can be an inspiration to others. You have a natural sense of drama, and you know you have to be willing to take risks—whether with colors, finishes, furniture choices, or ideas—for your home to stand out. Your home can be happy and lively and the place all of your friends want to be.

It's actually quite accurate if I may say so myself! I can't wait until I move out of this apartment to really go wild and design my space to suite me! Even more than that I want my personal style to say dramatic eclectic but I just have to figure out what I want that to be!

Friday Night Lights

I'm speaking of the light emanating from my television. My husband got Madden10 and took off in celebration of his 25th birthday and the game!

Happy Birthday Babes! I LOVE YOU!

Moving on...

I made Peanut Butter Brownies last week. Threw in some chocolate chips for good luck!

No words...just pictures!






















Oh and one more thing.

True Story. (I hate when people say that.)

Willow came up to me today while the kids were playing outside and said, "Can you use your magic to turn me into a Jaguar." I said "Why of course I can. AbraKadabraHocusPocus Turn this Willow into a Jaguar FOCUS!" She crawled away on her hands and knees...through the dirt like kids do at that age. She persisted to MEOW for the next hour. The other kids got so irritated and they kept telling her to stop meowing. Then I told her to stop and she wouldn't. (Stupid magic wand is so temperamental)

I decided to just let her be what she was going to be and eventually she got tired of trying to get me to understand what she wanted and she resorted to English. Moral of the story....as soon as you stop trying to get something to be what you think its supposed to be, you have one less worry. I mean Willow, a 6 year old girl, is not meant to meow for prolonged periods and when I stopped trying to get her to stop, she did it on her own.