Nutrisystem Week 7 #NSNation #Ad

May 19, 2013 By Sheila Thomas Leave a Comment

Starting weight was #200. Started program 4/1/13
End of week 1 (4/1/13-4/7/13) weight was #196
End of week 2 (4/8/13 – 4/14/13) weight was #193
End of week 3 (4/15/13 – 4/21/13) weight was #192
End of week 4 (4/22/13 – 4/28/13) weight was #189
End of week 5 (4/29/13 – 5/5/13) weight was #187.6
End of week 6 (5/6/13 – 5/12/13) weight was #187
End of week 7 (5/13/13 – 5/19/13) weight was #185

Slow and Steady she goes.. I think there is a song with that line. Hmmmm… Regardless, that is how Tony is feeling. Yes, the weight is coming off slower than he would like but it has been steady and he is learning many new things about weight loss, exercise and himself that are keeping him plugging right along.

I have talked about it in previous posts, that he is learning portion control and for him that is a huge things. I too have been learning more about portion control just watching the size of the prepared meals he eats helps me realize I too was eating more than my body needed. It is not easy to portion control when you are not used to it. I see so many people in restaurants eating huge helpings and clean their plate because they paid for it, and it is sad that we as a whole over eat. We don’t need all that food.. what is wrong with us?

Well, what is wrong is that food is for some a favorite pastime. Tony and I love to eat out and do so often. When we eat out we always treat ourselves to things we wouldn’t eat at home. So, generally that is not a healthy food. Take this weekend for instance. We went out with friends on Friday night, Tony had many beers and we shared a plate of giant nachos. The nachos were not really a bad thing, as it had chicken, peppers, olives, lettuce, and tomatoes but the beer.. not so good. We got up on stage and did what we love to do, sing and play.

Well he paid for the beer, big time on Saturday. So so sick. He never gets sick from drinking but as he gets older the drinking gets less and less and not sure why but it kicked his butt this time. He even did a little praying to the porcelain god LOL! Not really a way to try and lose weight. But, being a bit hung over always makes him want to be naughty so we ended up going to one of our favorite pizza places last night and we shared a large pizza and some deep fried green beans. But, since he didn’t really eat all day due to not feeling to well it probably wasn’t as bad as it sounds. But, still not good. So, today, back on the wagon.

Tony has been still working on the running as he is getting ready for that race on June 1st. Today, I drove him exactly 3 miles from home and dropped him off. He ran the whole way back. It took 30 min 10 seconds. I am so impressed, and proud. Never in my dreams did I think he would run, that far. I tried to run with him on Thursday and due to my foot still being sore I did a little over a mile and had to stop. I can’t wait till I can run with him. Soon, very soon. I do know we will enjoy more biking, hiking, and walking this summer due to him into the fitness more and my foot not hurting since I had the bunion surgery.

Check back next week to see how week 8 went.

Are you interested in Nutrisystem? Wait no more and join today by visiting http://www.nutrisystem.com/nsblog or calling 1-888-853-4689

Disclaimer ~ Living Smart Girl was provided the Nutrisystem program in exchange for my opinion and review. All views are mine and my husbands and results posted are my husbands.

Homemade Healthy Dog Treats

May 18, 2013 By Sheila Thomas Leave a Comment

I love my dogs, they are like my kids. Just like buying and feeding my kid healthy foods I like to give my dogs healthy foods. I buy high quality dry dog food and try to buy the best, natural treats I can. This can all get very expensive and being one who tried to be money smart I decided I would just come up with my own healthy dog treat recipe. So, a little magic in my kitchen and this is what I came up with. It makes me feel good to know what is in my dogs food as well as my food.

Ingredients ~

2 Cans of soft dog food. (any kind will work)
1 1/2 Cup of carrots chopped up small
2 Medium Sweet Potatoes Shredded
1 Egg
1 Cup Oatmeal

Mix all ingredient in a large bowl. You can add a little more or less of each ingredient to get the consistency of a cookie dough.

Drop by tablespoons onto greased cookie sheets. (don’t mind the old cookie sheets I have.. yikes)

Bake at 350 degrees for 35 – 40 minutes or until golden on bottom and edges.

Transfer from baking sheet to wire rack to cool. Store in air tight container in fridge for up to 10 days.

You can see the chunks of carrots and the oatmeal and sweet potato give it nice texture.

These must look good cuz my husband almost ate one. LOL!

See my pretty boy Marshall begging for one. He loves his treats.

Wanna Spoon ?

May 16, 2013 By Sheila Thomas Leave a Comment

Not like that!! LOL!

Pacific Beach is an all natural peanut butter that is honestly some of the best I have ever tried.

I use peanut butter daily. In shakes, on wraps, on toast, on fruit… I love it! And, what makes Pacific Beach peanut butter even more awesome is that it comes in flavors to tickle your tastebuds. Flavors like Toffee, Butterscotch, Caramel, White Chocolate, CinnaYum, Unsalted and the regular Organic.

My favorite of the 4 I have tried is the Toffee. I love the little extra sweetness of it. It was real good on my wheat bagel.

On the right bagel I have the caramel and the left bagel is the toffee. You can see that the toffee is a bit creamy and spreads a bit easier than the caramel one. But, who really cares how easy it spreads, when the taste is amazing.

I make a lot of my own healthy granola bars and I used the cinnyum, which has 0 grams of sugar, in one of my favorite recipes. I will post that recipe later for you to try out.

All the peanut butters are Gluten Free and made with Valencia peanuts. The creamy goodness is packed into cut little glass jars.
The site has some good recipes using peanut butter for you to check out as well.
Or you can follow them on their social networks ~

Facebook

Twitter

Check them out, grab some yummy goodness, and maybe even ask a friend if they “Wanna Spoon”.

Buy 2 jars get one free ~ Use code “blogger4” at time of checkout. Must add the free jar to cart for this to work.

Disclaimer ~ Living Smart Girl received products to facilitate a review. All opinions are 100% Living Smart Girl’s.

Teaching the Ropes on Money Management

May 16, 2013 By Sheila Thomas Leave a Comment

*Information for this post is sourced from Genworth Financial in partnership with the SheHeard Influencer Network. All opinions are 100% Living Smart Girl’s.

My son is now 21, and out on his own. Well, kinda on his own. He is not much into the money stuff, and really doesn’t care to take the time to learn it since Mom has always done everything for him. Yes, I have done everything.. I know.. bad Mom!! But, while he was growing up it was easier to just do things and not have a fight. He is hard headed and sometimes choosing the lesser of two evils is just easier. I would rather have a peaceful home and not a stressful one. So, now the time has come for teaching the ropes on money management and he is learning and learning fast!

My son has a good job, and is now renting an apartment in a building my husband and I own. We are giving him very reasonable rent, in exchange for him being the yard person at the apartment. He chose to do that to save himself a couple hundred bucks a month. So, that is a smart move on his part. But, since he has never really managed him finances it is a learning curve for him.

When he first moved in we sat down and I did up a money management notebook for him. I drew columns and each column was a month. Then I listed down the left side of the page all the bills he has each month. This way he can keep track every month, and write in when things are paid to make sure he keeps his expenses in check. I also added a line for misc expenses because he will have occasional medical co-pays, gym membership fees, etc. He has this book to look at so he knows what date things are due, how to pay them and how much each monthly expense is.

April was his first full month on his own. He did pretty good. I had to help him get the money orders he needed for a few of his bills since he has never done that before. But, it is a good learning experience for him. Now that he has done it once, he will be fine knowing how they work. Some of his bills are paid with money orders, others by transferring to my bank account (rent) and others he can pay online. He is a very responsible person and I know he will get the hang of this in no time. For a young man on his own, he is doing well with his expenses and I am proud of him.

One other thing I have taught my son and something he has been doing for a couple years now, even before moving out was he started a savings account. It is such a good idea, and something not everyone can do. My husband and I didn’t do one for years, because all our money went to bills. But, we have learned, and taught out son that if you budget a savings into your monthly expenses it is like you never got that money to begin with. This can be an emergency savings account, or just a fun day savings account. Regardless, it is a very good idea to have one. Genworth Financial can help with all your financial needs.

Flexcin – Your Adventure Race Advantage

May 15, 2013 By Sheila Thomas Leave a Comment

Flexcin – Your Adventure Race Advantage

The mud runner race is one of the most prominent races in the US. The race is highly adventurous and exposes runners to different terrains. Due to this, it is recommended for runners willing to explore very challenging environments as a way of enabling them keep fit or lose weight. Before registering and taking part in the mud runner race, aspiring runners are advised to use the flexcin supplement so as to enable them relief any impact caused on their body such as painful joints, inflammations or arthritis.

The Flexcin contains Cetyl Myristoleate which is highly beneficial to the body and plays four core functions towards preventing joint related pains in the body. These benefits consist of the following:

• It acts as an anti-inflammatory agent. After a few weeks of treatment, one can start noticing that their once very swollen areas are rapidly lessening and experiencing less pain. As a result, one can get involved in various sporting activities and exercises since their joints will be able to handle the intensity of the exercises without experiencing any more swelling.

• The Cetyl Myristoleate drug further acts as a pain killer. This enables it to help in decreasing pain in areas previously experiencing lots of pain like around the muscles and body joints. When there is no or very little pain around the joints, one can increase their joints activities hence-by take part in various activities including the mud runner race without having to worry about pain or strain.

• The compound is further ideal for someone who has been constantly experiencing stiffness within and around their muscles and joints, especially in the morning. This is because Cetyl Myristoleate acts as a lubricant towards reducing the degree of stiffness experienced. This therefore makes it possible for one to start their day on a high note.

• More importantly is the fact that Cetyl Myristoleate has the ability to act as a modulator to the immune system. This makes it an ideal compound especially when addressing diseases within the autoimmune system. This feature therefore enables someone suffering from autoimmune illness (es) to live a healthy life without the fear of becoming infected with any of these diseases.

The Cetyl Myristoleate is not necessarily important for patients suffering from joint pains or arthritis. Instead, it can also be used among runners taking part in adventure races like the Mud Runner. This is because Cetyl Myristoleate not only works in alleviating the pain but also in preventing muscle and joint related pains and inflammatory which are bound to occur when someone is involved in outdoor sporting activities and exercises.

One can further get the latest information, read about people’s testimonials as well as get a chance to take advantage of the deals on offer by visiting this Cetyl Myristoleate link.

National Clean Out Your Purse Day – Purse Giveaway

May 15, 2013 By Sheila Thomas 5 Comments

I bet you didn’t realize there is a day for cleaning out your purse. Well I didn’t know till a fellow blogger brought it to my attention. Since I don’t really “clean” my purse out very often I thought a good cleaning/organizing was in order and maybe a switch of purses. I have been using the same purse for, um, over 3 years. YES.. I said over 3 years. But, it is a Miche purse so I have many of the shells but the same base purse. It is showing wear, and honestly I needed a change so this was perfect timing. As well as a fun post and a giveaway for all you wonderful Living Smart Girl followers.

Here is what my purse looks like ~

Yeah.. sorta boring I know. I love black and am always drawn to it because it goes with everything.
Here is the inside of my purse. I have not zipped my purse shut in about 3 years. I can’t, it is to full.

And here is all the crap out of my purse. Boy, sometimes I wonder why I carry all I do, and how it all fits. Yikes!

So, let’s do a rundown. A wallet, a checkbook, wet wipes, dramamine, perfume, motrin, Rolaids, hair band, band-aid, eye liner, face brush, compact, teeth cleaners, lip gloss and chap stick, gum, hand lotion, hair spray, pens, plastic holder for coupons and finally a pocket calendar. Dang.. do I really need all this stuff? And most times when I am shopping or out I have other stuff like Cliff bars or other snacks in my purse. No wonder my purse doesn’t zip!!

Well I am organizing all my purse goods and they will go back in my new purse. When I went and found a purse to use for the giveaway I wanted to find a fun, summer, brightly colored purse for someone to win and I was also drawn to one of the same color but a bit smaller. Fun.. I have never ever carried a purse of this color. It is a bit bigger than my Miche purse, has 3 nice pockets as well as a smaller zipper pocket on each side. So, we will see how long I carry this one. At least it matches my Harley Davidson jacket.

What is in your purse? Do you ever clean it out? How long have you used the same purse?

Would you like to win a purse ? Take a look at the picture at the top of the post, with the bright orange purse and the wording National Clean Out Your Purse Day. This is a ~

Simply Vera Vera Wang handbags express fabulous style.

This shopper has it all, from the pleated accents to the textured woven design. In coral.

Braided shoulder straps offer impeccable style.
Details:
- 11″H x 18″W x 7″D
- Drop down strap length: 9 1/2″
- Magnetic snap closure
- Shoulder straps
- Interior: double center zip compartments, 2 slip pockets & zip pocket
- Faux leather
  Retail Value ~ $99.00
Wanna sport this purse this summer?
Giveaway Starts May 15th at 9am central time. Ends May 29th at 11:59pm central time.
Giveaway brought to you by ~
Living Smart Girl, Overtired Mommy, Blog by Donna, Mommy Has to Work and The Bookworm Mama.
Take a moment and visit all the wonderful blogs that have brought you this great giveaway.
Enter to win ~

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Having Breakfast After Dark Feels Naughty

May 14, 2013 By Sheila Thomas 12 Comments

At least it used to when I was a kid. I remember begging my Mom to make my favorite breakfast foods for dinner. Pancakes for supper.. Oh how that would make me smile and feel so naughty. Even as a kid it seemed like it was a huge taboo to eat a breakfast food for dinner. Most likely because it didn’t happen very often. The only time I remember eating breakfast for dinner was when my Dad worked an afternoon shift and then our dinner was generally cereal. That wasn’t very fun, or naughty. LOL!

My husband and I love food, enjoy cooking together and love to come up with our own “fun” food ideas. We are not ones to really eat a breakfast food after dark (for dinner). But, I found it a fun idea to whip up an old time favorite breakfast food my Dad used to make us kids but added a twist to the meal. I made my meal with I Can’t Believe it’s not Butter and also added a couple sides to accompany the main dish.

My favorite breakfast when I was a kid was what my folks called “Egg in the Nest”. Sounds complicated, but super fun and easy. And, this is a fun one to involve the kids with. You start with bread (any kind), and take a small dixie cup or some other small container that is no more than 2″ in diameter. Place the container or cup in the middle of the bread and push down to make a circle and remove that circle from the bread. Spread I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter one side of the bread and round middle piece you removed. Add I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter to a frying pan and let melt on medium heat. Once melted, place bread in pan with the side that you have the buttery spread on facing up. Brown the bread on one side, then flip. Once flipped, crack an egg into each hole. This is the Egg in the Nest. Fry until the egg is set up enough to flip, flip and cook to desired egg doneness.

I added some Venison steaks and homemade sweet potato hash browns to my meal as sides to my egg in the nests. This made for a perfect Breakfast After Dark meal. Hubby and I enjoyed it while watching a favorite show on tv.

I used I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter to prepare all my food. I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter! has 70% less saturated fat than butter, no hydrogenated oils and is made from a blend of vegetable oils and is gluten free.

What is your favorite breakfast after dark meals? I would love to hear your feedback.

Have you seen the Breakfast After Dark webisodes ? Check out my favorite one.

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

Nutrisystem Week 6 #NSNation #Ad

May 12, 2013 By Sheila Thomas 7 Comments

Nutrisystem Week 5 #NSNation

Well, week 6 was a hard one for Tony. He was frustrated because he felt he watched his food much closer than the previous weeks and he has been exercising more and when he stepped on the scale Saturday morning his heart sank as he only lost less than 1/2# .
Although he understands that any weight loss program has it’s ups and downs he was bummed. He is feeling lighter, pants fitting much looser so he really thought he had lost another couple pounds. But, regardless he is still doing great and is forging ahead with his goal of at least #25 weight loss. He is now saying that since he is almost half way there with the goal that he might keep going. Once upon a time (before I met him) he was around the #160 mark.

Tony has been switching things up a bit so as not to be bored with his foods. Because of his job, he works 2 different shifts. On Sunday, Tues, and Wed he gets up (we get up) at 3:30 and he starts work at 5am. He has an hour drive to work. He will eat his breakfast at work during his first break. (about 7am). On Monday he gets up at 5:30 and starts work at 7 am so doesn’t get a break till 9am, so he eats his breakfast at home before leaving. He has also been swapping out his lunch for dinner or just doing lunch on his own with a salad, adding chicken to it, some fresh veggies, and maybe a piece of fruit. He is finding that it does take less to fill him up than it used to.

Yesterday we were off on a road trip to pick up a motorhome we bought so we stopped for lunch. Well, where we were there really was not much for lunch options so we ended up at Dairy Queen. I was so proud of him when he ordered a grilled chicken salad. That is not a normal for him. And to top it off, he has been running more and starting to enjoy that. He is almost up to 3 miles. Boy, I have some catching up to do! He is hoping to do the Boulder Dash, which is a 5K run on June 1st and I want to do it with him, but since I have been laid up due to my foot surgery I am not sure I can catch up with only a couple weeks to train. We will see. He is saying he hopes to finish, and not be last. I am so excited for him as I am seeing a whole new Tony Thanks Nutrisystem!

Check back next week to see how week 7 went.

Are you interested in Nutrisystem? Wait no more and join today by visiting http://www.nutrisystem.com/nsblog or calling 1-888-853-4689

Disclaimer ~ Living Smart Girl was provided the Nutrisystem program in exchange for my opinion and review. All views are mine and my husbands and results posted are my husbands.

Get Beach Ready for Summer Quick and Easy with Nair Hair Removal

May 11, 2013 By Sheila Thomas 8 Comments

Get Beach Ready for Summer Quick and Easy with Nair Hair Removal
#nairsummer #sp

The weather is getting nicer here is Minnesota, Finally, and that means the want for capri pants, shorts and even digging out that swimsuit for a beach day or two. And, if you live in other parts of the world you might already be wearing those shorts or swimsuits so of course you want a quick and easy way to remove the dreaded hair off those certain body parts (legs, bikini area, underarms, etc).

Nair Hair Removal is just the product to get you beach ready or just ready to rock those short shorts. I love how quick and easy the Nair Hair Removal works. I had not tried this before and honestly, was skeptical. Being a girl who has to shave every day if I don’t want hair at all, or at least a couple times a week to just keep up on things I sometimes find it hard to believe that there is a product you can slather on, that will take it all off. Well, I am now a believer!

Nair sells 2 different kits to make sure you can be hair free.

Nair Brazilian Spa Clay Total Care™ Face Trio and Nair Brazilian Spa Clay Shower Total Care™ Body Trio

First I wanted to try the Brazilian Spa Clay. It is really easy to use. Comes with a prep pad that cleans the skin to get it ready for the clay. You prep, then slather with clay, then wait, get in the shower and after the recommended time you wipe the clay and hair off your body part/s and when done with your shower use the moisturizer and you are done. Smooth, skinless, body parts.

I had not shaved my legs in maybe 3 days and this is what they looked like prior to using Nair.

Gross!! LOL! I opened my box of Nair, read the directions and prepped my skin, then slathered the clay on my legs and went off to make my bed and fold some laundry.

I waited the required time, and then hopped in the shower. Washed my hair, added my conditioner and then took my washcloth and began to wipe away the clay. Wow. My legs were hairless. Cool!! NO razor or cuts or stubble… just nice soft hairless legs.

Now, I have never ever uses any kind of depilatory product on my face. Yes, as I get older I see more and more hair on my face but have always been scared. One day my son pointed out that in the light when I turn just the right way he could see my hair on my upper lip. Gee..thanks! So, I was excited, but also scared to try the Nair face trio, but did it and am very happy with the results. I only did my upper lip, but have a nice smooth lip and will continue to use this to keep it smooth.

So, if you have ever wondered about Nair I recommend giving it a try. If you are going on vacation you can bring it with instead of your razor for a quicker and more effective hair removal. Stop paying the high prices at the salon and do your own hair removal at home. Nair hair removal has mango butter and açai berry known to moisturize the skin, and mineral-rich clay known to purify the skin. I have no irritation or bumps or anything. It is so nice. And retail is about $13.99 for one kit. What do you pay at the salon for hair removal? Have you tried Nair? What are your thoughts?

Disclaimer ~ Living Smart Girl received product and compensation for our review. All opinions are 100% Living Smart Girl’s.

May 12th is A Day for Mom #SocialBlackout #Sponsored

May 10, 2013 By Sheila Thomas Leave a Comment

Disclosure ~ “I participated in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for MetLife. I received a promotional item as a thank you for participating.” #Sponsored

I was searching thru my computer files the other day and I came across a poem that I post every year on Mother’s Day, in memory of my Mom who passed on February 3rd, 2007. I invite you to take a moment and read the poem.

Precious Mother
Happy Mothers Day ~ I love you.

I Wish I Could See You One More Time
Come Walking Through My Door
But, I Know That Is Impossible
I Will Hear Your Voice No More
I Know You Can Feel My Tears
And You Don’t Want Me To Cry
Yet, My Heart Is Broken
Because I Can’t Understand Why
Someone So Precious Had To Die
I Pray That God Will Give Me Strength
And Somehow Get Me Through
As I Struggle With This Heartache
That Was Caused By Losing You~
~ In Precious Memory Of Barb Cooper
Who Walked Through Heaven’s Gate
February 3, 2007

As the years go by the hurt and the big empty hole that is left in my heart just doesn’t go away. My Mom was more than my Mom, she was my best friend and someone I looked up to, respected, and thought about daily. Losing my Mom was very sudden and there are so many things I wish I could have said and done.

Mother’s Day is a special day, to spend time with the person who gave you life ~ Your Mother. There are many ways to show your Mom you care, like gifts, cards, cooking dinner, taking her out to eat, etc. But, with life being busy and the world turning into technology junkies a very special way to show Mom you care is to take part in the #SocialBlackout movement. So, on May 12th, turn off the computer, shut down your cell phone and spend some quality time with Mom.

Life is so short, and so unpredictable that you don’t want to let precious, quality time pass you by. Enjoy your Mom, because there are many out there who can’t for one reason or another.