She killed it with kisses. (Great lyrics!)

Good morning!! I am in the midst of my weekend. I was very ready for it. The allergies/sinuses left me completely exhausted. I have slept very hard and deep the last few nights. My body has just needed it. I must be fighting off something. The sinus issue was on the verge of being bad but I fought it! Yesssuhhhh! Being healthy has it's perks for sure. And I'm sure I just jinxed myself. ;)

I am so excited for today. I get to hang out with my bud Jessie! The Lucy to my Ethel. We just have a great time when we hang out. No drama, no weirdness, no rudeness. And we have the same sense of humor and both complete goofballs. We will get a workout from walking all over NYC and belly laughing as we always do when we hang out! We're going to The Metropolitan Museum of Art to see the annual fashion exhibit. She's one of my fashion friends in "the biz" and I saw them promoting the exhibit a couple of weeks ago and thought "I need to go see that with Jess!" so we said "Hell yes!" and put it on our calender. It's a reason to hang out more than anything. Get in the city and spend the day.....and will be fun! Life is so busy and we don't get to hang out as much as we'd like so this will be perfect. Taking the 9:39 train! We have to go from the train at a station a couple of towns over in South Norwalk because I live in the same town as that commuter train collision! So scary! And they are not running here at this time. I told her I didn't care if we had to crawl, we were going to get in and do our thing today! haha!

And then later my boys come home after being gone all weekend. I can't wait to snuggle them!

I have to admit that I have found a new place I want to indulge at. This is a reward after a long workout and eating healthy week. But check it out. In NYC. The Baconery!! http://baconery.com/  I don't eat that kind of thing often but wow...can you imagine?? My eye was drawn to the chocolate bacon with bacon. Seriously?? Where have you been all my life?!

I have been trying to "cute up" my feet for the Spring/Summer. I did get a pedicure which helped. But I like them to be soft and supple. I just found a homemade foot scrub I think I'm going to try. Rosemary and Peppermint! Has to smell amazing. It's 1/4 cup of kosher salt, 1 tbsp table salt, 1 tsp coconut oil, 2 tbsp olive oil, 3 drops peppermint oil and 1/2 tsp rosemary. You could really add whatever oils and herbs you like but I love this combo and can't wait to try it.

I also found a recipe for a homemade vitamin c mask I think I'm going to try. If you have very sensitive skin then you might want to be careful with this. And in general if you feel a burning sensation rinse it off immediately. Vitamin C is very potent but that is why it has long been used for anti-aging.
Mix 1 tbsp of powdered Vitamin C, 2 Vitamin-E liquid gel pills and a few drops of water. Mix together and apply to damp skin. Massage in a circular motion around the face avoiding the eye area. Let sit for 5-10 minutes and then rinse with lukewarm water.

Have a great day everyone. Enjoy your Sunday. I know I will! I have an idea for the next blog. I'm always thinking of different things to share. Sometimes it's hard to limit it to just a couple of things for each blog to avoid it being a book. I know some of them are long!!

I saw the movie Eat, Pray, Love with Jess..and this song is the one they used. So it will be our song for the day. :) Florence and the Machine are great! Again, quirky and different.

Let me leave you with this. Ahhh, sometimes you don't need to go very far for inspiration. 

xoxoxoxo

Tam

Kick some toxin butt!

Good morning! Happy Friday!

It's been a good week. Steady and smooth. I truly hope I didn't just jinx myself. Still feeling a little sinus crap but definitely better. I am currently drinking my 24 ounces of water and brewing my coffee. So I am beginning this blog post without coffee. Perhaps I should post a disclaimer about what I will write before coffee enters my body! :D .........Eh, not doing too shabby I guess. Annnnd I just took a sip of coffee. Ahh love it. I am addicted to it. Sigh! :)

Quick shout out to my cousin Jeremy. I have a large family on my dad's side. My dad is the oldest. Then there is uncle Bill, Uncle Pat, Uncle Mike, Uncle Jon, Aunt Mary and Aunt Barb. And I have cousins from all of them. Jeremy is my Uncle Pat's second son. Did you follow that?? haha!......anyway he does movie reviews on Youtube and has been for a few years and is getting quite the following. Apparently he was in L.A. and met actors Nathan Fillion and Clark Gregg. They recognized him from Youtube. Haha! hilarious. So he then got to interview them. Good for him!! Here is a photo from that chance encounter. :)

If you want to check out his movie reviews, you can find them here. He's pretty funny! This one happens to be The Great Gatsby but he has them for pretty much every movie out and he has reviewed older movies too. We are a bunch of Star Wars nerds so they are in there too! :) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=46Z4V1dNyVM&list=PLAYVa_DOzj13EPAFRJHH2t8uQzpHlAY7c


I really want to get a Vitamix blender. It's like the badass Lamborghini of blenders. But it is very expensive. From what I understand you don't need a juicer and blender as it does the job of both but still. Cha-ching for a blender. Look at this sucker. I would totally pulverize the hell out of everything. I love to cook and puree and want a juicer too. But again, cha-ching! :/

Sometimes I just feel a need to detox myself. When you feel rundown and lack energy and just blah, a detox of some sort can help! It doesn't have to last forever..even a couple of days for a true "cleanse". However if you want to detox in normal, everyday ways..try to incorporate a few simple things into your routine. We all indulge in less than healthy things. Wine, beer, desserts, etc. And including these detox measures can counteract those indulgences as well as environmental factors.

First, drink a cold-pressed juice first thing in the morning on an empty stomach. Your body will absorb the good stuff better. A juice made with ton of greens is especially good. Also, buy a detox tea. Sip on ginger, dandelion root and licorice root a few times a day. Get raw, unfiltered and organic apple cider vinegar. Adding a small amount to a glass of water has amazing benefits including alkalizing the body and detoxifying the liver. And the daily lemon water as I have talked about a few times is a great way to detox. Add a dash of cayenne pepper for some extra "oomph".

Try to eat clean when you can too. Incorporate a lot of fiber and limit the processed stuff and refined sugars and the high mercury fish. That is a hard one for me because I love tuna salad! Ah well, there are other things I love just as much! A good rule of thumb is that larger fish generally have higher levels of mercury. There are certain foods that when eaten regularly provide a continuous cleanse of the kidneys and liver. These include parsley, cilantro (YUM! one of my favs!), cayenne turmeric, red pepper, garlic, lemon, lime, grapefruit, artichokes, beets and cruciferous veggies like broccoli, cauliflower and cabbage.

Sweating every day through exercise is a great way to detox daily! And I take a detox bath regularly. It's kind of a fun experiment. There are reports that if you have a night out and indulge in a lot of alcohol..and take a detox bath, you can smell the alcohol coming out. Interesting eh?? The reason for this is what the bath contains. Epsom salts draw toxins out through the pores and baking soda is naturally alkalizing and helps eliminate the toxins. Add some essential oils for more benefits depending on what you use.

Do this and feel a lot better and have more energy!!

I hope you all have a great weekend. Mine is super busy but a lot of fun things planned. I do work today and tomorrow but that's OK! :)

I will catch you on the flip side!!

I love this song. She's cool and quirky!

xoxoxoxo

Tam

A Hodgepodge Post!

Good morning! Happy Wednesday. 

I hope you had a good night. I did. I went to grab a bite with a group after work. I joined a couple of Meetup groups. They are just for getting out and doing various things. Hiking, etc. I have Tues free (custody wise) and my friends are not always able to get out that night so I joined one for local foodies to try various places. Pretty cool! Had some Italian Tapas and a glass of wine. The shrimp and creamy polenta and scallops were amazing. I did splurge on a scoop of Nutella Gelato too. Nutella is probably one of my favorite indulgences ever. But overall it was a light meal and I didn't feel stuffed. If you live in CT, try this place in Norwalk. http://barsugo.com/ Apparently their meatballs were great. It was very cozy too. 

The Vitamin-C serum I bought seems great! I don't want to give a true review until at least two weeks using it but I am happy with the results so far. I can have sensitive skin and it hasn't done anything yet and it just feels so smooth and soft. The brand is The Mad Hippie. You gotta love that name! And I found it much better priced on Drugstore.com. They have a whole line too. Check it out here. http://www.madhippie.com/ . It's all natural which I love. Vitamin C has been proven to be effective in anti-aging. Check out the ingredient list here and what each item does. http://www.madhippie.com/shop/vitamin-c-serum/

As with any vitamin-C serum, apply it and wait a good 20 minutes before applying any other moisturizer. Give it a good chance to soak into your skin. It takes very little so it will last a long time and it's probably a quarter of the price of most of vitamin-c serums out there. You can read the various reviews on their website and on Drugstore.com as well. And men, this can work for you too! :) 

I like to check out ideas for quick morning workouts. I can't get to the gym every day but I like to do something every day. As I've said before I will do calf raises at work sometimes when standing for awhile. I'm such a goof!! But they work. 

I just read this for a quick idea to burn 100 calories. 
March in place for 1 minute
Jog in place for 1 minute
Jumping Jacks for 1 minute
Long Jumps for 1 minute
Jog Lightly for 1 minute
Jumping Jacks for 1 minute
Squat and kick, Alternating Legs for 1 minute
Jog lightly for 1 minute
Long Jumps for 1 minute 

Most of that seems simple and easy enough. I'd like to test the calorie burn with a heart rate monitor to see. Long jumps though?! I'm not sure that would be great on my back!! With my clumsiness I just don't see that ending well. :p The rest are easy enough. Jumping jacks are great. If you want to get your heart rate up and it's hard to do anything else, do those! 

Here is another idea. The absence of long jumps seems safer for me!! lol! 
15 push ups
20 sit ups
25 squats
20 alternating lunges
80 jumping jacks
60 second wall sit
Repeat 3 times. 

As I type this, they just said on the news that the average woman's handbag contains more bacteria than the average toilet seat. And leather bags are the worst. Now that is disgusting!!! Thanks for such a lovely way to think during the day! hehehe! Now every woman is going to go disinfect her bag. :p

I have thought of doing this in the Fall. It's fun. I did the red ombre..but the red fades really fast. This would be subtle but fun. And temporary. I would only have it on the ends as the ombre style is. But this color is pretty and not too flashy. Hmm, we'll see!! I just luuurrrve purple. Not quite sure it needs to be on my hair yet though. It's badass in a mature way. 

This was one of my favorite songs for a long time when it came out. I was a whippersnapper...but it remains a favorite. I appear to have always been pretty eclectic with music. I come by it honestly as my parents are the same. I love Aimee Mann! She's been around a long time too! :) 

Yet another photo. It's a hodgepodge day here! I am so random. I hope all y'all don't mind! :D My mom, brother and myself. Proof that I've always been a goofy cheeseball! :) And hey my brothers socks match my shirt. That is not fashion that is easily copied! :p

"Beauty is not in the face; beauty is a light in the heart" - Kahil Gibran

Have a great day!! 
xoxoxo
Tam

Sinasssy?? Yuck!

Happy Monday, my friends. 

I still have today off, which is nice though I always have a lot to do on my days off. Tomorrow will be here in the blink of an eye. Dang it! But, keep it positive. I will focus on making today a good one. 

Yesterday was a nice day with my boys. We went out to eat and had fun. I did have to clean and do laundry too. Ahh, can I ever really just relax? haha! I have had this sinus pressure and cough for a few days. It makes me all fuzzy headed and a little pathetic. 

I had a good workout yesterday morning and will have another today. That did help to clear the "Ughhh" out of my head. Endorphins are a natural cure for many things and they keep me in a good mood. 

I am a fan of modern medicine and the miracles that have occurred but I just feel like some of the antibacterial products and antibiotics are only making us weaker and less able to fight off certain things. Some natural ways to handle sinus infections and not immediately jump to antibiotics are:

Your Diet, Avoid mucus forming foods like products containing flour, eggs, chocolate, fried foods, processed foods, sugar and dairy. Try to eat more whole grains, beans, lentils, lightly cooked vegetables and soup. And try to incorporate herbs and spices such as cayenne pepper, garlic, onion and horseradish in your meals to help eliminate excess mucus. I'm sure we've all had that experience of eating certain spicy foods and having our nasal passages cleared! 

Clean out your sinuses. Buy a Neti pot and dissolve a teaspoon of sea salt in 2 cups of warm water. Fill the pot and stand over the sink. Place the tip in your nostril and tilt your head allowing the water to run through the other nostril and out into the sink. Don't tilt your head back or you will reroute the water down your throat. Refill and repeat on the opposite nostril. 

Apple Cider Vinegar. When you first feel an infection come on, combine 1-2 teaspoons of apple cider vinegar in 6 ounces of water and drink 3 times a day for 5 days. It helps to thin congested mucus. This is something I have tried and it definitely works. Something that would normally last for days was better in 2 days. The pressure was immediately gone. 

I know this seems like a lot of work but it's a few simple things to incorporate into your day if you feel a sinus issue coming on. You might be surprised how effective they are. 

I bought a Vitamin-C serum. This serum is one of the best products for anti-aging but I refused (and can't) spend a ton on it. I found a fairly priced one and will see how it works for a couple of weeks. If I like it, I will share the brand with you. I have to say, after just a couple of days of use my skin is smoother than it's felt in awhile. Just more even. You can make your own as well and I may attempt that at some point. 

Also, I do have a confession. I am all about living and eating healthy but I do need to admit I have my favorite "bad" foods too. And it's the reason I could never be a vegetarian. I'm talking about bacon. I don't eat it a lot but I do think it's one of my favorite food groups! :p. It's like eating a little piece of perfection! I saw this and had to share. It's so true. I felt bad for a moment but then I didn't. Haha! 

I love this too! One of my favorite Beatles songs. Enjoy!! 

Have a great day everyone!! 

May the force be with you! 

xoxoxo
Tam

Yo Mama!! xoxoxoxo

Hi guys!

It's Mother's Day and the sun is shining and I intend to enjoy it with my boys. I woke up to my oldest shouting "Happy Mother's Day!!!" at 6:30 this morning and he was excited about giving me the presents he made in school. Sammy too though he is the one that likes to sleep in and didn't wake up for awhile after J.T. and myself. I've been feeling like crapola the last couple of days. Sinus/Allergy assiness.

I enjoyed my morning snuggles and coffee and then hit the gym where J.T. made me another sweet Mother's Day picture. He answered a bunch of questions about me. These are his answers. He got my age right first of all. Dang, maybe I should say I'm 29 forever?? :p...He says my favorite color is pink. It's purple and blue but that's OK!! I think girl = pink in his mind. He says my favorite food is potatoes. Hmm, not sure where that one came from though I do eat a lot of sweet potatoes so he's pretty observant. He says the thing I always say is "I love you"...which is true. I tell them that a lot. He says I laugh when he makes funny faces. True. He says "My mom and I like to go to the mall together". Haha! True. He wants to hit video game stores of course! He says "My mom really loves to cook" and that I cook the best chicken. And he says he loves me because I'm always giving him hugs. Sweet!!! :)

I told them they are the best presents ever. I know it's corny but it's true. Not sure what the plan is today but I'm sure we'll get into some trouble of some sort. And a good meal is definitely gonna happen. With chocolate. Maybe caramel. :)

This is when I became the mother of two little boys. This was September 5, 2009, about 24 hours post c-section, which I have had 2! My body is stubborn and does not like to progress. Thank God for modern medicine and the invention of the Caesearan. Love my babies!!

Hope you all enjoy your Sunday! I saw this and it's almost as if I wrote it! haha! Words to live by in my book. ;)

Happy Mother's Day!! And lots of love to my mother who is my angel guiding me every day. 

Edited...to add that I just watched Toy Story 3 with my boys and cried at the end again!! It kills me! Ugh!! 

Peace out yo!!
xoxoxo
Tam

Keep it simple.

Hi there. Happy Saturday! 

We were treated to a sunny, hot day yesterday and today it's back to gray and weird. Ahh, Spring!! :) I took my boys for frozen yogurt after work last night. That was fun and they enjoy it. They keep wanting to give me my Mother's Day gifts early. So cute!! 

It seems like every day there is new information in the news about what is good for us and what is not.  Sometimes there are healthy trends. And all these new bright ideas. I think there is relevance with some things but others...ehh..not so much. I tend to stick with the foods that have been around since the beginning of time. One great thing about our ancestors traveling, exploring and immigrating is they brought new foods to new places. I am personally very thankful for chocolate, coffee, tea and spices! And I grew up in the Willamette Valley in Oregon where the fertile land produced an abundance of perfect fruit and vegetables. There were areas where you would drive and smell mint in the air. It was a lovely way to grow up. These views were a normal part of life! Pretty nice right? :) 

Now on to the point of my post! The foods that are good for us and those that are not. I'm sure many of us get confused about what is really good for us. 

Agave syrup has been in the news a lot as a better alternative to sugar. Well, according to many doctors it's hardly any better than high fructose corn syrup and is in fact very high in fructose. 

Soy. It is advertised as a better alternative to meat and dairy. Unfortunately soy products are processed and often genetically modified. There are hundreds of studies that link soy to issues such as malnutrition, thyroid dysfunction, cognitive decline, infertility, birth defects, reproductive issues, heart disease and cancer. If you're a vegan, it's better to focus your protein from plant sources such as lentils, beans, chickpeas, quinoa and leafy greens. 

Fish. It is often farm raised and crammed into small spaces to increase production. These spaces are filled with feces and rampant with parasites and disease. Large amounts of antibiotics and chemicals are poured into the water to keep the fish alive under these dire circumstances. And we are then consuming this contaminated fish. Fresh caught is better but many fish are full of mercury which is the second most toxic element on Earth next to radiation. 

Fruit juice. It is full of sugar. Drink vegetable juice instead. And juice your own if you can. 

Subway. This restaurant is advertised as healthy. Their meats are processed and the sauces are full of sugar and preservatives. A fresh sandwich made at home or a deli is much better for you. Mayo, mustard are going to be better than those sauces. It's really not much better than going to McDonalds. You save on the "Frying" aspect...but that's about it! 

Olive oil. When consumed at room temperature it's fine but did you know when it's heated it turns into a carcinogen? Well, now you do! Coconut oil, Grapeseed oil and Safflower oil all have a high smoke point. Coconut oil is the best as it is stable against heat. 

These are a few ideas of the foods that are advertised as "healthy" and really are not. We are told certain things and end up just believing it. Yes fish is full of good things too but wow, when you compare it to the bad..it's definitely an eye opener. To me..when in doubt eat your fruits and vegetables, plant based proteins when possible. Keep your foods as clean as possible. Make your own sandwiches or at least use ingredients that are not full of sugar and junk. I read a lot of labels and the fewer and easier to read ingredients are those I generally go for. 

Have a great day! 

xoxoxoxo

Tam

Time to chill!

Good Mornin! 

First of all, it's a great day. One World Trade Center is now the highest building in the Western Hemisphere. The spire was raised today. :)

Happy Friday to you! I know many of you are excited about it. My "Friday" isn't until tomorrow..but it's SUNNY and pretty out after two days of rain and gloom. And humidity which made look like The Lion King! My hair was not to be tamed. Grrr!

Yesterday was what you call "One of dem days". I was very happy to get home and call it a wrap! Car troubles, headache trying to be a migraine, and certain people being their usual difficult selves. I took a hot bath and cuddled with my boys. The perfect remedy. I did have some chocolate too. Trader Joe's has this dark chocolate with caramel and coconut. Holy moley!! Good stuff! My shoulders and neck are so tight though. I need a good massage! 

Despite the day that it was, I still ate well! I was rushing in the morning but had Fage 0% yogurt with some peanut butter in it. Lunch was spinach and field greens pile with carrots, cucumbers and kidney beans and some tuna salad with tomatoes. Very good. In the afternoon I ate a bunch of blackberries. And for dinner I had chicken with Cholula chili lime hot sauce on it (YUM!), a baked sweet potato and sliced avocado. Quite satisfying! :) 

I have decided I want to go camping. I grew up camping in Oregon and loved it and my boys are old enough I think! I don't have any gear out here and need to acquire it..but then we are good to go! I just hope my back can take it! Ugh! Not sure how great sleeping on the ground will be for it. I need to look into products for that. Otherwise I will be walking like Quasimodo after! :p

My boys are so cute about the Mother's Day presents they have for me. And every time we go to a store they want to get me a Barbie! haha!! So sweet!

After a day like I had yesterday it's good to remind myself of ways to decompress. Or to just remember to slow down and find my balance. It was a hurried, hectic, stressful day and I couldn't wait for it to be done. Not good. Every day is not great....but there is usually something great in every day. And life is so short and so many people wish they had more time. 

One great way in this day and age to decompress is to put your computer and phone away. Technology is not always great and being connected at all times can hinder your day and keep you from relaxing. Try to limit how often you check your email. I know work often keeps us connected but if you can avoid it, do. Constantly looking at your phone is not a great way to make an impression either. I have been on dates that do that. It's pretty rude to be honest. If there is something pressing with your kids or they need to contact you then fine. Otherwise, put it away. 

Try to go easy on yourself. It's impossible to get every single thing done in the course of the day. Sometimes you need to know when enough is enough. And it can be bad for our health to put so much pressure and stress on ourselves. 

Try to have a bit of "you" time during the day. It doesn't have to be a ton of time. But something that you are doing for you. Even if it's going for a walk during lunch or reading a book, getting a mani/pedi, meditate, exercise, try to do something.

I have talked about getting plenty of sleep before. And a good 8 hours rest will do you so much good! I fell asleep early last night and slept hard. I needed it. The "lingering almost migraine" headache yesterday drained me. Along with the other stuff. And sleep was wanted all day and was bliss when it finally happened! 

For many, a social media "detox" can be good. I love certain things because it helps me connect with family and friends in an easy way but turning it off and focusing on old school ways of entertaining yourself can be very helpful to your psyche. Sometimes being so in touch with everything that is going on leaves very little to discover about people. Some mysteries are good! And connecting with friends in old school ways can be nice too. Friendship is not based on technology. 

And for me, a good hike and being outside in nature is very healing. I may need to do that on Sunday with my boys again! Seems like a great way to spend Mother's Day to me! :) And walking in grass is a great way to find your center. I was always barefoot as a little girl. I got stung by a lot of bees on the bottom of my feet because I was always running outside in the grass and wild flowers. I will avoid the bees now but  grass on the bottom of your feet feels awesome!! 

I hope you all have a lovely day wherever you are. And make it a great weekend! I know I will! 

This is one of my favorite songs. I know..what year was I born?!! lol! I have very eclectic taste in music and some of my favorites even surprise me. But this one is so pretty and hearing it puts me in a good mood. Or a better mood as I'm already in a good mood! :P And this is much better than the later "We Built This City" by Starship! Ugh! 

"It is only out of ignorance that people are cruel, because they really don't think it will come back" - Maya Angelou.


xoxoxoxo
Tam