Photo Shoot

My dearest daughter loves to have a photo shoot every once in a while. She dresses in her blog colors (really!) and we go outside and take some pictures for her to post. Today I was dressed up for Torah study and she suggested I have a photo shoot of my own - she thought I needed a new picture for my profile. It's fun to have a teen aged daughter. How did I ever get along without one for so many years? Here's one of my favorites from our little outing:

Like basketball? You will after this.

Thanks Lanita - I loved this video.

Challenge Update and Check In

We're 22 days in to the 30 day Fresh Thoughts Challenge. Can you believe it?

How are things, ladies? Are you meeting the goals that you made for yourself?

I've been getting in my five workout days most weeks. In fact, a neighbor invited me to come to her gym with her, she gave me a free week pass. I've been having a great time taking different classes. I've tried the water aerobics, which I've never done before and thought would be really easy, ha!, as well as some regular classes. Today we plan to meet up for some weight training and a bit of cardio on the machines. I've really enjoyed the novelty of the whole thing.

What about you ladies? Jennifer, Amy, Dalyn, Beulah, Kim, Rachel, Grace?

Free!

Interested in getting this book for free? Go here to download your copy.

Need a Laugh?

Then "check" out this "post" by Beulah.

This Morning...

Breakfast is on the stove but so is a pot of chicken. I'm working on chicken noodle soup for my little sickies.

Here's one of them. He's been up much of the night and is now resting on the couch in the living room. Poor little guy. He has had a fever, runny nose and just feels really crummy.

But not my little side kick - she's ready and raring for another day. She won't even stay still for an early morning picture.

I've got a lot of things on my to do list today:

Meet with a friend for an aerobics class at 9

Lunch date with my husband at 1:30 - a.k.a. nap time :)

Quilting class with Sissy at 5:30

In between those - make meals, school children, laundry, the never ending job of cleaning up and of course, blogging!

I hope you have a wonderful day. Don't get so busy that you let your eating and exercising go by the way side. Be mindful of what your goals are and do something to accomplish them today!

Five Ways to Oatmeal

Oatmeal is the standard breakfast during the winter around here. I think I serve it about twice a week at least. But sometimes my kids groan when they come downstairs and see the pot boiling on the stove.

One time I had a bunch of apple pie filling in the freezer that I'd made in the fall thinking I'd make apple pies for my family. Well, that didn't happen. But it did go in to the oatmeal every once in a while and, I can tell you with out a doubt, that my children really loved that!

Since apple pie isn't super practical for every day or super healthy either, I've been on the look out for new and inventive ways to serve up our old stand by. Check out some ideas I've found - here are new and different ways to serve our old favorite:

Pumpkin Spice: Stir in a can of pumpkin puree (this is for multiple servings - if you are doing just one, adjust the amount), some ginger, nutmeg, cinnamon and brown sugar.

Strawberry Swirl: Add slices of fresh berries, or thawed frozen berries in their juice, to your cooked oatmeal then add a little strawberry jam for sweetness.

Fruit and Nut: Add chopped dried apricots, dried plums and rasins as it is cooking so the fruit plumps up a little. Then add some toasted, chopped walnuts and almonds and a touch of honey.

Banana Walnut: Top your cooked oatmeal with sliced bananas, chopped toasted walnuts and a bit of honey.

Oatmeal Cookie: Add all the flavors that make oatmeal cookies so good: vanilla extract, some raisins, cinnamon and a little brown sugar.

These recipes are from Small Changes Big Results, a good book if you are looking for a slow but steady progressions to changing your lifestyle toward healthier eating and fitness.

I made the pumpkin oatmeal today. And, my kids really loved it. My husband even thought it was great, he said we should market it. So, you know it's good.