Check out the Craft Can Award Ceremony*, the Beer Olympics, or find yourself at home in the nano beer garden or the VIP area. General Admission tickets are on sale now for only $25! Admission includes a a 4 oz sample can along with 20 samples from participating breweries! Are you a home brewer or a consider yourself a beer geek? Kick this festival up a notch with VIP tickets for only $100 and get an All-Access VIP lanyard and exclusive entry into the VIP Beer Garden, unlimited catered food and the special opportunity to meet and greet with some of these talented brewers and Beer Gods.
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*AmeriCAN Canned Craft Beer Categories:
I.P.A.
American Pale Ale
English Pale Ale
Wheats: Hefe’s, wits, & wheats
Stouts and Porters
Ambers and Browns
Golds: Blondes, pilsners, & light lagers
Fruit beers
Specialty beers
Read all the beer blogs at 52Beers52Weeks.com >> warning, might get thirsty
Beer: Leinenkugel Summer Shandy Beer Type: Berliner Weisse
Brewery: Leinenkugel Brewing Company
Location: Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin Serving Type: Bottle Color: Pale Golden Yellow Smell: Citrus Lemon Alcohol: 4.2% ABV Price: $13.99/12-pack
Leinenkugel’s Summer Shandy is one of those beers that goes down crazy smooth and is oh so refreshing. Easy to taste that it has been blended with lemonade and is the perfect beer to complement with the grill filled with brats and burgers. This has quickly become my go-to beer as the days heat up and I need a beer that will quench my thirst.
The brewery was founded in 1867 and has been run by 5 generations of Leinenkugel’s! Now that’s some history. Glad they merged with Miller to open up the distribution channels of this beer otherwise I would never have had the privilege of drinking it. This is one brewery that I would love to take a little visit and vacation to go and see!
Appearance: Pours with very minimal head which fades quickly. Love the uniform cloudy pale golden color as it pours out into a pint glass. Kind of resembles the color of straw.. It’s too bad that there isn’t more of a long lasting head to help lift aromas off of the beer.
Smell: More of a citrus-lemon smell comes across than hop aroma, which is just fine by me! I love the smell and taste of citrus, so Summer Shandy has a wonderful aroma to me with the deep lemon-citrusy scent. Pull up a pool and put your feet up as you take in the summer-in-a-bottle scent of this beer.
Taste: The mellow wheat flavor of the weiss beer is well tempered by the addition of lemonade. The citrus flavoring is not too overpowering and lets the flavor of the underlying beer shine through. This is a great brew to see if you like wheat beers. It is very light, and quite easy to drink when compared to other wheat bears. Could easily be garnished with a lemon or an orange, too.
Final thoughts, food pairings, appropriate venue: The word “Summer “in the beer name should be a big clue. This beer is light in flavor and suited for casual drinking on a warm day. The slightly lower ABV also helps promote promote easy drinkability. Those who are used to drinking more widely distributed domestic beers or who don’t like a strong hoppy beer flavor will find this beer quite easy to enjoy. This beer pairs well with lighter foods, BBQ, and goes very well with White Cheddar Cheese.
Their Social Accounts are not done by the company, but rather fans of the beer. They need to get on this!
Week 6 of 52Beers52Weeks.com was sponsored by Susie Galford with Talk Fusion. Talk Fusion offers the latest, cutting-edge Video Communication Products! Video Email, Video
Conferencing, Live Broadcasting, Video Auto-Responders, and Video Blogging! Just want to point out how Talk Fusion can be a powerful tool for attracting more business, and how it can be a profitable business in itself. Video Emailing can be fun whether you use it not only for business, but for personal use as well.
Thank you Susie for sponsoring my little beer blog!
This is Week 12 of 52Wines52Weeks.com wine blog and will give a synopsis of the first quarter wines and their sponsors. What a great way to start out 2012!
Week 1: Gloria Ferrer Blanc de Blanc Sparkling Wine Rating: Type: Sparkling Wine Thoughts: Crisp with wonderful overwhelming pear taste accented with Meyer lemons lend to its tartness. I’m a huge chardonnay fan, and I can taste the wonderful Carneros Chardonnay grape in every drop. Sponsor: Interior Designer Julie Heiland . Julie has a crazy knack for color and arranging your personal or business space so you actually enjoy being home living in it or working hard in it.
Week 2: Beaujolais-Villages by Louis Jadot Rating: Type: Red Burgundy Thoughts: It is very light, fruit forward, and an easy drinking wine with a light fruity finish. It is best decanted and given at least 30 minutes to open up and breathe otherwise it is very jammy and acidic. Sponsor: Scrapbook Extraordinaire Kelly Hammonds. Everyone has a story worth saving. Stories Savors shows you how to celebrate relationships through discovering your creativity, preserving your photos, and then sharing the moments that matter the most.
Week 3: Crush by The Dreaming Tree Rating: Type: Merlot & Zinfandel Blend Thoughts: Very fruit forward with a hint of smokiness and starts out very bold and strong. This wine really open ups when paired with food – especially hummus or hard cheeses. Sponsor: Single-Not-Broken Founder Lynda Bishop. Lynda is a Masters Level Therapist, a Divorce Recovery Coach, and an awesome Business Coach. As a therapist, coach, and community leader, Lynda loves nothing more than gathering with great women in her community and fostering a sense of unity, collaboration, and purpose for a better future for all of us.
Week 4: Syrah by Red Bicyclette Rating: Type: Syrah Thoughts: This wine tasted delicious and I could make out the blackberries that stayed on the back of my palate even after the first sip. As the wine opened up, it really had a beautiful velvety texture and had a very full, robust body to it. Sponsor: Half Moon Events by Christie Cothrun. Christie’s has her own boutique flower design studio and is an amazing floral designer and specializes in creating beautiful memories in some of our smaller Arizona towns like Globe, Miami, Heber, and Safford and even a few destination weddings.
Week 5: Layer Cake Malbec Rating: Type: Malbec Thoughts: It opened up into a smooth, rich wine that I kind of liked. It is definitely a wine that needs to breathe – so go ahead and pull the decanter out for this one. I would also pair it with some cheese like Parmesan or a berry fruit. Sponsor: Arbonne Martha Knight. With Arbonne, the products are all natural and plant-based, with none of the harmful chemicals. She shows through Arbonne’s health line how you can rid the toxins from your body which allows you to heal from the inside out.
Week 6: WineWrights Chardonnay Rating: Type: Chardonnay Thoughts: This chardonnay was well rounded with a more citrus tone than buttery. I could taste the pear undertones and the vanilla spice awaked my senses and was quite pleasing. Definitely serve this wine well chilled and would be great to eat with chicken or grilled salmon. Sponsor: Comfortable Weddings by Carol Hushek. Rev. Carol Hushek and her husband Fr. Jim Hushek have been marrying couples for over 30 years! Fr. Hushek is a Married Catholic Priest and is available for those in need of a Catholic ceremony outside the Catholic Church. Their focus is to plan your ceremony specifically to your desires.
Week 7: Elena by Bodega de Mendoza Rating: Type: Malbec Thoughts: This wine was very soft on the nose and had a robust flavor on the tongue. And in an instant it was gone. It doesn’t linger on your palate like some Malbecs. You taste its yummy goodness and then, whoosh, it’s gone. Sponsor: Uniquely U Jewelry by Pat Fehlhaber. Uniquely U Jewelry has one-of-a-kind jewelry that makes a lasting impression. These one-of-a-kind pieces are fashioned from hand-blown glass, forks and spoons, Peruvian, fashion, and vintage jewelry.
Week 8: Pinot Grigio Trentino by Bollini Rating: Type: Pinot Grigio Thoughts: So fragrant! I immediately tasted a nice ripe pear, and even a faint taste of melons on the finish. Very crisp, slightly dry, but not overly. And the finish – sweet nuttiness abounds. For me, I could taste the acidity in this grape, but overall, it has a really smooth acidic flavor for Pinot Grigios. It is light, crisp, and well balanced. Sponsor: ACN by Esther Zack. ACN has some great products for small business owners such as digital phone services, local and long distance, high speed internet, wireless, television services, home security, home automation, and customer support service.
Week 9: Syrah by Javelina Leap Rating: Type: Syrah Thoughts: The grapes are 100% Arizona Syrah! The abundance of blackberries hits right on the center of my tongue, is just a tish on the dry side, and opens up beautifully with the taste of vanilla and honey lingering on my palate. Sponsor:Javelina Leap Vineyard and Winery. Javelina Leap Winery is near Page Springs and Sedona, AZ. They have a Tasting Room open daily from 11am-5pm, and offer free winery tours with your wine tasting purchase every Friday and Saturday. They offer wine tasting flights and premium tastings too! Javelina Leap is offering 10% off any bottle!! Just mention this blog to receive your discount.
Week 10: Bryan Arden Syrah Rating: Type: Syrah Thoughts: Right away I could taste the deepness in the Syrah, there were so many layers of taste playing on my tongue. From blackberries to ripe black cherries, to the slight hint of pepper and even soft notes of vanilla from the oak barrels was present. It was a medium full-bodied Syrah with a lot of character and was kind of amazingly awesome. Sponsor: Kristi Trimmer with Orange Dragonfly Media. ODM is my little boutique marketing firm. At ODM, we pride ourselves on our graphic and web design and create a lot of awesome social media branding pieces like Facebook Cover Photos and custom Twitter Backgrounds. One thing we love to do at ODM is to teach people how to use social media for their small businesses.
Week 11: Ghost Pines Chardonnay Rating: Type: Chardonnay Thoughts: The wine gives off a citrusy apple aroma that somewhat resembles an apple tart. It has some amazing apple and citrus flavors that came bursting through the buttered toast flavors. Donated: Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) Muscle Walk Campaign. The Walk aims to raise money and awareness for MDA which is the largest non-government funder of research seeking treatment and cures for more than 40 neuromuscular diseases. Team Double Trouble was captained by Cassandra “Cass” Byrd (@aclevergirl) who’s 4-year old twins have Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) which is a form of MDA. Cass, along with her husband Chris (@justchrisbyrd), daughter Jenna, and twins Kyle and Lauren fight tirelessly to raise awareness and money for a cure.
Week 12: Whoops, no wine was harmed while the blog took a mini vacay. Have you tried any of the wines that were poured this quarter? What are you thoughts on them? Want to sponsor a wine blog for your company or organization? Contact us today to see what week bets fits your needs!
Find Kristi Trimmer with Orange Dragonfly Media here:
Apologies for not writing my blog last week. I am now on Day 8 of a seriously bad headache that just won’t seem to go away. Last Wednesday I experienced my very first migraine headache and it put me down. I couldn’t look at my computer screen nor even have the lights on – it was so painful. I still have it today. Doctor says I have to reduce my stress immediately, and lower my blood pressure. I have always had very low blood pressure, so it going high was very scary. Stress reduction, moist heat on my shoulders and neck, Epsom salt baths, and a required massage – love that last one. Because I don’t like to take a lot of meds, I am trying to combat this in a more natural way before I start taking anything stronger than ibuprofen.
With being down for the count, I haven’t worked out or ran this week. I do have another 5K this upcoming Saturday – nothing like running for the 3x without any training to go behind it! As part of reducing my stress I have agreed to start going to yoga again as that will help me breathe deeper, stretch my tensed muscles, and center myself again. Looking forward to being a yogi again – it has been way too long. What do you do to reduce your stress? Would love some other tips.
I was at our monthly NAWBO meeting today and I was pretty surprised and happy when two different people noticed I had lost weight. The biggest question was, how was I able to lose weight and drink wine every week. Easy – I went soy-free and gluten-little. I have lost 20 pounds so far since I have been eating for my allergy. Hoping that once I add exercise back to that, more weight will come off.
Speaking of wine, did you see my post last week from my wine blog 52Wines52Weeks.com? Tomorrow also opens up 2nd Quarter Sponsorship opportunities for the wine blog. Want your business highlighted and “make” me drink your favorite bottle of wine? Check out the details here: 52Wines52Weeks.com Sponsorship Form.
Always seem to have a wine glass in my hand… but this was taken awhile ago!
Lost: 0 pounds
What I Did Right This Week:
Drank a lot of water
Made my green shake a couple times
Made an amazing fish, asparagus, and Brussels Sprouts dinner
Stocked up on a lot of fresh fruits, veggies, and fish
What I Did Wrong This Week:
Still addicted to Pepsi – but have really limited it as the caffeine affects my headaches
Had a comfort food that I don’t like to admit – Taco Bell
Eating regularly, but not as nutritious as I should be
Goals For This Week:
Eat every few hours something small and highly nutritious
Eat 1 lemon daily
Eat an apple and an orange daily
Green shake 3x
Run 2x, Hike 1x, yoga
Meditate every morning
Goals For This Month:
Eliminate gluten and grains
Stay focused and motivated
Eat 2 cups of spinach a day & 2 apples every day
To not wake up by an alarm. I want to wake up in peace.
My intention for last week was Run Like The Wind. I ran in the Ryan House Run and actually hit my personal record of 44:05. I didn’t come in last in my age group, which was awesome – ok, 40 out of 42, but still! I had not ran on hills before and boy was my body sore the next day. I loved it though. I didn’t think that the run would ever end, but it did, and I felt very accomplished and happy with how I ran. Looking forward to the next one!
My intention for this week is Routine. There’s a reason why we try to get our children on a routine when they are younger – it helps them stay centered and feel balanced. I never thought I was the routine kind of woman, but I am. One thing I need to go back to is turning off my electronics in the evening and not opening my laptop up on the weekends and stepping away and living my life surrounded by friends and family. Couple that with bringing hiking and yoga back into my daily routine. The weather is beautiful right now and I haven’t enjoyed any of it this spring – time to change that. Balance, clarity, and getting back to a routine is what my soul needs to find peace, be centered, and to reduce my stress level to regular levels of nuttiness!
Today is a special day – only happens once every four years. For me, it helps me to put February to bed and get ready for an amazing March. This last week has been good for me. I have seen someone come back from the brinks of death, to the compassion of strangers, to having some amazing friends in my life that show me everyday how awesome the human spirit can be. I am a firm believer that we each have our own path to walk in life and that we are given obstacles and fears to overcome to test our strength and spirit. There are times when I know most of us question the reason behind things, at least I know I do. There was a reason I dealt with all I did in February, and there is a reason why I can now leave it behind and open up my arms and heart to the rest of this crazy awesome year. Because as you know, 2012 – this is my year!
Since I wasn’t able to run in a 5K last month, I am going to run in 3 this month to make up for it. The first one is this Saturday and is for Ryan House, which is a palliative and respite care facility staffed by medical professionals. Families with terminally ill children are invited to book a weekend there together to get away from their daily grind to a place which has the capacity to give great medical care if needed, or even just reserve a day for their medically fragile child to spend in a festive, caring environment while his or her caregivers take a few precious hours to themselves. My friends Cass & Chris Byrd with Byrds For a Cure, have awesome great twins with Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA), the same as Ryan from Ryan’s House. There are just two palliative care facilities like this in the US, and Phoenix is lucky to house one of them adjacent to St. Joe’s. I don’t ask for donations often, but today I am. Donate to our team as we run for those that can’t run for themselves! Donate here.
I haven’t ran since The Color Run, so this should prove interesting!! I am excited though to get back into my exercise routine again. I have made great strides in eating again and even have made some amazing dishes lately. Check out my Gluten-Free Lasagna, which was seriously the best lasagna I have ever eaten. Oh, and it’s soy-free too!
My friend Reagan, aka Captain America, was in a coma for 7 days and battled to live. He has a broken back, bullet holes, and other physical ailments, but I know the prayers and healing thoughts that my friends and readers sent him meant a lot to him. I just want to say Thank You for taking time out of your busy life to think about someone you probably don’t know and might never meet. I received many emails, phone calls, and people asking me everyday how he was doing, and for that, I will always be grateful. I am also indebted to those of you who checked in on my this last month. It’s not easy admitting when you need help and when you are not at your best, but my friends and online community really showed me that I was not alone, and that I was deeply cared for.
To not wake up by an alarm. I want to wake up in peace.
My intention for last week was Get Back Into A Routine. I actually was able to do this for the most part. I wasn’t able to get fitness back in there, but I am optimistic that this week I will. One step at a time. I have been working hard on client projects and getting back on track for the goals I have for my life and my business for 2012. I’m excited to March to start and to hit the ground running again. My business coach @CoachLynda is keeping me on track and not allowing me to fail – thank you for that.
My intention for this week is Run Like The Wind. It’s time to get fitness back, and running is part of my 2012 goal. I’m excited for this weekend’s 5K as it will be kind of like starting over. I have a triathlete friend now in town @RedHeadRNTris and am looking forward to her finishing the 5K and doubling back to get me! I am the type that is motivated hearing what my friends are doing, and there is no way I can hear someone working out daily without feeling a tad competitive. Time to run, hike, and get back into yoga – I’m ready!
Bring 2 quarts water to boil. Add rice pasta and 1 Tbsp sea salt to the boiling water. Keep heat on for 2 minutes. Turn off heat, keep lid on and allow pasta to cook in the water for 20 minutes.
Cheese Mixture
Add fresh chopped basil (I used Genovese and Purple Basil), parsley, and half of the oregano to a mixing bowl. Add in all the cheeses – cream cheese, Parmesan cheese, Cheddar, Chevre, and the sour cream. Mix well with the herbs.
Pasta Sauce
In a saucepan, heat up the pasta sauce. Add in the tomatoes, oregano, garlic salt, onion powder, Italian seasonings, and any veggies that you might like, including mushrooms, bell peppers, or spinach. Add in the ground turkey and heat for about 10 minutes.
Putting It All Together
In a 9×13 casserole dish, lay out a row of the lasagna pasta noodles. Spoon the pasta mixture on top of the noodles until it coats it evenly. The cheese mixture is not easy to just spread out. Either put it in a pastry bag or a sandwich bag and cut out a corner, or do what I did, and just plop gobs of cheese everywhere. Add another layer of noodles, sauce, cheese. Repeat until you have no more noodles or space in the dish. I always end with a layer of sauce on the top. Then spread the shaved Parmesan cheese and a little Cheddar cheese on top. In a preheated 400F oven, put in the uncovered lasagna and bake for 25 minutes.
My picture might not be the best, but this was by far the best tasting lasagna I have ever made. I served it at a networking event and it was a major hit.
Sometimes in life, we get so far inside our own mind that it is hard to pull ourselves out. February 2012 was a month of a lot of self-reflection for me on my beliefs, how I react to certain situations, and who I am as a woman. Some of the reflection was positive, and others, not so much. We each have things we don’t like about ourselves, but I am one that really tries to fix whatever that is and move on from it. Sometimes I am successful, and other times, oy vey, not so much. One thing that I have learned about me is my capacity for unconditional love. What does that really mean though? For me, it means loving someone through all their faults, past hurts, and recognizing their inner soul and who they are as a person. I mean, really seeing someone for who they are and who they are meant to be.
I think a lot of times we judge people without knowing their story. I don’t know about you, but I see this judging behavior starting very young. We judge people on the way they dress, how much they weigh, who their friends are, what their occupation is, and so forth. I don’t see a lot of people just accepting people for who they are, with no strings attached. When was the last time you sincerely looked at someone and didn’t judge them for a past behavior or action, and instead just accepted it happened, and moved on? There is real power in learning not to judge others, for you never know why someone does something, whether it was for good or they made a poor decision. I personally try very hard not to judge others, there are times when I fail at this, but I try each and every time. Until I have walked in their shoes, I don’t know how many times they had to stop to remove a pebble or retie their laces.
One thing I rarely do is ask for help. Nor do I ever talk about religion, spirituality, or any of those concepts, except with very close personal friends. Today though, I am going to do something out of the norm. I have a dear friend @ThatGuyReagan who is in the US Army and was severely wounded in Afghanistan on Saturday and is currently in ICU. I’m asking for your prayers and healing thoughts and energy to be sent to him and his family during this time. I personally want to thank all of our soldiers in our armed forces for fighting for our freedom, because freedom is certainly not free.
To not wake up by an alarm. I want to wake up in peace.
My intention for last week was Take One Day At A Time. I did do this. Every day, I concentrated on that moment and what needed to get done. Sometimes, the action didn’t get completed in the time I allotted, but I worked on it anyway. Things that normally took me one hour, were taking five. But I finished them. I feel myself able to work again, be creative, meet with clients, and generally get back to living again. One thing I learned, you definitely don’t operate at your regular pace when you are dealing with death and dying for weeks on end. And that’s ok, I’m human, I can’t be Super Woman ALL the time.
My intention for this week is Get Back Into A Routine. I like having a routine. I get up, stretch, meditate, then get ready for work. Whether I’m working from my home office, the local coffee shop, or meeting with clients. I tend to put in a 10-12 hour day. Then work out and make a healthy dinner. My couch likes to see me next. Rinse and repeat.
One thing I value about myself and this blog is that when I sit down to write, I do it from my heart and with complete honesty with myself. I don’t want to stop doing that this week. I lost 7 pounds this week, but honestly 10 pounds in 10 days. I didn’t eat any better, I didn’t exercise, I didn’t do any of the things I have been doing where I didn’t lose a pound. During the last 2 weeks I have been under extreme stress and emotional turmoil which led to a pretty big bout of depression. I know we are taught to think depression is something that only the weak suffer from or whatever negative connotation society has placed on it. Whatever you think of it, whether you think less of me, or you understand the pain behind admitting those words, this blog talks about it.
I’m not going to go into the issues of why the depression set in except to say that I had two funerals in a week, and some personal challenges in my life. What happened though created a state where I couldn’t eat, sleep wasn’t my friend, and I withdrew within myself. I don’t think for two days I actually said a word out loud. I might have typed it, tweeted my thoughts, or posted on Facebook, but I didn’t actually use my voice. This experience taught me a great deal of who I am, my insecurities, my fallacies, and who I am as an emotional person. Yep, I am. I feel with my whole heart, I love with my whole being, and I experience love and life to the fullest. I have very high walls of protection, but when you break through them, there is a person who is willing to show you their world.
Today I woke up wanting to be ok. The song Be Ok by Ingrid Michaelson was the first song of the day. Perfect timing. So today, I start taking care of myself again. I need to eat, go for a walk, accept myself for my faults, and honor the inner strength that wants to shine through. I will Be Ok.
Loss: 7 pounds
What I Did Right This Week:
Drank a lot of water
Went on a 3-mile hike
What I Did Wrong This Week:
Everything.
Had a couple Pepsis.
Didn’t eat for a few days – that has never happened in my life
This week wasn’t really about right or wrong, I was just trying to survive.
To not wake up by an alarm. I want to wake up in peace.
My intention for last week was Move Forward. You can tell that did not happen. I didn’t move, I was stagnant. And you know what, that is ok. I’m letting the past go. Today I am stepping out fresh. If I get knocked down again, I just have to get back up and put one foot in front of the other and try again.
My intention for this week is Take One Day At A Time. I have a lot of work to get accomplished, which is very good for me. So no big goals this week, just taking life day by day, hour by hour, minute by minute.
I’m not really in the mood to write today. I’m going to give it a try though. I’ve been back to my mother’s home state of Indiana and realized I miss this place and need to come back more often. It is snowing outside today, which has been pretty cool to see. Seeing my family and visiting with them has been good for my soul. I have had a few people come up to me and ask me if I was my mother. That was a tad shocking, but I said no, her daughter. And more than a dozen people have come up and touched my hair because they aren’t used to seeing someone with such dark gorgeous hair… all the thanks goes to @SMicheleRene who rocks my color world.
One thing that has been nice to see is that although not everyone here understands my food allergies, they have been really accommodating about it. I’ve had some really good comfort food too! Pot roast, mashed potatoes, and all the fixings. I’ve had some great talks about nutrition and exercise with @IndianaBackDoc and @KGirlTris. Those two really impress me with their clean eating ways and their dedication to keeping fit. I need to go back to putting fitness into my life each day. It’s a hard balance for me, but seeing the x-rays that we did at Miller Chiropractic Clinic, it isn’t a choice anymore. My neck is pretty out a whack, my hips go the wrong direction, and between the two of those, my body hurts all the time.
I’ve lost 2.5 pounds this week! I know my eating and sleeping patterns have been out of whack, but I am going to do everything I can to keep that weight off. I hit a milestone on the scale today and I am finally seeing the proof in what my body has been trying to tell me – it doesn’t like soy and it likes me eating whole fruits and vegetables, with some good farm-grown meat.
At my Uncle Tom’s House. See the little black cat?
Weight Loss
Loss: 2.5 pounds
What I Did Right This Week:
Went on a 1-mile run… but it was 34F outside and my body was having none of that
Did yoga to stretch out my sore muscles a few times.
Haven’t drank barely any water
Eating as little wheat and gluten as possible
Meditated each morning
What I Did Wrong This Week:
Had a couple Pepsis.
Ate some chips. I love chips. Salty ones.
This week wasn’t really about right or wrong, I was just trying to survive.
Goals For This Week:
Eat 1 lemon daily
Eat an apple a day to keep Doc away
To just breathe.
Run 3x, Nature Walk 2x,
Meditate every morning
Goals For This Month:
Eliminate gluten and grains out of my diet
Stay focused and motivated
Eat 2 cups of spinach a day & 2 apples every day
To not wake up by an alarm. I want to wake up in peace.
My intention for last week was Appreciate Life. What this trip did for me was to appreciate my roots. I loved seeing my family and spending time with them. It was also pretty cool to talk to cousins I hadn’t ever met and hear they read my blog and keep up on my life! Who knew? I also really love my family and I appreciate each of them and the life lessons they share with me. I don’t think I say that enough, but thank you.
My intention for this week is Move Forward. I need to take one day at a time. Get back into my routine and back to making this the best year possible. I want to go to Europe something fierce, and now I have an awesome reason to visit Germany. One foot in front of the other, I can do this.
Last week I was a day early, and this week a day late. Whoopsie! What a whirlwind week it has been! I saw so much new technology and gadgets at the Consumer Electronic Show (CES) in Las Vegas. I was really excited to see the all-in-one PC from Microsoft – pretty much looks like a big TV that’s touch screen and has your computer built in. One word – Awesome. Loved the new voice and gesture TV that Samsung had – you can walk into a room and just tell your TV to turn on and tune into your favorite show. And the cars! OMG – there were so many cool cars with crazy technology in love. I loved all of Ford’s offerings, but I did salivate quite a bit over the Audi’s rolling out with Kinect installed in them. I am in the market for a new TV and car this year too, so it was great to see what is new on the market.
Here I am at the CES MashBash.
I tried very hard each day to be a conscious eater. I failed at some things, and succeeded awesomely at others. I didn’t have breakfast any of the days, but did munch on some fruit & nut bars I brought with me. I put half a lemon into my water every morning and then again at lunch – this was by far the best thing for me. I had a bunch of healthy snacks throughout the day including nuts, raisins, peanut butter, and hydration beans. I found a food truck that served Mahi tacos and had those a few times – they were yummy delicious and paired nicely with the sweat potato fries. Happy to report that I even lost a pound while on the road! I was so excited about that!
Here was my status update one morning. This conversation reminded me why I blog about weight loss. Because it’s hard, sometimes even humiliating to talk about. But I know I made an impact in this man’s life, and that is really what it is all about. I saw him later that day and he had told everyone at Nokia about me and also how he ate everything I gave him and didn’t have any of the crap food that was available at the conference. Made me smile.
I just sat next to the most amazing man on the bus. He said he was sorry I had to sit next to the biggest guy. I told him about my weight loss blog. He said he just started his own journey but struggles on the road. I gave him all my nutritious snacks I had so he could start today on the right track.
I’m a Graffiti Artist at MashBash!
Weight Loss
Loss: 1 pound
What I Did Right This Week:
Eating 1 lemon every day. Squeeze 1/2 into my water in the morning and then again at lunch. Even while on travel!
Making green shakes. Lots of them with spinach, kale, apples, cranberries, and citrus << so good!
Eating as little wheat and gluten as humanly possible << although I can’t seem to kick this completely
Made a huge batch of Mexican Quinoa and have been eating that most of the week
Meditated each morning
What I Did Wrong This Week:
Had a couple Pepsis
I found it very hard to work out while in Vegas and when I came home my cat attacked me. He punctured my calf so bad that I have been limping for 5 days, had to get a tetanus shot (which hurts so much), and on antibiotics too.
Haven’t made it back to yoga yet
Goals For This Week:
Eat 1 lemon daily
Break in my new running shoes. My 1st 5k is 7 days away and I haven’t trained at all!!
Training for my upcoming 5k. Run 3x this week.
Run 3x, Hike 1x, Gym 2x, Yoga 2x
Meditate every morning
Goals For This Month:
Eliminate gluten and grains out of my diet
Stay focused and motivated
Eat 2 cups of spinach a day & 2 apples every day
To not wake up by an alarm. I need to wake up at 5:00am… then I better be in bed by 9. I wake up so angry whenever my alarm goes off, I want to wake up in peace.
My intention for last week was Trust in Myself. I truly believe that you have to trust in yourself in order to build your future. Everyday I do this a little bit better. Had a couple hard days in Vegas, but I realized, I make my own path and I have to travel down it to know what is right for me. I definitely believe this statement: This is my year 2012!!
My intention for this week is to Process Everything. I don’t want to lose sight of what I have experienced and what I still need to accomplish. I’ve been going so fast lately, that I haven’t taken any time for myself. This weekend, I need to change that. I will venture out for a hike and bring my journal so I can sit and process everything that is going on in my life. That 2 hours will center me and help me clear my head and process through everything on my mind. I can’t wait!
I am a Social Media Specialist and Editor based in Phoenix, AZ. I absolutely love everything about organic gardening, decadent food, and my all time love, yummy wine. ~ Read More
Welcome to my lifestyle blog! I'm single with a passion for life and love good food and wine while trying to eat healthy. Here is an overview what you will find on my Blog:
Manic Mondays, Tech Tuesdays, Weigh-In Wednesdays, Green Thumb Thursdays, and Foodie Friday
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