Tooth Fairy

The Tooth Fairy came for the third time to our house the other night! I pulled it out for my 6 year old. And it is NOT as fun as it used to be when I was a kid. It made me sick to my stomach! She was so excited. She couldn't wait to go to sleep!

Malayna with tooth #3 - top front tooth

A few things I learned - and thankfully by just the third tooth. 

Write down how much you the Tooth Fairy gives. For the first tooth I thought she got $5.00, well she thinks she got $10.00. I'm hoping by the time Jayden loses his first tooth she won't tell him that. For the second tooth she got $1.00, she said she got coins, "lots of coins". I don't know if I just didn't have a dollar bill and I came up with a dollar in change??? So I wrote down in my iPhone exactly how much I gave!

Make believe yourself! I made a mistake with the first tooth and I told her that I was the Tooth Fairy, I gave her the money. I just didn't want the Tooth Fairy to get credit for the work that I do.... I got over myself....  After much some reprimanding from friends and family, I decided it's ok to make believe. So by the second tooth I told her that the Tooth Fairy let me do the first tooth because it was special to me. She bought it.

Have fun with it! After my selfish act I decided to figure out a way to make it really special. A friend told me that she had tea and a piece of cake for the Tooth Fairy sitting out (and then the tea was gone and just crumbs were left by morning). She shines up the quarters with glitter, for Fairy dust. And makes footprints around the tea. I recently heard that someone makes footprints in the glitter with Barbie feet to make it look like Fairy feet. So I had Malayna put her tooth in a ziploc bag (I need a better way) under her pillow. And the Tooth Fairy put fairy dust all over the dollar bill (I didn't want to post a picture, so people don't think I'm trying to print my own money) I had ultra fine glitter - gets on everything - but is super pretty and shiny. I put that in the bag and put blue regular sized glitter in the bag. She LOVED IT!!!! YAY! Success!

Since Malayna was getting all the attention, Jayden, 4, was pretty bummed. He said the Tooth Fairy would never come visit him. Even after I told him she will when he loses his tooth. So I had to take a picture of him when I took a picture of Malayna. I also decided a note from the Tooth Fairy would be special. The next morning he was excited about his note. But he told me "I know this isn't really Fairy dust. This is actually glitter" I told him that's what Fairy dust looked like. He wasn't buying it. Such a boy!

I had to give kudos to myself!

So hopefully you learned from my mistakes and you got ideas for your own Tooth Fairy files! 

Happy Fairy-ing!

Three Low Cal - Healthy Recipes

So I came across some recipes that I tried & loved! And I thought they were worth sharing on here :)

1) Pumpkin Spice 'Latte'
I say Latte very loosely since I don't have a Latte maker! Of course this was wonderful around Thanksgiving time. But I guess you can make it when you're wanting to be in the fall mood.

Pumpkin Spice Latte‎ Recipe

2 Cups of Milk (I used Light Soy Milk)

2 Tablespoons of canned pumpkin
2 Tablespoons of sugar (I used a sugar substitute)
2 Tablespoons of vanilla extract
1 teasoon of pumpkin pie spice
1 cup of coffee

Directions:
in a saucepan combine milk, pumpkin & sugar. Cook on Medium heat. Stirring until steaming. Remove from heat, stir in vanilla & spice. Transfer to blender and process for 15 seconds (if you don't use a blender, whisk with a wire whisk)

Pour into large mug (or Mason jar) & pour the coffee on top

You can top with whip cream & sprinkle with pumpkin pie spice, nutmeg or cinnamon (I did not)

For the entire 32 ounces it is 210 calories. I drank half after I made it and then the other half in the morning for an Iced Pumpkin Spice Latte

Recipe via a MyFitnessPal friend

2) Single Serving Brownie yum!

I normally don't eat past 9pm but the other night I really wanted a brownie! I did not want to make a whole batch, nor did I have all the ingredients. SO I found this recipe Single Serving Brownie! And boy oh boy was it delicious!!! and it hit the spot with only 100 calories!

Single Serving Brownie

1 TBSP flour (could be whole wheat)
1 TBSP sugar (do not substitute - it says)
1 TBSP unsweetened cocoa
a pinch of baking soda
a pinch of salt
1 TBSP of low fat vanilla yogurt (I did not have, so I used applesauce)

Mix together in a microwaveable bowl, you may need to add more yogurt/applesauce until you have the right consistency. It needs to look like batter. I added mini chocolate chips on top.

Pop it in the microwave for 1 minute (depending on your microwave - I did 55 seconds)

And voila - your 2 minute brownie!!! 

3) No-Bake Energy Bites 

I saw this a while ago on Pinterest but had not made it. While laying on the couch with my kiddos, with no energy, I decided to see if these really were energy bites! And I had all the ingredients! So here is the recipe for the No-Bake Energy Bites and I added 2 scoops of protein powder (I saw where someone else added 2 ViSalus scoops) 

So after I got it out of the fridge and I couldn't make very good 'bites' (I don't know if the extra protein powder is what made mine dry) I added some more honey & more peanut butter. Much better! I have to admit, I ate several of these as taste testers. Oh, and these are 110 calories.

Do I have energy now??? possibly... they are pretty much granola bars like the ones you can buy.... so would I make this again.... maybe because the possibilities are endless as to what ingredients you put in!

Left - the DRY bite.                                     Right - the formable bite

I hope you can enjoy these and please share any great recipes you've tried & like :)

The Truth

the truth is....

today, December 1st, is the first day I have not cried about my Granddaddy since November 20th. 

November 16th my Aunt informed us that my Grandaddy was not getting better. 

They were just making him comfortable.

Sunday, November 20th, I asked my cousin (who is a Nurse at the Nursing Home he was in) to call me when she was there so I could talk to my Granddaddy. Four years ago my Grandmother passed away. I did not talk to her in her last days, I wish I would have. So my sweet cousin called me, held the phone up to my Granddaddy while me & my older sister told him we loved him. His voice was hoarse, but he tried to respond to us. My cousin said he opened his eyes and she could tell he was listening to us. I cried after the phone call, knowing it was near the end. 

Monday, November 21st, they gave a guess of 48 hours. 

I cried.

Tuesday, November 22nd at 5:50am, my Granddaddy, 88 years old, passed from this earthly life. I cried.

Wednesday & Thursday, reminiscing on his life. I cried.

Friday, November 25th, my parents, my older sister, my littlest child & I were in Tennessee for the viewing at 5:00pm....... I could not stop crying...... seeing him in that casket...... 

knowing this was it.....

I talked with my cousins, looked at pictures of Granddaddy. I was doing ok..... then I wanted to go to the casket once more before we left that night..... I cried. 

I then realized that I was not ready to say good-bye to his ears. Funny, I know. His ears were big, he could wiggle them! As a little girl that was the most fascinating thing ever. And I would practice and practice, all of the Grandchildren would. When each Grandchild reached that achievement, we would call Granddaddy on the phone and with much excitement say "I can wiggle my ears!" 

Saturday, November 26th was the funeral. Closing of the casket was the worse. I cried.

Sunday, November 27th, I heard Tender Tennessee Christmas and I cried. Remembering what that song meant to me growing up. We loved going to Tennessee for Christmas!

Monday, November 28th, I did not want to get out of bed. My eyes felt like sandpaper. I made myself get out of bed, go work out. Tuesday is my sleep in day, so I slept/laid in bed as much as I could. Tuesday I admitted to myself, I was in depression mode. I did not want to do anything....but I had to.

Well, I said I did not cry today, now I wrote this and tears are flowing.

I know my Granddaddy is no longer suffering. I know he has a Heavenly body now. But this flesh of mine is still sad. I miss him & my Grandmother. 

I do not know how people can go on when they lose a parents.... I do not know how people can handle death when it is unexpected..... I do not know how people can do this when they do not have strength from God.

....so.... there is my truth.....

2009 - Granddaddy & me - he is making peanut butter & Karo syrup for me

Water Retention Detox

So, I've heard alot about "oh that's just water weight".... so I went on a quest to figure out if I had any water weight. I googled how much I'm suppose to have, couldn't find a straight forward answer. I have a Weight Watchers scale that shows the percentage of water. Mine was 53%.

I found Jillian Michaels' Water Retention Detox so I thought I'd give it a try. First challenge, find Dandelion Root Tea. I asked my husband to do so because he was going to Whole Foods anyway. He came back empty handed. "There were so many teas, I looked over and over" So I googled it. Found out Whole Foods carried it, called ahead, the verified they had it. I went & picked it up. (I also saw it just the other day at Kroger in the organic section.)

Then I couldn't tell if Jillian wanted me to brew the tea or just put it in the 60 ounces of water.

Day 1 - I put JUST the tea bag in the 60 ounces of water and let it sit overnight. It tasted like lemon water. At first it was hard drinking that much water. I drank 24 ounces before lunch. Another 24 ounces before dinner. And the remainder before bed.

Day 2 - I decided to brew the tea according to the box. It tasted a little more bitter. Drinking 60 ounces was easier today, I was in a rhythm.

Day 3 - No difference on the scale, still 53% water. Drinking away.

Day 4 - My teeth started to hurt. I think because of the lemon.

Day 5 - I see no difference, I think I'm just gonna quit at day 5. Not because I'm a quitter, but my teeth REALLY REALLY hurt today!!!

Day 6 - Drank 48 ounces of water, at least. And I'm going to drink 48 - 60 ounces a day. Made myself a cup of the dandelion root tea with sugar substitute. A little bitter at the end, but what herbal tea isn't?!?!

So I am NOT saying it is a waste of time, nor am I saying I lost 5 pounds in 7 days! :) I'm just giving my two cents, hope it helps! :)

Commit to be Fit!

As most of you know, since February I have been working out with a wonderful group Baby Boot Camp https://www.facebook.com/babybootcampcharlottesville

I was not into working out.... I said I would never count calories.... I was not competitive....

February 2011
(the only full length shot I have during those days)

Since February I have lost 25.5 pounds, my BMI is Normal, Jillian Michaels says I am at my Reasonable Weight (maybe at the top of it...but still) I have posted small victories on FaceBook. I have posted pictures & people can tell my weight loss. But I have not been gung ho about being super fit!

"30% Gym 70% Diet. Abs are made in the kitchen, not the gym"

Why? I have doubted myself.... I have been afraid that I would gain the weight back. And people would talk about me, 'the girl that gained it all back'... I have underestimated myself.

So,  I have decided that I will not be that person. I have a new motto (thanks to Pinterest)


"I'm not losing weight. I'm getting rid of it. I have no intention of finding it again"

August 2011

So if you have been scared to start a fitness plan... don't be.... if I can do it so can you!

"No matter how slow you go, you are still lapping everyone on the couch"

Potty Mouth (not for the weak stomach)

When I found out I was going to be a mom (over 5 years ago) I did not realize how much of my time would be spent in the bathroom!

It starts when you're pregnant. Puking your guts out at any bathroom you can run to. Toilet seat brands like Bemis, American Standard, and Kohler become your buddy. You're squatting on the bathroom floor, trying to quit puking. And you think to yourself "hey, Target has this same toilet"

Then the baby comes. And diapers and diapers and diapers full of surprises for you.

You potty train them. Even at 5 years old wiping your own booty is a difficult task. So, dinner time "Mommy, wipe my bottom!", nap time "Mommy, I need you" waking up in the morning "Mommy, I'm in the bathroom!" Sometimes with all 3 of my kids it is not uncommon for me to wipe 3 booties in a matter of 10 minutes or less!

July 4th 2011 is when I realized that my life is a toilet! My 4 year old got sick. There were countless trips to the bathroom for puking & diaroo. Then a couple days later my 5 year old got sick. Same thing. The whole time my 14 month old is teething, therefore having diaroo several times a day!!!

So, to all you soon to be moms out there....sorry to break it to you....
life is a toilet!!!

My Older Sister

My older sister Manisha is the best.

May 2011

When I was a tween I would have my mom measure my hair to see if it was as long as Manisha's.When I was a teenager I would go into her room and try on her clothes because I wanted to be just like her! When I joined the youth group I was SO excited to get to do everything with her. When she got her drivers' license I was her front seat passenger any time she would let me. I wanted to do everything with her.

September 1985 (L) Michelle 5, (R) Manisha 8

I still talk to her every day. I still call her if I need advice on how to handle a situation. Even if she doesn't always have the solution, she always gives me a different perspective and makes me feel better. She can tell me what I need to be doing in such a loving way.

February 1986, (L) Manisha 8, (R) Michelle 5

She is a wonderful example of a Christian. She does not waiver. In this crazy world, where Christians are turning away from what they know is truth. Manisha does not. She has God for herself, and no one can make her change. Her favorite Scripture:
Romans 8:38-39 KJV

 ³⁸For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,

 ³⁹Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

at our Grandparents house in TN, (top) Manisha, (bottom) Michelle

She is stubborn, but for good reasons. She is the peace maker, tries to make people get along. She is the mentor, always there for advice for her sisters, mom & friends. She is my friend....she is my sister!!!

Although I may not have turned out exactly like her....I have so many good qualities that I have learned from her!!!

May 2011Manisha Dian - I LOVE YOU!!!