Jammy Jams - "Eighties Babies: Awesome '80s Go Lullaby" CD

Disclosure: I got this product as part of an advertorial.


I love listening to music with my daughter and dancing with her. When it is close to bedtime I turn off the TV and play some lullaby CD's that I received at my baby shower. After listening to them over and over I got so bored of them. How many times can you listen to "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star?" That is why I was so happy to review the Eighties Babies from Jammy Jams. It's a modern twist on lullabies using popular 80's songs.

The CD works for me and my daughter. It soothes her to sleep and keeps me entertained while I put her to bed. These are the "lullabies" you get with this CD.

1. Video Killed The Radio Star (originally by The Buggles)
2. Careless Whisper (originally by Wham!)
3. Don’t You Forget About Me (originally by Simple Minds)
4. Time (originally by Culture Club)
5. The Beautiful Ones (originally by Prince)
6. She Sells Sanctuary (originally by The Cult)
7. True (originally by Spandau Ballet)
8. Catch My Fall (originally by Billy Idol)
9. In The Air Tonight (originally by Phil Collins)
10. Private Eyes (originally by Hall & Oates)

If you love 80's music and have a baby or young toddler this one is for you. Check them out at http://www.jammyjams.net/ where you can learn about their other CD's that include anything from Hip Hop to Heavy Metal. You can also purchase them here: http://jammyjams.bandcamp.com/merch

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

DynaPro Direct Resistance Bands #Review


Every day I am incorporating more and more exercise by going to the gym, taking walks and slowly adding strength training. When I go to the gym I hit the treadmills and then go home. I am definitely not ready to hit the weight room or use those bulky strength training machines. I wanted to do strength training at home without having to buy dumbbells so I opted for the next best thing resistance bands.

I was lucky to get to review the DynaPro Direct Resistance Bands. As soon as I got them I noticed how much stronger and durable they were than the ones I used years ago. I love the D handle with the comfort grip. It makes it so easy to hold and won't slip or hurt your hand like the standard fabric handles.


The bands are made of anti-snap material that is 100% dipped in latex.


I had a lot fun with the resistance bands because there are a ton of exercises you can do with these. I did the 20 minute Spark People Workout. I then moved on to the more advanced moves from Shape.com a couple of days later. The next day after my workouts with my resistance band I could totally feel that my muscles were sore but a good sore that showed that I had a great workout. 

You can find out more information about the DynaPro Direct Resistance Bands here: http://dynaprodirect.com/ or order them from Amazon,

**I received a free DynaPro Direct Resistance Band for my review. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be a good fit for my readers. All opinions are 100% my own.

Quiet Book How To Series: Shapes and Paper Doll Page #Tutorial


This is the fourth part of the Quiet Book How To Series. You can check out my posts below to make the pages for part one, two and three:
Title Page
Picture Page and Numbers Part 1 Page
Numbers Part 2 Page and Shapes Part 1 Page

From now on we will be making two pages, a front and back. The front is part 2 of the Shapes Page. The back page is part 1 of the Paper Doll Page.

Shapes Part 2 Page
  • 5 sheets of 9" x 12" felt in light blue, blue, green, yellow, red 
  • Shapes 2 Page Template*
  • Black Sharpie or fabric marker
  • Velcro
  • Fusible Web
  • Sewing Machine
  1. Print out Shapes 2 Page Template.
  2. Cut a piece of fusible web large enough to cover the page. Place printed paper under fusible web. You should be able to see the printed paper through the fusible web. Trace the shapes. Cut each shape apart.
  3. Place each fused paper shape on top of a different color of the pages. You want each shape to be a different color (make sure you use the same color for each shape. Like all the heart's should be red, etc). Iron on, cool slightly then cut out shape and peel paper. 
  4. Take each shape and iron on to a piece of felt the same color. Cut around the shape so that now you have a shape with two layers. 
  5. Sew around each sandwiched shape using a straight stitch.
  6. Cut out the shapes from the template you printed. Place the pentagon and heart three inches below the top of the light blue page. Using the sharpie, trace around each shape. Go down 2 inches from the shapes you just traced and do the same for the remaining shapes. 
  7. Cut Velcro into about 1/2" squares place in the middle of each traced shape. Sew around each Velcro using a sewing machine.
  8. Place remaining half of each piece of Velcro on to the middle of each sandwiched shape and sew around. 
Paper Doll Page
  • 4 sheets of 9" x 12" felt in skin color, light pink, dark pink and cream 
  • scraps of different colored felt for the clothes and trim
  • small piece of black felt (or any hair color your want)
  • Paper Doll Template (from Serving Pink Lemonade - scroll to the bottom)
  • Velcro
  • Fusible Web
  • Sewing Machine
  1. Cut a 4" x 12" strip from the dark pink. Place on top of the cream sheet and line up to the bottom and side edges. Sew top of edge of the pink strip. This is the rug of the room. 
  2. Print out paper doll template and place doll under a piece of fusible web. Trace and cut out. Iron on to skin color sheet and cut out. 
  3. Place a blank sheet of paper on top of doll template. You should be able to see the doll through the paper. Draw on some underwear. Place a small piece of fusible web on top of underwear and trace. Iron on fusible web to light pink fabric and cut out. Peel off paper backing and place on top of doll and iron on.
     
  4. Design some hair using the same method in step number 3. You should now have a doll with underwear and hair ironed on.
  5. Peel off paper backing from back of doll and hair and place on top of cream colored sheet with rug. You want the doll to be a least 3 inches from the bottom. Iron on. Sew all around the doll to the sheet. 
  6. Using a fine tip black and pink sharpie, draw on the features of the dolls face.
  7. Using the doll template and scraps of felt create some clothes for the doll. If you are using trims use the method above to iron on fusible web and iron on to the clothes.
Finishing
  • 4 sheets of card stock
  • 2 grommets
  1. Take the two completed pages and sandwich them together. The numbers page should be on top and the shapes page behind. Stitch a 1/4" seam around 3 sides of the two pieces of felt. 
  2. Slip all of the card stock sheets into the opening of the felt pages you just sewed. Sew the opening shut.
  3. Place grommets 3 inches down from top and bottom on the left side with the shapes page facing up. 
  4. Attach to the rest of the pages using the rings.
* To print templates and printables: Click on the link, Download, then Direct Download. Save onto your computer where you can easily find it. Then Open the file, press File.. Print and pick the Actual size option.

** Stay tuned for my next tutorial where I will be making a page for part 2 of the paper doll page and part one of the barn yard page. 

Super Easy Nutty Fruit and Yogurt Parfait #Recipe


Berries and plain yogurt are my favorite things to snack on. Though I love to eat just plain Greek fat-free yogurt by the spoonfuls I decided to jazz it up a little.

  • 6oz container of plain fat free Greek yogurt
  • 1 tsp agave nectar
  • 1/4 cup fresh blueberries
  • 1/2 cup chopped strawberries
  • 1 tblsp crushed macadamia nuts
  1. Mix agave nectar into yogurt.
  2. Place fruit into serving bowl and top with yogurt. 
  3. Sprinkle nuts on top and enjoy!

2 Months and 1 Week Down


Yesterday was weigh in day and I lost 3.8 pounds bringing the total to 31.4 pounds loss. I followed the Dr. Oz Rapid Weight loss Plan but I deviated a little by having a small amount of cheese and eating a grapefruit a few times this week.

My entire family including myself was sick this week so I didn't get to go out to the gym. I did go on two walks that I really enjoyed. I am so happy that I am walking without back pain. It is amazing how losing just a little bit of weight can make your body feel so much better.

I am feeling better this week so I have my days and my babysitter lined up to go to the gym four times this week. On the days that I am not going to the gym I will be doing strength training with my cool DynaPro Direct Resistance Band (review coming soon!).

This week it's back to calorie counting and my own yummy recipes. I can't wait to have my healthy Gyro's and Bacon Chicken Pizza!


Perfect Bib by Toppy Toddler #Review and #Giveaway!

Disclosure: I got this product as part of an advertorial.


I was so excited to get to review the Perfect Bib by Toppy Toddler. My daughter has become super independent with her meals and makes a huge mess. The Perfect Bib came to the rescue as it is large enough to cover her chest and the high chair tray!

When I first got the bib I loved how light and soft it was. It also comes in other bright colors and cool prints. It has two parts that you can use apart or together. The top bib part has special snaps that turns into a bib with a pocket that catches spills and crumbs.

The bottom mat part can be used as an eating mat or even a changing pad. Together it can be used as a complete cover in a highchair, smock or even superhero cape!

My favorite way to use the Perfect bib was as a complete highchair cover while she eats messy things like cereal and yogurt. I love that the mat part covers the whole tray. The connection of the bib and mat also prevents spills and messes from falling into the lap.

The Perfect Bib can be purchased at http://perfectbib.com/ with free shipping!

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Zucchini "Pasta" Veggie "Pesto" Bowl Recipe


I have been getting tired of just roasting, steaming or stir-frying my veggies while on the Dr. Oz Rapid Weight Loss plan. I decided to try something new and came up with the Zucchini "Pasta" Veggie "Pesto" Bowl Recipe. I turned my zucchini into pasta and added a pesto-like taste by adding basil flakes and pine nuts.

Here is how I did it:

  • 1 peeled zucchini
  • 4 button mushrooms, sliced
  • 1 small head of broccoli (cut into florets and steamed)
  • 1 tblsp of pine nuts
  • 1 small clove of garlic
  • 1 tblsp of olive oil 
  • 1/2 tblsp dried basil
  • salt and pepper to taste

  1. Slice the zucchini into thin ribbons using a vegetable peeler. When you start seeing the seeds rotate and repeat. You want your ribbons to have as few seeds as possible. 
  2. Stack up the ribbons of zucchini and cut in half lengthwise.

  3. Set a small pot of salted water to boil.
  4. Add olive oil and garlic clove to pan and saute for a couple of seconds.
  5. Add the broccoli and mushrooms and saute until the mushrooms has softened.

  6. When pot of water is boiling add zucchini ribbons and cook for one minute. Drain and add to broccoli and mushrooms.

  7. Add dried basil, salt, pepper and pine nuts. Saute for about 4 minutes.
     
  8. Serve and enjoy!

2 Months Down & Back To Dr. Oz Rapid Weight Loss Plan


Today was weigh in day and I gained 1.6 pounds bringing down the total to 27.6 pounds loss. This week was a bit tough for me because my in-laws came to visit from out of town. My mother-in-law is an awesome cook and I have to admit that I could not resist her home cooking. I tried not eat as much as I did before but the amount of carbs I ate from white rice to breads didn't help out. My biggest confession is eating a bacon cheeseburger from a fast food restaurant that I have been wanting to try for years. I finally found one close enough when I was out shopping a state away. As soon I ate it I regretted it because it didn't taste as good as the commercial made it look. I did try eating low carb on the rest of the days left of the week to try to balance out my poor choices.

I do have to say that although I did not eat right this week, I did do the most fitness I have done since I started. I went out to a mall in my area and walked until my feet hurt. I then went to a mall outside of my state and walked again for a couple of hours. Another big accomplishment for me was joining a gym. Although the weather is getting warmer and I could walk outside I felt that by joining a gym it would make me go out and exercise because I have to pay for it. I joined on Thursday and went to the gym Friday and Saturday. It felt good to be a gym rat!

Second Month Progress
  • Walking without back pain.
  • Not craving any sugar.
  • Joining a gym.
  • Filling up a big bag with clothes that were too big to donate. 
This week I go back to the Dr. Oz Rapid Weight Loss Plan. I think my body can use a week of super healthy food, low carbs and no sugar. I am also surprisingly looking forward to the detox baths.

Goals For Third Month
  • Complete 7 days of the Dr. Oz Rapid Weight Loss Plan
  • Go to the gym at least 4 times a week.
  • Drink more water (last month's goal I didn't complete)
  • Try Quinoa (was supposed to complete last month. Finally purchased the grain)

Get Ready for Spring with My Spring Cleaning Workout

I am a member of the #CollectiveBias®  Social Fabric® Community.  This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper amplification for Collective Bias and its advertiser.


As I was browsing around my local Duane Reade store I walked past their brand of great cleaning supplies. It reminded me that I still haven't done any Spring Cleaning. I decided to include exercise and turn my spring cleaning into a workout!


Everything I needed for my #DRSpringTime cleaning was conveniently displayed in one location.


When I got home I gathered all of my cleaning supplies in one place and printed out the Spring Cleaning Workout Checklist that I created. The checklist has a list of cleaning tasks to complete per room in your house. Also included in the checklist is a specific exercise to do per room and the calories burned. (Please note that the calories burned are per 200 pound female. You can use http://www.myfitnesspal.com/exercise/lookup if you want to get an accurate count for yourself.) The checklist is broken up into 4 parts. I did 2 parts per day and took breaks in-between for meals and snack time



While you are burning calories scrubbing the stove you can use a can of soup to do 20 bicep curls per arm. Make sure your elbow is touching your side. Lift your arm all the way up to your chest and repeat.


While you are polishing the furniture do 20 lunges per leg. Step forward with one leg and lower your hips until both knees are bent at about a 90 degree angle. Make sure your front knee is above your ankle and not pushed out too far. Your other knee should not touch the floor. Keep the weight in your heels as you push back up to your starting point.


While I was cleaning out my closets and drawers I found clothes that were too big for me. That gives me a lot of motivation to keep going. It makes me happy that I can donate the clothes and buy some new ones for myself. 

Check out Duane Reade's Cleaning products here: www.duanereade.com. You can follow them on Twitter, Facebook and @DuaneReadeNYC on Instagram.

What do you do for spring cleaning that can double for exercise?

Joining a Gym Finally with my P3 Portable Protein Snacks!

I am a member of the Collective Bias® Social Fabric® Community. This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper amplification for Collective Bias and its advertiser.



I finally did it! I joined a gym! I am not sure if I am fully ready yet for a gym but I had to take the plunge because I couldn't find anymore excuses not to go for a walk. My goal of exercising 4 times a week kept getting thrown on the back burner. "It's too cold", "I have to finish organizing the closets." Blah, blah, blah. Though I am still keeping active by setting my timer and getting up every 45 minutes to clean and organize, I know it is a matter of time before it wouldn't be enough to keep losing. I got the eating right part of avoiding sugar and getting tons of protein in, now it's time to get the active part right.

While I was already out going food shopping I decided to hit the gym first and sign up. I did it! Sign up was simple and I planned to go the next day. I decided to treat myself for making such an awesome decision and went to Walmart to get some gym essentials like a new water bottle and healthy snacks. I have been wanting to try the Oscar Mayer P3 because it is a combination of #MeatsCheeseNuts and was small enough to go in my little NY Yankee gym bag. It was perfect timing to be picked by #CollectiveBias to do the review.


The next day I put on my exercise gear, filled up my water bottle with ice cold water and slipped my P3 snack into my little bag. As I was walking to the gym I felt a little nervous. I haven't been to a gym since last year and this is my first time at that particular gym. When I got to the front door of the gym, there was no turning back now. I took a deep breath opened the doors and was greeted with tons of smiles. I scanned my card and hit the locker room to hang up my coat. I felt a little hungry since I didn't want to eat before I left to the gym so I pulled out my P3 and sat on the bench while I enjoyed it. I love the cute little container that makes it easy to hold. The meat and cheese was delicious but the best part was the peanuts. Since starting on my journey I have learned to love nuts. All of the #PortableProtein from the meat, cheese and nuts left me pretty satisfied.


I took another deep breath and went upstairs to hit the treadmill. Put my headphones on, played my walking playlist and just started walking. As I got comfortable I upped the speed an set an incline. Thirty minutes later I was done and couldn't believe how fast the time went.

On my way back home I felt so good. So good that I actually went to the gym and exercised. Almost two months down in this journey and it is amazing how different and good my body is starting to feel. Can't wait to hit the gym again tomorrow and bring along the Applewood Smoked Ham P3 with me!


Check out the Oscar Mayer P3 on their Website, Facebook or Twitter and tell me: Which would you like to try first?

EasyCanvasPrints.com Canvas Review


I have been creating artwork like my Daddy and Me and Family Embroidered Hand Print to put on the wall of my daughter's room. I decided I loved them so much that I would display them in the living room instead. I wanted a picture of my daughter to go in the middle but wanted something special like a canvas print.

I was lucky enough to get to review an 8" x 10" canvas from http://www.easycanvasprints.com/ First I have to say how super easy it is to order a canvas from them. With just a few clicks of a button and a few customizable settings the canvas is shipped out to you. I was also super surprised at how fast I got my canvas shipped to me.


The canvas came really secure in a big cardboard box covered in plastic. When I took it out I was so impressed on how clear and beautiful the picture looked. Having the picture on canvas instead of photo paper made it so much more special.


If you are looking to order a canvas print I highly recommend EasyCanvasPrints for the ease, quality and speed you get it. You can get a 50% off code on your canvas print by clicking this link: http://www.easycanvasprints.com/coupon-codes/

*Please note that I "photo-shopped" the sunglasses onto my daughter's face and it was not part of the final product.

**I received a free 8" x 10" Canvas for my review. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be a good fit for my readers. All opinions are 100% my own.

One Month and 3 Weeks Down: Skinny Jane Diet Review

Disclosure: I got this product as part of an advertorial.


Today is weigh in day and I lost 9.2 pounds for a total of 29.2 pounds. I definitely feel very deserving of that weight lost because I worked super hard and followed the Skinny Jane Diet exactly as instructed. It is meant to give you a jump start on your weight loss to get you motivated to lose more.

I recieved a 7 day kit of the Skinny Jane diet which is a sample of their 28 day challenge. They also have an 8 week challenge. This kit consists of the following:

Skinny Blend - It is a super yummy weight loss shake that has a special blend of 7 proteins that help  "curb your appetite for up to 4 hours and energize you." Each serving has 100 calories, only 1 gram of sugar, 3 grams of fiber and 12 grams of protein.

Skinny Burn - Is a weight loss and fat burning supplement. It has 9 ingredients that work to "help speed up your metabolism, boost your energy, and control your appetite."

Skinny Cleanse - "Cleanses your body by removing toxins and impurities from your system. In turn, your body will be a much better fat burning machine. This is a gentle cleanse that is very safe and does not cause any stomach discomfort."

My Experience:

Day 1: As soon as I woke up I took the skinny burn and skinny cleanse. About 15 minutes after taking them I was super energized. I felt like I was doing things at a faster speed. I felt great and didn't feel weird or jittery. Super big plus! Thirty minutes later I drank the protein shake. It tasted like not so cold chocolate milk. I then followed the meal plan and took another skinny cleanse at 5pm. I also drank about 2 cups of green tea throughout the day. I was surprisingly never hungry and kind of had to make myself eat. One thing to consider when doing this diet is that you will go to the bathroom ALOT. It is not uncomfortable or painful but it is frequent.

Day 2: Followed the plan exactly as above. I didn't feel like I was moving at a faster speed today. I did feel super energetic but not like the first day. I tried the shake with ice this time and blended it for a longer time. It tasted incredible! Just like a super yummy chocolate milkshake. Again I was not hungry and basically had to force myself to eat. I roasted my veggies instead of steaming them and I was a lot happier at dinner time!

Day 3: Followed everything as above. Night time cleansing was not too great today. I had to get up from sleep a couple of times.

Day 4: Followed the plan exactly. Had stir-fried veggies to change it up. Cleansing was way better today.

Day 5: Followed the plan almost exactly as above. I forgot to take one of the Skinny Burn supplements. I had lean beef as my protein with dinner. Yum! Haven't had beef in a long time.

Day 6: Love the shakes and Skinny Burn but looking forward to stopping the Skinny Cleanse! One more day and counting!! Had Salmon today! Yummy, Yummy!

Day 7: Yay!! I made it. I completed 7 days of the Skinny Jane diet. No cheating, no deviating and following it exactly as directed. I can't wait to see how much I lost when I weigh in.

My Thoughts: It is a great diet that will help you get a jump start on weight loss. Sometimes losing a good amount of weight when you start a weight loss plan can motivate you to continue. If you are somebody that likes to see fast results this would work for you. One thing to really consider is the cleansing part. Keep in mind that you will go to the bathroom a lot throughout the day. The shakes are delicious and really do keep you full. I would probably continue drinking the shakes here and there as my breakfast. They also include a great meal plan that gives you exact details on what to eat.

You can find more information about the Skinny Jane diet here:  http://www.skinnyjane.com/ Follow their facebook and twitter pages for all the latest news.

Next Week: Back to my calorie counting and yummy healthy recipes. I have my walking playlists all ready and an exercise band to exercise with and review! Can't wait to hit my 2 month mark!

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Quiet Book How To Series: Number and Shapes Page #Tutorial


This is the third part of the Quiet Book How To Series. You can check out my posts below to make the pages for part one and two:
Title Page
Picture Page and Numbers Part 1 Page

From now on we will be making two pages, a front and back. The front is part 2 of the Numbers Page. The back page is part 1 of the Shapes Page. I got the idea for the shapes page from this pin.

Numbers Page
  • 7 sheets of 9" x 12" felt in pink, blue, green, orange, yellow, red
  • Numbers Page 2 Template*
  • Sticky Back Velcro
  • Fusible Web
  • Sewing Machine
  1. Print out Numbers Page 2 Template.
  2. Cut a piece of fusible web large enough to cover the page. Place printed paper under fusible web. You should be able to see the printed paper through the fusible web. Trace the numbers. Cut  each number apart (you should have 2 sets of numbers 6 - 10).
  3. Place each number on top of a different color of the pages (except for the pink). You want each number to be a different color (make sure you use the same color for each number. Like all the 6's should be red, etc). Iron on, cool slightly then peel paper. 
  4. Going down about 2 inches from the top, iron on the 6, 7 and 8. Make sure your iron is not too hot because it can melt the felt. (I use a mini hand held iron.)
  5. Going down another 2 inches iron on the 9 and 10.  
  6. Using a sewing machine, sew around each number with a straight stitch. 
  7. Cut Velcro into about 1/2" squares and peel off paper from one side. Press on to the middle of each number. 
  8. Take each remaining number and iron on to a piece of felt the same color. Cut around the number so that now you have a number with two layers. 
  9. Sew around each sandwiched number using a straight stitch.
  10. Peel off remaining paper from each piece of Velcro and press it's loose matching number on top. 
  11. Now when you peel off the loose number it should have the other piece of Velcro attached to it.
Shapes Page
  • 7 sheets of 9" x 12" felt in light blue, blue, green, orange, yellow, red (you will have extra from the page above so you don't have to purchase a light blue)
  • Shapes Page Template*
  • Black Sharpie or fabric marker
  • Sticky Back Velcro
  • Fusible Web
  • Sewing Machine
  1. Print out Shapes Page Template.
  2. Cut a piece of fusible web large enough to cover the page. Place printed paper under fusible web. You should be able to see the printed paper through the fusible web. Trace the letters and shapes. Cut the word "shapes" and each shape apart (you should have 2 sets of  each shape).
  3. Iron the word shapes onto the purple felt. Cut each letter out and peel off paper. 
  4. Iron the letters one inch from the top of the light blue page. 
  5. Cut out the shapes from the template you printed. Place the circle, triangle, and square one inch below the letters. Using the sharpie, trace around each shape. Go down 2 inches from the shapes you just traced and do the same for the remaining shapes. 
  6. Cut Velcro into about 1/2" squares and peel off paper from one side. Press on to the middle of each traced shape on the page.
  7. Place each remaining fused shape on top of a different color of the pages (except for the light blue or purple). You want each shape to be a different color (make sure you use the same color for each shape. Like all the triangle's should be red, etc). Iron on, cool slightly then cut out shape and peel paper. 
  8. Take each shape and iron on to a piece of felt the same color. Cut around the shape so that now you have a shape with two layers. 
  9. Sew around each sandwiched shape using a straight stitch.
  10. Peel off remaining paper from each piece of Velcro and press it's loose matching shape on top. 
  11. Now when you peel off the loose shape it should have the other piece of Velcro attached to it.
Finishing
  • 4 sheets of card stock
  • 2 grommets
  1. Take the two completed pages and sandwich them together. The numbers page should be on top and the shapes page behind. Stitch a 1/4" seam around 3 sides of the two pieces of felt. 
  2. Slip all of the card stock sheets into the opening of the felt pages you just sewed. Sew the opening shut.
  3. Place grommets 3 inches down from top and bottom on the left side with the number page facing up. 
  4. Attach to the rest of the pages using the rings.
* To print templates and printables: Click on the link, Download, then Direct Download. Save onto your computer where you can easily find it. Then Open the file, press File.. Print and pick the Actual size option.

** Stay tuned for my next tutorial where I will be making a page for part 2 of the shapes and a paper doll page. 


Perfectly Cooked Dry Beans in Under an Hour


I love eating beans. They are an easy and low calorie way to add good protein and fiber to your diet. Each 1/2 cup of beans has about 112 calories and 8 grams of protein. You can add them to your stews, salads, pastas, etc. You can also make some yummy snacks out of them like hummus or roasted chickpeas.

I used to use canned beans all of the time until I compared the sodium content to the dry beans. Canned beans have about 231 milligrams of sodium per serving, dry beans have about 2 milligrams. Dry beans also have no preservatives and are a lot cheaper than the canned version.

This is how I soften dry beans in about 45 minutes with no required soaking:
  • 16 oz bag of dried beans
  • 8 cups water
  • 2 tblsp olive oil
  • Pressure Cooker*
  1. Wash and pick through your beans for any broken beans or stones.
  2. Place beans, water and oil into the pressure cooker.
  3. Look at the chart below and find the number of minutes that correspond to the type of beans you are cooking. Set the pressure cooker to high and cook it for that number of minutes.

     
  4. When the set amount of minutes are done, turn off your pressure cooker and let the pressure escape naturally for 20 minutes.
  5. Use some in your favorite recipes and store the rest. You can store left over beans in a container with a tight fitting lid in the refrigerator for up to 5 days and in the freezer for up to 3 months. 
*I use the Nesco Digital Pressure Cooker. I used the instructions from the manual for the recipe above. If you have a different pressure cooker please read the manual first. Your pressure cooker instructions may be different than mine. 

One Month and Two Weeks Down


Today makes a month and a half that I have been on my weight-loss journey. I weighed myself this morning and I gained 1.4 pounds bringing down the total  to 20 pounds loss. I was pretty upset with the weight gain for just a minute. Thinking back to The Biggest Loser, you see some of the contestants gaining weight even though they are working super hard. I know it is my body trying to fight back and hold on to what it is used to. Even though I gained the weight I am still pushing on.

Every day I feel like this is getting easier, I feel like it's just a regular part of my day. I don't even feel like I am on a diet anymore. I have been making a lot of smart choices on what I eat. I haven't touched soda or juice since I began. I just feel like it is a waste of calories. I gave up all artificial sweeteners because in the long run all it does is make you hungry. I learned that it is good to eat healthy fats and things like avocado and nuts. Eating fat-free foods doesn't satisfy you the way healthy fats do.

Being active during the day is so easy now too. I have so much energy from the good foods I have been eating and from the 20 pounds off. Last week I was proud of being able to go up the stairs with groceries and not feel winded. Today I am proud to say that I brought up all of the weeks groceries by myself, making multiple trips just because I could! I am still setting my timer to go off so that I can stay active. Instead of an hour of sitting I do 45 minutes of sitting/blogging/researching then 30 minutes of cleaning/organizing. I changed from 1 hour to 45 minutes because I just couldn't sit for an hour straight anymore. I would keep looking at the timer.

This week I am trying the Skinny Jane Diet for 7 days. I got picked to review the diet which consist of protein shakes, supplements and a meal plan. I will be doing a 7 day diary of my experience and posting it next week.