Workout Videos

Since I workout at home, mostly with videos, I am constantly on the lookout for new videos to keep me going.  I'm a bit OCD about my workouts; I will do them religiously, fanatically...as long as I'm interested in the videos and feel like I'm seeing results. 

With the help of Netflix, I've tried a lot of videos.  Some are annoyingly simple, some are fun, and others are hopelessly dated.  But I've found some good stuff and, over the years, have definitely become more fit.  And, in so doing, have found it more and more difficult to find challenging workouts.  

Some random thoughts on what I've seen...  Jillian Michaels is annoying but difficult.  I hate instructors who don't actually do their own workouts beyond the first demonstration.  However, I may give Jillian a third chance later on in the future.  I like Kimberley Spreen, though she hasn't produced much recently.  The same goes for Violet Zaki.  I use both of their older videos.  Ellen Barret does fun yoga/pilates...when I'm looking for something lighter and less challenging.  

My new favorites, and those who work me out almost every day now, are  Jari Love and Michelle Dozois.  I like Michelle's older work but her new Peak 10 series is incredible.  I've never been worked so hard with her cardio strength and interval cardio workouts.  Holy cow!  I highly recommend them if you're advanced and need some new, fun stuff.  You'll sweat like crazy!  

Jari Love has been around since 2005 or so and I discovered her videos over a year ago.  Recently though, in an effort to focus on my legs, I started doing more and more of her videos.  Some in her Get Ripped! series are mainly weights with arm and leg work.  You'll do bicep curls for five minutes, squats for five, deadlifts for five, then lunges for five, etc., etc.  This will definitely make you burn.  Some of her other workouts have cardio interspersed with the same crazy leg and arm work.  They're a real challenge.  

Alternating each day between Michelle and Jari, I'm really seeing results in my legs - for the first time in my life!  It's a very slow process....but very exciting!

I hope this gives you some ideas if you're looking for a new workout!

Alaska Cruise

We're getting on a cruise ship tomorrow with my parents to go to Alaska!  I've never been to Alaska so this is too exciting!!

I'm trying not to think about the recent fire on Grandeur of the Seas or the volcanoes spewing ash in far southwest Alaska.  If I die at sea....well, there are worse ways to go.  Ha!

More than anything, I'm worried about spending a week on a ship with my dad.  Last time, Mr. Higgins' parents were along for the cruise, as well as my parents.  This time, it's just my parents.  Oy.  My mom is a saint to live every day with my dad....  But I'm no saint.  

Let's hope he doesn't bring up wanting grandchildren.  And let's pray my patience is a lot better than it usually is!

Wish me luck!  

Bran Muffins: The Search Continues

On Royal Caribbean cruise ships, we love the buffet, especially the pastries and desserts.  Every morning they have delicious muffins, including bran muffins.  I never thought I would like bran muffins but at Mr. Higgins' urging, I gave them a try.  Delicious!!!  

And so I wanted to make my own bran muffins.  So many recipes call for pure bran cereal....and that's not my favorite stuff.  It makes mediocre muffins but nothing great.  I finally stumbled upon a recipe that used real wheat bran and was low in calories (around 110).  Of course, it took some looking to find wheat bran; I finally happened upon it at Kroger, which is quickly becoming my favorite stop for "fancy" foods.  

On Tuesday, I whipped up these muffins.  They're.....okay.  Definitely not anything great.  I ate three over the course of several days and then couldn't stomach anymore.  

And so my search for a yummy bran muffin continues!

Shopping

For the past two years, I've had a bit of a moratorium on clothes shopping.  Mr. Higgins and I were saving for our first home together, I was helping with our wedding, we were trying to fill the house with furniture....  Other things, clearly, took precedence.  

So rigid was I in my shopping ban that I frequently frustrated my mother when we would "shop" together.  I would pick something out, only to hang it up again.  

Well, she got a surprise on Saturday.  I'd lifted my ban.  I was in desperate need of clothes - capris, work clothes, grown-up clothes!  I always feel like my everyday clothes are too young  - i.e. something a college student would wear.  I would really like to feel like I'm dressing my age - i.e. more mature....sophisticated.  

I met my mom on Saturday at some new outlet stores nearby.  Oh, boy.  I went a little crazy.  I bought three dresses.  This, for me, is going crazy.  I had ordered some things online prior to this shopping excursion so I felt like a clothes glutton.  But it was great! 

Finally, I have some cute clothes!  Clothes that don't make me feel sloppy or bad about myself!  It's amazing what a few contribution to one's wardrobe can do! 

Strawberry Spinach Salad

Ever since I went on Weight Watchers nearly seven years ago, I've tried to eat healthy.  When I stopped counting points, I still tried to eat healthy.  Now, instead of points, I count calories with the Lose It!  app. 

Though I've always been an omnivore, I'm eating less meat than ever these days.  I never enjoyed handling raw meat, especially beef, and with all the salmonella and pink slime headlines, it's easy to avoid meat in the grocery store.  And it saves a lot of money.  

Along with eating less meat, I'm also trying to avoid processed foods.  I'm trying to shop around the perimeter of the grocery store.  It's not always possible but I'm happy when I spend less time in the center of the store.  

Recently, I was trying to find a use for a bag of baby spinach in the fridge.  I had strawberries...and since I love spinach-strawberry salads, I threw this one together and thought I'd share it with you.  It's super easy!

Strawberry Spinach Salad a là Picky Doniamarie

1 1/2 cups baby spinach
1/2 cup sliced strawberries
1/4 cup sliced pineapple (I used canned (rinsed) as it was what I had on hand)
1/2 oz. roasted pecans
2 t light raspberry dressing (I used Kraft's)

I took this to lunch along with a piece of cheese and it was delicious and refreshing on a hot summer day!  And talk about healthy....without the cheese, it's only 200 calories!   

This salad will tide me over until I can get back to Panera this summer.  Have you had their Strawberry Poppyseed Chicken Salad?  Oh, goodness, it's the most delicious thing in the world!  Try it!  Love it!    

Photogenic

Mr. Higgins bought a new camera with a fancy zoom - well, maybe not so fancy but fancier than any camera zoom we have.  He's enjoyed finding things to take pictures of that require the zoom...including the cats when they're stationary for long enough. 

Dooku is always photogenic and proved to be a good subject.  

The new camera will come in especially handy on our Alaska cruise in two (!!!) weeks.  I'm getting really excited and slightly nervous about that trip.  Eek!

GOT Season 3

Are you watching HBO's "Game of Thrones"?  

It really is amazing to me that HBO is capable of producing such amazing TV.  The books transfixed me; the show blows me away each week.  How do they do it?!  How do they write such great episodes?  

For people who haven't read the book, I'm sure it's a confusing show. There are so many characters, so many families, and lots of places to keep straight. Somehow, though, the writers keep it all wrapped up in a tidy package - if you pay close attention each week.  And I love hearing the reactions of viewers - the surprise, the awe, the disappointments....

George R. R. Martin has written five books in A Song of Fire and Ice, with two more books planned.  We have to hope he gets these two books written, that the series is finally finished.  In case he should die, the writers of the HBO series were told what Martin planned for the last two books.  The TV series is currently dealing with material from the third book.  So, Martin needs to write - quickly!  

If you're not watching the show, I highly recommend it.  Actually, I would say to watch the first season and then read the books.  There are so many characters that it's good to see the show first to be able to keep them all straight.  And remember - HBO has to have lots of gore an sex.  This is HBO - not Martin.

The Winter Palace

I've just finished a fantastic book: The Winter Palace: A Novel of Catherine the Great by Eva Stachniak.  Once again, I've fallen in love with historical fiction.

My short and sweet review on Goodreads is this: 

I've always been fascinated by Russian history, ever since my first class on the subject during my undergrad years. Catherine the Great was always an interesting figure, in my mind, and so I did not hesitate to buy this book.

The story is told from the point of view of Barbara, a Polish girl in the Russian court. Barbara - Varvara in Russian - soon becomes a skilled spy and from her we learn all kinds of juicy tidbits about life as a Russian courtier.

Catherine's story is an amazing one and I hope Stachniak continues her story. This is very good historical fiction!

If you're wanting to add a Russian novel into your reading mix, I highly recommend this one!

May Page

I still can't believe it's now May!!  To welcome in the new month, I give you my May page.  This is the first time I've not used Graphic 45's monthly line; the colors they used just did not work for me.  So, I pieced together some My Mind's Eye papers and like the result.  

I love purple!  Even though I see it all the time at work - or maybe because I see it all the time, it's now my favorite color, I think.

Clark Gardens Revisited

While my in-laws were in town, we took them to Clark Gardens.  I had been there recently with my mom....but, this time, everything was in glorious bloom!

The lily pads were so pretty!!  The waterfall was so serene.  And all the trees, vines, and plants were brilliantly green!

Clark Gardens is quite big and we saw more of it this time around than on my first visit.  We all adored the picturesque lakes and bridges.

And pansies!  They won't be around much longer but thanks to a cool spring, they're still gorgeous!

Have I ever mentioned how much I love pergolas? 

And the best part: fields of bluebonnets and poppies.  I was in awe!  

We even learned something new: bluebonnets are not always blue....they can also be pink or white.  Who knew?  Anyone who has been to Texas in April or May knows how much we Texans love our state flower.  And for good reason - it's so unique.  

If you haven't been to Clark Gardens, I suggest you hurry on over there while the bluebonnets are still blooming!  

Two Years

Two years ago today, I married my soul mate.  

Looking back on that amazing weekend on Jekyll Island, Georgia, it seems like a dream.  I remember snapshots from the day, family and friends....  It was one of the happiest weekends of my life.

But what came after it was even better.  Two years of traveling and building a life with my best friend.  We've made so many memories together that I'm already forgetting some of the things we've seen and done!  (Thank goodness for Project Life, let me tell you!)  We've been extremely blessed in many ways and I thank God everyday for the gift of this man in my life. 

And there's so much more we want to see and do together.  Our adventures will never cease, I think.  Marriage itself is an adventure full of hurdles and pressures but always filled with fun.  

To those of you who were there two years ago, know that I'm thinking of you fondly today.  Thank you for making that weekend one of the best of my life.

Family Time

My in-laws have been in town this week, providing good distraction from the work.  Granted, I've still been working but it's nice to have activities to do after work. 

My father-in-law has been doing some genealogy work.....and that led me to dig out my huge genealogy file the other night.  Back in college, I really got into finding my family's history.  I made some great progress....but haven't done much since.  Part of the reason for this was my great Dell computer crash of 2008 - when I lost every genealogy file I'd inputted into my free software.  I cannot fully explain how frustrating that was after all the time I spent getting the information perfectly organized.

For Christmas, I asked for and received a family tree software program for my Mac.  Yay!  While in Tennessee for Christmas, I put in a lot of Mr. Higgins' family....but now I need to do my own.  And that means making sense of my huge genealogy file. 

One of the great boons of working for a university - in my opinion - is having free access to Ancestry.com.  The only problem is that I can't do everything on Ancestry remotely.  So, I may be spending some lunch breaks over the summer doing my own research at work.  

I hope to have some exciting family history stories to share later on.  In the meantime, I'm going to enjoy the last few days with my in-laws before they head back to TN.  

Breaking the Rules

I don't like work politics.  I hate politics in general so any that affect me are particularly disturbing.  

You've heard about my work woes.  They haven't gone away.  In fact, I think it's safe to say that they're getting worse.  The latest incident leaves me truly perplexed as to how to proceed.

My boss has asked me to do something that is against university policy.  And he's blatantly told me that he's going to do it without trying to get the permission from our chair, also known as his boss.  So, now I've been asked to break the rules and lie about it.  

Let me be clear: I will not break the rules.  I like rules.  I like following rules.  I loathe anyone who does not follow the rules.  If I have to call in sick the day when I must break university policy, I will.  

But I know that other people deal with this and even more complicated issues in their workplaces.  I know this stuff happens....this is just my first encounter with such a thing.  And I don't know what to do.  

Let's just say that I'm really looking forward to Friday and that margarita at Happy Hour!  Work-weeks are overrated.  

Scrapbook Retreat, Spring 2013

I'm back from another scrapbook retreat at Memory Lane Inn in Tyler.  I started a scrapbook of two Colorado trips...and finished the scrapbook by the end of our stay.  Now that's what I call productivity!  

It was a fun time.  Unlike our last stay, the inn was full, which made for a different experience.  There were some interesting ladies there...but we got along with most of them.  Our room had a private upstairs patio which is where we ate most of our meals.  

Tyler is gorgeous in the spring.  The azaleas are in full bloom along with the dogwoods, wildflowers, and tons of other flowers.  For anyone who has never been to East Texas, spring is the time to go!  All the way there, the bluebonnets were in bloom along the highway.  For sure, all of Texas is at its best in the spring before the hot summer sun turns everything brown.

Now, off to scrapbook the retreat in Project Life!   

April Page

Here's my April page for the Creative Memories frame.  Obviously, a picture will go in the green space.  All of the little pictures are from Graphic 45's monthly line.  I love this company!  (The picture on the bottom right is upside down, I know.  It will be clipped onto the ribbon on the CM frame.  No worries!)

The colors in Graphic 45's designs this month were great and I loved making this page.  I think it's one of my favorites, so far.  

Looking ahead to May, I can already tell you that the color scheme of Graphic 45 will not work.  I have no coordinating paper.  So, next month you'll see a departure from this adorable line.  

Stay tuned!  

Fiber Fest 2013

On Sunday, my good friend, C, and I went to the DFW Fiber Fest.  This was my third time going and my second time in a row - and with C. 

I'm always amazed by what I find.  This year, I was prepared to be unimpressed.  Surely, I wouldn't find anything I'd want.  Surely....  Well, not so surely.  We both spent most of our money at our favorite local alpaca farm/yarn-maker.  Oh, it's so soft!  And we found sock yarn....always sock yarn....

Above is our combined bounty.  Can you guess what all is mine?  Ha!  I can't wait to work with my alpaca!

Kitchen Adventures

I was in the mood to do some cooking over the weekend.  Two of the recipes I made were new....

- Skinnytaste's Broccoli and Orzo.   I had never made orzo and was intrigued by this side dish - which could easily be made into a main dish.  It was good.....though a little lacking in flavor.  I put a fair amount of parmesan cheese on it....and it still lacked a little something.  I'd really like to experiment with it, as it really has a lot of potential!

- Also from Skinnytaste: Overnight Oats in a Jar.   I found chia seeds (an amazingly good food for you!) at Trader Joe's and was excited to find a recipe that looked good.  Unfortunately, my chia seeds did not expand or anything overnight.  They looked the same the next morning as they do in the bag...only they were in a soggy mess of oatmeal and blueberries.  This was definitely a recipe I'll not make again.  It seemed like an easy breakfast solution....but, no.  

I hate it when I try a recipe that completely flops.  It really take all my cooking motivation away for quite a while.  I may stick to baking alone this week!  

 

Ear Warmer....er, Cowl!

I wanted to make an ear warmer for our Alaska cruise in June.  I found a good, easy pattern on Ravelry and went to Madtosh for some yummy Manos del Uruguay.   

My one gripe about our newest LYS is that they wind yarn waayyy too tight.  Wool stretches and looses all of it's shape if it's wound too tight.  I came home and re-wound the skein.  Isn't it pretty???!

Two weeks later I have a finished ear warmer.....er, no, cowl.  It's a bit too tight for my, apparently, big head.  I can't wear it comfortably over my ears.  So, I'll wear it as a cowl on really cold days.  

I have plenty of yarn in the skein to make another attempt at the ear warmer.  I'll add eight stitches and several rows, I think.  It's a bit too skinny and barely covers my, also apparently, bigger-than-average, ears.  Ha! 

I'll let you know how the second try comes along.

Pattern: Ear Warmer by Kate Morgan
Yarn: Manos del Uruguay Maxima
Needles: US 7
Made for: me
Time to completion: two weeks

PL on HSN

About a month ago, Becky Higgins, creator of my beloved Project Life, announced an upcoming appearance on HSN.  On the show, there would be two core kits for sale....brand new core kits.  

At first, I was uninterested....  Until my mother-in-law (she's an internet master) found out which kits would be for sale.  These kits are in the new Project Life catalog, to be released for winter 2013.  There are no "old" kits in this catalog, everything is new.  

Now, I don't like change.  I like things to stay the same - especially my scrapbook products!  So when I found out which kits were being sold, I looked them up.  Out of all the new kits being offered in the winter, the one I liked most (Blush) was going to be sold on HSN.  

And I couldn't believe the deal being offered.  For $60 you got a binder, the kit, 60 page protectors, and dividers.  Wow!  When the kits became available on HSN, I got one.  I couldn't resist!  I'm all set for 2014 and it feels great!  (Especially considering I still have to find another retired Cherry edition binder for this year!  Eek!)

Yes, I'm slightly addicted to Project Life.  I love it!   

Clark Gardnes

A few weeks ago, before Spring had officially and unofficially sprung, my mother and I headed out west to Mineral Wells.  Our destination: Clark Gardens.  My mother had heard about the gardens for years but had never been.  We had a free morning for girl time so off we went!

Though the plants and trees were just beginning to come out, I was pleasantly surprised by what the gardens offered.  It was all much bigger than I anticipated, as well.  The main pool was gorgeous....

There was a chapel for weddings with a beautiful English side garden attached...

This is a cool circular white garden.  If the flowers had been blooming, they would have all been white!
 

Another addition to the gardens was a huge network of miniature tracks and trains.  The tracks were elevated, went around, below and above little rivers...  So cool!

We'll have to return to the gardens when everything is in bloom!  I encourage you to go as well!