Author: ssgreenbean

Thrift store queen with 2 beautiful grown men and a life full of gratitude, fashion, and food
Misc Rambling

Back to Reality

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I always come back from vacation and the first thing I do is buy a lottery ticket. When I finally step away from work for a week it makes me yearn for the ability to LIVE LIFE with no concern for finances. I love my job and it may not be realistic but just think if every day and choose what you wanted to do with no restrictions. While we were in Portland we always go to this small hole in the wall place named “the screen door” and talk about fantastic food. If you are ever in town it is worth a visit but get there by 8 am or you will wait hours for a seat. This time I had the banana’s foster, yum. We were first in line this trip. I also thought that when my kids were grown it would get easier, well not true. I have 2 grown boys and I miss them more than I could have ever imagined. So either I win the lottery or rack up frequent flyer miles, since I don’t care for flying my preference is a large lump sum of money. Until next time

Family/Fun/Fashion

Dream job

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I have decided that my dream job is for my best friend and I to host a talk show like Hoda and Kathy Lee. We are opposites so it would be great. Zot is a girly girl with more fashion and makeup sense then anyone I know. I am the outspoken tell it like it is girl. We have been bff’s for over 30 years and we could drink wine at 10 am, how much better could it get, really. 

wine

Aging and Retirement

Vacation

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The older I get the more I appreciate and look forward to vacation, there is something about getting out of town and being able to eat at new restaurants and see new things that is exciting. I have lived in the same city for well over 20 years and it is safe to say at this point I am bored and over it. I am definately ready for a change of scenery. This vacation we are spending with my oldest son in Portland Oregon. If you’ve never been you should plan a trip, not only is it green with trees everywhere but the food truck community is fantastic and the Saturday market also fun. My mom always comes to our house and brings her new little dog and hangs out with my two little yap yaps so we don’t have to deal with a kennel, etc. Also great, I feel sorry for anyone showing up at my house thinking we are out of town, my mom is older but you certainly do not want to mess with her I assure you. I will take pictures and share upon my return, I’m certain I will have lots to talk about, it’s always an adventure

Misc Rambling

It’s a Wrap

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before and after
It’s a wrap, I’m done, finished, completed the 24 day challenge and I feel great. I believe that you have to cleanse your body from all the crap we normally eat and attempt to change what we put in our mouths. You can choose the link and see the before and after photos, I see a huge difference, especially the back and belly but then I look at myself everyday too.
As stated in a previous post I followed the plan with the exception of the vitamin packs. The whole motivation for me was to reduce toxins and eliminate stomach bloat (cause I love my wine) and I succeeded. I work out 3 days a week anyway so the exercise was the easy part. I am 5’2 and weigh anywhere between 120 and 124 so weight loss is not a goal of mine. For all women I think it is important to focus on health and NOT WEIGHT, ok don’t start BY SAYING YEAH it’s easy for me to say cause your 120 lbs. Newsflash I used to be 180 and I felt great then too but when I changed my eating habits I lost weight by default not by dieting and have been the same for over 20 years now even thru my pregnancies, yep it’s the food and the exercise. So don’t get discouraged, one of my favorite quotes from Nike is “you don’t have to be great to start, but you have to start to be great”

Family/Fun/Fashion

Car Adventures

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My oldest son has a little commuter car. We knew when we bought it that the clutch would need to be replaced. Yep you guessed it today it decided to go out and while he is in a little town 5 hours from home with one repair shop. He called me of course and I try to look at the positive, he made it to a town where he knows people, he has roadside so it can be towed to the shop for free, he can take a bus home and we can pick it up after it’s fixed and drive it to him in Washington when we come to visit in 2 weeks, obviously we live in another state. WOW My son calls me a few hours later to tell me his friend in town is a mechanic and will fix it for him for the cost of the parts and a case of beer. Now reality, when we actually have his friend (Chris)look at the car it’s not the clutch but rather the entire transmission, Really?? So we scour the internet, find a salvage transmission that Chris will recondition, also replace the clutch kit since we have the transmission out anyway and can pick it up same as planned now that’s great news and my kind of mechanic. Ha No matter how old your kids are you never stop worrying about them and the financial support never ends but we all were young once
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Misc Rambling

Day 12 thru 16, Holy Bloat

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stomach

Day 12- Today is the day where you eliminate breakfast and get to have a meal replacement shake

I am not a fan of not eating but if I only have to do this for a few days it’s fine

I woke up this morning however very hungry so I made turkey breast and pesto on thinwich bread for breakfast and did the shake for lunch

With anything I believe you should modify to fit your lifestyle and I know when I’m hungry. If I don’t eat I feel sick so I flipped the order up. A lot of people don’t stay on a meal plan for this reason, learn about your body, it is the best thing you can do to be successful on any program.

Dinner- my son just came home from college, he got to pick what was for dinner tonight  which is always broccoli cheese rice.

I have to be honest and let you know that these vitamin packs have me bloated like a beach ball or if I need to explain I cannot go potty and for me this is NOT normal. I was hopeful that after a few days my body will figure out what is going on but for now I am back up to my starting weight on day one and my stomach is not cute right now… 

Day 15- So here is what I decided, no more vitamin packs for me, my husband can continue to take them but I am done as there is one of them that my body does not do well with. I had surgery well over 24 years ago on my intestine so my system certainly has a mind of its own and lets me know if something is not working. I will continue the spark, (which I love), take my own vitamin regimen that includes probiotic, fish, flax, and a multi vitamin and continue the meal plan.

Breakfast- watermelon and 6 almonds

Lunch- Salad

Dinner- Lasagna – I made it yep, used less noodles, added some squash instead and some spicy sausage which gave it great flavor, then crushed tomatoes, paste and sauce with fresh basil, rosemary, garlic, and onion

Day 16– Have not taken the Advocare vitamins for 3 days and my body is still confused as to what it is supposed to do, I know WAY to much information but if I don’t go to the bathroom soon, I see an enema in my near future, ha Gross, Gross, Gross but I hope you are laughing as hard as I am

My mom gave me these things called Raspberry keytones that are supposed to help (recommended by Dr. Oz so they must be great) NOT, but nope no Bueno and I was popping those suckers like Pez candy.

 If you don’t know what those are you are really too young to be reading my blog

Misc Rambling

Challenge Day 2 and 3

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hike

Day 2-

Not as much energy today but the hike yesterday has me feeling ALL of my 46 year old body.

  • I got on the scale this morning and I am down 2 pounds, that’s crazy. I assume it’s because I drank so much water yesterday I felt like I needed to just take my laptop in the restroom or get a catheter.
  • Today I am going to count the trips, ha. Once you read my blog you should get that I love to have fun with anything I do, so if you are offended by my comments, get over it and relax.

Breakfast- oatmeal and 2 slices of turkey bacon, of course my wonderful peach fiber drink

Don’t think I need to repeat take the supplements as detailed in the 24 day challenge guide

My snack= watermelon

Dinner = smothered potato, ground turkey with Taco seasoning, baked potato, mixed veggies

Exercise, bike ride around my neighborhood

 Day 3

I have lost 4.5 lbs. and my stomach is flat, yep you heard me flat, maybe this has something to do with no wine for 3 days but I don’t want to believe that, ha

Breakfast- egg whites and turkey bacon, last day for the fiber drink and I think I’ll miss it

Lunch- last night’s left over smothered potato with vegi

Snack- cottage cheese with strawberries

Dinner- Baked fish and Zucchini

Exercise = hike with my friend for 11,000 steps

Misc Rambling

Advocare 24 Day Challenge

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girl

Day 1

I woke up EXCITED since I had my husband take some before photos last night, needless to say they were not pretty.

Before we begin let me say I am a planner and I am all about easy, I certainly am not going to spend a lot of time figuring out fancy lunches, etc. I’m eating leftovers– everyday so my plan is to make enough of whatever we are having for dinner to take the next day for lunch. If you hate leftovers do something different, but this works for me and I love them…

  • My normal morning wake up beverage is a cup of coffee, today it was Spark and Catalyst.

o   I have to say trying to drink something cold at 5am was different and vitamins that early also interesting. After a few days I am sure it will be a habit just like my coffee.

o   I will continue to have my one cup of coffee on my drive into work. Unlike every other Monday, I have super energy- HELLO SPARK

  • Breakfast- I had read online from others how horrible the fiber drink was, um I disagree the peaches and cream tasted good, mixed with a cup of water and pretended it was a shooter (more fun), oatmeal and egg whites
  • Watermelon for snack
  • Spark and Catalyst 30 minutes before lunch- Turkey burger (no bun) and steamed mixed veggies for lunch
  • Omegaplex 30 min before dinner then grilled chicken breast, brown rice and cauliflower for dinner

o   Overnight Marinade for chix (lite coconut milk, sesame oil, green curry paste) so delicious

Activity- hiked 10,000 steps even with a bruised heel