Green Smoothie

Alright folks... if you are like me, the thought of drinking wheat grass or something that looks like grass is revolting. That being said, this weekend i decided to mess around with a smoothie that involved spinach. Spinach... I KNOW! It's rabbit food best served when covered with french dressing. Yummy. Ok back to the recipe for this post. Living in a small town leads to me being limited in resources aka fresh fruit. So many times when i peruse the produce area i find that things are wilted and yucky looking. I blame one of my college professors for this "snobbishness" when it comes to this... damn you Dr. Brown!

So this has led to my craftiness with regards to frozen food and this recipe

Green Smoothie 
(that doesn't taste like crap)


1/4 cup frozen spinach
1 cup frozen fruit mix (i used Great Value's mango, pineapple, strawberry, peach assortment)
1 cup milk, juice
1/2 cup yogurt

Blend until smooth. Drink it up! Great stuff! Fills you right up too!

Trouble Zone Target Move : Back, Butt, Hamstrings

Welcome to a new series: Trouble Zone Target Moves! Every week i will be posting a few new moves that are designed to target a "problem area" or as i like to call "a place for improvement."

This is a move that always gets me while in pilates. What are your thoughts?


Cinch Spill-Over: Alphabet

• Lie facedown on the ground with arms by sides, raising them a few inches off ground so that palms are facing forwards, thumbs pointing up.
• Lift chest and feet off the ground a few inches, squeezing glutes.
• In lifted position, use arms to form letters, holding each pose for 3 counts: First bring arms out from hips at 45-degree angle (to form an M); then move out to sides at shoulder level (to form a T); then bend elbows about 9 degrees (to form a W); lastly extend arms diagonally overhead (to form a Y).
• Reverse movement (forming Y, W, T, M), them lower chest and legs.
• Do 3 sets of 6 reps.

Courtesy of Fitness

Tote Bag Tutorial

Someone is getting MARRIED!! My friend Alison is getting married on Cinco de Mayo of this year and Saturday was the Bridal Shower. A trio of us got together and wanted to provide her with something truly unique. So we got the brilliant idea to get her a "day of the wedding" bridal bag. We made a bag and filled it with tons of random fun things that are essential to any bride on her special day. Below you will find the instructions and photos that should help you be able to create your very own tote bag.

Tote Bag

Materials

• 1 yard of 45" fabric (home-decor weight)
• 1 spool of coordinating thread

Measure, Mark, Cut (Place "tall" dimension along the grainline of the fabric)

• Bag exterior: 36" tall x 19" wide
• Bag interior: 36" tall x 19" wide
• Handles: 18" tall x 4" wide

Make it!

With right sides facing, fold the exterior piece i half to make an 18" x 19" rectangle. The folded edge will become the bag bottom. Stitch both sides and the folded bottom leaving the top open.

Measuring from the raw edge, mark a 3" square in each bottom corner of the exterior piece. Cut out the square corner of the exterior piece. Cut out the square corners and press side and bottom seams open.

Pull bag sides apart at cutout and pinch side and bottom seams together, lining up seams and raw edges. Stitch across corner of bag to create gusset and zigzag stitch within seam allowance to reinforce gusset. Leave exterior wrong side out. Repeat with lining piece to make lining. Turn lining right side out.

Handles: With wrong sides together, fold one strap piece in half lengthwise and press. Open the strap and fold the long raw edges halfway (1/2") toward the crease on the wrong side and press. Refold the strap in half lengthwise, press, and edgestitch all around. Repeat for the second strap.

Position the Handles: Pin one handle to the right side of the lining, positioning each end of the strap 6" from each side seam, aligning the raw edges of the strap ends with the raw edge of the exterior. Allow 4" in between handle ends. Be sure the handle is not twisted and is bending toward the bottom of the bag. repeat with the second handle on the other side of the lining. Stitch the handles in place with a 1/4" seam allowance.

Add the lining: Place the lining inside the exterior with right sides together, sandwiching he handles in between the two layers. Align the side seams and top raw edge. Stitch around the top of the bag back stitiching on each handle for reinforcement, laving an opening at least 4" wide on one side between the handles for turning.

Finish the seams: Turn the bag right side out and tuck the lining inside the exterior. Fold under the raw edges of the bag opening 1/2" and press the top edge. Hand sew this closed.

Here is the finished tote filled with all kinds of goodies that a bride needs for her big day!

Birthday Wishes

Today is the big 30!!

NaBloPoMo: And Another Quote

February is my Blog Post a Day Month and so i have jumped onto the blog wagon and will post a blog a day based off of the prompts given by @blogherblogging. This month's theme is all about family.


NaBloPoMo Prompt of the Day (Feb. 17): What do you think: "A son is a son till he takes himself a wife, a daughter is a daughter all of her life."

Daddy's little girl... I believe in this. Even as i approach the big 3-0! I think that my dad and stepdad see me as someone that needs protecting. It's cute. Through heartbreaks and holidays, they are always there to support me no matter what.

I can't speak for the son part from personal experience but when reflecting on friend's experiences, I believe that this quote rings true in that once a man takes a wife, he ceases to be a son.

I have a friend who had the mother-in-law who only had boys and "her" boys would be hers always, no matter who they married. It was interesting to watch the transition after he got married. He went from staying out of any issue or fight to the man he is now, which is a man who supports his wife and takes her side. It was truly interesting to watch this transformation.

NaBloPoMo: Quote

February is my Blog Post a Day Month and so i have jumped onto the blog wagon and will post a blog a day based off of the prompts given by @blogherblogging. This month's theme is all about family.


NaBloPoMo Prompt of the Day (Feb. 16): Respond to the proverb: "Treat your family like friends and your friends like family."

Friends can be your family away from home. I know that mine are. Being miles away is hard are so i am grateful for those friends that have become my family. Treating family like friends means that you forgive and forget or pick up where you left off. There should be no grudges in family since friends do not hold grudges or hold things against each other.

NaBloPoMo: Quote

February is my Blog Post a Day Month and so i have jumped onto the blog wagon and will post a blog a day based off of the prompts given by @blogherblogging. This month's theme is all about family.


NaBloPoMo Prompt of the Day (Feb. 15): Joyce Brothers said, "When you look at your life, the greatest happinesses are family happinesses" True or false?

The jury is still out, i love my family even though some members drive me crazy!