Merry and Bright

May your days be

Merry and Bright

and may all your

Chritmases be white!

I'm a desert girl, by choice

but white Christmases are lovely!

Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!

**R.F. info coming soon!**

When I Say "We"...and FIT TIP (#149)

We just returned from a wonderful weekend with my favorite Texans.

When I say "We", I am referring to R.F. and myself.

When I say wonderful weekend, I am referring to:
---a Silly String "war" with my 2 little Texans
R.F. won Emerson over at this point...helping her spray me **and Stone** with her pink can of Silly String.

---watching/helping my little Texans play "fetch" with Jake, the dog
I'm not sure if they wore him out or he wore them out...which is not an easy task, either way. We were laughing so hard, watching the kidlets outsmart the dog.

---yummy, authentic Mexican food
R.F. is not afraid of jalapenos! He does spicy very well!

---a search for blue slushies
Even though it was super cold, that is the afternoon snack Stone requested.

---playing in the cave
One of the best collection of toys, according to Stone and Emerson...located in my brother's home.

---hanging out @ my brother's home
Got to spend fun time with my mom, brother and sister-in-law and their son Josh.

---hanging out @ the Jessup's
Got to introduce R.F. to Cliff's parents and the Navarros.

---Kendal & Cliff got to meet R.F.
Two thumbs up...going both ways!

After hearing the words Kendal used to describe R.F. to another family member...I decided that is exactly what I will do on my next post. Since I have been accused of being "vague" regarding R.F. **and other personal things** on my blog---my next post will include how I have described him to people, maybe a few pictures, and...

...well, tune in!








FIT TIP (#149): Fight Fat with Flavor
Savoring strongly flavored foods can help you feel more satisfied with less food.
Say bye-bye to bland, without adding creamy sauces or sugary glazes, by using one of the following:
---Chinese five-spice powder
---Fruity balsamic vinegar
---Wasabi powder
---Sriracha sauce
They lend zest with fewer than 10 calories!



Words for the Week
{12.19.2011}

A Thing for Bing...and FIT TIP (#148)

This time of year **as long as I can remember**I love me some Bing.

I have already **along with RF** watched Bing in White Christmas and Holiday Inn.

Did you know he was born Harry Lillis Crosby?
Although he was known as Bing from a young age...
his other nicknames included The Old Groaner,
El Bingo, Le Bing, and Der Bingle.

Have you heard his Little Drummer Boy
duet with David Bowie? Brilliant!

Christmastime just wouldn't be the same without El Bingo.



FIT TIP (#148): Relaxation Response
One way to foster the relaxation response is to engage in pleasant repetitive activities. Those that involve easy concentration and lulling repetition, like knitting, swimming, even petting an animal, calm the mind.



Words for the Week
{12.12.2011}

Baby it's Cold Outside...and FIT TIP (#147)

**our Chloe, who turns 4 this month!**

Brrrr, only 36 degrees in the Valley of the Sun this morning!
One of the best things about chilly weather **in my opinion** is hot chocolate.
So many fun and yummy options, and **if you're not pumpkin-ed out** this is one of the best...

Hot Pumpkin White Chocolate

--4 cups whole milk
--1 (15oz) can pumpkin
--1 (14oz) can sweetened condensed milk
--1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
--8 ounces finely chopped white chocolate
optional: whipped cream & pumpkin pie spice for garnish

In large pan combine milk, pumpkin, condensed milk and pumpkin pie spice, whisking well. Bring to simmer over medium heat, stirring frequently. Remove from heat. Add white chocolate, whisking to dissolve. Ladle into mugs and garnish. Serve immediately. Heaven!


Another **quick & easy** option for coconut lovers...delish!


After stoking your sweet tooth, I now offer you another FIT TIP, because I'm thoughtful like that :)


FIT TIP (#147): You Can!




Words for the Week
{12.5.2011}

Adventures in Peep Toes...and FIT TIP (#146)

It's beginningto look a lot like Christmas...
except here in the Valley of the Sun
where we are enjoying temperatures well into the 70's.

Which is just dandy if you're a lover of peep toes, as I am.

These happen to be my current favorites.They went on a very unusual journey with me yesterday...
they accompanied me **and RF** to the dump.

Yes, you heard me right, I went to the dump. AND I was wearing my favorite peep toes when I did so. WHY?
Plain and simply because I had no idea a trip to the dump would make it's way onto my Saturday agenda when I dressed for the day. AND, it certainly was better than the alternative...

barefoot.

Earlier in the week I had volunteered to help RF clear-out/organize his HUGE pantry on Saturday. A non-cooking single man and his pantry...yikes! I started this project just as anyone who knows me would expect...

3 piles:
--KEEP
--GIVE
--TOSS

In the end, the KEEP pile **items he may actually use** was the smallest of the three. The GIVE pile **good items he will never use** filled the trunk and back seat and were delivered to the closest food bank.

It was the TOSS pile **expired, scary items too numerous for the trash bin** that was the largest of the three and demanded a trip to the dump.

Once it was all loaded in, I turned to RF and said, "Why don't you grab a blanket and maybe we can find a shady spot on the way there for a little picnic!" Sometimes I think I'm funny. Thankfully, so does RF!

We got to the dump and backed right in where we were directed. STINKY! I was, no doubt about it, the best-dressed patron and the only female. We got out and started chucking cans and bottles **canned peaches, was my best guess** into the HOLE. Things were crashing and exploding and we were laughing and men were staring and...

it was so much fun. Until we got back to RF's and I realized "something" was stuck on the bottom of one of my peep toes!!!




FIT TIP (#146):

Came across this list and thought it would be a good "holiday health" reminder.



Words for the Week
{11.28.2011}

Sharing a Fortune...and FIT TIP (#145)

Last night we ate Chinese food.And naturally we cracked open our fortune cookies.

HIS SAID: YOU WILL FIND GOOD FORTUNE IN LOVE **woot woot**

MINE SAID: LAVISH SPENDING MAY BE DISASTROUS, BE CAREFUL **yikes**

I asked if I could share his...and he said yes **he's nice like that**
and so, I crumpled up the one about disastrous spending :)





FIT TIP (#145):




Words for the Week
{11.14.2011}
it is not happy people who are thankful, it is thankful people who are happy.

Take it Away, Please...and FIT TIP (#144)

The best part about being involvedin the neighborhood garage sale was:

--someone hauling away "stuff" I no longer want/need **and paying me**
--not having to place the ads and make/post/remove the signs
--getting rid of **almost** everything I wanted to, and thus
--ending up with a clean garage and uncluttered closets
--meeting neighbors in the middle of the street **during the lulls** to
--compare notes about various "shoppers" and
--eat homemade tamales, pumpkin muffins and
--peanut butter snickerdoodles **my contribution**
--donating the remaining items to the Child's Crisis Center

All in all, it was a fairly painless and very entertaining experience...
I received a marriage proposal (which amused RF) and one group of ladies asked to see the inside of my house (sorry no, to both requests).



FIT TIP (#144): For A.M. Energy
Stand a few inches in front of your bedroom doorway and lift arms so that elbows are at shoulder height. Place palms on the edges of the door jamb, framing both sides of the doorway. Anchor hands as you lean forward and exhale. Hold for a few breaths, allowing shoulder blades to move together and the chest to open. Then, inhaling, return to starting position.



Words for the Week
{11.1.2011}

Happy Happy

Halloween!
Took these pictures while visiting my Utah Brownies **Tanner's family** in Provo earlier this month.

Hope your Halloween is fun and safe...and a little spooky!





Words for the Week
{10.10.2011}



Words for the Week
{10.3.2011}