Pennsylvania Trip - Visiting Family (and the Grandmas)!

At the end of May I flew out to Pennsylvania with my parents to visit my aunts, uncles, and Grandmas.  Luckily my mom and dad are both from Penn - dad growing up in Bridgeville, and mom growing up in Erie!  So convenient for our visit. :) 

It was so great to see everyone, and we had a wonderful time!  

Firstly, I got a milkshake.  No really, that was the first thing I ordered when we sat down at a diner for lunch the day we arrived.  I haven't had a milkshake in a VERY long time, and it was absolutely delicious.  Fatty and creamy and amazing. :)

Next up, dinner at Grandma's!  (My dad's a bit of a ham, if you can't tell - haha!)  Eleanor is my dad's mom - and dinner was... well... interesting.  The broccoli was boiled to the point where there was no nutrition in it at all, the potatoes were served from a can, and the chicken (which I wouldn't eat anyway) was store-bought / store-cooked.  Yuck.  Luckily my aunt Barbara made a huge green salad with lots of veggies that I was happy to scarf down!!

Oh, and they made strawberry shortcake - so that was good. :)  All store-bought cakes of course, but we worked with what we had!

Peek-a-boo!

Grandma interior decorating.  I love it!

Next, we made our way to downtown Pittsburgh.  I loved all of the bridges!  They were everywhere!  I don't think I've been back there for a while - at least since High School.  I remember we once traveled there to row in a regatta (yes, I was on the crew team in High School), and loving it!

Mom & pops - my shopping buddies for the day.

We came across this AWESOME fabric / craft shop downtown.  They had all of these funky prints - Day of the Dead stuff - everything.  I was in LOVE!  I ended up getting some fabric scraps of my favorite ones to use as handkerchiefs / cloth napkins.  My mom hemmed the edges, and I absolutely love them.
 

Even with the heat & humidity there were all kinds of people with food to sell outside of their shops.  I really wanted to try some sweets, but I resisted!

Me checkin' out the pretty flowers. :)

I LOVE tacky stores like these!  So many dresses - I really wanted to get one, but again, resisted... amazingly!

Then, it was OFF TO THE RACES!!  We decided to go out with my uncle Bobby (center), whom I haven't seen since I was a kid (it was great to hang out with him again!), and my aunt Barbara (far right).  My dad is hamming it up on the left of course.  Haha! 

We went to the casino & horse race track.  I've never been to a horse race before, and it was a lot of fun!  I had no idea what I was doing (damn, gambling is complicated!) - but I still made two $2 bets, and crossed my fingers...

This is how they race the horses - on a little buggy!  Isn't that cool!  I think it's hilarious, and probably a lot of fun.  They must plug up the horse's behind, otherwise they'd probably get pooped on.   Yes, I think about these things. 

I put some money on All Heart Gal (I just liked the name) - and I WON!!  First time ever!!  It was pretty awesome!  I was jumping up and down like an idiot.  I won a whole $1.32.  Haha!  I guess you make more money on A) how much you put down, and B) how many spots you bet on correctly (ex: who will place 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th).  So much I don't know about gambling, but I guess that's a good thing.

And I finally got a Yuengling.  My little East-coast treat!!  I raved about it just a teensy bit when we went to Pawley's Island, SC a couple of years ago.  Love it!

Next we drove to Erie to visit my mom's mom - Grandma Ann!  Even though she's not doing great, she's still hilarious, and kept making me laugh.  It was lovely to see her again.

This is what she had hanging on her door - I had to snap a picture!  Words to live by, I'm tellin' ya.  Ha!

We baked up some scones when we were visiting, so of course I had one with a cup of tea and some jam.  Grandma Ann is British, so naturally we had to have scones & tea!

We stayed with my Aunt Roz (my mom's sister) since she lived so nearby.  She's been caring for grandma a lot lately since she's been unable to leave her apartment.  She's a pretty amazing lady. 

I loved these flowers outside their house - aren't they gorgeous!

My mom greeting Auntie Roz, Uncle Tim, and their doggie Mattie (short for Matilda).

Roz & Tim live out in farm country - I think they have about 10 acres?  It's beautiful!  I would love to retire in a place like this.  The first night we were there, I walked out in the yard and watched the fireflies light up all around me.  It was magical.  I'd forgotten all about fireflies (they aren't native to Colorado), and how much I loved catching them when I was a child.  I stood there for a long time (even when it started to sprinkle and thunder), and smiled and smiled...

Dad & Tim - just hangin' out on the porch!

Mattie - what a good lil' pup.  She was wonderful - and was my buddy while we were there!  She loved getting scratched behind the ears, and on the tummy if she felt like rolling over.  I love rescue dogs!!

Me & Mattie!

One morning we took Mattie out for a long walk up the dirt road by the house.  It was a beautiful morning!

My mom & Auntie Roz - a lovely sunrise!

This beautiful meadow was behind their property - those two little specks are horses!

A closer pic of the horses - they were so majestic and beautiful.  I loved the spotted one.  They were a little too timid to come up close to us, but they were very pretty!
 

Me and Roz!

All-in-all it was a lovely trip.  I'm so glad I got to make it out there and spend some time with my family, and my Grandmas.  I wish they didn't live so far away!

One big thing I learned while I was there is how important it is to take care of yourself when you're young, so that you can live a more fulfilling life when you're older.  Both of my Grandmas are pretty immobile - they don't leave the house, and they need help to do everyday things.  Neither of them exercised or ate healthy foods in their youth, and it definitely shows.  The same with their mental capacity, which was kind of scary. 

I once read an article about the 5 keys to a long and happy life.  They said that as long as you kept up on these things, you could make the most of your life, and live long and happily!  It actually made a lot of sense to me.  Here they are (in no particular order): 

1.)  Flexibility 

          Stretching, yoga - whatever!  Just keeping your muscles flexible.

2.)  Strength & Exercise
          Going for a walk, lifting weights every now and then.  The weights help to prevent sarcopenia which happens in old age, and I'm sure you already know the benefits of regular exercise. :)

3.)  Mental Exercise
          I think this is the one that people tend to forget (no pun intended) - you have to keep your mind active as well as your body!  Doing a crossword every morning, sudoku, anything that keeps your mind solving problems.  It will help to prevent memory loss, and keep you as quick-witted as you were in your youth. ;)

4.)  Friendships & Activities
          Another way of putting this is "a will to live".  Join a community or church group, volunteer a couple of days a week, join a bridge or bowling club!  Make friends, and keep them.  Sometimes after retirement people lose their drive to get up and do something every day.  I know it would be hard to get going if I didn't have things on my schedule!

5.)  Healthy Eating
          I think that pretty much sums it up!


Those are definitely things that I will always remember - and take with me as I continue to get older and grow!  I want to live a very long and happy life, and I want to stay as independent as I possibly can while doing it.  I wish my grandmas had done the same, but they are definitely from a different time.  I'm just glad that I have the information now! 


Love you so much, my Grandmas (and my aunts & uncles)!  Hope to see you again soon!!
XO

No Impact Man!

I rented the documentary film No Impact Man from the library recently, and last night I watched it.  If you haven't heard of it, it's about a man and his family living in New York City that decided to waste less and go without their regular luxuries for an entire year - not only to see the impact that it made on the planet, but how it would effect others - and to see if it was even possible to live that green!  

Here is the trailer: 




Honestly, I thought the film was very inspiring.  I think a lot of people are intimidated by making green choices in their lives, and they think that they need to go to the extreme like he did.  But really, it doesn't take much.  And after watching this film, I realized I could be doing more. 

I have been doing things little-by-little to make my life more green, and to tread lightly on the earth.  

Here are a few things that I've taken on over the past 5-years or so (that you could do too if you feel inspired!): 

- I went vegetarian (Meat production is one of the biggest pollutants on the planet)

- I stopped driving my car so much (I try to bike / walk as much as possible, and if I need to go farther ride my scooter)

- I bring a to-go cup with me to coffee shops and have them fill it (instead of wasting a paper cup)

- I always carry a re-useable water bottle

- I bring my own bags to the grocery store at all times (even if I have to walk back to the car because I forgot them), and if I don't have a bag with me I still ask for no plastic bag (and try to shove everything in my purse instead)

- I try to turn off lights and unplug appliances as much as I can (I'm always following John around the house and switching off lights as I go)

- I've started buying beans, rice, and other foods in bulk to save on packaging 

- I go to the Farmer's Market during summer & fall for all of my fruits & veggies, and buy local

- Most of the time I follow the toilet-flushing rule of "yellow, let it mellow - brown, flush it down" to cut back on water waste

- John and I have started composting our food scraps

- I have made the move to washable cloth handkerchiefs (instead of tissues, even though John still thinks it's gross)  

- I try to shop at thrift stores or do clothing exchanges instead of buying new clothing and accessories 

- We use cloth napkins, cloth dish towels, and sponges as much as possible (instead of paper towels)

- I buy natural cleaning products (although after watching this film I realized it's frustrating that we can't re-fill  them, and I'm still using a lot of packaging)

- I make my own vegetable broth now instead of buying the packaged kind with our leftover veggie scraps.  I keep them in the freezer in a container until I have enough to boil, then after using them I put them in re-used glass jars, and compost the scraps!

Just to name a few things! 

But after watching this movie, I realized there's still more that I could be doing.  I mean, I know that I work hard at being green and not being wasteful.  As the film pointed out, we're a consumer culture - and right now we have all been taught since childhood to throw things away because it's unsanitary not to.  We're a disposable culture, and it's killing our planet.  

No Impact Man (Colin Beavan), and his adorable little girl!

I guess it made me think of the other things that I could be working on more.  I need to stop using the damn plastic bags that are provided for bulk products, and for produce.  Ugh - plastic everywhere!!  For something that we make so disposable, why do we make it out of PLASTIC - that NEVER decomposes!!  It doesn't make any sense.  I'm going to get mesh / cheesecloth bags to bring with me from now on instead, and just keep them with my grocery bags.  


Also, even though it takes a while for us to use them, I hate that we still get paper towels.  We could easily get some more dish towels and re-use them over & over - just wash them in between!  I'm going to work on that too. 


I want to ride my bike / walk more.  I already do it a lot, but I'm going to make less excuses about it.  I want my scooter to be last resort, and I want my car to be VERY last resort (I mean, hailing or a freakin' snowstorm. Or if I'm being chased by bears).  I want to take the train instead of driving, and carpool more as well. 


I also would like to work on buying less packaged goods.  I feel like I've made a big step over the past few years with making the move to non-canned beans (and cooking them myself from bulk), but I'd like to move towards also making my own spaghetti sauce (which is pretty darn easy), and my own soups more often too.  It's not hard to do these things, it just takes a little planning!  And I'm pretty good at planning (most of the time). ;)


And last (but not least), I would like to work harder at eating seasonally, and buying locally as much as possible.  I am pretty good about this with fruit as I usually don't even like how fruit tastes when it's out of season.  But I could be better about my veggies, and learn how to love my root veggies in the winter time, and wait for the peaches when they come in season!  


Now, if only I could figure out how to get John to cut back on eating so many bananas! ;)  

What are YOU doing to help the planet, and make things better for the next generation? 



Here is a link to the No Impact Man blog for more information!

Earth Day - It can be easy being green!

This Sunday is EARTH DAY - what are you going to do to help make less of an impact on our planet?

I just rented this movie from the library and I'm pretty excited to watch it!  

Here are some tips on things that you can do to be GREEN this Earth Day!

Take the bus, ride your bike, or simply WALK to get where you need to go. 
It's probably not as far as you'd think!

photo credit:  Copenhagen Cycle Chic. 


Be a vegetarian for the day. 
Believe it or not, the #1 pollutant in the air is methane gas... produced by cow farts on factory farms.  I'm not even joking.  Just eating vegetarian ONE DAY a week, will help save the planet.

 Beet, Arugula & Goat Cheese Grilled Cheese Sandwiches!  Photo credit BS'in in the Kitchen.

Get a reusable bag, and reuse it!
Mine wraps up really small, and I keep it in my purse at all times.  I never know when I'll need it!

Don't buy bottled water, soda, or any other pre-packaged beverage. 
Make iced tea at home, and put it in your stainless steel water bottle - or add cucumbers or strawberries to ice water for a flavorful treat!  Remember, bottled water is still the same darn water you're drinking from the tap - just from another location.  How much sense does that make?  NONE!

Click here for more information about the impact of saying NO to bottled water. 

Read a book.
Instead of watching TV.

Photo credit: We Heart It

Put a bucket in your shower. 
This might sound weird, but do you let your water run for a few minutes to warm up before you get in?  That's a lot of wasted water!  Leave the bucket near the drain for the run-off. You can use that water to give your plants or lawn a drink - or even dump it in the toilet to use as a flush!  My little sister told me of this tip.

Reduce. 
Try not to buy anything pre-packaged or in a disposable bag, can, or container.  This might be harder than you think, because it seems like EVERYTHING comes in packaging these days!  But be aware, and see if you can do it for a day / week / month / year... get creative.

How are YOU going to be a little more green this earth day?  :)

Weght Loss - Tracking Idea

While strolling down Pinterest lane the other day, I came across a pretty rad idea!

What a great visual motivator!!  As you might know, I'm a very visual person - hence the reason why I started my "money I'm NOT spending" tracking sheet for my Spending Fast (and the reason why I love Pinterest so much). ;)  I need a little bit more than the average bear to actually motivate myself - I need to SEE where my money is going.  So this is going to work in a similar way for me!

I decided to whip up a couple of my own, with re-used jars I had in my cabinet.

Now, I don't really have that much to lose.  In my New Year's Resolution for this year, I originally wanted to lose 40 pounds.  Well luckily I'm still down my first 10, which I just discovered this morning (WOOT!), and I decided that 20 more pounds would make me very happy = 30 pounds total.

To be honest, 40 was kind of a pipe dream, and I don't think it would've been terribly healthy for me either.  Right now I'm at 170 lbs, and am still very insecure about my tummy pooch (everyone has their most hated area - that is mine for sure).  The lowest I've ever gotten weight-wise in my adult life was about 143, and I was struggling to stay at that weight.  I'd rather have a few extra pounds on me and be happy, ya know!?  :)

I set the lil' jars on my window sill in my bathroom (between all of my pretty little plants).  Just so that I would see them every day, and remind myself to check in on how I am doing!  I also didn't have anything cool like pretty marbles - I had to think "what do I have that can be counted.... PENNIES!" so that's what I used.

Looking at it now though, 20 pennies look pretty pathetic!  Ha!  I'm going to have to try something else when I get home. ;)  I have a lot of wine corks saved that I was going to use for a project, so maybe some pretty painted corks will do the trick.
----

And they TOTALLY did!  Ha!

Yes, that means that I lost 1 pound over the weekend too.  :)  WOOHOO!

I just took some corks that we'd saved, and cut them in half.  Then I used some colored markers to doodle on them to make 'em a little prettier.  I think they turned out great!

I'm making little changes in my life to take the extra weight off.  I'm trying really hard to make good choices with every meal.  Here's hoping I can make it stay off this time! :) 

Tips for brown-bagging your lunch

With always trying to save money, I've been brown-bagging my lunch for years & years.  (By "brown-bagging" I of course mean re-usable lunch box-bagging.  Haha!)  

I've been at my job for 5 years, and I've never once seen my boss bring his lunch to work.  I started to wonder - is it because he just really likes to eat out?  Or is it because he thinks it takes too much time to make & bring a lunch?  

Well, if it's the latter, I'm happy to say that it does NOT take a lot of time to do!  Sure, sometimes I get motivated and take my time with what I make, but most of the time I like for it to be quick & easy.  Here are some tips that I hope will assist you in your lunch-bringing endeavors!  

TIPS FOR BRINGING YOUR LUNCH

Bringing your lunch to work with you is SO easy, and I'm surprised that more people don't do it.  Usually your meal will be healthier than eating out, cheaper, and in the correct portion size for a meal.  It just takes a little planning ahead (sometimes none at all), and a little creativity!

Get a good reusable lunch bag, and some good glass storage containers. 

This is my lunch bag.  I bought it at Ross for about $8.  It holds my morning snack, my lunch, and my afternoon snack - and I LOVE IT.

Find a fun & stylish lunch bag that you'd be happy to use every day.  Even if you bike to work a lot (which I do), my lunch bag is still small and squishy enough to fit into my backpack.  Find one that's sturdy yet flexible, that zips closed everywhere so that nothing will fall out. 

Also, get yourself some really good tupperware.  I prefer the Glasslock kinds (click here to find some on Amazon).  You can find them at grocery stores, but you can also get them super discounted at Ross or TJ Maxx in the houseware sections. Be sure to get them in a few different sizes (small, medium, large). 

Glass containers are SO MUCH BETTER than regular plastic tupperware because they don't retain any flavor, they are heavy-duty (they don't break very easily, trust me), I've never had a problem with them leaking or spilling (they get a very tight seal, unlike plastic ones that can warp & make the lids not fit well), and they don't leach icky toxins into your food when you microwave them.  Really, they win my vote all around! 

Make that dinner bigger. 

I know that probably sounds like bad advice, but it's really not!  What I mean is - make that dinner bigger so that you can take the leftovers to work the next day!  Double the recipe if you need to, and just plain make more.  When putting away the leftovers, separate the food into smaller single-serving containers so that you can just grab it & go the next day (rather than go into a larger container & separate it the next day).  

Make snack-bags ahead of time. 

Use ziplock baggies or your small glassware container, and make 5 servings of snacks.  For a quick trail mix, throw some dried fruit, nuts, and chocolate chips into a large bowl & mix it all up.  Divide it into your serving sizes, and you have a quick snack to throw in your lunch box!

Another favorite snack of mine is popcorn.  I'll make a big batch of it the night before work, and divide it into smaller containers (I stove-pop mine, but you can do this with microwave popcorn too so that you don't end up eating an entire bag at work).  Add a handful of dried cranberries or raisins for a pop of flavor! 

Having easy-to-eat fruit on hand is great too - such as bananas, satsuma oranges, or apples.  They're super easy to grab when you're on the go. 

OR - on Sunday night, make a batch of Powerballs and pop them in your freezer.  When you're leaving for the day, grab one & wrap it in plastic wrap.  Pop it into your work fridge (or just put your whole lunchbox in the fridge), and it'll be ready to go by snack time!  One batch will last you all week (if not longer).

Ramen will save your butt in a pinch. 

I know it's not the healthiest thing on the planet, but I know it's better than running out for a hamburger.  Keep a stash of Ramen Noodles in your cupboard (I think a 6-pack goes for about $3 at the grocery store, or less), and grab a pack when you're REALLY running out the door.  

I like to pack a bowl & a fork in my lunch box along with the Ramen packet.  For a healthier meal, shove a handful of spinach into a baggie on your way out, or even some fresh or frozen broccoli, or some frozen peas.

Just put the Ramen into your bowl when you're ready for lunch, and add the veggie you brought with you.  Sprinkle on the seasoning packet (only use half to cut back on sodium - trust me, it's more than enough), and fill to the brim with water.  Put it in the microwave on high for 3 minutes, stir well, then microwave for another minute or two if need be.  Let it cool for a minute before eating. 

Make enough lunch for two. 

Let's say one morning you get up early enough to take your time making your lunch.  Why not make it big enough to equal TWO lunches, then save one for a day you're running late?  This is super easy to do with salads since you already have all the ingredients out to chop anyway!  

Make some base ingredients as meal starters. 

Some great bases for lunches are brown rice, quinoa, baked potatoes, and whole wheat pasta.  Make a lot of any of these things on a Sunday night and put them in a container in the fridge for an easy starter for your meals.  

Brown Rice topped with quickly seared veggies & soy sauce. 

Or I'll dump some into a container & top it with lettuce, avocado, olives, red onion, tomatoes,  & beans.  I'll use a little container for some ranch dressing (plus a splash of hot sauce), and have myself a Mexican salad / naked burrito!

Quinoa is great with just about anything.  I love it mixed in with salads, or topped with a large serving of broccoli and some salt & pepper.  It's so good with a layer of roasted beets on top too!  Or dump a 1/2 a can of chili on top, some fresh tomatoes, fake meat crumbles, and some vegan cheese - then microwave until warm when you get to work. 

Whole Wheat Pasta can be topped with some marinara sauce and crumbled veggie sausage, and a sprinkling of parmesan cheese.  Or mix in some mashed sweet potatoes and top with a pad of butter (sooo yummy).  

Baked Potatoes are great with anything too.  Top with some broccoli & cheddar cheese, then warm it up when you get to work.  These are awesome topped with chili too!  Sautee up some zucchini & onion as toppings too.  I even like to dice up a baked potato & put it on my salads for a heartier meal. 

That's about all I have for now!  :)  I hope they help you with some ideas, and that they get you on the right track to bringing your lunch with you to work.  It will save you money, AND keep you healthier.  I promise! 

OH, and just for fun (and because it's Friday), here's a super cool music video.  It made me giggle, and I love the song too!  ENJOY! :) 

 

Mikhael Paskalev - I spy from André Chocron on Vimeo.