tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18375239282104371602024-03-13T06:59:44.471-04:00Culinary AffectionsCulinary Affectionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04239779974340793730noreply@blogger.comBlogger216125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1837523928210437160.post-24116880684948585312019-01-31T16:12:00.002-05:002019-01-31T16:12:48.240-05:002019 Resolutions UpdateI don't have any recipes to post today - interestingly enough the hubby has been taking care of dinners lately (and I am so very ok with that!!). That's why I haven't posted much, but to stay on top of my resolutions I'll do a quick post now...<br />
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<span id="docs-internal-guid-8c92da0e-7fff-b2fa-adbf-02117676809e"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>2019 Resolutions</b></span></span></span><br />
<span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><u>Finances</u></b></span></span><br />
<span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><u><br /></u></b></span></span><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">1. Get out of debt - minimum payment of 300/month with additional ideas and ways to increase payments listed below</span><br />
<span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-<b> this is going well; I've managed to put more than the minimum on so far </b></span><br />
<span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">2. Do various challenges - spending fast, pantry challenge - money saved goes on to debt</span><br />
<span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- <b>currently challenging myself to keep groceries below $400 - I succeeded for January with a total for the month of $254.01</b></span><br />
<span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">3. Buy second hand, no new books all year</span><br />
<span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- <b>nothing purchased yet!</b></span><br />
<span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">4. Do all survey receipts, petro points receipts - use points accumulated for gift cards, extras for us (a want not a need) - currently have <b>$125.15</b> in petro points (started the year with $121)</span><br />
<span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">5. </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">20 minutes a day for swagbucks surveys - use points accumulated for gift cards, extras for us (a want not a need) - currently have <b>$67.30</b> in points (started the year with $61)</span><br />
<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">6. </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Raise money by selling things - extra money goes on to debt OR is used for extras only (a want, not a need)</span><br />
<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>- returned some stuff to Old Navy for $34 in a gift card, I'll save that for clothes for Brie</b></span><br />
<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>- exchanged a purse the hubby bought me for Christmas for one I liked better (and was $40 cheaper) so I have a Winners gift card to use for future purchases</b></span><br />
<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">7. </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Be diligent about price matching, frugal shopping, wasting less (food) and only buying what is needed</span><br />
<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>- so far so good</b></span><br />
<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">8. </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Reduce monthly groceries gradually & put the extra money on to debt - current budget is $400/month, lets see how low it can go</span><br />
<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>- total groceries for January was $254.01 - not bad at all!</b></span><br />
<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">9. </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Buy new car and pay down as much as possible (and get on a reasonable repayment plan) - this should be the only debt we are carrying in to 2020</span><br />
<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><u>Health & Wellness</u></b></span><br />
<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">1. </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Exercise 3x per week</span><br />
<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>- 12 out of 31 days - off to a rough start, but I have not missed a workout since Sunday and plan on keeping up the momentum</b></span><br />
<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">2. </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Minimum of 80oz of water per day</span><br />
<b style="white-space: pre-wrap;">- 11 out of 31 days - also a rough start, but going to keep this up (haven't missed a day since Sunday)</b><br />
<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">3. </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Do various food challenges (no carbs, no sugar, no processed foods, meatless Mondays, etc)</span><br />
<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>- smoothie challenge was a good one, 5 out of 7 days. Still doing smoothies daily</b></span><br />
<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>- eliminating junk foods - haven't had any since last Sunday, we will see how long this goes</b></span></div>
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<span id="docs-internal-guid-8c92da0e-7fff-b2fa-adbf-02117676809e">4. <span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Get serious about diet/food</span></span><br />
<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>- I have been doing well this week and plan on keeping it up</b></span><br />
<span id="docs-internal-guid-8c92da0e-7fff-b2fa-adbf-02117676809e"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">5. </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Reserve drinking for weekends and/or special occasions</span></span><br />
<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>- so far so good</b></span><br />
<span id="docs-internal-guid-8c92da0e-7fff-b2fa-adbf-02117676809e"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">6. </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Read for 20mins per day</span></span><br />
<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">- <b>19 out of 31 days</b></span><br />
<span id="docs-internal-guid-8c92da0e-7fff-b2fa-adbf-02117676809e"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">7. </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Read one book per month</span></span><br />
<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>- January - <a href="https://www.amazon.ca/Amazing-Adventures-Dietgirl-Shauna-Paperback/dp/B00ZT1NV9M/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1548968459&sr=8-2&keywords=dietgirl">The Amazing Adventures of Dietgirl by Shauna Reid</a></b></span><br />
<span id="docs-internal-guid-8c92da0e-7fff-b2fa-adbf-02117676809e"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">8. </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Live in the moment - worry less (worrying means you can’t possibly be living in the moment)</span></span><br />
<span id="docs-internal-guid-8c92da0e-7fff-b2fa-adbf-02117676809e"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">9. </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Less nagging, more loving</span></span><br />
<span id="docs-internal-guid-8c92da0e-7fff-b2fa-adbf-02117676809e"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">10. </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Less judging, more enjoying time with people</span></span><br />
<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">And some newly added ones:</span><br />
<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">12. Blog once a week</span><br />
<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>- 4 out of 5 weeks</b></span><br />
<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><br /></b></span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">13. Spend more time with positive people</span><br />
<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>- can't say that I'm exactly around negative people right now so I call that a win</b></span><br />
<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">14. Spend more time with family</span><br />
<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">15. Get my back looked after and be pain free by the end of 2019</span><br />
<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">16. Go to the dentist regularly</span><br />
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<span id="docs-internal-guid-8c92da0e-7fff-b2fa-adbf-02117676809e"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><u><b>Organization</b></u></span></span><br />
<span id="docs-internal-guid-8c92da0e-7fff-b2fa-adbf-02117676809e"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">1. </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Clean out under the basement stairs</span></span><br />
<span id="docs-internal-guid-8c92da0e-7fff-b2fa-adbf-02117676809e"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">2. </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Take on a minimalist approach - get rid of “stuff”, clear the clutter</span></span><br />
<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>- the hubby has been home from work this week and I don't know what has gotten into him but he has been clearing clutter left, right, and center! Love it!!</b></span><br />
<span id="docs-internal-guid-8c92da0e-7fff-b2fa-adbf-02117676809e"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">3. </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Stay on top of cleaning by doing something small daily/every other day</span></span><br />
<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>- haven't needed to recently, hubby has been doing ALOT of cleaning </b></span><br />
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<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">And some pics....enjoy!!</span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DuFtP-zgdTg/XFNjdD8d_KI/AAAAAAAAMnQ/zoeN5Osam3gOvQWTfgkDsf0dJHp6sZDgwCKgBGAs/s1600/20190131_152144.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DuFtP-zgdTg/XFNjdD8d_KI/AAAAAAAAMnQ/zoeN5Osam3gOvQWTfgkDsf0dJHp6sZDgwCKgBGAs/s400/20190131_152144.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">She loves her food!</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zkkVG9y5y_o/XFNjdE8xv2I/AAAAAAAAMnQ/p8yrNQoLPW8PLQBUq7wsg_5pubUwzmLMQCKgBGAs/s1600/20190128_102601.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zkkVG9y5y_o/XFNjdE8xv2I/AAAAAAAAMnQ/p8yrNQoLPW8PLQBUq7wsg_5pubUwzmLMQCKgBGAs/s400/20190128_102601.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Spent the day with this sweet girl</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bWV5BWu7vrs/XFNjdD-KCVI/AAAAAAAAMnQ/KSR6oyaC0dI8Xq6_U6t6DUIfsD6laFpMACKgBGAs/s1600/20190124_165317.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bWV5BWu7vrs/XFNjdD-KCVI/AAAAAAAAMnQ/KSR6oyaC0dI8Xq6_U6t6DUIfsD6laFpMACKgBGAs/s400/20190124_165317.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My 18 year old got her first tattoo last week - it's a pic of her hand holding Brie's hand with a butterfly to represent Hope (Brie's middle name). I'm honored that she asked I get a matching one, so I'm getting mine on Saturda</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-smqx0O4glvc/XFNjdGwF30I/AAAAAAAAMnQ/aVCagn0-lRolKNRsyCbCl7xA8No7-pjXQCKgBGAs/s1600/20190118_164742.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-smqx0O4glvc/XFNjdGwF30I/AAAAAAAAMnQ/aVCagn0-lRolKNRsyCbCl7xA8No7-pjXQCKgBGAs/s400/20190118_164742.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We've been using our air fryer almost every day - I'm a lover of chicken again. It's amazing</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-n3vSGl9bYyg/XFNjdPFXAQI/AAAAAAAAMnQ/aYK7WD38VCwTRiy-jG6PGbwfzm1lu-4TQCKgBGAs/s1600/20190116_164052.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-n3vSGl9bYyg/XFNjdPFXAQI/AAAAAAAAMnQ/aYK7WD38VCwTRiy-jG6PGbwfzm1lu-4TQCKgBGAs/s400/20190116_164052.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lemon chicken in the air fryer</td></tr>
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<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Have a great week!</span></div>
Culinary Affectionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04239779974340793730noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1837523928210437160.post-49137135363267087732019-01-14T15:16:00.002-05:002019-01-14T15:16:56.548-05:00Balsamic & Brown Sugar Braised Beef RibsSunday dinners are my favorite. I usually have time to make something that I wouldn't normally be able to during the week, so I try and take advantage of that. In addition to making a lavish dinner, I also caught up on some cooking for the family.<br />
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For Brielle, I made <a href="https://www.babyfoode.com/blog/easy-blender-spinach-pancakes-for-baby-toddler-allergy-friendly?rq=spinach%20pancakes">these spinach pancakes</a> but subbed the bananas for applesauce since I didn't have any. She actually liked them better this way so I think I'll stick to the change. I also made <a href="https://www.babyledweaningideas.com/2018/02/04/tuna-zucchini-pancakes/">these zucchini & tuna fritters</a> which she absolutely adores, so they are a regular staple in the house.<br />
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For the man (and me) I made a big batch of <a href="https://www.averiecooks.com/loaded-cheesy-bacon-corn-potato-chowder/">this cheesy bacony goodness</a> but I didn't have any corn or celery so I left that out, and I added zucchini and leftover chicken that we had in the fridge from earlier in the week. This soup is amazing. I make big batches of different soups as needed and freeze them in single portions. We reheat them during the week and take them to work in our thermos for a nice warm lunch.<br />
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Ok, on to the main event. The ribs.<br />
<a href="https://www.seriouseats.com/2014/02/balsamic-brown-sugar-short-ribs-with-garlic-mashed-potatoes-recipe.html">These babies</a> took almost 4 hours to make but they were oh so worth it. I added Boursin shallot & chives to the mashed potatoes for some extra yum factor. I'm also happy to report that my picture looks almost as good as the one on the <a href="https://www.seriouseats.com/2014/02/balsamic-brown-sugar-short-ribs-with-garlic-mashed-potatoes-recipe.html">website</a> but you can be the judge.<br />
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I didn't have any red wine so I increased the beef broth. And I hate that the recipe calls for just orange rind (what do I do with the rest of the orange??) so I threw the segments in with the sauce. It cooks for so long in the oven that they just kind of disappear into the amazing gravy anyways. <br />
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Try <a href="https://www.seriouseats.com/2014/02/balsamic-brown-sugar-short-ribs-with-garlic-mashed-potatoes-recipe.html">this recipe</a> out for your next Sunday dinner, you wont be disappointed!!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-E2cHloRGkE8/XDzrWfMUOeI/AAAAAAAAMFg/W6G9Mfrsy-0oma4wp00iOiPwe0BN2jOCwCKgBGAs/s1600/20190113_212606.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-E2cHloRGkE8/XDzrWfMUOeI/AAAAAAAAMFg/W6G9Mfrsy-0oma4wp00iOiPwe0BN2jOCwCKgBGAs/s400/20190113_212606.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Balsamic and brown sugar braised beef ribs with Boursin mashed potatoes</td></tr>
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<span id="docs-internal-guid-8c92da0e-7fff-b2fa-adbf-02117676809e"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>2019 Resolutions</b></span></span></span><br />
<span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><u>Finances</u></b></span></span><br />
<span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><u><br /></u></b></span></span><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">1. Get out of debt - minimum payment of 300/month with additional ideas and ways to increase payments listed below</span><br />
<span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-<b> this is going well; I've managed to put more than the minimum on so far </b></span><br />
<span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">2. Do various challenges - spending fast, pantry challenge - money saved goes on to debt</span><br />
<span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- <b>currently challenging myself to keep groceries below $400, more on that below</b></span><br />
<span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">3. Buy second hand, no new books all year</span><br />
<span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- <b>nothing purchased yet!</b></span><br />
<span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">4. Do all survey receipts, petro points receipts - use points accumulated for gift cards, extras for us (a want not a need) - currently have <b>$123</b> in petro points (started the year with $121)</span><br />
<span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">5. </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">20 minutes a day for swagbucks surveys - use points accumulated for gift cards, extras for us (a want not a need) - currently have <b>$65.12</b> in points (started the year with $61)</span><br />
<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">6. </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Raise money by selling things - extra money goes on to debt OR is used for extras only (a want, not a need)</span><br />
<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>- have a few things to return this week</b></span><br />
<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">7. </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Be diligent about price matching, frugal shopping, wasting less (food) and only buying what is needed</span><br />
<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>- so far so good</b></span><br />
<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">8. </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Reduce monthly groceries gradually & put the extra money on to debt - current budget is $400/month, lets see how low it can go</span><br />
<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>- total groceries for January so far is $86.28 - spent $16.88 this week on needs for the baby (milk, eggs, etc).</b></span><br />
<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">9. </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Buy new car and pay down as much as possible (and get on a reasonable repayment plan) - this should be the only debt we are carrying in to 2020</span><br />
<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><u>Health & Wellness</u></b></span><br />
<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">1. </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Exercise 3x per week</span><br />
<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>- 5 out of 13 days so far - not great, needs improvement</b></span><br />
<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">2. </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Minimum of 80oz of water per day</span><br />
<b style="white-space: pre-wrap;">- 3 out of 13 days so far - an </b><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>embarrassment</b></span><b style="white-space: pre-wrap;">! In fairness, most days I only fall a few ounces short but I feel like if I counted that it would be cheating</b><br />
<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">3. </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Do various food challenges (no carbs, no sugar, no processed foods, meatless Mondays, etc)</span><br />
<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>- smoothie challenge from last week was a fail (2 out of 7 days). Starting over today, so far so good</b></span></div>
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<span id="docs-internal-guid-8c92da0e-7fff-b2fa-adbf-02117676809e">4. <span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Get serious about diet/food</span></span><br />
<span id="docs-internal-guid-8c92da0e-7fff-b2fa-adbf-02117676809e"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">5. </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Reserve drinking for weekends and/or special occasions</span></span><br />
<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>- so far so good</b></span><br />
<span id="docs-internal-guid-8c92da0e-7fff-b2fa-adbf-02117676809e"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">6. </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Read for 20mins per day</span></span><br />
<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">- <b>6 out of 13 days, needs improvement</b></span><br />
<span id="docs-internal-guid-8c92da0e-7fff-b2fa-adbf-02117676809e"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">7. </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Read one book per month</span></span><br />
<span id="docs-internal-guid-8c92da0e-7fff-b2fa-adbf-02117676809e"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">8. </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Live in the moment - worry less (worrying means you can’t possibly be living in the moment)</span></span><br />
<span id="docs-internal-guid-8c92da0e-7fff-b2fa-adbf-02117676809e"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">9. </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Less nagging, more loving</span></span><br />
<span id="docs-internal-guid-8c92da0e-7fff-b2fa-adbf-02117676809e"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">10. </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Less judging, more enjoying time with people</span></span><br />
<span id="docs-internal-guid-8c92da0e-7fff-b2fa-adbf-02117676809e"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">11. </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Less judging, more enjoying time with people</span></span><br />
<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">And some newly added ones:</span><br />
<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">12. Blog once a week</span><br />
<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>- 3 out of 3</b></span><br />
<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><br /></b></span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">13. Spend more time with positive people</span><br />
<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>- can't say that I'm exactly around negative people right now so I call that a win</b></span><br />
<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">14. Spend more time with family</span><br />
<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>- hung out with my parents on Friday and my brother & family on Sunday</b></span><br />
<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">15. Get my back looked after and be pain free by the end of 2019</span><br />
<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">16. Go to the dentist regularly</span><br />
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<span id="docs-internal-guid-8c92da0e-7fff-b2fa-adbf-02117676809e"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><u><b>Organization</b></u></span></span><br />
<span id="docs-internal-guid-8c92da0e-7fff-b2fa-adbf-02117676809e"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">1. </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Clean out under the basement stairs</span></span><br />
<span id="docs-internal-guid-8c92da0e-7fff-b2fa-adbf-02117676809e"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">2. </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Take on a minimalist approach - get rid of “stuff”, clear the clutter</span></span><br />
<span id="docs-internal-guid-8c92da0e-7fff-b2fa-adbf-02117676809e"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">3. </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Stay on top of cleaning by doing something small daily/every other day</span></span><br />
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<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">And some picture :)</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WHW9DcQXvK8/XDztmnxC4dI/AAAAAAAAMFs/LGsUTqbQ9mkAcUCqSr6c4VUbla83RDovACKgBGAs/s1600/20190114_080031.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WHW9DcQXvK8/XDztmnxC4dI/AAAAAAAAMFs/LGsUTqbQ9mkAcUCqSr6c4VUbla83RDovACKgBGAs/s400/20190114_080031.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Breakfast of champions - spinach pancakes, grapes & breakfast sausage</td></tr>
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VBeVcliGI3A/XDztmqdVSEI/AAAAAAAAMFs/NlS0A5Rn4wQMlpQmzzRN50Yoh9F-7jPNQCKgBGAs/s1600/20190113_195023.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VBeVcliGI3A/XDztmqdVSEI/AAAAAAAAMFs/NlS0A5Rn4wQMlpQmzzRN50Yoh9F-7jPNQCKgBGAs/s400/20190113_195023.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Jn_I3Tiq9s0/XDztmnfyKAI/AAAAAAAAMFs/KUM0KwhlhSg63CQ5lO_O9mQM2UHiUQm4wCKgBGAs/s1600/20190112_183258.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Jn_I3Tiq9s0/XDztmnfyKAI/AAAAAAAAMFs/KUM0KwhlhSg63CQ5lO_O9mQM2UHiUQm4wCKgBGAs/s400/20190112_183258.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">She loves her food...whole wheat pasta with chicken & tomato sauce</td></tr>
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And some pictures from my daughter's 18th bday celebratory dinner...<br />
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Culinary Affectionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04239779974340793730noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1837523928210437160.post-526193904609990142019-01-06T13:14:00.000-05:002019-01-06T13:14:17.303-05:00Mini Blueberry Muffins, and Veggie Packed Spaghetti & ResolutionsI've been loving watching Brie eat new things every day. She finally has a tooth coming through (with more on the way) so we have been having fun experimenting with new foods and textures. She recently had pasta at Boston Pizza and has been hooked ever since, so I make different sauces for her to ensure she's getting what she needs nutritionally. Her favorite so far is alfredo (which I made, and mix with white bean puree for added fiber). This spaghetti was a hit as well, and didn't require much effort.<br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-IMAYu96joo8/W4F9rmqqdrI/AAAAAAAAGZM/EG8GcEbq0vU7ew5OjUWQwg2c_grBsoYwQCKgBGAs/s1600/20180823_203352.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-IMAYu96joo8/W4F9rmqqdrI/AAAAAAAAGZM/EG8GcEbq0vU7ew5OjUWQwg2c_grBsoYwQCKgBGAs/s400/20180823_203352.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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I used my regular spaghetti sauce, but blended up broccoli, cauliflower, and zucchini to add to the sauce. I also sauteed up some chopped kale. It was delicious, and packed with veggies, so a win win for us all.<br />
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And these muffins, guys, are so good. For us and for baby. I know I have talked about <a href="http://www.babyfoode.com/">this website</a> before but I can't tell you all enough times how amazing it is. If you're trying to feed a baby or toddler and need some ideas, check out the recipes on the site. Love love love everything I have made so far (and so does Brie)<br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tKy1a3Lur-o/W4F-jpEgqdI/AAAAAAAAGZU/GjYxkBvWYfEZgxRa39di38ksAuOBuoIRwCKgBGAs/s1600/20180821_122205.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tKy1a3Lur-o/W4F-jpEgqdI/AAAAAAAAGZU/GjYxkBvWYfEZgxRa39di38ksAuOBuoIRwCKgBGAs/s400/20180821_122205.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.babyfoode.com/blog/2015/6/14/blueberry-lemon-toddler-muffins?rq=blueberry%20muffin">These muffins</a> were healthy and packed with goodness for the baby, and delicious enough for us to snack on. So good!!<br />
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On to my resolutions...<br />
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<span id="docs-internal-guid-8c92da0e-7fff-b2fa-adbf-02117676809e"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>2019 Resolutions</b></span></span></span><br />
<span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><u>Finances</u></b></span></span><br />
<span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><u><br /></u></b></span></span><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">1. Get out of debt - minimum payment of 300/month with additional ideas and ways to increase payments listed below</span><br />
<span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-<b> this is going well so far considering it's only week one</b></span><br />
<span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">2. Do various challenges - spending fast, pantry challenge - money saved goes on to debt</span><br />
<span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- <b>currently challenging myself to keep groceries below $400, more on that below</b></span><br />
<span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">3. Buy second hand, no new books all year</span><br />
<span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- <b>nothing purchased yet!</b></span><br />
<span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">4. Do all survey receipts, petro points receipts - use points accumulated for gift cards, extras for us (a want not a need) - currently have <b>$123</b> in petro points</span><br />
<span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">5. </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">20 minutes a day for swagbucks surveys - use points accumulated for gift cards, extras for us (a want not a need) - currently have <b>$64.86</b> in points</span><br />
<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">6. </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Raise money by selling things - extra money goes on to debt OR is used for extras only (a want, not a need)</span><br />
<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>- returned a baby gate to Walmart ($23) and a sweater to Old Navy ($27) and used that money for a Christmas gift for a friend and some additional groceries needed</b></span><br />
<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">7. </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Be diligent about price matching, frugal shopping, wasting less (food) and only buying what is needed</span><br />
<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>- so far so good</b></span><br />
<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">8. </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Reduce monthly groceries gradually & put the extra money on to debt - current budget is $400/month, lets see how low it can go</span><br />
<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>- total groceries for January so far is $69.40 - spent $18 on needs for the baby (milk, yogurt, etc) and $53 at Nations on produce including some amazing deals (2 huge bags of spinach for .99 each, pork chops @ 1.99/lb, blueberries @ 2 pints for 4.99, also potatoes, green onions, bok choy, pears, carrots, chilis, sugar snap peas, zucchini, lemons and grapes - all produce will be used in recipes with meat we already have for the upcoming week</b></span><br />
<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">9. </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Buy new car and pay down as much as possible (and get on a reasonable repayment plan) - this should be the only debt we are carrying in to 2020</span><br />
<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><u>Health & Wellness</u></b></span><br />
<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">1. </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Exercise 3x per week</span><br />
<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>- 3 out of 5 days so far</b></span><br />
<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">2. </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Minimum of 80oz of water per day</span><br />
<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>- 2 out of 5 days so far - needs improvement</b></span><br />
<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">3. </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Do various food challenges (no carbs, no sugar, no processed foods, meatless Mondays, etc)</span><br />
<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>- this week will be a smoothie challenge; starting the day off with a green smoothie every day</b></span></div>
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<span id="docs-internal-guid-8c92da0e-7fff-b2fa-adbf-02117676809e"><br /></span>
<span id="docs-internal-guid-8c92da0e-7fff-b2fa-adbf-02117676809e">4. <span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Get serious about diet/food</span></span><br />
<span id="docs-internal-guid-8c92da0e-7fff-b2fa-adbf-02117676809e"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">5. </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Reserve drinking for weekends and/or special occasions</span></span><br />
<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>- so far so good</b></span><br />
<span id="docs-internal-guid-8c92da0e-7fff-b2fa-adbf-02117676809e"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">6. </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Read for 20mins per day</span></span><br />
<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">- <b>3 out of 5 days, needs improvement</b></span><br />
<span id="docs-internal-guid-8c92da0e-7fff-b2fa-adbf-02117676809e"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">7. </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Read one book per month</span></span><br />
<span id="docs-internal-guid-8c92da0e-7fff-b2fa-adbf-02117676809e"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">8. </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Live in the moment - worry less (worrying means you can’t possibly be living in the moment)</span></span><br />
<span id="docs-internal-guid-8c92da0e-7fff-b2fa-adbf-02117676809e"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">9. </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Less nagging, more loving</span></span><br />
<span id="docs-internal-guid-8c92da0e-7fff-b2fa-adbf-02117676809e"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">10. </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Less judging, more enjoying time with people</span></span><br />
<span id="docs-internal-guid-8c92da0e-7fff-b2fa-adbf-02117676809e"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">11. </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Less judging, more enjoying time with people</span></span><br />
<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">And some newly added ones:</span><br />
<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">12. Blog once a week</span><br />
<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>- 2 out of 2</b></span><br />
<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">13. Spend more time with positive people</span><br />
<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">14. Spend more time with family</span><br />
<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">15. Get my back looked after and be pain free by the end of 2019</span><br />
<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">16. Go to the dentist regularly</span><br />
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<span id="docs-internal-guid-8c92da0e-7fff-b2fa-adbf-02117676809e"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><u><b>Organization</b></u></span></span><br />
<span id="docs-internal-guid-8c92da0e-7fff-b2fa-adbf-02117676809e"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">1. </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Clean out under the basement stairs</span></span><br />
<span id="docs-internal-guid-8c92da0e-7fff-b2fa-adbf-02117676809e"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">2. </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Take on a minimalist approach - get rid of “stuff”, clear the clutter</span></span><br />
<span id="docs-internal-guid-8c92da0e-7fff-b2fa-adbf-02117676809e"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">3. </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Stay on top of cleaning by doing something small daily/every other day</span></span><br />
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<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">In other news, my first love, my first baby, turns 18 today. I can't believe it. Time has really flown by and she has somehow turned into a truly beautiful human being inside and out. She actively works in the community performing spoken word and has started applying to universities. It's incredible to watch her grow and morph into an adult, although she will always be my baby. We are taking her to dinner tonight, and for her gift she has requested her first tattoo, and for me to get a matching one. I'm actually honored. More on that when we get them...</span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here she is doing what she loves - writing and directing</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My first baby applying to universities while my second baby reads and plays with her toys</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Such an amazing big sister</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Performing spoken word</td></tr>
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Culinary Affectionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04239779974340793730noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1837523928210437160.post-30782091062847494742019-01-01T13:56:00.000-05:002019-01-01T14:05:46.675-05:00Hello 2019!<span style="font-family: inherit;">Where do I begin?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Another year has gone by, seemingly in a blink, and here we are again with a fresh start. There is something so exciting about starting anew ever January 1st. We realistically know that we can start fresh whenever we want, it doesn't have to be at the beginning of a new year, but there is just something about it, am I right?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">So I am jumping on the ever moving bandwagon with a fresh new list of resolutions. I'm excited at the possibilities of what is to come. I have high expectations this year, some great goals, and nothing but optimism. My teenager will be going to University this year, and hopefully we will have another baby by the end of 2019. Lots to look forward too, and be excited about. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">So here they are, my resolutions for 2019. I'll keep track of them here, although some are more tangible than others. Lets get started on a great new year!!</span></div>
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<span id="docs-internal-guid-8c92da0e-7fff-b2fa-adbf-02117676809e"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>2019 Resolutions</b></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><u>Finances</u></b></span></span><br />
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<span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">1. Get out of debt - minimum payment of 300/month with additional ideas and ways to increase payments listed below</span></span><br />
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<span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">2. Do various challenges - spending fast, pantry challenge - money saved goes on to debt</span></span><br />
<span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">3. Buy second hand, no new books all year</span></span><br />
<span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">4. Do all survey receipts, petro points receipts - use points accumulated for gift cards, extras for us (a want not a need) - currently have $112 in petro points</span></span><br />
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<span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">5. </span></span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">20 minutes a day for swagbucks surveys - use points accumulated for gift cards, extras for us (a want not a need) - currently have $63 in points</span><br />
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<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">6. </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Raise money by selling things - extra money goes on to debt OR is used for extras only (a want, not a need)</span><br />
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<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">7. </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Be diligent about price matching, frugal shopping, wasting less (food) and only buying what is needed</span><br />
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<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">8. </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Reduce monthly groceries gradually & put the extra money on to debt - current budget is $400/month, lets see how low it can go</span><br />
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<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">9. </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Buy new car and pay down as much as possible (and get on a reasonable repayment plan) - this should be the only debt we are carrying in to 2020</span><br />
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<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><u>Health & Wellness</u></b></span><br />
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<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">1. </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Exercise 3x per week</span><br />
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<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">2. </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Minimum of 80oz of water per day</span><br />
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<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">3. </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Do various food challenges (no carbs, no sugar, no processed foods, meatless Mondays, etc)</span></div>
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4. <span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Get serious about diet/food</span><br />
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<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">5. </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Reserve drinking for weekends and/or special occasions</span><br />
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<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">6. </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Read for 20mins per day</span><br />
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<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">7. </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Read one book per month</span><br />
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<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">8. </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Live in the moment - worry less (worrying means you can’t possibly be living in the moment)</span><br />
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<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">9. </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Less nagging, more loving</span><br />
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<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">10. </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Less judging, more enjoying time with people</span><br />
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<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">11. </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Less judging, more enjoying time with people</span><br />
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<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><u><b>Organization</b></u></span><br />
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<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">1. </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Clean out under the basement stairs</span><br />
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<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">2. </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Take on a minimalist approach - get rid of “stuff”, clear the clutter</span><br />
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<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">3. </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Stay on top of cleaning by doing something small daily/every other day</span></div>
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<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">And there you have it. My goals for 2019. Today is day one...</span></span></div>
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<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">And some pics of course :)</span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Bqg7nLlh-LI/XCu2HaaMpLI/AAAAAAAALyE/YxEoZEEeH6IgD26NozscdVkPktfyXVpAwCKgBGAs/s1600/20181231_190801.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Bqg7nLlh-LI/XCu2HaaMpLI/AAAAAAAALyE/YxEoZEEeH6IgD26NozscdVkPktfyXVpAwCKgBGAs/s400/20181231_190801.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here is Brie ringing in the New Year (at 7pm) in her new robe. She has been sick since Boxing Day so it was nice to see her in good spirits</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-K0yUvezn-zA/XCu2HbW38II/AAAAAAAALyE/MqjtUevm0AAMep46fJHaRJ9l0gSWYwR5ACKgBGAs/s1600/20181228_203332.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-K0yUvezn-zA/XCu2HbW38II/AAAAAAAALyE/MqjtUevm0AAMep46fJHaRJ9l0gSWYwR5ACKgBGAs/s400/20181228_203332.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We recently purchased an air fryer (Tfal Actifry) and we absolute love it. This is chicken scallopine with no oil whatsoever. It tasted fried...all the goodness without the guilt! Stay tuned for recipes!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-M9633oFY6d0/XCu2Hfiuc5I/AAAAAAAALyE/FrQbyX-7jaQAI71w8zNvObEvb-16rta0wCKgBGAs/s1600/IMG_4550.JPEG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-M9633oFY6d0/XCu2Hfiuc5I/AAAAAAAALyE/FrQbyX-7jaQAI71w8zNvObEvb-16rta0wCKgBGAs/s400/IMG_4550.JPEG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Christmas dinner with the family. Chris was taking the picture (which is why he isn't in it). This was our first Christmas without our beloved Uncle Ed who we lost in November (on Brie's birthday). He was missed, but also honored.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A shameless selfie. Just because</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chris with one of his many Christmas gifts - Tisania got him 3D glasses that he can use with his phone (or a TV). Great. LOL</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Opening gifts on Christmas morning</td></tr>
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Culinary Affectionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04239779974340793730noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1837523928210437160.post-79592085464554178022018-12-01T13:25:00.000-05:002018-12-01T13:25:17.781-05:00Zucchini Bread - for Baby and Mom!I am completely obsessed with <a href="http://www.babyfoode.com/">this website</a> for baby food ideas. This woman is seriously brilliant.<br />
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I came across a recipe of hers for zucchini bread that was safe for my baby to eat, and delicious for adults too. It was fantastic, and Brie totally approved, so a winner in our books.<br />
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<a href="http://www.babyfoode.com/blog/healthy-toddler-and-mom-approved-zucchini-bread?rq=zucchini%20bread">Here is the recipe</a><br />
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I used coconut oil instead of olive oil, and left the walnuts out. This worked perfectly as a meal for Brielle, as well as snacks, and we ate it as toast in the mornings, or snacks as well. Amazing with a little cream cheese on it!!<br />
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As far as my resolutions go, I'm calling it quits for now. Its December 1st and I've done very well - I still read every day, exercise at least 5 times per week, and drink my 80oz of water daily. I've recently gone back to work, so I'm adjusting and working on a new routine. Maternity leave was amazing, and amazingly short. I miss my baby girl everyday, but am happy to be a part of the working world again. It's all about balance I suppose.<br />
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We celebrated Brie's birthday on Nov 17th - we had a sesame street themed party at home with family and friends (see pics below). Her actual birthday was on the 19th, and I stayed home with her and played all day. On the evening of the 19th I received a call from my dad - one of my favorite people, my Uncle Ed, had passed away that evening. On Brie's birthday. <br />
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I was devastated, at first. I learned that he had stage 4 prostate cancer, but didn't want anyone to know. I had just been out to lunch with him a couple of weeks ago (see pics below) and he seemed great. He was a force to be reckoned with, a legend in our family, and in the business world. He retired in the 90's as CEO of McDonalds Eastern Canada. His funeral was fit for a celebrity, which he clearly was. He was loved and respected by so many people. <br />
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I say I was devastated <i>at first </i>because after hearing about his final months with us and how they were lived out, and listening to the many people speak about him at his funeral, I realized that his life was being celebrated, not his death mourned. He truly called all of the shots, right until the very end. He knew he was dying, and he lived exactly the way he wanted to, passing peacefully in his home on the evening of Nov 19th. He was not in any pain, and he lived "normally" until his last day. He had a list of who he wanted to speak at his funeral, and he was at peace with his fate, so we should be too.<br />
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I will miss him every day, and so will the rest of my family, but if you've gotta go, which we all eventually do, it would be a blessing to go out like Uncle Ed. An amazing man, right up until the end. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-UzbfpOp9yhg/XALQ2kYKTlI/AAAAAAAAJK0/meEbU5jdWD0vjuq2dJOLhg9NaXhnxvxtgCKgBGAs/s1600/20181117_150631.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-UzbfpOp9yhg/XALQ2kYKTlI/AAAAAAAAJK0/meEbU5jdWD0vjuq2dJOLhg9NaXhnxvxtgCKgBGAs/s400/20181117_150631.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">These took 3 hours to make...but so worth it after seeing the look on Brie's face</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Brie's first taste of birthday cake with Daddy and Grandad</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Uncle Ed with my mom & Brie on Oct 22nd</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me and Uncle Ed</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My dad & Uncle Ed</td></tr>
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Culinary Affectionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04239779974340793730noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1837523928210437160.post-50039674857676042742018-10-17T14:24:00.001-04:002018-10-17T14:24:54.865-04:00Bacon Brown Sugar Pork Tenderloin & and an Epic FailBacon wrapped pork tenderloin people. This is where it's at. It's pork on pork. Flavor on flavor. Smoky and sweet, and super simple to put together, this meal was a winner.<br />
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<a href="https://www.thekitchn.com/recipe-baconbrown-sugar-pork-tenderloin-recipes-from-the-kitchn-215660">Here's the recipe I used</a><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EHhD9w3yY6Y/W3LieyQuUqI/AAAAAAAAGH4/MTQ8lfeM7_sjaBbltotpNb17THuQcwDAACKgBGAs/s1600/20180801_200923.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EHhD9w3yY6Y/W3LieyQuUqI/AAAAAAAAGH4/MTQ8lfeM7_sjaBbltotpNb17THuQcwDAACKgBGAs/s400/20180801_200923.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Alongside the pork I served roasted asparagus that I had picked up from the farmers market the same day. Yum!</td></tr>
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On to my epic fail. We have been craving beef wellington for quite some time. We used to make it every few months but haven't for years. I was browsing Pinterest and came across <a href="https://www.nelliebellie.com/poor-mans-beef-wellington/#_a5y_p=4726512">this recipe</a> for Poor Man's Wellington using ground beef. It sounded pretty brilliant to me. So off I went, going through the recipe step by step. This was NOT an easy recipe, and was very time consuming (even more so since a baby was crawling around at my feet and a teenager was complaining she was hungry). Anyways long story short, this was a whole lot of effort for what ended up tasting like a decent burger wrapped in burnt dough. Who knows, maybe I got something wrong. Maybe you'll have better luck. I won't be trying this recipe again, but good luck to you if you do!<br />
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And my resolutions...<br />
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1<b>. Read a minimum of 20 mins per day</b> - 204 out of 290 days</div>
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2. <b>Read a minimum of 1 book per month</b> -</div>
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January - <a href="https://www.blogger.com/%3Ca%20target=%22_blank%22%20href=%22https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/1443414565/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=15121&creative=330641&creativeASIN=1443414565&linkCode=as2&tag=culinaryaffec-20&linkId=ee6a8afcd517cc7724e7f2bcdad61e9a%22%3EThe%20Happiness%20Project%3C/a%3E%3Cimg%20src=%22//ir-ca.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=culinaryaffec-20&l=am2&o=15&a=1443414565%22%20width=%221%22%20height=%221%22%20border=%220%22%20alt=%22%22%20style=%22border:none%20!important;%20margin:0px%20!important;%22%20/%3E">The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin</a></div>
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February - <a href="https://www.blogger.com/%3Ciframe%20style=%22width:120px;height:240px;%22%20marginwidth=%220%22%20marginheight=%220%22%20scrolling=%22no%22%20frameborder=%220%22%20src=%22//rcm-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/cm?ref=qf_sp_asin_til&t=culinaryaffec-20&m=amazon&o=15&p=8&l=as1&IS1=1&asins=157224710X&linkId=554e8e481d9c1599ea8a67b55dff31f7&bc1=FFFFFF&lt1=_top&fc1=333333&lc1=0066C0&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr%22%3E%20%20%20%20%20%3C/iframe%3E">The Buddha and The Borderline</a></div>
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March - <a href="https://www.amazon.ca/Lost-Echoes-Joe-R-Lansdale-ebook/dp/B000OI0FY4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1520259578&sr=8-1&keywords=lost+echoes+joe+lansdale">Lost Echoes</a><br />
April - <a href="https://www.amazon.ca/Magic-Rhonda-Byrne/dp/1451673442/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1524165751&sr=8-1&keywords=the+magic+rhonda+byrne">The Magic</a> by Rhonda Byrne<br />
<a href="https://www.amazon.ca/Loving-What-Four-Questions-Change/dp/1400045371/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1524165953&sr=1-1&keywords=loving+what+is+byron+katie">Loving What Is</a> by Byron Katie (I highly recommend this book, I'm reading it again to make sure it all sinks in)<br />
May - <a href="https://www.amazon.ca/Judgment-Detox-Release-Beliefs-Living/dp/1501168967/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1528912324&sr=8-1&keywords=judgement+detox">Judgment Detox by Gabrielle Bernstein</a><br />
June - <a href="https://www.amazon.ca/Bag-Bones-Stephen-King/dp/067102423X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1528912386&sr=1-1&keywords=bag+of+bones+stephen+king">Bag of Bones by Stephen King</a><br />
July - <a href="https://www.amazon.ca/Two-Minute-Rule-Robert-Crais-ebook/dp/B000FCKS0K/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1534254873&sr=8-1&keywords=The+Two+Minute+Rule">The Two Minute Rule</a> by Robert Crais<br />
August - <a href="https://www.amazon.ca/Best-Life-Diet-Bob-Greene/dp/1416540660/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1535212055&sr=8-1&keywords=the+best+life+diet+bob+greene">The Best Life Diet by Bob Greene</a><br />
September - <a href="https://www.amazon.ca/Transformation-Unleash-Superpowers-Deeper-Stronger/dp/1635650135/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1538515310&sr=8-1&keywords=t+is+for+transformation">T is For Transformation</a> by Shaun T</div>
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3. <b>Drink 80oz of water per day</b> - 153 out of 290 days</div>
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4. <b><strike>Get in a minimum of 10,000 steps daily</strike></b> - My fitbit broke and their customer service sucks ass so I'm no longer counting my steps. I was doing well over 15,000 per day so I think as long as I keep moving, I'm good here</div>
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5. <b>Post on this blog weekly</b> - 23 out of 42 weeks<br />
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6. <b>Lose the baby weight and get into the best shape of my life </b>- Since joining <a href="https://www.beachbodyondemand.com/programs">Beach Body On Demand</a> I have participated in <a href="https://www.beachbody.ca/product/fitness_programs/21-day-fix-simple-fitness-eating.do?e=mm81615&code=SEMB_21D_GOOGLE_CA&utm_campaign=&utm_term=21dayfix&trackingid=shAetNZ8A&gclid=Cj0KCQjwrszdBRDWARIsAEEYhrd4jWi3rxh_iw9RJGaGyOCIL6z7ArCu2NY4T8vC5xfrmhHe2xxBgFEaAlwwEALw_wcB">21 Day Fix</a> and lost 3 pounds and 4 inches - nothing crazy but feeling great. I am now half way through <a href="https://www.beachbody.ca/product/fitness_programs/21-day-fix-extreme.do?code=SEMB_21E_GOOGLE_CA&utm_campaign=&utm_term=21%20fix%20day%20extreme&trackingid=s7uoF8cuK&gclid=Cj0KCQjwrszdBRDWARIsAEEYhrelCbbadBRMhhtu7QkdnLk0j27P4aRdVZFWmI2NZvxz8Ey-QYp9IPQaAp72EALw_wcB">21 Day Fix Extreme</a> and am really pushing myself to stay on track with the meal plan, so we will see how that goes. I am loving the fact that I have definition in my arms and legs again, and I'm full of energy!</div>
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7. <b>Get rid of 52 things</b> -</div>
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1-6. Books given to my daughter's friend, they were duplicates that I didn't need to hang on to</div>
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7. Threw out some cleaning products and knick knacks that were under the kitchen sink</div>
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8. Got rid of some baby clothes that we had been given by a friend - they were all boys clothes</div>
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(since we thought we were having a boy) - I kept some neutral items and brought the rest to Once</div>
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Upon A Child for some cash</div>
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9. Got rid of all the old tupperware (and bought a new set - does that count? I'm going to say yes</div>
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because in the past I would have kept the old & the new)</div>
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10. Dumped all of the expired vitamins and medicine that we had (some dating as far back as 2010!!) - more on that below</div>
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11. Possibly TMI but I got rid of a ton of old underwear - now I have to replace them, which is always fun.</div>
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12. I sold Brie's bassinet this week, $60 in my pocket and one less thing to hang on to<br />
13. Gave two huge bags of clothes to Value Village<br />
14. Got rid of a travel bottle warmer and some bottles to someone who needed them on LetGo<br />
15. Got rid of 2 bags of the hubbies clothes (donated)<br />
16. Got rid of a bag of boys baby clothes (gave to my friend)<br />
17. Got rid of all of my bras that will never fit properly again (thanks for that Brielle! lol)<br />
18. Got rid of old hair products and face products that were just creating clutter under the bathroom sink<br />
19. Got rid of jeans that will never fit me<br />
20. Got rid of work pants that will never fit me<br />
21. Got rid of sweaters that I don't like<br />
22. Sold Brie's old excersaucer on Letgo for $20<br />
23. Got rid of 2 garbage bags full of expired food (oops)<br />
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8. <b>Organize/clean 52 areas (that I wouldn't normally clean during my daily/weekly routines)</b></div>
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1. Organized my book shelves by giving away duplicate books, grouping the self-help novels together, grouping authors together that I have huge collections of, and alphabetizing the remaining books</div>
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2. Cleaned the area underneath the kitchen sink - it was a disaster. Now everything is organized</div>
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and accounted for</div>
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<span style="text-align: center;">3. I cleaned the top of the hallway closet and threw out winter gear that had no matches along with</span></div>
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other little things that had no business being there (or anywhere). A small project, but a needed</div>
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one! (see pictures below)</div>
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4. I cleaned our "medicine cabinet" - we have a section of shelving in our kitchen where we keep vitamins and medicine. Most of the bottles were expired, and it was a mess up there. See before and after pics above. And yes, I am still taking prenatal vitamins. We plan on having one more baby so might as well stay healthy for that. To be honest I think I'll continue taking them indefinitely - they are great.</div>
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5. I finally cleaned my linen closet and got rid of a ton of things we didn't need. Check out the before and after pics below- we now have a whole empty shelf to fill up! I think we will use it for toilet paper and paper towel which is currently stuffed in the spare bedroom's closet. That will be my next task to tackle.</div>
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6. Cleaned out all of my bra and lingerie drawers (and got rid of a ton of them)<br />
<span style="text-align: center;">7. Cleaned out and organized the area under my bathroom sink. Found some cool face products that I didn't know I had too!</span><br />
<span style="text-align: center;">8. Cleaned out all of my jeans and got rid of the ones I'll never wear again</span><br />
<span style="text-align: center;">9. Went through all of my work pants and got rid of the ones I'll never wear again</span><br />
<span style="text-align: center;">10. Organized my sweaters and got rid of the ones I'll never wear again</span><br />
<span style="text-align: center;">11, 12, 13, 14. Cleaned out 4 huge pantries in my house, 2 in the kitchen and 2 in the basement, and got rid of food that I know we will never eat (or it's been expired for 2 years lol)</span><br />
<span style="text-align: center;"><br /></span><span style="text-align: center;">11. </span><b style="text-align: center;">Email or call my Grandma weekly</b><span style="text-align: center;"> - I'm finally calling my Grandma with the phone card I purchased. I love her to pieces!!</span></div>
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12. <b>Do things to get me out of my comfort zone</b></div>
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1. I attended a mom/baby fitness class, and loved it so much that I'll be going weekly (with a friend of mine pictured above)</div>
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2. Joined another mommy/baby fitness class (salsa) that I haven't started yet - it begins on Thursday and it's an hour away. I joined with the same friend who comes to my neck of the woods once a week for the other classes we are doing. This is out of my comfort zone for two reasons - the obvious one is attending and trying a new class, but also the fact that it is so far away. I usually don't venture too far out of my bubble. I'll be able to walk around after each class and explore a new city, so that'll be fun, and an added bonus.</div>
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3. I started going to a chiropractor for my achy back. This is big for me - I don't like to be touched by strangers. So yea, this is huge<br />
4. I went to the dentist. After 9 years. Yes you read that right. No cavities, just tartar build up so I have to go back to have them freeze me and do a cleaning that will take an hour. I'm going back May 1st. I'm afraid of the dentist (hence the 9 year hiatus) so this qualifies as being outside of my comfort zone.<br />
5. As a follow up to my visit to the dentist, I returned to get needles (eek!) to freeze my gums and do a one hour cleaning on the right side of my mouth. Today I go for the left side. In the past I would have avoided this all together and just not shown up.<br />
6. I signed up for a playdate at a local splash pad through a Mommy/Baby group. I go next week, we will see how it is<br />
7. I started Brie in swimming lessons. Just getting into a swimsuit in public is huge for me.<br />
8. I joined <a href="https://www.beachbodyondemand.com/programs">Beach Body</a> and I'm absolutely thrilled</div>
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13. <b>Go on the treadmill for a minimum of 20 minutes daily - </b>146 out of 192 days<br />
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<br />
On to pics and fun....On Oct 13th Brie started walking!! She isn't even 11 months old yet, I am so amazed. She's the best, we love her so much!!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lvYbYYzal9c/W8d8ousds1I/AAAAAAAAH9Y/lAqdATqkcAQ23hrS1-bEvKZF2dNl2WcsgCKgBGAs/s1600/20181013_151519.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lvYbYYzal9c/W8d8ousds1I/AAAAAAAAH9Y/lAqdATqkcAQ23hrS1-bEvKZF2dNl2WcsgCKgBGAs/s400/20181013_151519.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me after a great workout :)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-PeDf-Ex8HIQ/W8d8oq0m9yI/AAAAAAAAH9Y/cr5Am9ytZ6YWCq7RQ99l0buwsf-gU5kGQCKgBGAs/s1600/20181012_101937.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-PeDf-Ex8HIQ/W8d8oq0m9yI/AAAAAAAAH9Y/cr5Am9ytZ6YWCq7RQ99l0buwsf-gU5kGQCKgBGAs/s400/20181012_101937.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It's getting cold here! Time to bundle up!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-owKd1Dgm804/W8d8ootvBJI/AAAAAAAAH9Y/FwSgssm3ybIaElvTaDpt4qKSW1kxLezUQCKgBGAs/s1600/20181011_123313.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-owKd1Dgm804/W8d8ootvBJI/AAAAAAAAH9Y/FwSgssm3ybIaElvTaDpt4qKSW1kxLezUQCKgBGAs/s400/20181011_123313.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Girls day at The Wiggles Concert</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-DzplZxi8U20/W8d8ot5cFCI/AAAAAAAAH9Y/IFpFyZf8vfkGcrwqvi4rF8XyKZw2iSMuACKgBGAs/s1600/20181011_122353.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-DzplZxi8U20/W8d8ot5cFCI/AAAAAAAAH9Y/IFpFyZf8vfkGcrwqvi4rF8XyKZw2iSMuACKgBGAs/s400/20181011_122353.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Also at The Wiggles</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4Xr1KcxZUWM/W8d8opiyhOI/AAAAAAAAH9Y/5yPvs95xbpQFPniMdT-5R7qjoHunopNggCKgBGAs/s1600/20181009_120405.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4Xr1KcxZUWM/W8d8opiyhOI/AAAAAAAAH9Y/5yPvs95xbpQFPniMdT-5R7qjoHunopNggCKgBGAs/s400/20181009_120405.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Look who figured out how to climb the stairs!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-e_nFHT_HsHc/W8d8opyl8FI/AAAAAAAAH9Y/vFgwmhqa6v8sq-5xx_pmYIuSYR1sRszXwCKgBGAs/s1600/20181007_185954.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-e_nFHT_HsHc/W8d8opyl8FI/AAAAAAAAH9Y/vFgwmhqa6v8sq-5xx_pmYIuSYR1sRszXwCKgBGAs/s400/20181007_185954.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our Thanksgiving Spread...Prime Rib, Turkey, Curried Goat (not pictured), Sweet Potato Casserole, Green beans, Mashed potatoes, Brussel sprouts, Cheese bread, Rice (not pictured), Stuffing (not pictured), Cranberry sauce, Apple pie (not pictured) and vanilla ice cream. Yum.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-uPiEjebDigQ/W8d8onxHKgI/AAAAAAAAH9Y/ZXmpZ29E0Vc02bjixFAgzcillfMRUWUTQCKgBGAs/s1600/20181007_193714.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-uPiEjebDigQ/W8d8onxHKgI/AAAAAAAAH9Y/ZXmpZ29E0Vc02bjixFAgzcillfMRUWUTQCKgBGAs/s400/20181007_193714.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our teenager with her boyfriend</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KRLVDZZSKaM/W8d8oltOlfI/AAAAAAAAH9Y/cWCAKSxww6E1mW6NNC6hA5C23ylgYmAvQCKgBGAs/s1600/20181007_190004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KRLVDZZSKaM/W8d8oltOlfI/AAAAAAAAH9Y/cWCAKSxww6E1mW6NNC6hA5C23ylgYmAvQCKgBGAs/s400/20181007_190004.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here's the curried goat from Thanksgiving!</td></tr>
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<br />Culinary Affectionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04239779974340793730noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1837523928210437160.post-70393717236404990932018-10-02T17:28:00.000-04:002018-10-02T17:28:06.536-04:00Creamy & Cheesy Chicken AlfredoWe were craving something comforting and fatty the other night (and by we I mean <i>me)</i> so I decided to try my hand at a simple yet decadent chicken alfredo. I don't exactly have a recipe for this but I'll explain what I did. I had mine over zoodles (pictured below) but the rest of the family was happy with penne.<br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2nj9BQwmjFo/W1Ycue3tlCI/AAAAAAAAFpg/sOoSvaRptK837lbTADLlILvOVa17e-7rACKgBGAs/s1600/20180722_192156.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2nj9BQwmjFo/W1Ycue3tlCI/AAAAAAAAFpg/sOoSvaRptK837lbTADLlILvOVa17e-7rACKgBGAs/s400/20180722_192156.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Here is how I made this -<br />
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8-9 boneless skinless chicken thighs<br />
bacon fat<br />
5 cloves of garlic<br />
2 onions<br />
bone broth, or stock, or water<br />
2-3 c of cream<br />
salt, pepper<br />
1 block of Edam shredded (or parmesan, or aged gouda, or whatever you have that isn't too strong of a cheese)<br />
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Cut up the chicken thighs into bite size pieces and fry in the bacon fat over medium high heat. Season with salt & pepper. Removed them from the pan when they are browned and cooked through. Add the onions and garlic to the same pan and let them cook in the remaining grease. I added a bit of bone broth when things got too dry - you can use any stock, or even water. Deglaze the pan with the liquid you choose by scraping up all the delicious brown bits. Add the cream in and stir continuously. When warmed through, add the cheese and the chicken and stir until the cheese has melted. Remove from heat and serve over noodles, or zoodles. Make sure you are seasoning throughout - so season the chicken, then the onion/garlic mixture, and finally the cream mixture. A wise person once taught me that if you season your meal at every stage of the cooking process, you'll end up with a well seasoned meal. If you wait until the end, you'll end up with a salty meal. Great advice. Enjoy!!!<br />
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And my resolutions...<br />
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1<b>. Read a minimum of 20 mins per day</b> - 189 out of 275 days</div>
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2. <b>Read a minimum of 1 book per month</b> -</div>
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January - <a href="https://www.blogger.com/%3Ca%20target=%22_blank%22%20href=%22https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/1443414565/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=15121&creative=330641&creativeASIN=1443414565&linkCode=as2&tag=culinaryaffec-20&linkId=ee6a8afcd517cc7724e7f2bcdad61e9a%22%3EThe%20Happiness%20Project%3C/a%3E%3Cimg%20src=%22//ir-ca.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=culinaryaffec-20&l=am2&o=15&a=1443414565%22%20width=%221%22%20height=%221%22%20border=%220%22%20alt=%22%22%20style=%22border:none%20!important;%20margin:0px%20!important;%22%20/%3E">The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin</a></div>
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February - <a href="https://www.blogger.com/%3Ciframe%20style=%22width:120px;height:240px;%22%20marginwidth=%220%22%20marginheight=%220%22%20scrolling=%22no%22%20frameborder=%220%22%20src=%22//rcm-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/cm?ref=qf_sp_asin_til&t=culinaryaffec-20&m=amazon&o=15&p=8&l=as1&IS1=1&asins=157224710X&linkId=554e8e481d9c1599ea8a67b55dff31f7&bc1=FFFFFF&lt1=_top&fc1=333333&lc1=0066C0&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr%22%3E%20%20%20%20%20%3C/iframe%3E">The Buddha and The Borderline</a></div>
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March - <a href="https://www.amazon.ca/Lost-Echoes-Joe-R-Lansdale-ebook/dp/B000OI0FY4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1520259578&sr=8-1&keywords=lost+echoes+joe+lansdale">Lost Echoes</a><br />
April - <a href="https://www.amazon.ca/Magic-Rhonda-Byrne/dp/1451673442/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1524165751&sr=8-1&keywords=the+magic+rhonda+byrne">The Magic</a> by Rhonda Byrne<br />
<a href="https://www.amazon.ca/Loving-What-Four-Questions-Change/dp/1400045371/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1524165953&sr=1-1&keywords=loving+what+is+byron+katie">Loving What Is</a> by Byron Katie (I highly recommend this book, I'm reading it again to make sure it all sinks in)<br />
May - <a href="https://www.amazon.ca/Judgment-Detox-Release-Beliefs-Living/dp/1501168967/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1528912324&sr=8-1&keywords=judgement+detox">Judgment Detox by Gabrielle Bernstein</a><br />
June - <a href="https://www.amazon.ca/Bag-Bones-Stephen-King/dp/067102423X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1528912386&sr=1-1&keywords=bag+of+bones+stephen+king">Bag of Bones by Stephen King</a><br />
July - <a href="https://www.amazon.ca/Two-Minute-Rule-Robert-Crais-ebook/dp/B000FCKS0K/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1534254873&sr=8-1&keywords=The+Two+Minute+Rule">The Two Minute Rule</a> by Robert Crais<br />
August - <a href="https://www.amazon.ca/Best-Life-Diet-Bob-Greene/dp/1416540660/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1535212055&sr=8-1&keywords=the+best+life+diet+bob+greene">The Best Life Diet by Bob Greene</a><br />
September - <a href="https://www.amazon.ca/Transformation-Unleash-Superpowers-Deeper-Stronger/dp/1635650135/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1538515310&sr=8-1&keywords=t+is+for+transformation">T is For Transformation</a> by Shaun T</div>
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3. <b>Drink 80oz of water per day</b> - 138 out of 275 days</div>
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4. <b><strike>Get in a minimum of 10,000 steps daily</strike></b> - My fitbit broke and their customer service sucks ass so I'm no longer counting my steps. I was doing well over 15,000 per day so I think as long as I keep moving, I'm good here</div>
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5. <b>Post on this blog weekly</b> - 22 out of 40 weeks<br />
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6. <b>Lose the baby weight and get into the best shape of my life </b>- Since joining <a href="https://www.beachbodyondemand.com/programs">Beach Body On Demand</a> I have participated in <a href="https://www.beachbody.ca/product/fitness_programs/21-day-fix-simple-fitness-eating.do?e=mm81615&code=SEMB_21D_GOOGLE_CA&utm_campaign=&utm_term=21dayfix&trackingid=shAetNZ8A&gclid=Cj0KCQjwrszdBRDWARIsAEEYhrd4jWi3rxh_iw9RJGaGyOCIL6z7ArCu2NY4T8vC5xfrmhHe2xxBgFEaAlwwEALw_wcB">21 Day Fix</a> and lost 3 pounds and 4 inches - nothing crazy but feeling great. Today I started <a href="https://www.beachbody.ca/product/fitness_programs/21-day-fix-extreme.do?code=SEMB_21E_GOOGLE_CA&utm_campaign=&utm_term=21%20fix%20day%20extreme&trackingid=s7uoF8cuK&gclid=Cj0KCQjwrszdBRDWARIsAEEYhrelCbbadBRMhhtu7QkdnLk0j27P4aRdVZFWmI2NZvxz8Ey-QYp9IPQaAp72EALw_wcB">21 Day Fix Extreme</a> and am really pushing myself to stay on track with the meal plan, so we will see how that goes.</div>
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7. <b>Get rid of 52 things</b> -</div>
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1-6. Books given to my daughter's friend, they were duplicates that I didn't need to hang on to</div>
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7. Threw out some cleaning products and knick knacks that were under the kitchen sink</div>
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8. Got rid of some baby clothes that we had been given by a friend - they were all boys clothes</div>
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(since we thought we were having a boy) - I kept some neutral items and brought the rest to Once</div>
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Upon A Child for some cash</div>
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9. Got rid of all the old tupperware (and bought a new set - does that count? I'm going to say yes</div>
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because in the past I would have kept the old & the new)</div>
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10. Dumped all of the expired vitamins and medicine that we had (some dating as far back as 2010!!) - more on that below</div>
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11. Possibly TMI but I got rid of a ton of old underwear - now I have to replace them, which is always fun.</div>
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12. I sold Brie's bassinet this week, $60 in my pocket and one less thing to hang on to<br />
13. Gave two huge bags of clothes to Value Village<br />
14. Got rid of a travel bottle warmer and some bottles to someone who needed them on LetGo<br />
15. Got rid of 2 bags of the hubbies clothes (donated)<br />
16. Got rid of a bag of boys baby clothes (gave to my friend)<br />
17. Got rid of all of my bras that will never fit properly again (thanks for that Brielle! lol)<br />
18. Got rid of old hair products and face products that were just creating clutter under the bathroom sink<br />
19. Got rid of jeans that will never fit me<br />
20. Got rid of work pants that will never fit me<br />
21. Got rid of sweaters that I don't like<br />
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8. <b>Organize/clean 52 areas (that I wouldn't normally clean during my daily/weekly routines)</b></div>
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1. Organized my book shelves by giving away duplicate books, grouping the self-help novels together, grouping authors together that I have huge collections of, and alphabetizing the remaining books</div>
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2. Cleaned the area underneath the kitchen sink - it was a disaster. Now everything is organized</div>
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and accounted for</div>
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<span style="text-align: center;">3. I cleaned the top of the hallway closet and threw out winter gear that had no matches along with</span></div>
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other little things that had no business being there (or anywhere). A small project, but a needed</div>
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one! (see pictures below)</div>
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4. I cleaned our "medicine cabinet" - we have a section of shelving in our kitchen where we keep vitamins and medicine. Most of the bottles were expired, and it was a mess up there. See before and after pics above. And yes, I am still taking prenatal vitamins. We plan on having one more baby so might as well stay healthy for that. To be honest I think I'll continue taking them indefinitely - they are great.</div>
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5. I finally cleaned my linen closet and got rid of a ton of things we didn't need. Check out the before and after pics below- we now have a whole empty shelf to fill up! I think we will use it for toilet paper and paper towel which is currently stuffed in the spare bedroom's closet. That will be my next task to tackle.</div>
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6. Cleaned out all of my bra and lingerie drawers (and got rid of a ton of them)<br />
<span style="text-align: center;">7. Cleaned out and organized the area under my bathroom sink. Found some cool face products that I didn't know I had too!</span><br />
<span style="text-align: center;">8. Cleaned out all of my jeans and got rid of the ones I'll never wear again</span><br />
<span style="text-align: center;">9. Went through all of my work pants and got rid of the ones I'll never wear again</span><br />
<span style="text-align: center;">10. Organized my sweaters and got rid of the ones I'll never wear again</span><br />
<span style="text-align: center;"><br /></span><span style="text-align: center;">11. </span><b style="text-align: center;">Email or call my Grandma weekly</b><span style="text-align: center;"> - I'm finally calling my Grandma with the phone card I purchased. I love her to pieces!!</span></div>
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12. <b>Do things to get me out of my comfort zone</b></div>
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1. I attended a mom/baby fitness class, and loved it so much that I'll be going weekly (with a friend of mine pictured above)</div>
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2. Joined another mommy/baby fitness class (salsa) that I haven't started yet - it begins on Thursday and it's an hour away. I joined with the same friend who comes to my neck of the woods once a week for the other classes we are doing. This is out of my comfort zone for two reasons - the obvious one is attending and trying a new class, but also the fact that it is so far away. I usually don't venture too far out of my bubble. I'll be able to walk around after each class and explore a new city, so that'll be fun, and an added bonus.</div>
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3. I started going to a chiropractor for my achy back. This is big for me - I don't like to be touched by strangers. So yea, this is huge<br />
4. I went to the dentist. After 9 years. Yes you read that right. No cavities, just tartar build up so I have to go back to have them freeze me and do a cleaning that will take an hour. I'm going back May 1st. I'm afraid of the dentist (hence the 9 year hiatus) so this qualifies as being outside of my comfort zone.<br />
5. As a follow up to my visit to the dentist, I returned to get needles (eek!) to freeze my gums and do a one hour cleaning on the right side of my mouth. Today I go for the left side. In the past I would have avoided this all together and just not shown up.<br />
6. I signed up for a playdate at a local splash pad through a Mommy/Baby group. I go next week, we will see how it is<br />
7. I started Brie in swimming lessons. Just getting into a swimsuit in public is huge for me.<br />
8. I joined <a href="https://www.beachbodyondemand.com/programs">Beach Body</a> and I'm absolutely thrillled</div>
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13. <b>Go on the treadmill for a minimum of 20 minutes daily - </b>131 out of 177 days<br />
<br />
And as always, I'll end with some pics:<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vwml5_CBXJo/W7Pie9PX00I/AAAAAAAAHak/jLtTE2g7kpoIqaPEXHNM15pBEEEJkqGjQCKgBGAs/s1600/20181002_155713.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vwml5_CBXJo/W7Pie9PX00I/AAAAAAAAHak/jLtTE2g7kpoIqaPEXHNM15pBEEEJkqGjQCKgBGAs/s400/20181002_155713.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I made sweet potato waffles...they were a hit</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-E0r9ESKekMY/W7Pie4UmEuI/AAAAAAAAHak/5cVFSJ0BaG4ZGyoZAiiyr0PeDqlxQcGMQCKgBGAs/s1600/20180930_173646.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-E0r9ESKekMY/W7Pie4UmEuI/AAAAAAAAHak/5cVFSJ0BaG4ZGyoZAiiyr0PeDqlxQcGMQCKgBGAs/s400/20180930_173646.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">She always finds something to chew on, whether its edible or not</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-sCOX6LBuFnE/W7Pie8wNe2I/AAAAAAAAHak/KVimrWWxHYoQMY4Avvppy2X3ORzcfZ4swCKgBGAs/s1600/20180928_154231.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-sCOX6LBuFnE/W7Pie8wNe2I/AAAAAAAAHak/KVimrWWxHYoQMY4Avvppy2X3ORzcfZ4swCKgBGAs/s400/20180928_154231.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">But avocado seems to be the favorite right now</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
</div>
</div>
Culinary Affectionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04239779974340793730noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1837523928210437160.post-76743850533447963002018-09-14T10:05:00.001-04:002018-09-14T10:05:27.046-04:00Pork & Tofu CakesI have had some packs of tofu that I have been trying to decide how to use up, when I came across this recipe. It was pretty easy, and absolutely delicious. Even the baby gobbled it up!!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qahNqXcsDzg/W1Ya10B_IcI/AAAAAAAAFpU/malmK6LPjhYS1bJickEVSKD5Rz_ijegNgCKgBGAs/s1600/20180718_213803.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qahNqXcsDzg/W1Ya10B_IcI/AAAAAAAAFpU/malmK6LPjhYS1bJickEVSKD5Rz_ijegNgCKgBGAs/s400/20180718_213803.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I love spicy, so mine was topped with a healthy dose of sriracha, and served with a simple tomato, cucumber and onion salad with balsamic vinegar & olive oil<br />
<br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Here's a <a href="https://www.chatelaine.com/recipe/dinner/pork-and-tofu-cakes/">link to the recipe</a>, courtesy of Chatelaine Magazine<br />
<br />
And my resolutions...<br />
<br />
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1<b>. Read a minimum of 20 mins per day</b> - 150 out of 236 days</div>
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2. <b>Read a minimum of 1 book per month</b> -</div>
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January - <a href="https://www.blogger.com/%3Ca%20target=%22_blank%22%20href=%22https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/1443414565/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=15121&creative=330641&creativeASIN=1443414565&linkCode=as2&tag=culinaryaffec-20&linkId=ee6a8afcd517cc7724e7f2bcdad61e9a%22%3EThe%20Happiness%20Project%3C/a%3E%3Cimg%20src=%22//ir-ca.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=culinaryaffec-20&l=am2&o=15&a=1443414565%22%20width=%221%22%20height=%221%22%20border=%220%22%20alt=%22%22%20style=%22border:none%20!important;%20margin:0px%20!important;%22%20/%3E">The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin</a></div>
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February - <a href="https://www.blogger.com/%3Ciframe%20style=%22width:120px;height:240px;%22%20marginwidth=%220%22%20marginheight=%220%22%20scrolling=%22no%22%20frameborder=%220%22%20src=%22//rcm-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/cm?ref=qf_sp_asin_til&t=culinaryaffec-20&m=amazon&o=15&p=8&l=as1&IS1=1&asins=157224710X&linkId=554e8e481d9c1599ea8a67b55dff31f7&bc1=FFFFFF&lt1=_top&fc1=333333&lc1=0066C0&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr%22%3E%20%20%20%20%20%3C/iframe%3E">The Buddha and The Borderline</a></div>
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March - <a href="https://www.amazon.ca/Lost-Echoes-Joe-R-Lansdale-ebook/dp/B000OI0FY4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1520259578&sr=8-1&keywords=lost+echoes+joe+lansdale">Lost Echoes</a><br />
April - <a href="https://www.amazon.ca/Magic-Rhonda-Byrne/dp/1451673442/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1524165751&sr=8-1&keywords=the+magic+rhonda+byrne">The Magic</a> by Rhonda Byrne<br />
<a href="https://www.amazon.ca/Loving-What-Four-Questions-Change/dp/1400045371/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1524165953&sr=1-1&keywords=loving+what+is+byron+katie">Loving What Is</a> by Byron Katie (I highly recommend this book, I'm reading it again to make sure it all sinks in)<br />
May - <a href="https://www.amazon.ca/Judgment-Detox-Release-Beliefs-Living/dp/1501168967/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1528912324&sr=8-1&keywords=judgement+detox">Judgment Detox by Gabrielle Bernstein</a><br />
June - <a href="https://www.amazon.ca/Bag-Bones-Stephen-King/dp/067102423X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1528912386&sr=1-1&keywords=bag+of+bones+stephen+king">Bag of Bones by Stephen King</a><br />
July - <a href="https://www.amazon.ca/Two-Minute-Rule-Robert-Crais-ebook/dp/B000FCKS0K/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1534254873&sr=8-1&keywords=The+Two+Minute+Rule">The Two Minute Rule</a> by Robert Crais<br />
August - <a href="https://www.amazon.ca/Best-Life-Diet-Bob-Greene/dp/1416540660/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1535212055&sr=8-1&keywords=the+best+life+diet+bob+greene">The Best Life Diet by Bob Greene</a></div>
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3. <b>Drink 80oz of water per day</b> - 120 out of 257 days</div>
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4. <b><strike>Get in a minimum of 10,000 steps daily</strike></b> - My fitbit broke and their customer service sucks ass so I'm no longer counting my steps. I was doing well over 15,000 per day so I think as long as I keep moving, I'm good here</div>
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5. <b>Post on this blog weekly</b> - 21 out of 37 weeks<br />
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6. <b>Lose the baby weight and get into the best shape of my life </b>- I joined <a href="https://www.beachbodyondemand.com/programs">Beach Body On Demand</a> and I am loving it!! 18 days so far and I haven't missed a single workout. My body is already changing, and I'm pumped!!</div>
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7. <b>Get rid of 52 things</b> -</div>
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1-6. Books given to my daughter's friend, they were duplicates that I didn't need to hang on to</div>
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7. Threw out some cleaning products and knick knacks that were under the kitchen sink</div>
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8. Got rid of some baby clothes that we had been given by a friend - they were all boys clothes</div>
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(since we thought we were having a boy) - I kept some neutral items and brought the rest to Once</div>
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Upon A Child for some cash</div>
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9. Got rid of all the old tupperware (and bought a new set - does that count? I'm going to say yes</div>
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because in the past I would have kept the old & the new)</div>
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10. Dumped all of the expired vitamins and medicine that we had (some dating as far back as 2010!!) - more on that below</div>
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11. Possibly TMI but I got rid of a ton of old underwear - now I have to replace them, which is always fun.</div>
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12. I sold Brie's bassinet this week, $60 in my pocket and one less thing to hang on to<br />
13. Gave two huge bags of clothes to Value Village<br />
14. Got rid of a travel bottle warmer and some bottles to someone who needed them on LetGo<br />
15. Got rid of 2 bags of the hubbies clothes (donated)<br />
16. Got rid of a bag of boys baby clothes (gave to my friend)<br />
17. Got rid of all of my bras that will never fit properly again (thanks for that Brielle! lol)<br />
18. Got rid of old hair products and face products that were just creating clutter under the bathroom sink<br />
19. Got rid of jeans that will never fit me<br />
20. Got rid of work pants that will never fit me<br />
21. Got rid of sweaters that I don't like<br />
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8. <b>Organize/clean 52 areas (that I wouldn't normally clean during my daily/weekly routines)</b></div>
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1. Organized my book shelves by giving away duplicate books, grouping the self-help novels together, grouping authors together that I have huge collections of, and alphabetizing the remaining books</div>
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2. Cleaned the area underneath the kitchen sink - it was a disaster. Now everything is organized</div>
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and accounted for</div>
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<span style="text-align: center;">3. I cleaned the top of the hallway closet and threw out winter gear that had no matches along with</span></div>
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other little things that had no business being there (or anywhere). A small project, but a needed</div>
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one! (see pictures below)</div>
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4. I cleaned our "medicine cabinet" - we have a section of shelving in our kitchen where we keep vitamins and medicine. Most of the bottles were expired, and it was a mess up there. See before and after pics above. And yes, I am still taking prenatal vitamins. We plan on having one more baby so might as well stay healthy for that. To be honest I think I'll continue taking them indefinitely - they are great.</div>
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5. I finally cleaned my linen closet and got rid of a ton of things we didn't need. Check out the before and after pics below- we now have a whole empty shelf to fill up! I think we will use it for toilet paper and paper towel which is currently stuffed in the spare bedroom's closet. That will be my next task to tackle.</div>
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6. Cleaned out all of my bra and lingerie drawers (and got rid of a ton of them)<br />
<span style="text-align: center;">7. Cleaned out and organized the area under my bathroom sink. Found some cool face products that I didn't know I had too!</span><br />
<span style="text-align: center;">8. Cleaned out all of my jeans and got rid of the ones I'll never wear again</span><br />
<span style="text-align: center;">9. Went through all of my work pants and got rid of the ones I'll never wear again</span><br />
<span style="text-align: center;">10. Organized my sweaters and got rid of the ones I'll never wear again</span><br />
<span style="text-align: center;"><br /></span><span style="text-align: center;">11. </span><b style="text-align: center;">Email or call my Grandma weekly</b><span style="text-align: center;"> - I'm finally calling my Grandma with the phone card I purchased. I love her to pieces!!</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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12. <b>Do things to get me out of my comfort zone</b></div>
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1. I attended a mom/baby fitness class, and loved it so much that I'll be going weekly (with a friend of mine pictured above)</div>
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2. Joined another mommy/baby fitness class (salsa) that I haven't started yet - it begins on Thursday and it's an hour away. I joined with the same friend who comes to my neck of the woods once a week for the other classes we are doing. This is out of my comfort zone for two reasons - the obvious one is attending and trying a new class, but also the fact that it is so far away. I usually don't venture too far out of my bubble. I'll be able to walk around after each class and explore a new city, so that'll be fun, and an added bonus.</div>
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3. I started going to a chiropractor for my achy back. This is big for me - I don't like to be touched by strangers. So yea, this is huge<br />
4. I went to the dentist. After 9 years. Yes you read that right. No cavities, just tartar build up so I have to go back to have them freeze me and do a cleaning that will take an hour. I'm going back May 1st. I'm afraid of the dentist (hence the 9 year hiatus) so this qualifies as being outside of my comfort zone.<br />
5. As a follow up to my visit to the dentist, I returned to get needles (eek!) to freeze my gums and do a one hour cleaning on the right side of my mouth. Today I go for the left side. In the past I would have avoided this all together and just not shown up.<br />
6. I signed up for a playdate at a local splash pad through a Mommy/Baby group. I go next week, we will see how it is<br />
7. I started Brie in swimming lessons. Just getting into a swimsuit in public is huge for me.<br />
8. I joined <a href="https://www.beachbodyondemand.com/programs">Beach Body</a> and I'm absolutely thrillled</div>
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<br /></div>
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<div style="background-color: white;">
13. <b>Go on the treadmill for a minimum of 20 minutes daily - </b>113 out of 159 days<br />
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And pictures of course...<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XuzCCymjTXo/W5u_2JEddSI/AAAAAAAAG9I/n-B9prcxQoc4G9MLS9sXEzeCvzT_Rih5ACKgBGAs/s1600/20180901_120007.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XuzCCymjTXo/W5u_2JEddSI/AAAAAAAAG9I/n-B9prcxQoc4G9MLS9sXEzeCvzT_Rih5ACKgBGAs/s400/20180901_120007.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Brie got her ears pierced!</td></tr>
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Culinary Affectionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04239779974340793730noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1837523928210437160.post-13341845250841271702018-08-25T11:56:00.001-04:002018-08-25T11:56:51.900-04:00Coconut Cashew Protein BallsI love protein balls. Or fat bombs. Or whatever you want to call them. They are so easy to make and so much fun to eat. Enter Coconut Cashew Protein Balls. Yes please.<br />
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_I5BYdAeVVs/Wz40lsmfu4I/AAAAAAAAE-0/cG6OyDVBBe4u_iZVN0Ff0mt3Vpq-u7gpQCKgBGAs/s1600/20180705_110722.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_I5BYdAeVVs/Wz40lsmfu4I/AAAAAAAAE-0/cG6OyDVBBe4u_iZVN0Ff0mt3Vpq-u7gpQCKgBGAs/s400/20180705_110722.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Here's what I did -<br />
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Mix 1 1/2c coconut flour, 4 scoops of protein powder (I used cinnamon bun flavor, but vanilla would be great, or coconut, or birthday cake, or anything really), 1 c of milk sub (I used almond milk, but coconut milk would be fantastic), a jar of any nut butter (I used almond coconut nut butter), 1/2 c coconut oil, and some chopped cashews. Mix everything together, form balls with your hands, and put in the fridge. Ta da. Protein fat bombs filled with delicious goodness. Mic drop....<br />
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<div style="font-family: "times new roman"; margin: 0px;">
1<b>. Read a minimum of 20 mins per day</b> - 150 out of 236 days</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "times new roman"; margin: 0px;">
2. <b>Read a minimum of 1 book per month</b> -</div>
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January - <a href="https://www.blogger.com/%3Ca%20target=%22_blank%22%20href=%22https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/1443414565/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=15121&creative=330641&creativeASIN=1443414565&linkCode=as2&tag=culinaryaffec-20&linkId=ee6a8afcd517cc7724e7f2bcdad61e9a%22%3EThe%20Happiness%20Project%3C/a%3E%3Cimg%20src=%22//ir-ca.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=culinaryaffec-20&l=am2&o=15&a=1443414565%22%20width=%221%22%20height=%221%22%20border=%220%22%20alt=%22%22%20style=%22border:none%20!important;%20margin:0px%20!important;%22%20/%3E">The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin</a></div>
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February - <a href="https://www.blogger.com/%3Ciframe%20style=%22width:120px;height:240px;%22%20marginwidth=%220%22%20marginheight=%220%22%20scrolling=%22no%22%20frameborder=%220%22%20src=%22//rcm-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/cm?ref=qf_sp_asin_til&t=culinaryaffec-20&m=amazon&o=15&p=8&l=as1&IS1=1&asins=157224710X&linkId=554e8e481d9c1599ea8a67b55dff31f7&bc1=FFFFFF&lt1=_top&fc1=333333&lc1=0066C0&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr%22%3E%20%20%20%20%20%3C/iframe%3E">The Buddha and The Borderline</a></div>
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March - <a href="https://www.amazon.ca/Lost-Echoes-Joe-R-Lansdale-ebook/dp/B000OI0FY4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1520259578&sr=8-1&keywords=lost+echoes+joe+lansdale">Lost Echoes</a><br />
April - <a href="https://www.amazon.ca/Magic-Rhonda-Byrne/dp/1451673442/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1524165751&sr=8-1&keywords=the+magic+rhonda+byrne">The Magic</a> by Rhonda Byrne<br />
<a href="https://www.amazon.ca/Loving-What-Four-Questions-Change/dp/1400045371/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1524165953&sr=1-1&keywords=loving+what+is+byron+katie">Loving What Is</a> by Byron Katie (I highly recommend this book, I'm reading it again to make sure it all sinks in)<br />
May - <a href="https://www.amazon.ca/Judgment-Detox-Release-Beliefs-Living/dp/1501168967/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1528912324&sr=8-1&keywords=judgement+detox">Judgment Detox by Gabrielle Bernstein</a><br />
June - <a href="https://www.amazon.ca/Bag-Bones-Stephen-King/dp/067102423X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1528912386&sr=1-1&keywords=bag+of+bones+stephen+king">Bag of Bones by Stephen King</a><br />
July - <a href="https://www.amazon.ca/Two-Minute-Rule-Robert-Crais-ebook/dp/B000FCKS0K/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1534254873&sr=8-1&keywords=The+Two+Minute+Rule">The Two Minute Rule</a> by Robert Crais<br />
August - <a href="https://www.amazon.ca/Best-Life-Diet-Bob-Greene/dp/1416540660/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1535212055&sr=8-1&keywords=the+best+life+diet+bob+greene">The Best Life Diet by Bob Greene</a></div>
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3. <b>Drink 80oz of water per day</b> - 99 out of 236 days</div>
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4. <b><strike>Get in a minimum of 10,000 steps daily</strike></b> - My fitbit broke and their customer service sucks ass so I'm no longer counting my steps. I was doing well over 15,000 per day so I think as long as I keep moving, I'm good here</div>
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5. <b>Post on this blog weekly</b> - 20 out of 34 weeks<br />
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6. <b>Lose the baby weight and get into the best shape of my life </b>- I'm kind of falling apart here. My back has been terrible, so I have been seeing a chiropractor weekly, and recently I did something to one of my ribs and am in serious pain. Oh well, I guess this is what getting older looks like!! I am still exercising everyday, and Brielle keeps me extremely busy, so it's a work in progress.</div>
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7. <b>Get rid of 52 things</b> -</div>
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1-6. Books given to my daughter's friend, they were duplicates that I didn't need to hang on to</div>
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7. Threw out some cleaning products and knick knacks that were under the kitchen sink</div>
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8. Got rid of some baby clothes that we had been given by a friend - they were all boys clothes</div>
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(since we thought we were having a boy) - I kept some neutral items and brought the rest to Once</div>
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Upon A Child for some cash</div>
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9. Got rid of all the old tupperware (and bought a new set - does that count? I'm going to say yes</div>
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because in the past I would have kept the old & the new)</div>
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10. Dumped all of the expired vitamins and medicine that we had (some dating as far back as 2010!!) - more on that below</div>
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11. Possibly TMI but I got rid of a ton of old underwear - now I have to replace them, which is always fun.</div>
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12. I sold Brie's bassinet this week, $60 in my pocket and one less thing to hang on to<br />
13. Gave two huge bags of clothes to Value Village<br />
14. Got rid of a travel bottle warmer and some bottles to someone who needed them on LetGo<br />
15. Got rid of 2 bags of the hubbies clothes (donated)<br />
16. Got rid of a bag of boys baby clothes (gave to my friend)<br />
17. Got rid of all of my bras that will never fit properly again (thanks for that Brielle! lol)<br />
18. Got rid of old hair products and face products that were just creating clutter under the bathroom sink</div>
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8. <b>Organize/clean 52 areas (that I wouldn't normally clean during my daily/weekly routines)</b></div>
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1. Organized my book shelves by giving away duplicate books, grouping the self-help novels together, grouping authors together that I have huge collections of, and alphabetizing the remaining books</div>
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2. Cleaned the area underneath the kitchen sink - it was a disaster. Now everything is organized</div>
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and accounted for</div>
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<span style="text-align: center;">3. I cleaned the top of the hallway closet and threw out winter gear that had no matches along with</span></div>
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other little things that had no business being there (or anywhere). A small project, but a needed</div>
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one! (see pictures below)</div>
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4. I cleaned our "medicine cabinet" - we have a section of shelving in our kitchen where we keep vitamins and medicine. Most of the bottles were expired, and it was a mess up there. See before and after pics above. And yes, I am still taking prenatal vitamins. We plan on having one more baby so might as well stay healthy for that. To be honest I think I'll continue taking them indefinitely - they are great.</div>
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5. I finally cleaned my linen closet and got rid of a ton of things we didn't need. Check out the before and after pics below- we now have a whole empty shelf to fill up! I think we will use it for toilet paper and paper towel which is currently stuffed in the spare bedroom's closet. That will be my next task to tackle.</div>
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6. Cleaned out all of my bra and lingerie drawers (and got rid of a ton of them)<br />
<span style="text-align: center;">7. Cleaned out and organized the area under my bathroom sink. Found some cool face products that I didn't know I had too!</span><br />
<span style="text-align: center;"><br /></span><span style="text-align: center;">11. </span><b style="text-align: center;">Email or call my Grandma weekly</b><span style="text-align: center;"> - I bought a phone card but haven't called yet. I seriously have no excuse. I love my Grandma to pieces and need to make more of an effort!! </span></div>
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12. <b>Do things to get me out of my comfort zone</b></div>
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1. I attended a mom/baby fitness class, and loved it so much that I'll be going weekly (with a friend of mine pictured above)</div>
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2. Joined another mommy/baby fitness class (salsa) that I haven't started yet - it begins on Thursday and it's an hour away. I joined with the same friend who comes to my neck of the woods once a week for the other classes we are doing. This is out of my comfort zone for two reasons - the obvious one is attending and trying a new class, but also the fact that it is so far away. I usually don't venture too far out of my bubble. I'll be able to walk around after each class and explore a new city, so that'll be fun, and an added bonus.</div>
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3. I started going to a chiropractor for my achy back. This is big for me - I don't like to be touched by strangers. So yea, this is huge<br />
4. I went to the dentist. After 9 years. Yes you read that right. No cavities, just tartar build up so I have to go back to have them freeze me and do a cleaning that will take an hour. I'm going back May 1st. I'm afraid of the dentist (hence the 9 year hiatus) so this qualifies as being outside of my comfort zone.<br />
5. As a follow up to my visit to the dentist, I returned to get needles (eek!) to freeze my gums and do a one hour cleaning on the right side of my mouth. Today I go for the left side. In the past I would have avoided this all together and just not shown up.<br />
6. I signed up for a playdate at a local splash pad through a Mommy/Baby group. I go next week, we will see how it is<br />
7. I started Brie in swimming lessons. Just getting into a swimsuit in public is huge for me.</div>
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13. <b>Go on the treadmill for a minimum of 20 minutes daily - </b>92 out of 138 days</div>
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<br />
And some pictures :)<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kPsY99m3RXs/W4F7q-dZ_FI/AAAAAAAAGZA/DJ6rfmfUOD8TWZgQrQHmxgyEdeURpxyWQCKgBGAs/s1600/20180824_152234.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kPsY99m3RXs/W4F7q-dZ_FI/AAAAAAAAGZA/DJ6rfmfUOD8TWZgQrQHmxgyEdeURpxyWQCKgBGAs/s400/20180824_152234.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hanging out on our front lawn enjoying the sunshine</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Bw2TWKy7gV4/W4F7qyTYtLI/AAAAAAAAGZA/004_X78ZhEEXLqhqYTgbvYpEkKzswhaYACKgBGAs/s1600/20180823_164259.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Bw2TWKy7gV4/W4F7qyTYtLI/AAAAAAAAGZA/004_X78ZhEEXLqhqYTgbvYpEkKzswhaYACKgBGAs/s400/20180823_164259.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Brie with Grandma</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9YAT3SkNRQs/W4F7q_ADjiI/AAAAAAAAGZA/hNiE9ZEQmukM5rrjmTc7gHvtms-DfY8xACKgBGAs/s1600/20180819_154747.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9YAT3SkNRQs/W4F7q_ADjiI/AAAAAAAAGZA/hNiE9ZEQmukM5rrjmTc7gHvtms-DfY8xACKgBGAs/s400/20180819_154747.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We got to order off of the kids menu at Boston Pizza for the first time - the alfredo pasta. She devoured it!!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Pah_Lhjk83E/W4F7q3TdjpI/AAAAAAAAGZA/SHLtmf9LmYYYrcVkp9kIYhjI3R5CLCOagCKgBGAs/s1600/20180819_114446.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Pah_Lhjk83E/W4F7q3TdjpI/AAAAAAAAGZA/SHLtmf9LmYYYrcVkp9kIYhjI3R5CLCOagCKgBGAs/s400/20180819_114446.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On the beach hanging out with her big sister 😍</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<br />Culinary Affectionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04239779974340793730noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1837523928210437160.post-51000944803917302162018-08-14T10:03:00.000-04:002018-08-14T10:03:29.608-04:00Spicy Spinach and White Bean EnchiladasSo now that the teenager is home for the summer she has decided she wants to cook more dinners. I'm not complaining. This week (so far) she has made <a href="http://culinaryaffections.blogspot.com/2012/02/and-so-it-begins.html">Beef Stroganoff,</a> as well as Spinach & White Bean Enchiladas.<br />
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<a href="https://www.budgetbytes.com/spinach-white-bean-enchiladas-pepper-jack-sauce/">Here is the recipe she used for the enchiladas</a>, and some pics below of both meals. So delicious!!!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-r-0CyuHin2E/Wz4zpTmw8_I/AAAAAAAAE-k/myz7mbn9gxILeNBXp39sXYDn4gA1QKq6QCKgBGAs/s1600/20180703_191832.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-r-0CyuHin2E/Wz4zpTmw8_I/AAAAAAAAE-k/myz7mbn9gxILeNBXp39sXYDn4gA1QKq6QCKgBGAs/s400/20180703_191832.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Enchiladas straight out of the oven</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZGTI-4el9MI/Wz4zpZgUE9I/AAAAAAAAE-k/py_fGpEjHBsKtOZmz1Ydd3uvJSOW7kwFwCKgBGAs/s1600/20180703_192503.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZGTI-4el9MI/Wz4zpZgUE9I/AAAAAAAAE-k/py_fGpEjHBsKtOZmz1Ydd3uvJSOW7kwFwCKgBGAs/s400/20180703_192503.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Served with a simple side salad</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0eUiKSukDgg/Wz4zt1rB3_I/AAAAAAAAE-o/N65o853-Z3cej3raVnJzTraJXqEsodZyQCKgBGAs/s1600/20180704_204351.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0eUiKSukDgg/Wz4zt1rB3_I/AAAAAAAAE-o/N65o853-Z3cej3raVnJzTraJXqEsodZyQCKgBGAs/s400/20180704_204351.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">They had their stroganoff with noodles</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nh-SidLNS18/Wz4ztwtuDwI/AAAAAAAAE-o/TWaxmtq68HABPKmyTMhFNwGTh-iJumrHgCKgBGAs/s1600/20180704_204523.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nh-SidLNS18/Wz4ztwtuDwI/AAAAAAAAE-o/TWaxmtq68HABPKmyTMhFNwGTh-iJumrHgCKgBGAs/s400/20180704_204523.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I had mine with zoodles</td></tr>
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1<b>. Read a minimum of 20 mins per day</b> - 139 out of 225 days</div>
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2. <b>Read a minimum of 1 book per month</b> -</div>
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January - <a href="https://www.blogger.com/%3Ca%20target=%22_blank%22%20href=%22https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/1443414565/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=15121&creative=330641&creativeASIN=1443414565&linkCode=as2&tag=culinaryaffec-20&linkId=ee6a8afcd517cc7724e7f2bcdad61e9a%22%3EThe%20Happiness%20Project%3C/a%3E%3Cimg%20src=%22//ir-ca.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=culinaryaffec-20&l=am2&o=15&a=1443414565%22%20width=%221%22%20height=%221%22%20border=%220%22%20alt=%22%22%20style=%22border:none%20!important;%20margin:0px%20!important;%22%20/%3E">The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin</a></div>
<div style="font-family: "times new roman"; margin: 0px;">
February - <a href="https://www.blogger.com/%3Ciframe%20style=%22width:120px;height:240px;%22%20marginwidth=%220%22%20marginheight=%220%22%20scrolling=%22no%22%20frameborder=%220%22%20src=%22//rcm-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/cm?ref=qf_sp_asin_til&t=culinaryaffec-20&m=amazon&o=15&p=8&l=as1&IS1=1&asins=157224710X&linkId=554e8e481d9c1599ea8a67b55dff31f7&bc1=FFFFFF&lt1=_top&fc1=333333&lc1=0066C0&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr%22%3E%20%20%20%20%20%3C/iframe%3E">The Buddha and The Borderline</a></div>
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March - <a href="https://www.amazon.ca/Lost-Echoes-Joe-R-Lansdale-ebook/dp/B000OI0FY4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1520259578&sr=8-1&keywords=lost+echoes+joe+lansdale">Lost Echoes</a><br />
April - <a href="https://www.amazon.ca/Magic-Rhonda-Byrne/dp/1451673442/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1524165751&sr=8-1&keywords=the+magic+rhonda+byrne">The Magic</a> by Rhonda Byrne<br />
<a href="https://www.amazon.ca/Loving-What-Four-Questions-Change/dp/1400045371/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1524165953&sr=1-1&keywords=loving+what+is+byron+katie">Loving What Is</a> by Byron Katie (I highly recommend this book, I'm reading it again to make sure it all sinks in)<br />
May - <a href="https://www.amazon.ca/Judgment-Detox-Release-Beliefs-Living/dp/1501168967/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1528912324&sr=8-1&keywords=judgement+detox">Judgment Detox by Gabrielle Bernstein</a><br />
June - <a href="https://www.amazon.ca/Bag-Bones-Stephen-King/dp/067102423X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1528912386&sr=1-1&keywords=bag+of+bones+stephen+king">Bag of Bones by Stephen King</a><br />
July - <a href="https://www.amazon.ca/Two-Minute-Rule-Robert-Crais-ebook/dp/B000FCKS0K/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1534254873&sr=8-1&keywords=The+Two+Minute+Rule">The Two Minute Rule</a> by Robert Crais</div>
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3. <b>Drink 80oz of water per day</b> - 88 out of 225 days, an embarrassment</div>
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4. <b><strike>Get in a minimum of 10,000 steps daily</strike></b> - My fitbit broke and their customer service sucks ass so I'm no longer counting my steps. I was doing well over 15,000 per day so I think as long as I keep moving, I'm good here</div>
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5. <b>Post on this blog weekly</b> - 19 out of 33 weeks<br />
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6. <b>Lose the baby weight and get into the best shape of my life </b>- I'm kind of falling apart here. My back has been terrible, so I have been seeing a chiropractor weekly, and recently I did something to one of my ribs and am in serious pain. Oh well, I guess this is what getting older looks like!! I am still exercising everyday, and Brielle keeps me extremely busy, so it's a work in progress.</div>
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7. <b>Get rid of 52 things</b> -</div>
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1-6. Books given to my daughter's friend, they were duplicates that I didn't need to hang on to</div>
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7. Threw out some cleaning products and knick knacks that were under the kitchen sink</div>
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8. Got rid of some baby clothes that we had been given by a friend - they were all boys clothes</div>
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(since we thought we were having a boy) - I kept some neutral items and brought the rest to Once</div>
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Upon A Child for some cash</div>
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9. Got rid of all the old tupperware (and bought a new set - does that count? I'm going to say yes</div>
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because in the past I would have kept the old & the new)</div>
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10. Dumped all of the expired vitamins and medicine that we had (some dating as far back as 2010!!) - more on that below</div>
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11. Possibly TMI but I got rid of a ton of old underwear - now I have to replace them, which is always fun.</div>
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12. I sold Brie's bassinet this week, $60 in my pocket and one less thing to hang on to<br />
13. Gave two huge bags of clothes to Value Village<br />
14. Got rid of a travel bottle warmer and some bottles to someone who needed them on LetGo<br />
15. Got rid of 2 bags of the hubbies clothes (donated)<br />
16. Got rid of a bag of boys baby clothes (gave to my friend)</div>
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8. <b>Organize/clean 52 areas (that I wouldn't normally clean during my daily/weekly routines)</b></div>
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1. Organized my book shelves by giving away duplicate books, grouping the self-help novels together, grouping authors together that I have huge collections of, and alphabetizing the remaining books</div>
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2. Cleaned the area underneath the kitchen sink - it was a disaster. Now everything is organized</div>
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and accounted for</div>
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<span style="text-align: center;">3. I cleaned the top of the hallway closet and threw out winter gear that had no matches along with</span></div>
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other little things that had no business being there (or anywhere). A small project, but a needed</div>
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one! (see pictures below)</div>
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4. I cleaned our "medicine cabinet" - we have a section of shelving in our kitchen where we keep vitamins and medicine. Most of the bottles were expired, and it was a mess up there. See before and after pics above. And yes, I am still taking prenatal vitamins. We plan on having one more baby so might as well stay healthy for that. To be honest I think I'll continue taking them indefinitely - they are great.</div>
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5. I finally cleaned my linen closet and got rid of a ton of things we didn't need. Check out the before and after pics below- we now have a whole empty shelf to fill up! I think we will use it for toilet paper and paper towel which is currently stuffed in the spare bedroom's closet. That will be my next task to tackle.</div>
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6. Check out the before and after pics below of my linen closet. So glad I got to this one!<br />
<span style="text-align: center;">7. I also cleaned up my coffee table shelves, pics below</span><br />
<span style="text-align: center;"><br /></span><span style="text-align: center;">11. </span><b style="text-align: center;">Email or call my Grandma weekly</b><span style="text-align: center;"> - I bought a phone card but haven't called yet. I seriously have no excuse. I love my Grandma to pieces and need to make more of an effort!! </span></div>
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12. <b>Do things to get me out of my comfort zone</b></div>
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1. I attended a mom/baby fitness class, and loved it so much that I'll be going weekly (with a friend of mine pictured above)</div>
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2. Joined another mommy/baby fitness class (salsa) that I haven't started yet - it begins on Thursday and it's an hour away. I joined with the same friend who comes to my neck of the woods once a week for the other classes we are doing. This is out of my comfort zone for two reasons - the obvious one is attending and trying a new class, but also the fact that it is so far away. I usually don't venture too far out of my bubble. I'll be able to walk around after each class and explore a new city, so that'll be fun, and an added bonus.</div>
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3. I started going to a chiropractor for my achy back. This is big for me - I don't like to be touched by strangers. So yea, this is huge<br />
4. I went to the dentist. After 9 years. Yes you read that right. No cavities, just tartar build up so I have to go back to have them freeze me and do a cleaning that will take an hour. I'm going back May 1st. I'm afraid of the dentist (hence the 9 year hiatus) so this qualifies as being outside of my comfort zone.<br />
5. As a follow up to my visit to the dentist, I returned to get needles (eek!) to freeze my gums and do a one hour cleaning on the right side of my mouth. Today I go for the left side. In the past I would have avoided this all together and just not shown up.<br />
6. I signed up for a playdate at a local splash pad through a Mommy/Baby group. I go next week, we will see how it is<br />
7. I started Brie in swimming lessons. Just getting into a swimsuit in public is huge for me.</div>
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13. <b>Go on the treadmill for a minimum of 20 minutes daily - </b>81 out of 127 days<br />
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And some pics...<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nH-tMMdvLfE/W3LgdquvmEI/AAAAAAAAGHs/yYJgEbvAFBUAKd7OgHjgyuIELZ7gW8RwwCKgBGAs/s1600/20180811_185455.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nH-tMMdvLfE/W3LgdquvmEI/AAAAAAAAGHs/yYJgEbvAFBUAKd7OgHjgyuIELZ7gW8RwwCKgBGAs/s400/20180811_185455.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Brie watching Elmo while Daddy naps</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-h4wxcV54Szg/W3LgdkGnVcI/AAAAAAAAGHs/Dy9qRccLR8IzudlSulX6R50RI9hjHrWngCKgBGAs/s1600/20180811_145144.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-h4wxcV54Szg/W3LgdkGnVcI/AAAAAAAAGHs/Dy9qRccLR8IzudlSulX6R50RI9hjHrWngCKgBGAs/s400/20180811_145144.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Daddy burying Brie's legs in the sand</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-SnSzC_FhOwY/W3Lgdij3IGI/AAAAAAAAGHs/PHOBxzINgAMCS2M8QXI-wI8ZUYEslkFOACKgBGAs/s1600/20180811_143558.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-SnSzC_FhOwY/W3Lgdij3IGI/AAAAAAAAGHs/PHOBxzINgAMCS2M8QXI-wI8ZUYEslkFOACKgBGAs/s400/20180811_143558.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Daddy playing soccer with his baby</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wis716L5Eyo/W3LgdvoPaxI/AAAAAAAAGHs/pjQr6xt5dwksdIxvSqV5k3DKXL4G6Dr-gCKgBGAs/s1600/20180811_140956.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wis716L5Eyo/W3LgdvoPaxI/AAAAAAAAGHs/pjQr6xt5dwksdIxvSqV5k3DKXL4G6Dr-gCKgBGAs/s400/20180811_140956.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Brie loves the beach!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7twKHE8dlFY/W3LgduT3iLI/AAAAAAAAGHs/ma3irrR3A04BwNS-voo_R0hmHv5IQFX1wCKgBGAs/s1600/20180808_164005.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7twKHE8dlFY/W3LgduT3iLI/AAAAAAAAGHs/ma3irrR3A04BwNS-voo_R0hmHv5IQFX1wCKgBGAs/s400/20180808_164005.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Brie plating with her new blocks</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rkNydazCzFI/W3Lgdng86WI/AAAAAAAAGHs/dfbIA6kAIEsyDRsxxlWqc_3KEQ7aV5OnACKgBGAs/s1600/20180802_232105.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rkNydazCzFI/W3Lgdng86WI/AAAAAAAAGHs/dfbIA6kAIEsyDRsxxlWqc_3KEQ7aV5OnACKgBGAs/s400/20180802_232105.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My first love</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oVKw4JY7-zI/W3LgdmRx2BI/AAAAAAAAGHs/GvEQnZMQVt4M-gx7KgeWLe0KZqBDonQlQCKgBGAs/s1600/20180802_110448.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oVKw4JY7-zI/W3LgdmRx2BI/AAAAAAAAGHs/GvEQnZMQVt4M-gx7KgeWLe0KZqBDonQlQCKgBGAs/s400/20180802_110448.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Brie and her buddy J</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oNkABENIl70/W3LgduSUeUI/AAAAAAAAGHs/sbfO7hy9368W50oxNwacZp6ZM9Citds4QCKgBGAs/s1600/20180802_110020.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oNkABENIl70/W3LgduSUeUI/AAAAAAAAGHs/sbfO7hy9368W50oxNwacZp6ZM9Citds4QCKgBGAs/s400/20180802_110020.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My little kisser...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Culinary Affectionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04239779974340793730noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1837523928210437160.post-80981400745856497732018-07-05T10:56:00.000-04:002018-07-05T10:56:09.213-04:00Slow Cooker White Chicken ChiliDespite the high temps outside I was in the mood for some hearty comfort mood. I caught an episode of The Pioneer Woman (actually I PVR all of the episodes and watch them, repeatedly) and saw Ree Drummond making <a href="https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ree-drummond/slow-cooker-white-chicken-chili-3595553?soc=socialsharingpinterest">this awesome chili</a>. I ran out and grabbed the ingredients and got right to it. It came out great, with very little prep work and a few minutes of hands on time. It was a hit with the family (and the neighbors and friends since it made such a large amount) - give it a try!<br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EEYZYxAksF8/Ww_5vkTbWOI/AAAAAAAADsI/9rVhfCzyQOUL4NaG_1UaP9z-fF43dyV3ACLcBGAs/s1600/1483722033059.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="462" data-original-width="616" height="298" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EEYZYxAksF8/Ww_5vkTbWOI/AAAAAAAADsI/9rVhfCzyQOUL4NaG_1UaP9z-fF43dyV3ACLcBGAs/s400/1483722033059.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Use the link above to go straight to Food Network's website or see the recipe below:</div>
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<section style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; clear: left; float: left; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px 7px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: calc((((44.4444% - 7px) - 7px) + 3.5px) + 3.5px);"><div class="parbase ingredients section" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
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<section class="o-Ingredients" data-module="recipe-ingredients" id="mod-recipe-ingredients-1" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; clear: both; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 28px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><header class="o-Ingredients__m-Header" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><div class="o-Ingredients__m-TextWrap" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<h3 class="o-Ingredients__a-Headline" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-family: "Franklin Gothic URW Cond Medium", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 24px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1; margin: 0px 0px 14px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span class="o-Ingredients__a-HeadlineText" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Ingredients</span></h3>
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</header><div class="o-Ingredients__m-Body" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<ul style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; list-style: none; margin: 0px 0px 21px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<li class="o-Ingredients__a-ListItem" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-image: initial; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: none; box-sizing: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 3.5px; padding: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;"><label class="o-Ingredients__a-ListItemText" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; display: block; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">6 boneless, skinless chicken breast fillets</label></li>
<li class="o-Ingredients__a-ListItem" style="border-bottom-color: initial; border-bottom-style: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-color: initial; border-left-style: initial; border-right-color: initial; border-right-style: initial; border-top-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); border-top-style: dotted; border-width: 1px 0px 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 3.5px; padding: 10px 0px 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;"><label class="o-Ingredients__a-ListItemText" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; display: block; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">1 tablespoon ground cumin</label></li>
<li class="o-Ingredients__a-ListItem" style="border-bottom-color: initial; border-bottom-style: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-color: initial; border-left-style: initial; border-right-color: initial; border-right-style: initial; border-top-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); border-top-style: dotted; border-width: 1px 0px 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 3.5px; padding: 10px 0px 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;"><label class="o-Ingredients__a-ListItemText" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; display: block; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">1 tablespoon ground coriander</label></li>
<li class="o-Ingredients__a-ListItem" style="border-bottom-color: initial; border-bottom-style: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-color: initial; border-left-style: initial; border-right-color: initial; border-right-style: initial; border-top-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); border-top-style: dotted; border-width: 1px 0px 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 3.5px; padding: 10px 0px 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;"><label class="o-Ingredients__a-ListItemText" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; display: block; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">2 teaspoons dried oregano</label></li>
<li class="o-Ingredients__a-ListItem" style="border-bottom-color: initial; border-bottom-style: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-color: initial; border-left-style: initial; border-right-color: initial; border-right-style: initial; border-top-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); border-top-style: dotted; border-width: 1px 0px 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 3.5px; padding: 10px 0px 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;"><label class="o-Ingredients__a-ListItemText" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; display: block; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">1/2 teaspoon paprika</label></li>
<li class="o-Ingredients__a-ListItem" style="border-bottom-color: initial; border-bottom-style: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-color: initial; border-left-style: initial; border-right-color: initial; border-right-style: initial; border-top-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); border-top-style: dotted; border-width: 1px 0px 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 3.5px; padding: 10px 0px 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;"><label class="o-Ingredients__a-ListItemText" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; display: block; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes</label></li>
<li class="o-Ingredients__a-ListItem" style="border-bottom-color: initial; border-bottom-style: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-color: initial; border-left-style: initial; border-right-color: initial; border-right-style: initial; border-top-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); border-top-style: dotted; border-width: 1px 0px 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 3.5px; padding: 10px 0px 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;"><label class="o-Ingredients__a-ListItemText" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; display: block; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Kosher salt and ground white pepper</label></li>
<li class="o-Ingredients__a-ListItem" style="border-bottom-color: initial; border-bottom-style: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-color: initial; border-left-style: initial; border-right-color: initial; border-right-style: initial; border-top-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); border-top-style: dotted; border-width: 1px 0px 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 3.5px; padding: 10px 0px 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;"><label class="o-Ingredients__a-ListItemText" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; display: block; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">1 pound dried Great Northern beans, soaked overnight and rinsed</label></li>
<li class="o-Ingredients__a-ListItem" style="border-bottom-color: initial; border-bottom-style: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-color: initial; border-left-style: initial; border-right-color: initial; border-right-style: initial; border-top-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); border-top-style: dotted; border-width: 1px 0px 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 3.5px; padding: 10px 0px 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;"><label class="o-Ingredients__a-ListItemText" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; display: block; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">4 stalks celery, chopped</label></li>
<li class="o-Ingredients__a-ListItem" style="border-bottom-color: initial; border-bottom-style: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-color: initial; border-left-style: initial; border-right-color: initial; border-right-style: initial; border-top-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); border-top-style: dotted; border-width: 1px 0px 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 3.5px; padding: 10px 0px 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;"><label class="o-Ingredients__a-ListItemText" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; display: block; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">4 cloves garlic, minced</label></li>
<li class="o-Ingredients__a-ListItem" style="border-bottom-color: initial; border-bottom-style: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-color: initial; border-left-style: initial; border-right-color: initial; border-right-style: initial; border-top-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); border-top-style: dotted; border-width: 1px 0px 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 3.5px; padding: 10px 0px 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;"><label class="o-Ingredients__a-ListItemText" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; display: block; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">2 cans green chiles, chopped</label></li>
<li class="o-Ingredients__a-ListItem" style="border-bottom-color: initial; border-bottom-style: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-color: initial; border-left-style: initial; border-right-color: initial; border-right-style: initial; border-top-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); border-top-style: dotted; border-width: 1px 0px 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 3.5px; padding: 10px 0px 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;"><label class="o-Ingredients__a-ListItemText" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; display: block; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">2 medium onions, diced</label></li>
<li class="o-Ingredients__a-ListItem" style="border-bottom-color: initial; border-bottom-style: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-color: initial; border-left-style: initial; border-right-color: initial; border-right-style: initial; border-top-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); border-top-style: dotted; border-width: 1px 0px 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 3.5px; padding: 10px 0px 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;"><label class="o-Ingredients__a-ListItemText" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; display: block; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">2 green bell peppers, chopped</label></li>
<li class="o-Ingredients__a-ListItem" style="border-bottom-color: initial; border-bottom-style: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-color: initial; border-left-style: initial; border-right-color: initial; border-right-style: initial; border-top-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); border-top-style: dotted; border-width: 1px 0px 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 3.5px; padding: 10px 0px 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;"><label class="o-Ingredients__a-ListItemText" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; display: block; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">1 jalapeno, sliced</label></li>
<li class="o-Ingredients__a-ListItem" style="border-bottom-color: initial; border-bottom-style: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-color: initial; border-left-style: initial; border-right-color: initial; border-right-style: initial; border-top-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); border-top-style: dotted; border-width: 1px 0px 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 3.5px; padding: 10px 0px 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;"><label class="o-Ingredients__a-ListItemText" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; display: block; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">4 cups chicken broth</label></li>
<li class="o-Ingredients__a-ListItem" style="border-bottom-color: initial; border-bottom-style: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-color: initial; border-left-style: initial; border-right-color: initial; border-right-style: initial; border-top-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); border-top-style: dotted; border-width: 1px 0px 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 3.5px; padding: 10px 0px 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;"><label class="o-Ingredients__a-ListItemText" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; display: block; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">1 cup whole milk</label></li>
<li class="o-Ingredients__a-ListItem" style="border-bottom-color: initial; border-bottom-style: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-color: initial; border-left-style: initial; border-right-color: initial; border-right-style: initial; border-top-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); border-top-style: dotted; border-width: 1px 0px 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 3.5px; padding: 10px 0px 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;"><label class="o-Ingredients__a-ListItemText" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; display: block; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">1/4 cup masa</label></li>
<li class="o-Ingredients__a-ListItem" style="border-bottom-color: initial; border-bottom-style: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-color: initial; border-left-style: initial; border-right-color: initial; border-right-style: initial; border-top-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); border-top-style: dotted; border-width: 1px 0px 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 3.5px; padding: 10px 0px 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;"><label class="o-Ingredients__a-ListItemText" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; display: block; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">1 1/2 cups frozen sweet corn</label></li>
<li class="o-Ingredients__a-ListItem" style="border-bottom-color: initial; border-bottom-style: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-color: initial; border-left-style: initial; border-right-color: initial; border-right-style: initial; border-top-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); border-top-style: dotted; border-width: 1px 0px 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 3.5px; padding: 10px 0px 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;"><label class="o-Ingredients__a-ListItemText" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; display: block; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Juice of 1 lime</label></li>
<li class="o-Ingredients__a-ListItem" style="border-bottom-color: initial; border-bottom-style: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-color: initial; border-left-style: initial; border-right-color: initial; border-right-style: initial; border-top-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); border-top-style: dotted; border-width: 1px 0px 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 3.5px; padding: 10px 0px 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;"><label class="o-Ingredients__a-ListItemText" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; display: block; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">1/2 cup grated Monterey Jack cheese, plus more for serving</label></li>
<li class="o-Ingredients__a-ListItem" style="border-bottom-color: initial; border-bottom-style: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-color: initial; border-left-style: initial; border-right-color: initial; border-right-style: initial; border-top-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); border-top-style: dotted; border-width: 1px 0px 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 3.5px; padding: 10px 0px 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;"><label class="o-Ingredients__a-ListItemText" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; display: block; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Sour cream, for serving</label></li>
<li class="o-Ingredients__a-ListItem" style="border-bottom-color: initial; border-bottom-style: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-color: initial; border-left-style: initial; border-right-color: initial; border-right-style: initial; border-top-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); border-top-style: dotted; border-width: 1px 0px 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 3.5px; padding: 10px 0px 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;"><label class="o-Ingredients__a-ListItemText" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; display: block; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Chopped fresh cilantro, for serving</label></li>
<li class="o-Ingredients__a-ListItem" style="border-bottom-color: initial; border-bottom-style: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-color: initial; border-left-style: initial; border-right-color: initial; border-right-style: initial; border-top-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); border-top-style: dotted; border-width: 1px 0px 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 3.5px; padding: 10px 0px 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;"><label class="o-Ingredients__a-ListItemText" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; display: block; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Corn tortillas, warmed, for serving</label></li>
</ul>
</div>
<div class="o-Ingredients__m-Footer" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
</div>
</section></div>
</section><section style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; clear: none; float: left; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0px 7px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: calc((((55.5556% - 7px) - 7px) + 3.5px) + 3.5px);"><div class="method parbase section" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: #1c1c1c; font-family: FranklinGothicURW-Boo, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
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<section class="o-Method" data-module="recipe-method" data-read-more-target="" id="mod-recipe-method-1" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><header class="o-Method__m-Header" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><div class="o-Method__m-TextWrap" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<h3 class="o-Method__a-Headline" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-family: "Franklin Gothic URW Cond Medium", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 24px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1; margin: 0px 0px 14px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span class="o-Method__a-HeadlineText" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Directions</span></h3>
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</header><div class="o-Method__m-Body" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 14px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
Add the chicken breasts to a slow cooker. In a bowl, mix the cumin, coriander, oregano, paprika, red pepper flakes and some salt and pepper, then sprinkle over the chicken. Add the beans, celery, garlic, canned chiles, onions, bell peppers and jalapeno. Pour in the chicken broth, put the lid on and cook on low until the beans are cooked, the vegetables are soft and the flavors are combined, about 7 1/2 hours.</div>
<div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 14px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
Mix the milk with the masa and add to the slow cooker. Add the frozen corn straight from the freezer and continue to cook until the sauce has thickened, another 30 minutes.</div>
<div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 14px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
Remove the chicken to a board and shred using 2 forks. Return to the slow cooker, then add the lime juice, sprinkle over the Monterey Jack cheese and stir to melt. </div>
<div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 14px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
To serve: Ladle the chili into bowls and garnish with a dollop of sour cream, extra cheese and cilantro. Roll up warm corn tortillas and serve on the side of the bowl.</div>
<div>
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<br />
As for my resolutions, the summer has been busy busy busy so I haven't been doing great...<br />
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1<b>. Read a minimum of 20 mins per day</b> - 107 out of 185 days</div>
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2. <b>Read a minimum of 1 book per month</b> -</div>
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January - <a href="https://www.blogger.com/%3Ca%20target=%22_blank%22%20href=%22https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/1443414565/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=15121&creative=330641&creativeASIN=1443414565&linkCode=as2&tag=culinaryaffec-20&linkId=ee6a8afcd517cc7724e7f2bcdad61e9a%22%3EThe%20Happiness%20Project%3C/a%3E%3Cimg%20src=%22//ir-ca.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=culinaryaffec-20&l=am2&o=15&a=1443414565%22%20width=%221%22%20height=%221%22%20border=%220%22%20alt=%22%22%20style=%22border:none%20!important;%20margin:0px%20!important;%22%20/%3E">The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin</a></div>
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February - <a href="https://www.blogger.com/%3Ciframe%20style=%22width:120px;height:240px;%22%20marginwidth=%220%22%20marginheight=%220%22%20scrolling=%22no%22%20frameborder=%220%22%20src=%22//rcm-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/cm?ref=qf_sp_asin_til&t=culinaryaffec-20&m=amazon&o=15&p=8&l=as1&IS1=1&asins=157224710X&linkId=554e8e481d9c1599ea8a67b55dff31f7&bc1=FFFFFF&lt1=_top&fc1=333333&lc1=0066C0&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr%22%3E%20%20%20%20%20%3C/iframe%3E">The Buddha and The Borderline</a></div>
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March - <a href="https://www.amazon.ca/Lost-Echoes-Joe-R-Lansdale-ebook/dp/B000OI0FY4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1520259578&sr=8-1&keywords=lost+echoes+joe+lansdale">Lost Echoes</a><br />
April - <a href="https://www.amazon.ca/Magic-Rhonda-Byrne/dp/1451673442/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1524165751&sr=8-1&keywords=the+magic+rhonda+byrne">The Magic</a> by Rhonda Byrne<br />
<a href="https://www.amazon.ca/Loving-What-Four-Questions-Change/dp/1400045371/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1524165953&sr=1-1&keywords=loving+what+is+byron+katie">Loving What Is</a> by Byron Katie (I highly recommend this book, I'm reading it again to make sure it all sinks in)<br />
May - <a href="https://www.amazon.ca/Judgment-Detox-Release-Beliefs-Living/dp/1501168967/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1528912324&sr=8-1&keywords=judgement+detox">Judgment Detox by Gabrielle Bernstein</a><br />
June - <a href="https://www.amazon.ca/Bag-Bones-Stephen-King/dp/067102423X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1528912386&sr=1-1&keywords=bag+of+bones+stephen+king">Bag of Bones by Stephen King</a></div>
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3. <b>Drink 80oz of water per day</b> - 48 out of 168 days, an embarrassment</div>
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4. <b><strike>Get in a minimum of 10,000 steps daily</strike></b> - My fitbit broke and their customer service sucks ass so I'm no longer counting my steps. I was doing well over 15,000 per day so I think as long as I keep moving, I'm good here</div>
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5. <b>Post on this blog weekly</b> - 17 out of 27 weeks<br />
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "times new roman"; margin: 0px;">
6. <b>Lose the baby weight and get into the best shape of my life </b>- working on it!</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "times new roman"; margin: 0px;">
7. <b>Get rid of 52 things</b> -</div>
<div style="font-family: "times new roman"; margin: 0px;">
1-6. Books given to my daughter's friend, they were duplicates that I didn't need to hang on to</div>
<div style="font-family: "times new roman"; margin: 0px;">
7. Threw out some cleaning products and knick knacks that were under the kitchen sink</div>
<div style="font-family: "times new roman"; margin: 0px;">
8. Got rid of some baby clothes that we had been given by a friend - they were all boys clothes</div>
<div style="font-family: "times new roman"; margin: 0px;">
(since we thought we were having a boy) - I kept some neutral items and brought the rest to Once</div>
<div style="font-family: "times new roman"; margin: 0px;">
Upon A Child for some cash</div>
<div style="font-family: "times new roman"; margin: 0px;">
9. Got rid of all the old tupperware (and bought a new set - does that count? I'm going to say yes</div>
<div style="font-family: "times new roman"; margin: 0px;">
because in the past I would have kept the old & the new)</div>
<div style="font-family: "times new roman"; margin: 0px;">
10. Dumped all of the expired vitamins and medicine that we had (some dating as far back as 2010!!) - more on that below</div>
<div style="font-family: "times new roman"; margin: 0px;">
11. Possibly TMI but I got rid of a ton of old underwear - now I have to replace them, which is always fun.</div>
<div style="font-family: "times new roman"; margin: 0px;">
12. I sold Brie's bassinet this week, $60 in my pocket and one less thing to hang on to<br />
13. Gave two huge bags of clothes to Value Village<br />
14. Got rid of a travel bottle warmer and some bottles to someone who needed them on LetGo<br />
15. Got rid of 2 bags of the hubbies clothes (donated)<br />
16. Got rid of a bag of boys baby clothes (gave to my friend)</div>
<div style="font-family: "times new roman"; margin: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "times new roman";">
<div style="margin: 0px;">
8. <b>Organize/clean 52 areas (that I wouldn't normally clean during my daily/weekly routines)</b></div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
1. Organized my book shelves by giving away duplicate books, grouping the self-help novels together, grouping authors together that I have huge collections of, and alphabetizing the remaining books</div>
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2. Cleaned the area underneath the kitchen sink - it was a disaster. Now everything is organized</div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
and accounted for</div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="text-align: center;">3. I cleaned the top of the hallway closet and threw out winter gear that had no matches along with</span></div>
</div>
<div style="font-family: "times new roman";">
<div style="margin: 0px;">
other little things that had no business being there (or anywhere). A small project, but a needed</div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
one! (see pictures below)</div>
</div>
<div style="font-family: "times new roman";">
<div style="margin: 0px;">
4. I cleaned our "medicine cabinet" - we have a section of shelving in our kitchen where we keep vitamins and medicine. Most of the bottles were expired, and it was a mess up there. See before and after pics above. And yes, I am still taking prenatal vitamins. We plan on having one more baby so might as well stay healthy for that. To be honest I think I'll continue taking them indefinitely - they are great.</div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
5. I finally cleaned my linen closet and got rid of a ton of things we didn't need. Check out the before and after pics below- we now have a whole empty shelf to fill up! I think we will use it for toilet paper and paper towel which is currently stuffed in the spare bedroom's closet. That will be my next task to tackle.</div>
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6. Check out the before and after pics below of my linen closet. So glad I got to this one!<br />
<span style="text-align: center;">7. I also cleaned up my coffee table shelves, pics below</span><br />
<span style="text-align: center;"><br /></span><span style="text-align: center;">11. </span><b style="text-align: center;">Email or call my Grandma weekly</b><span style="text-align: center;"> - I still need to get a long distance phone plan to call her in New Jersey. We are visiting next weekend, I can't wait. In the meantime I have been texting pics & videos to my Uncle who shares them with her</span></div>
</div>
<div style="font-family: "times new roman";">
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
12. <b>Do things to get me out of my comfort zone</b></div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
1. I attended a mom/baby fitness class, and loved it so much that I'll be going weekly (with a friend of mine pictured above)</div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
2. Joined another mommy/baby fitness class (salsa) that I haven't started yet - it begins on Thursday and it's an hour away. I joined with the same friend who comes to my neck of the woods once a week for the other classes we are doing. This is out of my comfort zone for two reasons - the obvious one is attending and trying a new class, but also the fact that it is so far away. I usually don't venture too far out of my bubble. I'll be able to walk around after each class and explore a new city, so that'll be fun, and an added bonus.</div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
3. I started going to a chiropractor for my achy back. This is big for me - I don't like to be touched by strangers. So yea, this is huge<br />
4. I went to the dentist. After 9 years. Yes you read that right. No cavities, just tartar build up so I have to go back to have them freeze me and do a cleaning that will take an hour. I'm going back May 1st. I'm afraid of the dentist (hence the 9 year hiatus) so this qualifies as being outside of my comfort zone.<br />
5. As a follow up to my visit to the dentist, I returned to get needles (eek!) to freeze my gums and do a one hour cleaning on the right side of my mouth. Today I go for the left side. In the past I would have avoided this all together and just not shown up.<br />
6. I signed up for a playdate at a local splash pad through a Mommy/Baby group. I go next week, we will see how it is<br />
7. I started Brie in swimming lessons. Just getting into a swimsuit in public is huge for me.</div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<div style="color: black; font-size: medium;">
13. <b>Go on the treadmill for a minimum of 20 minutes daily - </b>53 out of 87 days</div>
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<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
And some pics, of course. We went away for the long weekend and it was Brie's first time on a beach. So much fun!!!</div>
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Culinary Affectionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04239779974340793730noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1837523928210437160.post-56169480721832222932018-06-18T12:55:00.002-04:002018-07-23T14:18:17.996-04:00Slow Roasted Caribbean Ribs with Pineapple SalsaI've been doing my best to cook almost every night, but I'm getting a little bored with my options. During the summer I'm not overly motivated to work with a hot stove, or anything in the kitchen really. But I have my family to feed, and we can't afford to eat out every night, so I have to suck it up.<br />
<br />
These ribs came out great, with very little hand on time. You season them and throw them in the oven at 350 for 2 hours. Done! The pineapple salsa was quick and easy, and was a perfect compliment to the ribs. Enjoy!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://www.canadianliving.com/food/recipe/slow-roasted-caribbean-ribs">Here is the recipe I used</a> from Canadian Living.<br />
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<div style="background-color: white; color: #1c1c1c; font-size: 15px;">
<u>Resolutions for 2018</u></div>
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<u><br /></u></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #1c1c1c; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 15px; margin: 0px;">
1<b>. Read a minimum of 20 mins per day</b> - 123 out of 204 days</div>
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<br /></div>
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2. <b>Read a minimum of 1 book per month</b> -</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #1c1c1c; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 15px; margin: 0px;">
January - <a href="https://www.blogger.com/%3Ca%20target=%22_blank%22%20href=%22https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/1443414565/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=15121&creative=330641&creativeASIN=1443414565&linkCode=as2&tag=culinaryaffec-20&linkId=ee6a8afcd517cc7724e7f2bcdad61e9a%22%3EThe%20Happiness%20Project%3C/a%3E%3Cimg%20src=%22//ir-ca.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=culinaryaffec-20&l=am2&o=15&a=1443414565%22%20width=%221%22%20height=%221%22%20border=%220%22%20alt=%22%22%20style=%22border:none%20!important;%20margin:0px%20!important;%22%20/%3E">The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin</a></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #1c1c1c; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 15px; margin: 0px;">
February - <a href="https://www.blogger.com/%3Ciframe%20style=%22width:120px;height:240px;%22%20marginwidth=%220%22%20marginheight=%220%22%20scrolling=%22no%22%20frameborder=%220%22%20src=%22//rcm-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/cm?ref=qf_sp_asin_til&t=culinaryaffec-20&m=amazon&o=15&p=8&l=as1&IS1=1&asins=157224710X&linkId=554e8e481d9c1599ea8a67b55dff31f7&bc1=FFFFFF&lt1=_top&fc1=333333&lc1=0066C0&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr%22%3E%20%20%20%20%20%3C/iframe%3E">The Buddha and The Borderline</a></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #1c1c1c; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 15px; margin: 0px;">
March - <a href="https://www.amazon.ca/Lost-Echoes-Joe-R-Lansdale-ebook/dp/B000OI0FY4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1520259578&sr=8-1&keywords=lost+echoes+joe+lansdale">Lost Echoes</a><br />
April - <a href="https://www.amazon.ca/Magic-Rhonda-Byrne/dp/1451673442/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1524165751&sr=8-1&keywords=the+magic+rhonda+byrne">The Magic</a> by Rhonda Byrne<br />
<a href="https://www.amazon.ca/Loving-What-Four-Questions-Change/dp/1400045371/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1524165953&sr=1-1&keywords=loving+what+is+byron+katie">Loving What Is</a> by Byron Katie (I highly recommend this book, I'm reading it again to make sure it all sinks in)<br />
May - <a href="https://www.amazon.ca/Judgment-Detox-Release-Beliefs-Living/dp/1501168967/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1528912324&sr=8-1&keywords=judgement+detox">Judgment Detox by Gabrielle Bernstein</a><br />
June - <a href="https://www.amazon.ca/Bag-Bones-Stephen-King/dp/067102423X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1528912386&sr=1-1&keywords=bag+of+bones+stephen+king">Bag of Bones by Stephen King</a><br />
July - <a href="https://www.amazon.ca/Other-People-Kelly-OCallan/dp/1496095537/ref=sr_1_12?ie=UTF8&qid=1532369060&sr=8-12&keywords=other+people">Other People by Kelly O'Callan</a></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #1c1c1c; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 15px; margin: 0px;">
3. <b>Drink 80oz of water per day</b> - 70 out of 204 days<br />
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #1c1c1c; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 15px; margin: 0px;">
4. <b><strike>Get in a minimum of 10,000 steps daily</strike></b> - My fitbit broke and their customer service sucks ass so I'm no longer counting my steps. I was doing well over 15,000 per day so I think as long as I keep moving, I'm good here</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #1c1c1c; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 15px; margin: 0px;">
5. <b>Post on this blog weekly</b> - 18 out of 30 weeks<br />
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #1c1c1c; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 15px; margin: 0px;">
6. <b>Lose the baby weight and get into the best shape of my life </b>- working on it! I have been doing well at cleaning up my diet, and now drink bone broth daily to help with both my appetite and my back pain. I am also drinking 2T of apple cider vinegar in 16oz of water daily. This seems to help with bloating for me, among all the other health benefits</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #1c1c1c; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 15px; margin: 0px;">
7. <b>Get rid of 52 things</b> -</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #1c1c1c; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 15px; margin: 0px;">
1-6. Books given to my daughter's friend, they were duplicates that I didn't need to hang on to</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #1c1c1c; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 15px; margin: 0px;">
7. Threw out some cleaning products and knick knacks that were under the kitchen sink</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #1c1c1c; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 15px; margin: 0px;">
8. Got rid of some baby clothes that we had been given by a friend - they were all boys clothes</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #1c1c1c; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 15px; margin: 0px;">
(since we thought we were having a boy) - I kept some neutral items and brought the rest to Once</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #1c1c1c; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 15px; margin: 0px;">
Upon A Child for some cash</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #1c1c1c; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 15px; margin: 0px;">
9. Got rid of all the old tupperware (and bought a new set - does that count? I'm going to say yes</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #1c1c1c; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 15px; margin: 0px;">
because in the past I would have kept the old & the new)</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #1c1c1c; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 15px; margin: 0px;">
10. Dumped all of the expired vitamins and medicine that we had (some dating as far back as 2010!!) - more on that below</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #1c1c1c; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 15px; margin: 0px;">
11. Possibly TMI but I got rid of a ton of old underwear - now I have to replace them, which is always fun.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #1c1c1c; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 15px; margin: 0px;">
12. I sold Brie's bassinet this week, $60 in my pocket and one less thing to hang on to<br />
13. Gave two huge bags of clothes to Value Village<br />
14. Got rid of a travel bottle warmer and some bottles to someone who needed them on LetGo<br />
15. Got rid of 2 bags of the hubbies clothes (donated)<br />
16. Got rid of a bag of boys baby clothes (gave to my friend)</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #1c1c1c; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 15px; margin: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #1c1c1c; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 15px;">
<div style="margin: 0px;">
8. <b>Organize/clean 52 areas (that I wouldn't normally clean during my daily/weekly routines)</b></div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
1. Organized my book shelves by giving away duplicate books, grouping the self-help novels together, grouping authors together that I have huge collections of, and alphabetizing the remaining books</div>
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2. Cleaned the area underneath the kitchen sink - it was a disaster. Now everything is organized</div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
and accounted for</div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="text-align: center;">3. I cleaned the top of the hallway closet and threw out winter gear that had no matches along with</span></div>
</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #1c1c1c; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 15px;">
<div style="margin: 0px;">
other little things that had no business being there (or anywhere). A small project, but a needed</div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
one! (see pictures below)</div>
</div>
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4. I cleaned our "medicine cabinet" - we have a section of shelving in our kitchen where we keep vitamins and medicine. Most of the bottles were expired, and it was a mess up there. See before and after pics above. And yes, I am still taking prenatal vitamins. We plan on having one more baby so might as well stay healthy for that. To be honest I think I'll continue taking them indefinitely - they are great.</div>
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5. I finally cleaned my linen closet and got rid of a ton of things we didn't need. Check out the before and after pics below- we now have a whole empty shelf to fill up! I think we will use it for toilet paper and paper towel which is currently stuffed in the spare bedroom's closet. That will be my next task to tackle.</div>
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6. Check out the before and after pics below of my linen closet. So glad I got to this one!<br />
<span style="text-align: center;">7. I also cleaned up my coffee table shelves, pics below</span><br />
<span style="text-align: center;"><br /></span><span style="text-align: center;">11. </span><b style="text-align: center;">Email or call my Grandma weekly</b><span style="text-align: center;"> - I finally purchased a phone card and will be calling her for sure!!</span></div>
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12. <b>Do things to get me out of my comfort zone</b></div>
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1. I attended a mom/baby fitness class, and loved it so much that I'll be going weekly (with a friend of mine pictured above)</div>
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2. Joined another mommy/baby fitness class (salsa) that I haven't started yet - it begins on Thursday and it's an hour away. I joined with the same friend who comes to my neck of the woods once a week for the other classes we are doing. This is out of my comfort zone for two reasons - the obvious one is attending and trying a new class, but also the fact that it is so far away. I usually don't venture too far out of my bubble. I'll be able to walk around after each class and explore a new city, so that'll be fun, and an added bonus.</div>
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3. I started going to a chiropractor for my achy back. This is big for me - I don't like to be touched by strangers. So yea, this is huge<br />
4. I went to the dentist. After 9 years. Yes you read that right. No cavities, just tartar build up so I have to go back to have them freeze me and do a cleaning that will take an hour. I'm going back May 1st. I'm afraid of the dentist (hence the 9 year hiatus) so this qualifies as being outside of my comfort zone.<br />
5. As a follow up to my visit to the dentist, I returned to get needles (eek!) to freeze my gums and do a one hour cleaning on the right side of my mouth. Today I go for the left side. In the past I would have avoided this all together and just not shown up.<br />
6. I signed up for a playdate at a local splash pad through a Mommy/Baby group. I go next week, we will see how it is<br />
7. I started Brie in swimming lessons. Just getting into a swimsuit in public is huge for me.</div>
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13. <b>Go on the treadmill for a minimum of 20 minutes daily - </b>68 out of 106 days</div>
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And some sweet pics & videos - Brie is crawling now, and pulling herself up in her crib. It's so crazy that she is already 8 months old. I can't believe it!!!<br />
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<br />Culinary Affectionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04239779974340793730noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1837523928210437160.post-5014809908204139642018-06-18T12:48:00.000-04:002018-06-18T12:48:57.695-04:00Homemade Hoagie RollsSo full disclosure, we have owned a Kitchenmaid mixer for years, and I have never used it. It has always intimidated me and I have left it for the hubby to use. It's heavy and bulky and complicated, and I never liked it. Until now.<br />
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You guys, these homemade rolls were everything. They were so easy, especially with the mixer, and I will never by store made rolls again. Ever. I'm going to expand my Kitchenmaid skills into different types of rolls, bread, buns, etc so stay tuned.<br />
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Here is the recipe I used from <a href="https://www.asweetpeachef.com/hoagie-rolls/">A Sweet Pea Chef</a><br />
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And on to my resolutions...<br />
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As for my resolutions...<br />
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1<b>. Read a minimum of 20 mins per day</b> - 103 out of 168 days</div>
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2. <b>Read a minimum of 1 book per month</b> -</div>
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January - <a href="https://www.blogger.com/%3Ca%20target=%22_blank%22%20href=%22https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/1443414565/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=15121&creative=330641&creativeASIN=1443414565&linkCode=as2&tag=culinaryaffec-20&linkId=ee6a8afcd517cc7724e7f2bcdad61e9a%22%3EThe%20Happiness%20Project%3C/a%3E%3Cimg%20src=%22//ir-ca.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=culinaryaffec-20&l=am2&o=15&a=1443414565%22%20width=%221%22%20height=%221%22%20border=%220%22%20alt=%22%22%20style=%22border:none%20!important;%20margin:0px%20!important;%22%20/%3E">The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin</a></div>
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February - <a href="https://www.blogger.com/%3Ciframe%20style=%22width:120px;height:240px;%22%20marginwidth=%220%22%20marginheight=%220%22%20scrolling=%22no%22%20frameborder=%220%22%20src=%22//rcm-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/cm?ref=qf_sp_asin_til&t=culinaryaffec-20&m=amazon&o=15&p=8&l=as1&IS1=1&asins=157224710X&linkId=554e8e481d9c1599ea8a67b55dff31f7&bc1=FFFFFF&lt1=_top&fc1=333333&lc1=0066C0&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr%22%3E%20%20%20%20%20%3C/iframe%3E">The Buddha and The Borderline</a></div>
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March - <a href="https://www.amazon.ca/Lost-Echoes-Joe-R-Lansdale-ebook/dp/B000OI0FY4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1520259578&sr=8-1&keywords=lost+echoes+joe+lansdale">Lost Echoes</a><br />
April - <a href="https://www.amazon.ca/Magic-Rhonda-Byrne/dp/1451673442/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1524165751&sr=8-1&keywords=the+magic+rhonda+byrne">The Magic</a> by Rhonda Byrne<br />
<a href="https://www.amazon.ca/Loving-What-Four-Questions-Change/dp/1400045371/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1524165953&sr=1-1&keywords=loving+what+is+byron+katie">Loving What Is</a> by Byron Katie (I highly recommend this book, I'm reading it again to make sure it all sinks in)<br />
May - <a href="https://www.amazon.ca/Judgment-Detox-Release-Beliefs-Living/dp/1501168967/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1528912324&sr=8-1&keywords=judgement+detox">Judgment Detox by Gabrielle Bernstein</a><br />
June - <a href="https://www.amazon.ca/Bag-Bones-Stephen-King/dp/067102423X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1528912386&sr=1-1&keywords=bag+of+bones+stephen+king">Bag of Bones by Stephen King</a></div>
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3. <b>Drink 80oz of water per day</b> - 48 out of 168 days, an embarrassment</div>
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4. <b>Get in a minimum of 10,000 steps daily</b> - 115 out of 168 days</div>
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5. <b>Post on this blog weekly</b> - 16 out of 25 weeks<br />
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6. <b>Lose the baby weight and get into the best shape of my life </b>- working on it!</div>
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7. <b>Get rid of 52 things</b> -</div>
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1-6. Books given to my daughter's friend, they were duplicates that I didn't need to hang on to</div>
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7. Threw out some cleaning products and knick knacks that were under the kitchen sink</div>
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8. Got rid of some baby clothes that we had been given by a friend - they were all boys clothes</div>
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(since we thought we were having a boy) - I kept some neutral items and brought the rest to Once</div>
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Upon A Child for some cash</div>
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9. Got rid of all the old tupperware (and bought a new set - does that count? I'm going to say yes</div>
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because in the past I would have kept the old & the new)</div>
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10. Dumped all of the expired vitamins and medicine that we had (some dating as far back as 2010!!) - more on that below</div>
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11. Possibly TMI but I got rid of a ton of old underwear - now I have to replace them, which is always fun.</div>
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12. I sold Brie's bassinet this week, $60 in my pocket and one less thing to hang on to<br />
13. Gave two huge bags of clothes to Value Village<br />
14. Got rid of a travel bottle warmer and some bottles to someone who needed them on LetGo<br />
15. Got rid of 2 bags of the hubbies clothes (donated)<br />
16. Got rid of a bag of boys baby clothes (gave to my friend)</div>
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8. <b>Organize/clean 52 areas (that I wouldn't normally clean during my daily/weekly routines)</b></div>
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1. Organized my book shelves by giving away duplicate books, grouping the self-help novels together, grouping authors together that I have huge collections of, and alphabetizing the remaining books</div>
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2. Cleaned the area underneath the kitchen sink - it was a disaster. Now everything is organized</div>
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and accounted for</div>
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<span style="text-align: center;">3. I cleaned the top of the hallway closet and threw out winter gear that had no matches along with</span></div>
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other little things that had no business being there (or anywhere). A small project, but a needed</div>
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one! (see pictures below)</div>
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4. I cleaned our "medicine cabinet" - we have a section of shelving in our kitchen where we keep vitamins and medicine. Most of the bottles were expired, and it was a mess up there. See before and after pics above. And yes, I am still taking prenatal vitamins. We plan on having one more baby so might as well stay healthy for that. To be honest I think I'll continue taking them indefinitely - they are great.</div>
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5. I finally cleaned my linen closet and got rid of a ton of things we didn't need. Check out the before and after pics below- we now have a whole empty shelf to fill up! I think we will use it for toilet paper and paper towel which is currently stuffed in the spare bedroom's closet. That will be my next task to tackle.</div>
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6. Check out the before and after pics below of my linen closet. So glad I got to this one!<br />
<span style="text-align: center;">7. I also cleaned up my coffee table shelves, pics below</span><br />
<span style="text-align: center;"><br /></span><span style="text-align: center;">11. </span><b style="text-align: center;">Email or call my Grandma weekly</b><span style="text-align: center;"> - I still need to get a long distance phone plan to call her in New Jersey. We are visiting next weekend, I can't wait. In the meantime I have been texting pics & videos to my Uncle who shares them with her</span></div>
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12. <b>Do things to get me out of my comfort zone</b></div>
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1. I attended a mom/baby fitness class, and loved it so much that I'll be going weekly (with a friend of mine pictured above)</div>
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2. Joined another mommy/baby fitness class (salsa) that I haven't started yet - it begins on Thursday and it's an hour away. I joined with the same friend who comes to my neck of the woods once a week for the other classes we are doing. This is out of my comfort zone for two reasons - the obvious one is attending and trying a new class, but also the fact that it is so far away. I usually don't venture too far out of my bubble. I'll be able to walk around after each class and explore a new city, so that'll be fun, and an added bonus.</div>
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3. I started going to a chiropractor for my achy back. This is big for me - I don't like to be touched by strangers. So yea, this is huge<br />
4. I went to the dentist. After 9 years. Yes you read that right. No cavities, just tartar build up so I have to go back to have them freeze me and do a cleaning that will take an hour. I'm going back May 1st. I'm afraid of the dentist (hence the 9 year hiatus) so this qualifies as being outside of my comfort zone.<br />
5. As a follow up to my visit to the dentist, I returned to get needles (eek!) to freeze my gums and do a one hour cleaning on the right side of my mouth. Today I go for the left side. In the past I would have avoided this all together and just not shown up.</div>
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13. <b>Go on the treadmill for a minimum of 20 minutes daily - </b>37 out of 71 days<br />
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And some cute pics from Father's Day this past weekend...<br />
We went to our favorite restaurant (<a href="http://www.jakesgrill.ca/">Jake's Grill & Oyster House</a>) after spending a few hours in the scorching sun watching the hubby's soccer game<br />
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Culinary Affectionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04239779974340793730noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1837523928210437160.post-31963004721894762732018-06-13T13:43:00.001-04:002018-06-13T14:02:22.036-04:00Butter Chicken And The UsualI was feeling for some East Indian flavors this week, and boy did this recipe do the trick! It was fairly easy to put together, and really hit the spot. I had mine with mashed cauliflower to cut the carb count, and the rest of the family had rice. Butter chicken is East Indian comfort food for sure. So creamy and rich. Delicious!!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The chicken before putting it in the oven</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The sauce simmering (before the addition of cream)</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The final product, over mashed cauliflower<br />
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<a href="https://heatherlikesfood.com/indian-butter-chicken-recipe/">This is the recipe I used</a><br />
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As for my resolutions...<br />
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1<b>. Read a minimum of 20 mins per day</b> - 98 out of 163 days</div>
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2. <b>Read a minimum of 1 book per month</b> -</div>
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January - <a href="https://www.blogger.com/%3Ca%20target=%22_blank%22%20href=%22https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/1443414565/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=15121&creative=330641&creativeASIN=1443414565&linkCode=as2&tag=culinaryaffec-20&linkId=ee6a8afcd517cc7724e7f2bcdad61e9a%22%3EThe%20Happiness%20Project%3C/a%3E%3Cimg%20src=%22//ir-ca.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=culinaryaffec-20&l=am2&o=15&a=1443414565%22%20width=%221%22%20height=%221%22%20border=%220%22%20alt=%22%22%20style=%22border:none%20!important;%20margin:0px%20!important;%22%20/%3E">The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin</a></div>
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February - <a href="https://www.blogger.com/%3Ciframe%20style=%22width:120px;height:240px;%22%20marginwidth=%220%22%20marginheight=%220%22%20scrolling=%22no%22%20frameborder=%220%22%20src=%22//rcm-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/cm?ref=qf_sp_asin_til&t=culinaryaffec-20&m=amazon&o=15&p=8&l=as1&IS1=1&asins=157224710X&linkId=554e8e481d9c1599ea8a67b55dff31f7&bc1=FFFFFF&lt1=_top&fc1=333333&lc1=0066C0&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr%22%3E%20%20%20%20%20%3C/iframe%3E">The Buddha and The Borderline</a></div>
<div style="font-family: "times new roman"; margin: 0px;">
March - <a href="https://www.amazon.ca/Lost-Echoes-Joe-R-Lansdale-ebook/dp/B000OI0FY4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1520259578&sr=8-1&keywords=lost+echoes+joe+lansdale">Lost Echoes</a><br />
April - <a href="https://www.amazon.ca/Magic-Rhonda-Byrne/dp/1451673442/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1524165751&sr=8-1&keywords=the+magic+rhonda+byrne">The Magic</a> by Rhonda Byrne<br />
<a href="https://www.amazon.ca/Loving-What-Four-Questions-Change/dp/1400045371/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1524165953&sr=1-1&keywords=loving+what+is+byron+katie">Loving What Is</a> by Byron Katie (I highly recommend this book, I'm reading it again to make sure it all sinks in)<br />
May - <a href="https://www.amazon.ca/Judgment-Detox-Release-Beliefs-Living/dp/1501168967/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1528912324&sr=8-1&keywords=judgement+detox">Judgement Detox by Gabrielle Bernstein</a><br />
June - <a href="https://www.amazon.ca/Bag-Bones-Stephen-King/dp/067102423X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1528912386&sr=1-1&keywords=bag+of+bones+stephen+king">Bag of Bones by Stephen King</a></div>
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<br /></div>
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3. <b>Drink 80oz of water per day</b> - 45 out of 163 days, an embarrassment</div>
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<br /></div>
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4. <b>Get in a minimum of 10,000 steps daily</b> - 111 out of 163 days</div>
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<br /></div>
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5. <b>Post on this blog weekly</b> - 15 out of 23 weeks<br />
<br /></div>
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6. <b>Lose the baby weight and get into the best shape of my life </b>- working on it!</div>
<div style="font-family: "times new roman"; margin: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "times new roman"; margin: 0px;">
7. <b>Get rid of 52 things</b> -</div>
<div style="font-family: "times new roman"; margin: 0px;">
1-6. Books given to my daughter's friend, they were duplicates that I didn't need to hang on to</div>
<div style="font-family: "times new roman"; margin: 0px;">
7. Threw out some cleaning products and knick knacks that were under the kitchen sink</div>
<div style="font-family: "times new roman"; margin: 0px;">
8. Got rid of some baby clothes that we had been given by a friend - they were all boys clothes</div>
<div style="font-family: "times new roman"; margin: 0px;">
(since we thought we were having a boy) - I kept some neutral items and brought the rest to Once</div>
<div style="font-family: "times new roman"; margin: 0px;">
Upon A Child for some cash</div>
<div style="font-family: "times new roman"; margin: 0px;">
9. Got rid of all the old tupperware (and bought a new set - does that count? I'm going to say yes</div>
<div style="font-family: "times new roman"; margin: 0px;">
because in the past I would have kept the old & the new)</div>
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10. Dumped all of the expired vitamins and medicine that we had (some dating as far back as 2010!!) - more on that below</div>
<div style="font-family: "times new roman"; margin: 0px;">
11. Possibly TMI but I got rid of a ton of old underwear - now I have to replace them, which is always fun.</div>
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12. I sold Brie's bassinet this week, $60 in my pocket and one less thing to hang on to<br />
13. Gave two huge bags of clothes to Value Village<br />
14. Got rid of a travel bottle warmer and some bottles to someone who needed them on LetGo<br />
15. Got rid of 2 bags of the hubbies clothes (donated)<br />
16. Got rid of a bag of boys baby clothes (gave to my friend)</div>
<div style="font-family: "times new roman"; margin: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "times new roman";">
<div style="margin: 0px;">
8. <b>Organize/clean 52 areas (that I wouldn't normally clean during my daily/weekly routines)</b></div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
1. Organized my book shelves by giving away duplicate books, grouping the self-help novels together, grouping authors together that I have huge collections of, and alphabetizing the remaining books</div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
2. Cleaned the area underneath the kitchen sink - it was a disaster. Now everything is organized</div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
and accounted for</div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="text-align: center;">3. I cleaned the top of the hallway closet and threw out winter gear that had no matches along with</span></div>
</div>
<div style="font-family: "times new roman";">
<div style="margin: 0px;">
other little things that had no business being there (or anywhere). A small project, but a needed</div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
one! (see pictures below)</div>
</div>
<div style="font-family: "times new roman";">
<div style="margin: 0px;">
4. I cleaned our "medicine cabinet" - we have a section of shelving in our kitchen where we keep vitamins and medicine. Most of the bottles were expired, and it was a mess up there. See before and after pics above. And yes, I am still taking prenatal vitamins. We plan on having one more baby so might as well stay healthy for that. To be honest I think I'll continue taking them indefinitely - they are great.</div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
5. I finally cleaned my linen closet and got rid of a ton of things we didn't need. Check out the before and after pics below- we now have a whole empty shelf to fill up! I think we will use it for toilet paper and paper towel which is currently stuffed in the spare bedroom's closet. That will be my next task to tackle.</div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
6. Check out the before and after pics below of my linen closet. So glad I got to this one!<br />
<span style="text-align: center;">7. I also cleaned up my coffee table shelves, pics below</span><br />
<span style="text-align: center;"><br /></span><span style="text-align: center;">11. </span><b style="text-align: center;">Email or call my Grandma weekly</b><span style="text-align: center;"> - I still need to get a long distance phone plan to call her in New Jersey. We are visiting next weekend, I can't wait. In the meantime I have been texting pics & videos to my Uncle who shares them with her</span></div>
</div>
<div style="font-family: "times new roman";">
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
12. <b>Do things to get me out of my comfort zone</b></div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
1. I attended a mom/baby fitness class, and loved it so much that I'll be going weekly (with a friend of mine pictured above)</div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
2. Joined another mommy/baby fitness class (salsa) that I haven't started yet - it begins on Thursday and it's an hour away. I joined with the same friend who comes to my neck of the woods once a week for the other classes we are doing. This is out of my comfort zone for two reasons - the obvious one is attending and trying a new class, but also the fact that it is so far away. I usually don't venture too far out of my bubble. I'll be able to walk around after each class and explore a new city, so that'll be fun, and an added bonus.</div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
3. I started going to a chiropractor for my achy back. This is big for me - I don't like to be touched by strangers. So yea, this is huge<br />
4. I went to the dentist. After 9 years. Yes you read that right. No cavities, just tartar build up so I have to go back to have them freeze me and do a cleaning that will take an hour. I'm going back May 1st. I'm afraid of the dentist (hence the 9 year hiatus) so this qualifies as being outside of my comfort zone.<br />
5. As a follow up to my visit to the dentist, I returned to get needles (eek!) to freeze my gums and do a one hour cleaning on the right side of my mouth. Today I go for the left side. In the past I would have avoided this all together and just not shown up.</div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<strike>13. </strike><b><strike>Do back exercises daily</strike> - </b>I'm getting rid of this one, it isn't working for me</div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<strike>14. </strike><b><strike>Workout for a minimum of 20 minutes daily</strike> - </b>Also getting rid of this one - I walk for a minimum of an hour a day and attend fitness classes as time permits, so I'm ok with this</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
15. <b>Go on the treadmill for a minimum of 20 minutes daily - </b>33 out of 65 days<br />
<br />
I'll end this post with some pics from our recent family trip to New Jersey to visit family...<br />
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Culinary Affectionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04239779974340793730noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1837523928210437160.post-16424611788845420252018-05-31T09:16:00.002-04:002018-06-13T13:51:42.372-04:00Flourless Banana Chocolate Protein MuffinsHello!<br />
<br />
I had quite the sweet tooth this week, so I decided to make something that I would feel comfortable eating, and not too guilty about it. Enter these muffins. I experimented with the original recipe a bit and they came out divine!!<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Dk7_lUPxO0U/Wtj0IC3DfVI/AAAAAAAABVc/ToIxItjCf8cfti2vAX5uq2LQh5S6A2p_gCLcBGAs/s1600/20180418_162849.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Dk7_lUPxO0U/Wtj0IC3DfVI/AAAAAAAABVc/ToIxItjCf8cfti2vAX5uq2LQh5S6A2p_gCLcBGAs/s320/20180418_162849.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
I used <a href="http://www.runningwithspoons.com/2014/04/29/flourless-banana-bread-muffins/">this recipe</a> but added a package of soft tofu as well as about a 1/4 cup of almond milk to help blend the ingredients. I also topped them with chopped up milk chocolate. Yum. They needed an extra 15 minutes in the oven because of the added moisture but they were so damn good.<br />
<br />
I haven't been doing great with my resolutions. There has been a ton going on in my personal life, but that's no excuse. I'll try harder, and do better.<br />
<br />
<div style="font-family: "times new roman"; margin: 0px;">
1<b>. Read a minimum of 20 mins per day</b> - 90 out of 151 days</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "times new roman"; margin: 0px;">
2. <b>Read a minimum of 1 book per month</b> -</div>
<div style="font-family: "times new roman"; margin: 0px;">
January - <a href="https://www.blogger.com/%3Ca%20target=%22_blank%22%20href=%22https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/1443414565/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=15121&creative=330641&creativeASIN=1443414565&linkCode=as2&tag=culinaryaffec-20&linkId=ee6a8afcd517cc7724e7f2bcdad61e9a%22%3EThe%20Happiness%20Project%3C/a%3E%3Cimg%20src=%22//ir-ca.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=culinaryaffec-20&l=am2&o=15&a=1443414565%22%20width=%221%22%20height=%221%22%20border=%220%22%20alt=%22%22%20style=%22border:none%20!important;%20margin:0px%20!important;%22%20/%3E">The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin</a></div>
<div style="font-family: "times new roman"; margin: 0px;">
February - <a href="https://www.blogger.com/%3Ciframe%20style=%22width:120px;height:240px;%22%20marginwidth=%220%22%20marginheight=%220%22%20scrolling=%22no%22%20frameborder=%220%22%20src=%22//rcm-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/cm?ref=qf_sp_asin_til&t=culinaryaffec-20&m=amazon&o=15&p=8&l=as1&IS1=1&asins=157224710X&linkId=554e8e481d9c1599ea8a67b55dff31f7&bc1=FFFFFF&lt1=_top&fc1=333333&lc1=0066C0&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr%22%3E%20%20%20%20%20%3C/iframe%3E">The Buddha and The Borderline</a></div>
<div style="font-family: "times new roman"; margin: 0px;">
March - <a href="https://www.amazon.ca/Lost-Echoes-Joe-R-Lansdale-ebook/dp/B000OI0FY4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1520259578&sr=8-1&keywords=lost+echoes+joe+lansdale">Lost Echoes</a><br />
April - <a href="https://www.amazon.ca/Magic-Rhonda-Byrne/dp/1451673442/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1524165751&sr=8-1&keywords=the+magic+rhonda+byrne">The Magic</a> by Rhonda Byrne<br />
<a href="https://www.amazon.ca/Loving-What-Four-Questions-Change/dp/1400045371/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1524165953&sr=1-1&keywords=loving+what+is+byron+katie">Loving What Is</a> by Byron Katie (I highly recommend this book, I'm reading it again to make sure it all sinks in)<br />
May - nothing yet but almost finished two books, hopefully one will be done today</div>
<div style="font-family: "times new roman"; margin: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "times new roman"; margin: 0px;">
3. <b>Drink 80oz of water per day</b> - 42 out of 151 days, an embarrassment</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "times new roman"; margin: 0px;">
4. <b>Get in a minimum of 10,000 steps daily</b> - 101 out of 151 days</div>
<div style="font-family: "times new roman"; margin: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "times new roman"; margin: 0px;">
5. <b>Post on this blog weekly</b> - 14 out of 22 weeks<br />
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "times new roman"; margin: 0px;">
6. <b>Lose the baby weight and get into the best shape of my life </b>- working on it!</div>
<div style="font-family: "times new roman"; margin: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "times new roman"; margin: 0px;">
7. <b>Get rid of 52 things</b> -</div>
<div style="font-family: "times new roman"; margin: 0px;">
1-6. Books given to my daughter's friend, they were duplicates that I didn't need to hang on to</div>
<div style="font-family: "times new roman"; margin: 0px;">
7. Threw out some cleaning products and knick knacks that were under the kitchen sink</div>
<div style="font-family: "times new roman"; margin: 0px;">
8. Got rid of some baby clothes that we had been given by a friend - they were all boys clothes</div>
<div style="font-family: "times new roman"; margin: 0px;">
(since we thought we were having a boy) - I kept some neutral items and brought the rest to Once</div>
<div style="font-family: "times new roman"; margin: 0px;">
Upon A Child for some cash</div>
<div style="font-family: "times new roman"; margin: 0px;">
9. Got rid of all the old tupperware (and bought a new set - does that count? I'm going to say yes</div>
<div style="font-family: "times new roman"; margin: 0px;">
because in the past I would have kept the old & the new)</div>
<div style="font-family: "times new roman"; margin: 0px;">
10. Dumped all of the expired vitamins and medicine that we had (some dating as far back as 2010!!) - more on that below</div>
<div style="font-family: "times new roman"; margin: 0px;">
11. Possibly TMI but I got rid of a ton of old underwear - now I have to replace them, which is always fun.</div>
<div style="font-family: "times new roman"; margin: 0px;">
12. I sold Brie's bassinet this week, $60 in my pocket and one less thing to hang on to<br />
13. Gave two huge bags of clothes to Value Village<br />
14. Got rid of a travel bottle warmer and some bottles to someone who needed them on LetGo</div>
<div style="font-family: "times new roman"; margin: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "times new roman";">
<div style="margin: 0px;">
8. <b>Organize/clean 52 areas (that I wouldn't normally clean during my daily/weekly routines)</b></div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
1. Organized my book shelves by giving away duplicate books, grouping the self-help novels together, grouping authors together that I have huge collections of, and alphabetizing the remaining books</div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
2. Cleaned the area underneath the kitchen sink - it was a disaster. Now everything is organized</div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
and accounted for</div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="text-align: center;">3. I cleaned the top of the hallway closet and threw out winter gear that had no matches along with</span></div>
</div>
<div style="font-family: "times new roman";">
<div style="margin: 0px;">
other little things that had no business being there (or anywhere). A small project, but a needed</div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
one! (see pictures below)</div>
</div>
<div style="font-family: "times new roman";">
<div style="margin: 0px;">
4. I cleaned our "medicine cabinet" - we have a section of shelving in our kitchen where we keep vitamins and medicine. Most of the bottles were expired, and it was a mess up there. See before and after pics above. And yes, I am still taking prenatal vitamins. We plan on having one more baby so might as well stay healthy for that. To be honest I think I'll continue taking them indefinitely - they are great.</div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
5. I finally cleaned my linen closet and got rid of a ton of things we didn't need. Check out the before and after pics below- we now have a whole empty shelf to fill up! I think we will use it for toilet paper and paper towel which is currently stuffed in the spare bedroom's closet. That will be my next task to tackle.</div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
6. Check out the before and after pics below of my linen closet. So glad I got to this one!<br />
<span style="text-align: center;">7. I also cleaned up my coffee table shelves, pics below</span><br />
<span style="text-align: center;"><br /></span><span style="text-align: center;">11. </span><b style="text-align: center;">Email or call my Grandma weekly</b><span style="text-align: center;"> - I still need to get a long distance phone plan to call her in New Jersey. We are visiting next weekend, I can't wait. In the meantime I have been texting pics & videos to my Uncle who shares them with her</span></div>
</div>
<div style="font-family: "times new roman";">
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
12. <b>Do things to get me out of my comfort zone</b></div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
1. I attended a mom/baby fitness class, and loved it so much that I'll be going weekly (with a friend of mine pictured above)</div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
2. Joined another mommy/baby fitness class (salsa) that I haven't started yet - it begins on Thursday and it's an hour away. I joined with the same friend who comes to my neck of the woods once a week for the other classes we are doing. This is out of my comfort zone for two reasons - the obvious one is attending and trying a new class, but also the fact that it is so far away. I usually don't venture too far out of my bubble. I'll be able to walk around after each class and explore a new city, so that'll be fun, and an added bonus.</div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
3. I started going to a chiropractor for my achy back. This is big for me - I don't like to be touched by strangers. So yea, this is huge<br />
4. I went to the dentist. After 9 years. Yes you read that right. No cavities, just tartar build up so I have to go back to have them freeze me and do a cleaning that will take an hour. I'm going back May 1st. I'm afraid of the dentist (hence the 9 year hiatus) so this qualifies as being outside of my comfort zone.<br />
5. As a follow up to my visit to the dentist, I returned to get needles (eek!) to freeze my gums and do a one hour cleaning on the right side of my mouth. Today I go for the left side. In the past I would have avoided this all together and just not shown up.</div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
13. <b>Do back exercises daily - </b>13 out of 52 days, I need to get on this</div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
14. <b>Workout for a minimum of 20 minutes daily - </b>22 out of 52 days, not great</div>
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<br /></div>
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15. <b>Go on the treadmill for a minimum of 20 minutes daily - </b>28 out of 52 days<br />
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Culinary Affectionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04239779974340793730noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1837523928210437160.post-24456281727103182282018-04-19T15:46:00.000-04:002018-04-19T15:46:21.718-04:00Potato Bread, Penne a la Vodka & The Regular RambleWe went to our friends house for dinner recently, and they made penne a la vodka (to DIE for) and homemade potato bread. I went home that evening thinking I would give the bread a try. We will definitely be making the pasta, but more on that later.<br />
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The next day I woke up bright eyed and bushy tailed ready to start baking. Until I realized that we didn't have any yeast. No big deal right? Ya, ok. I decided to try making the bread anyways, and I googled what I could use as a substitute for yeast. I found a website that said I could mix equal parts baking soda & lemon juice to make the amount of yeast required. Awesome. The other thing I didn't do was use our Kitchenaid mixer. It's heavy and intimidates me, so I avoid it at all costs.<br />
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Here's the <a href="https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/best-potato-bread">recipe I used for the bread </a><br />
It truly would have been amazing had I used yeast, and the mixer, like our friends did. Instead I got a very dense, yellowish loaf, and some rolls.<br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vck_Bneb2kE/Wszc9AEtY8I/AAAAAAAABTw/O0_d4IsRQRUZS-FATtoF9u_Z4oNS04dRACLcBGAs/s1600/20180406_170024.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vck_Bneb2kE/Wszc9AEtY8I/AAAAAAAABTw/O0_d4IsRQRUZS-FATtoF9u_Z4oNS04dRACLcBGAs/s400/20180406_170024.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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I have never been one to waste food, so I've been eating my heavy yellow bread all week, and I must say it's pretty good. And it makes a mean breakfast sandwich<br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OPdsdhT82Ec/Wszc8xJTu4I/AAAAAAAABTs/5v4FmsYJpDMwdftjejd2jzkpEPvajRpUgCLcBGAs/s1600/20180407_113305.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OPdsdhT82Ec/Wszc8xJTu4I/AAAAAAAABTs/5v4FmsYJpDMwdftjejd2jzkpEPvajRpUgCLcBGAs/s400/20180407_113305.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Next time I'll make it properly...or not :)<br />
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As for the penne a la vodka, it's definitely being added to our dinner rotation. It was so easy, and there was no recipe for it. Our friend fried up some bacon pieces, then removed them from the pan. In the bacon grease she cooked up some chopped onions and garlic, some vodka, then added in tomato paste & stirred to combine. After a few minutes she added in heavy cream, and the cooked bacon. She then tossed the sauce with cooked penne and voila! A super simple recipe using quality ingredients. It came out so rich and decadent, and can easily be served to a crowd.<br />
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And on to the resolutions...<br />
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1<b>. Read a minimum of 20 mins per day</b> - 69 out of 108 days, getting better</div>
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2. <b>Read a minimum of 1 book per month</b> -</div>
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January - <a href="https://www.blogger.com/%3Ca%20target=%22_blank%22%20href=%22https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/1443414565/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=15121&creative=330641&creativeASIN=1443414565&linkCode=as2&tag=culinaryaffec-20&linkId=ee6a8afcd517cc7724e7f2bcdad61e9a%22%3EThe%20Happiness%20Project%3C/a%3E%3Cimg%20src=%22//ir-ca.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=culinaryaffec-20&l=am2&o=15&a=1443414565%22%20width=%221%22%20height=%221%22%20border=%220%22%20alt=%22%22%20style=%22border:none%20!important;%20margin:0px%20!important;%22%20/%3E">The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin</a></div>
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February - <a href="https://www.blogger.com/%3Ciframe%20style=%22width:120px;height:240px;%22%20marginwidth=%220%22%20marginheight=%220%22%20scrolling=%22no%22%20frameborder=%220%22%20src=%22//rcm-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/cm?ref=qf_sp_asin_til&t=culinaryaffec-20&m=amazon&o=15&p=8&l=as1&IS1=1&asins=157224710X&linkId=554e8e481d9c1599ea8a67b55dff31f7&bc1=FFFFFF&lt1=_top&fc1=333333&lc1=0066C0&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr%22%3E%20%20%20%20%20%3C/iframe%3E">The Buddha and The Borderline</a></div>
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March - <a href="https://www.amazon.ca/Lost-Echoes-Joe-R-Lansdale-ebook/dp/B000OI0FY4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1520259578&sr=8-1&keywords=lost+echoes+joe+lansdale">Lost Echoes</a><br />
April - <a href="https://www.amazon.ca/Magic-Rhonda-Byrne/dp/1451673442/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1524165751&sr=8-1&keywords=the+magic+rhonda+byrne">The Magic</a> by Rhonda Byrne<br />
<a href="https://www.amazon.ca/Loving-What-Four-Questions-Change/dp/1400045371/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1524165953&sr=1-1&keywords=loving+what+is+byron+katie">Loving What Is</a> by Byron Katie (I highly recommend this book, I'm reading it again to make sure it all sinks in)</div>
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3. <b>Drink 80oz of water per day</b> - 29 out of 108 days, an embarrassment</div>
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4. <b>Get in a minimum of 10,000 steps daily</b> - 72 out of 108 days, also getting better</div>
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5. <b>Post on this blog weekly</b> - so far so good, 13 out of 16 weeks</div>
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6. <b>Lose the baby weight and get into the best shape of my life </b>- working on it!</div>
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7. <b>Get rid of 52 things</b> -</div>
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1-6. Books given to my daughter's friend, they were duplicates that I didn't need to hang on to</div>
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7. Threw out some cleaning products and knick knacks that were under the kitchen sink</div>
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8. Got rid of some baby clothes that we had been given by a friend - they were all boys clothes</div>
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(since we thought we were having a boy) - I kept some neutral items and brought the rest to Once</div>
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Upon A Child for some cash</div>
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9. Got rid of all the old tupperware (and bought a new set - does that count? I'm going to say yes</div>
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because in the past I would have kept the old & the new)</div>
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10. Dumped all of the expired vitamins and medicine that we had (some dating as far back as 2010!!) - more on that below</div>
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11. Possibly TMI but I got rid of a ton of old underwear - now I have to replace them, which is always fun.</div>
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12. I sold Brie's bassinet this week, $60 in my pocket and one less thing to hang on to</div>
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8. <b>Organize/clean 52 areas (that I wouldn't normally clean during my daily/weekly routines)</b></div>
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1. Organized my book shelves by giving away duplicate books, grouping the self-help novels together, grouping authors together that I have huge collections of, and alphabetizing the remaining books</div>
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2. Cleaned the area underneath the kitchen sink - it was a disaster. Now everything is organized</div>
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and accounted for</div>
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<span style="text-align: center;">3. I cleaned the top of the hallway closet and threw out winter gear that had no matches along with</span></div>
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other little things that had no business being there (or anywhere). A small project, but a needed</div>
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one! (see pictures below)</div>
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4. I cleaned our "medicine cabinet" - we have a section of shelving in our kitchen where we keep vitamins and medicine. Most of the bottles were expired, and it was a mess up there. See before and after pics above. And yes, I am still taking prenatal vitamins. We plan on having one more baby so might as well stay healthy for that. To be honest I think I'll continue taking them indefinitely - they are great.</div>
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5. I finally cleaned my linen closet and got rid of a ton of things we didn't need. Check out the before and after pics below- we now have a whole empty shelf to fill up! I think we will use it for toilet paper and paper towel which is currently stuffed in the spare bedroom's closet. That will be my next task to tackle.</div>
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6. Check out the before and after pics below of my linen closet. So glad I got to this one!<br />
<span style="text-align: center;">7. I also cleaned up my coffee table shelves, pics below</span><br />
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<span style="text-align: center;">11. </span><b style="text-align: center;">Email or call my Grandma weekly</b><span style="text-align: center;"> - My Grandma just moved from Florida to New Jersey, and she chose not to bring her laptop with her (and really, at 90 years old, can you blame her?) so I will be texting pics to my uncle to share with her, and I will invest this week in a long distance phone plan so that I can call her weekly</span></div>
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12. <b>Do things to get me out of my comfort zone</b></div>
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1. I attended a mom/baby fitness class, and loved it so much that I'll be going weekly (with a friend of mine pictured above)</div>
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2. Joined another mommy/baby fitness class (salsa) that I haven't started yet - it begins on Thursday and it's an hour away. I joined with the same friend who comes to my neck of the woods once a week for the other classes we are doing. This is out of my comfort zone for two reasons - the obvious one is attending and trying a new class, but also the fact that it is so far away. I usually don't venture too far out of my bubble. I'll be able to walk around after each class and explore a new city, so that'll be fun, and an added bonus.</div>
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3. I started going to a chiropractor for my achy back. This is big for me - I don't like to be touched by strangers. So yea, this is huge<br />
4. I went to the dentist. After 9 years. Yes you read that right. No cavities, just tartar build up so I have to go back to have them freeze me and do a cleaning that will take an hour. I'm going back May 1st. I'm afraid of the dentist (hence the 9 year hiatus) so this qualifies as being outside of my comfort zone.</div>
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13. <b>Do back exercises daily - </b>5 out of 11 days, not too bad</div>
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14. <b>Workout for a minimum of 20 minutes daily - </b>7 out of 11 days, not terrible</div>
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15. <b>Go on the treadmill for a minimum of 20 minutes daily - </b>5 out of 11 days, not too bad</div>
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And some pics to end the post...<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-YeC4WF_95H8/WtjxYXQPlBI/AAAAAAAABU0/tWOeZnvk5twobH8lq8lSRg1WM9sOze8KgCLcBGAs/s1600/20180411_204304.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-YeC4WF_95H8/WtjxYXQPlBI/AAAAAAAABU0/tWOeZnvk5twobH8lq8lSRg1WM9sOze8KgCLcBGAs/s400/20180411_204304.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We celebrated 10 years this week!</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jO25AgJTJpo/WtjxYnSYoUI/AAAAAAAABU8/wayQSox3nG4jxBbOzHQSVIxwDm_PrrhAQCLcBGAs/s1600/20180411_221453.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jO25AgJTJpo/WtjxYnSYoUI/AAAAAAAABU8/wayQSox3nG4jxBbOzHQSVIxwDm_PrrhAQCLcBGAs/s400/20180411_221453.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">What a handsome guy</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7MqPlAPtHcQ/WtjxYjT2G8I/AAAAAAAABU4/loOE1mcj_7wly-5jTInLJPSi6C7qzZ4SgCLcBGAs/s1600/20180414_225420%2B%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7MqPlAPtHcQ/WtjxYjT2G8I/AAAAAAAABU4/loOE1mcj_7wly-5jTInLJPSi6C7qzZ4SgCLcBGAs/s400/20180414_225420%2B%25281%2529.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our beauties</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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That's it, that's all! Enjoy your week!</div>
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<br />Culinary Affectionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04239779974340793730noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1837523928210437160.post-51937038919932376482018-04-10T11:40:00.000-04:002018-04-10T11:40:41.816-04:00Jerk Pork With Mango Salad and Rice & PeasHere's another older post that I found that didn't quite make it to the "publish" stage. The funny thing is that now we have jerk pork at least once a month. It's the only way that I cook pork shoulder now, and we love it!!!<br />
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We got an amazing deal on a pork shoulder the other day so we grabbed it and brought that baby home to cook. Normally I do pulled pork in the slow cooker with this cut of meat, but I was craving West Indian food, and had a few mangoes to use up - so why not do some jerk pork with mango salad? So easy, and so delicious!<br />
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-AhPjrXqZRSg/WIuROGoAPMI/AAAAAAAAAtM/dIhObbOy-PMZ-yma6pxlqt4y8cOCf3azgCLcB/s1600/jerkpork.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="222" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-AhPjrXqZRSg/WIuROGoAPMI/AAAAAAAAAtM/dIhObbOy-PMZ-yma6pxlqt4y8cOCf3azgCLcB/s400/jerkpork.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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For the pork, I rubbed it with seasoning salt and some dry Caribbean seasoning, then with a wet jerk rub. I let it sit for about an hour, then popped it in the oven, uncovered, at 425 for 30 minutes. I then lowered the temp to 325 and covered it, and let it cook for another 3 hours. The high temp allows a crust to be formed and the low temp ensures that it doesn't dry it. Works perfectly every time!<br />
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For the rice and peas, I would normally use kidney beans but didn't have any, so black beans it was! Use what's in your pantry people! Put 5 cups of rice and 8 cups of water in a pot, along with a can of rinsed black beans. Salt the water and put it on high. Add a nice chunk of creamed coconut and let the water boil. Once boiling, mix it up slightly so the coconut is evenly distributed, put a lid on the pot, and turn the heat off completely. Leave it alone, and you'll have perfectly cooked rice in about 45 minutes.<br />
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For the mango salad, dice up a couple of mangoes, 1/4 of a red onion, and a good bunch of cilantro. Put everything in a container with a lid, squeeze a lime over top, mix it up and put it in the fridge until you're ready to eat.<br />
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A feast of a meal with only about 10 minutes prep time. Love it!<br />
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And on to the resolutions...<br />
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1<b>. Read a minimum of 20 mins per day</b> - 62 out of 99 days, getting better</div>
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<br /></div>
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2. <b>Read a minimum of 1 book per month</b> -</div>
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January - <a href="https://www.blogger.com/%3Ca%20target=%22_blank%22%20href=%22https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/1443414565/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=15121&creative=330641&creativeASIN=1443414565&linkCode=as2&tag=culinaryaffec-20&linkId=ee6a8afcd517cc7724e7f2bcdad61e9a%22%3EThe%20Happiness%20Project%3C/a%3E%3Cimg%20src=%22//ir-ca.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=culinaryaffec-20&l=am2&o=15&a=1443414565%22%20width=%221%22%20height=%221%22%20border=%220%22%20alt=%22%22%20style=%22border:none%20!important;%20margin:0px%20!important;%22%20/%3E">The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin</a></div>
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February - <a href="https://www.blogger.com/%3Ciframe%20style=%22width:120px;height:240px;%22%20marginwidth=%220%22%20marginheight=%220%22%20scrolling=%22no%22%20frameborder=%220%22%20src=%22//rcm-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/cm?ref=qf_sp_asin_til&t=culinaryaffec-20&m=amazon&o=15&p=8&l=as1&IS1=1&asins=157224710X&linkId=554e8e481d9c1599ea8a67b55dff31f7&bc1=FFFFFF&lt1=_top&fc1=333333&lc1=0066C0&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr%22%3E%20%20%20%20%20%3C/iframe%3E">The Buddha and The Borderline</a></div>
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March - <a href="https://www.amazon.ca/Lost-Echoes-Joe-R-Lansdale-ebook/dp/B000OI0FY4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1520259578&sr=8-1&keywords=lost+echoes+joe+lansdale">Lost Echoes</a></div>
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<br /></div>
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3. <b>Drink 80oz of water per day</b> - 26 out of 99 days, an embarrassment</div>
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<br /></div>
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4. <b>Get in a minimum of 10,000 steps daily</b> - 66 out of 99 days, also getting better</div>
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<br /></div>
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5. <b>Post on this blog weekly</b> - so far so good, although I did miss last week, so I'm at 12 out of 15 weeks</div>
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<br /></div>
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6. <b>Lose the baby weight and get into the best shape of my life </b>- working on it! - I also added 3 more resolutions to keep on track with this one, see below</div>
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<br /></div>
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7. <b>Have 12 no spend weeks</b> - I'm gonna go ahead and delete this one. With a baby there is no way I can do a no spend week. I will however be doing a pantry challenge, likely in May</div>
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<br /></div>
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8. <b>Write for 30 mins per week</b> - I'm also deleting this one. It isn't making me happy, and I'm not going to work on a resolution that doesn't contribute to my happiness and well-being</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="font-weight: 400; margin: 0px;">
9. <b>Get rid of 52 things</b> -</div>
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1-6. Books given to my daughter's friend, they were duplicates that I didn't need to hang on to</div>
<div style="font-weight: 400; margin: 0px;">
7. Threw out some cleaning products and knick knacks that were under the kitchen sink</div>
<div style="font-weight: 400; margin: 0px;">
8. Got rid of some baby clothes that we had been given by a friend - they were all boys clothes</div>
<div style="font-weight: 400; margin: 0px;">
(since we thought we were having a boy) - I kept some neutral items and brought the rest to Once</div>
<div style="font-weight: 400; margin: 0px;">
Upon A Child for some cash</div>
<div style="font-weight: 400; margin: 0px;">
9. Got rid of all the old tupperware (and bought a new set - does that count? I'm going to say yes</div>
<div style="font-weight: 400; margin: 0px;">
because in the past I would have kept the old & the new)</div>
<div style="font-weight: 400; margin: 0px;">
10. Dumped all of the expired vitamins and medicine that we had (some dating as far back as 2010!!) - more on that below</div>
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11. Possibly TMI but I got rid of a ton of old underwear - now I have to replace them, which is always fun.</div>
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12. I sold Brie's bassinet this week, $60 in my pocket and one less thing to hang on to</div>
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10. <b>Organize/clean 52 areas (that I wouldn't normally clean during my daily/weekly routines)</b></div>
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1. Organized my book shelves by giving away duplicate books, grouping the self-help novels together, grouping authors together that I have huge collections of, and alphabetizing the remaining books</div>
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2. Cleaned the area underneath the kitchen sink - it was a disaster. Now everything is organized</div>
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and accounted for</div>
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<span style="text-align: center;">3. I cleaned the top of the hallway closet and threw out winter gear that had no matches along with</span></div>
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other little things that had no business being there (or anywhere). A small project, but a needed</div>
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one! (see pictures below)</div>
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4. I cleaned our "medicine cabinet" - we have a section of shelving in our kitchen where we keep vitamins and medicine. Most of the bottles were expired, and it was a mess up there. See before and after pics above. And yes, I am still taking prenatal vitamins. We plan on having one more baby so might as well stay healthy for that. To be honest I think I'll continue taking them indefinitely - they are great.</div>
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5. I finally cleaned my linen closet and got rid of a ton of things we didn't need. Check out the before and after pics below- we now have a whole empty shelf to fill up! I think we will use it for toilet paper and paper towel which is currently stuffed in the spare bedroom's closet. That will be my next task to tackle.</div>
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6. Check out the before and after pics below of my linen closet. So glad I got to this one!</div>
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7. I also cleaned up my coffee table shelves, pics below</div>
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11. <b>Email or call my Grandma weekly</b> - My Grandma just moved from Florida to New Jersey, and she chose not to bring her laptop with her (and really, at 90 years old, can you blame her?) so I will be texting pics to my uncle to share with her, and I will invest this week in a long distance phone plan so that I can call her weekly</div>
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12. <b>Do things to get me out of my comfort zone</b></div>
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1. I attended a mom/baby fitness class, and loved it so much that I'll be going weekly (with a friend of mine pictured above)</div>
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2. Joined another mommy/baby fitness class (salsa) that I haven't started yet - it begins on Thursday and it's an hour away. I joined with the same friend who comes to my neck of the woods once a week for the other classes we are doing. This is out of my comfort zone for two reasons - the obvious one is attending and trying a new class, but also the fact that it is so far away. I usually don't venture too far out of my bubble. I'll be able to walk around after each class and explore a new city, so that'll be fun, and an added bonus.</div>
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3. I started going to a chiropractor for my achy back. This is big for me - I don't like to be touched by strangers. So yea, this is huge</div>
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13. <b>Do back exercises daily - </b>My back is TERRIBLE, and Brie isn't getting any lighter, so it's time I take charge and do everything I can to fix this. I have started doing 20 minute back videos daily - I'm at 2 out of 2 days.</div>
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14. <b>Workout for a minimum of 20 minutes daily - </b>This includes youtube videos and the classes I attend, but not walks outside or on the treadmill (that's a separate resolution to ensure I am active for at least 40 mins a day) - 2 out of 2 days so far</div>
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15. <b>Go on the treadmill for a minimum of 20 minutes daily - </b>or walk outside when the weather gets warmer. 1 out of 2 days so far.</div>
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And some pics of my sweet baby girl...</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-k_JY-k4HiMM/WszaaV5k9bI/AAAAAAAABS0/WCr8V3IgGJkyUXVMH4Z81gj3CW_9ZRW7ACLcBGAs/s1600/20180326_150043.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-k_JY-k4HiMM/WszaaV5k9bI/AAAAAAAABS0/WCr8V3IgGJkyUXVMH4Z81gj3CW_9ZRW7ACLcBGAs/s400/20180326_150043.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Enjoying the sunshine with the baby</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Brie and J hanging out</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1cqreKeQgqE/WszaaVOJZFI/AAAAAAAABS4/Nxy8iLJSkKky_l25brtUQyyB7HE4fjvmQCLcBGAs/s1600/20180327_135020.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1cqreKeQgqE/WszaaVOJZFI/AAAAAAAABS4/Nxy8iLJSkKky_l25brtUQyyB7HE4fjvmQCLcBGAs/s400/20180327_135020.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">She seems to make friends wherever she goes!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vvmQcw5id7E/Wszaa8SlqNI/AAAAAAAABTA/th-IGzMlnVMA-ahjkcvmx_SYzfX9P_NQACLcBGAs/s1600/20180327_135355.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vvmQcw5id7E/Wszaa8SlqNI/AAAAAAAABTA/th-IGzMlnVMA-ahjkcvmx_SYzfX9P_NQACLcBGAs/s320/20180327_135355.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Look at that face!</td></tr>
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That's it, that's all! Enjoy your week!</div>
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Culinary Affectionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04239779974340793730noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1837523928210437160.post-22430108702198376732018-03-24T15:47:00.002-04:002018-03-24T15:47:30.540-04:00Dad's Slow Cooked Brisket & Brie's Visit to the DoctorThis is an older post that I wrote but never published, so thought I would publish it now. It's a great recipe, and is perfect for Passover (or Easter!)<br />
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My updated resolutions and regular Brielle talk is added below. Enjoy!<br />
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My Dad has been making brisket for special family dinners for years. It always comes out perfect, and we love when it's on the menu, it's such a treat! I had always been too intimidated to make it myself, until recently when I decided to finally put on my big girl pants and give it a try.<br />
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The actual cut is hard to come by and can be pretty pricey. My Dad buys it from Costco in the Yonge/Bathurst area for anywhere from 10.99 - 14.99/lb depending on the time of year. I however, am lucky enough to have a customer who sells it for an incredible price, and it's locally grown with no hormones or antibiotics.<br />
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If you're ever in the Waterloo area, check out <a href="https://www.vincenzosonline.com/">Vincenzo's</a> - they sell a huge variety of hard to find specialty groceries, make the most amazing salads and sandwiches for your lunch, and have a butcher counter selling only local, antibiotic free, grain fed meat. Oh and don't get me start on the cheese counter - the choices are incredible!!! I get my brisket from Vincenzo's for 9.99/lb and the quality is unbelievable.<br />
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After discussing with my parents, it dawned on me that although the process is quite time consuming, the actual method to making a perfect brisket is super easy. My Dad's tried and true recipe is below. I encourage you to pick up a piece of this beautiful beef cut and give it a try!!<br />
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<b>Dad's Slow Cooked Brisket</b><br />
2 large onions<br />
1 bottle of Heinz Chili Sauce<br />
1 envelope of Lipton Onion Soup Mix<br />
1/4c apple cider vinegar<br />
1/4c of your favorite bbq sauce<br />
3 T garlic powder<br />
2 T paprika<br />
1/2 tsp salt<br />
4 to 4 1/2 pound brisket<br />
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Slice onions into thick slices. Mix all of your ingredients together, including onions, rub all over brisket, wrap in saran wrap and let marinate in fridge for 24 hours.<br />
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I pour the excess sauce into a jar and refrigerate - I use it later for cooking the meat. When ready to cook, put into a large pan, pour remaining sauce all over, cover tightly with foil, and cook at 350 for 4 to 4 1/2 hours.<br />
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When done, you can slice against the grain and eat immediately, or follow my parents instructions and refrigerate for a day. They slice it while cold, add some apple juice to the sauce and reheat at 350 for about 45 minutes, covered. This allows the sauce to soak back into the meat, and it's much easier to cut while cold.<br />
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So your choice, it can either be a two day or three day process but trust me when I tell you it is well worth it. We like to serve this with macaroni and cheese, mashed potatoes, or risotto. It makes a lovely gravy and leftovers are fantastic all week - make some brisket sandwiches for lunch the next day....so good.<br />
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As for current news, Brielle got her 4 month old shots last week. She took them like a champ, as always, but thank goodness Daddy was there to cheer her on.<br />
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And on to the resolutions...<br />
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1<b>. Read a minimum of 20 mins per day</b> - 52 out of 82 days, getting better<br />
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2. <b>Read a minimum of 1 book per month</b> -<br />
January - <a href="https://www.blogger.com/%3Ca%20target=%22_blank%22%20href=%22https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/1443414565/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=15121&creative=330641&creativeASIN=1443414565&linkCode=as2&tag=culinaryaffec-20&linkId=ee6a8afcd517cc7724e7f2bcdad61e9a%22%3EThe%20Happiness%20Project%3C/a%3E%3Cimg%20src=%22//ir-ca.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=culinaryaffec-20&l=am2&o=15&a=1443414565%22%20width=%221%22%20height=%221%22%20border=%220%22%20alt=%22%22%20style=%22border:none%20!important;%20margin:0px%20!important;%22%20/%3E">The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin</a><br />
February - <a href="https://www.blogger.com/%3Ciframe%20style=%22width:120px;height:240px;%22%20marginwidth=%220%22%20marginheight=%220%22%20scrolling=%22no%22%20frameborder=%220%22%20src=%22//rcm-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/cm?ref=qf_sp_asin_til&t=culinaryaffec-20&m=amazon&o=15&p=8&l=as1&IS1=1&asins=157224710X&linkId=554e8e481d9c1599ea8a67b55dff31f7&bc1=FFFFFF&lt1=_top&fc1=333333&lc1=0066C0&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr%22%3E%20%20%20%20%20%3C/iframe%3E">The Buddha and The Borderline</a><br />
March - <a href="https://www.amazon.ca/Lost-Echoes-Joe-R-Lansdale-ebook/dp/B000OI0FY4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1520259578&sr=8-1&keywords=lost+echoes+joe+lansdale">Lost Echoes</a><br />
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3. <b>Drink 80oz of water per day</b> - 24 out of 82 days, an embarassment<br />
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4. <b>Get in a minimum of 10,000 steps daily</b> - 59 out of 82 days, also getting better<br />
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5. <b>Post on this blog weekly</b> - so far so good<br />
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6. <b>Lose the baby weight and get into the best shape of my life </b>- working on it!<br />
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7. <b>Have 12 no spend weeks</b> - This isn't going so well. I'll keep trying<br />
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8. <b>Write for 30 mins per week</b> - 6 out of 10 weeks, getting there<br />
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9. <b>Get rid of 52 things</b> -<br />
1-6. Books given to my daughter's friend, they were duplicates that I didn't need to hang on to<br />
7. Threw out some cleaning products and knick knacks that were under the kitchen sink<br />
8. Got rid of some baby clothes that we had been given by a friend - they were all boys clothes<br />
(since we thought we were having a boy) - I kept some neutral items and brought the rest to Once<br />
Upon A Child for some cash<br />
9. Got rid of all the old tupperware (and bought a new set - does that count? I'm going to say yes<br />
because in the past I would have kept the old & the new)<br />
10. Dumped all of the expired vitamins and medicine that we had (some dating as far back as 2010!!) - more on that below<br />
11. Possibly TMI but I got rid of a ton of old underwear - now I have to replace them, which is always fun.<br />
12. I sold Brie's bassinet this week, $60 in my pocket and one less thing to hang on to<br />
<br />
<div>
10. <b>Organize/clean 52 areas (that I wouldn't normally clean during my daily/weekly routines)</b><br />
1. Organized my book shelves by giving away duplicate books, grouping the self-help novels together, grouping authors together that I have huge collections of, and alphabetizing the remaining books<br />
2. Cleaned the area underneath the kitchen sink - it was a disaster. Now everything is organized<br />
and accounted for<br />
<span style="text-align: center;">3. I cleaned the top of the hallway closet and threw out winter gear that had no matches along with</span></div>
<div>
other little things that had no business being there (or anywhere). A small project, but a needed<br />
one! (see pictures below)</div>
<div>
4. I cleaned our "medicine cabinet" - we have a section of shelving in our kitchen where we keep vitamins and medicine. Most of the bottles were expired, and it was a mess up there. See before and after pics above. And yes, I am still taking prenatal vitamins. We plan on having one more baby so might as well stay healthy for that. To be honest I think I'll continue taking them indefinitely - they are great.<br />
5. I finally cleaned my linen closet and got rid of a ton of things we didn't need. Check out the before and after pics below- we now have a whole empty shelf to fill up! I think we will use it for toilet paper and paper towel which is currently stuffed in the spare bedroom's closet. That will be my next task to tackle.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9eqA-Iw8ASI/WraqfZxZsOI/AAAAAAAABQc/zi07Lt__wxIYPaXxRAOUf5jqlUYXxJJ4ACLcBGAs/s1600/20180324_134451.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9eqA-Iw8ASI/WraqfZxZsOI/AAAAAAAABQc/zi07Lt__wxIYPaXxRAOUf5jqlUYXxJJ4ACLcBGAs/s400/20180324_134451.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Embarrassed to even show this!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-cFYp3TNrEtA/WraqfWED-8I/AAAAAAAABQg/TDU3-CTD1hoyJIzDhcKqymFsBudiC7JWgCLcBGAs/s1600/20180324_141753.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-cFYp3TNrEtA/WraqfWED-8I/AAAAAAAABQg/TDU3-CTD1hoyJIzDhcKqymFsBudiC7JWgCLcBGAs/s400/20180324_141753.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And voila! Love it</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br />
11. <b>Email or call my Grandma weekly</b> - Doing well with this one<br />
<br />
12. <b>Do things to get me out of my comfort zone</b><br />
1. I attended a mom/baby fitness class, and loved it so much that I'll be going weekly (with a friend of mine pictured above)<br />
2. Joined another mommy/baby fitness class (salsa) that I haven't started yet - it begins on Thursday and it's an hour away. I joined with the same friend who comes to my neck of the woods once a week for the other classes we are doing. This is out of my comfort zone for two reasons - the obvious one is attending and trying a new class, but also the fact that it is so far away. I usually don't venture too far out of my bubble. I'll be able to walk around after each class and explore a new city, so that'll be fun, and an added bonus.<br />
3. I started going to a chiropractor for my achy back. This is big for me - I don't like to be touched by strangers. So yea, this is huge<br />
<br />
That's it, that's all! Enjoy your week!</div>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<br />Culinary Affectionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04239779974340793730noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1837523928210437160.post-10757609724975155322018-03-12T12:27:00.000-04:002018-03-12T12:27:30.153-04:00Weekly Meal Prep - Jerk Pork, Roasted Chicken, Muffin Pan MeatloafHi all!<br />
<br />
Hope you had a great week. Mine was chalk full of eating out & spending money - not proud to admit it, but it is what it is!<br />
<br />
The hubby and I went out on Tuesday night (Montanas) and ordered in on Thursday (chicken wings from Axia). I went out to lunch twice with my friend who I attend the fitness classes with (both lunches were delicious, especially the one from Soulyve in Orangeville, a West Indian restaurant with delicious food). This week I am determined to live frugally, and I am attempting a no-spend week (see resolutions) since there is nothing that I desperately need.<br />
<br />
For meal prep this week I made a Jerk Pork Roast, Roasted Chicken, and Muffin Pan Meatloaf. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Bd4HJgwyvdM/Wqaim9rURgI/AAAAAAAABOc/PjmiN2fcyK8Ma7Z9bem7n9kkCZroYyoogCLcBGAs/s1600/20180312_111136.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Bd4HJgwyvdM/Wqaim9rURgI/AAAAAAAABOc/PjmiN2fcyK8Ma7Z9bem7n9kkCZroYyoogCLcBGAs/s320/20180312_111136.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Jerk Pork is one of our favorite ways to prepare pork shoulder. It's cheap, easy, and full of flavor. All I did here was season the shoulder the night before with both dry & wet store bought jerk seasoning. The next day I threw it in the oven at 450 for 30 mins (this helps create an awesome crust), and then poured some water in the bottom of the pan, covered it and let it continue cooking at 325 for 3 hours. As always, it came out perfect. This can be eaten with rice or a salad.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nxH1vb3mYqY/Wqaj8bvvrPI/AAAAAAAABOo/qQzB5dsGPiExEkq-Yxspo1zPIkz4q_wqwCLcBGAs/s1600/20180312_111246.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nxH1vb3mYqY/Wqaj8bvvrPI/AAAAAAAABOo/qQzB5dsGPiExEkq-Yxspo1zPIkz4q_wqwCLcBGAs/s320/20180312_111246.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
For the my super juicy roasted chicken, I took some back-attach (thigh/legs still attached) and put them in a brine of sugar, salt and water overnight. For my brine I used 1/2c of sugar, 1/2c salt and 6c of water. This results in amazingly moist chicken every single time. Seriously, you can't mess up chicken that has been brined. I'm a believer, you should be too. The next day I rinsed off the chicken and pat it dry. I seasoned it with seasoning salt, black pepper, paprika, garlic powder and some cayenne and put it in the oven on a foil-lined baking sheet at 425 for 40 minutes. This came out great, and of course can be eaten with your favorite side. <br />
<br />
I didn't get a picture of the muffin tin meatloaf but it's our favorite go-to when we have ground beef. Just use any meatloaf recipe and put it in a muffin tin, bake at 375 for 30 minutes, add bbq sauce on top, and bake another 10 minutes. We like them because they are portable and can just be grabbed from the fridge and eaten with anything. I don't use eggs or breadcrumbs, just the beef and seasoning.<br />
<br />
So there you have it, 3 meals done in one day (Sunday) so that we are good for the week. No more eating out, I swear.<br />
<br />
And on to the resolutions...<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
1<b>. Read a minimum of 20 mins per day</b> - 43 out of 70 days, not great<br />
<br />
2. <b>Read a minimum of 1 book per month</b> -<br />
January - <a href="https://www.blogger.com/%3Ca%20target=%22_blank%22%20href=%22https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/1443414565/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=15121&creative=330641&creativeASIN=1443414565&linkCode=as2&tag=culinaryaffec-20&linkId=ee6a8afcd517cc7724e7f2bcdad61e9a%22%3EThe%20Happiness%20Project%3C/a%3E%3Cimg%20src=%22//ir-ca.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=culinaryaffec-20&l=am2&o=15&a=1443414565%22%20width=%221%22%20height=%221%22%20border=%220%22%20alt=%22%22%20style=%22border:none%20!important;%20margin:0px%20!important;%22%20/%3E">The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin</a><br />
February - <a href="https://www.blogger.com/%3Ciframe%20style=%22width:120px;height:240px;%22%20marginwidth=%220%22%20marginheight=%220%22%20scrolling=%22no%22%20frameborder=%220%22%20src=%22//rcm-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/cm?ref=qf_sp_asin_til&t=culinaryaffec-20&m=amazon&o=15&p=8&l=as1&IS1=1&asins=157224710X&linkId=554e8e481d9c1599ea8a67b55dff31f7&bc1=FFFFFF&lt1=_top&fc1=333333&lc1=0066C0&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr%22%3E%20%20%20%20%20%3C/iframe%3E">The Buddha and The Borderline</a><br />
March - <a href="https://www.amazon.ca/Lost-Echoes-Joe-R-Lansdale-ebook/dp/B000OI0FY4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1520259578&sr=8-1&keywords=lost+echoes+joe+lansdale">Lost Echoes</a><br />
<br />
3. <b>Drink 80oz of water per day</b> - 20 out of 70 days - to be honest I think I forgot to record few days, but this still needs major improvement<br />
<br />
4. <b>Get in a minimum of 10,000 steps daily</b> - 50 out of 70 days, and I joined another <a href="http://www.stepbet.com/">Stepbet</a> so that will keep me motivated<br />
<br />
5. <b>Post on this blog weekly</b> - so far so good<br />
<br />
6. <b>Lose the baby weight and get into the best shape of my life </b>- working on it!<br />
<br />
7. <b>Have 12 no spend weeks</b> - This isn't going so well. I'll keep trying<br />
<br />
8. <b>Write for 30 mins per week</b> - 6 out of weeks, getting there<br />
<br />
9. <b>Get rid of 52 things</b> -<br />
1-6. Books given to my daughter's friend, they were duplicates that I didn't need to hang on to<br />
7. Threw out some cleaning products and knick knacks that were under the kitchen sink<br />
8. Got rid of some baby clothes that we had been given by a friend - they were all boys clothes<br />
(since we thought we were having a boy) - I kept some neutral items and brought the rest to Once<br />
Upon A Child for some cash<br />
9. Got rid of all the old tupperware (and bought a new set - does that count? I'm going to say yes<br />
because in the past I would have kept the old & the new)<br />
10. Dumped all of the expired vitamins and medicine that we had (some dating as far back as 2010!!) - more on that below<br />
11. Possibly TMI but I got rid of a ton of old underwear - now I have to replace them, which is always fun.<br />
<br />
<div>
10. <b>Organize/clean 52 areas (that I wouldn't normally clean during my daily/weekly routines)</b><br />
1. Organized my book shelves by giving away duplicate books, grouping the self-help novels together, grouping authors together that I have huge collections of, and alphabetizing the remaining books<br />
2. Cleaned the area underneath the kitchen sink - it was a disaster. Now everything is organized<br />
and accounted for<br />
<span style="text-align: center;">3. I cleaned the top of the hallway closet and threw out winter gear that had no matches along with</span></div>
<div>
other little things that had no business being there (or anywhere). A small project, but a needed<br />
one! (see pictures below)</div>
<div>
4. I cleaned our "medicine cabinet" - we have a section of shelving in our kitchen where we keep vitamins and medicine. Most of the bottles were expired, and it was a mess up there. See before and after pics above. And yes, I am still taking prenatal vitamins. We plan on having one more baby so might as well stay healthy for that. To be honest I think I'll continue taking them indefinitely - they are great.</div>
<div>
<br />
11. <b>Email or call my Grandma weekly</b> - Doing well with this one<br />
<br />
12. <b>Do things to get me out of my comfort zone</b><br />
1. I attended a mom/baby fitness class, and loved it so much that I'll be going weekly (with a friend of mine pictured above)<br />
2. Joined another mommy/baby fitness class (salsa) that I haven't started yet - it begins on Thursday and it's an hour away. I joined with the same friend who comes to my neck of the woods once a week for the other classes we are doing. This is out of my comfort zone for two reasons - the obvious one is attending and trying a new class, but also the fact that it is so far away. I usually don't venture too far out of my bubble. I'll be able to walk around after each class and explore a new city, so that'll be fun, and an added bonus.</div>
</div>
<br />
<br />
Have a great week!<br />
<br />Culinary Affectionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04239779974340793730noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1837523928210437160.post-5183913379388317252018-03-05T09:31:00.000-05:002018-03-05T09:31:35.491-05:00Smoked Salmon Scrambled Eggs with BrieHello!<br />
<br />
I didn't cook much this week, but I did make a kick ass spaghetti and meatballs (using pureed eggplant as my base instead of tomato sauce) and some pretty awesome scrambled eggs for breakfast on Sunday morning.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SsTlxoeLECA/Wp1PqNcGiDI/AAAAAAAABMw/TG-D-YSkvUcu5uGTnR6SESx-m47BoYzjgCEwYBhgL/s1600/20180304_115511.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SsTlxoeLECA/Wp1PqNcGiDI/AAAAAAAABMw/TG-D-YSkvUcu5uGTnR6SESx-m47BoYzjgCEwYBhgL/s320/20180304_115511.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
No real recipe here, just your standard scrambled eggs with chopped up scallions, cubed brie, and some delicious smoked salmon. Yum.<br />
<br />
I also did a lot of dining out, which probably wasn't the healthiest but it sure was delicious. Some pics of what I ate below - so good.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3zlhyLKk2_A/Wp1QleZBIEI/AAAAAAAABM4/L0_3SMgoYkMtwWcbz2zfHSs8s3oGqz82ACLcBGAs/s1600/20180227_125601.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3zlhyLKk2_A/Wp1QleZBIEI/AAAAAAAABM4/L0_3SMgoYkMtwWcbz2zfHSs8s3oGqz82ACLcBGAs/s320/20180227_125601.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lettuce wraps - lunch after a mommy/baby fitness class</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KtFJL-2nPu8/Wp1QldIInuI/AAAAAAAABNA/N6KL6jg0B-4nyRjYyEx3l13_ZvtH1QwKgCLcBGAs/s1600/20180227_125614.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KtFJL-2nPu8/Wp1QldIInuI/AAAAAAAABNA/N6KL6jg0B-4nyRjYyEx3l13_ZvtH1QwKgCLcBGAs/s320/20180227_125614.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fish tacos & salad - this was my friend's lunch after our class</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-J5HhMhW2YTU/Wp1QlfC5nYI/AAAAAAAABM8/HMkjLQsqfQw5IY9_MX_FM18aEgg7zGLdgCLcBGAs/s1600/20180303_180212.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-J5HhMhW2YTU/Wp1QlfC5nYI/AAAAAAAABM8/HMkjLQsqfQw5IY9_MX_FM18aEgg7zGLdgCLcBGAs/s320/20180303_180212.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Date night with the hubby at The Pickle Barrel - my favorite place ever. Coconut shrimp and calamari...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qy-pZt2imQQ/Wp1QmPy2WoI/AAAAAAAABNE/1uSm-j86C2YldGq468dGayP2udVxy4U8wCLcBGAs/s1600/20180303_181440.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qy-pZt2imQQ/Wp1QmPy2WoI/AAAAAAAABNE/1uSm-j86C2YldGq468dGayP2udVxy4U8wCLcBGAs/s320/20180303_181440.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A horrible picture but the Double Monty at The Pickle Barrel - a must try</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-UJfS49M2QdQ/Wp1QmWoWzkI/AAAAAAAABNI/j2P2VHYGmNMQG4x1Ra1UUDdD15dWdB5kACLcBGAs/s1600/20180303_181500.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-UJfS49M2QdQ/Wp1QmWoWzkI/AAAAAAAABNI/j2P2VHYGmNMQG4x1Ra1UUDdD15dWdB5kACLcBGAs/s320/20180303_181500.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And the BBBLT at The Pickle Barrel - SO DAMN GOOD<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
And on to the resolutions...<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
1<b>. Read a minimum of 20 mins per day</b> - 43 out of 63 days, getting better<br />
<br />
2. <b>Read a minimum of 1 book per month</b> -<br />
January - <a href="https://www.blogger.com/%3Ca%20target=%22_blank%22%20href=%22https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/1443414565/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=15121&creative=330641&creativeASIN=1443414565&linkCode=as2&tag=culinaryaffec-20&linkId=ee6a8afcd517cc7724e7f2bcdad61e9a%22%3EThe%20Happiness%20Project%3C/a%3E%3Cimg%20src=%22//ir-ca.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=culinaryaffec-20&l=am2&o=15&a=1443414565%22%20width=%221%22%20height=%221%22%20border=%220%22%20alt=%22%22%20style=%22border:none%20!important;%20margin:0px%20!important;%22%20/%3E">The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin</a><br />
February - <a href="https://www.blogger.com/%3Ciframe%20style=%22width:120px;height:240px;%22%20marginwidth=%220%22%20marginheight=%220%22%20scrolling=%22no%22%20frameborder=%220%22%20src=%22//rcm-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/cm?ref=qf_sp_asin_til&t=culinaryaffec-20&m=amazon&o=15&p=8&l=as1&IS1=1&asins=157224710X&linkId=554e8e481d9c1599ea8a67b55dff31f7&bc1=FFFFFF&lt1=_top&fc1=333333&lc1=0066C0&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr%22%3E%20%20%20%20%20%3C/iframe%3E">The Buddha and The Borderline</a><br />
March - <a href="https://www.amazon.ca/Lost-Echoes-Joe-R-Lansdale-ebook/dp/B000OI0FY4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1520259578&sr=8-1&keywords=lost+echoes+joe+lansdale">Lost Echoes</a><br />
<br />
3. <b>Drink 80oz of water per day</b> - 20 out of 63 days - I did better with this last week. Hopefully I'll start closing the gap<br />
<br />
4. <b>Get in a minimum of 10,000 steps daily</b> - 48 out of 63 days, and I just won my second <a href="http://stepbet.com/">Stepbet</a> so the motivation is there. I'll join another one this week to keep the momentum up.<br />
<br />
5. <b>Post on this blog weekly</b> - so far so good<br />
<br />
6. <b>Lose the baby weight and get into the best shape of my life </b>- The scale is finally starting to move! I've been working out more, and tracking what I eat on <a href="http://myfitnesspal.com/">My Fitness Pal</a>. I also ordered a "blueprint" from <a href="http://iifym.com/">IIFYM</a> that hasn't come yet, but I'm intrigued so we will see. I've always been curious about the whole tracking macros thing. I'll keep you posted.<br />
<br />
7. <b>Have 12 no spend weeks</b> - This isn't going so well. I'll keep trying<br />
<br />
8. <b>Write for 30 mins per week</b> - This is going a little better now that I have adjusted what the definition of this is. I am including the time spent on a self help manual that I am working through, since it includes quite a bit of writing. I'm at 5 out of 8 weeks.<br />
<br />
9. <b>Get rid of 52 things</b> - also from the <a href="https://www.onehundreddollarsamonth.com/">same website</a> - what a great idea to get rid of things that have been accumulated over the years and just collect dust<br />
1-6. Books given to my daughter's friend, they were duplicates that I didn't need to hang on to<br />
7. Threw out some cleaning products and knick knacks that were under the kitchen sink<br />
8. Got rid of some baby clothes that we had been given by a friend - they were all boys clothes<br />
(since we thought we were having a boy) - I kept some neutral items and brought the rest to Once<br />
Upon A Child for some cash<br />
9. Got rid of all the old tupperware (and bought a new set - does that count? I'm going to say yes<br />
because in the past I would have kept the old & the new)<br />
10. Dumped all of the expired vitamins and medicine that we had (some dating as far back as 2010!!) - more on that below<br />
11. Possibly TMI but I got rid of a ton of old underwear - now I have to replace them, which is always fun.<br />
<br />
<div>
10. <b>Organize/clean 52 areas (that I wouldn't normally clean during my daily/weekly routines)</b><br />
1. Organized my book shelves by giving away duplicate books, grouping the self-help novels together, grouping authors together that I have huge collections of, and alphabetizing the remaining books<br />
2. Cleaned the area underneath the kitchen sink - it was a disaster. Now everything is organized<br />
and accounted for<br />
<span style="text-align: center;">3. I cleaned the top of the hallway closet and threw out winter gear that had no matches along with</span></div>
<div>
other little things that had no business being there (or anywhere). A small project, but a needed<br />
one! (see pictures below)</div>
<div>
4. I cleaned our "medicine cabinet" - we have a section of shelving in our kitchen where we keep vitamins and medicine. Most of the bottles were expired, and it was a mess up there. See before and after pics above. And yes, I am still taking prenatal vitamins. We plan on having one more baby so might as well stay healthy for that. To be honest I think I'll continue taking them indefinitely - they are great.</div>
<div>
<br />
11. <b>Email or call my Grandma weekly</b> - Doing well with this one<br />
<br />
12. <b>Do things to get me out of my comfort zone</b><br />
1. I attended a mom/baby fitness class, and loved it so much that I'll be going weekly (with a friend of mine pictured above)<br />
2. Joined another mommy/baby fitness class (salsa) that I haven't started yet - it begins on Thursday and it's an hour away. I joined with the same friend who comes to my neck of the woods once a week for the other classes we are doing. This is out of my comfort zone for two reasons - the obvious one is attending and trying a new class, but also the fact that it is so far away. I usually don't venture too far out of my bubble. I'll be able to walk around after each class and explore a new city, so that'll be fun, and an added bonus.<br />
<br />
I'll end with my gorgeous babies....have a great week!!<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-V3UjyDKwKfg/Wp1UPeIWxGI/AAAAAAAABNs/0EyEoxKFxRkjcvamyvkAHtJBn7DxGolcwCLcBGAs/s1600/20180302_213806.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-V3UjyDKwKfg/Wp1UPeIWxGI/AAAAAAAABNs/0EyEoxKFxRkjcvamyvkAHtJBn7DxGolcwCLcBGAs/s320/20180302_213806.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nothing sweeter then the bond these two are creating</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-I4IQLhA_wVU/Wp1UPXt1AcI/AAAAAAAABNw/esln6VITrUobrVCRXNvfBdUH-6Mflw6JACLcBGAs/s1600/20180303_152206.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-I4IQLhA_wVU/Wp1UPXt1AcI/AAAAAAAABNw/esln6VITrUobrVCRXNvfBdUH-6Mflw6JACLcBGAs/s320/20180303_152206.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">She's growing way too fast</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<br />
<br /></div>
Culinary Affectionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04239779974340793730noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1837523928210437160.post-10872573861445625062018-02-26T17:03:00.000-05:002018-02-26T17:03:05.415-05:00Mama Baby Fitness and the Regular RantHi!<br />
<br />
Not too much to report this week, although I did attend a Mom/Baby fitness class that I loved, and it was definitely out of my comfort zone, so that's a notch on the resolution belt :)<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-AU6qZxpV54U/WpSB2bavwLI/AAAAAAAABLc/GCX_2JEuBDQlhHAulBN4HYPBb2tEZbwiQCLcBGAs/s1600/Resized_20180220_124753.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="1080" height="400" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-AU6qZxpV54U/WpSB2bavwLI/AAAAAAAABLc/GCX_2JEuBDQlhHAulBN4HYPBb2tEZbwiQCLcBGAs/s400/Resized_20180220_124753.jpeg" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
I also celebrated my 38th birthday this past week. The hubby got me a glider for the baby's room (which I wanted so badly and absolutely love) as well as flowers, and he made an amazing dinner complete with lobster, steak and shrimp. The teenager got me a book that looks incredible, as well as a mug that says "Reading is my super power". She knows me so well.<br />
<br />
On Saturday morning I woke up to this after a night of partying with friends, so that was fun - how can you possible complain about anything when this is what you wake up to?<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lcbpN1JEWfA/WpSB-x-UDlI/AAAAAAAABLg/jeWN55Jpt-MINsj5eS2jh44feNdQLFOZACLcBGAs/s1600/20180224_100919.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lcbpN1JEWfA/WpSB-x-UDlI/AAAAAAAABLg/jeWN55Jpt-MINsj5eS2jh44feNdQLFOZACLcBGAs/s400/20180224_100919.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
And because I'm sharing cute pics of the baby, I have to include one of the gorgeous teen too...she's pretty damn awesome.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qoc1NY61pfM/WpSCIMOOn_I/AAAAAAAABLk/HhnJET6cz9MeNcyDNLDsJKJCmlx_FynsQCLcBGAs/s1600/20180226_164200.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qoc1NY61pfM/WpSCIMOOn_I/AAAAAAAABLk/HhnJET6cz9MeNcyDNLDsJKJCmlx_FynsQCLcBGAs/s400/20180226_164200.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
I made some pretty great meals this week, but didn't get any pictures, so you're out of luck in the recipe department. I made ribs, lobster bisque with homemade cheesy biscuits, and Jamaican stew chicken. All of the dishes were to die for, so it's a shame I didn't document them.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
On to my resolutions...</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
1<b>. Read a minimum of 20 mins per day</b> - 36 out of 57 days, not great<br />
<br />
2. <b>Read a minimum of 1 book per month</b> -<br />
January - <a href="https://www.blogger.com/%3Ca%20target=%22_blank%22%20href=%22https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/1443414565/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=15121&creative=330641&creativeASIN=1443414565&linkCode=as2&tag=culinaryaffec-20&linkId=ee6a8afcd517cc7724e7f2bcdad61e9a%22%3EThe%20Happiness%20Project%3C/a%3E%3Cimg%20src=%22//ir-ca.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=culinaryaffec-20&l=am2&o=15&a=1443414565%22%20width=%221%22%20height=%221%22%20border=%220%22%20alt=%22%22%20style=%22border:none%20!important;%20margin:0px%20!important;%22%20/%3E">The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin</a><br />
February - <a href="https://www.blogger.com/%3Ciframe%20style=%22width:120px;height:240px;%22%20marginwidth=%220%22%20marginheight=%220%22%20scrolling=%22no%22%20frameborder=%220%22%20src=%22//rcm-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/cm?ref=qf_sp_asin_til&t=culinaryaffec-20&m=amazon&o=15&p=8&l=as1&IS1=1&asins=157224710X&linkId=554e8e481d9c1599ea8a67b55dff31f7&bc1=FFFFFF&lt1=_top&fc1=333333&lc1=0066C0&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr%22%3E%20%20%20%20%20%3C/iframe%3E">The Buddha and The Borderline</a><br />
<br />
3. <b>Drink 80oz of water per day</b> - 15 out of 56 days... still an embarrassment!<br />
<br />
4. <b>Get in a minimum of 10,000 steps daily</b> - 41 out of 57 days. Not bad, but there's room for improvement<br />
<br />
5. <b>Post on this blog weekly</b> - so far so good<br />
<br />
6. <b>Lose the baby weight and get into the best shape of my life </b>- The scale hasn't really been moving, I've lost a total of 25.2 lbs since having Brie, and I have 11 lbs left to reach my goal weight. We are planning a trip (very soon) to a beach destination, so I have no choice but to kick this weight loss into high gear. It's time to really buckle down here.<br />
<br />
7. <b>Have 12 no spend weeks</b> - This isn't going so well. I'll keep trying<br />
<br />
8. <b>Write for 30 mins per week</b> - I was on track, but fell behind recently. I'm at an upsetting part of the "story" and didn't want the added stress. It's been very hard dealing with Shaf's death and surrounding issues, so I'll get back to it soon, just not yet.<br />
<br />
9. <b>Get rid of 52 things</b> - also from the <a href="https://www.onehundreddollarsamonth.com/">same website</a> - what a great idea to get rid of things that have been accumulated over the years and just collect dust<br />
1-6. Books given to my daughter's friend, they were duplicates that I didn't need to hang on to<br />
7. Threw out some cleaning products and knick knacks that were under the kitchen sink<br />
8. Got rid of some baby clothes that we had been given by a friend - they were all boys clothes<br />
(since we thought we were having a boy) - I kept some neutral items and brought the rest to Once<br />
Upon A Child for some cash<br />
9. Got rid of all the old tupperware (and bought a new set - does that count? I'm going to say yes<br />
because in the past I would have kept the old & the new)<br />
10. Dumped all of the expired vitamins and medicine that we had (some dating as far back as 2010!!) - more on that below<br />
<br />
<div>
10. <b>Organize/clean 52 areas (that I wouldn't normally clean during my daily/weekly routines)</b><br />
1. Organized my book shelves by giving away duplicate books, grouping the self-help novels together, grouping authors together that I have huge collections of, and alphabetizing the remaining books<br />
2. Cleaned the area underneath the kitchen sink - it was a disaster. Now everything is organized<br />
and accounted for<br />
<span style="text-align: center;">3. I cleaned the top of the hallway closet and threw out winter gear that had no matches along with</span></div>
<div>
other little things that had no business being there (or anywhere). A small project, but a needed<br />
one! (see pictures below)</div>
<div>
4. I cleaned our "medicine cabinet" - we have a section of shelving in our kitchen where we keep vitamins and medicine. Most of the bottles were expired, and it was a mess up there. See before and after pics above. And yes, I am still taking prenatal vitamins. We plan on having one more baby so might as well stay healthy for that. To be honest I think I'll continue taking them indefinitely - they are great.</div>
<div>
<br />
11. <b>Email or call my Grandma weekly</b> - Doing well with this one<br />
<br />
And I'm adding one more:<br />
<br />
12. <b>Do things to get me out of my comfort zone</b><br />
1. I attended a mom/baby fitness class, and loved it so much that I'll be going weekly (with a friend of mine pictured above)</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<br />
<br />Culinary Affectionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04239779974340793730noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1837523928210437160.post-48588502410442547522018-02-19T15:14:00.000-05:002018-02-19T15:14:57.402-05:00Vegetarian Lasagna with Sweet Potato SauceHappy Family Day!<br />
<br />
We are home hanging out together..well, kind of. Hubby is enjoying his day off in bed, and me and the girls are watching Celebrity Big Brother. Of course, I am also cooking and baking.<br />
<br />
Since yesterday I have made amazing fall of the bone ribs, alfredo pasta & green beans, as well as sausages and spaghetti squash, mini meatloaves, and triple chocolate peppermint cookies. I'd say that we are prepared for the week. Tonight's dinner will be homemade bbq pizza (topped with ribs, meatloaf, bbq sauce, sweet peppers, and lots of cheese). The rest of the week will be the abundance of leftovers that we will have from all of these meals. Yum, I love leftovers.<br />
<br />
What I'd really like to tell you about though, is the vegetarian lasagna I made earlier in the week. Wow was it ever a hit! I even surprised myself with how well it turned out. I don't really have a recipe for you, so I'll do my best to explain. I had a few baked sweet potatoes in the fridge that I knew weren't going to be eaten, so I used them as the basis to my sauce.<br />
<br />
I threw 2 baked sweet potatoes in the blender along with an onion, a couple of cloves of garlic, salt & pepper, and some water to loosen things up and make a saucy consistency. <br />
<br />
For the lasagna filling I mixed together cottage cheese, an egg, a package of frozen spinach, a can of rinsed white kidney beans, and a block of gouda, shredded.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4KOD7_szVFc/WossSRWlZdI/AAAAAAAABKY/z-MJ1JntHNAzUZTFegiDA4leZ1k3vqqGACLcBGAs/s1600/20180214_131958.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4KOD7_szVFc/WossSRWlZdI/AAAAAAAABKY/z-MJ1JntHNAzUZTFegiDA4leZ1k3vqqGACLcBGAs/s400/20180214_131958.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
To assemble the lasagna, I poured some sweet potato sauce into the baking pan, put down a layer of oven-ready lasagna noodles, a layer of the cottage cheese mixture, and then repeated. I ended with more sauce poured on top and another block of shredded gouda. I baked it at 375 for 40 minutes, then kept it under the broiler for a few minutes. The result was divine. We ate the leftovers for days, with no complaints. So damn good.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-r3EsRtZHXTU/WostACfTdLI/AAAAAAAABKg/9e9eqkqUTK8CT1BJfQzDobtdJkhrKjWoQCLcBGAs/s1600/20180214_142308.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-r3EsRtZHXTU/WostACfTdLI/AAAAAAAABKg/9e9eqkqUTK8CT1BJfQzDobtdJkhrKjWoQCLcBGAs/s400/20180214_142308.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
This was so easy, and so good - we will definitely be making it again!!</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
On to my resolutions...</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
1<b>. Read a minimum of 20 mins per day</b> - 31 out of 49 days, not great<br />
<br />
2. <b>Read a minimum of 1 book per month</b> -<br />
January - <a href="https://www.blogger.com/%3Ca%20target=%22_blank%22%20href=%22https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/1443414565/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=15121&creative=330641&creativeASIN=1443414565&linkCode=as2&tag=culinaryaffec-20&linkId=ee6a8afcd517cc7724e7f2bcdad61e9a%22%3EThe%20Happiness%20Project%3C/a%3E%3Cimg%20src=%22//ir-ca.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=culinaryaffec-20&l=am2&o=15&a=1443414565%22%20width=%221%22%20height=%221%22%20border=%220%22%20alt=%22%22%20style=%22border:none%20!important;%20margin:0px%20!important;%22%20/%3E">The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin</a><br />
February - <a href="https://www.blogger.com/%3Ciframe%20style=%22width:120px;height:240px;%22%20marginwidth=%220%22%20marginheight=%220%22%20scrolling=%22no%22%20frameborder=%220%22%20src=%22//rcm-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/cm?ref=qf_sp_asin_til&t=culinaryaffec-20&m=amazon&o=15&p=8&l=as1&IS1=1&asins=157224710X&linkId=554e8e481d9c1599ea8a67b55dff31f7&bc1=FFFFFF&lt1=_top&fc1=333333&lc1=0066C0&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr%22%3E%20%20%20%20%20%3C/iframe%3E">The Buddha and The Borderline</a><br />
<br />
3. <b>Drink 80oz of water per day</b> - 13 out of 49 days...an embarrassment!<br />
<br />
4. <b>Get in a minimum of 10,000 steps daily</b> - 37 out of 49 days. Not bad, but there's room for improvement<br />
<br />
5. <b>Post on this blog weekly</b> - so far so good<br />
<br />
6. <b>Lose the baby weight and get into the best shape of my life </b>- This one has been going well. I'm loving the treadmill, and it helps that I watch Pretty Little Liars on Netflix while I'm on there (I admit it, I'm obsessed).<br />
<br />
7. <b>Have 12 no spend weeks</b> - This isn't going so well. I'll keep trying<br />
<br />
8. <b>Write for 30 mins per week</b> - I was on track, but fell behind recently. I'm at an upsetting part of the "story" and didn't want the added stress. It's been very hard dealing with Shaf's death and surrounding issues, so I'll get back to it soon, just not yet.<br />
<br />
9. <b>Get rid of 52 things</b> - also from the <a href="https://www.onehundreddollarsamonth.com/">same website</a> - what a great idea to get rid of things that have been accumulated over the years and just collect dust<br />
1-6. Books given to my daughter's friend, they were duplicates that I didn't need to hang on to<br />
7. Threw out some cleaning products and knick knacks that were under the kitchen sink<br />
8. Got rid of some baby clothes that we had been given by a friend - they were all boys clothes<br />
(since we thought we were having a boy) - I kept some neutral items and brought the rest to Once<br />
Upon A Child for some cash<br />
9. Got rid of all the old tupperware (and bought a new set - does that count? I'm going to say yes<br />
because in the past I would have kept the old & the new)<br />
10. Dumped all of the expired vitamins and medicine that we had (some dating as far back as 2010!!) - more on that below<br />
<br />
<div>
10. <b>Organize/clean 52 areas (that I wouldn't normally clean during my daily/weekly routines)</b><br />
1. Organized my book shelves by giving away duplicate books, grouping the self-help novels together, grouping authors together that I have huge collections of, and alphabetizing the remaining books<br />
2. Cleaned the area underneath the kitchen sink - it was a disaster. Now everything is organized<br />
and accounted for<br />
<span style="text-align: center;">3. I cleaned the top of the hallway closet and threw out winter gear that had no matches along with</span></div>
<div>
other little things that had no business being there (or anywhere). A small project, but a needed<br />
one! (see pictures below)</div>
<div>
4. I cleaned our "medicine cabinet" - we have a section of shelving in our kitchen where we keep vitamins and medicine. Most of the bottles were expired, and it was a mess up there. See before and after pics above. And yes, I am still taking prenatal vitamins. We plan on having one more baby so might as well stay healthy for that. To be honest I think I'll continue taking them indefinitely - they are great.</div>
<div>
<br />
11. <b>Email or call my Grandma weekly</b> - Doing well with this one<br />
<br />
And I'm adding one more:<br />
<br />
12. <b>Do things to get me out of my comfort zone</b> - stay tuned<br />
<br />
Have a great week y'all!</div>
<br />Culinary Affectionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04239779974340793730noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1837523928210437160.post-91413278036197316962018-02-12T12:23:00.001-05:002018-02-12T12:41:11.419-05:00Flourless Protein Packed Double Chocolate Breakfast Muffins<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jCykRtXnV1M/WoHMoi5eKVI/AAAAAAAABI8/hzjp6SqEs4sQudFCgSCbm_i9B7yCG6iWwCLcBGAs/s1600/20180206_104956.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jCykRtXnV1M/WoHMoi5eKVI/AAAAAAAABI8/hzjp6SqEs4sQudFCgSCbm_i9B7yCG6iWwCLcBGAs/s400/20180206_104956.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
I love chocolate. I somehow find a way to incorporate it into as many meals/foods as I can. So I'm constantly on a quest to find healthy chocolate fixes. These muffins are a winner in that department!<br />
<br />
I used <a href="http://www.runningwithspoons.com/2018/01/31/brownie-batter-breakfast-muffins/">this recipe</a> but added 3 scoops of chocolate peanut butter protein powder, and subbed the maple syrup for applesauce to eliminate some added sugar. For the chocolate chips I put exactly 5 chips on top of each muffin. Barely anything, but enough to seem decadent.<br />
<br />
These are protein packed and fiber filled, and perfect for a healthy on-the-go breakfast or snack. The chocolate disguises them as being unhealthy, so they are a hit with the rest of the family as well. I love sneaking healthy foods into their day without them knowing.<br />
<br />
<br />
On to my 2018 resolutions...<br />
<br />
1<b>. Read a minimum of 20 mins per day</b> - 29 out of 42 days, not great<br />
<br />
2. <b>Read a minimum of 1 book per month</b> -<br />
January - <a href="https://www.blogger.com/%3Ca%20target=%22_blank%22%20href=%22https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/1443414565/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=15121&creative=330641&creativeASIN=1443414565&linkCode=as2&tag=culinaryaffec-20&linkId=ee6a8afcd517cc7724e7f2bcdad61e9a%22%3EThe%20Happiness%20Project%3C/a%3E%3Cimg%20src=%22//ir-ca.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=culinaryaffec-20&l=am2&o=15&a=1443414565%22%20width=%221%22%20height=%221%22%20border=%220%22%20alt=%22%22%20style=%22border:none%20!important;%20margin:0px%20!important;%22%20/%3E">The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin</a><br />
February - <a href="https://www.blogger.com/%3Ciframe%20style=%22width:120px;height:240px;%22%20marginwidth=%220%22%20marginheight=%220%22%20scrolling=%22no%22%20frameborder=%220%22%20src=%22//rcm-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/cm?ref=qf_sp_asin_til&t=culinaryaffec-20&m=amazon&o=15&p=8&l=as1&IS1=1&asins=157224710X&linkId=554e8e481d9c1599ea8a67b55dff31f7&bc1=FFFFFF&lt1=_top&fc1=333333&lc1=0066C0&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr%22%3E%20%20%20%20%20%3C/iframe%3E">The Buddha and The Borderline</a><br />
<br />
3. <b>Drink 80oz of water per day</b> - 12 out of 42 days...eek<br />
<br />
4. <b>Get in a minimum of 10,000 steps daily</b> - 31 out of 42 days. Not bad, but there's room for improvement<br />
<br />
5. <b>Post on this blog weekly</b> - so far so good<br />
<br />
6. <b>Lose the baby weight and get into the best shape of my life </b>- This one has been going well. The past week or so of added stress has left me with minimal appetite so I"ll get back on track this week with eating healthy and at regular intervals.<br />
<br />
7. <b>Have 12 no spend weeks</b> - This isn't going so well. I'll keep trying<br />
<br />
8. <b>Write for 30 mins per week</b> - I was on track, but fell behind recently. I'm at an upsetting part of the "story" and didn't want the added stress. It's been very hard dealing with Shaf's death and surrounding issues, so I'll get back to it soon, just not yet.<br />
<br />
9. <b>Get rid of 52 things</b> - also from the <a href="https://www.onehundreddollarsamonth.com/">same website</a> - what a great idea to get rid of things that have been accumulated over the years and just collect dust<br />
1-6. Books given to my daughter's friend, they were duplicates that I didn't need to hang on to<br />
7. Threw out some cleaning products and knick knacks that were under the kitchen sink<br />
8. Got rid of some baby clothes that we had been given by a friend - they were all boys clothes<br />
(since we thought we were having a boy) - I kept some neutral items and brought the rest to Once<br />
Upon A Child for some cash<br />
9. Got rid of all the old tupperware (and bought a new set - does that count? I'm going to say yes<br />
because in the past I would have kept the old & the new)<br />
10. Dumped all of the expired vitamins and medicine that we had (some dating as far back as 2010!!) - more on that below<br />
<br />
<div>
10. <b>Organize/clean 52 areas (that I wouldn't normally clean during my daily/weekly routines) </b><br />
1. Organized my book shelves by giving away duplicate books, grouping the self-help novels together, grouping authors together that I have huge collections of, and alphabetizing the remaining books<br />
2. Cleaned the area underneath the kitchen sink - it was a disaster. Now everything is organized<br />
and accounted for<br />
<span style="text-align: center;">3. I cleaned the top of the hallway closet and threw out winter gear that had no matches along with</span></div>
<div>
other little things that had no business being there (or anywhere). A small project, but a needed<br />
one! (see pictures below)</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-i3qKIOo-fOA/WoHQOfwdQxI/AAAAAAAABJU/7BJhNrxSTIcG7PUu76nWWSM2PMq2sAuxwCEwYBhgL/s1600/20180205_125312.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-i3qKIOo-fOA/WoHQOfwdQxI/AAAAAAAABJU/7BJhNrxSTIcG7PUu76nWWSM2PMq2sAuxwCEwYBhgL/s400/20180205_125312.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Before</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_o0dU1rk_84/WnivY5Spy7I/AAAAAAAABHc/7e8kqkaeLv8Fcdh310x5KE_SYGxXsNigACLcBGAs/s1600/20180205_130010.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_o0dU1rk_84/WnivY5Spy7I/AAAAAAAABHc/7e8kqkaeLv8Fcdh310x5KE_SYGxXsNigACLcBGAs/s400/20180205_130010.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">After</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-oTYVbMckHQ4/WoHLr8cMd3I/AAAAAAAABIs/cu5HUfetWc0xm01NYQ9USRJ4rtCRkSrtACLcBGAs/s1600/20180212_110613.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-oTYVbMckHQ4/WoHLr8cMd3I/AAAAAAAABIs/cu5HUfetWc0xm01NYQ9USRJ4rtCRkSrtACLcBGAs/s400/20180212_110613.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Before</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-u2UPHHvSYA8/WoHLr8o0M6I/AAAAAAAABIw/PrwEUZIc5e8Ntts-MzFMPA4_Mw3SelEfACLcBGAs/s1600/20180212_112833.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-u2UPHHvSYA8/WoHLr8o0M6I/AAAAAAAABIw/PrwEUZIc5e8Ntts-MzFMPA4_Mw3SelEfACLcBGAs/s400/20180212_112833.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">After</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<br />
4. I cleaned our "medicine cabinet" - we have a section of shelving in our kitchen where we keep vitamins and medicine. Most of the bottles were expired, and it was a mess up there. See before and after pics above. And yes, I am still taking prenatal vitamins. We plan on having one more baby so might as well stay healthy for that. To be honest I think I'll continue taking them indefinitely - they are great.</div>
<div>
<br />
11. <b>Email or call my Grandma weekly</b> - Doing well with this one</div>
Culinary Affectionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04239779974340793730noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1837523928210437160.post-6793094054516422222018-02-05T14:18:00.002-05:002018-02-07T11:03:48.485-05:00Sad TimesLast week wasn't great. My resolutions have not been at the top of the list of priorities.<br />
<br />
Last week we received news that my sister-in-law had passed away. She was 30. It was sudden and unexpected; the autopsy showed that she had passed from a blood clot that had traveled to her lungs and caused a heart attack. Her boyfriend found her, gone, when he came home from work.<br />
<br />
Shaf was a beautiful person inside and out. She was an amazing mother to her 9 year old son, a supportive sister to Chris, a loving and ever-present aunt to her nieces, and a patient and kind daughter. Her son was her world and his life has now been changed forever, along with everyone else who had ever crossed her path.<br />
<br />
In light of this news, I don't feel it is appropriate to comment on my resolutions and goals this week. Instead I am taking the time to re-evaluate what is important in life. We are all truly living on borrowed time, and each day that we get is a gift. So cliche, but so very true.<br />
<br />
My family has been through a lot in the last year and a half. One day I'll share the gory details, but it hasn't been easy. There have been numerous heart breaks, Jerry Springer worthy plots, and now two very sad deaths. I look at my life today and still can't believe this is how things have played out.<br />
<br />
I hear myself complain, I get angry over things that happen, I am still angry over the past mistakes that have been made (both by myself and others) and yet I question why I am wasting my time on anything negative at all? I am not promised tomorrow, so why waste a single second on unpleasant feelings of anger, jealousy, resentment?<br />
<br />
I set out this year to live my best life. This can't just be another failed resolution. I can't say I'll try better next year, next week, next month, because I may not get that opportunity. I am positive that had Shaf been giving the choice to live even a few more days with her son, she would have done everything possible to make that happen. She wasn't given that choice, but we are. We have the opportunity to live our best life every day. To be kind and supportive, to be loving and non-judgmental. Why on earth would we choose anything else?<br />
<br />
I know it's hard - life gets in the way. Financial stress, relationship hurdles, parenting issues - but we can choose to handle each of these situations differently then we are now. Perhaps as learning opportunities to constantly be bettering ourselves. Sadly we won't be around forever. We won't always have the time to fix our mistakes, to reconnect with loved ones, to mend relationships. Lets do it now, while we can. I have a lot of work to do on myself, and I know it won't be easy, it hasn't been easy thus far, but I have got to keep pushing. I don't want to live with regrets. I don't want to die with them either.<br />
<br />
I'll end with a picture of Shaf and her son, when she came to visit us in the hospital when Brie was born, just 11 weeks ago. She sat there with her family not knowing that her life would be coming to an end so soon afterwards. She has left behind a legacy of love and understanding - that is how people will remember her. How will people remember you? Is there something you can do now to ensure you are remembered as you would like to be? Think about it, and make the changes now, while you still can.<br />
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<br />Culinary Affectionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04239779974340793730noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1837523928210437160.post-30804874936451919862018-01-30T14:41:00.000-05:002018-01-30T14:41:50.352-05:00Orange-Herb Shrimp Last week wasn't as productive as I would have liked it to be. I had a lot going on mentally and didn't have the motivation to hit all of my goals. Oh well, I'll try harder this week. As much as I'd like to maintain my resolutions throughout the year, I'm not going to beat myself up if I have an off week. I'm human and have more going on in my life then I care to share at this point, so c'est la vie!<br />
<br />
I did make a pretty awesome dinner last night though. I saw <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchen/lemon-herb-shrimp-packets-3363525">this shrimp recipe</a> on instagram and thought I'd give it a try. I didn't have any lemon, so I used orange instead, and rather then make the cute little parchment packages, I dumped everything into a baking dish. It came out amazing, and we will definitely be having this again.<br />
<br />
I served my portion over Nupasta (pictured below) and the hubby had his with rice. Our teenager said she wasn't hungry, which concerned me at first, but I just learned that she ate at Five Guys Burgers before coming home last night, so all is well (kind of. I'm not overly impressed that she eats junk at every opportunity).<br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-r9NrBmgHRGA/WnDH9GBMykI/AAAAAAAABGE/yEWQrCq4I0MzV8hhLZIGu0Uc8WUqYvYiwCEwYBhgL/s1600/IMG_20180129_204405_709.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-r9NrBmgHRGA/WnDH9GBMykI/AAAAAAAABGE/yEWQrCq4I0MzV8hhLZIGu0Uc8WUqYvYiwCEwYBhgL/s400/IMG_20180129_204405_709.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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I've also been loving barley lately, and have been eating it with everything. Ground beef bowls (pictured below), breakfast cereal (with some cut up apples and almond milk added), anything really. I love the flavor and texture - it's so versatile and so great for you.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DmdhKdK8r_Y/WnDIg31_eRI/AAAAAAAABGY/Nf2HZarL_KIjS874qHwOu0LZRSkX44sNQCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_20180129_101824_174.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DmdhKdK8r_Y/WnDIg31_eRI/AAAAAAAABGY/Nf2HZarL_KIjS874qHwOu0LZRSkX44sNQCLcBGAs/s400/IMG_20180129_101824_174.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ground beef bowl with barley, tomatoes, onions, olives, ground beef, fried egg & sriracha</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
Moving on to my resolutions....<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>1. Read a minimum of 20 mins per day</b> - 20 out of 29 days - time to get back on track with this<br />
<br />
<b>2. Read a minimum of 1 book per month</b> -<br />
January - <a href="https://www.blogger.com/%3Ca%20target=%22_blank%22%20href=%22https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/1443414565/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=15121&creative=330641&creativeASIN=1443414565&linkCode=as2&tag=culinaryaffec-20&linkId=ee6a8afcd517cc7724e7f2bcdad61e9a%22%3EThe%20Happiness%20Project%3C/a%3E%3Cimg%20src=%22//ir-ca.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=culinaryaffec-20&l=am2&o=15&a=1443414565%22%20width=%221%22%20height=%221%22%20border=%220%22%20alt=%22%22%20style=%22border:none%20!important;%20margin:0px%20!important;%22%20/%3E">The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin</a><br />
<br />
<b>3. Drink 80oz of water per day</b> - 10 out of 29 days. No excuses here, I really need to get better<br />
<br />
<b>4. Get in a minimum of 10,000 steps daily</b> - 24 out of 29 days<br />
<br />
<b>5. Post on this blog weekly</b> - so far so good<br />
<br />
<b>6. Lose the baby weight and get into the best shape of my life </b>- I am down a total of 21 pounds so far. I have had a few slips, a few minor binges, but I am motivated to continue. I refuse to be uncomfortable with my body during the warmer months, so onwards and upwards with this!<br />
<br />
<b style="text-align: center;">7. Have 1 no spend week per month</b><span style="text-align: center;"> - This isn't going so well. I'll keep trying but it's very difficult to plan for this with a newborn. Diapers and formula are always needed. Produce and milk is always wanted. I'm hoping to get in two separate weeks for the month of February, but we will see.</span><br />
<span style="text-align: center;"><br /></span><b>8. Write for 30 mins per week</b> - I'm still on track but haven't written yet for this week. It's only Tuesday, I have time.<br />
<br />
<b>9. Get rid of 52 things</b> - also from the <a href="https://www.onehundreddollarsamonth.com/">same website</a> - what a great idea to get rid of things that have been accumulated over the years and just collect dust<br />
1-6. Books given to my daughter's friend, they were duplicates that I didn't need to hang on to<br />
7. Threw out some cleaning products and knick knacks that were under the kitchen sink<br />
8. Got rid of some baby clothes that we had been given by a friend - they were all boys clothes<br />
(since we thought we were having a boy) - I kept some neutral items and brought the rest to Once<br />
Upon A Child for some cash<br />
9. Got rid of all the old tupperware (and bought a new set - does that count? I'm going to say yes<br />
because in the past I would have kept the old & the new)<br />
<br />
<b>10. Organize/clean 52 areas (that I wouldn't normally clean during my daily/weekly routines) </b><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
1. Organized my book shelves by giving away duplicate books, grouping the self-help novels together, grouping authors together that I have huge collections of, and alphabetizing the remaining books<br />
2. Cleaned the area underneath the kitchen sink - it was a disaster. Now everything is organized<br />
and accounted for<br />
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>11. Email or call my Grandma weekly</b> - Doing well with this one<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I'll try harder this week with some of these. I need to organize and clean something. I need to get rid of something. It'll happen, I have faith :)</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I'll end this post with a pic of Brie because...well, why not? She's amazing, and I feel blessed. I have a beautiful family and she has been such a wonderful addition to it. I love her to pieces, we all do.</div>
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Culinary Affectionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04239779974340793730noreply@blogger.com0