Minute and Quit It Healthy Hump Day #2

Time is relative. A minute in prison is an eternity yet a minute in the arms of a loved one can seem as quick as the blink of an eye.

We are all super busy. That is life, right? Always doing something when sometimes the best thing to do it "sat"down somewhere.

With that here is a list of things all my faulous ladies can do in one minute or less.

1. Be good to Mother Earth and use a non plastic, BPA free stainless steel waterbottle. Or simple enough, do not use disposables. Grab a glasas and go!
2. Run...fast. Change it up. Our bodies are meant to work, move and short sprints mixed with walking helps amp up the fat burn. Don't track runners have the best bodies?! Hello, Flo Jo!
3. Improve Your Strength. Balance on one leg and after 30 seconds switch to the other. I have some Sketchers with the built in balance ball thingies and I can tell how my weight is distributed forcing my body to balance. With out those shoes I have better trained my body to not shift my weight which means less run over shoes.
4. Clean counters and light switches. Seriously, how long does it take to wipe down a counter? Nothing a simple swipe of a sponge and water can't do to get rid of those grimy fingerprints on light switches and door knobs. A quick tip to making yourhouse guest ready in a minute or less. 
5. Connect virally. tweet, FB , text an encouraging thought to your friends/follwers.

Healthy Hump Day (#1)

Hey my fierce,funky and fabulous ladies! I have been trying to take better control of my health and eating habits. We all know living a haelthy lifestyle is not easy. Especially with all the junk in my neighborhood. MCD's is two bloks over along with Subway, Popeyes, Chinese foods, Papa John's, etc. Even though I have not eaten at most of those places in years, the temptation can still arise.

So with that I have decided to begin Healthy Hump Day. Once a week, I will post articles or my own journey to living more of a beautiful, natural life. Cool? I think so! SewFlyl by CarolRenee is not just about the outside but we care about you having a well balanced mind, soul and of course fabulous hair and skin.

My sister dropped off some Self and Women's Health magazines so here goes:

From the September 2011 edition of the former there is an articel abouit 10 Quick Ways to get Rid of Stress:

1. Just inhale. Then exhale. Downlaod the (free) breathing Zone app for guided exercises.

• My dad used to tell me this all the time when I was flustered over grades, stressed out over some stupid boy or mad with someone. It works!

2. Chomp on Chocolate. Cocoa increases your body's level of neurochemical, helping you relax.

3. Strike a yoga pose. To clear your head, stand with your feet hip wodth apart, your butt against a wall. Bend forward, grab your forarms, and let your head hang, breathing deeply, says Kathryn Budig, a yoga instructor in Los Angeles.

4. Say no. Nix all thos obligations you don't really want to do.

• I LOVE the power of saying NO!

5. Give back. Studies show volunteering increases happiness. Log kind acts into DailyFeats.com to snag deals (like 20% off at a salon!).

• Word? Discounts for having a kind heart?! Sign me up!

6. Pucker up. A little lip action releases feel good hormones. Mwah!

• Mmmmm, duh!

7. Play away angst. Competing in a video game may tame tension. Discover yout fave at www.miniclip.com/games.

8. Light a lavender candle. Sniffing the scent can lower levels of stress related chemicals.

9. Plan a vacay. Anticipating a trip lifts your mood. Swap travel tips with virtual pals at Gogobot.com

• Now to stress about how to pay for said trip, right?! lol

10. Pet a pooch. Friendly fur is more calming thatn music, TV or reading. 95% of folks say. Nothing like the warm, fuzzy feeling you get from a warm, fuzzy creature.

Incredible Hulk Smoothie

I know. I know. I have been super M.I.A. So many things have been going on. I am in the kitchen daily mixing it up for you all out there in Beautyland.

What the heck is an Incredible Hulk Smoothie? A green smoothie that makes one strong, silly. New year. New results. new vitimans, new healthy eating habits are the way to go! There are so  many versions of green smoothies out there. I make mine simple. I use whatever I have in the house. Since we eat mainly fresh veggies and fruits, I grab a few items and viola! Smoothie.

Now that I have burned out two blenders, I think I have it down. Well, at least the last one was good anyway.

RECIPE:
2 Cups of water
2 large handfuls of spinach
1 large handful of collards, kale, mustard greens or something of the sort
1 banana
2 apples
1 orange

I also like to add strawberries, blueberries, blackberries.
last time I added papaya! My first time cutting it and making it fit in my blender.

BLEND WELL. *note with a cheap, but good, blender like mine, I have to blend, pause, make sure there is no smoke or burned wire action happening, stir, blend.

Pour in glass and chug. Not too bad tasting really. Keep a toothpick handy. Spinach in teeth is not SewFly, not sexy at all.

REVIEW: Big stong and full of antioxidants and all that good stuff! These are super easy to make. They also are not time consuming. About 5 minutes and I am done! I actually like these. I have such a love hate relationship with fruit. This time of the year has very little selection in the way of melons, peaches and all the summer fruits I like so I just go with the flow. DO NOT ADD SUGAR or honey. As much as it is tempting to do so-don't. The benefits of the smoothie are that I get all my fruits and veggies for the day in one large smoothie. I carry mine throught out the day. It becomes a snack that way.

I did notice that I became really thirsty though. So still continue to drink plenty of water.

SewFly Product Description and Pricelist

SewFly by CarolRenee
fierce.funky.fabulous.

So it has been asked for forever! Here it is! Our 2012 SewFly by CarolRenee Product and Price List.

• Ooo La La Oatmeal Bath- For dry, itchy, winter skin. Great for eczema, itchy skin and rashes $10

• Shea SewFly Whipped Body Balm*- Long lasting moisturizing properties of Shea butter and a secret blend of natural essential oils makes this the perfect thirsty skin and scalp quencher. Perfect for after shower moisture. $13

• Suga Me softly Body Scrub*- All natural body scrub with natural oils used to exfoilate dead, dry, skin. This product leaves your body silky amooth, moisturized and oh so soft to the touch. Coarse enough for feet, gentle enough for face. Perfect for winter feet too! $14

• Don't Funk With Me Creme Deodorant*- Tired of the aluminum and other unpronouncable itmes in your deodorant? Try our all natural deodorant.  $3

• Lip Balm- Smooth soft lips is something to be sedired and admired. Our lip balm contains beeswax and other essential oils and butter perfect for healing dry, cracked lips. $3

• Ready.Set.Relax. Rosebud Bath Salts- Nothing says relax like a hot bath. Soak your body and let the worries melts away. Dead Sea Salts and rosebuds are the perfect combination to relieve sore, tired muscles. (Now available in Lavender!) $7

• 100% Organic Africa Black Soap- 100% vegetable based soap made with natural ashes, palm oil and love. Don't let the color fool you! All natural, all organic all good! For extra moisture, use Shea SewFly Whipped Body Balm after showering. $5 (approx 4 oz bars only)

• Mama Africa Black Soap Body Wash- If you like our African Black Soap, you will love our liquid version. $10

• Take it Easy, Greasy (hair grease)- Leaves hair soft, managable and full of shine. $8

• Take It Easy, Greasy Hair Growth Oil (For Up Under My Weave)- A light serum of essential oils and our secret blend of herbs help stimulate the scalp for hair growth. Helps prevent the infamous "weave/braid itch." May be used on locs, braids or loose hair. Do not use on bonded tracks! $8

• Loced and Loaded Hair Tea Leave in Conditioner- Locs feeling a little dry and malnourised? Our secret blend is loaded with 12 herbs making it the perfect leave in conditioner. Just spray on and go!
  • I Dream Vanilla Bean Body Wash- Our number one seller! Liquid Body wash with a light vanilla scent. $7
  
  
  
  
  
  • Love Slick- solid oils molded and shaped. Place on in your bathtub. These will instantly melt in  hot water. Guarenteed to leave your skin silky smooth. $4
  
  
  
  • Sweet Caress Massage Oil- Sensual, seductive, sexy massage oil. $22.50
    
  • Best Bath Melts Ever!- Luxurious oil blends of shea, jojoba and avocado. $4
    
  • Who's the Man? I'm the Man Hand and Foot Scrub- Men, please stop stealing your wife's Suga Me Softly Body Scrub! This manly secent scrub was created just for you! It works overtime on softening hands and feet. $14
  
  
  
  All products are natural or organic, vegetarian and not tested on animals. 100% petroleum, mineral oil, paraban and sulfate free.
  ** Some products may contain beeswax
  
  
  * Available scents: original, lemongrass, lemon, lavender, cinnamon, tangerine, peppermint and bergamot. **extra charge may apply.
  
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Starstuck- old school

So I swear that I will never get star struck and that if I ever meet another celebrity, I will probably just say hello and keep it moving. Yeah, right. I know secretly that I would have a chest explosion if I met the following- living or dead!

• Diana Ross
• Beyonce
• Oprah Winfrey
• Michelle Obama
• Maya Angelou ( hello, that is my name!)
• Sistah Souljah (The Coldest Winter Ever and Midnight changed my life!)
• Nikki Giovanni (already met)
• Dorothy Dandrige
• Josephine Baker
• Lauryn Hill - I just want to shake the sh*t outta her and convince her to make at least three new albums with no crying so I can keep my own sanity!
• Erica Badu
• Jill Scott
• My grandmothers' mothers and grandmothers

The Men

• The Nicholas Brothers (how they do those split jumps is still mind blowing)
• Stokely Carmichael
• Malcolm X ( I would love to hear his take on the state of blacks in America in 2011 and what he thinks of President Obama)
• Abraham Lincoln (to see what he REALLY meant by his Emancipation Proclamation)
• Dr. Ben Carson (met for a brief secind in the airport. We were on the same flight)

Tasty Tueday

Today is the love of my life's birthday! Yeaaaaa! It's his birthday! He is so behind the time and was not privy to such foods as apple pie before he began dating me. So, um, yeah. Weird, I know. He is a sweet potato kind of man. I remember being on a date early on and sharing some apple pie with him. He was like, "Whoa! What is this?!" I'm like, "Dude, APPLE PIE?!" He said he never had it! Really, at 37 and he never had apple pie?!

Anyway, it is now his favorite and I am going to bake one for the first time for his birthday. As a backup, I am making his second favorite: Snickerdoodles. Now I am mad because the store was out of self rising flour. So I can add a pinch of salt to the flour, but I'd rather have the self rising. So back to the store--sending step daughter.
OMG! My oven is possessed y'all. It stays going off. Even with a brand new oven or a newly cleaned one, it always makes the smoke detector go off. It is so annoying! UGH!

This is not my recipe. It is more of a review. I used apple pie from Betty's Kitchen on youtube.
Ingredients
6-7 tart green apples (Granny Smith)
cinnamon and sugar
pie crust (premade) or homemade
Pie pan
salted water (to prevent browning of apples)

Step one: Peel the skin off the apples leaving as much skin as possible. I do not believe in wasting food!
       
        two: Core the apples
       
        three: cut thin slices of the apples. it should make about 6-8 cups of apples.
       
        four: Place them in a bowl with the salted water to prevent browning. after I core and slice each apple I place in the bowl. This is great. It helps keep the apples pretty.
    
        five: roll out the pie crust. I cheated and used a pre made crust. So much simpler and less stressful for me.

        six: place one pie crust in a pie pan. I used a super deep dish one I got a Giant grocery store for about $7. It is red and pretty with scalloped edges. Ceramic son! DO NOT PIERCE the bottom crust!

        seven: pre heat the oven to 320-350 degrees if you have a possessed oven like me. She says, I think 425 degrees but that is hot as hell!

       eight: Drain the apples of the salted water. Replace with sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle it over the apples. leave for about 5-10 mins. This will make its own liquid. You WANT that. That is what helps make that gooey liquid factor.

       nine: Pour apples and its liquid over bottom crust

       ten: This is a double crusted pie. Use or make a top crust. Pinch or scallop the edges. Or if you are feeling bold, make a lattice top. Easier than it looks.

      BAKE, COOL, Eat with ice cream!

DIY? Yeah, YOU do it Yourself

As you know, I a getting married September 10. I am doing many things myself and if I smell another hot glue gun I am going the eff off on someone! I am exhausted and there are still things left to be done! So what have I completed so far? Cake platters, guest book, card box, centerpieces, take a sheet basket. What do I have left? Veil/headpiece, shoes, maid of honor gifts, presents for parents, Dupree, abd wedding co ordinators; corsages, boutinnairs, Mad Libs, all the signage, invitations...

My wedding co ordinators did the save the dates and I am going to help them with the invitation wording. Phew! I still have to do most of the decorations for the engagement party.


If I smoked I be j'ed out to the fullest! Now, I understand two things: why people drink and why the look so ready for this to be over in their wedding photos! This is tiring. I do not "work." I stay home this is my full time job on top of everything else I have to do.



I love doing a lot of things myself but paired with loneliness, doing the crafts all by myself and not getting any sleep, no dates and rude a*s step children in summed up as follows: it fucking sucks! Excuse the language, if you choose.

I cannot wait til my honeymoon! I do not drink, but I just may have a hurricane or two after this wedding.
So now I also have to meet with the caterer this Sunday. The price is great and I am hoping the food will be too.

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Met with the caterer. The price was great. The food was good too. Mr. Friday seems to get things done. We will be dining on: mild/hot jerk chicken, rice and peas, baked salmon, mixed vegetables, salad, mini beef, chicken and veggie patties, fruit platters, lemonade and pink passion punch as well as banana pudding and cake for dessert.