I have to admit that I love shopping!

Organic spices, luna bars, odwalla bars, bare naked all on sale at Publix- score!!

 We even picked up some outfits for Roscoe

 And some cute summer dresses- love!

Shopping is one of my favorite past times Okay, I should go now because I have a list as long as my arm to do!! Hope you are all having a fabulous Thursday- tomorrow is Friday- woo to the hoo!!!

In 5-9 days I will be enjoying some of these:

I ordered some Larabars from Amazon

And this:

for my tea, smoothies, coffee- love this stuff!

This weekend I will be going to these places with my Mom and my sister!!

This is the coop that we are a member at- it’s like a mini-whole foods!

And Costo of course!

And we can’t make a trip to Tallahassee, Florida without stopping in here…

For coffee and book browsing- it’s sad when you have to drive 2 hours to get to a Borders book store- oh well, it could be worse, it could be even further away

I am looking forward to having coffee with my Mom and sister- it’s been a while since I relaxed and hung out with family.

Speaking of family-I am finally getting my life together- I am printing out our wills/power of attorney documents tonight and will have them notarized in the morning. I also gave my sister the go ahead to set us up for Life Insurance on the higher plan- I would rather be safe than sorry.

Well, that’s it- I am now headed to the living room to watch Sherlock Holmes with the hubby - should be interesting. Hope you guys are having a fab Monday!

Finally our picture was posted on the Tokyo Website from the hubby’s birthday

Roscoe is doing much better and has been sleeping alot- tomorrow morning is the last day of meds and Tuesday he has his stitches removed. We’ve had to keep a constant eye on him so he doesn’t roll- which he loves to do any chance he gets

It’s been a crazy past 2 weeks! I’ve been very busy that is for sure and in between I had no access to the internet for about 3 days which drove me crazy! Here is what I was able to accomplish- which is surprising especially with having to deal with Roscoe’s situation.

• Completed our Health Assessment at our new gym and started a workout program (we did actually squeeze workouts on both Thursday and Friday even with Roscoe’s injury) Did I mention that we get rewards for working out? So excited about that!
• Started a free trial of Netflix which I am loving right now- basically we have instant movies for  under $9 per month! We had Netflix when it first came out but the service was extremely slow but now it is way better thank goodness We have been watching lots of movies like - I love you Beth Cooper (okay, so I watched that one),  Old Dogs, Men who stare at goats- which was very stupid in my opinion.
• My picture will be up on the Heart thrive/Suncakes website around September 1st and the great part is that they sent me 2 dozen Heart Thrives for free- yeah!! :Did I mention that I LOVE hearthrives?!
• Work is going great- I really do like my new job so far and every time I turn around I hear about more and more perks like bonuses, raises, holiday parties, etc. I am basically cross- training in all areas right now. I really want to go back to school hopefully winter quarter to maybe do a double major- computers and medical terminology/transcription. Hubby’s major most likely will be in computers- he is in Engineering now, but I think he wants a change.
• Not much left to do on the house- need to paint the exterior house, paint & put up 4 new doors, trim work, privacy fence extended, new driveway, more sod and that is about it.
• Trying to decide on whether or not to get Life Insurance on me and the hubby and if so, how much? 100k, 200k? My sister worked me up a quote and I just can’t decide on what to do- I even thought why not just put money in our Roth or maybe savings- what do you guys do? All I have to do now is say the word and they do the rest- blood samples, etc- the nurses come out to our house once we decide. Decisions, Decisions..I also need to get our will notarized- I have everything pretty much worked up, just need it official.
• Cancelled both internet and cable through mediacom and are now paying only $15 per month with Bellsouth plus $8.99 if we decide to keep Netflix compared to our previous payments of $120. Major savings!
• Saturday- did laundry- including washing our bed pillows, hubby cut the grass, did dishes, made more healthy pb cups, caught up on last few episodes of missed shows on the internet, made the bed with clean sheets. Gave myself a facial scrub/mask. Weeded in the flower gardens. Took a much needed 40 minute nap with the hubby and Roscoe.

September Goals:

• Paint House Exterior/Put up shutters
• Paint and put up 4 doors
• Put up inside trim
• Buy dining room table, guest room bed, night stands.
• Eat Healthier- more greens, more water, GM’s
• Exercise daily
• Try to stop biting my nails- nervous habit.
• Relax some- take a mini- vacay or do something nice for me and the hubby.

I am obsessed with making lists and goals- is anyone else like that? Maybe I’m just weird..

Anyway, moving on. I also had the chance to try out some Jim’s Organic Coffees!

Jim’s Organic Coffee™ is”
· Certified Organic by Quality Assurance International
· Certified Kosher
· Grown and Processed in accordance with the California Organic Foods Act 1990
· Grown under shade canopy
· From farms and farmers who are paid premiums to farm organically and thus treat their land, air and water tables with respect AND to sustain themselves and their communities.

I really loved both blends- very smooth yet rich and bold at the same time- I am a true coffee lover and can honestly say that the hubby and I both enjoyed the coffees. Jim’s Organic Coffees can be found at several retailers including Whole Foods-search here to see if their coffees are in a location near you.

I also received a package from Alyssa and Steve from Cavewoman bars- I was really excited to try them out!

Cavewoman Bars® are Vegan, Soy-Free, Gluten-Free and Refined Sugar-Free. They contain only the finest raw Fruit, Nuts and Spices – That’s it!

A little about Cavewoman bars and how it all started:

Alyssa worked day and night on Cavewoman Bars®, learning the business and experimenting with flavors. She produced her bars out of her kitchen with homemade labels for a handful of loyal customers. Along the way she became a Vegan and more committed to health and fitness and animal rights. She strongly believes in the quote by Hippocrates, “Let thy food be thy medicine and thy medicine be thy food.” That being said Alyssa’s philosophy is that seriously healthy food doesn’t have to be serious. Her bars are now being offered in 5 fun (and familiar) flavors: “PB&J,” “Pineapple Upside-Down Cake,” “Banana Nut Bread,” “Baklava” and “Blueberry Pancake.” As each Cavewoman Bars® package proudly states, its contents are “So tasty you’ll forget it’s good for ya!”

I can definitely attest to these bars being tasty and good for you as well! I really loved all of the bars with the PB&J being both the hubby and my favorite!

Well, I’m off! I still have several things that I need to do this afternoon!

• Call Discover card - they were supposed to remove the late fee- when Roscoe got injured I totally forgot to pay our bill and I’m always on time! The lady said she would take it off but I saw it on there this morning, so now I have to call- oh the joy!
• Take a bath with candles/maybe a cup of hot tea?
• Do some research on a weekend trip for the hubby and I- we need to get away soon!!
• Give Roscoe his medicine for tonight.

I feel like I crammed everything in one post- so maybe I did..Okay guys, I’m out- hope you’re all having a fabulous weekend!!

 Did that get your attention?

It’s been quite the weekend/week let me tell ya. Wow is all I can say.

So let’s go backwards- last week I volunteered to work some overtime at the hospital because we were backed up on paperwork and I also worked on Saturday from 6:00-10:00 a.m.- once I got home the hubby and I started painting our Garage- see?

Just need to do some touching up then it’s done- before it was a sunshine yellow color- I like this much better

I also made some delicious, yet healthy organic pb cups- hubby loved them and that’s saying alot

So everything was going along great until I came inside to take a break and have some water. I was sitting on the couch (in my very short shorts that I wear only around the house) when I heard a scream that could only be our dog, Roscoe. I could definitely tell something was very wrong and I started running and screaming for him and when I came out of the back french doors- all I see is my baby with a 3 inch long and about 2 inch wide open gaping wound - basically you could see things you didn’t want to see. Aparentally, he was chasing a stray cat in our yard and his side hit a wire that was hanging down on our bronco and tore his side wide open- I felt so terrible and guilty even though no one could have known that this would happen.  I of course am terrible when it comes to emergency situations when it involves someone that I love- so I am losing my mind at this point, screaming, crying- trying to get the dog to stop moving period because his side is hanging out. I finally halfway get it together and call the Emergency Vet and while she is headed to the vet office- I wrap Roscoe up in a bandage to stop the blood flow or infection, put on his cone and throw on some jeans and flipflops and me and the hubby run out the door. Once we get there, the Doctor is already there- I of course am still a mess and just ask the Dr. to get him sedated asap- at this point he is in pain and whining and I just want it to stop. To make a long story short- the Dr. is awesome and she has him stitched up and ready to picked up the next day at 4:00. Whew! Quite the weekend- Roscoe is on 10 days medicine twice per day and we have to watch him strictly- it was either that or a cage and I just don’t do cages- they make me sad plus Roscoe hates them.

 Oh, and  here is a picture of Roscoe’s stiches if you want to see..

Imagine that- but this time, wide open without stitches.. that right there is $400 worth.  I was very happy with how responsive our vet doctor is- this was the first time we had an emergency situation (and hopefully the last) in Roscoe’s 11 years.  The hubby and I are just very thankful to God that things weren’t worse.

So, on that note- I can’t see how I could possibly follow this post up with anything to top that. So I’m going to say goodnight- I need to give Roscoe his medication (s) and I need to get some rest- between working overtime and Roscoe keeping me up at night (and me worrying about him) I have been tired lately. I hope you are all having a fabulous week and please spend lots of times with your little furkids! Be back soon with a more updated post!

First things first, we didn’t get to make it to our weekend trip at the cabin that we had planned because of bad weather. The hubby and I talked about it and decided it wasn’t worth taking the chance and end up tubing down the river and being rained on and freezing cold. Sooo.. we are planning another trip- hopefully for Labor Day weekend- I just left all of the packing pile where it is and will plan on resuming as soon as we know something for sure. Okay, onto the good stuff!

 Last week, I received some Food Should Taste Good Chips- I have been wanting to try these out forever!

More about Food Should Taste Good:

CEO and founder Pete Lescoe created Food Should Taste Good, Inc in 2006 with the goal of making a unique new snack with great taste, healthy ingredients, and sophisticated flavor - the qualities he is most passionate about in food. Based in Needham Heights, Massachusetts, Food Should Taste Good, Inc is a small company and growing fast.

With a brand name that says it all, Food Should Taste Good chips are made from the highest quality, all-natural ingredients baked into the chips. All chip varieties are gluten free, cholesterol free, have no trans fats and do not use genetically modified ingredients (GMOs). They are also certified Kosher, low in sodium and are a good source of dietary fiber. The chips combine the crunchiness of a chip, the crispiness of a cracker, and the dippability of a tortilla chip.

Food Should Taste Good chips are available nationally at fine grocers, as well as at specialty gourmet and natural food markets.

These chips were amazing with hummus and guacamole as well. The cheddar were delicious on their own- the hubby’s favorite were the Jalapeno flavor. I loved all of them- but the Olive had a special place in my heart- I loved that real olives were used in these chips, I could definitely tell! Food Should Taste Good chips can be found at several places such as, Starbucks, Publix, Whole Foods, Costco, Target, World Market, Amazon online just to name a few- you can go here for more locations.  They are also on Facebook- you can like them here and if you do, you can be entered into their weekly drawing to win a case of chips!

Also a quick book review.

I just finished reading this book- amazing book- About a woman who thought she was overweight at a size 14-16 who changed her life after finding a Christian black lady who was also a bigger woman who was full of confidence who made her see that she was beautiful in God’s eyes and helped her to see what talents she had to share. The main character of the book, the same woman, started a blog about how she was treated differently or “invisible” because she was overweight. She ends up standing up to her mean boss, trying new things and gaining confidence all the while learning to love herself and having a more fulfilling life in the end- she learns to trust God and ends up with a better life than she started with- pretty amazing book. When I picked this up at the Library I really didn’t expect it to be that great. I was definitely surprised- you should definitely read this book.

My next book read is “Dreaming in Black and White”- I flipped through the first few pages and it looks like an interesting read. I will let you know what I think.

We went to church this morning and it was an amazing sermon as always- today’s sermon was about unforgiveness and how we won’t be blessed if we hold onto unforgiveness. Unforgiveness only hurts those who harbor it. It was a great reminder- people will always do and say things to hurt us, but we have to let it go and pray for our enemies.

Right now, it’s raining and the hubby is making chicken burritos for dinner and I am listening to Natalie Grant while I blog.  Hopefully, I can get a few more things done before starting a new work week, such as..

• Cut hubby’s hair
• Put away laundry
• Bath/Spa for myself- start on my new book
• Roscoe- bath
• Hubby put in sink, toilet
• Hubby hang mirror and picture in bath
• Make Raw Avo/Tomato soup for dinner (if I’m hungry- I’m still full from lunch)
• Watch Big Brother 12 & Real Housewives

Hope you are all having a fabulous weekend!!

Tags: book review, food should taste good review, free samples

 I received a package from Pure Market Express today!

Rebecca Ivey- owner of Pure Market Express had emailed me about the package and when I didn’t receive it the first time she was so nice and worked it all out for me. Just in time too - I was starving because I ended up staying 1 hour after work because the hubby was tied up with clients.

BEST salsa that I’ve ever had- it reminded me of the fresh salsa that they made for us at the Tapas restaurant in Cozumel, Mexico- amazing!

 And some jalapeno poppers- all raw! These were soo good- I wish Pure Market Express would move down to Georgia- although not very likely

My favorite out of everything was the Raw lasagne- I’ve made Raw lasagne before and I have to admit theirs is WAY better- they make the pesto out of pistachios and basil, etc. I would rather this over cooked lasagne any day!

The Chocolate Cheesecake was delicious as well- very creamy and hard to belive that this was all raw and healthy

The Story of Pure Market Express:

He said. She said. And together they said “Let’s.”
Marriage is nothing if not a back-and-forth of ideas, nudges and armchair quarterbacking on the other’s behalf (or to their chagrin). For Quentin (co-founder and Chief Executive Officer) and Rebecca Irey (co-founder and Executive Chef), raw foods the concept evolved into a lifestyle and then a business, making theirs a lively and ongoing volley.

Quentin turned Rebecca on to juicing. She, in turn, became “a great evangelist for raw foods,” recalls Quentin. “We had battles early on about losing her to the kitchen.” Six months of trial-and-error plus a breezy pregnancy while 100 percent raw made them both believers. Once Luke, their sixth child, was born, however, “cooking” raw took time Rebecca didn’t have.

On a family RV trip, she told Quentin, “You know what would keep me raw? Making it for others.” They hatched a business plan while waiting for the Fourth of July fireworks in Washington, D.C. The personal—keeping Rebecca raw—was soon eclipsed by business goals the likes of sourcing local ingredients and maintaining quality control. Still, she remains Pure Market Express’ most discerning client, her passion evident in every dish.
I love the passion behind Pure Market Express- it must be pretty amazing to make and eat raw foods all day! I used to be a raw vegan and eat all raw and honestly this is some of the best I’ve had. I really loved all of the entrees that Pure Market Express sent to me and would much rather order food from them and know that it is healthy than go out to dinner not knowing what is in my food. Not to mention that making raw foods does tend to take up more time as far as prep, time, etc and it would be nice to have dinner shipped right to your front door. You can order online here and also check out their 5 item sampler for under $30- a great way to sample the different foods to see what you like. Thanks again Rebecca for allowing me to sample your fabulous raw foods- definitely a treat! Makes me want to get back to eating more healthy raw food!

P.S. I am now headed to the kitchen to finish off the raw lasagne…

Tags: Free sample to review, Pure Market Express Review

No this is not our house. While the hubby and I were outside this Saturday landscaping our front yard- we noticed our neighbors across the street were painting their house. It’s always fun to see all of the neighbors working on different projects on the weekends. Seeing them painting made me want to paint ours- we have the paint and everything, but we are working on the bath remodel and landscaping, the hubby said one thing at a time- I tend to have my hands in everything

Getting ready to go to Church Notice that I still have the bruise from my tetanus shot the week before last. Is it a bad sign that bruises take forever to heal for me?

After church I was starving- we stopped by Sam’s first and picked up 2 more organic spinach, 2 bags avocadoes and a hf rotisserie chicken for hubby and Roscoe. I made this awesome veggie chicken & avocado spread sandwich with my leftover bread from French Meadow Bakery- I pulled it out of the freezer and it was like it had never been frozen- pretty awesome!

Remember, the upcoming CSN review that I told you guys about? Well, my package came in about 2 weeks ago and I’m just getting around to blogging about it.

I chose this rebounder to review! I’ve been wanting one forever so I jumped at the chance to review it

Roscoe thought it was his new bed- here he is getting off of the rebounder- silly dog

I really like this rebounder from CSN stores- it was very easy to set up and also a very low price- in total it was under $40- not too shabby right? I found it very convenient to work out and watch my favorite shows at the same time- no excuses not to exercise now

CSN Stores carries tons of items like dining room tables, cookware and so much more- there are so many things in their stores that I would love for my house!

You can also follow them on Twitter or add them to your facebook so you never miss a sale!

And also check out this giveaway over at Blue Sky World!

Be back later this week with a giveaway - so stay tuned!!

Tags: CSN Review, free product, Giveaway

 Okay, so it’s the weekend and I really want to make this post short and sweet so I can go and help the hubby plant flowers & do some landscaping!

This is my outfit for Fridays- told ya I’d model the scrubs for you guys

We picked up our toilet for the new bathroom Friday- I should have my new bathroom finished this weekend! After we get back from our weekend trip next weekend- we will be painting the house and also painting the interior doors (my job) next! A friend of ours offered to help us paint so I think we may take him up on his offer

 Some Eats from this week..

Lots of Salads- I found a great organic ranch dressing and organic croutons at Winn-Dixie and I’ve been obsessed!

Spankatopia- which I need to stop eating immediately! Thank goodness we only have about 6-7 of these left!

I splurged and bought my fave icecream- coconut based- delicious! I had a $1 coupon- but it was still $4.29 or something after the coupon- definitely going to enjoy it

Hubby’s breakfasts this week

There was a yardsale in our neighborhood- the hubby and I grabbed our coffees and walked over- this vintage wallet for .25 cents was the only thing that I liked.

This was my second smoothie for the week- it was green but then I added some frozen organic blueberries and made it purple I just saw the word blueberries and typed that it made it blue haha

Free organic lip balm that I got online- I ordered the hubby one too

Plant Nursery that we went to this morning to pick up some plants for the front yard.

This is a type of climbing jasmine- it’s really pretty once it starts growing- it’s basically a pretty ground covering.

I also started packing for our trip next weekend- it’s only for 2.5 days- so basically tank tops, shorts, flip flops, swim suits- stuff like that. I’m so excited!

Oh, and check out this giveaway over at Blue Sky World Blog!

Here is my list of things to do this weekend:

• Plant Jasmine and flowers in front yard.
• Pack for weekend trip
• Put in sink, toilet in new bath.
• Frame out and paint bath linen closet.
• Put up last few pieces of hardi-board on house.
• Church.
• Movie.
• Bath/Spa Day.
• Give Roscoe a bath.
• Plant Knock out roses
• Re-check out books from Library.

Oh and some really good news- I am almost back in the 130’s weight-wise which I’m really excited about! I have been steady on my healthy eating plan- splurging here and there and not being too strict and I’m really happy that I am almost at my goal! I think being less stressed out, drinking more water and eating more greens & praying about my health have all really helped alot! The hubby and I are going to check out the new gym next week that my job is offering free to both me and the hubby and try to get started back on a routine.

Okay, with that note I am out of here! I really hope to get all of this done over the weekend!

So here are some of my eats from this week..

Organic breakfast of oats and bananas.

Organic homemade coconut icecream & homemade raw cookies- very yummy combo!

I got my package in from Iherb- I won a $25 giveaway over at Foodie Blogroll- talk about super fast shipping- thanks Iherb! So I have to say that I love my organic lipgloss and my new facial wash- definitely must haves!

Abby even threw in a few samples- thanks Abby!

I tried out my Immune support sample at work the other day- it was soo good- I need to order this stuff in a bigger quantity! I really liked Iherb’s website- very easy to navigate around and I was able to just type in what I wanted in the search box and find it so fast! I also loved how fast my package got to me- talk about great service

Starting back on my GM’s this week

My scrubs came in that I ordered last week- YES! Finally, I have something to wear to work- I will definitely be modeling them for the blog this week

And if anyone is curious- here are some pictures of my new workplace.

Parking Garage area- the bridge is where you can walk across to the Cafe I believe- my hubby normally drops me off at the employee entrance in the back so I haven’t gone that way yet.

Guess what else came in today? Coffee from the Cherokee company!! Which is really strange, since the brand name of my scrubs are Cherokee as well- weird huh? Anyway, back to the coffee- I was so excited to try it out this afternoon!

Their Mission: At Cherokee Coffee, it is our mission to not only provide a great tasting cup of coffee, but that you feel good about drinking it.  Our hope is that you will share in our commitment to fair trade and organically grown products.

This was some of the best coffee that I’ve had in a long time-the hubby and I immediately tried the light roast in regular, whole bean of course. Sooo good and smooth too

Feel free to add them on Facebook or Twitter.  Right now they are offering $5 off if you use the code TWIT5- and their coffees are already low in price as it is- Plus if you buy 2 bags you get FREE shipping- not a bad deal

I apologize if my post seems sporadic- I haven’t had a chance to blog this week so I am trying to fit everything in- you can imagine right? Anyway, things are going great- I’m so much happier at my new job-I am not extremely stressed out like I was at my other job. There were days there that I would break down crying and have headaches constantly and that’s just no way for anyone to live, so I stepped out of my comfort zone and applied for some jobs and I just prayed about it and went on with my life. I was so surprised that I got the job- GOD is so amazing and he knows just what we need even when we don’t! I feel so much happier now and have even lost a few pounds- which I think is due to some of the stress being lifted off of me. The house remodel is also going well- our new bathroom will be finished this week- finally!! Our next project will be painting the house exterior and putting up new shutters. I made a goal list for the month of August- here it is..

• Bathroom- finish closet trim, put in toilet, above the shower light, trim.
• Finish last small section of hardi-board siding
• Wrap Patio Columns
• Paint Exterior House & put up new shutters
• Paint 4 new doors & put up
• Finish putting down sod in the front yard
• Put down mulch in the front yard
• Plant knock out roses
• Order waterproof camera (hubby even got me the beauty mode
• Call and have cable tv & internet removed - save about $100 each month- we are going to put it aside and use it on vacays, shopping, dining out.
• Order new Internet service for way less $$

And if we get all of that finished- we might also start on our new driveway- we will be finished with our house this year and I’m so excited! I’ve been waiting years to finish this house remodel- honestly I want to build a new house next time, remodeling is tough! Anyway, I’m out- I need to go wash a few dishes, drink a GM and do a load of laundry. Oh, and our 11th Wedding Anniversary is tomorrow- I can’t even believe it! Not sure what the hubby and I are doing yet- we will have to see. Hope you are having a fabulous week!

 In exactly one week and 3 days- I will be here with the hubby!

 It will be nice to unwind, get away from the hustle and bustle and just relax in nature..

Hiking through the woods.

Visiting small town bookstores and having tea/coffee while reading.

and the most fun part- tubing down the river! YES! I can’t wait because the hubby has NEVER been tubing and I want to be the first to take him. We are going to get a double person tube and rent one of those ice chest cubes to pull behind us that they rent- tubing on the river can be anywhere from 3-6 hours depending on which route we decide on Hopefully, there will be some rope swinging involved;) We are ordering a water proof camera this week so we can take it on the river with us. On the way back- we plan on doing some shopping at the Coop, Costco, World Market, etc. Can’t wait!