Want to Look and Feel 10-15 Years Younger?

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I wanted to share some incredible stories with you today.  My friend Erin blogs at Healthy Branscoms and shared this with her readers last winter.  It's been on my mind and I asked Erin if I could share them with you.  She's an amazing friend and has a pretty incredible story that I'm excited to share!  Here is her post:

These pictures just leave me speechless! That is my Mom and Dad and these are the before and after of my Dad. He began taking the Shaklee Vivix in March of 2011. This picture on the left was taken in the spring of 2011 and the picture on the right was taken approximately 6 months later! He looks SO much younger! His skin looks amazing, his hair is growing in thicker and isn't as gray. He looks amazing! 


Now let me tell you what is even MORE amazing. He has been a diabetic for probably 15 years now. He has suffered from severe neuropathy in his feet to the point where he wakes up in severe pain in the middle of the night and is unable to sleep through the night. He told me that within a few weeks of taking the vivix he has slept through the night! He said his feet feel so much better and he loves taking it. He is so grateful to get a good nights sleep and not have to be in pain or take pain medication anymore. He looks and feels great! I would say that is worth it!

This is the Vivix. I currently have over half of my clients on this anti-aging tonic and they have it on autoship. You take just a teaspoon full a day and it is amazing. I have said on here before that I take the Vivix to keep my migraines away. I love it. I have been migraine free for almost a year now. I will NEVER miss a day of taking this. I never want to suffer from a migraine again.


My friend Sharon has been diagnosed with fibromyalgia. She takes the Vivix, Vitalizer, and Nutriferon and has eliminated a lot of her medication that caused her to gain weight and have severe mood swings. She now still has a little bit of pain at times but not NEAR as much as she did have. She is able to sleep better, feels better about herself by not gaining any weight and actually is LOSING weight. She said she felt as if the resveratrol in the Vivix jump started her metabolism. She has these three items on auto ship and has SAVED money taking these 3 items because she was able to eliminate the medications that were costing even more than these products. 

Here is the best part…

This label is on ALL shaklee products. Which means if you try ANY Shaklee products and for some reason are NOT happy with it, you get your money back guaranteed. Now tell me, when you get your vitamins that quite possibly are NOT quality vitamins from CVS, walmart, or Walgreens, do they give you your money back AFTER you take them for 30 days if you aren't happy with them? I think not. And the markup on them are really high. Did you know that a lot of them aren't even approved or regulated? Buy quality!

So give it a try! :)

Thank you so much for sharing, Erin!  How amazing is it that these natural products were able to help people more than expensive medications!  Do you anyone with these medical issues?

How do YOU feel?  Do you suffer from migraines?  Do you have diabetes?  Do you want to get serious about your health this year?  Email me if you are serious about getting healthy and making 2012 YOUR year to be healthy and free from illnesses and stress on your body that are completely unnecessary.

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Get Organized with a 2012-13 Free Printable Calendar

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Have you ever been to Newport?  It's an incredibly busy place in the summer!  There seems to be a never-ending list of events and activities around here!  Plus, we just moved back to the States after being stationed in Germany for 5 years, so we have a lot of visits from family planned.  (I've joked that you need to call ahead and reserve your room here…but it's not too far off from the truth!)

We've finally finished unpacking and have the house {somewhat} normal.  Our life has been pretty hectic these past few months with movers, a month in hotels, a whirlwind vacation, and the LONG trip back to the States.  Now that we're just about settled and have our stuff again, I've been trying to get into a routine.

It's been incredibly hard because: 1) we've had absolutely no schedule for the past few months, and 2) now that we're here, we are having to constantly change and adjust for visits, appointments, events, and mishaps.  It's frustrating.

I've spent a lot of time lately wishing I could get organized and one day I decided it was time to take action!  One of my all-time most popular posts is my Recipe Binder - it gets THOUSANDS of hits each day!  I use it all the time too because it's neat and organized.  It's so much nicer to look at now that I took the time to put it together.  I started thinking that if the Recipe Binder could organize my scattered recipes, a family binder could certainly help organize my scattered thoughts!

I started by making a monthly calendar that I want to share with you today.  I created a 2-page calendar for each month through the end of 2013.  Here is a sample from this month:

Do you need to get organized as much as I do?  Start your own family binder!!

First, get a binder.  Target sells some really cute ones, but I got mine for $2 at a local store.  Mine has a front pocket and is only 1-inch thick.  (If you think you're going to have lots to add, buy a bigger one.)  I also bought page protectors to keep important papers and schedules safe.

Are you ready to start?  

Below are the links to the calendar pages.  Once you've printed them out, you have 2 options:

1. Slip each page into a page protector.  You can either slide it out to write on it or use a marker to write on top of the plastic.  (Wet erase markers work great for this!  You can even use a Sharpie but you'll need rubbing alcohol to erase it later.)
2. Hole punch the pages.  To do this, make sure you put each month facing itself when you punch so the calendar will open like a book once it's in the binder.  

August 2012

September 2012

October 2012

November 2012

December 2012

January 2013

February 2013

March 2013

April 2013

May 2013

June 2013

July 2013

August 2013

September 2013

October 2013

November 2013

December 2013

You can remove the current month from your binder and hang it on the fridge or a cork board where everyone will see it.  Make sure to write down everything going on during the month so you won't miss anything!  You can also color-code the calendar using a different color for each family member.  (There are only 2 of us - Maia still does whatever we do! - so I don't have to worry about colors just yet.)  

Let's get organized together!!

Do you have anything special you'd like to see in a family binder?
What are your suggestions for additional pages?

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Beach Day!

Pin It Today we were finally able to spend the day at the beach! We moved in on June 29th but still hadn't spent any time enjoying the water. It's sad, but true.

Today my mom and I woke up determined to treat Maia to her first day of sun and sand. (My husband was able to meet us after his classes too!) The beach is pretty small but absolutely perfect for small kids. Plus, since it's a town beach we park for free because we're residents. Not a bad deal!!

Maia had so much fun playing with her pails and shovel. She spent hours shoveling sand and stirring the water.

We taught Maia to 'creep' in Nuremberg so she could chase pigeons.  Here she is 'creeping' to stalk seagulls!

And check out the view! It was a little humid but it was clear and breezy. Just a gorgeous day to be at the beach.

Of course our chow hound had plenty of snacks, too.  She's going through a growth spurt right now and it's not unusual for her to eat 2 dinners, just an hour or 2 apart.  She's so funny!

We live less than 10 minutes from the water but this was Maia on the ride home! She was exhausted!!

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Death of a Kenmore Washing Machine

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I think this post should be called, "This is why we can't have nice things."  We've said it over and over as we've moved throughout the past 5 years.  Buy something nice, the movers will bust it up!

***

When we received orders to go to Germany in 2007 we were given the option to put items we owned into long-term storage.  The military would pay for the storage of anything we did not want to ship overseas.

Putting the washer and dryer into storage was an easy decision based on the power supply alone (we have 110v washers and power in Europe is 220v).  On the scheduled pick-up day back in October 2007, the movers arrived and took them away.  They were less than a year old.

Fast forward to 2012.  We're back in the States and after 6 full weeks of waiting (and using the laundromat!!), Friday was our delivery date for the washer and dryer.  The dryer came off the truck first and was in great shape.  The washer on the other hand…

I don't remember it being a top load…

There were major structural damages - it looks like it was probably dropped at least once.  

Because the door won't close, it can't lock.  And since it's a front-load washer, it won't run unless the door is locked.  So…we were still without a washer!  You can imagine my frustration.

On a side note, have you ever been packed by a moving company?  They use small stickers with numbers to make their inventory.  The stickers are color-coded so they use an entire set of one color (999) before starting fresh at 001 again in another color.  (We've never had to use 2 colors in the same shipment!)  We do, however, find this darn things everywhere!!  They appear constantly even after you think you've removed them all!!

These were on the washing machine.  This is actually the only time I've seen a green sticker!!  We have TONS of red ones and even a few yellow ones still floating around though!

So anyway, back to the dead washer.  I needed a washing machine.  I hadn't had one since we moved out of our house in Germany on June 6th.  That was 2 full months ago!!  Even though I generally dislike doing laundry, I've been dying to do a load!!  (Crazy, I know.)  My husband and I started doing some quick comparison shopping.  We found that although we loved the look of an LG, we were unwilling to spend $1200 for it.  My dad was a manager of the appliance department at Sears for years. He always recommends Kenmore appliances.  I thought he was just brand loyal.

Turns out he's right to recommend them!  Consumer reports ranks the Kenmore brand just as high, if not higher than their competitors.  And for a lower price.  Works for me!!

We shopped around for Kenmore's and found that there is a Sears outlet not far from our house.  They sell slightly used, damaged, or returned merchandise at huge discounts.  We found a great washing machine for a fraction of the original cost.  It's larger than our old washer but cost about the same as the old one did in January 2007.  We ordered it and it was delivered on Sunday!  Here's a picture of my new baby!

It's so pretty and super sleek!  I haven't had a chance to wipe it down or remove the stickers from the top.  I've been focused on doing the mountain of laundry that piled up over the past 6 weeks!!  I'm happy to report that it holds a TON of clothes in there (WAY more than the washer we were using in Germany!)  It's been so nice to use such a great machine.  I'm really happy we bought it.

Maia's been having fun watching the clothes go round and round!  It's amazing what keeps a kid her age occupied!!

The only downside is the thought of moving next spring and having the same thing happen to this washer.  It really makes me cringe.  The military insures each shipment and delivery when you move, but they don't always cover everything.  We have already submitted our claim for the washer but they said it could be at least a week before we hear anything.  They may even send someone out to inspect it so we have to keep it until they decide!  We have the only house in the world with a washing machine sitting in the entryway.

Oh the joys of military life.

Let's hope they cover the cost of the new washer.  It's really frustrating to be moved all over the world and have to cover the cost of so many incidentals!  (We're probably not getting reimbursed for the rental car we needed when we arrived in Boston from Germany.  We've been told they "don't cover that."  Short of walking, I'm not sure how we were supposed to get from the airport to our new home though…  But that's a different story!)

For now I'm just glad I can clean sheets, towels, and clothes whenever I feel like it!  No more laundromat for me! Pin It

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CSA #2: Local, Farm Fresh Veggies in a Box!

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I'm so happy we joined the CSA here!  Last week we got an amazing amount of fruits and veggies (check it out HERE!) and this week was more of the same!  Do you follow Maia the Bee on Facebook?  I posted a screenshot of email we received Monday night.  It always tells us what to expect in our box the following day.

The box was great just like last week!  (Although I would have LOVED to get more blueberries this week!!  They were AMAZING!!!)  Maia and I spread the goods across the table to admire everything.

She loves being a part of the action!!  She and I didn't wait long to dig into our latest arrivals.  We shared an apple from the box.  They were on the end closest to her when I took the picture and she spotted them right away!  She said, "Apple!" when she saw it and couldn't wait to try it.  It was really sweet and juicy - we both enjoyed it.

I love that so far we've gotten very traditional vegetables.  The beets are going to be the hardest for me to use (I'm not a beet fan!) But I've already found a chocolate cake recipe that uses beets and the author swears it makes the most delicious cake.  I'd be willing to give it a try!  And my husband's family is Lithuanian and there is a traditional Lithuanian (cold) beet soup that they love - we're trying to find a recipe.  I'll keep you posted!

Otherwise, we're looking forward to some grilled squash and a yummy green bean salad (among others things!)  Last week I made two loaves of zucchini bread and we had no trouble polishing it all off in just a couple days!

Based on this delivery, what recipes would you recommend?

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Pasta Primavera

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This is one of my all-time favorite recipes.  It's absolutely delicious and WAY healthier than any cream sauce!  The best part is that it's really simple to make, very inexpensive, and it tastes delicious for lunch the next day!

This recipe is adapted from Giada De Laurentiis.  It calls for bow tie pasta (Farfalle) but I chose penne instead.  I also didn't have any zucchini in the house when I made it this particular time.  It's great though, so I try not to forget it anymore!  I also don't use the reserve liquid.  It's just preference, but I prefer the taste of the olive oil to be strong.

Click HERE for the printable recipe.

It's delicious served warm, but don't hesitate to serve it as a cold pasta salad on these warm summer days.  Either way, it's the perfect pasta dish! Pin It

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Birthday Weekend in New Hampshire

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Now that we live in Rhode Island we are able to spend more time with my husband's family who live just an hour away.  We spent last weekend at their house in New Hampshire to celebrate my husband's birthday.  This was our view:

Before we drove up, I made him his favorite cake.  I make it by request only because it's pretty time consuming - but he's always requesting it!! :)  It's a Sicilian Cassata cake: two layers of sponge cake soaked in rum, with cannoli cream filling, covered in a sugar glaze.  

Yes, it's absolutely delicious.

No, it's absolutely NOT on my diet!

The best part of the night was when a younger cousin and her friend (freshmen in high school) whispered to each other:

C: "Is there alcohol in this cake?"

D: "Yeah, I think it's vodka."

Ahhhh, innocence.  

Maia was able to use her cousin's "laptop" and I just loved watching her!  She's such a Mini-Me!!  She spent all weekend "working" - banging away on the keys like she was a CEO telecommuting.  It was pretty adorable.

We spent a couple hours at EMS.  It's an outdoor store (a New England version of REI) and this is the location of their corporate offices.  There were amazing deals, with just about everything on clearance. 

My favorite part of the weekend was decorating a birthday cake with our niece.  Since the cake I made was soaked in rum, I wanted the little ones to have an alternative.  I made the cake and icing from scratch (they were yummy!!) and we had a mini cake decorating lesson.  I showed her how to level the cake layers and spread the icing.  She had a lot of fun, but I'm pretty sure her favorite part was when I handed over the sprinkles.  I think the cake came out great considering she's only 4 years old!  What do you think?

We had a really nice weekend with family from all across the country.  (We're pretty popular now that we live in the States again!)  

Now it's back to reality and finishing our house!!  I can't wait to share pictures with you, but it's still a work-in-progress.  We've had a few setbacks…let's just say this has been the hardest move-in we've ever had.  But we can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel!

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Our First Farm Fresh CSA Produce Box!

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We joined a CSA last week and I picked up our first box of produce last night.  (CSA stands for Community Supported Agriculture.)  If you have the chance to participate in a CSA, I highly recommend it!  Just look at all the delicious, local produce we got for only $20 this week!

It's a really great way to support your local farmers and save a lot of money!  Plus, you know the produce is ultra-fresh because it was didn't have to endure days (or even weeks!) of transport to get to your home.

Each week we're scheduled to pick up our box of produce on Tuesday evening.  Each Monday, we get an email which tells us what will be in our box.  It also links to the specific farm and includes recipes.  This is the email we received a couple days ago:

Based on the email, I knew we were getting WAY more than $20 worth of produce.  Just a pint of blueberries alone sells for $4.99 at the grocery store this week!  (I know because I refused to buy them at that price!!)  The peppers are also expensive, selling for about $2.99 a pound.  

Our pick-up location is the nearby YMCA, so I picked up the box, went to a class (which kicked my butt!), and then came home.  When I opened the box, Maia wanted to see what all the fuss was about.  She sat at the table as Romas and I went through everything in awe.

She LOVES fruits and vegetables and couldn't wait to get her hands on the peppers!

Do you see the yellow ear of corn on top of the pile?  It's POPCORN!!  How cool is that?

We had to trade her some blueberries for the peppers.

We already pre-paid for our CSA through the end of August.  We had the opportunity to buy through the end of October, but we were a little unsure of pre-paying without ever having seen a box.  Once we opened it last night, it only took about 10 seconds before we all unanimously decided we would continue through the fall.  

I'm excited to get such a great deal on delicious staples in our house (peppers, blueberries, fresh corn, tomatoes) but I'm also excited to try some less common items in our house: I have never popped fresh popcorn and I've never pickled cucumbers…but I'm about to experience both this week!!  I can't wait!

Have you ever popped fresh popcorn or made your own pickles?  I could use some advice and some recipes!!

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