New Year, New Adventures and Changes to Come. . .

New year and new adventures. . .

Do you make New Year’s resolutions? I do not, I resolve to be better than I was last year. Excited to say I have lost 20 lbs since I started my taking care of me routine last year. There is still a lot to work on but I have added some new routines to my day that I think are good. Want to share some recipes and some tips and tricks I have learned along the way.

Recipes I enjoy. . .

Here recipes is a recipe I have enjoyed these last few months. Should preface this part by saying I am not vegetarian or vegan but I do prefer the vegetarian recipes. I found this one by accident one day when I wanted a taco type meal but I had no ground beef. This is vegetarian quinoa tacos: 1 cup quinoa cooked, 1 can black beans rinsed and drained, 1 can corn rinsed and drain, onion chopped, 3 cloves garlic pressed, 2 tsp chili powder, 2 tsp cumin, 1 tsp smoked paprika, 2 tsp cilantro, and small can tomato paste. Sauté garlic and onion in a little white wine and olive oil. Once smelling the garlic and onion is clear add corn and black beans and stir. Add tomato paste and add 2 cups water or beef broth and stir then add your cooked quinoa. Toss in your other seasonings be sure to rub your Cilantro between your fingers to release the essential oils before tossing. This can simmer over med low heat for about 25 mins and you are ready for some veggie tacos.

How are you exercising in the cold?

The hubbs bought me a stationary bike a year or so ago after my foot started hurting and I put my walking on hold. The bike has come in handy for my exercise these last couple of months. It is hard to go out and walk in 30 degree weather I did, however, walk in 44 degree weather. Adding the bike meant adding some weight training too. Years and years ago I used to lift weights and I have recently started back slowly. Seeing a definite benefit from the added weight lifting. Starting yoga also has been a big benefit, I am getting back my flexibility. There are so many apps and youtube videos of routines you can try. The challenge is to find your groove, I am working now to find my groove.

It is not all about exercise. . .

It is not all about what you do but about what you eat and vitamins you take. I am a huge advocate for vitamins, mom used to sell vitamins when I was little and she and dad always took vitamins. Mom turned 90 last year and Dad will be 90 this year. Mom does not take any medication for anything, Dad has one prescription. They have always taken vitamins and worked out. There is no better reason or basis for advocating exercise, vitamins, and eating healthy.

I am Grateful and Blessed

Grateful and Thankful

I am grateful and thankful this Christmas season. There are so many things in this world you could be angry at right now but, I am choosing to be thankful and grateful. My boys are home for Christmas and I so glad. They came home for a very short stay at Thanksgiving but, I get them for a month over Christmas.

Updates and News. . .

The thankful and grateful begins with the boys surviving their first semester on the same campus. They had fun and Big T practiced and did conditioning with the team and seems to be doing well for a freshman. Sprat was named one of three team captains for the 2021-2022 lacrosse season and we are very proud. Sprat has a plan for his graduation and will most likely stay for one more year to double major and finish his student teaching. Big T has picked his major as business management with a minor in music. He also spent finals week in quarantine due to COVID. Some might say that is great he had time to focus on finals. It was not good, he is the germa-phobe in the family. He freaked out when he learned he had tested positive and was going to be “locked”down for eleven days. Thankful and grateful they made it through finals.

Looking Forward to 2022

We are looking forward to 2022 in the hopes that we get to go see the boys play lacrosse this year. Sprat did not have a season last year and Big T opted not to play his senior year of high school due to the lack of following COVID protocol among the student athletes. My fingers are crossed that they get a season and the hubbs and I get to go see them play. It would be very sad if the Fall sports got their full season and the Spring sports got canceled due to COVID yet again.

Stay tuned. . . Christmas merriment is about to begin at our house. . .