Wordless Wednesday - What in the world are they doing?

The other day, Doc and I looked out the window and saw this . . .

It looks like they are parasailing on the ice. I've never seen anything like it before and it had me wondering a couple things -
1 - What are they wearing on their feet? Ice skates? Shoes? Boots?
2 - What happens if the wind takes them over a part of the ice that isn't solid?
3 - How do you stop?

If anyone has done this before and has any insight, please let me know. I'm thoroughly intrigued!

CSN stores - Giveaway Winner

Out of 108 entries, random.org selected #53 as the winner of the CSNstores giveaway.

Congratulations to Doodle741  who said... Tweet! https://twitter.com/#!/Doodle741/status/23929717430157312!

Simple Changes for 2011

When my children were just babies, life was crazy. I was sleep deprived. My house was a mess. I was carrying some extra baby weight. I always said, "When the girls get older, I'll have more time to get back in shape. I'll have more time to clean when I don't have to hold them all the time. I'll find more time when they nap longer and sleep through the night." Then my babies became toddlers.

When my children were toddlers, life was crazy. I was no longer sleep deprived, but I was exhausted. My house was a mess. Cleaning seemed futile. As I would try to pick up in one room, the girls would be playing (aka making a mess) in another. I still was carrying extra baby weight even though I felt like I never sat down. I thought, "I'll have more time when the girls are in school. I'll get on a real exercise schedule. The house will be immaculate. I'll probably even be bored." Then my toddlers started school.

Now that my girls are in school, life is crazy. I am no longer exhausted, but I am constantly busy. Between driving the girls to and from school and other activities, I am always on the road. My house is still not clean. With grandparents that love the girls more than life itself, we are overrun with toys that have outgrown their homes. I am still carrying extra baby weight. (Can you call it that when your babies are 5 and 6?) I exercise regularly, but my body no longer responds like it did when I was in my 20's. I now realize that I will never have more time. Twenty-four hours is all that you can get in a day. I now understand that it is not the amount of time you are given, but how you spend it. How I prioritize my life is up to me. That is why I am making some simple changes to make my life better in 2011.

I really have no major complaints from 2010. It was a good year. However, even the best of years can be improved upon, and that is my goal.  In 2011 I plan to remain happily married to my wonderful husband.  I plan to appreciate him more.  I plan to give him a kiss every day when he gets home from work so that he knows how much I love him.   I am hoping that that small gesture which will take only seconds from my day will remind us that even with our busy lives, we are still in it together.   I have been blessed with two amazing little girls.  They are so kind and polite.  They rarely miss an opportunity to say "Please", "Thank You", or help a friend.  In 2011 I plan to make more of an effort to recognize their strengths.  Instead of only correcting them when they do forget, I will tell them how much I appreciate their thoughtfulness.  I will thank them when they help with the dishes, laundry, or vacuuming the floor.   I hope to foster their kindness and encourage their hard work with simple words of acknowledgment.   The last small change I hope to make in 2011 is to do more random acts of kindness.   Sometimes it might be as simple as a smile for a stranger.  Other times perhaps I'll pass a coupon on to another shopper.  By appreciating what I have and sharing with others, I hope to make not only my own life better, but also the lives of others who might pay it forward.

*Disclaimer: I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and Simply Orange® blogging program. If I am one of the first 65 blogs received by SocialsMoms, I will receive a $25 Target gift card and a gift pack that includes a Simply Orange® cooler bag and logoed fleece.

Facebook Fan Giveaway Winner

Of 13 entries, random.org selected #10 as the winner of my Facebook Fan Giveaway.   Congratulations Esther!  I will be contacting you shortly so that you can select your prize.

Cinch! by Cynthia Sass, MPH, RD (Review)

First, a bit about the book . . .

Cynthia Sass, the creator and co-author of the New York Times Bestselling Flat Belly Diet presents her new break-through, 30-day weight loss program Cinch! targeted to end overeating, leaving dieters feeling full and satisfied while enjoying the best food combinations to burn fat and boost metabolism.

The program starts with the 5-day Fast Forward plan that ends erratic eating by focusing on five simple foods—spinach, almonds, raspberries, eggs, and yogurt (or vegan-friendly alternatives) - eaten in a variety of combinations. These first 5 days promise up to 8 pounds of weight loss. Each of the five foods is low in calories yet loaded with nutrients and natural satiety-boosters, which allows you to “detox” from junk foods without feeling deprived.

The remaining 25 days of the program are packed with foods that offer maximum fat-burning, improving metabolism while unlocking the secret to the body’s satiety center with foods that the latest research shows turn on the body’s “I’m full” signal. As in Flat Belly Diet, all of the meals for the full 30-day program are created for you and are fully interchangeable. As an added feature, vegan and vegetarian options are covered so the plan can be adapted to fit any lifestyle.

Cynthia is also the Weight Loss Blogger for Shape magazine.

What I liked:

After reading the first three chapters, I was completely on board.  I was committed.  I went out and purchased spinach, eggs, yogurt, raspberries and almonds.  Her logic and explanations made sense.  Cynthia states that you need to eat four evenly spaced meals every that that each contain all of her five food groups - a lean protein, produce, whole grain, plant based fat and SASS (seasonings).  If you do that, you will remain full longer, you will lose weight, and you will be getting all the nutrients that you need.  She also provided evidence by referencing studies to back up her claims.   The book was thorough.  It included references, recipes, and detailed explanations so that you knew why you were making the changes you were.

What I didn't like:

After chapter 3, the book gets into the meat and potatoes of the diet.  This is where specific recipes are listed.  While I love that the recipes are provided, unfortunately, many of the recipes are not for me.  I can eat fairly clean (I stuck to the Power 90 diet and exercise plan for the full 90 days), but not as clean as Cynthia recommends.  I come from a family of meat eaters.  While I don't think that we overindulge in red meats, I am not willing to eliminate all red meats and pork products from our diet, as she suggests.  In addition, Cynthia rarely makes any reference to exercise.  She briefly mentions walking, but nothing else.  When making a lifestyle change to lose weight, my goal is not just to be thinner, but to be healthier overall.  I think that by eliminating this aspect of weight loss from her book, she is doing a bit of a disservice to many of her readers. 

Overall:

This is a great book for the right person.  With the detailed information and recipes provided, you could definitely be on your way to living a healthier, thinner life.  Unfortunately, I am not that person.  If one of my readers thinks they would enjoy reading this book and giving it a try, let me know.  I'd be happy to pass my copy on to you.  (*Note - I received an uncorrected proof that has a significant number of noticeable omissions and notes to the author/editor within the text of the book)

*Disclaimer - I received a copy of this book from One2One in exchange for my honest review.  I did not receive any other compensation.  All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Any Novice Wine Drinkers Among Us?

Personally, I'm not a wine drinker.  For some reason, the taste of wine makes me think of church rather than fun, relaxation, or a good time.  However, that doesn't mean that wine doesn't intrigue me.  I live in an area that is full of wineries.  I've toured several and taken part in wine tastings as well.  I think it is interesting to hear which food accentuates a particular wine (or vise versa) and why.   It is also great to know when entertaining, since wine seems to be more and more popular in my circle of friends lately.  As such, I was eager to learn about a site called Pair Savvy from One2One.   

Both a site and a mobile app, Pair Savvy allows you to pair wine (or even beer) with an appropriate cheese.  You can select the pairing by choosing a particular wine, beer, or cheese that you are interested in, and the site will tell you what else you should have to go with it.   Does that make sense?  If not, check out the site, it really is a simple concept, but I'm having a hard time making it sound just right. 

The site is rather fun to play with.  I actually had no idea that so many varieties of beer, wine or cheese actually existed until I started goofing around with it.   I also love that you are able to save your pairings.  That way, if I find a pair I really like, I know I'll be able to find it again. 

I was disappointed in one aspect of the site.  There wasn't an explanation for the pairings or a description of the wine, beer or cheese.  For example, I was expected to read something like, "This intensely flavored semi-soft cheese distinctly contradicts the soft earthy flavor of this red wine . . . "  so that I would know more of what to expect with the wine and/or cheese.  

Overall, it is definitely a site/app with a purpose.  For the right person, it could easily provide you with an option when looking to choose a wine for yourself or to entertain.

*Disclaimer:  I am introducing and reviewing this site through One2One.  I did not receive any compensation in exchange for my post.  All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Wordless Wednesday - The Canada Goose in Ohio is still alive and well. . .

. . . unlike the Red-Winged Blackbird in Arkansas.  I wonder what happened?

What did you get for Christmas (CSNstores Giveaway)?

The thing I've discovered about Christmas gifts, is that they have a strange way of making me want or need more items that I didn't realize I needed before I received the gift.

For example, I got some sweaters for Christmas from my sister . . . but I didn't have any shirts that matched to wear underneath.  So, off I went to find some matching shirts (and some cute pants . . . because who doesn't need some new cute pants?  Okay, maybe me . . . but that is beside the point.)

So, what did you get for Christmas?  Did you get a new TV?  If so, then you are probably looking at tv stands or wall mounts in every store you pass by.

Did you get an ipod touch?  (I did!  Thanks Doc!)  If you have kids in your house, then you can't have an unprotected ipod touch.  You must need a case and screen protectors.  Maybe you could even use a dock or travel charger.

Whatever it is that you received for Christmas, I suspect that there is some accessory that you are now looking for.  Unfortunately, money is often tight after the holidays, which makes purchasing these accessories a bit of a challenge.  Lucky for one of my readers, I was contacted by CSNstores to host either a review or giveaway on my blog.  I have opted to do the giveaway.   As such, one of my readers is going to receive a $35.00 promotional code to use on any of the 200+ CSNstores sites.  (Please remember that not all items ship for free, so take that into consideration when choosing your prize if you win.)

Mandatory Entry:  Browse any of the CSN stores (preferably using the "tv stands" link above) and find an item that interests you.  Post a link to the item and a brief statement of why you'd like to win it.

Optional Extra Entries:

1. Follow me on Twitter.  Post your username in the comments.
2. Tweet about this giveaway using @rmgm and @CSNStores.  Post a link to your tweet here.  This can be done once daily.  
3. Follow me publicly on Google Friend Connect and post a comment with your username.
4. Like me on Facebook
5. Post about this giveaway on Facebook.  Make sure you give a link back here and @MomOnTheEdge so that I can see that I was mentioned.

Details:

• Only open to US residents
• Winner will be chosen using random.org
• Giveaway ends 11:59pm ET on January 18, 2011
• Include your email address in your comment if it is not available on your profile page.
• Winner will have 48 hours to respond or another winner will be chosen.

*Note:  This giveaway is sponsored by CSNstores.  I did not receive any compensation in exchange for hosting this giveaway.  All thoughts and opinions are my own.  Others may have different experiences.

New thoughts for the New Year

I began this blog for two reasons:

1. To get more entries for giveaways on other blogs when I was actually entering more often. 
2. To have a place to rant, rave, complain and brag about things that were going on in my life (even if no one was reading).

Throughout my giveaway entering and random talking, I have been given several opportunities to host giveaways for the few that do read this blog.  As that happened, I began to compare myself to other bloggers.  I wanted to have as many followers as xxx or high value giveaways like yyy.  I wanted people to send me products to try.  I wanted someone to care about my opinions.  The reality is that I am not a review blogger.  I am not a giveaway blogger.  I'm not a great writer.  I'm a regular person.  I am a mom.  I blog when I can or when I need to vent.   I will still host giveaways as they come my way if it seems like a product that people would like.   However, I no longer have a goal of having as many followers as xxx.  Follow my blog if you'd like.  Feel free to unfollow if you wouldn't.  I will no longer be concerned with my online rank.  My main concern in 2011 is being the best wife, mother, daughter, sister, and friend that I can be!  I expect that life in general will give me plenty of things that I'll need to blog about . . .

*Note:  With this change of heart, I have also decided to end my facebook giveaway early.  Rather than wait for 100 fans, I will select a winner via random.org on Friday (just in case any of my current facebook fans would like to enter that haven't already).