[digiscrap: Iphone PIcs.]

Well ... I'm frustrated.  After 2 weeks of consistent running (3-4x a week), Jillian DVD's on opposite days ("No More Trouble Zones" is my absolute 40minute favourite and can be downloaded in ITunes), watching what and when I eat - drinking buckets of David's Tea green tea and water, adding digestive enzymes to my diet (yay for that, I've noticed such a difference) and ...

I'm up.

AGAIN.

I weighed 137.8lbs today and I just don't understand.  Perhaps I'm packing on muscle?  Is that really possible? Losing a pound of fat and gaining a pound in a week?  Pretty sure it's not, although I have no idea how long it takes to gain a pound of muscle. (I found THIS ARTICLE to try and find some answers). I definitely see the beginnings of springtime toning ... but still.  The ongoing battle continues ... how on earth I've gained 7lbs in two months .. and how I haven't been able to take an ounce off over the last two weeks, is nothing short of baffling to me.  I'm actually up in numbers after all of that?

Dang.  And I had felt pretty yesterday ... which proves that if I don't get on the scale, and my size 4 clothes fit, that's enough.  But I also know that my doctor wasn't happy with me at 132lbs this past summer.   Apparently, I should be, like, 118-125lbs for my height (ok - I actually find that amusing ... losing 20lbs?).   And the truth is, is that I feel like if I don't get my numbers down a bit - and as I continue to get older - I'm going to just keep packing on the pounds.  And eventually be a circle.  *grin*.  A circle.  That's kinda funny.

But it's frustrating, and I'm pretty sure most of you feel the same, because it always feels like I'm starting over from the very beginning.  Like all the work of last year means nothing ... and here I am back at the starting point.  I seem to find myself at this place too often.  It seems like it takes a month to lose 2lbs and a meal to gain it back ... 

Well.  There's always this week, right? *smile* A new day to try and get healthier and stronger.  And that's one thing that I'm always amazed at.  That If I didn't reach my goals yesterday, I can try and reach them today.  And if I miss the mark today, as long as God gives me breath, then I can try tomorrow.  The point is to never stop ... you don't ever "reach" your health goal without effort, even in maintenance (not that I've ever been at the maintenance stage). Being healthy, having my body function well and being strong,  it will be something that will be ongoing for the rest of my life.  Hmmmm.  Unless I give up and indulge myself into being content with not being those things.

I sure hope not.

Ok.  That's my Monday's weigh-in rant.  Beh.  NEXT week will be better *wink*.

Well ... let's see ... how about talking about PICS?  Oh - how I love pics.  But maybe you're not sure what to do with those hundreds of pics on your Iphone?  Well ... they can be loaded onto your computer, sorted, saved, burned and digiscrapped - just like any other image *grin*.  But you already knew that - right?

I have a few bazillion Iphone pics - but now they're somewhat sorted, some burned to disk, some deleted ... and most are awaiting their place in my digiscrap album. 

Well, here are a few that I've been working on as of late, using the only templates I ever use from my friend Yin at SimplyYin.  She is so incredibly generous with her freebies - and I buy her template packages all the time.  She has even showcased some of my pages on her site, like HERE and HERE.  Eek ... that's always exciting to me.  

These pages were from templates she designed specifically for IPhone pics ... brilliant.  Click the images to enlarge.

Have a great one!

[redhandedphotography: CONTEST!]

Ok ... you need to stop what you're doing (oh wait - you've already done that and come here ...) and head over to my RedHanded Photography blog.

There's a 24hr contest happening.

Winner will be announced TOMORROW (how's that for quick??).

There's a NEW prize that will be awarded to one lucky person, randomly chosen.

You need to follow the rules, and leave a COMMENT at the bottom of the RedHanded Photography blogpost.

You can do that all HERE.

Please ... I need your help.  SO ... go on.

Thanks so very, very much!!

Have a great one!

[digiscrap: And More Than That.]

Oh wow ... somehow this got lost amongst all of my "to-be-posted-posts".  Another set of digiscrap pages ... double click images to enlarge and view.

I'm currently working on last year's Santa Monica trip ... I've only got a few more pages left to do - I'm so excited to get that done.  My plan is to put it into a book, this time.  Like the ones I make for my mom & mom-in-law every Christmas.

I'm also getting excited for my Las Vegas trip coming up in a couple of weeks.  I'm heading to the WPPI Convention (wedding photographers) - and will be gone three nights.  EEK.  And my roomie is the lovely Melody Davis Photography ... well.  Melody Davis ... but you get the idea.

Yesterday she came over and as our kiddies played, we dreamed of locations and ideas ... scanned the internet, made notes, dreamed some more.

Yup.  Can't wait.

I've got a few other things on the go too ... like my first race since my 1/2 Marathon last September.  I'll be doing a 10km on the 19th ... but I'm nervous that I've got shin splints after running 20km total last week.  Beh ... if it's not one thing, it's another.

I must be getting old.

**tear**

Oh man ... don't get me started on that now.  I'm feeling the suffocation of not being able to stop time, as of late.

But that's another post *grin*.

Have a great one!!

[make: New Blog.]

SO.  For years I've thought my friend, Char, had it going on with her "Entertaining My Way" blog.  It's a place where she uploads recipes - so she has access to them wherever she may be.  She doesn't publicize them ... it's for her.  And anyone else who's lucky enough to know the site's there.

You should check it out ... her recipes rock.  

Well.  Last night, I spent my quiet evening trying out my own little "recipe box" online.  And by the end, I created "MAKE by Homemakingirl".

The idea is that this will be where I upload recipes from now on.  They will all be tried and true. They will be recipes that I've had in my recipe box, or stolen from my mom's ... or maybe even from you *grin*.

I do not claim rights to these recipes, nor to the photos that I found randomly online.  Again, this is for me - so I can have my recipes wherever I may be - but you are WELCOME to come and check it out ... 

The link is:  http://www.makebyhomemakingirl.blogspot.com

I'm kinda excited about this ... mainly because it means I can do away with the "re-writing the messy cards of my recipe box" project that has been hovering over me for years.

Obviously, it's still in the baby stages.  Last night I put all the recipes from THIS blog, onto that one.  And over the days and weeks, I'll be continuely adding recipes from my recipe box at home.  I'll be sure to let you know when new recipes have been added.

If you stop by, please let me know what you think *smile* ...

Have a great one!

[make: Apricot Ginger Chicken.]

** written on Tuesday ... obviously *wink* **

It's Tuesday.  I like Tuesdays.  It usually means there's fresh produce in the house, my hubby doesn't have hockey, and we don't have to rush anywhere ...

On Tuesdays I actually enjoy cooking - and it's usually the night that I put the most effort into during the week.   My hubby really likes this one, and so I thought that I'd delay in getting to my photo-editing for the night, and share with you tonight's recipes.  

I like to call it "Apricot Ginger Chicken".

If you're like me, you follow Pinterest.  It's a cool way to see what people are into - and recipes are no exception.  I saw a recipe for an apricot chicken ... and then I found another and another.  After some humming and hawing, I came up with my own version.

I've made it 3x now ... and it is a massive hit around here.  (This is NOT my image ... but it kinda looks like this when it's done *grin*)

Apricot Ginger Chicken

1 cup apricot jam

1 tbsp soya sauce

1 tbsp grated fresh ginger

4 chicken breasts

Directions:  

- Preheat the oven to 325, prepare a 9x9 baking dish lined with foil.

- Combine the jam, soya sauce and ginger.  

- Arrange the chicken and pour over prepared mixture, being sure to lift up the chicken and let the mixture coat the bottom.

- Cover with foil.

- Bake for 1hour.

It's fall-off-a-log easy, and yummy enough to serve for company (which I have - including my parents).  Tonight I served it with steamed broccoli and jasmine rice (cooked in coconut milk - amazing.)

Let me know if you try this, and how it worked for you :-).

Have a great one!