Ya got me, Marcia!

1. Post these rules.
2. You must post 11 random things about yourself.
3. Answer the questions set for you in their post.
4. Create 11 new questions for the people you tag to answer.
5. Go to their blog and tell them you’ve tagged them.
6. No stuff in the tagging section about you are tagged if you are reading this. You legitimately have to tag 11 people.

11 Things-

1.   I think that Asian babies (particularly Lily from Modern Family) are the most adorable ethnicity in the world.  Jarid has me hooked on the show!  It’s conveniently aired right after One Tree Hill

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2. When I was a kid, my grandma (Dad’s Mom) was a floral arranger.  She did weddings all the time, and I looked forward to visiting her and dressing up like a bride with the bouquets & veils.

3. Recently, in transit from work to my 11am class at a campus, my Samsung Captivate fell out of my purse and proceeded to be driven over several times until completely smashed.  I found it the next day alongside the road.  Hellooooo Iphone4!

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4. Until about age 12, my biggest fear was vampires.  I was traumatized as a kid, after watching a movie on TV that my parents wouldn’t have allowed me to watch in a million years.  I had nightmares about them all the time!

5.  I’ve got two little boys…or actually, more like like little brothers that I never had.  I’ve taken advantage of the opportunity to impact a child’s life through Compassion International, and Cristopher & Isaac are my favorite two people to get snail mail from!

6. I was born into a very athletic family.  My parents both played sports all through high school.  My Mom went on to be a 3-sport athlete at Lebanon Valley College (basketball, field hockey, & softball).  My Dad went into the Air Force and I’ve seen pictures…he was JACKED.

7. I’m a sucker for The Bachelor/ette & Biggest Loser.  You can keep your Jersey Shore, Teen Mom, and any other show that reality TV has to offer.

[source]

8.   I was born and raised a country music lover.  Some of my favorites as a kid were Kenny Chesney, Martina McBride, Shania Twain, & Faith Hill.  There’s still a small place in my heart for that type of music, but I tend to stay away from the twangy older stuff and currently enjoy Thompson Square, Lady Antebellum, and yes, SOME Taylor Swift.

9.  I wish TGIF was still in existance.  I remember looking forward to Boy Meets World, Sabrina the Teenage Witch, Family Matters, and Step-by-Step every single week.  In fact, I freaked out if we were out and about as a family and I realized I was missing it or wouldn’t make it home in time to watch.

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10.  This one is more of a confession.  Brad’s Raw Leafy Kale is officially my new vice.  I suppose, of all things, this is a good vice to have considering they’re natural, gluten-free, and super nutritious.  The only bad news is, Jarid probably would be appalled at the thought of kissing me after downing a serving (or two ) of the Vampire Killer flavor.

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INGREDIENTS: KALE, RED BELL PEPPER, CASHEWS, SUNFLOWER SEEDS, LEMON JUICE, SCALLIONS, NUTRITIONAL YEAST, GARLIC, HIMALAYAN SEA SALT (review to come!)

11.  I’ve never been to an NBA basketball game…but that’s all about to change thanks to our friends, Mike & Julie!  We are going to a 76ers game Saturday after my basketball game & staying the night in Philly!  Cannottt waittt. 

The 11 questions I have to answer

1. What is your worst habit? Over analyzing things.

2. What is your favorite race distance? A 5K or 1/2 Marathon.

3. What music is on your iPod that you don’t want anyone to know about? Uhh possibly some BSB.

4. What is your favorite season and why? Summer all the way! Pool time, beach time, and tan time.  Need I say more?

5. If you had $2000 and had to spend it on yourself in 8 hours; how would you spend it? I would 1st put new tires on my car, ’cause Lord knows it probably won’t pass inspection with the tread the way it is now, and 2nd, I would pay off the rest of my car.

6. Name one thing that freaks you out.  BUGS & RATS.  Hate ‘em.

7. If you graduated from college were/are using your major? I’m going to be a Registered Dietician or Sports Nutritionist!  It’s in the works

8. If you could pick any job on Earth, what would that be.  What I’m aiming for currently. *see above.

9. How many hours of sleep did you get last night? About 7.

10. What’s a fond childhood memory? Going to my Godmother’s house after school, watching Power Rangers & Hey Arnold, and eating ice cream or candy while doing my homework. 

11. Are you going to watch the Super Bowl? Most likely.

Now it’s my turn to do the tagging! 

Julie @ Julie Go Lean

Katie @ Chocolate Covered Katie

Liz @ I Heart Vegetables

Lenna @ Vegan Lenna

Ella @ Nutritionella

Alyssa @ Life of Blyss

Lynn @ The Actor’s Diet

Get to it, ladies;)

XO.

I had some money left on a birthday giftcard from Color Me Mine, and the last time we went, we really enjoyed the relaxation of talking and painting together. 

Jarid is a good sport about trying “girly” things and really loves watching me get creative.  He’s pretty talented himself, actually.

I think he was kind of digging the fact that I mentioned picking up Chipotle, which was in the same plaza as the paint place, for dinner.

Anyway, the selfless person that he is, he decided on painting a vase, that way, “when he buys me flowers, I can use it to hold them“.  Does it get any sweeter than that guy?

I was pretty impressed with the final product!  He was so cute, trying to make sure each of the flowers on the front were perfectly shaped. 

We get to pick them up on Friday night.  I’m excited to see what it looks like after being fired in the kiln!

I painted a bowl (of course, for optimal food photography), since I use bowls and mugs for almost everything I eat.  It’s very rare that I use a plate!  After all, don’t th best foods come in bowl form?  (Oatbran, cereal, salads, roasted veggies, soup, etc.)

See?  Chipotle knows what I’m talking about   I picked a burrito bowl with black beans, corn salsa, fresh tomato salsa, romaine lettuce, and fajita vegetables.  The corn was probably the best part.  It was totally flavorful & sweet. 

Another successful date night!

Stay tuned to see what the glazed items look like POST glazing.  I’m sure they’ll be making an appearance on the blog shortly after

xo.

Here’s the deal.  I’ve tried out the ThermoFit and couldn’t have been more pumped about the fact that I gained TONS of energy to burn at basketball practice.  It was easier to get my heart rate up and burn calories when I took this, yet there are no harmful ingredients!

Fire up your metabolism with this naturally based, thermogenic weight loss formula! Powered by the antioxidant superfood acai berry and the metabolism-boosting properties of Capsimax® (red hot pepper blend), Ultimate ThermoFit helps to:

• Thermogenic weight loss formula
• Antioxidant benefits of acai berry
• Promotes increased calorie burning
• Helps boost metabolic rate
• Reduces appetite
• Provides energy

Next up is the Fat Fighter

Have a sweet tooth? A carb craving? It’s okay to indulge every once in a while when you have Advanced Formula Fat Fighter with Carb Inhibitors!

Simply take Fat Fighter up to an hour after eating, and it will absorb some of the fat and carbohydrates from your food so that your body doesn’t. Powered by NeOpuntia™ (a naturally based ingredient made from the “prickly pear” cactus) and the It Works! proprietary blend, Advanced Formula Fat Fighter delivers dynamic, clinically tested results for both men and women.

• Blocks some of the fat & carbs from meals
• Helps balance blood glucose level and reduce cravings
• Designed to be taken up to an hour after meals
• Cactus-based formula
• Does not contain shellfish

Directions: Adults take 2 tablets during or up to 60 minutes after each large meal.

Annnndd, last but not least.

The Greens!  Something, I’m sure all of you Green Monster lovin’ chicks will eat right up.

Not eating your fruits and vegetables like you should? Get what you are missing with Greens, a delicious orange-flavored, alkalizing drink powder with the nutritional value of 8+ servings of fruits and vegetables in each serving.

Greens blends 38 herbs and nutrient-rich “superfoods” to provide vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients, and enzymes in their naturally-occurring, bio-active, bio-available form. 

• Detoxifying, alkalizing drink powder
• Promotes pH balance within the body
• 38 herbs & nutrient-rich “superfoods”
• Equivalent of 8+ servings of fruits and vegetables in each serving 

Greens is a pleasant tasting, orange-flavored powder. Simply add to water or juice –I recommend orange or pineapple juice! MmmM!

 I mean, look at all the wholesome ingredients in the proprietary blend list!  You’ve got a TON of SUPERfoods in there…and for 15 calories?! Common!

Honestly, if you have any questions what-so-ever, please email me at wrapmeSami@gmail.com

In addition, if you’re in the Harrisburg area and are dying to try a wrap, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with me.  For the first 7 readers who set up an appointment with me, I will give you a special 1-time trial for just $25.  Typically, you have to buy the ultimate body applicators in packages of four. 

I’ve also created a new TAB for the blog, so you have easy access to my story & my store.

VISIT MY STORE HERE!

The part about going on a date sometime soon pretty much made my day   It means a lot to me when she expresses that she would like to spend more time together, especially because I know how busy she is.

Next, she copied and pasted this Fellowship of Christian Athletes daily devotional that I used to get delivered to my work email address:

“Who Are You?
Monday, January 23rd, 2012

READY: 

“Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away, and look, new things have come.”
- 2 Corinthians 5:17

SET: 

As a student-athlete in high school, the only thing that I liked about myself was my basketball ability. My self-worth was based completely on my performance on the court. Although I knew Christ, it took a lot of painful losing and poor performances for me once I got to college to realize that my self-worth was very skewed.

After I began to read the Bible more, I realized that none of the verses showed that God loved me any less based on my performance. I did, however, find many verses based on how God viewed me as His child.

When we receive Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, we begin to see that we are children of God, and that is enough. Our self-image, bad habits, weaknesses, poor performances, etc., have nothing to do with who we are or how God loves us. On the contrary, when we look down on ourselves, we actually hinder our relationship with Him. As Oswald Chambers says, “The way we continually talk about our own inability is an insult to the Creator.” When we tear ourselves down, we ultimately tell God that He did a pretty bad job of creating us.

We have two options in response to this. We can choose to go to God to show us who we are and reveal our true identity, or we can choose to go to others and the world to tell us who we are. Only one will bring peaceful truth.

Enjoy who God made you to be in Christ!

GO: 

1. Who are you?
2. What lies about yourself do you need to stop believing? What truths about yourself do you need to start believing?
3. What do you need to do in order to see yourself as a child of God?

WORKOUT: 

John 1:12
Romans 5:1
Romans 8:37-39
Ephesians 1:5

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Amanda Tewksbury is the FCA Area Representative of Bangor, Maine. She grew up in New Jersey and was a student-athlete at the University of Maine for four years. “

She couldn’t be more right…for SO long, I didn’t recognize the fact that I am a precious gem in God’s eyes…not because of my talents, the way I looked, my achievements, my ambition, or even my attitude…He simply loves me because I’m His child.  In fact, He loves me more than I could ever imagine… For any of you mothers out there, I’m sure you have an idea of what a parents love really is like…now, multiply that times 1253487651365987 and you still only have an inkling of the magnitude that is God’s love for us.

I just want you to know…incase you’ve forgotten, GOD LOVES YOU…not your posessions, not your skills, not your achievements…JUST YOU. 

Anyway, the winner of the It Works giveaway is Josie Chow!  Congratulations, Josie!  Please email me at freckledfoodielove@gmail.com to claim your prize as soon as possible.  I can’t wait for you to be a believer! 

Next?  A few random things that I’ve been up to the past few days. 

#1. The boy and I bought a Living Social coupon to try out some Latin food at Arepa City in Harrisburg.  Unfortunately, they wouldn’t accept our voucher since we ordered it to go…

Jarid picked the Chicken Guisado Arepa slider – “slow cooked chicken breast in tomato sauce” and the Grilled Tenderloin Skewer, but I was a nice girlfriend and also shared the side of black beans that I ordered

to accompany my Ensalada de Palmito – “hearts of palm, avocado & tomato over spring mix with balsamic”.  The black beans were excellent, actually.  When we go back for our “sit in” meal to use up the voucher, I’m getting the SAME thing. 

#2.  I’ve got some new artwork from my little guy in Nicaragua to decorate my cubicle. 

I’m sure you guys know by now that I’m a huge advocate of Compassion International.  I wish I could show off Isaac’s progressing pictures over the years, but I don’t feel it’s right to violate his privacy that way.  He really is adorable and his letters just melt my heart.

#3. Winter break is officially over and Spring 2012 semester has begun.  our team’s first game in the 2nd half of our season, although it was a non-conference game, was a little rough. 

This team from Hagerstown, MD was pretty good, but we could’ve hung with them, had we been on our game.  The first round, we only lost by 6 points.  

Something I’ve found to help me maintain a high energy level throughout the 40 minutes of high intensity cardio of the game, are these FRS low calorie, peach-mango drinks.

Not only do they taste awesome, but they’re made of great ingredients, which is important in my book…for just 25 calories.

Ingredients:  Water, white grape juice concentrate, orange juice concentrate, Inulin, Citric Acid, Natural Orange Flavor, Quercetin, Ascorbic Acid, Gum Arabic, locust bean gum, Green Tea Extract, alpha tocopheryl acetate (Vit E), Sucralose, Caffeine, Niacinamide (Vitamin B3), Natural Lemon Flavor, Beta Carotene (for color), Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B6), Thiamin Hydrochloride (Vitamin B1), Riboflavin (B2), B12 (Cyanocobalamin)

Practices have been getting increasingly more intense, too, in order to prepare for games.  After all, you play the way you practice, right?    

Yep, it’s a little blurry, but this monitor definitely read 1015 calories burned in 1 hour and 58 minutes.

I’ve been getting some good workouts in at home, too.  Thankfully, the amazing Toshiba Thrive that Jarid got me for Christmas has been coming in handy when I need something to preoccupy me on the elliptical in the basement.

Bruce Almighty, anyone?  I ususally do Insane Abs DVD, bike on the stationary, and then elliptical for the lenghth of either a movie or one of my favorite TV shows (Extreme Makeover Home Edition, One Tree Hill, Biggest Loser).

Or until I feel like that

#4.  For my Grandma’s birthday, we got family pictures taken and framed.  I never realized that the photography studio at JCPenney, where my cousin works and got a great discount, was such a decent place for pictures.

Not too shabby, right? Jarid was a good sport, held my purse, and made goofy faces at me through the class to ensure a genuine smile

 #5.  I think I’ll be ordering Annie’s Lite Honey Mustard dressing from iherb.com for the rest of my life…or until the grocery stores in my area start stocking it on shelves.

Speaking of groceries, though… 

Here’s a recent trip and all my findings:

Let’s see what we’ve got here: Sonoma Jacks Light Pepperjack cheese wedges, spaghetti squash, red, yellow, & orange bell peppers, parsnips, pre-cut summer squash & zucchini, frozen vegetables, fat free cottage cheese, unsweet almond milk, bananas, and canned beans. 

I think the majority of my money spent per month goes toward groceries…what better thing to spend money on than something healthy & nutritious, though, right?

Oh yeah…I mean, other than fun outings with this handsome guy.

He’s usually a total gentleman, though and insists on paying for everything.  Every now and then, I get sneaky and manage to pull out my wallet first   I must say, though…I can always count on him to take good care of me.  This is honestly the happiest I have ever been…and it’s pretty apparent to everyone in my life.

Whether it’s taking over a random photobooth in the mall, going to Wegman’s for an after church lunch & shopping,

or simply a night cuddled up on the couch reading to each other from our daily devotional book.  I feel SO blessed to have him.

[source]

Right now, we’re reading, “Love is a verb” by: Gary Chapman.  It’s perfect for everyday, because it’s a series of short stories.  We typically each read one and call it quits for the night, since we’re so busy and want to soak up relaxation time on weeknights.  My cousin & her husband (another Jared), gave it to us for Christmas.

So, here are a few questions for Thursday:

1- What are some GREAT books on your t0-read list? 

2- What’s your favorite “date night” with your significant other?

3- Favorite salad dressing?

If you’ll excuse me, I’ve got to go chug some H20 now…after all, it is Thirsty Thursday

XO.

If you read my last post, you know that this past weekend, you may remember me mentioning an unebelivable experience with It Works! thanks to my wonderful friend, blogging buddy, and Zumba queen, Toni.   

You can read here about how a passion for healthy living has helped her transform her life.  Recently, she became an independant distributor for It Works! 

I’ve been hearing tons about the company over the internet and among friends, but wasn’t fully convinced of its “miracle working abilities”.  I HAD to try it for myself.  It isn’t that I didn’t believe Toni, I just like to experience something first hand before I endorse it.  It’s one of those see for yourself kind of things.  When Toni asked me about reviewing some of the supplements, I inquired about a wrapping! 

As I mentioned, rather than a water weight loss, this wrap is a detox from the outside in.  The ingredients in the wrap (all-natural and organic, in fact) are designed to target your adipose tissue, aka fat cells, which typically hold onto fatty tissue and toxins.  The process takes a total of 72 hours, even though you’ll see a difference in just 1 hour after you’ve had the wrap on your skin and results last 3-5 months!

Ingredients:

Horse chestnut – According to the National Institutes for Health, horse chestnut seed extract is good for treating varicose veins

Green tea – Known to protect the skin from sun damage, caffeine also is showing much promise in fighting wrinkles and sun damage

Bladderwrack – This is a type of seaweed and helps aging skin

Ivy leaf extract – Reports in from Europe say this is good for reducing stretch marks

Horsetail leaf/stem extract – Known to help encourage weight loss

Butcher’s Broom root extract – Combats varicose veins

Guarana seed extract - A shrub rich in caffeine, known as a stimulant, and expected to increase fat burning

Jojoba seed oil – Similar in structure to human skin oils, jojoba is good for unclogging pores

Menthol - Comes from mint, used to treat sun burns and as a topical analgesic

Rosemary leaf oil -Chock full of antioxidants

Eucalyptus leaf oil – Smells amazing & is totally relaxing 

The cool thing is, you don’t even need a consultant to do your own wrapping.  You can totally do it yourself.  I wanted to find out more about the product and sit down with Toni, so we got together and she helped me while explaining all the facts.

Wrapping is easy!  Here’s what you’ll need to get started:

• A tape measure
• A sharpie marker
• An ace bandage or spandex clothing or saran wrap to hold the wrap in place

Pre-wrapping: To achieve the best results and absorption, take a warm shower using an exfoliating bath sponge but do not use soap-you want to avoid putting on lotions or oils.  The purpose of the shower is to open your pores.  Dry your body really well after your shower!

Stand up straight and record your measurements in 3 different places where you will use the wrap (use the tracker below to mark your inches).  High, medium, and low, as indicated by “H”, “M”, and “L”. 

Using the sharpie marker, draw a line where you took the measurements on your skin (for example, waist, belly button, and hips if using the wrap on the stomach).

Here are my pre wrap measurements:

H: 32”
M: 35”
L: 36 1/4”

 Completely unfold applicator and place the wrap lotion side toward body. (Both sides will feel saturated with the ingredients.  The side that you open should be placed against your body.  Remember, it needs to be unwrapped to it’s full length.  When opened completey, it will resemble a large maxipad (it’s the best way to describe it-sorry fellas!). 

Smooth out the wrap to ensure good contact and secure application. 

Wear the wrap for a minimum of 45 minutes to 8 hours for maximum results and secure wrap with spandex clothing, ace bandage, or saran wrap.  

If this is your first time using the Ultimate Body Wrap, do not use longer than 45 minutes to ensure there is no skin irritation or allergic reaction from the natural ingredients in the wrap. 

When removing the applicator, rub in the remaining gel for maximum results.  You can place the remaining gel anywhere…rub it on your sides, your arms, your legs…just use as much as the product from the wrap as possible!  Get your money’s worth!

In just under an hour, here were the changes in my measurements… I can assure you, these measurements were double-checked several times, as we were dumbfounded at the results! 

Toni and I both expected results, but this was the most extreme!!  I know I eat a lot of sodium and artificial sweeteners, which potentially caused it, but still…7 1/2 inches total?!  INSANITY!  We were literally jumping up and down in the middle of her kitchen.

 It is very important to drink extra water to flush the fat & toxins quickly from the body! How much water should you drink?  At least half of your body weight in ounces daily! (If you weigh 150lbs, drink at least 75oz of water daily for the next 3 days).  And treat yourself to 1-2 large glasses of water DURING the wrap.  You want to flush out those toxins! 

It is also very important not to exercise or sweat during the wrap or immediately after. Sweating will block the absorption and penetration of gel. This means no physical activity immediately following the wrap.  Yes, this does include sex. 

When the applicator has been removed measure at the same locations initially measured. Compare those measurements to your pre-wrap measurements.  Don’t forget to measure again at 24, 48, and 72 hours!  You may have to reapply the marks on your skin using a sharpie if you are interested in seeing the most accurate results. 

You can safely wrap only one part of your body every 72 hours.  The wrap may be cut in half to fit arms and legs. Arms and legs are considered one body part so they can be wrapped at the same time.

Stay tuned for a review on some of the awesome supplements that are part of the It Works!  line!!

If you’d like to try a wrap, just email Toni at wrapmetoni@gmail.com.  Currently, the Ultimate Body Applicator which comes with 4 wraps is being sold for $99, but if you become a loyal customer, which you can read about here, you can get them for just $59!

Toni has generously offered to giveaway 1 free wrap to a lucky winner!  Here’s how to enter: 

1. Check out her blog and leave a comment letting me know what product you think you’d most want to try.
   
2. “Like” her Facebook page and leave a comment on this post that you’ve done so.
   
3. Subscribe to Toni’s personal & business blogs and leave another comment letting me know you’ve done so.

Each thing you do will get you one entry!  Be sure to comment for each thing you’ve done.  We will be choosing a random winner in about a week!  I’m still trying to figure out a way to be the winner of my own giveaway Haha.  This one is stellar!!! Good luck!

**** In addition, to help spread the word, the first health and wellness blogger to e-mail Toni at wrapmetoni@gmail.com will be sent a wrap to review and one to giveaway to their readers****

“The Devil Inside” was a movie that we had wanted to see since the preview scared us out of our seats in the theaters.  Scary movies are something we both enjoy, so it was opening weekend and we were definitely not missing out.  The film was pretty eerie, but had a mediocre ending.

Saturday morning, I took the time to make myself a yummy breakfast before I got to work on the elliptical.

I absolutely LOVE having the time on weekends to prepare a cooked breakfast, since most of the time I’m running out the door with a pair of Kashi waffles and a banana in my hand.

No, a simple yogurt parfait or a bowl of oats just wasn’t going to cut it.  I traded in the quick and easy for a simple, yet comforting Pumpkin French Toast recipe that totally hit the spot.

3 egg whites
1/4 c. canned pumpkin
1/2 tsp. baking powder
cinnamon (to taste)
1 splenda packet
3 slices multigrain fiber one bread (50 calories/piece)

Add first 5 ingredients to a bowl & mix thoroughly.  Dip your bread into the mixture until fully coated.  Simply, spray a skillet with non-stick cooking spray and cook on the stovetop!

After breakfast, I allowed time for my food to digest by stopping at the post office to pick up one of Jarid’s Christmas gifts that finally decided to arrive.

 I guess I can’t complain since I only ordered it two days before Christmas and it was coming the whole way from China… Haha.  He loves his Portland Trailblazers!  I bought him his favorite player, Aldridge’s jersey…authentic and everything!

Next up: Insane Abs & Elliptical while catching up on missed episodes of The Bachelor on Hulu.

The workout was pretty good, but the show was pretty lame.  This season, most of the stuff has to have been staged…it’s less realistic than watching a soap opera.  Reality Steve is a little harsh, but he’s not far from the truth.

Lunch made up for the lack of entertainment while sweating, though.

1 Health is Wealth “chicken” patty with Tribe Roasted Garlic hummus + reduced sugar ketchup and a side of greens (swiss chard, spinach, & spring mix) rubbed with 1 tbsp. of Lite Gazebo Room dressing

Ya know that’s not gonna fill me up for lunch, so I roasted some parsnip fries, zucchini, summer squash, mushrooms, and butternut squash (salted & peppered) in the oven, drizzled in some more reduced sugar ketchup.

Boom. Fantabulous lunch.

Afterward, I was off to watch the lil seester play some basketball at my alma mater.

I want to make it to as many games as I possibly can.  She has been there to support me through all my high school and college years, an I can’t wait to watch her progress, too.

After the game, I went to visit Toni, a blogger, a friend, and now, an independant distributer of It Works!  You may have heard of these amazing products recently, as the word is quickly spreading how awesome they are.

When I heard she became a distributor, I was thrilled at the chance to try a wrap and some of the supplements that she would be selling.

I love the fact that it is a detox, rather than one of those phony wraps that promise a “weight loss miracle”.  You know what I’m talking about…those programs that simply wrap you up until you sweat out water weight and claim a “miracle” has occurred.  Not the case with It Works!  Here’s how it goes:

“Our body wraps are a detox. You’ve heard of cleanses where people drink just juice or cayenne water for days? Those cleanse you and your colon from the inside. The Ultimate Body Applicator cleanses from the outside in, targeting your adipose cells, AKA your fat cells. Unless you’ve Lipo-ed your fat cells into oblivion, you’re stuck with the fat cells you have. And beside holding onto fat, they also hold onto toxins, which not only comes from bad eating, but also our environment and even stress. That’s what the Ultimate Body Applicator targets, shrinking your cells back to their normal size. The result is you look tightened and toned. This process takes 72 hours and the results can last 3-5 months!”

ingredients:

Horse chestnut

According to the National Institutes for Health, horse chestnut seed extract is good for treating varicose veins

Green tea

Known to protect the skin from sun damage, caffeine also is showing much promise in fighting wrinkles and sun damage

Bladderwrack

This is a type of seaweed and helps aging skin

Ivy leaf extract

Reports in from Europe say this is good for reducing stretch marks

Horsetail leaf/stem extract

Known to help encourage weight loss

Butcher’s Broom root extract

Combats varicose veins

Guarana seed extract

A shrub rich in caffeine, known as a stimulant, and expected to increase fat burning

Jojoba seed oil

Similar in structure to human skin oils, jojoba is good for unclogging pores

Menthol

Comes from mint, used to treat sun burns and as a topical analgesic

Rosemary leaf oil

Chock full of antioxidants

Eucalyptus leaf oil

Used for acne … Plus, doesn’t it smell wonderful?

These are just some of the wonderful ingredients found in the solution on our Ultimate Body Applicator body wraps. They stimulate and release the toxins and extra fat in your fat cells, then your lymphatic system does the rest of the work. That’s a fancy way of saying you pee it out. THAT’s why we require you drink so much water before, during, and after applying your slimming body wrap. And that, in an organic, botanical nutshell, is what the Ultimate Body Applicator is and how it works.

I’m going to do a full-review in the upcoming week so you can see my crazyyyy results, but for now, I’ll just recap the rest of the weekend.  Sorry for the tease!  I can promise, however, that there’s an opportunity of a giveaway for a WRAP!  Trust me, you want to try it! Both Toni and I didn’t know if we’d see extreme results, since I eat clean & workout all the time, but seriously… Let me just say, I’m completely dumbfounded by my results.  Stay tuned!!

On my way home, I had this delicious muffin for a snack.

Black Forest Light Touch muffin.  Just 135 calories (1.5g fat, 6g protein), made with wheat flour, and wholesome ingredients.

The rest of the night was spent with the surrogates, Jarid, & the family!  Jarid & I made turkey bacon wrapped jalapenos with fat free cream cheese stuffed in the middle.  SOOO yummy! It was a fantastic way to spend Saturday night.

 XOXO.

MyBlogspark & ShopRite have teamed up to help fight hunger.  From January 1 until January 31, for every “like” on Facebook, ShopRite will donate 1 canned good to a local food bank.  Please participate!  It’s such an EASY way to help someone in need.  It takes literally little to no effort on your part and it could mean the world of difference to someone who may be starving.

GO TO THE FACEBOOK PAGE NOW!

I don’t make resolutions.  Not because I don’t appreciate improvement,  but I feel like recognizing a need for change requires action no matter what time of year it is.  I think it’s ridiculous that people actually wait for January to roll around before they take any initiative.  I guess this year, for me, was a time of reflection, which caused a new goal-oriented mindset.  Traditionally, my ambition couldn’t have kicked in at a better time since a bunch of you guys are setting goals for this year, too

I’ve come up with this list of things I’d like to aim for…not just for 2012, but for the rest of my life:

1.  Spend more time in prayer.

I want to be a woman of God who is constantly “in touch” with Him.  After all, don’t we talk to those closest to us at least once a day?  It just makes sense that in order to grow a closer relationship with Him, I need to talk to him more.

2. Read more books.

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Jarid & I got a few new books for Christmas that we read together like devotionals (doing a chapter or so per day).  The first book we read together was Blue Like Jazz by Donald Miller.  Here’s my “to read” list:

• “Searching for God Knows What“ by Donald Miller
• “Crazy Love“ by Francis Chan
• “Faith“ by Jennifer Haigh
• “The Traveler’s Gift” by Andy Andrews
• “Catching Fireflies“ by Patsy Clairmont

3. Run my first marathon.

Yep, that’s right.  As soon as basketball season is over, I’m going to start training.  I started once before, but it was put on hold because of damage to my sciatic nerve.  2012 is the year!

4. Cook…I mean, really cook.

Of course, I will be maintaining my healthy lifestyle, eating lots of vegetables, etc, but I want to actually try new recipes, not just steam vegetables and throw together salads every single day.  Sure, I enjoy them, and I’ll continue to, but I want to take the time to actually make an entire, enjoyable meal.  Jarid gave me this awesome cookbook for Christmas, and I can’t wait to try out some of them!  Cooking for two is much more fun than cooking for one   On my “to make” list from the blogworld is:

Creamy Spinach Pasta with Tomatoes @ Broccoli Hut

Sweet Potato Chili @ Chocolate Covered Katie

who am I kidding…the list is MUCH longer than that

5. Invest in people.

This is going to sound terrible, but sometimes I feel like I don’t take enough time to appreciate and care for others.  I’m never impolite, but I’d like to start going the extra mile to let people know I care about them…I think it’s part of my testimony and compassion for others is a trait of Jesus that He wants us to have too.  Whether it’s a quick text message, an email, whatever…I want to be an encouragement to people around me.

So, here we go…we’re already 6 days into 2012.  My goals are being reached for.  If you’ll excuse me, I’ve got some praying, reading, texting, emailing, cooking, and running to do (:

Any book suggestions out there?  What are your goals or resolutions for the year?

XOXO.

Nothing is quite comparable to a basketball practice, because my heart rate gets higher during those than anything else…it’s much more intense than a jog on the treadmill or an interval workout on the elliptical…on the other hand, basketball practices are much tougher on my knees and back than being on the elliptical, too.

After breakfast and a shower, fixed my nails, & got my dress clothes packed up.  Jarid & I hit the road for a wedding in Bethlehem, PA around 10am.  A buddy of his from college, in the military, had to leave for California on January 2nd, and proposed to his girlfriend just two weeks before, asking her to move there with him.  How romantic is that?!  I can’t believe how amazing the wedding was for having planned it in that short amount of time.

The wedding and the reception were held at Blue, which is also a restaurant.  The banquet hall was absolutely beautiful, complete with chandeliers, antique gold trim, and a nice, little, wooden dance floor.

Jarid and I were seated at a couple’s table with the best man and his fiance, who were both exceptionally personable and sweet.  We had a great time socializing at the event and even shared our first dance.

I promised Momma FF I would be home for the NYE celebration with the family, and we ended up making it home by like 7pm. 

Almost immediately, we got changed into comfy clothing.

It’s tradition that just before midnight, everyone gathers in our living room, grabs some already blown up ballons, noisemakers, and confetti poppers, and counts down while watching the ball drop in Time Square on TV. 

We all yell, “ten, nine, eight, seven…” (you get the picture).  You can bet your bottom dollar there was a big kiss at midnight, too

As you can imagine, it left a huge mess for cleaning up, but it was totally worth it to keep tradition. 

At least, that’s what we tell ourselves.  After midnight, the boys go out side & shoot their guns.  We used to have fireworks, but that was before they were illegal.  Soon everyone leaves, and we go to bed.  Within a few hours (aka, noon NYD), everyone is back for pork & saurkraut , or in my case, a big old vegetable roast.

I couldn’t think of a better meal to start the New Year than my favorites: roasted butternut squash and parsnip fries.  I could eat them every single day with either reduced sugar ketchup or light ragu.  Don’t worry, I had a little bit of the white meat pork, some roasted broccoli, too. 

After lunch, the kids have Christmas #2, when my Aunt and Grandma give their gifts to the kids.

As you may remember, there are a TON of kids in our family…it’s always fun to watch them light up as they open gifts. 

2011 had been the best year of my life…but 2012 is looking pretty promising, too.

Literally…

See anything different about my left hand?

Yep!  I’m engaged!!

Just kidding.

It is a beautiful promise ring, though!

Gotcha!

Here’s to an amazing year!

XOXO.