Doggy Photo Shoot Day #32

“What are you doing to me?” “Wrapping me up?” “Oh, No.” “Oh, but it feels so soft and cozy.” “Maybe I like this.” Sir Thomas trying to understand why we do what we do to him. Sweet Sir Thomas.

…thank you for visiting my blog…until next time 🙂

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Doggy Photo Shoot Day #31

Sir Thomas TOOK ME FOR A WALK TODAY 🙂 . After two days of bad weather, he said he had enough! With the Sun shining today, he was in some mood…he kept going and going…and going, for a good 3-miles. In this photo, Sir Thomas taking a short break from walking to sniff nature 🙂 .   

…thank you for visiting my blog…until next time 🙂

 

 

 

 

 

Optimistic

I’m a grown-up but will always be a kid at heart. My optimism, always colorful!

Things around me are blurry often times, and I understand that’s because the world has infinite offerings.  They all overlap and become out of focus in my mind.  But, one of the infinite offerings is always clear in my head.  I completely embrace it.  And, it’s being optimistic.  Simply put, I live it!   It motivates me.   I am, after all, the Unstoppable Optimistic blogger.

…thank you for visiting my blog…until next time…be optimistic😊

<a href=”https://dailypost.wordpress.com/photo-challenges/optimistic/”>Optimistic</a&gt;

 

My Perfect Green Smoothie!

I love this smoothie!  It’s light and has so much good nutrients.  I love to make it for myself and my husband.  Kids totally freak out with the green color.  They don’t know this, but I do add a little bit of green stuff in their smoothie, just enough so it does not turn green on them :).  Crazy mom!

I add strawberry, banana and water into the smoothie tumbler.  We recently bought the Ninja (blender/smoothie-maker/food-processor).  I’m loving the fierce speed of this machine – 1500 watts, and the box says, “Total Crushing Technology.” 🙂  

I add the GREENS!

I use my fingers to push the greens below that -MAX FILL- mark on the tumbler.  The blade-lid unit does not screw in otherwise.

I close the top with the blade-lid.  This top will be the bottom on the Ninja machine.

And, here it goes…the “Total Crushing Technology” at work!    

I take two deep breaths and voila!  The smoothie is ready for my husband.  He drinks it right out of the tumbler.  I love this part too; no extra cups or drinking glass to be washed.  I’m all set to make mine, now. 🙂  I love this drink!  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Direction:

(1 – serving; Prep time: less than 5-minutes; total time: less than 5-minutes)

1/2 of  6″ Banana

1/2 Cup Frozen Strawberries

2 Cups Olivia’s Organic mix (can use any other spring mix, spinach or kale)

1 Cup water (more if the smoothie is too thick)

Place all four ingredients in the tumbler.  Close with blade-lid.  Blend.  Blend for 10 seconds and it’s done!  Enjoy.

Nutritional Information:

Calories: 80 gram;  Carbohydrate: 21 gram;  Fiber: 4.8 gram;  Protein: 2.55 gram;  Sugar: 10.7 gram;  Fat: 0.17 gram;  Cholesterol: 0 gram;  Potassium: 281 gram

The salad gives me – Vitamin A 110%; Vitamin C 50%; Calcium 6%; Iron 20%.  The Strawberries give me – Vitamin C 45%, Iron 2% and Calcium 2%.  Banana and Strawberries are high in potassium.

(I eat lean meat/fish for my protein to balance my meal.  Sometimes I add protein powder in this smoothie and get protein that way).

…thank you for visiting my blog…until next time 🙂

Doggy Photo Shoot Day #30

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“I’m a big follower of Sir Thomas.  I know you know him already. He has taught me how to be a beagle. My family keeps insisting that I’m a pit bull. What do they know? I do love my family though.” (Dixie’s thoughts)

No Pain, No Gain. Oh, Not This Pain!

Workout finished.  Not exactly the way I wanted it to.  I hurt my lower back.  Excruciating pain.  No idea how it started.  It did not happen during my workout, but right after.  Maybe while I was putting away weights, steps or risers…who knows.  (I heard that)…it has nothing to do with my getting older! 🙂

Having low threshold for pain, I immediately hit the websites –  read, and read on lower back pain. Started treatment.  Iced the affected area, then used heat.  Alternated that for a good couple of days.  Took ibuprofen as well.  Consulted my dear websites, again.  Next step – added some stretch exercises.   (I heard that, too)…I’m not going to the doctor!  And, stop telling me what to do!

After two days, I felt well enough to try my Body Pump class.  Using my body weight for squats and lunges; and low weight (about 5 lbs) for the rest of the class; I finished the one hour class.  For the rest of the week – I kept low weight and focused on my form.  The week ended well. Pain level, in control!  (Heard that)…Awe, that’s sweet!  Thank you for believing in my research and treatment. 🙂

Source of my back pain – who knows!  But I do know that nursing that pain, helped.  I’m happy now –  that much I definitely know.

…thank you for visiting my blog…until next time 🙂

 

Weight(less)

My friend and I were nearing the end of our moderate rated (on scale of difficulty), 4-mile trail, on a nice cool day.   These rock steps were the last hike.  Climbing against gravity to conclude our trail was a heavily weighted challenge.  Here, my friend is reaching the end.  Keep going friend, few more to go … you can do it!  (She did do it.)

I’ll go for a walk… with who?

When I crossed our main street to get to the sidewalk, Thomas, my beagle, pulled me to the left, a path we rarely take, as I, automatically, turned to the right, a path we usually take.  I decided to follow his lead.  He seemed happy.  His tail wagging, he took his time walking.

Nice cool breeze on a warm wintry day kept embracing us. And, the mostly cloudy day felt more like spring, not winter.  I felt my mind happily hopping.  I heard a complex symphony of sounds in the background – The chirping of the birds flying over us; the humming of the cars whizzing by us; the soft bark of a dog coming from nearby distance; the rustling of  leaves on trees around us.

As Thomas and I sauntered, I couldn’t help but chuckle remembering an encounter with an acquaintance – I had asked her about why she preferred walking alone.  She had blatantly answered, “Sweetie, because I can fart freely!”

I, too, realize walking by myself is immensely satisfying!  An accurate definition of myself would be  – me and my dog!  These walks are exclusive –  My conversations with myself remain private; my quiet times remain absolutely and phenomenally soothing; my silly but unavoidable burps, spits, and farts become one with the nature :).  Thomas and I walk completely immersed in our own worlds.  I walk leisurely at my own pace.  Actually, leisurely at Thomas’ pace :).  But, both walking, joyfully.

…thank you for visiting my blog…until next time 🙂

Doggy Photo Shoot #29

“Folks, have a great year. Make 2016 a year to nap! The best year to dream! Dream big! And, may all your dreams come true in 2016,” Sir Thomas wishing you the best in his best way – set to take his first 2016 nap😀.

…thanks for visiting my blog…until next time 🙂