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Showing posts from December 28, 2016

Clean Eating Thursday Recipe Linkup – Holiday Drink Recipes

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It’s time to celebrate the new year! But not everybody wants to indulge in alcohol. I know, I know, most of you do. But I wanted to offer up an option for non-alcoholic beverages you (and the… Read more → from The Gracious Pantry http://ift.tt/2ijVmxY

Red & Green Eats & Merry Christmas

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I have a red and green day to share with you! Breakfast: a green-ish smoothie made with banana, spinach, Vega, and milk. And buttery toast. Lunch: leftover lasagna with frozen broccoli made with parmesan and butter. Dinner: Cook Smarts  Tofu Sriracha Ramen Salad (made with soba noodles). This was SO GOOD and even better for lunch the next day! We are spending time with our loved ones and wish you all a very Merry Christmas!! Be back next week! The post Red & Green Eats & Merry Christmas appeared first on Kath Eats Real Food . from Kath Eats Real Food http://ift.tt/2ia4faq

The Year Of Rose

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Let’s get cozy and have some tea. Sleepytime is my go-to, but I’ll take a good mint tea any day. Or my mom’s famous Lipton with sugar and milk. What’s your favorite? Do you swear by loose leaf or are you as efficient as possible and plop in a teabag and call it a day ( <– that’s me, no surprise, although I do agree that loose leaf is better!) I am reading the book  Raising Your Spirited Child , by Mary Sheedy Kurcinka, and should have read it years ago! During the first few chapters I was nodding my head yes in agreement, and can say with confidence that Mazen is a spirited child. “Normal but more,” as she calls them. I am only halfway through the book and am really eager to put some of her tips into place when it comes to minimizing the resistance and battles and maximizing all the wonderful things about Mazen’s personality. After my visit to Neroli spa, Alyssa sent me home with this gentle rose exfoliator . As my mom would say, “It ain’t cheap,” but I really like that it isn’

Evolving Motherhood

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Good morning!! Now that was a nice little breakfast : ) Coffee, toast, berries & eggs! A topic I have been meaning to write about for a while is the realization that the lifestyle of motherhood is ever-changing. When Mazen was a newborn and in the baby years after that, my mom’s group would meet up almost every afternoon. We would talk and breastfeed and hold our babies while they slept. We shared tips and supported one another. As an extrovert, those days with my friends saved me from long hours without adult interaction. We had such a glorious time, and it never crossed my mind that we were in a temporary phase of motherhood that would come to an end. When our children started to crawl and walk (and second babies were born), the frequency of playdates started to wane. As much as we tried to keep the crumbs off the floor and the toy fights at bay, it just became a big commitment for someone to open their home to 10 wild kids. Things got broken and stained, and before we knew i

The Snowball Effect

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Recently I spent a morning working at my desk and was ready for a break. I had planned a run outside that day, but I just wasn’t feeling it. I had a few options: Force myself to run Stay inside and keep working Walk instead I love walking, and you can always convince me to take a walk. There is something so pleasant about walking, so I decided that a walk was better than nothing and a good compromise. Plus I really didn’t want to keep working ; ) So, I put on my workout clothes, queued up a podcast, and set out the door. Guess what happened? About 10 minutes in, I decided I felt like running after all. I ran the rest of the way and ended my workout feeling great. What happened that day was a typical snowball effect. You start out small with something and as you see or feel results, you gain the momentum and motivation to push harder. I had NO intention of running when I set out, but after 10 minutes of waking up my legs and feeling good about the choice to go outside, the cra

Twas The Weekend Before Christmas

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And all through the house, the M&M bowl was empty. Could it be a mouse? ^^The best/worst thing I did this holiday season was fill a little bowl with Christmas M&Ms. I guess it’s a good thing that I am still on the first and only bag! Our weekend started with Mazen’s last day of school before break. The kiddos sang us some carols at pick-up time, and Rudolph was my favorite! I took the Sayas to Sarah’s house, and she had this delicious pesto salmon salad ready for me. Friday evening we went to a friend’s house and had this amazing Steak Chinoise, the same recipe from C&O Restaurant. It was fantastic! The sauce!! We had cheese from Albemarle Baking for dessert : ) Saturday morning we played around in our jammies for a while. Mazen pretended these beads were spaghetti! Breakfast sammie with bacon, egg and melted cheese! We went to the gym where I did a workout on the elliptical, and then sat in the sauna for a bit. Late lunch – a big salad preparing for a holi

Cupcakes With Mrs Claus

Merry & Bright

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Top of the morning to ya! I have been loving grapefruit now that summer berries are gone for the year. I used to take the time to slice, sweeten and eat with a grapefruit spoon, but most of the time I just eat them like an orange! So much faster. I have been taking this guy for some walks and runs, and he is loving it. Clearly! I think it has given me more excuses to go for walks and runs outside too, so I can see how pets are good motivators for people to get moving! Lunch was sardines over a salad with Red, Hot, Blues and aged cheddar. Gotta get in those sardines!! Mazen had his theater class performance last week, and he was a shepherd in the Christmas story. This day is always my favorite preschool day of the year! The show was so cute. But M wanted nothing to do with taking a photo with me this year. Guess he’s too cool now that he’s a “senior.” That face! That hair! (I tried REALLY hard to wet-comb it in the morning.) This flavor. How can the raspberry be SO GOOD and t

The Gift Of Serenity // Neroli Spa

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A few weeks ago I received a text from my friend Alyssa to say that she was working at a new spa, Neroli Spa & Beauty Lounge . I have treated myself to several of Alyssa’s facials in the past, and she is the best in town! She invited me to see the new space, and had me act as her face model while she learned a new product. A few weeks later, Alyssa and Suzanne, the owner, invited me in for a morning of pampering to share the experience with you guys. That’s it guys, I am giving up all other jobs and am starting a new career as a face model and professional spa reviewer! Inquiries can be sent to me at katheats at gmail.com : ) : ) I can also review massages, hot tubs, nap pods, infinity pools, hotel penthouses, floating salt pools, and clouds. I am a woman of many talents, cloud reviews being one of my best. Just ring me up!! Haha. I do have a special deal to share with any of you in Cville, so check the end of this post for the details!  Neroli Spa moved from its previous lo