Poreless

I'm involved in a couple charities and The First Tee is one I spend a lot of time raising money for.

The First Tee is a youth development organization that introduces the game of golf and its inherent values to young people. Through after school and in school programs, they help shape the lives of young people from all walks of life by reinforcing values like integrity, respect and perseverance through the game of golf.

My friend Nicki (Dr. Nicola DeLorio) owns this awesome med spa Accent Aesthetics in Galloway.   She has a charitable giving menu that donates part of the proceeds of the treatments to a designated charity.
In September she picked The First Tee.  I really couldn't resist the idea of being pampered and giving back at the same time.  I talked to her about the different treatments and decided on the Obagi Blue Radiance Peel.  Not to be confused with the more potent Blue Peel.  It is supposed to improve your skin’s look, texture, and feel in a matter of minutes.  Sounded good to me! 

Ula, my esthetician agreed that this was much needed. He first question was "when was the last time you had a facial" my answer of  "about a year" was greeted with a slight scowl.  She than asked what I currently use to moisturize my overly dry skin. My answer of "I tend not to use moisturizer" was not received well.  While she worked on my neglected skin she made sure to tell me how I need to take better care of my skin and use real products that have real benefits. 

The whole peel/procedure took less than an hour and I am amazed at the results.  When I first left the spa I looked poreless.  My face had not been this smooth in years.  They said I would start peeling. 
I expected to look like a lizard, but I did not.  Some mild peeling a dryness  for a day and my skin looked great.
I bought a bunch of the Obagi skin care to keep the results going, and promised I would use them. 

Ula even called a couple of times to make sure I was using my products correctly.  I think she just wanted to make sure I was using them at all.

I had another peel this month. They are not magic, but they are definitely helping.  Now if I could just stay out of the sun. 

Snack Time, again...

As a working mom I am always trying to find easier, quicker ways to feed my family healthy foods.  I love to cook but sometimes we run out of time.  Like most families we have so many commitments and activities that we rarely all sit down together for a home cooked meal. 

I also hate the amount of snacks everyone eats in a day.  If they were all fruits and veggies I would love it, but packaged snacks not so much.  I love reading other blogs about moms who say they pack cut up veggies for snacks everyday and that their kids lunch boxes are so colorful with healthy foods.  Really?!!    I'm here to say that is not the case in my house or most houses.  Yes, we offer fruits and veggies and sometimes they are taken, but most of the times its please pass the chips, bagels, pretzels, goldfish... 

Now some enlightened person told me not to buy anything I would not like them to eat.  Sounds good in theory but do I really want my family to starve.  The whining and complaining they are hungry with "nothing to eat" would be torture. Sound familiar?  Besides I have learned they will find a way to get the foods they want anyway.  If they go out of the the house with any money at all I can guarantee that candy will always be the purchase.

I have one child who really eats almost nothing so any item I post that my family likes almost never includes him.  So most of the time I am only cooking or baking for a family of three. 

I found this great breakfast recipe that you bake once and cut and reheat for the week.  I altered it just a bit and made it in a muffin pan, wrapped and froze each one. 
If I take one out in the morning by snack time at school or work it is defrosted and perfect.  You can still reheat if you want or eat cold.  It is also makes a great warm dessert when made in a pan a scooped out. 

I have one snack done, now I just need 3 more!

Ingredients:

1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
1 cup steel cut oats
1/2 cup of any nut sliced or chopped (I like cinnamon coated almonds)
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 cup honey (I like to use flavored honey, blueberry or raspberry is great)
1 cup skim milk
2 large egg
1 egg white
2 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2-3 ripe bananas, peeled and sliced
1 cup fresh blueberries or raspberries (you can use almost any fruit you prefer)

 

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375F.
2. Lightly grease a muffin tin. I like the silicone ones so the muffins pop right out.
In a medium bowl, mix the oats, the nuts, baking powder, and cinnamon. 
Stir to combine.
In a separate small bowl combine the honey, milk, egg, butter, and vanilla.
3. Combine bowls and mix.
4. Add berries and bananas and mix gently.
5. Scoop mixture into muffin tins.  Allow room at top so liquid does not seep out.
6.  Bake for 35-40 minutes, until the top is browned and the oats have set. Let cool 10 minutes before serving.
7.  Wrap individually and freeze. 





 

Missing In Action

So two years ago I got this great idea to start a blog.  I started and that was about it. (If you read the first post you will see how this all started.) I quickly lost interest and went off to other things.  That may happen again??  But for now I am renewed and re-energized. 

The original goal was to "fit in to my prom dress" and no, that goal was never reached.  If it was, do you think this Blog would have stopped?  I would have been shouting from the roofs, the net, facebook, etc...  

My goal is still the same but I plan on having a little more fun along the way.  I hope to expand the scope just a little and hopefully it all leads to the same place. 
So hopefully you will follow along and join the fun. 
Maybe this time we will have a Prom Party!