Kabobs

I have been on a new diet since the beginning of the month because when I started working out in March I thought I could still eat sweets and see results- not so much. Since I started this diet I have lost 7 pounds and since I started working out in March I have officially lost 14 pounds. I am slowly getting towards my goal- feels very slow but I keep trying!

My diet is supposed to be a 24 day "cleanse" kinda diet but I have really grown to just get used to it. To give it the most basic description I don't eat most carbs, dairy, or red meat. I have two snacks a day- pretty much always fruit and unsalted almonds. Other than snacks I have a meal replacement shake for breakfast, deli turkey meat and an avocado for lunch, and usually a protein and veggies for dinner. I am a creature of habit but that is how I stick to a plan. I have to make it consistent to teach myself new habits. I have actually stuck with the plan and the end date is May 30.

Now, my goal is to stick with the diet long term but allow myself to live a little and cheat sometimes. For instance, on Mother's Day and our anniversary I couldn't even have cake. When we go out to eat my only option is usually a salad- and I want some freaking steak sometimes!

Anyway, the point of this post is to give you guys my favorite recipe I have discovered so far- Chicken Kabobs! I am pretty sure that I could eat kabobs everyday of my life. Amazing!

Chicken Kabobs



Ingredients:

1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup lemon juice
4 minced garlic cloves
2 t. honey
1 1/2 t. thyme
1 t. crushed red pepper flakes
1 t. pepper
1 t. salt
1 lb. chicken breasts
Veggies of your choice: I use onion, zucchini, squash, and orange pepper

1. In a small bowl combine first 8 ingredients. Reserve half of the marinade for basting. Cut the chicken into bite size pieces and place in a baking dish. Pour half of the marinade over the chicken pieces. Cover and place in fridge for 4 hours.
2. Drain and discard marinade. Place veggies and chicken on your skewers (if you use wooden skewers make sure you soak them so they don't catch fire!).
3. Place skewers on grill over medium heat. Grill, turning, and basting with reserved marinade for about 12 minutes, or until juices run clear.

P.S.- if you have a hubby or other person who can't live without carbs- then serve kabobs over rice!

Good Luck! It's always good to have a healthy meal that actually tastes good!

I'm in Love...

Growing up I had a one track mind. I hated sports with a burning passion but I begged for horse back riding lessons. Of course, there is a reason that horse back riding makes you think of rich people- it is an insanely expensive habit. One which we could not afford.

My mom had a horse growing up and I would just stare at her pictures and beg for a horse. One summer I got to go to a week long horse camp. I was pretty much in heaven- other than the fact that I had to wear one of those dumb helmets.

The problem is that when I was at camp or when we have just paid to go on trail rides they never let you do anything but walk- maybe trot. I have always felt like I don't know what I am doing. 

This weekend I went horse back riding with my brother's girlfriend. Her aunt owns several horses and for the first time I cantered with a horse. My mouth literally fell open in a big smile. It was the most amazing feeling ever. I am now even more convinced that I need a horse ASAP. 

This is Snickers- he was my lovely horse that ran with me. He is very laid back- especially considering I have no idea what I am doing. He is about twenty years old so he is quite content walking but he listens well enough to start running when you want him to! 

This is Hank- my brother's girlfriends baby. From what I have heard he has the best canter around. Her aunt says it's just the smoothest ride- almost like a rocking horse. But, he likes to test people and I don't have the confidence yet to tell him what to do. He is so beautiful though. 

I will admit that on Sunday I thought I might die. My butt and my back were in massive amounts of pain. I really am going to have to work on sitting correctly and learning to post again to avoid the aches. It was worth it though. I will gladly be in pain in exchange for a day with a horse! 

Crafty Thursdays

I have been avoiding crafts because I am trying to save some money! I am, of course, being drawn to summer wreaths. I really miss making my wreaths. I still am having a dilemma at my house because I can't seem to put my wreaths up without them falling! I can't even fit a hook over my door because there is not enough clearance. I guess I can just live vicariously through these lovely bloggers.

Summer Wreaths:

A Glimpse Inside

Fireside Studio

Family Chic

Creative Decorations

Our Best Bites

Happy Crafting!

Day Trip

On Friday, my best friend and I took a day trip to Blowing Rock. Our old college is there and we re-lived our college days-OK not really. We just went shopping. My friend got engaged a few weeks ago and wanted to buy her fiancé a gift that she knew he wanted.

P.S. I could not be any more excited about her wedding. They are getting married next summer in Aruba and my hubby and I are invited. A vacation to Aruba? Yes please! I have already started saving up!

Anyway, whenever I go back to the mountains I revert to my hippy ways. (That is what our alma mater is kinda known for) I want all the weird little trinkets in the stores. If I could decorate my entire house like it was the 70s I think I could. Seriously, it's a problem.

This trip I just was accosted by cute things but I only let myself buy two of them.

I fell in love with this pig when I went with my mom to Blowing Rock several months ago. Since it was still in the store I figured it was meant to be. We even went into another store and saw a little baby pig just like this one- it took some major will power to not buy it.

I ignored the baby pig just to buy these owls. I am so in love with them! My eyes bulged out of my head when I saw them. They are freakishly adorable. See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil.

I think I would just be poor if I visited the mountains more often. I can always find something to waste money on up there.

Mac!

I have been throughly blog lazy lately so I am making myself sit down and write several posts on the last week or so.

Partially, I have been slow due to computer problems. I got a Mac when I was in college- which means it is now about eight years old. When I bought my awesome "fancy" camera I realized that my mac was so old that new software could not be installed. I was freaking out that I would not be able to upload my new pictures.

I went out and bought the snow leopard operating system and my camera then worked. But, I think I royally screwed up my computer because it didn't have enough memory/hard drive or something to work correctly. Basically, every time I signed on the internet or anything the computer would just turn off.

So, we went out and bought my commuter again- just the new version!

Yay for Macs! They may be more expensive but oh how I love them. The down side is that I have started to forget that I have a husband as he never leaves the fancy computer. He is currently addicted to a computer game and spends all night playing with his friends.

I am hoping that will not last forever but guys and technology just have a special bond.

Crafty Thursday

This week I actually had time to do my own craft. It's a miracle! Last weekend I went to Atlanta to visit my family again and my mom found this idea in a magazine. I want to say it was in Good Housekeeping but I'm just not sure.

Supplies:

4 white frames (mine are 8x10)
Colorful scrapbook paper
A fine point and extra fine point paint pen (mine are silver but the magazine used white)
Print off vintage botanical pictures from www.vintageprintable.com

Side note: when you print your pictures make sure you print them in mirror image. I also scaled them down to 8x10 but I don't really know if that is necessary in hind sight.

Basically you are just going to be tracing these beautiful flowers onto your glass.

Sorry for the bad lighting- it was hard to show the silver!

Line up your glass with your flower as best you can. Start off by using the fine point paint pen to trace the big parts. Give that a little time to dry and then you will go in to do the intricate stuff with the extra fine paint pen.

Once you are satisfied give the glass about 15-30 minutes to dry and then place it back in your frame. Place the colored scrapbook paper behind it and the silver will pop. Make sure the paint is not on the outside so that it is more protected- you want the silver part touching the paper.

I thought this would be difficult but actually it was very easy. It is just a coloring/tracing project!

I thought this was quite a fun project and there are a ton of vintage pictures on the website so you don't have to do just flowers. I think it would be awfully cute to do animals for a nursery.


Happy Crafting!

First Anniversary

On May 14th last year I graduated from my Masters program and got married on the same day. You can't say I am not good at multi-tasking! We are a week away from our anniversary but next weekend is so busy we decided to have dinner and, more importantly, eat our cake topper today.

I wanted pounds of butter cream on my cake- that was really my only request. Our cake is not so pretty anymore but the icing is still quite heavenly. Plus, I am stuffing my face with it today as tomorrow I start a 24 day cleansing diet.

We are at least going to wait to exchange gifts till the actually day of our anniversary. Considering our usual bad habit of celebrating everything early this is a pretty big accomplishment.

On a side, and completely random, note: look at the accomplishment of my windowsill garden!! Every single mason jar is growing it's herbs.

I hope everyone has a great week!