Christmas at the Shivers

We enjoyed spending Christmas day with Tom's family. Early in the day, I was able to meet some relatives for the first time as this was our first time spending Christmas with his side of the family. This is a picture of his brother and family and his mom and dad (all of which live close by and we get to see somewhat regularly).

Still Dancing

Tom and I continue to enjoy dancing. This was our third year to get all dressed up and enjoy some ballroom and swing dancing.

Carrelling

Tom and Melanie and I went caroling in the neighborhood this month. It was FREEZING outside but we bundled up and had a great time visiting folks in the neighborhood. We delivered homemade bread to our closest neighbors. We hope to have more neighbors carol with us next year.
This one picture is of Melanie practicing to be a caroler like the ones behind her.

Birthday Fun

I enjoyed another birthday in November. My coworkers had this yummy "bouquet" of fruit sent to me at the office. What a great idea! Some of the apples were dipped in chocolate - yummy! What a great group I work with!

War Eagle

We enjoyed watching Auburn beat Ole Miss in October. We got there early enough to watch the tradition of the eagle being set free from his cage and gliding onto the middle of the field.

First Anniversary Gift

Tom splurged and bought me this 2008 Lexus convertible for our first anniversary!













Okay...well...it actually was a perk from Barnsley Gardens. Lexus provides a few cars for people to test drive. We took it to Rome that night and enjoyed riding with the top down. We enjoyed our anniversary dinner at a popular local restaurant in downtown Rome.

Visit to Berry College

There was a wedding reception taking place in the building behind us - one of the Ford buildings. We also enjoyed a tour of the Martha Berry house and grounds. It was a beautiful campus and I'd heard alot about Berry college over the past few years.

Ruins at Barnsley Gardens

These are the ruins from an 1830's Italian style house at Barnsley Gardens

Barnsley Gardens

We celebrated our one year anniversary(actual date is Sept 23) this weekend at Barnsley Gardens in Adairsville, GA (near Rome). It was beautiful and we took a tour of the place. These were the gardens in front of the ruins from an 1800's house.

Mom and Me

Mom came for a visit this weekend. We always enjoy time together.

Before and After

We had a new porch built and gave the house a "facelift" with new boards, paint, shutters and door.

Dancing anytime anywhere

We continue to enjoy dancing together...even in the middle of a square in Savannah.

Summer in Savannah

We took a tour of Savannah after leaving Tybee Island.

Beach front property

We loved our house so much at Tybee that we decided to buy it! okay...maybe not...but it was a great place!

Fun at Tybee Island

We enjoyed time with our friends Laurel and Charles in Tybee Island

Hiking in Cloudland Canyon

We enjoyed a day hike with friends at Cloudland Canyon this spring.

me and mary bell

Mary Bell (missionary now in Japan) came to visit before leaving for Japan! I got to meet her mom and sister too!
We miss you Mary Bell!

Family Fun

We recently had Tom's brother's family and his parents over for his mom's birthday celebration and played a fun game of "apples to apples".

Braves Game

We had a fun time at a Braves game recently with my coworkers. It was COLD outside!

Crazy in the Park

We have been taking advantage of the nice spring weather. Spring weather can do crazy things to you!

Building or Blocking?

I got this from a juice plus friend:

FOODS FOR THOUGHT: FOODS THAT BUILD AND FOODS THAT DRAIN THE BRAIN

Some foods help the brain work better, some foods drag down brain performance. Be smart and feed your children foods that will make them smart (and also eat these foods yourself).
BRAIN BUILDERS
• Avocados

• Bananas

• Beef, lean

• Brewer's yeast

• Broccoli

• Brown rice

• Brussel sprouts

• Cantaloupe

• Cheese

• Chicken

• Collard greens

• Eggs

• Flaxseed oil

• Legumes

• Milk

• Oatmeal

• Oranges

• Peanut butter

• Peas

• Potatoes

• Romaine lettuce

• Salmon

• Soybeans

• Spinach

• Tuna

• Turkey

• Wheat germ

• Yogurt

BRAIN DRAINERS:
• Alcohol

• Artificial food colorings

• Artificial sweeteners

• Colas

• Corn syrup

• Frostings

• High-sugar "drinks"

• Hydrogenated fats

• Junk sugars

• Nicotine

• Overeating

• White bread

Go PRO! Protein...that is!

Info from a juice plus friend:

What are the best protein foods?

Perhaps the fairest and most practical way of rating protein foods is to look at the amount of protein in relation to the total calories in a food. The following chart will show you how to get enough protein without overdosing on fat.

Protein, Food Grams of Protein per serving, Percentage of calories as protein:

Fish, tuna (4 oz) 25-30g 83%
Egg white (1) 3.5g 82%
Cottage cheese, nonfat (1/2 c.) 15g 75%
Poultry, breast, no skin (4 oz) 25g 75%
Kidney beans (1/2 cup) 7g 60%
Tofu, firm (3 oz) 13g 45%
Yogurt, plain nonfat (1 cup) 12g 40%
Beef, lean (4 oz) 30g 40%
Egg, whole (1) 6g 33%
Milk, 1% (8 ounces) 8g 32%
Peanut butter (2 tbsp.) 8g 17%
Cereal (1 cup) with 1/2 c. milk 6-8g 17%
Nuts or sunflower seeds (oz.) 7g 16%
Pasta (1 cup) 7g 15%
Whole wheat bread (1 slice) 3g 15%

THE MOST POWERFUL PROTEINS
Some proteins are more powerful than others. What makes one protein more powerful than another is not only whether it contains all the essential amino acids, but how many different amino acids it contains. That's why nutritional scientists use the Protein-Energy Ratio (PER) and Biological Value (BV) ratings of proteins, which measure how well the body utilizes amino acids in a protein. Here's how the main proteins rate (from highest to lowest) by how well they are utilized in the body.

• Whey protein (the lactalbumin extract from dairy proteins found in protein supplements; also the predominant protein in human milk)

• Egg white

• Fish

• Dairy products

• Beef

• Soy

• Legumes (e.g., beans, lentils)

Best carbs for you?

This is info from a juice plus friend:

Eat brain-friendly carbs. The rate at which sugar from a particular food enters brain cells and other cells of the body is called the "glycemic index" (GI) of a particular food. Foods with a high glycemic index stimulate the pancreas to secrete a lot of insulin , which causes the sugar to quickly empty from the blood into the cells; this produces the ups and downs of blood sugar and the roller coaster behavior that goes with them. Foods with a low glycemic index do not push the pancreas to secrete so much insulin, so the blood sugar tends to be steadier. Feeding your child carbohydrate foods with a low glycemic index is one way of helping him control his behavior and performance in school or at play. Foods with the best brain sugars include the following:

o Fruits: grapefruit, apples, cherries, oranges, and grapes have a low glycemic index. Fruits have a lower G.I. than fruit juices, because the fiber in the fruit slows the absorption of the fruit sugar. A whole apple will be more brain-friendly than apple juice; a whole orange better than orange juice. Freshly-made juice containing a lot of pulp is more brain-friendly than filtered juice.
o Cereals and grains: oatmeal and bran have the lowest G.I. Other foods with a favorable G.I. are spaghetti and rice. Corn flakes and sugar-coated cereals have higher G.I.s.
o Vegetables and legumes: Legumes, such as soybeans, kidney beans, chick peas, and lentils have the lowest glycemic index of any food. Potatoes and carrots have a much higher G.I.
o Dairy products: Milk and yogurt have low glycemic indexes, slightly higher than legumes, but lower than fruits. Plain yogurt has a lower glycemic index than yogurt with fruit preserves or added sugar.

10 great breakfasts

This info came from a juice plus friend:

10 BALANCED BREAKFASTS

An ideal, nutritious breakfast contains a balance of complex carbohydrates and protein. Think grains, plus dairy, plus fruits. Examples of balanced breakfasts are:

1. granola cereal, yogurt, a sliced apple
2. scrambled eggs, toast, orange juice
3. veggie omelet, bran muffin, fruit with yogurt
4. whole-grain pancakes or waffles topped with berries and/or yogurt, milk
5. whole-wheat zucchini pancakes topped with fruit, milk
6. french toast topped with fruit, orange juice or milk
7. low-fat cheese melted on toast with a piece of fruit
8. low-fat cream cheese on a whole-grain bagel, orange juice
9. peanut butter and banana slices on an english muffin, milk
10. For a breakfast-on-the-run smoothie, see "School-Ade."

Of course, it's what you eat not what you say that impresses a child most. By treating yourself to a healthy breakfast, you model to your children that eating a healthy breakfast gives the whole family a smart nutritional start.

Cranberry Protein Shake

Tom got this recipe from Body for Life (BFL). They have alot of good recipes - check out their site.

1/2 c. cranberry juice (not cocktail)
1/2 c. skim milk
1/2 c. frozen berries (we like strawberries or blueberries in it)
1/2 c. dessert style tofu, plain (or soft tofu)
1 T honey
and ice cubes for desired thickness

Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend till smooth. Serve immediately. You won't even taste the tofu. This makes 2 servings

Calories 247
Protein 15g
Fat 9g
Carbs 21g
3 points per serving (weight watchers)

Crepes

I've made these several times. They are great and mainly made of protein! Mom came in town this wkd and i served these - she really liked them!

1 lg carton egg beaters (or 2 small containers of egg beaters)
3/4 c. cottage cheese
1/2 c raw oatmeal (processed in blender to make a flour)

Mix all the ingredients in a blender until smooth. Pour about 1/4 c. into pan and cook like a crepe. Try not to make them too thick. Add filling and roll like a tortilla. I just put fresh fruit on mine and put fat free cool whip on it along with sugar free syrup. I figure it's 1 protein and 1/2 carb per crepe (1.5 points WW).

Pumpkin Muffins

Pumpkin contains free-radical fighting carotenes! I made these this wkd and they turned out really good.

1.5 c. whole wheat flour
1/2 c. packed brown sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1/2 tsp. salt
1 egg
1 c. fat-free milk
1/2 c. canned 100% pure pumpkin
1 T. canola oil

Preheat oven to 375. Coat 12 muffin pan with spray (or use liners). Stir flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice and salt in large mixing bowl. Beat egg in small bowl for 30 seconds until foamy. Add milk, pumpkin and oil. Beat well. Add to flour mixture and stir until moistened. Fill muffin cups 3/4 full. Bake 15-17 min. until tops spring back when touched. Once muffins are cool, they can be wrapped tightly and put in freezer for up to 2 months. About 125 cal. each. (about 2 WW pts each). This came from Prevention May 07 magazine and i altered it a bit).

Mexican Casserole

Tom, Melanie and me enjoying the Mexican Casserole.






1 lb. uncooked lean ground beef (7% fat)
1/2 c. green peppers
1/2 c. onion
2/3 c. water
1.25 oz. pkg of Taco Seasoning Mix
14 oz. can diced tomatoes
6 large tortilla (flour or whole wheat)
16 oz. Taco Bell Home Originals Fat-Free Refried Beans
3 c. 2% shredded cheese (mexican)

Cook beef, green pepper and onion over medium heat until no longer pink. Drain well. Add water and taco seasoning, bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered for 2 minutes. Add tomatoes and simmer for another 10 min. Place 2 tortillas in a sprayed 13" x 9" x 2" baking dish. Spread with half of the refried beans and beef mixture. Top with 1 cup of the shredded cheese. Repeat layers. Top with remaining tortillas and cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 min. or until heated through and cheese is melted. Let rest for 5 minutes and cut into 8 servings. Weight Watchers points - 7 per serving. This came from the Weight Watcher website.

Mom's banana bread made healthy

We grew up eating this all the time. I've altered it to make it a bit more healthy. It's yummy!

3 ripe or overripe bananas (4 if small)
1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. splenda
1 egg
1.5 c. whole wheat flour
1/4 c. applesauce
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt

Mash bananas with fork (or blend in blender). Stir in other ingredients. Pour into sprayed loaf pan and bake one hour in a 325 degree oven. 12 slices. 2 WW points each.

Beef Fried Rice

1 lb lean ground beef (93% fat free)
1 c. cooked brown rice
1 green pepper
1 yellow pepper
1 pkg. fresh mushrooms
1 onion
1 tsp. Garlic Salt
1 tsp. Onion Powder
1 tsp. Italian seasonings
Salt and Pepper to taste
1/4 c. shredded low fat cheese

Brown the beef in a skillet. While beef is still pink, drain off fat. Add sliced vegetables and seasonings to the skillet.
When vegetables become cooked, add 1 serving of cooked brown rice and toss together. Top beef and rice with shredded cheese, melt.

This is a Body for Life recipe. It's one of our favorites!!!

Scary Stats

* Scary Stat: Indiana High School kids (all) in 2005: 45% did not meet the criteria for physical activity (20 minutes 3 times per week)

* Another Scary Stat: In 2002, ½ of all foods consumed by 12 to 19 year olds was soda.

* Yet Another Scary Stat: Over 90% of new food products for kids have sugar as the #1 ingredient.

* A Final Scary Stat: According to the 2003 Journal of Pediatrics, in 2003, kids under 12 ate an average of less than two servings of fruits or veggies per day. Kids over twelve ate an average of 3.5 servings per day. BUT, one of those servings (in both categories) was French fries.

Christmas '06

Tom and I enjoy ballroom dancing and we attended a dance at our church, Perimeter Church in December . We attended this same dance a year ago...it was our first official date. It was fun to go again this year...as a married couple.

Our Wedding-Sept 06

I married Tom Shivers on Sept. 23, 06. We had a lovely wedding in my hometown of Lowndesboro, AL. We enjoyed visiting with family and friends. We felt SO blessed by everyone attending our wedding and showering us with gifts. We took a 5 day cruise to Mexico for the honeymoon. We enjoyed the gorgeous weather,good food and dancing everyday! The yummy cake shown is the bride's cake - and each layer was different - but each one was chocolate. (layers included, snickers, german chocolate, heath bar, etc). Who says a girl can't have her cake and chocolate icing too???

Charleston

Tom and I took a trip to Edisto Beach, SC in February. It was a beautiful weekend, but a little chilly. We also spent one day in Charleston. We enjoyed a 2 hour city tour and then took time to walk the streets and see the beautiful homes and churches. This picture below is the one of us in Charleston.

Did you know?

*That a hamburger and fries from any fast food restaurant looks the same 5 yrs later as it did when you first bought it? Goes to show you all the preservatives that are in that food! How long do fruits and veggies last? A week maybe? Stick with those foods that are natural and will go bad if you don't eat them with in the week.

*It's better when shopping at the grocery store to stay around the outer edges - this is where all the fresh food items are: fruits, veggies, dairy, meats, etc

*Eating veggies may PREVENT heart disease and stroke (Heart-Healthy Living Winter 06)

*Lifting weights helps keep your metabolism up. It also may take 4 mo. to see the results of your lifting weights. Don't give up! (Prevention Feb 07). Women start LOSING muscle mass at age 30 if they DON'T lift weights!

Cranberry Oat Applesauce Bread

1 c. unsweetened applesauce
1/2 c. quick-cooking oats
1 2/3 c. whole wheat flour
1/2 c. sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
2 egg whites
3/4 c. coarsely chopped fresh cranberries

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray an 8X4 inch pan. In a small bowl, combine applesauce and oats. Set aside for 5 min.
In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder and cinnamon; stir to mix well. Add the applesauce mixture and egg whites. Stir just until the dry ingredients are moistened. Fold in the cranberries. Bake for 45 minutes in preheated oven. Remove from oven and allow to sit for 10 min.
this is www.halfmysize.com
If cut into 16 slices it's 2 weight watcher points each.

Technorati Profile

Chicken Spaghetti Recipe

8 oz. cooked chicken
3 c. cooked spaghetti (4.5 oz dry)
3 oz. lite velvetta
4.5 oz chopped green chillies (canned)
1 can fat free cream of mushroom soup
1/2 c. chopped onion
1/2 c. bell pepper

Mix velvetta with soup and chillies and heat. Add other ingredients. Pour into a sprayed 9X13 inch dish. Cover with foil. Cook 10 min. at 450 degrees.
Serves 6. This is a weight watchers recipe. Each serving is 4 WW points.

What is Juice Plus?

I have been taking Juice Plus for almost 3 years now. Juice plus is 17 different fruits and vegetables and grains in an inexpensive capsule. It contains 7 different fruits: apples, oranges, pineapple, cranberries, peaches, cherries and papaya. It also contains 10 different nutrient dense vegetables and grains: carrots, parsley, beets, kale, brocolli, cabbage, spinach, tomoatoes, and barley and oat fibers. We are now supposed to get NINE-TWELVE servings of raw fruits and vegetables each day. Who does this? Imagine how much money you'd spend on this many fruits/veggies per day. One apples (one serving of fruit) is $1.00 and if you were to get a salad at a restaurant (2-3 servings of veggies) it will cost you approximately $10.00. A bunch of grapes will cost around $3.50 (and one cup of grapes is one serving of fruit).
When you look at the cost of fruits and veggies, Juice Plus is a very inexpensive way to get 5-6 servings of vegetables each day (by taking 2 fruit capsules in the am and 2 veggie capsules in the afternoon). It's cost about $1.33 a day! (less than the cost of TWO apples)!!! Basically the foods in Juice plus have been picked off the vine, dehydrated (not losing any of the nutritional value) with the sugars taken out. The product has powerful phytonutrients and antioxidents needed for your body! I'm not one to give into whims and new fads. Nor am I one to throw money away! I'm so glad I've been able to give my body what it needs with Juice Plus. I am a distributor of Juice plus. Check out my website at www.juiceplus.com/+cm40230 If you're interested in getting juice plus please email me or sign up on the site!
Juice plus also comes in chewable and gummie form (for kids or adults) - they're yummy!

What's good for you?

It's all the rave today...eat less fatty foods, get at least 30 minutes of exercise at least 3 times a week, eat lots of fruits and vegetables, etc. In today's fast paced world, one has to really be conscious to make these things happen. It's too easy to stop at fast food restaurants while on the way to the children's activities, and who has time to look into finding healthy recipes and cooking? Exercise is also pushed aside because of our busy lives. But it's critical that we take care of our bodies and those that we care for. I recently heard that we will outlive this generation of children because of what they are putting in their bodies! Amazing isn't it? I want to be a resource for those who don't have time to read a whole nutrition magazine or search for recipes. I enjoy reading about nutrition and health and i'd like to pass it on to those also interested.