Ozeri Rev Digital Bathroom Scale

Every year in January I get my life back on track and I work hard at focusing on healthy eating and exercise. After taking the last few months off from working out at the gym I am more than ready to get back into my healthy routine. This year I am taking part in a weight loss challenge with a group of friends and it's nice knowing I'll actually have an accurate weight to report. You see, last fall I took part in a similar challenge and I had to use our old rickety scale that we purchased several years ago at an estate sale. While I am into antiques and I enjoy vintage items this scale was a bit too vintage! I constantly questioned if I was reporting my accurate weight each week.

Thankfully we recently got a new bathroom scale--the Ozeri Digital Bathroom Scale--and I absolutely love it! Our new scale is sturdy, sleek, beautifully designed and very modern. Yes, I have to add that last detail--modern!

Another detail about this scale that I like is the size. My husband and my sons are all pretty tall...6' and taller...and they have big feet...shoe sizes 11, 12 and 13. The platform of this scale is large and they can stand on it without having toes or heels hanging off the edges. A good advantage for taller folks who have a large frame and a wider stance.

This scale also has a daily alarm, but I don't think I'll be using that feature. In my opinion it's not a good idea to weigh yourself every day while trying to lose weight. Doing so is too discouraging since your weight can fluctuate greatly from day to day depending on a multitude of factors such as what you eat to the amount of fluids you intake to female hormones issues and so on. But some people may very well like that feature so I'm sure it would be an advantage for some people.

Overall, I'm very happy with our new scale. Aside from being very pretty it shows both a dial reading and a digital reading. This will be helpful for my weight loss challenge...since it's a competition between friends every little ounce will help get me closer to a win. Yay!

While it might sound crazy, I am actually excited to start this challenge so I can weigh myself on this new scale! Every little bit of motivation helps when you are trying to live a healthy lifestyle, right?

More interesting things to share soon! Until then,

Ozeri 8" Textured Green Earth Pan

We recently got a small 8" fry pan manufactured by Ozeri. As we've only had it for about a month I will admit we haven't had tons of time or experience using it. But so far so good. My husband does most of the cooking in our family--lucky me--and he is very happy with it.

I've noticed my teenagers using it to cook their eggs and I've asked them their thoughts on it. They all agree that it's a very nice pan and it cooks their eggs quickly and easily with little need of spray oils.

I'm a very visual hands on person and I always pay attention to how things look and feel. This pan is very solid and heavier than most fry pans. And from an artist's point of view I also like the green color!

Even though my husband does most of the cooking, I do most of the cleaning! I will say that this pan is very easy to clean. I read a review on it where someone said they don't wash it with soap. I do simply because as a working mom I might not get to the dirty dishes as quickly as I'd like, so the pan may sit in the sink for a few hours before I can get to it. Plus I didn't realize you shouldn't use soap to clean it. Oh well, perhaps I missed something from one of the inserts in the box when I first opened it. But, on a positive note, I probably did miss some of the reading materials because I was so impressed with how nicely made the pan is.

So in my opinion this pan is top rated and I would definitely recommend it. Perhaps given a few more months I will come back and give a follow up review if anything happens to change my mind.

More fun on the way. Until then...

Skin Care

Not to brag, but one trait that was handed down to me through my genetic coding was good skin. My dad always looked younger than he was and he had very few wrinkles as he aged. I have a few wrinkles such as the typical crows feet around my eyes and I know my skin is showing it's age in some respects for sure. But every now and then I unexpectedly run into some of my classmates or friends from years ago and I see a big difference between the amount of wrinkles they have and the amount I have.

Fortunately I've been blessed with healthy skin but I also take care of it. I don't go crazy like some people and buy every new skincare product that comes down the pike that's touted as the next best thing. But I do try products that are recommended to me by family and friends. Over the past few years I've built up a list of some of my favorites.

I've purchased the products I like at different retail brick and mortar stores and I've also bought some products online. I'm sure some people are hesitant to purchase these types of products on the Internet, but there are a variety of reputable skin care retailers online such as beautybridge.com that have a solid reputation and many devoted customers. I can say with confidence that buying skin care products online is a safe bet as long as you are familiar with the retailer.

Not only can you buy skin care products online, but you can also buy your favorite brand of cosmetics, bath and body products, hair care products, nail care and more. Just make sure to do your homework so you know that you are buying from an authorized merchant.

As I'm sure you're aware a big issue now a days is being more conscious about our environment. I have to admit I can be a bit of a 'green mom'...not quite what you'd call 'crunchy'...but 'green' yes. I try to pay attention and use products that are friendly to nature. And that includes some of my skin care products as well.

G.M. Collin Products fall into the niche of skin care that are rooted in nature and will help your skin to look great from the inside out. Their products are created from natural plant and marine extracts so you can feel confident that you're getting products derived from nature.

You can also purchase Babor merchandise at BeautyBridge.com which are produced in an environmentally friendly manner. Not only is the product created in a way to protect the environment, but their packaging is as well. That's something that a 'green' mom like me likes to hear.

So, while I'm a 'green' mom who's been blessed with decent skin I do work at taking care of it. I don't spend hours and hours of the day basking in the sun. And if I am going to be in the sun I make sure to use a good sunscreen. I also use moisturizers every morning and night. I was my face before bed and again in the morning. And I use good quality skin care products. Plus I also exercise daily.

Speaking of which, I'd better get moving now. I have to take my nightly walk and it's getting a bit late in the day. I don't want to be walking the dog in the dark!

I'll have more fun to share soon...until then,

Back from vacation

We got back from our family vacation a couple of days ago and now I'm ready to roll. There's a lot to be said about getting away from your regular humdrum days.

We vacation in North Carolina every summer staying in different cottages with family and friends. This year we had a great view of the ocean right out our front door...

Once we crossed over the dunes this was ours all day everyday...

One morning we woke up to this stunning view...

Ahhh...it doesn't get any better than that!

While on vacation I had several customers call and email but I had limited internet access and my cell reception wasn't great. I got a bit nervous when I couldn't get back to my customers and thought, "I hope I don't lose my customer base while I'm on vacation!" A couple of them are repeat customers and I'd hate to lose this precious asset.

Thankfully everyone that I put off for a few days completely understood. The common thought was that everyone needs a vacation from the hectic days of life!

So now I'm back in full swing, revitalized and completely grateful that I have a job that I love!

More fun and sharing on the way...until then,

My Puppy Catching Some Much Needed Rays

I titled this post as 'My Puppy...' but she's hardly a puppy. Button--her legal name--is about 8 years old now, but I always call her 'Puppy'.

We've had a pretty mild winter up to now. The last few days it's been up in the 40's and 50's. Today it's rainy, but yesterday was pretty sunny.  Dr. Oz has said it a million times and I know it's true. We all need our daily dose of vitamin D and one way to get that daily dose is to sit outside in the sun for about 15 minutes each day.

Sitting in the sun for 15 minutes is easy in the warm weather, but when it's cold out that won't work for me. So I take my daily dose of Vitamin D in the form of a pill. Simple.

My husband and I noticed something a few years ago and it always strikes me as interesting. Every time we have a sunny day Button automatically goes out onto the deck and sits in the sun. It happens every day in the summer...unless it's raining.

So any time it's sunny and she goes out and sits on the deck I call it her time to go out and 'catch some rays and get her daily dose of Vitamin D'. Maybe this is something that's instinctual for animals.

Or maybe I'm completely off my rocker and she just likes the sun! To be honest I don't even know if animals need vitamin D!

Most likely the real deal is that I'm just a nut case that thinks too much and Button is just a simple dog who likes to sit in the sun!

Okay...more on the way...until then,

Seasonal Affective Disorder - SAD

I think I might have this -- Seasonal Affective Disorder otherwise known as SAD.

First of all I was thrilled to walk out to my kitchen this morning and see the beautiful blue sky and the sun! It's been dreary and cloudy here for days...if not weeks. But that's pretty typical for this neck of the woods at this time of year. We usually have more snow, but this year we've gotten very little--something I won't complain about.

Here are a couple photos to show the difference between last winter and this winter. It's the same tree from pretty much the same point of view:

Our backyard Winter 2011

Our backyard Winter 2012

What a difference! Yes, it's a bit muddy this year because it's been more wet than snowy...but I'll take wet over snowy anytime. Well, except on Christmas Day. That's the only day I want to see snow. But I digress...

Now getting back to SAD, seasonal affective disorder is a type of depression that is triggered by the seasons of the year. The most common type of SAD is called winter-onset depression. Symptoms usually begin in late fall or early winter and go away by summer.

I noticed a few years ago that I always wanted to just stay home and curl up under a blanket and keep warm and cozy until spring. But being a mom of three with my own business and a husband with his own business, well, I didn't have the opportunity to stay put.

Last winter I didn't notice much of a SAD feeling. I actually felt pretty good considering I had just lost my mom to Alzheimer's disease. But I believe that in reality I was in shock and denial. While my mom had Alzheimer's she died rather suddenly in early December. But that' another story for another day.

So to combat the extra 20 pounds I've been hauling around for years I started going to the gym everyday. On top of trying to lose weight and get healthy I hoped to eliminate my chances of getting SAD. While I've lost a few pounds so far I've noticed that I feel tired...not all the time, but more tired than I ever expected. It's confusing me. If I'm exercising every day why am I tired??? Shouldn't I have more energy?? I don't have an appointment to get my yearly check up until March. At that point if I'm still feeling this way I will talk to her about it.

So for now I attribute my tiredness to SAD. I'll keep exercising plus I've upped my daily dose of vitamin D-3 from 1000IUs to 2000IUs. My husband says I should take even more, but we'll see how I feel with this small increase first.

As well as those two things I'll pray that we continue to get more sun! A beautiful sunny day with blue skies always lifts my spirits no matter how cold it may be outside!

More sharing on the way...until then,

What's your 'Real Age'?

Have you ever tried to figure your Real Age? I saw a show about it on Oprah years ago. The Real Age test is a unique calculation of your body's health age. Created by top doctors, including Dr. Mike Roizen and Dr. Mehmet Oz it is powered by the latest medical research.

When I first learned about this test it left me curious as to what my real age would be but I feared the test would take a long time to complete and time is always of the essence for me. But the test itself was fairly simple...you answer a series of questions that will tell a little bit about your health and your day-to-day habits -- what you eat and drink, who you see and talk to, and how you handle big and little stresses and challenges. Then the results show you how young or old these lifestyle choices are making you. Finally a couple of weeks ago I decided to take some time and give it a try to find out what my Real Age is.

In reality I am 46 years old, but after taking the Real Age test they figured that due to my lifestyle my body's health age is 42 years old. That wasn't too bad, but I'd sure like for that number to be lower. Perhaps with my going to the gym every day now and becoming more responsible with my food choices I can reduce that number.

One thing about taking the Real Age test that some folks may not appreciate is the continuing emails that you will get after you get your initial results. Personally I don't mind  these emails because they are full of healthy lifestyle tips that I am very interested in at this point of my life. However those of you who won't like getting the continued emails you can simply unsubscribe from them.

I found the test and the website to be pretty interesting. If you decide to give it a try let me know what you find out. And by the way...the test didn't take nearly as long as I thought!

More sharing soon...until then,