Hi there! If you follow my blog or my YouTube channel Adriana Pina then you'll know
that I'm part of a CSA, Community Supported Agriculture. We support our local farms and pre-summer season we purchase a half share (justhubby and me!). Every weekend we stop by
our farm and pick out whatever has been harvested. This early on we're gettings lots
of greens, zucchinis, herbs, beets, carrots...we even got strawberries!
With all this fresh produce I have to get creative to make sure I use it all,
I'm a child at heart that does NOT like most veggies. So last week,
I enlisted the help of a friend to pickle cucumbers and make kale chips!
A pic within a pic! Pickled cucumbers (vinegar, dill, garlic, salt, pepper). Seal for 4-5 days by a window then refridgerate once opened.
I added mint leaves to my ice cube tray. I got so many compliments when people realized the mint was in the ice cubes!
Kale chips: (garlic, evoo and sea salt, parmesan cheese optional) Bake at 350 for 5 mins, mix with wooden spoon and bake another 10 mins.
Fresh cut lavender is making my kitchen smell heavenly!
Recently, my husband had to have surgery for a severed tendon in his wrist. Thank God it went well but I’m not going to lie, it’s been a little rough on both of us. He’s so limited in what he can do and he really needs to take it easy so it can heal. I’m just so thankful that he’s okay and it wasn’t worse.
Life can throw you unexpected curve balls but it’s up to us if we swing or give up. I’m trying my best to stay positive and what better way than to post another 10 Things I’m Grateful For?!?!? 1. I’m SO grateful for the wonderful doctors that operated on my husband. 2. That his surgery went well and his recovery is optimistic. 3. That our insurance covers all of the appointments/physical therapy, amen!
4. For our families, their support and help during this trying time.
5. That my job/boss is understanding that we all have lives outside of work.
6. For my extended YouTube/blog/FB friends praying for us and their kind words that bring a smile to my face.
7. That the weather has been so nice lately!
8. VACATION! We went to Myrtle Beach for 5 days and it’s just what the doctor ordered, no pun intended!
9. My house. My home. Nothing better than coming home.
10. Coffee. Sometimes it’s the only thing getting me through the day…and I’m off to go make some!
What have you been grateful for? I know during trials it
can be difficult to stay positive but I challenge you to come
up with 5 things you’re grateful for and see if you don’t feel
at least a little lighter, a little brighter during the day!
And if you just need a little more help putting a smile on your
1. We've booked our upcoming vacation to Myrtle Beach and I'm so excited!
2. The convenience of online shopping...let's be honest, I can't help myself.
3. Working for and with amazing, passionate people. My coworkers inspire me and push me to do even more and I'm so grateful for that. 4. Target sandals. The closest thing to flip flops I can wear to wrok, affordable and so fashionable.
5. My family, they make me laugh and feel safe. 6. That my husband and I are on the same work schedule. He used to work nights but the past year has been amazing having him home for dinner. It's the little, and not so little, things. 7. That I’m being given new tasks at work to expand my project works. This is putting me in line for bigger and better things! 8. My dog, he always makes my list!!!
9. For a supportive husband who forces me to take care of myself…not just everyone else! 10. Supportive bloggers like Katherine over at Katherine's Ccorner. She has helped me at various points in my blogging as a newbie and she's wonderful. Check out her linky party now to see some of the great blogs that have been inspiring me lately! What're you thankful for? It can be so easy to complain about little things or to just not acknowledge all the great things we have around us. Comment below at least 1 thing you're grateful for!
Oops, I forgot to do this last week! But that's okay right??? 1. My beautiful garden. Tulips, hyacinth, and azaleas are blooming! 2. Sunshine, it has been so sunny (sometimes chilly but the sun is out) and might even hit 80 in a few days!
3. Massages every month, I wish it was weekly but beggars can’t be choosers!
4. Exclamation marks!!! They so adequately express how I feel about things I’m grateful for.
5. Gatorade – an integral part of getting me back into a healthy state.
6. Skincare! After being sick all last week my skin needed a serious mask and this Coconut Ultra Hydrating Shae Butter Mask was just what the doctor ordered.
7. Icy Hot – yes, icy hot. Hubby has been playing a lot of sports and that’s the only thing keeping him moving.
8. Long walks…in the woods…with my dog!
9. A hot husband…literally. I’m always freezing at night and he’s just the opposite. After some grumbling he always lets me cuddle close to steal his warmth.
10. My momma…she was on vacation and coming home today. I missed her so much!
A few years ago, a friend of mine and I would make a list (or try!) every day of 10 things we were grateful for. Now this seems like a pretty easy task right? It's crazy how difficult it was day after day to find 10 different things. But it was a challenge and I loved that in the midst of drama or sad times, I was forced to focus on the positive lovely things in my life.
I stopped doing this over a year ago but I thought it was time to start up again. I know I can't honestly commit to doing this on a daily basis but I'm hoping to do it on a weekly basis at least. Let's shoot for Tuesdays, Tuesday's 10 Things maybe? What do you think?
1. The sunshine! It's finally spring here!
2. My house. We get annoyed at all the home improvements we have to do but we have a home to improve and I'm SO thankful for that.
3.The fact that we can afford to do these home improvements.
4. Long walks in the woods with my wonderful lab!
5. That my husband is being acknowledged at his job for his hard work.
6. That I'm in a new position at work that pushes me...constantly!
7. That my beauty blog/instagram/ebay sale is still going strong (whew!)
8. To work every day with one of my best friends. It makes the day go by that much faster.
9. That I have so much Spring cleaning to do, because it means I've been blessed with an abundance of things.
10. For leftovers! They make work lunches so easy and yummy!
So what would make your Tuesday 10 list? What are you grateful for? And if you can't come up with 10, maybe start with 5. Comment down below and let me know what you're grateful for! And while you're at it check out Redo It Yourself Inspirations for some...you guessed it...inspiration and my friends over at Sew Crafty Angel for some of the most amazing blogs!
Talking about very personal matters has never been easy for me. I’m sure you all understand. But when my good friends at GlamMoms2013 decided to organize a Spring Back Your Body Challenge on YouTube and Instagram, I was intrigued…and then compelled to share a bit of my story.
Rochelle (GlamMoms) has gotten a bunch of YouTube and Instagram ladies to commit to challenging eachother and ourselves to living healthier and make make lifestyle changes…not going on a mere fad diet. Then I saw a video a friend of mine, Mari, posted. And then Rochelle posted her story. Both videos moved me. Compelling me to film my own.
Now I didn’t necessarily go into extreme detail, even going this in depth was a challenge for me. If you want to hear my story growing up just check out the video below.
Throughout my 20s, I had been experiencing different symptoms that should have alarmed me but because I wasn’t in any pain, I wasn’t alarmed at all. Even after finally consulting a specialist, I wasn’t given any direction or even told how serious my condition was. So I kept on with my life and bad eating habits. It wasn’t until about 5 years later, ironically enough, on my honeymoon that things started to unravel. Looking back, I know it was all the red wine and amazingly delicious steak that sparked what I now know is a ‘flare up.’
Basically, my immune system is broken. Broken? Yes, broken. It thinks there’s some craziness going on in my stomach so it’s sending little soldier white blood cells to go attack! Which would be great if there was something to attack, but there’s isn’t. Just my stomach lining. So I have these ulcers and inflammation and anything and everything was making it worse.
I had to switch doctors, hospitals, get a gastrointestinal specialist. It has been non-stop drama for the past 3 years. I’ve probably been on 10 different medications, always buffered by steroids to calm the inflammation just enough for a new medication to work. I’ve had to go on short-term disability, was laid off, unemployed, landed in the hospital, started a new job…so many changes. And through it all, being told there’s no cure. Oh yeah, and try not to stress because that makes it worse. Um, yeah, okay!
So what food can I eat? What should I do? Unfortunately, there’s no black and white answer since it’s different for everyone! Unlike many, I can handle most dairy. Pizza does me fine but any raw veggies send my stomach into a whirl. Everyone, and I do mean everyone, simply shrugs and says oh you need more fiber. Go eat grain, salad, beans, veggies, do it all! Only I can’t. Because those wonderful things that my body needs are so rough on my system that they actually make it worse.
So how the heck do I lose weight when I can’t work out because I’m too sick and can’t eat healthy? Even a common cold usually lasts about 2 months in my system and kicks me on my butt. I try to do what I can. Especially when I’m not having a flare up. But I’m limited. And it hurts to be 32 and limited. I just want to live my life. I hate looking in the mirror and seeing my ballooned face from steroids. Hate knowing I’m avoiding the scale.
So Rochelle couldn’t have decided this at better time. Mentally at least! I’m getting over a cold, still on steroids and just getting off antibiotics but it’s a new season! Spring is here and I’m ready! I only have one body and one life and I intend to live it! And knowing I have a team of wonderful women with their own stories pushing them forward pushes me forward. I’m not alone. And I love that.
This is the continuation of a lifelong journey, but the start of something better. I hope to share this journey with you (with shorter posts I promise!) as well as share recipes, workouts, and other ways I’m learning and trying to stay healthy!
Within a few mere hours of posting my Spring Back Your Body Challenge video, I’ve received so much support and so many amazing words and sentiments. People, you, have reached out with encouragement and appreciation that I’ve shard part of my story. I’ve touched you. And in return, you have touched me.
I want to thank each and every one of you and encourage you to join me on this journey. Everyone’s story is different, goals are different and abilities are different. But we can do this together!
So….are you in???? Follow me on Instagram & Twitter @adrianarr9 and here on my blog! #SBYB
I was tagged by GlamMoms2013 on YouTube to do something truly meaningful...
give to those less fortunate than myself.
How often do we think we're just going to die without that new blush or
lipstick? So silly, right? This tag calls for us to go through our makeup, toiletries, hair
products, etc. and find things we don't like, use or just doesn't work for us and
donate it to women who truly need it.
So I went through my collection several times and parted with a crazy amount
of makeup, skincare, haircare...and was still left with an amount I'm ashamed of.
But the point is, we live in this world of abundance. And what for? I clearly don't
need 10+ blushes (and that's a low estimate!).
Check out my video below to see what I was able to pull from my 'collection' to donate to women who have so little. Thumbs up and share to spread word and get this tag going!
When you have very little, or nothing, the last thing you're going to do is indulge
in a lipstick. Especially when you need a place to sleep or dinner or your
child needs something.
This tag was designed by GlamMoms2013 to help
these women feel beautiful again. To give them a small part of normalcy and that
A lot of my girlfriends, specially now during the holiday season, find themselves swamped with work, errands, parties, housework….and the list goes on! How can we fit it all in?
The answer? WE CAN’T. When was the last time you sat down and just admitted that you didn’t want to have that catch-up coffee with an old friend, or attend all 7 holiday parties 2 weeks prior to Christmas? We don’t admit it because, well, it just sounds so mean to say you no. So here's my friendly little reminder that sometimes the best thing for you is NOT to do it all.
Me time doesn’t always consist of bubble baths and face masks. Actually, it rarely does!
Why is it that we feel so guilty saying no or just being honest that we’re tired. “No, I don’t have other plans but I’m actually really looking forward to going home, taking off my bra and watching Scandal.” Is that really so difficult to say? I mean, those are legit my plans tonight. For reals.
So every now and then when I start to get grumpy because the household chores are piling up and the fridge is empty and my bones ache because I’m just that tired…I remind myself it’s okay to make plans to ‘not have plans’.
A friend might ask, "Hey do you have plans tonight?" "Actually, yes. I have plans to stay home, have a glass of sangria and wash about 3 loads of laundry." End of story. No apologies necessary.
It may sound selfish, and that’s not my intent, but sometimes we have to be just a tiny
bit selfish. What good am I if I’m running around like a crazy woman but too tired to make
dinner or spend time with my husband?
We have to remember that this is the season for giving but we have to also give to ourselves.
Let’s not forget to give ourselves peace of mind, give ourselves a chance to breathe,
give ourselves a break. And don’t forget, it’s okay to focus on you at least a little bit!
The reason you’re so busy is because you’re so great and everyone wants a piece of you.
Just make sure there’s enough of you at the end of each day that you still feel whole!
So RELAX! Don't stretch yourself too thin this season and just enjoy life. Make every day
count but for the love of chocolate...kick off your shoes & have some hot cider!
And while you're at it, check out Katherine's Corner so you can see her Thursday Favorite Things and see what everyone else is enjoying today!
The Possible Project (TPP) is an afterschool youth entrepreneurship center that teaches Cambridge high school students to start and run their own businesses. Isn’t that amazing?
And I got to attend their first event “Powering Possibilities” Tuesday night with my coworkers as our company is a patron of the program. We were able to network and view first hand, just how bright and eager these young students were to succeed and excel.
They were and are an inspiration to all of us and I really felt a connection with the group. I strongly recommend you check them out at www.possibleproject.com and see how you can support this wonderful team that is enriching the world around us!
And you know I had to take some pics of the amazing
food and of my work girlfriends! We had a blast and
all for such a wonderful organization :)
Don't forget to check out the other blogs in Katherine's Thursday Favorite Things Blog Hop! www.KatherinesCorner.com
