4/29/10

The Nation's Finest

On Friday, April 23rd, two Air Force Academy Grads (Maurice Dunn & Rashad Howard) and I were the hosts of a networking event at Bar7 in DC for all of the Black Service Academy Graduates that lived in the DMV. The purpose was to get everyone together and spread the word out about the Inaugural Black Service Academy Graduates Super Reunion that will take place August 26-28th, 2010 at the Gaylord Resort & Conference Center in National Harbor, MD.

If you are a Black Service Academy Grad in the DMV and didn't attend...DAMN!! YOU MISSED IT. It was just awesome. We had grads there from the Class of 1977 up to 2001. Airline Captains, Presidents & VP's of major corporations, Lawyers, Doctors, Business Owners and even the Pilot for the Vice President of the United States (who is an AF Academy Graduate) were in the house. What a treat to hang out with The Nation's Finest.

Check out the event...I bet you know some people in the video. It's time to get connected and/or reconnect. Register now.


If you missed this event, I hope you will NOT miss the Super Reunion. It is going to be a great time.

"Celebrate History - Accept the Challenge"
The Super Reunion will be the first ever gathering of African-American US Military Academy, US Naval Academy, US Air Force Academy, US Coast Guard Academy and US Merchant Marine Academy graduates from every class year. Our mission is to provide an engaging atmosphere where attendees share professional and personal experiences, resulting in a skilled network of diverse professionals. The Super Reunion will challenge this new resource group to explore collaborated community service. We will also pay tribute to the oldest living African-American graduates from each military service academy.

4/28/10

Imagine That...

"Imagine If The Tea Party Was Black" - by Tim Wise

Let’s play a game, shall we?

The name of the game is called “Imagine.” The way it’s played is simple: we’ll envision recent happenings in the news, but then change them up a bit. Instead of envisioning white people as the main actors in the scenes we’ll conjure - the ones who are driving the action - we’ll envision black folks or other people of color instead. The object of the game is to imagine the public reaction to the events or incidents, if the main actors were of color, rather than white. Whoever gains the most insight into the workings of race in America, at the end of the game, wins.

So let’s begin.

Imagine that hundreds of black protesters were to descend upon Washington DC and Northern Virginia, just a few miles from the Capitol and White House, armed with AK-47s, assorted handguns, and ammunition. And imagine that some of these protesters —the black protesters — spoke of the need for political revolution, and possibly even armed conflict in the event that laws they didn’t like were enforced by the government? Would these protester — these black protesters with guns — be seen as brave defenders of the Second Amendment, or would they be viewed by most whites as a danger to the republic? What if they were Arab-Americans? Because, after all, that’s what happened recently when white gun enthusiasts descended upon the nation’s capital, arms in hand, and verbally announced their readiness to make war on the country’s political leaders if the need arose.

Imagine that white members of Congress, while walking to work, were surrounded by thousands of angry black people, one of whom proceeded to spit on one of those congressmen for not voting the way the black demonstrators desired. Would the protesters be seen as merely patriotic Americans voicing their opinions, or as an angry, potentially violent, and even insurrectionary mob? After all, this is what white Tea Party protesters did recently in Washington.

Imagine that a rap artist were to say, in reference to a white president: “He’s a piece of shit and I told him to suck on my machine gun.” Because that’s what rocker Ted Nugent said recently about President Obama.

Imagine that a prominent mainstream black political commentator had long employed an overt bigot as Executive Director of his organization, and that this bigot regularly participated in black separatist conferences, and once assaulted a white person while calling them by a racial slur. When that prominent black commentator and his sister — who also works for the organization — defended the bigot as a good guy who was misunderstood and “going through a tough time in his life” would anyone accept their excuse-making? Would that commentator still have a place on a mainstream network? Because that’s what happened in the real world, when Pat Buchanan employed as Executive Director of his group, America’s Cause, a blatant racist who did all these things, or at least their white equivalents: attending white separatist conferences and attacking a black woman while calling her the n-word.

Imagine that a black radio host were to suggest that the only way to get promoted in the administration of a white president is by “hating black people,” or that a prominent white person had only endorsed a white presidential candidate as an act of racial bonding, or blamed a white president for a fight on a school bus in which a black kid was jumped by two white kids, or said that he wouldn’t want to kill all conservatives, but rather, would like to leave just enough—“living fossils” as he called them—“so we will never forget what these people stood for.” After all, these are things that Rush Limbaugh has said, about Barack Obama’s administration, Colin Powell’s endorsement of Barack Obama, a fight on a school bus in Belleville, Illinois in which two black kids beat up a white kid, and about liberals, generally.

Imagine that a black pastor, formerly a member of the U.S. military, were to declare, as part of his opposition to a white president’s policies, that he was ready to “suit up, get my gun, go to Washington, and do what they trained me to do.” This is, after all, what Pastor Stan Craig said recently at a Tea Party rally in Greenville, South Carolina.

Imagine a black radio talk show host gleefully predicting a revolution by people of color if the government continues to be dominated by the rich white men who have been “destroying” the country, or if said radio personality were to call Christians or Jews non-humans, or say that when it came to conservatives, the best solution would be to “hang ‘em high.” And what would happen to any congressional representative who praised that commentator for “speaking common sense” and likened his hate talk to “American values?” After all, those are among the things said by radio host and best-selling author Michael Savage, predicting white revolution in the face of multiculturalism, or said by Savage about Muslims and liberals, respectively. And it was Congressman Culbertson, from Texas, who praised Savage in that way, despite his hateful rhetoric.

Imagine a black political commentator suggesting that the only thing the guy who flew his plane into the Austin, Texas IRS building did wrong was not blowing up Fox News instead. This is, after all, what Anne Coulter said about Tim McVeigh, when she noted that his only mistake was not blowing up the New York Times.

Imagine that a popular black liberal website posted comments about the daughter of a white president, calling her “typical redneck trash,” or a “whore” whose mother entertains her by “making monkey sounds.” After all that’s comparable to what conservatives posted about Malia Obama on freerepublic.com last year, when they referred to her as “ghetto trash.”

Imagine that black protesters at a large political rally were walking around with signs calling for the lynching of their congressional enemies. Because that’s what white conservatives did last year, in reference to Democratic party leaders in Congress.

In other words, imagine that even one-third of the anger and vitriol currently being hurled at President Obama, by folks who are almost exclusively white, were being aimed, instead, at a white president, by people of color. How many whites viewing the anger, the hatred, the contempt for that white president would then wax eloquent about free speech, and the glories of democracy? And how many would be calling for further crackdowns on thuggish behavior, and investigations into the radical agendas of those same people of color?

To ask any of these questions is to answer them. Protest is only seen as fundamentally American when those who have long had the luxury of seeing themselves as prototypically American engage in it. When the dangerous and dark “other” does so, however, it isn’t viewed as normal or natural, let alone patriotic. Which is why Rush Limbaugh could say, this past week, that the Tea Parties are the first time since the Civil War that ordinary, common Americans stood up for their rights: a statement that erases the normalcy and “American-ness” of blacks in the civil rights struggle, not to mention women in the fight for suffrage and equality, working people in the fight for better working conditions, and LGBT folks as they struggle to be treated as full and equal human beings.

And this, my friends, is what white privilege is all about. The ability to threaten others, to engage in violent and incendiary rhetoric without consequence, to be viewed as patriotic and normal no matter what you do, and never to be feared and despised as people of color would be, if they tried to get away with half the shit we do, on a daily basis.

Game Over.

Tim Wise is among the most prominent anti-racist writers and activists in the U.S. Wise has spoken in 48 states, on over 400 college campuses, and to community groups around the nation. Wise has provided anti-racism training to teachers nationwide, and has trained physicians and medical industry professionals on how to combat racial inequities in health care. His latest book is called Between Barack and a Hard Place.

4/22/10

Pantenologist






















Hair!

There is so much talk, angst and knashing of teeth over the care & maintenance of Black hair. Should I go natural? Should I keep my relaxer? What do I do with my hair when I work out. Uggaaah.

Honestly, I don't really give it much thought. I just do my hair. I have been doing my own hair since I was probably 10 years old. I have had a lot of time to figure out what works and what doesn't. Why? Because my mother simply said she WAS NOT sending me to hair dresser every 2 weeks or so. It wasn't happening. I could figure it out or she would have me in two braided ponytails on each side of my head for the rest of my days. I chose to figure it out. PDQ.

So, it really doesn't make me no never mind or give me a worry in the world about "what to do with my hair." I just do it. I admit that if I want some color, I go to a professional. I simply don't do box color. I've seen way to many crazy results. When I did get a relaxer (I haven't in 3 years), I have it professionally done. I've burned myself way too many times. If I want a trim or a new style - professional. And while I'm talking about a professional - I mean a SALON. Not a shop. My salon doesn't have TV's, I am ALWAYS seen on time (and if I am more than 15min late, I am the one rescheduled), I am NEVER put under the dryer to buy time cause the stylist is backed up and it has NEVER taken more than 2 1/2 hours (only when getting full color process) to get my hair done. NONE OF THOSE SHENNANIGANS. Does it cost more? Probably. But time & trifling is money.

I just don't get all the angst and drama. Trial & error and I figured out what worked in the worst situations. My hair survived a military academy, the Army & numberous field exercises where there was NO curling iron or hair dryer for miles or even weeks. Then again necessity is the mother of invention.

I recently was asked to become a Pantenologist and give the new custom hair solutions from Pantene a try. Sure. I forgot about it until this huge box arrives with the kit you see above. It came with the four types of hair solutions (Fine, Thick, Curly, Color), a lab coat, glasses and a test kit (to test out what type of hair you had). Well I doned my lab coat and proceeded to conduct the tests even though I already knew I was Thick, Curly w/Color. It was amusing anyway. After the tests were confirmed, I decided to proceed with the the Medium-Thick hair solution as frizz is my main concern since I do not have a relaxer.

I washed & conditioned my hair with the Pantene Medium-Thick Hair Solution, blew it dry w/a hand held hair dryer, and styled using a flat iron. It took exactly 48 min from out of the shower to styled hair. I got in the shower at 4pm and was completly done with my hair by 5pm. I was out the door to attend a dinner by 5:25. (Yeah, my outfit was ret tah go in advance) I guess I got this getting it together business down.

I was very pleased with the results of the Pantene Medium-Thick Hair Solution. No frizz and my hair feels great...even 3 days later. Actually feels better than what I'm currently using - not that I put much thought into it before. I'm going to give the Curly & Color Solutions a try over the next two weeks and see if there is a difference in the solutions for my hair. I'm pretty confident I'm going to end up using the gift card to purchase the full sized Medium-Thick Hair Solution.

If you think you would like to give one of the Pantene Hair Solutions a try, you can find the little sample packs at your local store or be one of the first to give one a try by getting a free sample at pantene.com

This product review was based on using complimentary Pantene products provided by P&G. I also recieved a $25 Gift Card.

4/20/10

SPARK: General Mills & Giant Is At It Again!

Giant & General Mills are at it again with a interesting promotion. Giant is already running the contest and I was asked to do a little extra participation. FINE WIT ME! I like their products which include stuff ranging from Pillsbury Grands, to Green Giant Garden Fresh Steamers to Fiber One Cereal. Not a problem. This family eats them all.

What's the deal? Giant is paying homage to Mother Earth by offering a chance to win a 2010 eco-friendly Hybrid car.

Now, you can participate on your own...Entering couldn’t be easier! From April 16-29, buy 5 participating General Mills items with your Giant card, use a re-useable shopping bag and you’ll be automatically entered to win. There are two different sets of participating General Mills items for each week of the promotion. DON'T WANT TO PURCHAS NUTTIN?...No purchase is necessary. You can enter without making a purchase by completing an official entry form at your local Giant store. The more you buy the better your chances are to win! Limit one entry per visit. Open to residents of MA, RI, CT, NH, NJ, NY, MD, DE, VA or DC and individuals at least 18 years old. For details about the sweepstakes, see in-store for complete rules.

OR...

You can play with me and get a $20 gift card to Giant (also good as Stop & Shop) to try your own General Mills Products and enter to win a Hybrid. Leave me a comment telling me which General Mills Products you would stock up on for your 2010 eco-friendly Hybrid Car entry and you just might get that Giant gift card.

Since I was shiftless & lazy and was late on getting this post out, you have a short turn around. I need to hear from you by THURSDAY, APRIL 22nd to get the winner turned in so you have time to get your card and enter the contest.

I'll tell you what I bought - (Pillsbury Grands, Pillsbury Cinnamon Rolls, Green Giant Valley Fresh Steamers, Coco Puffs & MultiGrain Cheerios). Did you know that Yoplait, GeneralMills Cereal, Green Giant, Pillsbury, Totinos, BettyCrocker, NatureValley & Cascadian Farms are all part of the General Mills brand? Learn something new every day.

Hurry Hurry. Contest closes on Thursday, April 22nd.

General Mills and Giant provided me with the gift card, information, and additional gift card through MyBlogSpark™.

The New Grill Christening

The Queen Mother was gracious AND generous and bought the family a new "fancy" grill with her tax refund monies. ALL HAIL THE QUEEN MOTHER!

She handed me the receipt and said "Handle the pick up - make it so number 1." I went and picked up the grill on Saturday and the Queen Mother decided that it must be christened. Thus, the impromptu BBQ on Sunday after the Clydes 10k. It was a little cool but we managed to make the most of it and had a great time.

Two pitchers of SideCars were consumed. Sissy made the MOST FABULOUS Pork chops (she did the swine industry proud). AngryBlackManVA brought the cigars & the bread pudding. SLAMMING! How could we not have a great time.

I believe the grill will be getting a serious workout this season. Who's in?

4/19/10

32nd Clydes 10k

Sunday @thefitlounge (check her after race post here) and I ran the 32nd Clydes 10K in Columbia, MD. We had a great time. We had our new, fitting shoes, were styling in our new outfits and were in good spirits. It was a tad colder this year than last but we managed to warm up by dancing to the music that was blasting prior to the race.


I finished this year in 1:14.04 (1210/1292) which translates to an approximate 12 min pace. That is two minutes better than my time last year. Next up - 5k with G-baby May 2nd, The Baltimore 10 Miler in June and The Army 10 Miler in Oct.


The training continues...

4/17/10

Can You Feel it?

Can You Feel It? Can You Feel it.
CAN YOU FEEL IT!

That song from the Jackson Victory Tour has been going through my head all day after spending the morning doing some "prep" work with @thefitlounge - we went Bikram Yoga today to get our stretch on and then over to Feet First to pick up our race packets. At Feet First, it was game on. Everything was 25% off for the racers, so the new outfit I got off the clearance rack was an additional 25% off. GO ME! Then, one of the salesman (and EVERYONE in that store knows what da heck they are talking about cause they do it) looks at my feet and says "Are you planning to run in those." Ummm. Well. Yeah. He kinda sucks in his teeth and says "Lets fit you and compare." Ummm. Okay.


He puts me on this machine...like the one Dr.Sch.olls has except a little/lot more sophisticated and surprise, surprise (NOT) I am a pronating platapus that puts all of her weight on her heels. And the kicker...I should be running in a 10wide - NOT the 9 regular that I'm currently running in. The salesman says to me, "So, do your feet hurt after a run? Are you getting blisters?" Yes, and I show him the bottom of my feet and he give the lady that was helping @thefitlounge the side eye and she hustles to the back and brings out two pairs of shoes. I look at the price and am like ummm, yeah, but DAMN PLAYA! Seriously. She says try them on and go outside and run in them. Before I got outside, I was complaining that they must be too big because they slip on my heel. He motions for me to sit - I comply - and he ties them in such a way that gives more stability around my ankle (a loop tie or something). HOT DAMN! I was in love.


I went out for a little jog and there was a HUGE difference. HUGE. Can I say HUGE one more time? HUGE! I bought em, ya know. 25% off an all.


An hour later, @thefitlounge and I left the store with a race packet, outfit, shoes and some "energy gel" - I have a serious problem with someone saying that "this one is the one you will most likely be able to tolerate." Wow. I decided to go with the XS Energy Shot that I'm picking up later today from my liquid crack supplier. I just can't live without that stuff...and I can "tolerate it" pretty damn well. We were a C-note+ poorer, but we are ready!Clydes 10K here we come!

Can You Feel It? Can You Feel it.
CAN YOU FEEL IT!

4/14/10

City Running & Executing a PLF


I was in Nashville for a company meeting and had to get in some miles in preparation for the Clydes 10k this weekend. I'm not much for running on the treadmill, so I went to the concierge, got a map and found a route - 2mile out & back.

I rarely run "in the city" but I have some wits about me when I have to do so. If you can dodge a wrench, you can dodge a bus (you had to see the movie, Dodgeball). N.E.Way...I got up at 530am and was off. I could not believe the amount of traffic out. Running through intersections, dodging cars & buses and navigating uneven pavement. LAWD.

I got to about the 2 mile mark which ended on an uphill and my slew foot clumsy self tripped on a piece of raised sidewalk - I was going down. While I am not Airborne qualified, I did learn in Jungle Warfare school where we had to air assault into da jungle and other fun (crazy) traipse through the jungle with weapons & pack & ish how to fall properly. It is officially called a PLF (Parachute Landing Fall). I won't go into the mechanics of it (and I really don't do it the way it is taught), but the jist is to minimize the effects of busting your azz and breaking bones when you fall.

When falling forward, you have to learn to go with it and not try and break your fall with your hands or you are likely to break your hands, wrists or sumptin'. Go with it, tuck your shoulder, drop and roll, back up on your feet. Kinda like a modified forward roll.

My toe clipped that sidewalk and...Drop, tuck, roll, up. I stand back up, dust myself off and do a body part check. As I'm gathering my wits, this random man had seen the whole thing and was approaching me. What was absolutely hilarious about it was he was coming towards me with his hand up, palms forward as if to say "Easy, easy, I don't want to hurt you, please don't scream or kick me." So, he is coming towards me, hands up ....

Man: Are you okay, are you okay?
Me: Yes, thank you, I'm fine?
Man: Are you sure? Look like that hurt. Are you going to finish your exercise? You want ride?
Me: Ummm. No. I'm fine.

The man backs away, hands still up. I couldn't help but laugh. I was thinking, really, I'm not gonna hurt you, man.

I shook off the tumble and finished the rest of my run.

If I can dodge a sidewalk, live to tell about it...I think I got this race on Sunday. What ya'll think?

4/12/10

Everything

This is what Momma Pride & Love looks like. I have no other words. This is Everything.

4/11/10

Warrior Lacrosse Parent Weekend - Part 2

Thought I was playin' round bout this stuff? NOPE! I am a Warrior Lacrosse Mom! Woo Hoo.

It was a beautiful day on Saturday. Sunny with a light breeze - about 70 degrees. Very comfortable. Did I even think that I would need sunscreen? NOT...and right now I am nursing a nasty little sunburn on my chest. That will teach me to let the girls out and be all cute and whatnot on a sunny lax day. I got me some Motrin for the inflammation & pain and some aloe vera gel to cool the heat radiating off my chest. LAWD. The things I suffer in the name of being a Warrior Lax STAN.

This game was a tough one. We got smoked by Davenport - the Divisional champs, but we played hard. I heard they were a tad irritated that IT even scored against them. How dare a team of all Freshman even get on the board. How dare we indeed. *Snorting with derision* HUMPH.

You know I took a bunch more pictures and video. Check out views from the Indiana Tech vs. Davenport.

Warrior Lacrosse Parents Weekend

It was Warrior Lacrosse Parent Weekend at Indiana Tech this past weekend, so we loaded up the conversion van and hauled 10 hours out to see our young man & the Indiana Tech Warrior Lacrosse team play some LAX!

You know I take my Army Football/Basketball & Indiana Tech Lacrosse STAN (stalker-fan) seriously...like to a whole new level - coordinated outfits to the school colors & cheering like one of the crazed fans you read about and get ejected from games. That's me.

I also have more camera & video equipment than the average spectator. I'm serious about this stuff - capture the moment and whatnot. The key is to figure out how to get in a couple of the pictures yourself. It's a struggle but I manage.

Prince Jordan looked awesome and I was SO FRIGGIN PROUD walking around giving head nods all around. The Prince was giving us a tour and EVERY SINGLE PERSON (from the security guard to the cleaning lady to the staff & faculty) said Prince Jordan was a great young man. *head nod* Yep, that be my boy! Inside I was like all warm and fuzzy - I guess we raised him up okay. Now, if I could just get him to keep his room clean at home like his suite is at school. Fat chance, huh.

Anyway, here is some pics & video from Friday nights game against Ball State. Enjoy.

4/9/10

Homeless L.A. student accepted to West Point

Homeless L.A. student accepted to West Point




Posted using ShareThis

WELCOME TO THE LONG GREY LINE!!!!

THE CORPS! THE CORPS! THE CORPS!
The Corps, bareheaded, salute it, with eyes up, thanking our God. That we of the Corps are treading, where they of the Corps have trod. They are here in ghostly assemblage. The men of the Corps long dead. And our hearts are standing attention, while we wait for their passing tread. We sons of today, we salute you. You sons of an earlier day; We follow, close order, behind you, where you have pointed the way; The long gray line of us stretches, thro' the years of a century told And the last man feels to his marrow, the grip of your far off hold. Grip hands with us now though we see not, grip hands with us strengthen our hearts. As the long line stiffens and straightens with the thrill that your presence imparts. Grips hands tho' it be from the shadows. While we swear, as you did of yore. Or living, or dying, to honor, the Corps, and the Corps, and the Corps.

4/6/10

Officially A Soccer Mom

Not only am I the Kool Aid House Momma, but I am also now officially a Soccer Mom! Princess Cara has been "demanding" all winter that she get to play soccer when the weather gets better. They play it indoors in her after-care program. Well, we signed her up for the Thunder Soccer Micro Program to introduce her to soccer, learn some skills and have some fun & fitness.

She absolutely loves it. Of course, it is imperative (in her mind) that we are watching. It is also a good idea to be sitting nearby so that when she gets "distracted" and starts playing grab azz with some kid that I can yell - "CARA, FOCUS" and she gets back to the game. The kids are so damn cute running around and the coaches are absolutely wonderful. They seem to be having as much fun as the kids. I was thoroughly impressed.Looks like we will be raising kids FOREVER. Just when I think we are done...God seems to have another plan...and here we go again. So on this, our 3rd iteration of PTA's, sports & activities, school, dances & so on and so forth, the FireMarshall and I trudge along with that knowing look, occasional sigh and lots of laughter. We are much more laid back about stuff with Cara; yet at the same time, we are dead in dat azz. We just don't have the patience like we used to which means we have no concept of time out for bad behavior. Princess Cara is probably the most spoiled rotten of our kids, but she also gets "nipped in the bud, PDQ" faster than the others too. Interesting dynamic.

I know I am snarky about being the KoolAid Momma house and doing the "Kindergarten to College" thing again. If I didn't laugh about it, life would just be tragic. Despite the sarcasm and snarkyness, y'all know the FireMarshall and I are having the time of our lives. I know the FM is reveling in being PopPop & "MY DADDY". As for me...it makes me feel young. With that...I welcome my new title of Soccer Mom!

4/5/10

SPARK! - Greek Yogurt

As you know, I am trying to improve my fitness and nutrition game and one of my favorite treats is Greek Yogurt. I know a lot of people consider yogurt "diet food" and I did too - in fact, I considered most yogurt pretty gross and when I tried some of the low fat, or diet varieties - it left something to be desired.

I just didn't like the taste of "regular" yogurt so when it was suggested that I try Greek Yogurt I figured why not - I'll give it a shot. I find that Greek yogurt is slightly sweeter taste (to me) without added sugar and a consistency that appealed to me. The extra bonus is that with Greek Yogurts you get 0% fat and about 2x the amount of protein that is in regular yogurt. I'll take a bunch of protein over empty carbs any day.

I recently had the opportunity to try a new player on the market - Yoplait Greek Yogurt. Yoplait & Giant through MyBlogSpark were generous enough to send me a couple of containers of the new Yoplait Greek Yogurt and a $20 Gift Card to Giant (so I could stock up and share). My favorite Greek yogurt to date is Chobani, but it it rather pricey and I only buy it when it is on sale. This time I didn't have to worry about the price point to give it a try. YIPPIEE!

Yoplait Greek Yogurt has 0 grams of fat and just 130 calories. Each cup contains 12 grams of protein - two times that of the leading yogurt - and is available in four delicious flavors, including Strawberry, Blueberry, Honey Vanilla, and Plain. In addition, Yoplait is the only leading brand of Greek yogurt with Vitamins A and D.

For the price point (you will need to do your own comparison) Yoplait is a good & easy choice to make for a tasty, healthy snack on a budget.

I know a lot of you guys are working on your fitness and nutrition game too (especially Ms-Fiber-Pattey) so I have the opportunity to offer up a prize pack so you can try the new Yoplait Greek Yogurt and decide for yourself. The prize pack includes 4 free coupons to purchase the product and a $20 Giant gift card.


To enter to win the prize pack, leave me a comment telling me which flavor of Yoplait Greek Yogurt you would like to try and/or introduce me to a new healthy snack I can add to my repertoire. You will get additional entries if you tweet this (include @thetraveldiva in tweet so I know you sent it) or follow me (click the google follow on left sidebar - you will have to let me know in comments that you followed)

Easy Peezy! Contest Closes and winner will be randomly selected on SUNDAY, APRIL 11th.

If you don't want to play but still want to try out Yoplait Greek Yogurt, you can visit www.yoplaitgreek.com to save $.30 on one cup of Yoplait Greek yogurt today! Mkay.

Let's get our FABULOUS on!

Giant and Yoplait provided you with the free product, information, and gift pack through MyBlogSpark™.

4/4/10

Happy Easter

I pray that every one had a wonderful & blessed Easter weekend.

4/3/10

Picking Up The Pace

I have been working on getting my run lungs/legs back under me after several injuries. I started Running to Cadence which helped me immensely in getting my breathing down and a running rhythm again. The drawback...the cadence pretty much keeps you at a 12-13 min pace. Easy peezy.

Well, not so much when you are trying to increase your pace for the road races you've entered so as to not cross the finish line dead azz last or damn close to it. I decided to change up my "music" to some stuff I used to run to (a mix I downloaded called On The Treadmill and another called R&B Anthems). Holy Cow. The difference some music makes.

Now, for all of you running w/o music purists - WHATEVER! - you do you and I'll do me. I am not trying to qualify for the Olympics or anything. I run for me. I run for fun. I run for fitness. Whatever you think about running with music...I don't care ONE IOTA. Mkay?

N. E. Way...

I was able to cut almost of min of my average pace of 12:30...and it felt awesome! I was a little winded and needed to get my breath under control a couple of times - which I did - but I felt great. I'm on my way for a great running season.

4/2/10

Easter Tablescape - Simply

I put this together mostly from things I already had. I added the napkin rings which I got for $4 at HomeGoods and the egg decorations from Michaels from the 60% off bin.

Fun, festive & best of all...cheap.

Have a great Good Friday!

4/1/10

Easter Tablescaping & Dinner Menu

Well, it is that time of year again. EASTER!!! I am currently working on my tablescape for Easter Dinner. What you see above is the basis of what I am going to work with. I added the flower plates this year (actually bought them over Christmas on sale for $1 on recommendation from MsPattey) and plan on going over to Pier1 and Michaels to see what I might want to add. I don't buy "china" every year...I got a set and work around that. Period.

We are not coloring eggs this year. The past two years, we made real eggs; colored and decorated; and then NEVER ate them. A waste. This year I decided that Princess Cara and I (and I'm sure that the older Princesses will be involved) would make Easter Cookies. I bought a kit from William&Sonoma, I have decorations, frosting and we are off. Those will DEFINITLY get ate. TRUST.

We are not doing traditional Easter menu either. Momz and I have put together the following menu:

Warm Salad of Seared Sacallops, Green beans & Bell Peppers in Walnut Vinegrette
Roast Prime Ribs of Beef w/Pink & Greeen Peppercorn Crust & Red Wine Pan Sauce
Potato & Porcini Gratin
Broccoli & Cauliflower w/Horseradish Bread Crumbs
Rosemary rolls
GMa Sandy's Easter Basket Cake
Wine (of course)

Reservations are open. If you would like to join us for dinner, drop me a line. No need to do a holiday alone - EVER.