Reminiscing & Celebrating 23 Years...

It was Christmas Eve morning 1989 and I was getting ready for work. I remember being greeted at the door by my love.  He was so cute and I was wondering what he had up his sleeve but also thinking at the same time I really needed to head out or I was going to be late for work. He just looked at me and smiled! I told him I needed to get to work and he said he had something to tell me. At first I wasn't sure what to expect, he shared with me how much he loved me, loved us and wanted more for us and then proceeded to pull out a little box and proposed. I couldn't believe this was happening. I mean don't get me wrong I  had dreamed of this moment since the day I fell in love with him. Needless to say I said "YES"!!  I remember I was so excited and emotional I was shaking. My dream was coming true, I was going to marry my best friend. A good ole mommas boy with such a big heart.  He ended up driving me to work and I must have been just beaming because my boss asked me right when I walked in what was going on. After sharing our exciting news he congratulated me and said Merry Christmas and gave me the day off. 

I was so excited to share our exciting news with my parents but they were out of town on a trip. I really didn't want to tell them over the phone but I didn't want to wait until they returned home either. So we called them and I don't know who was more happier them or us.  

So fast forwarding to the big day, the day I was going to become Mrs. Stephen Burgess. I remember feeling like I was walking in the clouds the whole day. Thinking today is the day I am going to be marrying the man that makes my life complete!! 

 

I am my beloveds, and my beloved is mine.....

                                                               Solomon 6:3

 

I love this picture. Dina is our dear friend who introduced us...

 

Today we celebrate our 23rd Anniversary. I look back through the years and although they all haven't been a walk in the park, we stuck it out and learned from each other.  Even though the tough times are hard and trying they teach and strengthen you. We know the importance of compromise and respect and have a mutual understanding that we don't go to bed mad. No matter what time it is work it out first!!! Not always easy to do but important.

I fall in love with him everyday. He is such a caring, understanding, smart, unselfish, loving, funny, hard working, compassionate, awesome dad, friend, provider, trusting, faithful man who leads his family with God as the center and foundation of our lives kind of man.

Happy Anniversary babe! Thank you for all that you are and do for our family. I Love You!!!

   

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.  It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.  It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.  1 Corinthians 13: 4-7

Have a blessed day!

 

 

Turkey Cutlets with Zucchini Noodles & Peppers

During the summer months I haven't been cooking that much. We mostly enjoyed salads. They are just cool, fresh and easy. So with the weather starting to get cooler and fall is in the air I wanted to mix it up a bit. I created this for dinner last night and the family enjoyed it. I forget to use turkey cutlets but when I do I tell myself I need to more often. They are a nice little change from chicken.

4 Turkey Cutlets
EVOO (1 tsp for turkey cutlets, 1 tsp for zucchini noodles)
2 Zucchini, peeled with a julienne peeler to make the noodles
1 Yellow pepper, sliced
1 Orange pepper, sliced
2 Cloves garlic, minced 
garlic salt, to taste
fresh ground pepper, to taste
grape tomatoes, quartered
fresh basil, chopped

Season turkey cutlets with garlic salt and pepper. Heat skillet over medium heat and add EVOO, cook cutlets on each side until done (mine took about 4-5 minutes at the most per side but it just depends on thickness of meat) set aside. In the same skillet add sliced peppers and cook over heat for about 5 minutes stirring occasionally. You want them to brown a little bit. Set aside. Add tsp EVOO and 2 cloves minced garlic, stir until lightly brown, add zucchini noodles, stirring until the noodles are heated thru and slightly tender. Toss in peppers. 

To plate I used the zucchini noodles & peppers as my base and added my cutlet to the top and topped with quartered fresh grape tomatoes and fresh basil. Viola!!! 

Enjoy

Being Transparent...

Happy Wednesday! 

Wow it's been a while since my last post. We are in full gear and getting back into the routine of the new school year. I can't believe my little girl is a Junior in High School, driving, talking about finding a job and really getting serious about finding the right college for her and her career path.  This past weekend we were out for a girls day with a dear friend and it was surreal listening to them talk about all the different campuses. They already have started setting up some weekends so we can travel to some campuses that she wants to check out. Man the time has flown by!

So with this post I want to give an update on myself, to put myself out there and be transparent. Its kind of an uncomfortable place to be. But I think important at the same time. I'm almost at my goal weight, Whoo hoo!!! Although the last 5 lbs are being stubborn and I keep teeter tottering back and forth with them I will get them! I can't believe that I have lost 75+ lbs since February. It's really hard to explain the feeling I have especially when one of my family or friends will say something. I'm like a high school teenager when I am trying on clothes, crazy since I hated to shop for myself before. Just ask my family I would just keep wearing something that I had for years because I was horrified to go and try on new clothes. It's definitely taking me some time to mentally wrap my head around my new size. I still catch myself saying when I'm skinny I want to buy that outfit or I still catch myself thinking as if I were still overweight. Then I'm like wait a minute I'm normal...haha me normal (well that's debatable, at least my weight is normal LOL). It's going to take me some time to retrain the brain and to replace the junk with positive new thoughts. I have been overweight or should I be real and say obese for most of my adult life. I have struggled with the yo yo cycle for years. The last several years I pretty much gave up and figured I was just going to be fat!!! But I didn't want to be that fat girl. So I made one of the best calls I've made and talked to my grandma who had done the same program I was thinking about. I totally said what the heck, stepped out on faith and dove in. I'm so thankful I did. I had my first check up since I started my program and my doctor was floored. She's so proud of me, and for whatever reason that really means a lot to me. It's kinda like a parent when they are proud of you. That you have done something that makes them happy! When she walked in the room she said she wouldn't have even recognized me if she hadn't already known that I was there. We talked about my accomplishment and she reminded me that obesity is a large factor with heart disease and stroke in women. That those two things take the lives of more and more women. Yikes!!! I was setting myself up for either one of those or even diabetes. 

So with all of that said I'm putting my stats out there, I want to hold myself accountable. I want to be able to encourage others and help others that feel like I did, like there is no hope, guess what there is!!!! Don't give up! I have come a long way and I am super proud of my accomplishment. My family has been and remains to be my major support group and encourager! I am truly thankful for them!!!

I've even started running (or should I say jogging at this time but still out there) and what a pretty awesome feeling that is since I've wanted to run for as long as I can remember.

so here goes....

February 2013    September 2013

size 18-20      size 8-10

weight 240      weight 162

bp 140/86       bp 124/76

BMI 32          BMI 23

 

Learning to eat healthy, be active, get sleep, have quiet time and have a good support group has changed my life. My new goal is to live an optimal healthy life and help others do the same!!!! 



Have a blessed day!

Happy Friday!


I hope you are having a great start to your weekend. I can't believe September is just around the corner. We have had such a beautiful summer but I am looking forward to fall. It is such a beautiful time of the year with all of the colors. 

Well we finally took a real vacation and celebrated our daughters Sweet 16! We went to Hawaii for the first time and WOW!!!! Words cannot express how amazing it was. The pure beauty all around. The scents of plumeria filled the air and I seriously had know idea an ocean could have so many beautiful shades of blue. I mean I've seen pictures of it but not thru my own eyes. The "Aloha Spirit" was everywhere! Everyone was extremely friendly. You saw so many people just enjoying the laid back life of the island and not really rushing to get anywhere. I think that is what I miss the most besides just getting to spend the whole day with my ohana is the laid back island lifestyle. Oh and swimming with the sea turtles. I mean WOW that was such an amazing feeling. 

  
The flavors in their seasonings was incredible. Since I enjoyed them so much I bought seasonings to try and capture certain flavors. When we were in the airport TSA asked who this purple bag belonged too and I raised my hand, they said ma'am did you buy a lot of seasonings...I of course said yes since my bag was full of it. They then proceeded to search my bag LOL 


One of the seasonings I got was the Aloha Spice Companies Seafood Seasoning and Rub...YUM!!!! you can click here to go to their website.


 
Seasoned Salmon with Ginger Soy Broccolini

3 Salmon fillets (about the size of a deck of cards)
1 1/2 tbls Aloha Seafood Seasoning  
1 bundle Broccolini
1/4 cup lite soy sauce
1 tsp ground ginger
1 clove of minced garlic (you know me I love garlic)

Mix soy, ground ginger and garlic in a small bowl and set aside

Preheat the broiler. Line a heavy rimmed baking sheet with foil. Spray the foil with nonstick spray. Arrange the salmon fillets on the baking sheet and sprinkle them with seasoning. Broil until salmon is opaque throughout and 8 to 10 minutes depending on size of fillet.

Meanwhile steamed broccolini until it was bright green. I don't like mushy broccoli! I still like to have a little bit of a crunch and since I was going to transfer it to a hot skillet I didn't want to over steam it. Poured the soy mixture over it and stir fried it until the soy thickened maybe 5 minutes) 

and viola easy peasy!! Family loved it!!! I have to say it was all in the seasoning. I mean you can see all the yummy stuff in it :)

Enjoy!!!!!