Have you heard of Ketones?

Inspired by Lynn after attending one of her Keto 101 cooking classes back before Covid hit I took the 10 Day Challenge just the see if it could help improve my blood sugar  to avoid the pressure from my family dr to take prescriptions and balance some of my inflammation and pain by reducing the sugar/carbs from my diet!

I am SO HOOKED!

I personally swap this product out for my breakfast cause I have never been  a breakfast eater and always forced myself to eat it cause we are told breakfast is the most important meal of the day - however 'break fast' actually means the first meal you choose to eat after a fast NOT necassrily that you have to eat it the minute you wake up - I personally have choose to do an intermitent fasting window of 18:6. So I have 18 hours of fasting and than a 6 hour window where I eat. I do not eat my first meal until around 3pm and than I have a light snack to hold me over to dinner, dinner and than a light snack while watching movies! Some times I do only the dinner and evening snack. Keytones first thing helps me get my morning off to an energetic start! I also end my day with a Keto Calm tea or a Keto Broth to help promote a good night sleep! Also because they are so packed full of vitamins and minerals i don’t have to choke down a multi vitamin so the savings from that is directed to investing in this! 

 I have so much more energy, less pain and am able to work out more often and harder and my blood sugar levels have been AMAZING! The doctor rolled her eyes at me when I said I wanted to try this for 3 months and run my blood work again before filling her prescription - boy did I show her roll your eyes at me will ya  🤣 

Do you want to take the Challenge too? Click here for more information.

Have an amazing day!

Margaret

Live, Laugh. Love

Be Totallyawake4-life

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Faux Hamburger Helper!

I made my own healthy grain free version of  faux 'hamburger helper' tonight thanks to Epicure! Nom nom nom ... way better than anything that comes out of a box and way healthier!

 

 

From Epicure you will need the following ... Mac and Cheese seasoning. This stuff is way better than Kraft dinner crap! As well as Fajita Seasoning - again this is so much healthier with no fillers and low sodium.

 

I browned a pound of ground turkey with onions, peppers and homemade salsa and fajita seasoning. I then  tossed couple cups of cauliflower florets with the dry Mac and cheese seasoning pack and 1/2 cup cream in my rectangle steamer than added the fajita meat mix and 2 cups spinach. Topped with some shredded cheese. Baked 350F for 30 minutes!

So tasty 😋

Bon Appetite

Margaret

Live, laugh, love

Be Totallyawake4-life

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Happy Childcare Worker and ECE Appreciation Day!

 

Tomorrow Thursday October 22nd is Childcare Appreciation Day in Ontario ... during the pandemic so many of my peers have risen to the challenge of taking on yet more risk and responsibility due to the pandemic and have done so with little to no additional resources or support provided to them by the government that deemed them 'essential' but than put in policies that once again ripped the rug out from underneath them by create diminishing their resources and making empty promises of support like PPE and so forth which 3 weeks into October many have still not recieved this months allotment of PPE and yet they are at work making due with either providing their own or reusing what should be expired PPE.

They rise like this because not only because they KNOW that working parents rely on their services but because sadly for so many of them they have NO CHOICE but to yet again being asked to rise and do more with less because they are working pay cheque to pay cheque, often multiple jobs, because despite the cost of childcare to family's that money does not roll over to them much of that goes to 'overhead' of operating so they are so under paid that missing even one day of work can mean a bill goes past due or they cannot make their rent! They rise because if they do not they risk drowning!

My hat is off and my heart is so full for all those who are out on the front line now giving it their all and with a smile and happy demeanor for the children in their care despite the burdens upon their shoulders - because early childhood educators and childcare providers are SUPER HEROES! They should be valued and appreciated EVERY DAY and our government should do MORE to show that they are valued!

To all my peers - you ROCK!

 

Margaret

Live, Laugh,Love

Be Totallyawake4-life

Who loves an unboxing?

 Who doesn't love a good unboxing?

I love being a part of the Scrapbook Nerd Design team - choosing our quarterly goodies to showcase is so much fun! Check out all the goodies in my unboxing video! Make sure to head on over to Scrapbook Nerd's & Friends on Facebook and join in the on fun weekly challenges to help jump start creative juices and for chances to win free stuff!

 So what do you think I should play with first?

Happy Stampin'

Margaret

Live, Laugh, Love

Be Totallyawake4-life

Why you need Aloette in your life too!

I could just listen to Chrystal talk forever she’s so much fun and since  she does a much better job explaining why Aloette is AMAZING for its healing properties with your skin than I could I will share her video for your listening pleasure! 

 

The healing benefits I saw with my psoriasis is why I fell in love with Aloette and why I love sharing it - everyone should feel comfortable in their own skin!!!

Come join me over on Facebook in my VIP group to stay up to date with current flyers and sales cause why pay retail when you can get these amazing products with added value at even more affordable pricing! 

Have a beautiful day

Margaret

Live, Laugh, Love

Be Totallyawake4-life

Watercolour background fun!

 Loving this Artisan Design Team Tip from fellow demo Zsuanna! 

For this stunning background you need / large acrylic block, a piece of clear window sheet, stampin ' blends (dark, 2-3 colors) and rubbing alcohol.

Just stunning works of art ... mixed media is always my favourite! I love the messy fun it’s so therapeutic!

You can order supplies to create this technique on my website

Happy Stampin'

Margaret

Live, Laugh, Love

Be Totallyawake4-life

It’s Paper Pumpkin time

 I am so excited each Month waiting for my Paper Pumpkin subscription - the Jolly Holly is on it’s way now - reminds me of being little and getting $1 to buy candy at the store and choosing one of those “surprise bags” that you rushed to get home and dump out all the penny candies inside it!

Except the Paper Pumpkin won’t rot your teeth 🤣

Sign up before the 10th of November to get the Jolly Gingerbread Kit! Here’s a little sneak peek!

Happy Stampin'

Margaret

Live, Laugh, Love

Be Totallyawake4-life

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Fat bombs 💣

 Stocked up some more of the fat bombs today .... chocolate almond cheesecake fat bombs! Nom nom! 

So easy to make!

1. Let Butter and cream cheese get room temp. 2. Blend room temp nut butter, butter and cream cheese ingredients very well and form into 40 small bite size balls on parchment paper lines tray - roll the balls in coconut or unsweetened cocoa or a mix of both if desired - pop in freezer to chill and firm and than transfer to storage container and keep in fridge or freezer until ready to eat. 

Bon Appetite

Margaret 

Live, Laugh, Love

Be Totallyawake4-life  

#keto #lowcarb #fatbombs #celiac #autoimmunedisease #cleaneating #healthandwellness #recipes #snacks #dessertalternative 

Progress makes me Happy!

 I am so grateful to be able to be back at the @bostwickymca and hats off to all the amazing staff keeping everyone safe with all the extra cleaning and the physical distancing protocols! It was a long few months with everything closed and my poor health took a tole from the stress Covid sent us! Not just the grateful for physical benefits but the mental health as well that getting out and swimming provides!

Cleaning eating combined with back to 4 days a week of lane swimming and aqua jogging and I am down 20 pounds ... slow and steady working towards my goal! 

What’d your go to exercise regime for mental health?

Margaret

Live, Laugh, Love

Be Totallyawake4-life 

Sketch time over at the Nerds!

 Hey there Margaret here guest designing for the Scrapbook Nerds over on Facebook - we are excited to share a wonderful Made by Melina sketch with you this week! Hope you come along and play! She has both scrapbook layout sketch and a modified card sketch for us!

 For my take on the sketch I did both a landscape and a portrait layout featuring one of my favorite Salted Background techniques! You can get the reinkers , watercolour paper and aqua brushes needed for this technique from the Nerds too!

I paired my technique with background with scraps from my Vicik Boutin Wildflower and Honey papers and the Sticker sheets over on the Scrapbook nerds online store!

Love how no two backgrounds turn out the same with this technique - but the colors blend perfectly together!

Happy Paper Craftin'

Margaret

Live, Laugh, Love

Be Totallyawake4-life

Fajita Craving ✅

 Nom nom 😋 who needs tortilla shells? 

Had a craving for fajitas so served the filling over Mexican inspired “cauli-rice” topped with homemade Guacamole! 

 For my fajita seasoning I used the amazingly tasty low sodium Epicure Fajita mix. 

For the Mexican inspired cauliflower rice the tasty poco picante spice from Epicure with some fresh tomatoes from our garden!

You can make amazing homemade guacamole in a flash thanks to Epicure too - try their Guacamole seasoning with a little avacado, lime and we like it creamy so added some mayo/greek yogurt combo!

Popped all my ingredients into the Carb Manager to journal - not a bad balance and packed full of flavor and taste!

Bon Appetite

Margaret

Life, Laugh, Love

Be Totallyawake4-life

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Grain Free Yorkshire pudding!

Hmmm gonna have to get a roast beef so I have a reason to try this grain free Yorkshire recipe from Carb Manager!

 

Do you love Yorkshire pudding?

 

Bon Appetite!

 

Margaret

Live, Laugh, Love

Be Totallyawake4-life

World Cardmaking Day Crop over on Scrapbook Nerds!

Come join us over on the Scrapbook Nerds and Friends Facebook group this weekend as we celebrate World Cardmaking Day with challenges, games and prizes!

As guest designer my challenge is to 'Get your Technique On' by creating a project with your favorite paper crafting technique and share with the group - my chosen technique is the polished stone because it is messy  fun and I love myself some messy play!

What you need:

Glossy white paper works best - photo paper works too / Rubbing Alcohol / Cotton balls or pads/ Rubber gloves / Silicone mat or Protectedsurface / Rinkers of choice /

Optional

Gold or Silver Shimmer paint / embossingpowder / versamark ink / Bleach / Paint brush

 Traditional polished stone:

Cut glossy card stock to desired size. Choose re-inker colours that coordinate along with a silver or gold or bronze metallic colour if desired. Wet cotton cosmetic pad with rubbing alcohol and drop a couple drops of re-inking or metallic colours on to cotton pad and then smooch and dab onto the glossy card stock until desired effect is created! Use a dry cotton ball to pick up any unwanted or pooling ink until you have the desired effect. Can speed drying with heat tool or let air dry. Complete card design as desired!

Embossed designed polished stone: 

Create unique patterned backgrounds by first stamping in versamark and embossing the shiny cardstock with background image of choice than doing the polished stone technique over top of the embossed section!

Do it with a Bleach Twist: 

Do step above and then using a paint brush ‘bleach out’ sections of your stamped design and see what magic happens with the bleach – looks specially pretty if you’ve added gold ink.

Card One : Features Vicki Boutins Colour Kaleidoscope So Fun Stamp set and the Beyond Words Patterned Paper  

Card Two: Features the My Favorite Things - Picture Perfect Stamp set .... how adorable are these little animals?

Card Three: Features the My Favorite Things All About You stamp and coordinating die set as well as the My Favorite Things Stacking Rectangles

 

Card Four: Featuring the Photoplay - We Can Just Stay Home - Colour Me Sheet ... these sheets are so awesome for the beginning or avid paper crafter alike. Perfect for the new crafter who does not have a huge stamp collection to get the 'stamped look' on their cards and for the avid crafter they provide a quick project alternative!

Hope you can pop over to the Scrapbook Nerds & Friends and play along!

Happy Stampin'

Margaret

Live, Laugh, Love

Be Totallyawake4-life 

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