WOW! I can’t believe it’s already been twelve weeks since my ACDF Surgery in May! On the one hand it seems like it’s been longer than that, but when I look at how far I have come in a short time, it is crazy!
I mentiond that I had been in pain since last November, and it was hard to even imagine what being pain-free would feel like…..well, it feels pretty freaking FABULOUS! Although, I’m not 100% pain-free yet, I’m pretty close! And being able to get back to being active is the BEST part!
My x-ray from my first follow up appointment with the neurosurgeon, showing the plates and screws that now reside in my neck:
According to my neurosurgeon, my neck is stronger than ever now. The part that takes time, is the fusion part, which can take up to a year to complete. It involves making sure that my new discs (cadaver discs + my bone shavings) fust together with my spinal cord, etc. I will be going in for follow up x-rays every few months, in fact I go in tomorrow.
I’m hoping to be released to up my exercise a bit, which includes running more. I have been walking like crazy and slowly jogging a bit, while trying to keep my neck somewhat stable. No hard core running yet. I’m not able to go boating, or mountainbiking yet. Nor am I able to play golf, go on rollercoasters, etc. What I have been doing is “light” zumba (what is that?), yoga and walking. Baby steps! I’m just thrilled to be able to get those endorphines going a bit! It makes all the difference in the world to me!
I’ve had such wonderful support through all of this! My husband and daughter have been willing to go walking with me anytime I wanted and my Zumba friends all kept me and my family fed during the first few days of post surgery, as well as keeping me motivated to heal and get back to class. And to those that have sent emails/comments/messages to keep my spirits up…THANK YOU! I am very blessed!
One day at a time! It’s all good!
Happy Thursday friends! We are so close to Friday and the weekend!
Have you ever had a major surgery that put you out for weeks/months?
What is your favorite way to get fit in the summer months?
WOW! I can't believe it's already been twelve weeks since my ACDF Surgery in May! On the one hand it seems like it's been longer than that, but when I look at how far I have come in a short time, it is crazy!
I mentiond that I had been in pain since last November, and it was hard to even imagine what being pain-free would feel like…..well, it feels pretty freaking FABULOUS! Although, I'm not 100% pain-free yet, I'm pretty close! And being able to get back to being active is the BEST part!
My x-ray from my first follow up appointment with the neurosurgeon, showing the plates and screws that now reside in my neck:
According to my neurosurgeon, my neck is stronger than ever now. The part that takes time, is the fusion part, which can take up to a year to complete. It involves making sure that my new discs (cadaver discs + my bone shavings) fust together with my spinal cord, etc. I will be going in for follow up x-rays every few months, in fact I go in tomorrow.
I'm hoping to be released to up my exercise a bit, which includes running more. I have been walking like crazy and slowly jogging a bit, while trying to keep my neck somewhat stable. No hard core running yet. I'm not able to go boating, or mountainbiking yet. Nor am I able to play golf, go on rollercoasters, etc. What I have been doing is "light" zumba (what is that?), yoga and walking. Baby steps! I'm just thrilled to be able to get those endorphines going a bit! It makes all the difference in the world to me!
I've had such wonderful support through all of this! My husband and daughter have been willing to go walking with me anytime I wanted and my Zumba friends all kept me and my family fed during the first few days of post surgery, as well as keeping me motivated to heal and get back to class. And to those that have sent emails/comments/messages to keep my spirits up…THANK YOU! I am very blessed!
One day at a time! It's all good!
Happy Thursday friends! We are so close to Friday and the weekend!
Have you ever had a major surgery that put you out for weeks/months?
What is your favorite way to get fit in the summer months?
I am super excited to finally show you the new rug I received from Rugs Direct! I mentioned in a post HERE that I was given the opportunity to review a rug, and let you know about a fabulous sweepstakes that Rugs Direct was hosting.
The original rug I chose, was on back order until October (popular rug!), so I chose a different one. Same colors, but a different pattern.
My rug was delivered super fast (within a week) and the quality of the rug was FABULOUS! I love it!
It's so hard to take photos in front of a huge window! The colors of things get skewed a bit! The photo above gives you an idea of what the rug looks like under our dining nook table. Love it!
The photo above is more realistic as to the colors of the rug.
And the photo above is a closer view of the texture.
We have some changes planned in the kitchen over the next few months, that involve painting the cabinets white, the island a dark gray and doing something with the countertops. I think this rug will be the perfect starting point for us! What do you think?
Have you ever purchased a rug from Rugs Direct? They are having a huge August Clearance Sale right now, and when you use the code AUG15X, you will receive and extra 15% off your rug.
Here are THREE reason to buy a rug from Rugs Direct (from their website):
Rugs Direct offers the largest online selection of name-brand area rugs in the nation. But if that's not enough to convince you this is the best place to shop for rugs, Rugs Direct offers three important reasons why you should always buy your area rugs from us. First, we offer truly free shipping to any address in the contiguous USA. Seriously, free shipping. So the price you see advertised is the price you pay for the rug you are buying. Next, we offer a risk-free, in-home trial on every rug we sell. If you buy a rug from Rugs Direct and decide you don't want to keep it, we'll take it back – no questions asked. The return must be made within 30 days of purchase and you are responsible for return shipping charges. Lastly, we offer a 110% price match policy. It guarantees you absolutely cannot pay more for anyting you buy from Rugs Direct. Not only will we match any price offered by any competitor – online or a local store – but we will beat it by an additional 10% of the difference. Take a look at our frequently asked questions for complete information on our price match policy and all the advantages for buying area rugs from Rugs Direct. It should be clear, you can't make a mistake when you buy rugs from the nation's leading source, Rugs Direct.
I hope you are having a FABULOUS Tuesday! Thanks for stopping by!
Well, hello there! It's been a while since I posted last. Life got busy, and I was also under the weather a few days, which is never fun! But, I'm feeling better now and I have so much I want to post about. There just never seems to be enough hours in the day 🙂
Today, I want to tell you about what has become our new favorite summer meal! I originally posted about the Best Pizza Evah! last year HERE. We normally just use our oven and a pizza stone to cook the pizza, but earlier this summer I was craving homemade pizza and didn't want to heat the house up, by turning on the oven (we have had a HOT HOT HOT summer here). Soooo, I thought it might be fun to try cooking the pizza on the grill, and I was right! It was fun and super yummy!
1. Gather all of your ingredients. We LOVE tomatoes, fresh mozarella cheese and red onions on our pizza along with pesto (the pizza dough I used was Trader Joe's Garlic and Herb dough).
2. We recently found Grandma Sandinos Vegetarian Garlic Sauce at our local farmer's market and fell in love with it! And Trader Joe's Pesto is always a good choice!
3. Roll or shape your dough to the desired shape and brush one side with olive oil (I used the Vegetarian Garlic Sauce).
4. Place the dough, olive oil side down on a MED/HIGH grill. Now brush the top side with olive oil.
5. It should only take a few minutes to get some nice grill marks on the dough. Go ahead and flip the dough over (be careful, it's HOT)!
6. Now you are ready to spread on Pesto, or whatever sauce you like on your pizza.
7. Add the rest of your ingredients and close the lid on the grill, to allow the pizza toppings to melt.
8. Take a quick peek and admire all the melty goodness! *NOTE: if the bottom of your pizza is cooking quicker than the cheese is melting, you can slid a pizza stone or baking sheet under the dough. We've had to do this a few times.
9. ENJOY your pizza! Soooo quick and easy! And sooo GOOD! We love to eat this out on the patio with a cold beer or glass of wine!
What is your favorite type of pizza?
Have you ever tried to make pizza on the gill?
I'd love to hear from you! And be sure to share the recipe!
Can you belive we are in the last few days of July? Where has the summer gone? Aaack!
It's going by too fast!
Well, I've got another item to check off the 2013 Summer Bucket List! Slowly, but surely I'm getting a few things checked off! Last week, I attended an outdoor concert at Red Butte Garden with two friends. If you live in Utah, and haven't gone to a concert at Red Butte, you are missing out! Such a GORGEOUS venue!
We originally had tickets to see Earth Wind and Fire, but they ended up canceling (what??), so we saw Kenny Loggins, which was fine by me! I happen to be a HUGE Top Gun fan, like HUGE as in it's my favorite movie of all time. Love me some Tom Cruise (don't judge)!
"I feel the need, the need for speed"
Anyway, we had a great time! The concert venue is pretty large and you are allowed to bring in whatever food and/or drinks you want. Some people get very elaborate with huge picnic spreads! Love it! We just picked up salads from Corner Bakery, grabbed some wine and called it good!
The weather was perfect and the music was great! A little Top Gun and Footloose, thrown in with some old classics!
I want to introduce you to the newest member of the Moll Family!
Say Hello, to Barkley Judge!
Our cat Jax passed away a few weeks ago, and our dog Chloe was devestated. Chloe and Jax were great friends and played together (chased each other) all day long. It broke our hearts to see Chloe so sad and depressed. Since Chloe is still young (5 years old), we decided to get her a friend.
Enter Barkley!
Barkley is the same breed as Chloe, a Mal-Shih (maltese-shihtzu mix) and we fell in love with him instantly! Chloe is still deciding!
Have you ever introduced a new puppy to and older dog in your home? Do you have any advice for me? How to make the transistion easier? I would love to hear!
Happy Friday, friends! I can't believe how fast the summer is flying by!
Oh well, at least it's the weekend, right?!
Today, I wanted to share with you a few things I am lovin' this summer! They are mostly new to me finds that I think are pretty fabulous!
1. Frozen Grapes: I had never tried to freeze grapes before this summer (what?), and I cannot get enough of them! I especially love red grapes frozen! I eat them every morning when I get to work!
2. Skinny Pop Popcorn: Have you tried this stuff? Only 39 calories per cup! It's the perfect snack in the afternoons, when my work day is dragging. A friend of mine gave me a bag after my surgery, and I was hooked immediately. I find mine at Costco. Try it!
3. Nuun: I am a recent convert to Nuun! We have a water challenge at work, and I have a hard time drinking just plain water. I like Crystal Light and Propel drops, but they almost taste too sweet for me. I discovered Nuun this summer, and have been enjoying the Nuun All Day Hydration at work, and the Nuun Active Hydration during my Zumba classes and other workouts. Loving it! A nice light taste that isn't overpowering at all! And, it's full of vitamins!
4. Lululemon Headbands: Lovin' these headbands by Lululemon. They don't slip off my head or give me a headache when I wear them – either while working out, or just hanging out. I prefer the medium width or skinny width best. Works perfectly to keep my bangs off my face, and the sweat out of my eyes!
5. doTERRA Lip Balm: If you know me at all, you know I am a Carmex junkie! It's ridiculous. I don't leave home or go anywhere without my Carmex. I have recently discoverd doTERRA Lip Balm, and I love it. I am trying to wean myself of the Carmex, and I think it's working. The doTERRA Lip Balm has an awesome flavor, and it really seems to moisturize my lips, rather then dry them out.
Have you tried it?
So, there you have it! 5 things I am lovin' this summer! And now some questions for you:
What are you lovin' this summer?
Are you addicted to anything weird, like Carmex? Please tell me, I'm not the only one!
Have a great Friday y'all! And a FABULOUS weekend! Make it a great one!
A few weeks ago, Detour Protein Bars sent me some of their new Lower Sugar Neopolitan Protein Bars to try out. I am super picky about the protein bars that I eat, I like them to have great flavor (not too bland and blah), but not too many calories and sugar either. These really fit the bill!
This yummy bar is made with a rich milk chocolate layer sandwiched between creamy vanilla and sweet strawberry nougat. The 40 gram size has 15 grams of high quality whey protein, 170 calories and just three grams of sugar. AND they are delicious! Love them!
Here is the nutritional information on the bars:
And a little information about Detour:
The bar was really filling, and the perfect snack after a workout, or in the afternoon at work to get me through the rest of the day! I love that I don't have to worry about eating something so full of sugar, that I will get a sugar high, and then crash a short while later!
I was given a box of Detour’s lower sugar protein bars free of charge but the thoughts and opinions are all my own.
Have you ever tried Detour Protein Bars?
If so, have you tried their new Lower Sugar Protein Bars? I'd love to hear what you think!
Hello Friends! I can't believe we have already finished our second week of July! The summer is flying by and I can't seem to catch up!! I hope you had a FABULOUSFourth of July holiday last week!
I had plans to get several items checked off my 2013 Summer Bucket List over the holiday weekend, and manged to get them done! One of the items on my bucket list was to plan a weekend away. With the 4th falling on a Thursday this year, I thought it would be the perfect opportunity to take a long weekend and get away!
I had such a fabulous time at The Canyons in May when I was there for the Blend Retreat, that I decided to book a room for the weekend in Park City. I found a great rate on a room at the Sundial Lodge, and it was beautiful! Our room was on the top floor and had french doors that opened out on to a nice balacony with a gorgeous view of the whole resort:
Gorgeous, right?
After checking in to the lodge, we hit up the mini golf course right at the base of the mountain with Madison and George.
It was a lot of FUN, but HOT! HOT! HOT!
The next morning Carl and I were up for a nice hike! We hit up the Ambush Trail and had a great time! It was so pretty and the hike was a mixture of full sun and shade, so it wasn't too hot. We did have to share the trail with mountain bikers, which was a bit sketchy at tiimes, but all good!
Discover New Hikes: CHECK!
After relaxing in the room for a bit and a quick shower, it was time to head to the dog park! My Mom and Brother Kevin brought up our dog Chloe, and my other Brother's dog Cooper for a visit. They are dog sitting, and since it has been so HOT in the valley, we thought the dogs might like to enjoy the cooler temps in the canyons. They had a great time! Playing in the water, chasing tennis balls, other dogs, and each other!
Aren't they cuties? Despite the huge size difference, these two are the best of friends :) We all shared a pizza from Drafts on the lawn later that night, and just enjoyed the scenery and company.
The next morning I was ready to check off another item from the 2013 Summer Bucket List! Rent Bikes!
We went on a 14 mile bike ride, which included a ride in to downtown Park City, a pit stop at Starbucks (duh!) and ride back over toward the dog park. There are so many great paved biked trails all around Park City. I could have biked all day, if my legs hadn't been screaming at me. Oh and my neck…which took a little bit of jarring, despite being on paved trails. We had such a great time that Carl and I are looking in to purchasing bikes sometime soon! So much fun!
Rent Bikes: CHECK!
The morning had beed really overcast, which was nice since it was still hot. It was perfect weather to ride bikes, but not so great to sit by the pool! GRRRRR. We ate lunch in our room, thanks to stopping for some groceries (Trader Joe's) on the way up the canyon. We grabbed lots of healthy snacks and some salads, so we woulndn't have to pay an arm and a leg for lunches. It was nice to know we had some healthy choices right at our finger tips! Love when rooms have mini-kitchens! The clouds cleared and we were able to spend a few relaxing hours at the pool. Yea!
But soon enough the clouds rolled in again. Carl enjoyed a book on the balcony, while I watched the storm move in:
Pretty soon it was a down pour! I loved keeping the doors open to listen to the rain and thunder! Summer thunderstorms are one of my favorites!
Dinner that night was at Lorenzo's in Park City. The food was okay, but the homemade tortilla chips were FABULOUS! I mean super FABULOUS! It was like they were twice fried or something?!?!?! And the salsa bar was great too. I could have dined on chips and salsa alone, and been a happy girl!
We went back to the lodge for movies and more rain, thunder and lightening!
I was so sad to see our trip come to and end the next morning. We had such a great time at The Canyons! I can't wait to do it again! Next time I hope to be able to do the Zip Line Course and Mountain Bike on actual dirt trails! My neck just isn't healed enough yet to try them this time!
Before heading down the canyon to grab our puppy Chloe, we stopped in for breakfast at Good Times Bistro. I LOVE eating outside during the summer! Even if it is on our own patio in the backyard! So any chance I get to eat outside, I take it!
Carl chose the Belgium Waffle, and I had the Egg Scramble with onion, mushroom and avocado! It was sooo good!
Dine Al Fresco: CHECK!
All in all, it was a FABULOUS holiday weekend, and I can't to do it again!
Weekend Away: CHECK!
How was your holiday and weekend? What did you do? Do you have anything planned this weekend? I'd love to hear about it!
I have a new place to tell you about! Especially those of you in Utah! But, first of all….have you entered to win a Rug from Rugs Direct yet? If not…..go HERE to enter! Who doesn't need a new rug? For free?
I know, right!
Anyway, Utah is getting hip! With the opening of Granary Row , it seems that we might be getting bit cooler here in Salt Lake City. It is a very unique place! From the website:
"Granary Row is a pop-up market and festival space. It's a community space, as well as a breeding ground for local businesses.
Granary Row is the very sort of "big idea" that it hopes to foster — a bold urban venture aimed at inspiring and fostering the entrepreneurial ambitions of Salt Lake City's creative class. At its core, it's an experiment in ware-steading the Granary with microventures that will make the District their home — in turn sustaining the neighborhood as a place where makers live, work, and play!"
Carl and I decided to check it out a few weekends ago. It just happened to be the weekend of the Salt Lake Art's Festival, so the crowd was a bit sparse, which they expected. Not a huge crowd, but I can see it really catching on this summer! The whole place is set around those huge shipping containers:
There are retail vendors housed in many of the containers, which is pretty cool! There is also a variety of food trucks each night, and a beer garden (earth, wind and beer) hosted by Uinta Brewing, which is awesome! Granary Row is located on 700 South and 300 West. Right in the middle of the street, and adjacent to Kilby Court. There is also entertainment each night on the main stage. For dinner, Carl and I decided on Blue Pablano and it did not disappoint!
I chose veggie & steak tacos (with beans and rice) and Carl chose the special of the night (which I can't remember the name of). Both of our choices were delish! We were able to take our dinner in to the beer garden to dine al fresco and order a beer, which was nice.
We really had a great time! It was nice to just relax, eat some good food, listen to music and just enjoy a nice summer night. I'm excited to see Granary Row grow and succeed!
If you live in Utah, have you check it out yet? If you don't live in Utah, do you have any spots like this?
