:::THE DAY I HEARD HIS VOICE : MY WRECK:::

Friday was my last day of student teaching. I was driving to school with a cupcake on board ready to give it to my teacher and say bye to my kids.

That never happened.

In route, I was singing and just driving along. My right tire went off the road and I pulled the other way.

I over corrected

My car zig-zagged across the road

I was headed for trees & then....

I heard HIS voice.

The Lord said "Close your eyes & go limber. Go limber. I've got you"

The next thing I know my body is being tossed around like a bean bag everything is spinning and then I'm upside down. My first thought is "is anything broken". I moved my arms and legs. My head and back were throbbing. I could not get my seat belt undone.

My car had hit some trees, bounced back, rolled 2 or three times, and landed upside down.

I then thought "do i have ALL MY TEETH". If you know me, you know I'm TERRIFIED to loose my teeth. I'm a dork. I know.

I'm happy to say. I have my teeth. I started honking my horn & then a man pulls me out of the car. I met two very sweet people just then. A fireman driving by and a mother who saw me in pain and stopped to call my family and hold my hand.

I cracked jokes to keep them calm and to keep me from FREAKING out. I then asked if I could pray. I was praying in my head but there is something relaxing and reassuring about praying out loud. I Praised the Lord for his protection and soverignty. I thanked him for allowing it to happen so only he could receive glory. I thanked him for the people who stopped to help and asked Him to bless them and calm them. I prayed for my family and that they would not panic. I asked for quick healing. I praised him again over and over and over.

The ambulance came. I cracked more jokes with my EMT. It made the ride less scary.

Once at the hospital, I broke down. They had dumb visiting hour rules and I did not want to be alone. The pain was more intense and I was scared of internal damages.... and that I wont be able to go on our cruise in a week... They gave me meds. Pain meds and my favorite... some type that knocked me out. I was in la la land.

6 oclock FINALLY came & so did all the test results. NO broken bones. NO fractured bones. NO internal damages. Husband says if he didn't know I was okay when he arrived at the crash, according to the appearance of my car, he would have thought I was dead. We will see the car tomorrow.

Husband stopped by walgreens on the way home to get some cold things to put on my face for the BAD swelling..





Yes, he got Pizza Rolls to put on my head. HA! I love him!

I have done nothing but sit in a chair and put Ice all over.

BE WARNED. I LOOK LIKE A HOT MESS....okay..maybe not so hot. But DEF a MESS

Day of wreck:






Day 2:

My constant state of being: Iced.

Day 3 (Today):

I should have slept with my foot propped up. Its blue.



Hot right? But looking better:)

Josh has been an absolute sweet heart. He has taken care of my every need. He has fed me, bathed me, clothed me, comforted me, and forced me to move around. I am so thankful for his servant heart and compassion. I can not thank him enough. I love him.

The lady who stopped to help called my husband and my mom & said that me praying for her really touched her heart. Please join me in praying for her salvation.

Thank you to all my family and friends who have sent encouraging words & prayed for me. Thank you mom and dad for coming to the Hospital & just being my parents;) and to my sister, Lindsay, for bringing me lunch. My mother in law has been so helpful and sweet. She is such a blessing. Thank you all so much.

I can not praise the Lord enough for his hand of protection and for being with me. I know it sounds crazy but I did hear his voice & I felt his presence. That is something only His children will understand. It is a miracle that I am as okay as I am. a True Miracle. & it is ONLY because of the Lord. ONLY because of his mercy that I am alive and doing well. I do not know why He allowed it to happen but I praise Him regardless. He will reveal that to me in His timing. I'm so thankful I serve a living God who has a personal relationship with me and chooses to love me and protect me despite my sin because He sent His son to die and I asked Him to be my savior. God is so good. So good. SO good.

He wants that relationship with you too.

I feel so blessed.

:::TWO VERY HAPPY TUMMY RECIPES:::

I haven't done a food or recipe post in a while. it's. time. friends.

I'm always looking for ways to eat the same yummy foods I love but make them healthier. My all time favorite food is spaghetti. So when I found out about spaghetti squash and the fact that it is SO low in calories... I was PUMPED. Last night subway did not happen so I decided to try this recipe and I'm SO glad I did.

Spaghetti Squash Spaghetti:

You will need:
1 Spaghetti Squash
2 Cans stewed sliced tomatoes
1/2 an onion
1 tsp minced garlic
1 Zucchini
Italian Seasoning
Garlic Salt
Basil

How to Cook:

1 Spaghetti Squash (if you buy at Kroger) has a sticker on it on how to cook it. Go by those directions

2 While that is cooking, saute onion & Garlic (5 minutes)
3 Add tomatoes & seasonings. Bring to a boil then turn down heat. Let simmer for 5 mins or longer. (I usually do about 10 mins)

4 Scrape out the Spaghetti Squash (that's also on the directions)

5 Fix your plate! Spaghetti Squash with sauce on top!


88 Calories per Serving!!!!!! INSANE:) Serves 4!



The next recipe is totally random and is nothing like the first:

PB & CINNAMON & BLUEBERRY OATMEAL

I love oatmeal. I never get to eat it because I'm in such a rush in the mornings. Tonight was a "free for all" night so I went for it.

You will need Fresh Blueberries
& this PB:


Add cinnamon & regular oatmeal....
BOOM. YUMMY OATMEAL:



Do the Happy Tummy Belly Dance!
& give yourself a thumbs up for eating healthy:

:::MY 200TH DAY OF WORKING OUT:::

My title kinda gives away the reason behind this post! I'm CELEBRATING my 200th straight consecutive day of working out! YAY!!! Now before you want to kill me.... I only work out for about 30 minutes a day! I switch it up between Jillian Michaels 30 day shred, JM's Yoga DVD, Wii Fit, and the elliptical. It has become a habit like brushing my teeth. I really dont mind doing it everyday. I actually LOVE it:)



I seriously can't believe that I have done it this long! It originally started out as just a 30 day challenged but it just keep going... and going... and going.... Thank you Lord for giving me the strength and ability to keep going. to him all the glory!

Husband bought me some YUMMY cupcakes from Muddy's to celebrate!!!

I'm off to the elliptical... tomorrow starts day 201... Can I really make it to 365days????

200 CALORIE SCRUMPTIOUS DINNER!

It has been a while since I've done a recipe post. I've cooked tons of yummy new things with the best intentions to post them... but life happened. However, tonight I am ceasing your anxiousness and posting a new recipe!!

I got the Biggest Loser Cookbooks for Christmas! If you are trying to eat healthier or lose weight... I HIGHLY suggest you get these books! They are loaded seriously LOADED with recipes. They are also super easy! I'm super excited to try out the recipes and tonight I cooked my first: Portobello Surprise Wrap. It was DELISH! I'm going to try and post all the recipes I cook out of it for those of you who don't have the book. But for real though, go buy it NOW! The best thing I love about it is that its not all walnuts and fruit. There are recipes for all kinds of desserts, hamburgers, steaks, pork tenderloin, but they all have simple no taste sacrificing healthier ingredients.

Portobello Surprise Wrap
Serves 1
Per Serving: 183 Calories

Ingredients:
1 large Portobello Mushroom Cap
1 Wedge Laughing Cow Cheese Light Garlic & Herb (I used French Onion)
Salt, to taste,
Black Pepper, to taste
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup yellow onion, cut into strips
1 tablespoon Balsamic Vinegar
1 Whole Wheat flour low carb tortilla

I forgot to take pictures. Well actually, I didn't think they were going to be good enough to post to be honest... but they were incredible!

1. Place the mushroom cap, stemmed side down on a cutting board
2. Cut the cap in half. Remove the top disk and spread the cheese over the bottom disk.
3. Place the top half back on the bottom half.
4. Coat the cap in olive oil spray (try to put olive oil in a spray bottle instead of using Pam, if you can't... just use Pam). Sprinkle with Salt and Pepper to taste.
5. Flip mushroom over (stemmed side up) and pour Worcestershire into the gills.
6. Mist nonstick skillet with Olive Oil Spray. Set on Medium heat.
7. Add onion. Cook for two minutes (stir occasionally). Drizzle Balsamic Vinegar over. Cook 3-4 more minutes.
8. Transfer onion to a plate and cover .
9. Place Mushroom stemmed side down. Cook for for 3 minutes, Pressing gently with a Spatula.
10. Flip mushroom and cook for 3 more minutes or until tender.
11. Place tortilla on skillet and cook 30 seconds on each side

Place the mushroom on one side of the tortilla (may have to cut the mushroom in half). Top with onion. Fold the bare end of the tortilla up over the filling and roll like a burrito! Warning: they are messy!
Serve Immediately!

I thought they were yummy but I knew they were great when my husband and MIL improved!! We ate it with a side salad and some fruit for desert! It was just a little bit over 200 calories for the whole meal (depending on the dressing you use) and the best part? I was FULL & did not need to unbutton my pants! SCORE!

Hope you make these soon! Enjoy!

100 DAYS OF WORKOUTS

Today is my 1ooth consecutive day of working out! I seriously am astonished that I have been able to conquer this goal. I realize that it was not just me. The Lord has allowed me to accomplish this goal & I have learned alot more during this challenge, more than I thought I would. Some of the things are very personal (but have nothing to do with being healthy) & others have made me realize that I have the ability to be disciplined in any area I want. I hope to take this and apply it to my relationship with the Lord. I want to have 100 consecutive days of spending time with the Lord or memorizing scripture because in the long run my health is not eternal, it is an earthly temporary thing. However, my relationship with the Lord and what I do in this life to impact for His kingdom is eternal. I'm so thankful for a God who is real and seeks a relationship with me.

I don't post this to brag but hopefully to help inspire others! It is total doable to be healthy and eat healthy!

Merry Being Healthy Everyone! Im off to eating a celebratory cupcake & watch Biggest Loser:)

GUEST BLOGGER & 8 TIPS FOR EATING OUT

Hello Lovely Bloggers,

When Katie asked me to write a little something about health for her Healthy Party, I was beyond excited about being a part because health is everything! I Studied Nutrition and Dietetics in college and then studied to become a Nutrition Counselor and my love for health didn’t stop there. I strive to feed my family healthy foods that still taste yummy. I am a Jesus follower and He says that your body is His temple if you follow Him. I believe that being a temple for Him most certainly has to do with the food you do or you don’t put in your mouth! I believe you can make good choices anywhere you go and that everything is ok in moderation!!

So enough about me; Let’s talk about HEALTH! When thinking on what to write for you all, I decided why not tackle the one of the biggest obstacles most people experience in their venture to try a healthier lifestyle: Eating Out! So, here are some of my suggestions when eating out healthily.

8 Tips For a Healthier Eating Out Experience:

1) Choose your meal ahead of time and figure out the nutrition information. If the restaurants info isn’t online simply call the restaurant and ask them. Most places will gladly do their best to supply you with the info you need.

2)Order your meal from the appetizer section. Most appetizers are the portion that a meal is supposed to be anyway.

3) Drink LOTS of water. This will ensure you are eating because you are hungry and not thirsty and will give you the desired “full” feeling.

4) Mini meals are a must. If you are planning on eating out and consuming more calories than you usually would, plan the rest of your day accordingly.

5) Eat a 50-100 calories snack before you go to the restaurant so that you aren’t famished and can eat with self control.

6) Pick the right kinds of meat. Ask for skinless chicken whenever possible or remove the skin yourself. If you do treat yourself to fried chicken, choose white meat as it has fewer calories than dark. Allow yourself red meat in moderation -- just be sure to choose leaner cuts of meat like loin or flank.

7) Modify the menu. Anything can be batter-dipped and fried or cooked in butter. Many restaurants will take your dietary needs into account so you'll be a happy customer and return. Don't hesitate to request anything on the menu to be prepared in a more healthful manner.

8) Beware these high-fat choice words: Cream sauce, butter, oil, au gratin, breaded, alfredo, battered or batter-dipped, "with gravy," or smothered. These little "extras" aren't worth the extra calories.

Hope some of these tips come to mind the next time you are eating out. I would love for you to visit my blog at www.ashleyfisherslife.blogspot.com and I’m on Twitter as ashleyeafisher. I am also always looking for new clients to Nutrition Counsel. (It can all be done over the phone, and through e-mail.) If you are interested you can contact me at ashley.e.a.fisher@gmail.com.
Thanks ya’ll and have a wonderful day!
:)
Ashley

I hope you all visit Ashley's blog! Her family is absolutely precious and I often find encouragement in her posts. I highly recommend her for Nutrition Counsel! It would be a great way to get some counseling and ask questions about health especially because she is a REAL mom who faces the same "what do I fix for dinner that won't clog our arteries" problems! HA! If you're serious about getting healthier, losing weight, & learning about a healthier lifestyle, contact Ashley!!

Thanks Ashley! Great post!!!!

HELLO HEALTH PARTY 5

Days I've worked out this week: 7!
Minutes per day I worked out: 30 minutes
Health find/tip of the week: nothing new this week:(
Health question of the week: I love my workout cd's (30 min shred & yoga) but I'm ready to add something else into the mix... zumba, kick boxing... What is your favorite workout dvd or style?
Pounds lost this week/so far: GOAL:)

This has been my second busiest weekend in a while! We had a date night Friday night & family pictures yesterday. I have a shower today and then church tonight! A tip on date nights: Pick somewhere healthy or where you know you can get a healthy entree. Beware salads!! They are often super high in calories & can easily trick you! Josh and I went to a local restaurant called Humdingers. It's a chicken & fish only type of place! I had grilled shrimp, sweet potato fries & grilled zucchini (total of about 540 calories)!!!! It's my favorite place because it is DELISH and almost all entrees healthy!!


So I've been thinking about Hello Health parties.... I really believe they would be great for woman and accountability. However, I think maybe it will work best if it is not every single week. Im thinking about doing it twice a month. Gives more time to see results before posting... what do you guys think? There just isn't as much participation as I hoped... which is fine! This is for whoever wants/needs it! I'm not looking for numbers, I just want to help woman (and men) to concur their health! Let me know what you fellow partiers think...

HELLO HEALTH PARTY 4

Days I've worked out this week: 7!
Minutes per day I worked out: 30 minutes
Health find/tip of the week: This is for all you iphone people out there... it's called "The Snack App". I read about it on another blog & downloaded it. I love it! It will tell you all kinds of snacks that fall under 50, 100, or 200 calories. Awesome, right? well it gets better, It then tells you how to burn it off!!! Genius!
Health question of the week: With the Holiday season fast approaching... anyone got any recipes that are easy, yummy, and semi good for you? I mean, how healthy can scrumptious Thanksgiving dinner be right?
Pounds lost this week/so far: GOAL:)

Link it up ladies!

HELLO HEALTH PARTY 3

Days I've worked out this week: 7!
Minutes per day I worked out: 30 minutes
Health find/tip of the week: Better n' Peanut Butter! I did an entire post about it below! Check it out!! I ate it in my oatmeal this afternoon...mmmmmYUM!
Health question of the week: I got some great feed back about healthy lunches! I'd love to know some dinners recipes that are healthier! Got any? Dinners are usually the only meal that I'm not to worried about because I save up my calories throughout the day so that I can splurge on dinner! My dinners are super yummy but not always healthy.. Id love some healthy dinner recipes that I can keep on rotation. (input your own question, leave your answer for me in my comments, then we will answer your questions by commenting on your blog)
Pounds lost this week/so far: GOAL:)


So I thought I would share a few of my meals with you guys that are low in calorie & keep me satisfied:

Breakfast Meals: I try to stay under 150 calories for breakfast
(I usually only do one of these per morning)
Gala Apple : 50 to 80 calories
Bagel Thins: 110 calories (if you haven't heard of these you MUST buy them)
Whipped Cream Cheese (for bagel): 60 calories
Kroger Lite Yogurt (comes in a MILLION flavors & only 44cents apiece!!): 80 calories
Banana: 110 Calories
Special K Bar: 90 Calories
If I'm craving yummy granola cereal, I eat it! They will mostly be around 300 calories including milk but its yummy & still good for you!

Lunch: I try to stay around 350-450 calories for lunch
Sandwich Thin w/ Mustard & Deli Meat: 150
Spinach Salad with Vinaigrette Dressing: 130 calories
Healthy choice Cafe Steamers: 170-220 (this are SUPER yummy)

Snacks: I always add a couple snack things to my lunch to mix it up everyday
the calories are included in my total lunch calorie in take
100 Calorie Packs: you can get these in cheeze its, cookies, etc
Dole Fruit Cocktail jars: 50 calories
Brothers all Natural Freeze dried fruit: 39-45 calories
Jell-lo chocolate pudding (sugar free): 60 Calories
Carrots with ranch: 50 Calories
Red Seedless Grapes: 62 calories (per cup)
100 calorie Cheese bites by Kraft: 100
Mini Rice Cakes: 70 calories for 9 mini cakes

Dinner: 630-800 Calories
I eat whatever I want for dinner and most times it is not super healthy things. However, most recipes will stay below 800 calories if you eat small portions. I always try to eat sides low in calories like corn on the cob, salad, fresh or sauted veges, oven roasted potatoes.

I don't stick to this all the time. There are definitely days I go over all of those & eat out or higher calorie things. If you add all the calories up you'll realize that it is about a 1200 calorie day budget. TRUST ME, I hardly EVER stay below or at 1200 calories per day. Thats a low calorie budget & you shouldn't try it if you need to loose lots of weight. However, it does keep me conscious of what I put in my mouth & helps keep me from snacking all day or eating wasted calories. It also allows me to not feel guilty if I splurge more on dinner or dessert because I know that I've regulated my calories throughout the day. If I'm still hungry after lunch, I eat a snack when I get home. If I'm still hungry after dinner, Ill eat half a serving more or enjoy some dessert. The main thing is just to watch what you eat. So many foods are wasted calories in that they have a TON and are not filling:(. I hope this helps you guys! www.myfitnesspal.com will really help you set a personal calorie budget for the amount of weight you want to lose or maintain. I would most definitely go by that website for you own personal calorie budget. Your body does NEED calories so you need to make sure you give it the right amount, where we get in trouble is by giving it to much!

I hope the meal ideas help you get out of a meal rut!

PEANUT BUTTER ..... THAT'S GOOD FOR YOU?

So last week I WON a giveaway from The Nashville Nosher!
She was giving away healthy peanut better...... YEAH, I. Said. HEALTHY!
I heart peanut butter but I hardly ever eat it because of all the fat & calories:( Well....
not any more thanks to Nashville Nosher!



I know right, seems to good to be true.. well it's totally not.
Better'n Peanut Butter has:
85% less fat
40% Less calories
No Cholesterol
No preservatives
No refined Sugars
Natural Soy Lecithin
& Non GMO Peanuts
(gluten free)
Also comes in Low Sodium or Chocolate flavor!!!

It has 100 calories per serving (2tbsp)!! I was seriously in heaven this morning when I ate it with my apple. Not one bit of guilt for eating peanut butter & I was SUPER full afterwords! So like any other giddy overly excited peanut butter lover, I went and checked out the website:

www.betternpeanutbutter.com

The website has several recipes using better'n peanut butter. I will definitely be trying some of them out in the near future! I realized after shoving it my mouth this morning that I was going to need more than one jar.. I mean it may last me a week.... Well thanks to their website, I can buy it online or Super Target carries it!!!

Thanks again Nashville Nosher!!

HELLO HEALTH PARTY 2

Shame On me. I haven't posted since last Sunday. I promise to get better about it:)




Days I've worked out this week: 7!
Minutes per day I worked out: 30 minutes
Health find/tip of the week: I started Jillian Michaels Meltdown Yoga this week. I need to bring something in to switch it up on my workouts. I didn't think I would like it at first but I'm starting to really enjoying it. Its SO different then doing strength, cardio, and abs.
Health question of the week: I pack my lunches everyday. I need some new ideas other than just sandwiches, healthy choice, and fruit? any ideas? (input your own question, leave your answer for me in my comments, then we will answer your questions by commenting on your blog)
Pounds lost this week/so far: GOAL:)

I watch how many calories I eat per day. I mainly do it to help me not munch through out the day. Im so bad about getting bored and eating. Watching my calorie intake really keeps me on track. For those of you who have an Iphone my favorite app is myfitnesspal. It is amazing! if you dont have an Iphone you can use their website. Try it out, I love it!

So link it up ladies;)

HELLO HEALTH PARTY

Days I've worked out this week: 7!
Minutes per day I worked out: 30 minutes
Health find/tip of the week: FUZE drinks! I love them! If you get the slenderize kind it only has 5 to 10 calories. I get so sick of drinking just water but I don't wanna drink all my calories away either! These are great and super tasty!
Health question of the week: I love my Jillian Michaels Dvd. It is all I've done these past 60ish days but now that I've memorized every word she says.. I'm thinking it is time for a new one... any workout DVD's you love? I'm looking for one that is maybe 30 minutes longish...
Pounds lost this week/so far: 8 pounds so far. That's about all I wanted/needed to lose. Feel free to opt out of answering this question if you want. It is just for accountability. no judgments:) but wont it feel good to put a number down every week?:) If you are already happy with where you are just put: GOAL!:)

So a couple of days ago I posted about my 60 day workout streak. I got great feedback that some of you ladies would love some accountability! So here it is!! Welcome to the Hello Health Party. Each week I will make a post (Hopefully always on Sundays) about something healthy. A recipe I've found, new work outs, etc. There will also be a link for you guys to link up too & questions too answer that will hopefully help keep you motivated and accountable to work out & eat healthy! Just copy & paste the image and questions above to your post (please link back to my blog so others can join in!). Erase my answers and put in your own. If you wanna add your own question instead of one of mine.. go ahead!! Hopefully other people will click on your link from the party and answer your questions! I have NO idea if this will work & if it doesn't oh well! I just thought it would be fun and interesting to do. I think this is a great way to keep each other accountable. Im hoping to have some guest bloggers post to give out some great health tips!

So here goes! Link it up Ladies!:)

MY 60 DAY WORKOUT VICTORY!

I have never been one to stick to a new years resolution or set a long term goal and really achieve it. Sure, I graduated high school and Im almost done with my senior year of college. But I'm talking about personal health goals like eating healthy or working out... until now! For the past 60 "CONSECUTIVE STRAIGHT, I HAVEN'T MISSED A SINGLE DAY" days I have done the Jillian Michaels 30 day shred. Today marks 60!!
Oh yeah, I completed the 30 days & just kept going! It may be a little shallow or dumb or silly or whatever you wanna call it... but i'm so proud of this accomplishment. I can not believe I never missed a single day. You just have to know me I guess, this is huge for me. I have to admit. There were days I almost said forget it but then Jillian Michaels would pop in my brain and make me do the workout.. she can be a workout nazi! I wont reveal my results via picture online bc of creepers but lets just say I've lost a few pounds and lots and lots of inches. I never really started it to lose weight. I just wanted to be healthier and more in shape. My body now craves working out and I usually wake up 30 mins early every morning to do it! I haven't felt this in shape sense freshman year of high school! I am definitely eating healthier since when I started but I mainly workout to be able to be in shape and eat whatever I want. I know that's kinda contradiction, I'm working on the eating healthier part. I just look at it more as portions. Most meals are fine if the portions & calories are regulated. I use the app myfitnesspal (also free online) to set daily calorie goals & watch what I eat. That really helped me lose the inches. I promise you people, if I can do this... YOU CAN TOO! I hope this encourages some of you! I really didn't post this to brag. Im just letting you know if you set a goal for a better healthy you.. you can do it! Laziness is the only hold back! I really started to think about it like this: our bodies are a vessel for the Lord. We are called to keep it pure and healthy. I honor the Lord when I keep my body healthy. How cool is that? I'd love to start some kind of accountability network here on my blog. Motivation can be a hard thing to find. I think it would really help if we started holding each other accountable publicly. Hmm.. what do you guys think?? Whose with me? We could post at the end of the week how many days we were able to workout, what healthy meals we found, best at home workout dvds? Maybe I'm alone in this or maybe not! Comment and let me know!