Living It With Lisa

Today is my birthday.  The only gift I really REALLY wanted was to know where my dear friend Cynthia Ray is.  That didn’t happen.  She is still missing.  No leads.  No clues.  Vanished.

Last night I cried myself to sleep … literally with Vic holding me close.  That meant alot.

As bad as the realization was that I would not have an answer, tomorrow will be harder for her husband Allen.  It will be their 25th Wedding Anniversary.  Keep him in your thoughts and prayers for strength. 

The surprising gift this morning was sleeping in so long.  I haven’t been able to do that for days.  It seemed like the nights got shorter and shorter.  So when I wandered out to the kitchen, Victoria had come in and left some gorgeous flowers from Drew and the family for my birthday and she drew a little note with stars and balloons on a orange post it note with birthday wishes.  I admit I was teary eyed.

Next I checked my phone and dearest son Joseph had left me a voice mail early wishing me my first Happy Birthday.  Now that was a gift since he is in California.  I am sure he went back to sleep after I called him back. 

Then… I started to check email and found a ton of Facebook messages.  When I went to my wall, I could not believe how many had left me heartfelt wishes.  This continue throughout the day. 

Many wishes stood out … here are a few …

Charlotte:  I send you a Happy Birthday greeting with all my heart even though I understand this must be one of the saddest birthdays in your life.

Brenda:   Happy Birthday Lisa. I know it is hard to keep your spirits up.

Michel:  You birthday is your day.  No one but you can take the joy our of your day.  Go and enjoy.

Tyler and Savannah:  The ultimate birthday duet and the Baby Girls due date… Dec 21st!.  Okay they don’t know what the sex is but I am claiming PINK!

Emma and James:  HAPPPPPPPYYYYYYYYY HIIIPPPPPPYYYYYYYY FANTASTICCCCYYYYYYY BIRTHDAYYYYYEEEEEEEE Aunty Lisa! We can’t wait to be featured on “Living it with Lisa” when it hits reality T.V. as special guest stars chatting about our genius idea for the name and James is just going to chat along and drop in his latest title… “Eating it with Edward”   Hope you had a wonderful birthday!!!!

Love Emma and James
xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

Carter:  Happy Birthday Woman!

Allen: and his amazing rendition of Happy Birthday on my voice mail. 

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Yes today was not the outcome I wanted regarding Cynthia, but when I realized that I still was the one in charge of my life.  Only ME, could take the joy out of it.  I began to move thru that pain and find the joy in my day. 

I got the note from Emma and James when I returned from my spa day with Vic and dinner. What a smile and laughter to end my birthday with.  If you are not sure exactly what they were referring to… you will find the story in ABOUT ME on the blog. 

So THANK YOU … ALL my friends and family who sent their abundant love to me today.

It was glorious! 
PS… Vic decided that we should do a spa day every month and then have a dinner date night in town.  WOO HOO … see it was worth not traveling to the Chocolate Spa in Hershey.  Besides he gave me a Hershey Chocolate Kiss when we finished at the spa here at home …. AHHHHH!  

I am blessed!

Many of you know that I love cookbooks. I have WAY too many. One time I actually counted and there were over 125. So I put myself on a cookbook diet! I wouldn’t let myself buy another one until I made a recipe out of EACH one!

That diet did last for a very long time. But alas I started adding more. When Christopher Guerierro got me hooked on the idea of eating as many raw vegetables as possible in order to utilize all the nutrients that started me on another ‘division’ of my cookbook library. Yes, it is now a library because I love to read cookbooks!

What are some of my FAVs?

The absolutely latest cookbook (purchased on Friday at Michael’s) is THE FOOD YOU CRAVE, Luscious Recipes for a Healthy Life by Ellie Krieger. Ok, I bought it at a crafts store! I don’t even have to be in a book store! I am an addict! I have picked out several recipes to try.  If you are looking for fresh ingredients put together in innovative ways with little or no fuss, this cookbook is for you.

SUNDAY SOUP, A Year’s Worth of Mouthwatering, Easy-to-Make Recipes by Betty Rossbottom is a MUST HAVE in your collection.  I made 4 soups the first week and one twice to rave reviews from Vic and Victoria.  The first element I loved is that the cookbook is set up according to seasons so you automatically know what to use at the peak of freshness…so go to your farmers market.  The second element is that there were multiple recipes that you just wanted to try right away … with pictures of course.

Cooking Light’s 5-INGREDIENT 15-MINUTE Cookbook is an all time favorite. I bought this years ago. Beats frozen food any day.  So working moms, college kids, single guys, those who don’t want to fuss and muss to long in the kitchen … must try it.

PS.  and no … I didn’t make a recipe from each cookbook before I broke down and bought another one … almost … does that count?

PS.  and no … I am not going to count my cookbooks … Ignorance is Bliss!

An English Professor wrote the words: 

“A woman without her man is nothing.”

on the chalkboard and asked his students to punctuate it correctly.

All of the males in the class wrote: 

“A woman, without her man, is nothing.” 

All the females in the class wrote: 

“A woman:  without her, man is nothing.” 

PUNCTUATION IS POWERFUL! 

Here is your Monday Morning Smile … from the Sound of Music!

After viewing … Go now and make it a FABULOUS day!

Now you just KNOW that I am always aware of healthy tidbits regarding our lives but now with a much keener eye to the health of a diabetic, since Carter has been diagnosed with Diabetes.  Our goal is to maintain his health without insulin so that means diet.   It has never been truer that “we are what we eat”.  

FRUIT:  Did you know that one cup of strawberries has more vitamin C than an orange?  They are also an excellent source of fiber, which helps your body maintain normal blood sugar levels.

And on the FIBER note … that is something many of us do not eat enough of each day.  In order to keep toxins moving through our colon the average adult needs to eat 25-30 grams of fiber daily.  Whole fresh fruits and vegetables are excellent sources of fiber.  Are you getting enough fiber in your diet?

Many of you may know that my dear friend is missing.  She disappeared without a trace in Dallas 8 days ago, Monday April 6th.  The Dallas Police have no new leads at this time.  It is like she has vanished into thin air.

 If you have any information about Cynthia Ray, contact the Austin Police or Missing Persons Detective C’Mon Wingo at 214-671-4248  or call the Dallas police Special Investigations Unit at  214-671-3661.

Since Cynthia is a dual resident of Austin and Dallas the local stations have taken an interest in her story.  On Tuesday night,  KEYE TV in Austin ran this human interest story with Allen and good friend Jack Gilmore and on Wednesday night, KXAN TV produced a story with additional information from her sister Kay. 

As you know my girlfriend Dianne and I have be researching the benefits of dark chocolate (which is more than 70% cocoa).   I just read this article and am thrilled to share it with you!

Chocolate May Boost Brain Power and Fight Fatigue

The next time your energy slumps, but you need to be sharp, a cup of hot chocolate might be just the boost you need.

That’s because flavanols, which are chemicals plentiful in dark chocolate, fight fatigue and hone mental sharpness, according to scientists at the Brain, Performance and Nutrition Center at Northumbria University in Newcastle, UK.

Researchers gave 30 people a series of math tests before and after having either a flavanol-loaded chocolate drink or a placebo beverage. On a test that required repeatedly subtracting numbers, volunteers who got the flavanol-rich drink performed better than those drinking the dummy drink. In addition, the flavanols seemed to offset the fatigue from the intense mental concentration.

“We asked them about their mental fatigue, and that increased, but the cocoa offset that increase,” said researcher Crystal Haskell.

The brain-boosting effect is tied to flavanols’ ability to dilate blood vessels, allowing more blood to reach important areas of the brain.

The study also found that a 500 mg dose of flavanols worked best. That’s the equivalent of five bars of chocolate, so researchers are trying to discover whether lower levels work as well.

“The amounts we were giving them were more than you would get from eating small amounts in diet,” said co-researcher David Kennedy, “But there is quite a bit of evidence showing that general consumption over time is protective against neurodegenerative disease and decline in cognitive function.”

Flavanols are also found in red wine, olive oil, broccoli, blueberries, tea, and onions. They’ve been linked to lowering the risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and brain function.

When tossing pasta, use silicone coated tongs to prevent tearing the pasta.

This was very interesting to see how they morphed all 44 presidents in less than 4 minutes.

Do you ever wonder how you are going to use that BIG bag of nuts from Sam’s or Costco’s before they turn rancid in the pantry?  To increase the shelf life of nuts, store them in the freezer.

Oils have a shorter shelf life.  Everyday oils you will use rather quickly.  However If you use a special oil for drizzling and adding that extra layer of flavor, store them in the refrigerator.  You can bring them to room temperature before using.