Sunday, September 13, 2015

My experience with the "10 Day Detox"

About two years ago, I did Lisa's 3 day detox that was all juicing.  After that, I decided that juicing wasn't for me.

Anyway - then I got asked to do a review of Lisa's book, 10 day detox.  I will say this - I am not a good diet follower.  I have read the book and decided - I can at least try some of these recipes!  I am a terrible eater.  I know I need to eat better, but ...

So I figure I can at least do the day stuff Monday through Friday.  I'm not sure hubby would even try any of the recipes.

Here's what happened -

Monday breakfast - I had to skip this because I didn't go grocery shopping yet since getting back from vacation.

Monday lunch - watercress salad


This was good and easy to make.  It was a little messy because I had never cut a grapefruit (I've always cut in half and spooned out) or an avocado.  The greens didn't seem to be equal to the avocado and grapefruit, so if I do this one again, I might add more greens.

I didn't do either snack.

Day 2
Breakfast - Great Start Cereal

I have never had quinoa, but have heard a lot of recipes with it.

Unfortunately, I didn't do the "make ahead" part, so it took some time to prepare.  I already had flax seed, but it was with chia seeds. So, my recipe is a little different. I also only did 1 serving compared to the 4 servings in the directions.  



Not bad! Easy to make.  There is an option to add coconut milk. I thought it was fine without it.

I ate about half of it. It was kind of greasy with the coconut oil and the cinnamon made it a little spicy.  I know part of the reason for only eating about half is because of my taste buds are not used to the foods.


Lunch - spinach salad 


Luckily, I love fresh spinach.  This salad looks good and it is!  

Day 3 

We went out with friends last night for dinner and I ate way too much, so I didn't eat breakfast and figured I'd try the Glorious Green smoothie for lunch.


I have no idea if I'm going to like this or if I "peeled" the orange correctly. That's how I eat them so, why not put them membrane in it.


So, I drank maybe 5 sips of this.  Too chunky with the orange membrane.  I think it would otherwise be easier to go down.  I mixed this in my 1950's blender on low and it did well.

That was the end of the recipes I tried.  My stomach started feeling funky again.  However, Lisa makes following this cleanse so easy.  Recipes are easy, items can be found in your local grocery store, and she gives you options if you don't like the recipes that are in the basic 10 day cleanse.

I may try this again.  The recipes were good, just need to get the taste buds used to them.  

Tuesday, August 18, 2015

Book Review - Fractured Not Broken by Kelly Schaefer

Wow, wow, wow is all I can say about Kelly Schaefer!  She proves that strength is not physical, but mental.  Her story is so inspirational.  It’s hard enough finding your way when you are a young adult, but Kelly had to learn to become Kelly 2.0 and she triumphed! 

This story is such a touching one.  Not just about Kelly’s strength, but her family’s strength too.  You get a glimpse into their family unit and how it changed because of the accident.  I loved the backstory about her mom and step-dad and how Andy really was a dad to all the kids, not to just his biological ones.  That is true fatherly love.  Kudos to Kelly’s mom too, who never gave up on her two oldest.

Kelly went through what most young adults do – trying to decide what to become.  I loved the fact that she did do public speaking and a beauty contestant.  I didn’t even know there was a Miss Wheelchair competition!  However, she went back to her true passion – teaching.  I loved the stories of how the kids were so open with her and weren’t afraid to ask questions.  Of course, that is mostly because of Kelly.  So many people are afraid to ask questions, but it’s all in the name of learning.

The story about the camp.  Let me just say, Kelly, I have NEVER gone to an overnight camp, NEVER gone tubing behind a boat, and I don’t think I’ve ever been in a tug-of-war.  You are so lucky to have the friends that you have to support you to try new things.  They will never let you down.

Let’s not forget the LOVE STORY!  I can’t believe a guy would go to such great lengths to meet a girl that he only saw on TV.  THAT’S FATE!

Everyone should read this book – if you have a disability, it will be inspirational.  If you don’t have a disability, it will be inspirational.


Thank you Kelly for sharing your story.



New Release....

AWARD-WINNING and BESTSELLING AUTHOR

Parts of this memoir appeared on ESPN and in Rosie.

Fractured Not Broken is a true story of loss, faith, and a rare love that only happens in nonfiction.

In a sweeping and heart-wrenching narrative, Kelly exposes the truth about what happened after a drunk driver rendered her a quadriplegic. She shares how she found her way back—through faith and pain, her community, her family, and the love of a man she’d prayed for.

Book available to buy from....

"This book has been a true encouragement to me. Thank you Kelly for sharing your story— the loss and the unexpected joy— so that each reader can be uplifted knowing there is a full, rich life available to those who lean in to our Lord Jesus." —Renee Bondi Award-Winning Singer and Songwriter 

"Life has its tragic moments of defeat, setbacks, and fracturing for everyone. Kelly's story proves, however, that individual momentum, personal progress, and genuine achievement can still be attained. Her courage and optimism are uplifting. Open these pages and experience the joy of ultimate victory." —Dr. Dennis E. Hensley, Author Jesus in All Four Seasons 

"This is a real life story of heroic virtue—especially of courage, humility, and generosity—a triumph of faith, hope and love. This story involves the very essence of the human spirit, family, and community. To know Kelly and her journey of miracles is to know that with God all things are possible." —Most Reverend Charles C. Thompson Bishop of Evansville

Fractured Accident Scene
Kelly Schaefer
Kelly is a true heroine, finding God as she battles with a life as a quadriplegic. Overcoming obstacles every day, she's a speaker, teacher, and Skittles lover. Michelle, Kelly's aunt, is an award-winning and bestselling author who penned Kelly's memoir to bring others hope. She writes stories that move her, and this one is close to her heart.

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Time for celebrations

Michelle Weidenbenner
Michelle is a fulltime employee of God’s kingdom, writing and encouraging writers every day. She’s often a sucker for emotional stories, her sensitive side fueling the passion for her character’s plights, often giving her the ability to show readers the “other” side of the story.

She grew up in the burbs of Detroit with five brothers. No sisters. Each time her mom brought the boy bundle home from the hospital Michelle cried, certain her mom liked boys better than girls. But when her brothers pitched in with the cooking, cleaning, and babysitting—without drama, Michelle discovered having brothers wasn’t so bad. They even taught her how to take direct criticism without flinching, which comes in handy with book reviews.

Michelle is living her dream—writing every day and thanking God for the stories He puts in her path. When Michelle isn’t writing she’s winning ugly on the tennis court. She’s known as “Queen of the Rim Shots.” No joke. It’s ugly.

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I received this book to review through Beck Valley Books Book Tours, all the opinions above are 100% my own.
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Thursday, May 7, 2015

Book Review: Eighty and Out by Kim Cano



My book reviews for Beck Valley Books are few because the story really needs to pique my interest with the blurb about it or even the title.  This was one of those books.

Just reading the blurb about the book, I could see me being Louise and making that pact.  Since I don't have a sister, it would probably have been with my best friend that I grew up with (you know who you are!).  You see, visiting the elderly aunt, could have been me.  

My parents were older (both were 45 years old) when they had me and with the fact that there were 20 years between my mom and her oldest brother, I was always around older generations.  My grandparents (my Dad's parents) were already 70 when I was born.  My aunt was in a nursing home at the age of 70 because of Alzheimer's.  Of course, the older generations just visited each other too.  

Reading the Prologue, even though it said "back in the fifties," I could relate to the book already with the statement, "We'd seen our fair share of old people..."  Reading Chapter One, was like someone had gone and visited an old relative with me!  The author, Kim Cano, does a great job of describing all of those things a young person thinks when visiting an elderly person - especially, "I was thankful when it was time to go."

When you are young, you don't see the person you are visiting as the young person they were.  You see the pictures from their younger years, but the person you know is the person you see in front of you.  I never really knew the aches and pains of the older generation around me, but saw the "shuffling" and the person trying to connect/have a conversation with the younger generation.  Oh such a mirror as I was reading chapter one!


The story follows Louise throughout her life and the ups and downs she went through.  All the while, remembering the pact that she made with her sister.  Louise's story could be anyone's.  The struggles, the missed opportunities, the loves, the loss, the friendship.  I love how Louise's story covers all of it and how it down-to-earth it is.  It covers someone's life story and how the curves and turns in the road take you down a different road than you expect and how you make the most of the life you have.

Several times throughout the book, something would resonate with me and make me think of something that happened in my life.  I think if you like memoirs, you would like this novel.  I bet you anything, it will remind you of something that has happened in your life.

I received this book to review through Beck Valley Books Book Tours, 
all the opinions above are 100% my own.


Traumatized by visits to the nursing home to see their elderly aunt, Louise and her sister Jeannie made a youthful pact to not live past age eighty. Was it a silly childhood idea, or were they wise beyond their years? Most importantly, will they go through with it when the time comes?

Eighty and Out Editorial Review: “An emotionally-charged women’s fiction novel about the bond between sisters, friendship, and fate, Eighty and Out will have you deliberating your destiny.” ~ Bestselling author Deborah Brown

Available to buy from....




About the Author
Kim Cano is the author of two women's fiction novels: A Widow Redefined, her debut novel and On The Inside, a novel about a middle-aged woman who is sentenced to 17 years in prison for committing a white collar crime.

Kim has also written two animal books: For Animal Lovers, a short story collection for kids ages 9 to 12. and for adults who are young at heart. Kim Cano lives in the Chicago suburbs with her husband and cat.

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