Soxy's Diamond

Sit-A-Thon for Belle

noreply@blogger.com (Soxy Diamond) — Fri, 05 Apr 2013 03:09:00 +0000

There are many words I don't like. Cancer is at the top of that list.

I was devastated when I found out a fellow Rhody Blogger's 2 1/2 year old daughter, Belle, was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL). You can read Melissa's heartbreaking story about learning of her daughter's diagnosis here: http://kent.macaronikid.com/article/422008/belles-story

Rhody Bloggers immediately came together to find a way to help Belle and her family. A group of us have teamed up with La-Z-Boy in Warwick, RI to host a 48-hour Sit-A-Thon to raise money to help cover Belle's increasing medical costs.

If you are local, please consider stopping by La-Z-Boy and participating in some family-friendly activities to support sweet Belle (more information and a full schedule of events can be found here). You may even be lucky enough to see her!

If you aren't local, you can still help! A YouCaring page has been set up in honor of Belle. 100% of donations received will go towards covering Belle's medical expenses.

A special shout-out and thank you to Jen, Melissa and La-Z-Boy for all of their hard work organizing this event!

How Did You Get Your Name?

noreply@blogger.com (Soxy Diamond) — Sun, 13 Jan 2013 00:10:00 +0000

My Rhody Blogger friend, Carla, has started a new series on her blog called Mom Before Mom. She wants to make sure her daughters get a chance to know her as not only mom, but the person she was before she became mom. I think it's a brilliant idea.

I've bought more books than you can count trying to get my grandparents and parents to document the stories that helped them become that person I love. Unfortunately it's too late to get those stories for some of them now. And while I don't have children, I love the idea of documenting my history. My stories.

Every week Carla is going to provide a writing prompt, and I'm thrilled to take part.

Prompt #1: How did you get your name? Did you always love it? Have you ever wanted to change it?

Image customized here

Sarah (pron.: /ˈsɛərə/)

The Hebrew name Sarah indicates a woman of high rank and is translated as "princess."

There is no romantic story behind how I got my first name. I wasn't named after a beloved family member or friend. There was no favorite artist, musician or actress that inspired my moniker. My parents chose to name me Sarah simply because they liked the name.

It turns out, my paternal great-grandmother was also named Sarah but I was not named after her.

My middle name is the same as my mother's and my beloved Aunt Anne (though I would always tell her she spelled it wrong, hers was the traditional spelling).

I've always liked my name. While at times I found it a bit boring and traditional, I loved that it meant Princess. It was a name that never embarrassed me, there weren't a lot of Sarah's in my classes (though it was the 11th most popular name the year I was born). It wasn't unique where people had a hard time trying to pronounce it.

I never had a cool nickname growing up. Sure, my mom called me RahRah, my dad lovingly called me Strawberry Shortcake and my grandfather always made me feel special by calling me Miss America, but I had no real nickname.

On the first day of school when the teachers took role call, I could never say "Excuse me, Mrs. X, please call me "some-super-cool-nickname". I was always just Sarah. And you know what? That's not all bad because while I may have felt a bit slighted my face never got red when the teacher called Aphrodite and my shy friend would say "Please, call me DeeDee." Note: there is absolutely nothing wrong with the name Aphrodite, it's beautiful, but was embarrassing for my friend when we were younger.

I tried to get a few nicknames to catch on, most notably Sam (my initials growing up) and Sa. Some close friends would call me Sam, but never on the regular and to this day only two people call me Sa (my neighbor Karen, who I would call Ka, and her dad).

As I'm sitting here I am remembering a pin that my grandparents brought me home as a souvenir from their trip to Hawaii (where, no doubt they went to see Penn State play in a bowl game). It was a white pin in the shape of a heart with a rainbow on it. It said Sarah and in smaller letters underneath is said Kala. The Hawaiin spelling of Sarah. I think I tried to get people to call me Kala for a while. In my high school German class I chose the name Soraya thinking it was the German spelling of Sarah (though honestly, I'm not sure that it is). I had an ex who was from Colombia and I liked when he would call me Sarita. Little Sarah. So while I never had a steady nickname, I did have quite a few different ones from different people.

Perhaps the thing that bothered me most about my name is when people would spell it wrong. Sara. That just looks wrong to me. It would annoy me if they would have ask "Sarah with an 'h'?" Yes, that is the correct way to spell it. It would annoy me more if they just left the h off. I get the irony since my middle name is spelled Ann.

I never had dreams of changing my name. I would sometimes wish there was an i so I could draw it with a cute little heart over top, or that I had a cool androgynous name like Alex. I always loved my Australian pen-pal's name Jocelyn, but I never really wanted to change mine. I figured when the time came I could adorn my baby girl with one of those adorable and less-traditional names. Funny thing, the older I get the more I'm drawn back to traditional names.

I found it cool that there were so many songs about Sarah's.

The one by Starship (or Jefferson Starship, I think they changed their name to just Starship)
The one by Hall and Oates
Bob Dylan's Version
or Fleetwood Macs
How about the popular Que Sera Sera (while not really Sarah, it was always sung to me!)

The only part of my name that was difficult growing up was my last name. It was an easy name to tease. I never felt it was quite right because it was such an Irish name, while the majority of the heritage I knew about is German (funny enough, my married name is German though my husband's heritage is majority Irish).

For that reason, I didn't have a hard time changing in when I got married even though I married into a mouthful of a name that nobody can spell or pronounce.

I didn't feel like I lost a connection with my family by changing my name. I'm so close with them it went beyond the name; we've got blood. With my new family my new name gave me an instant connection and I kind of loved that.

What about you? How did you get your name? Hop on over to Carla's blog to link up your story!

Thankful Thursday 11-1-2012

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah S) — Fri, 02 Nov 2012 01:50:00 +0000

thankful (Photo credit: madison faith)

My friend Joanna over at Baby Gators Den has been hosting a Thankful Thursday linkup for a few weeks now. I've been wanting to join since I heard about it, but as you may or may not have noticed I needed to step away from the blog for a little while to help out with some family obligations.

The horrible devastation from Hurricane Sandy has really helped put things back in perspective for me. Sure life is challenging right now, but I am extremely thankful for how great my life really is. This quote really hits home, "It's not happy people who are thankful, it's thankful people who are happy" ~unknown

So this week, I am thankful:

All my friends, family and loved ones are safe and didn't lose their homes, or more importantly their lives, during hurricane Sandy. My heart goes out to each and every person who has been affected by this disaster. I can't help but get teary every time I see pictures of Breezy Point, hear stories of looting and yes..even seeing the roller coaster from Jersey Shore's Seaside Heights in the water
That we never lost power, any trees, or had any flooding from Sandy. I'm especially thankful after what we went through with hurricane Irene
Even though I can't be thankful for the health of all of my loved ones, I can be thankful that I'm able to embrace every moment we spend together
On a less serious note...I'm seriously thankful for sparkling water

What are you thankful for this week? Hop on over to Joanna's blog and link up!

Wordless Wednesday: Pup Loves Pup

noreply@blogger.com (Soxy Diamond) — Wed, 12 Sep 2012 10:30:00 +0000

Best Balsamic Chicken Recipe

noreply@blogger.com (Soxy Diamond) — Wed, 12 Sep 2012 03:09:00 +0000

One of my very favorite flavors is Balsamic Vinegar. I love it on Caprese Salad, on vegetables (asparagus, green beans, brussel sprouts, kale...if it's green it tastes great with balsamic!) and even on strawberries; It's so versatile!

My very favorite way to eat balsamic, however, is on chicken. This recipe is a go-to in our house. Not only is it extremely easy to make, it's also healthy!

The Ingredients:

4 - 4oz boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/4 t salt
1/4 t ground pepper
2 t olive oil
2 T balsamic vinegar
1 T honey
2 T chopped fresh basil (fresh is the key! It makes a HUGE difference)

The Instructions:

Heat the pan over med-high heat, then add oil
Sprinkle the chicken (both sides) with the salt & pepper
Add chicken and cook approx 5 min on one side
Flip chicken and cook approx 5 min on the other side, or until the chicken is cooked through
Add vinegar and honey
Cook approx 1 min
Add basil, remove from pan and serve

What is your favorite balsamic recipe?

I'm linking up to:

Don't Get Lost, Get Home: Review and Giveaway from Mamma Luvs Books

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah S) — Thu, 06 Sep 2012 02:11:00 +0000

~ The Brunton GPS Will Help You Find Your Way Back ~

Hello, lovlies. My friend Kristin over at Mama Luvs Books had an opportunity to review the Brunton GPS. Check out her review below, and see how you can win one of these fantastic tools for yourself! We will be back to our regularly scheduled programming on Soxy's Diamond soon!

Review by Mama Luvs Books:

My hubby loves the outdoors and his latest favorite activity is kayaking. He bought his own kayak and takes it out in the water in Rhode Island. He is not super experienced at the sport, so I do get nervous as he takes off in his one-man kayak on his adventures. He did once even mention to me that he was not quite sure where he was, which made me even more nervous. I decided I would find him a tool to use so he won't get lost out at sea.

I found this "Get-Back GPS" from Brunton, and I absolutely love it. Brunton is an outdoors company that handles goods for extreme sports, anything outdoors, hunting, etc. What I loved most about this GPS is that it's small and easy to take with him. There is a cord where he can attach it to his wrist or ankle, or a chain/clip to just attach it to his shorts or jacket.

Chain/Clip Cord

It also has a nice display and can do many things!

Description from the Brunton.com Site:

Quickly shows the way back to your starting point by the shortest, most direct route. Instead of retracing your steps at the end of a long day, you can head straight home, as the crow flies, always on course. Points directly back to any of three points, adjusting direction as you move, showing the route by arrow and the distance in meters or miles. Can also be used as a digital compass, with or without satellite coverage. Tough, indispensable, and not a toy. Feel comfortable no matter where the adventure takes you, the Get-Back will get you back.

Features:

Overall dimensions: 2.75″x1.5“x0.5″
Accuracy of 12 feet in normal GPS mode
3 waypoints to find your way back to 3 different locations
Arrival notification within 30 feet of destination
Rechargeable battery with up to 13 hours of continuous use
Signal Strength indicator
Brunton SyncTech™ enabled, recharge internal battery from Brunton power packs or solar panels
Self Calibrating Digital Compass
Blue Back light
Battery Life function
Metric/Standard
Recharges with included USB cable
Small and light weight, only 1.3 ounces

I feel much safer for my hubby now that he has this to take with him on his kayaking adventures. I will probably borrow it myself for the Girl Scout hikes in the woods. It's a great tool to own! Brunton has quality products, so make sure to visit them for all of your outdoor accessory needs. You can follow them on Facebook as well.

Don't miss your chance to WIN one of your own! They retail for $99 plus shipping and tax. GREAT PRIZE!

Other Bloggers will be posting and promoting this giveaway! They will be listed on the RC, so please be sure to check out their sites when you can! Great group of bloggers helping out!!! GOOD LUCK!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Knowing Your True Self

noreply@blogger.com (Soxy Diamond) — Tue, 28 Aug 2012 01:53:00 +0000

Many years ago (more than I'd like to admit) I was a high-school psychology student. I remember one day our teacher asked us to copy a paragraph written on the blackboard (showing my age yet?) and turn in the paper so he could have a handwriting analysis conducted.

my handwriting (Photo credit: merwing✿little dear)

A few weeks went by and he was finally ready to hand out the results. Each analysis was delivered in an "official" looking envelope. We all got to open the envelopes at the same time and you could gasps and whispers make their way around the classroom.

Oh my God! This is SO me!

I'm embarrassed Mr. X knows so much about me through my handwriting, I'm typing my reports for the rest of the year (again, showing my age)!!

HOW does he know all this?"

After a few minutes people started sharing their reports with others and much to our surprise, the results were all exactly the same.

It was a lesson in psychology, and while I don't remember the exact details of how we could all think a generic analysis was personal to each of us, it always struck a chord with me. We learned it was the same method used in horoscopes and by psychics. It was the beginning of my fascination of the human mind (a fascination that formally, but not curiously, ended in college when I realized the amount of math/statistics involved).

In the past several years I've taken Myers-Briggs tests for work. I have no idea if I'm an INFJ, ESTJ or ISTP. I remember not really paying much attention to the results and wondering more why my employer had me take it and what they were doing with the results.

Myers-Briggs Frequency visualization (Photo credit: Peter Forret)

Most recently my job had us take a Predictive Index® test. This test basically set out to identify how we would privately describe ourselves in comparison to how we think other people would describe us.

While I know these tests are inherently flawed, I decided to keep an open mind. I was surprised, but skeptical, at how spot-on the results seemed to be for me. A quick glance around the room proved we were all presented with individual results. Even though there is no way this tests "knows" me better than I know myself, I think it's interesting to read the results and compare it to how I tend to work.

Sarah is a very conscientious person, particularly attentive to, careful of, and accurate with the details involved in her job. She identifies problems, and enjoys solving them, particularly within her area of expertise.

She is reserved, serious, and always concerned with the exact correctness of her work. Self-discipline, sense of duty, and respect for tradition are strong qualities in Sarah, who takes her responsibilities very seriously.

She is disciplined and dedicated to her job and the company. Her work pace is somewhat faster-than-average, and she is motivated by a real concern for getting her work done on time and correctly. She plans ahead, double checks, and follows up carefully on her decisions and actions.

A modest and unassuming person, Sarah works quite autonomously and decisively in her specialized area. When working outside of her expertise, she will look to written resources or subject matter experts for direction. If it becomes necessary for her to initiate or adopt change, she will need to see cold, hard, evidence to prove that the new way is more efficient, yileds high-quality results, and is complete. In addition, Sarah will carefully plan the implementation to minimize problems and maximize results.

Her social behavior is reserved and accommodating. She expresses herself sincerely and factually and is, in general, rather cautious and conservative in her style. Being sensitive to criticism, she will always try to make sure that her work is done right.

Yes, yes and yes. Certainly seems the way I am at work.

What I really liked about this test is that it gives management strategies for my boss to take into consideration to 'maximize effectiveness, productivity and job satisfaction'

Work that uses her training, expertise, and specialized knowledge
Thorough training whenever needed, and no ambiguity about what is expected of her
Security in a stable work environment
Leaders and co-workers she can respect and trust
Supportive team
Appreciation of her competence, conscientiousness, and loyalty

I hope my boss is able to take these strategies into consideration so I can have a long, happy career. While I don't think the test helps me know my true self, I do think it helps quantify certain things that will help me excel in my career.

Have you ever taken psychometric tests? What were the results? Did they help you learn anything about yourself?

Win a Tory Burch, James DeLaVega Tote!

noreply@blogger.com (Soxy Diamond) — Tue, 21 Aug 2012 23:56:00 +0000

This limited edition tote was a collaboration between Tory Burch and arguably the most famous New York street artist, James De La Vega and retails for $295.

This bag would be perfect for me to carry my laptop back and forth to work - the daily inspiration and positive messages would help me keep things in perspective on particularly stressful days. How would you use it if you won?

Here is how you can win:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Fun With Google Search Terms

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah S) — Mon, 20 Aug 2012 10:47:00 +0000

Since I'm a big SEO and analytics nerd, I love to study my blog stats. One of my favorite things to check out is referring traffic from Organic Search terms. Some of them make me proud (why yes, I can get rankings on highly competitive search terms, thank you), others make me laugh and some completely baffle me.

With that I present to you: 5 Search Terms Driving Traffic to My Site

'sick throw up red haired girl' - I am very sorry for the poor sick red-haired girl, but I promise you I never wrote about her or posted any embarrassing head-in-the-toilet pictures. The Landing page for this term was an archive page that lists a post where I talked about some stomach issues I was having. Down the page in a different post there is a picture of a girl with red hair, but the image isn't optimized, and while there are two mentions of the term 'red' and no mentions of hair anywhere.
'what game did jonathan papelbon do the irish jig in his underwear after' - Oh easy, that was after Game 7 of the 2007 ALCS where the Boston Red Sox beat the Cleveland Indians. I would FULLY expect this search term to come up for my Red Sox Blog, but I was shocked to see it here. I'm going to have to hop over to my other blog to see if it comes up there too.
'are crows dirty and nasty birds' - Yes. Yes they are. Can I help you with anything else?
'walk like a penguin on ice' and 'girls that walk like a penguin' - YESSSSSS!!! If you were a child of the 80s in New England, PLEASE tell me you remember this classic commercial?

tips for walking on ice

What about you, do you love to check out your referring search terms? What are some recent queries that have driven traffic to your site?

Order Glasses Online With Rivet & Sway: Review & Coupon Code

noreply@blogger.com (Soxy Diamond) — Fri, 17 Aug 2012 02:57:00 +0000

Eye glasses are one of my absolute favorite fashion accessories. They are an easy and affordable way to dress up an outfit and show some individuality.

My very first pair of glasses were roundish, had thin wire frames and almost 'blended' into my face. I thought they were so cool - ha! Over the years I've had cat eyes, red frames, purple frames and frames in plastic and metal.

One thing I had never done, was purchase glasses online. Enter Rivet &Sway.

Rivet & Sway strives to create an online experience to purchase glasses that rivals that of purchasing shoes and purses. Here is what they say about their name:

Let’s start with “rivet.” Remember Rosie the Riveter? She was the original modern woman who fearlessly went after what she wanted (and damn that girl had flex). Glasses have rivets. They’re fasteners—tough, durable pieces that connect two parts. Plus, rivet is a commanding verb that says, “I dare you to look away.”

As for the other half, “sway” moves side to side with an easy swagger. A lady with sway most certainly uses style to her advantage. She’s a mover and shaker who wields her power to make things happen and be who she wants to be.

So how does it work? You go their website and pick out three frames you'd like to try on. They even offer helpful tools like narrowing their selection of frames by color, face shape or width. There is a whole style advice section that lists "Do's" and "Don'ts" by face shape and names famous people by face shape to really try and help you figure out what would look best on YOU.

After spending a lot of time on their site, I settled on the following three pairs to try

Umami: Image Source Rivet & Sway

Rizzo: Image Source Rivet & Sway

Mantra: Image Source Rivet & Sway

I added them to my cart and ordered my home try on kit. They do ask for your credit card, but this is only to ensure you return the three samples back to them and don't make off with three free frames!

I ran into one little snag at this point in the process. I actually wanted to try some of their metal frames, but got an error that the glasses weren't made in my prescription strength. My prescription is not strong at all. -1.0 and -0.75 so this surprised me, because that is well within the ranges they list on their site. Here is why I wanted to mention this - I emailed Rivet & Sway and provided some suggestions on how to enhance the user experience and the issue I had and got a personal email from their CEO!! He was receptive to what I said and told me the steps they were taking to fix the problem. How often does that happen? Not often. Kudos for great service (also since that time I've gotten a follow-up email asking if I can help QA to make sure the error is fixed and they added additional information to their FAQ section!)

Did I mention you don't pay for shipping or return shipping on your try on kit? No? Well you don't..and you get them fast, as in within 2-3 days! One of my favorite parts had to be the packaging. I was pleasantly surprised how beautiful it was.

I eagerly took pictures in each frame and posted them to my blog and Facebook page asking for advice on which to chose.

It was close between Mantra and Rizzo, but I decided on Rizzo!

I (sadly) repackaged the try on kits, returned them and promptly placed my order. Within a week I had my new pair of specs!

All Rivet & Sway glasses cost $199 for prescription lenses and frames. The lenses have scratch and glare free coating, and you can use your flexible spending account to purchase them! You will need to have a valid prescription, but if you don't know what it is off hand you can have Rivet and Sway call your optometrist to get it.

Pretty much the only thing they can't do is fit your glasses for you. For that you'll need to go somewhere local and realize you may have to pay or sign a document that any modifications are made at your own expense. Shout out to John at Lunette Optic in Dedham, MA. If you are local and need an optometrist I'd highly recommend going to Lunette!

Want some good news? Rivet & Sway has kindly provided a 20% off discount code for my readers to purchase their own pair of Rivet & Sway glasses! All you need to do is enter this code when you check out (by August 26, 2012) CWHOUB0BBCFCCC

Head over to Rivet & Sway RIGHT NOW and order your home try on kit so you have enough time to place your order by August 26th! Then I'd love if you came back here and let me know what you got because I can't get enough of these frames.

Disclaimer: I am a Rivet & Sway Original and was provided a free pair of glasses in exchange for this review. All opinions expressed are 100% my own. I was not given any monetary compensation.

Project 10 {Week 10}

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah S) — Wed, 15 Aug 2012 04:19:00 +0000

It's not that I've forgotten about Project 10, at all. In fact, the entire project is in the back of my head daily. And it's totally insignificant for me to list a bunch of ~~reasons~~ excuses why I haven't posted about it, right? Right.

In this final week I think it's more important to look back at what the goal of Project 10 was, what my personal goals were and changes that occurred.

From my original post:

Project 10 is a group of real women bloggers from the Rhode Island area, with real fitness goals. We all want to lose (at least) 10 pounds over the next 10 weeks and have committed to help each other with motivation, support, tips, recipes, being work-out buddies, you name it! Our path's aren't going to be cookie cutter - our lives are all different. Some of us work full time out of the home, some work full time at home as stay at home mothers. Some of us have a lot to lose, others have a little. Some of us don't want to follow a "diet", while others do because that is what works for them.

Over the course of these past 10 weeks I think the overall goal shifted a little bit. Not everyone was focusing on losing 10 pounds, but everyone was hoping to encourage and maintain a healthier lifestyle. The name kind of stemmed from women saying they were always struggling to lose that "last 10 pounds." The motivation and support may not have come from the places we originally expected, but was there as much as you needed it from the awesome participants, and in unexpected places like MyFitnessPal.

I was really proud of myself through the first five weeks, and then things slipped little by little. This is the Story.Of.My.Life. I get super excited about something, give it all I've got and then back away. I think it's because as much as I am not competitive in life, I tend to compare myself to others and get discouraged when I don't do as well at something as I think I should. That, however, is not going to hold me back from continuing to make progress towards my ultimate goal of a healthier lifestyle.

Here are the ten things I chose to focus on over the past 10 weeks and a quick update on each:

Get back to juicing more - I started off strong with juicing and was so excited with all of the summer produce and local farmers markets. Unfortunately I haven't juiced in a few weeks, and you know what? I am missing and craving it. Badly. Summer gets busy and we aren't home a lot so it's hard to keep a lot of fresh produce around but I need to figure this out. Juicing makes me feel so much better physically, and mentally
Drink more water, drink less everything else - Until about a week ago (read: Until I went to BlogHer) I ROCKED this goal. All water, all the time. The past two weeks I've slipped a bit but I am not worried about getting back on track
Plan meals better, so I eat out less (especially at lunch!) - Ummm...next.....
Incorporate more organic foods into our diet - We buy organic meat, fruits and vegetables whenever possible. SH makes more of a conscious effort not only to buy organic foods, but organic products when he's out and I appreciate it so much
Get more sleep - It's 11:30 PM...so take your guess on how well this worked? But let me tell you - the week or so when I was getting more sleep? Amazing. Why I fight it so much, I've yet to figure out. It's just the only time I have to relax/unwind/get online/blog is after work and after dinner which usually isn't close to 8 or 9 PM
Stretch more; especially my back and legs - I've been consistently stretching my back with my favorite foam roller, usually multiple times a day. Gotta work on the legs
Come up with some sort of core exercise that works for me - Does walking up and down the stairs at work count? No, well okay then...
Walk more, maybe follow a 'Couch to 5k' program (if my asthma allows) - Fail
Focus on mental, as well as physical health. That means less stress - Life isn't fair or always nice, and dealing with a loved one that has a debilitating, incurable, fatal disease sucks more than I can explain. Having that loved ones caregiver also end up in the ER and hospitalized for a week makes it 100x worse. That's all I really want to say about that. And that's not to say this goal was a complete fail, but there were times where it was easier than others. Facing these issues head on, instead of ignoring them is actually progress for me.
Lose 10 or more pounds - YOU GUYS! FIREWORKS AND CHEERS AND LOTS OF CONFETTI, I DID IT! I LOST 10 POUNDS!!!!! As of this morning's weigh in I was exactly 10 lbs lighter then when I started. WOO FREAKING HOOO!!!!! I've gone down at least 1 pant size (2 sizes in some styles) and I've had a couple of people mention the weight loss so I consider this a huge huge huge WIN! I need to lose another 10 (and then probably 5 more) before I start to feel good about my appearance, but this was a big accomplishment for me. In the wake of the family stress, the work stress, the thyroid issues I still managed to hit this 10lb mark and I am very happy.

For that last goal alone, I can't thank Stephanie enough for putting this challenge together. I believe we're going to be continuing Project 10 on a monthly basis, and I can't wait until the next time we check in. Until then, I'll leave you with links to some of my favorite Project 10 posts from some of the other Project 10 ladies:

Am I Trying to Be Healthy?
Megan's Awesome Ab Routine (that I still need to do)
Hello, Old Friend
Baby Weights
My Favorite Fitness Apps
30 Days
A Journey to Healthy Eating
Paleo Simple Smoothie
Unique Choices, Unique Bodies
Good Choices Pay Off
Best Week So Far!!
Heather's Sassy New Dress
Danielle's Story Part 1 & Part 2

BlogHer12 Recap

noreply@blogger.com (Soxy Diamond) — Mon, 13 Aug 2012 03:03:00 +0000

One week ago I returned from BlogHer in New York City. For those who may not know, BlogHer is the largest annual blogging conference focusing primarily on women bloggers.

My journey to BlogHer started a year ago when Melissa and I purchased our early-bird tickets. I knew at that time I wanted to branch out from my Red Sox Blog, I just wasn't entirely sure to what, or how to get there. My goal for the conference was to connect with other women bloggers and figure out my path forward.

Lucky for me within the past year I've also connected with an amazing group of bloggers from Rhode Island (I live on a bordering town to Rhode Island and am thankful they have 'accepted' me!) I was thrilled to learn many of them would also be making the trip to NYC for BlogHer. In fact, six of us piled into Kameron's Toyota Sienna (affectionately dubbed the Swaggin' Wagon) to head down together and I roomed with Melissa and Megan.

The weekend was a complete blur. Flying by at some moments, dragging at others. It would be impossible to talk about every detail, and quite honestly may not be interesting to everyone. Instead I'm going to share some pictures and lists (because I love lists).

Top 5 Moments from BlogHer12

Hearing President Barack Obama address the crowd via video conference. Regardless of your political affiliation, it's always an honor to hear the President of the USA speak. Great job BlogHer, great job!
Meeting Mark Badgley and James Mischka who design some of the most timeless and elegant women's clothes around. They were incredibly nice, taking time to engage in conversation with everyone waiting to meet them. In fact, they asked where I was from and when I told them they mentioned having just returned from a trip to Newport
Attending Sweet Suite in the iconic Viacom Media Center in Times Sqaure. You know, that little place that is home to Nickelodeon and MTV and has hosted live broadcasts from TRL to NYE in NYC - I was able to make some great brand connections at this party, even though I don't have children of my own
Meeting Ree Drummand aka the Pioneer Woman. She was just as sweet (if not sweeter) than you imagine her to be, and funnier than you expect! She even channeled her inner Ethel Merman for us, something I wish I had gotten on video!
Hanging out and getting to know the other Rhody Bloggers better - as well as meeting new bloggers I just know I'll keep in touch with

5 {Womp Womp} Lowlights from BlogHer12

The lack of space, whether it be for the speakers, the sessions or the expo hall. Unfortunately BlogHer has just plain outgrown the Hilton. I don't fully blame them, as they had no way of knowing 5,000+ bloggers would be in attendance at the time they needed to secure the location but it was a serious downer (and frustration) at times
Having the Expo Hall and the sessions overlap time slots. Hear me out, I know there were multiple days to experience both, but I would have liked to attend more sessions (if they weren't all overcrowded!) and spend more time in the Expo Hall but both ended about 5pm each day. I would have loved the Expo Hall to open a bit later in the day (even if that meant it opened later in the day)
Having the Expo Hall in multiple locations - I seriously missed out on so much because of this (which goes back to the space and time issues)
The food and lack of water throughout the conference. Breakfast and lunch on the first day weren't horrible but the second day was just a disaster. And outside of the keynote speakers/lunch I was unable to find any way to fill my water bottle which is just bad
People who went too far - whether it be pushing/shoving, stealing swag from booths or just being negative Nancy's in general. When you get such a large group together (especially if most of the people are women) its bound to happen, but lets all remember to mind our manners

Top 5ish Suggestions If you want to attend BlogHer13

Pack what you think you'll need and then promptly get rid of 1/2 of it. Seriously. I did that and STILL brought things I didn't need. You're going to need the extra room, and then some, to bring home the loads of swag you'll acquire

Coordinate with your roomies what you'll be brining and what you can share (read: Hair dryer, power strip, wine, snacks)

Bring comfortable shoes. I know, I know. Everyone says that. They aren't lying. I brought comfortable flats and flips (as well as one pair of wedges that I didn't end up wearing) and still ended up hobbling by Saturday night. Thankfully Boiron was a sponsor and I got some Arnicare Gel that probably saved my life, or at least the need to amputate my poor feet (seriously get some!)

Bring bottled water, or at least a water bottle and fill it up whenever you can, because it was seriously hard to come by and you are going to be thirsty

Rest if you need to. Your conference experience will not be ruined if you take a nap instead of hitting a couple sessions (hint: they are posted online after the conference) or if you are a little bit late to BlogHer parties (like Sparklecorn) or you skip out on one all together (like Cheeseburgher)
Make a plan of what you want to do/who you want to see, but don't be so rigid in your plan that you end up missing out on some fun or connecting with new people
Have an open mind and make sure to smile. You never know who you are going to meet in the elevators, hallways or even out on the streets

I'm so glad I made this trip and do think I accomplished my goals. I'll be writing about them more in-depth in the coming months. If blogging is something you take seriously, or something you just do for fun but you want to get more out of it I would definitely recommend attending BlogHer at some point if you are able.

Shout-out to the Rhody Bloggers who were there, my experience would not have been the same without you:

Audrey from Mom Generations
Candice from The New Modern Momma
Catherine from Twins with Tots
Elizabeth from Documama
Jen from Keekoin
Jessica from 30 Something Mother Runner
Joanna from Baby Gators Den
Jodi from Blush Mamas
Kameron from My Wrinkle in Time
Megan from A Baby Makes Four
Liz from Learning to Juggle
Liza from Cira's Lyrics
Melissa from The Mommyhood Chronicles
Melissa from Filling our Bucket
Sarah from Sweet Lil'l You

Disclaimer: All opinions about BlogHer are completely my own. While I did receive swag from many brands and bloggers, any shout-outs (to brands, sponsors, bloggers, etc) are based on my own experiences and not because I was asked to write them. I was not provided any monetary compensation for BlogHer12.

Pay It Forward Back To School Giveaway

noreply@blogger.com (Soxy Diamond) — Fri, 10 Aug 2012 01:00:00 +0000

This year I've heard many heartbreaking stories about families having difficulty making ends meet, many of them include stress about getting school supplies for their children. In fact I was somewhat shocked when I polled my Facebook ~~fans~~ friends and saw the laundry list of items teachers were requesting students to have come the new school year, it gets expensive!

I've also heard my teacher friends talk about how much money they've spent out of their own pockets to help supply their classrooms. I knew I wanted to do something to pay it forward.

My friend Melissa from the Mommyhood Chronicles wrote about a great program by Elmer's called #BagItForward. The mission of this campaign is to help provide school supplies to children in need and teachers in local communities across the country (Read about Melissa's Bag It Forward experience here). I immediately loved the mission and was thrilled when I saw my friend Kristin from Mama Luvs Books also took part (Read about Kristin's experience here).

I knew #BagItForward was something I wanted to do and was so excited when I learned about a blog hop put together by some wonderful women.

Emptynester Reviews, Couponing 4 You, Powered by Mom, Mom Does Reviews and Mommy & Baby Reviews & Giveaways teamed together to put together the Pay It Forward for Back to School Blog Hop!

They contacted companies and have secured some wonderful prizes for the GRAND PRIZE of the blog hop. In addition to the grand prize, you have an opportunity to win individual prizes from all of the blogs who have joined the party. All links are listed below.

My giveaway is a prize-pack valued at $100 and includes:

A school supply kit: large glue stick, 24ct crayons, 10ct markers, 12ct colored pencils, safety edge scissors, 10ct ball point pens, 8pk #2 pencils, 3 one subject notebooks, 5 folders, 1" 3 ring binder, pencil sharpener, coupon book with over $35 worth of coupons for school supplies, personal care items and more
Additional school supplies: pencil box, 10 ct. ball point pens, 20 ct mechanical pencils, 2 glue sticks, hand sanitizer
Lunch pack: insulated reusable lunch bag, water bottle, sandwich holder, freezer pack
$25 donation in winners name to Cradles to Crayons a non-profit organization that provides children with essential items they need to thrive at home, at school and at play. They also organize a big event every year to fill backpacks with new school supplies for local low-income and homeless children in Boston and Philadelphia to go back to school with. I've volunteered there multiple times and they are a wonderful organization!

In addition to the individual giveaways, we have a HUGE GRAND PRIZE that is valued at over $300! To win visit Emptynester Reviews (entry on the rafflecopter) for a chance to win!

All entries are available in the USA only. Please use the Rafflecopter below to enter for your chance to win. None of the entries are mandatory. Good Luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Don't forget to visit the other blogs in this blog hop and enter their giveaways as well!

Prizes were purchased directly by Soxy's Diamond and were not provided by any sponsors or sponsoring companies. All opinions listed in this post are my own and I have not been compensated in any way.

Winner must be 18 or older and shipping address of the prize must be in the USA. Winning entry will be validated by Soxy's Diamond. Winner can choose to have their prize donated to a local school of Soxy Diamond's choice if they do not want the prize pack sent to them. Winner will be chosen on August 20th and will have 48 hours to respond via email or another winner will be chosen.

This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook.

Please understand that Emptynester Reviews, Powered By Mom, Mom Does Reviews, Mommy and Baby Reviews and Couponing4You along with the other "Pay it Forward Back to School Event" bloggers are not responsible for sponsors that do not fulfill their prizes. However, we are responsible for contacting any applicable sponsors regarding the winner's prize at the close of the giveaway. We expect that our sponsors will fulfill their prize agreement and ship them to the winners in a timely manner.

Rivet & Sway Glasses

noreply@blogger.com (Soxy Diamond) — Fri, 27 Jul 2012 01:21:00 +0000

A few days ago I was introduced to a company who wanted to make shopping online for eyeglasses as easy or fun as buying handbags and shoes. You may not know, but I kind of love shopping...and really love glasses (handbags AND shoes!)

Rivet & Sway has dozens of fun styles to choose from in several different colors. You choose three frames you want to try on and they send you a home try-on kit with two day shipping, for free! You get three days to try on the glasses and them ship them back (in the same box), again, for free. How awesome?!

I'm going to be doing a full review of Rivet & Sway after I get my fancy new specs but first I need your help. I'm torn between two of the three styles I was sent. I chose the Umami in Golden Tortoise, the Rizzo Crushed Velvet, and the Mantra Tiger Eye.

Which pair do you think looks best on me? I know it's a little bit hard to see with the shadows and the blinding overhead light, but hopefully you get the idea. Leave your vote in the comments and then I'll order my new pair of Rx Glasses which I'll be sporting this year at BlogHer'12.

Disclaimer: I have a working relationship with Rivet & Sway and they are providing me with a free pair of eyeglasses in exchange of spreading the word about their service. I received no monetary compensation and all opinions are expressly my own.

Big Nick's Ride for the Fallen: Riding for a Cause

noreply@blogger.com (Soxy Diamond) — Tue, 24 Jul 2012 03:49:00 +0000

This past weekend SH and I took part in the 3rd Annual Big Nick's Ride for the Fallen, organized to honor Corporal Nicholas G. Xiarhos USMC and 12 other fallen heros from Cape Cod. Nick was killed three years ago today in Afhanistan. He was 21 years old.

We both love supporting charity and it's even better when you can do it by participating in something you love. This one is personal for me. Since the first year we've wanted to ride to support Nick, the Xiarhos family and the multiple charities this organization supports. I urge you to take a moment to learn more about Nick and those organizations here and here.

Up until January of this year, SH's motorcycle wasn't conducive to us both riding. Now with his Harley Davidson Sportster, we were ready to go! There was only one thing...I had to continue overcoming my fear of riding and take my first ride on the highway. You know what? It wasn't all that bad! I kept my eyes straight ahead (instead of looking down at how fast the road was passing underneath) and with the exception of a little head bobbing due to wind resistance, it didn't feel much different than riding on the regular roads.

We arrived to the meeting spot early and were able to set up near the front of the pack and watch the droves of bikes ride in. It was awesome. The display of patriotism was apparent early on with many bikes donning American Flags (ours included!) as well as the Marine Corps flag.

My favorite, however, had to be this guy who had the cutest passenger ever. He even had on a little leather Harley Davidson hat. Yes!

Bikers honestly have to be some of the nicest people I've ever encountered. There was no taunting or judgement of me wearing an armored jacket and full-faced helmet (unless you count my cousin, but hey what good is family if you can't poke fun at one another?) We were all there for a common purpose - to ride for a cause.

The entire ride was extremely emotional to me - from lining up, to hearing impassioned speeches (including one from Nick's dad Deputy Chief Steve Xiarhos), to driving past people young and old lining the streets of Cape Cod along the entire ride route. More than a few times tears streamed down my face like when I saw spectators with tears in their eyes, when we passed Nick's house with uniformed Marine's standing guard and when I saw my Aunt, father and mother all came out to support riders independently of one another.

I can't even imagine how much traffic we backed up coming onto Cape Cod. Our police escort blocked off the Bourne Bridge and rotary letting 3-4 miles of bikers ride through safely. I can tell you those people sitting in their cars trying to get on Cape Saturday morning were likely frustrated. I can only hope they learned the reason of the traffic delays and realized there are bigger things to life than getting upset in traffic.

The ride was also a great deal of fun. We rode the beautiful streets of Cape Cod, my home. I felt like I was in a parade (I guess I sort of was!) I loved waving to supporters, hearing the bikers honk their horns in thanks. Young and old people were smiling, cheering, saluting. They were waving flags and Bless the USA banners. It was quite a sight to see.

I know not everyone supports the Wars the USA has been fighting, but I do hope every single one of you can respect and honor those who are willing to give the ultimate sacrifice in order for our freedom. These men and women are truly amazing.

And if you're so inclined, please learn more about the Nicholas G. Xiarhos Memorial Fund and consider making a donation.

God speed, Nick. May you Rest in Peace.

Project 10 {Week 6}

noreply@blogger.com (Soxy Diamond) — Thu, 19 Jul 2012 03:51:00 +0000

Image Source

These past two weeks have been hard, incredibly hard, and I've been feeling like a loser (but not in a good "WOW look how much I lost" way!). Right now I'm under an insane amount of stress. So much that my heartburn is acting up, I can't relax and I can't sleep.

I'm fairly certain this stress is one of the biggest reasons I have not lost much weight the past two weeks. It's important to really understand the connection between stress and weight loss.

Sure, a lot of people lose weight when they first encounter stress. I actually used to be one of them, but that was before I lived with "chronic" stress. I can distinctly remember one summer while I was in college a boyfriend broke up with me. I was devastated and wallowed in self pity all summer. I was stressed out by the rejection, by what people would think, by what would happen when we returned to school. I lost so much weight that summer that one of my teachers actually asked if I needed counseling and suggested I had an eating disorder! It didn't help that when I got back to school so many people (mostly guys, lets be real) commented on how great I looked. I soon forgot the ex-boyfriend b/c of all of the attention. But guess what? All that weight came right back on. It wasn't a healthy weight loss, and it made me realize how easy it would be for girls (or guys) to have an eating disorder. Scary, scary stuff.

But when people are stressed out long-term, stress has an opposite effect on you. When we are under long-periods of stress, our body thinks we are in distress. It thinks we need food, even when we don't. This is thanks to a hormone produced by our bodies called cortisol. Higher levels of cortisol mean more belly fat. Our bodies store this fat b/c it thinks we're in distress. See the cycle?

Now consider you're on a diet and you're stressing over every single thing you eat, every calorie you consume, obsessively weighing yourself and comparing yourself to other women. Well, you may start to lose weight but your belly fat will still be there.

My stress these past couple weeks hasn't bee due to dieting or trying to lose weight, but the principle is the same.

When I'd gain weight when I was younger it would mostly be in my face, my boobs, my butt and my legs. I always had a small waist. Over the past several years, however, my weight has started to accumulate around my belly and I haven't even had children! I think of the things I've gone through in the past seven years or so and it totally makes sense. I've lived in an almost-constant state of stress. I have even had a therapist tell me she's impressed I haven't become an alcoholic, druggie or prostitute due to things I've gone through. That's a compliment, I guess?

It's not all doom and gloom over here though. Here's what I've done right:

Heck, even though it's not much I am still down .6 lbs the past two weeks for a total of 7.4 llbs lost to date! I don't think I'll make my 10lb goal by BlogHer, but I should hit it by the end of this project
I have been tracking my calories in MyFitnessPal for the past week and only went over my 1200 calorie allowance once
I did crunches and jumping jacks for the first time in years. Seriously
I've gotten back to taking my thyroid medication regularly and on time
I haven't had a panic attack given everything going on in my life right now. And believe me, two years ago I would be an emotional wreck right. I thank SH for understanding me, and helping me stay calm

My big goal for this next week is to find a way to manage my stress. A healthy way.

Are you under a lot of stress? How do you deal with it?

If you want to learn more about Project 10, here are my previous posts:

Dear Grandmom

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah S) — Mon, 16 Jul 2012 04:37:00 +0000

Dear Grandmom,

This past week SH and I were cleaning out a closet in the guest room. When we opened up one of the boxes in the closet I was taken aback. I wasn't expecting to find what was in there - things that had been buried not only in this closet, but also deep in the corners of my mind.

There was your obituary, contents of your desk that we never took the time to sort through and some boxes filled with your costume jewelry (don't worry, I've had your engagement/wedding ring and pearls safe the whole time).

The things in this box, they hold no monetary value only priceless memories. A blue and white beaded necklace that you wore to Penn State Football Games, Grandad's baby ring, a doll that sat on your dresser for as long as I can remember, pictures, letters, my wedding invitation. Things that made me sit there and cry as I went through them. Cry because I miss you. Cry because I'm happy we share so many happy memories. Cry because sometimes memories aren't enough when all I really want is to call you on the phone and tell you I love you or to drive to Pennsylvania and give you a hug.

It's hard to believe it's been 3 1/2 years since you've been gone, 8 years since grandad's been gone, a year since Aunt Anne left us. Our small family is really small now.

Grandmom, I had forgotten that years ago I had created a blog for the family to keep up on our lives. Even though you and Grandad had gotten a computer, you never went on after he passed away. I had forgotten that I would print out my blog posts and send them to you.

Also among those blog posts were pictures and letters I had sent. There was one of SH and my dad working on my dad's boat. I smiled when I saw you had written on the back of the picture "Sarah's boyfriend, 2005" always so diligent in labeling pictures!

I was saddened when I found our wedding invitation, and the picture book we made for you after the wedding. It absolutely broke my heart you weren't able to be there. I know the trip would have been too much for you, you were so frail. I know you felt the same sadness, but I also hope you felt how close you were to my heart that day. I proudly carried the same handkerchief down the aisle that your mother carried, that you carried, that Aunt Anne carried....

I laughed when I found pictures of Spike. I definitely got my love of animals (and ice cream!) from you and Grandad. You loved my dog. When I would call to tell you that we were coming to visit, your first question was always "are you bringing Spike?" (or "that dog" in the later years when your memory was failing). Me: Yes Gmom, I am bringing Spike. SH and I are also coming. You: Oh, I am looking forward to seeing that dog.

Spike was always so good in the home when we came to visit you. You'd sit with him for hours. Remember how you used to try and convince us that we should leave him there? That you would walk, feed and take care of him. Even though you couldn't walk, feed or take care of yourself. You had such a big heart. It's only fitting that the morning you passed away, we were told you had cuddled a little black puppy as you were falling asleep.

It hurt to go through these things. I could smell your perfume in the old jewelry boxes, I could picture you wearing the jewelry, I could see you smile as you read the letters and looked at the pictures. It was like you were sitting next to me reliving memories. Maybe you were. I hope you were.

I miss, and love you so very much.

How To Tell If Your Fruit and Vegetables Are Organic

noreply@blogger.com (Soxy Diamond) — Thu, 12 Jul 2012 03:54:00 +0000

Did you know those little stickers stuck to your fruit and vegetables are there to do more than just annoy you? Sure the PLU codes on those stickers help stores track and control their inventory, but there is more to it than just that.

By taking a quick look at the sticker, you can tell if your produce is organic.

Conventionally grown produce will usually have a 4-digit PLU code that starts with the number 4 or 5. What does conventionally grown mean? It means that it most likely was grown with chemical assistance. I say most likely because it is super-expensive for a farm to get their food certified organic and many smaller farms may not be able to afford to do so. If you're buying locally just ask whether or not you're purchasing organic produce.

Here is a picture of a conventionally grown Granny Smith apple from a recent trip to the grocery store.

Certified organic produce will have a 5-digit PLU that starts with the number 9. What does it mean to be certified organic? It means that the produce has not been grown with the use of chemical assistance. The farm growing certified organic food has to adhere to strict standards that get verified by private organizations.

Remember just because a food is organic, doesn't mean its local. Heck, look at the sticker from my latest shopping trip. My Granny Smith Apple, number 94139 came all the way from New Zealand! So while I'm making strides towards incorporating more organic foods into my diet as part of my participation in Project 10, I also want to take steps to buy more locally grown produce - or at least produce from the USA!

The Produce Marketing Association, the group of people who decide the PLU numbers, created them as an optional convention for retails to help with their inventory management. That means don't get scared if your produce has some wacky numbers that aren't either of the above.

There is one thing to keep in mind, however. As part of the optional naming convention, the PMA also suggested that genetically modified/genetically engineered produce (or GMO) have a 5-digit code starting with the number 8. What does it mean to be genetically modified? Basically that science has messed with the genes of the original produce. It is no longer 'natural.' I've never seen produce start with the number 8. I'm pretty sure farms using GMO produce aren't going to go out and advertise that fact willingly, so unless your produce is certified organic, there is still a chance it has been genetically modified.

It's pretty impossible to find an accurate list of genetically modified foods, and even harder to find information that isn't heavily slanted politically. I urge you to do some research on GMOs if it is something that concerns you. I hope to provide more education here in the future.

If you want to learn more about Project 10, here are my previous posts:

Win McKenna - American Girl Doll of the Year!

noreply@blogger.com (Soxy Diamond) — Mon, 09 Jul 2012 03:59:00 +0000

Every Girl's Dream: McKenna

~ American Girl Doll of the Year ~

Whether your daughter, niece, granddaughter, or any little girl you know might know is a gymnast or not, McKenna will be a favorite among her collection. McKenna is one of the most popular American Girl Dolls, and she will only be around for a few more months! Don't miss your chance to get her! Many of her accessories are on back-order as of now, which shows the popularity of this doll. Here is your chance to WIN McKenna for that special girl in your life!

From the American Girl Site:

"Meet McKenna, our 2012 Girl of the Year! She's a determined girl who uses her strengths to turn challenges into triumphs. The McKenna doll is 18" tall, with brilliant blue eyes that open and close. She has long, caramel-colored hair that can be pulled high for gymnastics practice, or styled up in twists for a fancy occasion."

The McKenna doll comes in a sporty outfit just right for flips and twists:

A sporty striped dress with flutter sleeves, a dropped waist, and a pleated skirt
Teal leggings that stretch for the splits!
Strappy slide-on shoes
Purple cotton underwear
A hairband, to sweep her hair back during gymnastics practice

The McKenna doll has a huggable cloth body, and her movable head and limbs are made of smooth vinyl. Includes the McKenna paperback book—an engaging story that will inspire girls to go for their goals, one day at a time.

There are great books to get for McKenna, as well as cute outfits and accessories. You can find them all online as well as in stores nationwide.

This Giveaway is Hosted By,

Mama Luvs Books

And Sponsored By the Amazing Sites Listed Below:

Mom To Bed By 8, Miki's Hope, Full Price? Never!,

Frugal Freebies and Deals, Emptynester Reviews, TeetheMe, Acadiana's Thrifty Mom, Couponing 4 You,

Mommy's Memorandum, Powered By Mom,

Mom Does Reviews, Savoring the Thyme, Sister's Saving Cents, Mommy Does..., Mom Generations

Give Oh Giveaway, Cira's Lyrics, Soxy's Diamond

Enter on the Rafflecopter Below! Make a Girl's Dream Come True! Good Luck!

Giveaway ends on July 19th at Midnight!!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway
Disclaimer: I did not receive monetary compensation for posting this giveaway, I just like to share awesome giveaways with you. Mama Luvs Books is responsible for prize fulfillment. Good luck, I hope one of my followers wins!

Today Was the 73rd Anniversary of Lou Gehrig's Famous Farewell Speech

noreply@blogger.com (Soxy Diamond) — Thu, 05 Jul 2012 03:47:00 +0000

Today marks 73 years since Lou Gehrig gave his famous farewell speech to the game of baseball. A game he dearly, dearly loved. He had been diagnosed with ALS, and his loss of muscle control and reflexes were causing him to struggle in a game he has succeeded in for so long.

In 1939 few people knew anything about ALS, or what it was. In fact, Gehrig leaving baseball finally shed some light on the debilitating disease so people actually started referring to ALS as 'Lou Gehrig's disease'. It was a disease where nobody knew how you contracted it, there was no treatment, there was no cure.

Here we are 73 years later and people still don't know much about it. There is still no treatment, and still no cure. I urge you all to do a search on ALS and learn a little bit about just how devastating this disease is.

Unfortunately I know more about it than I ever wanted to as my mom was diagnosed with ALS in September 2010.

Today is one of those days where I just can't bring myself to talk about it but I wouldn't have felt right to have the entire day go by without remembering Lou Gehrig and toasting him for his bravery. He may have played for the most evil team ever to grace the face of the earth, but I have nothing but respect and admiration for him.

Here's to you Lou. May you Rest in Peace.

Project 10 {Week 4}

noreply@blogger.com (Soxy Diamond) — Thu, 05 Jul 2012 03:27:00 +0000

Source: itstheskinny.tumblr.com via Sarah on Pinterest

Last week I struggled a bit, and was feeling disappointed I didn't notice any change in the way my clothes fit, even though I had lost five pounds. This week, while also a huge struggle, things turned around slightly. Who knew that photo above would ring true?

In the fourth week of this challenge towards overall health and wellness I noticed a change in the way a pair of pants fit!

You know how women's clothes sometimes have a hidden inside button, as well out the outer one? Well this particular pair of pants was fitting great everywhere except around my waist. When I wore them a couple of weeks ago, I did not secure the inside button (I actually rarely do this) and I actually had to undo the outer button while I was sitting at work. I had to secure my pants with a paper clip *gasp* because I was so uncomfortable! Yesterday I wore those same pants and not only did I not need the paperclip, I was able to secure the inner button as well! It was a little change on the outside, but huge for my mentality! So if it only takes another four weeks for friends and family to start noticing I'm getting healthier and losing some weight then bring it on!

Of course, that means I need to continue what I've been doing, as well as stepping it up a bit to see results. I haven't been doing great towards my goals.

Juicing: I honestly don't remember if I juiced or not this past week, which probably means I didn't. That's bad. Especially since I have a fridge full of fresh fruits and vegetables
Drink more water: This one I'm pretty much rocking! I did have some punch at a baby shower and a small Coffee Oreo Coolata from Dunkin' Donuts, but otherwise water, water, water. I am actually craving plain old water now, which I NEVER thought possible!
Plan meals better: Nope. That was even a mini-goal from last week, it still hasn't happened
Incorporate more Organic Foods into our diet: YES! SH has also been awesome at picking up organic fruits and veggies for me. He's even checked out a CSA that we're thinking about joining
Get more sleep: No! I've been doing HORRIBLE with this, including now. It's after 11pm, I need to get to bed
Stretch more: I haven't been stretching my legs, but have been doing a good job with my back
Core exercise: Nada
Walk more: Only one walk with SH and Spike this week
Less stress: Bwahhahahahahaha. That's all I can really say about that right now
Lose 10+ lbs: I am down 6.8 pounds! I'm well on my way to meeting, and exceeding, my 10 lb goal! This past week I lost 1.6 lbs, which is exactly the same amount as the week before (strange). I wasn't expecting any loss (thanks, Aunt Flo) but was presently surprised when I stepped on the scale this morning! I'm worried this week it's going to catch up with me. The past two days (besides drinking water) I've thrown all reality of healthy living out the window. I'm blaming the holiday, but I know it's no excuse

I'd have to say, my biggest win this week was resisting the ridiculously amazing looking cupcakes at the baby shower I went to. That may not seem like a lot, but man did I want one! I also know I could have indulged a bit, but I also knew I was going out to dinner that night and restaurant food is never as healthy as cooking at home. So, yeah for resisting!

What were your wins this week?

If you want to learn more about Project 10, here are my previous posts:

Thanks for following - I do hope you'll link up any of your healthy posts, recipes etc from the past week below.

Make This Holiday Special By Winning $100!

noreply@blogger.com (Soxy Diamond) — Tue, 03 Jul 2012 22:49:00 +0000

4th of July is my favorite holiday. I love the warm weather, the fireworks, the cookouts and the parades. There are no presents to buy or big meals to stress over. It's a time to celebrate our country's birthday in a fun, laid back manner.

To make this holiday even more exciting I have a special giveaway to announce:

$100 Amazon Gift Card Special FLASH Giveaway!!!

Enter to win Tues 7/3 9:00 PM EST - Wed 7/4 Midnight EST

A few awesome Bloggers have teamed up to give you a $100 Amazon Gift Card*! We believe in quick, small, and easy giveaways. Our giveaways only have a few entries to fill out and you will know if you win in just a couple of hours!

This giveaway starts tonight (Tuesday 7/3) at 9:00 PM EST and ends tomorrow (Wednesday 7/4) night at Midnight EST, so you have 27-hours to enter. Good luck, I REALLY want someone from my site to win!

*NOTE: You can choose PayPal CASH in substitution of the Amazon GC.

Here are our wonderful participating sites for this flash Giveaway!! You should make sure to check them out when you have time.

Mama Luvs Books

Emptynester Reviews

Building Carpenters

Mommy's Memorandum

Couponing 4 You

Mama Goes Bam

Lady And The Blog

Sweepstakes Mama

Miki's Hope

Mom Does Reviews

The Wonderful Things in Life

Enchanted Savings

Coupon Nurse

Full Price? Never!

Mom Generations

Africa's Blog

Teethe Me

The Deals and More

Soxy's Diamond

Powered By Mom

Sarah's Blog of Fun

Mom To Bed By 8

Mommy Guru

Have a wonderful 4th of July Holiday!!!!

Project 10 {Weeks 2 & 3}

noreply@blogger.com (Soxy Diamond) — Wed, 27 Jun 2012 03:36:00 +0000

A couple of weeks ago, I introduced you all to Project 10. Real women looking to get serious about our health and wellness over 10 weeks (and, of course, continue that journey beyond the 10 weeks).

I missed posting last week for a variety of ~~excuses~~ reasons. None of them really matter other than to say life got in the way and it was important that I focus on some things. The good thing is that even though I didn't stay 100% on track with my goals I have lost 5.2 lbs since June 6th!!!!! This is without diet and, honestly, without exercise.

For me following a diet would surely lead to some short-term wins, but I worry about long-term. I'm looking for a lifestyle change, not a quick fix. Diets work wonders for so many people, I just know I'm not one of them. I've chosen to incorporate more healthy habits into my daily living and hope that equates to both looking and feeling better.

So what did I do over the past three weeks to lose those 5 lbs?

I've increased my water intake drastically by drinking 99% only water

Still
Sparkling
Flavored

No eating after 9 PM

Exception 1: It was the weekend and I have no idea what I was doing eating so late, but I remember looking at the clock and feeling guilty
Exception 2: I didn't get home from work until after 8PM last night so by the time I made my dinner it was already 9 PM

Juiced for dinner

I haven't done it every night, but 2-3 times a week has worked out well

Incorporated more vegetables into my meals, like with this ridiculously good vegetable soup
Watched (not weighed, measured or tracked) my portion sizes
Allowed myself to snack a little bit, but not after dinner

Honestly that's it. It's been enough to get me started. I will say I know a lot of the beginning weight loss may just be water weight, but that is OK! The important thing is the numbers on the scale are moving in the right direction and I'm eating healthier.

I haven't really noticed a change in the way my clothes fit yet, and I'd be lying if I didn't say I was a wee bit disappointed. See, the weight I'm at now is where I was 3 1/2 months ago and I really wanted to lose back then, I just didn't have the motivation. The fact I gained 5 lbs on top of that bothers me. It's also behind me. I feel like I'm at a new starting point. If I were to lose 10 lbs from where I'm at now, I'd be at my first really "goal" weight for a long time. I know it's not all about the number on the scale, but that number has been stuck in my head for WAYYYY too long and I want to get there.

I'm hoping once the weekend hits I can come up with a meal plan for the following week. Having a meal plan really makes eating healthier (and at a reasonable hour) so much easier. Stephanie at Stephanie's Mommy Brain has some great suggestions and templates for meal plans.

With me changing up my eating habits the past few weeks SH has suffered a bit. I understand he doesn't love all the vegetables and juices I do, but I need to find a way to make sure he stays healthy as well. Do you have any healthy recipes to share that I can perhaps get SH to try? Please let me know!

Come join us and Link up your posts on health and wellness to Project 10!

Previous Project 10 Posts:

Garden Vegetable Soup

noreply@blogger.com (Soxy Diamond) — Tue, 26 Jun 2012 04:27:00 +0000

My friend Megan at Baby Makes Four posted a recipe a couple of weeks ago for a garden vegetable soup. Ever since I read her post I have been wanting to try it on my own. The thing is, it's summer and hot and I don't love eating soup when I feel like I'm melting. Today, while not cold, was rainy and I had this soup on the brain so I stopped at Whole Foods on my way home.

I didn't follow Megan's or the Original Recipe (Dr. Oz's Weight Watchers Garden Vegetable Soup) exactly. That's one thing I love about cooking as opposed to baking, you can make it up as you go! Please click on the links above if you want to see their versions.

Soxy's Diamond Vegetable Soup
The Ingredients:

1/2 cup {organic} carrots, chopped/sliced
1/2 cup {organic} onion, diced
1 cup {organic} cabbage {red or green}, chopped
4-6 cups {organic} kale or spinach, chopped
1 cup {organic} zucchini, diced
2 cloves of {organic} garlic, minced
1 TBSP {organic} tomato paste
32 oz {about 4 cups} {organic} low-sodium vegetable broth
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1/2 cup pasta
1 TBSP olive oil

The Instructions:

Heat olive oil in Dutch Oven over medium-low heat
Add carrots, onion and garlic and sauté over medium-low heat for 5 minutes (on my electric stove I set it to about a 4)
Add tomato paste, kale, cabbage, salt and seasonings and mix
Immediately add vegetable broth and bring to a boil
Reduce heat (to about a 2) and cover
Simmer for 15 minutes
Add zucchini and simmer for an additional 3-4 minutes

While your soup is simmering, cook your pasta {hints: undercook it by a minute or two, as it will still cook once you add it to your soup. Also, store your leftover pasta separate from your soup and add right before you heat it up. This way the pasta won't turn mushy!}

Once soup and pasta is done, mix together and serve

I will note that I added a bit of salt to the soup while eating it. I normally don't put salt on anything, but adding a little bit more provided a ton of extra flavor.

To make the soup heartier try adding some {organic} ground turkey/chicken. You can also use chicken or beef broth for flavor. Mix up your veggies, try another pasta, sprinkle with parmesan cheese - this soup is meant to be customized!

I got 4 healthy servings out of this soup. My bill at the grocery store came in a little more than $13, add in $2 for the previously purchased Kale and $1 for the previously purchased pasta and this soup cost a total of $16 or $4.00 a serving. This is using all organic ingredients {except for the pasta}. The olive oil, spices and salt are not counted in the cost but those are staples found in most every home. Plus, I have left overs of just about every vegetable that will make it's way into a salad or juice!

$4 for a bowl of healthy, almost entirely organic soup. And people say eating organic is too expensive. Pfft.

Brand New Look

noreply@blogger.com (Soxy Diamond) — Tue, 26 Jun 2012 03:33:00 +0000

Soxy's Diamond got a facelift - what do you think?

Krystyn from Krizzy Designs did a great job combining a few of my favorite things into this new design: Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens...ok maybe not those favorite things, but these:

Boston Terriers
Crafting
Patterns (Chevron and Polka dots)
Colors (Turquoise and Coral)

I wanted something brighter, cleaner than what I had before. What do you think?!

Soxy's Diamond

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Garden Vegetable Soup

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