Frosty Friday Faves

Yay!!  It's Friday!  Week one of being back to school after Christmas vacation is finished! (well, almost...I'm starting this post on Wednesday evening and will finish it before my ladies group gets here tomorrow evening!).

This was a pretty good week but we had some frigid, frosty temps.  We had been spoiled so we are all saying that it finally feels like winter here in Eastern New York State!

I had some great faves this week for a healthy start to the new calender year.

• PEACE CEREAL! this cereal is new to me. I discovered it in the health food section of my grocery store and I LOVE it.  It is a bit higher than the regular brands BUT...for every Peace Cereal product sold, the company gives a portion of the sale to a charity such as Rolling Dog Farm (a special place where disabled animals enjoy life), the National Park Foundation, and Ovarian Cancer Research Fund, among others.    There are NO artificial flavors or ingredients in these cereals.  They only use whole grains, fruit and nuts.  The cereals come in the following flavors:  Walnut Spice (the one I bought, pictured above), Vanilla Almond, Mango Peach Passion, Cherry Almond, Wild Berry, Golden Honey and Maple Pecan..... and it's super delicious with skim milk!! A great tasting cereal that gives back to worthy causes is always a fave with me......

• NO CALORIES NO SUGAR!  This water is amazing!  I discovered this a couple of weeks into December and I bring a couple of bottles to work each week.  I typically drink one of these a day but at $1.49 a bottle, I am only buying 2 a week!  I like the lemon/lime flavor shown here and the wild berry one.  I haven't tried all of them as some of the flavors (like peach) don't appeal to me.The water does contain electrolytes (great for those power walks and hiking trips!), zero calories, and no sugar. The flavoring is all natural with no sweeteners.  It is almost like drinking pure spring water with a hint of flavor...always a fave.....

Claire with Daddy Dave
December 2011

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• A SURPRISE POWER WALK!  Last week, I started power walking again after about a month off! It felt so good to get back into it.  My husband needs to drop several pounds and I've encouraged him to join me, saying he could do it with me on the weekends and work out with his weight bench during the work week. (I power walk after school so he is still at his office and can't join me).  On Monday, because it was a holiday, he had the day off and totally surprised me by asking if I wanted to go late that afternoon.  I was very surprised and secretly thrilled.  I ended up telling him I was proud of him for doing this.  HE was surprised at how quickly my pace picks up.  Normally I do 1-2 miles every other day but my new goal is to do 2 miles a day by June.  For these cold, winter months when it gets dark earlier, I will walk 4 days a week and do weights/yoga/the shred for 2 days.  Fitting in time for a brisk walk outdoors and with my husband is always a fave.......

image taken from amazon.com

• BLACKBERRY VANILLA SET!  I LOVE this lotion, body spray and shower gel. I especially like the lotion for these winter months.  My skin just started getting dry (we've had a mild winter so far until the last few days when the temps dropped and the furnace is blasting full force making skin drier).  I smooth on this lotion, which is non greasy, right after my shower and then spritz on some spray.  I use the shower gel several times a week.  The lotion smells great and feels so good on parched skin.  This set is sold by Avon at a very reasonable price and that's always a fave with me...in fact, these sets by Avon ARE a fave with me!

• XMAS GIFT!  The 4 of us traveled out to my parents' home in the Mohawk Valley region of NYS and met my sister Hope and her husband Donny there to do Christmas with them last Friday.  This little tray was in the bag of goodies that my sister gave Dave and I.  I LOVE it.  It is soooo me!  As you know, I am a coffee lover, especially the ones shown on this tray (Cappuccino, Espresso, Mochas and of course Cafe au lait!).  I am keeping this in my dining room on the pine hutch because it has a groove for standing up trays.  During my small group meetings that I host, I plan on putting the creamer, sugar, spoons, napkins on this tray and setting it near the coffee brewer.  This will keep the counter clean and clean up after group ends around 8:45 pm will be a snap.  I can just rinse off the tray!  Coffee on a cute tray and staying organized.....a true fave!

Those are just some little things from my week that make my list of faves. I also enjoyed some quiet devotional time every morning during breakfast as my husband was very quiet, my college girl was sleeping in, and my youngest doesn't appear for breakfast until 6:20 and is super quiet.  I enjoyed little accomplishments with the special needs boys I work with and I'm enjoying helping out more as a TA with the regular 2nd graders....they are a fun bunch of children.  I also enjoyed the news that our oldest daughter did very well for her first semester of college and her 2nd semester book cost only came to $32.00!!  YAY FOR RENTING TEXTBOOKS FROM E-FOLLETT!  The prices are amazing!! (and yes she is taking a full load of 16 credits but that cost doesn't include her art supplies for the next drawing?design class!).  Still....we thank the Lord for the opportunity to rent books instead of buying new ones.  What a cost effective way to do things for our college kids...sure wish we had that option when I was in college! (but hey...the internet wasn't invented yet back then! lol)

If you want to participate in the Friday Fave Five, head over to Susanne's site and link up!

It's been a fun, rewarding week. Praise God from Whom all blessings flow!

HAPPY WEEKEND!

(Come on back for a devotional on some thoughts about friends, purpose and praying in life based on some portions of Scripture in Philippians to be posted sometime over the weekend!)