Floating into a New Years Resolution...

January, the dreaded month of Resolutions! Where many people look forward to January and to see what is going to come up in the upcoming year, other dread the commitments that we promise ourselves to do.

This year, my Resolutions are simple. Well, they are easier than what I have established for myself in the past - so I think that this year I can hang tight with my promises to myself and keep them going.
Becca's two resolutions are:

• Read more books, seriously. I am the queen of the "boob tube," and could literally sit and watch tv all day long and ever get tired of it. I broke my Mom's heart by not becoming a "reader." My Mom is the type of person who can read 5 books at any given time, and remember every single word she read. Because of this, my Mom is literally like the smartest person I know. She knows EVERYTHING! Therefore, I have atleast 2 1/2 books right now with my name on them that I hope to turn off the reality TV for a few minutes read sooner than later!
• Drink more WATER! Anyone who knows me, knows I am an addict of Diet Coke. Is it good for me? Heck no. Is it wonderful and does it get me through the day? Heck yes! I am not a coffee drinker. I am not a tea drinker. I am a Diet Coke-aholic. It's okay, I can admit it!

My resolution for water seems silly, but this is a big deal for me. I have begun my journey into flavored waters. Fun waters will keep the water resolution exciting, and will have something other than just my Brita filter.

The first stop of my quest for the best water began while in Seattle over Christmas. I was walking through the store and found a drink that I thought I would give a try. It's a Sparking Water with juice for only 2 calories. I bought a few flavors, and decided to give them a whirl. Cascade Ice, ohhh myyy! It has the sparkle. It has flavor, lots-o-flavors, and only has 2 calories! I loaded up on all of the flavors during my trip, but found Watermelon Blueberry to be one of my absolute favorites!

My dilemma: they don't sell it in Columbus! Don't fret, I have found that they have an online store and I get get packs of 12 delivered to my house with free shipping ALWAYS! This week, I should be expecting a box of 24 bottles delivered to my front step. Everyday, I speed home and hope that today is the day it arrived... I'm still waiting...

The next type of water that I've bought is called, Twist. I actually came across this one (and the next one) on my quest to find Cascade Ice in Columbus (every time I walk into a grocery store, I just to see if they have it.... just in case!). Now, Twist comes in fewer different flavors but I have to say of the ones that I tried, Wild Strawberry is my favorite. The only down side to this water (which has nectar in it), it has a few more calories. 9 calories per serving. However, it is still a better option than some other things I can chose to drink!

Lastly, this water came to me by a fluke. While my sister and I were floating around Seattle a day by ourselves, we stopped at a local Starbucks on Lake Washington to go to the bathroom. Because we didn't want to look cheap, we each decided to buy something while we were there. I was beginning my quest to enjoy water, I found a water called Hint. Hint has a few more flavors than Twist does, but I haven't tried all of them just yet. I picked up 6 different flavors at Whole Foods yesterday, and am very anxious to try them all! They will be packed in my lunchbox through the work week and I will have a new flavor to try everyday this week. I will say, the Blackberry is fantastic! It has a "hint" of flavor to it, is not overwhelming and doesn't taste like watered down Kool-Aid. It is more water than anything, and is very refreshing!

Here is floating away into 2011 and to my kidney's enjoying a change of something other than Diet Coke! :)

My Winter Staple

I have this friend...

This friend is a loyal blogger...

This friend is a wonderful person...

This friend hands down makes the most wonderful recipes and blogs them, daily and shares all of her wonderful recipes with her readers...

I want to cook wonderful things like she does, and I want to try almost every recipe she has ever posted...

I am pretty sure she should cook for money, because I am certain she would dominate the world and make a killing!

I think my friend Jaime may be a secret chef... :)

I am going to jump on Jaime's train and post one of my most favorite Winter Time soups to share with my friends. To me, there is nothing better than a hot soup on a cold and snowy day. I found this recipe back in 2006, when I was still super new to my current job and was bored out of my skull one day. I spent a few days (cough, cough - weeks!) bored and expanded my cookbook with recipes I found online during the day.

There are a few things about this recipe that I LOVE:

• It is even better as left overs the next day. It is even more thick and creamy than it was the day before!
  
• You can cut down calories by using low cal/low fat ingredients and it still tastes identical.
  
• If you like crackers, I suggest plain goldfish... they are my favorite!
  
• I hate onions, but the original recipe calls for 1 large one... you can use it if you want! (Sick!)
  

I don't have a picture of my soup as my dear friend is so wonderful at doing, but that is only because I made this on Sunday evening and it is gone now and I am just now getting around to blog about it!

Cheesy Ham 'N' Potato Soup

• 2 cups cubed potatoes
• 1-1/2 cups water
• 1-1/2 cups cubed fully cooked ham
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 3 cups milk
• 1-1/2 cups (6 ounces) finely shredded cheddar cheese

Directions

• In a saucepan, bring potatoes and water to a boil. Cover and cook for 10-15 minutes or until tender. Drain, reserving 1 cup cooking liquid; set potatoes and liquid aside.
• In a large saucepan, saute ham in butter. Stir in the flour and pepper until smooth; gradually add milk and reserved cooking liquid. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Reduce heat to low. Add the cheese, and reserved potatoes; cook and stir until cheese is melted and soup is heated through. Yield: 7 servings.

I'm drooling all over again thinking about it! I can only hope that you enjoy it as much as I do on a cold snowy day!

My Secret to Cleaning (Myself & My House!)

It was about a year ago... If I do remember correctly.

*A year ago I decided that I was so over washing wash cloths every time I washed my face clear of make-up in the evening. Not only was it annoying to always wash them, but I had a horrible habit of forgetting about them and then they would get smelly and then would get thrown away.

*A year ago I decided that the "toss away" make-up removers were too expensive. Honestly, $6 for 24 wipes... I love spending money, don't get me wrong! However, that is an expense that isn't fun and I could be putting towards something more important... like shoes!

I put my mind to use and tried to brainstorm ways where I would make better use of my laundry and my money to keep my face squeaky clean.

One evening, I was at Walgreens with my parents and told my Mom about my dilemma. With a very serious tone and with no thinking at all, she says: "What about baby wipes?"

Is this lady serious? I thought about it, and really thought it was weird and told her I would think about it. However, the more walking around Walgreens we did, the more sense it made. I walked over to the Baby Aisle and scoped out the baby wipe selection trying to determine if this was something I truly was going to try. I didn't want to SMELL like a baby, so there goes the scented kinds. I also didn't want to risk breaking out in any type of rash with my sensitive skin.



Huggie's Natural Care, Hypo-Allergenic, Fragrance Free Wipes... my answer to everything!

Of course, I walked up to the register with a box of wipes, and my Dad looked at me like I was off my rocker. Why in the world would I need wipes? It's a year later, and he still doesn't understand - but that's a Dad for ya!

Let me point a few things out, and why I am so incredibly grateful that I still listen to my Mom!

*I can buy a package of 216 wipes for a mere $7. Compared to my once purchased 24 for $6.

*I clean my face, I throw it away! Heck, at the price that I paid, I can actually afford to use two wipes if my eye liner is truly not coming off my eyes.

*My face never breaks out from them, but are always fresh and so clean!

*For those mornings that I might get a little too crazy with spitting out the toothpaste all over the sink, ya pull out a wipe, wipe it down and bam! Clean sink again! Did I mention it's also wonderful for any type of counter cleaning in the bathroom as well?

*Lastly, when I go on a trip - oh how those handy little wipe containers travel just perfectly! Perfect size to pack into my suitcase, and holds just as many wipes as I would need to travel with!

It's funny, I was reading an article on People.com a few months back and my being a very big fan of any of the Real Housewives shows on Bravo, an article from Bethenny Frankel caught my eye. It was all about motherhood (something let's face it, I know nothing about!), and baby wipes. She was talking about the wonders of a baby wipe and how she cleans everything with them! I'm not alone and I'm not the only one who finds the baby wipe to be an amazing find!

A Review: William & Kate ~ A Love Story

I know, I know... I've been missing! I've literally had writers block for months and didn't want to have just boring old topics that you read in 2 secs and thought "Becca, really? Why did I read this?" Hopefully, through the months I have come up with some topics that are not boring and some what entertaining! I have a few topics in mind, so hopefully I can make up for some lost time!

My first topic involves one of my most favorite topics at the moment, The Royal Family and the wedding of William of Wales and Kate Middleton. I've loved the Royal Family from as long as I could remember. I was a young girl, and I would watch my Mom buy her Majesty magazine and read the current events of the Royal Monarch. I'd sit on the floor by the bookshelf and thumb through her various books looking at the pictures of a young William and Harry. I looked at those books fascinated by the pictures of Charles and Diana's wedding. Then again, emotional watching on tv the news of passing of the Princess Diana, followed by the funeral.

When the news broke out of the engagement of William and Kate, that sparked my lost interest up again and got me to the book store as quick as I could possibly get there! Now, let me start off by saying - I am NOT a reader. At all. I watch tv. I watch reality tv. I do not read. I used to be a reader, but that was when Land Before Time puppets were big at Pizza Hut, followed by the Book It star stickers for the button! I first bought a book on William and Harry, and their childhood growing up. William and Harry, Behind the Palace Walls. I read this on our trip to Blowing Rock, North Carolina over Thanksgiving. Very easy read, and a good peek into the lives of these two famous Princes. If I took anything from the book, it was that they were badddd!! Harry, Harry, Harry... what in the world were you thinking?! However, at the end of the book - you love them, even more. They are two very likeable boys, and you just cannot help but want to hug them both!


Then, in the midst of my searches -I found another book was on the verge of being released! All about William and Kate and their love story! Now, if you'll look at my DVR list currently - you'd wonder why I would even need a book because I have everything I need on tv! But, I wasn't over my obsession and I needed more books.

I hopped onto Barnes & Noble online and held a book for Kate and I the minute it was released. We would pick this book up the night before we left for Seattle for some Royal reading.

Now, as a quick side note - I am not yet done with this book. My sister and I wanted to read it at the same time so we had to wait until we were done reading other books before we could both start this one. During this time, my "not liking to read" actually flipped around and I read two books during the trip before I started this one! Yes, me the person who hates reading read TWO full books! (Maybe I'll talk about those later...)

I'm 60ish pages into this book and let me tell you, it is one of those books that leaves you angered. It is a biased book, it is a Royal Blood Bath, it is not at all a read for someone who loves the Royal Family. Now, I'm not sitting here saying that the Royal Family is perfect because no family is perfect. Yes, Charles did some bad things. Yes, Diana had quite a few imperfections that no one truly talks about. But, I still cannot help but love them. This book for a Windsor Family Fan is NOT good! I'm going to continue to read it because, well I bought it and cannot find the receipt to take it back. However, I am also continuing to read it to listen to how much Christopher Andersen truly doesn't know what he is talking about. His quotes, they quote no one. He doesn't list sources but leaves the person as a general quote. "xxx" said a friend of a friend with NO NAME. Uh huh... riiiight! I want proof that this stuff actually happened!

Whew. That said: I think I am going to make my New Years Resolution to be read more. Turn off my tv (it will be the hardest thing I've ever done...) and read the new books I bought in Seattle with my Barnes and Noble gift card and not let them collect dust. I vow that this book of bull honkey, and the two other novels I bought will be read by the end of February. It will be my greatest challenge, but I will do it!