Motivation of the Day….Walking the Weight Off

“In your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more, & become more.” ~ John Quincy Adams

Right now, in the beginning stages of changing my bad habits into healthier ones, so I need all the motivation I can get.  A little while ago, I wrote a post about how I found that combining a hobby of mine with exercising & dieting has motivated me. You can read it here. Then a favorite blogger of mine left a comment that made me think about how neat it would be to motivate one another.
Today, while I was waiting for my girls at crossing, I told my sister what I’ve been doing and how it has really helped me. She thought it was a great idea to combine something you love with dieting & exercising. She loves photography as much as me so she’ll be doing the same thing. This got me thinking, if there’s two people out there loves this idea, there must be more.

@ http://www.weightlossop.com/inn-trending-free-motivational-quotes-for-weight-loss/inn-trending-free-motivational-quotes-for-weight-loss

I decided after talking with the two ladies above, that I wanted to share my walking adventures….how I’m walking my weight away.
Why does photography motivate me to walk? It gets me up and out the door because I never know what I’m going to come across or what I’ll find.  And if there isn’t any to photograph, I love coming up with creative ways to save that moment.

So, lets do this together, seeing where our steps take us.  I hope anyone who comes across this post will join me in this journey.  Find a hobby you love doing and figure out a way you can incorporate it into your dieting & exercising. Then take an image & share it with me. Leave a comment below to your link and I will gladly come over. Let’s motivate each other into creating healthier habits which will help aide us in our weight loss. The journey is only as fun as you make it.

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Sharing with:
I Should Be Mopping The Floor, Create With Joy, A Life In The Balance, Creative Home Keeper,

Changing It Up: 12 Affirmations & Word for 2016

The last few years instead of resolutions I’ve done word of the year. This is where I pick a word that I want to work towards, sort of a theme for the upcoming year. It worked great and I seemed to achieved most of my goals, without realizing it. This year however, I decided to change it up a bit. Instead of doing just a word or resolutions, i’m doing affirmations.  Then I’ll pick my word of the year based on my affirmations.
A year or so ago, I talked about my motivational journal and how it helped me when I needed it. I loved creating it & adding to it whenever I was down or needed a pick me up.  Over this past year, I’ve pushed it aside and it’s time to revisit it & making a new one.  I think it’s so important to do one each year, since our lives change so much within that short period of time.

This year more than any other, I’m in need of encouragement & support from within, which isn’t always there. I’m way too harsh on myself; i’m my biggest critic instead of being my best friend. I don’t give myself credit when I do something great or things work out as I wanted.  Nor do I give myself grace for when I make mistakes, learning new lessons.  I want to concentrate on encouraging & supporting myself more through positive ways, changing my self talk and how I truly see myself.   And I’ll begin this journey with my 12 affirmations for 2016.

1. Being unique is a blessing, one that I embrace with open arms
2. Life is what you put into it; make it fun & rewarding it becomes so
3. I will inspire others through my creativity & unique spirit
4. I choose to be the source of strength & encouragement for those I love
5. I’m limited only by a vision of what is possible
6. I fully embrace who I am today
7. I choose to focus on solutions rather than the problem
8. Find beauty from within to find it in others
9. Positivity is my guiding light through the darkest times
10. Every night I choose to let go of the day’s mistakes or regrets
11. I will slow down each day & embrace the little moments, not
12. On dark days, I will have to create my own sunshine

Do you see a theme with my affirmations?  If I had to choose a word based on the above 12 my word for 2016 would be ENCOURAGEMENT.

Are you making resolutions?  Or picking a word?  Or affirmations? Or do you do something different?  What are your goals or where do you see yourself going in the upcoming year?

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Sharing with:
Create With Joy, Oh My Heartsie Girl, My Turn For Us, Sincerely Paula, 

13 Healthy Christmas Foods To Make

When I ask my kids what they think of as Christmas food, they named off sweet treats, desserts, & drinks.  But Christmas food doesn’t always mean unhealthy super sweet things.  Instead, there are numerous delicious healthy food you can make this holiday season.  For some inspiration, to get you started, I collected 13 recipes from breakfast to lunch to desserts to treats, I covered the whole bases, giving you a well rounded list.

Cranberry & Oatmeal Breakfast Muffins

Healthy No-Bake Cranberry Jam Tart

Chicken-Broccoli Shells & Cheese

Balsamic Brussels Sprouts W/ Maple, Walnuts, & Feta

Butternut Squash, Pomegranate, & Goat Cheese Crostini

Wild Rice Salad W/ Cranberries & Nuts

Frozen Yogurt Bark

Baked Eggs W/ Mushroom & Parm

Chicken Christmas Salad W/ Avocado, Red Pepper, & Lime

Chocolate Pomegranate Clusters

Christmas Quiche

Prosciutto Wrapped Goat Cheese Stuffed Dates

Christmas Cranberry Dip

**All images are from each site, they are not mine.**
Any delicious recipes that you are going to make or plan to make, please share below.

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Sharing with:
Create With Joy 

 

Beautiful Places

As some of you noticed, I haven’t had a presence on here for a while.  It has been difficult working away from home and keeping up with my family life, let alone my blogging life.  But my work is over, the season has ended, which means I once again have time for blogging.

I’ve written this post numerous times with numerous topics because I didn’t know what I wanted to share or where to begin. So, I thought the best thing to do was to share a few images I took while traveling for work. Traveling was the best part of job. If any of you have been on here long, you know how much I love exploring new places. The images above are a few places that I thought was absolutely stunning.  I’ve survived my  st season as a school portrait photographer, just in time for some holiday blogging fun.

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Sharing with:
Create With Joy, A Fresh Start,

 

Reflections & My Thanksgiving Baby

Thanksgiving is a time for others to spend with their loved ones, having fun, enjoying good food, going for walks, playing games, or like us making gingerbread houses.  It’s also a time that so many people take to reflect on what’s good in their life, what they are thankful for.

I think about how lucky I am to be where I am in life all the time, not just around Thanksgiving.  I do this because I know how easily my life could have turned out so different, with one wrong choice.  Isn’t it interesting that one wrong choice could make such an impact on our lives?

This Thanksgiving however, instead of reflecting, I’m celebrating because it’s my baby girl’s birthday.  My little Squishy turns 8 today.  She’s my Thanksgiving baby.

Here’s a few extra pics from the last few months….

Can you tell who her best friend is?
~Hope everyone has had a fantastic, relaxing, peaceful Thanksgiving.  May the peace, love, & thankfulness you have today spread throughout your year.~
How do you celebrate Thanksgiving?  Any fun traditions?

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Sharing with:
Create With Joy,  A Fresh Start On A Budget, Ask Latisha,

6 Ways Anyone Can Decorate A Halloween Dessert

Lately, I’ve been battling migraines.  I don’t know why all of a sudden I’m getting them, after not having them for awhile.   So I’ve got recipes lined up, I can’t wait to share but for today I’m still under the weather, I decided I would share different ways I found online on how to decorate Halloween treats, that anyone can do.
Decorating can be lots of fun, which is something I love doing.  Not everyone has amazing decorating skills, so I wanted to share with you different ways you can have great looking desserts with minimal efforts.  Showing you that even a novice can create amazing looking treats.  Below are 6 Ways Anyone Can Decorate A Halloween Dessert:

1. Using Oreos and M & M’s as eyeballs all over @ Monster Eye Cake

2. Using candies to create a scene @ Linus Great Graham Pumpkin Patch

3.  googly eyes make everything better @ The Idea Room

4.  play with your food @ Fork & Beans

5. fruit roll ups are a must needed supply @ Betty Crocker

6. healthy is just as sweet @ Frugal Coupon Living

**all images are taken from the site I got the idea from.**

What are your favorite ways to eat your Halloween treats?

 

Things That Make Me Smile

Today was a hard day at work since the children I worked with didn’t want to  cooperate in any way.  This makes for a long tiring day.  By the time I got home, I needed something to lift my spirits and make me smile.  Here’s a few images that brought a smile to my face.  The last one however made me laugh so of course I had to share.  Sorry if you don’t have my sense of humor & don’t find it as funny as I did…….

9 Tips To Help You Capture Amazing Vacation Photos

Our vacation was great!  We explored Sebago Lake area, Naples, Boothbay & Bristol Maine.  The weather was great except for a late evening shower here and there, but who can complain about that.  11 days of exploring, camping, fun in the sun, & relaxing.
We are back home now, just in time to enjoy the last bits of summer before school starts at the end of the month…….15 days and counting.  The older I get, the quicker time moves, which of course is the opposite of what I want.  Isn’t it funny how that works?
Anyways, I had plenty of time to think about what I wanted to share here and I’ve got a great list of topics coming up.   The 1st thing I thought I would share is the different ideas that help me capture amazing vacation photos.
Now, I know some of you guys are already back to school, but for some of us, we are hanging on to the last bits of summer, with some vacations planned.  So I figured it’s a great time post.
I also needed to say that I am in way a professional, I’m what you call a hobbyist.  But I do have ideas always bouncing around in my head, that I’d be more than happy to share.  No ideas, just go looking around the internet, there’s plenty of inspiration out there.  Side note- I won’t be sharing how I edit my images, but if you are interested in knowing, please leave me a comment and I will respond to you through the comments.  If there’s interest in my editing, I would e more than happy to write post and share the different ways I edit my images using a few free or cheap editing programs.
Now with all that being said, are you ready to step up your game a little, showing off the fun times you had during vacation?  Here are my 9 tips to help you capture amazing vacation photos.

1. Concentrate on body parts/pieces
   
   
2. Get creative……..think outside the box
   
3. Candids are your best friend
   
4. Play with lighting
   
5. Use words & numbers
   
   
6.  Notice the small
   
7. Look for the unique, strange, & odd
   
   
8. Use what’s around you
   
9. Take silhouette & highlight the colors in them
   
   

Every tip works with whatever camera you use, you don’t need an expensive one to have amazing photos.  I personally use an older Nikon D200 for all my images.  Nothing fancy or expensive.  But it does the job and then some.  Remember photography is an art, which means it’s subjective & depends upon you & how you see the world around you.
As you are thinking about my tips, go out and start snapping away.  The more you use your camera, the more comfortable you’ll be, & the more creative you’ll become.  So, go out on a photo walk, see what you can see & capture.

Got any other helpful tip for you could share with us?  Or do you have a photo you would love to share?  I would love to see your vacation or any other photo that’s yours, that you find inspirational and amazing. 🙂

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Sharing with:
Summer Scraps,

 

10 Fun Camping Food Ideas

In lieu of our upcoming camping trip, I thought it would be fun to do a round-up of some fun camping food I found while searching for budget friendly ideas.  Just click on the images to get to the recipe.  **Side note-The images are not mine, they are from the recipe sites.**   ~Enjoy~
Fruit Salad W/ Honey-Lime Dressing

Grilled Bananas W/ Coconut Caramel Sauce

Chocolate-Covered Watermelon Bites

Campfire Eclairs

French Toast Roll-Ups

Pineapple & Ham Skewers

Grilled Pineapple

Dark Chocolate Covered Pineapple

Mini Bun-less Cheeseburger Bites

Mexican Corn On The Cob

What’s some of your favorite camping foods?  Got any good recipes to share?

Healthy Living Link Party #22

The last week of July sure has been a busy one. We are getting ready for another adventure, 11 days away. It’ll be so much fun but it’s a lot of work getting everyone ready, making food preparations, & making sure nothing is important is left behind. I’m excited for a new adventure and what awaits us.
My pick for this week’s feature was such a fun way to incorporate more fruits and less cake into the mix.  I loved that this watermelon cake didn’t include any sugary topping and how creative she was in turning it into a fun truck.  Feel free to check it out along with our other featured posts.  And as always we hope as many of you participate as possible, making the party our best one yet.  Feel free to link up any post of yours, old or new, anything that pertains to healthy living, living a healthy lifestyle.
Welcome to the Healthy Living Link Party #22. We’d like to thank each and every one of you for making every week so amazing! Keep sharing your healthy posts with us and helping us grow our party.

The Healthy Living link party is all about living a healthy life. Link up your  posts related to healthy living and recipes that are low carb, low calorie, paleo, keto, organic, clean, etc. Eating healthy doesn’t have to be boring and is more fun when you share your recipes and find some new ones.

  

(Top Right) Elaine from Ramblings of a Bad Domestic Goddess | Twitter  | Google+ | Facebook | Pinterest | Instagram

(Middle Right) Anne from Simple and Savory | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Instagram

 (Bottom Right) Heather from Diva’s Run For Bling | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Instagram

(Bottom Middle) Karen from Spoil My Family | Twitter | Google+ | Facebook | Pinterest | Tumblr

(Bottom Left) Sarah from Living Intentionally Simple | Twitter | BlogLovin’ | Google+ | Instagram

Please Welcome Our Guest Hosts

Jody from Easy Peasy Mom | Twitter | Pinterest | Facebook

 Nichole from Naturally Nicole | Twitter | Pinterest | Facebook | Instagram

  If you are a blogger and would like to co-host on a permanent (at least 6 months) or temporary basis (1 month) please send Elaine a message here.  You will  be identified as a host or guest host depending on which option you choose and links will be posted so participants can connect with you on your blog and social media.

As long as we have your attention, if you would like to guest post on Ramblings of a  Bad Domestic Goddess, you can read the guidelines and submit your post here.

 Here Are The Featured Posts From Last Week As Chosen By Our Hosts

Elaine chose Recipe ReDux #21 Garden Veggie Burgers from Strength and Sunshine

” This is the first recipe that has made me want to try a veggie burger”

Anne chose Salad #11: Blueberry Mango Quinoa Salad with Citrus Dressing from This Fox Kitchen

“It’s refreshing and I love all of the ingredients!”

Heather  chose 7 Health Rules You Don’t Know You’re Breaking from Flustered Mom

 “I am always trying to be as healthy as possible and sometimes I am doing things that I have no idea why I am doing them or if they actually help.”

Jody chose 5 Ways to Detox Your Body Naturally from our own Heather at Divas Run For Bling

 “These are all great tips for getting back into a healthy routine, especially after vacation!”

 Karen chose Strawberry Avocado Quinoa Lettuce Wraps from Unprocessed Purpose

“These look delicious and simple to make. I always love finding great vegetarian recipes with great protein sources!”

Sarah  chose Watermelon “Cake” from Making Healthy Choices

“I loved how fun this post was, giving a unique take on the watermelon cake & a unique healthy alternative to the traditional sugary cakes”

 If you are featured, feel free to share, with pride, the badge below  on your blog or website!

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Let’s Get Started

Rules of the Party:

• Please follow your hosts and guest hosts in some way. We follow back.
• Please link to your healthy recipes or information on living a healthy life which appears on your blog and not your home page or social media accounts.
• Please don’t link the same post week after week. – NEW
• Do not link to other link parties or selling websites.
• Giveaways are welcome as long as they are related to healthy or green living.
• Please leave us comments. We love to hear from you.
• Don’t hit-and-run, please visit other bloggers. Make new friends or say hello to old friends
• Grab our party button below for your blog or link back to us in some way, but it is totally optional.
• Elaine will send you a weekly reminder using the email you provide when linking up. Don’t worry, she won’t SPAM you.
• We reserve the right to remove all links that do not meet the above criteria.

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Disclaimer: Adding your link to this blog hop gives Ramblings of a Bad Domestic Goddess permission to share your posts and pictures via social media and as features on Ramblings of a Bad Domestic Goddess And Co-Hosts blogs.

Note– We pin all entries to Pinterest and all featured blog posts on Ramblings of a Bad Domestic Goddess and Co-Hosts will be linked back to the original source. Social media features are linked back to the link party. Emails are obtained to notify all past participants of the next link-up and for that reason only. You may opt out of these emails by unsubscribing from them at any time.

Not linking up a post this week or are not a blogger? Never miss another Healthy Living link party! Sign up for reminder e-mails!

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Let’s Party

An InLinkz Link-up

Interested in seeing all the posts that have been featured on the Healthy Living link party? Follow Elaine’s board “Featured on the Health Living Link Party” on Pinterest.