tagged

day:120
i got tagged…

i know some people hate these sorta things & moan & groan about them – but i fuckin’ love this shit!
so when the ever-lovely-yet-kickass rachel from because i have to -- one of my fave blogs of all time & the winner of my 1st ever (and only) giveaway – tagged me – i was happy to oblige!
so here goes…

here are the rules:
1. post these rules.
2. you must post 11 random things yourself.
3. answer the ques­tions the tag­ger set for you in their post.
4. cre­ate 11 new ques­tions for the peo­ple you tag to answer.
5. go to their blog and tell them that you've tagged them.
6. no stuff in the tag­ging sec­tion about ‘you are tagged if you are read­ing this.’ blah blah blah, you legit­i­mately have to tag 11 peeps!

even an easily befuddled bitch like me can handle that…

11 (more) random things about me:
1. i love the ufc but don’t let brian know how much i really like it otherwise it would be the only thing we ever watched… heh!
2. my name (cynthia) means *moon goddess* & i love that
3. i would get plastic surgery and/or botox in a new york minute if i could afford it & screw anyone who thinks its vain. damn right it’s vain & i totally own that shit all day long!
4. i was born in memphis, tn
5. when i was a kid i was convinced i was adopted & threatened to pack my holly hobby mini-suitcase & run away to find my *real family* all the time -- true story.
6. i own about 75 pairs of shoes (and i recently downsized!) – all heels (4” & higher) minus one pair of uggs & my workout shoes. even my flip-flops got height!
7. my super power is that i am a human lie detector – ask my kids & all my ex-boyfriends… lol!
8. i never had a date all through high school – i was just so insecure & shy. i completely changed the summer after i graduated high school – i dropped some weight & let my hair grow long & suddenly had more self-esteem than one 18 year old gal should have… heh!
9. i never thought i would have kids – let alone 3! now i wish we could have more!
10. i have been a photography freak since i was 10 years old & got my 1st camera – the instamatic with the cube flashbulbs! i used to take pictures of my cats & the neighborhood dogs… lol!
11. i am mere months from turning 42 & STILL dunno what I wanna be when i grow up & it pisses me the fuck off!


11 questions from rachel…
1.what is your favorite midnight snack? i try to not eat too-too late but i am a total evening grazer & usually it’s either popcorn or cereal!
2.if you could go anywhere right now, where would you go? the four seasons hotel in bora bora – look @ these private villas! who wouldn't want to be here???3.what is your favorite movie from your childhood? anything disney – my parents would always take my brother & i to see whatever disney movie was out @ the drive-in – this was way before vcr’s & dvd’s – when you actually HAD to go to the movies to see a film.
4.do you have any tattoos, and if not do you want to get one? i have 4 tattoos & am dying for some new ink – i want something elaborate & pretty big!
5.what is one food that you will not eat under any circumstances? i am a southern gal at heart but i will never eat grits – ewwwww!
6.current obsession? stripes! especially black & white & if they are chevron i am even happier!
7.favorite smell? i love the smell of coconut! it makes me think of summer & warm tropical places with ginormous pina coladas!
8.something that gives you the giggles every time you see it. i am such a sucker for those stupid text convo’s you see all over the place. i know some are fake but they crack me the fuck up – especially the *when parents text* ones… heh!
9.what is your favorite flavor of ice cream? coffee – yum! when they come out with an awesome vegan version i will be happier than doo-dah!
10.what is your favorite brand of lingerie? i love the marilyn monroe intimates line – it’s a modern take on vintage styled lingerie & it fits marvelously! a lot of leopard print in this line & i am ALL about that – matter of fact i am wearing a leopard & black bra by them now!
11.are you wearing shoes right now? yup – my awesome purple & grey saucony’s that i ♥ so freakin’ much!

The 11 lucky buggars I am taggin’…
1. ellen from from flab to fab
2. maren from from cow to wow
3. kerry from curly girl
4. bailey from the middle
5. helly from fat girl slim
6. miss april from 30 before 30
7. gillian from a daft scots lass
8. jennifer from finding my way in texas
9. alana from fractured fairy tales
10. miss mama from mommy bags
11. susan from 75% hippie

my 11 questions to you!
1. what is your middle name & the story behind it?
2. what is the best concert/show you have ever been to?
3. favorite perfume/body spray?
4. would you ever have plastic surgery & if so what would you have done?
5. what is your biggest fear?
6. who do think is the most annoying celebrity right now?
7. who is the funniest person you know?
8. favorite disney princess?
9. someone (other than spouse/partner) that just melts your butter big time?
10. favorite form of exercise?
11. what is your dream profession?

there ya go – hope ya have fun with it & no worries if ya don’t play along!
merry monday bloggers!
peace, l♥ve & carpe the fuck outta the diem!
xxoo
cyn
if ya’ll feel like takin’ a gander --- go check out my mama/photography blog the purple goddess & follow along!

welcoming the light...

day 109:
merry winter solstice blogdom!
did ya know that today signifies the reversal of longer nights & shorter days?
so i ask you…
are you welcoming the light or saying goodbye to the darkness?

i am saying hello to the light!
i am *light*er after all… heh!

in all seriousness – i have given the darkness too much significance in my life – it is time to focus on the light!
so hello light – how the fuck are ya?

okay this is where i gotta show off my new goodies – so hang on…

i wanna take a second to thank jennifer from finding my way in texas -- i won her very first giveaway a couple of weeks back & i received my winnings in the mail yesterday & oh good golly are they amazing.
my daughter lovesssss the hat – i mean it’s a ladybug & absolutely beautifully handmade – what is not to love?
the notebook cover (thanks for the bigger one jenn), necklace & headband are just too freakin’ cute & i am so happy to have won them – you rock balls jennifer!
please take a sec to check out her blog & etsy shop – where you can purchase any of these goodies among others!

and as if one cool package wasn’t enough – i got another from one of my oldest & dearest friends unexpectedly. inside it was this…
20+ years later & she still gets me – even from across the country!
it is perfect & i love it!
thanks marie xxoo!

well kiddos – i got things to do, peeps to see & places to go – oddly enough.
i am such a homebody so going out (tonight is our yule celebration & then we are venturing out for a bit) even for a little while is a HUGE deal for me – and yeah – i am super stoked!
merry yule & i will say adios with the early posting of…

<div align="center"><a href="http://chunkygoddess.blogspot.com/" title="misadventures of a chunky goddess" target="_blank"><img src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bbbUtlcUdrk/TmujeaFBe6I/AAAAAAAAH38/DKYXFNyjZdE/s300/nomoremuffintophop.jpg" alt="misadventures of a chunky goddess" style="border:none;" /></a></div>
i was gonna give the hop the weekend off with xmas & all – instead i decided to extend it from today until monday @ midnight.
as usual – no rules – link up whatever ya like – even giveaways & other hops! jump/hop/skip/whatever around & meet new peeps with kickass blogs! leave them a comment to say hi & that ya found them via the no more muffin top hop!
that’s it – easy peasy!



peace, l♥ve & carpe the fuck outta the diem!
xxoo
cyn

thank you, thank you very much...

day: 51
bloggywood!

fair warning: this is going to be a mish-mash of stuff sorta post.

okay, first & foremost i want to thank you all for the amazing words of encouragement, positive reinforcement & support that you all so graciously take the time to leave in the form of comments. you guys make me grin from ear to ear daily! seriously.. you do!
i write this blog for me but the fact that you peeps read along is only the icing on the cake. (weight watcher friendly cake of course – heh)

next…
to answer a question in regards to what diet plan i follow.
i use the weight watchers & their pointsplus system. i also try like hell to eat clean, which means no processed foods.
am i 100% eating clean?
umm no, especially on weekends.
but i would say the majority of my eating is pretty clean and i eat all of my points every week. even the ap’s (activity points) i earn for exercise -- & i earn a lot. so i eat a lot!
i refuse to live a life of deprivation & so should you.
everything in moderation (including moderation) is good -- well except for hot & steamy sex – you need lotsa that!
(yes, i went there!)

moving along…
a few days ago i was bestowed the
award by three separate blogs – wowie!
from flab to fab
a shot of laughter
4 boys and 2 divas
thank you ladies – you rock!

now… (copied from flab to fab)
this award is awarded to up-and-coming blogs with fewer than 200 followers. liebster is a german word meaning dear, sweet, kind, nice, good, beloved, lovely, kindly, pleasant, valued, cute, endearing, and welcome.

to keep the liebster blog award going, the recipient then recognizes five other stand-out blogs with fewer than 200 followers.

the official rules for the liebster blog award are:
1. thank the giver - the blogger from which the award was received - and link back to them.
2. reveal the five blogs to which you are giving the award, and let them know by commenting on one of their posts.
3. copy and paste the award on your blog.
4. have faith that your followers (that would be you, dear reader) will spread the love, too. :-)

i admit that i normally suck @ playing the award games – but i like the up-and-coming aspect of this award so...
i pass this along to…
alana @ fractured fairy tales
rachel @ because i have to. i’m not weird. i’m gifted.
ms. cheapsoda @ adventures of cheapsoda and dooty booty
april @ 30 before 30
shelly @ super-shell loses weight
please take a sec to check out all the blogs – both the givers & the receivers.

finally …
because i am loving the 30 day shred so much i have decided to have a giveaway in honor of my shredding experience. and of course i will be giving away a copy of none other than the infamous 30 day shred!
woo-freakin-hoo for free shit!
i will make a separate post with all the details asap!

peace, l♥ve & margarita bloggy peeps!
xxoo
cyn


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no more muffin top weekend blog hop -- vol.6

day: 40
tgi-freakin-f blogdom!

welcome to the no more muffin top weekend blog hop!

<div align="center"><a href="http://chunkygoddess.blogspot.com/" title="misadventures of a chunky goddess" target="_blank"><img src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bbbUtlcUdrk/TmujeaFBe6I/AAAAAAAAH38/DKYXFNyjZdE/s300/nomoremuffintophop.jpg" alt="misadventures of a chunky goddess" style="border:none;" /></a></div>
this is a no rules hop where you are free to link up your blog, facebook, twitter, giveaway – whatever your little bloggy heart desires!

it’s always nice to follow the hostess (that would be me) and/or rock the button – but not required. if you are a new follower, please leave me a comment – i always return the bloggy l♥ve!
check out a blog or two – there are some amazing peeps & blogs out there in the blog-o-sphere! let them know you found them via this hop when you leave a comment letting them know you stopped by and/or are their newest follower!
be kind, respectful, and have fun making new friends!



spread the bloggy l♥ve, eat your veggies, and love yourself!
xxoo
cyn


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ROCK OUT with your CROCK OUT -- vol.5

day: 39
holla my bloggahs!
welcome to another fun-filled installment of…

<div align="center"><a href="http://chunkygoddess.blogspot.com/" title="misadventures of a chunky goddess" target="_blank"><img src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8uGyLRJ9HiY/TnApHBV-xVI/AAAAAAAAIE4/gaQAavBaP1A/s300/101333488_xrF8JesR_b_ImitateHDR_1.jpg" alt="misadventures of a chunky goddess" style="border:none;" /></a></div>

this is my homage to my most favorite kitchen gadget ever – the blessed crock pot.
because even i can crock pot like a mofo!
i mean who can’t really??
and all of the recipes featured here will be healthy and/or weight watcher recipes – this is a weight loss blog after all.

so here it goes…
this week i decided to give laa loosh another try -- if you have been reading my blog you may recall that this site is where i got that debaucle of a recipe for rock out with your crock out vol.2. yeah that was a total cluster fuck. but let’s move on…

so i decided to try out white bean turkey chilli. i love chilli & this recipe had a photo that looked yummy -- win/win.
here is the recipe as posted by laa loosh…

weight watchers white bean turkey chili recipe
ingredients:
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 pound extra lean ground turkey (should be about 120 calories per 4 oz)
- 2 (4 ounce) cans canned green chile peppers, chopped
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh cilantro
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- kosher salt to taste
- ground cayenne pepper to taste
- ground white pepper to taste
- 2 (15 ounce) cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
- 1/2 cup fat free half & half
- 2 – 3 cups fat free chicken broth (add as needed if chili is too thick)
- 1/2 cup reduced fat, shredded monterey jack cheese
- 1/2 cup green onions

directions:
in a large pot over medium heat, or in a crock pot on medium, combine the onion, garlic and ground turkey and saute for 10 minutes, or until turkey is well browned. add the chile peppers, cumin, oregano, cilantro, cinnamon, salt, cayenne pepper, and white pepper to taste and saute for 5 more minutes.
add one can of the beans and the chicken broth to the pot. take the second can of beans and puree them in a blender or food processor. add this to the pot along with the half and half. stir well and simmer for 10 minutes. if you are using this as a crock pot recipe, let simmer on low heat for about 2-4 hrs. top each serving with 1/8 cup of reduced fat shredded monterey jack cheese, green onions, and 1 tbsp of reduced fat sour cream (optional). recipe makes 4 huge servings.

serving size is about 1 cup
each serving = 4 points+

okay – lemme just say that i obviously followed the crock pot directions & i used a separate pan to saute the meat, onions, garlic, etc. i also omitted the cilantro as i detest it – bad cilantro experience once – and substitued parsley. i like parsley. i also hand mashed the beans – as i loathe cleaning blenders & such unless absolutely necessary. and i also added a little corn starch at the end to thicken the chilli as it way too soup-y for my tastes.
i also served the chilli over some brown rice for added points+ value – because well, we like rice with our chilli.

the verdict:

yummy but not very chillish???

as bri said – it has more of a sweet caribbean flavor to it & i fully attribute that to the cinnamon. i think i would omit it if i were to make this recipe again – that might give it more of a chilli flare.
but that is just me.
bri loved it & so did my sons.

it is definitely filling – one cup with a half a cup of rice was more than enough for me. and i loved the reduced fat cheddar & green onion garnish!

although...i am a little miffed that this dish in no way remotely looked like the photo -- which upon further investigation i found out that this site does not use their own photos... hmmm.
label me unimpressed to say the least.
but whatever.
i just like when the dish ends up tasting and looking as promised.
sorry laa loosh but me thinks ya failed me yet again.
at least this dish was edible.

i know i have kinda been on a soup binge – sorry i l♥ve soups/stews/chillis – and fall is in the air (sorta as we have had very warm unseasonable weather here in rhode island).
i promise to up the ante next week & make an actual dish!

in other non-crock pot related news:
still going strong on the 30 day shred (tab above with my little chronicle) as is my girl nicole over @ 4 boys and 2 divas. she now vlogs (so cool & i wanna be a copycat & vlog one of these days) & i give her super mad props for putting it out there and keeping it real. nicole – you rock & should be so fuckin’ proud of yourself!
please go check out her vlog & give her some major bloggy l♥ve (and a follow) – she deserves it for doing this challenge with me!! xxoo!

also i linked a super coolio blogfest/hop on my mama blog the purple goddess. as of posting this there are 200 bloggers/blogs involved – go link the fuck up!

i think that’s all i got?
i gotta hit the gym for a last minute hard-core workout. i have my weigh-in/meeting tomorrow. and i am not even going to pretend like i know what is going to happen because every time i think i do – i am painfully wrong! so i am letting it be. i know i followed the plan & worked my ass off this week with jillian michaels & at the gym.
all i can do is trust the process… so i am trusting the process!

spread the bloggy l♥ve, eat your veggies, and love yourself!
xxoo
cyn

triberr

day: 38

another quickie…
just home from the gym & i am beat!

but i did want to ask what you guys think of triberr?
have you heard of it?
use it?
any thoughts?

the reason i ask is because i use it & while it can be daunting at times tweeting all your fellow tribe members posts (not required but certainly nice) – it has driven a ton of traffic on my blog.
i am starting my own tribe (bitchin’ bloggers) & looking for tribe members.
here are my semi-requirements (as we all know i am a big ‘ol softie & shit).

must be bitchin' & a blogger! no coupon/giveaway/review only blogs please -- nothing against ya -- i know you peep work your asses off -- original content and a sense of humor is a must -- you cannot be faint @ heart & scare easily by an f bomb or two -- photog's hold a special place in my heart as well -- so your own phenom photography wins you extra gold stars in my book -- and a sa-weet twitter following would be nice -- xxoo ♥cyn♥

if you tweet & would be interested – lemme know! keep in mind – i only have 7 slots @ this time to fill.
oh yeah – made it through day 3 of the 30 day shred intact. actually, i feel much better today & it did seem easier to get through. details in the tab above!


spread the bloggy l♥ve, eat your veggies, and love yourself!
xxoo
cyn


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