Happy Easter! I thought I would take a little time to make a post this morning. I did weigh earlier and I'm still where I was the other day. I have been doing a lot better avoiding sugar and extra calories lately. I guess I really want to lose the excess weight and try to overcome this Diabetes and at least some of the other things I need to overcome.At least get them under control, anyway. Just so they don't control me! Of course, my preference is to overcome them, but I'm taking it one step at a time. Also the more I learn, the more I know what to do. Praying helps, too. After all, God is the one who has all the answers anyway! We just need to listen to Him. He will direct our paths!
I used to take quite a few supplements and they did seem to help. But they can get expensive and since our income went down, so did my supply of supplements. I hope to get back, on at least some, of them soon, though. After I do I will post some about them, too. I also plan, on posting more recipes, on here, too. So I guess I will start today. Here's a very good recipe, for both nutrition and weight-loss:

                                                        Chicken Vegetable Soup

2-3 Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts, or 1 pound Chicken Tenderloin Strips.
3 Low-Sodium Chicken Bouillon Cubes.
1 Package Frozen Soup Mix Vegetables.
5 Carrots, cut in slices.
5 Large potatoes, cut in small cubes.
1 small Onion, chopped.
1 clove Garlic, chopped.
Seasoned Salt or Seasoned Salt Substitute.
Pepper.

Put the Chicken in a large pot.
Add the Bouillon Cubes.
Cover with cold water.
Add the Seasoned Salt And Pepper, to taste.
Add the Onion and Garlic.
Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for about an hour or until done and tender.
Remove Chicken from pot, put on a plate and allow to cool enough to touch.
Place Carrots and Potatoes in the pot.
Simmer for a few minutes.
While they are cooking cut up the Chicken into small chunks.
Add the Chicken back into the pot.
Bring to a boil.
Add the Frozen Vegetables.
Bring back to a boil. Cover. Reduce heat and continue cooking until done.

                                        At 6:35 A.M. 3/30/2013 Brendan got his first Turkey!

                                                  Brendan and others playing basketball!

                                                                Grilled Salmon Steak




Here's a great recipe to try , on your weight-loss journey. It's also a good substitute for Beef Steak lovers trying to be a little healthier. Every so often I really enjoy eating Fish as our meat. We really should eat it a lot more often.



2-4 Salmon Steaks or about 1 per serving.
1 Teaspoon Butter and/or Olive Oil per Steak.
Seasoned Salt or Seasoned Salt Substitute to taste.
Pepper to taste.
Olive Oil or Olive Oil Spray.

Preheat the grill (inside or outside grill).
Spray the grill generously with the cooking spray.
Season the Salmon Steaks on both sides with the Seasoned Salt and Pepper.
Place the Steaks on the grill.
Put a pat of Butter and/or Olive Oil on each Steak and brush it on the Steak as it melts.
Turn over and repeat on other side.
Leave on second side until it cooks and has grill marks.
Turn back over and cook on that side until it has grill marks and is done.
Serve with sides of choice and Lemon Wedges.
Makes 2-4 servings.

This is a very delicious and nutritious dish. It's high in nutrition oils and low in calories if prepared correctly. If you're in the mood for Steak, but don't want all the fat and calories try Salmon Steak. I'm pretty sure you'll be glad you did. It's a lot of flavor without a lot of guilt.

I haven't blogged on here in a few days. So I decided to blog some today. I still haven't been exercising like I should. My joints have been really hurting lately, so I guess that's my excuse. And I'm not sure if it's a good or bad excuse. Does exercise really help Arthritis? I've been trying to figure this out. I suppose if you strengthen the muscles around the joints, that has to help some. I used to take Fish Oil and I didn't hurt as much back then; but I'm not sure if  I just didn't hurt as much back then or the Fish Oil was really helping. I'm pretty sure, though it was a combination of the two. If anybody has some solid answers please feel free to leave a comment. I do know that losing weight will help, which is a lot of the reason I started this process of losing weight , in the first place. This blog is party of my motivation. It helps with accountability. Also I have a pretty good record of my weight-loss and how I lost the weight. I'm just really getting started good, hopefully I can gain some momentum soon. I think baseball season will help. We have two grandsons who play ball and we go to their games, on a regular basis. That keeps us away from the kitchen more, but they do have food there. We don't usually buy much of it though. I guess that's a wise choice, on our part. I haven't posted a recipe on here in a while, so I guess I will try to do that today. I just need to go look at my recipes and pick one out. After I do that I will post it. So I'm getting off of here for now and I will be back later to post some more.

 Brendan when he was a baby and Micah now.

When I went to the doctor Friday and was weighed, to my surprise, I really haven't gained weight. I still weigh what I weighed after I lost the original 19 pounds that I lost, after I started keeping track, I think sometime in Aug. 2012. Although I am grateful that I've lost 19 pounds since then I intend to be even more diligent and consistent. I would really like to start losing at least 2-3 pounds a week or a little more. If I can accomplish this I can lose about 72 pounds or more by Christmas or the end of the year. This actually sounds pretty exciting. Why don't some of you try it, too? That is if you need to, or need to lose that much anyway. Otherwise, if you need to lose less, it shouldn't take, that long. I will be using the Diabetic/Kidney Disease Diet I posted a while back. I think this diet is basically a Diabetic diet without salt or foods high in potassium. I can have those foods, such as bananas on occasion, just not on a regular basis.

Cannon EOS Rebel XS

I wanted to take a moment to talk about the camera I have used to take the majority of the pictures you see on this site. The camera is the  Cannon EOS Rebel XS. I really enjoy taking pictures with this camera. This is the first camera of this quality we have ever owned. Previously we have used the point and shoot cameras of various brands. These are good cameras but it's hard to stand back out the action and be able to zoom in and get good closeup action shots. I have not taken advantage of all the features this camera has to offer. The local community college offers a course to familiarize people with digital cameras. I wanted to take this course but due to financial constraints was not able to. That not withstanding, I have enjoyed endless joy with what I have been able to figure out on my own.
It is not my intention, in any way, to disparage other camera brands in any way. It is just that this is the camera with which I have experience. Our camera came with an EFS 18-55mm lens and a Zoom 75-300mm lens. The latter is the lens I use to take pictures at the ball park. Also, included was the battery, battery charger, and camera bag, etc.
By the way, we purchased this package from our local Sam's Club. So, if your looking to purchase a really good camera with everything you need to get started, Sam's Cub is a good place to start looking.
I have not mentioned pricing because these packages change from time to time. I know how much we paid for our package but have no idea what current pricing is. For most families this would be a major purchase. So if your interested in the typical point and shoot type pictures this type of camera may not be for you. If, however, you are interested in going beyond the usual, these cameras can provide an endless source of satisfaction as you go out and take high quality photos. Enjoy!

                                                                   
                                                                         The Grace Diet

I've been reading some this morning, about Diabetes and Kidney Disease friendly foods and supplements. It seems as though Garlic is helpful for these things, as well as quite a bit more. Garlic is a natural antibiotic. According to what I've read it also helps with high blood pressure, diabetes, infections and several other problems. Also in helping with the Diabetes and Blood Pressure it helps with the Kidneys. As far as Diabetes is concerned it: Decreases and stabilizes blood sugar levels. Enhances immunity and improves circulation. I got this information from a book called; Prescription for Nutritional Healing. Also as far as cooking and eating I feel like Garlic and Olive Oil are two of the best things we can consume. Olive Oil has a wide range of benefits. It significantly lowered the blood-sugar levels of most adult-onset diabetics and reduced their daily insulin needs, according to a study at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas. You can use it in salad dressings, on just about any food, and even fry with it. You can also take Garlic as a supplement and Olive Oil plain; about a Tablespoon a day. So try to add these things to you diet everyday.

Well its March 20th and Brendan's first travel game is today. That is if it doesn't rain or snow it out. At least this game is in town. I'm glad too, because we don't have to travel very far to get there. Logan is still playing, on the city league; so his games start in May. Today will start our baseball photography, for this year. So we will have new pictures to post soon. Check back in a day or two to see the first baseball pictures this year. In the meantime I will try to find some from last years travel team. Enjoy!

Our granddaughter turned 15 on Saturday. So we have some new pictures to add to our collection. Family and friends were all at this party. We did get a lot of good pictures. As soon as we get them downloaded we will post some. Everybody had a good time, especially Shania. And that's what counts.
In order to take these kind of pictures you have to focus your camera, use an appropriate lens for the distance you are, from the subject, and take the pictures. And also be a little quick to snap, because some moments have a very small window of opportunity, for a picture. Be sure to get pictures of the birthday person, presents, cake, and anything else surrounding these things that pertains. Also get pictures of family and friends that are there. It's always better to take too many pictures than not enough.

                                                                   The Grace Diet


This is either going to be a major part of this blog or I will start a new blog just for The Grace Diet. For right now I will just make it a part of this blog. The Grace Diet can actually be incorporated into most weight-loss programs. It is more of a style of diet than a specific diet plan; although it does have a basic structure to it. My basic diet helps control Diabetes and Kidney Disease. Your basic diet might be for something else. I do realize that there are some people who have to be on a very strict diet or suffer major consequences. For those people this diet might not work very well. But for some people this just might be the only diet that will work.
I came up with this diet, because I was having trouble staying on my Diabetic/Kidney Disease Diet. Mostly because there are so many things that I was used to eating that aren't on it. Also there are a lot of things on it that I'm not used to eating , to the extent I need to, anyway. Mostly the fruit and vegetables. I've always eaten fruit and vegetables, but not to this extent. (Except maybe for the time I went on a Fruit and Vegetable Diet, for three days). I was used to eating these foods, but also foods not, on the diet, too. Such as chips, cookies, and some candy, not a lot. But after being diagnosed, with Diabetes I realized I can't eat like that now. Also with the Kidney Disease I'm not supposed to eat salt. So being on an eating plan, with no sugar and no salt my diet became very bland. I had to do something to enjoy my food and not jeopardize my health in the process. So I came up with "The Grace Diet." This is a diet that's not a diet. You do have to have some guidelines, but the Grace makes it a lot easier to not give up and quit. The way it works is to find a healthy diet, for your basic diet. A dietitian actually wrote my diet, to help me control the Diabetes and Kidney Disease, as well as lose weight. Also the diet I'm on helps control my blood pressure and cholesterol, too. Then to your basic diet, which you should plan on being your permanent diet, apply Grace. This means stay, on your diet most, of the time, but, on special occasions, like holidays and birthdays, it's ok to indulge a little. On these occasions go ahead and eat something that's not, on your diet, if you must, and don't worry about it. Just proceed, on the diet, as if you hadn't gotten off track, at all. I'm not saying to eat so much sugar or salt that you make yourself sick. Just enough to not feel so deprived. You have to use common sense. So to sum this up. Find a balanced diet you can stay on until you lose the weight you need to lose. And then adjust it for a lifestyle diet.

Baseball Season is fast approaching! The kids are getting ready and Spring is almost here. I'm looking forward to all the games and excitement. My husband takes a lot of baseball pictures and things and people surrounding it. So I posted some more older baseball pictures. I hope you enjoy them!

                                            One of the hardest jobs in the game, and you do

                                            it so well. 

I actually was thinking earlier about creating a new blog, just for baseball, but I'm not sure that it's necessary. Although the majority, of our Sports Photography is baseball, we do have a lot, of other photography, too. So for right now we will just  keep them together. What I decided to do is just post a bunch of baseball shots, today, on here. Enjoy!

I've been doing better today, with my eating. Not exactly great, but better. I had a granola bar for breakfast, but I also had a few Wheat Crackers and Peanut Butter. For lunch I had a leftover Beef Cube Steak that I barbecued and made a sandwich with. And earlier I also had an Apple. So I guess I haven't done too, bad. It seemed like I had eaten more than I have. I need to be a little more organized, with it, like I've said before. But, generally speaking, I have done pretty good, with my eating, so far today. I'm going to post a recipe today, that I think might be helpful. Tilapia is one of the healthiest, low-fat, low-calorie, fish there is. It comes out of cold water, which makes it high in Omega 3 Oils. This is the fat that is so good for you. It helps lower bad fat and cholesterol; and raise good fat. We should eat  fish high, in these oils, about 2-3 times a week. Give it a try! It's delicious! It's good for your brain, too!

                                                                 Skillet Seared Tilapia

2-3 pieces of Tilapia, per serving.
1 Tablespoon Butter.
Olive Oil.
Seasoned Salt or Seasoned Salt Substitute.
Pepper.

Melt the Butter in the skillet.
Add enough Olive Oil to cover bottom of skillet.
Blend the Butter and Olive Oil together.
Season the Tilapia on both sides.
Place it in the skillet and sear it on both sides until light brown and done. Delicious!
You can make as many servings as you need to. Just make 2-3 pieces of Tilapia per serving and cook according to the directions. Adjust the amount of Butter and Olive Oil accordingly.

My husband, Alan, is really good, at taking the action shots of Sports pictures. I'm pretty good with still shots. Also I enjoy taking pictures of animals. Pets and other animals, too, such as birds. We have pictures, of Hummingbirds as well as other kinds that we both have taken. Also in doing dog grooming we have several shots of dogs I have groomed; as well as our own dogs. We both do Children's Pictures, which I really enjoy.