The 5oz Foodie

Never let your memories be greater than your dreams... I found, I mean the "Easter Bunny" found this great plaque for Mom and it really struck a chord with me... If we spend our whole lives dwelling on how things were in the past and what great things we did in the past, we will never live out our dreams, let alone have dreams to seek in the future... It is nice to reminisce with family and friends, but it is even better to share your dreams and than try to make them a reality... Love, peace and pursue your dreams... Musicsongbird

I realized something kind of important tonight... Even when we stop believing in ourselves, there is always someone there that doesn't stop believing in us... It may be a parent, a sibling, a best friend, a teacher, a co-worker, a boss, a spouse... They never stop praying for you, never stop dreaming for you, never stop believing in you no matter what... It's pretty powerful to think that and even more powerful to believe and except it... I am sure there are some that say that it isn't true, but I tell you it is... Even people that spend their lives alone separated from everyone, still have someone that believes in them... God believes in each and everyone of us... He knows our hearts and our minds even if we don't except ourselves or Him... He doesn't care where we come from or where we have been... All He cares is that we come to Him... He loves each and every one of us... Black, white, Asian, Jewish, Gay, Straight, Believer, Non-Believer... He loves us all

So BFF decided today that we were going to dye Easter eggs... To be honest I have no idea when was the last time I had done this so I agreed, besides he was providing the eggs and the dye... Well first we hard boiled 18 eggs... During the cooking time one of the eggs cracked and began to ooze out and of course with the temperature of the water it cooked outside and inside the egg, thus leaving it undyable... So I peeled it so that Mom could use it on Easter to make deviled eggs... Which leads to another story... Did you know that some people don't like using the phrase "deviled eggs?" They prefer to call eggs prepared in that fashion as Angel eggs... I guess they figured Angel eggs was a better name, because in reality you do boil the "hell" out of them to make them... So back to egg dyeing... I was so excited to be coloring my first egg, so I decided I would use the "magic" crayon to draw on my egg before putting it in the dyeing cup... I worked

It's so good to have a friend in your life, that when even you act like a total jerk, they still love you and still want you in their life... It's also good when you can own up to things you have done wrong, because if you are ready with an apology most of the time the person is more understanding then you think... I had a situation at work where I  messed up a training schedule... Instead of trying to cover it up and act like nothing was wrong, I owned it and went to the leader about it... Not only was she understanding, she also helped me in coming up with a solution and she wasn't mad... It's better to apologize and ask for forgiveness then to be caught in a lie and lose your credibility... Love, peace and own up to your mistakes... Musicsongbird

Today, more specifically this afternoon, was my most stressful day since coming to Typhoon... It's funny because on the way out I was going through everything from today and thinking how I am going to handle it tomorrow when one of the leaders from the park past me and he said, "So I guess it's the best time of the day." Now normal people are like, yep I am going home... But we all know I am not normal... I turned and said, "yeah I guess, but I'm excited to because I get to come back tomorrow!" I know, Disney magic, (vomit face)... Even on my worst days, I still get to the end of the day and get excited to come back the next day... The crazy things that happen are usually out of our control, so you kind of have to say, it is what it is and let tomorrow bring what it will bring... and it really doesn't hurt if you have a bag of peanut butter M&M's at home and a couple hours of Doctor Who ready to watch on the DVR... Love, peace and bri

Great news! I am extended for 3 weeks! I am so happy... I don't know where this road will take me but I know I am enjoying it along the way... I now know that my last TA was my Tier 1... I was getting used to my new role and my area and I don't think I really felt totally comfortable... But this time around I feel different... Maybe it's comfort, maybe it's attitude, but it's different... I know I definitely feel more confident in my abilities then I did before...Each new thing I learn is a stepping stone that is leading me forward... When I come to a large boulder I have the option to stay and rest or use it as a jumping off point toward another stepping stone... I think I will just keep following those stepping stones until I find land... love, peace and land ho... Musicsongbird

Sometimes I wonder what would happen if I skipped a day... Didn't blog... right now I feel like it's getting harder and harder to write things... Like the inspiration to write is gone... I proved to myself I could make it a year and now I just don't know what is next...  Until I figure it out, I will continue to write, even if it's just sharing that I'm tired... Love, peace and just keep writing... Musicsongbird

Not much to say today... Just tired... Needing rest... Enjoyed delicious black bean burgers I made from scratch... Loving vegetarian meals once or twice a week... Who have thought I would ever say that... Thank you BFF for teaching me to use spices... They have made cooking a treat! Love, peace and needing rest... Musicsongbird

Sometimes doing for others is not just good for them it is good for you as well... When someone else does something nice for you, it makes you feel good and happy inside... When you do good for others it's a different kind of happy inside... It's good for your heart... When you give a little bit of yourself when you give unselfishly, it lets that other person know how important they are to you... It could be something as simple as helping dry the dishes, or better yet let them relax and you wash and dry the dishes... Or popping by to give them a hug and let them know how much you care about them... It doesn't have to be big... Sometimes it's the smallest things that mean the most... I remember when I was little, picking dandelions and clover and putting them in a glass on the counter for Mom... I think our neighbor, crazy Paula, called it a Mother's bouquet... So hug someone, or do the dishes or send them flowers by surprise and let them know you care and ar

Another day has come to an end and it's back to work tomorrow for an abbreviated shift... I don't mind because I love it there... :) I have it a plateau...And I need to continue down...Maybe it's a  reminder for me to listen to my body... I was really good at it during the cleanse and now a week later I have started to not listen... I haven't gone hog wild but I haven't exactly been going the straight and narrow with my eating either... I have 216 days until the big 40 and I don't want to look the way I do right now... Love, peace and get off the plateau... Musicsongbird

I scheduled my 2nd show!!! One of my dear friends from back home has offered to do a online party with me so she can earn lots of fun free things!!! This is too exciting!!! I am in my 4th week at the Lagoon and it just continues to amaze me how friendly everyone is to one another... Today one of my Food trainers left me a sweet note on the office calendar... It made me feel so loved and appreciated from a team that I have just joined and am only supposed to be with on a temporary basis... It's nice to know that they want me to stay as much as I want to stay... Part of me felt when I left the core team that the lack of guest contact was going to rough, but my new guests are the cast that come by my window and say hello and ask questions and trust me to help them through situations...I know where I belong... Love, peace and Ohanna... Musicsongbird

What a day... I am officially tired... Started at the Lagoon at 7am and then finished off the night with my first PartyLite Show!!! I have been through a range of emotions today... This morning I was calm and determined, this afternoon, I was silently overwhelmed but on the outside I was in control... Then tonight I was somewhere between excited, nervous and unprepared.... But I would do it all again... Beside an amazing first show, I had many people at work today tell me how much they enjoy having me at Typhoon and they hope I get to stay... One sweet man actually told me that he loved my energy and sense of humor... It's funny because growing up, so people used to ask me if I took my batteries out at night to recharge them, because they couldn't believe the energy I had, now someone is telling me how much they love the energy I put forth... It made me smile and I felt extremely flattered... Love, peace and let's do it again... Musicsongbird My PartyLite Page

Craziness is ensuing... I am having my first PartyLite Show as a Consultant tomorrow night... I have sold products like this before but this time I feel different... Maybe it is because I have used PartyLite candles for years and I love the product or maybe it's because I am excited to see where this takes me... Either way I am happy.... Even my acupuncturist says I am... Since starting my new role at Typhoon she says my body is much happier and less stressed... Sometimes all you need to feel better at work is a change of scenery... Love, peace and be happy... Musicsongbird

Another day has come to an end... Mom helped me prepare for my first PartyLite Show by putting all of the guests folders together... I am getting excited to start this new adventure... I always have to wait until the house is quiet to write... To many distractions and my mind can't calm down and then the words just don't come... I guess this is my way of slowing down and taking stock of the day...  Sometimes I wonder what my life would be like if I didn't have an outlet to convey my feelings and thoughts... Would I be happy? Would I have peace? It allows me to stop and pay attention to how I am... It gives the words that are so hard to find at times, a voice... There are times when I am with BFF and I am trapped in my thoughts and when I am questioned about what's on my mind, I can't  verbalize what it is... This is my voice... I know too many people who have still not found their voice... They spend too much time listening to the voices of others, just

Proving I can do it... That is what I am facing the next two weeks... I am the only COT in the office at TL... This is my opportunity to show them that they chose the right person for this TA... It was crazy but the first day went good... I have a list of things to accomplish tomorrow and I plan to get them all done AND take a real lunch break... BFF jokingly told me this weekend that he couldn't tell if I liked my new job or not, and if there is truly any question the answer is yes... I don't know if this is where I will end up or if there is another place for me, but being a COT is what I love to do... I have gotten positive feedback from a big chunk of my cast and from my leader as well... I think leaving Epcot has allowed me to truly be me and not try and change myself to fit into what others want me to be... In the end, being yourself is what is truly important... Be confident in yourself and your abilities and things will happen... Some may think I had this role hande

Worked hard today... Cleaned out the gutters, scrubbed the car port ceiling, drilled into my finger... You know, typical Saturday... Yes, you have read correctly, while putting up some lattice I drilled through it to my finger... It wasn't pretty but it was a flesh wound, nothing worse... Many Kleenex, some peroxide, antibacterial gel and a couple band-aids and everything is hunky dory... Yes, once again the Safety in Motion Champion is injured... Oh well... Love, peace and I am stuck on Band-aid... Musicsongbird

It's never about being perfect, because when we expect ourselves to be perfect all of the time we are setting ourselves up for major disappointment... I enjoyed me some food today and I am not ashamed... I did not over stuff myself but I did have items off the very rare list... The list that I am only supposed to eat very rarely... I did not drink any soda and my tea was unsweetened when I wasn't drinking water... I enjoyed my lunch at Tijuana Flats, my dinner at Del Taco and my dessert this evening at Sweet Frog (Frozen Yogurt)... Is this going to derail my new eating? Not at all... I have a goal I am aiming for and I intend to reach it... So those of you out there that have friends that are struggling with their weight, don't criticize when they have a day where they just want to be free... Just encourage them to know their limits and be a friend, not a coach, unless of course they asked to be... Love, peace and yes, I ate Froyo... Musicsongbird

What a crazy week I have had... Running here and there for work and doing a little home decorating and working on my PartyLite business... I finally got a little free time to hang with the BFF tonight... Not sure what we really wanted to do, just knowing we haven't hung out in almost two weeks we went to Downtown Disney, soon to be Disney Springs and stopped by the AMC to see what's playing... Mych to our shock and horror, the price per ticket was about $11 per person and that is without 3-D... So we decided to forgo the theater and decided to walk down towards the Market Place and see what could be found... Little did we know they started celebrating St. Patty's Day early, so we joined in the festivities donning the green beads given to us by a lovely cast member that shared my name, except she clearly didn't know how to spell it because hers had a "y" at the end.... Then we meandered through the crowds down towards the Irish Pub where stilt walkers and Iri

What a whirlwind of a day... Meetings and classes and a trick over to Epcot to see my Disney family... You know how they say it's good to go home... Well it was, I was able to see a portion of my Disney family and each one that asked me if I was happy received the same answer without hesitation... Yes... I told them how much I enjoy the challenge of a new line of business and the new atmosphere and cast... I love it and I'm not ashamed to say it... Do I miss my Epcot home? I have only been gone about three weeks but down deep I must be because I did make that unintentional drive there on Sunday... lol... Once again I have to say that BFF was right... This is truly what I needed and even though I don't know when this TA will end, I know this is the job I want to be doing... One of our Training Managers spoke at our meeting today and I was impressed by his passion and his love of training... He had been a Disney Ambassador over 5 years ago and when he had finished his time

Today marked the official end to the cleanse and I feel like I have learned quite a bit, but I know there is still much to learn... I finally got to have chicken tonight and it was delicious... Now we just have to keep moving forward and not back... With all that being said, I have to mention something that I was disappointed about and that is they announced the winners of the Walt Disney Legacy Award and I didn't get it. Of course their is always a little disappointment when people have said they nominated you and then you didn't get it but then something truly magical happened this week... I received a envelope from a dear friend of mine and inside was the nomination she had submitted for me for Legacy... You don't know truly how someone views you until you read it in their own words... It brought tears to my eyes... I have heard people tell me how great I am with guests and that I am a good trainer but to read those sentiments made my heart swell... That meant more to

Day 9 and I am still feeling great!!! Do I want anything special as we begin reincorporating foods tomorrow??? Chicken... I could say ice cream or chocolate but honestly I can't wait to have chicken tomorrow night... I already know that those other things aren't the best for me but I know I can have them in moderation... That is the key to everything... I also know that if I start to feel yucky again, I can do the cleanse again... The best tool I think we got out of this is meal planning... And I really don't just mean dinner, I mean know what I am going to eat for every meal of the day... Am I allowed to eat out??? Of course, I just know I can't over do it... I don't want to mindless eat... I have to remember to take my time and enjoy the food... If it doesn't really taste good, if it isn't appetizing then don't eat it... Eat to live, not live to eat... when you stop tasting the food you are eating, then stop (wise advice from a friend) ... If you w

Day 8 and we are still going strong... We were able to eat fruit again, we have gotten to eat apples and pears the past 3 days but now we can add all the others in as well as the veggies we couldn't have...I tried making kale chips tonight and if you like the taste of burnt popcorn then that is the chip for you...We also were able to eat rice! Tomorrow we get to add back dairy and nuts... I know I have said it before but this is so true, we have really done well with this... This is the first "diet" where we haven't cheated or splurged in the middle of it... I haven't even thought of cheating because I want to succeed...I want to be at a healthier weight and who am I kidding a smaller size or two or three or 6... But I want to do it the right way... Love, peace and I want to succeed... Musicsongbird

Giant Corn Dog, Kettle Corn, Deep fried green beans, Turkey leg, Strawberry shortcake and deep fried butter all were eaten today at the Strawberry festival... While Mom and I ate our apple and applesauce and drank our water... At first I thought this was going to be a hard day smelling the delicious smells of all of the fried foods but in reality all I smelt was the grease everything was fried in... It actually made me sick to my stomach to see all of it... I will admit I missed trying the Strawberry Shortcake, but no worries there, because we bought a 1/2 flat of fresh strawberries and brought them home... Tomorrow we get to reincorporate all fruits back in to our regime so I will be feasting on the red beauties from today... Yummy! Over the last 7 days, I realized one of my biggest triggers is bread and I don't really want it... The only thing I would like to have is a Tortilla now and then... I know that bread is my downfall and I need to eat it very rarely... Not really mis

Day 6 of the cleanse went well... Mom and I spent the day shopping for healthy foods on our healthy menu... Really enjoying the fish and lentils we have had the last two days... However, cant wait to have chicken again, but we are planning on having fish at least once a week now and cutting back on sweets, red meat and processed foods.... Fresh is best... Physically I am feeling pretty good, just tired because it's the end of the day... Doing a cleanse isn't for everyone, but I am glad we are doing it... I was aware of portion sizes before but now I am really aware of them... We have even started eating on smaller plates... If you think about a burrito at Qdoba, it is enough to feed at least two people, but we all insist on eating the whole thing ourselves... On average it is anywhere upwards of 1200 calories... I'm not saying don't go to eat there, I am just saying make wiser choices when you go... I need to keep myself accountable on this, because in the past I ha

What a day... We are in day 5 of the cleanse and today I had all kinds of naughty foods thrown my way, like danish at our morning training meeting and then Hot Dogs, Krispy Kreme Donuts and Sodas at the afternoon fair we had at work... But I saw the greater goal at the end and simply replied with no thank you... To make the day even better, I ran into my little black rain cloud... This is that person in your life that whenever you see them you can't feel any happiness around you... This person is close to the person I am back filling for at Typhoon and instead of being supportive of my TA, they like to remind me that my role is only temporary and he will be coming back... On my way home I heard something pretty interesting that made me realize why this person is the way they are... As long as I have known this person, I have never heard them apologize for anything they have done wrong, but others including myself have apologized to them... When you hold things in like that beca

Things with the cleanse are going well... We are learning to listen to our bodies and eat when we are hungry... We are learning to Eat to Live, instead of Living to Eat... As always, treating yourself every once in awhile is OK, but not all of the time... Also, emotional eating is no longer an option... It used to be we would sit in front of the TV and mindlessly munch on anything we could find, but now we are finding better things to do with our time... Love, peace and no more mindless munching... Musicsongbird

I completed my final day of in costume Food and Beverage training and I am ready to officially take over as the COT... I can't say enough how much I love my new role, I hope this is where I am meant to be, but if not, God has a place for me... Day 3 of the cleanse and we are starting to feel tired but we have been told this is common because our body is working on cleaning out the toxins and we have been encouraged to keep it up, we only have 6 more days... I know we can do this, even if the only thing we get from it, is a new appreciation for healthier alternatives to meals and snacks, then we have already done remarkable... For some people they can just eat healthier and exercise.... for some they have to measure and track what they are eating, for some they have their meals delivered to their door, and for me, I have to be told exactly what I should eat and that is it... There is no one size fits all way of getting healthy, the idea is to find the way the works for you...

It is so funny, because I am eating less, but I am feeling full... I guess it's because I am eating thins that are sustaining me longer... We are only two days in, and I am not saying I wouldn't love a Taco Supreme or Bacon Double Cheese, but the things I am learning about myself and what I am eating is incredible... I think one of the most important things I can do for me, is just what I am doing... Focus on myself and my health for a change... BFF showed me and encouraged me to be an adventurous eater and now I am showing Mom by doing most of the cooking through this cleanse... Tonight I grilled tilapia, made a field greens salad and then came up with my own white bean and diced tomato side with various spices and it was once again, delicious... The big thing with cooking these meals is that I am cooking enough for the two of us to be satisfied... We aren't over doing it, we are happy...In fact, I find myself craving apples instead of chocolate... Well, time for the s

Day one down and aside from a headache this evening I am feeling pretty good... Plus Mom and I both discovered something... Salmon, if properly seasoned and cooked, is delicious... The minestrone I made last night was also incredibly delicious as well... Following this cleanse wasn't my only challenge today, I also helped take on a huge challenge at work today... I know why I was chosen for this role and I gladly accept the challenge... Even though I am not a trainer right now, per say.... I have a feeling I am going to be doing it a lot during this TA... Well, sleep is beckoning me... Love, peace and try something new... Musicsongbird

What a fun day with Mom, BFF and the children of the Core!!! Bowl-a-thon 2013 is in the bag... Laughing, cheering, Bowling and 4 Rivers Smokehouse, it would have only been better if there had been fireworks... Beginning tomorrow Mom and I are beginning a 10 day Metabolic Cleanse... It is going to help us kind of reboot our bodies and start from ground zero on eating the right foods for our bodies... There aren't any pre-packaged meals, what it is is a lot of fresh fruits and veggies, delicious fish and utilizing spices!!!  We are trying to eliminate our dependence on sugar and explore some flavors and foods we have otherwise been afraid of before... Not anything weird just trying new things... To prepare for this we planned all of our meals in advance... We created a chart to help us make it easier... I know a lot of families that don't plan their meals ahead but as long as I can remember this is something that my Mom has done and for this it made even more sense since we h

Life is full of choices, and the choice we make can impact the rest of our lives in very small ways or in very big ways... 23 years ago, around this time my snarky teenage self was making rather crude jokes with one of my best gal pals after track practice... Now before everyone is like, wow she was a runner, keep in mind the only time I will actually run in my life is if there is a will animal chasing me.... I was a shot and discus thrower... But I digress.... While we laughing and joking about this young mans unfortunate clothing choice another young gentleman approached me who I didn't know from Adam and said spoke to me... At that point I could have ignored him and turned away, but I must have been intrigued by his candor and I spoke back and after all of these years we are still speaking... Well most of the time... BFF and I have been through many highs and many lows... We have been through family births and weddings and unfortunately family deaths...Through arguments an