Before the day
closes, I wanted to wish you all a Happy Saint Patrick’s Day! I never gave it much thought growing up, that
is, until I discovered how Irish I am.
Oh, yeah – the Bairds, the Allens, the Glenns – it’s all over my mom’s
side of the family.
Learning about our
heritage helps us thrive. It helps you
take the good with the bad. Just about
the time you think you’re from a long line of nobodies, you discover that grandmother
of noble birth or that war hero that saved his country. And then, just about the time you get all
puffed up from that knowledge, you stumble across the double spy who got hanged
for a whole bunch of things you’d rather not talk about. We’ve all got stories that go back to the
beginning of time and it enriches us to learn about them and appreciate those
who went before us and the struggles they endured.
In honor of the day, I wanted to post a photo of a recipe I made recently, but now realize that I didn’t. Well, I did make the recipe and it was delicious, but I didn’t take the photo. Be that as it may, I highly recommend you give it a try. “Irish King Trimmy Bisque” (page 169, Trim Healthy Table) is a recipe your family will enjoy and never have a clue that you’re helping them be trim and healthy. It’s an energizing “E” meal on the Trim Healthy Mama plan, loaded with chicken, leeks (oh, how I love leeks!) and other ingredients that give it a rich, soothing, comfort-food flavor. I was a little surprised at finding chamomile tea bags in the list of ingredients, but I said, “Well, Serene,” (even though she wasn’t there to hear me, of course), “you haven’t let me down with one of your Trimmy Bisques yet…” and brewed the tea and put it right in there. And yes, it’s wonderful.
The only thing I
like to change in the Trimmy Bisque recipes is that I put less of the
ingredients in the blender than recommended.
We don’t like our soup quite that smooth.
If you haven’t picked up the cookbooks by Trim Healthy Mama yet, you can get them from www.trimhealthymama.com or Ebay or even check them out of your public library. Soon, you’ll be able to get them from me as well.
Making a great soup is a wonderful family activity while we’re all cooped up waiting for this virus to pass and this makes a big pot that will give you plenty of leftovers to freeze.
If you need coaching with Trim Healthy Mama, I’m here to help. Just click on the coaching icon in the right sidebar and you’ll find out about getting started or click here. Also, feel free to email me at barb@midweststoryteller.com
I thought you might like to close out this day by gaining a little appreciation for its namesake. Saint Patrick should mean much more to us than wearing a green outfit and having one too many green beers. I’m thinking he probably contributed much to my family’s heritage of faith – and maybe yours, too.
Questions? Comments?
Just scroll back up to the beginning of this post and click on “Leave a
comment” and if you don’t see this till tomorrow, “Top ‘o the mornin’ to ya!”
The March winds are blowing here in the Midwest and they might just be blowing a Freebie your way! They’ve certainly been howling around my house and doing this curly-girl no favors at all in the Good-Hair-Day department.
Spring-like weather puts a smile on everyone’s face and even thought there are over two weeks to go until it’s official, I say we should pretend it has arrived, put the turtlenecks and fleece away and decorate with pastels and things that remind us that we will soon be enjoying the outdoors and its “bloomery”.
Let’s get in the mood with March’s First Friday Freebie –
This 48”X16” table runner from Signature Collections by Sullivans will give you a start on your décor. It’s perfect to lie flat on a larger table or you can let the ends hang over on a smaller table as shown in the photo. Made of a soft green linen, each end is trimmed in burlap and embellished with embroidered patches that remind us of the garden herbs that will adorn our gardens and porch pots just as soon as we can get their little toes planted in the soil. The cute little button on the “herbs” patch is a nice detail. (See inset photo.)
If you’d like a chance to win the table runner, all you have to do is enter TODAY! You have until midnight to become a subscriber, if you are not already, and comment on this post, saying: “I’m ready for spring!”
For the complete Freebie rules, please click here. Winners are notified using the email they used to subscribe, so be checking that in the coming days to see if you’ve won.
Each month, I like to offer my readers something that makes life just a little sweeter and I always seem to find something that’s a little difficult to part with! This runner would go well in my dining room, but I’m sticking with my decision that it is for YOU!
Why not SHARE this post through Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest or send the link in an email to all your friends who might like to enter to win?
Midwest Storyteller’s previous freebies can be found on my “Freebies” page. Take a look. You’ll get an idea of the great gifts subscribers can win!
REMEMBER: A winner will be chosen at random from those subscribers who enter before midnight tonight by leaving a comment which says, “I’m ready for spring!”
Three simple steps – Subscribe, comment as directed and check your email!
Now hurry! Go! Go! Go! Subscribe if you haven’t already, confirm and comment to enter before midnight tonight, March 6th!
These two free sessions are for you if you live within driving distance of the Boonville, Missouri area. We’re going to learn a lot and we’re even going to be doing some taste testing! After all, who wants to eat healthy if it isn’t going to be absolutely fabulous! And, who wants to lose weight if they feel deprived and like they’re restricted to rabbit or caveman food?
Maybe – just maybe – you’re overwhelmed by conflicting information concerning what’s healthy and what’s not healthy for your family.
Please share. I know you know someone who really needs this! It’s absolutely free, but you’ll need to reserve a seat by calling the library.
If you don’t live within driving distance, but need help, please email me at barb@midweststoryteller.com. Your first session is always free. Sometimes, all you need is a little nudge to get started on a whole new road to a trim, healthy body!
Want to know more about my Trim Healthy Mama journey? Click here to learn how I found this sustainable lifestyle plan and made it work for me.
We’ve been trudging along through single digit temperatures here again, hanging on to the promise of a pleasant weekend starting today. One has to look for the bright spots in life. Here’s one! Remember that Mystery Freebie? Did you choose what was hidden inside Beautiful Valentine Box #1 or Box #2? It’s time for a reveal.
February’s First Friday Freebie winner is –
Carol
from Boonville, Missouri
Carol chose Freebie
#1 and, in turn, Smuffy drew her name at random from the qualifying
entries.
Congratulations, Carol, on winning this wood and metal wall art from Hobby Lobby. Appropriate for including in your Valentine décor, this plaque can either be hung on the wall or propped on an easel. Mixed media home décor is being used in so many great decorating schemes right now and I hope the galvanized metal on wood ads a bit of rustic charm to your home. You can’t go wrong with the sentiment either!
And what, you may
be wondering, was inside Box #2? That
remains to be seen. I think I’ll keep
that Freebie for another First Friday.
Carol
subscribes to MidwestStoryteller.com via email and that is Step 1 in entering to win First
Friday Freebies here on my blog. The
only other thing you’ll need to do is check your email for the post on the
First Friday of the month and comment as directed in the post. It’s always a quick read and tells you how to
comment “as directed” so that you don’t forfeit
your entry.
Freebies
are my way of reaching more people with the stories, recipes and more. When you share with all your friends via
Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, you’ll give them the opportunity to
subscribe and win also. Subscribing is
free. Freebies are free. It’s one of those “I win – You win – We all
win” situations!
Freebies happen every month. My Freebies pagefeatures past winners and the free gifts they’ve won, so if you haven’t subscribed and entered to win yet, you might want to see what you’ve been missing.
March’s drawing will take place on Friday, March
6th.
A
winner is chosen at random from those subscribers who enter before midnight on
the day of the drawing by leaving a comment as instructed in the post.
REMEMBER: Should your name be drawn as the winner, you
will be notified via the email you used to subscribe. That means you’ll need to check your email
often in the week following the drawing so that you can respond and keep the
prize from being offered to someone else.
Be sure to take a moment make yourself familiar with the Freebie Rules by clicking HERE.
These
four simple steps will have you ready to enter to win on Friday March 6th,
2020.
Leave
a comment! If you’ve won one of my
Freebies in the past, why not let me know how you liked it and whether you kept
the little goodie to yourself or gifted it to someone special.
Today’s the day! Find an extra special way to tell those you love how much they mean to you today.
I have to admit that every once in a while, when the stuff of life overwhelms me, I question whether or there is room in my world for this blog. Then, snippets of readers’ comments start floating to the forefront of my mind and I realize I may not be the only one enjoying myself here. Whether here on the blog or in line at the check-out, you’re letting me know that you’ve tried that recipe or that your eyes have been opened to a whole new side of Smuffy or that you think Phoebe June is as much of an adorable character as I do.
To date, (other than episodes of “Life with Smuffy” – and who can resist those tell-alls – and the best soup recipe I ever invented) the post that has gotten the most views and shares is one about love – a tribute to my wonderful mom. Missing someone as much as I miss her is a great reminder to show people you love them while they’re still here.
Have a big, fat, chocolaty, lace-covered, huggy, kissy day filled with mush!
Life is good. It’s short. It flies by fast. It’s meant to be shared and love is all that matters.
“If I speak in the tones of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing…It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails…And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.” -I Corinthians 13:1-3,7,8,13, The Holy Bible
I don’t know about you, but that seems to make Valentine’s Day worth celebrating!
We all need a little fun and games in the middle of winter, don’t we?
It’s First Friday
Freebie Day and I’ve decided to make this month’s freebie a surprise. Valentine’s Day is on the way and I love my
readers! My token of love for you is
either inside box Number 1 or Box Number 2.
It’s a little like “Let’s Make A Deal”, only you have nothing to lose and you don’t even have to dress up like you’re ready for the asylum. Although, should you prefer to do so, please send a photo – that would make this so much more fun!
Truthfully, my
idea stems from the fact that could not force myself to decide between two
freebies that I have for you. I decided
to escape from my decision-making dilemma by letting you decide.
All you have to do is leave a comment on this post, saying either “I’d LOVE Freebie #1” or “I’d LOVE Freebie #2”. All appropriate comments will be entered into the drawing and Smuffy will do the honors. Should you be the freebie winner, you’ll get the surprise gift you chose! (If you haven’t gotten to know Smuffy yet, he has his own page here on the blog.)
You’ll need to do
that before midnight TONIGHT, February 7th, 2020!
Remember: Comments on Facebook an Instagram are
excluded. You must be an email
subscriber to Midwest Storyteller and your comment must be made on this blog
post.
Important: Once you’ve entered, you MUST check the email
address you used to subscribe or you may not know you’ve won and have to
forfeit your free gift.
My Freebies last
for one day only – on the First Friday of each month. Tell your friends and family TODAY through
social media, send them the link in an email or just tell them, “It’s Freebie
Day!”
Leave your comment
now before you forget!
First Friday Freebies
are for email SUBSCRIBERS ONLY. You’ll
find a subscription area in the right sidebar or you can use the menu to
navigate to the “Contact” page and subscribe to Midwest Storyteller
if you haven’t done so already. Confirming your subscription through the
confirmation email you’ll receive is absolutely necessary, so don’t forget
that!
The Facebook,
Instagram, Twitter, and Pinterest icons on this page are there to help you
share.
Want to see past winners and their gifts? Check out my “Freebies”page.
TO RE-CAP: A winner will be chosen at random from those
subscribers who enter before midnight tonight by leaving a comment which
says either, “I’d LOVE Freebie #1” or “I’d LOVE Freebie #2”
I send Freebies to any winner who lives within the continental United States. For the complete First Friday Freebie rules, CLICK HERE.
Glitches
happen. If you subscribe and do not
receive a confirmation email for some reason, please email me and let me know
at barb@midweststoryteller.com
Are you ready for
Valentine’s Day? I’d love it if you’d
share some thoughtful and inexpensive ways you’ve shown someone that you
treasure them, so leave a comment and give us all some great ideas. People need a little love, you know!
[NOTE: It is my understanding that there is a weight loss plan out there using the phrase “food freedom” in promotion. Unaware of this, I chose the name “Food Freedom with Coach Barb”. The two are in no way connected. Just providing clarity for my readers.]
I’ve been looking
forward to making this announcement and sharing my journey with you. If you’ve been with me from the beginning,
you know that health is a top priority in my life. I have shared part of my health story here on
the blog, and though some of it is scary, I really haven’t told the whole story.
Years ago (I’m thrilled to say) a cancer diagnosis played a part. If you’d like to catch up on that part of my life, you can read about it here and here.
There are things more difficult to endure than a cancer diagnosis and its subsequent surgery and treatments. Stage 3 (I’m talkin’ in the pits, folks) Adrenal Fatigue is one of them and I can honestly say that a couple of times during that awful phase I found myself fearful of not making it through the night.
When I talk to
people who seem to care little about taking care of themselves, I sometimes
find myself thinking (not sarcastically), “Well, maybe you just haven’t been
sick enough yet.” I have.
Now back to chemotherapy. I knew then, but have really come to understand since, what a hormone disrupter that is – as if we women needed another one – right? As I sat in the chemo room trying not to watch the drip, I’d hear the other women talking about how much weight they’d gained during chemo. Frightening tales of up to forty-five pounds had me shaking in my blue vinyl recliner!
I didn’t gain
forty-five pounds, but I did gain fifteen – the fifteen that would not budge –
the fifteen that kept trying to turn into twenty.
I’m tall, but
small boned, and excess weight on my body hurts. It pulls me down. Because of my height, no one really regarded
me as “fat” because I gained it all from the waist down. This whole new world of walking past a loaf
of bread and gaining five pounds was foreign and frightening territory. I’d spent my whole life eating whatever I
wanted and not gaining an ounce.
I joined that group that measures everything and counts “points”. I stuck to it for years. It worked – twice, in fact. Still, at the root of the matter was the fact that I love food. I may have left the farm, but I took my farm-girl appetite with me, if you know what I mean. I want seconds – possibly thirds. I eat. The portion control police were after me all day long and in the long run, my blood work showed that the plan did me no favors.
When adrenal fatigue showed up and my holistic doctor advised me to give up sugar and grains, my family (the supportive little darlings) told me I couldn’t do it. After all, they did know me as the Bread & Pasta Queen. I did do it. I lost a few pounds, too! Then it began to creep back on again. Was there no end?
Then, a couple of years ago, a friend of mine started losing weight. What struck me most was the fact that she seemed deliriously happy doing it. Normally, the first thing a dieter loses is their sense of humor. She’d bring food to gatherings that tasted SO YUMMY and she’d lost over thirty pounds! When I asked about the recipe, she’d name off a string of ingredients that fit my doctor’s recommendations to the letter. So, why was she dropping pounds while I couldn’t wait to get home and get the too-tight jeans off?
That’s when she told me about Trim Healthy Mama. Later, I borrowed her THM book and tip-toed in. It all made such logical sense and avoided extremes. It didn’t take away food groups. It simply showed me how to stop duel-fueling my body with fats and carbohydrates at the same time and how to feed my body what all those hormones needed so I could not only walk past the bread, but stop and sniff it and even have a slice!
After a year of baby-stepping and learning how the plan was ideal not only for weight loss, but for those who wanted great cancer prevention like I did, but is ideal for people with diabetes, insulin resistance, cardiac and any number of other issues, I bought the books, including cookbooks and jumped in.
The first recipe I tried in my “Trim Healthy Table” cookbook was Creamy Garlic Spinach Spaghetti Squash Bake. Oh, my goodness! If I could eat like this and trim down, I was in! Smuffy gave it the thumbs up, too.
Today, I have the troublesome weight off. (Actually, I think I may go ahead and drop another three to four pounds.) I feel great and this may be my biggest announcement of all today – I’m eating! I eat seconds. I eat thirds. I try to avoid out-and-out calorie abuse, but I don’t measure my portions. I eat butter! Repeat after me – B U T T E R! I pour olive oil on my salad and top it with cheese and nuts. I eat carbs. I was made for fats and carbs and am so thankful THM has shown me how to eat them in a trimming way. It’s so sensible and safe that pregnant and nursing moms can feel free to jump right in! And guys, just call yourself a Trim Healthy Papa (or Dude) because this plan works for you, too.
Knowing that I could be of help to so many others, I decided to become a certified coach through Trim Healthy Mama. I’ll be sharing lots of recipes and information here on the blog and should you need more, I offer group and private coaching, cooking demonstrations and more.
For pricing and discounts, including your first session of coaching absolutely free, plus available discounts, click here.
If your church
group, homeschool group or organization is located in my area, I would be happy
to speak to people who are ready to find food freedom, get their health back
and if they need to lose the weight – get trim!
Trim Healthy Mama originated when two moms (originally from Down Under and now in the hills of Tennessee) found themselves DONE with diets. These sisters wrote a book for their friends that became a best-seller because the simple science and healthy guidelines worked for so many people. They now have the #1 health podcast out there, plus books, curriculum and their own line of healthy food and other things that will make your body better!
Meet Pearl Barrett and Serene Allison in this short video where you’ll learn a little more about THM.
That’s my big announcement! Coming up, I’ll be sharing healthy recipes
and providing notations concerning recipes that have already appeared on the
blog and whether or not they fit the Trim Healthy Mama plan. I’ll be making recommendations from THM
recipes and providing lots of information on my new Food Freedom Facebook page
where I’ll share THM knowledge, recipes, tips and all sorts of other
goodies. Please “like” and “follow” at https://www.facebook.com/Food-Freedom-THM-Certified-Lifestyle-Coaching-100703354727086/?modal=admin_todo_tour
Most of all, Happy Eating!
How’s your New Year’s Resolution coming along? Was it, once again, to either lose weight or eat healthier? Why do you think you fail? I’d love to hear your comments!
It’s been cold outside! If you live in the Midwest, you knew that already. I hate it when those single digits shrink my thermometer like this. Come to think of it, I don’t care for it when it falls below 70 degrees, but here we are and that’s how it goes.
January’s First Friday Freebie winner is prepared. Let’s meet –
Ruby
from Boonville, Missouri
You’ve met Ruby
before. She consistently enters to win
on the first Friday of each month and it’s paying off!
Congratulations, Ruby, on winning the eco-friendly green collar scarf by Life is Beautiful. When opened up (like a tube), it slips on over your head and forms a warm fringed collar that can be worn over a top, sweater or coat.
Ruby’s
a subscriber and that is Step 1 in entering to win First Friday Freebies here
on my blog. The only other thing you’ll
need to do is check your email for the post on the First Friday of the month
and comment as directed in the post.
It’s a quick read, but you’ll need to take the time to do that. Otherwise, you won’t know how to comment “as directed” and you may forfeit your
entry.
Freebies
are my way of reaching out to more folks who might enjoy the various stories,
recipes and more here at Midwest Storyteller.
When you share with all your friends via Facebook, Instagram, Twitter,
Pinterest, you’ll give them the opportunity to subscribe and win also. Subscribing is free. Freebies are free. How do I do it – month after month…?
Freebies happen every month. My Freebies pagefeatures past winners and the free gifts they’ve won.
February’s drawing will take place on Friday,
February 7th.
A
winner is chosen at random from those subscribers who enter before midnight on
the day of the drawing by leaving a comment as instructed in the post.
REMEMBER: Should your name be drawn as the winner, you
will be notified via the email you used to subscribe. That means you’ll need to check your email
often in the week following the drawing so that you can respond and keep the
prize from being offered to someone else.
Be sure to take a moment make yourself familiar with the Freebie Rules by clicking HERE.
These
four simple steps will have you ready to enter to win on Friday February 7th,
2020.
Leave a comment! If you’ve won one of my Freebies in the past, why not let me know how you liked it and whether you kept the little goodie to yourself or gifted it to someone special.
Perhaps you’ve been wondering if Midwest Storyteller has fallen off a cliff or something – but no, what I have been doing is falling in love.
I’ve been a little too preoccupied to think about blogging for the last few weeks because we’ve started off the new year oh, so right!
This 9 pound, 9 ounce bundle of love managed to squeak in at the tail end of 2019, leaving Smuffy and me changed forever. We can’t get enough of staring at that fresh, sweet face and twiddling those precious fingers and toes. And the squeaky little noises and the smiles – don’t be telling us that’s just gas – every one is meant just for us.
We’re new at this grand-parenting thing, but we’re convinced that we’ll have no trouble falling into the groove. This boy is a miracle and his mommy and daddy are amazing us with the the natural way they take to parenting. We knew they had it in them all along!
Look for more at Midwest Storyteller in the days ahead – just as soon as I can tear myself away from the nuzzling and the head kissing.
If your 2020 is as blessed as mine, your world is going to be fabulous!
May you be blessed in each and every day that lies ahead!
I cannot even express how the first Friday of January has sneaked up behind me and caught me off guard! Somehow, though, in the middle of the holiday bustle and other life changes going on all around me, I did manage to remember that not only did I have a First Friday Freebie for you – I actually remembered to offer it to you today!
I’ll be having
some announcements to make soon, but not today – it’s Freebie Day!
Before we get to January’s Freebie, let’s take a look back. December is always a rush and I believe the
postal service, in their busiest time of the year, was a little late in getting
the Freebie to its new home. I’m sorry I
don’t have a photo to post as usual, but I do want to announce that December’s
Freebie, the embroidered oven mitt and potholder set, went all the way to –
Tamara in Lexington,
South Carolina!
Congratulations Tamara and I really appreciated your sweet note of
thanks. I hope you enjoy your First
Friday Freebie!
January is upon us and so is the cold. Actually, it’s been rather pleasant here lately, but I’ve lived here all my life and I know how this works. When January toys with you, offering you a few days of spring-like weather, it’s merely gearing up for the next round of torture. It’s bound to hit soon and when it does, you’ll be glad you have January’s First Friday Freebie.
This eco-friendly green collar scarf by Life is Beautiful appears at first glance, to be the world’s shortest scarf, but as you see in the photo, when folded in the opposite direction, becomes a warm fringed collar that you can slip on over a coat or jacket to keep the winter chill from whistling down your neck and at the same time, keep long scarf “tails” from getting in your way. Green, many times, becomes a neutral because it coordinates with so many other colors, so it will go with many of your coats and jackets. Or, how about wearing it indoors? As shown in the photo, it’s a great way to spiff up a plain pullover.
No matter how I tried to adjust the photos, the color just doesn’t show to be as pretty of a color as the scarf actually is. In reality, the green is “happier”.
To win the fringed
green collar scarf, all you have to do is leave a comment on this blog post
saying, “Warm me up, Midwest Storyteller!”
You’ll need to do
that before midnight TONIGHT, January 3rd, 2020!
Important: Once you’ve entered, you MUST keep checking
the email address you used to subscribe or you may not know you’ve won and have
to forfeit your free gift. Also,
remember that this particular comment must be made here on the blog post and
not on Facebook or other social media sites.
My Freebies last
for one day only – on the First Friday of each month. Tell your friends and family TODAY through
social media, send them the link in an email or just tell them, “It’s Freebie
Day!”
Leave your comment
now before you forget!
First Friday
Freebies are for email SUBSCRIBERS ONLY.
You’ll find a subscription area in the right sidebar or you can use the
menu to navigate to the “Contact” page and subscribe to Midwest
Storyteller if you haven’t done so already. Confirming your subscription
through the confirmation email you’ll receive is absolutely necessary, so don’t
forget that!
The Facebook,
Instagram, Twitter, and Pinterest icons on this page are there to help you
share.
Past gifts and their happy winners are on my “Freebies” page.
Remember, a winner
will be chosen at random from those subscribers who enter before midnight tonight
by leaving a comment which says, “Warm me up, Midwest Storyteller!”
I send Freebies to any winner who lives within the continental United States. For the complete First Friday Freebie rules, CLICK HERE.
Glitches
happen. If you subscribe and do not
receive a confirmation email for some reason, please email me and let me know
at barb@midweststoryteller.com
Have a bright and
happy 2020 with and may your year be blessed beyond anything you can ask or
imagine!
