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Highlights From My Last Photo Shoot
I was so excited when Zumba Babe Maggie asked me to take her portraits.
Maggie wanted to do it in honor of her birthday, and I was so glad that she trusted me to do a “Heads (AND) Tails Photo Session”! We actually did a triple threat shoot: Zumba, Boudoir, and Portraits.
If you are local and are interested in your own “Heads and/or Tails Photo Shoot” just drop me a line and we’ll set something up!
Welcome To Moe’s
iPod Shuffle Winner: As selected by Random.org, commenter #2, Rebecca Hines! I will be in touch to get your information, Rebecca! Congratulations!
One night last month while I lay in bed “visiting” walls on Facebook (you can’t tell me you don’t go around “visiting” your friends’ walls late at night. Sure, [you] might call it “stalking” but I call it “visiting”—whatevs!) I went to one of my social media “boards” (I call them “boards”, but that’s because I’m an old school bulletin boarder. Sure, they might be “groups”, but I’m calling them “boards” and you can’t stop me, but I digress.) That’s when I saw a post from Stacie asking who was local to Atlanta and liked Moe’s (as in Moe’s Southwest Grill).
Ok, first thing’s first, you have to know how much my family loves Moe’s. We’re in there, at least, one time a week. Some weeks we are in there more. We love our Moe’s crew, we love how relaxed we can be in there, and we love the food.
So, back to me in bed, iPad in hand, Stacie’s post on my Facebook “board”….
I didn’t even bother to answer the post, I went right to my message box and sent this:
“For serious, the Moe’s thing,.. I’m dying to know more!”
And, with that I was in. I was to become part of the official Moe’s Blogger Advisory Council.
That weekend [we] were invited to go down to Moe’s where we met the head chef and all the executives. It was amazing. I already knew how awesome Moe’s was, but to really learn ( just. how. awesome.) all the good stuff they believe in and do was the icing on the cake (or should I say the queso on the chip?)
Seriously, did you know that Moe’s has a Food Mission which reads, “Moe’s Food Mission is to bring the highest quality ingredients to every guest, every day, everywhere. We’re always focused on the best possible option – from vegetarian to low calorie ingredients to a variety of ingredients without rBGH, steroids, added preservatives or MSG.”
Now do you see why we eat there as much as we do?
It started with the new black dress that I got for $20.00. I drove down to the Westin Perimter and met all the bloggers involved. We had some cocktails (which for me was just club soda with lime since I was just coming back to life after having the bubonic plague), talked about ourselves a bit, and then we headed down to Moe’s where a special night was planned out just for us. When we walked in were were greeted by the spectacular Moe’s executives including the CEO and their head chef. Waiting for us was a chef jacket with our names on them. We were all so seriously jazzed about them that it didn’t take long for each of us to put ours on as we prepared to be dazzled by the planned event. We mingled, ate chips, salsa, queso, and guacamole, played with the Coke Freestyle machine, had a little friendly salsa competition (my team, aptly named ‘The Salsa Superstars’, totally won, yo!), and then we tried out some new items that Moe’s will be unveiling soon. With our bellies happy and full of good stuff we each gave the burrito assembly line a roll (pun intended!) So. Much. Fun.
I didn’t want the night to end, but I knew that I had to get home, digest all the food I had eaten, and get some sleep. The next morning Mikey and I would set off to Atlanta to meet our group for breakfast before heading to the World of Coca Cola, but I will have to tell you about that in my next post.
For now, I wanted to share some swag! Moe’s gave me a 2 GB iPod Shuffle. In our house we all have iDevices, so I wanted to share this with one of my lucky readers. All you have to do to be entered to win is tell me what you order when you go to Moe’s! And, don’t worry if you don’t have a Moe’s. If you don’t, all you have to do is visit their Food Menu online, and tell me what you would order if you could!
The giveaway will end on Cinqo De Mayo!
Disclosure: Moe’s provided my travel expenses and hooked me up with some swag for participating in this event. The opinions expressed are purely my own, and even if I didn’t become part of the Moe’s Blogger Advisory Council, I’d still go to my local Moe’s on a weekly basis! It’s all in the, “WELCOME TO MOE’S!”
Zumba for a Cure in Dawsonville, GA
When I first joined my gym the two group classes that were the deciding factor for me were Bodyflow (Yoga/Tai Chi/Pilates) and Zumba.
I remember my first Zumba class. I stood in the back. It’s not that I thought I wouldn’t be able to do it. It’s that I’m a perfectionist (stop snickering Michael) and I wanted to know most of the steps before I unleashed Crazy Dancing Mishi.
Weeks passed and I moved up a row. More weeks, more rows. Now-a-days I’m only comfortable on the side right side of the room (where most of my Zumba-Babes break it down) and towards the front row.
Last week, Kristy (my OG instructor) was sick and she sent a CD to one of our Zumba [Babes] in Instructor Training, Amanda. A bunch of us that know the songs helped keep the class going, and it was so awesome. It made me think that someday I’d like to do the Zumba Instructor Training? For now I’m having fun just dancing in class. Burning calories is purely coincidental.
There’s a group of us that have bonded. We’ve gone to Zumba After Dark, Applebees to sing our Karaoke hearts out, dancing at the Ridge, we’ve sat in a wet sauna together, had breakfast in honor of a birthday, and we’ve also started to do Girls Nights In (our first one was at Stephanie’s — a Kinect Just Dance Night complete with Funtinis, Chocolate Vin and scrumptious tummy-yummies!) I’ve even had the honor of being trusted to do a ‘Heads or Tails Photo Session‘ for Maggie, our gym’s Thursday morning Zumba Instructor, whom I totally miss shaking-it with in our Tuesday/Wednesday night class, but am so happy that she is following her dream of instructing!
What I’m trying to say here is that I don’t just go into class, sweat my ass off, wipe it off, and leave. No way. We stay and talk afterward, make plans, and support each other in all of our endeavors.
The latest one is in support of Lucy and Lisa. They are doing the Atlanta 2 Day Walk for Breast Cancer, and we are fully supporting them. A fundraiser Zumba night was developed! If you are in the Dawsonville area (or close enough) please consider coming! I guarantee it will be OMGWTFBBQAWESOMESAUCESWEATYCRAZYCOOLFUN!
WHERE? Veterans Memorial Park
Directions to Veteran’s Memorial Park:
-Hwy 400 N to Hwy 136
-Left on Hwy 136
-Left on Hwy 9
-Veteran’s Memorial Park on Right
WHEN? April 27th, 2012 from 6-8:30pm
HOW MUCH? $10.00 per person
*All proceeds benefit the Atlanta 2 Day Walk for Breast Cancer
WHO? Featuring local Zumba instructors Kristy Thornton Howard, Margaret Phiri, other guest instructors & YOU!!!
WHAT ELSE?
*Drinks & snacks will be for sale
*Raffle items including a Membership to Bodyplex Gym (and a session with a *cough*cough* local photographer!)
*Come spend the evening with us just having a great time while raising money for a great cause!
I’ve Forgotten How to Blog
It’s been so long. So long. And, I think I may have even broken my blogging bone. I’ll give it a whirl, though….
Life. It’s been extremely busy. It’s also changed so much this past year. And, it’s changed for the better. No, dare I say, changed for the best.
My job is going super well. I love what I do and I’m pretty damn good at it. My co-workers are all astounding women, and I am proud to call them my friends.
The gym, even though it’s been hit or miss the past month with all the sickies floating around, has been an amazing influence in my life. I’ve not only improved my body, my strength, and my stamina, I’ve made more friends; it’s been a wonderful blessing.
My online, social media, life has shifted, too. These days I’m all over Instagram (@secretagentmama – find me!), and my true socmed love is Facebook. I love that there are so many different people from my life congregated in one place. My family (parents, kids, aunts, uncles, cousins), my childhood friends, people I’ve known all my life, old high school chums, social media friends, co-workers, and so many more are all there for me to interact with and share the stories of our lives. I also love the new time-line, but that’s just me, I’m a sucker for a nice cover photo!
The biggest thing that happened in the past month is we now have (not one, but) TWO teenagers in the house. Mikey turned 14 and Livey turned 13. Mikey had a buddy spend the weekend with us, and it culminated in a Minecraft cake extravaganza. Olivia had a special couple days out with me. She got a feather in her hair, we went out to lunch a couple times, and we went girl-time shopping. In a couple weeks she’ll be having all of her closest girlfriends over for a Just Dance Wii Party, complete with pizza and pop and chips and dips! Invitations are going out tomorrow.
There are a few things I’ve been meaning to blog about, and I have vowed to come back and start telling stories again. It’s important, and I really do miss it. I’ve actually been scared to open up this blog again. I think that silence can do that to a blogger. We grow silent and it perpetuates, and after a while it’s just not important anymore. That doesn’t sit well with me, though, because I love to share. I’m a self-proclaimed over-sharer. I need it. I crave it. I must do it.
So, starting tonight I am going to take the plunge. I’m going to over-share and I’m going to like it. *You might, too.
*Three out of four of my biggest blog fans are pictured above. Someday it’ll be four out of four, but the littlest of my fans is only just learning how to read.
All About Pork | Greek Salad with Pork Cutlets
When I told everyone that I was making Greek Salad with Pork (which we call Souvlaki) for dinner, they were all super-ecstatic.
“With Tzatziki, Mama?” I was asked.
“How could we have it without?” I questioned rhetorically.
It’s definitely one of our family’s favorite comfort foods. And, it holds a special place in my heart (Michael’s, too), because it was the first meal we had together, way back when, in 1994, at a little Greek Dive one town over from where I was raised.
*****
This past month has been so fun with all the different recipes I’ve tried. There’s been Baked Pork Egg Rolls, Braised Pork with Peppers and Onions, Pork Pita Pockets, and today’s Greek Salad with Pork Cutlets! The common thread that has gone through all of them is that they were healthful and flavorful. Not to mention they were a hit, through-and-through. I encourage you to try these recipes or look for other great recipes on Pork Be Inspired.
When I asked everyone which Pork Be Inspired meal was there favorite, they all said that this one was, hands down. So, if you want to impress your family head over to your local Publix, tomorrow, and pick up a pack of their Pork Sirloin Cutlets (that are on sale right now!)
Earlier today, when I was cashing out, there was a man behind me, in the check-out line, checking out my cutlets. He asked what I was going to make and when I told him “Pork Souvlaki with Tzatziki Sauce” he responded that he didn’t know what that was but that it sounded fantastic. And, boy-oh-boy, was he right!
Ingredients
1 1/4 pounds pork loin cutlets, 1/8″ thick
Greek-Style Dressing (buy it or make it, it’s up to you!)
Tzatziki Sauce (make it, you’ll be glad you did!)
8 cups romaine lettuce
Cherry tomatoes, halved
2 1/2 teaspoons Greek seasoning (Look in the spice section of the supermarket for a pre-blended Greek seasoning blend; I used McCormick brand. If unavailable, substitute 2 teaspoons dried oregano leaves, 1/4 teaspoon garlic salt, 1/8 teaspoon onion powder and 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt for the 2 1/2 teaspoons Greek seasoning and 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt. )
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Nonstick cooking spray
black pepper, freshly ground
Directions
Make Tzatziki Sauce, cover and refrigerate until serving.
Place lettuce, tomatoes, and cucumber slices (if you like) in very large salad bowl. Gently toss to combine. Cover and refrigerate while preparing pork.
Combine Greek seasoning and salt; sprinkle and rub evenly over pork. Cook the cutlets over medium-high heat in large skillet coated with nonstick cooking for 2-3 minutes or until tender.
Transfer cutlets to cutting board.
To serve, divide lettuce mixture among plates. Arrange 1/4 of pork on each salad. Drizzle 2 tablespoons dressing over each salad. Sprinkle with black pepper, if desired. Serve with Tzatziki and warm, toasty pita.
A Giveaway For YOU!
Since this is the last week of the “Good and Good for You Challenge” I’m giving one of my readers some of the same items I’ve been using during the challenge:
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8 $5 pork coupons for Publix ($40 worth of free pork!)
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Water bottle
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Reusable grocery bag
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Meat thermometer
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Pedometer
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Recipe book
All you have to do is:
Leave a comment on this post, and tell me what you love about pork and what your favorite pork dish is!
For an extra entry:
Share this post on Facebook, and make sure you tag me in your post!
[This post is the last of a series of posts that I have shared over the last four weeks. Please enter the giveaway as a thank you for letting me share my pork recipes with you, and head to your local Publix for some great deals on pork. To keep up with the “Good and Good for You Challenge”, follow @allaboutpork on Twitter, and look out for the #Publix4Pork hashtag. You can also connect with Pork Be Inspired on Facebook. I have partnered with The Motherhood to bring you these awesome recipes, information, and all things pork. As a part of this campaign, I am compensated for my time. All thoughts and opinions remain my own, as always.]
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