Whew! So glad we are back to our sunshine!
This has been such a nice weekend, very nice indeed.
Yesterday, while in Ocala, I stopped at TankALot- to see
the angler Bill had ordered for me. So Cute.
I am enclosing a pic of mine, and
a picture of Raul's (founder of Marion/Ocala Reef Enthusiasts Club).
His is a pretty pink color. I will still be on the lookout for the Warty Angler,
so cool - have wanted one for quite some time. Or a RED one perhaps.
Here is a link to Raul's video:
http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=100792059960091



Here is a pic of my little guy:

So far I am calling him "Bubba"- until I come up with a more suitable name. lol!

The Sun Has Been Hijacked!!
Ugh.....this rain had better stop soon. Yes, I know we need the rain--- but it definitely puts a damper on my daily activities. Didn't get to do my regular walk yesterday- and looks like today I am stuck inside again. Yesterday we had 'tornado warnings' throughout the day. Today, hopefully, is just rain. So, that is 2.6 miles of walking a day that I am adding up. I plan on hitting the trail and adding it all together for an awesome walk to get my numbers back on track! I did, however, workout at home yesterday-and plan on doing the same today. So far -as of last week - I have lost 5 lbs! (Yeah Me!) So I plan on keeping up my daily routine until I reach my target weight. Have been up'ing my protein intake, and have basically cut out the Pepsi from my day. (big accomplishment!)
I also fed Monty the other day (my carpet anemone). He is doing so well. I am very pleased with his coloration. At night, when the lunar lights come on, he has such a flourescent green glow to him. He adds a beautiful touch to my aquarium. I cannot wait until the next reef club meeting to see what the other tanks have. Very cool to see and hear how people do things differently in the same hobby.
Have a great day, and enjoy your weekend. I have chosen to play reggae today, to get motivated out of this gloomy rainy morning. Wish you all a Happy Friday!  Enjoy!

What a Beautiful day!
Such a wonderful change to the chilly mornings we've been having. Well, this weekend was packed with good things. Saturday- we visited the Strawberry Festival where the Citrus 3 Style Team had a booth to help raise money for the team. (Thanks to all the patrons who donated to the cause!) A very special thanks to the team members who showed up and helped out!

On Sunday, we attended the Ocala Reef Aquarium Fish Club's First Meeting.

Great turnout, about 17 guests arrived to share in the beginning stages of Ocala's first reef club.

The agenda covered introductions, door prizes, vendor introductions, a MACNA presentation, and discussions on launching the club itself: in respect to the name, creating a forum for our members to visit, and setting up further meetings.

Thank you Bill from TanksALot for taking time to share in this with us - and for donating one of the door prizes. Also, thanks to Aquatic Arts for their donation - we appreciate you guys!

You can find Bill at http://www.tanksalotpets.com/ - where you can sign up for his mailing list, and view him on facebook - new arrivals are posted for you to see as well!

For information on MACNA, please visit http://www.macna2010.com/ - where you can view exhibits, sponsors, and speaker news- as well as register to attend.

Once again- Thank You to Raul and his family for hosting our first meeting~ we look forward to many more!

Well, today is just too cold! Trying to get motivated inside the house, so that hopefully by noon the sun will be out enough to take my walk. (hate walking in the cold!) Worse comes to worse, I guess I will just throw on a pullover and go - since I don't want to interrupt my routine.
I enjoy my walks. Great exercise and time to think about new ideas, new projects coming. Enjoying the view of the lakes around my home and neighborhood. Nature is so calming.
 A very Happy Wednesday to everyone, I am enjoying your messages- I have been getting them all (going through over 2,000 emails this week!) and I will be getting back to each of you as well. Love visiting your blogs, hearing about different views, ideas, etc. Keep up the good work everyone!
Ohhhh!!! Gotta go! (heehee) The sun is peeking out in the backyard!
Thank you Sun Gods for hearing my call! xoxoxoxo lol!

It's Reggae Monday!
I love reggae music, some of my favorites are Sean Paul, Mr. Vegas, Patra- and of course Buju Banton....
Here is just a sampling, this is what I have intertwined into my iPod while on my walks. Keeps me going!
TODAY...I was walking my daily 2.6 miles, when I got a call. (I don't usually use my phone, just keep it in case of emergency) I didn't feel like I did anything since I was just walking at a normal pace while talking. So, after our convo - I turned around and REDID my walk, for a total of 5.2 miles - felt MUCH better!
So thanks to my caller.... you helped whittle a bit more from my waistline!  I love walking in the sun- I wait until about noon, when it's nice and warm- keeps me in a good mood to motivate me to keep going.
So..... who else got up and moved today?
Take a moment to refresh your iPod list.... get outdoors ...and enjoy this beautiful weather!
(Unless, of course, you are up north with all that snow...
then keep the sunshine in your heart and hit the gym!)
Much love.....

I would like to introduce the newest member of my lil' ocean.......Monty!

On the 20th, I brought home a lovely green carpet anemone.
He is strikingly beautiful. Very full, ruffly, and healthy.
For the past few days he has just eaten the mysis I put in the tank for the fish/coral.
But today... he ate a small piece of food I had offered him. Yeah!
I am hoping that my mated pair of clownfish will take to him,
instead of the hammer and frogspawn they have been visiting....but with this - one can only hope!
I have placed him right in the center of the tank- creating a little nook just for him.
It appears he likes it because he has not moved yet. (that's a good thing!)
Well.... a good night to all of you, just wanted to share my newest, and one of my favorite, lil' friends in my reef tank!

Newest addition received for my mompack fillers:
Julie Moroni, provided me with simply a wonderful assortment of goodies:
*  She is a WildTree Representative email her at jamoroni2@aol.com
* Send Out Cards - http://www.twofreecards.com/
* Motives Cosmetics - http://www.motivescosmetics4u.com/
* The Traveling Vineyard - www.myttv.com/julianne5587
* The Passport Wine Club - http://www.juliemoroni.com/
* Isotonix -  http://www.wellnessprograms4hp.com/

With an assortment like this ~ you are sure to find the perfect fit!
Contact Julie today! She also gives special discounts/freebies with these
fillers, get yours today to be included in the goodies!
Thanks Julie! I appreciate the fillers - and will send them out immediately!
Everyone: enjoy your evening......'Night!

                        Ocala Reef Aquarium Fish Club 
                              Inaugural Meeting

Those that know me, know how much I love my aquarium...my "piece of the ocean". And that we travel to get to a good LFS that we trust. There are plenty of clubs around the US, but none here, in our immediate area. Bummed, I had done a search, and the closest to us was out in Tampa. After mulling it over for abit..... I decided that maybe I should just start my own club. For the reef lovers around me. Low and behold as I went to TanksALot in Ocala (by the way...it was Bill's birthday on Friday- Happy Birthday to him!), I happened to be in line behind a gentleman starting a club in Ocala! So I (sorry) interrupted his conversation to ask some questions- and was glad I did.
Here is what is coming up:
Sunday March 7, 2010 at 3pm , Raul will be hosting the first meeting of the Ocala Reef Club. You will be able to meet representatives from the LFS, hear a presentation for the upcoming MACNA Reef Aquarium Conference in Orlando, hear what Ocala's FIRST Reef Club hopes to accomplish, meet and share experiences with fellow hobbyists, door prizes to be donated by LFS- as well as refreshments and the view of Raul's 65 gallon reef tank!
Here is the official flyer I grabbed while there....

This is your official invitation!!!

pass it on to anyone you know who lives in or around Ocala who is currently in the hobby, or thinking of becoming a reefer- the more the merrier!
Look forward to seeing you there-
Make sure to R.S.V.P. to Raul at 352-454-8524 by 3/1/2010 so he can get an estimated head count.

Today is my birthday...so....

Happy Birthday To Me!!

I have been absent for a few days,

I admit- sorry for that.

But when I logged on to my blog this morning,

I now have * 65 * following friends!

Such a nice gift! Thanks for following everyone!

Hope all those up north are staying as warm as they can!

As for me, I plan on working on my tan today (indoors of course!)

To get a jumpstart on the summer color I love so much!

Also, surfing the net for a new addition to my reef tank.

Since I mentioned earlier  that I had brought home a frogspawn and hammer coral.....my mated pair of clownfish

have started hosting BOTH, alternating each night, frogspawn, then hammer, then back to frogspawn.

So to prevent unwanted stress to my corals, I am on the hunt for a haddoni anemone.

(because I simply don't want the GIANT magnificent anemone in my tank).

So I called Aquatropics last night to see what they have....and missed the one they just got in and sold.

So - on the look out for a nice, healthy saddleback carpet (haddoni) anemone..... any suppliers out there?

Wishing everyone a fabulous day! Thanks for sharing my birthday, and my posts-

Be Blessed in Life.....

Looking for a gift to send a friend?
Try something different......
Texas Cowboy cookies...in a jar!
These make beautiful gifts!
They taste similar to chocolate chip oatmeal cookies.

Go to http://www.thegourmetcupboard.com/

and enter Michelle Yingst as Your Distributor when placing your order.

What a thoughtful gift to send a friend........mmmmmmm....cookies!

Protein Shake of the week:

 Ginger Bread

1 scoop vanilla protein powder
1 graham cracker
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 capful vanilla extract
12oz. of water
4 Ice Cubes
      Blend in blender for less than 1 minute
Try it and let me know how you liked it!

Ok, well the exercise bug is gone for the day! So the get up and move music has changed as well!
Have a great weekend to all!

Check out my newly listed items on ebay!
The Twilight Saga....... a must have!
Check it out for you or a friend!
(click on the titles below to be taken to my ebay store)
Happy Bidding!

Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer (2008, Hardcover)

Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer (2008, Hardcover)

New Moon by Stephenie Meyer (2008, Paperback)

New Moon by Stephenie Meyer (2008, Paperback)

Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer (2007, Hardcover)

Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer (2007, Hardcover)

This is a new addition to my mompack fillers from Cales Cantrall,
who is the owner and designer of MarieLynn Boutique @ http://www.marielynnboutique.com/
Love the hair accessories! Check her out for that special unique gift that you just can't get everywhere.
Handmade is the way to go ! Get on board and support our mompackers!

Here is a little Thank God It's Friday music to get you pumped for the weekend and get you in the workout mode!! Enjoy....and get movin!

Sheeesh! After all these tournaments, you'd think I would know better - but we are supporting the schools when buying from concession....and we always bring subs....so needless to say I have now gained 3 pounds from my previous starting point. Now I am working on losing 22 lbs. UGH! But no worries. I am hitting the trail today. And the gym this weekend.





Here is another great protein shake recipe I found for those who enjoy them. Keep the comments coming, and please share a recipe of the protein shakes you mix up... I will post them here for others to enjoy as well!

Pina Colada Protein Shake


Ingredients:

• 2 scoops vanilla protein powder
• 1/2 c pineapple-orange juice*
• 1/4 tsp rum extract
• 1/4 tsp coconut extract (or 2 tbsp shredded coconut)
• 1 packet artificial sweetener
• 4 oz. water (or low-fat milk)
• 3-6 ice cubes
*Low-carb version: Omit juice and use 1/2 tsp sugar-free pineapple-orange drink mix (dry). Increase water or milk to 8 oz.
Directions:
Add all ingredients to blender, whip, and serve.

Rise & Shine!
Morning to everyone!
Well, tonight is our LAST JV Tournament, exciting!
They have come a long way.
Wishing THE ENTIRE TEAM GOOD LUCK tonight, and Pins & Wins for ALL!!
~~ Go Hurricanes !! ~~

Just a beautiful way to start your day.....or end your evening! I love to watch this video at night, it is very relaxing. Make sure you watch the whole clip, as the beginning is a bit slow...in black and white. But when it gets to the full color you will be in awe of the beauty it holds. The color spectrum within this tank is magnificent! Hope you enjoy it- send it to a friend you know who likes fish!

Day 3 - waiting for the frogspawn to fully open. Giving him about a week before seeing if I need to adjust his position in the tank. Heading up to Ocala today to pick up my Lawnmower Blenney (named for his algae eating skills) and my Hammer coral. Will take photos while at the shop this time, so I don't have to wait to post them while acclimating the corals.
To all followers of my blog~ Thank You. You are helping me to reach my goal of 500 following friends by the end of 2010- much appreciated!
Have a great morning, be back in a bit!

Well, since I left on a bad note regarding the STUPID person who had the thought of stealing fish....
thought I would share with you a few pics I took today:
We went to the Florida Aquarium (Tampa), and also did the Behind the Scenes Tour-
our tour guy was "Ray"- very nice. We got to see how everything worked which was cool to a fish lover like myself. We saw the holding tanks, the rehab area for the sick or injured animals, the tubes for the water changes.... did you know they actually have their saltwater brought into the bay on a ship? While the ship is out to sea, it fills its' baffles with sea water, which is then pumped into the aquariums' pipeline, which is then filtered to a pristine clean! Very cool.
We also got to speak with the biologist- and got to view the main tank during feeding time. (also we were in the kitchen while they were preparing the food- cool again!)
The info the biologist shared was very informative- and I enjoyed speaking with him.
DID YOU KNOW?
The Florida Green Sea Turtle: starts out as a baby turtle, a meat eater (carnivore), grows into mid-adulthood, becoming an omnivore (meat eater/plant eater), then when it reaches mature adulthood, it is strictly an herbivore (plant eater). The green sea turtle is the only one they know of that does this we were told....
AND the insides of the green sea turtle...ARE GREEN!!! Now come on, that is COOL!
Because of the amount of chlorophyll the turtle takes in from the plants, his insides are GREEN, organs, tissue, everything!
Here are a few pics.....

We also stopped by Rockin' Reef in Tampa.....
picked up a few things and a frogspawn coral:

This was taken just after I placed it in the tank,
so it is not fully open yet.
Will post another when it is open.

Have a good evening everyone!

Are you kidding me??!!??!!
Have you ever in your life heard of someone STEALING marine life?
How incredibly PATHETIC your life must be that you resort to stealing
from a fish store?
I REALLY LOVE my mixed reef tank, and I appreciate the people who work
 in the shops that I frequent, which is why I drive all the way to Gainesville for one of my favorite shops
- and to have someone do something like this...
huh, well let's just say I hope he is caught and thrown in jail- to rot.
Here is a pic of my tank...a work in progress...

Here is the story I came across......go to: http://www.neptuneaquatics.com/
You can also pull it up on http://www.youtube.com/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IS1XsrwIzws

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4z6Ie4j5WIg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YENeURhTv1Q

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x0NmJvQ3MCk

(I came across this news from one of my fav fish forums : http://www.reefbuilders.com/

Once again....pathetic. A real man would have paid for his purchases with honest money earned from honest work...not a worthless, spineless thief like this..... Let me know your thoughts on this- does not matter if you are a fish lover or not.

Just got in from the JV Tournament at Forest High School- LOVE OUR TEAM!!!
Our guys are the BEST- enjoyed the tournament - VERY tired now and need to rest my voice over a cup of hot tea w/lemon (we moms tend to shout very loudly for our team!)
Hope you all have a good night! Talk to you tomorrow!

Here we go again!
Yup....we have another tournament - tomorrow- YEAH!!
We will be meeting at the highschool at 6am...bus leaves at 7am-
then off to Brandon High we go! We are down to our last 2 tournaments for JV - So.......
G O O D   L U C K   C I T R U S   H U R R I C A N E S ! ! ! !

Also - I will be sending out fillers to a couple of fellow mompackers, in the
ever-growing mompack exchange.......
So, if you have not requested your mompack - make sure to send an email with the mailing address you would like it sent.
A great way to receive a look into a plethora of women owned businesses! Don't forget to check back this week, as I will be posting
updates to my Etsy shop.....Bubble Bags...various scents.

In the mood for something..............different?

Try this Sweet Chocolatey Baklava
Truly a must have for the Chocolate Lover in You!






http://www.thegourmetcupboard.com/
YOUR Distributor : Michelle Yingst

Healthy Recipe of the week.....
Well, for those who tried the protein shake....Good For You!
You are clearly making decisions that will benefit you in your quest for a healthy lifestyle.
For a change of pace- let's do a protein bar!
This video is from one of the fitness gems on http://www.bodybuilding.com/
Jamie Eason - http://www.jamieeason.com/


To make Jamie's "Oh Baby!" Carrot Cake Protein Bar, you'll need:


*Non-fat no-stick spray
*1 cup oat flour (ground oatmeal found in the health section of your grocery store)
*2 tsp cinnamon
*½ tsp baking soda
*¼ tsp salt
*1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
*1/8 tsp allspice (optional – more like spice cake)
*3 egg whites
*¾ cup Splenda
*½ cup fat free Ricotta cheese
*2 4 oz. jars or packs of baby carrots (instead of shredded carrots)
*2 scoops vanilla whey protein (look for a low sugar, low fat and low carb variety)
*1 cup quick cooking oats (optional for added carbs and energy)

Enjoy!

One of my MOST FAVORITE-est dishes in the whole world, is .....
Linguine with white clam sauce. I LOVE it!!
It has to be done right, not too thick, and not too thin- I can't stand a watery sauce.
And, I (don't laugh) don't like clams. I just like the taste of the finished product. Hubby usually has my clams-
as a local restaurant separates them for me right before serving the dishes. I just like the essence of the clam juice, mmmm !
Anyway- I came across this video and thought I would share it with you. You can find the recipe at:
http://www.callachef.com/

 
Enjoy!!!

Newest additions to my mompacks:
A special thanks goes to Beth Reed, who is an Independent Consultant for Thirty-One Gifts.
You can find her at:  www.mythirtyone.com/bethreed
Celebrate ~ Encourage ~ Reward  ~ Beth offers a unique line of purses, bags, wallets and more!
Also received from Barbara Johnson, from Bejaye's Things.
You can visit Barbara at: http://www.bejayesthings.com/
Where you will find Collectibles, Home Decor & More!
Take time out of your day and check out these sites...you may find a gift for that special occasion coming up!
Thank you ladies for adding to my mompacks!
If you haven't requested your mompack yet....Do It Today! (simply sign up to follow my blog & send me a message including the mailing address where you want to receive your pack) - createdbychelle@yahoo.com

Still Cold..........hmmm......what to do?
Time to bring out the crockpot!
What could be  better than the simmering aroma of yumminess filling the house? With all this cold weather - why not take out the crockpot and create a tasty, family sized  recipe to keep you warm?

Here's a good one to get you started-you can find the recipe by clicking on the link below:
Crockpot Chicken & Dumplings
http://busycooks.about.com/od/chickenrecipe1/r/cpchickendumpli.htm

Mmmmmm.......... warm -good for you- food !

Enjoy!!!

Brrrrrrrr it is COLD!
Stay busy to stay warm!

Well, it has been a great couple of days for the New Year already!
Looking forward to our tournament tomorrow and Saturday.
Getting ready to send out several mompacks to friends, and also
sending out several fillers to fellow mompackers themselves!
Have been busy getting fillers/samples together.
Coming up with new & creative ideas is always fun!
Hope everyone enjoys their weekend- I will be adding, deleting, and
modifying here and there, making room for all the Wonderful things
coming !
Have a great day & wish our guys the best at the Tournament!!

GO 'CANES !!!!
Just got in from our Home Tournament - Yeah Citrus Hurricanes! Once again our guys did AWESOME!
I am so proud of our team! We have another Tournament this Friday & Saturday.... so cheer us on!

Protein Shake Recipe#1:
Have you gone shopping yet for the New Year?
Be sure to have plenty of healthy choices on hand.
Here's a little help in getting started, to make a
healthy & satisfying shake- just add the following:

Banana Protein Shake

• 8 oz. pure water
• 1/2 banana (frozen)
• 2 oz. protein of choice
• 2 tsp. flax seed oil
(I like to add a spoon of peanut butter also!)
(you could use any flavor protein mix, although I have found
that vanilla or CHOCOLATE{tastes like a peanutbutter cup} works BEST!)

Chamomile ~ Oatmeal Tub Tea Sachets

These are individual tea bags sealed to hold in the freshness of chamomile, oatmeal, and some special TLC.

Oatmeal is very good for your skin. It fights dryness, moisturizes, calms irritation, soothes redness, and cleanses your pores.

Chamomile is a natural skin rejuvenator. Known as an analgesic, chamomile is also used as an anti-inflammatory, relieves pain, and helps to promote skin repair when needed.

In this listing are (4) individual bath bags. 2.5" x 2.5"ea.

You can simply toss these little guys into your tub of warm water, and enjoy as is.

OR...you can USE them as a washcloth - which is more fun to have the kids play and see how oatmeal is actually GOOD for them. The bags will suds up into a nice lather for cleansing, and when done- simply toss.

http://www.createdbychelle.etsy.com/

Coffee Lovers : UNITE!

Are you a coffee lover?
A REAL coffee lover? Do you crave the caffeine?
Or is it the flavor of those decadent little beans?
Give this a try:       Tiramisu Coffee
Just like the Italian dessert! Flavors of vanilla, chocolate with hints of amaretto and rum.

http://www.thegourmetcupboard.com/

Distributor Name: Michelle Yingst