10 Most Used Apps on My Phone
I have over 100 apps (non-standard issue) on my iPhone, and am continually finding more and more that I want and need. I don't know what I did before my iPhone and it's many wonderful apps! I have almost 40 different game apps, it's nice for entertaining myself and my niece and nephew who are always dying to play on my phone anytime they see me! There is seriously something to be said for the saying "there's an app for that!"
So here's my list of ten most used apps on MY iPhone.
1) My Fitness Pal: One of my close friends, Yarden, recommended this app to me! 
She's a droid person, but they have this app for everyone! It's a calorie counting and overall weight and fitness management application! It's very user-friendly and can help you attain your weight goals! Also, a nice (and new feature for iPhone) is that you can scan barcodes to find calorie counts! Not everything is in the system, but as people input info based on the barcodes, they are adding more and more to the database. It is wonderful and has been very helpful for Paul and I!
2) Facebook: I don't think an explanation is needed. The application really isn't near as 
good as being on Facebook on the computer, but it is definitely convenient when you aren't near your computer and want to check what people are posting on the wall, and viewing comments, etc.
3) MapQuest or Google Maps: Paul and I NEVER print out directions anymore! With 
the MapQuest App, we get voice command turn by turn directions, and the beauty of it is while you are listening to iTunes or Pandora, it will fade the music so you hear the directions! And it's FREE! It can be a little glitchy here and there, which is why we will generally use the standard issue Google Maps app as a backup.
4) Words With Friends: I think this is one of my favorite ga
mes to play on my iPhone, I've been somewhat bad about keeping up with my games, but it's because I have thirteen or more games going on at once. But it's definitely a nice way to exercise the mind, work on your vocab, and in some cases outshine your friends! 
5) Pandora: Who needs to purchase music anymore when you can listen to almost any artist and similar artists with variety! We LOVE Pandora! It has definitely broadened our music selection, turned us on to new artists, and in some cases prompted us to buy music. 
6) iTV: Paul and I are in the very small population that does not have DVR, so I actually will plan my evenings around TV shows, and this is my TV Guide! It will tell me when shows are new and notify me prior to the show, to make sure I don't miss it. I really do like this app, and I even think it may work with some DVRs to help you record, if you have the privileged of doing so...
7) Bank of America: Gotta keep those finances in order! I really love this app, granted 
I prefer to work with the computer log-in for Bank of America, but in short notice I can check my balance, set-up payments, transfer funds, and find a bank or atm near me. It's pretty wonderful!
8) Angry Birds: I have three different Angry Bird Apps on my phone, and all of them 
are very entertaining. At one point I had beaten all levels and was hanging on the whim of Angry Bird Developers to send out an update, but I have since gotten busy and have plenty of catching up to do on all of them, general Angry Birds, Angry Birds Seasons, and Angry Birds Rio.
9) Blockbuster: While Paul and I tried Netflix, it just didn't suit us. So we are back to 
Blockbuster, and the app helps me to be add new movies to the queue on the fly! I can check on when new movies will be mailed out to us and what new movies are releasing. And the beauty of the Blockbuster set-up is if we finish a movie we can exchange it immediately at the store! We like the instant gratification there...
10) Shazam: I love so much music, but overall I am a soundtrack girl. I watch shows and movies and hear music I love, and this app allows me to find out who the artist is or what song it is. I love it, cause then I could technically create a soundtrack for my life, based on what I pull up on Shazam at any given time. Love it!
Definitely let me know of any Apps you can't live without, I may not have them and would probably LOVE to check them out...
Kudos to Paul and His Team for a Great Job at Flashback Festival!!
Paul Perdue (my husband) of PerdueVision and his colleagues did an awesome job on the photography and video for Kiss 104fm Atlanta's R&B Station 2011 Flashback Festival! Next year will be even bigger!
Check out the gallery and video on their site... http://www.kiss1041fm.com/
Trying to Decide on a New Do... Tell me what you think!
So next week I've got an appointment at Tigerlily Salon. She's a family friend and client of Paul's, and is kind of like our family hair stylist! But even though I'll probably get to the salon and tell her to work her magic, I always have to do my research for style options!
This is what I'm in the mood for this time around!
Option One: Mandy Moore style with her short hair! I've done something like this before... and did like it, but it took a lot of getting used to! What do you think about this option??
And then there is Option Two: Katie Holmes style...
Her hair always seems to look great short! And she's got a bit of a bang or no bang style that always looks good! I love this cause it's got a funky fun look to it! I naturally have wavy/curly hair, so it's always nice to have a style where I can wear it straight or with a bit of curl!
And finally, Option Three: Rachel McAdams style... she always looks good from red to blonde to brunette and seems to have a different style for each color! I will always look best brunette, and love this option!
I think if I were to do this, I would do a shorter version, cause I don't know that my hair is this long right now... but it just looks to awesome! Of course I've never been able to do bangs... always want them, but for some reason no one thinks I should have bangs! It's so sad!
Anyway, let me know which you think would suit me best! And after my appointment next week I'll post a new pic of me with my New Do!
Babies, Babies and more Babies!
So Paul and I have a hand full of friends and family that are pregnant! Congrats to all of you! I think we are at that age where we have moved on from the constant weddings and now we are in constant Baby Showers! I definitely think it is much more fun to buy baby gifts than wedding gifts, that's for sure! Of course it's way to easy to get carried away...
Anyway, I'm a morning show listener (The Bert Show), and they have a producer that recently had a baby so Bert came across this advise on the Huffington Post, and I wanted to pass it on to all those soon to be mother's I know. I'm not a mom, or mom-to-be myself (yet), but it seems like very good advice!
See what you think! Click Here for the FULL ARTICLE.
The Best Parenting Advice I Never Got
If I could go back and give myself some more practical advice it would look something like this:
1. When they nap, you nap. Don't send emails, don't catch up on work. Nap.
2. Travel with your children when they are very young. At six months old it's just as easy to keep them entertained in Cozumel as it is in Cleveland. You might as well get a tan out of the deal.
3. Buy a rechargeable, cordless hand vacuum. Your floors and cars will thank you.
4. It's perfectly acceptable to make an entire dinner in the microwave.
5. In every parent-child relationship someone has to be the grown up. Try to make sure that someone is you. A two-year-old has the right to act like a child, you do not.
6. Take everyone who volunteers to babysit up on the offer. Repeatedly.
7. Buy everything you can second-hand.
8. Make time for the other relationships in your life -- seeing you in the role of good friend or devoted spouse teaches your kids way more than a Baby Einstein marathon.
9. There's no such thing as using too many wipes.
10. There will be times when you're sure you are a terrible parent and, secretly, wonder why you ever had kids in the first place. This is normal. Forgive yourself these occasional moments of self-doubt and, from time to time, let yourself mourn your life pre-parenthood. Then have a healthy glass of wine, get some sleep and get back to work. After all, as you've no doubt heard, it's a tough job, but it's all worth it.
Oh, and go see a movie while you still can.
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I love movies! You should definitely do that last one... and let me know when you do as I'm totally game!
Definitely READ THE FULL ARTICLE! It's very entertaining!!!
HC3 Diet - We've Passed the Half-Way Mark
Paul and I have been on the HC3 Diet for about three and a half weeks now,passing the half-way point. Things are going well, but I must say, we are getting tired of the same stuff we've been eating and are ready for the reset phase when we can add more options into our diet!
Yesterday we met with Kelly Hall, our nutritionist at Optimum Health, and definitely had a lot more questions for her this time around! While we have continued to loose weight, we are planning to try a couple different things to pump up and keep the momentum!
We've had several temptations (alcoholic beverages mostly) that we just could not resist, we have generally stayed strong with the diet, and overall during those times didn't gain weight, just maintained. After the Bryan Adams evening, our ketone levels just dropped off, and so we had to build back up, but the rebound was definitely quick. Kelly was a bit concerned with me, as my eetone levels have continually stayed high, which would imply fat burning, so I should be dropping the weight faster, but weight loss seems to taper more and more as my ketones stay at a high level. It seems to be the case that it's better to be at a medium ketone level to really continually lose the weight. The main concern was that I am getting too acidic.
So, she is starting me with a half serving of Total Vegan on a daily basis to see if that puts me in a good place to lose more while still keeping the ketone levels moderated. It's kind of nice because the Total Vegan is Chocolate flavor, and I've missed chocolate!
The continual weight loss has been a huge motivating factor, we have about 2 weeks left and it's certainly possible that we could both drop another 15 pounds or so. We just need to keep focused on the long term goal. It's definitely worth feeling more energy and comfort with our bodies, and also seeing clothes that didn't fit us previously fit us now and even are too big!
Here is an image of the body composition analysis from July 26th and August 9th respectively. I know it's hard to read cause it's on thermal paper and the heat has gotten to it. I've outlined the main details below (first is mine and the second is Paul's) :
Body Composition: July 26 August 9th
- Weight 149.6lbs 145.0 lbs
- BMI 31.3 30.3
- Fat % 38.8% 34.7%
- Fat Mass 55.0 lbs 50.4 lbs
Desirable Range - Fat % 21-33 and Fat Mass 25.2-46.6lbs
Body Composition: July 26 August 9th
- Weight 234.6lbs 227.0 lbs
- BMI 34.6 34.5
- Fat % 39.2% 34.8%
- Fat Mass 92.0 lbs 79.0 lbs
Desirable Range - Fat % 8-20 and Fat Mass 12.8-37.0lbs
I'm very close to being within the desirable range, but definitely would prefer to be in the middle of that range with wiggle room up or down. Paul's got a little more to go, but has definitely made awesome progress! I get frustrated that he seems to have dropped so much more... but I guess that's the difference between girls and guys! Unfortunately we don't have details from the start date, but I have officially dropped 13 lbs total, and Paul has dropped 18 lbs total.
YEAH for Us!
Our First Trip to H-Mart!
In and effort to spice things up with our HC3 Diet, Paul and I have been coming up with new and innovative ideas for lunch and dinner options. We decided it was time to take a trip to the Super H-Mart to get some great produce, seafood and meat options! It was quite an experience! There's an awesome selection, but also a lot of interesting items to choose from!
It was kind of funny because I felt like a "tourist" taking pictures of all kinds of items in there that aren't things we'd normally find in Walmart, Kroger or Publix, like Pig's Tongue, Chicken Feet, Pig's Heart, and more! We stuck with the safe stuff, but it was definitely fun, take a look!
[slideshow]
Hopefully I'll be able to post some cool new recipes with the various items Paul and I decided to experiment with; we are excited! We're working on a homemade tomato sauce that we plan to have with "shredded squid" as noodles! We can't have real noodles, so this seemed like a viable option! I'll definitely post about how it turns out...And I also can't wait to try the awesome Spicy Cod Fish and Veggie Soup, should be easy and delicious!
Bryan Adam - Bare Bones in Peachtree City
Several months back Paul's client, Wyndham Peachtree City Conference Center, invited Paul and several guests to join in for an evening out to see Bryan Adams and to experience the amenities of the resort. We couldn't resist the offer and invited our friend's Desi and Tristan to join us! Desi and Tristan were married just over a month ago and their first dance was "Have You Ever Really Loved a Woman?" by Bryan Adams, so it was a no-brainer about inviting them to join us.
I must say, Wyndham did it up right with a great pre-reception with delicious food and cocktails, a delightful golf cart ride to the amphitheater, an AMAZING concert, and a post-concert cocktail party. We all had a blast thanks to Wyndham!
Bryan Adams was amazing as well! His Bare Bones tour is an acoustic tour in which he is playing acoustic guitar accompanied by piano (depending on the song). He sounded great, and had a lot of character as well, he was definitely cracking jokes throughout the night!
Check out some pics from this awesome evening!
[slideshow]
And of course before the concert was over, Bryan Adams serenaded us with "Have You Ever Really Loved a Woman"! Can't beat seeing that...Happy One Month Anniversary Desi and Tristan!
Our Charleston Vaca!
We decided to take a short vaca with some friends, one because we wanted to get away, but also because we've never taken a trip with our friends Gus and Jenni and Jenni was about to be back to school (she's a teacher)! The plans seemed to be last minute, but we knew for sure we wanted to go to Charleston. Jenni and I had never been, so we were excited at the opportunity to tour this historic city!
I must say Charleston is a gorgeous city, we were there for a total of three full days, and could have stayed another three to five days and still not seen everything we would have like, but we did cover a lot! I think we walked at least five miles a day! Check out this slideshow of images that Paul took, and for the full gallery, click here.
[slideshow]
We spent a lot of time touring the Churches around the city (St. Michael's Church, Cathedral of St. John the Baptist, St. Phillips Episcopal Church, to name a few), as well as walking about the beautiful houses. The architecture around the city was amazing and I am proud of the preservation they have been able to do throughout the city.
We made a point to visit the market from end to end and even got an awesome pendant from the G2 Collection which consists of jewelry that are replicas of Gates around Historic Charleston! So beautiful! Oh and we couldn't leave without getting some of the great spices and mixes that make Charleston culinary style a true ART!
And of course we couldn't miss out on the array of awesome local restaurants, like 82 Queen, Hyman's, Fleet Landing, and Pearlz. There are definitely some awesome spots around the city, and honestly I think you could spend weeks touring the great local restaurants! It was a bit of a challenge sticking to our HC3 Trim diet, but I think we did pretty well considering!
We had a blast and I would totally recommend a visit to Charleston, and definitely plan to go back again sometime!
HC3 Approved Meatloaf!
So I got back from Nashville the afternoon of Saturday July 30th and immediately we had friends over for dinner! The original plan was to go to the lake, but the weather didn't permit, so we stayed in for dinner and a movie with Desi and Tristan!
Desi and Tristan have been longtime friends now that we have enjoyed home cooked meals with on many occasions! Of course when they heard about our HC3 Trim diet, and our inability to drink or eat so many things they were quite leery about sticking around for dinner. But Paul, who is an amazing improvisational home cook, whipped together the most amazing dinner that we were all able to enjoy! Of course we cooked up some extras for Desi and Tristan, but the meatloaf was definitely the STAR of the evening!
So here is a quick run-down of our HC3 approved Meatloaf!
Ingredients:
- Extra Lean Ground Beef (1-2 lbs depending on how many ppl you are serving)
- One can of Original Rotel
- Vidalia Onion (1/4 to 1/2 an onion chopped)
- Raw Spinach (1-1.5 cups chopped)
- Fresh Cilantro - key for that awesome flavor (1 cup chopped)
- 2 table spoons Ground Pepper
- 1 table spoon Ground Sea Salt
- 2 - 4 Fresh Garlic cloves finely chopped
- 2 table spoons Fresh Garlic Powder
- 2 table spoons dill seasoning (be generous)
- 2 table spoons thyme seasoning
Mix it all together in a mixer or bowl, whichever suits you!
Put into a non-stick meatloaf pan or Pyrex dish, and bake at 300-325 for about 40-45 minutes. Keep an eye on it to be safe because those temps and time are variable depending!
And voilà! It was absolutely delicious and we had a side of asparagus and Desi and Tristan also were treated with Paul's awesome mashed potatoes! It was a success and better than any meatloaf I have had before! It was healthy and we didn't even need ketchup! Oh and note - it had no eggs or bread crumbs!
Hope you are able to try it!
HC3 Diet - Week Two - The Mission to Stay On Track!
Although it was a struggle going through the end of the previous week and weekend without Paul's support and understanding of the temptations, we both came out of the first week with significant losses. Week 2 was going to be a challenge though! On Wednesday of this week, I would be traveling to Nashville, TN for work, so preparations had to be made.
The beginning of the week was going well and we were able to meet with the nutritionist on Tuesday. She was pleased with our results and we generally discussed questions we had, etc. I think one of my biggest questions for her was relative to moisturizers! I am an addict when it comes to lotion, and throughout this process we are not supposed to use lotions because of the oils, so I found a body shimmer spray I had and it doesn't have oil in it! YEAH! It certainly doesn't do what lotion would, but for an addict like me, it helps.
So Tuesday evening Paul and I had to get me ready to head up to Nashville! I called to hotel to check on getting a mini-fridge cause I was planning to bring all my meals! They assured me they would be able to accommodate, so it was meal planning time! We cooked up a bunch of chicken and shrimp! Both of which would be just as tasty warm as cold, so it would work out. We went out and bought a bunch of Tupperware, and of course I needed a scale to travel with! And I packed two small coolers worth of food! I was set!
I was being so good throughout the entire trip until the final night of the meeting in Nashville. They had a banquet with dinner and drinks! I ate the salad, with just vinegar, and even ate the main course which was chicken (which seemed ok cause it looked fairly oil-free), and luckily they had asparagus as the veggie. While it was probably a little more calories then I should have had, I was running around preparing for stuff so I figured it wasn't a big deal.
Cocktails started flowing for everyone at the meeting and I was SOOOO GOOD! I had club soda with lime the entire night (pretending it was a vodka tonic), but I did end up slipping during the after-party in downtown Nashville, where I had two real vodka tonics!
I was fairly concerned I may have screwed myself up, and this week the weight wasn't coming off so quickly as it was the first week, but come Saturday morning when we had to leave, I did my weigh-in and had dropped almost two pounds from the previous day, and my ketone levels were still fairly high! It was CRAZY!
Week Two Ended with a 3.8 lbs loss, for a total of 8lbs since the beginning! Not bad for a small slip!
