Pink Rose Moments

Working out can be such a daunting task if you THINK it that way. I'll begin blogging my 90 day journey. I will not quit after 90 days.  I have been consistently working out now for shortly over thirty days.  After 30 days one can get accustomed to and will have acquired the mindset to move forward. There are several factors that motivated me to just get it done. Being tired of complaining was my main reason. Stop complaining! I got tired of hearing myself complain about the same old thing: my abs; well the lack thereof. My continual complaints were always "I need to work on my abs. I'm tired of sucking it in every year. I need to work out." The complaints ran more than I actually did. So follow me well when I say "I got tired of being sick and tired of saying I'm sick and tired of not working out."  That very thought and saying it out loud for the last time really resonated with me.  Get going! I began to work out three times a day: at home i

This project turned out pretty awesome if I may say so. I had the idea of fish bowl bookends and took to Google. I hardly found anything but came across some round ones. I was going to order a pair, but for some reason the site wasn't working. Hmmm, was that a hint? Because I always see a "project" in mind, I don't throw away many potential project items, careful not to accumulate too much like my mother. We had some empty liquor bottles lying around. From here, the fun begins.    FISHBOWL BOOKENDS TOOLS : wet tile saw MATERIALS : 2 large liquor bottles with 2 flat sides/ coarse sandpaper/ aquarium rocks/ spring water or water applicable to the fish type/ fishbowl aquarium decor/ aquatic plants applicable to the fish type/ fish (duh)/ funnel/ fish food HELP : none if you're skilled with a wet tile saw NOTES : I wanted pink fish for my project room. I researched and purchased two beta fish. I named the 'delta tail' Lero

Okay, SOMEONE out there does not know how to do this.  This is going to be easy-peasy with de-seeding a jalapeno, poblano, etc.  I use a corer if I'm using the pepper for stuffed creations. If you're dealing with a highly potent pepper and are accident-prone and forgetful, touching your face or eyes after handling peppers...WEAR GLOVES! STEPS: Rinse the pepper. Cut the end of the stem portion. Cut the pepper in half. Cut out or spoon out the seed and contents. Use your pepper(s) as desired. Chop it up! Slice it! Do whatchalike! Thoroughly wash your hands after handling.   With the stem portion and seeds I tossed them at the entrance of my fence. I did this because there was a slight opening that a cat or animal could crawl underneath (until I put the broken terracotta pots there). I thought the pepper smell would deter any critters from entering, even if momentarily. Chill out pet lovers. One day I noticed pepper plants sprouting there! I

I would say my love for pink roses began with my love for the color pink. I guess it goes back to my childhood.  Looking back, I can say we moved around more often than not, until finally settling on my step-dad's father's land in a double-wide trailer home. It was obviously a former medical office. I remember seeing labels still on the cabinetry...in rooms that became the kids' bedrooms. It made no difference to me. I had my own room. Fast-forward to my Mom letting me choose my room color and border pattern. I chose the softest pink color for the paint and coordinating border. The border was a country theme, pink, subtle blue and a heart of flowers. I've loved pink ever since. Why? I feel it was because I was allowed to choose something for myself. I got the satisfaction of decorating my very own room! And so my love for the color pink was born. PicClick.com I was drawn to the color pink in pretty much everything: clothing, shoes, jewelry, hair ornaments, FLO

Don't assume the fresh herbs and vegetables recently purchased are always ready-for-use , unless the package says so. Even then, use your own discretion to re-wash or not. Also, don't assume a quick rinse will do prior to cooking.  I remember watching a news story some time ago of how a lady's daughter became gravely ill from E. coli. It was in the lettuce she was preparing for salad. Her child almost died! This brought back a memory of how my Mom and Grandma would use a little dish detergent in their garden-fresh goodies such as collard greens and tomatoes. I remember my Grandma telling my Mom to always do that because you never know, a dog could have peed on them. Now, I always use a little dish detergent when washing my veggies. I use a small dab on my wet fingertips to thoroughly wash them.  I wash all my store-bought  herbs and vegetables this way.  With my garden herbs, I rinse them then let them soak for 15- 30 minutes in a bowl of water. I change out the water,

Why not pair fruit with herbs? Why not grill them? Growing up, I used to listen to my Mom's records often. So, when I hear 'peaches & herb' I can't help but to remember the 1960s duo and their hit "Reunited". I came up with this grilled creation and dedicate it to 'Peaches & Herb'. GRILLED PEACHES & HERB                           INGREDIENTS :6-7 peaches (real peaches, not nectarines), 1/4 tsp. nutmeg, 1 tsp. vanilla extract, 1/4 c. brown sugar (dark brown, light brown, it doesn't matter...just brown sugar), fresh lemon thyme sprig or 1 tbsp. (dry should be okay since the liquid from the peach will reconstitute the dryness) TOOLS & EQUIPMENT : knife, foil, grill YIELDS : approximately 5 cups STEPS : Rinse peaches Wash the fresh herb. See blog of "How to wash fresh herbs" Layer the ingredients, peaches first, in a foil pouch. See blog of "How to Create a Foil Pouch"  Grill for 30-45 minut

I wouldn't consider myself a compulsive DIYer or am I? I get it from my Mama.  My Mom has a thousand "projects". Any and every thing old is considered an antique with her. She rarely throws anything away because she can make this and build that, out of whatever piece of junk or feasible item that may fall in her path. You could call her 'Hurricane DIY'.  I'd like to think I have a plan or purpose for my "projects". Thank God for Pinterest because the things I am capable of doing whether I need it lying around the house or yard, I can just leave it pinned. If there's a purpose for it I'll attempt it. If not, it remains pinned. Ahhh, clutter-free.  Stay tuned to my blog feeds. I've completed several projects already and there are more       to come I'm sure...IF I have a need for it.  

I grew up cooking soul food. Being the oldest of seven, I helped my Mom cook for my six siblings. Every now and then I would tweak a dish to make it more interesting. For example, with lima beans I began adding Eckrich sausage and chopped green onions to it. Sorry Mom, they were boring before.  I can't say that I cook all these dishes now. I may cook one or two here and there, but not often. I get most of my motivation from the food and travel channels.  These inspire me to create dishes 'out of the box'. My duplications come from eating dishes at various restaurants. Tooting my own horn, I come pretty close to the actual dish, if not better. I like trying different foods only if it looks appealing and doesn't have a weird texture.  I relate to  Andrew Zimmern's  mantra of "If it looks good, eat it." I have numerous recipes. I don't know why because I don't cook the same thing often and for the most part, I  hardly measure anything. I'

I used to have an incorrect, preconceived notion that vacationing was only for the well-off, those financially able. Don't get me wrong with the financial bit because in order to take an extensive or remote vacation you must have some type of financial cushion available to enjoy yourself. Also, it's not necessary to get on a plane in order to have a vacation. You can vacation around your city. It was only in 2011 that we began to take family vacations. We started off in Galveston, TX. My husband just said, "Let's go! Let's just go! I don't see why we can't!" Ooooookay. He is most often my motivation to do many things. If he said let's do it, we'll do it! Each following year and with Galveston Beach being our starting point, we strived to make each year a "beach vacation". Within my vacation blogs I'll elaborate more and will highlight and review the spots we've visited. When and where was your last vacation?

Who is Sabrina B.? I'll tell you what I know and what I've heard. I am... an entrepreneurial spirit, a true friend, always quirky, sometimes funny, prudent, organized, helpful, a no non-sense mature individual.  I have a long journey ahead of me with much to do and much to be ironed out. With God's help I continually find the strength to march on. In following my blog posts you'll begin to learn why I'm always busy, my goals and setbacks, my desires and aspirations. You'll learn who I really am...all about ME.

Gardening is my solitude. It is my get-away from the worries that may be brewing inside me, the woes and frustrations I may have. When I step outside, I'm in a whole other zone, my zone. I credit my Mom for my gardening passion. She, too would plant seeds each year.  Without knowing at the time and now knowing, I remember phlox, day lilies, roses, irises, and many edibles such as tomatoes, squash, okra, peppers, and collard greens. I never had much of a green thumb until now. I used to not be able to keep a simple pothos ivy alive. I've also had my share of killing cactus plants. I still fail at plants, especially new ones. For this reason I try to stick to what I know and use repetition of plants that are tried and true. Remember, I'm not perfect. Plants that I do not do well with, I learn from. I learn if their survival was from my neglect, mis-education, or if they're just not the plants for me. Each year I spend hundreds of dollars on landscaping items. I s

Are you working or are you grinding so you don't have to "work" anymore? If you have an entrepreneurial path to take you're more than likely doing both. That's what I'm doing. I have been in corporate America for quite some time now and as most desire, I desire to be my own boss someday SOON. There is a difference between working and grinding. You must ask yourself which are you doing if not both. And if you're doing both is it indefinite or temporary? Within my blog topic of 'Working & Grinding' I will journal my experiences since my first job until my present one.

How strong is your 'Triple F' circle- Faith, Family, & Friends? Is your circle bursting at the seam or is it just right that no extra drama gives way for seeping into it? I try to keep my circle as healthy and positive as possible. It can be a challenging task at times. At other times it can be simple as slicing pie, when it comes to dispelling negativity. Then again, slicing pie can be a challenge in order to remove a perfect piece.  Faith, Family, and Friends are relatively entwined with one another when it comes to my circle. I'll blog the affects they each have on me and my family. Stay tuned and continue reading the upcoming blogs. 

(MR. B POSTS MOVED TO FAITH, FAMILY, & FRIENDS GROUP) Most men proclaim to be simple creatures. My husband is one, yet he can be just as complex. We began, stalled, started over, stalled, quit, started over. Our journey is our own. Marriage is indeed a ministry. No ministry is easy. So, our task to remain as 'one' is not easy. Today is our anniversary and I pray we will have many more- teaching, learning, supporting one another. Through my blogs you will learn about my Mr. B., our beginning, our path, our future. You may like him, you may not. Nevertheless, follow me in learning about our journey together. You won't be bored.