interesting twist on quitting! i like it!

Employ the power of positive quitting. Most of us view quitting as something negative, but it’s not. Winners never quit, we’re told, when, in reality, winners quit all the time: choosing to stop doing things that aren’t creating the results they desire. When you quit all the things that aren’t working for you, when you quit tolerating all the negative things that hold you back, you’ll create a positive charge in your life as well as create the space in your life for more positive experiences.
~ James Allen

tips for staying fit on the road!

 Yoga Mat: Great for those impromptu moments when you want to stand on your head and watch the sunset. No really, possibilities are endless. And I did in fact stand on my head while the sun was setting in the Badlands! This has been one of my most beloved travel companions. While you might not want to carry a full size mat like I do, they make great travel options. Click Here! or Here!

 

 Yoga Belt: Great for stretching and rolls up to practically nothing! Super easy to pack!

8 lb Hand Weights: Yes, you read that correctly, I travel with 8 lb weights. I'm quite certain my fellow campers think I'm a little off when I start doing lateral raises and overhead presses right outside my teardrop. Funny thing about that: I don't care what anyone else thinks! :) 

 

Resistance Band Weight Training: I love my weights but this helps with legs not just arms. For those of you that don't feel like lugging around weights, this is the perfect option! So many workout possibilities. Click Here for a list! 

Push Ups: I can always count on this classic standby to keep my arms in shape. I just do about 20 everyday. Nothing major but it's enough! Little bit everyday makes a difference! When I'm at a campground, I usually place my hands on the picnic table bench and do them on an angle. Not sure why, I just do. 

darrell gwynn foundation: success stories!

Click below to read two recent DGF "success stories"! My beloved Jonathan and Jermaine! Thanks so much for heeding our call Darrell!! 

DARRELL GWYNN SUCCESS STORIES! CLICK HERE!

Also, quick update! Jermaine finally moved out into his very own apartment!! After 4 long, neglected years he's finally out of that horrible nursing home! So many exciting, life-changing things happening for the boys. Also, through the college fund I have set up for them, I'll be getting Jermaine and Jonathan both private tutors to help with their studies. Jermaine needs to hone is college skills while Jonathan is working toward his GED! Gotta love the motivation! I'm trying to help Blake find a handicap accessible apartment - not easy. As soon as he finds one, he'll be out too! 

Here's another JERMAINISM! (this kid cracks me up!)

If you want to fly with the eagles, don't hang with turkeys. 

baked kale chips!

BAKED KALE CHIPS! 

I'm staying with a close friend in her beautiful home in the Hollywood Hills (yes, my camper in the driveway is an oxymoron). Anyway, she's got a FABULOUS garden and lots of kale. I've eaten Kudu in South Africa but I've never had kale before. Yes, I know I've been living under an (american) rock. This is the year of firsts. Anyway, I figured I'd give the much talked about kale "chips" a try.

Conclusion: they're good, but I'm not going to dream about it like I do bacon. I can see how they're "low calorie", because let's face it, you're eating leaves, so they better be low calorie. I think if you already like kale you'll love them. I don't think I like kale. Still deciding. At least I don't think I like this kind of kale. Dunno.

BTW: I used garlic infused olive oil to zip them up a bit. I think it helped but not sure. 

UPDATE: Nope, I don't like Kale. I noshed them all, but had weird kale breath all night. I think my date could still smell the kale on my breath from across the table -- the next night! If he doesn't call, I blame the kale. lol Seriously, don't let this deter you. If you like kale you're going to love the chips!

Ingredients

• 1 bunch kale
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon seasoned salt
  
  

Directions

1. Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a non insulated cookie sheet with parchment paper.
2. With a knife or kitchen shears carefully remove the leaves from the thick stems and tear into bite size pieces. Wash and thoroughly dry kale with a salad spinner. Drizzle kale with olive oil and sprinkle with seasoning salt. (I drizzled with garlic infused olive oil) :) 
3. Bake until the edges brown but are not burnt, 10 to 15 minutes.

Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

your time is limited...

Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma - which is living with the results of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of other's opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary. ~ Steve Jobs

another on-the-road coffee idea!

I have a propensity to morph into Satan's sister without my coffee (joke, sort of). No really, I'm a very happy person but I need my coffee. 

Just got this tip from a follower. The REI ONE CUP COFFEE MAKER: Seems like a handy little coffee gadget, although it doesn't look big enough! At only $5.95 I'd say it's worth having around. 

Thanks, Robin!

thanks for the memories, zion. it was great to finally meet you!

Zion is beautiful, but I'll need to go back to fully appreciate its full glory. I'd love to hike the Narrows, but I need a permit and full all-weather gear (most of the hike is waste deep water). I've learned to accept that I can't do EVERYTHING the first go around. It's not like this is the last time I'll travel! I'm taking notes... 

Zion is the "greenest" park I've visited so far. There's barely any parking within the park itself, so they force you to take a shuttle everywhere. While it's environmentally friendly, it drove me a bit crazy. If you want to hike the Emerald Pools, for example, you need to shuttle to your stop and then wait for the shuttle to take you back errrr. I like to be spontaneous and change my mind on a dime. I'm not the best "planner" (clearly), so it was a bit hard to adjust.    

Now I know for next time! :)

Once again, I woke lulu up for this photo! She's such a funny little bugger.

Btw: this pic is funny because I got about 10 miles outside the park when I realized I didn't take a pic near the sign! I had to go back! lol

hello grand canyon!

Only visited the spectacular North Rim. I'll cover the South Rim and rest of canyon soon! 

tips for the road!

Ok, so I've been compiling a list of some helpful tips for traveling the road! Here are a few:

 
 • GSI OUTDOORS FAIRSHARE MUG: This mug/bowl/tupperware has too many uses to list. Just buy it. Trust me. I just noticed they sell a collapsable one... even better! 

• ORGANIC VALLEY ORGANIC NONFAT DRY MILK: I understand the thought of dry milk probably makes you want to dry heave, but don't let it! This is truly one of my best discoveries. Put a few tablespoons of dry milk in your Fairshare mug (above), add water, close the lid and shake! WALLA! You have milk! Now just add your favorite cereal (directly to the mug) and you have breakfast! No need to cry over spoiled milk! Instead you can just cry over the fact you've turned into your grandmother!

UPDATE: I checked to make sure this link still worked and it appears Organic Valley Dry Milk is not available anywhere! REAL FOOD makes an organic dry milk that seems just as good. 

• DUSTBUSTER: Growing up, there were times we barely had enough money for food, but we had a Dustbuster! Ironically, it sat charged gathering "dust" most of the time. NOW, it's my best friend (next to Lulu of course). It's impossible not to track dirt into the camper and the only way to get it (all) is with this clever little gadget from 1979.

• RAIN X BUG REMOVER WIND SHEILD FLUID: I highly recommend bug remover, always. But it's an absolute neccessity when you're traveling through Wisconsin and Minnesota. YOU HAVE TO HAVE IT! The creators of Mothra vs Godzilla must've gotten the story idea after driving through these two states. I had no idea bugs could be so big. Seriously, they look like prehistoric monsters out there. The only way to get the large splats of bug guts off your windshield is with this stuff! Regular wiper fluid just smears it (dry heave). Even with this Bug Remover you'll still need to stop at the gas station every 20 miles to wash your windshield, but at least it helps.

• UNBREAKABLE FRENCH PRESS: I've broken a french press on the road, so trust me, buy shatterproof. 

BTW: Here's the recipe for Cowboy Coffee. You haven't lived until you've tried it (not really, but it sounds good). Some new friends in Michigan gave me the tip. I chose NOT to include the eggshell as I couldn't figure out why the heck it was in the recipe in the first place. Seemed to have no brewing merit what-so-ever. End result: my coffee didn't taste very good and I kinda made a large mess (again, I know you're gonna blame user error, or the lack of egg). NOoooooooo  

• WINDEX WIPES: If your travel companion has four legs (or even two) and likes pressing and smearing her wet nose against the glass and sometimes licking it, then you need Windex handy! Otherwise the smudges will drive you crazy.

Note: If your 2 legged companion is licking the glass, you might need more than Windex. 

 
• KOOLATRON THERMOELECTRIC COOLER: I've said it before and I'll say it again, BEST PURCHASE EVER! This little fridge has saved my diet. It's a must for road trippin' but I also highly recommend for families traveling around town (smaller model). 

• QUARTERS! You'll always need them, trust me! And not just for laundry and pay meters! I stood chilly and naked trying to get the shower to work, in Wisconsin's Wyalusing State Park, only to peak outside the curtain and notice the pay machine! I had to run outside naked, wrapped a towel, to look for quarters! I only found 2! errrr (2 = 6 mins) :(

• WET WIPES: You can never have enough wipes!! NEVER!

• REI ONE CUP COFFEE MAKER: My friend, Robin, gave me this coffee tip and I thought it was worth adding to the tip list!

you don't see this everyday!

Less than 400 of these little vehicles of teardrop wonder, made by Camp-Inn, exist! Harder to spot an endangered Ash-Breasted Tit-Tyrant in Bolivia than another one of these on the road, never mind camp next to one!