Real Food (PSA)

I started a new blog dedicated to low-carb recipes that use real food ingredients, rather than artificial substitutes.

Two months ago now, I went low carb. I started slowly, not really counting carbs, just cutting out breads and sweets and limiting my fruit consumption. After a couple of weeks, I started keeping a food journal and adding up my daily carb count. I'm not following any particular diet plan, but I do try to keep my carbs between 20 and 40 net grams per day.

As I started looking for new ideas online, I was disappointed to see how many uninspired low-carb recipes are out there. So many of them seem to rely heavily on artificial or specialty (read, pricey) ingredients. I don't like fake foods and we can't afford expensive ones. Figuring I'm surely not alone, I decided to share some of the recipes I've adapted or created. The dishes are low carb, low sugar, and most are completely grain free.

If you're interested in real food for real people, take a look and see what you might like to make.

You have reached the conclusion of this public service announcement. Thank you for your time.

Congratulations, Planet Nomad!

Apparently, if you want people to enter your contests, you have to both give away something people want and actually have readers who visit regularly. Dang.

After I swept myself up off the floor that only ONE PERSON entered my book giveaway (dramatic sigh, "Nobody loves me!"), I decided to go with it and look on the bright side. This saves me the trouble of visiting that random number website to choose a winner.

Congratulations to Planet Nomad, and many thanks for making my giveaway a success. If you would please shoot me an e-mail with your contact details I will be happy to get your book in the mail.

Tell your friends ... I'll be here all week ...

And ... I'm Off!

With the official start of NaNoWriMo today, and the impending birth of the newest little Gray, I have decided to take a blogging break for a while. If I have the energy, I may be back now and again through the rest of the month, but maybe not.

I've scheduled some of my favorites to run while I'm gone, just to keep you interested. If you'd like to follow my novel-writing progress, you can check out my author page on the NaNoWriMo site.

Until next time ....

Somebody Won!

I finally chose a winner in my secret giveaway ... but I don't know how to contact her. When I asked for one comment number, Random.org gave me #4.

Susan2009 of Fruitful Words, please send me an e-mail. You won! I visited your site, only I couldn't find a way to actually contact you. I'd love to find some pretty cupcake wrappers for you ... but I don't know where to send them. :)

To everyone who didn't win, thanks for playing, and I'm sure I'll be hosting another giveaway in the near future, so keep reading.

Sorry, Folks

After having to delete my last dozen comments--all from the same spammer--I have decided to turn on comment moderation. Sorry for the inconvenience.

Carry on.

Let the Wild Rumpus Start

As a child, I was never really a big fan of Maurice Sendak's Where the Wild Things Are. I don't know if I was too sensitive or imaginative or what, but I found it scary. Nonetheless, the idea of creating my own "wild rumpus" sounds like fun. Especially if I'm looking for a way to celebrate my 500th blog post.

Yes, folks, it's true. This is post 500. I've finally gotten a high enough count that I would have to look up the roman numeral to cover it (in fact, I did: it's "D").

To keep my rumpusing on the wild side, I am hosting a secret giveaway! I don't actually know what I should give away, so to enter, you need to leave a comment recommending a fabulous, but, ya know, smallish, prize that you would like to win. As always, you'll get an extra entry for linking to this giveaway on your own blog (leave me a second comment if you do this, please). I will choose one winner at random from among those prizes I can accommodate. Comments will close on my blogiversary, Friday October 16th at 11:59 PM CDT, and I'll announce the winner the following week.

Good luck!

We Have a Winner

After a long morning of discussions, my daughter and I have come to an agreement. I won't call her Khalil, but I do have a new name for her to share with Blogland.

I would like to introduce you to my daughter, Rosi.

If I had my camera fixed, I'd post a lovely picture of the back of her head, where you'd have a great view of her new haircut. Since we don't have a working camera, Rosi would like to offer this self portrait for your enjoyment.

Now we just need to figure out what to call the new baby--both in the virtual world and in real life. Adam and I have been working our way through a couple of name-your-baby books, but so far all we've come up with is a growing list of names that will need to be narrowed down considerably.

Meanwhile, anybody want to suggest a name to choose or avoid?

Because I Was Getting Tired of Pink

If you catch up with my posts by e-mail or using a reader, please come by the site and check out the new changes!

Now, for all of you who are here--what do you think? The pink was just getting on my nerves a bit and I wanted to try something different without a complete overhaul.

So ... you like?

Hear Ye, Hear Ye

Sorry, folks, but due to circumstances beyond my control, I've decided to postpone the rest of my Month of Love celebration.

When my computer and I recover from our respective viral attacks, we can chat more about it.

Wishing good health to you all!

Looks Who's Talking

Adam has decided to come out of his blogging hiatus and post his version of our story this month, too!

Check out what he has to say about the way we first became an us at Transforming Word.

I'm Sorry

Today's premier of the story series about how Adam and I got together must be postponed.

Unfortunately, I woke up this morning with a very nasty virus and have been alternating my time between the bed and the bathroom. Sitting makes me nauseated and standing makes me dizzy. Typing makes my head hurt.

Once I'm feeling better, I'll be back with the beginning of our story.

Tomorrow and All Next Month

Tomorrow will mark five years since Adam and I got married. In celebration of this occasion, the month of May will be "Love Month" here at Experience Imagination.

Twice a week (on Tuesdays and Thursdays), I will be sharing our story of how we met, fell in love, and eventually married. I'll also share some tips on creatively expressing your love, some romantic thoughts, and a few of my favorite marriage posts from the archives.

I hope you will come back often and celebrate with us!

Drumroll, Please

Thanks to all of you entered my 400th post contest. The winner of my pink and blue handiwork is ...

Lillian
at
Joy Quest Journal

Congratulations, Lillian!

For those of you who didn't win this time around, I have written up the pattern so you can make one for yourself. I'll post it later today.

Last Chance

Win me!

I just wanted to remind you all that I'm closing entries for the Hints of Pink purse at 10:00 tonight. I've only got a few comments at this point, so you're chances of winning are pretty decent. Visit the contest page for details and instructions. You can't win if you don't enter!

Children's Books

I added a couple more books from the Ramona series that I've been reading aloud to my daughter to my 2009 Reading List.

          

My daughter has really been enjoying reading the books, even though I'm pretty sure she doesn't quite understand a lot of things. She keeps asking to read more, so I can't complain. She has even started "reading" to me by finding a picture or opening to a random page and making up the story.

A Short Break

I think I need a week off. Adam's on vacation this week and I think I'm going to declare one of my own.

No archived posts this time, just taking some time off. Feel free to wander through on your own, though. There's some good stuff buried back amongst the rubbish.

I think I need to clear out my brain so I can fit some more good thoughts up there.

Hasta luego.

Not Sick Yet

Still wondering if I'll be coming down with the family cold, but so far I'm in the clear. In fact, I had a wonderful morning on my own while Adam and our daughter lay low at home.

Among other things, while I was out, I started getting caught up on my 2009 Reading List updates. Check out the list for new reviews of:

          

          

Reading List: Now with Even More Books

I've updated my 2009 Reading List post with a new review as well as a collection of books I've started but discontinued reading.

Check it out.

(No pun intended)

(Well, maybe a little bit)

Another Reading List Update

I have added a review of Lost & Found by Jane Sigaloff to my reading list.

New Book Review Up

I posted the review I promised for Getting Married by Theresa Alan on my 2009 reading list.