Play Ball

It's Opening Day!  The grass is a little greener today. The sky is a little bluer today. The birds seem a little bit happier today. I can smell the popcorn and hot dogs in the air. It's been a long cold winter and although it is still a little cold outside it doesn't matter today. Why? It's Opening Day 2011! Today, every team, every fan (even the Cubs) thinks this is their year! I love baseball. Baseball is a part of me. It's in my blood.  Here's to Opening Day! Play Ball!!



Go Cardinals!


The one constant through all the years, Ray, has been baseball. America has rolled by like an army of steamrollers. It has been erased like a blackboard, rebuilt and erased again. But baseball has marked the time. This field, this game: it's a part of our past, Ray. It reminds of us of all that once was good and it could be again. Oh... people will come Ray. People will most definitely come.
                                                                     - James Earl Jones from Field of Dreams 

Royal Wedding

The Royal Wedding is exactly one month from today! Who is planning on getting up extra early to watch? Not only am I going to set my DVR to record the wedding but I am also going to get up early and watch it live.  Oh to be Kate!!

Low Fat Onion Rings

It's no secret that my favorite website for recipes is Ginas Skinny Recipes. Her recipes are easy, yummy, and include Weight Watchers point values.  This past weekend I tried her Low Fat Onion Rings. My oh my! They were so good...I didn't even miss the Sonic onion rings. I hope you enjoy them as much as I did. My husband hates onions which means there's more for me!

Tip - The first time I made these I let the sliced onions soak for about 2 hours. The second time I made them I only let them soak for about 10 minutes. Do not skimp on your soak time! The first batch was much better than the second batch due to the soaking time. Allow yourself enough time to let them soak for at least 1 hour.



Picture is from Gina's Skinny Recipes

 Gina's Skinny Recipes Low Fat Onion Rings
Servings: 2 • Serving Size: 1/2 • Old Points: 1 pt • Points+: 2 pt
Calories: 74.7 • Fat: 0.6 g • Carb: 14.7 g • Fiber: 1.6 g • Sugar: 1.7 g • Protein: 2.9 g  
 

• 1 medium onion, sliced into 1/4 inch rings
• 2 1/4 cups low fat buttermilk
• 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
• 1/4 cup Italian seasoned whole wheat bread crumbs
• 1/4 cup crushed corn flake crumbs
• salt to taste 
• olive oil baking spray

Place slices of onion in a shallow dish. Pour the buttermilk over the top and let them soak for about 1 - 2 hours, refrigerated. 
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Line baking sheet with parchment paper or foil.

Combine panko, bread crumbs and corn flakes in a large dish, season with salt.

Dip each soaked onion ring into the crumb mixture; coat well. Place rings onto two cookie sheets. Lightly spray with oil. Bake about 12 minutes or until golden brown. Serve immediately.

Motor City

I'm a Ford girl. Always have been and always will be. I'm an even bigger fan of  American made/owned automobiles. I'm also a lover of the old muscle cars, the Mustang, the GTO, the Cobra, Chevy Super Sport etc. I love going to car shows. My love comes from my dad. Dad was a fireman but on the side he was a mechanic. People would call the house all the time and want Dad to work on their car. He only worked on American cars. He was working on a '65 Mustang that had been restored. This car was awesome. The paint job cost more than my first 2 cars combined. Kevin and I were given strict instructions to not touch the car. If we wanted our bikes we had to walk our bikes out of the garage instead of riding them out for fear of bumping into the mustang. We followed the rules. We were walking our bikes out one day and Kevin fell...the handlebars slid down the mustang. I just knew I was going to be an only child. Luckily, it was the rubber part of the handle bars that hit the car and the car was covered with a blanket. Kevin's life was spared.

Dad has a Torino that he restored. I have begged and begged him to let me drive the Torino but he always says "the car has too much power for you to handle." Um, he's right.

So, what's the point of this post? GM used some billboards in Detroit for the 2007 Dream Cruise Weekend. Thought I'd share them with everyone.

Blog Makeover

How do you like the new look? Yes, my blog needed a makeover in a big way and well, she got one. My brother helped with the customization of the girl and Krizzy Designs designed the layout and the rest of the blog. I highly recommend Krizzy Designs. She is great to work with and is priced very reasonably. Go check her out. Tell her This Memphis Belle sent you. You will love her, I promise.

Pray for Lucy

Please pray for this little girl, Lucy! Lucy has been diagnosed with a rare and aggressive form of brain cancer, medulloblastoma. Lucy is in Memphis at both Le Bonheur and St. Jude.  Click her to follow Lucy's journey.

Malcolm Winters

The other day I was talking (tweeting) with a friend about The Young and The Restless. The conversation eventually turned to the character Malcolm Winters and the 2 guys that have played him...Shemar Moore and Darius McCrary (current).

Shemar Moore was one of the reasons I tuned in daily to Y&R. He always made my days better. Now, he's making my nights better...on Criminal Minds as Special Agent Derek Morgan.

When Shemar left Y&R, he was replaced by Darius McCrary - better known as Eddie Winslow. Um, no thanks! Darius is attractive but he is no eye candy like Shemar. I still watch Criminal Minds every night (reruns  are on all the times and new season on Wednesday) just to see Shemar wear a tight t-shirt and a gun. I do not watch reruns of Family Matters.

Now when I see Malcolm Winters on Y&R I can't help but expect Steve Urkel to walk in and say "Did I do That?"

I know it's not fair to Darius but Shemar Moore will forever and always be Malcolm Winters to me and lots of other people.

Who is your favorite Malcolm Winters?





Colon Cancer 5K

Today is the last day to register for the Get Your Rear in Gear Colon Cancer Coalition 5K.  The 5K is in Chattanooga this Saturday (March 12).  I will be running (um, i mean walking) with Team Journey which is Sara's team (see post below about Sara's battle).

This 5K is raising money for colon cancer research. My father-in-law is a colon cancer survivor. I have a friend who is battling colon cancer. I lost a friend to colon cancer in October and I have 2 sweet friends who lost their father to colon cancer last month. My aunt is battling ovarian cancer but is taking a colon cancer medicine. Needless to say, this race is huge because cancer research isn't free!

If you would like to join Team Journey, register your own team, or donate to any team in the 5K just click here.

Where is Your Mind? Where is Your Heart?

A few months ago, my friend (Sara) gave birth to a stillborn daughter (Anna). A month later my friend was diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer. The way Sara has approached both the death of Anna and now her cancer have been inspiring. I have never witnessed someone praise God in the midst of storms as Sara has done and is doing. God is truly using Sara as a witness and a servant. Anyway, Sara has a caring bridge page and asked her dad to post something today. Please read the words from Sara's dad as it is applicable not only to Sara but to all of us.



When we arrived that fateful Tuesday morning, I saw clearly what I had detected in your voice on the phone. No “wringing of hands”… no “fretful wailing”...just a weary surrender to an overwhelming enemy …cancer…advanced cancer…active cancer…appearing out of nowhere, compounding the weight of woe over the loss of our precious Anna.


I begged you not to lose hope, but rather to prepare yourself for the life and death “battle for your mind and heart.” Satan is tremendously skilled in prompting our minds to focus on the seemingly insurmountable foes that present themselves during our lifetime. He whispers “give up”…”give in”…“just let it go.” He loves to come to us in the darkness of night, on the dreary days, in the lonely hours, and when we are physically weak. And he is very good at what he does.


Some 2000 years ago, Paul pleaded with us to battle for our hearts and minds. When the sudden onset of a powerful calamity threatens to overwhelm, he exhorts us to…(now, take a deep breath)
take our eyes off the danger before us,  close our eyes and reminisce about the many, many times, the Almighty God has powerfully intervened and come to our rescue, and give thanks.
 
And with that renewed recognition and trust in the ALMIGHTY, we pray and make “supplication” (i.e. beg with every fiber of hope and assurance in our being!). The certain outcome is “the peace that passes understanding” that “will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” So says Paul in Philippians 4:6-7.

So my precious Sara, fight hard for your mind and heart! In this spiritual and physical “tug of war” in which you are now engaged, don’t be overcome by the view of the powerful enemy that would pull you into the abyss before you, but instead, ever hold on to the “rope of hope.”

Look over your shoulder, and see the powerful armies of God who are pulling with you, and let the strength of His mighty arms pull you to safety!



What an incredible message. We are all engaged in some sort of spiritual and physical "tug of war" because Satan is always on the attack. We each have a "tug of war" going on in our lives.  So, just as Sara's dad asked her, his words are now asking you...where is your heart? Where is your mind?

You can follow Sara's journey here: Sara Walker

Bethenny Frankel

How many of you were able to watch the first episode of Bethenny Ever After last night?  I was always a fan of Bethenny when she was on RHONY but I've fallen in love with her spin-off show(s).
Her first spin-off show was Bethenny Getting Married. She married a hottie guy, Jason, and they had a beautiful wedding and then an adorable baby girl, Bryn.

Bethenny is a natural foods chef, an author of 2 books, released an exercise DVD, and is working on 2 more books. Let's not forget her 2nd place finish on Skating with the Stars or her company Skinny Girl.

Last night her second spin-off show, Bethenny Ever After aired. I must say, Bethenny has a killer body! How was she able to model in a size 4 bikini 3 weeks after giving birth?!!? How in the world is she doing this...

Looks like her boobs may tip her over.

Bethenny always tells it like it is...no sugar coating from her. Usually when she does tell it like it is she makes me laugh.

She always looks so cute even when she's in her pajamas with 2 breast pumps. I can't wait to see what unfolds this season with her, Jason, Bryn, and Skinny Girl.