2012 April | bassgiraffe's Thoughts

Monday, April 30, 2012

Posted by bassgiraffe in clothing, fitness, health | 2 Comments

The importance of wearing the proper shoes

When it comes to working out and fitness, and for everyday life for that matter, it’s important to be wearing the proper shoes. I learned this the hard way this weekend. Story to come soon.

When I workout at home; weight lifting, bike, elliptical and workout dvd’s I use a cute pair of Nike Alvord 9 shoes. I bought these last year for my indoor use(they are meant for running on rugged trails, but I loved them for inside too). I love the support I get from them and how breathable they are. This shoe is a perfect fit for my “hard core” dvd workouts and comfortable for my cardio. I don’t wear these shoes outdoors as I want to keep them from getting dirty and having dust on them to slip on, on my workout mat.

When I’m out running I use a pair of Skechers Shape-ups XF-Accellerators shoes. These fit great, my feet never hurt wearing them and they help me run with better form. I also love the cushion feeling they give my feet. I’ve worn these so much I am now looking for new shoes, hoping to get a pair of SKECHERS Fitness Pro Resistance S R R to continue on my 5K run journey and soon my 10K run journey.

It’s very important for you to be wearing the proper shoes at all times and not every shoe will work for every activity you do.

Now on to why I started to write this. On Sunday we went out to take a look at a “new” couch set to see if we’d like it to replace our old one. I wore my flip-flops not thinking I’d be carrying a couch, loveseat and coffee table.

We did end up getting the couches and I did end up carrying everything with flip-flops on. In the past I was too weak to be able to lift those kinds of things but now I’m a lot stronger and they were easy to carry. The only problem is this is how I’ve been sitting all afternoon.

heat and ice-

My knee was hurting a bit this morning but not too bad. I took some Advil, rested and then went for my run. It didn’t hurt at all during my run so I thought it was better. Once I got home and tried to take the stairs I had a ton of pain. So I’ve been heating and icing it all afternoon. It’s feeling a lot better and I will take a rest day tomorrow to let it heal, but I learned my lesson, the right type of foot wear is very important at all times.

Monday, April 30, 2012

Posted by bassgiraffe in book, book-Movie, Christian, review | Comments Off

“The Discovery” book review

My Thoughts-
It took me 2.5 days to read “The Discovery” by Dan Walsh. I’m a very slow reader but this book had me wanting to keep on turning the pages. It gets your heart pumping, you will cry and you will smile.
Michael Warner’s grandfather has past away. He was a very famous author and left a lot of money to everyone in his family. His grandfather, Gerard Warner, left Michael is very large, beautiful house. Michael and his wife, Jenn just can’t believe they are finally living their dream. Michael is now free to write and Jenn can do what she want.
Jenn has to leave for their old home to finish off her last two weeks of work. While Michael is on his own he discovers an old, unpublished story written by his Gramps. It’s about a young man named, Ben. Ben escaped the Natiz by pretending to be willing to go to America and bomb certain places. However, Ben really wanted to go back to his homeland. Once Ben is in America he see this women, Claire and instantly falls in love. The problem is he has to lie to her. If he told her the truth not only would he be in danger of being caught but she and her family would be in trouble. With a series of events 6 months later he has to tell Clarie the truth, the same day she thought her was going to propose to her.
This story Michale’s Gramps wrote is not ordinary story. You’ll figure it out sooner then Michael does, but it’s still really cool to read about and hope for the best. You’re also hoping Michael will figure this secret out too. (Sorry to be so veg, I don’t want to give anything away, it’s better to read it without knowing what’s going to happen)
Although I wish I could have kept reading more about Michael and Jenn and the rest of their family, I was left satisfied with the ending and where it left off.
I would highly recommend this book to ALL. For ages 16+, men and women. Christian and non-Christian book readers. it’s that good of a book. So far it’s my favorite I’ve read this year and I’ve read a lot of books.

Find it-
amazon

Synopsis-
The Discovery by Dan Walsh
“When aspiring writer Michael Warner inherits his grandfather’s venerable Charleston estate, he settles in to write his first novel. But within the confines of the stately home, he discovers an unpublished manuscript that his grandfather, a literary giant whose novels sold in the millions, had kept hidden from everyone–but which he clearly intended Michael to find. As he delves deep into the exciting tale about spies and sabotage, Michael discovers something that has the power to change not only his future but his past as well.
Laced with suspense and intrigue, The Discovery is a richly woven novel that explores the incredible sacrifices that must be made to forge the love of a lifetime. Author Dan Walsh delivers yet another unique and heartfelt story that will stick with you long after you’ve turned the last page.”
——————————
Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.
Available at your favourite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group

Sunday, April 29, 2012

Posted by bassgiraffe in giveaway | 108 Comments

Shopbop- Mason by Michelle Mason dresses (plus $100 gift card GIVEAWAY!)

“Shopbop has grown to become one of the leading fashion retailers in the world. Curated with a chic, modern woman in mind, Shopbop offers a comprehensive collection of designer apparel and accessories to suit every style and occasion.”

The first collection I found was the, Mason by Michelle Mason dresses. I was drooling over so many of their styles. My favorite would be the “V Neck Dress with Sheer Sleeves”. I would wear it with some cute sandals and maybe a pair of black leggings. I also love the Tank Maxi Dress. It looks perfect to wear while relaxing outdoors this summer. Also nice for a day at the beach.

I’m sure most of you have heard of Calvin Klein. So why not take a look at Shopbop’s Calvin Klein Collection. They had dresses, shoes, pants, tops and jackets. I personally have fallen in love with the Luella Jersey Sandals. They look cute and comfortable.

With the Summer coming and Fall right after that I always think of weddings. And I think a perfect place for you to look for some cute casual wedding dressesis at Shopbop. There a many elegant comfortable looking dresses to pick from. Something for every taste out there.

And for those of you on pintrest, hope you’ll check out Shopbop pinterest. Pretty cool, eh?

Saturday, April 28, 2012

Posted by bassgiraffe in book, book-Movie, food, giveaway, health, review | 14 Comments

“Superfoods For Women Only” book review & giveaway

My Thoughts-
I was very excited to be given the opportunity to read, “Superfoods for Women Only: 20 Vital Foods for Soft Hair, Clear Skin, and Feeling Younger” by Hilary Greenleaf.
The book introduces you to the term “Superfood”. it explains what makes a food a superfood and the benefits it has to your body. It then goes through the different food groups and what would be considered a superfood found in North America or easy to purchase. After the description of the food it explains why it’s a superfood. it then gives you 1-3 recipes you can make using the food.
I really enjoyed reading this book. It’s one you’ll want to keep on hand for writing your grocery list for the week. I know there are a ton of recipes I can’t wait to make and try out. Quite a few of those I know my kids will love. I found myself marking almost every page to remember to come back to and re-read. It’s that good.
if you’re looking for more foods to help you with your health/weight Loss I would highly suggest this book. In fact I would suggest this book for everyone to read and keep as a reference. I’m happy that there are more and more books out there to help people learn how to eat, what to eat.

ABOUT-
“Superfoods for Women Only: 20 Vital Foods for Soft Hair, Clear Skin, and Feeling Younger goes over 20 different foods that have substantial health benefits. The book describes the scientific benefits of the foods, gives tips for how to eat them, and also provides recipes for preparing the foods.”

FIND it-
website
facebook
twitter

Friday, April 27, 2012

Posted by bassgiraffe in Uncategorized | Comments Off

Weekly link-ups #94

I PREFER YOU FOLLOW ME VIA GOOGLE+, thank you.

I am doing this to try and make my posts less cluttered. I will make a separate post for Friday as I do a lot of blog hopping then. I am providing this weekly for everyone to look at, if you see a hop you’d like to join please do. I don’t have time to join all of them every week, but I try my best. I ALWAYS follow back, I may not leave a message right away but I do follow back. Please leave me a comment if you want me to visit your blog. You can read more about this here- http://www.bassgiraffe.com/2010/10/google-friend-connect.html Please check out my current giveaways and recent reviews.
Thank you for stopping by. While you’re here, if you like my blog please vote for me for the following (thank you so much):