Welcome back to another edition of my version of #TBT! Every Thursday I will be featuring a post that was originally posted on my old blog that couldn't be transferred over here to Blogger. This week's post was an actual #TBT post where I shared my ultimate bucket list cross off. I hope you enjoy it!

#tbt: A bucket list item checked off

I was watching some YouTube videos last night when I realized how much I trade in my tv watching for YouTube surfing these days. You really can find ANYTHING on there. When I say everything I mean it. YouTubers make me laugh. They show me how to do things. They educate me. They entertain me. They make me feel like I can do anything. So where am I going with this, you ask? It got me thinking about how these people are getting in front of a camera every week and showing you their world. They are brave and get treated all sorts of ways just by putting themselves out there everyday.

It got me looking through my subscription list. I don't have a ton but the ones I do have, I have been watching for years. Some of these people have been doing this for so long, its like a favorite TV show. You can't get enough and hope it never gets cancelled, so to speak. I noticed a majority of my subscription's are beauty related. These ladies helped me learn how to use and put on makeup. A lot of them younger than I have really grown up on these channels. Some have families now, major beauty careers, or even their own brand lines. They do it all and they choose to show you. This is awesome to me because I don't have the guts to do that. This blog is it for me. My world in words, but probably never in videos.

I felt this was a good time to introduce you all to my favorite YouTubers. These are the faces I enjoy watching when I need a break from the world. I pull up these channels and watch as I am working on my blog, or working on something else that is keeping me glued to my computer for the evening.

• XSparkage: Leesha was probably the first channel I subscribed to. She always had bright fun makeup tutorials that kept me coming back for more! 
• Leesha Vlogs: Leesha now only does great beauty tutorials, she also vlogs! She is about to become a mommy so head on over and watch her adventures to parenthood. 
• Elle Fowler: Elle has been at this awhile and she has really done a lot for herself. Between her and her sister, they have their own brands. I love watching Elle because she is always changing it up.
• Its Judy's Life: Judy has a great vlog. She and her hubby Benji really bring you life unedited with their toddler and new baby twin girls! Lots of fun there! Be sure to check her out! (She also has a beauty channel but I prefer her vlog :)
•  Jenna Marbles: Ok anyone who needs a laugh, check out Jenna. She is funny and crude, but hey I like it!
• Ray William Johnson: I don't know what it is about this channel but I am always laughing with all the random finds around youtube! Check it out for a big laugh!

So there you have it. My favorite youtube channels to watch when there ain't $h!t on the TV! Do you all have any favorite channels you watch? I am always looking for something new to keep me interested so pass along those links! Or do you yourself have a channel? Post the link!

Happy Hump Day!!

Happy Monday all! I had a busy weekend celebrating 2 birthdays and the official start of summer. Now nothing says summer like a big ol' juicy hamburger! I was lucky enough to be selected on Crowdtap to host a McCormick Grill Mates party. I was so excited to get this opportunity and to be able to use it for the kickoff of summer AND a birthday party all in one! How convenient!



I received a nice sized box of goodies from McCormick to incorporate into my BBQ fun. The box included (From left to right):

• Memphis Pit BBQ Rub
• Steakhouse Burgers- Steakhouse Mushroom Seasoning Mix
• Smokin' Sweet Tea Marinade
• Tennessee Smokehouse BBQ Rub
• Steakhouse Burgers- Smoky Applewood Seasoning Mix
• 2 Montreal Steak Sauces
• Worestershire Pub Burger Seasoning
• Chipotle & Roasted Garlic Seasoning
• 3 Montreal Steak Seasoning
• Steakhouse Burgers- Classic Burger Seasoning Mix

Most of these seasonings were new to the Grill Mates collection. Right away the wheels were turning on how I wanted to incorporate these into my party. I decided on making some sliders so all of my guests could sample the flavors before deciding on a burger. I never made sliders before and was happy to find slider buns at my local Wegmans. This made it more exciting for me. Mini buns for my mini burgers!

 
I rushed home on Friday to start prepping my food. I was going all out. Cutting up onions. mushrooms, tomatoes, and peppers. Pulling out all of the condiments in the house. These babies were going to be epic. Once I got started I realized I had never made sliders before and I didn't have a grill ready to use. My guests were going to be arriving soon and I wanted to have the first set ready for their arrival. I decided to bake them! I decided for my first run I was going to use the Classic Burger seasoning, Smoky Applewood seasoning, and Steakhouse Mushroom Seasoning. I rolled out little burgers mixing in the seasoning as I went.


 I baked the 6 little sliders for 10 minutes on each side. They smelled amazing and my guests starting showing up. I quickly assembled the sliders so I could get the party started with some yummy food!


 The first 2 are Smokey Applewood. I added some sauteed onions and BBQ sauce to give it a nice flavor. The middle 2 are Classic burger. I added a tomato slice to give it presentation. The last are the Mushroom burger.  I added sauteed onions and mushrooms to give it a flavor that was out of this world.


All of these burgers were a hit. I really loved the Mushroom burger. The flavor was amazing. I also really liked how juicy they were doing them in the oven. I will definitely do it this way again. We moved on to the regular sized burgers on the grill. I decided I wanted to try the Worestershire Pub Burger Seasoning. The flavor was amazing. So in love with all of these seasonings.

I am so thankful I had a chance to try out these seasonings from McCormick. They were all a hit and I will be buy more in the future. I want to thank Crowdtap and McCormick for this opportunity. I found some products I probably wouldn't of bought otherwise.

Now spill it. Have you ever used any of these seasonings? How do you like your burgers? Do you bake them or grill them? Tell me in the comments!

Welcome back to another week of Fit-Trish. A weekly series where I talk about getting healthy and fitness on a budget! I have covered quite a few topics already so if this is your first time, check them out, here, here, and here!



This week I wanted to talk about another important necessity for a healthy lifestyle. Hydration. We need to drink in order to keep our body from dehydration. The most important beverage we should be consuming is water! Water is a not only important to any weight loss program, but it is something we need to live. Our bodies are made up of mostly water, and depriving it of water can often cause dehydration. It is often said that one must consume 64 ounces of water a day to help stay hydrated and to flush toxins from the body.

I hear a lot of complaints when it comes to drinking water. Most people say they don't like the taste and often skip it. This leads to drinking more sugary beverages like soda and juice. This week I want to bring you a few alternative options to help you consume more water and cut out the sugar.

My favorite go to alternative when I am craving soda is a flavored seltzer. Seltzer provides the carbonation you crave when you want a soda, but without all the sugar and calories. Seltzer comes in all kinds of flavors so there is something out there for everyone. My personal favorite is Polar. They have tons of standard flavors and they also come out with seasonal flavors.


Seltzer can also be used to cut down the sugar in drinks such as orange juice or cranberry. I mix 1 part seltzer to 1 part juice and that cuts down the calories by half. My ultimate favorite is the virgin fuzzy navel. This is one part orange juice to one part peach seltzer. Speaking of fuzzy navel, you can also use seltzer in your alcoholic drinks. Replace the soda with seltzer and you will be cutting out all kinds of calories!

My next option for drinking less sugar is to use a water enhancer. These come in all sorts of flavors and formulas. Most of them are sugar free and are naturally sweetened. I have been using a brand called Stur. They have a handful of flavors and the taste is good. It helps me drink more water through the day.

No matter which way you do it, cut down on the sugary drinks and down some water. If you can't do water all the time, try these alternatives and see how you do. What is you ideal way to cut out the sugary drinks? Do you like seltzer? What about water enhancers? Let me know!

I know it isn't Friday, but I wanted to post about my fitness journey today. I never really talked about my goals and why I decided to finally take the plunge into a healthier lifestyle. I will be back Friday with my normal Fit-Trish post. I have some exciting topics coming up in the next few weeks!


There are quite a few reasons why I decided to join a gym and get healthy. Back in 2007 I was in a really bad car accident that has left me with a permanent hip and knee injury. It was determined by a jury that I was not permanently injured and nothing further happened. (Sometimes the law sucks ya'll). I have been living in pain off and on since then and was told a good way to help was to strengthen my core muscles and the obvious option of taking off some weight.

I have exercised off and on through the years but never really kept a schedule. I would get into those moments in life where I was depressed, or busy, or any other excuse I could come up with to not workout. The past few months for me have been very stressful at work and it was physically making me ill. I have posted about my struggle with stress. (Check it out of you are lost in finding a reason to why you aren't feeling good.) I have found by eating a better diet and working out regularly has helped me to feel less stress with is leading me to feel better.

This is going to be an every day battle for me. But I am ready to take it. I love food, but not just food in general, I love carbs! Breads. Cakes. Cheeses. Those are the things my little heart desires. I find myself reaching for the rolls, or the cakes, or the breads when there is food laid out in front of me. I am changing that day by day and learning to make better choices. I am replacing those things with more water, fruits, veggies and smaller portions. I will not deprive myself of having something, but I am going to have less of it. I think its a good plan for me.

I am only 4'11. My ideal weight for my height falls between 90 and 120 pounds. I am aiming for 115 pounds. This leaves me 35 pounds to lose. I am at the heaviest I have ever been and my body knows it. I feel sluggish and tired all of the time.I know I can do this. Not only do I want to look good, I want to feel good. I plan to have children one day and I want to be able to enjoy them. Run with them. Play with them. Having bum body parts can get in the way, so I am making the better choices now before it's to late.

How do you lead a healthier lifestyle? Do you do it for yourself or for some other reason? Tell me your stories! I love to hear them!