It’s the Final Day of 2019!!!

Today is the last day we’ll spend in 2019! Who’s ready to jump start a new year? I know I am! As in my last post I am revamping the way I live. As I sit here writing this on this super snowy morning I am staying strong with my fast. I have my black coffee and a glass of water next to me and not eating my first meal until 1pm! It sounds scary but surprisingly easier than I thought it would be. I am also getting ready to read a devotional on my bible app. Positive in Positive out is my goal. Just because its still technically 2019 DO NOT wait or put off what you plan to do for your New Years Resolution!

If your resolution is to start eating healthy start now! Don’t take that extra treat at your party tonight, instead grab for the veggie platter and instead of that carbonated drink grab yourself a water. Is your goal to stop drinking? What better way to celebrate a New Year’s Eve than having fun and still being able to remember it! Grab yourself a non alcoholic beverage and enjoy life for the amazingess it already is! Is your resolution to work out more? Stand up while you’re reading this now and get moving! Working out doesn’t just mean going to a gym…. Stand up and start walking or dancing!

The most success comes from starting now towards where you want to be. Don’t procrastinate. Now is the best time to get your life on the right track. We don’t need to wait for that ball to drop or the big hand on the clock to hit a certain number. You’ve got this!

I recently joined a weightloss challenge group and the leader went live last night and was on FIRE! All of her info was amazing but one of the main things I took away was her idea of an accountability mirror! Ok get ready this is going to blow your mind. Such a simple thing but will be so helpful in hitting your goals for 2020! Now this doesn’t have to be for just weightloss so don’t just scroll by. So starting today! Pick a mirror or wall or whatever area of your home you look at everyday that you can put sticky notes on. Mine happens to be the wall behind my dresser in my bedroom. I look at that wall multiple times a day when getting up, cleaning, folding laundry, getting ready for bed etc. Now take your goal and divide it up into smaller bite size goals. For example my main goal of 2020 is to lose 70lbs so I’m breaking that down into 1-5lb marks. Write each small goal on separate sticky notes and get them up on that accountability wall! Every time you hit your small goal you take that sticky note off! Another example would be to build up your savings account. Make a sticky note for each $20 or $50 added into your savings account. This is an excellent way to give real action to your goals, keep you accountable, and its like a little reward system too. I don’t know about you but I love checking things off a to do list and this is like the ultimate to do list!

That’s my tid bit for today! Time to go get my daily devotional and a workout in my living room because I don’t wait for time. The time is NOW for my health. Be sure to leave your ideas, tips, etc in the comments. If you have a specific topic you’d love for me to cover on one of my posts please feel free to message me your ideas at collamatihomestead@gmail.com

-Jessica Collamati

New Year New Me

Hey readers! I hope you all had a wonderful holiday season. Our Christmas was wonderful and I love all the time I got to spend with family and friends. Now that the season is over I am thinking about health and weight. Now of course New Years comes with tons of resolutions. 2020 is definitely where my newest goal lies however instead of a New Years Resolution I started right away. I am keeping a journal and 12/27/2019 is where my first entry starts! Now is the best time to get started on the new me. So along with my cooking and farm life I am also going to start posting my journey along the way. I am posting my weight journey so that I can have some accountability because my self control when it comes to being healthy is pretty much non existent.

So here it goes! My starting weight for this journey is 199 pounds! Ahh! My goal is to be 130 pounds by July 2020. Is this a crazy goal? Maybe but I work better under pressure and a strict setting. One of my biggest goals though is to feel comfortable in sun dresses…. Why do you ask? Well, my husband constantly asks me to wear cute sundresses. I want to do this journey for me of course because getting healthy is important to me but also for my husband. I want to tell you to for sure enter a weightloss journey for yourself but it is OKAY to be doing it for someone else too whether it be for your spouse or your kids. Having the accountability of getting healthy for someone you love can add that extra accountability boost.

How? Well, I am just at the beginning of my official weight loss journey but I am going to list out the various things I am starting off with that way you all can join in too! I also want you guys to comment your tips, advice, routines, etc. Let’s all help each other through this process!

Number 1 thing is focusing on being POSITIVE! Not positive body image… (I’ll get to that another day) but positivity towards this journey. Everyday so far I am writing at the end of my entries I can do this, I will lose the weight etc. Having a positive mindset can make or break any task or goal you have at hand.

Number 2 Accountability. There are so many ways you can have accountability. This blog is one of my ways. I also joined a TON of Facebook weight loss groups, followed health instagram accounts, and started listening to health podcasts. Make healthy lifestyle every part of your day! I also use MyFitnessPal app to count my calories. Tell friends or family members that your journeying to a healthier you. For me white boards also help. I have a white board in almost every room of my house lol. The one in my bedroom I have my daily routine on for example. Put one on your fridge reminding you about logging your food, One could be in your livingroom near your television telling you to get up and walk while you watch your shows.

Number 3 Healthy Foods. There is a ton of research on healthy foods for you. Get out there and read read read! Also some people do well with diving in but if you need to slowly get yourself in healthy habits do it! Anything that will help you succeed in the long run. One thing that helps me is seeing the calories in my meals. With veggies and fruits I can eat a larger amount than the not so good for you alternatives.

Number 4 Exercise. This one is hard for me. First step, get your step count up! I have an apple watch that connects to my phone which I love because it alerts me to stand, breathe, get my step count up etc. But there are also fit bits or cheap pedometers that work just as well for counting those steps. This one here is a cheap one on amazon to get you started https://amzn.to/2F6HPUg Next is cardio. You do not need to pay any money for this! There are free apps, youtube videos, and web research. Get as much cardio as you can in. I am starting off with 30mins minimum daily. Then there is weights. Building muscle is just as important and getting your cardio in. Start small on this especially if you haven’t done weight lifting. Personally I only work out at home so I use resistance bands and dumbbells. You can find great sets on these two links of the ones I use. Bands https://amzn.to/2SOw2Cn and Weights https://amzn.to/37sgmc1

Focus on those and as I go into more Blog posts I will start getting more detailed such as Intermittent fasting, the importance of water, healthy recipes, vitamins, and more! Don’t forget to comment with your goals, tips, resources etc!

-Jessica Collamati

Adding in my Before Pictures from 12/31/2019

A Pain in the Neck

This is probably just going to be a whiny post, however I needed to get on and write before too much time passes between posts. I apologize ahead of time if it comes off unjoyful which if you’ve been reading my posts is so not who I am. I am working to find joy everyday still and even in this crazy pain.

So this past week and a half I have been dealing with quite the stiff neck. I did end up going to the doctor to make sure it wasn’t something more serious. It’s just a pinched nerve and muscle spasms but man are they getting in the way of my daily routine. A sore neck can make even doing dishes a real miserable event.

So far I am pushing through doing the bare minimum but thankfully I have a wonderful understanding husband and helpful children to help out. The animals on the homestead however don’t care how I am feeling. Laugh out loud. The goats still need hay and their water warmed up from the cold winter nights. The chickens and ducks need their grain, sprouts, and their water warmed as well. And the dogs well they’re a bit more understanding and even will lay on me when I go to get out of bed in the morning looking at me with big brown puppy dog eyes that gently say cuddle just a bit longer.

If you are a homesteader like me, well not a full homesteader here just yet but you get the just, what do you do to help get you through those icky feeling days? I have found my IcyHot cream is working the best on this neck nonsense. The doctor gave me some muscle relaxers as well but I can’t afford to take them in the day time because nothing will get done and the husband will find me sleeping on the couch with no house chores done.

So now that I got my complaining out I need to find the joy. Well I can say I find joy knowing I am raising some pretty caring children. My 8 year old Max has been making my tea for me while Melanie who is 3 cooks me up some delicious imaginary food in her toy kitchen. Santino our 11 year old has also been wonderful by picking up my slack in chores and even making food for him and his siblings. Another joyful part of being down is seeing the love my husband has for me. Random neck rubs and taking my plate to the kitchen after dinner.

Signing off for tonight… hoping the kiddos fall asleep quickly so I can fall asleep too. Have a wonderful evening and even in the hard days find your joy.

-Jessica

Goats on the Homestead

Yesterday was a huge day on the homestead! We had been planning on moving up to larger livestock since we moved to Maine in January but this year just didn’t seem like it was going to work out. So we talked it over and decided to wait until spring of 2020.

Well, I guess God had other plans because a deal just happened to cross our paths with the perfect set of goats for us! Yesterday after church we hopped in the minivan and headed 45minutes away to pick up a momma goat and her two adorable male babies. Of course as soon as we saw them our hearts were instantly filled with joy and we were in love.

Then the man who was selling this wonderful trio offered us the dad too! Now that we’ve had Sherman here I couldn’t imagine not having him. He is the most lovable goat I’ve ever met.

The momma goat is Sugar which suits her perfect because she is an all white Nigerian Dwarf and sweet as can be. We have yet to pick out names for the two baby boys so please comment with some ideas for us.

We are just starting out in this awesome journey of being goat owners but I can already tell they are the perfect animal for us. I can’t wait to continue to share our homesteading stories with you as I tackle milking sugar and making some awesome recipes including cheese, ice cream, soap and more with her milk.

-Jessica Collamati

Best Phone Game

One of my favorite games to play in my spare time is War Dragons. It is a quite involved game so you must be ready for lots of strategy and thought to be put into each move you make in the game. If you’re looking for something more mindless but still fun check out Bubble Shooter. Here’s a link to find that game https://skillz.com/p/DQRSE/29O

In war dragons the best part is flying these very well created dragons. The details that go into the graphic design of this game are impeccable! My favorite dragon at the moment is Hildr. It is a sorcerer dragon which means you swipe your screen to attack. The other dragon types are hunters where you must rapidly tap the screen to kill towers and warriors which you hold your finger on the screen more like a blow torch effect.

Bases are critical in this game! You must lay out your base so when other players come to burn your buildings and steal your resources you can defeat them. One of my strategies is I have what we call a “kill island” This means one of my short islands is loaded with 5 maxed out towers plus a dragon perch with a fierce defense dragon with boosters. These kill islands can be deadly to the opposing dragon when done properly. I am no expert in the world of dragons but I’d say for my level I’m pretty fierce.

Another great aspect of this game is the events. I crave quests and missions to complete in a game kind of like Borderlands which is my favorite game on our PlayStation. I love having something to accomplish and get prizes for. There are many different events and quests in this game such as PVP events, Fortification, Breeding, Troop Building, Crafting gear and more! In each event you get points in which you can use to redeem prizes.

War dragons is also a very social game. Being on a team is the only way to make it to the top. Right now I am on a team in the Sapphire League that is amazing. It is comprised of 50 players that work very well together and help each other out. We all grow together and lift each other up.

Ready to start training your dragons and join this awesome game? You can download it on iOS or Android here. Play War Dragons with me! Tap on my link to download the game and receive rewards!

https://j2wv.adj.st/referral?code=000B5U27LA&branchSource=copy&campaign=referral&adjust_t=mk2fkcl&adjust_deeplink=dragonsong%3A%2F%2Freferral%3Fcode%3D000B5U27LA%26branchSource%3Dcopy%26campaign%3Dreferral Once your ready find me in game and take your chances with my base. My in game name is goosez1989

-Jessica Collamati

Chicken Curry over Brown Rice

One of our favorite dishes in the Collamati household is chicken curry over rice. This dish is especially good during this cold we have because the curry powder totally opens up your sinuses plus the turmeric that’s in the curry powder has amazing health benefits. For the video recipe click here to head to my YouTube channel https://youtu.be/QVG09dRLYS4

To start, add a half stick of butter and 3 diced onions in the ninja foodi on med sauté. Don’t have a Ninja Foodi? Get yours here https://amzn.to/33KTJx2

While your onions are starting to cook down dice up 6 cloves of pickled garlic. If you can’t get pickled garlic, you can also use fresh garlic or the pre diced garlic from your local grocery store. The measurement comes to about a 1/2 cup diced garlic. Add your garlic to the onions and turn your ninja up to high sauté.

In Instant pot add 4 cups brown rice, 5 cups water, 2 Tbsp butter and 1/2 tsp salt. Set on high pressure for 22 minutes. This step can be done at the start too, I just happened to choose to do it after getting my onions and garlic started. Get your Instant Pot here https://amzn.to/2s0HXkP

Cube up a package of boneless skinless chicken thighs and add in spices. Spices include 2 tsp pepper, 2tbsp chili powder, and 4 tbsp Curry Powder. Add chicken and spices into the ninja with the onions and garlic and turn to med high sauté.

Cook for 20 minutes stirring occasionally as to not let the chicken burn.

Turn heat to low med and add half stick of butter and another 2 tbsp of curry powder. Give a good stir to mix everything.

At this point your rice should be done so tend to that by doing a quick release of the pressure.

Turn the sauté function off for your ninja and lower the lid. Set the air crisp setting to 390 degrees for 10 minutes. You can stir and repeat this step to suit how crisp you like the tops of your chicken.

Now that your quick release is done for your rice grab a fork and fluff your rice. You can keep the lid on until you’re ready to plate.

Once your chicken is at the right amount of crispy and juicy it’s time to plate up! Grab a bowl and add your rice then layer on your curried chicken! Like your curry a little saucy? Try adding a cup of chicken stock or water during your last air crisp.

Enjoyed this recipe? Be sure to follow me here and on my YouTube channel!

-Jessica Collamati

Snowy Days in Maine

It’s December 2nd and we just came off a long Thanksgiving weekend. As the house settles back into our homeschooling routine and the house changes over to a Christmas wonderland, there is a snow storm brewing outside. Sitting in the colorful Christmas tree lights as snow falls down is one of my favorite moments. Add in a hot cup of tea or hot cocoa and a warm fuzzy blanket and your moment is perfect. Do you have a favorite drink to sip on while watching the snowflakes dance through the sky?

Snow in Maine has by far been like no other place for me. I am a snow lover in general but since we’ve moved up to the little town of Bridgton Maine my love for snow has grown to exponential amounts. Before moving to Maine in January of this year we live in Connecticut. Connecticut is still part of New England and does get snow but it is a totally different feeling up here. Snow falls in a way like no other here in Maine. As the snow falls a joy comes about me like a rush of happiness and contentment. Maine also has some of the most gorgeous views such as the snow laden mountains or the many pine trees that stick out of the snow with their bright green needles.

The first sign that the snow is coming in is the smell. There’s something about that crisp cool air when it touches the senses in your nose screams snow is on the way. It almost smells as though the snowflakes have landed already and you breathe it all in along with the clean air that living in the mountainous areas brings.

Then, that cool air tingles your skin. Goosebumps and a chill overtake you as always in cooler weather but up here there is something different about it. The cold sets in quickly but then an overwhelming peace comes about and it suddenly doesn’t feel as cold as that old thermometer outside the door reads. Maybe that part is just me but I could stand out in that lovely Maine crisp clean air for a good amount of time with out even realizing it is so cold.

The best part! Those gorgeous unique snowflakes start making their way from the gray clouds above and sticking to everything. The snowflakes up here are bigger than any I’ve ever seen! They cover everything in a beautifully pristine blanket of white. Gone away are the leafless trees and the hibernating bushes. Suddenly the trees and bushes burst into a new kind of beauty, majestically carrying those precious works of art and droplets of ice.

As the ice and snow cover the large pine trees in the backyard and across the street you can hear them singing a wintery song. A song full of creaks and cracks that if you haven’t let your ears take a listen you are missing out. Where we moved to there isn’t much traffic so standing out in the driveway all you hear is that beautiful snow laden song of nature and various animals scurrying about.

Now I know there are troubles when it comes to snow and sometimes it gets a bad reputation. With shoveling and car accidents it can be hard to focus on the beauty that snow truly brings but next time you find yourself caught in a snow storm take the time to take it in. Snow can bring amazing beauty and pleasure to all your senses if you let it.

One of the ways I take the time to enjoy these gorgeous snowy days is to grab a skein of yarn, my crochet hook, and a hot cup of tea sitting near a window with the blinds open and the pellet stove roaring. In between the kids doing their school work they play by my feet with Legos or reading books cuddled up next to each other. Crocheting is one of my loved hobbies that I can’t wait to share more with you all about in future posts.

Who else loves the snow? Chickens and Ducks on the Collamati Homestead. When I went outside to bring them their feed and fresh water this morning they were all hopping around and squawking up a storm. As our little farm grows I can’t wait to see more of our animals playing in the snow and sharing them with all of you.

Thank you so much for taking the time to read my blog posts. I appreciate all of my readers. If you’d like to continue reading more posts you can follow right here on Word Press or you can also find us on Facebook here https://www.facebook.com/collamatihomestead or look us up on Instagram @collamatihomestead

-Jessica Collamati

Cyber Monday Shopping List

It’s CYBER MONDAY!!! Who’s got their cup of tea ready to do some holiday shopping online from the comfort of your home?? Need ideas on where to look? Here is a Mega List of awesome places to shop online today! Keep refreshing my blog post as I’ll be adding new websites throughout the day! Also if you’ve found some great sites that I don’t have listed please write a comment with the sites! Let’s all help each other get some amazing deals today. Most sites with just be link but I will try to add any sales details that I can as well and a good amount of these websites will be small businesses so you can help support families and local shops too!

Up here in Maine it’s a snowy day perfect for shopping! It’s also a great day for advertising so if you’d like your business added to this list comment below or send me an email with your website link to collamatihomestead@gmail.com Happy Shopping!

Shopping on Amazon for Cyber Monday? Use this link for a 30 day Free Trial of Amazon Prime! https://amzn.to/2DMGHop

Norwex Cleaning Supplies https://alisonbuonome.norwex.biz/

Paparazzi Accessories $5 Jewelry https://paparazziaccessories.com/257849/

The Traveling Vineyard Wines https://www.travelingvineyard.com/guide/THEWINECHICK/

Color Street Nail Wraps https://www.colorstreet.com/SparkleWithStacey

Doterra Essential Oils https://www.doterra.com/US/en/site/jordancollomy1

Souly Rested Books Homesteading, Maple Syrup, and Kombucha https://soulyrested.com/order/

Sipology by Steeped Tea  Loose teas, Cocoa, Matcha and MORE! https://www.sipology.com/?fromConsultant=KT206428

Younique MakeUp and Skin Care https://www.youniqueproducts.com/CherylMitchellbeautifulyou#.XeRzDFRKjIU

World of Wendy Designs Handmade Décor and other goods https://www.etsy.com/shop/WorldOfWendyDesigns

Wizarding Apothecary https://www.etsy.com/shop/WizardingApothecary

Maison Terre Herbs, Spices, and more http://www.maisonterre.net/shop/

PartyLite Candles and Home Decor http://www.partylite.biz/sites/jessicabolduc;jsessionid=2BB8A4F425B0E3CC53EB021E8F68663D

Shop the most wanted items on Amazon here https://amzn.to/2L9Rf4H

Pampered Chef All your Cooking and Kitchen Needs https://www.pamperedchef.com/pws/jennhowe/shop-landing-page

Best Buy https://www.bestbuy.com/site/misc/cyber-monday/pcmcat309500050010.c?id=pcmcat309500050010

Bed Bath and Beyond https://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/store/category/cyber-monday/all-cyber-monday-deals/15795/?icid=glb_global_fly_L1_link_ShopAllCyberMondayDeals_15795

Game Stop Video Games https://www.gamestop.com/

LulaRoe Leggings and other Comfortable Wear She is going out of business so snag these pieces at awesome prices! https://shop.lularoebless.com/Lularoekristydreher

Vita Cost Vitamins and Supplements Use CODE CYBERSAVE for 20% OFF https://www.vitacost.com/

Burpee Seeds  Free Shipping on orders over $50 No code needed https://www.burpee.com/

Be sure to keep coming back as this list will be growing as I find Cyber Deals to add and update the small business websites as well!

-Jessica Collamati

Best Sandwiches in Bridgton ME at Beth’s Cafe

Today is over a week I have been sick so after church my awesome parent’s offered to watch all 3 kids! Okay so that is an amazing blessing in itself but then I came home and my wonderful husband said let’s go out! At first he wanted to take the 45 minute drive to Conway New Hampshire, which is a nice trip when your healthy and in a good mood but not so much when you’ve been sick and feeling icky. So, I said let’s try out Beth’s Cafe down the street since I also had a gift certificate as well.

Off we went! When we walked in it gave a lovely comfortable feel, which when you’re feeling down is just what you need. We started off with a delicious chocolate dipped cannoli for dessert, of course! Then as we waited for our sandwiches we sipped on coffee together. Rob got a cup of Jamaican me Crazy regular coffee which is out of this world good! It had lovely notes of hazelnut and coconut. And I had my favorite, a vanilla cappuccino is an adorable cafe mug.

Just as we were sitting enjoying our hot coffees on this cool crisp day the waitress brought out our sandwiches! Can I tell you, I have never had a more delicious sandwich in my life! One of our favorite things to do when we go out to eat is we both order something different and trade half for half. So Rob ordered a Famous Rueben on marbled bread and I ordered their Hot Pastrami. The Rueben was loaded with meat and sauerkraut. The marbled bread was so thick, warm, and just the right amount of crunch and soft! Next up is the Hot Pastrami, now this sandwich I didn’t think could match up to that amazing rueben but then I took a bite. I honestly can’t tell you which one was better than the other because they were both so mouth watering. The Hot Pastrami is a wonderful concoction of pastrami, provolone cheese, thick juicy tomato, sweet onions, pickle, and thousand island.

I highly recommend stopping in for one of these amazing sandwiches next time your in Bridgton Maine. Beth’s Cafe’s website is http://bethskitchencafe.com/

-Jessica Collamati

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