I actually am really trying to keep up with my New Years Resolution to pay more attention to PORTION CONTROL, reduce HIGH CALORIE/FAT foods, and EAT OUT LESS.  I came across this today and was actually horrified – and now the first thing to avoid when we do eat out will be appetizers :

Worst Dip Appetizer

Chili’s Hot Spinach & Artichoke Dip with Chips

• 1,130 calories
• 90 g fat (39 g saturated)
• 2,460 mg sodium

Sure, there are artichokes and spinach in this dip, but they are drowned in cheese and mayo. These nutrition numbers are just for one serving—the plate, which you may easily plow through, surely has more than one serving.

Worst Potato Side

Dairy Queen Chili Cheese Fries

• 1,240 calories
• 71 g fat (28 g saturated, 0.5 g trans fat)
• 2,550 mg sodium

regular small fries are about 300 cal

Worst Appetizer in America

On the Border Firecracker Stuffed Jalapenos with Chili Con Queso

• 1,950 calories (again, that’s for one serving, and there are at least two in this appetizer so if you eat it yourself – well, do the math)
• 134 g fat (36 g saturated)
• 6,540 mg sodium

My most popular (and my most favorite!) product that I sell is a coffee table book of all the images from a photography session. It is just a wonderful way to capture the different looks and personality of the child, and a fabulous keepsake.  Ethan’s mom gets one every year from his annual session, and she treasures being able to look through them and see how much he has grown and changed. Oh how I wish I had these of my own children! I did scrapbooking, sure, (and I was pretty good at it – I used to get published regularly in the major magazines and was on a product design team). But now when I look back at them, I’m a little disappointed in how they look so dated and homemade – not that it’s bad, just that I don’t have anything that is polished and professional to go with them. Ethan will have such a wonderful record of his childhood to show his own children someday, because of his mother’s dedication to preserving it.  His children and grandchildren will be able to get a feel for exactly what he was like as a little boy, and exactly how much he was loved!

and the cover:

(family photographer in the upstate sc area,  lake keowee photography, children’s on- location portraiture, Clemson and Anderson child and family portraits)

www.casualmoments.com

..but I don’t have the ingredients. Tomorrow.

Get directions here and then feel free to send me some!

(photographer in Anderson, SC and Clemson SC near Lake Keowee)

NO, not me – I already have a great guy! BUT I’m hoping that all of you can help me with an idea that I have, since it is so close to Valentine’s Day. I would love, love, love to photograph a surprise marriage proposal for my Blog! Does anyone know a great guy that has a special someone and may be thinking of popping the question? If you do (and they are close to me, either in western PA or in the upstate SC area), have them give me a call…the first one to contact me & schedule a surprise proposal will get a complimentary session and a small folio of the images (date/location must fit into my schedule).

A fun idea for those of you that had your children recently photographed by me – print-your-own photo valentines! Back by popular demand from last year:

Each design is sized at 2×3 inches – so that you can print FOUR on one 4×6 print and cut them apart  (note: #1 is sized at 2×6 for a bookmark, so you get TWO on one 4×6 print instead of four). With the cost of 4×6 prints at your local photo developer at like 12 cents, you can afford to have fun!  The possibilities are endless – they can be pasted onto pretty cardstock for a bookmark, or tied to a pencil or lollipop if you want to go even farther.  The digital file with your child’s Casual Moments photo inserted is $20; I can email it to you as soon as payment is received. Call or email me now!