One of the hardest tasks I have every day is feeding my children afterschool. It is a monumental task because my children are absolutely ravenous when school lets out. If I don’t get them fed immediately they start gnawing on each other, and that can make a mother want to pull her hair out by the roots. [Read more...]
Miss Lori is taming her kids’ hunger with Tyson Mini Chicken Sandwiches after school
January 5, 2012 By 2 Comments
Nutritionist David Grotto gives Miss Lori 4 goto food items to add to her routine in town or traveling
December 28, 2011 By 3 Comments
One of the reasons I fell off track last month was because of all of my traveling. I was okay at the beginning of my adventures, still ridding high from my stellar September and October, but that burn could only take me so far, and last so long. My big downfall was the fact that I couldn’t be in control of my own food. I would do my best to make the “healthiest” choices on the menu’s available to me, but that didn’t always make much of a difference. I mean bad is bad right? Anyway, when nutritionist David Grotto and I were finally able to get our schedules aligned and get back together on a consultation call my first and most important question to him was, “What can I do to keep me on track when my World takes me out of my comfort zone?” [Read more...]
Miss Lori tastes a homemade dream at HomeMade Pizza Co.
September 2, 2010 By Leave a Comment
HomeMade Pizza Company. It started with an idea and 13 years later it’s a community sensation. That’s what it looked like to me when I went to their grand opening on Wells Street. People were lined up all the way down the block. What for? Why for pizza of course. (An institution in this fair town. Truly.) But lets back up a moment. What makes this pizza soooo special? Well, the secret ingredients in this pizza, that make it so desirable, are heart, determination, and courage. Owner and creator Eric Fosse got his heart set on an idea, then he had the courage to dig in deep to bring his idea to life, and lastly, despite pitfalls, he remained determined to see it through. Eric holed up in his basement with his brother in-law for two years mixing, experimenting, crafting and creating the perfect recipes to feed his dream. He opened his first store and guess what?…it wasn’t a hit. So of course he decided to…open another one. No, I am serious. As he says it, he was too fool hearty to quit. Now there are 18 HomeMade Pizza Co. stores in Illinois alone! Plus there are additional locations in Minnesota, and Washington D.C. (Doesn’t look very foolish to me!)
This dream hasn’t been a singular effort. It’s been a true labor of family love. From Eric’s wife, to his brother in-law, to his daughters. It wouldn’t have come to fruition without the sacrifices and selfless contributions of the entire family. It takes a village to raise a dream.
I’m all about families, especially giving families back time. I think it’s the greatest gift they can receive. That’s another reason why I am really hip to the idea of HomeMade Pizza Company. I can call and order just what I need for my family, and pick it up on the way. At home, while we are all getting settled down and washed up, our dinner prepares itself, (with a little help form a hot oven.) It’s hot, fresh, and most importantly, easy. Woo Hoo! Love that. Because truly, I have to get dinner on the table in 15 minute or less or else my children will start to eat each other. (You think I’m kidding.)
At the grand opening event in Old Town they had a truck full of fresh tomatoes to illustrate HomeMade Pizza Company’s commitment to local produce, and fresh ingredients. They were giving out cartons to everyone. (Hey, you had me at tomato!) Keep in mind, they don’t just have pizza’s, they have salads. $3 salads Monday’s through Wednesday’s this Summer as a matter of fact. And then there are the homemade cookies! (BONUS!) I would show you a picture of the finished product, (which I was given as a gift when I attended the grand opening), but my children gobbled it up as soon as I took it out of the oven. (They have the third degree burns on the roofs of their mouths to prove it.)
So when you go to a HomeMade Pizza Co. you aren’t just buying a freshly prepared pizza ready to go home with you, and come to life in your oven. No, you are bringing home a pie that is a slice of an even bigger pie in the sky dream. A dream that has come down to earth and become an appetizing reality for your community and for your family. Homemade dreams, HomeMade Pizza.
SMILE On!
ML
Miss Lori can be found Musing from her Minivan at MissLori.TV , Wearetherealdeal.com , YoungChicagonista , ChicagoMomsBlog , and ChicagoMoms.com. She is the Chicago Family Entertainment Blogger for Examiner.com and a Discussion Leader for MomsLikeMeChicago. You can also see her Activating to Be Great at Miss Lori’s CAMPUS on Youtube, Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.
Miss Lori Go Red BetterU week 7; Your numbers are your friend
July 9, 2010 By 1 Comment
Your numbers are your friend, That is the overall lesson that I am trying to teach myself during my summer’s journey as an ambassador for the American Heart Association’s Go Red For Women BetterU Program. Since I was a child, when someone has said “know your numbers” they have been referring to the numbers on the scale. And most of my life those “numbers” have not felt very friendly, particularly since the birth of my third child. But at age 40, the numbers that I need to be concerned about aren’t just restricted to the scale. As I learned in week 2 of the BetterU program, it’s important to know your cholesterol, blood pressure and body mass index. These numbers aren’t your enemy. Quite the contrary. They are your friend, even when they are off the mark. Why? Because knowing your numbers helps you be better, live better, and feel better. If you don’t know your numbers, you don’t know what you need to work on, or maintain.
When I had my heart screening earlier this month I found out my all-important numbers. (Unfortunately, I also found out my weight, even though I had my eyes closed and asked not to be told. UGH). The news was good regarding my cholesterol and my blood pressure. I’m managing fairly well in those arenas. But my BMI, (Body Mass Index), was a different story. Which wasn’t surprising to me. Even though I closed my eyes on the scale at the doctor’s office, I am well aware that I am carrying around extra “me” that I don’t need to. Which translates into a high BMI. That was one of the principal reasons that I embarked upon this journey to be BETTER. I don’t just want a Body Mass Index. I want a BETTER Mass Index! [Read more...]
Miss Lori week 5 Go Red BetterU Program: an apple in the hand is worth pounds on the scale
June 25, 2010 By Leave a Comment
As you all know, this Summer I am the Ambassador for the American Heart Association’s Go Red For Women BetterU Program. I started the program just after my 40th birthday in May. It’s been going well, this journey of enlightenment. It’s a literal journey because I have been traveling so much since I started this program. In fact I am on my fourth city this month alone this week. Which actually has been great for my pedometer. (Airports really help you rack up the steps). But traveling messes around with your internal clock and it doesn’t afford you the best food options when you are trying to optimize your health. That’s a nice way of saying traveling makes you chunky. [Read more...]
Disney Give a Day, Get a Day program reaches goal of 1 Million volunteers. Keep Going!
March 10, 2010 By 1 Comment
Last month I had the great pleasure of attending the Disney Social Media Moms Conference in Orlando, Florida. Our second day of the conference we attended a celebration of volunteerism at Epcot Center. Trucks were rolling out, carrying food to people in need both domestically and in Haiti. But in order for that to happen volunteers were needed to stack cans, seed trees and stuff Ziploc bags with supplies. The most impressive message of the day for me was that every little bit counts. [Read more...]
Quaker Oats wants you to CrEATe Your Day
March 2, 2010 By 15 Comments
I started my day with a very happy tummy this morning thanks to Quaker Instant Oatmeal. When I was a kid I used to eat oatmeal all the time. But it was very plain, (and kind of lumpy to tell you the truth). But lately I have gone back to the future. I have been eating oatmeal, but not my mother’s oatmeal, my children’s oatmeal. Oatmeal of the future. What is oatmeal of the future you ask? It’s whatever you want it to be. You get to CrEATe Your Day. The great folks at Quaker Oatmeal want me to think outside the box and get creative with my oatmeal. [Read more...]
Miss Lori gets heart smart with Kathy Kaehler and Healthy Ones
October 29, 2009 By Leave a Comment
On my way to the market I met celebrity fitness trainer Kathy Kaehler! Well, that’s not exactly how it happened for me, but it did for many other people. For the last two months Kathy was on tour with Healthy Ones encouraging people to make smart choices for themselves and their families at the grocery store. The Healthy Ones street team was on hand with money saving coupons and recipe ideas, while Kathy put customers through their paces with her killer 5 minute circuit, (a great way to steal a workout out of our highly crowded days.)
I had a fantastic time working out with Kathy and I really took her suggestions to heart. One week after meeting with her I was in Southern Illinois shooting a commercial. There I was at 6am on a pier in “hurry up and wait” mode, when it hit me; thanks to Kathy I could make use of that downtime.
