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Confessions from the Heart

Sometimes you just need to put it in writing. You know, get it out there!  Talk about it.

I don’t like to admit it, but I am at risk for cardiovascular disease.

You know when you go to a doctor’s office, and you have to fill out all the personal family history? My forms look as if a red pen bled all over them. 

Diabetes in the family.  Check.

High cholesterol. Check.

High blood pressure.  Check.  Check. 

My dad had high blood pressure.  My mom has it.  I have it. 

My mom and me
I was diagnosed with hypertension in my 20s.  My weight was not a factor, nor were my eating habits. I weighed 124 pounds, and, yes, I could have exercised more.  I did have a high-stress TV job. I was constantly hyper and on-deadline.  I raced against the clock every day.  The more I raced, the higher my blood pressure would get.  It was almost a constant state for my body. 

It wasn’t until I left TV and got my job in hospital public relations and marketing that I was officially diagnosed with the disease.  Writing about health and working with doctors daily made my condition more transparent.  In this job, I was certainly in a less stressful environment, and I tried to maintain my blood pressure with diet and exercise for many years, but it didn’t work.

I needed medicine.  High blood pressure is just in my genes.

My own mother, at the age of 76, has not been allowed to drive under doctor’s orders for the past six weeks due to some cardiology testing.  Fortunately, her tests are coming back fine, but she is at a high risk for cardiovascular disease because none of her risk factors is under control.

Right now, my risk factors are under control, but I always have to be one step ahead of my game.  Heart disease kills more women than all cancers combined.  With my own family history, my daughter will be at risk, too. 

Baby Diva wears her red shoes for "Go Red for Women"
When Mimi’s Café asked me to attend their “Go Red for Women” campaign this past Friday, we happily wore red and enjoyed a heart-healthy lunch.  Mimi’s uses only zero-grams-trans-fat, cholesterol-free cooking oil for the items on their menu.  The charming French café chain, voted by Parents Magazine as one of the best kid-friendly restaurants in 2011, takes healthy eating seriously.  In their “Fresh and Fit” section, all entrees are 550 calories or less. 

Mimi's Cafe in Cary, North Carolina 

You can donate to the American Heart Association  all month at Mimi's Cafe
All month, Mimi’s will be raising funds for the “Go Red for Women” movement. With a minimum $1 donation, the restaurant will give you up to $35 in Mimi’s coupon savings.  With a $5 donation, you also get a red-dress pin. 

As someone who became a mom a little later in life, it is my heartfelt wish to live to see my children be successful and be parents themselves.  I also wish to be able to spend precious time with them in their adult lives.  I’ll be 58 when my daughter goes to college.   I can’t do anything about my age, or genes,  but I can do all I can to keep my risk factors under control by staying fit and eating healthy.  

Baby Diva wearing red and enjoying lunch at Mimi's Cafe

I encourage you to take a moment to check your risk factors and learn to be heart-healthy at any age.  As you heard from me today, the risk factors can start at any age in your life. The American Heart Association has put together fabulous resources for us to get and stay on the right track.  Let’s use them.

In honor of heart month, I will also prepare a heart-healthy meal for my family and share it with you on Feb. 24 for the recipe linkup, “Let’s Eat Ya’ll!” If you are a blogger, I encourage you to join me and link up your healthy recipe.

Today is the day to love life with all your heart.  Know your risk factors.  Know the signs of a heart attack. Keep your life healthy and your heart ticking.  For more information on how to become a better, healthier you, visit http://www.goredforwomen.org/BetterU/index.aspx.

Disclosure: I was invited by Mimi’s Café to participate in the “Go Red for Women” movement kickoff on Friday, Feb. 3, and received a complimentary lunch for my family in exchange for this post.  As always, my opinions were not influenced by the company, and I strongly support this cause and the American Heart Association.



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Leigh’s Frivolous Friday: How Do you Like Your Chocolate?

I have a very important question for today’s “Frivolous Friday.”  After all, chocolate makes the world go around, don’t you think?


February is a big chocolate month with love being in the air and all.  But for many, the love for chocolate is yearround.  According to my research, Americans consume 2.8 billion pounds of chocolate each year, about 11 pounds per person.  

So, how do you like your chocolate?

Do you like your chocolate in a mug on a cold winter’s day?



Do you like your chocolate in a box?


Most Americans prefer milk chocolate, about 92 percent of you, but I have to admit that I sneak a little bit of dark chocolate every day.  I have learned to love it, and I rarely eat milk chocolate.  You only need a little bite of dark chocolate to satisfy your cravings, and studies have shown that dark chocolate actually has some benefits to your health.  Research shows that it can help prevent heart disease, improve your mood, and improve your skin.  All in moderation, of course!

Or do you like to be dipped in chocolate and pampered at a luxury hotel spa?

The Spa at Ballantyne  in Charlotte, N.C., is using chocolate to pamper its guests. 

All this month at The Ballantyne Hotel and Lodge in Charlotte, N.C., chocolate is the headliner in the Spa at Ballantyne.  The Coco-Luscious Facial uses the healing and repairing qualities of coconut milk and chocolate to help reduce the appearance of fine lines and redness.  If your feet need a little indulgence, the Chocolate Dipped Strawberry Pedicure while sipping on a signature drink may be your speed.  That sounds heavenly!  Hmmm, I think a trip to Charlotte is on my short list.

Do you like to eat your chocolate with peanut butter?



My dad had a signature candy that he made called Buckeyes.  They look identical to the photo I found.  It was basically a peanut butter ball dipped in chocolate. Honestly, you could eat five before you even knew it.  They were always melt-in-your-mouth good. Since he was in the restaurant business, he would make hundreds at a time.  I have the recipe that indeed makes that many, but I have failed miserably making his special candy.  I can’t seem to get my chocolate right.  One of these days, I’m going to try again because they are so worth the trouble.

Do you prefer your chocolate in a rich dessert?


If so, you are in luck. The cooking website Delish has put together some of Martha Stewart’s most coveted chocolate dessert recipes just in time for Valentine’s Day.

So, how do you like your chocolate?  And if you say, “All of the Above,” then you’re a person after my own heart.

Go find some chocolate, and I’ll see you here next week.





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Da-Da, Do It!

It’s only four little words, but they sometimes drive me crazy.

“Da-Da, do it!”

Sometimes, they are music to my ears.

Such as the times when we are sitting at the table for dinner, and she is out of milk. I hop up.

We hear, “Da-da do it!”

Sometimes, it’s just nice to sit there and enjoy my meal.

Oh, and those four little words are very appreciated when she has a stinky, dirty diaper. I go to get her.

“Da-Da do it!”

It’s definitely no secret that my husband has a little girl that is in love with him right now. She’s in awe of her daddy, and he’s her whole world.

But when we try to take turns putting her to bed and she wants nothing to do with me, those four words hurt.

“Da-Da do it!”

If she doesn’t get her way, we can’t control her. I can’t control her. She throws things. She cries. She’s uncontrollable. She even scratched my face in rage. She tries to climb out of her crib.

It’s not safe. This is a bad phase of toddlerhood.

But most of all, I miss cuddling with my baby in her chair before bedtime.

Caught her at a weak moment here


That’s when she is the sweetest.

I want to end the struggles, and hear four sweet little words.

“Ma-Ma, do it!”


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January CliffsNotes Plus Some New Tidbits on Moi

My son got his first report card on Friday, and it really dawned on me that his first school year is almost over.

Life is flying by.  Let’s face it: January flew by. 

In the blink of an eye, we went from singing “Jingle Bells” to buying Valentines.  Well, in my house, we’re still singing “Jingle Bells” because it’s Baby Diva’s favorite song, currently.  That and “Happy Birthday!”

Winter is almost over, and from the weather forecast in North Carolina as of late, Mother Nature thinks it is spring.

Come on, really?  A high of 67 degrees in January.

But, this is what I really want to say. You know it.  I know it.  Life is busy, and we just don’t have that much time on the Internet in between life’s chaos. 



I read a lot of blogs, and I’m finding myself just being able to hit one or two daily, a handful weekly, and some just monthly.  I know life is like that for you, too.

To make things simpler for our busy lifestyles, I’m going to update you some on my posts.  Let’s call it the Hines-Sight Blog CliffsNotes.  I also used to joke about my past career in TV news because our stories were always like “CliffsNotes.”  You would need to read the newspaper to get the full story.

Earlier this month, I reported on how “Santa Saved Our Marriage.”  We are still in love with our smartphones, and they actually make us smarter right on the spot.  Will and I went to the Raleigh Times Bar for dinner on Saturday before the N.C. State game. 

Raleigh Times Bar.  Enjoying a nice, Highland Black Mocha Stout

Over a delicious black mocha stout brewed in Asheville, N.C., I asked, “Wonder what the cheap seats are selling for when Elton John comes to town in March.”

Without blinking an eye, he says, “Let’s see!”

Yeah, he loves that little phone.

We were then given the trivial knowledge that for $27 you could see Sir Elton, or maybe not? The seats are probably behind the stage.  How on earth would we have survived dinner had we not had this profound knowledge at our fingertips?  Just fine, I’m sure. 

Pancuito will be our destination in February
But while at this restaurant, we did set up another dinner with my mother-in-law for February at Panciuto in Hillsborough, N.C., via a few emails.

We’re going to drive an hour to eat at this well-ranked restaurant outside of Chapel Hill, N.C., and we think it’s going to be so worth it.  The owner/chef, a North Carolina native, has received many national accolades as of late.

 It would have been a tragedy to wait two more days to make the reservation had we not had our phones.  Someone could have nabbed our reservation time slot.  Do you think?

I cannot wait to try all the new recipes that have been linked up with my post, “Let’s Eat Some Mac and Cheese, Y’all,” this month.  There are some great ones, including my own scrumptious macaroni and cheese.

Daphne from Flip Flops and Pearls and I will have the next linkup Feb. 24.  In the meantime, I do put recipes in the news feeds on Facebook each Friday,  and you can also check out this great savory pie recipe from earlier this month.



It’s my way of giving you more kitchen clutter.  Right?  I still haven’t done anything about that, either.

I’m really trying to hold to my goals in the post, “Let’s Burn Some Butter.”  It’s hard to choose exercise in the morning, but I’ve stayed on target with my goals — most days.  I have not cut back my food intake, though, and from the photo you saw from the Raleigh Times Bar, I still have a weakness for some high-calorie items.


With that said, I have lost about two pounds this month, only if I continue to drink lots of water, even if my glass of water is not as pretty as in the photo above.  If I slack off on water, I’m like a bloated bullfrog, and those pounds plus more are back on the scale.

In travel news, almost everyone said they would plan a beach vacation over a ski vacation if they were planning a trip right now. Of course, I did make you choose between two Four Seasons Resorts.  I mean, really, how could you possibly choose?  I gave you tons of tips this month on using Tripadvisor, which I hope will help make your vacation planning easier.


See you back in here in February, and for the record, we’re still giving up our leisurely Saturday mornings, but are bringing Krispy Kreme doughnuts home each week, and apparently Baby Diva sensed why I was not ready for potty.  She’s lost all interest.  And of course you know where to find me every Wednesday night now, and, hopefully, I’ve learned some lessons in parenting along the way.

I also hope that Dee in Charlotte is doing some Southern cooking.  She won the cookbook from the post, "Recipes from the Best Place to Live in America."

And that’s January’s CliffsNotes!  Congrats; In just one post, you’re caught up now.

Join me on Facebook, Twitter, Google Friends, or get my posts via e-mail.  I'm also on Google +, but that one is my newest learning curve. 




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Southern Mac and Cheese Recipe

I am so excited to be co-hosting with Daphne from Flip Flops and Pearls today for the recipe linkup, “Let’s Eat Y’all.”
A great side dish or main entree. My family's most requested dish. Mac and Cheese

My recipe is just Southern, down-home goodness in every bite. It’s certainly not low-calorie, but I give you permission to eat it guilt-free, at least now and then.

When I met my husband, I was 31 and had just moved to Raleigh.  He was my neighbor.  He lived in a very neat condo with beautiful plantation shutters.  A pool separated our condos.  I would stop by his house on my way home from work because it was on the way to my condo, and sometimes, if I was lucky, he would cook me dinner.  He had quite a collection of family recipes in his little recipe box.

Some of my fondest memories are sitting in his clutter-free condo where he would do all the cooking.

Fast forward 12 years, and we are surrounded by our children’s clutter, and I feel as if I never leave the kitchen.  But one thing has remained the same.  We still make his homemade macaroni and cheese.


It’s our go-to side for any dinner that involves guests.  This one-dish works well with BBQ, hamburgers, or even as a holiday side.  I make it.  He makes it.  But I did learn something recently from him when he made it for Thanksgiving.  He says it is better if you do not buy pre-shredded cheese, and you shred your own. 

After tasting it, I think he’s right.  My kids love it.

Enjoy!  I promise that if you make it once, you’ll be making it again and again.

Hines Southern Mac and Cheese


Hines Mac-and-Cheese 
Ingredients:
8 ounce package of elbow Macaroni
2 cups cottage cheese
1 cup sour cream
1 egg
3/4 tsp of salt
Dash black pepper and paprika
8 ounce block of cheddar cheese (shredded) 

Cook macaroni as directed. Mix all other ingredients together and add to macaroni.  Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. 

*can be frozen before baked


Let's Eat Y'all!  And yes, I know there is nothing green on her plate.  Some days are like that!













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