sTORI telling...

In my continuing effort of reading a new book per month, I decided to finally give in and purchase “sTORI telling” by Tori Spelling.

Let me tell you, I couldn’t put it down; I read it in one sitting! I just kept on reading and reading. I was hooked reading all of her stories and feeling like I was getting to know her a little bit more. Silly, I know, but true! Anyway, I enjoyed reading her book and now I am her “friend” on MySpace as well!

By the way, when I went in to Borders this past weekend to buy the book, the cashier was telling me that Tori’s mother, Candy Spelling, had a book signing there at that store location for her own book, and that only 11 people showed up! Seriously! Anyway, I enjoyed reading Tori’s book… now on to the next one! :-)

Become A Vegetarian, Save The Animals, Get Healthy

Hey everyone, I wanted to share a little something with everyone… Like I have mentioned before, for the longest time, I considered making changes to my eating habits, which included taking out meat and other animal products from what I eat; essentially becoming a vegetarian. I thought about it for a very long time, but never had the courage or the will power to take that step. I finally decided it was the perfect time to make the change and read “Skinny Bitch”. Reading that book helped me realize I was making the right choice. I thought that becoming and being a vegetarian was going to be so hard. But you know what, it has been the easiest thing I have ever done! I am not doing this to lose weight, though I have lost a few pounds, it’s an added bonus! I am doing this because of the cruelty to the animals, all so we could have a delicious steak, burger, fajita, etc. I have to admit, my first weekend as a vegetarian was hard… I forgot!!! And I ate some delicious tacos al pastor. Yes, they were delicious. I haven’t said meat isn’t delicious!! But then I realized what I was doing and the decision I had just made; I let myself eat the tacos anyway and enjoyed them as my last non-vegetarian meal!! That was about a month ago, for my sisters’ graduation party!! I haven’t gone back since!! I have found healthy, animal-free meals that I am truly enjoying. Believe me, it’s easy! For example, I made spaghetti last night. My husband hasn’t joined me in becoming a vegetarian, so when the pasta was done I separated some into a different pot for me, I added the marinara spaghetti sauce to both pots of pasta and then added the cooked ground meat to my husband’s spaghetti and mixed it up. He loved it and I loved mine, without meat! I have discovered new snacks, fruits and vegetables and tried different salads!

I listed some websites here that you can take a look at and perhaps join me! Copy and paste the links into a new tab or window:

• http://www.peta.org/
• http://www.goveg.com/
• http://www.vegcooking.com/makingthetransition.asp
• http://www.goveg.com/factoryFarming.asp - video on animal cruelty, watch and you’ll become a vegetarian as well!

Also, here is a link if you would like to pledge to become a vegetarian for 30 days!
https://secure.peta.org/site/Advocacy?cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=2055
I'm excited to try healthy, delicious foods and help save animals from the horrible cruelty of the meat industry. Would you join me in pledging to try a vegetarian diet for 30 days? You will be sent links to delicious recipes, restaurant reviews, and product recommendations as well as the 'Top Six Tips for Making the Switch'.

My wish would be that you all join me… but I thank you ahead of time for reading this far, looking into it and perhaps considering it. If you do decide to make the switch, let me know. Together we can save thousands of animals and become healthier along the way!

Thanks! Much love,
Estrella Castillo *Star*

P.S. - I also recommend that you read "Skinny Bitch"

Weight Loss

Today I started a little friendly competition at work with one of my manager's. He has recently put on some weight and has had trouble getting focused and serious about losing weight. We had a nice little chat the other day and decided to start this little competition between the two of us. We weight in once a week, for four weeks. On the fifth weigh-in we will calculate the percentage of weight lost for each one of us. The one that loses the least percentage has to treat the other person. Next week we decide what that treat will be. I have been eating healthier for the past few weeks now, but now I have to kick it up a notch and add some workouts. Some cardio would be best. I know I can do this! Just by eating healthier, alone, I have dropped 7.5 pounds in the last 2 weeks, so I know that if I add some cardio into the mix, I will lose even more! Wish me luck!

And speaking of losing weight, don't forget to watch The Biggest Loser season finale tonight at
8:00pm on NBC. I'm rooting for Tara. I know she can win this!!!!!

The Undomestic Goddess

Another book that I read in the month of April was another Sophie Kinsella book, The Undomestic Goddess. This story was about a young lawyer that just ran away from a problem at the law firm and ended up in a parallel world. She was now living so differently than before. But she found something she did not have before... LOVE.

Honestly, love just happens to come when we least expect it, doesn't it?! Love changes you, it changes your life, your plans and your future. So do you try to go back to the comfortable life you had before and risk losing that love that you finally found, or do you go with it and make all of the life-changes that come with it? It's up to you, but if you want to know what happens in this book, you're going to have to read it, lol!!

For My Mom, I LOVE YOU

I love taking a look at the Kardashian sisters' blogs. Today I was on Khloe Kardashian's blog and she had posted this one great blog about the 5 traits she got from her mommy, so I decided to do one as well!... In the spirit of Mother's Day I have listed the top 5 traits I inherited from my mom, here they are:

1. My beautiful dark brown eyes! I love them! And my husband loves them, too. He always tells me I have the most beautiful eyes... thank you Mommy!
2. To compliment my dark brown eyes, I also inherited long full eyelashes from my momma. Thank you, thank you, thank you! I love my eyes, and it's all because of my great mother!
3. I love shopping! And I KNOW I inherited that from my mom! It's crazy how much she likes to shop! Don't believe me? My mom has her closet jam-packed of clothes, she also has clothes in my sister Maria's closet and in my brother's closet. And I have so much clothes, shoes and handbags that I had to take down a wall in one of my spare bedrooms and make it a walk-in closet! Thanks mommy for passing down the "love to shop" trait!! lol
4. I think my strong character also comes from my mom. Is that a good thing or a bad thing, I don't know, but it's true! I am very persistent to prove my point. My husband often tells me that I am just like my mother in arguments. lol Thanks, mom! lol
5. Faith! My mother has such a strong faith in the Lord!! My father does too, of course, but I have always noticed my mother's faith. No matter the situation, she has faith! And I know that my faith has been strengthened by knowing that my mother has had faith no matter what it was that she was going through. My mom has helped me so much, especially in strengthening and solidifying my faith! I want to think of myself as a faith-full woman, just like my mommy!

My mother and I did not have the best of relationships when I was growing up, all because I was trying to be very rebellious. But she knew how to have patience with me and faith in me. And it all turned out a lot better. Now we have a great, strong bond. I love my mother to the maximum and can not imagine myself without her, ever! She has always been there for me, whether I wanted her to be or not, and I always ended up turning to her for words of wisdom, encouragement, faith and comfort. Mommy, I love you! Happy Mother's Day to the BEST mother ever!!!!!!!!!! :)

My beautiful mother with my beautiful sisters and I!!!

Skinny B*tch

I read Skinny Bitch late last month and it totally has changed me! I have been eating no meat, none! It has helped me make better eating choices, anywhere I go! For example, I love Chipotle! I would always get the Burrito Bowl with their delicious rice, pinto beans, chicken, cheese, sour cream, lettuce and guacamole. Totally fattening and unhealthy! Now I still get the Burrito Bowl, but now I get the vegetarian option with their delicious rice, black beans, salsa, bell peppers, lettuce and guacamole. (No meat, black beans instead of pinto beans because they put bacon in their pinto beans, no cheese or sour cream). And you know, it still tastes very delicious, you don't even realize what you "left out" and you still satisfy your hunger. It really does fill you up! Of course I have found other eating options at other places, but the reason I mention Chipotle is because that is what I am eating right no! LOL. Craving McDonald's? I get a salad! Wendy's? Salad!! There are good choices everywhere you go, you just have to be willing to try, and actually want to make those changes! I have also found great websites and resources and vegetarian meal plans. All in all, I am loving this change! I really do hope that this isn't just a "fad diet" for me, but instead a real, committed, life-long change. If you feel up to it, I say you read the book. But be warned, it might just scar you even if you think this is not something you want to do. But, I have met a few people that have read the book and it did nothing to their eating habits. For me, it was a personal choice I was willing and looking forward to making, even before reading the book. I had been thinking about this for a long time, but reading the book just helped me take that step and make it a serious committment. It's not just about losing weight & eating better, but also about the treatment of the sweet animals. :(

To learn more, visit PETA.
(I don't want to go into details because I don't want to "preach" this to you. To each its own.)

Easter 2009

Okay, so my younger sister, Maria, posted this blog on her site and I stole it and just changed a few words. I'm one of the teachers at our church (I teach the older kids) and this year we held an Easter egg hunt and pizza party for them. Maria was the photographer and we all had a blast...

This year, for Easter, we had an Egg Hunt with the kids at church!
It was so much fun, especially since there was so many kids!

We let the kids scope out the yard before they were allowed to hunt for the eggs.

And they're off! I love how they're all running in completely different directions!

Vicky just found one and started to relax! Isn't she adorable!?!?
Check out her heart glasses!!

And this is Star (me) with the older ones.

We have LOTS of kids at church! :)

After the egg hunt, we had pizza for them to enjoy.

This little one enjoyed her chocolate quite a bit after the pizza!

Look at all of those wrappers and chocolate marks on her face!

Vicky, eating pizza.

She didn't stop eating the whole time!

Easter with the church kids was such a success!

I had a blast just watching them and taking their pictures!

Hope your Easter was as blessed as ours!