Healthy New Year’s Eve Dinner

So my plans for my New Year’s Eve had to be changed.  Originally, I was going to order Chinese and scrapbook the night away but when I told my friend, Tracy Knight, of Core Door Fitness of my plans, she said UH…NO! See, what happened was this…

I mentioned to Tracy that I LOVE Chinese food but that every time I eat it, my face, hands and feet are super swollen the next day.  I asked her if a food technique she had taught me a few days before would be good to do before I ate the Chinese food.  She asked me what I planned on ordering.  I said fried rice and egg rolls.  I could tell by her brief pause that she didn’t think it was a good idea.  So I asked her what I should do.  She told me not to order fried rice!  WHAT?!? That is what I want!!    So, I mentioned that I had seen a recipe on SparkRecipes for Vegetable Fried Rice and I asked her if I could send it to her and let her tell me if it would be ok.  She said yes.  I sent it and she told me that the only thing I needed to change was to not use the olive oil but to use canola oil instead or use the natural oils produced by bell peppers. I chose the canola oil. I also added a little chicken breast to it.  Since I was making my own fried rice, I decided to make the Egg Rolls I had found a recipe for also.

It looks pretty good huh? How did it taste??  Great!  Of course, it wasn’t JUST LIKE the Chinese restaurant makes but it was good.  I am proud of myself for making myself a healthier version of one of my favorite foods.  I am very thankful to have Tracy helping me with this goal.  If you are looking for someone to guide you through and help you, be sure to check out her website.   She is passionate about helping people be healthier.  If she hadn’t told me to not order my favorite food and go for a healthier option, I would have been puffy tomorrow and miserable.  Thanks Tracy for setting me straight!

Ok, now to get to work on those scrapbook pages.  Want to finish the 2008 album tonight!!

Cozi

A few months ago, I read about Cozi on a blog somewhere…I don’t remember where.  The author of the blog had said that it would help me to stay organized.  The family calendar, to-do lists and shopping lists would make life simpler…we shall see. I checked out their site and decided to go ahead and sign up.  They didn’t have an app for the Droid so I just used the mobile site and really didn’t “get it”.  I thought I had everything I needed in my built in calendar that synced with Google so I didn’t see the point.  I wasn’t utilizing the entire thing properly. And now I know how to even sync my Google calendar with Cozi so it’s all good…except, I am no longer even using the Google calendar!

About a month or so ago, they announced that not only did they now have an app for Droid, but they were partnering with The FlyLady so I could get my Zone Cleaning checklists right on my phone! I LOVE the app!  My husband has it on his Droid too and since we use the same Cozi account, he sees MY calendar and knows where I have to be and if we have family plans.  He also can add items to our shopping list as he thinks of things…I told him not to get too crazy on that part though, we are on a budget after all!  For the kids, I have it set up to text them their to-do lists and calendar reminders so they have it with them also.  Yes, this neat little tool has actually helped us to stay organized!!

Right now, they have the apps for iPhone and Droid FREE until Dec 31.  After that, it will be $5.99 to download it so go ahead and get it now and get a great start on organizing your life and your family.

Christmas Eve

I am lying here in my bed on Christmas Eve. It is about 11:15, the kids are in bed, there are two crockpots cooking tomorrow’s breakfast and I am just reflecting on how wonderfully blessed I am.
Last night we celebrated Christmas with my husband’s family. We went to his parents’ house and had dinner. All of his brothers were there as well as all of our nieces & nephews except one. I wish he could have made it but I understand. We laughed and just enjoyed the time. When it was time to leave, my van blew a spark plug so we had to leave it there and drive my mother in laws vehicle home. My kids were all shoulder to shoulder in the back seat and I am happy to say, they didn’t complain. Nope, they laughed and sang all the way home.
This morning I got up and made pimento cheese and stuffed eggs for my mother’s family Christmas get together. My mamaw, mom & sister’s family came over around 1 and we did our gift exchange. I got a new hand held massaging shower head from my mom. Yeah, you laugh but I am excited! I used mom’s when I stayed with her after her surgery in June and loved it! My husband has already installed it & I am really trying to keep myself from taking a shower tonight.
The rest of our family showed up around 2 and we all got excited because a surprise visitor stopped by…it was Santa & Mrs. Claus!! Ok so it was my dad’s brother who has been “Santa” for years. It was so sweet that he stopped by. I wouldn’t have seen him this year if he hadn’t. After Santa left, we ate and then just sat around and talk. At one point, I looked around and thought about how completely blessed we are to have each other. Each of us is different and have unique gifts. We all fit together and enjoy life. Blessed!
As soon as we were done & everyone was gone, William and I has to run to Game Stop and swap something out that I bought a month ago but realized last night that I got the wrong thing.
When we got back home, Amy made Rice Krispies Treats for us to enjoy while we watched a movie. We opened our traditional Christmas Eve present which is pajamas and then we started the movie. They chose A Christmas Carol. We enjoyed it very much. We were going to play a game that my sister gave my kids after the movie ended but I guess they were all tired because they went straight to bed.
I am going to go to sleep now. Hopefully our breakfast casserole and oatmeal that is cooking in the crockpots will be ready and delicious in the morning. Good night and MERRY CHRISTMAS!

I’m Cooking Now

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I LOVE to cook! Trying new recipes is something exciting for me even though my family isn't always as excited about some of my concoctions! Ha ha! It isn't easy for someone with a passion for preparing delicious meals to go without an oven but I have done it for about two years now and have been pretty creative if I do say so.  I have done a lot on the cook top, in a crock pot,  toaster oven, roaster oven and on the grill…no one starved!  Well, I am happy to report that I now have a full size oven working in my kitchen again. 
 
The first thing I made in it was a big peach cobbler for my husband.  I put it into the oven and shouted “Wow! Look at all that room! I can fit 3 more pans in there!”
 
I think my pans have missed being used.  I know I have definitely missed using my stoneware the most.  I need a new 9X12 stone because mine got broken the last time it was used and I didn’t bother to replace it when the oven quit working. I see a Pampered Chef show in my future!!!
 
Well, I am going to go now.  I need to check my WW Points to see if I have enough to eat some of that peach cobbler. Have a great night!

This Week’s Menu

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This is what's on the menu at our house this week. I know from experience that planning a menu and making your grocery list to go along with your menu saves you money! I used to print out my grocery list organized by category but for the past few weeks, I have been using the Cozi App on my Droid and saving paper.  It has been great! I have my list right there in the palm of my hand on my phone and check the items off as I put them in my basket at the store.
 
The meals that are highlighted show which child is responsible for preparing or helping me. I try to have them help me at least one night each week. This not only gives me a little break, it also helps them learn how to prepare a meal. They will need this knowledge some day!
 
Some of the meals have the link to the recipe which I will use.
I would love if you would share your family favorites that are weight loss friendly please.

Snow, Shows and Shopping

We woke up this morning to snow on the ground! Ok, so it wasn’t much. I honestly thought it was just a heavy frost at first.  But it made me wonder if we might possibly have a chance at having snow on the ground next Saturday morning… a Christmas Day snow! That would be nice.

The first show of the day was when I was on the air with Tracy Knight of the Everything Wellness Show. I just met her two weeks ago and have been listening to her show ever since .  The information she shares about health and wellness is great.  I promise you will learn something every week! I was on the air with her today to give an update on my weight loss progress.
For our second show, my family went to see A Christmas Story at the Playhouse.  I have never been a big fan of the movie but it is one is one of my husband’s favorites so I got tickets a few months ago for us to go.  I loved it!  They added some scenes that really made it more fun!
After the play, we went to Bass Pro Shop so our youngest could see the train that he had seen on the commercial. He watched it go round and round until we said it was time to go. He just loves trains! Then we dropped the kids off at my mom’s house so hubby and I could get a little shopping done…that’s all we got done, a little!  We spent most of the time at Office Depot getting something done that my daughter needed for her friends’ Christmas gifts.   I can’t tell you what it was until after she gives them to the girls tomorrow. We still have a few things we need to buy. It’s ok, hubby and I will plan a date night and go get it all done.  I hope you had a great Saturday and are closer to being done with your shopping than I am.  I vow to do better next year! Goodnight!!

Welcome Everything Wellness Listeners

If you just listened to my progress report on the Everything Wellness show and are popping in to see what I look like and learn more about me, I welcome you! It is my pleasure to have you stop by.

I hope that your visit here will encourage you to reach for your weight loss goals.  By me posting, it is making me accountable to a LOT of people and pushes me to do my best.

As you heard on the show, I am following the new Weight Watchers Points Plus program.  Because I am committed to being able to attend the meetings and get the support I need, I pay for a monthly pass.  I can’t use the excuse of not having the meeting fee to keep me from going because I pay a month at a time…which actually saves money AND I get the e-tools included.  I love the e-tools because it allows me to track everything I eat and the activity I do right from my Droid.  I don’t have to worry about how many points something has, I can look it up anytime, anywhere. If you don’t have a need to attend meetings (I do right now) then you can check out another online system at Spark People. It is completely free! They have tips and recipes. I am still using it for these features but haven’t been tracking on it since I have been using e-tools.
Along with all of these tools, I hear the voice of Tracy reminding me to eat breakfast and reading the tips she posts on Facebook. I also look at people who I know personally who have lost a lot of weight and see how their lives are changed. That inspires me so much!

I spoke about some challenges I have faced. It isn’t as much fun to get out and walk when it is so cold so I have not been doing my morning outdoor walk in the past 2 weeks.  I have been dancing with the kids and using my stepper while I watch TV. I wanted to get some workout games for our Wii but it quit working last week so I guess I need to come up with another idea. The food challenges have not been that great so far but I know with Christmas here, this next week is going to a little more difficult. I will just take what I have learned and try to stick with my plan.

Please be sure to subscribe to my blog, follow me on Twitter and friend me on Facebook.  I know that the more people I have keeping up with me, the harder I am going to work and the more successful I will be.  Imagine the celebration we will all have together next November when we celebrate the achievement that you have helped me with!  Let’s do this!

Coffee

Everyone knows how much I love coffee.  I use my amazing Keurig Brewer every single day.  What you don’t know is that a week ago, I switched to decaf! What?!? Yep.  It originally wasn’t intentional. A friend gave me a bunch of K-Cups and 2 boxes were decaf.  I didn’t really think I would use them but when my fully leaded coffee was all gone, I decided to try it. I was expecting a headache or crankiness but didn’t have either.  I was surprised.  I think I will stick with it for awhile. I still have the warm, comfortable taste but not the rapid heart beat I often had when I consumed too much caffeine.   I read today that cutting back on caffeine can improve weight loss efforts…really? I would have thought the opposite to be true.  Oh well! I guess we shall see huh?
Well, have a great day…I know I will!

Wienermobile Visit

Today we got to visit the Wienermobile! This was a totally impromptu field trip.  I receive the status updates from The Leader’s Facebook page as text messages so I can keep up with events and breaking news for my area.  Well, this morning they posted that it was here so I told the kids to grab their coats so we can go see the Wienermobile.

We got to the location and the kids jumped out of the van and into the Wienermobile!  One of the drivers told me that there are actually 6 official Wienermobiles on the road right now and the tour the country so people everywhere can see it.  You can keep up with where the Wienermobile is right here at The Hogdogger Blog.

What a fun way to end the week!

This free photo slideshow generated with Smilebox

Update

I just wanted to give you a quick update on how I am doing with my goal of losing 100 pounds by November 30, 2011 and my walking efforts. I have bad news and I have good news.  Bad news first- I decided to take a week off of walking to let my body rest after the 5K and that week has turned into two…Not good huh?  I haven’t wanted to get out this week with the temps not going over 35.  I promise you this, if it is too cold tomorrow, I will use my Leslie Sansone Walk Away the Pounds DVD and get some walking time in. Deal?  Ok!  Now for the GOOD NEWS…ready?  I have lost a total of 8.6 pounds since I started my goal.  Woo-hoo!!  I told myself that when I got my first 10 pounds off, I was making an appointment to have my nails done at Nailz by Kelley so you better believe that I am gonna work hard this week so I can have my nails looking great by Christmas!

Thanks for checking in.  Keep pushing me to succeed.  I need the motivation and encouragement.