jan {i}photo challenge: week 2/366

just finished watching the saints game.
i screamed... then nearly cried.
causing my cat {who was sleeping peacefully on my lap}
to fly off completely startled... 
and possibly scarred for life.

then i asked my husband why he's encouraged my interest in football.  it hurts when they lose.
he simply says... that's part of the game.
brutal.

okay...
now on to the photo challenge. 



8. your sky.  from my back yard.



9. daily routine.  most days usually begin and end with kitty cuddles.  the best.  next to tea parties and 11 yo learning to cook dinner.
10. childhood.  myself-hubs-and our oldest as littles.
11. where you sleep.
12. close-up.  took the christmas trees down this week.
13. in your bag. our end of the year coupon from vitamin shoppe. woo-to-the-hoo!



14. something you're reading.   fortune cookies. "a passionate new romance will appear in your life when you least expect it."  received this the day hubs left for nyc. talk about timing. ha!  american girl books.  and information about shelter animals.  we made a donation of goodies to one of our local no-kill-rescue shelters.    

i know.  you expected something much deeper than that. right?

15. oh wait... there's no 15.  i just wanted to say that hubs is home.  but you probably already knew that.  new york was going to be extra chilly this weekend.  he's home just in time.

16.  and last but not least... hubs brought home souvenirs.  hubs even remembered the kitty i wanted.  only it's stuffed.  so i'm preeeeeetty sure it's for the girls.  *sigh*  

i recently tweeted... "After surfing adorable animals in need of a home & the emergency amber alert just called, you can find me in a box of Kleenex."

you'll be happy to know that the child was found alive. thank heaven for happy endings!


now about the kitty... ;)

It's all about the Cake

 

The birthday girl had the cake decided on and that set the theme of the party.  Once I revealed the final product, she must have stood, hand over mouth, gazing at it for 2 minutes straight before she spoke a word.  She wrapped her arms around me and exclaimed, "I love it, Mommy!!  Thank you so much for everything you got for the party."   I love priceless moments like that.

 

Gracie had been looking forward to this pajama party for weeks... and it did not disappoint. 

I didn't make this post a tutorial because the video I used is all you would need.  You can find it here.

In all seriousness, it's really about friends, right? ;)  They made her feel so special.  She was only sad that 3 of them were not able to make it.  {Well, that doesn't count the fact that she would have loved pen pals to be there, but the commute from NC to TX would have been a bit much.}  ;)

Such sweet girls.

Errr... I mean 'silly' girls.

A brief description of Gracie = Pink, pink... and more pink.

Now... we have just a few weeks before we've allowed the girls to mention Nator's party... coming in March.
Yeah, we're cool like that.  No, really, we do it for sanity's sake.

Is our home the only home that has birthday or Christmas chatter year round?

Never a dull moment.

Just a Few Faves in the Kitchen

Gee, is everyone tired of all the 'health' posts yet?  I must apologize in advance... or is this one of those moments where it's easier to ask forgiveness than permission??

Blogging is about what's going on in your life, right?  Well since I'm in the middle of a crazy yeast cleanse diet, health is on the mind a lot more as of late.  Or maybe I'm just losin' it?  You know, as a side effect of my dietary changes.  OR maybe it's because bloggy friends keep posting beautiful, sugary yummies on their blogs that I can't have.  {insert big ol' pouty lip}  You know who you are! ;)

Here's a few of my favorite food swaps or guiltless indulgences...
See how I get you back with my healthy-sugar-free pix?
{I know... it doesn't have the same effect.}

Spaghetti Squash

I love to substitute spaghetti squash for noodles.  Simply cut in half, scrap out seeds, place on baking pan and bake for roughly 45 minutes @ 350 degrees.  Let cool.  Then using a fork,  you're ready to scrape out your 'noodles'.  {I put mine on the pan face down as to not turn the 'noodles' brown.}

It's a great carb alternative; however, it's a texture my family decided didn't compare to noodles, so for them I alternate between whole-grain or gluten free pasta.  Spaghetti squash is worth a try.  Do you have any creative uses for this veggie?

Stevia

If you read my blog, this shouldn't be a shocker. ;)  I mostly use this in my teas or lemon water and DK uses it in his coffee.  {For more information, click here.}

I'm looking forward to trying Xylitol as well.  {For more information, click here.}  Gracie has a love-fetish with honey, so I'm going to try this.  Although we use great-local-raw-organic honey, it still gives an insulin spike.

Raw Almonds 

I can thank Dr. Oz for enlightening me on this one.  Who knew that roasted nuts were hydrogenated?!  What a disappointment.  Considering how fragile some oils are, it simply makes sense.  Sigh.  I have to admit... roasted, salted nuts taste better, but I've acquired a taste for these unsalted, raw almonds.

I'm thinking I could one day make my own chocolate covered almonds with some 85%  dark chocolate... hmmmm.  32 oz!  Yep.  When we found these at Tarjet, we bought a total of 4!!  You probably think I've gone nuts mad, but this is one of the few things I'm allowed to eat while doing this yeast cleanse. 

Spry Gum

Let's face it.  You know I have a sweet tooth and Biggest Loser is always advertising gum for those purposes, but I don't want sugary gum or any containing "phenylalanine".   {I can copy and paste that word much better than I can pronounce it.  For. Sure.}   Thanks to our local Vitamin Shoppe, we discovered this gem!  It's my new candy!  It's sweetened with Xylitol and now I can say yes when my girls ask for gum.  Yay!  The only down side is that the pieces are small, so I eat about 3 at a time {with no guilt}.  It's not the softest gum compared to some, but it makes me happy.  ;)  Click here for more info.

Sugarbusters Protein Shake

I'm often asked what kind of protein shakes I use.  Of everything in my kitchen, I must say that the Sugarbusters Protein Shake is my favorite... and has been for years!  {Ironic how my favorite gets the smallest pic.  I'm out and need to order more!}  I have been using this particular shake for five years now.  Cold-filtered whey is one of the best forms of protein.  It's great for the immune system.  Personally, I like it to help keep my blood-sugar stable... and sometimes, well...

that's all this busy mama has time for.  Love. It.

Unfortunately, many shakes on the market are laced with fillers and counterproductive sweeteners.  The Sugarbusters shake is sweetened with Stevia and there are no fillers!  I like the one that Jorge Cruise's book, The Belly Fat Cure, recommends okay, but it has the ol' "natural ingredients" in it's listing.  Ugh.  That could be anything from MSG to.... you name it!   Companies are sneaky in how they get to categorized ingredients on labels.  It should be a crime.

Our whole family enjoys a good shake.  I drink one everyday at some point.   Of course, I give my girls a smaller portion.  When they were younger, I would freeze it to make "ice cream" for them.  They were so young, they never knew the difference.  Now?  Well, they've unfortunately had too much exposure to the real deal since then, but they still enjoy a cold shake.  ;)

If interested, you can find some here.  They offer it in chocolate and vanilla.  I haven't tried it yet, but I've heard of adding a lil' nut butter to the chocolate shake to make sort of a Reeces flavor.  You can add berries or cinnamon to the vanilla as well.  Yummo on the go!  {The magic bullet comes in handy for this!}

And if you haven't heard enough...

More Belly Fat Buster tips

There's so much more... but,

that's all the healthy stuff I'm going to subject you to.

Now let's see what tempting treats all my friends will post tomorrow while I'm crunching away on my raw almonds??

See how nice I am in not calling you out?
Teehee...

The hit of the Par-Tay

I wish I could blog about everything we've been up to...

but lately, it just seems like it's not humanly possible to do both.

Here are a few highlights...

One morning, Nator peeked through the rain-filled window and said,

"Today is going to be a great day!

I can feel it from my head to my toes!"
The next day, the radio went out {temporarily}
in DK's car and she said,
"Everything is going wrong today!"

Drama.

After a hard work-out on the elliptical machine {early} one morning,
I sprinted upstairs to help the girls with schoolwork
after preparing breakfast. 
My. Legs. Burned.
I doubled over as I waited for the pain to subside while crying, "Owwwww...."
Without missing a beat, Gracie said,
"You can do it!  You are worth it!"
{something I currently have written -to myself- on my bathroom mirror
with eyeliner... because sometimes,
you just have to be your own cheerleader}
So. Funny.

 Saturday evening, I baked cookies and prepared hot chocolate

for all of us to enjoy while looking at Christmas lights.
I know.
They couldn't believe it either.
{About the 'hot-chocolate', that is.}

We shared discussions about whether or not a snowman
was actually clothed or not.
Good times.

I finally watched Julie and Julia.
I can honestly say... I've have never {EVER}
been so determined to reach a goal as Julie was.
I mean, who {in their right mind} would consider
boiling a hoof?! Blech!
Did I mention that I am a newly converted
vegetarian? ;)

Speaking of cooking...
I made some yummies that I thought you would
THOROUGHLY enjoy!
We've enjoyed this recipe for years.
{Temporarily disregard anything related to 'health' on this blog.}
Believe me... you will be the hit of the par-tay
with this lil' goodie in-hand.

HOMEMADE CARAMEL POPCORN

14 c. popped popcorn
1 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. light corn syrup
1/2 c. butter
1/4 tsp. salt
2 tsp. vanilla
1/4 tsp. baking soda

With a stick-a-buddah, this sounds very Paula Deen-ish, no?

First of all, I'm sure I use more than 14 cups of popcorn.
I simply fill one of those large aluminum pans
{eliminating as many kernels as possible} to nearly overflowing.
Grease your pan {and a large spoon for mixing}.
{confession:  I almost always make 2 batches... to share, of course}

In a heavy saucepan, mix brown sugar, butter, syrup and salt.

Cook over medium heat,

stirring until mixture reaches soft ball stage {238 degrees}.

Remove from heat and stir in vanilla and baking soda.

Pour over popped corn and stir thoroughly.

Bake at 275 degrees for about 1 hour...
stirring every 10 minutes.

While cooling, occasionally stir.
Presto!

This year, our girls gave this homemade treat as gifts to
their scout leaders and dance teacher.

You pack the best caramel covered pieces for such an occasion.
You wouldn't want to give crumbs...

Nope.
Those must be eaten thrown away.

Let me know if you try it.
You won't regret it.
Well, only if Jillian Michals finds out...
but I think even SHE would find this treat irresistible!

Wait... I think I just heard the Michillan man calling me.
He wants his waistline back.

{Expired} Sweet Tooth

What does all of this {mess} mean?

What does one ask the child of a 'health-seeking' family

to bring to scouts for a cooking project?

If you guessed sugar {and cocoa}, you would be correct.

Muy logical, no?

The dilemma?

There's no {usable} sugar in the house.

I mean, I obviously bought white sugar and flour years ago...

{yes, that says '06}

To be used for our annual open house when we were pastors.

Has it really been 4 years since our last one?

I think it's time to cut the apron strings.

It's out with the old!
Now I have a whole new pantry shelf to show for it!

What shall I stock it with?

Decisions. Decisions.

Don't even ask what Nator and I found in the flour!

I had no idea that {contained} flour could turn into such a
science project teaching moment.

Oh... and in case you were wondering...
We ran to the grocery store on our way to scouts for some
UNexpired sugar.  ;)

What are your pantry must-have items?

We can't seem to go long without:
Rice milk
Cheerios {Gracie's fave}
Vanilla Almond Special K {Nator's fave}
{hot} tea bags
Stevia
Spagetti fixin's
to name just a few...

That's how we {Roll}

 

Did you notice anything different about this recipe book?

Sadly, it's proof that the electric stove and I had a poor relationship.

Tip:  Plastic melts on a hot stove-top.

I'm joining Linda for the last week of Fall Into Flavor.

So.... I thought I'd share one of my absolute favorite

thunder thigh recipes that can compliment any recipe!

Don't let the above picture spook you.

I really can cook when I follow a recipe set my mind to it.

Of course, I can only eat these once a year.

{Mostly due to my inability to stop at just one.}

Otherwise... Well, Bob and Jillian would make me workout

until I was a human slushy.

This bread recipe {a staple at many meals for years} was one that my mother-in-law first shared with me.

She baked this bread for us to take during communion at our wedding.

Electric bread-maker sham-maker!

It's soooo easy to make and the yummiest bread EVER.

Seriously.

Easy Delicious Rolls

1/2 c. oil

1/2 c. sugar

1/4. c. non-fat dry milk

2 eggs

1 tsp. salt

1 c. lukewarm water with 1 pkg. yeast

About 4 c. flour

 There's no need to knead!  ;)

Simply mix oil, sugar, dry milk, eggs, and salt together.  Add water mixed with yeast.  Add about 4 cups flour {when it is the right consistency}.   Let it stand overnight.  Roll out on floured board till about 1/4 in. thick.  Cut {like a pizza} and roll up like crescent rolls.  Let rise 4 hours.  Bake at 350 for 12-15 minutes. 

If you try them,

let me know whatcha think.

Christmas music is being played {non-stop} in our house these days.

Do you know why?

We are putting up the decorations.

More on that soon...

Nothin' like good comfort

I try to focus on the positive.  Really, I do.
Regardless of what you've read here. ;)

 We said goodbye to DK this morning {for the week}.
I ran errands with the girls and manage to squeeze schoolwork in between
each item on the 'to-do' list.

I can handle mama having 'a day'.
Well... most times, unscathed.
But there's something heart-wrenching when your kids have 'a day'...
especially when caused by the cutting words of others.
That's the hardest.
Mama bear is not happy with this situation.

Then, poor baby, has a bum foot.
It's been bothering her for a couple days now.
She was in tears when I picked her up from dance class due to the pain.
I carry her to the car and  try to recall when I last carried her this distance out of necessity.
Ummm... yeah, it's been a while.

The tears from the day come pouring out.
Big sister switches into nurturing gear {as she usually does}.
Love. it.

Mom serves dinner to lil'-bit in her Daddy's recliner.
Then us gals cuddle together on the sofa for our
Tuesday night Biggest Loser fix.
Gracie is in tears because she fears Amanda is going home.

The joys of being a girl.
{Thank goodness for the DVR and the ability to
bypass those Hallmark commercials.}

Mama gives lots of TLC.
Bakes oatmeal choc-chip cookies.
Things are looking up.
Good comfort.
There's nothing like it.

Tomorrow is another day.
{Deep stuff, I know.}

Ok... I wanted to share some wonderful comfort with you.

I recently tweaked a YUMMY sweet potato chili recipe.
{Yes, I guess I have a taste for vegan chili lately.}
Unfortunately, I wasn't quick enough with the camera to
take a 'before' shot.
Yep, it was that good.

2 sweet potatoes {peeled and cut in 2 in. chunks}
1 red onion {diced}
1 15 oz. can black beans {drained and rinsed}
1 red bell pepper {chopped}
2 cups Salsa {the pineapple blend works great}
1 TBS chili powder
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp chipotle powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup orange juice
1 cup water OR veggie broth
a pinch of cinnamon

Mix, Cover, and Cook...
In your very own personal chef {The Crockpot}
Low for 6-8 hrs.
{If you want the potatoes to disappear when stirred, cook longer.}
I usually have mine on high for 5-6 hrs.

Yummm-O!

If you want to have leftovers, you might want to double the recipe.
Just sayin'.  ;)

Kitchen Therapy

What's three gals to do when Dad is at the UFC event in Dallas over the weekend... for work?

Console yourself the children with homemade oatmeal choc-chip cookies.

Yes, I said chocolate chips.

I know.

I'm a walking contradiction.

What's a dessert without a lil' bit o' chocolate?

Before you think I've jumped off into the deep end, we were not that bad.

Well, maybe... if we would have eaten the whole batch...

which we did. did not do.

 

Two peas in a pod, these girls.

Well... one minute.

Then the next?

Voices raised.

Doors slamming.

 Drama.

It's not quite UFC, but you get the picture.

A-Nator says, "Mom, I'm not feeling so well."

"What wrong?

"I think I have...

I-want-my-sister-happy-itis."

 They really do love each other.

 

Why you probably wouldn't hire me as your personal chef AND Drum roll please...

Kitchen Quirks. We all have them. Do we not? Although, I must say, mine are a little on the ‘contemporary UN-traditional’ side. Meaning, I never drive thru a fast-food window. Yes, I said never. Well, almost never (if there’s such a thing) if you don’t count the few times we’ve stopped at Chick-fil-a.

So, you must be thinking that I’m a gourmet chef then? Nope. You couldn’t be further from the truth. I do enjoy cooking a good gumbo and the like, but for the most part…

Most recipes are not cooked in my kitchen simply because I believe that over-cooking something to mush takes out most of the vitamins and enzymes we need. I love fresh food... a good 'saute' of veggies with red onion in coconut oil. See? I told you. I know you’re thinking it… Quirky. Weird. If you're not, you will.

For instance, the Deceptively Delicious cookbook is in my house, but I haven’t cooked one thing from it. Why? ‘Cook’ the veggies to mush, ‘puree’ the veggies to more mush, freeze them, and then ‘cook’ or ‘bake’ them in the recipe it calls for. What’s left of the poor thing? Oh, it has its good points too. A little bit of sneaky veggie is better than nothing, right? I mean, who wouldn't want broccoli in their brownie? See? Yummm...

A-Nator may remember going thru the drive-thru a few times when she was only a few years old, but that was before my serious commitment. Besides, with two small tots in tow, I was tired. Now that I think about it, the menu from the drive-thru was probably adding to the sluggish feeling. Nope, our idea of fast food these days is: Subway (veggie delight for me), Panera (love their Greek salad) or Smoothie King.

Don’t get me wrong. We still eat our ‘snacks’, but they are within the ‘kitchen quirk’ guidelines. Here's a few...

• I avoid hydrogenated oil like the plague. I don’t want my heart to turn into a hockey puck… not to mention the other problems it causes. Yes, Crisco=Bad.
  
• Nothing that is given a number is considered an ‘edible’ ingredient. Red Dye 40, Yellow 6, etc.
• Sugar is seen as something that will lower the immune system for hours. This includes most fruit juice.
• Only complex carbs.
• No cooking on Teflon. Only stainless steel or ‘coated’ cast iron.
• I try my best not to use the microwave. Did I just hear you gasp?
• We bake oatmeal cookies on parchment paper, not directly on the aluminum pan.
• I try to avoid aluminum foil touching my food while baking. If I need to wrap something, I wrap it in parchment paper first, then foil.
• If my girls can’t pronounce the ingredient list, we try to stay away from it. That means “ethoxylated monoglycerides” are out.
• I only heat coconut oil and grapeseed oil. Fragile oil (olive oil included) can turn hydrogenated when heated. (Mental note: Go easy on the coconut oil. It can cause nausea. Maybe I shouldn't cook with it AND flavor the food with so much of it? ;) I discovered that tip this weekend. Not. Fun.)
  
• I am on a mission to find a peanut butter alternative. We normally use almond butter; however, all of those nuts are ‘roasted’. According to Dr. Oz, that means it’s hydrogenated. Ugh. Really?
• I buy organic and gluten-free when possible.
• Oh, and the sneaky ingredient they call “natural flavors/ingredients” really tans my hide. Which one of the sneaky 300 FDA allowable ingredients is that anyway??
• There's probably more, but I'll spare you...
  

(why is blogger messing with my font??)

Okay, drum roll please….

It has been ONE entire MONTH since my last Chai Tea Latte (non-fat, 1 pump s/f hazelnut, extra-hot) from Starbucks!!!! If you’ve read my blog at all, you know that I call it ‘my one luxury’ or my ‘mommy sippy cup’. I knew it was insanity to pay Starbucks so much $$. Yet… somehow, I rationalized this lil’ cup of heaven in my mind. It was my happy place.

If you buy Starbucks, please don't be offended! I only call it insanity because l don't drink cow's milk, yet I paid Starbucks to flavor and warm it for me time and time again?? AND for the low, low price of an arm and a leg.

So why make a change now?

Well, I must confess a book that I’ve read that has given me the little jolt that I needed to get back on my journey…. And even crank it up a notch! I still can't believe I'm advertising that I read this book. I'll let you figure out the title on your own.

I didn’t quite know what to think of the book (or the mom reading it) when I first saw it at a soccer practice; however, the content is quite informing… if you can get past all of the colorful language.

What these two ladies have to say about dairy, its true contents and how they treat the animals was all I needed to be grossed out enough to avoid the temptation (aka Starbucks) that literally sits on every corner in our town. (Honestly, I had to skim over the part on animal treatment. Sad.)

Another drum roll please (Yes, there's more but an end is in sight)…

I’ve not only given up my ‘sippy cup’ due to the milk content, I’ve kept a vegan menu as well. Double Gasp!!! I’ve recently ordered some books to help with the menu since I’m not a fan of soy (that's a whole other topic). Honestly, this has been very good. Some physical symptoms I’ve had for years are improving. Oh, I’ll still buy organic eggs to make gluten free pancakes for the girls sometimes… and enjoy a whey protein shake with my rice milk... AND the occasional salmon dish. If I keep adding things here, I will not be accepted in the vegan community. The horror.

So NOW you’re thinking it. Weird. Quirky. I knew you would.

Now, don't go thinkin' my halo is on this straight all the time in the kitchen. I mean, a girls gotta have some Rice Dream Hazelnut Ice Cream! Pshhh... Let's keep it real. ;) Besides, I may have to request these authors give me their cell digits. As the cool weather rolls around, I may need a booster shot as to why I should drive by the ol' Starbucks instead of thru it!

Tastes like Chicken

You see the purple spot in the pet's water bowl? Well, that's a little game our Bella has been playing with me for some time now. She finds a Polly Pocket dress, paper, straw, you name it... and puts it in the water bowl. She will sometimes fish it out herself... evidenced by the huge amount of water surrounding the bowl. If not, well...

Mama: "Oh, I guess Mommy gets to do some dirty work this morning."

A-Nator: "Mommy, you always get all the dirty work."

Hmmmm... just as long as we're clear on that.

Mama: “What do you want for breakfast?”

A-Nator: (looks at the cat) “Too bad we can’t eat Bella for breakfast.”

Mama: “Ewe.”

A-Nator: “What? If we take off her fur and cook her?”

Mama: “Bleh!”

A-Nator: “What? Why did you say ‘Bleh’? If she tastes like chicken, it wouldn’t be bad.”

It will go with us for generations

Nearly every morning I get to fix my girls a hot breakfast. Okay, I confess. It's not all from scratch, but here's our short menu of choices:

• Organic Eggs
• Gluten-Free Pancakes
• Gluten-Free Waffles
• Egg-in-a-Hole

I remember eating Egg-in-a-hole when I was little. Now, A-Nator enjoys them...

Mama: "You can be a silly girl. Did you know that?"
Gracie: "I am a silly girl… and it will go with me for generations. I just need to find a boyfriend who’s funny."
A few minutes later…
Gracie: "Mom, why do you keep laughing?"
Mama: "Because you’re so silly."
Gracie: "No, it just runs in the family. I just have to go along with it."

It's really more of a guideline anyway, right? (part 2)

A few of my new healthy, yummy yet low-cal foods...

1. 1 chopped grapefruit mixed with 1/2 c. blueberries and sprinkled with stevia = 1.5 points on Weight Watchers. They say grapefruit should help with weight loss... We shall see.


2. Chopped & sauteed veggies (asparagus, squash, red onions, peppers, etc) in coconut oil mixed with 1/2 c. of fat-free refried beans then sprinkled with fat-free Feta cheese... rolled into 1 big healthy tortilla! Yummo... and very little points.


3. Kozy Shack Pudding Okay, this one may not be the healthiest on the list, but it's the best pudding I've found. H-Mama needs her chocolate fix too. (3 WW pts)

One of the reasons that I have not been a fan of Weight Watchers is because I lean more on the side of health and not just weight loss. I'm a compulsive label reader. I want to know exactly what I'm eating. Is it food or some chemical designed to give this food product a longer shelf life... and shorten mine in the process? I'm simply not a fan of all the Weight Watcher products... bars, shakes, ice creams, etc, etc.

Having said that, I'm taking the "bones" of Weight Watchers by paying more attention to what and how much I'm consuming and applying it to my knowledge (thus far) of health.

It's been baby steps for me, but here are other things that I apply to my everyday diet. I've listened to many tapes by Dr. Ted Broer (I bought them off of eBay years ago). Very interesting stuff there! I've gotten a little off track, but I'm finding my way back... and it feels good.

My progress on the 30x5 thus far has been good. Incorporating more fruit & veggies has really helped with my energy level... and I'm trucking along doing my time on the treadmill or power-walking with Jasmine.

Gracie took this picture. I guess we just wanted to show off her new Easter outfit. :)

Because Jasmine came from an abusive background before we adopted her, she was scared of everything. Boy, she has come a long way... with the help of some Ceasar Millan tactics. Going through the Starbucks drive thru the first couple of times, she would shake like a leaf! Now? She expects her little cup of puppy foam with each drive-thru! This is still my guilty pleasure too, so don't judge. :)

This is not the best photo quality, but it shows her love for 'puppy foam' from Starbucks! It's flying everywhere. You should have seen her face when she was done!

It's really more of a guideline anyway, right?

I am so proud of my hubby. Let me explain...

You see, I have not been an advocate of Weight Watchers before. DK and I tried it years ago for one whole month. I went to the meetings and brought the information home. H-Mama was hungry and therefore grouchy by dinner time. I ate most of my points by lunch and now I had to watch my husband scan the pantry at night because he had not consumed all of his yet. I didn't think this was fair. We're married, therefore... we are one. So, why can't I help him finish his points? Makes perfect sense, right? ;)

This program was working for him, but. not. me. I had lost my weight by simply making healthier choices before and now I felt like everything I ate was costing me too many points!

Back to my original thought. My hubby signed up for Weight Watchers online this past weekend. He always has his iPhone on him, so now he can use this handy device to look up foods at restaurants and such within seconds.

Me? Well, I'm going to give it a go too! I like the idea of doing something together. Only THIS time, I'm going to focus more on fruits & vegetables to fill up this belly o' mine (that can consume almost as much as any man I might add... embarrassing, I know). I'm from the south. I like food, but I can probably eat more veggies than most men.

I reckon the whole 'eating more fruits & veggies' was the premise of the points system anyway. DK thinks I need to add about 10 pts to my total. I may take him up on that till I get this thing figured out. There are extra flex & exercise points to draft from.

On top of that, I need to eat. I mean, when I don't eat breakfast within an hour of getting up, I can feel my sugar dropping. Borderline hypoglycemic maybe?? I have to work at keeping my sugar level, eating every few hours or I get light-headed. So, there's no danger of Mama becoming anorexic here.

Here's one of my new favorite indulgences utilizing this new point system. The Vita Muffin (or top) found in the frozen area at Target. Yum! AND only one point!

Another thing I like to use is Coconut Oil. I have been cooking with it for a while now and love it! This is the one I normally buy since I live near a Vitamin Shoppe (and they were on sale :). That, or the Garden of Life brand. Go here for more info. I love to serve up a pot of veggies sauteed with red onions and coconut oil. Yum!

If you read any articles in Mercola's site, you will see just how all-natural I try to live. I don't think I'll ever get there 100%, but I try. My girls are already learning to read labels and steer clear of words like: hydrogenated oil, any form of sugar in the first 5 ingredients, red dye 40, MSG, etc... They were not at all tearful when the bunny didn't leave candy in their Easter basket. As a matter of fact, they didn't even expect it.

A sweetener that I use to help my sweet tooth is Stevia. I haven't mastered the science of cooking with it, but it's great to add to teas, top on fruit, etc...

After saying all of that (if you're still with me), H-Mama needs some help! Does anybody have a favorite healthy, filling, yummy snack or meal idea for this new point system? I know we can look up Dotti's for going out, but what else am I missing? I was hungry ALL day until my Subway Veggie sandwich. Yum! I'm trying to even out my protein (including protein shakes), but there must be more to taming the hunger beast.
Oh... I did find this site of 100 tips. I recommend #'s 58 and 68.

Wait, what? I just need more points? I'm so glad you agree! It's really more of a 'guideline' anyway, right? ;)

5 things I'd like to do before I become an Angel

That sounds sweeter than “…before I kick the bucket”. Don’t you think? Let’s see… in no particular order.


1. Take great photography. I especially love taking pictures of my girls. This is one of my favorites.




2. Become more financially stable so that DK and I can travel more with our girls. I’d love to take the girls on a Disney Cruise! Fun! An Alaskan cruise would be nice too while I’m daydreaming.


3. I have a very low singing voice for a girl. I think singing with a ‘blues’ group (even temporarily) would be fun. I must start tuning up for when they call. I’m out of practice!


4. Be the best wife and mother I possibly can so that I leave a positive legacy. I don’t want to leave this world until my girls are raised for sure! I just wanted to put that out in the universe! ;)


5. Cook one good meal that ALL 4 of us love beyond spaghetti!!! This may be the most difficult item on the list with my picky eaters. I know I will attain this goal one day. Just let me live in that fantasy.