I'm so bad about posting I assume most people follow me on facebook. Been a long summer, not as hot as last summer however or rather not as dry. My garden is about done except for peppers. I'm planning my fall garden. We have had a few fox attacks so now the girls get locked in the barn everynight. My Valentine chicks should start laying soon. This year we are going to try online virtual school for first grade. We shall see how its goes, I try not to put too much stress on myself or Presbyboy...it is after all just first grade. He got all A's in kindergarten and is way ahead in his sight words. The big news is that we are moving to a new manse (church house) which will be closer to the church (we are 14 miles now) and will be in a more remote area on 8 acres of a dead end road, there is one farm past our house then several hundred acres of a nature preserve. The house has to be expanded so we won't be moving for several months.We will be farther from town about 9 miles, so I will have to be more careful about my trips. The thought of moving again makes me groan. I hope it will all work out in the end.

O My

I just realized how long it's been since I posted anything. I assume you all follow me on facebook and since I post there all.day.long. I feel like I don't have much else to say.

Wednesday Weigh In

This wasn't a good week...I weighed in at exactly the same down to the 1/10 lb. that I weighed last week...RevDr asked me several times if I wanted my favorite candy for Valentine's Day and with my best martyr voice I insisted that he should NOT TO BUY ME ANY CANDY...then I made a loaf of white artisan bread with sesame seeds...I just cut a thin slice...then another and another and I buttered, and buttered. Well RevDr bought me rose bushes...but I bought him candy...and guess who ate his candy? Ya,me.

Somehow the Rosemary makes it almost look harmless

A McDonald's Revelation

I learned something AMAZING this week...a McDonald's ice cream come only has 140 calories and 3.5 grams of fat, a REAL cone not a kids size. This is BIG news to me as I'm allowed 1 sweet a day and this is well within My calorie range,but guess what... you know those McDonald's milkshakes 12 oz. vanilla 540 calories GULP or say a 32 oz. triple thick strawberry shake 1,110 calories double GULP... too bad I live so far from McDonalds.

Lean Cuisine- Cheddar Potatoes with Broccoli Review

This morning was my Wednesday weigh in down 4.2 lbs!!! my biggest lose yet, however I did have some kind of flu thing Saturday and didn't feel much like eating for a day and was tummy sick...after it was over I weighed myself (I know naughty!) and I was down an extra 3 lbs. more then this weigh in. but no doubt that was a water weight loss. After not eating for a day (and not feeling like eating) I was tempted to splurge and eat whatever I wanted the next day...I mean I had all these extra calories to use! but I didn't. This weeks diet meal review of the week is Lean Cuisine's "Cheddar Potatoes with Broccoli". These are $1.98 at my store as they have no meat and I guess are cheaper to make. 210 calories and 4grams fat is really good, keep in mind however that 1 cup of broccoli florets has 30 calories as well as 1 small potato has about 100...this didn't contain that much broccoli, so most of this meals calories came from the cheese sauce. The sauce was really good,it need salt and pepper to make it to my taste but still good, what I couldn't figure out was why there was so little broccoli as it's so low cal I'm guessing because broccoli florets are a higher priced food item? Since there was plenty of cheese sauce I steamed another cup of frozen florets and added them to my meal still plenty of sauce to cover them and only brought up the total calories up to 240.

before

after I added my own broccoli If I really wanted to do some work I could add a grilled chicken breast to this.

Little Rewards

As some of you know I've been on a diet since the start of the year, I hate to use the word "diet" since I've come to the conclusion that If I will ever be slim and stay slim I will have to watch what I eat for the rest of my life. That's just the way it is. I am doing quiet well, my goal is 100 lbs. for the year. 33 lbs. by Easter, 50 lbs. by my birthday June 19th and 80 lbs. by Halloween. So 2-3 pounds per week is very doable. This first month I have really been trying to get my food under control, next month I will start my workouts more intensively. I 'm eating 1,600-1,800 calories a day as I lose weight I will either have to lower this number or increase activity but at this point it's working. I'll be honest in the 1st month I have only gone out to eat once, Matthew had a "Book It" coupon from school so I took him to Pizza Hut and got a medium thin and crispy pizza for myself, I ate 2 small slices and brought the rest home...I really wanted to eat more, was I hungry...not really I just wasn't full. I have eaten at Subway a few times getting the kids meal with baked chips, is the best option I have found and it leaves me again, not "hungry" but not really "full" either. I went out to Breakfast at McDonald's once and had an egg McMuffin (300 calories with a lot of protein). One of my acquaintances posted this on Facebook and I thought it was so good.

Because that's exactly what I do. Every week when I go grocery shopping I stop by the bakery and get a special reward to eat on the way home, sometimes it's an eclair and or a red velvet cupcake. Why am I rewarding myself with food for? Maybe it goes back to childhood when you got a lollipop for being "good" who knows, "Well you have been such a good girl this week, folded 15 loads of laundry, stayed up with a fussy baby you deserve to have this 600 calorie eclair". I am also trying not to reward my children with food I don't say they can't have a cookie, but no more "if you're good you can have a cookie", what nonsense is that! So I have been replacing my food "reward" with something else earrings, new nail polish or a small plant each week. Is it easy? No, last night I was so hungry for a sweet I thought about getting dressed at around 10 pm and driving into town (5 miles each way). Something I learned in Bible College is whenever you take away a bad habit to replace it with a good one. I have been weighing myself on Wednesdays, So I will update you on the end of my 4 week progress then.

More Then Enough

So I'm on a diet...again, day #4. Counting calories is what I find is easiest and works best. I can eat whatever I want but just like a budget once the calories are "spent" that's it till the next day. I also bought a scale...I haven't weighed myself since my last baby was born...that baby is now 14 months old. Day #1 were hard...I mean I went to bed with a growling tummy, after that my appetite seemed to even out. I'm trying to eat nutrient dense food,with lots of fiber, and small portion sizes...I know my "snack trigger" is after the kids go to bed, say after 9 pm, so I try to save some calories for then, and I have 1 dessert everyday I try to "budget" 300 calories for that. 3/4 C of pasta with 1/2 Cup sauce (thats a "serving" per the package, is a pretty small serving. Yesterday everyone else had chips with lunch then cookies...I didn't have either. The only person I'm cheating is myself if I do eat junk food. My goal is to lose 33 lbs. by Easter,I think if I lose that much I can fit into one of my old favorite dresses. I'll keep you updated. Here is what I ate yesterday Breakfast: 1 cup coffee with cream 1/2 c. old fashioned oatmeal with a little milk and suagr free syrup 1 boiled egg Snack: smmothie made with 1/2 c plain yougert,frozen small bannana,frozen "fresh" figs (from my trees)and a few strawberries,ice and a little water to get the consistance right, a splash of vanilla and a splash of lemon juice, the figs were super sweet but this still wasn't THAT sweet. Lunch: 1/2 Turkey Sandwich just turket and mustard), large dill pickle and 1/4 cup "vege sticks" Snack: spicey chick peas (made in oven, these taste like corn nuts) Dinner, baked chickens breast with mushroom brown rice and peas,2 Tablespoons stove top stuffing, isn't that just the saddest portion : ) salad with balsamic vinegar After the kids went to bed, chocolate moosse with whiped topping and several marachino cherries I realized I hadn't gotten my min, calories!!!! If you cut calories too low (below 1,500) you metobalism will shut down because your body think it's starving, so I ate a small slice of cheese and 3 crackers, yum This is a 3/4 cup pasta and 1/2 cup sauce 2 oz. ground round,served on a dinner sized plate,very filling