The scale moved…Week 2, CDCC

This will also be my 2nd update on the CHRISTMAS DRESS COUNTDOWN!!!

So the scale did move, 181.4. I can handle that, with a total of 3.8lbs for the two weeks. Not quite the 4 lbs it should be but I am 2 days early but I know that on the weekends I don’t have time to do anything and tomorrow I start my new next part time job. That means I have 1 fulltime, 3 part times so a busy bee I will be, on top of my usual schedule. Never boring here and a woman’s gotta make a living to keep her family happy, fed and taken care of.

Water is never a issue except when I’m running the trails. What does anyone do when they are running? Do you carry a water bottle, wear a camel bag, what? I hate things in my hands and fussing with a fanny pack seems funky. Ideas? Thoughts? Anything? When I fast walk the trail carrying water isn’t a problem and when I walk it’s 4-5 miles and I can’t go that long without but if I’m chewing gum I can run/jog 3 miles without but at the end I know I’m dehydrated. What do you do?

My book came and I am reading but boy is it out of my realm. Teaching my brain to be quiet. Teaching me I can be important. Teaching me to quiet down and shut up. HUMMMM!!! It’s interesting and I talked to Terri yesterday and she has the whole series so when I finish this one I can get the next from her.

Calories are good minus an extra protein shake on the days I work out for 3 hours, like Tuesday and Thursday this week. I also had 3 Rolo yesterday while making Mike’s lunch. I did figure them in  and I’m still under the 1200 calories but the sugars are a bit higher because of those things.

Blogging, each week after you all post I try and get to each and every one of you and leave a comment. Most of the time I can, once in awhile blogger won’t let me but I have checked in to see how you’re doing. AWESOME is what most of you are doing, some need a bit of work but this isn’t a diet anyways, it’s a life style change and changes take time and practice and it’s a learning experience, you can do it. I have faith in every single one of you!!

Next Monday Allan is having new menus to go with our new eating habits and they are going to be so doable. LOVING IT!!! I know some of you aren’t a fan of Allan but I am. Oh he’s off the beaten path at times and those times I don’t agree there’s that little x in the corner to just close out and check on him later but most of the time he’s right and I have been following him for a year now and he has helped me not only lose some weight but learn to cook different things and eat different things, except Hummus, that stuff is gross!!

So there you have it, week two under my belt. It was a good week, the scale did move and that makes me happy. Next week is coming with a whole bunch of new and exciting challenges. Life isn’t easy but heck, if it was it would be so boring. Let’s kick this challenge in the butt and get into those outfits we so want too. I almost told Jim what I was doing this morning but changed my mind, I really want to surprise him.

Take care my friends and have an awesome weekend. It’s suppose to be 60-70* and sunny here. The perfect weather to get ready for winter. We are taking in the raft, bring the boat home and putting the camper away. It’s just the way it is up here and though I miss all of these things spring will be back and out it all will go (in 7 months or so). Blessings to you all!!!

Poor baby…

 

What happens when you leave a puppy in the house alone (well Wilbur was here but he’s an old dog and very content to just sleep the time away) for 2 hours? She eats babies. Not the first baby, not the last. I thought I had cleaned up the toys before we left. Guess not all of them.

Blessings!!

Tomato soup…

Boy was that not a failure yesterday. It is the best tasting tomato soup. I even have a recipe if you’d like it. It starts out like this:

30 tomatoes just cut up. I didn’t remove the skins.

2 onions

5 of those little lumpy things on a garlic blub

a bag of carrots cut up

2 red peppers seeded

6 beets (I used last years frozen ones)

season salt (to taste)

seasoned pepper (to taste)

2 Tlb Italian herbs (those dried up one, I didn’t have any fresh)

1 Tlb Celery seed (because I didn’t have any of this either)

5 handfuls spinach

Cook down for a couple of hours. Cool. Puree in the blender. Can….

And ends like this:

That’s it. And it is awesome. I had a bowl for supper and one of my daycare daddy’s did too and he loved it, was even looking for more. I didn’t put it in the calorie finder thingy but there can’t be more then 50-60 calories a cup and there is more then a serving of your veggies in each cup. Be warned though, it doesn’t look like Campbell’s or V-8, it just tastes way better then the two of them.

YUMMY!!!!

Now that’s the end of the tomatoes and recipes for the year. Now I’ll have to come up with good for you apple desserts. My sauce is simple, just cut off the core, cooked down and milled. Reheated, about a cup of sugar, 1 tsp salt and canned. Each batch makes at least 6-8 quarts so very healthy.

Off to the library we go. First I have to get a turkey ready to bake. Allan’s way. Salt brine for a day and then bake tomorrow. It’s excellent, no added badness and the moistest bird ever. I have two bird to use up before Thanksgiving and the bird wars (I love those wars between our grocers, I got 6 birds last year for about .35 cents a pound, you can’t beat that). We don’t do your typical Thanksgiving big meal so we eat turkey every couple of months for a week or so in many different dishes and it sure helps out with the grocery bill.

Hope your day is going grand. Take care my friends, Blessing!!

4.12 miles fast walk…

That’s what Brenda and I did last night. I didn’t hear from Terri but she’s a farmer and I am sure had tons of stuff to get done before the day was done. I’ll be bugging her maybe today and see if she’d like to join me tomorrow. We did our 4+ miles in 64 minutes last night. Not bad I think. It was a bit faster then our last 4 and on Saturday we’ll do it again a bit faster yet. It is 11 days until my 5K that I am going to run/walk. I’m not obsessed anymore on the time, I am just going to give it my best and enjoy the race. It will be my 4th in a years time and I have got to remember that a year ago I wouldn’t of even thought about running a race. So I will except what I do and just remember to do my best and let the Lord do the rest.

Today is an easy day. Joss and I are going to the library and then to Kim’s for a visit and lunch. We’ll come home and she’ll nap and if it’s not raining I’ll go work on the wood pile a bit. Mike is off today so I’m going to try and get him to help me so it gets did and done with just a bit faster. At least I don’t think Mike works today, he has a cash job he can go to on any days off so he might work. Otherwise I’m going to cut up the last of the apples ….

…and get them into the freezer. I haven’t found anyone with more apples (I’m still looking if anyone around here knows of anyone that has some) so will eat and enjoy and freeze the rest.

I hope that everyone is having a great day. I took a peek at the scale today and just pushed it back in the corner. I might be doing all that I’m suppose to be but it isn’t showing on there. Maybe today is retention day, I haven’t a clue but it better get moving because I’m working and journaling and eating right, not even a slip so far this week. Oh well it’s only Wednesday, we’ll just see.

Take care and have a blessed day.

Two failures in one week…

Well I wanted to make my version of V8 today, it didn’t happen…why you ask…cuz I didn’t think far enough ahead and I don’t have part of the ingredients or cheese cloth. Oh well I just made a super healthy tomato paste instead that I think will make excellent tomato soup. So not really a failure like the burn tomatoes just not exactly what I wanted. I am officially done with tomatoes now, all that’s left are some eating ones and a few to try and roast again. YEAH!!! 75 quarts of all kinds of sauces, salsas, spaghetti sauce…I’m happy. I’d like to find a few more apples but if I don’t we have enough but would like some just frozen for pies and crisps.

It’s a dreary, chilly day here so I didn’t get back out to the wood pile yet. That snake really put a damper on me working on it yesterday. If I wasn’t so scared of them it would be okay, it was just a Gardner and they don’t hurt much (they do bite if you’re stupid enough to bug them). I’m big and brave on most things, I can protect my animals and shot things. I can walk in the dark and find stuff but if there’s bats flying around or snakes slithering around the scaredy cat in me comes out.

Joss is resting now, the dryer is running, the tomatoes are cooling so it’s time to eat my salad and get ready for after school daycare. Today I have 3 coming and I made them some bars but should frost them. I hope you’re all have a great day today. I’m heading out tonight to the trails for a walk/run with Brenda and possible our friend Terri. It’ll be a great time to visit and get the exercise done. Take care my friends and have a blessed afternoon.

This was in the wood pile, I’m taking a break!

Oh yuck, oh yuck….there are two things I hate, really really hate and they are bats and these…

YUCK!!!

What happens when? ….

You take a bunch of these beautiful red tomatoes

Slice them up and try and to be like Martha but instead take a wee one outside for oh, at least 4 hours? Well Martha would die ….

They are not suppose to be burnt to a crisp and smelling like the inside of Mike’s work boots. There are suppose to look like this…

Well now is the time I wish I hadn’t sold my dehydrator. I hadn’t use it in years and of course needed the money so sold it. WHY!!!!

Oh well I’ll try it again, maybe tomorrow when it’s raining and I’m not outside. UGH!!!

Last night I cut up green tomatoes for my breads and to freeze for later use. I loved seeing the shapes of the insides of the tomatoes. Some are so pretty. Notice the colander and teeth marks? Tuna (my beloved dog) ate is about 15 years ago but it still works.

Speaking of puppy. Want to see Scout? She’s 6 months old now and a real good girl. She’s easy to train and wants to please and loves us all so much.

Well it’s that time. I ate my lunch, fed Joss and now she’s napping. I’m heading outside to do this….

Stack this load of wood because in the next week or two we have to get 10 more cords before the snow flies.

I hope you’re having a great day. Take care my friends and enjoy the afternoon. Blessings!!

The most awesomest work out!!!

Oh I know that’s not a word but heck it fits. I just got back from a 90 minute workout and am very happy with the way the week is starting out. First, yes my neck and back is better, not grand but much better. I was able to do the elliptical for 30 minutes from a level 5-15, at speeds up to 7.5. I got my heart rate up to 153 and kept it in the 145-150 for the full 30 minutes. I am getting good at the warm up and cool down now and don’t count that in the work outs. I ran for 1 full mile in 9:33 minutes. Plus did all the weights from 40-110lbs. I am happy. I left the house at 5am and got home at 7:15. Not bad, a great way to start out the week.

Now a quick shower and daycare starts. I hope that you all have a great day. It’s suppose to be warm and sunny here so going to work outside as much as possible along with play with my wee one. I’m thinking a walk to the grandparents is in order today. They love seeing us and Joss things it’s the greatest thing to play with grandpa and the kitties.

Take care my friends and I’ll be back to bug you later on. Blessings!!!

OUCH!!!

What happens when you do your planks and don’t keep your head level with your body? When you let your head drop? You pull your back. I am in so much pain I can’t breath, I can’t lower my head and to move in general hurts and hurts bad. I did push things this week and maybe just a bit to much. All I know is I hurt and it’s miserable and it’s not the way I wanted to spend the rest of my weekend. What really stinks, the chiropractor can fix me for $40.00 and that’s the grocery money for this week. Hummm, hopefully it’ll just get better on it’s own. I’m icing it and trying to keep moving so it doesn’t get stiffer. I have no pain pills or anything either. Oh well this too shall pass and maybe I’ll just go to bed early and hope for the best tomorrow. It’s shopping day and Jim and my breakfast date morning and I don’t want to hurt all day. Please Lord not.

I did take the girls and my dad garage saling. The girls had a blast and found some goodies for their new rooms. They are each getting their own rooms by the end of the month and so exited to be redoing them for themselves. I called their dad last night to tell him the plans for the day so he gave each girl some money to spend.  My daddy didn’t find anything and I found a pair of jeans and 2 t-shirts (a whole .75 cents for all three). Then I went and worked out and ……. well you know the rest of that story.

So did you have a great day? Did you enjoy your Saturday? I sure do hope so. Tomorrow is the Lords day. Take the time to say a prayer and thank our great Lord for all the blessing he has bestowed on us. We truly are lucky.

Take care my friends and have a blessed day.

It’s sorta sad…

When the growing season comes to an end. Last night we picked the last of everything and found out I just missed 4 cubes and 5 ears of corn and maybe a 1/2 bucket of tomatoes so not bad. I think I’ve put up more then I ever had for this coming year and am very happy with that since my income just isn’t what it ever was even at the lowest point. We’ll survive. Anyways, here’s my garden, I am going to miss it.

 

I do have sunflowers left. They aren’t ready to harvest yet. This one is one of the biggest ones. It’s about 15’ tall and the head is the size of a turkey platter. It’s huge!!!

I’m off garage saling with my daddy and daycare girls. I’m always on the look out for a good deal. I have yet shared last week’s with you. I have to too because the two items were perfect for us and only .50. Maybe I can get some pictures this weekend.

Take care my friends and have an awesome weekend. Relax, rejuvenate and enjoy. Blessings to you all!!