2010 Goals

My 2010 goals!

1. Seriously, get to goal this year!!! (Shooting for 130 but we will evaluate!)
2. Journal EVERYDAY
3. Plan my meals at least weekly.
4. Work out 4 x's a week.
5. Use the Wii at least once a week.
6. Run 6 5ks.
7. Complete my Turbo Jam Challenge (ends 3/7/10) Then complete P90x.
8. Scrapbook the girls 1st year. (yes I'm behind!)
9. Scrapbook Connor's 2nd year.
10. Organize my house, one room each month.

• January - My Bathroom
• February - Dh's Bathroom
• March - My Computer
• April - Living Room
• May - Laundry Room
• June - Dining Room
• July - Kitchen
• August - Connor's Bedroom
• September - Hallway/Foyer
• October - Master Bedroom
• November - Twins Bedroom

11. Take the kids to a new park each month.
12. Stay within my budget!! No more impulse buying. Ask myself 3 times if I NEED it before buying.

So there you have it. Those are my goals for 2010. I am really going to try hard to stick to it. I know I can and in the end, it will help me to be a healthier and happier person. These will also be my goals for the Perfect 10 Challenge. Check it out and join up like I did!!!

The Perfect 10 Challenge

So what's a new year without a challenge?!?! And South Beach Steve over at LogMyLoss has graciously started The Perfect 10 Challenge. And guess what? There is a really cool prize at the end and all you have to do to be eligible is COMPLETE the challenge. You don't have to be perfect, but you have to try! And that will help you to achieve your weightloss goals!

So anyway, check back in the next day or two and I will have my goals here for all to check out!!!

2009 Goals - How Did I Do??

Well - it's been a full year since I came up with my 2009 goals. The only way to really see how far you've come - is to look back - review - evaluate - and come back with new and improved goals that will help me to reach my goals. Some I've accomplished, some I need to work on some more. So let's see how I did!!!

2009 Goals


1. GET TO GOAL! (serious - no joking this year!) Well, I did NOT reach my goal. However, I did lose 25.2 lbs this year. Not bad. I am in virgin territory so I'm happy!

2. Run 6 5k's (approximately one every other month) Well, I did run 3 this year with a better time each run. =) Life got in the way but I will not be dissapointed in saying I ran 3 5ks in 2009!

3. Run a 10K this year. Nope. Did not do this. I'm a little dissapointed but I just did not have the capability to train for this this year. As my kids get older, I should be better equipped.

4. Exercise 4x's a week. This is still not a habit. As the year draws to a close, I am getting better but exercise is definitely something I need to work on in 2010.

5. Scrapbook at least once a month. Wow. I so did not do this. I am so bad. I thought I would have time but did not. I was also running out of memory on my laptop. I know have an external hard drive for my projects and no excuse. Scrapbooking will be part of my goals next year.

6. Plan meals every week. I can honestly say I did this about 60% of the year. Something I still struggle with occasionally (usually only when I'm not OP) but for the most part, I am happy with my progress on this and the habits it's become for the most part.

7. JOURNAL JOURNAL JOURNAL When I'm OP, I journal. When I'm not, I don't. I did really great at this and I have no excuse for not journaling since I have my iPhone. Need to get back into this.

8. No more diet soda - it's expensive (I can save money) and not great for you. Ha! I did great the first couple month or two. Will need to eliminate it. Water is so much better. Will have to just say no to buying it even if my MIL is over (she drinks this like water which is why I had it on hand but then I started drinking it and voila. Got back in the habit again). Need to eliminate next year.

9. Use my crockpot at least once a month. I think I used my crockpot twice this year. Need to utilize it more in 2010.

10. Watch less TV. I think I can honestly say YES. I remember in 2007 and 2008 freakin' out because I was running out of DVR space and had TONS to watch. This year I can't think of a single time that happened. I can think of the tons of time when I didn't have ANYTHING to watch and that's when I need to start scrapbooking!! I consider this goal COMPLETE!!!!

11. Organize my home. (one room each month will take me 9 months so I may take two months on like the kitchen which is bigger). Well, unfortunately my work schedule had to change due to dh's job switch so I did not have free time like I had hoped. So I did one room in January and then was not able to complete a single room since. This will be a goal in 2010.

12. Read 12 books this year (one a month). YES! And then some! I got back into the reading habit! That was my main reasoning for this goal! This goal is COMPLETE!

So I for sure completed 2 goals this year. I am happy with that. The others I made great progress and they changed my habits. Now to just instill them even further to make them permanent habits and I will happy! So here's to another year of reaching for your goals! Stay tuned for my 2010 goals!!!!

Christmas Presents

Oh! I got some COOL Christmas presents this year. SO SO excited!!!! Let's see, I got the Wii Fit Plus game (already had the Wii Fit), got the EA Active game for Wii and the Biggest Loser Wii game!! Now I just need to find time to use them. LOL! And my big present - drumroll - the P90x DVDs!!!! Wow!!! I will Totally be doing those after my TJ challenge! I am so excited!! I know they are hard but I'm ready to have a good toned body and be in the best shape of my life. I am so ready!!!

Speaking of my TJ challenge. I was up way early this morning (we are talking 3:25am!) so I decided to just get up. Since tomorrow's workout was a good 60 mins, I switched today and tomorrow's workout. Boy am I glad I did. I might not have been able to do both workouts tomorrow but knew I had the time this morning to do it. Nothing wrong with that! I'm working the program to fit MY schedule! That is what I have been doing wrong all these years. I've been trying to work this stuff "by the books". Well, my schedule is anything BUT by the books and you know what?? That's OK! I just have to make it work for me and I think I've proven I can. I'm very proud of myself.

Now I just need to get my eating back in control. I'm slowly getting there. Working on my meal plan for January. Baby steps. I know by not eating out and taking control, I will lose this weight, keep it off and save money too! And boy do I need to. After December I feel like I'm hemorraging money! I need to save a good chunck in January. And I can. It all rolls together. Less eating out, less diet soda's = more money in the bank. =) I'll be back probably tomorrow with my goals for January. Oh yeah, I probably also need a post regarding how I did this past year! Not too bad. Could have been better but I'm also pretty proud of myself too. It really was a great year!!!

The Universe is Against Me

I swear, I cannot catch a break!!! So I did not get to do Turbo Jam Thursday or Friday last week. I had the BEST of intentions but you gotta give me a break - it was Christmas Eve and Christmas day PLUS I had a sick child. Ugh. So I was hoping to make them up on Saturday and Sunday but alas, that sick child got in the way there too. So this morning I woke up and was PREPARED, no matter WHAT. And of course my son wakes up and says his leg hurts and can he lay in my bed. Well our other sick child (the one from the week before was ok and her twin sister is now sick) is in bed with Daddy so I didn't want Connor in there to bug them. So I laid down with him after giving him some motrin. Thankfully he went back to sleep, I was only 10 mins behind schedule and I did it!!! =) So I'm back on track.

The old Heather would have stopped my TJ challenge since I missed two days last week. Not the new Heather!! =D Just because I missed those days doesn't mean I have to stop. I can still make them up. I could make them up in a week, two weeks or not at all. What matter is I keep going!!!! Now if only my kids would get healthy.

Turbo Jam Challenge - Second Week

I thought it would be a good idea to come in here and update how I'm doing. Of course if you notice up above I've redded all the days that I've been successful on my 90 day program. And - I am 9 for 9. =) I also figured out I was wrong before. I never made it past the first week the last times I attempted to do Turbo Jam. How do I know that? This is Week Two and I did a new workout this morning - Ab Jam. It sure did work out my abs. I bet I feel it tomorrow!! Tomorrow is also a new routine - Cardio Party. I'm looking forward to it. I just hope the kids don't wake up every hour on the hour like they did last night. I'm amazed I made it through the day today considering I went to bed at 11pm. Woke up every hour AND ended up having not one but TWO kids in bed with us. Then woke up at 4 am to work out. :sigh: Hopefully over Christmas I will be able to nap and such. We'll see!!!!

GAG Challenge - FINAL WI

Well the end result of the GAG challenge is . . . . . 153.4. Considering I started out this challenge at 173.8 - WOW! That is all I can say!! I am VERY proud of myself!!!! 20.4 lbs in 16 weeks. That is awesome. Especially to do it over Thanksgiving and the month of December with all those holiday treats and cookies!!! I so could have done better. At one point (2 weeks ago) I was down to 152.4 but I won't complain. I just know what I have to do and how to do it! And I will get to goal next year!!!

Starting Weight - 9/1/09

Ending Weight - 12/22/09

So who is doing the next challenge??? I am so READY!!!!

GAG Challenge Before & After Pictures & Final Exam

And here they are. The much anticipated before and after pictures from the GAG challenge. I don't see a whole lot. I've basically lost 20.4 lbs. That's pretty good for a 16 week challenge. I cannot complain. It could have been better had I not "goofed" off at the end. It's very hard this time of year but I'm glad I did what I did these previous 16 weeks to help me get through this holiday time. I really had a fun time and I "met" a lot of great women! Thanks so much Sheila for starting this challenge. And thank you to Christine and Sue for taking over!!! I can't wait for another one!!!

Front View -

Side View -

Back View -

Power Arm View!!!

Darn me and closing my eyes!!! Oh well!!!!

Why did I join GAG and how am I doing today? Well I needed a jump start. I was going nowhere fast and tired of being in the 170's and flirting with the 160's. I needed something to help keep me on track. Something to hold me accountable! And that is exactly what I found in GAG. It helped me to stay on track. It helped me to learn what i need to accomplish to get to goal. And most of all, it's taught me this is a learning process. No one is 100% all the time. We all make mistakes. But we learn from them! I'm so happy with where I am now compared to where I was 16 weeks ago. Could I have been better? Absolutely! Am I upset with what I accomplished? HELL NO! I lost 20.4 lbs. I am now firmly in the 150's and at my all time low ever since high school. The only thing I am asking now is when/where is the next challenge to propel me into goal!!!! =D

Book Review - Chris Dreams BIG

Chris Dreams BIG by former NBA star Chris Dudley and his wife Chris Love-Dudley is a fabulous read for any child young and old! It's about Chris who finds out he is sick and diagnosed with diabetes. If your child is diagnosed with diabetes, I HIGHLY suggest this book. Even if your child does not have diabetes, this is still a great read to show any child that they can do anything if they work hard! My son is 4 and he has no idea what diabetes is. When I read this book to him, I basically change the words and just say that Chris is sick instead of has diabetes. That is something he will understand at his age versus diabetes. As he gets older, I can explain to him what it is. But this book helps him to see that even if you are sick or have obstacles in your way, you CAN overcome them. It's also a great tool for teaching about acceptance of all people.

I have to say my son's favorite part of this book is the life size hand print and foot print of Chris Dudley. =) Every time we read it, he compares his hand and foot and I tell him, if he works hard like Chris did, he can get that big too.

This book is great for any age child. A truly great read about overcoming obstacles and being accepting of all people!!

Book Review - Jack's Dreams Come to Life

Jack's Dreams Come to Life is a cute children's book about a dog with a vivid imagination! Jack has some funny and scary tales of what he sees after falling asleep. I read this book to my 3 1/2 year old. It didn't really hold his attention that much. It was a lot of words on each page in the middle of the book. It would be hard to minimize the wording since it sets the stage for his wild imagination and what Jack sees. He did like the illustrations and I thought they were superb! I will keep this book and read it again in a few months when my son is older and has more of an attention span. I think this would be a great book for children 6 and up to show what you can imagine and play and dream up and have fun with. Great for those kids that have a wild imagination and love to pretend!

Trucking Along

I woke up and did Turbo Jam again. YEAH!! Tomorrow is going to be the killer though. I am SO TIRED. Thankfully the kids were ok this morning and even though Connor was a straight on grouch (well so was Emily but once she was UP she was fine) I did not lose my patience with them this morning. =) And I got to sleep on the train ride in. Whew!

My eating is still out of control though. =( And I don't see an end in sight until next week because we are so busy this week. I am proud of myself for making dinner last night even though I so didn't want to. I still had to do the kids laundry and towels (so that was three loads), get the baked goods tagged for the kids Holiday boutique tonight, made dinner and did dishes. Whew. It was a LONG night. I so didn't feel like cooking but I made myself. But tonight is going to be so rushed I'm just going to pick up dinner on the way home.

Then I have my Multiples Christmas party Thursday night and my work Christmas party Friday night. Then on Saturday I can relax! Wednesday I have to make cookies for Friday and my mom is coming into town on Friday and leaving Tuesday. So busy!! And I'm still not done with some gifts i need to make and i still need to wrap presents. So much to do and not enough time in the day to do it. YIKES!!!

Turbo Jam Challenge - Day One

It was a success! I woke up at 4am (after Emily woke me up at 3:30am to put her blanket back on her! UGH!) and got my butt dressed and did the Learn & Burn DVD. YEAH!!! Day one down, 89 more to go!! Yikes.

Now if only I can get my eating habits back on track. You don't WANT to know what I weighed in at today. It was sickening. Sickening! I need to get back on track especially since we are going to be so busy these next few weeks until Christma. :sigh: Help me!!!

GAG Challenge - Week 15

Time to see what I know!! Hopefully I know something! LOL!!!



1) How many spoonfuls of sugar are in one can of regular cola?



a- 1

b- 3

c- 5

d- 7 (although everything I've been reading is 9-10 teaspoons of sugar per can)



2) Substituting turkey for beef two times per week will save you how many calories?

a- 150

b- 250

c- 350

d- 450



3) Which fast food item has the most calories?

a- Bacon Double Cheeseburger

b- 22 oz chocolate shake

c- Medium order of french fries

d- Medium order of onion rings



4) How many jumping jacks would you have to do to burn off the calories in a pint of ice cream?a- 2000

b- 5000

c- 8000

d- 12000



5) What percentage of Americans eat fast food as a family meal at least once a week?

a- 10%

b- 29%

c- 52%

d- 70%



6) When should you have your first cholesterol screening?

a- At age 10.

b- At age 20.

c- At age 35.

d- At age 40

e- It depends on your risk factors.



7) What percentage of your diet should fat make up?

a- About 10 percent of your daily calories.

b- About 20 percent of your daily calories.

c- About 30 percent of your daily calories.

d- About 40 percent of your daily calories.

e- There is no recommended amount of fat; you should strive to eat as little of it as possible.



8) How much exercise do you really need?

a- 45 minutes twice a week.

b- 30 minutes three or four days a week.

c- 60 minutes at least three or four days a week.

d- 30 minutes at least four or five days a week.

e- It depends on your age and overall physical-fitness level.



9) Which of the following is not a good approach to managing stress?

a- Talking directly to the person who is causing the stress.

b- Giving yourself a treat, like comfort food or a cocktail.

c- Accepting that there are things beyond your control.

d- Trying cognitive-behavioral therapy to learn new coping skills.

e- Working out regularly.



10) What is a healthy blood-pressure level?

a- 110/70.

b- 125/85.

c- 135/90.

d- 140/95.

e- 150/95.



11) What is a healthy body-mass index (BMI) measurement?

a- 17.5 or lower.

b- 18.5 or lower.

c- 18.5 to 24.9.

d- 25 to 29.9.

e- 30 to 34.9.



12) How many cups of fruit and vegetables should you eat daily?

a- At least one cup of fruit or vegetables.

b- One cup of fruit and one cup of vegetables.

c- One cup of fruit and 1 1/2 cups of vegetables, for a total of 2 1/2 cups.

d- Two cups of fruit and two cups of vegetables.

e- Four to five cups of fruit and vegetables.



13) What percentage of weight-loss ads contains false or unsupported claims?

a- 25 percent

b- 36 percent

c- 42 percent

d- 55 percent

e- 67 percent



14) How much weight loss is a safe and reasonable goal?

a- Half a pound a week

b- A pound a week

c- Two pounds a week

d- Three pounds a week

e- More than three pounds a week



15) Some weight-loss products say they can prevent calories from being absorbed. What's the greatest amount of weight that can be lost using this method, according to experts?

a- One-third pound a week
b- One-half pound a week
c- One pound a week
d- None of the above



16) Some products, such as green tea extract, promise that they can cause you to "burn fat" without working out. How much do they really boost your metabolism?
a- 2 percent
b- 4 percent
c- 5 percent
d- 7 percent



17) Which of these claims should be a red flag about the safety or effectiveness of a weight-loss product?
a- It causes permanent weight loss
b- It helps the user lose more than three pounds a week for more than four weeks
c- Substantial weight loss occurs by wearing a device or rubbing a substance on the skin
d- All of the above



18) High-protein/low-carbohydrate diets are faulted because of their emphasis on saturated fats. What's another problem with these diets?
a- They can cause headaches
b- They can cause bad breath
c- They can make you feel tired and weak
d- All of the above



19) If you follow a low-fat diet, you don't have to watch your portions of which of these foods?
a- Pasta
b- Nonfat cookies
c- Nonfat chips
d- Whole-wheat bread
e- None of the above



20) Which items are examples of foods high in "healthy fats"?
a- Olive oil, peanut oil, canola oil, avocados, nuts and seeds
b- Safflower, corn, sunflower, soy and cottonseed oils
c- Fatty, cold-water fish (such as salmon, mackerel and herring), flaxseeds, flax oil and walnut
d- All of the above

Struggling

My struggling goes hand in hand with my lack of sleep. My daughter Taylor has been waking up like every hour crying, running down the hall. Ugh. I don't know what's up. But it's getting to me. Not sure if she is having growing pains. Dh said she was complaining about her legs last night. I remember going through this with Connor and having him end up in our bed. I'm not opposed to that (I'll get sleep!) but then I feel like Emily will wake up and wonder what is going on and feel left out. :shrug: Don't know. But when Heather doesn't sleep - Heather is NOT a happy camper. One more year and the girls will be able to communicate even more and then hopefully I won't have this problem.

Monday starts my Turbo Jam challenge. I guess I'm ready for it. Sort of. This lack of sleep thing is not doing good for wanting me to exercise but I WILL. Maybe that will give me some energy throughout the day because God knows I'm not getting energy by sleeping right now. :sigh:

Monday Weigh-In!

Well, folks. It's that time of the week again. Time to step on that scale and see what the Gods had in store for me. And the answer is
.
.
.
.
.
.
152.4!!!!

Yahoo!! I'm in Virgin territory and I sticking there!!! =) That is also a 2.2 lb loss from last week. Yeah!!!! I'm back on track and ready to kick it! I wanted to end the year at 145. Can I still do it?? Maybe. I would have to lose 2.5 lbs a week for the next 3 weeks. We'll see.

I had some challenges this weekend. We had a housewarming party we went to on Saturday night. I never got to eat dinner before we went so I think I was ok. Then I had two pancakes on Sunday in which dh INSISTED on putting melted butter in the batter (he's trying to recreate the pancakes we get at this one restaurant). Ugh. But I used my sugar free syrup and just a little. We did eat at home for lunches all weekend which is unusual! =) So that was good. And last night we ordered pizza since I was busy decorating the tree with the kids. But all i ate was the salad we ordered and the kids crusts. Weird yes. I was going to eat a slice but then the kids didn't eat their crusts and that's the best part! So I didn't eat my slice and only ate their crust. =)

So I could have been much better this weekend but I think I did ok. Sunday will probably be hard since I am baking all day but I'm going to put a Chicken in the crockpot so I have no excuse for eating out that night. =) So I'm all set. Now hopefully I can stick to it!

Menu Plan Monday

Ah, I'm back at it! Maybe now I can actually POST my menu plans!

Monday: Stouffer Skillet Meal

Tuesday: Chicken Calzones

Wednesday: Spaghetti

Thursday: Tacos

Friday: Nachos

Saturday: Eat Out

Sunday: Crockpot Chicken

For more menus check out: Orgjunkie

GAG Challenge - Week 14

Yikes! Is it already Week 14?!? Where did the time go? Dh was just asking me Sunday what was going on with that challenge I started way back when. I was happy to tell him I was in the lead. =D But let's see if I have learned anything over the course of these past 14 weeks. Part 1 of Week 14's challenge is a true false. Here goes!

1. Women who lift weights will get bulky muscles.

False! So not true even though so many people believe this to be true!

2. "Spot reducing" (focusing on one area with exercises to see faster results in that one area) is possible.

False! As much as most people would LOVE for this to be true. It is so NOT true. No matter what you do. You cannot control how your body wants to look and take away the weight. Now if you use plastic surgery that's a whole 'nother story!

3. Exercise boosts brain power.

True! The more you use your brain - the more your brain will learn and stay healthy. Exercising forces your brain to keep you steady and balanced therefore, boosting your brain functions.

4. No pain, no gain.

False. If there is pain, you are NOT doing it correctly. However, you will feel sore afterwards. That is completely common and acceptable as it is your muscles healing the tiny little tears when weight lifting.

5. Movement melts away stress.

True.

6. Exercise requires a hefty time commitment.

False. Studies have shown that just exercising for 10 minutes a day is better than nothing. Even just slipping in 3 10 minute workouts a day equals 30 mins!

7. If you exercise, you can eat whatever you want.

False. How I wish this were true! The one thing I have learned is you can never eat whatever you want all the time. You can splurge. You can celebrate. But you have to watch what you eat!!

8. There’s a magic bullet (quick fix) out there somewhere.

False. The only way to lose the weight and keep it off is to CHANGE YOUR LIFESTYLE. Even if you try to use a quick fix - you will only gain the weight right back.

9. Exercise gives you energy

True! And oh boy do I know this! It really makes me able to get through the day without being tired.

10. All excuses aside, it's actually not that hard to find some amount of time for fitness daily.

True. I walk up 105 stairs daily on my way to work leaving the subway station. That's still fitness!

11. You need a gym membership if you want your exercise routine to be most effective.

False. You can do just as much at home as you can do at a gym. It's all about know WHAT to do and HOW. Even having a gym membership doesn't mean you will be effective if you don't know HOW to USE the equipment!

12. People who have exercise partners stay with their programs and reach their goals more often than those who try to go it alone.

True. I think. I'm kinda 50/50 on this one as I know having a flaky partner is NOT good. But if you have a good partner I think you would be more likely to stick with it and reach your gosl!

13. Exercise helps ward off disease.

True

14. Exercise is good for the heart.

True

15. Pound for pound, muscle burns more calories at rest than body fat -- so you can eat more calories and still lose weight if you exercise regularly.

True.

Ok. That's all I have time for today! Hopefully I got 15/15 right but we'll see!!!

Down a Size!!!

I never did get around to talking about my great accomplishment during Black Friday shopping! Last week, I went Black Friday shopping with my Mom and I ended up shopping for clothes. I needed new clothes as all mine are 12s and too loose and annoying the heck out of me. Well, they had good deals on suits so I tried on a suit jacket (size 10) and a skirt (size 10). The skirt was TOO LOOSE! I had to have my Mom go back and find me a size 8 and guess what -- it fit! Granted everything else I bought that day was a size 10 including my jeans (and those are a little tight!). Just goes to show you how clothes run differently and also depends on the material. Jeans aren't as forgiving as say rayon. But I am definitely down a size to 10s and even a few 8s!!! Wahoo!!!!

Lunch 12-04-09

Upcoming Review For CSN Stores

I was contacted by the nice people at CSN Stores to do a review of cookware sets that they offer for sale at cookware.com. Wow, how cool is that?! So stay tuned for a future review. I will of course make it weight loss related since my blog IS weight loss related. =D In the meantime, while you wait for my review, check out their website. They have lots of items from pots and pans to crockpots and in every price range imaginable!

Tex-Mex Meatloaf & Potato Packets

Serves 4

4 sheets 12x18 inch foil
1 medium onion -- thinly sliced
1/2 cup salsa -- divided
1/4 cup finely crushed tortila chips
1 tablespoon chili powder -- divided
1 teaspoon garlic salt -- divided
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin -- divided
1 pound ground beef, 92% lean
1 1/3 lb potatoes -- cubed
4 1/2 ounces diced green chilis, canned
1 cup 2% colby jack cheese, shredded -- optional

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F or grill to medium-high. Spray foil with nonstick cooking spray or use nonstick foil.
2. Center 1/4 of onion on each sheet of foil.
3. Combine 1/4 cup salsa, tortilla chip crumbs, 2 teaspoons chili powder, 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt, 1/4 teaspoon cumin; add to ground beef.
4. Shape mixture into 4 meatloafs, flatten slightly. Place one loaf on top of onion.
5. Spoon remaining salsa over meat loaves.
6. Combine potatoes with chiles and remaining spices. Place besides meat loaves.
7. Bring up foil sides. Double fold top and ends to seal packet, leaving room for heat circulation inside.
8. Bake 30-35 minutes on a cookie sheet or grill 18-22 minutes in covered grill.
9. Sprinkle with cheese before serving, if desired.

Nutrional Info per Sparkpeople (without the cheese):

Calories: 352.6
Total Fat: 9.5 g
Cholesterol: 65.0 mg
Sodium: 915.8 mg
Total Carbs: 34.8 g
Dietary Fiber: 4.9 g
Protein: 28.1 g

This was my dinner last night. And it was oh so yummy!!! A little bit of work in the beginning but worth it. I actually prepped everything the night before and had the foil packs sitting in the refrigerator for dh to put in the oven when he came home. They ended up being ready right after I got home. =)

For more recipes check out Gayle @ The Grocery Cart Challenge.

A Challenge to Get Me Moving!!!

So Annie over at The Amazing Shrinking Girl is going to restart her P90X & Chalean Extreme videos December 13th and complete the 90 days. She asked if anyone wanted to join her and I said YES! I don't have those videos but I do have Turbo Jam which I just HAD to purchase and have used maybe for a combined 2 weeks. Ugh. So I am joining Annie and going to start waking up at 4am (ah!) which is 30 mins earlier than usual and getting my workout in starting December 14th. Plus, if I do this for 90 days like Annie pointed out, I'll miss the heavy New Years Resolution crowds at the gym. =D Win win!! So I'm going to call this my 90 day Turbo Jam challenge! Yeah!! Anyone else want to join???

Book Review: The Laceyville Monkeys: Say the Right Words

I read The Laceyville Monkeys by Harriett Ruderman to my 4 year old son and he really liked this book. I did too. It has a catchy rhyme that flows. Some books have rhymes that just don't flow but this book is NOT one of them. The words flowed throughout the entire book. Not only did the rhyming flow but the message in the book was a good one too. Make sure you are nice and use nice words. When you are nice, then people will do things for you and treat you nice. The illustrations throughout the book were eye catching too. Very beautifully done and a great read to any aged child!

Vineyard Days by Gene Pisasale

I started to read Vineyard Days by Gene Pisasale but I just couldn't get into it. The premise of the story is what intrigued me. A couple goes on vacation and stumbles upon a mystery. And while it was interesting, I just found myself not liking the style of writing Gene did. There was lots of .... at the end of sentences and I found that distracting and hard to read. Although I did not particularly like this book, I think if you have been to Martha's Vineyard, you would really enjoy it. His descriptions were phenomenal and really brought you there. The mystery portion of the book was also good. I just couldn't get past the writing style.

Meals 12-02-09

Breakfast:

Arnold Thins' with 2 Tbsp Reduced Fat PB & a Chocolate Covered Strawberry (someone bought a basket a fruit and left it out for everyone to enjoy!)





Lunch:
Leftover Chicken Chili Quesdadilla insides over lettuce with fat free ranch & BBQ sauce and pretzels. And yes that's a soda. I needed to break a $20 so I went to the snack bar a bought a soda.

Meals 12-01-09

I'm trying to get better at taking pictures of what I eat. It's not hard since I have my phone, it's just I can only e-mail one picture at a time so I might have three different posts one day (or 6 if I start doing snacks too LOL!) But this way I can remember what I ate too if I didn't journal! LOL!

Lunch -
Crockpot Chicken Taco Stew (leftover from the week before) & 2 servings of tortillas chips. I did not have any soda today either. =)

Dinner

Chicken Chili Quesadillas - These were YUM. I used the La Tortilla Factory tortillas for mine. I probably would have been satisfied with ONE it was that filling with the chicken inside! And so easy to make.

Too bad I never took a picture of my breakfast. It was just oatmeal though so nothing spectacular. LOL!