Tales from the Scales - Week 1

Well, I decided to keep my weigh in day on Friday so this is from last Friday. I weighed 134.8 so that's down 1.2. Better than a gain! Slow and steady wins the race right?

But let me tell you Saturday, Sunday and Monday I ate like it was going out of style! I don't know what happened other than TOM arriving. Cravings galore! It was terrible. I went to homecoming at the church I grew up in and then to a wedding shower and I just couldn't stop myself from eating. This Satruday I have a wedding to go to and I will not allow myself to over indulge like that again!

Exercise hasn't been so great this week either. I went back on my Cymbalta (Felt like I was wicked witch of the west without it) and it just makes me so tired for that first week. Hopefully I'll be ready to rock and roll in the next few days!!

Want to check in on other participants! Get yourself on over to Tales from the Scale and see the page ful of Losers!! Yeah, and it's a good thing!!!

Fall Into Reading

Well, it's that time again! I missed Katrina's Spring reading thingy that she did but I'm ready for this one. I LOVE LOVE LOVE to read. DH laughs at me because I will finish a book and as soon as I set that one down I pick up another one! I'm going to list my reading wish list here. I'm sure I'll end up reading others and I'll add them later but these are my "must reads" this Fall.

Non-Fiction

The Power of a Praying Parent- Stormie Omartian

The Power of a Praying Wife- Stormie Omartian

Confessions of a Prayer Wimp

The Gift of Dyslexia- Ronald Davis

Fiction

The Skirt Man - Shelly Reuben

Wrapped in Rain - Charles Martin

Between Georgia- Joshilyn Jackson

Plain Truth- Jodi Picoult (I had Keeping Faith here but I stopped reading it because I was very turned off by her topic)

Forty to Life- Dave Jackson

The Yada Yada Prayer Group Gets Decked Out- Neta Jackson

Want to see what others are reading? Check out Fall Into Reading at Callapidder Days!

Recipes

A couple of people asked if I'd share some of the recipes that I've mentioned in other posts so here goes.



Low-Fat Chicken and Dumplings

4 skinless boneless chicken breasts
2 cans fat free chicken broth
1 can 99% fat free Cream of Chicken Soup
Anne's Dumplings- they are Fat Free
Salt and Pepper
Poultry Seasoning



Boil chicken breasts in the 2 cans of broth- add salt, pepper and poultry seasoning to taste. (I like a lot of pepper in mine). I like to let them cook for about 3 hours. Remove chicken from broth and cut chicken into small pieces. Set Chicken aside. Bring broth back to a boil- add dumplings -maybe 8 at a time. You need to continually stir them or they will stick together or stick to the bottom of the pan. Continue adding dumplings until you have as many as you want. Next time I make them I am going to break them up because the kids liked them smaller. Once you bring the dumplings back to a full boil add the chicken back to the pot and add the can of cream of chicken soup. Mix well and then let boil- still stirring- for a few minutes. Then remove from heat and let sit for about 20 min.


VERY YUMMY!!!


Pizza Quesadillas

Y'all, I'm almost embarrassed at how easy this is.


For each quesadilla you need:


two tortillas
mozzerella cheese
turkey pepperoni
(Ragu sauce- if you want to add it- we did for one but it was a bit soggy- haven't tried it again yet).


Place mozz cheese on one tortilla. Add pepperoni and then more cheese. Place on preheated skillet. Top with second tortilla. I like to press them together with another skillet- seems to help them stick together better. I just smush them together with it.

Oh, I did me some shopping!

Must be something in the air because shopping and fashion tips just seem to be the topic of a lot of posts lately. Check out Boomomma and Big Mamas fashion advice and finds!!

Anyway- I am honestly not a big shopper. It's just not my favorite thing to do. I know-I must be crazy. But there are a few days when I just get that itch and I decide to go shopping and I actually find stuff I love! Well, Monday was one of those days. I initially went shopping to buy the boys some khaki long pants because their school has a dress code and all they had in the area of long pants were jeans. In the process of shopping for the boys I found some cool things for myself!

I wanted to get a couple of skirts for the fall and found this really cute one at Kohl's on sale for $14.99! It is really comfy. Also got it in a light brown corduroy.

Then I was in Target and I found these shoes and fell in love with them. I slipped a pair on and it was like wearing silk on my feet. I kid you not.

But the weird thing was the 8 1/2's felt that way, the 8's were a little "tougher". I usually wear a size 8 but the 8 1/2's felt so good I got them!! I got these other two pairs of shoes too- they are quite as comfy but thought they'd look cute with jeans or khakis!

And then while I was in Target I found this great lip balm stuff. I am not one to wear lip stick or even lip gloss but I really like this Soft Lips.

And lastly- while STILL in Target I found this great griddle. The smooth top stove in our new house has a bridge burner so I needed a griddle to use on it. I used it today and was able to cook not 1, not 2, but THREE pizza quesadillas at a time for the kids! Whoo hoo- a time saver!!!

Yes, it was a wonderful day of shopping! I might just have to try it again (I HAVE to go to Target tomorrow to return something and I might just try on this shirt that Boomomma was talking about)!!

Tales From the Scales- the beginning!

Well, I posted here about new beginnings and today I started one of them. I have joined the new Look Great in 2008 challenge at Tales From the Scales! I'm really excited about becoming a part of this challenge.

I already participate in weight loss challenges on the Thirties board at Dotti's Weight Loss Zone and they are super supporters so I decided what more could I ask for than more supporters and cheerleaders.

I started my weight loss journey in Jan. 2006. In all honesty, I had never really had to struggle with my weight before. I was always small- when I married in 1990 I was 122 pounds and stayed around that until I had kids. Then the weight did start climbing. When I decided to do something about it in 2006 I was at 146. I know that may not seem like lot to some, but to me it was more than I wanted to be and I wasn't happy with the way my body looked or felt. So I stared watching what I ate and started exercising! I lost a total of 20 pounds by June of 2006. It was great but then the weight started climbing back up again.

On Jan. 1, 2007 I was up to 137 and I signed up for Weight Watchers and was amazed at what I was learning. I started eating so much better and worked really hard to keep track of my points and water intake- things went great and I dropped almost all of the weight I'd gained. Then I got slack again this summer and started gaining again. This time the numbers kept climbing again and this time they didn't stop. The highest that I reached was 140- I was shocked but knew I had to buckle down and watch myself. I wanted to blame the weight gain on medication I was taking and maybe that did have something to do with it. But I stopped taking the medicine on Sunday so we'll see if that makes any difference. But really it wasn't so much that the weight was up but it was more I knew all of the bad things I was putting into my body and I needed it to STOP!!!

So that brings me to today! I'm ready to make a change and make a difference. My "official" weigh in day is currently on Fridays but I'm trying to decide if I want to change that. The main reason is that puts me right into the weekend and typically I end up using lots of flex points on weekends and often I'm left with nothing "extra" to get me through the week if I need it! So I may change to Tuesdays- to go along with post day for the challenge!

I'm going to post my beginning weight based on what I weighed last Friday because I didn't weigh this morning!

Beginning weight- 136
Goal Weight- 125

I already exercise at least 5 days a week but I'm making some changes in the type of exercise I'm doing. I'm adding more weight bearing workouts. Nothing major but it's more than what I was doing. So my plan is weight work 3 days a week with cardio added into one of those days (Wednesdays) and then cardio the other three days!

So, it's time to start making changes! It's not to late for you to sign up here if you're interested- or if you'd like to read about other people's weight loss challenges!!

Thanks Jules!!!

Oh my goodness! Is my new blog design not the best!!!! Jules over at Everyday Design created it for me and it captures my spirit and life perfectly!

So, what do you think???

Your Weekend in Four Words

Let us hear about your weekend- but only use FOUR words- leave the rest to our imagination!

Well ok, you can explain the 4 words if you want to!!

Come back every Monday and play again!!!

Share this link with your friends! It's always fun to see how others spent their weekend!

Here's mine!!

FOOTBALL - FUN - FAMILY TIME

*Important - Please link to your individual WIFW post instead of your home page. Here is how you link to an individual post if you’ve never done it before: right click on the time at the bottom of the post you want to link to, click “copy shortcut” and then paste it into Mr. Linky.

Share about your weekend!!


Ok Mr. Linky is up and running now- not sure why there are X's by the names but I think it still works!!

Menu 9/17

Well, I made the chicken and dumplings last week and let me tell you they were awesome!!! I loved them, DH loved them, Mark loved them, Luke said they were ok! LOL I was not surprised at that comment!

So I'm going to start trying out some more new recipes because I found some great recipe sites when I was searching for a Chicken and Dumplings recipe.

So here's our menu for this week- as usual we have baseball practice two nights this week- but could end up being more since we have a tournament this weekend!


Monday- Cheeseburger pie, green beans, salad

Tuesday- grilled cheese sandwiches for the boys, laughing cow grilled sandwich for me

Wednesday - Southern oven fried chicken, homemade mashed potatoes, peas

Thursday- pizza quesadillas, WW meal for me

Friday- hot dogs on the grill, sweet potato fries and tater tots

That's the plan anyway- we'll see how well I stick to it. check out other menus over at Laura's site!!

I've been convicted!

No, I haven't been convicted of a crime...although there was that one time in high school-oh my what am I saying!!!

Anyway- here is what I'm talking about. I love to read. Usually I'll pick up just about any book and read it. If there are parts that aren't- well exactly "acceptable" I usually just try to ignore them. But lately something has been going on in my little brain- or more likely my heart- and I just can't ignore those "unacceptable" parts any longer.

I bought several books at Book-A-Million the other day. I just glanced at the back to see what they were about. One I didn't even look at the back- the title and the cover looked intriguing so I bought it. The other day I picked one of them up to start reading it and on the first page- you know the first page of the first chapter where you usually only get about 1/2 a page of text- there were 16 "bad" words. 16 on 1/2 a page! Why?? And one of them was what I consider to be the worst. I just couldn't continue reading. So I put that one away and picked up one of the others that I'd purchased. This one was the one that I didn't read the excerpt on the back. Well, it was almost as bad. The language wasn't as bad but the subject matter was worse. UGH! So that one went away too.

And then there is music. I LOVE to listen to music. And again, usually anything goes. But lately there has been that tug on my heart when certain songs come on the radio or come up on my Ipod. So I change the channel or skip over them (yes, I know I need to delete them from my Ipod).

I'm not really sure what's going on and why the Lord has decided to place this on my heart but I'm glad he has. As I read or listen I find myself asking myself "Would I want my boys listening to this or reading this"! It's really a wake up call!

So I challenge you-think about what you are reading, saying, listening to, watching on TV. I'm not saying to stop all of it (I do have a Grey's Anatomy addiction) but just think about it- maybe you'll be compelled like I was to at least start doing something about it!!

New Beginnings

I've started sitting out on the porch in the mornings while the boys wait for the school bus. I usually read my Bible and do my Quiet Time then. It's usually fairly quiet- with just the sound of cars driving by, an occasional truck and the sound of the neighbor kids leaving for school. But this morning was really different. Even before the bus came- it was exceptionally quiet. Once the bus came it was almost completely silent- it was almost strange. But it was great. I sat there after reading my Bible and just listened- to nothing. It was sprinkling a little and it was just peaceful.

I found myself thinking about the changes in the seasons and how Fall was almost here. I know that most people think of Spring as the time for "New Beginnings", or even New Year, but today I was thinking about Fall being a new beginning. I kind of feel like DH and I have reached a "new beginning" with our relationship (yep-after 17 years even!! LOL), the boys started a new school this year and they definitely went through a new beginning. We're making some changes at the house- painting, yard work etc. So that's a new beginning. But it's more than that.

There are lots of new beginnings going on in Bloggityville- and I'm planning on getting involved in several of them. Jules over at Everyday Design is gonna make my blog look all new and spiffy! But I also want it to be a time of new beginnings for me personally. I want to make some changes in my life- changes that will be permanent- not ones that will last a few weeks and then fall to the wayside. I'm not going to post about them now- but I'm really going to be working on making the changes.

Here are the blog world new beginnings that I'm going to be participating in -check them out- you might be interesting in participating too!!

Fall Into Reading 2007 over at Callapidder Days

Tales from the Scales- weight loss challenge

Everyday Mommy- Read-A-Long- Bible Study

What new beginnings are happening in your life??

Answered Prayers

I have to admit that sometimes I say my prayers and I feel like I'm just rattling off words. I don't know what it is, but sometimes I feel like I'm just saying the same old things. I know that's terrible but I'm just being honest.

Anyway, a couple of weeks ago DH and I had a big argument disagreement and at the time we just didn't discuss it. I was hurt and couldn't even talk to him. I spent the next day feeling really hurt and down. I cried a lot during that next day, I brooded, fumed and was just flat out angry! I was holding it all in, feeling like I was carrying a huge weight on my shoulders.

But then that night I had to take Mark to baseball practice and I prayed the entire way to practice and then entire way home. I am usually not a very fair fighter. I am an extremely emotional fighter. I tend to take things very personal and I wear my heart on my sleeve. I cry very easily and that just makes things worse. So I prayed that God would help me to be calm when DH and I talked. That I would not get emotional but would find the right words to explain to him exactly how I was feeling. By the time we got home I felt so at peace. I felt like that weight had been lifted off of my shoulders. We still didn't talk about it that night but the next morning before the boys got up for school I approached him and asked him if we could talk.

I was so calm, I didn't cry, I didn't yell, I didn't fall apart. We talked, and then we prayed together. Something we don't do nearly enough.

I know that God always answers our prayers- He just doesn't always answer them the way that we want Him to answer them. But in this case- He blessed me more than I could have expected. I have honestly never had such a peaceful feeling as I did driving home that night. So what have I learned? I need to trust the Lord more with my daily life. I need to pray specific things- I need to pray with more than just words- I need to pray with my heart!!!

Menu 9/10

Well, I so need to stick to my meal plan this week because I am really trying to eat healthier!

Monday- Grilled Chicken, squash w/onions, 1/2 a baked potato - chedderwurst for the guys

Tuesday- Taco Soup, 1/2 a baked potato, salad- pizza tortillas for the guys

Wednesday- gonna try the low fat chicken and dumplings (didn't get to them the other week)

Thursday-WW meal and salad for me, hot dogs for the guys

Friday- bacon wrapped fillets, baked potatoes and salad

Want to see what others are cookin' this week? Check out other menus over at Laura's site!

And the winner is...

The winner of my Pay it Forward book giveaway is ...
Kathleen Marie at The Open Window.

Congratulations Kathleen.

Don't forget to check out other Pay it Forward Book giveaways at Overwhelmed with Joy!

Pay It Forward Book Giveaway!

Overwhelmed with Joy is hosting her third Pay It Forward Book Exchange and I thought I'd get in on the action this time around. It's a great concept for those of us who LOVE to read!! You can read all about the concept on her blog. But basically, you host a giveaway-giving away a book that you've read- then you have a drawing for all who enter to see who will win the book- then after that person reads the book, they pass it on as well.

So, I'm giving THREE books away- one lucky winner will get all three:

Reconstructing Natalie:

Natalie Moore is about to lose what little cleavage she had. She'll shave her head, Leave her church, Fall for a man in scrubs, Learn to tap, and Flash a roomful of women.

Natalie needs to know with or without her breasts- she is more than the sum of her parts.

This is a Women of Faith book!

A Purse Driven Life

The Purse-Driven Life isn't exactly about finding the deeper meaning of life; it's more about shifting your perspective just enough to locate the deep humor and joy waiting to be uncovered in everyday life. Renfroe offers a pull-no-punches look at the life of women, exploring areas such as: Trying to understand our husbands, Mammograms and their fallouts, and Hoping our Kids don't end up on Jerry Springer

This is the stuff that could drive a person crazy but won't once you look at life through Renfroe's glasses. Being a female in midlife is not for wimps. But it's a great time to discover the humorous aspects of our shared experiences and realize we are not alone!

What Every Mom Needs:Meet Your Nine Basic Needs (and be a Better Mom)

"When will I every get time for myself? Do I ever get to be someone besides MOM?" Sound familiar? You're not selfish, you're normal. And with every mother, you share nine basic needs- significance, identity, growth, recreations, and five others identified my MOPS International after more than 20 years of research and experiences.

What Every Mom Needs is not another parenting book. It's a whole-person approach to balance living that reveals different ways you, the nurturer, also need to be nurtured. Based on sound biblical principles and responses to over 1,000 questionnaires, this book will help you expand your personal horizons and become a better mom in the bargain.

If you are interested in these three books, just leave a comment below before Sunday, September 9th. On the 10th I'll have a random drawing to see who the lucky winner is!

In the meantime- check out what other readers are giving away at Overwhelmed With Joy!

Oh What a Weekend!

We went to Myrtle Beach this weekend. It's pretty much a tradition that we go to the beach for Labor Day Weekend. Unfortunately, you never know what the weather will be like. But it turned out to be ok. It was raining on our way there. Then it was overcast- but the boys still had a great time boogie boarding and skim boarding until...someone STOLE out stuff! Yep, that's right. We were leaving our chairs, boogie boards and skim boards right outside of our hotel room and when we got up Sunday morning the chairs and skim boards were gone! They left the boogie boards- why? Not sure but I would guess it's because our names were on them. Guess they thought we'd be able to identify them with our name on them. The boys were so upset- and of course so was DH. So we got to go and buy new ones- oh great!!

But that wasn't even the worst of the trip- at least not for me. It was pretty windy and chilly at night- and we were going to Dixie Stampede (it's always cold in those places) so I needed to run out to good old Wally World and pick up sweat shirts for the guys to wear. I had to drive DH's HUGE Toyota Tundra and what do I do but pretty much get stuck trying to get out of the darn parking lot. I scraped up the passenger side of his car. I had knots in my stomach knowing I was going to have to tell him about it. He took it well though. Then I got off the hook because HE scraped it up as well when he was trying to park the tank truck. I sure felt a little better- he of course felt worse!

But all in all it really was a good trip. I finished one book that I'd already started, started and finished a second one and started a third- I LOVE reading on the beach! And we did have some good family time together and some interesting discussions about how to handle difficult situations!!! A life learning experience to say the least!!!

Tackle it Tuesday

Well, I kind of have two tackles today. I painted the boys bathroom last week. I'm waiting for a few more decorations to arrive but I went ahead and took pictures anyway- sorry I forgot to take before pictures-but it was plain ol' antique white before. Here is the after:

Then I also tried to straighten up the medicine cabinet in our kitchen. It may not look all that different but- I put lots of the medicine bottles together in baskets (trying to put similar things together). Now when I need to find something I can just take the basket out instead of having to take every individual bottle down.

Check out what others are tackling over at 5 Minutes for Moms!