Today...I hate the Atkins diet.
I want carbs.
Salty carbs, sweet carbs...
I don't care carbs.
Sigh......
But I won't have them. I promised myself and my husband we would stick to this diet, atleast for the first 2 weeks. I'm only 2 days into it.
By the way, I don't think I've lost a single ounce of weight yet.
Also, did I mention how great a plate of pasta sounds right now???
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
no facebook...
For Lent, I decided to give up Facebook. I haven't logged on once, but did get an email today that I have over 100 notifications...mind you, this includes any posts made by friends as status updates, and not necessarily directly related to me. I would venture to say that probably none of those are actually related or directed to me...very few of them anyway. I don't feel like I'm missing too much, but do catch myself out of habit reaching for my phone to check it out, even though I deleted the app on my phone for this time period. And while I'm not on it as much as Facebook, I have found myself enjoying Pinterest alot more than usual...as well as blogging more (3 times since Ash Wednesday...that's a lot for me!).
On another note, Richard and I started the Atkins diet yesterday. Typically, I think this diet works better for men than it does women, but we'll see. The last time we did this one, I had to quit about 5 days in because it was making me sick. I know now that it was because my gall bladder was bad and couldn't handle the high fat content that you take in on this diet. But this time, I am trying to focus on lean proteins like fish, chicken and pork, instead of the red meats we consumed so much of last time. We also have a good bit of venison in our freezer that is a naturally lean red meat. It seems that they have added more vegetables to the "allowed" foods list, particularly during the first 2 weeks. Still can't have any wine during this time period, but I have been taking full advantage of the 2 cups of coffee sweetened with only Splenda, and no creamer, each day.
Over the last few weeks, I have increased my water intake and have been better about fitting in exercise in my routine, normally with the treadmill, but this week I'm also adding a routine that I found on ...you guessed it...Pinterest. Here's the link so you can check it out:
http://backonpointe.tumblr.com/post/15968075542/photoset_iframe/backonpointe/tumblr_lxwus9c3lF1ql2uvy/500
My goal is tone up, not bulk up, and this regimen seems to be designed for that.
My meals yesterday consisted of cheese omelet for breakfast, chicken salad on a no carb wrap for lunch, Atkins snack bar (pretty tasty) and grilled chicken, sauteed squash and zuchinni and a big salad for supper. Today, I had a Go Lean protein shake for breakfast, a huge salad with sauteed shrimp for lunch, Atkins bar for a snack, and for supper we're grilling pork chops and cabbage (which has like 2 grams of carbs per serving-you are allowed 20 per day), and salad. I'm sure the kids will be thrilled.
Anyway...time to get moving on the treadmill...No pain, no gain!!
On another note, Richard and I started the Atkins diet yesterday. Typically, I think this diet works better for men than it does women, but we'll see. The last time we did this one, I had to quit about 5 days in because it was making me sick. I know now that it was because my gall bladder was bad and couldn't handle the high fat content that you take in on this diet. But this time, I am trying to focus on lean proteins like fish, chicken and pork, instead of the red meats we consumed so much of last time. We also have a good bit of venison in our freezer that is a naturally lean red meat. It seems that they have added more vegetables to the "allowed" foods list, particularly during the first 2 weeks. Still can't have any wine during this time period, but I have been taking full advantage of the 2 cups of coffee sweetened with only Splenda, and no creamer, each day.
Over the last few weeks, I have increased my water intake and have been better about fitting in exercise in my routine, normally with the treadmill, but this week I'm also adding a routine that I found on ...you guessed it...Pinterest. Here's the link so you can check it out:
http://backonpointe.tumblr.com/post/15968075542/photoset_iframe/backonpointe/tumblr_lxwus9c3lF1ql2uvy/500
My goal is tone up, not bulk up, and this regimen seems to be designed for that.
My meals yesterday consisted of cheese omelet for breakfast, chicken salad on a no carb wrap for lunch, Atkins snack bar (pretty tasty) and grilled chicken, sauteed squash and zuchinni and a big salad for supper. Today, I had a Go Lean protein shake for breakfast, a huge salad with sauteed shrimp for lunch, Atkins bar for a snack, and for supper we're grilling pork chops and cabbage (which has like 2 grams of carbs per serving-you are allowed 20 per day), and salad. I'm sure the kids will be thrilled.
Anyway...time to get moving on the treadmill...No pain, no gain!!
Sunday, February 26, 2012
Birthday Fun
Friday was my baby girl's 8th birthday. See how excited she was to turn 8?
Saturday, she took 3 of her friends to a painting class at a local studio and they painted adorable pictures of monkeys, which after the slumber party seems really appropriate! Just kidding, they were precious.
Here's one of the 4 of them all done with their pictures...self portraits, don't you think?
Then we loaded up and came back to our house where they took over our smaller living room and hours of Just Dance 3 ensued. Tip: Just Dance is a great way to wear out little girls!! They were hilarious to watch, and were super serious about getting the moves just right.
Then we did pizza for dinner, and a chocolate chip cookie cake that my awesome neighbor, Karyn, made for us. It was wonderful, I'm considering it as dessert to my breakfast this morning.
Here's the girls this morning, after staying up past midnight and waking at the break of dawn. Something to be said for sweet girls that got excited that the cups in their goodie baskets had scriptures on them. Rachel is blessed to have such sweet friends (I consider it a blessing, too!!)
And for good measure, here's a few pictures of my baby girl over the last 8 years....I'm going to get a Kleenex now...
She'll be 25 before I know it..
Thursday, February 23, 2012
Slumber Party Goodie Baskets
My baby girl is turning 8 tomorrow. So, in an effort to keep myself from going into a deep depression about how old both of my children are getting (and in turn, how old I am getting) I decided to do something crafty for the slumber party we are hosting Saturday night to celebrate. Mind you, I am NOT crafty. I really believe that Pinterest is getting to my head and making me think I can do things that I wouldn't normally try. Although, this was pretty basic when it comes to craftiness.
I bought the baskets from the dollar bin at Target. 4 baskets = $4
This tissue paper was 99 cents for the package. I used 4 sheets for these, and the rest for the gift bag that is holding her present. I printed their names on yellow cardstock and tied on the ends with some yellow ribbon I had in the house all ready.
Inside, I put in each:
Plastic tumbler from Lifeway with scriptures all over, 4 x $5 each= $20.
Notepads from dollar bin at Target, 4 x $1 each: $4.
Set of 2 pens from dollar bin at Target, 4 sets x $1 each: $4
Bag of Jelly Belly candy from dollar bin at Target, 4 bags x $1 each: $4
2 sheets of stickers from dollar bin at Target, each pack had 10 sheets, 1 pack for 3.99
Bag of M&M's from Office Depot (don't judge, I was there for the cardstock), 4 bags for $4.96
1 package of Movie Theater Popcorn that I had in my pantry all ready, so not sure what the cost was, we'll guess $4.
The finished product! I may also get some celophane bags and fill with animal crackers and stuff in there as well. At this point, they each cost about $12. I'm sure you could fill them for less, but since I only had 4 to do, I didn't mind spending a little more on them. There are so many options you could use to fill it up with, would love to hear your ideas!
Monday, February 13, 2012
Update of what went down...
I know you have been anxiously hanging on the edge of your seats to find out how every event of our weekend went that I had mentioned on Friday. I envisioned each of you randomly pausing during the course of your own busy weekends and thinking out loud, "I wonder what's happening with Melissa and her bunch right this second?"
So, I'll fill you in...
First off, Friday night was the awakening of the beast in my son. It was the Valentine's Dance for the 4th and 5th grade at his school. Can I tell you, I completely thought it an absurd idea for 4th and 5th graders to have a dance, yet I remember going to a few 4-H dances at that age, so I didn't want to deprive my son of the wonderful emotional event that it is...so my husband and I volunteered to chaperone. I wouldn't say chaperone is what we did, as much as selling pizza and sodas and chips to kids that parents had dropped off at the school armed with $20 bills. It was chaotic in spurts, but there were those slow moments that we were able to peer through the dark room, lit only by some Christmas lights and the neon light show the DJ had set up, and spot our son, who apparantly is not afraid to show off his mad dance skills. Or, atleast, has the confidence of someone with mad dance skills.
The boy was getting down.
Nonstop.
From first song, to the last song.
Except for the 3 times he stopped to refuel with pizza and water.
He even got on stage and danced to Ice Ice Baby.
I don't think I'll ever see him the same again. I wish I could have gotten pictures, but the lighting in there was terrible.
Then, on Saturday, my sweet husband took our baby girl to their very first Father/Daughter dance. Here's a few pictures of them before they left:
Aren't they precious? I think I'll go kiss them both right now...
Anyway....Then Sunday my husband had to start writing on a paper and I was overtaken by some evil funk that gave me the worst mood all day. Really grouchy. Not pleasant at all. I had to take the kids shopping for their Valentine projects for school this week, and Brian had to get supplies to make a model of a neon atom. Do we know how to build a neon atom? NO! But, by tomorrow night, we will, and I will be sure to blog about it and post pictures so that other moms that are not blessed in the model building (especially of atoms!) category will have hope for a future.
Sunday evening was the first night of the new class at church that Richard and I are participating in, Financial Peace University. I'm sure you've heard of it, Dave Ramsey is the man behind it and he is full of brilliant, practical ideas about how to get your finances headed in the right direction. Many of his rules of spending and saving we have all ready heard about and put into place, but we decided to go at it full force, and have dedicated this next year to making some changes that will provide big results in the long run. Alot of this starts with the no shopping pledge I took back in October (which, by the way, is still going great and has actually been extended through the end of this year). Proving to myself that I could stick to that was an important step to making the commitment to what we are planning to do over the next year. So prayers for us throughout this year are coveted and appreciated!!
So....that sums up our weekend. Monday got here way too fast. Coming up this week...atom model building, Valentine parties, cooking a fabulous dinner for my husband and children for Valentine's, and getting my house ready for my parents to visit this coming weekend. Friday will be here before we know it.
Have a blessed week!
So, I'll fill you in...
First off, Friday night was the awakening of the beast in my son. It was the Valentine's Dance for the 4th and 5th grade at his school. Can I tell you, I completely thought it an absurd idea for 4th and 5th graders to have a dance, yet I remember going to a few 4-H dances at that age, so I didn't want to deprive my son of the wonderful emotional event that it is...so my husband and I volunteered to chaperone. I wouldn't say chaperone is what we did, as much as selling pizza and sodas and chips to kids that parents had dropped off at the school armed with $20 bills. It was chaotic in spurts, but there were those slow moments that we were able to peer through the dark room, lit only by some Christmas lights and the neon light show the DJ had set up, and spot our son, who apparantly is not afraid to show off his mad dance skills. Or, atleast, has the confidence of someone with mad dance skills.
The boy was getting down.
Nonstop.
From first song, to the last song.
Except for the 3 times he stopped to refuel with pizza and water.
He even got on stage and danced to Ice Ice Baby.
I don't think I'll ever see him the same again. I wish I could have gotten pictures, but the lighting in there was terrible.
Then, on Saturday, my sweet husband took our baby girl to their very first Father/Daughter dance. Here's a few pictures of them before they left:
Anyway....Then Sunday my husband had to start writing on a paper and I was overtaken by some evil funk that gave me the worst mood all day. Really grouchy. Not pleasant at all. I had to take the kids shopping for their Valentine projects for school this week, and Brian had to get supplies to make a model of a neon atom. Do we know how to build a neon atom? NO! But, by tomorrow night, we will, and I will be sure to blog about it and post pictures so that other moms that are not blessed in the model building (especially of atoms!) category will have hope for a future.
Sunday evening was the first night of the new class at church that Richard and I are participating in, Financial Peace University. I'm sure you've heard of it, Dave Ramsey is the man behind it and he is full of brilliant, practical ideas about how to get your finances headed in the right direction. Many of his rules of spending and saving we have all ready heard about and put into place, but we decided to go at it full force, and have dedicated this next year to making some changes that will provide big results in the long run. Alot of this starts with the no shopping pledge I took back in October (which, by the way, is still going great and has actually been extended through the end of this year). Proving to myself that I could stick to that was an important step to making the commitment to what we are planning to do over the next year. So prayers for us throughout this year are coveted and appreciated!!
So....that sums up our weekend. Monday got here way too fast. Coming up this week...atom model building, Valentine parties, cooking a fabulous dinner for my husband and children for Valentine's, and getting my house ready for my parents to visit this coming weekend. Friday will be here before we know it.
Have a blessed week!
Friday, February 10, 2012
what's to come...
So, we have tons of things going on this weekend, all of which my be my next blog topics...so here's a hint of what's on the books for the next few days:
Tonight-our 11 year old, 5th grade son has his very first school dance. His father and I are chaperoning. He is not excited.
Saturday- I have to get creative with some Valentine's cards for both my boy and my (almost) 8 yr old daughter to give at school Tuesday. All suggestions welcome.
Saturday night- My hunka-hunka-burning love is taking our baby girl to their very first Father/Daughter Valentine's Dance. Pictures will definitely be posted. They are all ready choreographing their dance moves.
Sunday night: 1st class of the Financial Peace University our church is facilitating.
So much in so little time, it will probably be Monday night before I can post all about it!!!
Tonight-our 11 year old, 5th grade son has his very first school dance. His father and I are chaperoning. He is not excited.
Saturday- I have to get creative with some Valentine's cards for both my boy and my (almost) 8 yr old daughter to give at school Tuesday. All suggestions welcome.
Saturday night- My hunka-hunka-burning love is taking our baby girl to their very first Father/Daughter Valentine's Dance. Pictures will definitely be posted. They are all ready choreographing their dance moves.
Sunday night: 1st class of the Financial Peace University our church is facilitating.
So much in so little time, it will probably be Monday night before I can post all about it!!!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)