A couple of more Biggest Loser Family Cookbook recipe reviews (sweet & sour chicken, pizza burgers)

OK, we tried two more recipes from a cookbook I bought a year ago. Yes, it takes me a while to dig through the ever growing collection of books.  Trying at least two new recipes per week was one of my fall goals, so I'm feeding my family super healthy & delish meals, while meeting my own needs as well.  Love the whole killing two birds with one stone thing.

So this week we tried the Sweet & Sour Chicken and Pizza Burgers (which we actually made when I first bought the book).  A biiiiiiiig thumbs up for both dishes.  Of course, my pizza & burger lovin' crew totally liked the Pizza Burgers the best.   

Recipe #1:
The sweet & sour chicken was great.  Love the fact that it calls for jarred sauce.  Even the kids liked this dish (minus the veggies of course).  At least I got them to eat the chicken.  PLUS, we baked a few veggie spring rolls from the frozen food section of Costco, and the picky 9 year old ate a ton of them!  *gasp*  She ate veggies, on her own, without me shoving them down her throat in the fashion you would give a cat a pill, and she didn't die.  She actually loved them.  Of course, the decision had to come from her, on her own terms. It only took 9 years for this to happen.  (Mamas with picky kids....there really is light at the end of the tunnel.) I added more veggies to the stir fry than what the recipe called for.  I knew Kent and I would be the only ones eating that part anyway, I might as well add as many as I want since they're my filler.  :)  I also added a tsp. of Chinese 5 Spice seasoning to the chicken just to give it a little more flavor.  The entire house smelled AWESOME.  If the picky 9 year old will eat it....you know it's good. Next time, I'll double the amount of chicken it called for. 

The Sweet & Sour Chicken recipe can be found online....

http://recipes.sparkpeople.com/recipe-detail.asp?recipe=474991

Recipe #2:
The pizza burgers were AWESOME.  I cannot find the recipe anywhere online for you.  If I wasn't in such a hurry to escape to my sewing room, I'd type it up for ya.  Go buy the cookbook & whip up some delish little burgers.  And before anyone comments about the picture below, I already know about lower calorie buns.  (Seriously, people.  I've been at my goal weight for almost 8 years.  I know all about the lower Point options.  That's not what this journey is always about.)  I don't care about lower cal buns today.  I own them.  They live in the fridge so they won't get moldy. 

Tonight, I wanted a big bun.  So in honor of my big bun desire, I'll end this post with a song (sing along to the tune of Sir Mix Alot).....

"I like BIG BUNS and I cannot lie.  You other Watchers can't deny.  That when  bun walks in with an itty bitty taste...it really is a waste of my Points."

Making choices

So I did the "good mom" thing & signed up to bring treats for the 4th grade Halloween party (or whatever P.C. thing they call it these days).  Riley made sure we were the family that got to bring cupcakes.  I made bats.  And mummies.  I also made a giant eyeball cake with the leftover cake mix. Because...what else do you do with leftover batter but make a cake shaped like a big eyeball?

{mummies & bats & eyeballs - OH MY!}

{black bats with cookie wings}

{the eyeball (it's sort of boob-like)}

{green eyed mummies}

I'm blogging about these to let you know I did not eat one single crumb of these treats!!!!  Not even the Fudge Stripe Cookies that make the bat wings. It wasn't easy, but I really wanted to have margaritas that night at dinner. We were headed to our favorite Mexican restaurant for happy hour. Oh, the choices we make when points run low.  I planned ahead. That's all that matters.

I just realized, I went from talking sweet mama stuff to booze in three seconds with this blog post. That explains a lot about me, actually. lmao

Buffalo Chicken Meat Loaf (from Biggest Loser)

This was a total hit!  The texture is a little softer than beef meat loaf, but it wasn't anything to scare me away from making it again. 

As a matter of fact, we will for sure make it again.  My modifications....

1. I chose to top each slice with blue cheese instead of baking it into the loaf. 
2. Oh, and I drizzled a little extra (1 tbsp) wing sauce on top of mine. I loooooove wing sauce!  Kroger brand is the best in my opinion (and only 25 calories per serving). 
3. I ran the celery, onion, and carrot through the blender with the milk because everyone in my house will complain if there are chunks of veggies in the meat loaf (nerds!)
4. threw in an extra egg white & 1/4 c more oatmeal because my blended veggies made it a little too runny 

Makes 4 servings / Per serving: 263 calories, 6 g fat, 74 mg cholesterol, 485 mg sodium, 14 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber, 35 g protein.

Anyway, the recipe can be found here:  http://cookbookjunkie.blogspot.com/2009/07/another-biggest-loser-recipe.html

Weekly dinner menu 11/1 - 11/7

It's Monday.  That means it's time to post my family's weekly dinner menu.

As usual, there are no links to the recipes I use.  I just post it to remind everyone to plan for the week.  Planning ahead is a HUGE part of what made me not-so-huge. Yes,  I still plan a menu each week.  Yes, I still count my Points. Yes, I am still at my goal weight & have been for nearly 8 years.  Why?  Because I do all of the things I just listed above.  For realz. :) 

This week, I used the Biggest Loser Family cookbook (at least that's what I think the name of it is) to harvest recipes.  So far, we've liked all of the recipes we've tried from this book.  Make a list of the recipes you'd like to try this week, and write down ingredients you need to buy as you go.

And don't complain and whine about the time it takes to whip up a menu.  I so *hate* listening to whiners.  What a waste of time and thought and breath and LIFE.  Of all the things in the world to whine about, creating a menu plan to help you lose or maintain weight should not be on the list.  Seriously.  I took a cookbook, pen & post it note to the bus stop with me this morning, and planned our weekly menu while waiting for the kids to get on the bus. I have 10 minutes to just sit there with a bunch of kids in my car.  I might as well do something other than let them drive me crazy.  (There's only so many stories about Bakugan & screams from bickering siblings this mama can listen to before the "I've heard enough" meter explodes.) They actually helped me pick the recipes we're using this week.  That's a great way to get my two involved with healthy family meals.  They also help me cook most nights.  Whatever.  I'm just rambling now.  Peace out.

November 2009 motivational calendar

Happy November to all!  I have to force myself to be extra perky about it because I'm still in shock that 2009 is almost over.  Where did it go? 

Anyway, if you're feeling like this month might lead you down a slippery slope of weight GAIN instead of loss or maintenance, put a little more effort into your focus this month.  Not your effort.  Your focus.  NEWS FLASH: Thanksgiving is one day.  One.  Not 30. It's true.  I don't care if you have three different family functions to deal with for this one holiday.  You have three weeks to come up with a plan.  You can make this work in your favor.  Trust me.  You're talking to the gal who eats Thanksgiving dinner mid-summer because I like to so, so, so much.  I simply cannot wait until November.  My point?  I've kept the 80 pounds off for nearly 8 years, and I know it's thanks to thinking ahead.  I certainly do not eat Thanksgiving dinner every night in July.  Just once.  And I'm always delighted to repeat the meal again in November!  :)

Post the calendar somewhere you will see it each day.   Read it.  Challenge yourself.  Set a goal or two.  You can do this! 

Click here to print a November calendar.

Again, thank you Zig for making these ultra groovy motivational calendars for all of the Weight Watchers losers in the world.  You're da bomb.  :)

November 2009 Activity Calendars

Print your November activity calendar today!  I've printed mine, and have it hanging on the fridge already.

The concept is super simple. Write down a REALISTIC goal for the month.  (For instance, I've started training for the half marathon already, so all of my entries will be related to my monthly training plan.)  Place a sticker on the days you workout. I like to actually write in the calendar square what I did for the day.  Do whatever works for ya.  Just make sure you keep moving. 

Activity calendars are GREAT for those of us in need of a visual.  These were originally created just for me.  I really struggle with the "move more" part of this journey, and tend to actually be a little better at it if I have a reminder hanging up in front of my face.  I've shared them with the world for several years now, and hope you find the accountability they provide to be as much of a benefit as I do.  There's even a plain version for those of you not wanting to use up a bunch of printer ink.  I've found out over the years that the cuter the calendar....the better off I am.  Told ya I was a visual gal!   :)

{striped fall leaves}

to print "striped fall leaves" click here

{a pilgrim hat}

to print "a pilgrim hat" click here

{falling for fall}

to print "falling for fall" click here

{red, red leaves}

to print "red, red leaves" click here

{gingham & pumpkins}

to print "gingham & pumpkins" click here

{plain jane}

to print "plain jane" click here

*~* Happy Halloween *~*

Tonight has the potential for the ultimate in total spookiness......when it comes to calories.  Don't let it.  Halloween candy in moderation is fine, but don't allow tonight's festivities to be the slippery slope of making poor choices until January 1st.  It simply doesn't have to be that way. 

Here are just a few things you can do to take a step towards better, healthier habits this Halloween.  And don't worry.  I'm not going to tell you to NOT eat any candy.  Mainly, because I think it's insane to set up goals like that for myself.  Learned that the hard way years ago.  The second I tell myself something like,

"Heather, you can't have any candy tonight. You're going to blow your whole week if you eat a bite size Snickers.  You're entire 80 pound weight loss that you've managed to keep off for nearly 8 years will be shot to hell if you so much as eat one little piece of candy tonight!  [Insert picture of me eating a bite size Snickers bar here.]  You're so stupid for eating that....you know better!!!. You're not worth paying $39.95 a month for Weight Watchers if  all you're going to do is make stupid choices all the time."

Does this conversation sound at all familiar?  If so, please read a few things that help me out along my weight loss and maintenance journey.

1) Prepare yourself with a list of values for the candy you're eating.  Be accountable.  Print a copy of the candy cheat sheet by clicking here.

2) Prepare REAL food, eat the REAL food, and be satisfied with REAL food so candy doesn't get the best of you.  My REAL food for the day is going to be Mexican Corn Chowder. It's on the stove cooking as we blog.  :)  Click here to see the recipe.   I know, if I walk into the trick or treat time frame hungry, I will fill myself up with candy.  So I refuse to hand out candy when I'm hungry.  Soup is going to be my "fill up" this year! 

3) Personally, I have my kids pick a set number (a number that *I* choose, not the kids) of goodies they are allowed to keep.  Some years the number has been as few as 5.  That's when they were younger and not on top of my mommy way of doing things. lol  I would never hear the end of it at ages 9 & 11.  This year, the number will probably be 20 or 30, but they will only be allowed to have 2 pc. each day.  I'm pretty strict with candy because my daughter would eat nothing but chocolate if she could get away with it.  Since she has already had two fillings in her short 9 years of life, I really crack the whip when it comes to sweets. 

4) The candy that isn't kept will be donated to either the dentist's office (they pay the kids for candy donations) or their teachers (they bribe children with candy & seem to always need donations).

5) Enjoy yourself.  Beating yourself up for eating 1 fun size Twix bar too many isn't acceptable.  We're changing behaviors here, people.  Step one has to be no more beating yourself up.

6) Use this opportunity to go for a looooong WALK!  If you have kids, trick or treat with them.  I keep reminding myself of something I read from FlyLady.net, "There are no do overs with your kids".  This will propbably be one of the last, if not the very last, Halloween my daughter enjoys trick or treating.  Sigh.  My son already hates it and refuses to go at age 11 (he's too cool for school, man).  Sigh even louder with tears rolling down my face).  So trick or treating is walking.  Walking is activity.  Activity is a good thing.  If you don't have kids, borrow one or two or three.  I'm sure there's a lazy relative or neighbor out there somewhere unwilling to take their children out for a night of candy collecting.  Use their laziness to melt fat right off your ass.

7)   Exercise before the trick or treaters come around.  At least you've burned a few calories for the day.  Because of my extreme dislike for exercise, I'm WAY less likely to blow it if I've worked my ass off earlier in the day.  The trick for me is not not blow it, and then say I'll work out later in the day.  I know I'll never do the workout. 

8)  Track / journal what  you've eaten for the day.  If I've had a GOOD day food-wise, I'm *normally* less likely to blow it that night.  It doesn't always work.  However, if it helps 90% of the time....I'm less likely to stress out about the 10% I goofed up.

9)  For those of you following Weight Watchers (like me), use those WPAs (weekly points allowance - the extra 35 points you get each week).  They're there when you need them.  Of course, if you've already spent them for the week you're screwed.  No worries though (read #10)!  Phew.....now you're prepared for NEXT Halloween.  You know to plan your week a little better so this doesn't happen again.  The feedback we gain along the way is crazy important!  Not only does feedback help you come next October 31st, but think of how it can help you for this Thanksgiving.....Christmas....Hanukkah....New Years....Super Bowl Sunday....Aunt Suzie's birthday party with her famous vanilla cream filled cake.....etc.  I'm sure you catch my drift. 

10)  Use common sense when it comes to the grand scheme of things.  If the neighborhood celebrations or the big bowl of candy or the cuteness of the trick or treaters got the best of you....tomorrow is no longer Halloween.  You have the chance to start over tomorrow.  So do it.  Don't you DARE wait until January 1st.  You've done that all your life.  It doesn't work. Try something different for a change.

Mexican Crock Pot Chicken (first download ever!)

So we had another "D.I.Y. taco night" for dinner, and I wanted to show you how EASY it is to have a quick, simple, healthy meal on super chaotic evenings.  The trick to this one is....remembering to plop the chicken into the crock pot before it's too late! lol  I looked up at 1pm & realized I had not thought about dinner since I logged it in my food journal that morning.  Lucky for me, my crock pot cooks fairly hot.  So 5 hours on high did the trick. 

If your brain is less foggy than mine, you'll remember to prep this in the morning.  I also have a crock pot that can shut itself off after "X" amount of hours, and then switched over to "warm" mode. So you come home to a house that smells like Mexicany goodness, and dinner is ready in a snap.  Always have tortillas and taco shells on hand.  If nothing else, this chicken is AWESOME on top of lettuce for a quick taco salad.  Food porn pictures & recipe is listed below. 

I've provided the nutritional info so you can calculate according to whatever food plan you're following.  :)

{the stuff}

{the sauce prior to blending}

{the fabulous & fast pastes from Kroger}

{the finished product}

{my soft tacos}

Mexican Crock Pot Chicken

Serves 8

4 (6-ounce) chicken breasts

1/2 c water
1 c salsa
1 packet of taco seasoning
1 tbsp ground cumin
2 tbsp cilantro paste (see pictures above)
1 tbsp chili paste (see pictures above)
2 tsp garlic paste (see pictures above)

Place insert crock pot liner (optional, but it makes life easier).  Place chicken in the bottom of your crock.  Blend salsa, water, cumin, taco seasoning, chili pepper paste, cilantro paste, and garlic paste in blender until smooth.  Pour on top of chicken.  Cook on low 6-8 hours or high for 4 -5 hours.  Once chicken is cooked all the way, yank it out of the crock and shred or dice it.  Place it back into the crock & stir (so all of the salsa mixture can coat each morsel of chicken).  Divide the meat mixture up into 8 equal servings & enjoy!

I've whipped this recipe up into a downloadable* PDF file .  Actually, there are two versions. 

• The recipe (a 1 page document): click here to download & print 
• The recipe with a few of the pictures shown above (a two page document): Click here to download & print the version with pictures

* The downloads will only be available for a limited time.  I'm not sure how long at this point in time.  At least a couple of weeks for each recipe.  So print or save a downloaded copy now, before time runs out. 

Why a version with pictures?  I'm a picture girl.  I'm 95.7% more likely to try a recipe if it has a picture hooked to it (that is a very random, made up percentage, by the way).  I will buy a cookbook just because of what's pictured on the front cover.  Yes, it's an illness.  OK, and so now I need to let you on a little bit of my anal retentive nature.  I keep all of my printed recipes in plastic page protectors inside three ring binders.  The pages pop out of the binders easily when I need to make the recipe, and they don't get as trashed by my dirty fingers & cooking sloppiness.  For two page recipes, I place them in the page protectors back to back so I just have to "turn the page" to see pictures.  Easy.

A hauntingly delish menu for 10/25 - 10/31

Though I am officially unemployed, I have a million things to do this week.  My in laws are coming in town.  I have previous Weight Watchers stuff that has to be turned in ASAP.  And did I mention I have custom orders for my purses out the whazoo???  OMG, I'm totally paranoid I won't be able to finish them all.  What was I thinking?  Thank God for the orders, though.  Especially since, as previously stated, I went and quit my job. So I really need to be on the ball this week.  A menu plan is a MUST at this point.  Otherwise, I'll be the first one eating at Chipotle or Wendy's every evening, and after so many days in a row of that, I choose to make not-so-great choices. (*gasp*)

As I say every single week when I post the menu.....there are no links to recipes posted on my menu.  I'm simply showing you my menu.  I'm a bragger.  I like to plan.  So I like to brag about my plan, basically.  Yes.  Yes, I do.  Go make a menu for yourself!  If you want to lose weight & then keep it off, you MUST have a plan. And the plan to NOT plan is not acceptable.  Sorry to bust the groove of so many non-planners out there. 

For members of my weekly Weight Watchers meetings

Do you remember the scene in Forrest Gump when Forrest ran & ran & ran? It started out like this…

 “That day, for no particular reason, I decided to go for a little run. So I ran to the end of the road. And when I got there, I thought maybe I'd run to the end of town. And when I got there, I thought maybe I'd just run across Greenbow County. And I figured, since I ran this far, maybe I'd just run across the great state of Alabama. And that's what I did. I ran clear across Alabama. For no particular reason I just kept on going. I ran clear to the ocean. And when I got there, I figured, since I'd gone this far, I might as well turn around, just keep on going. When I got to another ocean, I figured, since I'd gone this far, I might as well just turn back, keep right on going.”

He ran for 3 years, 2 months, 14 days, and 16 hours. Then, one fine day, he stopped in the middle of the road, and announced, “I'm pretty tired... I think I'll go home now”.

What you read very much describes my journey with Weight Watchers. I decided to join Weight Watchers (big step for me!), count points, lose weight, change my life, educate myself along the way, give back by taking on the leader role as my main job. I rocked it out, and now it’s time for me to stop and do something else for a change. I’ve been a Weight Watchers leader for four years now. In that period of time, I’ve helped hundreds of people lose weight, reach healthy goals, change their lives, start living the life that was given to them the way it was meant to be lived.  I've won multiple awards & reached new goals of my own.....but it’s time for me to move into a new phase of life.

I know you know what I mean about the feeling I’m having. It’s that nagging feeling that there’s something else out there in need of my attention. That gut feeling that it’s just time to move on. Could it have anything to do with my husband’s job situation? Or the thought of another cross country move in our horizon? Or my kids growing into “tweens” right before my very eyes? Or my aging parents worrying me sick? Or just growing weary of the way Weight Watchers is run?  Who knows. Who cares, really.  Here’s what I do know, Weight Watchers points based weight loss program turned my life around. I will continue to post countless blog posts with ramblings about calories and fat and fiber and running and menu items and recipes and new products I find at Costco and yada, yada, yada.

The most asked questions this week were....

Q. Are you going to lead any meetings at all?
A. Nope. I resigned from Weight Watchers altogether.

Q. Will you keep the web site & blog going?
A. Yes!!! I had the web site YEARS before I worked for Weight Watchers. The name has changed multiple times over the years, but it has been there all along to help me with MY journey. (Remember, I’m a Weight Watchers member, too.) The blog is only 3 ½ years old, but I will for sure keep it going. It kind of took on a life of its own over time.

Q. Will you still send a newsletter?
A. Yep. It will continue to be sporadically sent. That’s the Heather way to do things! lol

Q.  Can I still email you?
A.  Of course! 

Q. Are you still going to follow the Weight Watchers plan?

A. Of course! It works!  Quitting a job will not change that at all. 

Q. Who will take your place as our leader?
A. I have no idea, really. I’m sure my boss will do the best she can filling the position.

Thanks for being such great members! I’m sorry if I missed saying good-bye in person this week. Perhaps our paths will cross again someday.  For the record, this decision was not made on a whim.  It took much thought, prayer, courage, and faith. 

Peace!

First outdoor run in 6+ weeks

OK, I did it.  I stopped whining, and went running. IT FELT SO AWESOME!!!!!!!!  The weather was perfect for running today.  Not too hot.  Not too cool.  Not too humid.  Not raining.  Not snowing. Not too sunny.  The leaves are falling off the trees hot and heavy here, and are the most beautiful shades of autumn.  I planned on a short run today (meaning about 3 miles).  I was banking on a 5k, which is 3.2 miles. 

{Here's the route we took....}

{...and here's how much of it I ran}

I'll give you ONE guess as to why I kept backtracking.  I'll let you think about it. [This is the part of the blog post where you stop and ponder.]  If you guessed "you took a 9 year old with you", then you hit the nail on the head! lol  Running with a 9 year old is a good thing.  Don't get me wrong.  I could for sure live without the whining that seems to never stop flowing from her lips, but at least I know she's outside instead of inside playing video games & watching iCarly.  I know she's able to run when she has to (across intersections with me).  I know she enjoys being with me enough to go out in public with me, and my days are numbered in that dept. I'm fully aware.  lol

So our 2.3 mile run ended up being 4.  At least it was for me, and technically I backtracked even more, but mapmyrun.com is somewhat klunky when it comes to the mapping tool (Which is why I really, really, really need a Garmin.  That's a hint for Santa!).  So I bet there was at least another quarter of a mile worth of running that I cannot account for.  Trust me when I say I did it.  My foot is screaming at me, but I'll ice it later.  All we be fine. 

I'm off to cook some spinach ravioli now.  Life is good.

(I used mapmyrun.com to map the route.  I only mention it because I know someone will post a comment asking if I don't blurt it out.)

My new half marathon hero

I can't help but give a giant round of applause to "Barbie Cooper". Check out this article.....

http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20292217,00.html

Love her. Love her.  Love her.  She is a hero in my book. Not just for losing the weight & keeping it off, but for make it her mission to improve the life given to her! Reaching goals she only dreamed of before. She's putting her words into actions, and I like that very, very much.

If she can do it, so can I.  I'm so ready for March 7th!  Except for the being able to run 13.1 miles part of the day, that is. lol  I'll get there.  I have hope.  Lots of hope.

Halloween candy cheat sheet

'Tis the season. 

Ever wonder about the Point values for your favorite Halloween candy? I pulled the Halloween Candy Cheat Sheet off the Weight Watchers staff web site years ago & thought I'd share the info with you all:

{Click Here For Printable Cheat Sheet}

I want you to remember to give yourself a bit of freedom. Go ahead & have a bit of candy, just be accountable for the amount you eat. Prepare yourself. Know the Point values ahead of time. Or simply buy candy you hate (gummy bears & tootsie rolls will be purchased for our candy bowl - BARF!).  Happy Halloween!!!!!


HALLOWEEN CANDY,  # OF ITEMS,  WWPs
3 Musketeers, 2 fun size bars 3 1/2
1000 Grand, 2 mini bars 4 1/2
Abazaba, mini, Each 1
ABC Fruit Chomps, 7 pieces 3
ANDES Creme de Menth Thin Mint , 8 pieces 5 1/2
Animal Crackers, 11 crackers 3
Almond Joy, 2 snack size bars 4
America1s Original Bubble Gum, 4 pieces 1 1/2
Atomic Fireballs, Each 1
Baby Ruth, 2 fun size bars 4
Big Hunk, mini, Each 1
Bit-O-Honey, 6 pieces 4
Blow Pops, Each 1.5
Bubble Gum, super, 2 pieces 1
Butterfinger, 2 fun size bars 4
Butternut Mini Bar, .75 oz 2
Candy Corn, 22 pieces 3
Caramello, 2 snack size bars 4
Crispy Caramel Fudge Bar, snack size, Each bar 2
Caramel & Peanut Butter Crispy Bars, snack size, 2
Chocolate Toffee Crisp Bar, snack size, Each bar, 2
Crunchy Peanut Butter Bar, snack size, Each bar, 2
Double Bubble Gum, 2 pieces 1
Heath Bar, 5 snack size bars 6
Hershey's Bar (plain), 2 snack size bars 5
Hershey's (almonds), 2 snack size bars 5
Hershey Kisses, 8 pieces 5
Hershey Kisses or Hugs, 3 pieces 2
Hershey Miniatures, 5 pieces 5
Hershey Tastations (any flavor), 3 pieces 1
Hershey Sweet Escapes 2
Hi C Juice Fillers, bag (5 candies) 2
Hot Tamales, Each snack box 1
Jolly Rancher, 3 pieces 1
Jolly Rancher Mini Stix, Each 1
Kit Kat, 3 (2 pc) snack bars 6
Kit Kat, Each mini 2
Lemonheads, Each box 2
Life Saver Five Flavor Candy, 4 1.5
Life Saver Gummi Savers, 2 rolls 2.5
Life Saver Pops, Each 1
M & M (plain), Each fun size pack 2
M & M (peanut), Each fun size pack 2
M & M Crispy, Each pkg 5
Mars, 2 fun size bars 4
Mary Jane Peanut Butter Kisses, 6 pieces 3.5
Maynards Wine Gums, 1 roll (44 g), 3
Mike & Ikes, Each snack pkg 1
Milk Duds, 4 fun size boxes 4
Milky Way, 2 fun size bars 4
Milky Way Lite, minis, 5 pieces 3
Milky Way Lite, regular bar 3.5
Mounds, 2 snack size bars 4
Necco Wafers, Each roll 1
Nerds, Each box 1
Nestles PB Mallow, Each 3.5
Nestles Baby Ruth, Each 4.5
Nestle Crunch Fun Size, 4 bars 5
Now & Later, 3 mini bars 3
O'Henry, 2 fun size bars 5
Peter Pan Peanut Butter Cups, 4 pieces 6
Pumpkin Pop, Each sucker 1
Raisinettes, 3 snack size boxes 4
Red Hots, Each box 2
Reese's Crunchy Cookie Cups, 2 snacks 4
Reese's Miniature Peanut Butter Cups, 5 pieces 5
Reeses Peanut Butter Bites, 3 pkgs 5.5
Reese's Peanut Butter Cup, 2 snack size 4
Reesesticks, 2 snack size 4
Skittles, small pack 3 pkgs 4
Skittles (regular), 2 packs 3
Smarties, 3 rolls 1
Smuckers Fruit Fillers, Each bag (5 candies) 2
Snackwells Nut Clusters, Each piece 1
Snickers, 2 fun size bars 4
Snickers, minis (4 pieces) or 2 fun size bars 4
Spree Candies, 8 pieces 1
Spree Twist, 2 rolls 1.5
Starburst, 3 fun size pkgs 4
Starburst Fruit Chews, 8 chews 3.5
Sugar Babies, 2 snack size pouches 4.5
Sugar Daddy Pops, 3 3.5
Sweethearts (Necco), Each (1 1/8 oz box) 2.5
Sweet Tarts, 2 rolls 1
Tootsie Hot Chocolate Pops, Each 1.5
Three Muskateers, 2 fun size 4
Tootsie Roll, 2 snack bars 2
Tootsie Roll Midgees, 6 pieces 3.5
Tootsie Roll Midgees - small, 11 pieces 2
Tootsie Roll Pop, Each pop 1
Triple Chocolate Wafer Bar, snack size, Each bar, 2
Twix, (mini size) Each 1
Twix, Each snack size bar 2
Twix, Regular Size, Each (2) pack 7
Twizzlers Pull-n-Peel Cherry Candy, 3 pieces 2.5
Twizzlers Strawbery Twists, 4 twists 2.5
Werther's Original, 3 pieces 1
Whoppers Malted Milk Balls, 2 snack size pouches 5
Wonka Nerds Gumballs, Each 1
Wonka Shock Tarts Gumball, Each 1
Wrigleys Chewing Gum, 5 pieces 1
York Peppermint Patties, 3 patties 3

Pumpkiny goodness

Dear Middletown WW Members,

I pinky swore I'd bring my favorite pumpkin recipes to work with me for you to write down or copy, and I totally forgot.  I'm so sorry!  I've had a lot on my mind the past week or so. So I've made a printer friendly version of them here for you to print a copy of your own: http://www.freewebs.com/thewwchick/pumpkin_recipes.html .  If you know of someone attending our little meeting without a printer or computer skillz, be an angel and print an extra copy for that person.  You'll earn a feather on your angel wings for it.  :)

XOXO,
Heather

PS...the recipes are also great for people NOT attending the Middletown, Ohio meeting.  Feel free to print a copy for yourself & enjoy!  The pie recipe is too good for words, and only 4 Points per slice compared to the traditional 9 - 12 Point per slice pie. 

PSS...these are the same recipes I sent through my newsletter a week or so ago.  So if you already printed those, no need to print these.  Save some ink.  :)

PSSS...I *heart* pumpkin recipes!

Weekly menu 10/18 - 10/24

And the menu of the week looks a little something like.....

Again, I post the menu just to encourage you to plan your meals.  It helps keep me on track.  Also helps with the budget.  And my sanity.  And perhaps lots of other things I just can't think of right now.  Anyhoo....no recipes are linked to the menu.  I did make a video for the mini meat loaves & chili cheese fries a while back, though.  You can check that out on my youtube channel.  Peace out!

Sometimes is sucks to be a healthy eater

I'm only posting this because I know you know what I mean.  When you're going to just die (or possibly harm someone) if you don't have homemade chocolate chip cookies, but you can't make them because you don't own chocolate chips.  And you have cramps too bad to just drive to the store and get some.  And nothing else will do.  And you know that because you had a tiny bite of something else that proved it really is chocolate chip cookies you want.  I just want two homemade chocolate chip cookies.  With a big BUCKET of coffee to wash them down.  Moving on.

A note from my son regarding space camp in March.....

OK, I'm totally pimping out my kid here (see his message below).  Thanks for letting me do so. I feel weird about sending out this message, but it really is a good deal for all of us (including Ben). He'll get to keep 80% of the donations - all of which will go into his space camp account!!! That's a way better deal than any of the other fundraiser's out there. One of the other parents sending their kid to space camp arranged all of this for us, and was able to snag an awesome deal through restaurant.com since he owns a car dealership & does business with them often. Thank goodness for people with connections! This is WAY better than selling cookie dough or jars of jam. Everyone goes out to eat....why not do it for less?

If you have questions regarding how this works, please email me at thewwchick@gmail.com. I've already purchased one of the $100 packs because we do dine out often. That's $300 worth of restaurant gift certificates. I'm seriously considering buying another one so they last throughout the year. I took a quick look for our area, and know that Pitrelli's in Mason, Pizza Tower, Molly Malones, Claddagh, Brown Dog Cafe in Blue Ash, Quaker Steak and Lube, Fiesta Brava (off Fields Ertle), and The Golden Lamb are all listed. Feel free to check out your area with a quick zip code check: http://www.theidealmeal.com/index.asp

One thing the web site was not clear about was how you'll get your redemption code.  You're not sending payments through the site.  You either mail us a check or send the donation through Pay Pal to my email address.  If you're local, I'll deliver the vouchers to you.  If you're not local, I'll mail it to you.  From there, you take the little voucher I'll give you, and go to restaurant.com to get your gift certificate from local restuarants. I'm only explaining it because I did not get it at all when the idea was presented.  It wasn't clicking.  I had never used restaurant.com before, and now I think it's great!  Especially considering the discount for the certificates. lol

OK, here's what Ben has to say......
 

"Hi! I am trying to go to space camp this year, and I need some financial help in order to go. We have a great sponsor that is giving you a super deal with restaurant gift certificates. All you have to do is make a minimum donation of a $10.00 to me, and I'll turn around and give YOU a $25.00 gift certificate to Restaurant.com. There are over 10,000 restaurant listings nation wide.

Feel free to let me know your donation amount by phone, email or through my space camp web page http://www.sendmetospacecamp.org/12.html .  (I'll collect your payment in person, by mail, or you can send it to my mom's Pay Pal account - not through the web site. The site just lets my mom know who you are and the donation amount so I can get your redemption code ready for you).

I hope you can help me earn money for this adventure hosted by NASA! This trip is costing my parents nearly $1,000 for my 6 day stay in Alabama unless I try to earn some of the money by selling these gift certificates. Your donation will not only help send me to space camp, but save you a ton of money when dining out (3 times what you donate to be exact!). I can even send custom personalized holiday cards out to all your friends & family with a $25 restaurant.com certificate attached for only $100.00......and I have to do the work instead of you!

If you are not comfortable with using the website please feel free to send my mom an email at thewwchick@gmail.com stating your donation amount.  She will tell you where to mail your check to, or you can send it through Pay Pal to her email address:

$10 donation - get 1 $25.00 Certificate
$25 donation - get 1 $75.00 Certificate
$50 donation - get 1 $150.00 Certificate
$100 donation - get 12 $25 Gift Certificates

 

Thanks for your support,
Ben Cacak
6th grader at Berry Intermediate School in Lebanon, Ohio"

A recipe for your laundry room

This is a recipe of a different sort.  It's one I used long, long ago when my cherubs were babies.  My kids (aka: the cherubs) were cloth diapered (yes, I made the diapers myself & they were wicked cute!).  I find the whole cloth diapering thing funny now because God knows I use enough paper towels to kill an entire forest of trees.  I've probably done the environment no good at all, even though my efforts came from the heart. 

Anyway, I used homemade laundry soap to soak and wash the diapers.  It's a super easy recipe, made from items purchased at the grocery store (on the laundry aisle).  Arm & Hammer washing soda, Borax, and Fels Naptha bar soap.  All three items together came to $7.79, and will make batch after batch of this homemade laundry detergent. 

Homemade Laundry Soap
2 cups Borax
2 cups washing soda (not to be confused with BAKING soda - it's not the same)
2/3 of a bar Fels Naptha, grated fine

Grate the bar soap.  I grate mine, and then run it though the chopper to make it super duper fine.  (The finer you get it, the more Fels per laundry load is the way I look at it.  Fels is the stain fighter, and we have lots of stains on our laundry.  Plus, I have an H.E. front loading washer, and want to be 100% sure the soap is fine enough & able to go through the soap shoot in the detergent dispenser.)  Mix all three ingredients in a large container.  For large loads of laundry use 1/8 of a cup (1 oz).  For small loads, use half that amount (1/2 an oz. or 1/16 of a cup).  You'll get 36 large loads, and 72 small loads out of the batch.  (See cost break down below.)

{the stuff}

{fels naptha looks like shredded cheese}

{the final product}

I've been using this for all my laundry needs over the past couple of weeks.  I had forgotten what a fabulous job it does!  Even on our stinky workout clothes.  I even sniffed all of the undies after the first load we ran through just to make sure no funk was left behind. I should have remembered that if it takes the poopy odor away from diapers, it will get rid of regular funk for sure.  Leave it to me to not put two and two together until it's too late.  Another huge plus for our family of four, it's WAY cheaper than laundry detergent.  At least the liquid kind I had been buying over the years.  We do a lot of laundry.  How four of us create so much is beyond me.  Here's a little breakdown of the price according to the products I had been buying & using, compared to this homemade version (based on a large / full load amount of detergent).

Liquid Tide = 50 cents per load

Liquid Arm & Hammer = 23 cents per load
Homemade powder = 6 cents per load (only 3 cents if you're using a small load amount!)

"R" is for running

I ran.  On the treadmill.  30 minutes (that's all I had time for).  The display mile ticker thingy said I went 2.5 miles.  Not bad considering I haven't done any running (or any other exercise for that matter) in about 5 weeks.  I had no trouble breathing.  It was like I never too a break from running at all.  I will be the first to pipe up and say, I did not expect that at all!

The one big thing I noticed, other than my pure hate for the treadmill, is my time being off.  I was a little slower this morning.  I did take it really slow the first mile.  I ran at just 3 miles per hour to see how the foot would do. Once I realized it felt fine, I kicked it up to 4 miles an hour for the second mile, and then 5 miles an hour for the last half mile.  Woo-hoo!  Disney Princess half marathon, here I come!

Finally got some "ME" time

The entire house is buzzing with football this weekend.  Lots of food & beer is always involved, so I'm better off not participating.  Especially considering I'm not a football kind of gal.  I can tolerate it, but I'm much too ADD to just sit there watching giant men toss a ball around.  So basically what I'm saying is, I was able to squeeze in some time for me without feeling any guilt since the rest of the family is big time into giant men tossing a ball around.  I headed down to the guest bedroom (AKA: the sewing room), and made myself a couple of things just for me, which is something I usually don't do. 

The first thing I made was a purse (duh!).  It's lined with golden / yellow fabric, and has lots of pockets inside.  I had a chance to used my embroidery machine for this one...loving that font! 

{mouse inspired}

{lots of detail as usual}

{it must be mine since my name is splashed across the front}

The other item I made is a vision board.  Now I just need some visions to place on it.  Hmmmm....I need to think that over a bit.  Until then, I have a really cool board that can be used as a bulletin board (with pins) or my visions can be held onto the board by the ribbon criss-crossed across the front.

{for those of you into quilt shop fabric....this is a santorini charm pack}

{"h" is for heather}

{brown & sage ribbon, vintage buttons, and a cheap Wal-Mart frame}

I know I should be working on custom orders people have placed with me, but I really just needed some "down time".  It was nice to make stuff for me. 

PS....the only thing I snacked on yesterday was the pumpkin spice pie we made (with a little dream whip on top), and some hummus and crackers today.  It was a touchdown of a weekend for thewwchick....minus the football!  YAY!

Pumpkin Spice Pie

This is a recipe I pulled out of Weight Watchers magazine many years ago.  We make it every year, and none of the non-Weight Watchers family members and friends know it's a lower calorie, lower fat option. 

{swirly, whirly mixing away}

{Riley did all the work}

{frozen, roll out pie crust in a spring form pan}

Pumpkin-Spice Pie

4 Points Per Slice

2/3 cup sugar
1 Tablespoon corn starch
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin
2 egg whites
2 Tablespoons molasses
1 cup fat-free evaporated milk
1 (9 inch) deep dish pie crust, thawed

1) Whisk together the sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon ginger, allspice, and salt in a large bowl. Add the pumpkin, egg whites molasses: whisk until well blended. Gradually add the evaporated milk, whisking until smooth. If not serving immediately, cover and freeze in an airtight container up to 1 month. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, whisk until smooth.

2) Preheat oven to 425. Pour the filling into the pie shell and bake for 15 minutes. Reduce the heat to 350; bake until knife inserted into center comes out clean, 35-40 minutes. Cool on rack for 2 hours. Serve at one or cover & refrigerate up to 1 day.

Serving size is 1/8 of pie.

*Please note, the recipe calls for pumpkin....not pumpkin pie filling.  There's a big difference.  Look for 100% pure pumpkin in the baking / pie filling aisle of the grocery store.

Sweaty Bands

OK, ladies.  My friend Tanya bought me the most awesome coffee mug ever for my birthday. It's says, "Ain't nothin' gonna break my stride".  Just like the song lyrics from the 80's.  I'm sipping coffee from it as we speak.  Yum.  I love coffee, and she knows it.  She also knows that I have issues with my hair when I run.  Not that I've been out for a run in about 4 weeks due to my bum foot.  However, she's thinking ahead & sending positive vibes to the universe for my foot to get better by buying me the most awesome headband to keep my hair pulled back!!! 

I've already worn it several times, and it really does work.  These babies don't slip off my head.  I've actually lost a headband while out running, and found it on the next day's run. lol  I'm contantly messing with them while I'm working out.  So I'm super excited to come across one that does what it's supposed to do. 

To make the deal even sweeter, the gal who makes them lives in Cincinnati!  She's local, and started her business by selling Sweaty Bands out of her gym bag during class (she's a fitness instuctor).  Check out her site when you have a second.  These bands are worth EVERY penny.  :)

http://www.sweatybands.com/

Mexican Corn Chowder

I am annoyed!  I *know* I took a picture of this soup, and now I can't find the picture.  Rrrrrr.  My old lady fingers (arthritis) ache too much on this cold, rainy Ohio day to click my way through any more computer files.  I'm sure sewing all the time (see picture at the bottom of this post) doesn't help the situation any.  lol

It's great (the soup).  I think it would be just as great without the chicken, and an extra can of black beans added to it.  I liked it even more with tortilla chips dipped into it.  :)  Anyway, enjoy.

{picture was supposed to go here to make you drool}

Mexican Corn Chowder
POINTS® value | 3
Servings | 10

2 (15 oz) cans yellow corn, drained
1 (15 oz) can yellow corn (do not drain & run through blender until liquid)
36 oz fat-free chicken broth
1 cup(s) bell pepper(s), chopped (I used 3 different colors)
1 can Cream of Celery Soup 98% fat free
1 Tbsp Ground cumin
2 tsp chili powder
1/2 cup(s) celery, diced
1/2 cup(s) carrot(s), diced
1 cup(s) onion(s), diced
2 clove(s) garlic clove(s), minced
15 oz canned black beans, drained
2 Tbsp cilantro, minced
2 cup(s) cooked chicken breast, cubed (about 2 half breasts)

Cook the chicken however you wish.  I actually just cooked mine in with the chowder, pulled it out before serving the soup & diced it...then threw it back into the pot.  I'm super lazy.

Blend one can of corn (don't drain that one can!).  Drain the other two cans of corn and black beans.  Add them into your stock pot with all of the other  ingredients.
Let it all cook together for at least 45 minutes.  Mine cooked several hours on low, and it was DELISH!  Add salt and pepper if you wish.

This makes 10 servings. The serving size will vary depending on how long you cook the soup (evaporation).  I ended up with 10 cups worth.

Since I can't find the soup picture, here are a few other dishes I ate this week that I don't have a recipe for.  So no picture that goes with the recipe above...and no recipes for the pictures below. A day in the life of Heather.  I spin my wheels a lot....

{a bag of green giant frozen veggies with cheese sauce combined with leftover whole wheat pasta}

{abuelos for my birthday dinner: veggie fajitas, chips, salsa, and a giant sangria swirl!}

{veggie spring rolls, cabbage slaw mix with asian dressing, fried rice, and grilled chicken teriyaki}

{mexican lasagna (from a kit, but made with TVP veggie meat), taco salad, black beans}

{the reason my hand aches...click here to see the detailed images}

Why is it....

....I never feel a single morsel of regret when it comes to 1) shopping   2) spending lots of time on a project   3) talking on the phone for hours on end  or 4) eating / going over calories?  I have no shame.  I feel no guilt.  Hmph.  Moving on.

And the Holey Donuts winner is.....

....CRISSY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  She won, she won, and has the check for $1,000 to prove it!  And because my blog readers sent in the most contest entries, I won too!  I was sent a GIANT box of Holey Donuts, plus a check for $500!  It all arrived just in time for my birthday!  I'm paying for my Disney World half marathon trip with my winnings!  I'm not sure I could possibly write this paragraph without at least one "!" at the end of each sentence!!!! 

Get ready for some crazy donut love.  [Que the music, please - chicka, chicka, bow wow....]

{the lot}

{swirly cinnamon rolls are perfection of a confection}

{coconut covered joy}

{lemon filled vanilla donut holes made by angels in heaven}

{assorted bliss}

I've had to back away from the lemon donut holes.  For those of you who haven't at least visited the Holey Donuts web site, please do.  Frank is the guy who got it all started, and has been a pleasure to work with during the contest.  He's a nice guy.  Stop by and tell him hello at http://www.holeydonuts.net/. Sign up for his newsletter (he sends awesome coupon codes via his newsletter).  The coupons make placing an order affordable for me.  I broke the cost down, and it factors out to $2.00 per donut.  I spend WAY more than that at coffee shops for things much higher in calories.  You can freeze the donuts (which is what the company suggests, actually).  I found they moisten back up quite nice when you nuke them in the microwave for 15 - 30 seconds.  Mmmmmm....donuts. 

HD has another contest going on at this time, and you can learn more about that while you're lurking around their site.  :)

I *love* fall

And it's not just because I have a birthday in the fall either. I love it for so many reasons, I can't count them all. However, I did manage to snap a few pictures of things that for sure remind me of my favorite time of year.

{spooky fabrics}

{leaves are changing}

{and they're blowing all around}

{'tis the season for oats}

I love eating oatmeal for breakfast during cold weather months.  (TMI Alert: In the summer, they make me sweat while I eat which grosses me out.)  I love steel cut oats, otherwise known as pinhead or Irish oats. The older I become, the more I love them.  I can no longer eat instant or quick cooking at all.  I've officially become an oatmeal snob.  There.  I said it.  It's off my chest now, and I have no regrets for verbalizing my new found love.  Instead of being smashed, they're cut into little pieces.  Nice and chewy.  I love to top it with a blobber of peanut butter (1 Tbsp) for an additional 2 Points.  The problem with these little whole grain gems is time....they take FOREVER to cook.  The package says 20 minutes, but I'm here to tell you it's a good 30.  And then they look runny and strange.  So here's what I do to solve the problem...cook them ahead. 

1) I cook an entire batch or even a double batch at a time.  It lasts my husband and I through the week.  No more cooking for 30 minutes every morning. I don't have time for that kind of monkey business.  Store the oatmeal in a container for up to a week in the fridge.

2) I scoop out 1/2 c per serving (cooked) which works out to be 2 Points for the brand I use (Bob's Red Mill / 140 cal / 2.5 fat / 4 fiber per 1/4 c uncooked).  Heat it in the microwave for 2 minutes with a Tbsp. of light vanilla soy milk.  It needs a little liquid when reheated.  Just a little.  You could even use water if you want. (The oats are no longer runny once they cool off.)

WELCOME FALL!!!!!

Happy birthday to meeeeeee!

I woke up Sunday morning (the day before my birthday), to find that breakfast had been made for me, and there was a big gift box sitting in my chair.  Hmmmmm....looks bigger than the Garmin Forerunner I've been asking for.

Everyone was starving, so I waited until after breakfast (we ate too quickly to take pictures of what they made for me).  So I opened the gift AFTER we ate.  Here's what I got:

Not a forerunner.  It's even BETTER in my opinon!  I've been wanting this one for a while now, and started putting in hints hot & heavy several weeks ago.  Kent said he knew if I got a forerunner...I would run. Not good considering I have an injury.  He knew I would use the iron right off the bat.  I've already put it to good use already (made two more bags).....

{disco dots bubble pleated purse}

{ginger bliss paisley pleated bubble purse}

....and have to tell you I'VE FALLEN IN LOVE WITH A SMALL HOME APPLIANCE!  It's true.  Talk about making my sewing life easier.  Wow.  I won't go into details of what it does because I know you can visit the Rowenta web site & find out for yourself in way more detail that my OLD LADY brain can remember.  Yes, I said old lady.  I'm old.  Coloring my hair this morning was a gentle reminder of this fact.  The way my knuckles ache are an even bigger reminder.  Sigh.  Here's the silver lining (and I'm not making another hair reference by using the word silver).  I woke up this morning, took a breath, and because I'm alive and breathing I get to eat a big slice of  birthday cake once again.  I guess getting old ain't so bad after all.  See how cake makes everything better?  Who could disagree with cake logic?  Now I totally get why the Golden Girls always sat around the kitchen table eating cheesecake.

PS....that iron is sold at Bed Bath and Beyond.  Use your 20% off coupon that comes in the mail to reduce the price. 

PSS....you can view more pictures of those bags by clicking their pictures above.

The weekly menu for 10/4 - 10/10....

....looks a little somethin' like this:

As I say each week, there are no recipes linked to the menu you see above.  I get most of them from magazines, my recipe binders (which are full to the brim of WW friendly recipes), other blogs, friends, the newspaper, etc.  However, the chicken pita recipe can be found here: http://www.weightwatchers.com/food/rcp/index.aspx?recipeid=129331

As for the three fall goals I set for myself several weeks ago, one of them was to try at least two new recipes each week.  So, the two new recipes I'm trying this week are the Mexican Corn Chowder (it's delish & I'll post the recipe later in the week) & Chicken Pitas with Dill Yogurt Sauce.  How are your fall goals coming along?

I'm an honest scrap

Last week, Jo awarded me with the Honest Scrap award.  (Thanks, Jo!) You guys already know I call it like I see it when it comes to the weight loss and maintenance stuff.  However, there are some things you might know about me, and Jo wants me to spill my guts with 10 honest things about myself that have nothing to do with my healthy life journey.  So here goes....

1. I bite my nails.  I have always done this.  Not sure why.  I wore fake / acrylic nails for many years, and decided to take them off about a month ago.  I never bit the fake ones, but the second the tips came off....the biting resumed.  Sigh.
2. My earliest memory is the day my parents brought my brother home from the hospital.  I was too young to know Mom was pregnant.  I just remember a baby on the sofa, and he intrigued me at the time. 
3. My husband was in an accident 3 years ago that left him partially paralyzed (right side of his body / upper arm and shoulder area).  He hides it well.  Unless you really watch him, you'd never know.  I nearly had a breakdown when the accident happened, and have a tummy ulcer because of the harsh stress we were under.  It was by far the worst thing we've ever been through, and we've been through a lot.
4. My son is autistic.  I think it's my fault somehow even though the docs say it's not.  I have a HUGE amount of guilt over his issues, and if one more childless person or a person of a child without any issues says "I understand what you're going through" I'll explode.  You do not understand what a mom of a special needs child goes through....so stop saying you do!
5. I have no favorite song, color, movie, or TV show.  I can't choose one.  I just can't.
6. I am soooo not into home decor.  I have two rooms of the house without furniture  because I just don't care.  At least until I walk by the room, and then all of a sudden I give a hoot.  But obviously not enough to go buy a sofa. lol
7. I've been sewing since I was a wee little girl.  Seriously.  I made a purple velvet purse in 1st grade, and carried to to school every single day.  The lunch lady told me how groovy it was.  I was in hog heaven.  My mom supported my strange love for her sewing machine every step of the way.  Thanks, Mom.  :)

8. My dream car is a Trans Am.  Not a new one.  The one from Smokey And The Bandit.  Yep, I'm totally serious.
9. My favorite children's book is Where The Wild Things Are.  I have a WTWTA t-shirt.  I'm wearing it right now, and will wear it to see the movie when it comes out in a few weeks.  I can't wait!
10. I am the most impatient person in the world, and people who waste my time make me furious.  OK, so maybe some of you already knew that about me. lmao

October Activity Chart

I am totally slammed with custom orders for purses, and took no time to make an activity calendar for the month (eeeek!).  So I went and begged Ashley, a fellow WW leader from Canada, if we could all borrow her's. Luckily, she said yes! lol  Click the calendar or the link below it, and head on over to Ashley's awesome blog where you can print October's calendar.  Say hi while you're there.  Once you've printed one for yourself, place a sticker on each day you exercise, or write in each day's box what you did.  Easy-peasy.

http://maintenancewithashley.blogspot.com/2009/09/october-activity-accountability.html

Thanks again, Ashley!!!!