Finding joy within the controlled chaos I call life. With a young boy constantly tugging at my pant leg and heart, some days are simply a blur.
Here you will find a little of everything - stories of my son & the giggles we share, some of the hottest deals & where to get them, how to earn a little extra cash from home, crafting goodies, weight loss, the list goes on and on...
"Youth is a perpetual intoxication; it is a fever of the mind." ~François Duc de la Rochefoucauld
I'm not very good at doing things like this regularly, so no promises that this will actually happen each week. However, I will try and post a weekly menu (weeknights only, as weekends are generally spur of the moment decisions regarding food) whenever I remember to.
Monday:Herbed chicken, rice pilaf, steamed broccoli, apple slices Tuesday:Homemade chili, rolls from scratch (hopefully... if I find a good recipe, I'll share) Wednesday:Roast with potatoes and onions, beef gravy, green beans Thursday:Teriyaki chicken and broccoli stir-fry over rice Friday:Homemade pizza (stay tuned for my pizza crust recipe post later this week)
All meals are subject to change on a whim. I cook, therefore I make the rules.
I think I may also attempt some blueberry/pineapple/carrot muffins (something I have yet to come up with, but it's in the works) this week. I know it sounds weird, but in my mind the flavors blend perfectly. We'll see.
I didn't really -need- anything today. But I realized that I had a $3/15 coupon that expires on Wed, and a $10 +UP that expires on Saturday. I did two transactions. Here's the breakdown:
Used- $4 +UP from Revlon Beauty Tools $2 +UP from Profoot
Subtotal - $0.77 Tax - $0.14 Total - $0.91
Got back - $4 +UP from Revlon Beauty Tools
Total out of pocket was $3.69 and spent $10 +UP. Will be getting back $10 SCR and have another $4 +UP to spend next week. Of course, I could have had more +UP to play with next week, but the Easter candy clearance sucked me in.
Back before monster I thought I was 'too fat'. I was not comfortable in my own skin, and always wished to be thinner, prettier, more whatever. I wasn't huge, but I wasn't thin. I had hips, a booty, and nice curves.
Fast forward to today - Oh how I wish for my pre-monster body back!!
Everything on my body has shifted and changed. The ONLY good thing that came from the pregnancy (aside from monster himself, of course), is the fact that I actually have boobs now. Yes, the boobie fairy visited me and I am no longer flat-chested. *happy dance* But I would give them up in a heartbeat to have my body go back to what it was before. Heck, there's a lot I would give up in order to rewind my body's history. But alas, that cannot be done.
Now I could sit here, bitching and moaning all day long about how I wish things were different. But the fact of the matter is that things are the way they are and the past cannot be changed. However, hope is not lost. I can push myself to create a new body that I am able to love. Having knowledge of my body past and present will help me to remember to love my body in the future.
I share this to say enjoy where you are in life. You may wish things were different, but always remember things could be much worse. I may not like how my body looks these days, but instead of constantly putting myself down I can use my current state to push myself harder. I am a work in progress, and where I am today is not where I must remain for the rest of my life. All it takes is one step in the right direction...
"Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending." ~Maria Robinson
I found a can of organic pumpkin pie mix in my cupboard that I bought a while ago and decided I wanted to use it up. So I thought about what I could make. I was already planning on baking some bran muffins this afternoon/evening. A-ha, a light bulb appeared above my head, I would make pumpkin bran muffins.
I had used THIS recipe for applesauce bran muffins before. But I wanted to make my pumpkin muffins with less sugar/fat/calories. This is what I came up with:
Pumpkin Bran Muffins
Ingredients
1 1/4 c whole wheat flour
3/4 c crushed bran cereal
1/4 c + 1 tbsp brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
dash salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 15oz can organic pumpkin pie mix
1 tbsp vanilla
1/2 c egg beaters (whites)
2 tbsp olive oil
Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl. Grease muffin tin with nonstick spray. Fill baking cups 3/4 full. Bake for 15 mins.
I didn't want to publish this until I had tried them, in case they were terrible. But they turned out amazing!! Definitely will be making these again.
One of my many flaws is that I sometimes dream dreams bigger than I can achieve, at least not as quickly as I'd like to. I get ridiculously excited and dive in head first. Things are going great in the beginning. But soon I begin to feel overwhelmed. I had done too much too quickly, and get burned out. But instead of simply cutting back a bit, which would be the logical thing to do, I find it easier to quit. Why? I'm not exactly sure. But it's what I tend to do and I am aware of it.
So I am attempting to take a different approach to my workout and weight loss efforts this time around. I am sticking my big toe into the water and easing myself back into things. I'm hoping that through taking it slow I can keep myself motivated and stick with it for the long haul.
This is about more than just the weight loss. I am in need of a lifestyle change, a complete overhaul of my day to day. My health suffers, my quality of life suffers, everything about me suffers the longer I allow things to continue. Therefore, I am taking baby steps to get me where I need/desire to be.
Spring has come again (at least the calendar says so, even if the constant drizzle begs to differ), which means summer is right around the corner. Warmer weather means shorts, tanktops, and swimsuits (UGH). I find myself dreading summer more and more with each passing year. I prefer to wear and am most comfortable in jeans, a hoodie, and flip-flops.
My recent doctor visits have shown me something I'd been pretending wasn't happening - I have been gaining weight. Again. I didn't have struggles with my weight until I was pregnant with monster. I wasn't thin by any means, but I could eat whatever crap I wanted and barely work out without worrying about gaining weight. Heck, I lived on McDonald's, Starbucks, and ramen noodles in college and a couple years after. But now my weight is a constant battle.
After having monster, dealing with post-partum depression, going crazy, and all that jazz, I had decided enough was enough. January of 2009 I began eating healthier and working out. I busted my butt, tons of sweat and tears, and fought my way down 35lbs. A hospital visit threw off my groove, and I had fallen off track. Fast forward to today... I'm back up to the weight I started at in '09 (and hating myself for letting it get out of hand again), and I have dealt with several other medical issues. But enough is enough, and I am ready to begin anew once again.
I know it will be a tough road - I've been there. But I know I can do it - I've done it before. No more excuses. I need to take the time to take care of myself. Not just for swimsuit season (that is simply an added perk). I need to take care of my body. I need to be there for my son, for my husband. But most importantly, I need to do this for ME. I share this all in hopes that blogging about my struggles, venting my frustrations, and celebrating each little accomplishment and milestone will help to keep me accountable.
"Visualize what you want out of life and think big. Don’t feel undeserving. We're all deserving of living our dreams—some of us realize it and some don't. You’re not doing anyone any favors by living small. Embrace these truths and step up. The world is waiting." -Jillian Michaels
Annnnnd I will end with this nonsensical song, the chorus of which is my current mantra. Enjoy!
The cherry clafouti was uhh... interesting. It tasted like a mix between crepes and custard. Most everyone who ate some said it was good. It was alright to me. Edible at least. Will I be making it again? I don't think so. There are too many other recipes out there with much more potential.
Oh well, c'est la vie. You simply cannot win them all.
