Public Service Announcement and Weigh Day Wednesday

Here's the story - I had a crap week.  I'm stressed about not having a job, not having health insurance, and no prospects on the horizon.  So I stuffed my face...not with a bunch of crap but with healthy stuff.  I just ate too much of it.  I'm a stress eater.  I exercised but I've read that you can't out exercise a bad diet.  So true.  I didn't gain but I didn't lose.  End of story.  I'll be better this week. 

Public Service Announcement
**could be TMI for some - proceed at your own risk

I have been drinking a lot of water and have to go pee every 30 minutes.  I have the bladder of a Chihuahua.  So the hubs and I were out running errands and stopped for a snack at a restaurant.  Of course I had to use the ladies room.  No big deal right?  Wrong.  Ok so let me start by saying that I have been wearing sundresses when the weather has been nice and it was nice on errand day.  By the time we got to the restaurant I was practically prancing in with my legs crossed like I was three years old and telling my mom I had to use the bathroom.  We get seated and I immediately scope out where the bathrooms are.  Again queue the prancing except this time to the bathroom.  I run in and go into the first stall.  No time to find a seat protector just sit and go - relief!  Finally!  I look to the left to the ginormous black enclosed plastic toilet paper thingy.  What's with those things anyways?!?  I hate those things.  The toilet paper in them is usually like using sand paper, the hubs calls it "John Wayne Paper, its rough and tough and don't take no shit".  Best part is they enclose it in an almost opaque plastic case like they are trying to protect the crown jewels.  Trust me you think that even if I wanted to I could smuggle out a car tire size roll of toilet paper without anyone becoming suspicious?!?  There is no need for the locked case around it, that case makes it so you usually have to be sitting down before you realize there is no paper.  Lame.  Anyways the giant plastic thingy is empty.  I would have gladly taken sand paper at this point. So as you can imagine I'm a little freaked out.  Not like an axe murderer is chasing me freaked out but I what am I going to do freaked out.  I left my purse that has tissues in it at the table with Joe.  Ugh.  So I turn on my MacGyver switch and decide that I'll use a toilet seat protector - its not ideal but it will work.  I turn around and NO seat protectors.  Um problem.  There is no one else in the bathroom so I can't ask anyone if they can spare a square.  Crap.  I tried the drip dry method.  That did not work.  I tried the fanning method that did not work.  I need a freaking piece of toilet paper.  I could not face the fact of just pulling up and going back to the table like everything was ok.  As stated above I was wearing a dress that day so that means I was wearing Spanx bike shorts (I swear those things are made out of the same material as scuba wet suits) under my dress.  So I got a plan that I was going to make a run for it to the next stall.  There was no one in the bathroom but I knew that I had to move quickly because with my luck someone would come in mid move and see something that only years of therapy could make them un-see.  I stand up and try to move quickly but the scuba shorts that are now bunched up mid thigh are making it impossible.  Its like trying to run through a pool filled with cookie dough while doing a 3 legged race.  These things are like a tourniquet around my legs restricting movement.  I'm trying to make ninja like movements but all these shorts would let me do is move like an injured penguin.  I finally make it over to the next stall as, I kid you not, someone walks in.  Thank goodness this one had paper.  I did my good deed and let the person that just walked in that the first stall was out of TP.  She was so thankful I let her know.  By this point I'm sweaty and all disheveled.  I get back to the table and Joe is looking at me like what the hell just happened to you.  I give him the don't ask look and proceeded to drink 2 margaritas to calm the nerves, ha!.  So my PSA this week is to drink margaritas they make everything better always check before you sit down for TP.  You could get stuck busting out your best injured ninja penguin moves.

No Wonder Mom's Deserve a Special Day!

I wanted to give out a special shout out to all the Mom's out there, especially mine!  She was nurturing and tough all at the same time.  She taught my siblings and I that everything we did had consequences, whether they were good or bad.  She started us out early - like at around age 4 early.  A couple of her favorites things she liked to do when we were little was Silent Butler and House Fairy.  Let me explain:

• Silent Butler- She would announce that in 5 minutes the Silent Butler was going to be going through the house and putting anything that was not in its proper place in a box.  We would have 5 minutes to get everything we owned that was all over the house into our rooms and put away, not just thrown under the bed.  If not we had to do chores to get our belongings back.  She didn't care if your lunch box was put in the box or your homework that was due the next day.  If you wanted it back you were going to clean for it.
• House Fairy - Even at a young age we had to do assigned chores, make our beds everyday, and keep our rooms clean.  Mom always said that yes it was our room but it was her house, and that her rules trumped everything.  So every now an again the House Fairy would come for a visit while we were at school.  If our room was clean the House Fairy would leave a present on our beds, like a coloring book or a game.  Let me tell you coming home and finding some random present on our beds was the most exciting thing ever!  My brother and I would scream while running down the hall "THE HOUUUUSEEE FAIIIRRRYYY CAME!!  The fairy could come once a week or once every 3 months.  There was no pattern to it so we ALWAYS kept our rooms clean!

As we got older she never let us put anything that we were responsible for on her.  I was in 4th grade and forgot to bring my completed homework to school.  It was for a book report that was due that day and if I didn't turn it in it was bad news with my teacher.  So I call her at work and see if she can go home and pick it up on her lunch and bring it me.  Her response - NOPE.  Sorry.  She said I guess you will never forget your homework again.  Or once my brother forgot his lunch and he's like me- we don't miss many meals, we love food and are always hungry.  So he is pleading with her to go get his lunch and bring it to school.  Her response - NOPE Sorry.  She said I guess you will never forget your lunch again.  Hope you have a friend that is feeling generous enough to share their sandwich. 

Now don't get me wrong - I'm not telling you these things so you can think she was an evil mom - she was anything but.  She never raised her voice, yelled, or threatened to spank us.  We never got grounded.  If we were in trouble she would actually get quiet.  That's when we knew that we were in trouble.  And sometimes she wouldn't dish out the punishment right away.  Sometimes we didn't even know we were in trouble.  I remember once I was supposed to do the dishes while she was at work.  It was summer and I was 10 and wanted to play outside with my friends (yes there was a time that I actually liked being outside - pause for reaction).  So I blew it off.  When she got home she did them herself and never said a word.  SCORE!  I was not in trouble and was thinking that she won't ask me to do any of that cleaning crap again, so I thought.  A few days later I asked her if she would take me to the mall - her  response NOPE Sorry.  She said that since I didn't do something that she had asked that she was not doing this for me and that I owed her 30 minutes of doing chores since she spent 30 minutes doing the dishes that I was supposed to do. 

All this stuff taught us kids to be responsible for ourselves.  My sister and I talk about this quite often.  We are grateful that we were brought up this way.  Her lessons went beyond keeping our rooms clean, we learned that hard work is rewarded and that everything we do, good or bad has consequences that we will have to deal with.  

Mom - I could never ever thank you for all the love and support that you have given me over the years.  You have always always always been the perosn that I can count on for anything.  I would not be the person that I am today without all the guidance I got and continue to get from you.  I love you more than you know and I'm so happy that God picked you to be my mom. 

To all the women I know that are moms - I sometimes think to myself that you are all Super Woman - with capes and all.  I don't know how you manage to squeeze 40 hours out of a 24 hour day.  How you still mange to find time to read or take a walk or do anything for yourself after doing so much for your kids.  I honestly don't know how you do it - must be some David Copperfield trickery up all of your sleeves!  I look up to each and every one of you!!  Happy Mothers Day!

My favorite picture of my mom and me
 

My beautiful mom



Weigh Day Wednesday and A Rant

Hi!  I didn't lose this week but I didn't gain!  I'm happy with that.  I know that I can't lose every week.  Since there is nothing really more to say about that I have a rant......

I was wondering what I would write about today and even considered shutting down the blog since I started the Facebook group.  Well I read something on a friends facebook page today that made my skin crawl and I had to write about it.

Here is it........
Teen retailer Abercrombie & Fitch doesn't stock XL or XXL sizes in women's clothing because they don't want overweight women wearing their brand. 
They want the "cool kids," and they don't consider plus-sized women as being a part of that group. 
Abercrombie is sticking to its guns of conventional beauty, even as that standard becomes outdated. 
Contrast Abercrombie with H&M, another favorite with the teen set, who just subtly introduced a plus-sized model in its latest swimwear collection. 
H&M has a plus-sized line. American Eagle, Abercrombie's biggest competitor, offers up to size XXL for men and women. 
Abercrombie doesn't even list women's XL or XXL on its size chart. Its largest women's pants are a size 10, while H&M's standard line goes up to a size 16, and American Eagle offers up to 18. 
It's not surprising that Abercrombie excludes plus-sized women considering the attitude of CEO Mike Jeffries, said Robin Lewis, co-author of The New Rules of Retail and CEO of newsletter The Robin Report.
"He doesn't want larger people shopping in his store, he wants thin and beautiful people," Lewis told Business Insider. "He doesn't want his core customers to see people who aren't as hot as them wearing his clothing. People who wear his clothing should feel like they're one of the 'cool kids.'" 
The only reason Abercrombie offers XL and XXL men's sizes is probably to appeal to beefy football players and wrestlers, Lewis said. 
We asked the company why it doesn't offer larger sizes for women. A spokeswoman told us that Abercrombie wasn't available to provide a comment. 
In a 2006 interview with Salon, Jeffries himself said that his business was built around sex appeal. 
“It’s almost everything. That’s why we hire good-looking people in our stores. Because good-looking people attract other good-looking people, and we want to market to cool, good-looking people. We don’t market to anyone other than that,” Jeffries said. 
Jeffries also told Salon that he wasn't bothered by excluding some customers. 
“In every school there are the cool and popular kids, and then there are the not-so-cool kids,” he told the site. “Candidly, we go after the cool kids. We go after the attractive all-American kid with a great attitude and a lot of friends. A lot of people don’t belong [in our clothes], and they can’t belong. Are we exclusionary? Absolutely."
Jeffries said he thinks that including everyone would make his business boring. 
"Those companies that are in trouble are trying to target everybody: young, old, fat, skinny. But then you become totally vanilla. You don’t alienate anybody, but you don’t excite anybody, either," he told Salon. 
While a specialty retailer like Abercrombie can't be expected to appeal to everyone, the brand's standard of beauty is quickly becoming stale. 
Plus-sized is no longer a niche market: 67 percent of the apparel purchasing population fit that label, and the number is growing all the time. 
For too long, this sizable and growing segment has been ignored," writes Margaret Bogenrief at ACM Partners. "Treated shabbily, ostracized by the “pro-skinny fashion world,” and seemingly discarded by designers, department stores, and retailers alike, plus-size fashion consumers, critics, and bloggers are taking back their spending and sartorial power and, in turn, changing both the e-commerce and retailing landscapes."
Ignoring this "revolution" could be costly for businesses, Bogenrief writes. 
More brands are featuring curvy, "real-sized," models. 
In addition to H&M's Jennie Runk, Dove's wildly popular "Real Beauty" campaign highlights women who aren't as thin as traditional models.
But it's unlikely that Abercrombie will ever sway from its image, Lewis told us.  
"Abercrombie is only interested in people with washboard stomachs who look like they're about to jump on a surfboard," Lewis said. 

This article made me want to puke.  This guy and his ideas are a complete waste of time.  Who the hell is he to say that "large women" (oh and his idea of large is anything over a size 10) are not part of the "cool club".  It's A-holes like this that make already self conscious teenage girls do stupid crap like starve themselves.  I honestly hope that Ambercrombie's stock takes a big dump today for this jerks big mouth.  I don't have kids but if I did I would not be shopping at this freaks store any longer.  His ideas are so far out there that he is on Pluto - yes in my eyes its still a planet!  I know that there are many many many people that think fat, large, chubby, chunky, is not cool but this guy is a CEO of a company that markets to teens.  I feel that he has a responsibility to the public and especially to his target age group to keep his lame mouth shut. 

Another point that ticked me off is the fact that he states that Ambercrombie ONLY hires people that are considered "beautiful" because they attract "beautiful" people. What a complete crock of crap.  As most of you know I use to work for M.A.C Cosmetics.  MAC is one of the trendiest, fashion forward, and successful companies out there.  In my experience they hire all kinds of people. Skinny, fat, old, young, gay, straight, soccer moms, hipsters, etc.  you get the point.  MAC's entire business is to sell beauty but yet have a motto that there is no one type of "beautiful" person.  I may have disagreed with many things while working for MAC but this was not one of them. 

Then when I saw a picture of this guy I really had to laugh - this guy only wants beautiful people to shop in his stores and work for his company.  Well I guess Mr. Jeffries you should be expecting your pink slip soon - jerk!

Weigh Day Wednesday - Its a Long One!

Hi!

I had a good week!  I lost 1.6 - yay! 10 total so far!  I will admit this is not how I anticipated weigh day to go.  The hubs and I ate out a couple times this weekend and even though I did watch what I put into my mouth some of those delicious morsels were not the best choices.  In fact I started writing this post last night because I was confident that I was going to gain today and I was ok with it.  Even as I stepped on the scale I knew it was going to say something snotty like 'if you really think that you can eat the kinds of things you ate this weekend and still lose weight you're an idiot'.  I share this because a few months ago or any of the past times I was on a diet and ate the things I ate this week I would have seen a gain this morning.  So what was different about this past week then all the other times I had been on a diet and ate a few things that were not considered healthy?!?  My mind.  No my mind did not intervene and suck the calories out of all the crap I ate.  When I started writing this post last night explaining the gain and how I was really whole heartedly ok with not having a stellar week I realized that I finally got my myself to a place where I believe that this is a lifestyle change and not a diet.  I've said it before but I never BELIEVED it.  It only took like 25 years of trying every diet known to mankind.    

Yes I did make some lame choices this weekend as far as food goes the difference was that I only ate a portion of it.  And guess what?  I didn't  feel deprived or upset that I had to leave some of my meal on the plate.  In the past after leaving a restaurant 8 times out of 10 my jeans would feel like a scuba suit and the button on them would be holding on to the button hole for dear life.  Or the remaining 2 out of 10 times I would have been what I considered "good" and not had anything that wasn't a lettuce leaf or grilled chicken.  I would be a bit resentful and then the next chance I had I would eat something so big and so bad to make up for being good.  Vicious cycle! 

I do have to tell you about the dessert that the hubs and I shared at Biaggi's.  The yummiest dessert of all time which was Italian donuts tossed in cinnamon and sugar and topped with rum caramel sauce (I die).  When the waitress set down the plate I wanted to tell Joe he had to look out the window to see some fabulous car and then I wanted to shove those little nuggets of heaven in my mouth.  By the time he turned around 1 second later I would have had all the donuts in my mouth and the sauce all over my fingers and looking at him like 'what'!?!  HEHE.  But that was not the case.  I only ate maybe a 1/3 of the dessert. 

There is a part of me that feels lucky for the loss this week.  So I do not advocate that you go out and eat Italian donuts sent from heaven and expect to lose.  I did not expect to lose but if I had gained it would have been ok because you can't pass up everything in life.  You can if you're on a diet and you will lose and look awesome.  But speaking from experience the weight just comes back.  I'd rather be a little more relaxed and be this way the rest of my life than be on a diet for the next 6 months. 

Sorry for the long post - yikes I'm chatty today!  Reminder that I created a Facebook group called Walk this Weigh.  Its a place where we can talk about health, beauty, gripes, get support, and just about anything else you want to - if you want to join click  here.  It's a private group - all that means is only the members can see your posts or photos that you post to the group.  I set it up this way so we can talk about anything and not have to worry about who was going to see it.  If you are already a member of the group and have a friend that you think would want to join send them an invite and then let me know who they are so I can approve them. 

Getting to Know Me - Part 2

A few months back I got an email with one of those getting to know you quizzes and I shared with you my answers.  Well I got another one so you get to read about some more of my quirks.......  

IF YOU COULD BUILD A  HOUSE ANYWHERE WHERE WOULD IT BE?

**Tuscany 

 YOUR FAVORITE ARTICLE OF CLOTHING?

**Since the weather is getting warmer I have been wearing sundresses - they are so girly and fun.

FAVORITE PHYSICAL FEATURE OF THE OPPOSITE SEX?

**I would have to say eyes oh and hands.  I will barf if a guys hands are dirty all the time.  I know that there are hard working guys where their jobs will make their hands dirty.  But seriously get some gloves or some of that weird soap that comes in a tub and will strip paint off a wall but swears that its gentle on your hands.  Try it maybe the commercials are true.....all there is to lose is a little skin.

WHAT'S THE LAST CD THAT YOU BOUGHT?

**Do people still buy CD's?  This past weekend I bought  my guilty pleasure song "Thrift Store" on iTunes.  Its such a stupid song but such a good booty shaking beat.  I couldn't resist any longer.

WHERE ARE YOUR FAVORITE PLACES TO BE?

**On a cruise sitting outside on the balcony in my room

WHERE'S YOUR LEAST FAVORITE PLACE BE?

**Outside if it involves sweating.  I know that you are thinking that I just said that my favorite place to be was on a balcony outside.  Please refer to the sweating part of this answer.  I hate sweating.  Unless I'm working out.  Then bring on the sweat - but that is inside sweating and that kind is ok.

WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE PLACE TO BE MASSAGED?

**Shoulder blades

WHAT'S MOST IMPORTANT, STRONG IN MIND OR STRONG BODY?

** I say strong mind.  If you have a strong mind you can get a strong body and have both. 

WHAT TIME DO YOU WAKE IN THE MORNING?

** 6:30ish 

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE KITCHEN APPLIANCE?

**Hands down the Keurig.  That machine is from the heavens I swear!

 WHAT MAKES YOU REALLY ANGRY?

**Everything.  Ok not really.  Political stuff that I think is unfair and lame, animal abusers, oh and I hate when I can't get something to work like my computer.

 IF YOU COULD PLAY ANY INSTRUMENT, WHAT WOULD IT BE?

**Guitar - so my awesome air guitar would actually be something and not me just moving my hands around like a spaz

 WEIRD IDEA ABOUT SOMETHING?

**Ok this is a good one......I have to tell myself that meat comes from the supermarket not from animals.  Like its buying pasta, there is a factory where people make meat.  I realize that this is the dumbest idea ever.  But if I think too much about where meat comes from I will become vegetarian and that will interfere with the fact that I love steak.

WHICH DO YOU PREFER, SPORTS CAR OR SUV?

**Um this is kind of a lame question......who would really pick an SUV if you had the option to pick a sports car?  My dream car would be an Aston Martin, not sure which one.  They are so expensive that I'm pretty sure I could buy a house for what one of them costs.

DO YOU BELIEVE IN AFTERLIFE?
**Absolutely!  I'm not sure how a person can't.  But that's just me.  No judgment if you think that after you die a tree sprouts up where you were buried and that's it.  If you are one of these people watch one episode of Long Island Medium.  Seriously...not kidding.  One episode and you might think differently. 

IF YOU COULD HAVE ONE SUPER POWER, WHAT WOULD IT BE?

**Hmmmm.......thinking......ok I got it.  I would like to be able to eat whatever I wanted and be a size 2. This is in fact a super power.  Guys (hubs and Chad) that are reading this you will not understand.  That's ok.  Just move on to the next question.

IF YOU HAVE A TATTOO, WHAT IS IT?

**I'm ink free.  If I ever got one, which would probably be the conclusion of a drunken night.  Like the movie 'The Hangover' kind of night.  It would be a teeny tiny heart on the very tippy top of my neck under my hair. 

CAN YOU JUGGLE?

**Depends.  I can juggle a ton of tasks at once but as for actual juggling no.  I tried to teach myself one unemployed day but that was a crap ton of wasted hours that I can never get back.

ONE PERSON FROM YOUR PAST YOU WISH YOU COULD GO BACK AND TALK TO?
**My dad and stepdad.  I know that the question only asked which one person I would talk to - but since its my blog I pick 2 people.  Wish I could ask them a million questions.  But that will have to wait.  See afterlife question above.

WHAT SHOULD YOU BE DOING INSTEAD OF ANSWERING THESE QUESTIONS?

**Finish up cleaning the bathrooms

WHAT'S IN THE TRUNK OF YOUR CAR?

**Dead body.  Ha!  Is it twisted that I have a list of people that I wish I could stuff in the back of my trunk and give them some concrete shoes?  I'll answer that, yes its bad.  Don't judge, you know that you have a list too.  Ok back to the question.....I have a first aid kit and under the carpet stuff there is the spare tire and all the tool things that go with it.  At least I think its under there.  That's why God invented AAA, they know where it is.

WHICH DO YOU PREFER, SUSHI OR HAMBURGER?

**Cheeseburger with all the fixins, except mayo that is just wrong on a hamburger.  And to all the sushi eating people, hubs included, I have one word.....seriously?!? Raw fish and rice for like $50, I don't get it.  Give me something that I can sink my teeth into.

Ok I'm done.  Feel free to copy and paste a few of these questions in the comments sections and give me your answers.  It would be fun to get to know some of your weirdness. 

 

Walk This Weigh - New Facebook Group!

Calling all who want to share successes, challenges, tips, tricks, and support with others that are trying to get healthy.  I created a new group called 'Walk this Weigh'.  Its a private, closed group.  Which means that you have to ask to join the group and all posts are private.  Only members of the group can see posts and pictures.  This is a place to ask any question to the group about health, provide recipes and tips, share your progress pictures, share your weekly weight loss or gain, beauty tips/questions, and just about anything else that you can think of.  This group is open to anyone making or wanting to make healthy choices in their life.  Even if you decide to drink water today instead of soda this group is for you, you don't have to be a marathon runner to join.  We can all use some motivation and tips!  All I ask is that no negative or hurtful comments be posted about others in the group.  I am a member of another fitness group and it seems like some members like to cut others in the group down.  That is not cool!! 

Look forward to seeing your posts!  Click here to join!

Weigh Day Wednesday

Helllloooo!

So it's weigh day and I lost - yay!  It was only 0.8 but I'll take it!  I'm trying really hard not to be so caught up in the number that I lose or - gulp - gain while I'm on Weight Watchers.  I am focusing on being more healthy.  Yes the goal is to lose weight but this time around needs to be the last time that I set out on this journey.  So I need to get my mind just as healthy as my body.  Meaning that I need to learn to make exercise a priority and understand that portion control is not protecting my large order of fries from Joe.  Good news is that I love my almost daily walks and I love not filling up on a bunch of crap.  I still eat things that I love I just eat less.  Do I have it all figured out?  NO WAY!  So any tips and tricks you have would be greatly appreciated.  I don't have a recipe for you guys this week.  I am trying out a new one tomorrow and if its good I'll share:) 

Weigh Day Wednesday

What's up peeps!  I did good this week - down 3.2.  I think that some of it was from last week when I was clearly robbed by the scale.  Not too shabby for going to a rehearsal dinner and a wedding this past weekend.

I tried a new recipe last night I found on Pinterest and it was yummo so I had to share!  I <3 chicken piccata but its not a healthy choice when ordering it out or making it using a traditional recipe.  It's normally cooked in a lot of oil, butter and sometimes even simmered in a cream sauce.  This healthy alternative is only 188 calories per serving or 5 Points Plus Weight Watcher Points.

Chicken Piccata
Serves 4
Ingredients:

• 3 T all purpose flour
• ¼ t salt
• ¼ t black pepper
• 1 t garlic powder
• 4 (4 oz each) thin (1/4 - 1/2") boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 1 T olive oil
• 1 T light butter
• Splash (around 1T) of white cooking wine - such as sherry
• ½ cup fat free chicken broth
• 3 T fresh lemon juice
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• ¼ cup capers, drained and rinsed

Directions:

1. Combine the flour, garlic powder, salt and pepper into a large Ziploc bag and shake to mix. Add the chicken, seal the bag and shake until the breasts are thoroughly coated.
2. Heat the butter and oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the chicken breasts in a single layer and cook for 3 minutes or until the bottoms are golden.  Flip the chicken breasts over and cook for an additional 3-4 minutes until the underside is golden and the chicken is cooked through.  Remove chicken and put on a plate and cover in foil to keep warm.
3. Pour the chicken broth and wine into the same pan and stir to scrape up any browned bits from the chicken and flour.  Add the lemon juice, garlic, and capers.  Cook for 2-3 minutes while sauce reduces.  Add chicken back in the pan with the sauce and simmer for 1-2 minutes.

Nutrition Information per serving: 188 calories, 6 g carbs, 6 g fat, 27 g protein, 0 g fiber

 

 

32.2 to go!

Weigh Day Wednesday

Well - I didn't do awesome but I didn't gain.  I only lost 0.6.  I'll take it.  I'm just hoping that all the work that I put in this past week will some how pay off on next Wednesday.  I measured and weighed everything and walked 3 miles every day but Sunday. 

I will tell you that I tried spaghetti squash and it rocks my face off.  I feel like I'm cheating when I'm eating it.  I mostly add it to meals than eat it by itself.  I was a little surprised that I liked it.  I HATE squash.  To me eating zucchini or acorn squash tastes like sucking on a dirty dish rag or something.  Barf.  But not the spaghetti squash.  It is so mild that it takes on whatever flavor that you add to it.  Try it you will not be sorry.  Below check out some tips and how to cook it:

• Find a spaghetti squash that is bright yellow and very hard.  You don't want any green on the outside.
  

• Cut in half length wise - be carful its super hard (that's what she said - sorry I couldn't help myself).
• Scoop out the seeds and the guts.  Its just like cleaning out a pumpkin.

• Put the halves cut side down on a baking sheet and bake at 350 for 45min to an hour depending on how big the squash is.  You want it to be tender when you stick a fork through it.
• Once it cools a bit and you can pick it up take a fork and scrape out the insides.  It will look like spaghetti noodles. 

• The texture is not like real spaghetti noodles - they are a bit hard.  Kinda like really al dente pasta.

Until next week ladies:) oh and hubs.  I'm pretty sure he is the only guy that reads my craziness. 

Only 35.4 to go

Guess What's Back?!?

I know that you have been waiting (ya right) for months for the return of.....drum roll......... Weigh Day Wednesday!  I haven't been dieting since I got laid off.  I figured I was miserable and sad and so I deserved to eat whatever the hell I wanted too.  DUMB DUMB DUMB!!

If you read my last post you know two things.  I ate way to much during Celebration Season and the hubs and his 2 best friends turned 40.  Shortly after the last party I was thinking about how next year I'll be turning 40 and that I'll probably have to be sedated to get through the day.  I'm freaked out about turning 40.  As I'm thinking this exact thought I am trying to button my jeans which feel like they have a vice grip around my waist.  Sigh.  Time to get my ass in gear.  Time to be serious.  Time to start a plan of action or I'm going to be a fatty at 40.  Not cute.  Now I know what you're thinking, cause I have thought the exact same thing, how many times is this chick going to start/stop a diet?!?  I know I know.  The last time I had a plan of action, was serious, and put it out there to you guys I failed.  But I'm human and life happens. 

So without further adieu here is my plan, 40 by 40.  40 pounds by my 40th birthday.  That gives me until next March to reach it.  BUT I really hope to hit that goal WAY before Christmas.  I know that its not a very aggressive goal but I wanted to make it obtainable.  So I started Weight Watchers last week and was going to start running again.  But I had a big ah ha moment.  I hate hate hate running so much why do I keep trying to do it?!?  I decided that I was going to try walking instead.  I have been walking 3 miles each morning.  The kind of walking that works up some sweat not just leisurely strolling around.   I actually look forward to it.  That has never ever never ever happened in my entire life.  In the past the only exercise I ever looked forward to doing was jumping off the couch so we could go to the frozen yogurt shop, ha!  For my first week I didn't do too bad, I lost 4 pounds.  Only 36 more to go. 

Sometimes You Just Have To Be An Idiot

So last weekend marked the end of "celebration season" as Joe and I like to call it.  We say this because from the beginning of February to the end of March there is a celebration almost every week.  In February  there are 3 bdays - the hubs and both of our besties.  And we can't forget about Super Bowl Sunday and Valentines Day.  Then in March Joe's other bestie and I have birthdays and we have our our wedding anniversary.  Now don't get me wrong - we love every minute of it.  Not only is there cake on almost every weekend there is also drinks, good food, and tons of laughs.  This year was especially fun since Joe and both of his buddies turned 40!  So this celebration season was full of memory making, including Tamara throwing her hubby a casino night party!  That rocked!  It was like a little piece of Vegas here in Colorado!  I have been trying to have more fun and not stress so much over not having a job so this "season" was a perfect time to forget my worries for a handful of nights. 

Last week it was my birthday and our anniversary so the hubs took Friday off and we enjoyed a long weekend.  However the weather was not so awesome.  Friday night we hung with our friends and by the time we left the snow was coming down and the roads were icy.  So much for it being the first weekend of spring.  Saturday was snowy and cold, it was a great day to stay at home and warm under a blanket!  Here is where the "acting like an idiot "part comes into play.  We were hanging at home and watching a marathon of The Big Bang Theory.  Until a few months ago Joe and I had not seen one episode of that show.  But our friends were telling us how funny it was and that we needed to start watching it.  So when there was a marathon on we were all over it.  We decided that while we watched the show we should have a cocktail.  Not exactly sure what triggered me to Google "Big Bang Theory drinking game", it's not like I'm in college and looking for a way to get drunk and throw up.  But let me tell you I'm so glad that I did.  It was so fun to just let go and act like an idiot.  We didn't get sloppy fall down drunk, throw up, or anything like that.  We used the good old standby they give you after surgery to assess how much we had had to drink.  Both of us would not be able to operate heavy machinery but could probably make legal decisions if necessary, ha!  We laughed a ton and really enjoyed hanging out together since we were stuck in the house.  So we weren't total idiots but definitely acting like we were 18ish and hanging at my house while my parents were out of town.  Mom - if you are reading this don't worry I never actually had guys over and played drinking games when you were gone and I lived at home.  Now your son on the other hand.......but that is another story for another day.  Ha!

Moral of the story - as you all know but sometimes its nice to have a reminder -  life is serious enough, have fun, let your hair down once in a while.  And as long as you are not pissing anyone off or hurting anyone its ok to act like an idiot from time to time.   Oh one more moral - I ate way too much during the season and its time to wire my jaw shut:) or just eat sensibly and exercise, haven't decided which one yet:)

Here are some pics from Celebration Season:

Joe's Bday

 

Valentines Day Cookies for Joe

 

Besties



Casino bday night that Tamara threw her hubby

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



The Honest and Ugly Truth

It has been brought to my attention that I haven't blogged in forever.  Which wasn't a big news flash to me.  The problem is that I feel like I don't have anything nice to say.  I'm not going to lie.  Being unemployed has taken its toll.  I wish I could write a post about how awesome I feel.  That I'm finally getting some time to myself and am enjoying it.  That its awesome to not have to wake up and get ready for work.  That I've caught up on my reading.  But all of that would be a lie.  Truth is I'm not happy.  I haven't been for a while now.  I'm not unhappy with everything.  Just the work stuff.  The problem is that it puts a dark cloud over all the other stuff.  It makes me feel like I have nothing to contribute which makes me depressed.  I wake up, troll the internet for jobs, shower, put on sweats and an old t-shirt, put my hair up in a clippy claw, put on NO makeup, wonder what the hell has happened to the girly girl I use to be, pick up the house, cook dinner, then go to bed to start all over the next day.  Thank God for Joe, my family, and good friends or I would have gone insane by now.  Seriously.  Like certifiable.

So that's the ugly truth on why I haven't blogged.  I have nothing good to say. 

The One

I've been a major slacker on blog posting.  Nothing really new going on with me.  I'm still looking for a job.  I can't lie - its such a sucky process.  Its like online dating.  Which if any of you have tried know it can be awful.   Now I will say that not all experiences are bad.  I know plenty of people that have been very successful.  One of my oldest and dearest friends found her husband online.  They have been married for almost 10 years and are great for each other! 

However my experience was not as awesome.  Right after I got divorced back in 2002 and lived in Vegas a bunch of my friends thought it would be a good idea for me to get back in the dating scene.  Put your profile online they said, it will be fun they said.  Here's how it really went down.  I pimped myself out on a couple of dating sites.  On my profile I was honest with what I was looking for and bought into the commercials that stated this site could find my soul mate as soon as I entered my credit card information and paid my monthly fee.  Unfortunately I only found guys that said they wanted something serious just to find out that the only thing they were looking for was the bedroom.  Most of the dates went like this:

1. Meet for a drink
2. Listen to the guy tell me about how charitable he was and how much he loved his friends and family
3. Think that this might actually be a decent guy
4. Quickly get reminded that he is not a nice guy when he tries to get  me to go home with him
5. Leave disappointed thinking that there are no good men left in the world that even entertain the thought of realtionship lasting more than 24 hours

Or

1. Meet for a drink
2. Listen to the guy talk about the time he saved puppies from a burning building (ok maybe not that exact story but you get the point) and how much he wants to get serious with "the one"
3. Listen to him say how cool that he thought I was.  That I wasn't like anyone that he had ever met.  Tells me about an event that is coming up and he wants me to go with him  
4. Get my hopes up when we get ready to leave and he says that he can't wait to see me again and is going to call me with the details
5. Wait by the phone for the call
6. Wait
7. Ensure that I still have some bars of service on my cell phone in all areas of the house
8. Wait
9. Have a friend call me to test to see if my phone still rings
10. Deal with the rejection - not very well

Oh and my personal favorite and the reason that I shut down online dating.......the guy that wanted to talk about all of his scars for an hour during dinner and then didn't reach for his wallet when the check came.  I could have dealt with scar talk if he had been race car driving, or climbing mountains when he got these scars.  But it was more like the time he tripped over a rock or when his cousin hit him with a brick.  Ugh.  That date was painful.  All this job searching and posting profiles on career sites brings me right back to that time.  I'm filling out job applications (a.k.a. Pimping myself out) and getting my hopes up thinking that this could be "the job" because I have everything this company is looking for, only to be disappointed when I never get a call.  It's a vicious cycle.  I wish that I had the luxury of shutting down the job search and deleting my profiles just as I did with the dating sites.  Not that I don't to work - I do.  I'm ready for the long term relationship with a company, I'm ready for "the one". 

2013 - Where is the Glitter and Rainbows?

I'm baaaaaaacccckkkkkkk peeps!  Sorry that I haven't posted for a while.  Your mom ever tell you that if you don't have anything good to say then shut it?  Well that is where I have been the past few weeks. Nothing funny or cool to talk about.  But when I started the blog I told you early on that it would not always be glitter and rainbows.  Still nothing on the job front.  Can a girl get a phone call from some awesome company offering me a corner office and $150K a year??  Ok maybe I'm dreaming a little too big - I'll take a fun place to work with a cubicle and just enough $$ to pay my bills and get my hair and nails did.  A funny song (to the tune of Call Me Maybe) runs through my head all day .... I don't know you, and this is crazy, but I'm so awesome so hire me maybe.  Come On!  How could any company pass me up?  Lol!  Thank goodness that I'm not a song writer :)  I'm trying to stay positive.  Some days that is way hard but for the most part this Vegas girl is still betting that 2013 is gonna be a year filled with glitter and rainbows.