Today was a blah kind of day outside, and with the rain washing out our plans to head out to Alexandria for our anniversary, we sat and sat. I couldn't just sit around any longer so decided to finish canning some hot peppers.
Thursday night was my first canning session ever. I hope they turn out and we use them. There are a TON! They are hot banana peppers and used a basic pickling recipe. It was simple enough, and since it was so easy, I had the in-laws send more out with my husband this weekend and canned three more jars. Five in total. I also make a sausage stuffed hot pepper recipe last night with them that was so good I used the rest of the stuffing today in a few more.
I just sat down from making a batch of zucchini bread. I have enough zucchini to make about 10 batches I think. I am not sure that is an exaggeration either. It takes 3 cups of grated zucchini per 2 loaves and the one zucchini I grated yielded almost 8 cups. Then I have 5 more to use. The loaves just came out of the oven and it has a great flavor. I altered an altered version of a cooking light version. I recommend it! I have been using the recipe a while, but the altered version turned out perfect. I think I will make one more batch of bread and freeze the loaves, then try out a casserole and a lasagna. That should do it, but will I find the time? That remains to be seen,
I am going to take a few shots of my peppers and my bread tomorrow! I will get back to posting photos here soon - I promise!
9.12.2010
9.08.2010
It's Been Too Long
I've been completely out of touch and in more ways than just the blogging kind.
I have been feeling physically out of it too. Just last week I finally got the reason why. I got my diagnosis. Not one of the bad kind, just more detailed than in the past. I was given the diagnosis that I have Hashimoto's. Yep, but I already had been diagnosed with hypothyroidism so the treatment is now to increase the meds. Hopefully that will reduce the fact that my body is now fighting itself. Well, that is how I explain it.
The results so far? The increased meds are doing the trick with the energy. Let's just hope in 6 weeks the number of antibodies goes down and things settle down. It does explain why my energy goes up and down in spurts. Apparently that is how this whole thing works. Does anyone take care of their thyroid naturally? I really think that I would prefer to increase the health of my thyroid that way. I have been trying to get more info and put a book on hold at the library that I am hoping has more information than most of what I have found so far.
This past weekend was really fun, for the most part. It was really COLD. BRReath seeing cold. Not so fun when you are camping in a tent!! Thank goodness for family and long extension cords. Yep, camping with an electric hookup saved the day. The in-laws had a small space heater and that kept the tent nice and toasty. Well, and probably encouraged the daddy long legs.
That was something my son just did not enjoy. It made for a tough night getting him to go to bed. Here how it all progressed ... as I was telling my son a story. Being the attentive kid he is, Big E saw one daddy long leg on the side of the tent. hmmm. but then I saw one more Of course I didn't tell him that. I attempted to get the one he saw but it ran (what else). Here's where the story gets interesting. While I am trying to get said spider out the door, one decided to run right over my son's sleeping bag. He screams like crazy and so I work to get it out the door. Which would be nice, but no, the story is not over cause the second one goes scampering over him just as I am attempting to settle him down, but he is in full force bloody murder at this point. I summon my DH away from the fire to help me get the second one out the door. Problem solved right? NOPE. Not at all. I get the Big E sitting down, since we all know he isn't laying down, cause he is kind of shaking all over. Well, I decide at this point to pull out the movie and see if I can get him to watch it and calm down. Over saunters spider number 3. I maneuver the small screen he is engaged in to keep his eyes on the video and not on the big spider sitting on my blanket now. I threw a pillow at him and still the thing is relentless. It's like a mini invasion going on now, cause I have spider number 4 crawl up on my right side. UM - really? So, I swat at it and tell my son that it is a mosquito. Yeah, well, that is about the point I decided that we were just not going to be able to calm the kid down and took him out by the fire to help him fall asleep. That was the only way I could see him going to sleep. There were more, but he didn't see them. THANK GOODNESS! At naptime the next day I had to have my DH sneak another one past him so he would not see it, I am certain there would be no nap otherwise!
Well, right now is the first time I have sat down and done nothing. Okay, not nothing, but nothing but kind of watch a movie, while blogging. It's a movie I have seen before. One I wouldn't exactly say I love, but one that I LOVED the showtime series it was made from. Dead Like Me. I just love how they say what they think, and how bizarre it is. It is so weird it is funny.
On that note, it is time to end this overdue post. I am going to get things back in order soon. Somehow!
I have been feeling physically out of it too. Just last week I finally got the reason why. I got my diagnosis. Not one of the bad kind, just more detailed than in the past. I was given the diagnosis that I have Hashimoto's. Yep, but I already had been diagnosed with hypothyroidism so the treatment is now to increase the meds. Hopefully that will reduce the fact that my body is now fighting itself. Well, that is how I explain it.
The results so far? The increased meds are doing the trick with the energy. Let's just hope in 6 weeks the number of antibodies goes down and things settle down. It does explain why my energy goes up and down in spurts. Apparently that is how this whole thing works. Does anyone take care of their thyroid naturally? I really think that I would prefer to increase the health of my thyroid that way. I have been trying to get more info and put a book on hold at the library that I am hoping has more information than most of what I have found so far.
This past weekend was really fun, for the most part. It was really COLD. BRReath seeing cold. Not so fun when you are camping in a tent!! Thank goodness for family and long extension cords. Yep, camping with an electric hookup saved the day. The in-laws had a small space heater and that kept the tent nice and toasty. Well, and probably encouraged the daddy long legs.
That was something my son just did not enjoy. It made for a tough night getting him to go to bed. Here how it all progressed ... as I was telling my son a story. Being the attentive kid he is, Big E saw one daddy long leg on the side of the tent. hmmm. but then I saw one more Of course I didn't tell him that. I attempted to get the one he saw but it ran (what else). Here's where the story gets interesting. While I am trying to get said spider out the door, one decided to run right over my son's sleeping bag. He screams like crazy and so I work to get it out the door. Which would be nice, but no, the story is not over cause the second one goes scampering over him just as I am attempting to settle him down, but he is in full force bloody murder at this point. I summon my DH away from the fire to help me get the second one out the door. Problem solved right? NOPE. Not at all. I get the Big E sitting down, since we all know he isn't laying down, cause he is kind of shaking all over. Well, I decide at this point to pull out the movie and see if I can get him to watch it and calm down. Over saunters spider number 3. I maneuver the small screen he is engaged in to keep his eyes on the video and not on the big spider sitting on my blanket now. I threw a pillow at him and still the thing is relentless. It's like a mini invasion going on now, cause I have spider number 4 crawl up on my right side. UM - really? So, I swat at it and tell my son that it is a mosquito. Yeah, well, that is about the point I decided that we were just not going to be able to calm the kid down and took him out by the fire to help him fall asleep. That was the only way I could see him going to sleep. There were more, but he didn't see them. THANK GOODNESS! At naptime the next day I had to have my DH sneak another one past him so he would not see it, I am certain there would be no nap otherwise!
Well, right now is the first time I have sat down and done nothing. Okay, not nothing, but nothing but kind of watch a movie, while blogging. It's a movie I have seen before. One I wouldn't exactly say I love, but one that I LOVED the showtime series it was made from. Dead Like Me. I just love how they say what they think, and how bizarre it is. It is so weird it is funny.
On that note, it is time to end this overdue post. I am going to get things back in order soon. Somehow!
8.01.2010
End of One Crazy Month, Beginning of Another
Whew. July is over, and now August has begun.
August has always been a great month for me cause it's MY birthday month. I don't normally get all excited about it, but I am deciding right now it's going to be an awesome one this year! Not just my birthday, I want the whole month to be great.
I want it to include several things, good friends, good fun, a lot less weight (yes- pounds less) AND of course, my awesome husband and son spending some quality time together with me. I really want it to NOT include chaos. I have had my fill for a while.
Today not only marks the beginning of August, it marks the beginning of some changes being made on my part, on many levels.
I'd love for the main change be a turning point in my weight loss journey. I am so ready for a permanent change to happen, and for this vicious cycle of weight loss to end.
Bring it on August - I am ready - OH and bring it on Down & Dirty in 30 Challenge!
August has always been a great month for me cause it's MY birthday month. I don't normally get all excited about it, but I am deciding right now it's going to be an awesome one this year! Not just my birthday, I want the whole month to be great.
I want it to include several things, good friends, good fun, a lot less weight (yes- pounds less) AND of course, my awesome husband and son spending some quality time together with me. I really want it to NOT include chaos. I have had my fill for a while.
Today not only marks the beginning of August, it marks the beginning of some changes being made on my part, on many levels.
I'd love for the main change be a turning point in my weight loss journey. I am so ready for a permanent change to happen, and for this vicious cycle of weight loss to end.
Bring it on August - I am ready - OH and bring it on Down & Dirty in 30 Challenge!
7.27.2010
Busy. Busy. Busy.
Whew what a month! It's been a whirlwind. Not quite over, but just about, and that is what matters.
I type this using my new iPhone. It's an early birthday present. Gee I hope my DH gets a job soon so we can continue to eat AND pay our bills.
Last week was so insanely busy, I never had time go sit and type in a blog post. I did weigh in but it was not a good weight. It was back up. There were foods I ate that caused the water weight to creep up. I know that, but it did more than creep, it spiked. I had one dr appt that day and according to their scale I had lost 1 pound in a bit over a year and a half. I had another dr. appt today and explained how frustrating it is. The dr. retested my thyroid and hormones and we'll see how that goes as a start. She also has me keeping track of my food for a week and she'll give me some feedback. Thing is, I went and stocked up on my apples, red pepper and snap peas. She won't see how I cut soda and coffee (loaded with chocolate and milk) from my diet. Or that I increased my workout minutes over the past months. What hopefully she will be able to help me with is what my diet has too much or too little of.
I know one thing I absolutely know I am running low on. Time. If there is some magic answer on how to be super mom, super wife, and fit in working out while also making dinner or taking time to play a bit, puhleeze fill me in. Mkay?!!
Thanks!
Hopefully the much awaited surprise party photos will get posted. I have lots go go through, and edit. I will do my best!!
I type this using my new iPhone. It's an early birthday present. Gee I hope my DH gets a job soon so we can continue to eat AND pay our bills.
Last week was so insanely busy, I never had time go sit and type in a blog post. I did weigh in but it was not a good weight. It was back up. There were foods I ate that caused the water weight to creep up. I know that, but it did more than creep, it spiked. I had one dr appt that day and according to their scale I had lost 1 pound in a bit over a year and a half. I had another dr. appt today and explained how frustrating it is. The dr. retested my thyroid and hormones and we'll see how that goes as a start. She also has me keeping track of my food for a week and she'll give me some feedback. Thing is, I went and stocked up on my apples, red pepper and snap peas. She won't see how I cut soda and coffee (loaded with chocolate and milk) from my diet. Or that I increased my workout minutes over the past months. What hopefully she will be able to help me with is what my diet has too much or too little of.
I know one thing I absolutely know I am running low on. Time. If there is some magic answer on how to be super mom, super wife, and fit in working out while also making dinner or taking time to play a bit, puhleeze fill me in. Mkay?!!
Thanks!
Hopefully the much awaited surprise party photos will get posted. I have lots go go through, and edit. I will do my best!!
7.14.2010
Weigh In #7
It's Weigh-in Wednesday. The Shrinking Days of Summer is coming to a close soon. Today's weigh in went pretty well, down a little.
.2 to be exact. which isn't a lot when looking at numbers, but when we talk about how I am feeling and how the clothes are fitting, it is a good thing.
Now if I can keep that going. Today is going to be rather tough eating wise. I didn't have all my fresh veggies in the fridge cut up and ready to go. I haven't been grocery shopping to restock, and I really need to do it soon. I had high hopes of replenishing my stash of hummus for today's snack and making some yummy sweet potato fries. None of that happened.
Don't get me wrong. I wasn't a slacker. In my usually hectic and insane life, I ran multiple errands and as we were heading to the grocery store, it was that moment my son said "I have to go potty." Of course you do.
Rushing to make sure we didn't have any "accidents" caused me to forget to grab my list, and my coupons and then it all went to pot. I grabbed the absolute necessities to get through the night and that was that. We cruised home and it was dinner time. Thankfully my husband got home early enough to put my son to bed, and that allowed me to do my wii More Workouts. I even added in a few crunches and some chest presses and flyes.
Wrapping up my workout did not mean it was rest time for me. I am working on a surprise party and that is what consumed the rest of my evening's "free" time. When I finally looked at the clock and realized how late it was, and that my lunch was not packed, AND that there wasn't a whole lot to pack, I left it for today to worry about.
BIG MISTAKE
Today's lunchbox is not that exciting. It consists of slices of bread to make PB&J (NO it is not the natural kind, but it is the kind without High fructose corn syrup and won't cost me a fortune to purchase for my toddler who would eat it from sunrise to sunset - maybe when my husband gets a job we'll get the more expensive stuff). It does contain one apple and a container of peach sauce so my fruit is covered. Other than that, it's pretty sparse. I have been bringing two lunch containers packed full of bright colored veggies to eat. This seems so lame. Maybe I will find a few minutes today and run to the store. Without a toddler and with coupons in hand.
If I could just find a few more minutes to complete a few more tasks in this crazy life of mine, I could find a few minutes to relax too!
.2 to be exact. which isn't a lot when looking at numbers, but when we talk about how I am feeling and how the clothes are fitting, it is a good thing.
Now if I can keep that going. Today is going to be rather tough eating wise. I didn't have all my fresh veggies in the fridge cut up and ready to go. I haven't been grocery shopping to restock, and I really need to do it soon. I had high hopes of replenishing my stash of hummus for today's snack and making some yummy sweet potato fries. None of that happened.
Don't get me wrong. I wasn't a slacker. In my usually hectic and insane life, I ran multiple errands and as we were heading to the grocery store, it was that moment my son said "I have to go potty." Of course you do.
Rushing to make sure we didn't have any "accidents" caused me to forget to grab my list, and my coupons and then it all went to pot. I grabbed the absolute necessities to get through the night and that was that. We cruised home and it was dinner time. Thankfully my husband got home early enough to put my son to bed, and that allowed me to do my wii More Workouts. I even added in a few crunches and some chest presses and flyes.
Wrapping up my workout did not mean it was rest time for me. I am working on a surprise party and that is what consumed the rest of my evening's "free" time. When I finally looked at the clock and realized how late it was, and that my lunch was not packed, AND that there wasn't a whole lot to pack, I left it for today to worry about.
BIG MISTAKE
Today's lunchbox is not that exciting. It consists of slices of bread to make PB&J (NO it is not the natural kind, but it is the kind without High fructose corn syrup and won't cost me a fortune to purchase for my toddler who would eat it from sunrise to sunset - maybe when my husband gets a job we'll get the more expensive stuff). It does contain one apple and a container of peach sauce so my fruit is covered. Other than that, it's pretty sparse. I have been bringing two lunch containers packed full of bright colored veggies to eat. This seems so lame. Maybe I will find a few minutes today and run to the store. Without a toddler and with coupons in hand.
If I could just find a few more minutes to complete a few more tasks in this crazy life of mine, I could find a few minutes to relax too!
7.09.2010
Hanging with my favorite blogs
Well - things are shaking up at my house. My husband lost his job Wednesday. WOAH!!! There are many people that have been dealing with this as well recently. Like them, I am sure, it is going to be a major adjustment. We were already cutting back on things for about two years, and now will have to make even more changes. We had actually just begun to come out of the woods with finances. We paid one car off and were about to start paying off a few other debts. Life was looking good. Just goes to show you not to get too comfortable because that is when life turns. Not always for the better - however - there is an upside.
Yes, you heard me right, there is an upside. My DH wanted to make a career change anyway. Now is his time. I really hope he is able to do that, quickly and easily. In this economy and lousy job market, we are not going to manage things well without a solid income for long.
I will not go down without a fight. My game plan is to get through the initial shock (only allowing myself through tonight) then hit all my blog resources. There are quite a few of them that I have only kept an eye on here and there. Blogs I tend to go to when I need a quick recipe or a little coupon advice. Now it's going to become required reading and much more coupon-ing than in the past few months.
Here are a just a few places you'll definitely be able to find me to help me cut back and plan:
Yes, you heard me right, there is an upside. My DH wanted to make a career change anyway. Now is his time. I really hope he is able to do that, quickly and easily. In this economy and lousy job market, we are not going to manage things well without a solid income for long.
I will not go down without a fight. My game plan is to get through the initial shock (only allowing myself through tonight) then hit all my blog resources. There are quite a few of them that I have only kept an eye on here and there. Blogs I tend to go to when I need a quick recipe or a little coupon advice. Now it's going to become required reading and much more coupon-ing than in the past few months.
Here are a just a few places you'll definitely be able to find me to help me cut back and plan:
These are just a few of the resources I already use, though, not as hard core as I feel I will be in the weeks to come. Now to settle in with some scissors a meal plan and get serious about staying healthy, in budget and happy!
Oh, and sane!
7.07.2010
It's Weigh-In Wednesday
And I don't care!!!!
I weighed in today and the scale said 137.something. And it was great. Not because the numbers were magically so much lower than they have been in a while (cause they aren't) but because I made it.
I made it through an entire month of no chocolate, no coffee and no diet coke. All in the order of how I crave them. It's been okay missing the diet cokes. Those I am not excited about. The coffee was tough. The chocolate was insane. Especially when you have people that know about your specific plns!
This past weekend was our high school block party. It was a blast. I was surrounded by people I had been friends with in a past life - one which I vaguely remember - and one where I was a skinny girl. I do have one memory being a teen where I sat on the lap of someone (nothing weird) and they told me I had a boney butt. Um, that ain't happening anymore. My son told me (love the honesty of kids-NOT) tonight as he was hitting me for some unknown reason, that my behind was jiggly. Yes, jiggly. Thanks kid! Thanks for reminding me that I am no longer the 115 lb kid from 20+ years ago!!!
I am however on my way back to a physique that makes me happy. For the first time in quite a while I can see it, and I definitely can feel the improvements. Most of the time. Tonight working out was a bit hard. there is a kink that just won't go away in my neck and lower back. But I trudged on. And I am glad I did it. I don't weigh any less than last week (well, i don't think I do) but I feel a lot better.
Here's a photo of me (on the left) and one of my close girlfriend's from H.S. We have been re-acquainted for a while now. Before facebook if you can believe that?! Thanks to our friend for capturing a very happy moment in time!
Now I must stop making yummy mint brownies from the Cooking Light magazine and get back on track with my healthy eating and working out.
I weighed in today and the scale said 137.something. And it was great. Not because the numbers were magically so much lower than they have been in a while (cause they aren't) but because I made it.
I made it through an entire month of no chocolate, no coffee and no diet coke. All in the order of how I crave them. It's been okay missing the diet cokes. Those I am not excited about. The coffee was tough. The chocolate was insane. Especially when you have people that know about your specific plns!
This past weekend was our high school block party. It was a blast. I was surrounded by people I had been friends with in a past life - one which I vaguely remember - and one where I was a skinny girl. I do have one memory being a teen where I sat on the lap of someone (nothing weird) and they told me I had a boney butt. Um, that ain't happening anymore. My son told me (love the honesty of kids-NOT) tonight as he was hitting me for some unknown reason, that my behind was jiggly. Yes, jiggly. Thanks kid! Thanks for reminding me that I am no longer the 115 lb kid from 20+ years ago!!!
I am however on my way back to a physique that makes me happy. For the first time in quite a while I can see it, and I definitely can feel the improvements. Most of the time. Tonight working out was a bit hard. there is a kink that just won't go away in my neck and lower back. But I trudged on. And I am glad I did it. I don't weigh any less than last week (well, i don't think I do) but I feel a lot better.
Here's a photo of me (on the left) and one of my close girlfriend's from H.S. We have been re-acquainted for a while now. Before facebook if you can believe that?! Thanks to our friend for capturing a very happy moment in time!Now I must stop making yummy mint brownies from the Cooking Light magazine and get back on track with my healthy eating and working out.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)