What Works For Me

The hubby and I celebrated our sixth anniversary this past weekend. We had a great weekend, and we headed to Atlanta on Monday morning to spend the night to do the zoo and the aquarium. While fun, it was two of the most exhausting days we've had in a while. The children are recovering still. I will share pics from the trip in a few days because I think I am still recovering as well.

We FINALLY went on a date night since having Tucker. Let me tell you, having the third child throws a wrench into babysitting! Now, we are back to a normal schedule, so it should be easier. I made the hubs take a picture with me before we left to celebrate the momentous occasion.

I have been doing Weight Watchers for the past few months, and I have had more than a few people ask me about it. It works for me because I like a plan, some ideas on what to eat, and exactly how to do something - that's how I operate best.

I have about 10 more pounds to lose, and I have fallen off the wagon a bit in the last 2 weeks with travel and such. I am getting back on it now :) Here's to losing that last 10 pounds!

The hardest part about doing WW is the planning. WW works best for me when I plan out exactly what I am going to eat each day. I try to do it for several days so that I don't have to think about it every single day. Thank goodness for Pinterest. I created a board to keep a bunch of my WW recipes in one place. Here is the link. I have eaten oatmeal for breakfast almost every morning. One half cup of dry oatmeal, one half cup almond milk, one half cup water, 1 Tbsp brown sugar, and 1 Tbsp maple syrup with a little cinnamon equals 6 points plus. I like to add the chia seeds, as well. The reason I do oatmeal is that it keeps me full until lunch and I know the points without having to search for anything.

I plan lunch according to what I am cooking for dinner. Sometimes it is a wrap made with those high fiber 1 point wraps with turkey and veggies, sometimes it is a WW frozen meal, etc. It depends on the day. What has helped the most was planning dinners. The first month I was back doing WW online I created that Pinterest board and sat down one night to put together meals. I have a sheet that looks sort of like this:

 

 

I hope this isn't too hard to decipher. I picked a main dish, a side or two, and made sure to list the point values. I get 26 points per day with my plan. I stick to them during the day, so I really don't worry about adding a handful of chips, an extra tsp of mayo, etc to a meal because I have 49 extra points during the week to use whenever I want. I love that WW has a recipe builder tool, and I use that to figure point values for things that I don't know the points. For instance, the portions that I have on the Spanish/Mexican rice above are 2 pp per serving because of how I divide the servings.

 

Jason and the kids eat the same things I do, so it makes cooking really easy. There are nights that the kiddos might get a grilled cheese or something else, but that is getting more and more rare. I use a handful of sites (besides Pinterest) to search for recipes. The most common ones are Emily Bites, Skinnytaste, and Laaloosh.

 

Also, a few weeks ago I joined the local YMCA. I did this for a few reasons. One was that I really want to get into shape. I want to feel good about the body that I live in, and I would love to feel great in my clothes. The other is that the kiddos are out for summer. The Y has a childcare program included in its fees. Y'all, I am being serious when I say that it sounds great to drop my children off for an hour or two of free time. If that means I have to work out in order to get some time to myself while the boys burn some energy, then I guess it's a win-win for all.

 

I hope this helps. I am excited to try some new recipes this next month, and I will let you guys know whether they are worth it or not. I have had some flops, but I have flops in cooking anyway, so I don't get discouraged when a WW recipe turns out to be something that I won't fix again. 

 

Let me know if you have any yummy WW recipes that you love!

Weight Watchers Meal Planning

I think the hardest part of WW is planning. It takes some forethought to decide what to eat so that you don't blow all your points. A while back I created a board on Pinterest dedicated to WW recipes. I use it all the time. When I did my big grocery shopping at the beginning of the month, I took some time to sit down and look at that board. I compiled a list of my entrée items and wrote the points beside them. Then, I tried to look for side dishes to go with each dish and labeled the points. I have used that list to plan meals and cook this month, and it has helped tremendously. I am a big meal planner, and with three little kiddos, I think if you are going to cook dinner you sort of have to be. I have decided what to make as to whether or not Jason will be home during the cooking phase/what things I can do a ton of prep before (as in nap time)/or things I can throw together very quickly. Here is a list of some of the meals with links and points:

Bubble Up Enchiladas - 7pp per serving
Spanish Rice - this comes to about 2-3 points per serving.

I made the enchilada bake for a second time. I mentioned in a previous post that I looked at the comment section and doctored the recipe up a bit by adding cumin, red pepper, and garlic powder to the meat, used salsa instead of tomato sauce, and made everything in a cast iron skillet for a one pot dish. I use a recipe from food.com for the rice and get about 8 servings out of it, so the point value is pretty low after putting it into the Recipe Builder on the WW site.

Meatloaf- 6pp
Marinated Tomato Salad - 1pp
Scalloped Potatoes - 3pp

This was good. I am picky about my meatloaf, but this one was good. I will add in some green peppers next time. The texture was a bit soft, but I think that was my fault. The boys gobbled it up. The potatoes and tomato salad were pretty good sides to pair with the meatloaf.

Baked Ranch Chicken - 5pp
Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes - 4pp
Balsamic Roasted Carrots - 2 pp

This was a good meal, too. My breading fell off the chicken, but once again, I think it was "operator error". These potatoes were good.

Chicken Pot Pie - 4-6 pp depending on how large of a serving you have
This was good. Mine was not as pretty as the one in the picture, but it was a good lightened up version of comfort food.

Tamale Bake - 7pp
Baked Southwest Egg Rolls - 2 pp per roll
I made the tamale bake a second time, and I had family here. They thought it was good, too. These egg rolls are really good. I have made them many times and taken them places. They always get eaten.

Burrito Bake - 6pp
Spanish Rice - 2-3 pp per serving
This was good and easy. I had leftover rice from another meal, so we ate the leftovers with this.

Pulled chicken - 2pp
Bun - 3pp
Mango Slaw - 2pp
We've had this chicken a ton. I didn't make it as a WW recipe, but once I put it in the calculator it came out to be 2 pp a serving. I think the recipe is on here, but you put a pack of chicken breasts in the crockpot, sprinkle almost a whole packet of zesty Italian dressing, and some pepperoncini pepper juice and cook until done. Then you shred and top with BBQ sauce. The slaw was okay, but I probably won't make it again.

Enchilada Skillet - 9pp
I have this one on the menu this week.

Carne Guisada (Lain Beef Stew) - 6pp
Brown Rice - 5 pp for one whole cup
I have this in the crock pot now. I made the spicy condiment that the recipe recommends, and it is SPICY which I love. I can rate this one later.

Spaghetti Pie - 9 pp
We had this on Sunday night and again as leftovers last night. It was really good. I would make it again if I weren't doing WW. I had some extra points, so I had a small salad with it.

Meat Lover's Pizza - 5 pp per slice
This one is a great recipe. My boys LOVE it. The slices are pretty large, so after a slice and a salad I am full.

Chicken and Goat Cheese Sandwiches - 8pp per sandwich
This is on the menu this week. I love anything with goat cheese, so how could this be bad?

Balsamic Pork Roast - 5pp
Crustless Zucchini Pie - 3pp
Bruleed Sweet Potato Bake - 3pp
This was the first thing I made when I compiled this list, and it has been one of my favorite combos. Everything in this meal was good.

Sour Cream Enchiladas - 10pp for 2 enchiladas
This is a high points meal if you add rice, but I have made it several times.

Sweet and Sour Chicken - 8pp
Broccoli
Cauliflower Fried Rice - 3pp
I have made the sweet and sour chicken many times. The cauliflower fried rice serving is BIG for 3 pp, so I will make this soon. I would imagine that it would work a lot like rice. According the to the reviews, it is good.

So I realize this is a giant list. I wanted to put it out there in case anyone was doing WW and needed some dinner ideas. I usually keep lunch pretty low points and do oatmeal for breakfast. I always have extra points at the end of the day to have a larger dinner. Hope this helps!

A Few Tried and True

This post if for those of you who have asked for some good Weight Watchers Recipes. I am on my third week, and I am down 12 lbs. I have been cooking some new recipes - mostly because I like to cook, but also I have made new stuff because there are so many WW recipe out there that sounded good! Breakfast in the mornings has been oatmeal with brown sugar and maple syrup or fruit added to it. I recently discovered chia seeds, and I add a TBSP of them into my oatmeal, too. The chia seeds don't add any flavor, but they are a super food packed with great nutrition and they swell when they get added to liquid. They make you feel full longer. I haven't been hungry before lunch time since I started doing this.

A few great sites to find recipes on are:
http://www.skinnytaste.com/
http://www.emilybites.com/
http://www.laaloosh.com/

These are the ones that I often go to search for new WW recipes. I have created a board on Pinterest, and if you are interested to see what's on there, hop on over:
My Pinterest Board for WW

Here are some of my "tried and true" recipes. I will keep adding more as I find good ones. One suggestion I have when searching any recipe online is to read the comments. If multiple people have tweaked a recipe a certain way, I will go with the crowd and follow their suggestions.

Crock pot Chicken Santa Fe - this is one I have made for a while. I usually use it in those wraps from the last post and create a burrito with a little cheese, sour cream, avocado, etc. You can have 2 of these for very low points.

Baked Sweet and Sour Chicken - this is one that I make even when not on WW. I usually do it with fried rice, and I will be trying the cauliflower fried "rice" soon because the points are much lower than with regular fried rice.

Meat Lover's Pizza - The boys loved this one, too. This is a great one.

Chicken Tamale Bake - I tried this one earlier in the week, and it was good. I would add this into the rotation even not on WW. We had it with some Mexican rice.

Club Sandwich - I have eaten this for lunch with a pickle a few times, and it is a winner.

Bubble Up Enchiladas - I have seen this all over Pinterest. I took the suggestion of several people in the comment section and made the following changes: I added cumin, garlic powder, and chili powder to the turkey while it was cooking, subbed salsa for the tomato sauce, and cooked it all in a cast iron skillet for a one pot meal.

Bubble Up Enchiladas

Caramel Apple Fluff - This stuff is yum! The boys and I love it.

Coconut Mango Chia Pudding - I had a bunch of mangos and decided to try this. It was a good little sweet treat.

Salsa Verde Enchiladas - Okay, so I haven't made this one since I started WW back, but I have made it before. We liked it.

Southwest Egg Rolls - I used to love Chili's Southwest eggrolls, so when I saw this I knew I had to try it. I have made this many times, and I have made it to take to gatherings with friends. These little things always get eaten.

So there you have it. A few little WW recipes that my family and I have liked. I am trying to put some meals together from the Pinterest board for next month's meals. That way I can know what to shop for and have a plan on what to make.

Busy, More Busy, and Gettin' Skinny

Life with three is tiring business, folks. Not that I am complaining because I don't mean to do so. I am just stating a fact, but there is nothing in the world that I would want to do differently. These three little people keep us on our toes, and I am thankful for them even though I am sure I have more gray hair because of them. Nothing that a little visit to the hair salon can't fix :)

Tucker is two months old! How DOES that happen??? It seems like yesterday I was in the hospital and then, BAM! 2 months old! But he sure is cute. And sweet. And oh, so snuggly. He is starting to "talk" and smile. His little giggles are my favorite.

Such a happy boy

He looks malnourished, doesn't he? haha

 On February 22, Connor turned 2! Once again, how does that happen??? I wish all of you could hear this child talk. I have never heard a two year old that speaks like this one does. He cracks me up with the way that he pronounces every syllable and speaks in sentences. You really forget that he JUST turned 2. We spent his birthday at Oatland Island looking at the animals and followed it up with some birthday cake that evening.

 Just in case anyone was wondering, that isn't Connor's slice. I just bought a little cake square for us all to share. Nothing fancy, but he enjoyed it all the same. I decided with Jake to wait until he was three to have a big party, and the tradition will continue with Connor. I don't think he cared one way or the other, so we will save our money until next year and do it up right :)

They boys still love to talk to Tucker and "pet" him as they say. I love watching them play, and I realize that it won't be long until I have three wild boys running around the house.

 



I decided to start Weight Watchers again since I have had success in the past after Jake and Connor were born. I had lost back down to pre-baby weight without doing anything. Well, without doing anything except taking care of a newborn and chasing two toddlers - haha. I decided that since we are officially done having babies that now is the time to kick it into high gear and get down to "fightin' size." Yeah, I have no idea what that really means, either. I just want to comfortably get back into clothes and feel cute again. I love WW because I like rules and guidelines and plans. I need a "map" of sorts, and this works for me. I never feel hungry, and I don't feel like I am dieting. It becomes more of a lifestyle change than a diet that I won't stick to doing. The worst or hardest part is the planning. It takes time, and I don't have a ton of extra time these days after taking care of the kids. And it works. If I did something where I didn't see results, I would stop doing it in a minute, but I lost 5 lbs the first week. That, of course, will drop to 2 or 3 lbs a week now, but that first week is always where you see a big drop.

 

I have tried some new recipes, and I try to find things that Jason and the boys will eat as well. Some recipes I make I make to stretch out over several lunches and dinners and eat in different ways (in wraps, over rice, etc). One new thing I have tried is crock pot chicken taco chili. It was pretty good. I ate it over rice, and then I made a wrap out of it with some cheese and salsa for a quick lunch. It is 5 points plus for a serving size of 1 1/4 cups. Not bad... I also tried gooey pork chops and garlic cauliflower mash. The pork chops were good. The cauliflower mash was a weird texture but it tasted like garlic mashed potatoes. I guess I like smoother mashed potatoes, so if you like your taters chunky maybe it won't be so weird. I love these wraps:

They are only 1 point a piece, and you can find them at WalMart. Another snack fave is the 2 point pumpkin muffin. My friend, Lauren, made some for us when we had Tucker. The boys love them, too. The recipe is a box of spice cake mix, a can of pure pumpkin puree, a little vanilla, and a 1/2 cup of water. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Yep, that's all. I usually bake for 20 minutes, turn off the oven, and let them stay in the oven for another 10 minutes or so. They are a great snack or breakfast item. We also throw in some butterscotch chips, too. As long as you keep it to about 1/2 cup, you don't change the points. My new favorite low point dessert are these:

2 Points Plus per muffin! They are yummy, too. It's the same concept as above except you use devil's food cake mix, 1 can pumpkin, 1/2 cup water, and about 10 T or 1/2 cup chocolate chips and bake for 20 min at 350. They really hit the spot for a chocolate craving. And at 2 points plus, I can have several throughout the afternoon and not feel bad about it.

 

I will share new recipes that I like since I have some new ones to try in the upcoming weeks. The boys are napping now, so I might join them. Jake just called me to his room to ask me to help him snap his pants. He proudly informed me that he had just gone to potty, and had pooped and wiped all by himself. Well, son, I am happy for your three year old, independent little self. I am not so happy for this Mama who has to discover later if you actually wiped well enough... On that TMI note, I will sign off for now.



 

 



Having a Good Time

Whew! We made it through another stretch where Jason has worked several days in a row. There are times where I am not sure if we are going to make it without someone being injured or having a nervous breakdown (that would be me), but we survived. These are trying times - these toddler months. The level of cuteness is all that saves him sometimes because it is mixed in with a high level of stubbornness . We have a had a few really good days, though, so we will focus on those.

Yesterday, we decided to head back to music class. It was the first attempt we've made since I had Connor, and I am so glad that we went and we spent the afternoon in the park. Today, was a repeat of sorts. I have to share this picture of sweet Connor from this morning. The ER nurses gave Jason an outfit for Connor. It was a Kissy Kissy outfit, and for those who don't know, those aren't the cheapest things and are oh, so soft. Well, it was a little big when we first got it, and then it's been too warm to wear since it was pants and long sleeves. I hated for the little man who is growing like a weed to never wear it, so it became PJs last night. Well...little Connor was a little big for it, and although the pants fit the top was a wee bit short. When I got out of the shower this morning, this is what I saw - my sweet man all slithered down in his bouncy seat with his pants hiked up and his midriff showing and happy as could be - haha.

While sitting with Jake during breakfast, I noticed we had a visitor in the yard this morning.

Once everyone was up, fed, and dressed for the day, we headed out to Michael's to pick up a few things for a few projects I am working on. I can't wait to show them to you all, but I have to do some work first. Most are for Jake's new room in the new house. Which, by the way, we move into in May - woohoo!!!! Everything has been done as far as appraisal, inspection, etc so now we are in the "hurry up and wait" stage until closing. I can't wait. It is a beautiful house and one where we will be able to grow and be happy in for a long time. Anyway, we made our weekly trip to Home Goods since I am scouting for a bedroom rug. For some reason this shopping center has front row parking dedicated to hybrid vehicles. Well, none of the spaces was taken and apparently all of Savannah had decided to truck it to Home Goods at 9:30 in the morning like we had. My car suddenly became a hybrid vehicle. I'm sorry - I have 2 little children to get out of the car and I have to retrieve a cart while leaving my children in the car, so I need to be close to the store. That is WAY more important than giving you a pat on the back for buying hybrid. Also, personally, I think that the fact that I pushed 2 little people out of my body is way the hell more impressive than your "green" purchase as well. So there, Mr. and Mrs. Save the Planet, I will continue to steal your parking spot near the door - thank you very much.

So, no dice on the rug and we headed to the mall to hang out in the soft play area for a bit. I was amazed watching Jake play on the stuff. He looked so grown up! And let me say that having a 5 week old does throw a kink into watching the 19 month old. I stood up to help Jake climb and when I turned around, there was a gaggle of toddlers standing around Connor's carrier on the bench. First, let me say that Jason and I are about the least germaphobic healthcare workers around. I am not one to stay in the house after having a baby to reduce "exposure" or anything, but I didn't want anyone poking an eye or sticking a little finger in his mouth or anything. So, I rushed over to assure them that he needed to sleep :) After playing for 45 minutes, it was lunch time. Now, I knew that he had not played enough in his opinion and was ready for the tantrum. I wish I had had the camera. It was a good one. I mean, threw his head back and wailed like I had beaten him kind of tantrum where the body just goes stiff and makes getting legs into the stroller nearly impossible. Instead of being frustrated, it only made me giggle. I was getting the looks from all the other parents like "oh, yeah, we are going to have to do that in a few minutes, too."  It continued on the way out of the mall. I got a few horrified looks from those "I don't have children" people, and all the moms and grandmas gave me the smile and nod that said that they had been there, done that, and got the t-shirt. Thank God for naptime.

Speaking of naps, while Jake was napping I did some chores around here and cooked dinner. I either try to prepare as much of dinner or if it is something that will be just as good reheating I try to go ahead and cook. As you all know, I am trying to lose the poundage from baby plus some. I have managed to get back down to the weight I was when I went to my first prenatal visit, so we are making progress. Woohoo!! I made a recipe last night from a WW recipe website for sweet and sour baked chicken, and it was really good. Click here to get the recipe. I made some brown fried rice to go with it. I made the sauce during naptime yesterday, chopped the chicken, chopped my veggies to put in the rice, and all I had to do before dinner was coat the chicken, add the sauce, and throw it in the oven. Easy peasy. Tonight, I made a corn chowder from Pinterest that was a WW recipe. It was also pretty good and filling, too. Here is the recipe for that. Sweet Connor hung out under the playmat for a while. I did get on the scale with and without Connor today, and there was an 11.4 lb difference!!! Holy cow, this boy is growing!

This afternoon, we headed back to the playground so we could dig and play. I bought a mosquito net for the stroller, so C hung out and slept like this:

We stayed at the playground for about an hour then went on a walk. Here are a few pics from the playground. I especially enjoyed getting sand out of every crevice tonight during the bath. See if you can figure out why :)

This is what I got when I asked for a smile - I don't think he gets it yet - haha



During the drive home, we opened to sunroof, let down the driver's window, and blasted some 80's music. I drove out past our house to the end of the island. It still blows my mind that this is only 2 minutes from our house. Now THAT was a good day....

Just Barely Hanging On

Whew! I could insert some 4 letter words in here that would also help sum up the last 2 weeks. Wowsers - I have seriously questioned our decision to have children this close together. Now, with that said, I wouldn't trade a thing and today has been a wonderful day compared to several others...

The first day home without Jason, I felt like Wonder Woman :) I managed to keep everyone fed, happy, and in one piece without breaking down myself. The next day, however, we quickly spiraled downward. Jake woke up so far on the wrong side of the crib after his nap he might have been in a different zip code. Jason had charts to finish after his shift ended, but I called him in tears to tell him our oldest might not survive if he didn't come home. I think even my ever-patient husband had had his fill of our normally sweet boy by the time he put him to bed. Jealously has reared its ugly head multiple times, and I have to remind myself constantly that he doesn't understand how to vocalize how he is feeling. I try to take deep breaths and use my calm voice, but I will admit, there are times that I have broken down and cried louder than he has - on more than one occasion. For instance, yesterday I was making dinner. Things were going really well even though Jake had pulled out every plastic bag in the cabinet and had them strewn all over the kitchen. Then all Hell broke loose. Connor started crying, Jake started running around and screaming at the top of his lungs, I sliced my finger cutting chicken, and dinner was nowhere near ready to cook. Where is that Calgon lady when you need her??? By the time Jake was put to bed, I was very tightly gripping the neck to my first beer since having Connor.

Connor and I get up with the chickens after 6 and get our day started with a shower for me, bath for him and then we get fed before the Jakeman gets up - or at least that is the plan. If I manage to accomplish this task, I feel great because it means that our day will start better if I can give Jake all my attention when he gets up. Then after he goes to bed for the night, Connor usually nurses then conks out HARD for several hours until we go to bed. That gives me a few blessed hours of silence in my house. This is definitely an adjustment, and I hope that we get into a groove soon.

On another note, I started back on Weight Watchers. Holy cow, you get so many points if you are breastfeeding that I will never manage to eat all my points! I have managed to cook Crock Pot Chicken Santa Fe that we made into burritos, Asian Turkey Meatballs with brown rice, and a Light Cajun Chicken Pasta. All the recipes came from Skinnytaste.com. The link can be found on the side of the blog. I love this site, and there are some great recipes. They don't taste like "diet food" at all. Hopefully, on Sunday (my weigh day) we will see some results from this week's work. I will be reporting my progress - or lack thereof.

Jake and I ate the Cajun Chicken Pasta for dinner tonight. He LOVED the noodles. He giggled so hard watching me slurp noodles. Yes, yes, I know - not the best table manners, but he was happy and giggling and so was I. We have a whole lifetime to learn not to slurp noodles. He tried to do it and the poor boy just didn't get the concept but managed to shove his noodle and pretty much his whole fist into his mouth. We both ended up with noodles everywhere. He was my happy, sweet boy again, and I could not have been happier to be hanging out with him. These are the times when I don't question our decision to have our babies so close together - although I am sure that number 3 can wait just a little while :)

Weight Watchers Crockpot Red Beans and Rice

I wanted to share this oh, so easy recipe with you all. It is only 2 WW points plus for a one cup serving!!!! If you add a cup of brown rice, that adds 3 more points. Still, it is really filling and very easy. Forgive me - I don't remember where I got the recipe, so I can't give any credit to anyone on this post.

1 lb. dried red beans, rinsed
7 cups water
1 whole green bell pepper, chopped
1 whole onion, chopped
3 stalks celery, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
14 oz turkey smoked sausage, sliced
3 Tbsp Tony Chachere's seasoning

Place all ingredients in a crock pot and cook for 7 hours on low. This is pretty spicy, so if you don't like so much spice, you can decrease the amount of seasoning by about half.  Easy, easy, easy... Add to that a little microwavable brown rice, and you have a meal that required very little prep time. I cooked two different versions - one with full seasoning and one without any for Jake, hence the little crockpot :)

A few quick and easy recipes

I decided a few days ago that I wanted to be a little more careful about what we are eating. Now that the ravenous stage of pregnancy has passed, I can eat like a normal person again. When I was doing Weight Watchers, we ate well. What many people think about a plan like Weight Watchers is that you will be hungry, the food is icky, etc. It was a struggle in the beginning for me to eat all of my allotted points for the day, and by the time I got the swing of it, I didn't eat all my points every day anyway. I decided to cook some of my Weight Watchers recipes today. I am not trying to lose weight while I am preggo, but these were quick and easy, healthy, and just good food.

The first thing I made was the tomato basil soup. I will be the first to admit, I am not a fan of tomato soup - usually. This one is yummy, and I have posted about it before. It is only 3 points for 1 cup of soup and is great with a little Parmesan cheese sprinkled over the top. Click here to see the instructions and recipe. I didn't have shallots today, so I substituted a little onion. This one is going to be lunch or a snack throughout the day for the next few days.

The next recipe is what we are having for dinner tonight. It's Asian Turkey Meatballs, brown fried rice, and steamed broccoli. I was a little skeptical when I first saw this one because ground turkey is not my meat of choice. However, I made it, and Jason and I both enjoyed it. I shared it with a friend who is doing WW, and she said that her whole family, including her 2 year old twins gobbled it up. Here is the link to this one. I will say, that I didn't like the dipping sauce so now I mix a combo of light mayo, soy sauce, and sriracha to make a pink sauce to dollop on my meatballs and occasionally the rice. The recipe for the rice is here. I do it a little differently. I use microwavable brown rice and cook it according to the directions. I add chopped onion to the garlic as well as carrots that I have finely sliced. I also leave out the fish sauce. It doesn't in any way affect the point value. The broccoli is the bagged Steamfresh variety. This meal is super fast. I mixed the meatballs while Jake was napping, and they only take about 15 minutes to cook. Your rice and broccoli can be done in that time, too, so this is a super fast meal! I can't say enough about the Skinnytaste website - the link can be found on the right of my page. It is listed as Gina's Skinny Taste. The site breaks down recipes into point values if you are searching by points, and it also lists low-carb options for those of you on a low carb diet. The recipes I have tried from this site have been fabulous!!

When I was about 34 weeks pregnant with Jake, I spent one whole day - and I do mean the WHOLE day - cooking and freezing food. One of my favorites from that endeavor is this sticky chicken recipe. You certainly don't have to freeze it. The recipe is as follows:
1 whole fryer chicken, giblets removed
1 cup chopped onion - I omit this one because Jason doesn't really like onion
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp white pepper - I have never added this because I don't have any
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp cayenne pepper
2 tsp paprika
4 tsp salt

Combine all the spices in a small bowl. Wash the chicken inside and out and pat dry. Rub the spice mixture into the chicken, both inside and out. Place in a resealable bag (like a gallon sized freezer bag). Refrigerate overnight. When ready to roast chicken, place onion inside cavity and roast. Cook according to the size of the chicken. I used this site to determine cooking times. Now, if you are freezing the chicken, rub with spices, and  put the chicken in a freezer bag. I usually put another freezer bag on the first one. Make sure to get as much air out of the bag as you can. When you are ready to cook, place in the fridge overnight to thaw and cook according to the size of the chicken.

I will be doing some freezer cooking soon to prepare for the arrival of the new baby and to make life easier in general. I will be sure to share some pictures then. Sorry for the lack of photos today. The website links do have photos, so be sure to take a look. Please let me know if you try anything. I love hearing your feedback!!!

Around the world and back again...

First of all, let me say that I have no idea what this entry is going to consist of. And I do know that I just ended a sentence with a preposition which is one of my writing pet peeves, but for now it will have to do. This week has been pretty active. We had Bill from Andy On Call come out to install fixtures, faucets and fix the paint on the bathroom ceiling. Everything looks so much better, and I hope that it all helps to entice someone into buying our home whenever we put it on the market. Jason has been busy moonlighting or working telemedicine which has the grossest hours. They are just really weird shifts, and for the life of me, I cannot keep the days straight.

In weight loss news, the grand total is now 19 pounds, although by the end of this week, it may be around 17. This has not been a week where willpower has prevailed. Plus, the weather has been rainy and interfered with our daily walks. I know - excuses, excuses. I will share a yummy recipe with you all. I don't know the point value because it is not a WW recipe. I was too lazy to figure it out, but I can tell you that the point value is pretty low. It's one of those recipes that I saw on a blog and since the blogger had raved about it, I decided to give it a try. It was yummy and different - super easy yet something that looks impressive. Click here for the recipe. Here is a photo of the finished product. Jason thought it was pretty yummy, too. Quick edit: I bought a container of mixed greens instead of buying the individual lettuces, and I used a green Anjou pear since Kroger didn't have red ones.

Candied Walnut and Pear Salad with Dijon Balsamic Vinaigrette

Jake is growing like a little weed. He hasn't quite mastered the skill of sitting alone, although he can sit for several seconds to minutes alone depending on his mood or what he's doing.

I have been crafty this week. After visiting several sites for personalized name art, I decided that I could do it myself. I created this for my friend, Holly, for her birthday. If anyone is interested in their own, just let me know :)



Black and white with black frame. I have letter options for different letters.

I am sooo ready to head back to GA. To the land of friends who have known me for a long time and accept me for me. Don't get me wrong, I have met some really cool girls here, and I know that I will keep in touch with a few. There aren't a whole lot of girls here that I relate to very well. I typed several things and decided it didn't sound nice, so I deleted. My favorite girls in the world are girls that have can drink a beer, say a bad word or two but also know when not to do so, talk about all the things that aren't "polite" subjects, and enjoy being silly. Like I said, there are some really NICE girls here, but nice isn't the word I use to describe my lifelong friends. You girls know what I mean :) So, Savannah, GA I am ready to call you home...

I also sent out an email recently to take pictures for some of the girls whose husbands are residents. I needed camera practice, and I thought that it could be a fun way to get some. I have had a good response, but I am so freaking nervous about taking money for taking pictures! Granted, it's not a lot of money, but still... I am sure that once I have some good pics to share with the girls and their families, I will settle into a rhythm. I hope so.

Anyway, I am sorry for the rambling tonight. I think of things all the time that I want to write about, but I quickly decide that it would probably offend someone. I know, I know not like me to usually worry about that :) I will leave you with a few last pictures. One is of the sun flare I was finally able to "properly?" catch on camera, and the other is of my boys. It totally captured how poor Peanut feels about Jake. He looks like we beat him or something.

Not exactly a great pic, but cool flare. I need to get the hang of this...

Love the Nut's expression!

Soakin' Up The Sun

It has been a wonderful Sunday around Casa de Lowe. We managed to sleep in until almost 7, and for those who have small children, you know that is quite a luxury :) This weekend was filled with home improvement projects as we are trying to get the house ready to go on the market. The "Andy on Call" man is going to call here in the next few days to make some small repairs and hang some fixtures, but we made progress this weekend.

For the first time in a while, we didn't have many plans for the day other than dropping Jason off at the airport for a conference in Florida. Jake has become quite the lover of the outdoors, and we hung out outside for a while this afternoon with the kitties. Yes, the little gray kitty has yet to find a home, but it seems that we have accepted her presence for the time being. Here are a few pics from the day:

My two favorite boys

 Me and the Jakeman

Yes, it's February and he has on shorts. It was 82 degrees here today.

Happy boy

Even Lucy soaked up some rays.

We dropped Jason off at the airport, and Heather and Molly joined us for a little dinner. I should have taken pictures, but it was gone quickly. I made crock pot Santa Fe Chicken, and you can find the recipe here. I made the Chipotle Lime rice that can be found on that site as well except I used brown rice. Wraps completed the meal, and we ate Moe's style burritos. Yummy!!!! And not many WW points. The weight loss total is now at 18 lbs. Woohoo!!! Maybe I won't need to drink as much as I thought on the cruise - hehe. Now to survive 3 days alone with a 6 month old and a dog and kitty for conversation...

Chinese Chicken Salad

The other day, I posted 2 recipes, and they were easy and filling although the tuna and white bean salad seemed to be missing something. I tried this one today and thought I would share. I like my food a little spicy, so I added a few squirts of sriracha which livened it up. All in all, this one was a better WW recipe than the others. I promise that soon I will include some yummy recipes that are real food, but for now I am trying hard to be good :)

3/4 c. plain non-fat yogurt
1 Tbsp creamy peanut butter
1 Tbsp rice wine vinegar
1 tsp Asian (dark) sesame oil
1 garlic clove, minced
2 cups cubed cooked chicken breast
1 1/2 cups cooked cellophane noodles
6 scallions, chopped
1 red bell pepper, cut into strips or chopped
1 (8 oz) can water chesnuts, drained and sliced
1 Tbsp sesame seeds, toasted
Serving size 2 1/2 cups: 6 WW points, 235 cal

Step 1: Cook chicken until done

Step 2: Prepare cellophane noodles according to

directions. Mine said soak in hot water for 10 min.

Step 3: To make dressing, whisk together yogurt,

peanut butter, vinegar, oil, and garlic in large bowl

until blended.

Step 4: Add remaining ingrediennts except sesame
seeds to bowl.

Step 5: Sprinkle toasted sesame seeds on top and

enjoy. The actual recipe calls for the salad to be

placed on mixed greens, but I ate it like this after

adding some sriracha :)

My little "assistant" again. He watched me eat and

chewed on his bib.

Quick and Easy Lunch

As many of you know, I love to cook. I will be the first to admit that the Jakeman has put a kink in the amount of  cooking going on in the Lowe household, but Jason has been off for a few days. So, we have gotten back into the swing. I have been doing Weight Watchers to lose some poundage. I can't say that it is weight from pregnancy. Nope - this is weight that came from pre-pregnancy. Just good ole fashioned happy poundage :) Anyway, I wanted to share the light lunch we had around here today. Nothing fancy and not my culinary shining moment, but it was filling and super easy. We had tomato basil soup and a tuna and white bean salad. The recipes are courtesy of the WW New Complete Cookbook. All point values reflected are part of the new points plus system. Recipes go a little something like this:

Tomato Basil Soup
2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup chopped shallots
4 large tomatoes, coarsely chopped
1 cup vegetable stock
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 cups fat free milk
1/4 cup tomato paste
1 cup fat free half-and-half
1/4 cup thinly sliced fresh basil
Serving size 1 cup equals 3 WW points plus value and 120 calories

Step 1: Dice shallots and coarsely chop

tomatoes

Step 2: Heat oil and cook shallots for 5 minutes.

Add tomatoes, broth, oregano, salt, and pepper.

Bring to boil and cover. Simmer until tomatoes are

tender - about 6 minutes.





Step 3: Puree the mixture in blender
or food processor. I was too lazy to
break out the food processor, so the
blender worked just fine. Return to pot

Step 4: Whisk together tomato paste and 1 cup milk.

Add to soup.

Step 5: Add half-and-half and other cup of milk.

Stir in basil.

Step 6: Cook over med heat until heated throughout.

Tuna and White Bean Salad

1 can cannellini (white kidney) beans, rinsed and drained

2 cans water packed light tuna, drained and flaked

1/2 red onion

3 celery stalks, chopped

3 Tbsp lemon juice

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 tsp dried sage

2 tsp olive oil

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

Serving size 1 1/2 cups, 180 cal, 4 WW points

Mix all ingredients together in bowl.

Finished product on mixed greens with tomatoes.

Lunch is served.

Last but certainly not least, my little sous chef, the Jakeman ;)