Un Decorating. :(

Kinda makes me sad........





Due to tradition, I typically decorate for Christmas the weekend after Thanksgiving, and I un decorate the weekend after New Years. The decorating is always fun, being creative, enjoying memories of past years, but the un decoration is kind of a bummer. It's all over until next year. But I must say, when everything is put away and the house is back in order and all cleaned up, it feels like a fresh start for the new year. This year, since I will be helping Tess move next weekend, it really needed to be done this weekend.




Time for a coffee break. That big bare spot is where the tree was.......





Breakfast time.

We had no eggs, and that always throws me for a loop, and I just haven't been in an oatmeal mood, so peanut butter toast was the breakfast of choice during a little un decorating break.

3 PPV




My next break, I enjoyed a nice cold smoothie! (I was freezing after eating it!)




I added a few frozen blueberries, strawberries and banana!

Trying hard to get fruits and veggies in today!




I haven't made one of these in a long time!




I topped it off with a little Kashi for crunch
3 PPV




Back to the un decorating.....and cleaning.....




Lunch anybody?

We are a little low on groceries, so I was trying to make a healthy and tasty lunch for us out of the few options we did have, and get power foods in. I had two apples and some carrots.

We had mini taco's from Trader Joe's, leftover Chicken Taco meat in baked chips and topped with cheese, an apple and carrots.




Our taco plates were 8 PPV each.
Apple and carrots? Zero!




The four mini tacos were 5 PPV and really tasty!




Snack
Chocolate covered Raisins
2 PPV

I have been struggling with those being in the house, so after I counted out my 10 raisins for 2 PPV, I threw them away. I hate that, but I knew I would be the only one eating them, so it was best.

I didn't finish putting things away, reorganizing the basement and cleaning the house, until about 6:00 pm. Then I got out of my p.j.'s, showered, put on clean p.j.'s, and curled up on the couch with a bowl of crockpot Yumminess!

(Santa brought Mike the first three Harry Potter movies, and we haven't seen any of them, so we decided to get started!)

Tess had this recipe.

Roast
1 packet Italian Dressing Mix
1 packet Au Jus
1 packet Onion Soup
1 cup Salsa
1 cup water

Apparently, you are supposed to mix the packets and liquid together, then pour it over the roast, but I learned that too late, and just dumped it all on the meat. It didn't matter, because several hours later, it was awesome!





The last couple of hours, I added the potatoes and carrots. Before eating it, I took the meat out and broke it up into chunks, then put it back in to soak up the juices!

I heated up some canned green beans, and added mine to the top of everything in a big bowl.

I baked some biscuits to soak up the Au jus!

Stew stuff
5 PPV

For my serving, I took some meat out and put it on my Weight Watchers scale so I could be accurate with my points. I cut the potatoes into chunks before I added them to the crockpot. Two chunks were equal to 1 PPV. I filled my bowl with my meat and potatoes, then I picked out lots of carrots, and topped it with green beans. The flavor from the packets that I used, and the salsa mixed in......was DELISH! I will make this again for sure!

5 PPV

1/2 biscuit with butter

3 PPV




For having zero groceries in the house, I did a pretty good job of getting in some fruits and veggies!

Activity Points Earned Today = 2
(I barely stopped moving from 8:00 am to 6:00 pm)
Remaining points from my 49 Points Allowance = 39
How many glasses of water I drank today = 10






In the Weight Watchers tracing journal (pictured above), they have Tips in the lower left corner. Thought I wold share this one.

"Feeling less than motivated to stay on plan? Ask yourself these two questions.

What happens if I stay on plan?
What happens if I quit?"


"love the life you live, live the life you love"

One More Week, Then the Big Move to Dallas!

Saturday morning started off with an early cup of coffee, then curling up with the pooches on the couch.




I love this frothy milk!




Yip. Christmas is still up at my house The tree, coffee mugs, lights,
you name it. The whole shabang.

Couch time didn't last long on Saturday morning. Too many things to do and too many things to buy with Tess' Christmas Money!

We had a little protein before more shopping!




Three egg whites, reduced fat sharp cheddar cheese, 1 T. Bacon pieces, light English muffin.



6 PPV



After shopping for a few hours, we decided to do something a little different and fun for lunch. And, it was now about 3:30 and we were starving!!

We hit the Japanese Steak house!

We decided on a few sushi rolls and a beer to start.




Then we decided we could share a Chicken Entree, so they brought our soup and salad.





Then the chef did his magic. He had all sorts of one liners. Definitely one of my favorite parts of the Japanese Steak House experiences. None of his eggs did the tricks he wanted them to do, so I asked him if it was his first day. I CAN'T JUST SIT THERE AND NOT TALK TO THE GUY! He was so cute. He said, "Yes, first day." But he said it with a smile on his face. Then he threw the chicken on the grill and said, "This fresh chicken. We get at Price Chopper." Tess and I cracked up! He did a great job and our Chicken was super tasty! AND, we both caught the shrimp in our mouth on the first try. (Hey, no cracks about us having big mouths!)




We took a fairly good size box of leftovers home. We were stuffed. We didn't eat all of our chicken and rice. I actually ordered brown rice and didn't eat the fried rice. I know everything was pretty salty. We did order a second beer. I drank a lot of water with my meal too.

I came home and looked everything up and wrote it all down.

This is one of those meals that I feel like I did a lot of guessing on the Points, but I was able to look things up in my Weight Watchers Dining Out Companion.....





.......and make a pretty good guesstimate on things. I didn't eat dinner. I really was full. Around 8:30, I had a pear and a cup of hot tea. I think I just felt like I should eat something instead of completely skipping a meal. Why on earth would anybody skip a meal??

Activity Points Earned Today = 1 (We walked all over the outdoor mall today)
Remaining points from my 49 Points Allowance = 39
How many glasses of water I drank today = 8




We had such a fun day playing in the dressing rooms, drinking coffee while walking the outdoor mall, laughing at each others stupidities, finding parking places and NOT finding parking places, singing songs and spending the day together. I am trying so very hard to not think about the fact that Tess could be moving away for good, but the truth is, I think about it a lot. There is a possibility that Southwest Airlines will offer her a full time job when her three month internship is over. When she was in college, she always talked about how she wanted to live in a big city and work for a big company, and when she sets her mind to something, she usually does it. So I knew the possibility of it happening was very real, but the closer it gets, the more emotional I am getting about it. I guess if she does live in Dallas permanently, it's pretty cool that she might be working for a company that will allow her to fly home for FREE!! Tess and I are leaving on Sunday to drive to Dallas. I am going to spend two nights with her and check out the city, then Southwest Airlines offered to fly me back home. Pretty cool, huh? We have certainly enjoyed our time together this holiday break, and we have a week left before she leaves, so I am certain we will make the best of the days to come, but this mom is feeling a little emotional. I still couldn't be more proud.




"love the life you live, live the life you love"

Friday WW, Shopping and Fashion Show!

Tess accompanied me to my Weight Watchers Meeting, where I proceeded to strip down, exhale and step on the scale. I gained 0.8 this week. I weigh 171.6. Okay, I was not surprised, but while feeling a wee bit frustrated with myself, I reminded myself of how far I have come, and the positive changes I have made in what I eat on a daily basis.

I will get back into the 160's in no time! I will bet back down to 165 and continue to make progress. I felt great about the choices I made at the end of the day on Thursday, and I felt great about the choices I made at the end of the day on Friday. One day at a time.

Friday's eats.

Luna Bar
5 PPV
Un pictured Starbucks Nonfat Latte
2 PPV




Then Tess and I headed out to shrink our "To Do List" for the move to Dallas down to nothing! That girl makes just as many list as her mother! Okay, I MAKE her make the list, but she totally gets it and appreciates it. She hasn't so much as said that, but I am certain of it. Wait, maybe she did say that. All we have rattled off the last few days is....."Add it to the list!".

We were getting things done like CRAZY!

We had two returns to make at Costco, so we made the rounds for samples. We decided we probably should have gotten a cart so it at least LOOKED like we were shopping! But really, we were all about the samples.

Costco Samples.......
4 PPV

More productive errands.....

Lunch at Panera
Chicken Noodle Soup, 1/2 of a Multi Grain Baguette
6 PPV





After a long day of shopping......ONE beer. :) It's Friday night, people.
4 PPV




Then I curled up on Tess' bed with the dogs and watched her put together a gazzilion outfits!

Tucker was impressed with ALL of the outfits!




Mishka didn't seem to care......




I was actually sitting right smack in the middle of all of this!





Here are a few highlights! Love these flats!
(Yay! Colored jeans!)





Super cute brown boots! Who doesn't love boots and scarves?




Animal print Blazer! So stinking cute!




We did take a short break for dinner. We had plans for going out for the evening and listening to some music, but we both decided we were too exhausted to get dressed, or walk to the car, or think. Mike agreed staying home was a good idea.

Dinner was a repeat of the night before.
Who doesn't appreciate a good leftover night?

Lettuce, cucumbers, bell pepper, celery......



Topped with chicken taco meat, cheese and sour cream.
7 PPV




Baked chips with taco meat.
4 PPV



My journal for the day.......
I dipped into my 49 points. I ate 6 of them.





18 days until VACATION!





"love the life you live, live the life you love"

Silly Pictures, Silly Stories and BACK ON PLAN!!

Amiyah, our granddaughter.......





........loves our dogs. Who wouldn't, right? She spent lots of time playing with them and calling out their names on Christmas Eve. She seems to remember their names, but is constantly asking me MY name. We have a lot of Grandparents in the family, so it's understandable. The other Grandparents like to be called "Grandma (insert first name here)". I prefer Gigi. Not Grandma Gigi. Just Gigi. They usually call me Grandma Gigi anyways. It's cute. I have adapted and accepted my role as "Grandma". Amiyah has reached the age where she likes to talk a lot, and everything she says is cute. Now she looks at me, cocks her head just a bit, her eyebrows scrunch up, and she says "What's you name?" To which I reply....."Gigi, just Gigi", to which she replies...."Okay Grandma Gigi." I love that kid. I like to mess with the Grandkids a bit (I know, surprise), so I pretend to not know her name too. When I ask her name, over and over, she answers me with frustration. Cracks me up!

She hugged on Tucker ALL night long.




The next day, her mom sends me a text with this picture........(it kinda looks REAL!)

Mini "Tucker"......




And this message.........

"I laid down in miyahs room after cleaning it and she yelled, "mommy, don't yay (lay) on Tucker!" Lol I was yaying on tucker:/ "

Big "Tucker"......

(this is the face he makes when I say....."Are you hungry?")





So I just keep saying it.......




I mean, eventually, I did give him some food for his adorable performance.





Okay, back to blogging about Weight Watchers and counting points......and planning......and exercising....... and drinking water......and healthy choices .......and smaller portions ........and healthy habits......and all that crap that amazingly makes you feel....well, not like crap!

Breakfast

Egg Whites (1)
Toast (2)
Bacon Pieces (1)
Cheese (1)
Coffee with Steamed Skim Milk (1)
Grapes (0)

Total = 6 PPV



A Christmas Present from my Daughter! We actually have this discussion often. We are amazed that we have not yet been discovered. We aren't sure of our talent, but we are certain we have one.

"How is it possible that we haven't been discovered yet? Seriously. How?"



Lunch

1 can of soup (4)
1 can of peas (4)

Total = 8 PPV

I split this with Tess, so we each had 4 PPV then topped it with 1 T of Parmesan Cheese. (1)



5 PPV




Snack Time

Pear
0 PPV




Celery and Laughing Cow Cheese
1 PPV




After discovering we were out of taco seasoning, I decided to make my own. While making this, I was under the impression it was a Rachel Ray recipe, then I discovered it was a "Not Rachel Ray" recipe. That's what she actually calls herself. "Not Rachel Ray". I hope it taste good, because I already dumped it all in the crockpot!

Taco Seasoning (entire recipe), one jar of salsa, Frozen Chicken Breast




Homemade Taco Seasoning!

1 Tbsp chili powder
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp paprika
1.5 tsp ground cumin
1/2 to 1 tsp sea salt (more or less to taste)
1 tsp black pepper




I was pretending to be fancy......




It's kinda pretty when you put it all together!




Mixed together, it just looks like taco seasoning. I guess that's a good thing.




I feel guilty about the simplicity of this meal. (not really)




Several hours later.....shred away!




Romaine, shredded Iceberg, diced cucumber, bell pepper and celery.




Topped with shredded chicken, light cheese, light sour cream and salsa.
7 PPV




(I will make this taco seasoning again. I really did like it!)

I snacked on these while waiting on Mike to come home, so I didn't add any to my salad.
4 PPV





Here is my Weight Watchers Tracker. I am going to try something new for a few weeks and see what I think. Instead of my breakdown I usually do, I will just take a picture of my old fashioned, hand written journal, and post it. Sometimes this brings great satisfaction to see on paper the days success.



I drank 75 gallons of water, so I feel quite certain I will spend more time in the bathroom than in my bed sleeping, but I was trying to flush out all the Christmas Pumpkin Bread!

I will post my weigh in results Saturday Morning.

Today felt great to try so hard to eat lots of fruit and veggies and get my water in. We were going non stop all day long, (poor excuse, I know) but no exercise happened today, unless you count the endless trips up and down the stairs.

I hate that I forget how good it feels to be on plan.

19 days until VACATION!!!


"love the life you live, live the life you love"