Better'n Peanut Butter

Have you tried any of these?





I can't remember the last time I bought regular old Jiffy or Peter Pan. The one in the middle is the one I eat the most. I like it on toast, waffles, pretzels, pancakes, bananas, apples or on just about anything.
On a spoon is good too!
One Tablespoon = 1 PPV.

The other flavors are also 1 PPV for 1 T.
I recently discovered the Chocolate, and it's certainly no Nutella, but I do like it. It's my sweet treat once in a while, but it seems to satisfy me without over doing it.

I was shopping yesterday to restock, and discovered the Banana flavor. I can't get enough bananas. (I actually didn't buy any this week because I felt I was eating a few too many.) I haven't tried it yet, but I'll let ya know what I think. Maybe I should mix it with the chocolate!?!?

Breakfast




Breakfast Number 2!!!

The Greek yogurt just didn't stay with me like the Egg Whites and fruit do!
(These are actually Southwest Egg Beaters)




Lunch





Snack




Dinner






I was craving a Burger and Onion Rings, and this totally hit the spot!





Refresh...I can eat 26 points a day.
I can earn Activity Points by doing exercise, and eat them if I choose.
I have an allowance of 49 points that I can dip into if I chose.
I should drink a minimum of 6 (8 oz) glasses of water each day.

The food I ate and it's PPV

Breakfast = Greek yogurt, Coffee with Milk (4)
Breakfast = Egg Beaters, Cheese, Apple (2)
Lunch = Fruit, Mixed Greens, Carrots, Red Onion, Grilled Chicken, Salsa (2)
Snack = Almonds (3)
Snack = WW Mini fudge Bar (1)
Snack = Turkey Burger Patty (4)
Dinner = Loaded Turkey Burger, 80 Calorie Bun, Cheese, Baked Onion Rings, Cucumber Tomato Onion Salad (11)

Total = 27

Today's Exercise = None.
My hips actually ached. I may not do my 7 mile walks two days in a row. Maybe I do 7, the next day 4 or 5, then the next day 7???

I meet with my personal trainer today, so I am looking forward to finally getting some exercise guidance!

How many glasses of water I drank today = 8
Activity Points Earned Today = 0
Activity Points Earned This Week = 21
Remaining points from my 49 Points Allowance = 42
ALCOHOL consumption = NEGATORY!


A little humor for the day!!
This is so me!
I found it on Pinterest, then realized Tess Pinned it!
I'm certain she had me in mind when she pinned it, the little stinker!

:)




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

Friend Makin' Mondays

Kenlie, (check out her blog HERE) has a great blog, and every once in a while, I like to participate in her....

Friend Makin' Mondays!!

It's a Questionnaire designed for Bloggers to connect with each other and have a little fun finding out about one another! We answer our questions and then put them on her blog! She has a lot of followers, so it's fun to see how everyone else answers, and I always find a new blog I love!

Here are today's Questions and MY answers!


Ten Simple Questions

1. When you looked at yourself in the mirror today, what was the first thing you thought?

I can't believe these jeans fit, or do they?

2. Do you prefer to pay for things with cash or plastic?

I hardly ever have cash, but I decided to pay cash for groceries in the month of July and see if I can cut back a bit. I spend wayyyy to much at the grocery store!

3. What is one word that you use too often?

Son-of-a-%€£¥$! I'm trying to replace it with Mother Fudger, but it's just so appropriate when I trip, run into something, drop something, stub my toe, etc......

4. Who is the last person outside of your family who said “I love you” to you?

A Girlfriend of mine.

5. When was the last time you wrote a letter to someone and mailed it?

Today! I haven't done that in years!

6. Have you ever been called upon for jury duty?

Yes, and it was the longest six weeks of my life! But I did learn a LOT about drugs and drug dealers! An 8 Ball is NOT just on the Pool Table!

7. How many keys are on your key ring?

Two. Car and House.

8. List two characteristics that you want to change about yourself.

a) I wish I had more motivation before 9:00 am
b) I wish I wasn't so nervous when someone besides me is driving. It's just that I KNOW that I'm a better driver.

9. Do you bring your own shampoo and conditioner when you travel, or do you use what the hotel provides?

I'm cheap and I like to pack light! Always use the Hotels!

10. What is your birthstone?

I can't remember. Let me Google it.

Topaz. Not a fan.




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

Blessings.....

I have this awesome neighbor, and friend, Stacy. I've blogged about her before and discussed her extremely generous heart and her INCREDIBLE talent in the kitchen, and the fact that she's just super sweet!

Stacy does a lot of charitable things throughout the year and it is just one of the things I admire about her. She even went on a Mission Trip to Haiti this year!! Not too long ago, myself and some other neighbors, mentioned that we would be interested in volunteering if she ever needed some extra help. Sunday afternoon, Mike and I, along with Stacy, and two other families from the neighborhood (7 children included!!) had the opportunity to serve lunch at a church to a group of people that most likely only ate that meal for the day. They were all very gracious and it left me wanting to do more, and it also was a great reminder of how much my life truly is blessed!

Thank You, Stacy!!


Breakfast



Lunch





Snack

(look at them puppies waiting for a kernel to drop!!)





I am diggin all these flavors! This one's Pink Grapefruit!




Dinner






Snack





Snack






Refresh...I can eat 26 points a day.
I can earn Activity Points by doing exercise, and eat them if I choose.
I have an allowance of 49 points that I can dip into if I chose.
I should drink a minimum of 6 (8 oz) glasses of water each day.

The food I ate and it's PPV

Breakfast = WW Smoothie with PB2 and Frozen Banana (3)
Snack = Coffee with Skim Milk......twice (2)
Lunch = Tuna Salad, Apple (4)
Snack = Popcorn (3)
Dinner = Blackened Chicken Tenders, Ranch, Carrots (11)
Snack = Mini Fudge Bar (1)
Snack = Pear, Yogurt (2)
Total = 26

Today's Exercise.....

Walked 7 miles!!!
Push Mowed the Lawn!!
Trimmed the Lawn!

How many glasses of water I drank today = 10
Activity Points Earned Today = 12
Activity Points Earned This Week = 21
Remaining points from my 49 Points Allowance = 43
ALCOHOL consumption = NUTHIN!!






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

Empowerment

Usually, at the end of my blog, I think about what I've written and ponder a "theme" for that days post, then I Google that "theme", then I click on images, then I find my little quote thingymabob that I put at the end of the blog. Sometimes I have a hard time finding just the right one, other days there are so many appropriate ones to pick from, it takes me awhile to decide on just the right one.

Today, before I even started to write, the word "Empowerment" was floating around in my head, but I realized I didn't know the true definition of the word. So, I Googled it! Google had a lot of answers for me.

After clicking on a few and reading them, I stumbled upon this one.....

"Empowerment is the process of increasing the capacity of individuals or groups to make choices and to transform those choices into desired actions and outcomes. Central to this process are actions which both build individual and collective assets, and improve the efficiency and fairness of the organizational and institutional context which govern the use of these assets."

It's a little wordy for me. I had to read it several times to absorb what it was saying. I'm a simple girl. Around the fifth time, reading very slowly, I said out loud....."YES! That's what I am feeling!!"

So today, I say with confidence......

"I FEEL EMPOWERED, AND IT FEELS GOOD!"

Um, I ate a TON of food yesterday! But I was fairly creative and made really healthy choices, and really only ate one completely unnecessary item!! :)



Breakfast



I do love to tear up a piece of Kraft 2% Sharp Cheddar to melt on my egg whites, but I do NOT like this cheese on anything unmelted!




A little melting action while I get my coffee......



Gooey goodness!




Lunch



Snack (I thought about this my entire 7 mile walk out in the heat!!)




So refreshing!




Snack



Um, another snack.....



Dinner





My absolutely unnecessary item! It is kinda small though guys.





Refresh...I can eat 26 points a day.
I can earn Activity Points by doing exercise, and eat them if I choose.
I have an allowance of 49 points that I can dip into if I chose.
I should drink a minimum of 6 (8 oz) glasses of water each day.

The food I ate and it's PPV

Breakfast = Egg Whites, Cheese, Coffee with Skim Milk (3)
Snack = 10 Trader Joe Apple Cinnamon Sticks, 6 Almonds (2)
Lunch = Leftover Kebobs (mostly veggies and pineapple) (3)
Snack = WW Creamy Coconut Smoothie
With Frozen Pineapple and Frozen Banana (2)
Snack = 16 Pretzels, Carrots, Almonds, 2T. hummus, Cheese Wedge (6)
Snack = Cantaloupe (0)
Dinner = Tuna Salad made with Light Mayo, Apples, Onion and Sweet Pickle Relish, 2 Colby Cheddar Cheese Sticks, 16 Pretzels, Cucumbers, Carrots (10)
Snack = 1/2 slice Frozen Flatbread Pizza (that didn't even taste good!!!) (4)

Total = 30

Today's Exercise = walked 7 Miles!!!
(Sucking at the ab and core exercises!!!! Ready for my personal trainer on Tuesday!!)
How many glasses of water I drank today = 12
Activity Points Earned Today = 9
Activity Points Earned This Week = 9
Remaining points from my 49 Points Allowance = 43
ALCOHOL consumption = ZEEEEEEERO!

I accidentally found this, and it got me to thinking, and at first I thought, well I am fairly certain I don't have any looks that anyone else wants, but then I thought more. I am actually very blessed to have the body that I have. Even with all of its faults. I have good health, I have all of my fingers and toes, and after surgery on my shoulder and it's limited use, I realized how blessed I am to have both of my arms, because during recovery I did a lot of thinking about people who have lost a limb, or were born without a limb. My legs are big, but they're also strong! My feet are chubby and wide, but they are healthy and they hold up these strong legs that allowed me to walk SEVEN miles yesterday! I wasn't crazy about my gray hair when it first came along years ago, but today, a lot of people think I pay good money for this highlight job, and it's FREE!!!

So, while I realized I'm right there with a lot of others that either have curly hair, and want straight hair, or have straight hair and want curly hair, or have curves and don't want curves, or don't want so many curves, but have curves, today I am going to focus on the things about my body that someone else might see as something they want.

Then tomorrow I'll remember a LOT of people are most likely happy that they do NOT have these saggy "you know what's!".







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

Have a seat........

......lots on my mind today.

Let me begin with.......I did have a loss this week, but I was a little nervous. Not being able to blog in my regular "Blogging Fashion" earlier in the week, really had me wigged out, so in my anxiousness, I was doing a little extra snacking, but I do think I did a good job of snacking lightly and writing it down. I seriously thought I was going to have to start my entire blog from scratch and I was a MESS! Mike can attest to that. Just ask him.

Then the last two days I found myself wanting a drink, but I never did have one. Oddly, Diet Coke was my substitute. I quit drinking pop on a regular basis some time ago, but once in a while, it sounds good and I'll have one. But I don't think I have ever substituted it for a beer???

I did not get all of my planned exercise in this week either, so I just wasn't real sure what to expect at the scale at my Weight Watcher Meeting.

I usually wear a tank top and the lightest pair of exercise pants/leggings that I own. I have not worn a pair of athletic shorts outside of this house in years!! I (nervously) wore them one day this week to walk outside. (I really do despise my legs, always have.) Now, don't get me wrong, I don't at all think I look good in shorts now, and possibly never will, but now I don't feel so overweight that it isn't possible to maybe wear a pair. For me to decide to wear them outside of the house, was actually a huge accomplishment that I have not yet blogged about. I decided to talk about it today, because I actually left the house and went out in public in them!!!

For a long time I felt like a stranger would most likely describe me, physically, as a fat person.

So first, let me show you that fat person from 2009.
(Can you even see my EYES through all that fat? How did I SEE out of them? Maybe that explains some of my clumsiness back then! I was overweight and couldn't see!!!! And what in the HECK is going on with my HAIR????)





Who IS she?




Me today, before I went to my meeting to weigh in, in shorts. :)




Now I feel like I might be described by a stranger, physically, as a person that looked healthy, but should certainly lose a few pounds. And that just sounds a lot better!!

(Damn those thighs and butt!)





Down 0.8 this week.
Lowest weight since I joined WW in September of 2009!!!

Happy to see 161 something......barely!

Working HARD to see 160.0 next Friday!!! Then I will change my Goal Weight officially with Weight Watchers to 150.0.





Then I came home to a counter top full of responsibilities and task. I wasn't looking forward to a full day at home doing paperwork. But I dug in......





.......paying bills, scheduling appointments and making necessary phone calls.

Then, I registered the new Weber Gas Grill I purchased for Mike for Father's Day!





Later, I prepped a bunch of veggies and cut up the meat for Kabobs to grill!





Then I read the part of the Instruction Booklet that tells me how important it is for me to do a "Leak Check" before using my grill!!! Mike assembled it, but they INSIST!! Then I read about how to do that, and I have to take part of the grill APART!!!! What???? NO! I just wanna cook my Kabobs!!!!!

Oh, when I went back to buy the grill cover that I forgot to buy when I bought the grill, I got all of this other fun cool stuff too!!!!




And thank GOODNESS for this little reminder, because I really could have been injured!!!!! Sometimes I get in a hurry, and I just don't think!!






Did I show you all how much fun Mike got to have on Fathers Day? I think that is the day my blog went all awry!!!!

How sweet was it of me to lounge on the couch in the evening while Mike put together the grill I bought him (and by him, I mean me) for Fathers Day? He doesn't even cook, but the guy does eat! And he claims to like my cooking! :)





Oh, don't worry, he got in a real nice nap that afternoon at his folks while all the grandchildren were running around like crazy animals. I still don't think he knows about this picture, but I'm certain he would like it. Aren't you?





Before the nap, I got a good picture of him and his kids.
Tess was sad and in Dallas, but they did have a good chat on the phone.





I've really rambled on. Here's the day eats!

Breakfast (and a Starbucks)




Lunch

Leftover Fajita Fixings from the night before.....



Heated up......




Additional Sautéed Bell Peppers with Fajita Seasoning........




.......dumped on top with a Diet Coke on the side!!

(Um, this was ridiculously tasty!)
I ate two corn tortillas with this the night I ordered it for dinner, but after adding the extra bell peppers to my leftovers, there was so much flavor and texture going on, I didn't eat my last two corn tortillas.
Yes, that's right. I am patting myself on the back.





Snack




Snack






Dinner....I was cleaning out the fridge today. Can ya tell?




Put my Teriyaki skewers on the grill!!




I was very pleased!! One chicken, one steak.






Refresh...I can eat 26 points a day.
I can earn Activity Points by doing exercise, and eat them if I choose.
I have an allowance of 49 points that I can dip into if I chose.
I should drink a minimum of 6 (8 oz) glasses of water each day.

The food I ate and it's PPV

Breakfast = Luna Bar, Starbucks Grande Skinny Vanilla Latte (8)
Lunch = Leftover Fajitas (8)
Snack = WW Mini Fudge Bar (1)
Snack = Pear (0)
Dinner = Roasted Veggies, Hawaiian Skewers (11)
Snack = Banana

Total = 28

Today's Exercise = None.

Friday is my day off of exercise, and even though I didn't get all of my exercise in this past week, and could have used this as a "Make-up" day, I decided to just spend the afternoon at home organizing paperwork.

How many glasses of water I drank today = 12
Activity Points Earned Today = 0
Activity Points Earned This Week = 0
Remaining points from my 49 Points Allowance = 47
ALCOHOL consumption = ZILCH!!!!!

10 weeks and 11.8 pounds to go!

I have no idea how many times I said this to Tess when she was growing up. I STILL say it to her! I usually said it as I dropped her off someplace as I was driving away. It was mostly to embarrass her, but I was also hoping she was listening.........

Now I say it to myself .....



Shout out to Joyce in Iowa! So glad you are reading!! You are blessed to know Darlene! She always makes me smile.


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