The Aries Mommy

This Mommy Takes Time Outs

2012-02-13T07:47:00.000-06:00

Source: wins.failblog.org via Shannon on Pinterest

Is it really the middle of February? This year has been flying fast, I only hope that it starts to slow down. As many of you know, we are getting ready to move up the East Coast. Moving brings its own stress, add in four kids and this mom needs a time out. Oh yes, I take time outs.

QOW: What is your favorite way to relax?

There are several methods that I use to relax, we call them mommy time outs. The first is to go for a walk or run and let my mind get lost in the music. This helps me to get in my steps and create endorphin. The second method is to take a hot bath while reading a good book. This method allows my usually sore muscles to relax and my mind to exist in someone else's reality for a short time. After all, a great story teller will draw the picture and let the reader paint the details. The third method that I use, though not often, is a glass of wine and a good movie or show. This method can also include cuddle time with my husband.

This post is sponsored by Mamavation – a community dedicated to obesity prevention & weight loss for women and I’m writing this to be entered into a giveaway

Heart to Heart

2012-02-06T13:30:00.003-06:00

Photo Credit: qthomasbower

Let your heart guide you. It whispers, so listen closely. ~ unknown

At first when I hear heart, the romantic heart comes to mind. Gifts of Valentine's, covered in red and pink hearts, flowers, chocolates and the like are all front and center. Then I think of the physical heart, the organ that pumps all the blood through my body. The heart that beats faster as I run; the heart that calms as I meditate. The heart as a muscle that I need to stay strong to live a long and healthy life.

My family has a history of heart issues. The changes in my lifestyle to have a healthier life will hopefully decrease my risks for heart disease. Of course, there is always room for improvement and to learn more. Aside from exercise and weight reduction, I can look for and eat more heart healthy food.

QOW: What food do you think is good for your heart?

Off the top of my head, I would say oatmeal, tomatoes, and dark chocolate. Those three are consistently advertised as being heart healthy. A quick search online says that salmon, soy, blueberries, spinach, and oatmeal are the top five heart healthy foods. Four of those I like to eat on a regular basis, at least when in season. Soy is the only one that I do not eat, actually, I try to avoid it.

This post is sponsored by Mamavation – a community dedicated to obesity prevention & weight loss for women and I’m writing this to be entered into a giveaway

Roasted Brussels Sprouts With Balsamic Vinegar

2012-02-03T06:44:00.000-06:00

Growing up, I was introduced to many different vegetables. Brussels sprouts were one of the vegetables I was made fun of for liking. To me, they have always been little cabbage like balls of deliciousness. My husband swore he hated them, that is until he was served them. Convincing him to take one bite wasn't easy; now he requests them!

Roasted Brussels Sprouts With Balsamic Vinegar

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 30-50 minutes
Total time: Maximum 1 hour
Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients

1 1/2 lbs Brussels sprouts
2 TBS Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 TBS Balsamic Vinegar
to tast Salt
to taste Pepper
to taste Garlic powder

Cooking Directions

Preheat oven to 375
Wash Brussels sprouts, remove any damaged leaves, and trim the stem
If the Brussels sprouts are small leave whole, if large either half or quarter depending on your preference
Mix Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Balsamic Vinegar in a small bowl
Toss the Brussels sprouts with the Oil and Vinegar mix until well coated
Add salt, pepper, and garlic powder if desired (I use all three sparingly)
Spread Brussels sprouts on baking sheet
Roast in the oven for 30-50 minutes (Roasting times will vary depending on the size of the Brussels sprouts, we like ours a little on the crispy side)

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Anticipation

2012-01-30T18:48:00.000-06:00

This week is all about anticipation. Tonight we find out who the next Mamavation Moms are. On Thursday my husband finally comes home. The Omron Fitness campaign is in full swing, and I can't wait to share more about it with you. Then there is the anticipation of the coming move. So much to do, so little time.

Starting tonight, I find myself as a mentor again. Only this time, we are doing the same workouts as the moms. I hope that you all follow along as I "put the pedal to the metal" on my weight loss regimen.

Did Someone Say Ice Cream?

2012-01-27T01:00:00.000-06:00

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chunk Banana Faux Ice Cream

Prep time: 5-10 minutes
Yield: 2 servings

Calories per serving: about 165 depends on the size of the banana and the brand of chocolate

Ingredients

2 Bananas, frozen chunked
2 TBS PB2 Powder
2 squares Dark Chocolate

Cooking Directions

Place frozen banana chunks in the food processor
Pulse, the bananas will go from chunks to tiny pieces, and then a smooth creamy texture
Add the PB2 Powder and Dark Chocolate squares and pulse until combined.

This recipe is so quick and easy. It fills my craving for something sweet and creamy. PB2 powder is great for packing in a peanut butter taste with out all the calories and fat. I keep it on hand for making smoothies and this faux ice cream. I would recommend buying "red tape" bananas, the ones that are marked down due to being over ripe. Then just peel them, chop them, freeze them, and you can have inexpensive banana faux ice cream or smoothies anytime!

*Thank you Megan (@mnmspecial) for introducing me to this method of making bananas into a special treat.

Mamavation Mom Finalist: Meet Andrea

2012-01-25T20:19:00.001-06:00

Campaign 11 voting has begun! There were 11 amazing applicants, now there are 5 wonderful finalists. Each woman has a story, each applied for her own reasons, and each of them deserve our support. Here is Andrea's story.

My name is Andrea Emilien and I want to be a Mamavation Mom.

"What is a Mamavation Mom?" you ask? It's a 7-week online boot camp where two Mom's lives are put on public display. They learn basic and essential skills from professionals while sharing their struggles and tribulations with the Mamavation community. The goal is to start the path to healthy living so they can then in turn pass along the information they learn to their families and stop the obesity trend.

My story is like millions of other women's. I love food. Love it so much that I ate myself to 266 lbs. I cared so little about myself that I decided I wasn't worth the effort to be healthy.

How'd I get to that point?

It started when I was younger, in elementary school. My parents divorced and we lived with my Dad. He worked at a business that required him to move to be able to move up in it. So we moved. And we moved a lot. At first I was fine....made friends with no issue. Until I was in 7th grade and we moved to a town in Ohio. We'd moved from a place that I had tons of friends and my best friend lived next door. I was devastated to leave those people and I had a hard time at the new school. I didn't make any new friends, the school was so big and I would get lost all of the time. I didn't feel like I could turn to anyone. So I turned to food. I can clearly remember so desperately not wanting to go to school one day that I opened up the pantry, took out the box of Suzie Q's and ate. I didn't eat one or two...I ate the whole box! I made myself so sick that I called my Dad and told him I couldn't go to school. It worked! I got to stay home and I didn't have to deal with the kids at school. So I did it again...and again...and again...I did it so much that the school called my Dad and told him that I was in trouble of failing. Food was my comfort, my best friend and I knew that I could count on it to always be there for me. This was my first binge eating episode.

Unfortunately, it didn't stop after we moved from Ohio. I continued, and continue, to binge eat. All through high school, I wouldn't eat all day and then come home and eat whatever I could get my hands on. When I got a job and a car, I would drive through 2 or 3 different places, find the darkest place I could and eat 2 or 3 meals. I worked in a snack bar and would eat all of the greasy, fattening food and was happy about it. I ballooned from 135-140lbs in high school to 200 lbs.

Then I met my soulmate. And I had babies. And I stopped thinking about myself at all. It was always about what the kids needed or what my husband needed. I was never on my radar. How could I be? I worked full time, for a while I was a full time student and I had kids and a husband who needed me. I didn't have time for myself. And because of that attitude, I am now in the position I am in. Obese, depressed and desperate.

I joined Mamavation because I needed support. I needed the support of ladies who have been there, or are there, and knew what I was going through. And I want to be a Mamavation Mom because I need to have the professional help and the accountability that the Mamavation Moms are awarded with. In turn, I hope that my story and my trials and tribulations can help another Mom in need - someone who is in the same spot I was in when I found the Sistas. I hope that I am able to inspire that Mom who is about to binge to stop, think about what they are doing and to put the food down.

The support I have already gotten has been tremendous and has more than once reduced me to tears but I need votes to realize this dream of mine.   Please watch my video, think about my story and vote for me.  Vote for @AndreaEmilien for Mamavation Mom
Vote for @AndreaEmilien for Mamavation Mom
Twitter: @AndreaEmilien
Tales of an Overstuffed Princess
andrea.r.emilien@gmail.com
Facebook - Andrea Emilien

The Inspiration Within

2012-01-23T18:31:00.001-06:00

Photo Credit: FriaLove

First say to yourself what you would be; and then do what you have to do. -Epictetus

It's that time again, the Mamavation Finalists for Campaign #11 have been chosen. All of the applicants deserve a round of applause. It takes a lot to make the video and put yourself out there. I am so proud of all of them for making the commitment to change their lives.

Another two week challenge has wrapped up. I found myself down 2.2 lbs and 2 inches! This week I am turning to my old Tae Bo dvds and some new Kinnect games for my workouts.

QOW: Who is your biggest inspiration when it comes to a healthy lifestyle?

All the members of the Mamavation Sistahood inspire me on a daily basis. Heather (@notDIYHeather) inspires me to get out and do my runs. Andrea (@notimemom) inspires me to cook even more from scratch than I already do. Megan (@mnmspecial) inspires me to never let anything get in my way. Of course, Leah (@bookieboo) inspires me to keep losing weight.

My biggest inspiration comes from within. It comes from looking back to where I was and seeing how far I have come. There is inspiration in knowing that weight loss is possible, that my body is strong, and that change is possible.

This post is sponsored by Mamavation – a community dedicated to obesity prevention & weight loss for women and I’m writing this to be entered into a giveaway

Shhh...Don't Wake the Sleeping Dragon

2012-01-16T14:15:00.000-06:00

Photo Credit: Genista

Beware the sleeping dragon. For when she awakes the Earth will shake. -Winston Churchill

When a dragon is sleeping, it is best to let it rest. My sleeping dragon is my addiction to sugar. Yes, I am calling it an addiction. Sugar is a very difficult habit to kick. Like any addiction, just a little bit can harm months worth of efforts.

Last July I gave up sugar as part of being a Mamavation mom. At first, trips to the grocery store were miserable. All my mind wanted was a little reward, just one thing to satisfy that sweet tooth craving. After a month the cravings were gone. They were replaced with a feeling of nausea when around sweets. Sugar was something I no longer needed or wanted. The dragon had finally fallen asleep.

Over the Christmas holiday, I let weight loss take a back seat to family time. We enjoyed my husband's favorite meals and sugar came back into my diet. Not huge leaps and bounds, but little by little it became a part of my life again. The dragon woke up and is putting up quite the fight. All I want is for it to go back to sleep.

Now, day by day, I fight the cravings, the wants, the false needs. One day (hopefully soon) the dragon will go back to sleep. Trips to the store will become enjoyable again, weight loss will come easier, and I will again feel empowered. When temptation decides to lurk it's head again, I ask that you remind me to let the sleeping dragon sleep.

QOW: What are your latest healthy food discoveries?

My latest discovery would have to be kale chips. Yes, people have been making them for quite some time, it is just new to me. The surprising thing is that even my husband likes them. They are quick and easy to make. They satisfy a craving for something crunchy, and they taste great.

This post is sponsored by The Chia Co and I’m writing this to be entered into a giveaway hosted by Mamavation – a community dedicated to obesity prevention & weight loss for women

Today I Choose to...

2012-01-09T11:45:00.001-06:00

Source: homegrownhospitality.typepad.com via Shannon on Pinterest

Weight loss, like life, is all about a series of choices. Do you choose to have that chocolate chip cookie, or do you choose the fruit? Do you choose relaxation as sitting on the sofa, or do you choose to take a quiet walk? After all, each choice you make can have one of two outcomes, either it brings you closer to your goal, or it brings you further away from it. What kinds of choices will you make this week?

I am very excited to begin this two week challenge. My body enjoys a great ~~beating~~ workout. This Saturday, my run did something medicine had yet to do, it allowed my stuffy nose to run (no sinus headache since). While I have maintained my "holiday" weight, it is time to kick it in gear and start to drop weight again. Each time I have a choice about food and movement this week, I am stopping to think where it stands with my goals. By letting my brain process each choice in terms of the goal, it allows me to not feel like I am missing out. Instead, it empowers me to know that I am that much closer to being where I want to be. Today I choose to eat healthy and workout. What choice will you make?

QOW: What do you find most challenging in skin care?

This past year I have been making many changes to my life/lifestyle. Not all pertain to weight loss, however, they all have the goal of having a healthier life. Which is why three months ago I gave up shampoo and conditioner for a baking soda/water and ACV/water combination to clean my hair. Two months ago I gave up my facial soap, toner, and moisturizer for an oil cleansing method. My hair is better than it has been in years, my face looks great and feels great. However, I have yet to find/figure out a healthier and greener way to clean the rest of my body. There in lies my challenge, what is a natural cleaner for the entire body? It needs to be one that doesn't make the tub slippery when showering, is cost effective, readily available, and healthy for me and the environment. That isn't too much for a girl to ask, is it?

This post is sponsored by Budhi Skin Care and I’m writing this to be entered into a giveaway hosted by Mamavation – a community dedicated to obesity prevention & weight loss for women

Slow Cooker Inside Out Chicken Enchiladas

2012-01-06T01:00:00.000-06:00

Inside out Chicken Enchiladas

Recipe by Aries Mommy

Slow cooker chicken enchilada meat.

Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 6-8 hours
Ingredients

2.5 lbs Chicken breasts; boneless, skinless
1/2 cup Onion, chopped
1 clove Garlic, pressed or chopped fine
1 lg can (1lb 12oz) Green Enchilada Sauce
optional Corn Tortillas
optional Shredded Cheese

Cooking Directions

Place all ingredients in a slow cooker on low for 6-8 hours
Remove Chicken from cooker and shred
Pour some of the sauce over the shredded chicken
We served these as open enchiladas, sprinkled with cheese and a side salad.
Next time I will half the sauce or double the chicken.

Happy New Year

2012-01-02T14:54:00.002-06:00

Photo Credit: Ray Downtown Pictures

Happy New Year everyone! I have been "catching" up on family time with my husband the past couple of weeks. He is going back to school early tomorrow morning. Thus blogging/social media will be back to it's regular scheduled programming.

Hopefully, all of you are having a great start to your New Year :)

Sick Weight Gain is Gone!!

2011-12-19T13:37:00.001-06:00

The best of all gifts around any Christmas tree: the presence of a happy family all wrapped up in each other

-Burton Hills

This has been one of our busiest weeks. It has also been a very great week. My husband came home Saturday and gets to spend two weeks with us before going back to school. Thankfully, my sinus infection is winding down and my appetite is back under control. This week I lost 1.4lbs! That certainly made up for last weeks gain.

1.4lbs lost this week, 33.6 lbs lost this year

Question of the week: What is your biggest achievement this year?

My biggest achievement this year (don't laugh) was having the courage to brave the camera. For years I have shied away from having my photo/video taken. If I hadn't faced this fear, I probably would not have stuck around in Mamavation. Now, I tend to embrace the photos, save a bad hair day, and can get through a video just fine.

Yes, I have achieved so much more than just facing one fear this year. However, it was facing that fear that let me know I am much stronger than I gave myself credit for. Becoming a Mamavation mom, running my first 5k, going from a size 18 to a size 11, and losing 33.6lbs is a lot to achieve in one year. They all tie for a close second biggest achievement.

Merry Christmas and have a great week!

I’m writing this to be entered into a giveaway sponsored by YumYucky, Eco-Foil, andMamavation and hosted by Mamavation – a community dedicated to obesity prevention & weight loss for women

In It Together

2011-12-12T13:13:00.004-06:00

Photo Credit: Nick Erland

Everywhere is within walking distance if you have the time.
Steven Wright

This past week has been an up and down week. My sinus infection is finally letting up, I did end up with the same stomach bug A had over the weekend. The two week challenge is going pretty good, proud that I am all caught up on the workouts. With being sick, my appetite has been feast or fathom, thus I wasn't surprised when the scale went in the "wrong" direction this week. Nothing to sweat over, this month my goal is to maintain or have a gain of less than 5lbs. I refuse to stress about weight loss over Christmas, New Years, and the couple of weeks that Sean will be home. This doesn't mean that I am throwing in the towel, it just means that my focus is on my family, marriage, and enjoying this time of year. January will be here soon enough, as will my drive for getting the rest of the weight and inches off.

32.2 loss to date, 0.8 gain this week

QOW: How does your family support your weight loss efforts?

As many of you know, my husband wasn't here during campaign 9, my main support comes from my children. This past week is a great example. I had been sick on the sofa for most of the morning, on top of it I was having some major PMS cravings. All that came to mind was chocolate ice cream, only we don't keep it in the house. Determined to at least feel a little better about something I began getting ready to head out. A asked where we were going, I told him mommy needed some chocolate ice cream. Then he proceeded to scold me on how ice cream is not healthy and he refused to leave the house if that is where we are going. He was right, it probably wouldn't have helped me. My older children love to encourage extra activity. They are my teammates on this path to healthier living.

Please take a moment to vote for Mamavation on the Best Health Blogs of 2011
Registered Dietitians should not be excluded from obesity treatments. Please sign the petition at We the People

I’m writing this to be entered into a giveaway hosted by Mamavation – a community dedicated to obesity prevention & weight loss for women

A Good Night Surprise

2011-12-10T03:00:00.000-06:00

This is what I found on my nightstand the other night as I headed to bed. There was also a darling little 4 year old sleeping in my bed. He wrote it all by himself; he showed me that he is learning to sound out his words. He also knows that he has me wrapped around his little finger. That night, I didn't move him from my bed. Instead, I cuddled with my baby boy. Soon, he won't be sneaking into my bed. Soon, I won't be the center of his world. For now, I will take all the hugs, kisses, cuddles, and "love" notes I can get. What do your children do that surprises you?

Roasted Red Cabbage

2011-12-09T09:18:00.001-06:00

Around here, we love roasted vegetables. The kids have been asking for a different side, so I figured why not try roasting some cabbage. Yum, the crispy parts were as good as the softer insides. We all enjoyed this dish and will be making again soon. Flee helped me by brushing the oil mixture and squeezing the lemon. This is most certainly a kid in the kitchen friendly recipe; clean up is a breeze!

Roasted Red Cabbage

Ingredients

1 head Red Cabbage
1/8 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 clove Garlic
1/2 Lemon, optional
to taste Salt
to taste Pepper

Cooking Directions

Preheat oven to 400°
Slice Cabbage into wedges, slicing in a "North to South" direction so that the base can hold it together.
Place EVOO into bowl
Press Garlic Clove into Olive Oil and stir
With a pastry brush, brush the Olive Oil mixture onto the baking dish
Place wedges in baking dish; do not over crowd
Brush wedges with Olive Oil mixture
Sprinkle on salt and pepper, I used maybe 1/2 tsp each
Squeeze juice from 1/2 the lemon over the wedges.
Roast for 20 minutes
Flip the wedges, add additional seasoning if desired
Roast for an additional 20 minutes

You can find more healthy recipes on the Mamavation Food Friday post!

My First Gym was My Saving Grace

2011-12-06T11:11:00.000-06:00

Photo Credit: A6U571N

Eight years ago, at 22, I joined a gym for the first time. It was a good size gym and well known franchise. Their membership price was great, they had free childcare, and all the amenities I was looking for. There were so many good reasons for joining, yet I wanted to dip my toes in the water before paying for a membership.

A friend/coworker was already a member and she was looking for a workout buddy or two. So, one Sunday morning two of us joined her at the gym with her bring a friend free passes. The gym was full of people. As we exited our cardio machines a couple of women rolled their eyes and said, "Great, new weekend warriors." Now, alone, that may have caused me to not want to go back. However, I had two people with; two people who would not let them get me down. There is safety in numbers, if you are joining a gym for the first time, try to join with a friend or two. The rest of our time that day went great, so long as we don't count the line for the showers. I joined the following Wednesday. For seven months I worked out there every Wednesday afternoon and Sunday morning. The three of us enjoyed the time together and the new muscles we were discovering.

Two months into my new routine, I was promoted to general manager. At first it was awesome, I was the youngest manager in our district (big name furniture store), and the pay was amazing. Only, the position came with a few snags. There was now an hour commute involved and they were not giving me an assistant. Under "normal" circumstances, that may have been okay for a very short period of time. However, I needed to be there to open the store and close the store every single day. We were open seven days a week. My only "day off" was Wednesday after I unloaded that weeks shipments, so typically from 11am until I had to be back to close the store at 9pm. Five months of 65-90 hour work weeks and not one full day off took its toll on my children, my marriage, my body, and my mind. One stressful work day became too much for my mind, I couldn't stop shaking or crying. Those five months and that day taught me a very important lesson, Money isn't everything.

After leaving work, I called my doctor. She put me on medical leave and prescribed antidepressants, thinking that would give my mind time to heal. Well, in a way, the antidepressants worked the crying and shaking stopped, however, so did all emotions. I wasn't sad, but I wasn't happy. As a matter of fact, I watched my daughters dump an entire box of cereal on the floor and felt nothing. While watching said incident, I was on the phone with the same friend/coworker who introduced me to the gym. She only had one thing to say to me, "Be in your workout gear and ready to go in an hour." It is amazing the difference one friend can make in your life.

For the next month, we worked out seven days a week, usually from 9am until around noon. There was a completely different crowd, then the Sunday morning crowd. Not once did I see the snide remark ladies (so much for accusing me of being a weekend warrior). The gym was usually fairly empty, which meant that their trainers weren't busy with clients. She had me push limits with weights, cardio, and attempt workouts I never thought I would. Then the trainers had us push past more. Slowly, but surely, I began to smile again. After that, I started to feel like me again. Sometimes, we can heal in the most unexpected of places.

For the following seven months, I worked out at the gym daily. The staff at the gym was there to help me when my husband left for USMC boot camp. The smoothie guy, always had mine and my daughters' smoothies ready for us before I even picked them up from the daycare. Dee would usually untie her shoe, just so he could tie it for her. Flee finally decided to say a full sentence for the first time while at the smoothie counter. Her first sentence, "I want to go to California." (Before that all she would say was purple, mama, and dada) All of us at the smoothie counter looked at her, the owner said, "Wow, she does know how to talk! California is quite a large word to start with." Smoothies were on him that day. One of our favorite trainers was able to get through to Dee, where I couldn't. See she, was 4 at the time, had decided that she didn't want to be white, she wanted to be as dark as him. No matter how I explained, how that wasn't possible, she didn't get it. So he brought in a few candy bars. He then melted them and showed her how dark chocolate and dark chocolate make dark chocolate, dark chocolate and white chocolate make a lighter chocolate, and so on. Then said, see your mommy here is white chocolate and your daddy is white chocolate, your only option is white chocolate. A light bulb in her little head clicked, from that day on she knew she couldn't be "dark chocolate", instead she wanted to speak only Spanish. Needless to say, she still likes to go against the grain and be different from everyone. That gym and the people working there taught me some very valuable lessons, and they showed support and compassion to someone they hardly knew. If you give anyone enough time, you will find that they can surprise you.

I know this post is supposed to be on how to create a better fit, maybe in here is a lesson for the companies. Only each time I sat down to write, this is the story that wanted to come out. Maybe it was to let all of you know that there are good gyms out there, even if they have a few bad apples in the bunch.

Slowly Getting There

2011-12-04T21:32:00.001-06:00

Photo Credit: ilovebutter

There must be quite a few things that a hot bath won't cure, but I don't know many of them.
Sylvia Plath, The Bell Jar

I have spent this past week mostly laying on the sofa and taking hot baths. During a good moment, I would feel hazy and dull pain. During a bad moment it felt like I would be better off without half of my head. The joys of a sinus infection. Hopefully the doctor will finally give up on the "alternative" and give me antibiotics to beat this. After all, the two week challenge starts today, and I don't want to miss out!

33lbs lost to date!

Question of the week: When it comes to holiday shopping, how do you make sure you stick to your budget?

In years past, I have started my Christmas shopping in January and was usually finished by the end of November. Watching the clearance rack, sales, and special promotions. This year, I just set an amount for each person and have been only buying what is in budget. Yes, that meant that I was one of those people sitting at Walmart on Thanksgiving day at 5pm waiting for a certain gaming system. What can I say? This mom aims to please, even on a budget. My advice is to start early, it takes the stress out of Christmas shopping.

This post is sponsored by Reflect It Apparel and I’m writing this to be entered into a giveaway hosted by Mamavation – a community dedicated to obesity prevention & weight loss for women

Snap's Weekend Fun

2011-12-04T21:26:00.001-06:00

This weekend didn't quite turn out the way Snap and I had planned. The kids decided it would be fun to camp in the living room. Thus our little pranks wouldn't work.

Resting in Thomas's house

Caught getting back in the house!

Snap Made Donuts!

2011-12-02T19:42:00.001-06:00

First he gathered all of his supplies

Then he made these cute little "donuts" for a morning treat

This idea came from a pin on Pinterest. The moment I saw the mini donuts, I knew that Snap and I had to put that on his list of things to do. The kids loved having these as a treat with breakfast. Now I just need to figure out what we are doing with the left over cereal and chocolate. If it were up to the kids, they would just make more chocolate covered mini donuts.

Someone Likes Ornaments

2011-12-01T14:43:00.001-06:00

Doing a little decorating

What will Snap do tomorrow? We have some fun in store Friday night.

Just Hanging Out

2011-11-30T12:26:00.001-06:00

Finding the Magic

2011-11-29T20:33:00.001-06:00

Meet Snap, our "Elf on the Shelf." He has his work cut out for him. Typically, the elf on the shelf is expected to watch the children and report to Santa. Snap has to also work some what of a miracle; he needs to help me to find the magic of Christmas again.

The magic of Christmas was lost in my childhood. Lost too young, lost for the wrong reasons, and replaced with very negative feelings and memories. Overcoming one's past is not a simple task; regaining what was lost can seem impossible. One thing my life has taught me is that I am strong and to never give up. If what you are doing isn't working it means that you need to try something new. This year, my something new is Snap.

Snap and I will be having some fun adventures over the next 25 days. If all goes right, I will find the magic of Christmas again and the kids will have a strong hold on theirs. Each day there will be a post with Snap's adventure. It may be a simple hiding spot, a good deed, or even a prank; whatever it is, it will be one step closer to finding the magic I miss.

This Mommy Needs a Sick Day

2011-11-28T11:55:00.001-06:00

Photo Credit: miheco

If only mom's could take a sick day, my bed has been calling my name since I woke up. Only with a 4 year old, it means I'm on the sofa with a blanket trying my best to keep him busy near me. Hopefully, I will be feeling better soon.

Down 32.8 lbs to date

Not From a Can Cranberry Sauce

2011-11-23T20:19:00.001-06:00

This recipe really aims to please. It has even converted a 50 year old cranberry sauce hater to someone who asks for not seconds, but thirds. In some circles it may be called a cranberry salad, around here it is our go to cranberry sauce.

Cranberry Sauce

Ingredients

1 bag Cranberries (I believe it is 1 lb)
1 cup water
1 cup Sugar, granulated
1 lg box Raspberry Jello (can use sugar free)
20 oz can Pineapple, crushed (Juice reserved)
1 cup Walnuts, chopped

Cooking Directions

Rinse and pick over cranberries, you don't want any stems in there
Place cranberries in a saucepan with 1 cup of water
Cook over medium/high heat until the cranberries pop
Turn off heat and stir in 1 cup sugar
Drain juice from pineapple into measuring cup. If it does not equal 1 cup add enough water to make 1 cup of liquid.
Stir Jello and juice into the cranberry mixture.
Stir in pineapple and walnuts.
Refrigerate overnight.
Stir before serving

Turkey, Stuffing, Pie, Oh My!

2011-11-21T14:02:00.001-06:00

Photo Credit: jblyberg

As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them. -JFK

Thanksgiving, the day to be thankful, to feast, to watch football, and to plan shopping trips. Around here it is one of my busiest days of the year. This year is no different, only I am trying to squeeze in as much quality time with my husband and sister as I can fit in three days.

I am extremely grateful to have my exchange plan. This takes the stress out of what I am eating this Thanksgiving. Yes, I can make ~~lunch~~ dinner and eat it too! Which brings me to this week's question: What is your plan to avoid overindulging during holiday feasts?

A small plate is a must! This will help with portion control. I will follow my exchanges and weigh my options for extras. Not on the digital scale, but approximate calories vs the workout needed to make up for eating them. One thing I will not be doing is stressing about the food entering my mouth. 80/20 rule right? I might make some pumpkin breakfast cookies to enjoy for breakfast and skip the pumpkin pie later.

32 lbs lost to date

Look out for my cranberry sauce recipe on Wednesday.

This post is sponsored by Eco-foil and I’m writing this to be entered into a giveaway hosted by Mamavation – a community dedicated to obesity prevention & weight loss for women