Back to Reality

There is just something about the new year that puts me back in perspective on what I'm supposed to be doing and brings me back to reality.  I have really slacked off these last few months.  I've hardly exercised, I've hardly kept to my meal plans or cared about what kinds of food I was eating...and 15 pounds gained is what I have to show for it.  Which means I've got a total of 30 pounds I now have to lose again.  For me that means I've got to get back to basics and will be counting calories and getting back to the gym during my lunch hours.  I have only four goals for 2012 and they are all easily attainable. 
(1) Run four half marathons which are the following:
Prevention half marathon series - San Diego
Rock n Roll - Seattle Half
Disneyland Tinkerbell Half
Fourth run still to be determined

(2) I am going to learn how to crochet this year.  I know it sounds silly but it's something I've wanted to do for quite some time now

(3) We are going to buy a house this year.  Our lease is up in August and there is no way I'm going to renew and live in an apartment another year.  My kids deserve to have a backyard and to grow up in a neighborhood

(4) There always popular lose weight resolution.  I lost over 20 pounds last year but gained 15 of it back so now I need to get rid of 30 extra pounds to feel happy with my body

I'm also going to take more pictures for this little blog of mine.  It will help me see the results of weight loss as I go along as well as it will keep me out of jeans and t shirts all the time.  Here is what I wore to work on New Year's day...since it was Sunday and a holiday I went a little more casual than what is normally allowed.

My Inspiration via Pinterest

Sweater - NY and Company (At least 5 yrs old)

Dress, tights and boots - Target

Necklace - Nordstrom (similar)

Cute little necklace up close

Meal Planning Sunday

January 1, 2012...wow where is the time going?  Seems once your family starts growing and you have kids the years fly by.  New year with new goals so I know that I need to be very diligent in planning out my meals and not deterring from them much...

Sunday - Chicken enchiladas and black beans

Monday - Chicken parmigiana, roasted asparagus and whole wheat pasta

Tuesday - Crock Pot Kalua Pork, steamed white rice and broccoli

Wednesday - Broiled pork chops, green beans and mac & cheese

Thursday - Smoky Country Style Ribs, veggie and mashed potatoes

Friday - Grilled chicken, baked potato & veggie

Saturday - Homemade pizza

Meal Planning Sunday

The holidays are finally winding down and I am so happy for that.  Shopping is done and after this weekend all the gifts will be wrapped.  We plan on having a low key Christmas and I will only have to cook dinner for the four of us.  As much as I like entertaining and having family over I'm kind of glad I don't have to do a big tada for the holidays.

Sunday - Roasted chicken, mashed potatos and steamed broccolli
Monday - Spaghetti, garlic bread and salad
Tuesday - Taco Tuesday
Wednesday - Doc's Chili & Jalapeno Cornbread
Thursday - Grilled cheese sandwiches and soup of choice
Friday - Family will go out to dinner - I'm thinking Chili's
Saturday - Leftovers

Feeling a Bit Crafty

This year I feel a bit like Martha Stewart...I've never been very crafty or creative for that matter but lately thanks to Pinterest I've been doing more  than I thought I could.  This year for all our good friends I made Cookies for Santa and sent out with the gifts we had bought for their kids.  It was a lot of fun putting these together and we even have enough ingredients left over to make our own Cookies for Santa and of course sample some for ourselves. 

This was after filling the jars.  I printed the label and instructions on round labels I picked up from Staples.  It looks so much better once the labels and cloth and ribbon are put on.

I was pretty happy with my finished product and am sure our friends kids are going to get a kick out of making cookies for Santa.

Flavor of the Month

Last week I didn't share anything that I had made over the weekend.  This weekend I got back to baking and making something tasty for the family.  Last month it seemed like each weekend I was using pumpkin as the base for my tasty treats.  December I have decided to go with egg nog.  I love egg nog but just have never used it before in baking.  I'm glad that I tried it because now I love egg nog even more.  It just feels like Christmas to have a jug of egg nog sitting in the fridge for whenever I get a hankering for it...Sunday I made Egg Nog Pound Cake.  It was yummy.  I think that little bug and myself have eaten most of the loaf since then...(I did take half of it to his babysitters house for them to enjoy there as well).

Ingredients


1 (16-oz.) package pound cake mix

1 1/4 cups eggnog

2 large eggs

1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Beat all ingredients together at low speed with an electric mixer until blended. Increase speed to medium, and beat 2 minutes. Pour into a lightly greased 9- x 5-inch loaf pan.



2. Bake at 350° for 1 hour to 1 hour and 5 minutes or until a long wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack 10 minutes. Remove from pan to wire rack, and cool completely (about 1 hour).



Southern Living DECEMBER 2009

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Meal Planning Sunday

I'm back to planning my meals.  I took all of last week because I just didn't feel like making a plan.  And you know what...it totally bit me in the behind.  I need to have a plan because if I don't we eat like crap and spend way more money then we really needed to.

Sunday - 3 packet Pot Roast - with some veggies and potatoes.

Monday - Crock Pot Ham Potato soup - Weight Watchers

Tuesday - Slow Cooked Carnitas tacos

Wednesday - Leftovers

Thursday - Grilled Salomon & asparagus

Friday - Hubby's Christmas Party

Saturday - Turkey Meatloaf, green beans & mashed potato's

13.1

I officially finished my first half marathon on Sunday.  Hubby and I decided to do the Rock n Roll Marathon series in Las Vegas.  As sore as I am still I am so glad that I did it.  I finished in 2hrs59minutes.  I was surprised at that since I had not trained very well the last few months.  I was hoping to get done in at least 4hrs.  Hubby is certain he doesn't want to do another one but I'm already planning on signing up for a Mermaid series half in February.  I can't say that I really love running but I love the challenge of getting out there and finishing.  Plus people think that your really cool just because you say you do half marathons...  This time around I think I will work on training a little better to get my time down to at least 2:30.  Now that I am feeling a lot better I can get back to the gym and start Hal Higdon's half marathon training on Monday.  Here are a few pictures from the run.