Wednesday Weigh In

     Good morning!  Woke up this morning not really looking forward to weighing in after the heavy eating weekend I had.  Let's start with Friday.  I got home with a pizza in my hand and a side of zucchini sticks------why?!  Pizza, ok it's pizza night but I didn't need the zucchini sticks which were fried.  I walk in and Jason has the news on telling me what is happening in Pairs. I couldn't believe it. Just awful.  So we ate dinner, watched the news some more and then caught up on our show we watch together Quantico.

     Saturday morning was spent eating breakfast, playing with Hazel and putting away some laundry.  Then Hazel and I headed off to a playdate at the soft play room with my friend Kim and her son Cooper.  The room was pretty neat, kids can run around, go down slides or play in the ballpit.  Hazel loved the ballpit and going down the slide.  My only thing with this is that it is definitely geared towards younger kids.  The age limit is 5 and under, but if you ask me 5 year olds are WAY too old to be in the room.  It really should be for three and under.  I can tell you when Tyler was five, he would have been bored in this room after 2 minutes.

Loved it!

     After we got home Hazel went down for a nap, she was spent after running around!  My sister came over that night and we made dinner, watched a movie and had a glass of wine.  I love lazy pajama nights!  She also said the tzatziki dip I made was restaurant worthy, score!  It was pretty delicious I must say and really simple to make.  I'll post a recipe later along with my mexican pizza I made for lunch yesterday, so good!  I had a great start eating wise but after I got home from the playdate it just seemed to go down hill.  I was snacking more than I should have been.  I tracked-well some of it.

     Sunday we went to church and then I went to the movies with my mom, sister, two aunts and a long time family friend.  We saw Miss You Already.  It was really good, and really sad.  As you can tell the theater was super crowded!

Here is Hilary saving everyone a seat :)

       After the movie we went next door to share some appetizers.  This was AFTER the popcorn and candy at the movie.  See why I was not looking forward to the scale this morning.  I did bring my butt down to the gym at lunch both Monday and Tuesday, hoping to make up for some of the weekend.  So overall a fun weekend, not the best for eating but it's a work in progress.  

     Back to this morning.  I got on the scale, looked down and saw I was down a pound.  I'll take it!

Happy Veteran's Day!

     Happy Veteran's Day to all those who are currently serving or who have served.  I have a lot of family members who are serving or who have served, so a special thank you to them!

My husband and my dad, thank you for your service!

      We spent the morning at our church where my dad is in charge of putting on the Veteran's Day 10K Race and walk.  This is the first year we were able to go, my sister runs the race every year but had to miss this year.  She has been such a great supporter to me with my running, so who knows Hilary maybe next year we'll run this together?  Did I just say that out-loud?!  I knew my dad put a lot of time and effort into this race, but my goodness being there I really saw just how much he puts into this.  He is former Air Force, so this is near and dear to him.  It was a BEAUTIFUL morning, we couldn't have asked for better weather.

     

I think overall we walked close to two miles.  The path we walked on was beautiful with the trees changing colors.

Tyler told me I needed a selfie stick!

It was a great start to the morning!  Let me rephrase, it was a great second start to my morning.  

     So here we go, I wake up and immediately step on the scale crossing my fingers I had even lost half a pound.  I look down and nada!  I was the exact same.  THE EXACT SAME.  UGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH.  I tracked like a champ this past week, why oh why you stupid scale!  I even sent out an email to two of my girlfriends who follow WW and said something along the lines of this "F!"  "All that tracking and I stayed the same" (there might have been another curse word in there.)  "I hate WW, yup I'm being Negative Nancy."  Totally mature right?!  I was just ticked and had to get it out.  In the back of my mind I knew that there are going to be weeks like this.  I was just REALLY hoping my first week re-staring I'd see the scale go down.  So I had two choices, I could throw in the towel after a week, or keeping plugging along.  I've chosen to keep plugging along.  I'm going to keep tracking and get in more exercise and hope for a loss next week.  I started the morning tracking my breakfast, packing my lunch and even got in a great walk.  Week two-it's on!

P.S. A special shout to my friends Lisa and Hila who do the program as well and are encouraging in my time of frustration!  Lisa is on week 3 and down 5.4 pounds!  How encouraging is that?! 

Weekend Round UP

     What a great weekend!  I went into the negatives by SEVEN points, but I tracked everything so we'll call that a win.  Hoping to just make that up with some exercise this week.  I did go for a run yesterday at lunch.  I hit the 5K button and did an interval run.  I've never done that and I have to say I didn't hate every second of it!  My weigh in is tomorrrow so we'll see how I did.  Fingers crossed! 

     Friday night our friends hosted dinner which was fabulous!  Spicy sausage pasta.  If you've never had this, it's a must and so easy. It cooks in one pan, I love that.  After the fact I remembered I wanted to take a picture!  After dinner Hila read Eli and Hazel and book while they drank their milk and then it was off to bed for them.  We then played catch phrase which was a lot of fun.


Is there anything sweeter than this?  I think not!

     Saturday we woke up, had breakfast and cleaned the house.  I love a clean house and I love getting it done early so I have the rest of the weekend to enjoy.  Hazel is scared of the vacuum, so I came around the corner and saw this.  Gotta do what you gotta do!

 
     Hazel and I left after her morning nap for a playdate with some adorable babies while Jason worked on our kitchen a little.  I brought home sushi for dinner from Kumo which was so good. I was craving some sushi like no other.  We had a relaxing night just hanging out.  I also did something really bad, I bought cookie ice cream sandwiches.  WHY?  Why do that to myself?!  I did track it though. 

     Sunday I put away some laundry and then headed to Costco with my mom.  A good friend/old-coworker who's been living and working in Egypt this past year was in the states visiting so we of course got together along with some other friends.  It was so good to see her and hear all about what she's been doing.  It was really great to see her and everyone!

     I do have my dinners planned out for the week, that's a must from now on if I want to stay on plan.  Last night was leftover chili, tonight we have a back to school night so we'll have to have something quick.  I'm thinking Chicken Tikka.  Tomorrow night I'm making french dip sandwiches.  My favorite!  Thursday night will be leftovers.  Friday night is of course pizza.  I found something at costco called rolls ups which are only 3 points!  I'll make my pizza using one of those.  For lunch all week I'm having tuna salad on a roll up, fruit and a side of pumpkin soup if I'm still hungry.  Yesterday I didn't have the soup because the roll up is huge and really filling.  Kind of nervous for my weigh in tomorrow, I just want to see that scale go down!  Have a great week!    

Orange Chicken and Ice Cream

     Yesterday I decided to completely re-start on Weight Watchers for what seems like the bazillionth time.  3rd 5th times a charm?!  It doesn't matter how many times you fall off, as long as you get right back on.  I'm sure I'll have days where I completely go over my points and my weekly points, but as long as I pick myself up and get right back on plan that's what matters!  I was completely on plan yesterday and it felt great.  I made a great dinner, and even had ice cream for dessert.  I've always loved my dessert but I tell ya, after having Hazel my sweet tooth came in full force!  I love WW because I can eat what I want.  I'm not stuck eating frozen meals, or starving though out the day.  For dinner we had Orange Chicken, yuuuuuuuuuuuum.  I love skinnytaste.com and have made many things from her website.  I have some chicken drumsticks from her website in the crock pot right now cooking for dinner.  I bet the smell of deliciousness is going to hit me the minute I walk in the door!  

     Along my journey to lose weight I'm going to be hit more than once with obstacles, and you have to learn to adapt.  For instance today I had my lunch packed, points calculated and ready to rock and roll.  Then I'm asked to go to a work lunch.  Does panic set in?  No!  I find out where we're going and pull up the menu so I know ahead of time what to order.  The restaurant even had a meal calculator which makes my life ten times easier!  I've decided to go with a farmhouse salad, no cheese.  This will put me at 14 points which is more than I like to allow for lunch, but it's better than a burger and fries!  Now all I need to do is avoid the chips and onion dip that I'm sure will be ordered as a starter. I'm on day two and not about to let some chips set me off plan.  I'd much rather save my weeklies for the weekend.  

     Today is my Friday, I'll be home with Hazel tomorrow because my mom is out of town.  I'm VERY much looking forward to it.  I've gotten in no exercise this week, so I plan to take a nice long walk with her!  She loves to be outside and I heard it's going to be a really nice day which I'm kind of torn about.  I love that we can go for a walk outside, but at the same time I can't help but think it's November for crying outloud!  Aren't we supposed to be in boots and light coats?!  I LOVE fall, that's no secret so I was very quick to check the weather next week and it looks like we'll finally have our Fall weather.  So if you are a warm weather person, enjoy tomorrow because next week is 50's and 60's.........whooooooooohooooooooooooo!  Bring on the sweaters!

     Here's our dinner.  I made mine with cauliflower rice (the boys had rice), which I really enjoy.  Trader Joe's sells it, although they are out of it at the moment so I just made mine by using my food processor.  We had it with a side of broccoli, Hazel loves broccoli!  My dinner was a total of only 6 points!

     For dessert I loaded my bowl with bananas and topped it with a serving size of slow churned peanut butter cup ice cream and mini chocolate chips.  Completely hit the spot.  4 points which is a little more than I usually use for dessert, but I had the points so why not!

 

The weekend that wasn't

on plan.  Well another weekend has come and gone.  Another weekend of thinking this is the weekend, this is the weekend I will stick to my plan.  Fail!  What can you do?!  I had a plan going in to the weekend, I just ignored every last bit of it except for Friday night that is.  I planned to enjoy the night with Jason for his birthday and I did!  We had a great time Friday night and a really good dinner.  We started with the pasta sampler, five pastas to try and share.  We then moved on to the steak sampler and we both agreed the balsamic filet was our favorite even though people rave about the blueberry filet.   We were so full after we passed on dessert, that is until our server brought over panna cotta to share. Light and delicious.  

   
     Saturday was filled with pizza and candy.  I definitely got my little mits into Tyler's Halloween bag, I couldn't help myself!  We had a great time at a friends house walking around with the kids.

Are they cute or what?!

      Sunday we went to church and then to my aunt's house to celebrate some birthdays.  Make your own pizza.  Remember my plan to fill mine with veggies and bring a salad to share?  Well that didn't happen.  I really enjoyed a white pizza my sister made, along with a slice of a combination.  Instead of a cake my aunt did chocolate covered fruit which was a great idea and so delicious!

Notice the jersey's: a Packers fan and a Broncos fan.  No one was hurt in the making of these desserts!

     So here I sit Monday morning looking back on a fun weekend, but a weekend I indulged a little too much.  I have two options.  I can fester over a weekend I can't go back and do anything about, or I can get right back on plan.  I'll choose the latter.  I said to a close friend who also follows WW this weekend "I feel like I'm constantly starting over after a weekend gone wrong."  She said to me "why don't you start back up on Monday and stick to the plan through Thanksgiving?"  So that is the mini goal I have set for myself.  I have my weekly menu already made, taking it one week at a time.

     

     Here's the menu:

Monday through Friday Breakfast: Homemade egg McMuffins with a side of fruit.  

Monday through Friday Lunch: Kale, turkey sausage and potato soup with a side salad.

Dinners:

Monday-  Turkey bolognese over spaghetti squash with a slice of french bread.

Tuesday- Orange chicken with cauliflower rice

Wednesday- Fish tacos with cilantro slaw

Thursday- Maple balsamic drumsticks with purple potatoes.

Friday- Friday is always pizza night.  I'm pretty pizza'ed out so maybe I'll make extra orange chicken and save it for dinner to have while the boys have pizza because they can never have enough pizza!

Dessert will NOT BE TYLER'S HALLOWEEN CANDY!  Instead I'll bust out my yonanas maker and top that with mini chocolate chips!  So there you have it, a weekend round up tied in with a new goal set!

     

 

Happy Birthday Jason!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO THIS GUY RIGHT HERE!  

     I can't wait to celebrate with Jason tonight! A date night just the two of us, we are so looking forward to it!  He is the most patient person I have ever met, an amazing father and such a hard worker. There isn't anything he wouldn't do for his family and tonight it's all about him!  I made dinner reservations at Acqua Al 2 after some great yelp reviews so I hope it doesn't disappoint.

     I was thinking what a hard weekend this was going to be when it came to eating and all of the events going on (Jason's birthday, Halloween at a friends house, family dinner) but in reality it doesn't have to be hard if I have a plan.  Planning is key, and if you know me you know I love a good plan.  Like really love a good plan!  Tonight my plan is to simply enjoy.  It's a celebration so I'm not going to stuff my face until I can't move, but I will enjoy it. For Halloween we are ordering pizza, trick or treating and getting together with the gang.  I know some of the girls are watching their points as well so maybe we can order a loaded veggie pizza?!  Sunday we are having a family dinner celebrating Jason and my uncle Jon's birthdays.  Dinner consists of making our own pizzas, it's a pizza filled weekend!  So here's my plan, to load mine with tons of fresh tomatoes, pineapple and some canadian bacon.  I'll also bring a salad to share to go with the pizza.  Simple enough right?  My long term plan of Halloween is to keep my little mits out of Tyler's Halloween candy bag!!! Who's to say I won't get in some exercise at some point this weekend as well.  Make a plan and stick to it, that's the goal.

    Well, I hope everyone has a fun and safe Halloween!  Here's to a fun filled weekend!

  

Round Two!

I don't even know where to start!?  It's been over a year since I got on here to write anything.  I actually just got through reading old posts.  That was fun and it got me thinking about how much I enjoyed blogging and it's even more fun to go back and read.  So here's what's new.  I had a baby over a year ago!   Her name is Hazel Kelly Potter and she's 14 months old.  The love.of.my.life I must say.  Everyone told me while I was pregnant you can't explain the love you will have for your child, and well you just can't.  It's unreal.  My last blog post I was actually pregnant but super early so I wasn't sharing the news.  I really enjoyed being pregnant, I mean reallllllllllllly enjoyed it.  I gained 40ish pounds and I tell you what she is worth every pound I gained.  So now here I sit still trying to lose the weight I gained, I have 12 pounds to lose so maybe that's what brings me back to my blog, some accountability?!   

This is a pretty recent picture of her from the Fairfax Fall Festival.  That face, I just can't!

So while reading old posts I was recalling how I was really getting into running, not really enjoying it so much, but really enjoying how it made me feel after I would complete a run.  I stopped when I got pregnant and just recently started back up. I completed the couch to 5k for the second time and I have to say I still don't enjoy running.  I don't think I ever will and that's ok.  What I enjoy is the feeling after, the feeling of I did it!  I run during lunch, it seems to be the best time I have to get it done.  I'm not a super early work out riser, and when I'm home I like to enjoy my time with my family.  I'm back on WW, online instead of attending meetings and I find I just need something else to keep me accountalble.  I plan to check in as often as I can.  Shoot, I don't know if anyone will even read this, but writing it and putting it out there is enough for me! I'll write about my weight loss journey, food (recipes) with a mixture of just everyday life.  Round two, here we go!