Day 9.....still going strong.....

Other than my monthly bump in the road,  I gained 3 tenths from the day before, but that's what I blame it on. I ate the same as normal, so not sure. Tomorrow hopefully will tell, or it might take a day or two.
Anyway, here is day 9...(sorry it's late in the day)

brkfst-2 fried eggs
peach and saved the yogart for mid-morning when I needed it.

Lunch- tuna (celery and a squirt of light mayo) and a small tomatoe

Supper-turkey vegetable soup (instead of chicken) and green beans

Again, I haven't done well with exercise this week. It's been busy. Ariel either got bit by something or something stung her, not sure, but went to the Dr. yesterday. It's looking better.
I'm am taking vitamins also. Started the Omega-3 yesterday. So, I just need to do better with my walking..It's getting close to moving onto the next phase of this diet, so I'd better get to reading my book. Have a Blessed day!

Lean Beef Patties....simple and good!

I have been making these prior to starting on the 17 day diet! It's simple!

I use lean beef and make patties-however many you want
1 can 99% fat free cream of chicken (or you can use the mushroom as well) soup
1 can water

Lay your patties in a oven-proof pan. Mix the soup with the water. Pour this over the patties. You can add seasoning if you want. Sometimes I put a packet of onion soup mix over it or lemon pepper.
Bake until done! I cook mine on low and slow through-out the day or 350 for a quicker meal!
The meat is very tender and you have gravy as well. (from the soup)

Day 8...still going strong, but yet weak! LOL

And so, I have these wonderful neighbors who keep watch while we are gone and keep up with my crazy cat, they are GREAT people. I decided to bake some cookies for them. I LOVE cookies and I knew the temptation would be tuff, but what the heck, maybe 1 cookie wont hurt! AND it DIDN'T hurt me! I weighed this morning and down 5 pounds and something.....
so, Brkfst- 2 fried eggs and a yummy peach

Lunch-I only had my yogart since I sneaked in a cookie and some cookie dough! :)

Supper- Lean beef pattie with cr. of chicken (99% fat free) BAKED
yummy green beans with sauted onions (these were delicious)
yogart
I am still drinking tons of water through-out the day!

Have a blessed day!

Day 7....Eating right!

Sunday was a pretty good diet day! I stuck a turkey breast in the oven right before we walked out the door for Church...(and the preacher preached longer and I panicked it would burn!) LOL
So, here we go!
Brkfst-
2 eggs (fried in extra virgin olive oil) AND they were yummy!
peach

Lunch- Turkey breast
green beans seasoned with onion
apple
yogart

Supper-
turkey (with fat free spray butter)
green beans-yes again!
yogart for snack
....and weighing in this morning, we both did lose!
So, it was a VERY Blessed Sunday lunch and we done really good. We have been adding in a 40 calorie sugar free vanilla pudding if we get a little hungry in between meals. But, Sunday, I never felt the urge to grab one! So, that's good.
It's raining here in East Texas today or shall I say drizzling! So, everyone have a very Blessed Monday!

Grafitti Picture.....

So, my dear sweet daughter loves playing with her photos as well and here is what she done!

I think it looks awesome....Now, lets hope she don't start doing grafitti! LOL...

Love her!

Day 6...a new healthy way of eating....

I feel like now it's not a diet, but just a healthy way of eating...so, here we go. With day 6 being a Saturday, we had to travel and pick-up our camper out of town, so that means at least 1 meal on the road! (and by the way, the book does have chapters on Surviving Holidays, On the Road and shift work on the 17 day diet, and dining out)

So, we like Chedders and was just going to eat the Salad, but the grilled chicken had pecans and we voted for the Vegetable plate. It was a salad and sides.

Brkfst- 2 boiled eggs
yougart and strawberries

Lunch-tuna, celery, tomatoe and small squirt of mayo light
Apple

Supper- (my bad, I guess)
Chedders-Salad with fat free dressing
Green beans, carrots and steamed brocolli
Carrots were sweet! Green beans were GREAT!
So, I didn't get my 2nd helping of yogart in because I wasn't hungry. But when I weighed this  morning, I was the EXACT same as yesterday. So, I'm sure there were more sugars in the carrots and green beans than I should have had. Anyway, at least there was NO gain either.
Here's to a very Blessed Sunday!

Day 5....Diet

Wow, it has been a quick week or at least it seems like it flew bye fast. So, her is what I've done for day 5. I am down 4.2 pounds and my daughter is down 4.6 pounds. We did have a Birthday party last night and we both managed to have 3 bites of cake, but weighing this morning, we still lost! (the books tells if you really get a craving for sweets....blah blah blah, to eat 3 bites of the food and be done! So, we DID!

Brkfst-yogart and a peach

Lunch-tuna w/ celery, egg and small squirt of mayo light
apple

Supper- Chicken breast marinated in fat-free italian dressing (baked in over with foil on top) very juicy and good taste
salad with celery and tomatoes and fat free Catalina dressing
snack was yogart and 3 bites of cake....LOL
Once again, I was feeling bad yesterday and didn't get my 17 min. of exercise in...:(
Hopefully going to do better today with that. Have a Blessed day and weekend! Praying for all those along the East Coast in the path of the Hurricane!

Day 4...Diet

Brkfst- yogart
1 c. strawberries

Lunch-tuna
1 egg chopped
little celery and onion chopped
very small squirt mayo light
1/2 small tomatoe
1 apple

supper-
Taco Salad (recipe to follow)
yogart
and of course green tea

Taco Salad recipe:
1 lb of lean ground turkey
1 envelope of taco seasoning
Bed of lettuce
1 c. chopped tomatoes
2 1/2 c. chopped onions
Salsa 1/3 c. reduced fat shredded cheddar cheese ( I have fat free and used that)
Brown meat, add taco seasoning mix and cook according to it's directions. Place generous servings of lettuce  on 4 plates. Top with Turkey mixture,tomatoes, onions,salsa and cheese. (makes 4 servings)

This was excellent. Hope you and yours have a blessed day and weekend!

My morning photo shoot! I have a BEAUTIFUL subject!



Ariel's 4th day of school!

 I woke up with something on my mind this morning! I have been wanting to do some photos with the "frame" and kept forgetting it. Well, I take a new picture of her every month on the 25th (hence, she was born on the 25th) so I just have been in the habit of taking it them. So, I said to her "lets go get some photos before school" and she's pretty much always game for taking pictures.

Yes, she's now a 4th grader!

Here is the CUTE picture frame!

So, new outfit and all, we got them made pretty quickly. Even though she had the hiccups this morning and was complaining, I did a break check and a scream on the way to school to rid the hiccups! Did it work? I don't know but it scarred her! You should have saw the look on her face! LOL.. oh, well...Happy Thursday!

Day 3.....Diet

Okay, so day 3 wasn't so bad either. Other than I felt drained yesterday and really didn't feel like exercising...I still stuck to the diet. (and I weighed this am and lost again)
anyway, here is what I ate:
Brkfts-2 eggs scrambled (and I almost gagged-not sure about eggs, LOL)
fruit-peach

Lunch- Yummy, tuna and a tomatoe....LOVE this combination
yogart and a apple

Supper-Turkey breast
cooked cabbage and some good ole fat free spray butter. Now I had quit salt completely, but had to have some salt on the cabbage.

I have been drinking alot of water lately and quit using salt and drinking Diet DP. I do have 1/2 can or a few drinks of Diet DP about 1 time a week.
Oh, and my snack for the day was another yogart. Of course I drank my green tea with every meal also. Have a Blessed day!

Day 2.....17 day diet....

Well, day 2 wasn't too bad. Here is what I ate:
Breakfast
6 oz. light yogart (yoplait-fat free)
1 C. strawberries (sliced up with Stevia for sweetness)
 Lunch: Chicken vegetable soup
apple
raw carrots for a snack & 2nd yogart for the day
Supper: chicken vegetable soup (yes, I liked it that well)

I do drink green tea with every meal. I'm not going to re-type that every time, but also my 64 oz. of water for the day.

The chicken vegetable soup is in the book. It's just your vegetables (I used carrots, celery and cabbage) and diced canned tomatoes (I had frozen tomatoes from my garden last year) and then after that simmers for an hour, you add the chicken that has been cooked and diced up and just warm it all up. You can add onion or something else for the taste if you want to.
So, drum roll please........I weighed this morning and was down 2.1 pounds and Ariel was down 2.6 pounds....I REFUSE to let her beat me! LOL...
I also might add that I am walking for 17 min. a day also. (treadmill, not this darn hot Texas heat). Just 17 min. of exercise a day will work for you. Ariel counts what she does in PE for her exercise. Okay, guess that's about all....Have a Blessed day!

Life's a BEACH! Family photos....

 Here is some fun shots we did while
at the beach in Perdido Key. This is my Nephews,
Drew and Dustin, along with their Mom and Dad, Karen
and Donald.(my Sister in law and Brother in law)

And here is my family!

And my nephew, Drew and his gal, Emily.

The 17 day diet....Day 1

Okay, first off let me say, THANK you to a long time friend, Karen, who introduced me to this book. 2nd of all, I will be 1 day behind on postings, b/c I want to finish my day before I post.
I purchased this book about a week ago, but was going to the beach, so didn't want to start it till I returned. So, here we go...
Monday (yesterday I started it) It's NOT hard at all. Here's what I ate all day.
Brkfst-2 eggs scrambled
1c red grapes
green tea
Lunch-Salad (romaine & spinich leaves) w/ celery, onions, fat-free cheese(very little) and fat free dressing and green tea
6 oz. yogart
apple
SNack-6 oz yogart (your aren't supposed to have fruits after 2, but I goofed and had my fruit flavored yogart, so that was my mess up) It might not matter much, but I'm not sure.
Supper-Turkey breast
Sour Kraut and green tea
So, day 1 was pretty good and easy. Remember to drink 8 glasses of 8 oz. water daily. I got my whole 64 oz. in right before bedtime.  Stay away from watermelon, pineapples and bananas. Those fruits contain more sugar and don't eat fruit after 2. Oh, and remember, this is my own personal progress and is NOT connected to the Author of this book. I just though this might help others out. Have a Blessed day!

I'm just a little sad.....

Truthfully, I wasn't ready for her to head to school today! I enjoy her being at home so much. I don't think it would take much for her to talk me into Home Schooling.....Just saying....LOL


Last year we had just found Scatter, the cat and she had her picture made with him on the first day of school, so this morning, she wanted him in our photo, but he was squirming, so I held him...Plus he does better with me holding him...She loves ole' Scatter cat.

Our first day of 4th grade....Wow, where did time go?

 Ariel's first day of school. This is the cute outfit I made her and hopefully more new outfits to come.

 Ariel was SO ready to go this morning. Even though we missed "meet the teacher", she knew who her teacher was and was very excited to get up this morning and go. Last night she burned her fingers on her "easy bake" oven and was complaining this morning, but she was a trouper and was excited to get going.

...and her cute little book bag I made her. She loves it!

 Ariel and her 4th grade teacher (wow, 4th grade already? It literally seems like she just started Kinder last year) Mrs. Burch. She didn't have many of her friends in her class this year, but I know she will still do great. She is a very positive girl and I don't think it will bother her a bit!

 and here she is sitting at a desk...she couldn't decide which desk she wanted to sit out, but I think she finally choose one on the front row of the class..

and she kissed and hugged me as I was ready to leave. Here she is outside her new classroom.

Vacation time...Perdido Key Beach

 We arrived at our Condo and the weather was beautiful. We were so excited to come to Perdido Key again this year.

 They love to build sandcastles. I believe some of them LIVE to come here and build a sandcastle. They changed it up almost every day this year.

 Ariel taking in some sun and floating in the Ocean. The water was quite different this year. It was more like a lake.....NO waves...We didn't see many stingrays this year, but MORE crabs than last and a new creature called a "Skate". It didn't have a stinger or barb, but would give you a little jolt if you touched him or stepped on him. Ariel was stung this year by a "jelly". There was days we saw quite a few of them and some days we didn't see any.

This is the beach side of our Condo. We stay
on the lower level, and just walk across the
boardwalk to the beach. It's awesome.

We went to the Naval Museum there also. This was a new hanger that was opened this year. If I remember correctly, this was the Helicopter than President Nixon rode on the last time.

 Ariel and me soaking up some rays on the beach. The water was beautiful, other than no waves this year. We did actually find some oil, from last years oil spill. We found clumps of it in the water. It's pretty gross.

We stopped off at the USS Alabama on our way home. Here is my nephew, Dustin, me, my SIL, Karen and Ariel setting in some seats on the battle ship. It was quite hot walking on this ship, but we all had a good time.

Splash End of year Swimming PaRtY!

 Ariel with her swim trophy. She had a good year and even improved. Last year her best stroke was the butterfly and this year is was  freestyle. Even though we missed going to All-Stars this year, seeing the last Space Shuttle launch was well worth missing All-Stars. There is always next year! :)

 Here is the cake Ms. Annette ordered. It has the swim team's picture on it.
....How awesome does that look! And it not only looked good, it was WONDERFUL to eat!

....and ALL the trophy's. They were awesome as well. Another trophy to add to her collection. This is her 3rd year of swim team and she loves it!

School Bag-4th grade

Since I discovered that 4th graders couldn't carry back-packs to school, I had to put plan B into action. So, Ariel picked out this brown bag and material.
I flipped through my book of embroidery designs and came up with this.

Then I knew we couldn't have a plain bag, so I added the ruffle trim to the top.

Now, that looks a little more girly for her! She LOVES it. She can't wait till the first day of school to carry it. (okay, well maybe Mamma can't wait to see her carry it, but by NO means am I ready for school to start)

Monster Jam-Austin, Texas (Cedar Park Center)

 So they say he done 50 rounds of donuts in this truck? Really, how could he walk when he got out, because he had to be DIZZY! (Marc McDonald is the driver)

It was a bad ending for Grave Digger!  But, it was the last show and he was the last truck to do Freestyle. (Pablo Huffaker was the driver)

Racing time...Austin, Texas

Drew in the front on a Blue Quad and Bobby going inside of him on white quad. There is Dustin in there also.

Here is Drew and Bobby.

Austin, Texas

 Ariel and Dustin.... This was downtown by the State Capital building. I can't remember the name of the building it was in front of. It had a theater and museum inside.

 Dustin

Ariel and Dustin

Quad Wars-Cedar Park, Texas

 Dustin, Ariel and Drew....waiting for the race to begin...Ariel LOVES her cousins.
Oh, and nice quads by the way! You know, just saying....

 Ummmm, looks like Bobby is winning this race....

Ariel sitting in the stands watching the races. She loves the Monster Trucks and YES, we had to sit through all 3 shows for her! She has her favorites for sure.

....and it looks like Team Oklahoma won this race....

Texas State Capital Building-Austin Texas

 Okay, so we went to Austin this past weekend and Drew hasn't been to the State Capital building before, so we took him (and Dustin). Well, Ariel has a loose tooth ( I know, nothing to do with this trip)! She wants her Daddy to pull it while they are standing in the center of the floor under the Rotundra. So, here we GO...........

And, here we are...One less tooth (#14 to be exact) in her mouth. AND she has ANOTHER one loose! (real loose)

So, this is one tooth she wont forget. She decided to keep it and not let the tooth fairy have this one....LOL

TEXAS heat! Let's cool down!

Bobby and Ariel riding the SeaDoo is the way to cool off. We decided to make a overnight trip to the lake and cool off. Ariel learned to drive the watercraft and almost threw me off the tube.
Tube riding is ruff....LOL..

 A big OOPPSSS! Bobby threw them off.

Oh, well...That's the way to stay cool.

This is the retainer wall at the lake lot. This is how BADLY we need water/rain. It is SO low right now. We have been praying for rain, but it seems to go around our area every time.

My Love to SEW!

 Okay, so some of you might not know that I LOVE to sew. I have always made cute little sets for Ariel, every since she was about 1 year old. So, I found this cute fabric that says, TOMBOY Princess, Rock Star and Girls Rule.  I always make her a new outfit to wear the first day of school. So I dug this out and made her some shorts with ruffles. I haven't finished the black shirt yet, but will post pic's when I do.

This is the pattern I'm using for her shorts.

And here is my serger. I LOVE my machines.