The Preppy Engineer

I'm still here!

2012-01-11T21:25:00.001-05:00

I'm still here! I can't blog at work anymore during lunch so I'm finding it difficult to make time. I got on the scale last week post holiday- I gained 4 pounds. It could be so much worse. I'm back at it so we will see what the scale says Friday.

2011-12-04T08:00:00.000-05:00

Weigh In Day Week 23

2011-12-02T14:28:00.003-05:00

I've spent the week getting back into my routine again. I weighed today and I stayed the same. next week will be a loss I'm sure of it. :)

Thanksgiving

2011-11-30T12:22:00.000-05:00

Thanksgiving was celebrated at my home this year. My father cooked the turkey, stuffing and gravy and I prepared the other sides. My plan for healthy eating really came together and the food was fabulous. Everyone seemed to enjoy it. We had Mr. PE, PE Teenager, PE Boy, myself, my parents, Mr. PE's parents and a friend of mine K whose children with with their father. I loved having her for the celebration.

I love entertaining so half the fun for me was putting together the table and the food presentation.

I used various fall squashes and gourds in the silver basket in the middle of the table tied with a fall plaid ribbon. The peach and yellow roses came from Sam's Club and I put those in clear vases with fresh cranberries in the water. I made taller arrangements for the sideboard.

Each place setting had the napkin tied with gold ribbon and a turkey printable. In addition, each place had a small pumpkin and a chocolate turkey in cellophane tied with an orange ribbon.

The sideboard held our meal and included the watercress and endive salad, stuffing, squash, apple and pecan salad, the turkey, sweet potato casserole and the the green beans with fresh herbs. The whole wheat rolls, the gravy and cranberry raspberry relish were on the table.

I found some printable place cards that I could write the menu items on.

My pumpkin pie with pecan crust turned out well. It was delicious. I totally enjoyed my piece for 125 calories. Others enjoyed the mini Gigi's cupcakes and the chocolate covered pretzels.

Unofficial Weigh In Day - 22 1/2 Weeks

2011-11-29T12:14:00.008-05:00

I have been traveling so much that I haven't been here on Fridays. I survived a week long business trip to Las Vegas, a few shorter business trips and the Thanksgiving holiday. My problem is I retain enormous amounts of fluid when I eat out repeatedly. Throw in plane rides and I'm in trouble.

I got on the scale yesterday for the first time in two and one half weeks. I gained 3 pounds. All and all with all of the eating out I have done I am not too unhappy with that. I got back on track on Sunday following the Jillian Michaels plans like I was. I feel like I can recover from that.

That puts my total at 45 pounds. December will be tough with parties and holiday celebrations. My goal will to be at 50 pounds by January 6th. Not aggressive by any means but it will show I survived the holidays without damage and still was able to lose a little.

Thanksgiving Meal

2011-11-23T13:57:00.003-05:00

I have been hard at work planning our Thanksgiving meal this year. I am determined to have a healthier yet tasty meal that comes in under 1000 calories. I plan on this being my main meal of the day with maybe some oatmeal and fresh fruit throughout the day.

I'll have a vegetable tray as an appetizer with low calorie ranch dressing and some humus. Also I will have out some mixed nuts.

1.Watercress and Endive Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette from Eating Well by way of Jillian Michaels. The recipe can be found here. One serving is 136 calories

2. Turkey - 16 pound vegetarian fed turkey from Fresh Market On serving of 4 ounces is 153 calories.

3. Meringue Topped Sweet Potato Casserole from Eating Well. The recipe can be found here. One serving is 196 calories

4. Green Beans with French Herbs from the National Turkey Federation by way of Jillian Michaels. the recipe can be found here. One serving is 40 calories.

5. Gingered Cranberry Raspberry Relish from Eating Well. The recipe can be found here. One serving is 58 calories.

6. Sister Shubert Whole Wheat Rolls. One roll is 140 calories

7. Roasted Butternut Squash, Apple and Pecan Salad - This is a recipe from one of my Canyon ranch Cookbooks. One serving is around 125 calories. It has butternut squash, granny smith apples, pecans, pumpkin pie spice and maple syrup in it.

8. Pecan crusted Pumpkin Pie. This is a recipe from one of my Canyon ranch Cookbooks. One serving is around 150 calories. The crust has graham crackers crumbs, pecans and applesauce in it.

Grand total is under 1000 calories. I cringe at thinking what a regular meal is.

My father is also making stuffing and gravy but I will not be having any of those.

I'll let you know how it all turns out.

Welcome Back Sidney Crosby

2011-11-22T11:32:00.003-05:00

What a spectacular return - a win 5-0 with 2 goals and 2 assists

From Sports Illustrated

PITTSBURGH -- It's impossible to explain how or why the world's best athletes always seem to rise to meet expectations -- as enormous as they may be. Maybe it's the expectations of a franchise that was scouring for pennies not so long ago, hoping for another savior. Or a city that was looking for its third Stanley Cup. Maybe it's the expectations of a hockey-mad nation, wishing only to capture Olympic gold on its home ice. But in his relatively short career, Sidney Crosby doesn't seem to let expectations go unrealized. Perhaps that is the defining quality, what separates the very best from everyone else.
The anticipation of his return from successive concussions suffered in January built up to unbelievable proportions Monday night. There were countdown clocks, #CrosbyWatch hashtags, scalpers outside selling tickets for three times face value. There were hockey analysts predicting three-point nights, and enough media in the locker room that it could easily be mistaken for the playoffs. Everyone wondered what to expect. And Crosby, once again, didn't fail to impress, scoring four points in his first game in more than 10 months, leading the Penguins to defeat the Islanders 5-0 at Consol Energy Center.
"It felt like I was waiting for this game forever," Crosby said. "I've been waiting a long time to get this chance to go out there. ... There was a lot of energy stored in there after missing all of that time."
That became evident almost immediately. On just his third shift, Crosby found an opening in the Islanders defense, a lane to goalie Anders Nilsson, a 21-year-old backup's backup's backup making his first NHL start. With the puck on his stick, the Penguins superstar put his body between the puck and defender Andrew MacDonald and came in with speed, made a move and flipped it to the roof of New York's net. Nilsson, apparently not expecting a backhand shot up high, dropped to his knees and watched the puck soar over his left shoulder.
Less than an hour earlier, during warmups, Crosby had tried a couple of backhand flips as he leisurely skated to the net. Twice, he hit post. Perhaps it was jitters, the anxiousness of his first game back since Jan. 5, but something made him double back to the empty goalmouth. While his teammates took nonchalant shots on net around him, Crosby positioned himself right next to the net and flipped pucks up and in on his backhand. One ... two ... three, four ... This is Crosby, the perfectionist.
It took just 5 minutes, 24 seconds for the Pittsburgh superstar to remind the hockey world exactly what it has been missing, to remind himself of what he's been missing. The goal light went off, beginning Crosby's one-game scoring rampage, and the center let out a burst of excitement, joy and relief with a PG-13 exclamation, loosely translated to, "Flip, yeah." After more than 10 months without that feeling coursing through his veins, he couldn't help himself. When he went back to the bench and looked up at the video board replay, he saw himself mouth that rather blue word. After the game, he sheepishly demurred: "I hope nobody was reading lips at home."
But it was difficult to miss a thing Crosby did all night. Before the period was through, he added an assist, finding defenseman Brooks Orpik open at the point for a one-timer. With Islanders defenseman Travis Hamonic chasing along the half-wall, Crosby slid a clean backhand pass to Orpik, whose blast beat Nilsson cleanly at 16:29. Any questions of rust, of hesitation or anxiety were answered just five shifts into his season; already, Crosby had two points. By the time the final horn blew, he had added two more, another goal and assist.
The comparisons to another Pittsburgh comeback were obvious. When Mario Lemieux came out of retirement to rejoin the Penguins in December 2000, after three-and-a-half years out of the game, there were similar questions regarding his effectiveness, his ability to be as wondrous as he once was. And like Lemieux, who had picked up an assist on his first shift back, Crosby's actions come with an air of authority. The parallels between the two games are abundant. Both ended in 5-0 blowouts, and the Penguins' returning superstar earned his billing, early and emphatically. It seems more and more that not only are their lives intertwined -- Lemieux is famously Crosby's longtime landlord -- but also their legends.
"[Tonight] was special in a lot of ways," coach Dan Bylsma said. "It was special to see him step out on the ice even for warmups, for the opening announcement. And then the first draw ... he battles like it's the last draw of the season. The way he played, his goal, there were a lot of things that were special. ... It was a pleasure to be behind the bench."
Bylsma allowed himself moments to watch this game as a fan, to stand back in awe, like the other 18,571 fans at Consol Energy Center.
"I went out there for warmups, which I don't normally do," he said. "Usually I look straight forward when players come out on the ice, but I kind of wanted to see the reaction when Sidney stepped out on the ice. There was a large part of me that was a spectator tonight, and I enjoyed that a little bit."
Across Canada, the game aired on the CBC, which had made the impromptu decision Sunday to show Crosby's comeback in a special edition of Hockey Night in Canada, in lieu of episodes of Coronation Street, Jeopardy! and Just for Laughs (Indeed, the Islanders may have made it onto that show, too).
After a spectacular first game back, one that will go down with Lemieux's three-point comeback in 2000 as one of the most memorable in history, the NHL's best player emphatically signaled, He's back. And with that, a four-point performance that seemed at times both unbelievable and inevitable, the hockey world may now return to its regularly scheduled programming: The Crosby Show.

My outfit today

2011-11-22T10:34:00.005-05:00

Boots in black

Sweater in black

Im still here

2011-11-21T12:35:00.001-05:00

I have been a busy camper. Ive traveled for work and just got back from Las Vegas where I attended a Gigi's Cupcakes Conference. That week was very challenging on my eating plan but I am back on it. I'll approach the scale later this week.

Holiday Outfit Bargain

2011-11-14T14:46:00.001-05:00

I scored a spectacular holiday outfit at Marshall's last week during my travels. I found a black wool, really nice tailored black Talbots skirt. It was originally $134 dollars and it was on clearance for $13.

I also found a black watch plaid taffeta short sleeved top with flowers made out of the same material around the neckline. It was also from Talbots. It was originally priced at $99 and I paid $14.99.

Total spent for a stylish holiday outfit in a smaller size: $ 27.99

I was very pleased. I tried it on last night. I belted it with a skinny black belt and a black pair of Haute Footure by Taryn Rose heels with a peep toe and a rosette. I have to say I looked good!

Weigh In Day Week 20

2011-11-11T14:29:00.001-05:00

This week was hard with alot of traveling for work but I really tried to eat healthier and limit the amount of processed food I ate.

I lost 2 pounds this week so I am back to 48 pounds total.

Happy Birthday

2011-11-10T15:30:00.003-05:00

Happy 80th Birthday Lillian Lee McKim Pulitzer Rousseau !

Weigh In Day Week 19

2011-11-03T10:40:00.004-04:00

Halloween candy is not my friend.

I gained 1 pound this week.

I need to try harder to stay on track. It will be difficult over the next month with business travel and Thanksgiving but I'm going to give it my best!

My pre-pregnancy weight still alludes me....now I am 6 pounds away.

50 Lessons Life Taught Me by Regina Brett

2011-11-03T09:58:00.004-04:00

I loved really liked this . I found this list on The Pink Clutch's blog who got it from a friend who got it from Maria Shriver's blog but she didn't write it! Whew....:)

50 Lessons Life Taught Me
By Regina Brett
  To celebrate growing older, I once wrote the 45 lessons life taught me.   It is the most-requested column I've ever written. When my odometer rolled over to 50, I updated the list.
Here it is:
1. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.  
2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.
3. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.  
4. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.  
5. Pay off your credit cards every month.
6. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.  
7. Cry with someone. It's more healing than crying alone.
8. It's OK to get angry with God. He can take it.  
9. Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck.  
10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.
11. Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.  
12. It's OK to let your children see you cry.  
13. Don't compare your life to others'. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
14. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn't be in it.  
15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye. But don't worry; God never blinks.  
16. Life is too short for long pity parties. Get busy living, or get busy dying.
17. You can get through anything if you stay put in today.  
18. A writer writes. If you want to be a writer, write. 
19. It's never too late to have a happy childhood. But the second one is up to you and no one else.  
20. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don't take no for an answer.
21. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don't save it for a special occasion. Today is special.  
22. Overprepare, then go with the flow.  
23. Be eccentric now. Don't wait for old age to wear purple.  
24. The most important sex organ is the brain.
25. No one is in charge of your happiness except you.
26. Frame every so-called disaster with these words: "In five years, will this matter?"  
27. Always choose life.  
28. Forgive everyone everything.  
29. What other people think of you is none of your business.  
30. Time heals almost everything. Give time time.  
31. However good or bad a situation is, it will change. 
32. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will. Stay in touch.
33. Believe in miracles.
34. God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn't do.
35. Whatever doesn't kill you really does make you stronger.  
36. Growing old beats the alternative - dying young. 
37. Your children get only one childhood. Make it memorable. 
38. Read the Psalms. They cover every human emotion.
39. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.  
40. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's, we'd grab ours back.  
41. Don't audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.  
42. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.  
43. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.  
44. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.  
45. The best is yet to come.
46. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.  
47. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.  
48. If you don't ask, you don't get.
49. Yield.  
50. Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift...

Halloween 2011

2011-11-01T11:51:00.002-04:00

It's a Good Day in Steeler Nation

2011-10-31T12:54:00.002-04:00

IHOP

2011-10-29T15:23:00.000-04:00

Who knew? IHOP has a menu called Simple & Fit. We went there for dinner last week while we were out running errands. PE Boy got the pancakes with the make your own decorations for Halloween. His creation is above. Cute.

The Simple & Fit menu has meals that are all under 600 calories and each of the items list the calories.

Examples:

SIMPLE & FIT Whole Wheat French Toast Combo: Two slices of whole wheat French toast topped with fresh slices of banana. Served with scrambled egg substitute and two strips of turkey bacon. 490 Calories

SIMPLE & FIT Omelettes: Our SIMPLE & FIT omelettes are made with egg substitute and served with seasonal fresh fruit.

SIMPLE & FIT Turkey Bacon Omelette: With Swiss cheese.420 Calories

SIMPLE & FIT Spinach, Mushroom & Tomato Omelette: With fresh spinach, mushrooms, onions and Swiss cheese. Topped with diced tomatoes.330 Calories

SIMPLE & FIT Simply Chicken Sandwich: A tender, grilled chicken breast on a toasted bun with lettuce and fresh tomato. Served with a side of fresh fruit.470 Calories

SIMPLE & FIT Fresh Fruit & Yogurt Bowl A light and refreshing bowl of seasonal fresh fruit topped with low-fat strawberry yogurt and granola.330 Calories

SIMPLE & FIT Grilled Tilapia Seasoned tilapia, grilled to perfection then topped with sautéed mushrooms, onions, diced tomatoes, balsamic glaze and a lemon wedge. Served with steamed broccoli and a house salad with reduced-fat Italian dressing.490 Calories

I had the Turkey Bacon Omelette with Swiss cheese and asked them to add onions, spinach and tomatoes. It came with a small side of fresh fruit. It was really good. There are more options to try. All of the kids menu items are under 600 calories too. I will definitely be going back.

Weigh In Day Week 18

2011-10-28T09:53:00.002-04:00

Today is weigh in day for Week 18. This week has been a bit of a struggle with Halloween candy everywhere!! I stayed the same this week. I am a little disappointed but I am going to stay the course and keep going. That is a total of 47 pounds. The 50 pound mark so far is alluding me. That will be my goal next week - to lose 3 pounds so I hit 50 pounds of weight lost. I am going to continue the Jillian Michaels eating plan and and I am going to concentrate on exercise this week.

We went "Boo-ing" last night

2011-10-26T15:06:00.005-04:00

PE Boy and I had a lot of fun "boo-ing" some friends last night. I found some cute printables and ideas here.

We put together a plastic Halloween bucket from Target for three of our friends. This is a Jiffy Pop Popcorn where we added the printable and a grosgrain ribbon.

This is a bag of witches brew. You take a pack of apple cider and fold around a licorice stick to make a brook. You then add gummy worms and mallow Halloween candies and put it all in a plastic bag. Tie it with a ribbon and add the printable poem.

My favorite was the Halloween S'mores in Jar. They are supposed to be in quart mason jars but I could not fin any that size anywhere! You layer Graham crackers crumbs, Ghost peeps, brown sugar and m and m's. You then add the printable tag that tells you to add buttermilk, butter and vanilla to make the recipe. We are going to try a batch ourselves tonight.

We added some Halloween cocktail napkins, orange light up necklaces and some Halloween pads and pencils to the bucket. We rounded it off with some Halloween candy. I put them inn a cute Halloween gift bag with handles, tied a ribbon and attached the boo sign.

PE Boy would drop off the goody bag at there door, ring the door bell and right like hell!! we had a really fun time, driving around, dropping off our goodies and laughing.

New Shoes - TB of course

2011-10-22T07:37:00.001-04:00

I am addicted to shoes. I always see new ones that I have to have. I pretty much only wear flats though. Here are my new Tory Burch flats. These are the Reva Snake Embossed Patent Leather Ballet Flats in Nutty. I LOVE them! Today I am wearing them with chocolate brown slacks and top with a light blue cardigan sweater with a chocolate brown pattern on it. In addition I have my blue topaz and silver David Yurman jewelry on.

Now that's more like it

2011-10-21T07:30:00.004-04:00

Today is weigh in day for Week 17. Last weekend I was able to get to the grocery store and start to get back on track after a challenging two weeks. This week I lost 7 pounds. Thankfully that is 7 of the 8 I gained so I am back on my way. Grand total is 47 pounds. The Jillian Michael food plan is still working really well for me. I did add a few new recipes this week from my Canyon Ranch Cookbooks. I'm still struggling with getting all of the exercise in but I will keep trying. My pre-pregnancy weigh is still alluding me. That was my first major goal - my psychological goal really. I need to lose 5 more pounds to get there.

Halloween Cupcakes

2011-10-19T15:00:00.000-04:00

I had to pick up some Gigi's Cupcakes yesterday for PE Boy's class today. It was his turn to bring a snack for his Advisor meeting. I thought these Halloween cupcakes were adorable. The finger and black icing is definitely a hit with the boys

Canyon Ranch - Lenox, MA

2011-10-18T15:43:00.000-04:00

I have been on this weight loss adventure for a while. I have done very well with food on the the Jillian Michael's plan. I felt it was time for the next step ----add exercise. In my younger days I was a very good athlete, fast forward to my 40s and I have exercised very little. Last year I went on a spa trip to The Mayflower Inn in Washington, CT and it was fabulous --lots of spa treatments and very relaxing.

This year I was looking for some of that but mixed in with more healthy eating and exercise. I did a lot of research and browsed many websites. I finally settled on Canyon Ranch in Lenox, Massachusetts. What a fabulous place. The price includes your room, three meals a day plus snacks and access to unlimited exercise classes and hikes. There are a few classes and adventures that cost a little extra. In addition to this, I signed up for the 4 day weight management plan.

This plan included a lot of testing. I had a body fat composition scan, a resting metabolic scan, a pulmonary function test and a cardio stress test to name a few. In addition with this plan I had two sessions with a nutritionist, two sessions with an exercise physiologist, two sessions with a therapist about my relationship with food and a meeting with a physician. I learned a lot about my innerworkings, what motivates me and what I am capable of.

Hands down this is the best thing I have ever done for myself.

The food was fabulous! All of the menus contained calories, fat grams, sodium, etc. and no prices. Some of the breakfasts I had were poached egg with turkey hash, whole wheat pancakes with fresh fruit and lox and bagel. There was a fruit, yogurt, and cereal bar each morning so I enjoyed fresh fruit with breakfast. Some of the lunches I enjoyed were a chili cheese baked potato and an egg salad sandwich. Dinner choices included Chicken Marsala and a fabulous lobster dish. There was a salad bar with lunch and diner too with all of the calories on the crackers, salads and dressings.

The desserts were yummy too. Most were under 175 calories. I tried fresh fruit sorbets on more than one occasion. chocolate chip cookies, and key lime pie.

My favorite was a trail bar they have available for snack. It has some unusual ingredients but it is filling and tasty. I made a batch when I came home. I found everything at EarthFareand Whole Foods.

Recipe from canyonranch.com

Gluten Free Trail Bars
Ingredients

1 cup almond butter

1 cup brown rice syrup or honey

3/4 cup chopped walnuts

1 cup dried cherries

1 2/3 cups puffed millet

1 2/3 cups puffed rice

1/4 cup pumpkin seeds

3/4 cup sunflower seeds

1/3 cup quinoa flakes

Instructions
1. Lightly coat a 9 x 13-inch baking pan with canola oil.

2. In a large saucepan, heat almond butter with brown rice syrup or honey over low heat until bubbles form. Combine dry ingredients. Quickly stir in remaining ingredients and mix well.

3. When cool enough to handle, press into baking pan. Cool completely. Roll. Cut into 40 bars.

Serving Information

Makes 40 servings,

each containing approximately:

130 calories

15 gm. carbohydrate

7 gm. fat

0 mg. cholesterol

3 gm. protein

2 mg. sodium

1 gm. fiber

Cook's Note:
Quinoa flakes can be found in natural food markets in the cooked cereal or baking section. Compared with other grains, quinoa is a balanced source of protein and complex carbohydrates.

Unfortunately my camera was not working and my phone takes okay pictures. It was a beautiful time of year to visit and the weather was lovely.

The main building was an old mansion that was spectacular.

My room was lovely and very spacious and comfortable.

I did enjoy the spa while I was there too. I received a hot stone massage and a revitalizing ritual. Both were very relaxing and fabulous.

My thoughts are I would like to go back at least once a year if not twice. I really enjoyed myself and got a lot out of it for me both mentally and physically.

Weigh In Day Week 16

2011-10-17T10:02:00.004-04:00

Last Friday was weigh in day. It has been a crazy 2 weeks with personal travel and business travel. Needless to say my eating was not very good. I did take a few walks on my vacation and walked on the treadmill on my business trip. I alot of my swelling in my feet and ankles is back too. I gained 8 pounds. All I can do is get back on it. The weekend was not perfect but a drastic improvement. I went to the grocery store Saturday and got everything in for this week. It is going to be a good week....at least a better week than the last two. I've come too far to let this set me back. This is the last page of Weight Watchers magazine. It seems very appropriate!

Fall Break

2011-10-11T11:21:00.003-04:00

We went to Darien, GA for Fall Break. We had gotten a house for a trip in a church auction and went in with some other families. It was alot of fun. It rained some but that didn't stop us. We fished and kayaked and had a great time. The boys caught some crabs which provided entertainment and fun as they were cooked, cracked and pulled. I made a simple crab dip with their catches.

Crab Dip

1 cup crab

1 cup mayonnaise

1 cup chopped onions

1 cup shredded Monterrey Jack cheese.

Combine all together and mix well. Spread out in a Pyrex dish and bake in a 350 degree oven for 30 minutes until bubbly.

Serve with pita chips or crackers.

We all arrived late Thursday after a caravan down and stopping along the way at Zaxby's for dinner. Each family prepared breakfast one morning. First morning was bacon, cinnamon rolls, and Cracker barrel hash brown casserole. As you can see this was going to be a VERY CHALLENGING weekend as far as food was concerned. We fished that morning and walked around the beautiful area. one of the Dads loves to grill so he prepared hot dogs and hamburgers for lunch with kayaking in the afternoon.

That night we ventured to a very interesting place, The Old School Diner. The parking lot is covered with carpet remnants and it is in a very remote location. We had a lot of fun. The grown ups all had the Wheel Chair Platter. Fried shrimp, crab cakes, fried fish, etc............not good for the waistline. whatever Chef Jerome wants to put on it. The children had a great time there as well.

Saturday we were on for breakfast. I made Aretha Frankenstein pancakes, Sister Shubert sausage rolls, and mixed fresh fruit. These pancakes are the best i have ever had. They are from a local Chattanooga restaurant but you can buy the mix on line. Just add buttermilk, eggs, and canola oil.

More fishing, kayaking and football on Saturday. I picked up wings from Buffalo Wild Wings and we cooked in Saturday night. We had a lot of Georgia and Tennessee fans that had to watch the game that night. We cooked hot dogs, chicken , grilled shrimp, rice pilaf, salad and of course smores for dessert.

Sunday we had scrambled eggs, sausage and muffins. The other families left that afternoon and I took Mr. PE to the Savannah airport so he could fly out for business. PE Boy and I stayed behind since school didn't start for another day. We went into Brunswick and went Halloween costume shopping, saw Real Steel at the movies and then ended the day with a fabulous dinner. We went to Skippers Fish Camp on the waterfront in Darien. PE Boy had crab legs and I had crab cakes. the sides were wonderful and includes green bean casserole and sweet potato souffle. After dinner we headed back to the house and enjoyed smores and Sunday night football.

Monday we started our adventure back which included Bass Pro Shop in Macon and the Varsity and TJMaxx and Marshalls in Atlanta.

I ate very well (not a good thing) but did exercise some. Today is a new day.

We all had a great time....now back to reality.

Thought for the Day

2011-10-07T09:30:00.000-04:00

Amy's Kitchen and Peas of Mind

2011-10-04T14:37:00.010-04:00

Mr. PE was out of town so I go off the hook for a few days with the Jillian Michael's cooking. I tried still to stay the course by eating healthy, natural foods with a little bit of convenience since I was cooking for one.

One night I had steak, an organic spinach souffle and Peas of Mind Veggie Wedgies in Broccoli. It was really tasty.

Another night I REALLY, REALLY wanted pizza. I didn't eat pizza out from a restaurant, but I wanted to. I tried a single serve frozen Pizza by Amy's Kitchen.

It had pesto, mozzarella cheese, tomato and broccoli. It was very good. It definitely hit my craving. I had it with a small spinach side salad with tomatoes and Paul Newman's Light Raspberry Walnut Vinaigrette.

The last night I tried one of Amy's Light and Lean Black Bean and Cheese Enchilada with some butternut squash and a small salad. It was good too.

My breakfasts consisted of oatmeal that I made extra of on Saturday, fresh berries and almonds, and some yummy Kashi Go Lean cereal, Greek yogurt and strawberries. My lunches consisted of a turkey sandwich on wheat with light provolone, stone ground mustard and carrots and a grilled chicken breast on wheat with a small amount of barbecue sauce and a tomato slice.

Last night I made some trail bars with a recipe from the Spa/Fitness program/Medical program I visited. More about that later. These trail bars have some unusual ingredients but they are very good and satisfying. I had to find the Puffed Millet, Quinoa Flakes and Brown Rice Syrup at Earth Fare where I live. I found the 40 bars difficult to get. Next time I am going to make it in a larger lipped baking sheet where I can get them thinner and maybe get 40 bars.

Trail Bars

Ingredients:

1 cup almond butter

1 cup brown rice syrup or honey

3/4 cup chopped walnuts

1 cup dried cherries

1 2/3 cups puffed millet

1 2/3 cups puffed rice

1/4 cup pumpkin seeds

3/4 cup sunflower seeds

1/3 cup quinoa flakes

Instructions:
Lightly coat a 9 x 13-inch baking pan with canola oil.

In a large saucepan, heat almond butter with brown rice syrup or honey over low heat until bubbles form.

Combine dry ingredients.

Quickly stir in remaining ingredients and mix well.

When cool enough to handle, press into baking pan.

Cool completely.

Roll.

Cut into 40 bars.

Serving Information

Makes 40 servings,

each containing approximately:

130 calories

15 gm. carbohydrate

7 gm. fat

0 mg. cholesterol

3 gm. protein

2 mg. sodium

1 gm. fiber

Weigh In Day Week 14

2011-09-30T11:30:00.005-04:00

Today is Weigh In Day Week 14.
I missed last week because I wasn't in the office. Overall the last two weeks have been good. This week I began to add some exercise. I did some resistance tubing exercises two days and I added some cardio on one day. I haven't really exercised in years and its been tough making the commitment to add it into my crazy life. I will say I felt pretty good after I exercised.

I lost 5 more pounds. That makes for a grand total of 48 pounds.

Yea!! Needless to say I am extremely happy. My first goal was to get to my pre-pregnancy weight of 12 years ago. I have never seen that weight since. I am now 4 pounds from the goal. It feels so close!

Weigh In Day

2011-09-16T07:15:00.004-04:00

Today is Weigh In Day Week 12 - I gained 1 pound. I will need to try to harder next week. that makes 43 pounds total again.

This week has been crazy as ever. Things at work are very hectic and stressful as we get down to the end of our fiscal year. I brought donuts in for my staff meeting. None of the guys ate any and I brought them back to my desk where I proceeded to eat THREE!!!! I don't eat three under normal circumstance when I am not trying to lose weight. I was very angry at my self to say the least.

I had to eat out a few times this week and that is always challenging. Once was where I could pick off a menu and twice was a buffet at a work function. That is a little more challenging.

Then yesterday was just a BAD day stress wise but I did not eat to comfort myself. That is step in the right direction.

After a long, stressful day at work, I was taking PE Boy to soccer practice. PE Teenager had his girlfriend and a friend over who I don't like. Their car was parked in a place there are not usually cars. The house keeper's car was in another place. I missed a call from my boss and was calling him back about an employee issue that was not good. So needless to say I was angry, frustrated and distracted. I proceeded to basically side swipe the housekeeper's car and tear up my car too. Crap. I've only had one accident in my life. The day I got engaged I rear ended someone. I guess I'm allowed an accident every 15 years. :)

God Bless America

2011-09-11T00:01:00.001-04:00

God bless America,

Land that I love,

Stand beside her and guide her

Thru the night with a light from above;

From the mountains, to the prairies,

To the oceans white with foam,

God bless America,

My home, sweet home.

God bless America,

My home, sweet home.

We remember all of those lost on 9/11/2001 and praise all of the people far and wide that helped during and after the tragedy. As always, I am proud to be an American.

A good quote

2011-09-10T15:10:00.000-04:00

Nothing can bring you peace but yourself - Ralph Waldo Emerson.

Weigh In Day

2011-09-09T13:47:00.002-04:00

Today is weigh in day - Week 11. I lost another pound this week. That makes 44 pounds!

Here is what is for lunch today - It is really yummy.

Lettuce, shelled edamame, bell pepper, tomatoes, strawberries, feta cheese, rotisserie chicken and light Italian dressing.

Daily Thought

2011-09-07T15:08:00.003-04:00

This was one of my friend's face book update and i thought it was a great thought for the day. Things are tough at home and at work and I found some comfort in these words.

Breathe....Control your thoughts.
God is in command.
God loves me.
God is here.
God will take care of the me .
God can handle anything I can not.
I will get through this.

Weigh In Day

2011-09-02T11:47:00.004-04:00

Once again it is weigh in day. I continue to be sick this week and have a terrible cough that does not seem to want to go away.

I lost 2 more pounds!! That makes 43 pounds. I am now 9 pounds away from my pre-pregnancy weight about 13 years ago. That is my first milestone/goal I have been shooting for. I have not weighed that little since before getting pregnant. Just a little more to go!

The Jillian Michaels plan continues to work well for me. For this next week I have searched her recipe database and am bringing some new recipes into the meal plan. Hopefully some more great ones.

Better get reading

2011-09-01T16:12:00.002-04:00

Book Club resumes this month. I better start reading soon. Its always a fun night out to discuss the book with great friends. This month's book is Unbroken: A WWII Story of Survival, Resilience & Redemption by Laura Hillenbrand.

You can get it here.

Beautiful Evening

2011-08-29T21:54:00.002-04:00

Today was a beautiful evening. I was cooking dinner of Mexican mole pork chops, mango salsa and brown rice when PE Boy said "Can we eat outside on the patio tonight?". What a great idea. It was a little later than usual since I had to attend a parent meeting at school. He lit a few candles and he, myself and Mr. PE enjoyed our dinner alfresco. It was a great way to end the day!

Dinner - Courtesy of the National Pork Board

Mexican Mole Pork Chops
Ingredients
4 pork, chops, bone-in, 1 1/2 inch thick
1/8 teaspoon paprika
2 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic
1 1/2 teaspoon cocoa powder, unsweetened
1/4 teaspoon pepper(s), chipotle chile, ground
1 dash(es) cinnamon, ground
1 dash(es) allspice, ground
1 tablespoon sugar, brown
Preparation
In small bowl, combine brown sugar, onion powder, cocoa, garlic powder, ground Chipotle pepper, paprika, cinnamon, and allspice; rub onto both sides of pork chops. Set aside for 30 minutes.
Preheat grill to 400 to 450 degrees F.
When ready to cook, spray light coat of cooking spray on pork chops to keep them from sticking to the grill. Place on hot grill. Cover; cook for 7 minutes per side or until internal temperature reaches 160º F using an instant-read thermometer.

Weigh In Day

2011-08-26T11:47:00.004-04:00

This week has been a bit challenging. I was out of town for business last Thursday and Friday and all my meals were provided for me, buffet style. Overall there were some healthy choices but I find it challenging not to eat too much. Monday I was back at work and in an all day meeting where lunch was provided. The person that planned this meal at a local hotel did not provided any healthy choices - fried okra, mashed potatoes, macaroni and cheese, fried chicken, biscuits, and banana pudding! This was challenging. I figured if I didn't eat something I would be starving later and would over eat even more. I had a small piece of fried chicken minus the skin, a small scoop of mashed potatoes and a biscuit.

I also turned up sick over the weekend and I've been full of antibiotic and cough medicines. Today I feel a bit better but still am taking lots of medicines.

All things considered, I was happy to accept a loss of one pound this morning. That makes 41 and counting!

Today's Outfit

2011-08-24T12:12:00.004-04:00

Today I dressed classic. I am wearing a red dress, a navy blazer, Tory Burch navy shoes and pearl jewelry. I feel very put together.

School begins.....

2011-08-22T07:36:00.006-04:00

I dropped my baby at his first day of middle school this morning. It was his first day of a prep school, first day of uniforms and first day of a locker. We decked out the locker over the weekend and got him all ready.

I am extremely happy and proud of him. I didn't even cry! Have a great day PE boy - I can't wait to hear all about it.

Weigh In Day ...early

2011-08-18T07:30:00.001-04:00

Since I will be out of town for business, I needed to weigh in a day early. This week has gone pretty well and we've tried some new recipes.

I lost 2 more pounds ! That makes a total of 40 pounds in 8 weeks. Needless to say I am ecstatic!! Now I need to start stepping up the exercise program. So far its been racquetball 2-3 times per week.

Today's Outfit

2011-08-17T09:54:00.008-04:00

Clothes are starting to be alot more fun these days. Today I am wearing this lavender dress with the sweater in black, my black Tory Burch flats, black onyx earrings and necklace and a gold and black cuff bracelet.

I've been Lilly Shopping

2011-08-16T09:55:00.008-04:00

I received the Fall 2011 Lookbook from Lilly Pulitzer catalog in the mail last week. It had some fabulous items.

So I went shopping. My new items came in the mail yesterday. I love how everything is wrapped in tissue and sealed with a sticker. Everything about the package and its contents are totally put together.

I love the new Mini Diva Bangles so I bought two. I love the names too - the Skinny Bobangle. I bought it in Multi and True Navy.

I love Lilly but I'm not able to wear her clothes yet. I ordered this printed tee in Bright Navy Standing Ovation in an XL. I tried it on last night and it fits like a glove but it will be a good goal shirt to keep trying on every few weeks.

I also bought the Kearney Wrap in Green Bean. It just about fits. I will be wearing it soon. What a great feeling!

I have multiple black dresses and a hot pink dress as well. I thought this Murfee Scarf in Black Drama Queen would be a great accent.

Some New Clothes

2011-08-15T15:27:00.009-04:00

One of the advantages of losing weight is I need new clothes. I haven't weighed this little in at least 10 years. This is what I'm wearing today: a redish orange sweater, black shell, black and gold earrings and necklace, the paint stroke skirt and my Tory Burch black flats.

Its nice to have to buy new clothes in a smaller size.

Weigh In Day

2011-08-12T08:10:00.005-04:00

Today is the infamous weigh in day. Mr. PE and I have been following the Jillian Michaels menu plan for 7 weeks. This week I lost 2 more pounds! That make a total of 38 pounds.

Unfortunately I have to go to a funeral today. The good news is my Talbots black suit fits again! It is a great feeling.

If you are interested, the Jillian Michaels on line program is currently being offered again on Gilt (www.gilt.com). If you are not a member of Gilt (which is free) leave your email here and I will send you an invitation. The on line plan is currently $39 for 6 months or $69 for a year. Check it out. It definitely works for me so far.

Day Planners

2011-08-10T10:28:00.001-04:00

I am a huge fan of MomAgenda's. You can find them here. I have used there solid color planners for quite a few years. I love the space for each child on each day. It has just worked very well for me to track my personal, my children and my work activities. This year they have come out with a spiral version. I bought it a week or so ago and I just love it. I really like the same planner but with the convenience of the spiral. I hope next year there are more prints to chose from.

Time for Middle School

2011-08-09T10:34:00.005-04:00

PE Boy completed elementary school last year at the neighborhood public school which is one of the very best in the state. It is now time to move on.........ugh........middle school. My baby is growing up way too fast.

PE Boy will start 6th grade at a local prep school that all of then boys in my husband's family have gone to.....he will be the 7th to attend.

School doesn't start for a few weeks but he start 6th grade football practice tonight. He is a little nervous. At least its in the evening when it might be a little cooler. His friends keep telling him he will be so good and i think that is what has him worried. He said he doesn't want to let them down. He is big kid. He is self conscious about being overweight so he has asked to go to a personal trainer. He has been working with one for about a month now and he has really improved in his speed and stamina. he will be just fine tonight at football. We need to build a little confidence in him.

The first upper school football game is in a few weeks so its time to start thinking about tailgating!

Spa Trip

2011-08-06T10:00:00.000-04:00

It is that time of year to plan what I've decided is an annual spa trip. Last year I went and had a very relaxing time. I begin my research like last year with the list of the Top 10 US Destination Spas.

1. Biggest Loser Spa at Fitness Ridge - Utah

2. Birdwing Spa - Minnesota

3. Cal-a-Vie Spa - California

4. Canyon Ranch in the Berkshires - Massachusetts

5. Copperhood Retreat and Spa - New York

6. The Kerr House - Ohio

7. New Life Hiking Spa - Vermont

8. The Oaks at Ojai - California

9. Regency Wellnes Resort and Spa - Florida

10. Tennessee Fitness Spa - Tennessee

I must also consider where I went last year, The Mayflower Inn in Connecticut because it was fabulous!

I can not take too much time off from work so anything out west will need to be eliminated so California and Utah spas are gone.

Although I am on a weight loss journey and beginning to exercise, the main focus of my trip is peace, quiet, relaxation and spa treatments. If the place is too hard core exercise then it must fall off the list too. There goes Vermont, Florida and Tennessee.

That leaves Minnesota, Massachusetts, New York, Ohio and Connecticut.

Let my research begin.

If any of you have been to any of these spas Id love to hear about your experience and feedback.

Weigh In Day

2011-08-05T07:46:00.004-04:00

This week had a few challenges. We ate out twice. Saturday after our 500+ mile hike (ha ha) at the Lost Sea we had dinner at Cracker Barrel - I had grilled fish, a side salad, carrots, green beans and 1/4 of a biscuit. Wednesday night we had a cupcake emergency! We had to move cupcakes from store to store because one store was about to run out and was still open for three hours. By the time we were done with that, it was about 8 PM. We ate at Chop House since we were by the mall. I had a six ounce filet, baked plain sweet potato and a side salad. I did have a piece of bread - I need to ask next time that they just don't bring it to the table. I don't have the will power to say no.

So today is weigh in day and the scale was kind. I lost 5 more pounds!! Yea me! That makes a total of 36 pounds since I started June 27th with a week of vacation thrown in there. Everything seems to be getting a little easier.

New shoes

2011-08-04T09:00:00.000-04:00

I bought myself a new pair of Tory Burch's for fall. Love them!

New Clothes

2011-08-03T10:53:00.002-04:00

I bought this yesterday from a catalog. The picture does not do it justice. It is a Berek sweater set. I cant wait until it gets here and the best part......it is a smaller size.

Bloggy Blues

2011-08-02T14:33:00.001-04:00

I desperately need someone to help me spruce up my blog. I need a new look. Can anyone help or make suggestions on who can?

Exercise

2011-08-02T09:05:00.000-04:00

PE Boy is a little overweight but very athletic and good at most sports. He wanted to go to a personal trainer so I signed him up at the YMCA and he has been going for a few weeks. Last week he was in camp so it was hard to find a time we could go. The trainer said he could take him on Saturday at 8 AM. I may be awake but I am definitely not ready to go anywhere at that hour on a Saturday, but since PE Boy was game I decided I need to be supportive. I told him I would take him and then we could stay and play racquetball. I convinced Mr. PE to go too.

So Saturday we get up early, I make breakfast for Mr. PE and I from our Jillian Michaels plan and I get PE Boy (the picky eater) a Turkey Suasage D'lite sandwich (Jimmy Dean) and a banana.

Off we go....PE Boy has his training session and Mr. PE watches, then we all played racquetball changing out players for about 45 minutes. Now keep in mind that is probably the most real exercise I have gotten in a decade. I really had fun.

It is a beautiful day and the service loaner they gave Mr. PE is a convertible. Road Trip!

I pack lunches for us all and we jump in the convertible and head up through the Ocoee River Gorge. We stop at a roadside picnic table overlooking Lake Ocoee and really enjoy ourselves. We take some back roads that are very scenic and stop at an Amish Farmer's Market in Delano, TN. I have been there before because it is near one of the places I travel for work. Mr. PE and PE Boy have never been there. PE Boy was fascinated by their farm and the fact they do not use electricity and they dress differently.

We continue on our road trip up the highway and end up in Sweetwater, TN at The Lost Sea. It is America's largest underground lake. I have never been to this attraction. We had a fun time but let me tell you there is way more walking/hiking then boat riding. I was not prepared in my footwear. I had on Tory Burch black flats.....I needed tennis shoes :)

Had I truly known the overweight me would have opted out so I am glad I was oblivious because I felt tired but good afterwards. This just added into the most exercise in one day for me in over a decade!!

By this time it was after 6 PM and and we were at least an hour from home. Cooking on the JM plan was not really looking fun so we stopped at Cracker Barrel where I had a side salad with fat free honey mustard dressing, grilled fish, carrots, green beans and a 1/4 of a biscuit. All and all I did pretty well.

Made me smile

2011-08-01T10:02:00.003-04:00

I spent yesterday like most Sundays these days......Grocery shopping. Since we have started the Jillian Michaels plan i spend alot of time at the grocery store. I end up hitting two or three to get all the items and to get some good quality meats and seafood. I usually go to Fresh Market and Publix. During the week when I need a few items I go to Bi-Lo since it is on my way home.

Yesterday I changed things up and went to Earth Fare and Publix. The great thing about the JM plan is after you work out your menu plan you can print off the Shopping List.

I was getting some seafood at Publix yesterday. I realize I've lost 31 pounds and I am looking much better but I am a large woman. I think the young man in the seafood department was flirting with me......All I can say is it made me smile and giggle. I'm not used to being flirted with :)

Weight Loss Journey Blog

2011-07-31T21:00:00.001-04:00

After reading an article on cnn.com I found this blog, Duct Tape Weddin Ring. It is an interesting journey of a man who lost a lot of weight. I found it quite inspiring as I continue my journey.

Weigh In Day

2011-07-29T10:16:00.003-04:00

Today is weigh in day. I lost 2 more pounds so I have successfully lost the weight I picked up on vacation and one more pound for a total 31 pounds! I definitely liking this Jillian Michael's program.

What a thought

2011-07-29T09:01:00.000-04:00

Saw this on one of my daily reads - Sweet Tea - and it made me stop and think.

Garden & Gun

2011-07-28T10:37:00.001-04:00

This is one of the most interesting magazines I receive. Anyone else read it?

Anniversary

2011-07-27T11:55:00.004-04:00

Happy Anniversary to Mr. PE. We have been married 14 years and its been an amazing ride. These are the beautiful flowers he sent me to spruce up my dismal office space. We went on a surprise overnight trip to celebrate. We stayed on the historic Delta Queen riverboat and had a great steak meal at Porter's Steak House which is located in the historic Sheraton Read house hotel. I tried to watch what I ate but unfortunately I did not do too well! We started by sharing the Porter's Sampler~ which had Coconut Shrimp, Crab Cakes, Seared Ahi Tuna, Salsa Fresca,
and Roasted Corn Relish. The seared ahi tuna was fabulous. We were going to have a bottle of wine but they were out of our selections so we stuck with unsweetened iced tea. Mr. PE had the

Pepperloin cut steak which is their House Specialty that is garlic rubbed, onion marinated for 72 hours, and then rolled in a peppercorn blend. I opted for the Filet Mignon. we shared the creamed spinach and the loaded baked potato. I enjoyed the meal but I was definitely not used to that all after following the Jillian Michaels plan. We spent the night in the Captain's Quarters on the Delta Queen. According to wiki, "The Delta Queen is an American sternwheel steamboat that is a U.S. National Historic Landmark. Historically, she has been used for cruising the major rivers that constitute the drainage of the Mississippi River, particularly in the American South. As of June 2009, she is docked in Chattanooga, TN and has been converted into a hotel."

Vacation

2011-07-19T12:40:00.000-04:00

Just returned from a fabulous annual vacation to Sea Island, GA.

It is so tough to be back at work.

Weight Loss

2011-07-08T07:28:00.003-04:00

A few weeks ago. Gilt (if you want an invitation to join let me know) was having one of there 2-3 day sales. It had a year of online access to the Jillian Michael's website. It was $69 for 12 month access. My thinking was that's 7 weeks or so of Weight Watchers, why not try it. I had been to the point of desperation. So i bought it and spent the next day looking around. I liked what I saw so I joined for a year for Mr. PE as well. The main part of the program I like is, you answer a questionnaire about you weight, eating habits, etc. It then tells you what range of calories to eat and what weight range is good for you. Then you have meal plans available to you and ALL of the recipes. Mr. PE and I started it on Monday, June 27th. the food and recies are fabulous. The gist of it is it is real food. No processed food.

I have had a major fluid retention problem for the last year and a half. This plan got rid of all the fluid. In two weeks I have lost 30 pounds and I can now see what my ankles look like again! My body obviously can not handle processed food.

Happy Birthday...........

2011-06-30T14:30:00.002-04:00

to me! I think I'll have a cupcake to celebrate. :)

Dining Out Guide

2011-06-18T10:54:00.001-04:00

http://shop3.timesfreepress.com/mkt/Chattanooga/timesfreepress/Dining%20Out.aspx?c=12908089

Another great link! We were featured in the newspaper dining out guide last weekend.

Gigi's Cupcakes - Hixson, Tennessee

2011-06-17T10:48:00.001-04:00

Our second store opens today!

Found this blog that talks about us - so nice!

http://old-fashionedlemonade.blogspot.com/2011/06/gigis-cupcakes-or-bust.html

Life

2011-06-02T15:10:00.005-04:00

I apologize for the lack of posts recently. I've been having a tough go of it lately. Things are filled with turmoil in the PE household courtesy of PE Teenager. The disrespect and sense of entitlement are just unbelievable to me.

I haven't felt like blogging...I haven't really felt like much of anything. I saw this on Preppy Pink Crocodile's blog and I really liked it and wanted to share it.

Gigi's Cupcakes - Chattanooga Store #2 - Coming soon!

2011-05-21T15:58:00.001-04:00

We have purchase this cute van - "Gigi's a-go-go" in preparation for our opening of our second Gigi's Cupcakes store in June in the Chattanooga area. Mr. PE has been very busy with getting everything thing ready. Construction is well under way and the hiring has begun.

Check us out here. The franchise is rapidly growing throughout the US.

American Idol

2011-05-20T09:25:00.004-04:00

Our hometown girl is one of the two finalists on Idol!! Lauren Alaina is from the Chattanooga area. Our Gigi's Cupcakes store delivered some cupcakes to her when she was here Saturday for her hometown visit. We had a special Lauren cupcake that day. The footage they showed of the tornado devastation and Lauren's reaction were heart breaking. It will be a long time before our area recovers.

It should be a good show next Tuesday. Good Luck Lauren Alaina.

Mass Destruction

2011-05-03T15:35:00.009-04:00

The Chattanooga area was part of the south that was devastated by the multiple tornadoes on April 27th. May areas close to home were just about wiped off the map, Areas here hit were any where from 2-15 miles from where I live. They were Hinkle GA, Trenton GA, Ringgold GA, Hixson TN and Apison TN. It was by far the scariest day of my life. So far the death toll here is 73 and rising. These pictures are by far some of the less severe damage. Please pray for those that lost loved ones, those that are injured and those that lost everything.

We spent a very scare afternoon and evening in the dark in our basement. We are fortunate. We made out with my family safe, some tree damage, a fried Dog electric fence system and some minor roof damage.

We had our electricity restored late Friday evening and our cable, Internet and telephone were repaired today.

We continue to try to help those less fortunate be it donating cupcakes, labor or money wherever we can.

Happy Easter

2011-04-24T08:00:00.000-04:00

An Easter Prayer for children to pray

Time for joy and time for giving

Time for remembering

Love while living.

Take this message Easter Day

Show kindness, care

At home and play.

It's in our very acts of giving

Easter's joy

Makes life worth living.

Children round the globe now hear

Keep Easter in your heart all year.

May joy and love spread land to land

Linked heart to heart

And hand to hand!

Amen

May the Easter Bunny bring you and yours a blessed day filled with love, laughter and lots of chocolate!

To Kisses for Maddy - New Book

2011-04-23T15:31:00.001-04:00

Two Kisses for Maddy by Matt Logelin is finally out. I had pre-ordered my book and it arrived. I hope to start it this weekend. I am really excited to read it. I have followed his challenging, heart breaking and heart warming journey on his blog for a while. You should pick it up to. It is currently #24 on the New york Times Best Sellers list.

Here is a link to a great article Matt wrote in the Huffington Post

Good Friday

2011-04-22T15:27:00.001-04:00

'May today there be peace within. May you trust that you are exactly where you are meant to be. May you not forget the infinite possibilities that are born of faith in yourself and others. May you use the gifts that you have received, and pass on the love that has been given to you. May you be content with yourself just the way you are. Let this knowledge settle into your bones, and allow your soul the freedom to sing, dance, praise and love. It is there for each and every one of us.'

Harlem Globetrotters

2011-04-14T11:09:00.007-04:00

PE Boy and I went to the Harlem Globetrotters this week. We stopped at Subway and grabbed a quick bite to eat. Then we headed on over to the arena. We had a really fun time. We were able to get seats on the court in the front row. They were awesome. PE Boy went out on the court and got to dance with some of the players. He ha a great time.

Weigh in Day

2011-04-13T09:39:00.003-04:00

Patience is a virtue --------I keep telling myself that. I am staying with the Weight Watchers program and it seem to be working with my lifestyle. This week I stayed the same and did not lose or gain. One day at a time.

Seasoned to Taste

2011-04-08T10:00:00.000-04:00

I am a sustaining member of the Junior League of Chattanooga and the president -elect of the Junior League Garden Club. I love the Junior League. I transferred here as a provisional and it was a fantastic way to meet people in my new city. I was active for something like 13 years. My placements were varied but my favorites were Co Chair of Gifts Galore, a holiday marketplace, Finance Vice President and Membership Vice President. Our League has a classic cookbook Dinner on the Diner.

This cook book was published in 1998 and has some great recipes.

The League has taken on a massive new project led by an exceptional woman and has produced a new cookbook Seasoned to Taste.

Check out the new cookbook here

I had time to look through this cookbook over spring break and I think it is fabulous! Gigi's Cupcakes Chattanooga is one of the proud sponsors of this book as well. The cute cookbook committee used the garden club as some of their taste testers and we had alot fun doing it.

Seda France

2011-04-07T09:00:00.001-04:00

My absolute favorite candles are by Seda France. Click here to go to their website. When I had my children's clothing boutique I carried their candles and soaps in my store. My favorite scent hands down is Japanese Quince. I just ordered some to replenish my stock at home. I love the pagoda candles and the room sprays.

They have a new candle that I love --The Classic Toile Ceramic Two Wick Candle. It is so elegant. It will look beautiful in my foyer or my living room.

Frustration is the word of the day

2011-04-06T09:26:00.004-04:00

Two weeks ago was weigh in day. I was out of town for business so I did not weigh, then came spring break where I really did a great job of watching points. I get back and weigh in on the next weigh in day. I gained 9 pounds. I keep going. It's all I can do at this point. Today is weigh in day and it is good. I've lost 7 pounds. Awesome. Losing weight has always been difficult but this see saw of gain huge amounts and lose huge amounts is very FRUSTRATING!!

Lacrosse

2011-03-21T11:30:00.001-04:00

They have started a league where we live for Lacrosse for grade 3-5. PE boy has decided to play. He is going to be the goalie. He is the goalie for indoor soccer too. He likes being the goalie and has no fear when it comes to the ball. I must say the goalie wears alot of gear!

PE Teenager played and it is alot of fun to watch. I played in middle school growing up but we played with wooden sticks. I am looking forward to it. Hopefully PE Boy will play next year at the new school he is going to.

Fabulous Bow Ties

2011-03-20T10:17:00.000-04:00

I love bow ties and so does PE Boy. I found this new fabulous company that hand makes bow ties in Annapolis, Maryland. Starboard Clothing Co. See there website here. I cant wait to buy one for PE Boy so he can wear it for Easter and at the Cloister this summer.

Dinner experiments...again

2011-03-19T10:33:00.000-04:00

We had the leftover Hungry Girl BBQ and coleslaw for dinner the other tonight. It was just as good as a few nights ago. I added a new Hungry Girl recipe for dessert tonight and it was delicious. I made Awesome Apple Pie-lets The recipe can be found here. It makes 6 pie-lets with each one being 3 Points Plus. I added a little fat free whipped topping and enjoyed it.

More cooking experiments

2011-03-18T09:54:00.000-04:00

I continue to try different Hungry Girl and Weight Watchers recipes along my weight loss journey.

Monday morning I located the crock pot and started 'Cue the Pulled Pork from Hungry Girl. The official recipe can be found here. It makes 6 servings of 2/3 cup each. It doesn't sound like much but it was plenty. So much that we were able to have leftovers with it.

Ingredients:
1 cup canned tomato sauce
1/2 cup ketchup
2 tablespoons, plus 2 teaspoons cider vinegar
2 tablespoons, plus 2 teaspoons lightly packed brown sugar
2 teaspoons garlic powder
12 ounces raw, lean boneless pork tenderloin, trimmed of excess fat
12 ounces raw, boneless pork shoulder (the leanest piece you can find), trimmed of excess fat
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 cups roughly chopped onion ( i bought a package of chopped onions at the store)

The pieces of meat I bought were twice what this called for so I cut the meat in half and put the other two pieces in the freezer so I can make it again in a few weeks.

Directions
Place the tomato sauce, ketchup, cider vinegar, brown sugar, and garlic powder in the crock pot. Stir until mixed.
Season both types of pork with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper and add to the pot. Top with onion and lightly stir.
Cover and cook until pork is fully cooked. I cooked it for 8 hours on low setting while I was a t work.
Remove all the pork and place it in a large bowl. Shred each piece using 2 forks: one to hold the pork in place and the other to scrape across the meat and shred it. Return the shredded pork to the crock pot and mix well with the sauce. - I just used two forks and shredded it in the crock pot.

It was very tasty. I calculated 2/3 of a cup to be 5 points. Add a low calorie wheat bun and you're set.

I also served coleslaw. I took a pre -shredded bag of coleslaw from the grocery store and added 1 cup of T. Marzetti Light Cole Slaw mix.

Happy St. Patrick's Day

2011-03-17T08:00:00.000-04:00

I hope everyone has a great day. I think I'll wear my green Tory Burch shoes to celebrate the day.

Weigh in Day

2011-03-16T16:00:00.000-04:00

So today is weigh in day. I gained 1 pound. Considering I lost 13 pounds last week I am very content with it. I continue to try hard to track my points and follow the program. Just taking it one day at a time.

JLC

2011-03-16T09:51:00.005-04:00

I am a Sustainer in the Junior League of Chattanooga. The league has been a very important part of my life since 1990 when I moved to Chattanooga not knowing a soul. Over the years I have been a placement advisor, co-chaired a major gift show, done strategic planning, been the Treasurer and Finance Vice President, been the Membership Vice President and so many more things. I was an active member for 13 years. Currently I am the president-elect of the JLC Garden Club. The League president was kind to offer me a seat at their table this morning for the Chamber of Commerce Small Business Awards Breakfast. JLC was up for Non-Profit of the Year and won! Congratulations to a wonderful and deserving organization made up of 650+ hard working women in the Chattanooga community. They give their money and time selflessly year after year.

We are in!

2011-03-15T09:47:00.006-04:00

PE Boy heard last week that he was accepted to the prep school we were applying for 6th grade! Needless to say we were all very excited. He will start there in the fall. My parents sent him an Edible Arrangements bouquet with two Congratulations balloons. He had never received a delivery so he was excited...can't you tell from the pic? It had very yummy chocolate and peanut butter chocolate dipped bananas, apples and strawberries and flowers made out of pineapple and cantaloupe. It was a very special treat.

And the winner is...

2011-03-14T11:04:00.005-04:00

I took all of the comments and numbered them in the ordered they were received. Then I used a random number generator and it spit out the number 6.

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE WINNER - BRONCOMOM!

Please comment with your mailing address and I will get the Lilly Pulitzer perfume right out to you.

Giveaway

2011-03-13T17:38:00.001-04:00

Don't forget. You have until midnight to enter for the giveaway of Lilly Pulitzer perfume. See below.

Shopping for Spring

2011-03-12T10:00:00.001-05:00

I did a little shopping for spring the other day at Land's End. I bought this white eyelet dress in a smaller size.......I hope it fits. Isn't cute?

I definitely feel like I've turned into the middle aged mom. I now wear tankini swimsuit tops and swim mini skirts to cover myself. I bought this tankini swimsuit top but I'm going to wear it with a black swim mini skirt.

Don't Forget

2011-03-11T12:31:00.002-05:00

Don't forget to sign up for the give away for my 500th post. See below.

Weigh in Day

2011-03-09T15:00:00.000-05:00

Today was weigh in day. My crazy body is at it again. I lost 13 pounds. That make for a total of 24 pounds. Yea me!!

500th Post

2011-03-09T09:00:00.004-05:00

I can not believe this is my 500th post. My very first post was on April 10, 2008. In honor of this monumental event I am going to give something fabulous away!

I am giving away a 3.4 fl oz bottle of Lilly Pulitzer Squeeze Eau De Parfum.

To be eligible for the drawing please leave a comment describing your favorite handbag or pair of shoes and why you love it by Sunday March 13th at 6 PM eastern time. I will use a random number generator and announce the winner on Monday.

Basketball Tournament

2011-03-08T07:06:00.002-05:00

PE Boy's team won their basketball game last night so they are in the finals on Wednesday. Pretty exciting for 11/12 basketball!!

The King's Speech

2011-03-07T11:41:00.004-05:00

Mr. PE, PE Boy and I went yesterday to see the King's Speech. I was told that it is Rated R but the only bad thing was when he swore to himself in frustration and trying to help with his stammer. What a fantastic movie. It was a little long for PE Boy but he learned some great history and it sparked lots of history discussions. If you haven't seen it yet you should!

Recipe Experiments 2

2011-03-06T10:24:00.000-05:00

Friday night I went to a girl night sleepover. One of my friends has a cabin and invited around 10 women to come eat appetizers, drink wine and spend the night. I was asked to bring an appetizer. I wanted to take something that I could eat. i made two things to take with me.

Buffalo Chicken Dip - reduced fat version

1 block light cream cheese

1/2 cup fat free ranch dressing

1/2 cup extra mild buffalo wing sauce

1 cup reduced fat Colby Jack shredded cheese

1 can, drained, of white chunk chicken packed in water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix all of the ingredients together in a bowl until well blended. Transfer mixture to a baking dish. Bake for 20-25 minutes until bubbly. I assumed this made 10 servings. I calculated the weight watchers points to be 3 points plus per serving. Serve with celery sticks and Baked Tostitos. They would be extras points. I made two batches. One for Mr. PE and PE Boy and one to take with me to the girl's night. This is before I baked them in the oven.

I decided to make one other thing. I had seen this weight watchers recipe on line and I wanted to try it.

Herb Crusted Parmesan Crisps (courtesy of weight watchers on line)

4 oz Parmesan cheese, such as Parmigiano-Reggiano, finely shredded (about 1 1/2 cups)
2 Tbsp chives, fresh, minced
2 Tbsp parsley, fresh, minced
1/2 tsp black pepper, freshly ground

Preheat oven to 425ºF. Coat cookie sheets with cooking spray. Place scant tablespoons of cheese on prepared pans, about 1 1/2- to 2-inches apart. Flatten out each pile of cheese into an oval shape; sprinkle with herbs and pepper. Bake until cheese crisps turn golden and resemble lace cookies, about 5 to 6 minutes. Cool on pan until set and then remove to wire rack to cook completely. Yields approximately 12 crisps at 2 cheese crisps per serving.

I did not have chives or fresh ingredients so I used parsley flakes and sweet basil leaf flakes. Also I added just a bit of garlic salt. These were delicious! You get two crisps(each the size of a cookie) for only 1 point plus.

Recipe Experiments 1

2011-03-05T09:48:00.000-05:00

I've been experimenting with different recipes as I continue on my Weight Watchers journey. Thursday night I made lemonade pork chops and too-EZ mac 'n cheese.

The lemonade pork chop recipe was given to me by a friend. It came from http://www.allrecipes.com/. Click here for the recipe. It is not a great picture but I broiled them in the oven. The coloring was a bit funny looking but they tasted yummy.

The too-EZ mac 'n cheese comes from Hungry Girl. She made it on her TV show. You get a heaping cup of this and it is sooo good and unbelievably easy. Click here for the recipe.

The heaping cup really was a lot and was filling.

Mr. PE and I thoroughly enjoyed the meal. PE Boy is a very picky eater. He ate some of the pork but wanted nothing to do with the mac 'n cheese because it had broccoli in it.

Christmas Present

2011-03-04T09:03:00.000-05:00

The weather is starting to get nicer here and I am definitely in the mood for Spring...nicer weather, fun clothes, bright colors.......

I received this Vineyard Vines bracelet from Mr. PE for Christmas. I wore it for the first time yesterday with navy slack, a hot pink shell, a navy blazer and navy Tory Burch Reva flats. I must say...it looked pretty good together. The beads are gold, navy blue, chocolate brown and hot pink.

Now all I need is this to go with it. I had a gold add a bead when I was in high school but I don't know what has become of it. I love this gold bead graduated necklace.....hint, hint Mr. PE.

Sporting Clays

2011-03-03T12:37:00.000-05:00

Mr. PE went with PE Boy for a day of adventure shooting sporting clays. They went with Mr. H, PE Boy's Godfather, and his son M. Mr.H. had given PE Boy a gift certificate for this place for Christmas. They went to a little hole in the wall for a good southern lunch and then headed out for a little shooting. They had a really great time. PE Boy said not only was the shooting fantastic but he got to drive a golf cart. A banner day for an eleven year old! It sounds like they will do this again.

Happy Belated Birthday

2011-03-03T12:25:00.006-05:00

Happy Belated Birthday Dr. Seuss!

Theodor Seuss Geisel March 2, 1904 – September 24, 1991

In 2000, Publishers Weekly compiled a list of the best selling children's books of all time; of the top 100 hardcover books, 16 were written by Geisel.

Some of my favorites that are on that list are:

Green Eggs and Ham

The Cat in the Hat

One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish

One of my other favorites is Horton Hears a Who! My children have enjoyed these books over the ages.

Weigh in Day

2011-03-02T08:26:00.003-05:00

Ughhhhhhhh! I had a great week on Weight Watchers but the scale shows I've gained two pounds. My body is retaining a lot of fluid in my feet and ankles. All I can do is keep up with the program and keep going. Sooner or later the weight is bound to come off.

Yum Yum Brownie Muffins

2011-03-01T09:00:00.001-05:00

Hungry Girl has many tips to make watching what you eat eaiser. I receive a daily email from her that I really enjoy. She even has a 30 minute show now on TV.

One of my favorites receipes is her Yum Yum Brownie Muffins

Ingredients:
1 box devil's food cake mix
1 can solid pack pumpkin (15 oz.)

Directions:
Mix the two ingredients together. Don't add anything else that may be mentioned on the box, such as eggs, oil, or water. The mixture will be very thick and you will be tempted to add in other things to make the batter smoother.
Place batter into muffin tins (or mini muffin tins) lined with paper, or sprayed with non-stick spray. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes. Makes 12 regular muffins.

Each muffin has 5 Weight Watchers Points Plus.

Urban Stack Burger Lounge

2011-02-28T11:45:00.004-05:00

Mr. PE and I went to a cool new restaurant over the weekend with our friends the R's. We went to the Urban Stack Burger Lounge. It recently opened in one of the cities oldest buildings. It is a 1870s-era building, that served as the Southern Railway Freight Depot, also known as the passenger baggage building. The restaurant bills itself as having Killer Burgers & Manly Drinks. The owners of this restaurant one one of my favorites: Taco Mamacita. I don't know there background but they have a knack for bringing new ideas to Chattanooga and being successful with them.

This restaurant is new and the only draw back was the extensive wait. We waited about 1 hour and 45 minutes for a table. Now don't get me wrong, this is what they told us when we put our name on the list so we did expect to wait.

We started with Benton's Potato Skins and Fire and Ice Pickles. Both were very good but Mr,. PE and my friends thought the potato skins was a small portion for what you pay.

The menu consisted of mainly burgers and all different toppings but you could also get free range chicken or an upgrade blend of prime brisket and chuck blend. You also can get a whole wheat bun or have it in a lettuce wrap.

I chose the Asian Q Burger in a lettuce wrap to save me some Weight Watchers Points. It is "American Kobe style Waygu Beef , wasabi savoy slaw, Asian ginger barbecue sauce, homemade cucumber kimchee and 5 pepper dry rub. It was delicious! The sides are a la carte. I ordered the Almost Pickled Beets but they were out. Instead I ordered the tomato and blueberry salad.

I saw many other items on the menu I would like to try so I am sure we will go back.

Happy Birthday Dad

2011-02-25T14:30:00.006-05:00

My Dad celebrated is 78th birthday this week. My mom got him his favorite Baskin and Robbins ice cream cake. I sent him a box of goodies in the mail for the man that doesn't need anything.

Happy Birthday Dad ------ I hope it was a great one!