Not So Golden Arches

My first real job as a teenager was at McDonalds.  I started  as a senior in high school, was quickly promoted to a swing manager and loved it.  Yep, that's right.  I loved my job at the golden arches.  I had an amazing boss, made great friends and despite being there pretty much everyday of the week, I still enjoyed my employee discount on my meals.

Fast forward to 2004 and a  documentary by Morgan Spurlock called Supersize Me.  Have you seen this one?  I don't want to spoil it for you but Spurlock goes on a 30 day all McDonalds diet.  He has to order  everything from the menu at least once, and he has to say yes anytime they ask him to supersize his order.  Guess what?  By the end of the 30 days, he has gained weight, his liver panels are bad, just a host of terrible things. 

Bad McDonalds, right?    Well yes and no in my opinion.  See, as I  see it over the years McDonalds  as  well   as other fast food restaurants has tried  to offer healthier alternatives.  You can get salads, wraps, bottled water, apple slices...and that is where, to me, Spurlock messed up.  Once he made it all the way through their menu, he didn't have to continue ordering the Big Macs or QPC.  He didn't have to get Coke with every meal when bottled water, milk or even diet was available right?  Don't get me wrong, I see what he was  trying to prove, but I was still upset about it.  It's seems easy to pick on McDonalds, its a big one, but don't fool yourself by  choosing another one. 

I know that fast food is the enemy of healthy living, at  least  one of the big ones.  We try our best to avoid it, but sometimes it's just SO easy to fall into that trap.  Take tonight for example.  I  work until 6, the hubs is home re-roofing the garage all day.  he is going to take Mini me and Sissy to Mini's  dance camp  at 6 and go  back to work on the roof some more.  I am leaving work and driving straight to the studio to pick up the girls at the end of camp at 7:00.  By the time we  are  all home it's going to be close to  7:30...do you know how hard it is to drive past those arches at 7:30 and see the sign advertising the $9.99 dinner box?!?!?!  By that time we  are all going to be exhausted and no one will want to make dinner. 

Tonight we will drive past that sign, my girls will ask for the dinner box, and I will firmly and authoritatively say NO!  Not just because of  the fact that it's not good for us, but also now the resurgence of the pink slime.  The what?  Pink slime.  Yep, those words are associated with our food supply.

 Just seeing this and hearing more about the processing of meat and what is ending up not only in restaurants, but on our grocer's shelves and in our school lunches.  I  have never been so  happy that my kids are packers when it comes  to lunch!  Jamie Oliver brought this and the "ammonia wash" to light in his Food Revolution.  If you haven't seen it on youtube yet, check it out here!!

Watching this, hearing this, seeing this...it made me feel angry, helpless, victimized!  Join the Revolution!  Did you know that studies are starting to show that we may outlive our children?  What have we allowed society to do to us?  How  can we make this better? 

With the idea of the cheapest meat being processed and sold to us, and the huge markup on things like soda...how much would it really cost these  big name fast food restaurants to switch over  to grass fed, organic beef?  how much money would they lose if they served something to the public that was meant for  human consumption?  Come on big business!!

I loved you Mickey D's.  We made memories, we had some laughs...but I  love my children more.  I  may only be one person, and we may only be one family...but it's a start!  Take a stand! 

You can contact these chains and make your voice heard!   
Mcdonalds
Burger  King
Taco Bell

Holiday Hunger-stoppers

My sweet and sassy mini is SO excited about the holidays!  We have been busy crafting all sorts of fun projects and writing letters to Santa...and now she wants to know when we are making the cookies.  The hubs and I have fiends that make dozens upon dozens of cookies every year.  They could feed a village on cookies.  We do a few dozen to share with family and Santa and usually call it a day.

We have an annual holiday get together with some fiends of ours too each year at our house and in the past my hubby has made some of the above mentioned cookies for them as "host gifts."  Yes, they are THAT good.  I do tend to boast how awesome my fam is but you don't understand...there aren't words to describe how amazing the hubs cookies are.  They are the only ting that is ever actually requested by the extended family for any and all gatherings...the girls look forward to special events because they know they will be made...they are epic cookies in our household.  He makes both chocolate chip and sugar and they are equally as delish!  I am curious as to whether he is going to attempt them this year with gluten free flour, or just make them "regular" style. 

Now, with the holidays coming up it brings concern as to how to get through the holidays without misbehaving too much.  The hubs and I have been doing really well with not eating the gluten, we also have a friend who is vegan, and most recently we have a family that has decided to cut back on sugar.  Now first and foremost, I am so proud of my family and friends for taking steps towards healthier lives, but with the holidays how is this possible?!?!?!  Well for our annual gathering, to add some fun to the event, I issued a healthy food challenge.  I made no restrictions but have challenged everyone to make the tastiest and healthiest food to bring to our potluck!  Lets not end up pot-bellied from our pot luck!!

So I have been looking for recipes, and am asking you for any suggestions you may have.  IN a perfect world, I would find the yummiest sugar free, non dairy, gluten free item to serve, and I have not lost hope in that endeavor. 

What do you recommend?!?!?!

 

 

also, a few resources I have found so far in my searching

 

12 Days of Vegan Treats

 

Sugar Free Holiday Treats and Sweets

 

Super Easy Gluten Free Christmas Treats

 

Seasons Eatings: Healthy Holiday Recipes

 

Holiday Central



Getting Rid of Gluten

We have been bouncing all sorts of ideas around in our house on what might be the best diet life-style choice for us.  Back in September I posted about feeling the need to do Something but not knowing what or where to start.  I made the decision after some research and documentary watching to cut dairy milk from my diet and the mini's diet.  We are still enjoying cheese (a lot of goat cheese though instead of cow), but we are drinking almond milk exclusively.  I know I have mentioned on here before the frustration the hubs feels from working out and working out and working out and not seeing any results on the scale.  Yes, the exercise is great for him and brings on lots of NSVs, but sometimes you just need the gratification of seeing the numbers slide down and away.

It has really made us look at all sorts of factors and what could be holding him us back?!?!  I have the same issues at times where I bust my butt and see no numerical results.  It's hard to stay motivated when that happens.  Both the hubs and our oldest are lactose intolerant.  In doing some research I have found 1 constant...gluten. I have been feeling like gluten could be a culprit for a while, but needed to find something more concrete before poo-pooing a MAJOR component of our everyday diets.   I have found that gluten intolerance goes hand-and-hand with lactose intolerance for a lot of people.  I have found that hypothyroidism and hashimoto's can be helped with eliminating gluten.  I am not a medical doctor...but I think this may be worth a shot. 

With the holidays coming up (and a full pantry) we have decided to gradually scale back the gluten until we can cut it (without being wasteful).  So I have decided to start experimenting.  It sounds so scary at first, gluten free, but then when you really research it there isn't THAT much that you have to give up.  You have to be smart about reading labels, and we can SO do that!!!  So, in the spirit of proving to my hubby that this will not only be doable but yummy...I decided to make a completely gluten free dinner last night!  Thank goodness I had my little chef to help.  We decided to make chicken strips with roasted veggies. 

how stinking cute is my helper?!?!?!  Love her SO much!!!!!

First we assembled our ingredients (well most of them).  We bought fresh, free range boneless, skinless chicken breasts, rice chex (did YOU know they are gluten free), fresh brussel sprouts (my hubs fav) and we had some fresh taters our friend Jack grew and gave us.

(sorry they are blurry...chef on the move)  My little chef went to work on smashing up the rice chex for our chicken coating.  This was FUN.  She smashed and danced and laughed...my own little iron chef in the making.

While she smashed I cut up and prepped the potatoes and brussel sprouts.  Those also went into large Ziploc bags with a little extra virgin olive oil, salt, pepper and a touch of garlic powder on the potatoes.  Once in the bag and ready, my sous chef mixed them all up to make sure they were all coated.

We laid them out on a baking sheet with the veggies separated (little chef is not yet a fan of the brussel sprouts), and put them in a 400 degree oven with the timed set for an hour.  Then we moved on to our chicken.

I we sliced up the chicken taking the small amount of excess fat off, and put them into nice bite sized pieces, put through an egg wash and rolled them in the chex mix (which we added a little more salt, pepper and garlic too).  Then the chicken was added to the same 400 degree oven for the last 45 minutes

The completed meal was delish!  The hubs and I had a brussel sprout/potato mix with our chicken bites, while the little chef opted for just taters, chicken and applesauce.  I am always over the moon if I make something new (especially with no recipe) and the hubs likes and this was a definite hit. 
Delish, nutritious and completely gluten free! 

 

What are some hints, tricks, recipes you do to keep out the gluten?!?!

Food and Fitness Fun (+ a lil FMM)

Okay, so I have been talking a lot lately about how I want to and have been trying to change how I eat and get back on track with my workouts. If you have been reading my blog for a while now (thanks) you also know that I feel like there are many times that the universe sends me signals, many more since crossing the "mid thirties" line and the great metabolic slow down.  So I started this weekend of with some worry.  Despite all the miles I have been tracking with the old pedometer, I knew it was going to be tough.  We had Friday night cocktail festivities for the hub's bday with some of our closest BFF's, then we had the cake and yumminess festivities with just the girls Saturday which ends with leftover cake goodness Sunday, Monday...you get the picture.

So I basically hid like a coward from MFP and the scale all weekend.  It was cowardly I know, but at the same time ok.  I enjoyed not thinking about the scale at least.  So, last night my big kid was out playing with friends and the little one was stir crazy, so I asked her if she wanted to hit the playground.  OF COURSE!!  Duh mom, right?!?!  So I asked the hubs to go with but he actually made us some homemade (aka YUMMY with a capital YUM) bread and needed to let it finish baking and then do a cooling process.  So I went to get the mini me ready and he says that he wants to work out.  Awesome!  Whenever her gets motivated and started he is SO good about staying on track and he tends to motivate me.  SO, good wife that I am, I say well I will take mini to the playground and she can ride her bike there and back (she needs to practice her pedaling) and that will take some time then I can give her a half an hour at the playground so he should all in all that should take about 45-60 so he should be able to work out while we are gone.  And like that, it's a plan!

So mini me and I grabber her shoes and helmet and were off.  now this may not seem like a big deal, but my sweet little bear generally pedals up and down the drive way and then calls it quits, so the fact that she agreed to ride all the way to the playground is pretty fantastic...the fact that she DID it was off the charts awesome!  She did great by the way!  She was so proud of herself for doing it.  I'm so proud of her too!  She did about a .75 mile ride in her own sweet time (and I got the benefit of the walk since I was beside her in case she fell or needing help steering-which she hardly needed). 

When I got home hubby had worked out and showered all ready (guess we were gone longer then I realized) then he quickly took mini me for a bath and started dinner with the prompt "You're turn."  So, feeling motivated already by his good example, I got in a GREAT workout!  It was painful, sweaty and gross...but felt SO good!

I also took this weekend as an opportunity to try something new and good for me food wise.  While at Earthfare on Saturday, I saw almond milk on the shelf in the dairy case.  I have been reading a lot about the health benefits of choosing almond milk over cow milk and have been wanting to try it, but didn't want to get a full sized carton for fear of it been "yucky."  So while at the store the hubs and the big girl found me this:

How cute is this little single serving sized almond milk!  It was perfect for a taste test...and guess what...Momma likey!  My hubs tasted it and was not as impressed, he will stick with the very vanilla soy milk that we buy for him and the big kid...the big kid refused to try therefore the little kid refused to try.  I have a feeling though that I can get the little one to try it with me when we are alone!  :)  Baby steps to better health!

What are some foods that you have switched to on the quest to better health?

 

 

A few more DC pics to enjoy:

and now some Friend Making Monday!!

If you’ve taken part in FMM then you know the rules. If you’re new, please take a moment to answer this week’s question on your own blog then add your link in the comments section at: http://www.alltheweigh.com so we can all see your FMM questions and answers. Please invite your blog readers to add their links here too so everyone has to opportunity to be seen. The idea is to connect with other awesome bloggers so take a moment to post your own FMM post and comment on a couple of other posts. Now it’s time for this week’s topic!

School Days

1.  What was your favorite subject in school?  I always loved English, although history was a very close second.

2. Did you attend elementary school and high school in the same town? No, I did K-2 in a bigger city and then we moved the summer between 2-3, but from grade 3-12 I was in the same town.

3.  Are you still friends with anyone that you met during school?  I still have a few people from grade school that I am close to.

4. What activities were you involved in as a student? I was in wind ensemble, was a majorette, soccer, track and dance.

5. Did you bring your lunch, or did you get it at school?  I bought my lunch every day.  We actually had a cute little salad bar and I hit that most of the time.

6. Did you enjoy shopping for clothing and school supplies?  I loved it…still do, it’s a whole new experience doing it as the parent.

7. Name a song or a band that reminds you of high school.  Toad the Wet Sprocket. <3

8. Did you like school?  I loved school, I work for a university now and love that!  I plan to go back and get my Masters at some point! 

9. How long have you been out of school?  Do I have to admit this????

10.  What did you like most about school?  What did you dislike most about school?  My high school was very small so I guess at times I disliked that…everyone knows you and knows your business…at the same time I loved going to a small school and have a hard time wrapping my head around how big the district is that we live in now for my own kids experiences.

 

 



DC part deux

Okay, so I need to dedicate part of this post to two unique dining experiences in DC.  The national mall is just a fabulous place to stop and chill out and eat.  In between museums, we were hungry...but as is the norm, no one wanted the same thing to eat.  Conundrum??  Not in DC.  Enter the food truck picnic.  There is a strip between the Capitol and the Washington Monument that is just food trucks.  They have everything there; chicken strips and fries, hot dogs, gyros, kabobs, iced cream, Popsicles, seriously anything you wanted to choose from was there.  Pasta and meatballs.  You got it!  It was amazing.  There is even a website you can go to (wish I had known this while we were there) where you can actually track the food trucks in the district. 

So everyone was able to pick out what they wanted to eat and drink.  What made this such a great lunch was what happened next though.  We wandered out into the green space and just popped a squat and had a picnic as a family.  Were we originals in that idea, of course not...but it was such a great moment and we just relaxed and enjoyed the scenery and the beautiful weather and most importantly each other.  It was so fun, both my girls wanted to do it again the next day if there was time. :)

Watching my girls run around and play tag (together...most impressive), feeling the sunshine and breeze and taking in all that DC is and means.  I always feel so humbled there.  So many types of architecture all put together and yet its not chaotic, its breath taking.  The energy in the people and the history.  Being in DC has always been a very powerful and emotional experience for me and I hope that my daughters can feel that same way one day.

This day of fine dining was also our day with the most walking.  You may remember the "death march" I mentioned in a previous post...well we did finish out the day with over 13 miles on the old pedometer.  My oldest was a champ, although she did switch to tennis shoes for the evening walk, my youngest was more then happy to see the stroller come out for the second half of the day.  This is where awesome meal #2 came in.  My hubby had heard of a restaurant up near the Capitol on the Food Network  called Good Stuff Eatery.  It is a burger joint that is known for their ah-may-zing milkshakes!!  As someone who lives in Cleveland, home to Iron Chef Michael Symon and his "off-the-hook, holy crap, totally amazing, please can I eat there everyday, worlds best, my FAV burgers" B Spot Burgers, I don't say this lightly at all...but GSE served up some awesome eats!  I enjoyed Spike's Sunnyside while my husband had the Prez Obama Burger.  Wow.  So good!  We also enjoyed one of their Vietnamese Coffee milkshakes...it was just crazy good. 

All this deliciousness was enjoyed in another outdoor setting, right in front of GSE which is close neighbors to a place called We the Pizza which smelled unbelievably good too.  There was a musician playing guitar who came over and serenaded all the kiddos with some kids tunes which was so nice. 

After dinner we walked back towards our hotel and checked out the Capitol Building from the backside...very cool.  Tried to hoof it all the way back to Lincoln but by the time we made it to the monument the little one was done for the day, so we turned around and headed back to the hotel..  Halfway back it started to rain.  It was the perfect ending to the day though.  We laughed as we rain from tree to tree trying to stay dry.  It was a long day, all 13+ miles, but it was a good great one. 

Before we left DC the next day we hit the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum and then hit the road to the next stop...Bethany Beach, DE., but that is for another post.  

the girls eating their freeze dried ice cream from the air and space museum.

Starting point

I know, I know I made promises about vacation updates...trust me they are coming.  I'm hoping if I leave you in suspense it will guarantee your return to my blog. :)  That and I need to finish my photo uploads so I can share  some good pics with you. 

I have been planning my triumphant return to my workout/healthy eating schedule, and with that comes the question which comes first.  If the hubs and I have learned nothing else from various diets and workout plans its that you can't do it all at once.  I think many people probably aren't as successful (note: not fail) when first starting out because they think they have to do everything at once.  They think, I want to lose weight and be healthy so I have to cut all of my fav foods out and exercise 7 days a week.  For those that actually CAN do this, I applaud you.  I wish I had enough time in my day to workout everyday...but with two kiddos and a job and pets and a social life it's not always the case.  I used to feel awful if I missed a workout.  I would feel guilty and ashamed of myself for failing.  No more!  I mean after all...

I love how I feel after a good workout, but its not better then how I feel after some QT with my hubby and kiddos.  I have been trying to find activities that we can do together.  Our local neighborhood rec was offering a Zumba class that was a parent-child one so I'm hoping that comes back in the fall.  I think my little mini me would LOVE Zumba! 

So in deciding where to start I have opted for getting back to healthy foods first.  Hearing my little one ask for salads on vacation reminded me how our bodies not only need certain foods, but will actually crave them.  We ALWAYS have fruits and veggies on hand at home for snacks...that wasn't the case on vacation and her little body was craving the healthy, wonderful taste of veggies (bursting with pride about that by the way)! 

I have been researching and am looking for input from you now.  I have heard and read both sides of the coin with the Dirty Dozen list.  I love that there is an emphasis on what is best to eat organically, I'm sad that people think if they can't get those foods they cant eat them at all. I think my "winner winner (skinless) chicken dinner for right now is the Prevention magazine  25 Ridiculously Healthy Foods.  I love seeing a list of foods (not judged by their organic or inorganic qualities) that are good for you with a brief reasoning as to why you should eat them.  It's also a list that is reasonable and easy to do with kids.  I can honestly say that my kids eat about 95% of the things on this list...many without even knowing it. :)  My big girl is harder.  She has her dad's sensitive taste buds with a very basic palette.  I can't really hide avocado in her food, but I can sneak flax seed oil in.  It's a give and take.

After coming home from vacation we need to do some grocery shopping and I have decided that this list, these 25 "superfoods" are going to be in my cart at some point or other.  I want to keep a healthy rotation going.  will they all be always, no.  I am a realist.   Do I wish we could keep salmon in the house to have whenever the mood struck, yes...but truth be told fish tastes better fresh so that is a buy today eat today or tomorrow item.  It's also not native to my area so its priced higher, so maybe we do some tilapia or orange roughy instead.  As long as we are getting some fish in every once in awhile.  My little one likes fish sticks...so I am planning a panko fish stick dinner soon.  She liked my homemade chicken strips...so we shall see.

You may be asking how I decided to start with food first, well like I said we need to grocery shop.  But all kidding aside, since I have been doing this step challenge at work I have realized that I actually do move a lot more then I thought I did.  Surprising since I have a desk job...but with just my everyday moving around (dog walks included) I am averaging 5-6 miles a day, so I KNOW I am already doing something physical that is good for me.  Going with food first seemed like the logical choice.

 

What are some of your "must have" food items to keep you going?  Or what are some good substitutions you have found/made for some of your not-so-healthy cravings?

Mary Mary Quite Contrary

I think that if I had known how hard it would be to get a good garden going, I would have done a little more research before jumping in to get my hands dirty.  It has been AWESOME so far, but due to unseasonably cold weather for late May, it has been a tough road to hoe (get it...hoe hahaa gardening humor there).

Anyways, we literally went from having our AC on one day last week to flipping the furnace on the next.  It has made for a panicked little gardener on my end.  This week with the craziness has been a full force family effort on the garden.  My hubby made tent topper like frames for our raised bed and got plastic sheeting to cover from the frost warning...oh yes, the frost warning issued the day after we hit 91*.  My big girl and my hubby made sure to get the plastic off a day later when the sun finally reemerged and the temp started its SLOW ascend again. 

my sweet garden boxes with there weather protection



Once the weather started to break (again), we were able to uncover and see how we were doing.  My mini me is having some luck with her potted strawberries, there aren't an abundance of berries yet, but she gets a couple every few days so far.  We noticed yesterday too that there is some little critter that has sampled our berries. :)

 

one of the strawberry pots

up close of the "fruit of our labor" (in progress)

showing off her freshly picked berries!  Ready to eat!

 

 

This whole process has been so educational for all of us, and it actually has my girls EXCITED about trying more veggies.  They want to sample their hard work, which to me is a miracle!  Don't get me wrong, mini me has always been good about trying things....but to have the 11 year old willing to try squash and kale...I am just beside myself.  This could open so many doors to better eating for all of us!

 

our broccoli patch

the broccoli and mint

herbs and red and orange peppers, also 1 snacking pepper plant

zucchini, squash and peas

various lettuce plants, kale, collards, Brussel sprouts and spinach

green peppers and various tomatoes

 

 

 

Do you do any gardening?  What are your fav veggies or fruits to grow and what tips do you have?

 





 

 



Where's My Cape?

So, how many of you want to conquer everything but just dont' have the hours in the day or the stamina to do it all?  I am constantly jealous of my BFF who is a stay at home mom.  Her house is always clean, her scrapbooks are all caught up, she works out when she wants to...I WANT THAT!  But, my situation is not the same as hers...I work full time and my children are in more activities then hers and life is just different for the two of us.  I dont' begrudge her anything, I just wish I had a cape some days and the superhero ability to do it all.

This comes on the heels of a weekend in which , yes I indulged a bit, but not in excess as far as I thought...yet the scale seemed to think otherwise.  I was SHOCKED this morning when I got on the scale...shocked I say.  My hubs always tells me that I have to move the scale around and check a few times and take the "average" because our calibration is sometimes sub-par...but this was not just a calibration issue.  This was a full on assault of the numbers.  I mean, wow.  WTH! 

I have been feeling "doughy" lately, as that is the only word that seems suitable.  But I had a great week at the gym...well, two weeks ago.  I know I need to be better, and should have been building oin that momentum and moving onward and upward last week, but schedules and need for sleep got the better of me.  I even was at a point where I was craving comfort style food and embraced that in my cooking last week (although, I am SUPER proud of my version of beef stroganoff that I made).

So, this morning when I saw those numbers staring back at me I knew it was time to take charge and jump start this body of mine.  First plan of attack, I made myself a sensible breakfast.  I made 2 eggs to start my day off with a burst of protein and had a small glass of OJ.  I even went through the cabinet and got my vitamins out to hopefully help kick my sleepiness.  I made sure to log everything with myfitnesspal.com (something I have also been slacking in) and packed a sensible lunch with controlled portions.  It's a start.  I am hoping that the hubs gets out of work early enough to relieve me at soccer practice and maybe I can even get a workout in tonight.  I may need to think about getting up earlier and trying to workout before work.  It just means I will be going to bed earlier...which means getting the little one to bed earlier...so that is actually a good thing, right?!?!  I still need to find time though where I can have some QT with the hubs.  Where is that cape again????

So my request to you is to help keep me going, keep me challenged.  I am going to make sure I have time each day to "come clean" to you...or sing my own praises...hopefully more of the latter.  I need to get back on track so I can start feeling good about myself again.  When I feel good, I can see my positive energy radiate out through my kiddos and husband and it makes the world a brighter place, well, my world anyways. 

With that being said...what is your challenge to me this week?  I am going to ask you to help me.  Be more than just my inspiration and source of accountability...be my virtual trainers and chefs.  I implore you!!

Now for a little Friend Making Monday, even I need something a little lighter after all that :)

If you’ve taken part in FMM then you know the rules. If you’re new, please take a moment to answer this week’s question on your own blog then add your link in the comments section here at: www.alltheweigh.com so we can all see your FMM questions and answers. Please invite your blog readers to add their links here too so everyone has to opportunity to be seen. The idea is to connect with other awesome bloggers so take a moment to post your own FMM post and comment on a couple of other posts. Now it’s time for this week’s topic!

Uniquely You

1) Do you prefer to talk or text? Lately I would say I prefer to text, as I can do it anywhere and feel like I’ve been running all the time from activity to activity.

2) How often do you make your bed? I make it every day, but generally after work.  When I leave in the morning for work everyone in my house is asleep…so one of the things I do after work is make beds….absolutely makes the room look better.  If my youngest is in my bed when I leave, I will go make her bed so as to feel like at least 1 room is pulled together.  I have that fear of someone wanting to stop by for a surprise visit and get a whole house tour…not sure whey!

3) What sounds do you hear right now? The water cooler in my office and the keyboard as I type.

4) List three things that you always carry with you. Pictures of my kids, my iPhone and my lipstick.

5) What are your favorite TV shows? While my TV time is limited to what I tape and watch when I can…I do have a few guilty pleasure shows…Drop Dead Diva, Grey’s Anatomy, The Office, Bones and Pretty Little Liars.

6) Is there a hobby that you’d like to devote more time to? If so, what is it?  I wish I had more time (and funds) to scrapbook the way I’d like to.  I also want to learn to knit (properly), crochet and sew.

7) What is your favorite drink? Cherry Coke Zero.

8) Share a couple of cool facts about your family. My girls look exactly alike at age markers (meaning my 3 year old looks just like my 11 year old did at 3), my husband is just as much of a neat freak as me, I try to talk to my mom and dad a few times a week and although he may not know it, if something were to ever happen to my husband and me my little brother is the person I would want to take over care of my children.

9) List one thing that you will do for yourself today. Get back on track!

10) Share something that you’re thankful for today. My family, as I am every day.  I am a very lucky girl!

Now it's your turn to answer this week's questions! Don't forget to come back and link up in the comments. And try to say something to someone new this week. There are some pretty cool people connected here. Happy Monday, friends!

On your mark...get set

It begins today.  I have been scanning recipes, many thanks to some of you, and have put together my grocery list.  I think I have found a few good ones that have cross over ingredients that will help stretch my budget some too (very exciting).  Tonight, after picking up the little one from pre-school...we are have to the races with Operation Chef.  I like to grocery shop with the wee one because its fun to her.  She helps pick out what fruits and veggies she wants, we get a special treat to enjoy through the store...

love the juice box style and the healthy benefits

She helps load the cart, entertains other customers, usually earns a free slice of deli ham and makes my heart happy.  It's a win-win to me.  I will keep you posted on the Daring to Dream tab of this fine little blog with what I come up with.  A few recipes I have grabbed are: baked chicken strips, beef, cheese and noodle bake, crispy fish, zucchini bites...and you will have to come back and see what else.  I already feel proud in the fact that I searched healthy low cal recipes...and I also have enough kitchen smarts to know some of the substitutions I can make to bring the health level up another notch.  Wish me luck...and keep the recipe suggestions coming folks...I am loving them!

It's Getting Hot in Here

     I have said it a million times in my blog, my hubby does the cooking in our house.  He always has.  He is an excellent cook, and I am VERY lucky that he has always enjoyed cooking...until recently.  Our schedules have been so crazy lately and the kids have been so finicky about what they want to eat that he has not enjoyed cooking.  We have ordered a lot of meals recently as well as done "boxed" meals as he refers to them.  Looking forward to the fall semester and what it brings for his schedule and it looks as though one of the goals that I set for myself SO many months ago with the start of the new year will get forced into fruition.  I had hoped to try and cook 1 meal a week.  Some weeks I do more than that, but more often than not I don't really do any at all.  This is my time to step up to the plate.  To give him a much deserved and much needed break from the kitchen and try my and at this whole "family chef" idea.  I am excited, but also nervous.  My husband is SO good in the kitchen, I don't want to disappoint, but I think he will be happy if I embrace this new challenge.  All I can hope is to make it past the appetizer round, right?

So, if you have some great low cal recipes that do not require formal culinary training :) please forward them on.  My eRecipe collection needs filled.  Thanks!

And now...a little Friend Making Monday!  If you’ve taken part in FMM then you know the rules. If you’re new, please take a moment to answer this week’s question on your own blog then add your link in the comments section here at: www.alltheweigh.com so we can all see your FMM questions and answers. Please invite your blog readers to add their links here too so everyone has to opportunity to be seen. The idea is to connect with other awesome bloggers so take a moment to post your own FMM post and comment on a couple of other posts. Now it’s time for this week’s topic!

Inappropriate Questions

 1. Will you vote in the upcoming presidential election?  YES!!  It is our civic duty as well as a privilege to have our voices heard!

2. Do you say curse words? Does a bear sh*t in the woods?!?!  HA

3. Have you ever kissed a stranger? Nope.

4. If you could choose to meet only one fellow blogger in person right now who would you choose? I’m still so new to the blogging world that I’m not sure.  I love having people stop by my blog and enjoy doing the same…right now Kenlie, you are a MUST read every day!

5. What is the most inappropriate pick-up line that anyone has ever used on you?  Honestly, I can’t think of any.  I wasn’t the type of girl that got a lot of the lines…my friends seemed to, but not me so much.

6. Do you sing in the shower?  Sometimes.  If it’s in the AM when getting ready for work no, just because I don’t’ want to wake the whole house. J

7. How often do you get drunk?  Maybe once or twice a year.

8. Have you ever been fired from a job?  I was a contracted worker once and didn’t get the contract renewed…does that count?  It was after 3 years though and was the impetus I needed to expand my horizons.

9. Were you popular in high school?  There were only 500 kids in my high school…so everyone was popular. Hee hee

10. Who is your current celebrity crush? Don’t really have one…how sad is that?!?

Two peas in a pod

    
     My oldest daughter had a laundry list of food allergies as a kid.  As she got older, she would use the "allergy excuse" as a reason to not try something.  We would urge her to try a new food and her response would be "I think I'm allergic to that."  Now that she is older (almost 10) she just refuses to try things.  This would be okay in most houses I would guess, but in out house where my husband is the Kitchen King, it is no good.  He loves to cook.  He loves to try new things.  He has a very discerning palette.  Both my girls have inherited their dad's palette.  They can both pick up on small changes in flavor...different brand of butter, extra type of cheese in a melt.  With the older girl this is even more of an issue because she is only willing to eat certain things and notices if we change brands on something.  When I say certain things I mean it.  She loves pasta with butter, but hates red sauce.  Put that red sauce on a pizza though and we are golden.  Her diet choices consists mostly of: butter noodles, hot dogs, corn dogs, pizza, wings, watermelon.  She claims she likes green beans and peas, although I can't remember the last time I saw her eat them.  And God bless my husband, he continues to try with her.
     My youngest has her father's sense of adventure with food.  Now, when I met my husband I was what I refer back to as very "white bread" in my food choices.  I have become a pretty good risk taker though over the years.  He knows what I like and will make things that he feels confident I will try and enjoy.  There have been a few snafus in the past, but for the most part he has succeeded.  Our little one has his sense of adventure.  She is willing to try new foods all the time.  It is such a change from our first that I sometimes am taken aback.  It's so refreshing though to have her be so willing to try things. Our most recent "try" was snow peas.  I love to eat fresh snow peas right in the pod.  I love the crispness, I love the taste, I just love them.  I bought some fresh at the farmers market last week and my little one was tugging on my short asking to eat them too.  I showed her how you bite into them, and also showed her the cute little peas inside the pod.  After many attempts she decided that the peas inside the pod were what she wanted to eat, not the whole pod so we sat together and shelled peas for her to snack on. 
     My new goal is to find something new each week at the market for her to try.  She is so  open minded and willing to try new things (especially for a 2 year old), and maybe this will catch up with me to get me to try new things as well.  So excited to get chewing!

No fries for better thighs

     I worked at McDonald's when I was a kid.  I loved it.  I had the BEST boss, and was promoted rapidly and seriously loved every minute of it.  People don't realize that there are some wonderful opportunities for you as a part of the Mickey D's franchise.  I got to take LOTS of business management classes for free that I was then able to turn around an get free college credit for.  How cool is that?  And of course there was the food.
     You would think after working at a McDonald's that I would never even want to smell the food again.  I hear that from so many people that have worked in various fast foods restaurants that after having spent SO much time there, they can't even stand the smell of the food anymore.  Not me.  McDonald's will always be my go to fast food of choice. 
     Now, before I got preggers I had a whole speech about how healthy I was going to be when I was pregnant.  Organic food, healthy choices, the best of the best.  I was already eating better and exercising regularly, how could this plan backfire?  How?  CRAVINGS!!!  My sweet little lady (now two and a half) has her Momma's love of the McDonald french fry...which I should have known would be the case because I craved those delish fries throughout my pregnancy.  I also craved a great deal of red meat which I did limit and even swapped out chicken for (once I got past my OMG chicken makes me want to barf phase...another fun thing about pregnancy, not being able to stomach some of your favs).
     So my wee one loves the fries.  My big one loves the cheeseburgers.  I have zero will power when it comes to the golden arches, and my husband (who has been better than me about it) also tends to succumb.  With this being said, we have decided as a family to nix our trips to fast food establishments altogether.  No McDonald's, no Burger King, no Sonic, nothing!  I know deep down somewhere that the reason I can work my butt off in a workout and still not get all the results I want is because I can't just say no to the fast food.  After many happy years together though, it's time to take a break.  To put a little distance between us.  I think deep down I knew this would have to happen for the overall health and well being of not only me, but my whole family.  I know there will be times when we slip up, but we are going to try our best to avoid ALL FAST FOOD!  There is still time for the two year old to forget.  I mean, I know I must be doing something right because she will routinely ask for fruit first...but if we are in the car, she asks for french fries.  Eating and traveling between activities has been linked by fat.  Tine to start taking a cooler pack of carrots and apples in the car.  Wish us luck!.

I've been "lovin it" for too long.  Good bye old friend.

Food for Thought

     First I must admit that I have been remiss.  For those of you who have come to Waits and Measure(ment)s and follow my posts, I want to thank you.  I realized when I opened my blog today and saw another follower that I had never really welcomed or thanked anyone for taking time from their day to stop in and see what I have posted.  So to all of you welcome and thanks!  You have no idea what it means to mean to know that someone is "listening."
     Now, I admit proudly that my eating habits have changed dramatically since meeting my husband.  I was a bit of a white bread, all American eater when he and I met.  I had specific foods I didn't like (whether they had been tried or not) and was not what you would call a risk taker at all.  He on the other hand is always willing to try new things, new foods...I guess that is why he has always been open-minded about my cooking (hee hee).  Anywho...he has never openly done so, maybe not even knowingly done so, but in my eyes, he has challenged me to expand my palette.  He will try things and make suggestions he he thinks it is something I would like.  Over the years, he has gotten to know my tastes so well that he also knows exactly what I will NOT like (his Dad's homemade octopus soup was one of those "not like" things, especially when it was being served for breakfast).  For some my list of new foods may have been common place, every day foods...but for me, some were HUGE undertakings.  Some of the foods that I now adore were things that I had just never had the opportunity to experience, there wasn't any kind of bias...just never had an occasion to try guacamole as a kid, not it's one of my all time favs! 
     With all this being said, I have to say that my two most recent "trys" were huge successes.  The first being Greek yogurt.  Now, to preface this I have to say I know the health benefits of cottage cheese, and have tried cottage cheese SO many times it's painful to recall...that is one thing that I still can't take.  I mention this because for some reason when people started talking about Greek yogurt I had this recurring vision of cottage cheese.  This in a completely logical frame of mind makes no sense since somewhere in the back of my head I knew it was the base for the sauce on my beloved gyro.  Anyways, with all the health benefits being spouted off about it, I thought it worth a try.  SO HAPPY I DID IT!  There are some days when I have two servings.  I love it!  A little Greek yogurt with a dash of granola in it has quickly become one of my go to fav snacks!
     The next new food I tried I am REALLY proud of.  In general, despite much trying, I am not much of a fish person.  My hubs has made good tilapia, and I have enjoyed that on occasion.  I like some crab, tuna, calamari, and gold fish crackers :)...but my overall seafood experiences have been pretty tame.  In reading about healthy foods, when it comes to seafood I know that Salmon is pretty much right up on top.  It's something I have always wanted to try, but knowing my tastes my hubby has been hesitant to make because he said it's one of the "fishier fish."  Well, we went to dinner at a friends house last week.  Imagine my panic when the only dinner option was crab stuffed salmon!  OMG!  Are you kidding me!  I just tried to play it off, no worries.  I can do this.  I can try a little bit and fill myself on appetizers and salad.  Our friends had just recently bought this new fangled radiant oven and he had cooked the fish in there.  After a quick taste test, my sweet hubby said he thought I would do okay.  I can't even begin to describe how wonderful my meal was!  I loved it.  I had a nice sized portion of salmon and ate it all down, no problems at all!  I actually almost wished I could have had seconds it was so good, but as they too are watching their figures, they had bought enough and coked enough for just the right portions!  I am looking forward to my next salmon dinner. 
     This was a big step for me.  I can honestly say that I feel like I have turned over a new leaf in the food department.  Just another step closer to the new and improved healthier me!  What are some of the food fears you have overcome in the name of good health?

Food Hangover

     Yesterday started on a decent foot.  I slept in a little bit cuddling with my sweet baby girl, had an nutritious and low cal breakfast of oatmeal and a banana...I even had a nice salad with a small bowl of soup for lunch.  It wasn't a gym day, but I was okay with that because that meant it was a Pilates night.  I also don't feel too guilty most days in regards to getting some sort of exercise because I work on the 3rd floor of my building and I am a stairs kind of girl so I always have my up and down to keep me moving.  We had gym class for my two year old where I always get to run  around a bit...then came dinner.  Oh dear me.
     My oldest daughter plays on two travel soccer teams right now.  Between practices for both, games, tournaments, horse back riding lessons, girl scouts and the little ones gym class I have many days where I feel as though I just live in my car.  Last night my husband took the oldest to soccer while I went to gym class.  On my way home he called t ask if I wanted to go to Max & Erma's for dinner since they were sponsoring a fundraiser for our soccer club.  As a proud parent and board member (not to mention not wanting to figure out what to make for dinner at 745 at night) I was all about the Max & Erma's trip.  The plan was that as long as we presented our soccer voucher, 20% of our total bill would be donated back to the organization.  With that being said, we felt the need to try and run the bill a bit.  We got a sampler appetizers plate, and then we each got a meal, plus the little ones meal and her ice cream.  This is where the trouble started.
     The sampler.  SO many out of (calorie) control foods on one plate.  There were potato skins, chicken fingers and the grande nachos...all with their own varieties of dips and sauces.  I have a weakness for all of these things, but most especially the loaded potato skins.

     My poor husband even remarked on how I attacked this plate of completely bad for me food.  I didn't realize how hungry I was until the waitress brought it all out.  I mean, it had been almost 9 hours since I had eaten my lunch...but there is no excuse.  This was over the top.  I made a slightly better meal choice with a half club sandwich and half salad platter, but nothing can change the way I devoured 3 of the 4 potato skins + my share of the nachos.  Why am I telling you this?  Because I am doing my best to be honest with myself.  I could ignore this meal, but I feel obligated to tell you the truth.  By the time we got home, I felt awful.  It has been quite a long time since I ate food like this.  It was filling (for the time) but left me feeling lethargic and just yucky.       I did get the little one off to bed and then did my hour long Pilates cardio workout (thank you once again Crunch Gym and your amazing workouts), which did make me feel a little better, but still just kind of blah.  This morning when I woke up, it took me  awhile to get moving.  All I can think to call this feeling is a serious food hangover.  I have learned my lesson.  I will not be attempting this kind of binge again.  Not that the binge was intentional at ALL but I have more self-control than I used last night.  Lesson learned.  Looking forward to another amazing Crunch workout tonight!