The Skinny on Getting Skinny

I need to rant, sorry.

I keep seeing women talk about losing weight.
Which is wonderful, but the way they talk about it irks me.

"You guys gotta keep me motivated." ~ YOU are the only one who can make yourself take the action to lose the weight, honey.

"The kids ate pizza, but I was good and only had a salad... even though I really wanted some pizza." ~ You're setting yourself up for failure if you're depriving yourself. Moderation is KEY. How about you all eat one slice of pizza and have a big salad on the side? Now there's a novel idea.

While we're on that subject... add some COLOR to your diet, people!
"I'm making chicken, mac and cheese, corn, and biscuits for dinner." Really?

And you're trying to lose weight?

"I'm taking this supplement and/or drinking this shake." ~ You really truly don't need these to lose weight.

"I need to work out x amount of hours at the gym, and then meet up with my personal trainer so he/she can kick my butt... but we're not sure where our next paycheck is coming from." ~ I understand your health is important, but shelling out money for a gym and personal trainer isn't a necessity.

There's more, but I'm sure you're getting the idea.

Now, who am I to be one to talk?

I'm not really.
But I DO know something about losing weight.

Says the chicky-doo who has lost 60 lbs in under a year.

(Yeah, that'd be me!)

I don't go to a gym.
I don't have a personal trainer.
I don't depend on others for motivation.
I eat good food.
But I also don't deprive myself.

Hell, I had a Whopper with cheese and fries last week.
With a Dr. Pepper!!

I use my body. As in, my body is my gym. My body is my equipment.
No treadmill, elliptical... nothin' fancy.
Just me and my body.

Lunges, squats, crunches... etc, etc, etc.
Those damn burpees.
The only thing I need for them is my body.

I use food.
Food is fuel.
If you burn calories, you need to replenish your body.

What?!

It's called a post-workout munchie.
I flip-flop between two -- I either eat an egg after workout or I have a glass of chocolate milk.

Yeah, you totally read that right.
Mmm mmm mmm chocolate milk.

And I'm losing weight.
And toning up.
And still drinking chocolate milk.
Google it.

There's also a pre-workout munchie, but really, I'm not a follower of that.
I'd vomit if I ate before doing some of my exercises.

I don't do the whole fat-free thing.
But I'm smart.
I read labels.

I like fiber.
And protein.

Sugars, not so much. (But I also have low blood sugar... sooo yeah)

Low fat, high protein, high fiber.
Meats, dairy, fruits and veggies.

And peanut butter!!

Don't forget my peanut butter!

Everyone knows the difference between good fats and bad fats. It's just up to you to decide which you're going to consume.

And then there's water. Lots of ice, cold water.
Mmmmm!!!

It's really not hard. I promise you don't have to kill yourself.
A little here, a little there.
A little more mindful of what you're putting in your body.

I promise you, when you start to notice the little changes in your body...
When you realize that this move or that move is easier to do than it was last week...
When that first person comes up to you and asks if you've lost weight...
When you slip into that pair of pants that was once too tight and now are baggy...

It'll be worth it.
It'll be more motivation for you than being dependent upon others for your weight loss journey.

One pound at a time.

Buffalo Chicken Dip

I LOVE this stuff. Love. It's not the healthiest, but once that first bite passes my lips, I really don't care how unhealthy this yummy dip is. The wonderful thing about this is it isn't too spicy, so my little Em is able to enjoy it as well.

Buffalo Chicken Dip ::
2 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, cooked and shredded
2 8oz. pkgs. cream cheese
2 c. shredded colby jack cheese
1/2 c. ranch dressing
1/2 c. blue cheese dressing
1/4 c. hot sauce
1/4 c. buffalo wing sauce

Honestly, I just dump it all into a saucepan and heat until melted, and serve it with tortilla chips. Yum!

Meet Denny

Em recently had a birthday, and we just celebrated with family at our house. My brother and stepdad walked through the door, each carrying one end of a ginormous present.

Ummm... I didn't tell them she wanted anything ginormous for her birthday. What in the world??

So I asked my brother what it was. He told me it was a dollhouse.

WHAT?!?! Where am I gonna put ANOTHER ginormous dollhouse?! We already HAVE a ginormous dollhouse!!

His response was to oh-so nonchalantly say, "You'll find a place."

So then Em begins to open said ginormous dollhouse.

Only... wait, that's not a ginormous dollhouse Em is opening.

It's a cage. A freaking CAGE!!

WHAT did you guys get her?!?!?!

Lots of laughing.

Me still trying to figure out what creature I now get to care for.

Turns out, it's this little guy ::

Meet Denny

Turns out, I was totally set up.

One night before Christmas, I get a random text from my brother telling me his roommate had decided he wanted a dog for their apartment when they went back for second semester of the school year. He said he was trying to talk him into something smaller than a dog. Then asked if I was getting Em a guinea pig for Christmas because I had mentioned the idea earlier in the year. I told him I wasn't because I couldn't afford one. Okay? Couldn't afford one lol.

Then another day, he asked if I was off work any the week before Christmas. I told him I was off the Friday before then mentioned I was gonna ask to see if he wanted to spend some quality time with his favorite niece that day while I finished up some last minute stocking stuffer buying. Turns out, he was asking because "he wanted to take her to a pet store to buy Christmas gifts for the dogs my mom and dad have."

Notice those quotation marks?

Yeah.

While there, he took her to look at the guinea pigs. Had her pick out which one was her favorite. Then they bought the toys for the dogs.

Then he took her to Zip and Sip and bought her a LARGE marshmallow iced tea.

Then he ran home and told my mom which one Em picked out. My mom then headed to the pet store to get the little guy.

Meanwhile I came back to my mom's house... to an eerily empty house. My brother came out of the bathroom brushing his teeth and choked when he saw me lol. Apparently my arriving before my mom was not a part of their evil plan.

So I'm sitting on the couch and in walks my mom, holding a little box. And in that box was the guinea pig.

She took the box downstairs, where in my brother's room they had guinea pig heaven set up -- cage, food, treats, litter, toys ... it was aaaaalllll already bought.

And I was completely clueless.

Moral of the story?

Don't ever trust your brother when he volunteers to spend quality time with your daughter. Ever.

Em at first wanted to name the guy Princess lol... but since he was a boy, I vetoed it. She can't say guinea, instead says denny pig, so that's how we arrived at Denny our "denny pig."

Oh... and he HATES us.
Boo.

Birthday Interview

In the words of Em, now 5 (but thinks she's 3 -- and I'm ok with that!)

1. Favorite color -- green
2. Favorite toy -- a squishy koosh ball worm she received at Christmas
3. Favorite fruit -- apples
4. Favorite TV show -- um... I don't know (we really don't watch a lot)
5. Favorite thing to eat for lunch -- grilled cheese sandwich
6. Favorite outfit -- my 'Punzel' one (Rapunzel tee and jeans)
7. Favorite game -- Word Wacker (on her vReader)
8. Favorite snack -- Gerber puffs (yes, I still buy them even though she's 5 lol)
9. Favorite animal -- 'denny' pig (denny = guinea)
10. Favorite song -- Taylor Smiff songs (Taylor Swift)
11. Favorite book -- Three Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed
12. Best Friend -- Kobe and Lexi
13. Favorite Cereal -- the kind with the marshmallows (Lucky Charms)
14. Favorite thing to do outside -- dig in the dirt with my shovel
15. Favorite drink -- lemonade
16. Favorite holiday -- um... spring
17. What do you sleep with at night? -- my dog, jaguar, and Pikachu
18. Favorite breakfast food -- toast
19. What do you want to be when you grow up -- a grown up

Taco Dip

I have been craving tacos like crazy lately. While this dip helped curb those craving a wee bit, we're still having tacos later in the week!

This dip isn't pretty, but it is tasty. It has earned me the "Really Good Cooker" title from Em, and that's the best title ever.

Taco Dip ::

1 lb. hamburger
black pepper
garlic powder
1 pkt. taco seasoning
3/4 c. water
16 oz. can crushed tomatoes, undrained
1 lb. processed cheese loaf, cubed
10 dashes hot sauce

Place ground beef in pan to brown. Season generously with black pepper and garlic powder. Fry over medium heat until browned. Drain well.

Add taco seasoning and water. Mix well.

Add remaining ingredients. Heat to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until cheese is melted, stirring occasionally.

Serve with tortilla chips!

Banana Oat Pancakes

I was once again blessed with a large amount of bananas from a coworker. Last time this happened, I made lots of my Chocolate Chip Banana Bread. However, this time it's right smack in the middle of the holidays, and we've got enough sugary baked goods going into our bodies. Soo I decided to go a little healthier and made a couple batches of these pancakes, some for now and most frozen for later.

Banana Oat Pancakes ::

1-3/4 c. whole wheat flour
1 c. uncooked quick cooking oats
1/4 c. sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
2 c. milk
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp. vanilla
1 banana, mashed
1 egg

Combine dry ingredients in bowl; set aside.

Whisk together the egg, milk, vegetable oil, and vanilla. Stir in the mashed banana.

Pour the egg mixture into the flour mixture and stir just until moistened.

Heat a greased griddle over medium-high heat.

Drop batter by large spoonfuls onto the griddle, and cook until bubbles form and the edges are dry.
Flip, and cook until browned on the other side.


Just a note, make sure your griddle is very-well greased because this batter is sticky!! But these pancakes are ooooh-so yummy!!

My Girl is Growing Up!

Em was sent home from daycare yesterday morning with a 102 degree temperature.

She's had a cough for a couple weeks now, but that's normal for her during this time of year due to her allergies. However, when her fever kept returning when the Tylenol wore off, I figured it was time to get her to her doctor to make sure her cough hadn't developed into anything more.

Her doctor thought she had nothing more than a virus, and her lungs sounded good, so that was good.

She encouraged me to go ahead and get her a flu shot, even though she was sick during this visit. But I figured she knew best and went ahead and agreed to it. We couldn't do the mist up the nose due to her wheezing she gets with her allergies, so she had to get a shot.

I explained to her what was going to happen when the nurse came back in, and Em started crying and begging me not to make her get one. I told her it was so that she would stay healthy and wouldn't get more sick than she already was. She calmed down by the time the nurse came in, thankfully.

The nurse let her choose where she wanted her shot -- in her arm or her leg. She's never gotten a shot in her arm, but she chose it this time like a big girl. She did cry a bit, but she did really really good with it!

She got to pick out a huge teddy bear for being such a big girl, in addition to the usual sucker and sticker. She picked a pink one out with turtles on it.

She also got weighed and measured at this appointment, which she hasn't been in a while. I was shocked when I heard the numbers -- She is 46 inches tall and weighs 47 lbs. It's crazy how fast and how much she grows! I mean, she's not even 5 yet!

Movie Night

I surprised Em by taking her to see Lion King 3D at a movie theater in a nearby town.
She loves going to movies -- plus she thinks it's neat when she gets popcorn and Diet Coke for dinner!!

Lion King is one of her favorite movies. Basically, any Disney movie is.

I had the pleasure of being serenaded the whole way home by Hakuna Matata.
Not the real song, but Em's special version -- singing the same two words over and over again...

"Haaaakuuuunaaaa Maaaataaaataaaa"

Over and over and over again, like she was singing a heartwrenching ballad.

Girl cracks me up!

Car Fest

My dad had a mid-life crisis earlier this year and purchased a pretty little car. He decided to take it to the Cruiz-In and park it along the route -- you know, to show it off.

Em and Elle with the new car before the parade started.

Now, during the parade, people throw candy. My dad didn't take into account that his car might get NAILED with candy, being parked along the parade route.

Let me tell ya, hearing hard suckers bounce off the car was almost as bad as hearing nails on a chalkboard.

He didn't seem too fazed by it. If it were my car, I'd have been crying!

We tried to keep a good distance between the car and the girls so that people would aim for them and miss the car. It didn't always work though.

Em and Elle digging into their candy.

After the parade, a boy -- and I mean boy, maybe 11 -- walked by and complimented the car, knew the make, model, and year of it. We were pretty impressed. Then he walked by a couple minutes later and asked how fast it went. My dad's answer? 55 lol

A Visit with Great Grandma

My brother, sister, and I met up at my grandma's house for a visit yesterday. She had been giving me guilt trips about not seeing us or the girls as much as she would like. She went so far as to bring up her health and that she guesses her heart was ticking alright for the time being. My uncle quickly chimed in to say she was just told she was quite healthy. Gotta love the grandma guilt lol.

Em and Elle playing with a vintage farm set while their great grandma watches .

Em giving Elle a ride, while saying "Neiiiigh!!"