Me: on another diet

Yeah, so I'm dieting again. This time, (crosses fingers) I am doing a little better than before. Amen to breastfeeding. Which I'm probably going to be doing until Camden starts kindergarten... Anyway, I am doing much like I did before when I lost a little over 20 pounds- watching portions, having mustard instead of mayo, lots of fresh fruit, only diet sodas, etc. I am allowing myself about 1500 calories per day, sometimes less sometimes more. I still need to maintain a good diet since Cam nurses ALOT. Which is ok with me, because I am losing it quicker than I thought I could. Why didn't I start this when he was 7 weeks old instead of 7 months old? Oh yeah- postpartum depression. Anyway... I normally wouldn't post my starting weight being the internet and all. But, what the hell? So here goes:

my highest non-pregnant weight- 258 (after my appendix surgery)
9 months pregnant weight- 270
weight when I started dieting- 231
weight now- 211.6

Yep, that's right! I have lost 19.4 pounds since April 15th (58.4 since I delivered Cam). It has been crazy- trying to count calories in addition to fitting in a 2 to 3 mile walk every day. The calorie counting has been pretty easy, thanks to an app called Lose It on my phone. The walks are another matter- it's stray angry dog city out here. But, I'm managing thanks to walking with some friends and a wooden sword from Medieval Times! Seriously though, I am so close to being under 200 it's crazy! I am pretty stoked especially since A) I havent weighed this amount since Chloe was 6 months old and B) I am at the smallest size Lane Bryant sells which means I can finally start shopping for clothes somewhere else! Yeehaw! Not that their clothes aren't cute, I'm just tired of that being one of the only places I can shop. I would dress totally different if my options for clothing weren't so limited. Plus, those fat girl clothes are expensive! All that extra fabric... So, wish me luck. I hope to be chosen for the Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue next Summer. Not really.

First Food!

Cam had his first taste of cereal on Monday. And, he hated it! He gagged far worse than any of the other kids ever did. I thinned it to almost pure formula (what? I am all out of pumped breastmilk...) with a tiny bit of cereal and it was still too thick for him. He did look cute in his french fry bib and high chair though! I am thinking he'll survive until we try again, especially since at his doctor appointment yesterday he weighed in at 15.4 pounds and 26.5 inches long! All of the many many hours spent nursing are paying off. She was very pleased with his growth given the fact that he spits up so much. He is so sweet and I am so in love with him. He is super close to rolling over (finally) from back to front and giggles all the time. His favorite thing to do now is try and sit up when I am changing his diaper or he is in his tub or swing. I can't believe he is already 4 months old, time sure does fly! Anyway- here are some pics of the momentous occasion. Enjoy!

blessing the food


watching mommy mix his cereal


3...2...1


GAG, so blurry but sooo funny!


yuck, ick, blech!


hey! This isn't what I'm used to eating...


no more mommy!!


hating being wiped up almost as bad as eating cereal

OMG Ashley look at your butt... and stomach, and thighs, and double chin and...!

I am sitting here drinking a Coke while a Dove chocolate melts in my mouth and I know that the good times of giving into the cravings are over. Besides, the three C's- chocolate, cheese, and Coke make Camden fart. I had seriously cut down on them when I discovered they made him gassy, but eventually the cravings won me over. But, now that he had his 3 month birthday today, it's TIME! Time to eat healthier and guzzle even more water than I normally do. I try and eat somewhat healthy but I am so nowhere near perfect. I am lucky that I am nursing because it burns so many calories and I feel like if I had tried harder that I could have lost more weight by now. Thankfully I lost every single pound I gained during my pregnancy which is nice, however it's definitely distributed differently. Honestly I don't know how the scale has the same number because my face is puffy, I have a fat belly, and of course there's my boobage, which I swear needs it's own zip code. I am gonna start slowly partly because I am not sure how many calories I should eat and because I don't have time to read labels and count calories like I did before. My plan is to eat healthy, normal portions and not go for seconds. I will allow myself to "cheat" but not everyday like I have been. I am also gonna double my water intake which is already pretty high. For exercise, I am gonna put on my Reebok Easy Tone shoes and do the treadmill while Camden swings or looks at his mobile or something! I may even try and keep them on while I do chores and whatnot. I won't wear them in public though- they are fugly! I am pretty sure that lugging the car seat and carrying around a 13 pound baby will help me in the weights area. I am gonna see how things go on this "plan" of mine for a few months and if I am not showing marked improvement I'm gonna have to join a gym and consult with a trainer. I don't think I was ever meant to be teeny tiny and although I love sports and am pretty athletic I am never gonna be a gym rat, a runner, or a slave to exercise. Life is pretty busy and as long as I try and stay healthy that is what's important. And, first and foremost is my family so I really don't want anything to get in the way of that. I wanna enjoy the last year Chandler is in our home and I want to be able to spoil my last baby as long as he'll let me. Anyway- I guess I am telling you guys this so I can get advice and/or words of encouragement along the way. Wish me luck!

Yes, I Know

I suck at blogging. I am just so super busy, it's insane... I have been trying so hard to keep up with housework, laundry, cooking, bathing etc. that blogging is on the fun list, a list I rarely get to work on. Factor in preparations for Chandler's Senior year such as SAT's, football banquet, cap and gown orders, Senior pics, yearbook stuff etc. that I hardly ever get a moment's peace and when I do I am breastfeeding or changing diapers.
In addition- I have noticed my blog is getting under 20 views per day, ouch! Soon I will have a lovely new CUSTOM MADE header and SHINY NEW PICTURES which I hope translates into me being a better blogger. Crosses fingers... In the meantime, here are a bunch of totally random pictures of totally random stuff. Have a GROOVY day. I am off to decorate the Christmas tree. Oh joy!

hot cocoa bar, Starbucks eat your heart out! Love my CocoMotion all these years later, thanks Aunt Sarah!


YUM-O The Ashley Hot Chocolate Supreme


the Grinch Who Stole Christmas


Chloe and her trophy from Grands!


trying out hats...


every day...


to keep his male patterned bald head warm!

Wondering-

how the kids are handling the first day of school, particularly Chloe. Today was her first day of middle school. I am really hoping Hunter helped her out today... it's nice that they are in the same school again this year.

if I can get all of my last minute nesting done before baby.

how many more chocolate chip muffins I can eat before I get sick to my stomach, hmmm... also, if the chocolate I got on my white shirt will come out.

when I am gonna go into labor, how it will start, how long it will take, and if I can manage without the epidural.

what the baby looks like, if I really want to name him what we have discussed, and if he has hair.

if I will find the mental energy to load the very few pictures I took of the first day back to school.

if my kids realize for the first time in their entire lives that I forgot to put notes in their lunches- it's been a tradition since they started kindergarten. I feel terrible about forgetting....

if Chloe is gonna have a good year. Middle school is when girls become Mean Girls and I can't stand the thought of ANYONE being mean to my Chloe girl.

if Jon will surprise me with the fluffy chocolate brown glider rocker I have been begging for.

if Swine Flu is gonna be as bad as they are saying- kinda scary... supposedly flu season starts in a few weeks. Yikes!

if I can get my last minute errands run before baby.

and lastly- if anyone is reading this and if so are you bored yet?

How lazy can one woman be?

Well, the day started out decent enough, I actually woke up before 11. That's the beauty of having older kiddos- they can wake up, get dressed, and have breakfast almost digested before I know what day it is. I had so many plans today, kind of a pre-nesting if you will. I intended to wash and fold every ounce of dirty clothes in the house, I was gonna continue on my picture organization project, we were supposed to go to Home Depot as a family for flowers and pool furniture, not to mention pedicures for me and Chloe. But due to one nasty disagreement by text with my husband, I got like nothing done. Ok, so I watched 5 episodes of True Life on MTV, washed all the dirty clothes, played Jenga and Connect Four with the kids, worked on a 1,000 piece puzzle, and consumed my weight in Crunch~n~Munch. I also got the crap scared out of me by a mouse on our back porch and one heck of a nasty thunderstorm. Wow, I amaze myself... Not really, I didn't even make dinner. Thank you On the Border! Anyway- I am optimistic that tomorrow will be better. And, just because, I have a few pics to show you. I have been having a really hard time getting my computer to download pics and every now and then they all show up... freaky. So, I selected a few just for the heck of it. Happy Soggy Saturday!

A tree by my house that looks like Tyrannosaurus Rex


Hayden and a few of his classmates at this week's field trip


Pedro hanging out in the basket on my bike


Chloe, Reagan, Hayden, and Madison after they made mud pies


Chan, Julie, and Patrick on his 17th birthday (yes, he had a birthday as did Hunter and no I never blogged about it, but I will. Promise.)

Grumpy Girl

Disclaimer: I am hormonal and this is MY blog, so I am going to rant a bit- okay?


This week has been pretty rotten. I won't go into details, but if I was a glass half full kind of girl I would more than likely let the week roll off my back and be glad tomorrow is Friday. But, I'm not and today was especially crappy. Again, no details. Ok, I spilled red nail polish on my bedroom carpet. But, that was one of the brighter moments. It just seems like each day is presenting challenges that frustrate me beyond belief and I need a break. The hormones definitely aren't helping. After yet another annoyance I decided that I was gonna relax with some TV and a snack. So, I headed to Chili's for some of their awesome chips and salsa to go. Apparently I was going 47 on a 30 mph road. And, I got pulled over. And, my insurance cards (both perforated copies still attached together) are still in Jon's truck from when he got his oil change and inspection done ON MONDAY. I haven't had a ticket in 12 years. I was so mad. So mad that I didn't even try and beg my way out of it. I was afraid of what choice words would have come spilling out of my mouth. Plus, I really didn't feel like going to jail. I bawled all the way to Chili's. When I got there I added a chocolate chip cookie molten cake to my order. I sure hope it helps....

Lazy Sunday

I am getting quite skilled at being a lady of leisure. Today was no exception. I mean I did stuff, but it was just the bare minimum. First things first, I pushed snooze on my alarm more times than I care to remember, but did manage to make it to the last hour (Relief Society) of church. I am soo glad I made it for that one hour. GREAT lesson that I definitely needed. I also felt strongly that I needed to try harder to make it to church on Sundays. I know for a fact that although sleeping in feels great, church would make me feel even better.
After church I had some lunch and a nap. Even better- my entire family was gone so I got to nap in peace!
Shortly after I woke up Jon and the kids came home from the BMX track and told me all about Chloe's crash. She just recently started racing and today during a practice lap she tumbled over her handlebars and bit her tongue pretty bad. Her tongue is swollen and purple on the tip and she has two big teethmarks/holes on it. She also has several scrapes and bruises here and there. Honestly I know I sound like a baby, but I am not so jazzed about the idea of my only daughter getting hurt like that...
Next on the agenda- we were treated to a free concert by our neighbors! Isn't that sweet? Someone on the next block had a Mexican/Hispanic/Mariachi band playing some seriously loud music, for 6 solid hours! It was so loud we could hear it inside and when we went outside we could hear the singer or DJ and what he was saying word for word! All it really did for me was give me a serious craving for Mexican food. So, we had nachos for dinner.
And, last but not least I ventured to Wal-Mart for some Orajel for Chloe. Not much happened there, same rude, odd people as always. But, I did find something I have been looking for: Cocoa Creme Tums. Just opening the bottle made me smile, they smell yummy! Like walking into Willy Wonka's chocolate factory. It's been a long time since I was that excited. Now, I can cure my heartburn and my craving for chocolate at the same time. Wow, I live an exciting life!!
Now, it's off to bed and it all starts all over again tomorrow. I have a feeling Monday is gonna be interesting. Chloe is already pulling the stay home card and Hayden has a pretty big project due Thursday. Wish me luck....

It pays to clean!

I FINALLY got around to cleaning my desk off today. It was a mess! I have let several weeks worth of mail pile up and this evening I decided enough was enough. I am sure glad I did it, because I found THREE CHECKS! I somehow overlooked the 3 envelopes that contained the $$, whereas normally I can smell a check a mile away. Plus, not to be outdone the other day I found $22 in cash in the dryer! I love that me and Jon both rarely check our pockets. The money couldn't come at a better time, because Monday my mom and I are going on a shopping adventure for maternity clothes. And, we might do lunch... mom- I am craving Chinese.

P.S. the checks were for: $88.00 (child support), $125.34 (escrow surplus), and $8.00 (bank refund). Add in the cash for a grand total of $243.34! Yay me!

My kind of day!

Jon and I celebrated our birthday (yes, we were both born on February 28th) on Saturday by doing a few of the things we enjoy. I slept in until NOON! Meanwhile, Jon went to work and afterwards took the kids to the BMX track for some practice. While they were gone I piddled around the house (cleaning and Facebook-ing) and took the longest bath ever. It felt great! And as an added bonus- no one walked in while I was in there because no one was home but me! We had planned to have dinner and see a movie, but the movie we wanted to see (The Wrestler with Mickey Rourke) was only playing in Dallas and at Grapevine Mills. Chan was babysitting and we felt it would be best if we ate and came straight home. Honestly, that's more our style anyway seeing as we outgrew club hopping a long time ago. Some people may find us boring, but that's just who we are. Dinner out and adult conversation are luxuries and really I am too tired to do much more. We went to one of our favorite places: P F Changs and had some yummy food- super spicy Dali chicken, shrimp with candied walnuts, lettuce wraps, and chicken fried rice. Yum! I had to un-button my pants on the way home, lovely. So worth it though. Even though it was super low key, we had fun. We both forgot to get cards and decided against cake, seeing as we were way too full. But, we made a promise to each other to get cards asap and that tomorrow evening we will have cake. Not uncommon for Jon to forget, but very unlike me, I have been slightly distracted... I do want to thank EVERYONE for the awesome birthday wishes via phone, text, cards, and Facebook. I really am blessed to have such great family and friends. And, before I log off for the night I wanted to share our fortunes, they seemed very fitting considering our recent news this past week. For some reason the waiter gave us three cookies even though it was just me and Jon. I of course took it to mean I should eat two of them, one for me and one for the baby.

Jon's fortune: Your eyes will soon be opened to a world full of beauty, charm and adventure. And on the back was one word: GIRL.

My two fortunes: #1- A single kind word can keep one warm for years and #2- You will receive a surprising gift very soon.

Happy Birthday to me and Jon 2/28/2009

Good Stuff

I am feeling this overwhelming urge to blog, but can't really think of squat to blog about. So, I thought I would do a good stuff list. Little things that make me happy. Enjoy!

1. warm chocolate chip cookies and a cold glass of milk, enough said

2. when the perfect outfit just comes together, one that people notice and one that makes you feel great

3. sleeping with the windows open on a cold night but being warm as toast under a thick goose-down comforter

4. crisp new magazines

5. an awesome book that you can't put down, one that makes you think days after finishing it

6. hitting all the green lights, not getting behind slow drivers, and finding a front row parking space

7. getting a basketful of awesome-ness at Target and spending under $100, doesn't happen very often, but when it does- boo-yah!

8. my babies sleeping... mouths hanging open, covers tangled, hair every which way, little snores here and there, dang I am lucky

9. lunch dates with my hubby

10. soft, warm, squishy babies (Kelli and/or Amy, I need a fix...)

11. Friday afternoons, no homework, pizza for dinner, and just knowing that on Saturday you can sleep in and spend the day with your family

12. a blog post that people can laugh at, sympathize with, or be cheered up by

Ok, so I am feeling all warm and tingly now. I hope you are too. Have a Happy Friday!

Wintry Mix

I so wanted today to be a "snow day"... but no such luck. They did do an early dismissal at 2, whoopty doo. All that accomplished was me having to stand in long lines at each school, some of the time OUTSIDE while I waited my turn to sign my kiddos out and show my ID. It was a mad house! Parents everywhere and GERMS! The main office of any school during winter makes my skin crawl, but that's another post.
They only gave us a 30 minute warning, nice huh? And, they neglected to tell us in the message that even though school dismissed at 2, buses would be running from 2:45 til 3:45. Which meant if I didn't get the kids myself I would have been home waiting on the buses, likely a nervous wreck. So, after 1 & 1/2 hours at 4 different schools we headed to Wal-Mart for firewood (sold out) and stuff for dinner. That took less time than the school debacle, we were in and out in 20 minutes! We hadn't been out of the van for 30 seconds when Hunter stood on the mini BMX gate in our front yard and promptly fell on his butt. It was a solid sheet of ice. I've never seen a kid contorted that way before! He just laid there arms and legs splayed out, drink spilled, his bag of jawbreakers busted in the grass and laughed his butt off. We all did. Really I almost wet my pants. The only thing that held me back was the fact that it was below freezing and I didn't want frozen pee on my jeans. We did manage to have a nice dinner: homemade lasagna, salad with my famous Ranch dressing, and garlic bread, yum! It's now 11-ish and I am sitting on my bed with the laptop and a sleeve of Thin Mints. I am refreshing the school closings list every 3 seconds while I listen to the TV. Oh yeah- I am also listening to what sounds like a train in our attic. I thought our heat pump was about to explode, but Jon assured me it's only the attic fans trying to spin but they are too frozen to do their job. Wonderful. Anyway- stay warm and cozy and don't drive if you don't have to. And, cross your fingers that there's no school tomorrow....

Just being honest!

I am pretty sure Erica tagged me... I know she tagged an Ashley M. hopefully she meant me. If not, I am doing it anyway! I am supposed to tell 10 totally honest things about me. Now, I am a pretty open book but I am not sure I can think of 10 things you don't already know. However, I am up for the challenge. Here goes:

1. Sometimes I just don't feel like washing my hair. I'll go up to 4 days with it dirty and it doesn't smell so hot or look very pretty. So, I just put 2 ponytails in it and throw on a cap and presto, I look cute. I would be mortified if anyone saw me with greasy hair!

2. I won't let company inside my house if it's less than perfectly clean. I feel like people are judging me if it's not immaculate. So, if you pop in on me, you're not getting in if the house is dirty. Sorry, but it's true.

3. I sleep with my hand in the waist band of my pajamas. Ya know- like Al Bundy. I like to sleep with my hand on my tummy and one too many times I have fallen asleep and my hand fell off my stomach and freaked me out, it felt like I was falling off a cliff or something. So, if my hand is in my waistband (no lower!) it's protected from falling.

4. Even though I consider myself girly, I can't stand being treated girly. Like when Jon tries to help me up or when some poor dude at the store tries to help me with a case of water or a giant bag of dog food. I am not crippled! Don't let my fat butt fool you, I am very strong and I don't need help. Got it?

5. I have a major weakness for cold cake with an even colder glass of milk. It has to be butter recipe yellow with chocolate frosting and 1% milk. I can stand there with a fork (only plasticware, so I can drop the evidence in the trash) and eat my weight in cake. Step away or you might lose an appendage. Really. It just so happens that Hunter's cake is waiting for me now and my husband is out of town...

6. This one's bad! Sometimes I HAVE TO pick my nose... I am turning red typing this. But, I have sinuses from you know where and sometimes only a finger will do. But, no worries: I wash my hands before and after and I always have a kleenex. No, I am not the type to pick, roll, and flick. That is just gross.

7. I hide my shopping from Jon, ALOT. Almost every time I go for groceries I stop at Target, Lane Bryant, or Old Navy first. Then, I bring my bags in with a handful of groceries and when he's out in the car getting the other stuff I run to the closet and hide my non food items. If I am being really sneaky, I write a check. That way he never finds out. If I debit, he knows immediately. Checks only show up on the monthly statement and I get the mail.

8. Speaking of mail, I can't wait until the mail comes each day. I have been known to check the mail box 5 times before the mail lady actually shows up. I am especially anxious on Fridays when I get People and Us Weekly or when I know a package is coming. I hate postal holidays. I am not sure what I am expecting, but the mail is one of the highlights of my day.

9. I am afraid I am gonna be fat forever. I have a major problem with food. I just love the way food tastes and I don't even have to be hungry. If I see it I want it. Commercials for restaurants are not my friend.

10. I am a blog stalker. And, I know lots of people are. But, sometimes I'll look at someone's blog and instantly feel like crap about myself. Like if they have more comments, a better background, amazing photos, or they just seem too perfect to be true. I have been told by a few of my blogger friends that I am not the only one who feels that way. I have drastically toned down the blog stalking, which has helped tremendously.

There you have it! 10 honestly way too honest facts about me. I am so scared to hit publish!!! Number 6 is so embarrassing!! Now I have to tag 7 people and they are Kelli, Sarah, Krista, Lois, Kirsten, Grace, and Shannon. Have fun and be honest!

I'm in TROUBLE!

Girl Scout cookies went on sale today. We bought four boxes from my friend's daughter Ave. It only took one hour for three of us to finish one box. Lucky for us the doorbell rang and another Girl Scout came a callin'. I said no, we didn't need any more. But, Jon chased her down anyway and bought another box. Jon is buying me a treadmill tomorrow. I think I may have Thin Mints running through my veins....

Final # for the movies

Who can DEFINITELY go? I am gonna order tickets late tonight while I up twiddling my thumbs waiting for the kids to fall asleep.

Is 11:45 ok or would you rather do 2:45? The earlier one will allow Sarah to be able to go but she has graciously said she would skip if this time didn't work for everyone else. Sarah- can you contact Cheree and see if she will call or email or comment please?

I am gonna pre-buy the tickets on Fandango and you can pay me back. I will also get to the theatre EARLY to hold spots.

Lois- do you know anyone else that wants to go? Can you contact Becca? I misplaced her number.

Ok, that's it. Crossing my fingers this goes off without a hitch.

Brad Pitt and Cheesecake Factory, here we come!!!

Dinner and a Movie

I am trying to get a group of girls together to go see The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. At some point (before or after) we will make a stop at Hoffbrau Steaks or The Cheesecake Factory for some food and conversation. So- let me know if you are interested in going, what day after Christmas is best for you, and a vote for which restaurant you would like to eat at. I was looking at late afternoon on the 26th or 27th or the following week if necessary. Maybe Monday? Anyway, we will be going to the AMC theatre at the Parks Mall. And, for those of you who are familiar with the area, there are tons of nice restaurants if you would like to vote for a different spot. Let me know, via the comments section obviously. Come on girls, the more the merrier!!

Look at HIM!! You know you wanna go see this movie!

First Time Homebuilder

Today the kids and I went to my friend Joy's house to decorate gingerbread houses. Since I was busy working on Christmas cards I let them do our house. Let's just say I would have done things differently... Joy was nice enough to let me have an extra house (that had already been "glued" together!) all for me to decorate. And, boy did I! Let me know if you likey. This was my first ever attempt at a gingerbread house!! I think I would have given it up if Joy had given it to me un-assembled. That made it so much easier.









P.S. I used: chocolate chex, gum drops, mini Hershey kisses, red hots, Christmas marshmallows, red & green peppermints, candy canes, Lifesavers, M&M's, red/green sprinkles, Heath bar door, Kit Kat chimney, Rolos, giant Nerds, colored decorator's icing, ice cream cone tree, and powdered sugar "snow". I think I got a cavity just from breathing in all the sugar...

Friday night at the Factory

Tonight Chloe and Hunter had hair appointments with my friend Israel. Since he is a stone's throw from our new favorite restaurant- The Cheesecake Factory, we stopped there afterwards for a late night dinner and some dessert. We had a ton of fun, cracking up and being goofy. We were all annoyed by the warm bread and frozen butter, which is pure cruelty. So, Chloe stuck her pat of butter in her bra and Hunter put his in his armpit. Yes they were still in the foil and no it didn't work... but it was a good idea. And, did you know it only takes about 4 minutes for 3 people to devour a serving of the 30th Anniversary Chocolate Cake Cheesecake? I kid you not, I think I took 3 bites. Those 2 kids have their daddy's sweet tooth and their mommy's appetite. DANG! That cheesecake didn't stand a chance. It was fun to hang out with my little pre-teen drama king and queen. They can be stinkers, but tonight they were dare I say it, normal?


See, we like each other- sometimes


Me!


Smile! Mom's got her camera out, again!


me, waiting on my 3 whole bites of cheesecake to arrive


DESSERT! Don't ya love the big "30th" in cinnamon?


where do we begin?


checking out the different layers and marking their territory


2 minutes later...


4 minutes later...


Holy Cow, we're full!


P.S. I loooove Chloe's hair. She looks more beautiful than ever. She is growing so fast it's unbelievable. And, no I am not ready for it.

Election!

So, I voted. I have been looking forward to this election for a long time. We live in a small town, so it literally took me 5 minutes to walk in and walk out. I knew exactly who I was casting my vote for, so it was easy as pie. I have been so excited and giddy the last few days and today didn't disappoint. I wore red, white, and navy. Even going so far as to wear red strappy sandals and navy blue toenail polish. I know I'm a dork. I even made myself an "I voted" sticker since apparently they don't pass them out here. What if I had wanted a free incentive for voting like a donut?
Anyway- I fully plan on staying up until every last report is in. I may even get snacks, we'll see... Jon took the day off so we could have our date day and go vote together. We had fun, discussing the possible outcomes and our opinions on the 2 candidates. Thankfully we are 100% on the same page politically. I guess other than the actual voting process, my other favorite part of the day was lunch. I highly recommend Hoffbrau Steaks for your next dinner outing. Seriously, it was that good. I got the steak salad. And, I am quite sure it wasn't on my approved food list, but who cares, we were celebrating. That we are even able to live in this awesome country AND that we get to vote. Of course the fact that we found out we are getting $5,000 at the end of November was cause for celebration too. Thank you Chesapeake! The wells we signed our lease on are finally producing and it couldn't come at a better time of year. Well guys, have a great evening! And, keep your fingers crossed that the right guy becomes our next Commander in Chief!

1 Dozen Pounds

Once again it's time for my weekly diet post.

This week was really tough, especially in the food department. Due to a serious case of PMS, I had the munchies BAD! I managed to stay under 1800 calories each day, but it sure wasn't easy. Exercise was once again minimal. I have been walking with a girl in my neighborhood and between the two of us we managed to have too much going on to put forth the effort. We did walk three days, but once we stopped to watch a deer and twice we went after school with the kids and they were only slightly distracting.
Which is why I am gonna start the Couch to 5K program on Monday. Supposedly if you follow it exactly you can be 5K ready in 3 months. Now, while I won't be entering any races, I am curious to see if I am up to the challenge. I am also looking to start weight training again. This time I will be doing it on my own as opposed to having a trainer. I have had 2 trainers the last few years, one was major 80's complete with Jane Fonda leotard. The other was a giant power lifter who had me lifting lots of heavy weights. Jane only had me do 10 minutes of cardio a day and power lifter told me to eat alot* and he wanted me taking supplements. I only lost 5 pounds with Jane and zero with the power lifter. This time I am gonna research it and develop my own program.
And, while I did eat more than normal I am still making healthier choices. I attempted to cook healthier meals for my family as well. When I first started this "program" I was eating what they were, just skipping the starchy side dishes and pasta. Instead opting for meats and veggies. This week I tried two new meals: turkey burgers with sweet potato fries, great burger, AWFUL fries. And the other was a chicken fajita salad. It was so good, (pats self on back)! I will definitely make it again. I also discovered a new snack, Chex Mix Bars. They are made with whole grains and are only 140 calories a bar. You get the chocolate you're craving minus the calories of a candy bar.
And, now what you've probably already know from the title of this post: I have now lost 12 pounds! Yay me! And, in case you are interested, here's my salad "recipe". I use the term recipe loosely, simply because it was thrown together, but still yummy. And, best of all, it is simple to make.


**Ashley's Amazingly Yummy and Hopefully Healthy Chicken Fajita Salad**

1 package pre-cooked and seasoned chicken fajita meat sauteed with 1/2 an onion (in olive oil)
1 can kidney beans, drained (heat as well)
iceberg and romaine lettuce
shredded cheese (I used sharp cheddar made with 2% milk)
tomato
avocado
light sour cream
salsa
baked Tostitos

After heating up the chicken and onion, I just arranged the lettuce, tomato, and chips on a plate and added a few chicken strips and onions, 1 and 1/2 tbsp. each of kidney beans, shredded cheese, and salsa. Then I tossed on a few avocado chunks, and 1 tsp. of sour cream and voila! Dinner is served. It was super good and very filling.

*p.s. never tell a food addict to eat alot, it will have a negative effect.