Yumminess For a Vacation Treat!

These are some of the treats we will be enjoying on our Lakeside Cottage Vacation!

 

 

Smudgies

You might not guess it from the picture, but smudgies are actually a frozen treat, which makes them perfect for all this hot weather. What is a smudgie, exactly? Bananas and peanut butter mixed together, smashed between two graham crackers, and then frozen. It's always the simple things that taste the best.

Sour patch grapes! Grapes coated in watermelon jello mix. Then FREEZE!!!A healthy snack that tastes like candy.

Blend 1 can frozen limeade, 1/2 can sprite, 2 cups frozen strawberries, and the pulp of two limes.

Love Potion: pink lemonade, raspberry sherbet, sprite, and vodka

Yield:4 to 6 servings

Ingredients

1 (12-ounce) can pink lemonade concentrate
4 cups raspberry sherbet
1 (12-ounce) can of lemon/lime soda (I used Sprite)

Preparation

1. In a pitcher, mix the lemonade concentrate with the recommended amount of water.
2. In a blender, combine the sherbet with 4 cups of the lemonade mixture; mix until combined. Pour into individual glasses. Add the soda, stir gently and serve.

 

 

 Skinny Pool-Side Dip: 1 red pepper, 1 can of corn, 16 oz fat-free cream cheese (softened), and 1 packet Hidden Valley Ranch dip seasoning mix. Serve with crackers. Delicious!!

 

 This is the best and most awesome breakfast cookie ever! And the best part, no flour, no sugar, and no dairy added! Ingredients- 1.5 cups of oats, 2-3 super ripe bananas, 1 cup of unsweetened applesauce, handful of craisins, Cinnamon to taste. Just throw everything together, mix it up pretty well, throw it on a baking sheet at 350 for about 35 minutes and eat. It's great and super healthy for you!

 

 

Banana and peanut butter dipped in chocolate - then frozen! Healthier candies!

Or

Make Banana slice, peanut butter, banana slice and freeze.

Mother's Day

A Mother does not have to give birth to be a mom. A Mother does not have to be blood related at all. A mother is someone that loves unconditionally, supports without question, gives guidance when needed and is always just a phone call away. I am lucky enough to have a mom just like that. She didn’t give birth to me but since my father found her, we have been inseparable. My Brenda May has taught me many things throughout my life and I am very grateful I had her there to help mold/shape and encourage me growing up! I have always enjoyed spending time with her. She knows how to pull me up when I am down, make me smile when I want to cry and always keep me laughing! She makes every holiday worth looking forward to because there is no stress, just love!

With the same definition in mind, I consider myself a mother. In the past I was a mother to many, most often to the adults in my life. I have mothered both my sisters, my middle sister since her parents’ divorce and the little one when I lived at home. I have worried, stressed, and sacrificed my own well being for both my sisters, parents and grandparent. But ever since I can remember our birth mother has gotten the glory on Mother’s Day.  This has made me a little bitter about the holiday to say the least. I cannot understand how I do all the work and she gets all the recognition just because she gave birth.

 

I am excited to say this year was different. It started the day before Mothers Day—now known in our house as Dog Mothers Day! I got a surprise present from Ivy bought by Duste! Then on Mother’s Day Duste went out of her way and over the top. She did everything she has said she would do for weeks now and then some more. My birdhouses are painted and hung, my car is clean inside and out, plants are planted and the yard is looking great! I love my Duste, she always makes me feel special and very loved! I can always count on her!

New Experiences for this new decade of my life!

We had boudoir photos done! It was fun, exciting and awkward. The photographer did our hair and makeup and we supplied the outfits. It was done in a private studio and I felt it was very professional. It took 5 hours to complete but well worth it! I am so excited to get the prints in and display them on the wall!

I had a spa day, complete with a bikini wax! My first waxing experience ever! It wasn’t so bad; the pain was definitely worth the results! I also had an hour long spa pedicure and full body massage. I was so relaxed I took a nap when I got home!

 

So far my 30’s have been awesome!

Farm Life No More

We have decided we can no longer keep ducks and chickens. For the safety of the birds and my peace of mind they will be living with a friend of ours on a real farm. Our wonderful Miss Ivy Rose has a prey drive unlike our late Sadie and we must make this move for the safety of the flock. Although I love having chickens and ducks for no other reason than I like to watch them, they do bring me unneeded stress. I take every death, illness and injury personal leaving me with a lot of sleepless nights and stressful days.  So, with all this in mind it is time to say goodbye.

 

On Saturday their new owners will come to collect them and their things—coops, pools, feed and so on. It will be a few days of clean up for us as we have converted half the garage for the inside coops and a lot of space outside for their ever expanding coop.

 

I feel good about their new home and am happy they will all go together. Which allows my guilt to fade and my mind to wonder what will we do with the new space?

Affordable Healthcare Act

Insurance Changes are a comin’

Thanks to the Affordable Health care Act starting in October I, with the help of an agent, will start shopping around for the best rate on a private insurance plan! If I get turned down by all then I can try again in Jan 2014. In January the insurance rules change so they can no longer deny based on a pre-existing condition.

Why do I need to do this if I already have insurance where I work you ask—because I don’t like the feeling of being stuck somewhere by the balls because of insurance coverage. Also, because soon I want to have a family and I will not work 30hrs a week. So, we are checking on this avenue to see if this is something we can afford because I never take No for an answer.

Sure this would all be easier for us IF Indiana would allow Duste to cover me on her insurance but the only factory that does this voluntarily isn’t hiring. Besides it is a scary thing to have all your eggs in one basket!

We are determined to find a way, for us, for our family and for our future!

End of the 90day challenge--part 1

90 days into our “Life Style Change” and we are still in losing mode. We have decided to extend our the Losing Mode in our Life Style Change for another 90 days—for a total of 6months. After which time we will accept where we are with our weight and go into phase two—maintaining Mode.

It’s been an interesting journey so far. We have learned to eat better, make better food choices and figured out what combination of foods keeps us fuller longer for the work days. We sometimes eat more than 1,200 but we always stay well under 2,000. We do not deny our cravings we simply make adjustments for them—meaning if we give into something then we have to have less the remaining day or the next. I would say most of those times have to do with our time of the month. We rarely eat fast food—in fact I think that last time we did was the first month we started this. Fast food just isn’t worth the calories it takes to eat it. We no longer eat at our favorite home cooking spot as it doesn’t work with our new life style but we have found other places to replace it. My craving for pop is gone—I have found drinking half my weight in ounces has really helped with all the junk cravings. We do snack but only on healthy things and in healthy amounts. We still prepare healthy home cooked meals for our work lunches—which are amazing and make others jealous while their eating their frozen meals.

So, I think we have found our new normal!

The Results:

Duste—183lbs

Over all Lost:
                Weight—32lbs
                Inches—13”

 Talisa—178lbs

Over all Lost:
                Weight—27lbs
                Inches—14”

 I am currently only 4lbs away from where I was years ago before my thyroid tanked. I never thought I would see that number again! I am excited to see where we are at the end of the next 90 days!