Just This Once...

Eating clean and healthy (not that I'm 100% clean or healthy) is a work in progress but it is also a lifestyle change.  I am not dieting.  My goal is to eat less processed foods with less sugar and absolutely no poison sugar substitutes like saccharin and aspartame.  And lower fats and calories per meal.  I get frustrated because of course a Big Mac from McDonald's is quick and easy (not to mention delicious) but it's so so bad.  I know that I will feel better if I go home and my own dinner. 

But never do I get as frustrated as when people who know my preferred diet say "you can eat it just this once."  I don't want that cupcake.  I won't enjoy it, I'll feel guilty, and worst of all, it will drive my blood sugar sky high.  I am fighting so hard to prevent going on insulin for the rest of my life.  That cupcake "just this once" isn't worth it.  I don't completely limit myself.  I do have treats (this week I discovered that Keebler makes Samoas like the Girl Scouts).  I enjoy those treats from time to time.  But leave me alone.  I'm not asking you to follow my plan.  And I don't keep you from eating yours. 

I guess what I think is that people may not understand why I am careful and strict but don't ask me to leave my path.  There are plenty of obstacles that we, as humans, create for ourselves.  Please just let me follow my own path.  I am not doing without.  I'm actually very well.  Very full.  And getting healthier every day that passes.

Menu Plan Monday

Another week is here!  We are eating out of the freezer and pantry this week.  No more grocery stops until Friday!  Going unprepared to the grocery store for a 2 week trip will bite you hard toward the end of the 2 weeks!  But that's why we have a pantry!

Here is our menu...

Saturday - On Your Own.  I had Kraut and Weinies and Fried Okra

Sunday - Shrimp Boil with new potatoes and corn on the cob and hushpuppies

Monday - Grilled chicken, baked potatoes, broccoli and cheese

Tuesday - Out!  We are going out to eat then to see Kellie Pickler in concert.  Should be a fun night!

Wednesday - Onion Baked Chicken, green beans, corn on the cob, and new potatoes

Thursday - Grilled Chicken, asparagus, and rice

Friday - Grocery night! 

So my menu is not very inspiring this week so you better believe I'm checking out Orgjunkie.com's Menu Plan Monday for some new dinner inspiration!

Friend Making Monday

I have followed Kinley at All the Weigh for a while and thought I would jump in to her Friend Making Monday. 

School Days

1. What was your favorite subject in school?  History for sure.
2. Did you attend elementary school and high school in the same town? Yes and No.  My family moved from AL to CA when I was in the 2nd grade but we returned when I was in the 6th grade and I continued on to graduate. 

3. Are you still friends with anyone that you met during school?  My oldest friends are all friends I made in the 7th grade.  We still keep in touch and talk often.  We were inseperable during school and I definitely see us always staying in touch.

4. What activities were you involved in as a student? I was a band nerd for sure.  But I joined the yearbook staff when I was a senior and definitely wished I would have joined earlier. 


5. Did you bring your lunch, or did you get it at school? I never brought my lunch.  I think most days I was just happy I made it to school.  A morning person I was not!

6. Did you enjoy shopping for clothing and school supplies?  Yes I think so.  Getting to pick out all new shiny things for a new year was always fun.
7. Name a song or a band that reminds you of high school.  Whoa...so many!  Early Backstreet Boys, Boyz II Men, Hootie and the Blowfish, Sarah Maclachlan ("I Will Remember You" was my senior class song)
8. Did you like school? I did.  I never dreaded it or hated it like some people. 
9. How long have you been out of school?  High School - 13 years.  But College...oh 3 months!
10. What did you like most about school? What did you dislike most about school?  I liked being with my friends probably the most.  I didn't really appreciate learning until I was older and in college.  I sort of coasted by in high school.

Menu Plan Monday

How on earth is it August already?  This year is flying by!  I thought when I finished school in May that my life would slow down a bit.  But not at all!  This month may be quieter than July but still some fun things to look forward to.  Hubs and I are going to see Kellie Pickler in a few weeks then we will celebrate our 9th wedding anniversary.  And then we will end the month celebrating my mom's birthday.

Here is our menu plan for this week...

Saturday - Dinner and a movie!  Date Night!

Sunday - Fried Rice, Chinese Chicken Salad, and Egg Rolls

Monday - Smoked Sausage (turkey) and kraut, sauteed zucchini, pinto beans

Tuesday - Skinny Chicken Pot Pie

Wednesday - Chicken and Dumplings and green beans

Thursday - Tacos (with some amazingly delicious low carp tortilla shells)

Friday - Grocery  night!

For hundreds of menu ideas, check out Orgjunkie.com's Menu Plan Monday.

Invading the Alabama Gulf Coast

For the week of July 4th, Hubs and I were invited down to the Alabama gulf coast with our best friends.  Ash's dad lives near Orange Beach, Alabama, so we crashed his pad for some beach fun. Jim, Ash, and their Princess headed down on Saturday and Bob and I met up with them on Tuesday evening. We had a great time despite a not so great weather forcast.

Here's a recap...

1. Shrimp Basket - AMAZING! We arrived on All You Can Eat popcorn shrimp day!

2. We visited the Dollar General in Orange Beach every single day. We bought everything from poptarts to contact solution and ice to a nerf football.

3. Fresh shrimp from Billy's Seafood in Bon Secour. Their motto is "if it swims, we got it." They have fresh seafood including 5 sizes of shrimp for unbeatable prices! We had ours steamed in cajun seasoning and devoured it later with potatoes, corn, and hush puppies. I took 5 more pounds home to my dad!

4. Our car broke down behind Souvenir City on the evening of the 4th. HUGE thanks to Hub City Towing and Wayne, the driver, for helping us out! We got it fixed enough to get us home. Although it was a huge ordeal at first, the entire adventure only cost us a $20 part once we got home! Oh and thank God for roadside assistance!

4b. While my car is broken down in a parking lot 250 miles from home, do not approach me if you are drunk. The anger that spews forth cannot be matched. Just keep walking buddy.

4c. EK may or may not have peed in the bushes while we hung out in the parking lot.

4d. Seeing what great friends you have while you are crying in the parking lot is a great feeling.

5. We were very let down by the fireworks....or lack of. It was crazy windy so they were afraid of blow back into the crowd and the condos so fireworks stopped after about 60 seconds.

6. Bob finally got to try Lambert's Cafe. He was in food heaven. We all left full and happy! Even the Princess enjoyed some "mashed taters."

7. Staying up ridiculously late and eating ice cream ridiculously late is not usually in a runner's agenda but it was this week and we all four enjoyed it immensly!

8. We didn't run at all! I know really - shame on us. But it was a nice break.

9. Jim and Ash probably brought back 20lbs of sand in their car. It was our beach vehicle.

10. After having ice cream everyday and eating not great bad ANYTHING we wanted, I didn't gain a single pound!

Hubs and I waiting to eat at The Original Oyster House

Jim, Ash, their girl....and some Hubs in the background

Uncle Bob and the Princess

Breaking down on the 4th

Menu Plan Monday

Another new week!  This week's goals are to keep a diary of my food and exercise consistently.  I love to run but I have been on a break for a few weeks and I really need to get back on it!  I can only call myself a runner if I am actually running! 

Here is our menu...

Sunday - Mesquite Pork Tenderloin, green beans, roasted potatoes, and sauteed squash

Monday - Taco Salads

Tuesday - Grilled Chicken, whole baby potatoes, cabbage, and black eyed peas

Wednesday - Healthy Brown Rice Chicken Broccoli Bake (that's a mouthful!) with roasted zucchini

Thursday - BBQ Pork Chops, homemade macaroni and cheese, roasted veggies

Friday - Grocery night!  On Our Own!

For hundreds of menu plans, visit Orgjunkie.com's Menu Plan Monday.

Bad Blogger

I have been a very bad blogger recently.  I have so much to say yet I don't seem to ever get it out.  But here's to trying harder! 

And here's a peek into what has been going on the past few months (bad iphone pictures and all).


I graduated college in May. It was a big, big day. I had lots of family, friends, and co-workers there to root me on. It was a good day.


Here we go!

Me and a sweet co-worker - my best pictures of the day.

The weekend after graduation was another big day.  I completed my first 5k race!  I wasn't last!  I was super proud!

 

After the race, we had a cookout with friends complete with a fire pit for roasting marshmallows.  I seriously love these people.

 

Let's see...what else...


Chris Young and Brad Paisley in Concert as part of my graduation gift from Bob.  Super fun night!

We competed in another 5K in late June.  You can read my hilarious yet sad race report on our running blog.

 

 

For the week of July 4th, our running buddies and best friends invited us to tag along on their beach vacation.  We happily invaded. 



 

Our Spot

And finally, meet our new addition, Jax....
Jax and his sister, Lizzy, ended up at my moother-in-law's house.  We rescued sweet little Jax partially because he reminds the Hubs of his childhood cat, Jinx.  When introducing the new kitten, we knew Shelby wouldn't hurt him but we weren't sure how they would jive.  After an initial fear phase (note that Shelby was the scaredy cat), they love each other.  And I mean love.  They are happier to see each other than either of their humans.  It's sweet and it made us feel that Jax was meant to be our kitty.

'Til Next Time...