thought this was fun!

Thought this was funny and i would share with you!

Spooky Halloween Wreath

Good monday morning,

just thought I would share a Spooky Halloween Wreath how to,  Enjoy!

 

SO, I have always wanted to do stand up, its always been one of the things on the back of my mind, I just love to make people laugh, you might not get me, I might offend you but I think I'm sorta funny sometimes.  So after years of dreaming, and months of just putting it off, i finally did it.  Open mic night at Wiseguys, you only get stage time if you bring people to watch you, so my plight to find two willing victims worked.  Thanks to Megan Hoeppner and Brooke Mathewson for coming and supporting me.



Ralhpie May is my Favorite Comic



Megan and Brooke Awesome



So be kind, it was my first time, I think it went just OK since my jokes are centered around being a woman over 40, I thought the best part was after the show and talking to the other funny people there!

Sorry if you are watching this sideways be sure to call to schedule an appointment with your chiropractor right away! lol

Things to take into consideration next time

• Wear looser shirt
• Wear better fitting pants, Jeans probobly
• A girdle wouldn't hurt
• Stand still more
• know your audience
• Tell funnier jokes :)

more vintage love

So here is another post with the vintage magazine where i have added my own smart aleky remarks :) is aleky a word? 

Vintage Love

OK so I <3 me some Vintage anything so I brought one of my vintage magazines to work and took some photos and here is what i came up with. I thought they were pretty funny myself, but what do i know.

OCD

I saw this and it totally applies to all my A type students, not those students who get A's in class, if your in one of my classes you are going to get an A, The A type peeps I am talking about are the OCD/A types, (You know who you are) So i saw this and it made me giggle so i thought i would pass it along.

From one A type to another, keep up the good work!

CKU San Jose

CKU San Jose was a blast and I am so pumped right now.  What an amazing lineup of teachers and students alike. Also Brooke got to go on this trip with me which was super fun. I think i gained 5 pounds from all of the great food. Check out these fun pics!

Melanie my new BFF from Hawaii made this adorable Christmas Advent calendar during the magnet board project, there were 4 to choose from!

Can't beleive i was lucky enough meet all of my favorite teachers from the Industry, I tried not to act star struck but failed miserably, well maybe they won't judge me too harshly lol

We have another Great CKU right around the corner so don't forget to sign up at http://www.scrapandpapercorner.com/events/cku/2012/index.html 

Frills for pages

With CKU right around the corner i thought i would share a technique that i have developed for creating your own paper frills, (you know, the kind that come in your sandwich to hold it all together?)  This technique will be taught in the Beautiful Moments album track by the one and only Megan Hoeppner, I just LOVE her!  SO here goes, i hope you like it!  and if you haven't already signed up for CKU Creating Keepsakes University there is STILL time!!!

You can see at the end that its super easy to create these in any color you desire.  I also thought it would be fun to create one with tissue paper on a sucker stick which turned out better than i hoped.

Happy Memorial Day

I Hope everyone has a great Memorial Day Weekend.  We are headed down south to see my dad.  Josh leaves for Boot Camp in 16 short days so this holiday is Bitter Sweet for all of us.
Have a good one and be safe!

I had NO IDEA!

OK, so I went to film a bit in Colorado for work this week and as I was continueing on with my struggle to lose wait and looking at playback from some other taping sessions, I made a desicion.  I needed to do something quick and though WW was working it just wasn't working fast enough for me.

I ran to walmart to get a new shirt, and thought, what about a girdle?  Girdle is such a weird name to call something that goes on your body but indeed that is what it was. It worked, it was delightful and it sucked me in like a stuffed sausage, Amazing, this little peice of spandex was the answer to all of my wishes in the wind, all of my hopes and most of my dreams.  By no means did the delightful peices of material turn me into a size two, (I have never even seen a size two) But it did flatten out my jelly rolls and make my groceries (Girl's, (boob's)) stick out more than my gut, for which there are not enough thank you's in the world.  I am saved. Thank you walmart and for the delightful peice of fabric restraint that made me just a bit more confident.  I will never get in front of a camera without it again!

I thought this was fitting LOL

Well, that is why we are here right? to experience life to learn to succeed and to fail?  Or am I just making excuses because I really want a hamburger for lunch today?  Maybe I am making excuses but such is life.
Diets Don't Work, because what I really need to be doing is eating right all the time and changing my lifestyle. (I learned that at weight watchers)  So until I am planning on being more commited to a more healthy lifestyle, I will give myself a break. Isn't it horrible that I feel like I need a break from eating healthy, something is definately wrong with me :/
 

Happy Mother's Day

My nemesis, my downfall, my doom, my favorite, this is what my sweet son Joshua got me for mother’s day. It is my very favorite dessert but it was also the bane of my existence all weekend.  He brought it home on Thursday and said we couldn’t leave town until I saw what he got me for mother’s day. Well, I couldn’t have been more pleased.  Though I am trying out this new, Eating myself to a healthier better me, this cake was a small setback and something I just  like to call living life.  So in contrast this weekend is being renamed Eating myself to actual sickness, but I loved every minute of it, (except the getting sick part) “OSIK” an Over Share I Know.

                                                              

We stayed at my dad’s and took the cake with us, It innocently sat on the kitchen counter, (in retrospect I found out you are supposed to keep refrigerated), Maybe that was the reason for the sudden illness :/  but it was well worth it.  Every time I walked by the kitchen it seemed to scream at me from beneath it’s flap, EAT ME, EAT ME, I felt like I was Alice in Wonderland and this delightful dark, chocolate chip filled frosted confection was the ticket to my growth or shrinkage.  Now I am sure that it didn’t help at all with my shrinkage so I am devastatingly dreading my weigh in tomorrow. As I am sure I have effectively sabotaged the already 10.4 pounds that I have lost already.  Tomorrow is another day!

Praise Papa Murphy's

I love me some pizza, some nights the homemade stuff just doesn't do it for me, sooooo. I discovered thankfully that Papa Murphy's has what I lovingly like to refer to a, "I'm trying to eat healthy" persons dream.  Hells Ya on this one. I ordered one Family size Bacon, artichoke, spinach, chicken DeLite pizza, and one BBQ chicken DeLite Pizza. These amazing gifts from above come on a delightfully crunchy thin crust. I could have eaten three peices easily but thankfully Boomer got on the counter and treated his other doggie friends to half of the artichoke pizza before I could drag my sorry but up the stairs for another piece. (lets be honest, I was going to send one of the girls to get me another piece) Each 1/10th of the Family size pizza's was either 4 or 5 points each so if you have had a good day and saved up your points for a sweet treat that night three pieces would have only cost you 5 points at most.  Um pretty freaking amazing if you ask me!

 

Skinny Chunky Monkey Cookies Recipe:

Ingredients:

3 ripe bananas
2 cups old-fashioned oats
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Mash bananas in a large bowl, then stir in remaining ingredients. Let batter stand for approximately 20 minutes, then drop by teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 10-12 minutes.

Freezing Directions:
Cool completely, then place cookies in a freezer bag. Seal, label, and freeze.

Nutritional Information (per cookie):
47 calories; 7.5 g carbs; 1.6 g fat; 1.5 g protein; 1.3 g fiber; 1 WW PointsPlus

Check out the 6 sisters website at http://www.sixsistersstuff.com/2012/05/skinny-chunky-monkey-cookies-recipe.html

What the hell was I thinking????

OK so I got home from work earlier than usual and made me a steamables dinner, only 8 points, then ate a serving (24 chips) of the new Special K Cracker Chips new chedder flavor. Yum.  That should have been it for dinner right? Then I went to a meeting and when I got home I was starving, it was as if I had a free for all at a chineese buffet and was hungry 20 minutes later.  Maybe it was the stress of the meeting, maybe it was the Steamables Macaroni and Cheese pasta with Broccoli, or maybe it was the peice of burnt brownie that I couldnt help but pop into my mouth while I was waiting for the freaking dinner to cook.  So here I am already had my nightly dessert of a frozen yogurt Creamie, (my nightly chocolate indulgance) and suddenly its 10:45 PM and I really am still hungry.  Did I make a good choice and eat some fruit or a healthy crunchy vegitable? Hell no, All I could hear calling my name at that point was the Marie Calendars Chicken Pot Pies I had made for the family to eat while I was at the meeting. I really do blame them, why can't they just eat everything I make and not leave any leftovers?

So I shamelessly, well not shamelessly, devoured the hole large pie before I could change my mind and put it down, walk away, show some restraint, but did I?  Nope, I suck. but it was really yummy :(



I don't even want to know how many points I went over last night, so first thing thismorning I ran to the store and bought some fruits and healthy snacks for work, and a salad, No excuses.

OK, So I weighed in last night, down 8.8 pounds, I think I want to make these cookies tonight, maybe with some enchiladas, found this great website called skinny taste and all I can say is Dang Gina, these look fabulous!

Best Low-fat Chocolate Chip Cookies Ever

I am SO excited to share this

Skinny Chocolate Chip Cookie

recipe with all of you!! I didn't think it possible to make a low-fat chocolate chip cookie that was soft and chewy in the center with just the right amount of crunch on the edges, and made with half whole wheat flour and only two tablespoons of butter in the entire batch!

Trust me, I've tried many recipes and the results were just ok, some were cake-y which I don't particularly care for in a cookie, and sometimes too crispy. These cookies are chewy, soft, sweet perfection! I even gave them to a group of unsuspecting teenagers who had no idea they were skinny and they LOVED them. But I must warn you, it's hard to stop at just one, so make sure you have the will power to stop at two cookies, or friends to share these with.

Skinny Low-fat Chocolate Chip Cookies 
Gina's Weight Watcher Recipes
Servings: 12 • Size: 2 cookies • Old Points: 4 pts • Points+: 5 pts
Calories: 170.7 • Fat: 5.0 g • Protein: 1.4 g • Carb: 34.5 g • Fiber: 1.4 g • Sugar: 25.4 g
Sodium: 113.1 mg

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 2 tbsp butter, melted
• 1 egg white
• 2 tbsp apple sauce
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour
• 1/2 cup all purpose flour
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°.  Line two cookie sheets with non-stick silicone baking liners such as Silpats (I highly recommend for best results) or lightly spray cookie sheets with cooking spray.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking soda and salt and stir to blend. In another bowl, whisk the sugars, butter, egg white, applesauce and vanilla together until light and fluffy.

Whisk

the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients in two additions until the batter is very well blended. If the batter looks more “crumbly” than smooth,

add

just a drop of water at a time (ONLY if needed) until it smooths out.

Fold in

chocolate chips.

 

Drop

by level spoonfuls about 1 inch apart onto baking sheets.

 

Bake

8 - 10 minutes.

Remove

from the oven, and let them

stand

5 minutes before removing the cookies from the pans to cool on wire racks.

Makes 2 dozen cookies.

Adapted from Cooking Done Light.

Not Perfect

I am not perfect, but if you know me than you know that already. I ate so great on my first three trips this year, but this last one was a killer.  Traveling is fun, I LOVE my job, I love to teach and meet new people and I love to make people laugh.  Manchester New Hampshire was such a hard show to work because there were so many great opportinities to eat the WRONG thing.  I know I should have more self restraint but I don't, lets be honest.

The first night we were in town we went to Goldenrod Drive in for Ice Cream.  I was going to be good, I though, I will only get a non fat or low fat treat. But when I got to the window they laughed at me, so this is the official first time I ever CHEATED on this, "Were not calling this a Diet, Diet!"
I had a childs cone, chocolate chip, and I ate every bit of it and loved it even more than I should have. talk about having a relationship with your food. :/

Another night we went to Margaritas, I feel like Mexican food is pretty safe, I generally stick with fajita's and such but they had these mini chimichangas that I just had to have so I only ate half of what was on my plate. This is why I try to never dip into my extra 49 points that I am given because when you eat out so much it's really hard to know exactly how much you are really eating!

After Margarita's we all rushed to Ben and Jerry's for ice cream, because they closed at 10 and we wanted to get thier before they closed. Again I went with good intentions, but again they laughed at me when I asked if they had any low fat/fat free options. So I ordered the Fisch food, child cone, WHAT IS WRONG WITH ME, I feel like a pot smoker in the middle of a marajuana field, I have no self control what so ever in New Hampshire.  I ended up eating only the top of the cone, pushing the ice cream down into the cone as I walked briskly back to the hotel, because in my mind If I am walking at a quick pace the calories can't catch up with me right?  well, we will see. My weight in is tonight.

Hells Ya on the 10 PP Subway Sandwhich

Um, pretty much this was delicioso, I loved it, I added a ton of veggies and topped it with their Fat free terriyaki sauce. This is something that I can see myself ordering over and over again!

Realizations

OK, so i HAVE learned something about myself during this journey of eating healthier. BEFORE "I care way too much about food!" how did i get this way? As soon as i wake up in the morning I want to plan my food for the day, what am i having for lunch? what will I fix for dinner? Not that I cook all that often, I eat whatever my heart desires. For someone like me who needs that instant gratification in my life that could be a dangerous game. So here it is, finally time to get life insurance and I end up on this self reflective journey of eating better and I am actually enjoying it. AFTER Now, I do care about food, only in a different way. Less about what i am going to do to saciate my every craving and more to do with, What can I eat that will fill me up?, What will give me the fuel I need?, and introduce to my family as something appealing that they will actually eat and enjoy. I saw this quote and wanted to not forget it so here it goes!

Lost 6 Pounds

Weighed in and took my last power start class. Learned alot about veggies and when different colors give you what nutrients, it was pretty cool.





Good News: I lost 6 Pounds



Bad News: I only get to eat 32 Points a Day instead of 33, How will I ever survive?




Below is an article I found online about it. Very interesting

What Color is Your Food? Taste a rainbow of fruits and vegetables for better health
FN-595, Revised February 2009 (Reviewed and reprinted May 2011)Julie Garden-Robinson, Ph.D., L.R.D., Food and Nutrition Specialist




People need different amounts of fruits and vegetables depending on their age, gender and amount of daily physical activity. To learn your daily recommendation, visit www.fruitsandveggiesmatter.gov/.
For example, the recommendation for a 40-year-old male who gets about 60 minutes of daily physical activity is 2 cups of fruit and 3 1/2 cups of vegetables. The recommendation for a 15-year-old female who gets less than 30 minutes of daily physical activity is 1 1/2 cups of fruit and 2 1/2 cups of vegetables.
To meet their daily goal, most people need to increase the amount of fruits and vegetables they eat every day. All product forms count -- fresh, frozen, canned, dried and 100% juice. Whole fruits, however, usually contain more fiber than juice.
What's a serving size anyway?
Recommendations for fruits and vegetables are now in cups. One cup equals:1 small apple1 large banana2 cups of raw greens12 baby carrots1 large orange1 large bell pepper1 medium grapefruit1 large sweet potato

Sample the spectrum of fruits and vegetables
Scientists are regularly reporting new health benefits associated with fruits and vegetables. Eating more fruits and vegetables is a worthwhile goal. Eating a variety of different colors of fruits and vegetables every day is a new way of thinking about meeting the goal.
Eat more fruits and vegetables every day!
People who eat more generous amounts of fruits and vegetables as part of a healthy diet are likely to have reduced risk of chronic diseases, including strokes, type 2 diabetes, some types of cancer, and perhaps heart disease and high blood pressure.

Healthy reasons to eat a rainbow of colorful fruits and vegetables
Red fruits and vegetables are colored by natural plant pigments called "lycopene" or "anthocyanins." Lycopene in tomatoes, watermelon and pink grapefruit, for example, may help reduce risk of several types of cancer, especially prostate cancer. Lycopene in foods containing cooked tomatoes, such as spaghetti sauce, and a small amount of fat are absorbed better than lycopene from raw tomatoes.
Anthocyanins in strawberries, raspberries, red grapes and other fruits and vegetables act as powerful antioxidants that protect cells from damage. Antioxidants are linked with keeping our hearts healthy, too.




These are some examples of the red group:
Red apples
Beets
Red cabbage
Cherries
Cranberries
Pink grapefruit
Red grapes
Red peppers
Pomegranates
Red potatoes
Radishes
Raspberries
Rhubarb
Strawberries
Tomatoes
Watermelon




Orange/yellow fruits and vegetables are usually colored by natural plant pigments called "carotenoids." Beta-carotene in sweet potatoes, pumpkins and carrots is converted to vitamin A, which helps maintain healthy mucous membranes and healthy eyes. Scientists have also reported that carotenoid-rich foods can help reduce risk of cancer, heart disease and can improve immune system function.
One study found that people who ate a diet high in carotenoid-rich vegetables were 43 percent less likely to develop age-related macular degeneration, an eye disorder common among the elderly, which can lead to blindness.
Carotenoids also may be good for your heart. One study found that men with high cholesterol who ate plenty of vegetables high in carotenoids had a 36 percent lower chance of heart attack and death than their counterparts who shunned vegetables.
Citrus fruits like oranges are not a good source of vitamin A. They are an excellent source of vitamin C and folate, a B vitamin that helps reduce risk of birth defects.




Some examples of the orange/yellow group include:
Yellow apples
Apricots
Butternut squash
Cantaloupe
Carrots
Grapefruit
Lemons
Mangoes
Nectarines
Oranges
Papayas
Peaches
Pears
Yellow peppers
Persimmons
Pineapple
Pumpkin
Rutabagas
Yellow summer or winter squash
Sweet corn
Sweet potatoes
Tangerines
Yellow tomatoes
Yellow watermelon




Green fruits and vegetables are colored by natural plant pigment called "chlorophyll." Some members of the green group, including spinach and other dark leafy greens, green peppers, peas, cucumber and celery, contain lutein. Lutein works with another chemical, zeaxanthin, found in corn, red peppers, oranges, grapes and egg yolks to help keep eyes healthy. Together, these chemicals may help reduce risk of cataracts and age-related macular degeneration, which can lead to blindness if untreated.
The "indoles" in broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage and other cruciferous vegetables may help protect against some types of cancer. Leafy greens such as spinach and broccoli are excellent sources of folate, a B vitamin that helps reduce risk of birth defects.




Some examples of the green group include:
Green apples
Artichokes
Asparagus
Avocados
Green beans
Broccoli
Brussels sprouts
Green cabbage
Cucumbers
Green grapes
Honeydew melon
Kiwi
Lettuce
Limes
Green onions
Peas
Green pepper
Spinach
Zucchini
Blue/purple fruits and vegetables are colored by natural plant pigments called "anthocyanins." Anthocyanins in blueberries, grapes and raisins act as powerful antioxidants that protect cells from damage. They may help reduce risk of cancer, stroke and heart disease. Other studies have shown that eating more blueberries is linked with improved memory function and healthy aging.




These are some examples of the blue/purple group:
Blackberries
Blueberries
Eggplant
Figs
Juneberries
Plums
Prunes
Purple grapes
Raisins




White fruits and vegetables are colored by pigments called "anthoxanthins." They may contain health-promoting chemicals such as allicin, which may help lower cholesterol and blood pressure and may help reduce risk of stomach cancer and heart disease. Some members of the white group, such as bananas and potatoes, are good sources of the mineral potassium, too.




Some examples of the white group include:
Bananas
Cauliflower
Garlic
Ginger
Jicama
Mushrooms
Onions
Parsnips
Potatoes
Turnips

8 Point Chicken Dinner

OK so here is how it looked on my tracker

And Here is how I made it.

Grill up mushrooms, red onion, red pepper, green pepper with some olive oil.

Beat the heck out of some chicken breast with a meat tenderizer

Grill the chicken, after you beat it, it cooks pretty fast which is good cause I am usually so ravenous by dinner time that i am ready to chew off my left hand.

Once the chicken is done, I lay one peice of low fat provolone on top, then two tomato slices.

Then I add two small cans of low sodium cream of mushroom soup to the grilled veggies, then pour over the chickeny goodness.

Um yah, pretty much this was awesome!!!! and only 8 points

8 Points Plus Pizza

Uh, yah, I'm not that gifted in the kitchen but when I can change my lifestyle, (I am trying to grasp that this needs to be a new style of living and not just a diet) and still eat PIZZA, I am one Happy Girly!

This 8 point beauty was delicioso, so here is whats on it and my girls loved it too. You can add as many veggies as you want, I definately would have added Broccoli if i would have had it, here is what we made, it was super yummy and filling. In my weak mind it sure felt like I was getting alot to eat because I got to eat the whole thing for me.

Daphne's Greek cafe Flat Pita Bread, Low carb 5 points
1 Tbsp. Light Ranch 0 points
Dried minced Garlic 0 Points
Cut veggies 0 Points
Carrots 0 Points
Onions 0 Points
Tomatoes 0 Points
2 Turkey Sausage Links 2 points
1/3 Cup Low Fat pizza blend shredded cheese 1 Point
Red pepper seasoning 0 Points

Spray cookie sheet with pam and assemble desired amount of pitas on cookie sheet. Place fat free ranch dressing on the pita spread around to edges. Sprinkle minced garlic, then assemble veggies. Add cheese and meat of choice, top with red pepper seasoning.
Bake on 350 for 10 minutes

Other great veggies to use would be:

Broccoli
Mushrooms
Red Peppers
Green Peppers
Red Onions
Cauliflower