Weigh in and a week of outfits

OK, so I actually weighed in Thursday...I just haven't had a chance to post it until now! 

+1.0 lbs

I'm actually not really surprised.  We had to drop big BIG $$ on the girl this week between her braces and warmups for the school dance team, so Randy asked me to not make any more big purchases this week (on Tuesday!)  So my food choices were limited to what we had in the house. 

I'm rather miffed at myself, because I also got a 16 week charm from WW.  My SECOND one this time around.  And I still haven't broke into double digits.  I really need to do something.  It's insane.

On the plus side....the cabinets / fridge are really empty!   And I took the dog out for a walk while Angel was at dance Thursday and before I went to WI - the sky was amazing with some really black clouds rolling in over the colorful sun-lit trees and a triple rainbow!!!  But then it started to sleet when we were going back to the house.  Booo!

OK, so this is what all I wore to work this week.  I'm posting it here so I can get some un-biased commentary. 

Monday

This isn't the skirt I planned, but the top & boots are. 

I feel very "pirate" when I wear this skirt/boots.

I think I need to learn to pose, too. 

Tuesday

Dress pants & heels.

 Wednesday

Long leather skirt (weighs like 5 lbs!) and ballet flats.

 Thursday

Almost leggings & chunky heels. 

I know chubby people aren't supposed to wear horizontal stripes, but I like this top!

 Friday

Jean Day at work and also the Friday before Halloween.

"Death by Cheeseburger" shirt & black skeleton earrings.

I didn't' have those shoes on for work.  

Then I had on my ropers, which are lace-up (I hesitate to say cowboy) riding boots. Dark Gray.

Sooo, is there any hope for me?  I know I wear a lot of black on the bottom half.  I try to find other colors and I haven't succeeded very well.

Friend Makin' Monday - recipe exchange

I'm a sad monkey today.  I was a victim of the evilness of the spouse & child this weekend.  Cider & Donuts.  Thankfully, we only got 1/2 dozen donuts, so I was forced to stop at 2.   I don't feel terribly guilty, tho.  We were carving our Jack O Lanterns and cider & donuts are a tradition for us.  It went along with our fun family day.

If you’ve taken part in FMM then you know the rules. If you’re new, please take a moment to answer this week’s question on your own blog then add your link in the comments section at: www.alltheweigh.com so we can all see your FMM questions and answers. Please invite your blog readers to add their links here too so everyone has to opportunity to be seen. The idea is to connect with other awesome bloggers so take a moment to post your own FMM post and comment on a couple of other posts. Now it’s time for this week’s topic!

FMM: Recipe Exchange

Let’s share one or two of our favorite Fall recipes this week!  It’s always fun to mix things up in the kitchen! 

I can't take the credit for this at all.  I follow Gina's Skinny Recipes blog and she's my hero!  Everything I've tried from her site is amazing!

Pumpkin Spice Cookies with Chocolate Glaze.

Servings: 32 • Size: 1 cookie • Old Points: 2 pts • Points+: 2 pts
Calories: 82.0 • Fat: 2.0 g • Protein: 1.5 g • Carb: 16.4 g • Fiber: 0.2 g • Sugar: 9.8
Sodium: 57.1

Ingredients:

• 4 oz 1/3 less fat cream cheese, softened
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
• 3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup pumpkin puree (canned is fine)
• 1/4 cup 1% buttermilk
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 3/4 cup all purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp pumpkin spice
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp baking powder

For the chocolate glaze:

• 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1/2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 tbsp 1% milk
• 1/8 tsp vanilla extract
• pinch of salt

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°. Line baking sheet with silicone mat.

In a medium bowl, beat cream cheese, butter and sugars together until light and fluffy. Add egg; beat well. Mix in pumpkin, buttermilk and vanilla.

In another bowl combine flour, spice, baking soda, salt and baking powder; gradually add to pumpkin mixture; mix well.

Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls, 2 inches apart onto silicone lined baking sheets. Bake 12 - 14 minutes or until golden. Remove to wire rack to cool.

For the glaze: Whisk the confectioners' sugar, cocoa powder, milk, vanilla and salt in a bowl. Place in a piping bag or a zip lock bag with the point cut off and drizzle onto the cookies.

Fire Up for Fall - week 6

I was pleasantly surprised at WI  yesterday - I was actually down .2 lbs!  Which makes me wonder just how much I'd been down if I hadn't made a pig of myself at Friday night.   I got home from work, starving, so I had a bowl (just one!) of cereal and just as I was taking my bowl the sink, Randy texted me to say he was on his way home and after his lousy week, he deserved a big steak, tall Labatt Blue and some peanuts.  That means Texas Roadhouse!  I didn't do too bad with my choices, the smallest possible sirloin steak they offer (6 oz.), a sweet potato and side salad with low fat ranch dressing.  But then the pitfalls.  The most scrumptious hot rolls with whipped cinnamon butter.  And Angel's platter of bacon cheesy fries.  I hurt.

Afterward we went and walked around a nearby Walmart for exciting things like dog food.  We usually do that to help settle the meal after we eat at the Roadhouse.  Then we got home and I went into the living room long enough to turn on the Red Wings game, and the pull of the couch's gravity literally sucked me in.  Then our biggest cat (my baby) took advantage of the fact I was horizontal and got on me.  And he would lay on me for hours if I let him.  Anyway, I was stuck and had no desire to try to move.  Oh, and the Wings won!

On the plus side, I was on the move a lot Saturday!  Ran a few errands, went with Angel & 2 girls from her comp dance team around the neighborhood to pick up cans & bottles and then to cash them in.  Walked around a couple stores looking for specific Halloween items.  Then did some re-arranging in my cemetery.  I wasn't happy with the lighting, so things got moved around and added.


Ok, Questions, musical this week:   I am linking back to Rebecca's blog to join with others in the online support group!

1. What have you done to achieve your goals this week?

Loss on the scale?  Yes!  .2 lbs but I'll take it!

Get out he Wii?  No.  And that glowing blue LED light mocks me every time I look into the living room.

Get out walking (or using my DVDs)?  Fail.  But I did a lot of walking during different times this week.  Just not "put on shoes & sweats & go!" type walking.

No cider & donuts?  Today is the day we're going to get our pumpkins. I'll try not to give in to temptation!

New Recipe?  Somewhat.  I got pork chops from Kroger (mistake, right there!) and they were really thin cut.  I just sprinkled them with applewood smoke seasoning rub and baked them.  They weren't too bad.  The think stuff like that would be better as a sandwich.

2. What have you done to make yourself feel fabulous?  Well, after THIS post... I've been plotting what I'm going to wear to work tomorrow.  I've been avoiding the more form-fitting tops I have, but I do believe they will being coming out of the drawer!!  And yesterday when I was out & about, I had on leggings & a long t-shirt in a flattering turquoise color.  I haven't worn leggings since probably high school!

3. Do you listen to music when you work out? What gets you fired up?  I like to listen to something with a beat when I walk.  I truly despise running now, but when I was in the Navy - listening to cadences really made want to move - I felt like a machine that could go & go & go. 

4. What's your guilty pleasure music? How does it make you feel?   Umm.  I confess to being an unnatural parent and actually liking a lot of the music my daughter listens to.  I think she secretly likes it, because she can talk to me about it and I know what she's talking about!  So LMFAO, Bruno Mars, Pit-Bull/NEO, Adele, etc. etc.  However, if you look at my iPod - it's a mix of old & new county and 80s hair bands and some newer rock..   It can shuffle between old George Strait, Kid Rock, Alice Cooper and Trace Adkins.  And of course, there is a LOT of Def Leppard on there!  Love my Def Leppard!

5. If today were a song what song would it be?  Oh man,  Today is a good day.  Randy is gone for the morning and Angel is still sleeping.  I have a cat purring on my lap and the sun is shining, altho it is one of the coldest mornings we've had so far this season (41 degrees F right now - and its warmed up!)  We're going to carve pumpkins tonight and that always makes for fun family time.  So I think the obvious.  The Black Eyed Peas, "I Gotta Feeling".  Yup.

Here's my positive pic. I'm proud of myself & all the work I've put into my cemetery (this is only about 2/3 of it, too!)  There's just a few minor tweaks that I'll do today and I'll be 100% happy with it.  

The bright glowing thing in the corner of the house is a plastic blowmold ghost.  He totally needs a lower wattage bulb.  And I'm going to switch the blue flood bulb with one of the green ones, so it's more evenly lit. 

Bring on Halloween!  Oh wait.  We need to buy candy.  Crap.

Sigh.

I didn't get over the weigh in yesterday because I was too busy shuttling the girl around between dance classes at the studio, her dancing at a football game, and trying to make my house somewhat less disastrous before my sister came over.  I'll go first thing tomorrow.

Anyway.  I had to stop to get gas in the car.  First of all - I thought I looked pretty cute yesterday.  I was wearing my favorite black, almost-ankle-length skirt with a slit up the front to my knees.  It was cold / windy / rainy out, so I had on leggings and black flats.  I had a burgundy top with what looks like a lace insert at the neckline and 3/4 sleeves.  And I'd tossed on a black hoodie when I left the house. 

So anyway.  I'm minding my own business, filling up the car, when Brunette Barbie toddled by.  She was gorgeous & young & thin & wearing a skin tight black dress, black hose & stilettos so high she could barely walk.  And every guy at the gas station was staring.

My first thought was "where the heck is she going at 4:30ish on a Thursday afternoon???" and  "WTH? There aren't hookers this far north!" and then random evil thoughts went her way.  

Then I looked down at myself as I put the gas cap back on my car. 

And had an epiphany. 

I totally looked dowdy.  Instead of cute, I felt like a chubby, almost 40-year old hippie.  But I really didn't think any more of it the rest of the evening, since no one is cute while bundled up against wind & rain at a high school football game!   Until I got dressed this morning.

I tend to wear longer skirts because I'm lazy and can get away with wearing knee-highs instead of panty hose. I also have not worn a shirt tucked in since I got my Navy discharge.  Comfort has been my style.  Today I put on a mid-calf length flowered skirt and plain black t-shirt with a small detail around the neck.  I am wearing shoes with 2 inch heels, tho.  As I stood in front of the bathroom mirror.  I almost cried. The word came to me.  I looked ........matronly........

SOB!

I'm only 38!  I don't want to look this way!  I just hate shopping for clothes.  I have to be in the mood to try stuff on - which I have to do since nothing is sized normally.   Is it right for the mom of a 14 year old to even WANT to look cute?   I know Randy doesn't care what I wear. 

I think I need a make-over.  And I need to become independently wealthy.   Does anyone else feel this way??

Divided!

I separated my blogs back to how they were.  I'd really been thinking about how I wasn't thrilled with having both my weight loss stuff & personal stuff all smashed together.  I don't have that many followers, but the ones I do have follow my blogs for their content.  So when I combined....yeah.  You get the point. 

Alrighty - now that things are back to normal (relatively speaking) I'll leave you with this creepy pic I took tonight.  This is looking out my rain-splattered front window at the floodlights in my cemetery (and has a skeleton hanging in front of it).  Do you see the face looking thru the square where the skelly's head is? 

Now I'm going to copy & paste this post over at Random Ramblings - LOL!!

Now.....I don't know.

Now that I've combined my weight loss & personal blogs.....I'm having second thoughts.  I don't like it as much as I thought I would.    Sure, its convenient.....but eh. 

So I will be changing it back!  I'm glad I didn't delete the other one.

Friend Makin' Monday - Stereotyping

Happy Monday!  Hope you all had a great weekend!  It was really windy here (caused some minor damage to my cemetery - boohoo!) but the sun was out most of the weekend, so I can't really complain!!

Without further ado.....

If you’ve taken part in FMM then you know the rules. If you’re new, please take a moment to answer this week’s question on your own blog then add your link in the comments section at: www.alltheweigh.com so we can all see your FMM questions and answers. Please invite your blog readers to add their links here too so everyone has to opportunity to be seen. The idea is to connect with other awesome bloggers so take a moment to post your own FMM post and comment on a couple of other posts. Now it’s time for this week’s topic!

FMM:  Stereotyping

Have you ever been the victim of stereotyping?  If so, will you elaborate?  What do you wish people thought of you as they notice you for the first time?

Hmm, this is a tough one!  If I have been stereotyped, it really hasn't been to my face.  I've been overweight a long time, but no one has ever told me I couldn't do something because of it.   I may have hesitated to do something because of my own thoughts (get on a horse or in a roller coaster) but I wasn't prohibited.

Back when I was in the navy, there were times that guys had this idea that I couldn't do something because I was female.  On my first boat, when we were returning to port, there's this thing call sea & anchor detail.  Basically we had to be on the foc'sle in full protective gear and be ready to drop the anchor when we got to the pier.  I ~finally~ got a chance to wait near the shackle (kept the chain from moving) with a sledgehammer as we came in.  We were just about to slide into place when of course the punk ass guys wanted me to give over the sledgehammer to them.  I'd stood there in the summer Georgia sun for almost an hour already, I wasn't about to give it up, just when the action was about to begin!  So to save face, they started making fun of me - that I wouldn't be able to open that shackle with one hit.  I was a skinny (oh those days!) 19 year old girl at the time.  But as soon as I got the signal, I swung that sledgehammer and that shackle popped open on the first hit and the anchor fell.  I rather enjoyed the looks of astonishment on a whole bunch of faces, since the guy on the other side had to hit his several times before it opened.  

Sigh.  I miss those days!

Oh my.  Brings back memories. 

Spent many an hour here!

Fire Up for Fall - Week 5

It started out as a busy weekend - work, Homecoming parade, football game & a 10pm bowling fundraiser for the dance studio Friday night.  Then a can/bottle drive & a couple hours at work Saturday.  Then Sunday I scrubbed down both bathrooms and hung all the pillows & bedspread outside to air.  I got a lot of Halloween stuff pulled out for my apothecary kitchen (will post pics when done!) and some other projects started.  needless to say - it looks like a tornado struck in my kitchen!   

Now its Fire Up time!  As usual, I'm linking back to Rebecca's page for today's post.

What have you done this week to achieve your goals? 
a. Loss on the scale?  Yup!  down .4 lbs.  I was hoping for more after being sick last weekend. But I'll take it!
b. get out the Wii?  Fail. 
c. Get out walking?  Yup.  Only once, but at least it was something!
d.  Don't buy cider & donuts?  Did not!  Oh wait - do Tim Horton's donuts count?  I did have one of those Saturday morning.  With a pumpkin spice coffee.
e.  New recipe?  Nope.  Unless you count the Little Caesar's personal pizza from a fund raiser that  I covered in steamed cheesy veggies. 

What have you done to make yourself feel fabulous?   I've been working on my indoor Halloween decorations and they're better than I hoped!

It’s half way through the challenge, you can change 1 or more of your goals (max of 3) if you want to….what are you going to do and why?  I'm going to change C.  The weather is getting crappy and I seriously doubt I'm going to have anymore chances to get outside.  I'll change it to using one of my Walk A Home DVDs with Leslie Sansone.   I'm not going to change D because this weekend we're going to a nearby cider mill to get our pumpkins.  I think I can control myself there, but I'm not making any guarantees.

What’s your worst bad habit and have you ever tried to tackle it? Do you want to?  My worst habit is that I'm messy.  I don't pick up after myself like I should.  My house is very small and we have a lot of stuff.  And even tho I do make regular donations to the Vietnam Veterans, I still have a hard time finding homes for all our clutter.  It makes me feel like I'm a lousy housewife, even tho I work outside the home almost as many hours as the hubby each week.  I am actually working on that. 

Fun Time: Would you rather have Burgers for feet or Sausages for Fingers?  Burgers for feet, since feet are ugly anyway.

My positive pic is of my daughter before last Friday's Homecoming Parade.  I'm so proud of her for turning out so differently than I was.  In 9th grade, I was a quiet little nobody who stayed to myself with only a few friends.  She's loud & popular & has 1000 friends.

I also find it ironic that the dance team carried poms and the cheerleaders did not!

Insanity!

I came across THIS article this morning that compares a regular woman (in this case - a model) with Barbie.  And then proceeds to explain all the work you'd need to have to done to attain Barbie-perfection.  Yeah - I think I'll pass on this bandwagon!

 Oh my. 

As a reminder - according to Weight Watchers, my healthy weight range (at 5'8") is 132 - 164 lbs. with a BMI of 20-25.  I confess that I am still at 217 lbs / BMI 33.  Still working on that!

Let us peruse some examples of so-called "super" models. These are from NewFaces.com
Please - try not to gag!
 

 Carmen Cass.  

5'10" 114 lbs = BMI 16

Apparently posture is an option?

However, the zombie makeup is very realistic!

 Kate Moss.  

5'7" 105 lbs = BMI 16

Boobs?

 Laetitia Casta

5'7" & no weight listed

At least she has some curves & meat on her bones!

 Shalom Harlow

5'11" & no weight listed. 

I think she needs some tissues to fill out her top!

Stephanie Seymour

5'10" & no weight listed.

She looked better in the Guns N Roses video. 

I just did a Google search for plus-size models and there are sure a whole lot fewer of them!  Personally - I think the plus-size girls are so much more beautiful.  I don't know why modelling agencies insist on making the skinny ones look like freaks - with blue hearts painted on their faces & crazy hairstyles, etc.
These are from PlusModels.com

 Barbara Brickner

 Gabrielle Taber

 Liis Windischmann

Tracy Stern

Anyway, although I'm on the journey to lose weight for my health & longevity - I am so happy to be a regular person!!!

Homecoming, Bowling & Disney on Ice

Whew, it's been a busy few days!

Last night I went to go see Disney on Ice.  Linda had won tickets from a radio station, so all us girls went - and of course we had to wear tiaras!

 Angel said she wanted to see pictures - just not of us.  

So this was the first one we took!

 Timon & Pumbaa

 The Little Mermaid

 Lilo & Stitch

Peter Pan, his shadow & Tinkerbell.

I'm not a huge Disney fan, but it was a lot of fun.

Today was Homecoming for Angel's school.  She was mildly miffed that she couldn't do her hair all crazy - due to having to dance in the parade.  But she made up for it later!

Got to love a parade that starts off with 2 police cars & an ambulance!  

 Right after getting home from the parade.

They got their new tops tonight - very cool!

 One of the floats.

 The other float.  

Yes - there were only 2 floats. 

Her & Emaly before going to the game. 

Their shirts say "U wish you were as FRESH as us"

as in FRESHmen. So witty ~snort~

I went & got her from the game at the end of the 3rd quarter - (btw - Utica was ahead 28-0!!) so she could go home & change before the bowling fundraiser event for the studio dance team!  I don't have any pics from there since ~someone~ had my camera in her purse that she left at home. But here is the stuff that I won in the raffles!

 A glass block with bamboo shoots

You should have seen the look on Angel's face when she saw I won the plant!  

LOL!  She's always complaining about all my plants. 

A dual travel mug coffee maker!  

Randy was pretty excited to hear about this!  I can't wait to try it out!

Did I mention I suck at bowling?  I barely managed to break 100 on both games - barely (109 & 101)!  I  kept looking over at the lane next to ours - it wasn't registering with me exactly what I was looking at - the guy's score was 0 & in the 8th frame.  This scores was only showing Xs.   He ended up bowling a 297 game!  His very last throw, he only knocked down 7 pins.  OMG!!  Glad our collective crappiness didn't rub off on him!

So anyway - it's getting late.  Tomorrow the action keeps on.  Angel is being picked up by one of the other dance moms at 9 am to put out flyers in the neighborhood for a bottle drive.  Then while she's at dance in the afternoon, I have to go make up a couple hours at work.  Woo!

Holland Ponds

This is a cool place for a nature walk.  It's got an interesting history, being a former EPA superfund site and such.  But overall - it is very enjoyable.  I took the dog out there today to take in the sights & smelles of fall.

 Jack didn't know what to think of these smells!

 I think we disturbed someone!

 Ducks!

Holland Ponds
EPA Superfund Info