watchin' my weight Wednesday

Here is what it looks like when you have your children decorate for a party... baby on the table, throwing the streamers over the chandelier

tentacle streamers are the best

more streamer throwing

baby climbing on the table again...homemade birthday signs, the best decoration ever.
The tablespoon rule:

Do parties throw you off your healthy habits? They do for me. I cannot resist appetizers and "finger foods" (as my grandma calls them). In fact, besides fair food and Cincinnati Reds games food (i.e. nachos and funnel cakes), party food is my favorite. I love, love, love it. Forget about steak and potatoes, give me cheese ball and crackers any day.

This past weekend we hosted my mom's birthday party. I did make some yummy appetizers and dessert. We also had a really big dinner that included pork and ribs (my mom's favorite, definitely not mine!). To prep, I ate a really tiny breakfast and lunch, enough to keep me going, but not enough to really sustain me, I knew those phillo brie thingys were just waiting for me in the fridge! And I ran about 3 1/2 miles that morning.

When it came time for the party, I did not want to focus on counting my Weight Watchers points, I wanted to eat by golly! I observed the tablespoon rule. I took a tablespoon of all the things I wanted to eat and ignored the rest (the pork and ribs, ick! sorry to my hubby that made them, everyone said they were the best ever, just not my thing). I felt pretty good until I finished dessert. Then I felt pretty full. Wow, stone fruit trifle with whipped cream and lemon curd is filling! (I know, I was so channeling Martha, it was her recipe!) I sent home leftovers with my family and then the next day I ran 3+ miles again.

And guess what, I do not feel guilty about not watching my points (or calories, or carbs, or fat, or whatever you monitor) because I felt like it was important to enjoy.

Some more pics from the party... Tanner, looking like he has some mysterious thing in his mouth

Zoe helps my mom blow out her candle, ignore how all the yummy curd and whipped cream sank to the bottom of my dessert, I was not happy

Note to self and all blog buddies, do not bend over for a picture wearing an empire waist dress, not pretty

My cutie pie cousin Travis and his girlfriend Hope, ah, young love

Three lovely ladies I truly admire, my mom (center) and her two sisters, my aunts Diane and Desi, aren't they all so cute!?

You can find the dessert recipe here:

http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/stone-fruit-trifle-with-lemon-mousse