watchin' my weight Wednesday

Just about any healthy lifestyle plan (such as Weight Watchers- my favorite!) advocates eating lots of fruits and veggies. This has never been a problem for me, I love all vegetables, I always have. I can remember going out to eat with my Grandma when I was a teen and she would always say, "aren't you going to get any meat?" Nope, just a salad, thanks! Seriously, I had to re-evaluate my veggie eating when I joined WW, no more melted cheese or regular ranch dressing (actually I still have them, just the right amounts). One of the things I did to help me in this quest to healthier living was to buy this little mini cutting boards.
I had a big cutting board that I have used before. When I started eating veggies for almost every meal and snacks, I got annoyed quickly with washing it several times a day. Now I just grab a clean one and get to choppin'. It makes it easier to get those veggies ready for eating. I also use these in chopping things for Tanner since he is eating pretty much everything. These are just the right size for a small drawer so they're easily accessible. Just one more thing to make this journey easier and better for me.

Grayman & wrapping station

I don't think I have ever talked about Grayman very much. The camera scared him so he wouldn't stop moving, hence the fuzzy photo. He is our parrot, actually he is Paul's parrot that I "adopted" upon marriage. I was very anti-bird before I met Paul and I almost didn't go on a second date with him when I found out he had a bird. I was worried he'd be one of those weirdos that sat and watched tv with a parrot on his shoulder like a pirate or something. Thank goodness he isn't like that. So now I am a bird mommy. I clean up after him, his breed is the messiest of all birds, seriously. He throws his food all over the floor and he takes a "bath" in his water bowl just about every day giving me more to mop up. I feed him, pet him, hold him, buy him toys, and put up with his constant talking and squawking. He talks to me all the time, in fact when he is at the bird sitter before trips, I kind of miss him. He speaks in my voice and Paul's, mostly mine. He giggles like Zoe, he says "woo" when I turn the music on, he starts squeaking as soon as the sun comes up, kind of like a chicken. He says "bye bye" when I get the keys ready, he makes a pop can opening sound when I get one out of the fridge. He yells at the dog (again, in my voice), he calls for me if I go upstairs. He says "go Buckeyes" and "go Wildcats" and sometimes he just screams. He says lots of words and makes countless sounds, I once made a list and stopped when I got to 100. Repairmen get freaked out because he can mimic cell phone rings and beeps. He makes a ringing phone noise when I talk on the phone, most people tell me I can "get my other phone" when I am talking to them. He got outside before we were married and we spent three days looking for him, hanging posters around the neighborhood, we found him and he had learned to caw like a crow, hanging with the wrong crowd you know. His wings are regularly clipped now, no more nights out with the boys for him. So he's my companion, my alarm clock, my buddy, for the next 50 years or so. Truly amazing since I seriously had a bird phobia before I met him.

Now on to some organizing stuff....
I have envisioned a gift wrapping area for-like-ever! Right along side my giant scrapbooking/crafting room with built in cabinets and shelves and giant counters in which to spread out. OK, reality, I have a desk and some shelves for my hobbies and this tv armoire. This used to be the tv where the kids watched movies. Now we do not have a VCR or a DVD player for this tv so the drawers were stuffed with stuff and it just bugged me. They had videos and some other junk in them (see my cookbook holder- what the f? how did that get there?) I moved the DVDs and put the videos in the Goodwill box... (those are Tanner fingers, just itching to "help" me)

And now I have this! Nothing fancy, just basic stuff in one place. I used to have to run to the basement for wrapping supplies and then work at my desk since I like to add bows, ribbon, tags, etc. Now I am super excited to have it all in the same area. Why didn't I do that sooner? I have tags, ribbon, small gift bags and tissue paper in this drawer, in baskets and boxes I already had. The other drawer holds gift bags (not pictured, just boring). It forced me to purge my gift bag collection, a much needed task and I was able to take stock of what I needed to get for the upcoming Christmas wrapping season. By the way, rolls of wrapping paper are hidden in the corner by my scrapbooking shelves, no one will even know they are there. I don't keep a lot of these so I don't mind putting them there. Ahh, bliss, everything in a container and ready to go, I just love it!

my Monday menu and free/almost free day

Usually, I hate to go to the mailbox. It seems like I only get bills, credit card statements, solicitations for credit cards (I swear, Capital One must kill a billion trees every year!), and other yucky stuff. Today I got these things instead making for a happy free day: coupons from Kroger for stuff I actually buy (including a free Dole salad kit!), a Dell coupon for $70, $10 rebates from Kelloggs and L.L. Bean, and a recipe book I sent away for using UPC codes. These things made it nice to actually open the mail for a change.

Other things that made this a good free/almost free day:

1. I trimmed Parker's hair myself (saving $20), just around the ears and back where it grows like crazy.
2. I got free tags and wrapping paper when I bought some at Walgreens (BOGO this week). savings= approximately $5.00
   
3. My family had a fancy dinner last night (OK so that makes it a freebie for yesterday, but who cares!?), we ate by candlelight in our formal dining room. The grownups even drank wine! Wow, I highly suggest this activity. We had a leisurely dinner and everyone was relaxed, without the hassle of going out. approximate savings= $50.00
   
4. I vaccumed my van out and restocked it with snacks and supplies (like hand sanitizer). This activity always makes me feel good, no matter what. I love a clean car almost as much as I love a spa day. not sure of savings, since I have never had my car "detailed"
   
5. Speaking of spa days, I plan on giving myself a "free" pedicure tonight, after the kiddos go to bed. $40.00 savings
   

I just love free things, they just make me happy!

Here are my menu plans for this week:

• Grilled chicken wraps and strawberries
• Italian sausage and white beans stew with biscuits
• Stuffed peppers and salads with oranges and pomegranates
• Homemade mini pizzas with salads
• Leftover buffet

I'm not sure how these will play out since my hubby is gone, again, and he has to attend two sports banquets this week thus making him not be home until late. Depending on the kids' moods (and mine of course) all menus are subject to change!

Baby, it's cold outside

Brr! We had our first true frost this morning. You know I am a winter-hater but I do admit, crazy hats are my favorite. I love this one. Someday Tanner will probably hate me for putting it on him, but I feel it is my God-given right as a mom to torture my kids. They deserve it after nine months of pregnancy, years of sleep-deprivation, forcing me to clean up their stomach flu messes at 3 AM, wiping boogers with my sleeves, stretch marks, you know all that "joy of motherhood" stuff.

**I tried to post this yesterday (Friday) but my computer was having PMS or something, sorry for the delay**

medicine area clean up

The spreading of flu(s) germs has me thinking of a task that I hadn't done in a while. I cleaned out our medicine area. (We keep our meds in the tiny linen closet in our bathroom, that way I know it is locked and secure from my kids.) I threw out expired stuff, I didn't have a lot since I usually do this once every six months or so. I took stock of what we needed and bought replacements. We needed pain and fever relievers for kids and baby and allergy stuff for the grown ups. I feel better knowing we are prepared in case we get another outbreak. I thought I'd remind you just in case you get busy with holiday preparations and forget, that's when I always get sick. I'll try to post a picture later, although it is pretty boring!

watchin' my weight Wednesday

I thought I could occasionally share a Weight Watcher tip that has worked for me over these last seven months. I think most everyone agrees that being healthy is a top priority. Weight Watchers is the healthiest plan I have ever found/used and I am not a paid endorser, just sharing what has worked for me. Although I am looking forward to starting my training to be a meeting receptionist very soon :)

Drinking Water
Almost all diets/eating/health plans call for drinking water, at least 6-8 (8oz.) glasses. At first this was hard for me. I tried filling the water bottle and drinking three a day, that way I knew I got the right amount. But at night I was chugging water that I forgot to drink during the day, and after three kids, the old bladder couldn't take that. So I started drinking a big glass first thing in the morning, my body needs it after all that sleep I get (ha ha ha). I drink a glass before bedtime. I always drink a big glass with each meal. I measured my glasses and found that I was surpassing the 6-8 recommended amount but I felt so good, I figured I must need it. Spreading it out with meals, makes it easier to drink, instead of all at once. (Our drinking glasses are big tumbler sized.) I still drink Diet Dr. Pepper and hot peppermint tea too. So I am basically floating around all day, but honestly, I feel really good and my skin is really clear. I think from all that water. Maybe this is something that might help you in your health and wellness quest.

trick or treat

Can't get all of them to look at the camera at once but...
Happy (belated) Halloween!
from,
Daphne (from Scooby Doo)
Charlie Brown (Paul insisted we draw on his head- I protested vehemently)
Pirate Parker

this week's menu:
enchilada casserole and corn
spaghetti and salads
chicken wraps and berries
deli sandwiches and vegetable soup
hot italian sub sandwiches and chips and fruit

Some of these are from last week, Parker has been battling some kind of flu so it's been all helter skelter around here. Our doctor will not test for H1N1 but I am assuming that is what he had since that is all that is spreading around. Poor boy, I am glad he is starting to feel better. Now I have to be on the lookout for him to relapse (a symptom of H1N1) and pray that no one else here gets it.