Fav Weight Watcher Recipes

Here's a few of my fav WW recipes!

Shrimp and Angel Hair Pasta - 8 points for 1 serving - makes 4 servings

3 medium scallion(s), chopped
1 Tbsp fresh oregano, or 2 tsp dried
1 tsp lemon zest
3 oz feta cheese
1 cup(s) plain fat-free yogurt
14 1/2 oz canned diced tomatoes, drained (I use Rotel for a little kick)
1/8 tsp black pepper, or to taste
8 oz uncooked angel hair pasta
8 oz shrimp, medium-size, cleaned, peeled and deveined
1/8 tsp table salt, or to taste

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil.

In a food processor, process scallions, oregano and lemon zest until scallions are finely minced (or just chop them up, if you're short on time). Add half the feta cheese, crumbling and reserving remaining feta in a small bowl. Add yogurt and blend until smooth. Transfer to a bowl and stir in diced tomatoes and reserved feta. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Add shrimp to boiling water and cook until done, about 2 minutes (less if you are using small shrimp). Remove shrimp with a slotted spoon and add to sauce. Do not drain water. When water returns to boil, add pasta and cook until al dente, about 2 minutes. Combine with sauce and serve.

You can substitute chicken for the shrimp. You can also add Kalmata olives for a greek flair! It's Yummy!

Cheesy Chili-Mac - 5 points per serving - makes 8 servings

1 spray(s) cooking spray
2/3 pound(s) raw extra lean ground beef
2 medium onion(s), chopped
29 oz canned crushed tomatoes, Mexican-style (undrained)
2 1/2 cup(s) canned tomato juice
4 oz canned green chili peppers, diced, drained
2 tsp chili powder
1 1/2 cup(s) uncooked macaroni, elbow-size
31 oz canned pinto beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup(s) low-fat shredded cheddar cheese
(sometimes I use 2 cans of Rotel in place of the 29 oz can crushed tomatoes and the 4 oz can green chilis)

Coat a large skillet with cooking spray; set over medium-high heat. Cook beef and onion until meat is browned, stirring and breaking up meat with a spoon as it cooks, about 10 minutes; drain off fat.
Stir in undrained tomatoes and their juice, tomato juice, chili peppers and chili powder; bring mixture to a boil.
Stir in macaroni and beans; return to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until macaroni is tender, about 15 minutes. Spoon chili into bowls and sprinkle with cheese. Yields about 1 cup chili and 1 tablespoon cheese per serving.


Taco Soup - 2 points per cup

•1 lb. ground turkey or lean beef
•1 large onion, chopped
•1 (1 oz.) package Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing Mix
•1 (1 oz) package Taco Seasoning Mix
•1 (16 oz.) can pinto beans
•1 (16 oz) can chili beans (either hot or regular)
•1 (16 oz) can whole kernel corn
•1 (8 oz) can Mexican-style tomatoes
•1 (8 oz) can diced tomatoes (any flavor)

Directions
1.Brown meat & onions and drain.
2.Mix Ranch & Taco seasonings into meat.
3.Add rest of ingredients, undrained to mixture.
4.Simmer 1 hour.

This is delish served w/ baked tortilla chips and low fat shredded cheese.

Chocolate Cake - 2 points for 1/12 of the cake

1 devils food cake mix
1 - 15 oz can of pumpkin

Mix together. Bake according to directions on cake mix. It's sooooooo moist and yummy!

Chocolate Pie w/ Peanut Butter Crust - 3 points for 1/6 of the pie

1 box sugar free chocolate pudding
2 cups skim milk
1 1/2 cups rice crispies
2 tbsp honey
2 tbsp peanut butter

Make pudding according to the pie recipe on the box. Set aside in refrigerator to set up. Mix together honey, peanut butter, and rice crispies. Press mixture into a pie pan. Spoon pudding into crust. Allow to set up in refrigerator for about an hour (or until the pie is set). Top w/ sugar free whipped topping! Soooooooo good!

Oatmeal Pecan Lace Cookies - 2 points per cookie - recipe should yield 18 cookies

1 1/4 cup(s) rolled oats
1/2 cup(s) dark brown sugar, packed
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup(s) chopped pecans, finely chopped
1/8 tsp table salt
1/3 cup(s) butter, melted
1 large egg(s), beaten
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350ºF and cover 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper.
Mix oats, sugar, baking powder, pecans and salt together in a large bowl until well incorporated.
Add butter, egg and vanilla to oat mixture; mix well.
Drop teaspoonfuls of batter onto prepared cookie sheets and flatten each out, leaving at least 2-inches between each cookie.
Bake cookies until edges turn golden, about 8 to 12 minutes. Let cookies stand on cookie sheets for 2 minutes before removing to a cooling rack. Yields 2 cookies per serving.
(my friend made these at Christmas and they are SO SO yum! totally worth 2 pts!)

Do you have a fav low-cal/WW recipe? Do share!

Shredding Update and Twilight junk...because I can't help myself

I finished Day 9 of The Shred this morning...not because I wanted to. It has been quite the effort to JUST DO IT the last couple of days. Although, my endurance and stamina are up. I am able to do the entire workout without stopping. I'm SCARED to go to Level 2 on Thursday. I played around with it over the weekend and those plank exercises are freakin' ridiculous! I don't know what will happen. I may just stick to level 1 for another week. I did move up to 5 pounds hand weights. I can definitely feel the burn. It feels good. Even though it has been a struggle to get myself motivated to do the workout, by the time I am in the second circuit of strength training, the endorphins kick in and I'm good to go. I can finish strong. So, that is a plus. I'm hoping for some good results when I weigh in at WW tomorrow. *fingers crossed*

Here is something that I found online this morning and it makes me laugh...

OH and I am LOVING Anna Kendrick. She seriously has some of the funniest lines from New Moon and I love her more and more with each interview. I'm definitely going to see her other movies. Anybody watched Up In The Air yet?

Guilliana is hilarious with her Clooney obsession.

I was just reading some not-so-breaking news about Breaking Dawn. It was just more of the same questions...will BD be one or two movies?...when will filming start?...who will play Renesmee?...will she be real or CGI? No one seems to have answers to any of these questions just yet and Summitt has not released anything official about BD...so, we're left hanging and wondering...and hoping. One good thing, is that there will be a Breaking Dawn movie and there is a possibility for that movie to be in 2 parts...WOOHOO! I would be completely happy with either one really long...Lord Of The Rings LONG...movie...or two normal length films. You know me and my party planning, so of course I would love the chance to have ONE more movie...because that just means ONE more party! Either way, I can't wait!

Another thing that I CAN'T WAIT for is the trailer for Eclipse...WHAT is taking those people so long?!! It's driving me crazy! We got to see the NM trailer almost 6 months before the movie premiered. We're already down to 161 days until Eclipse, that is just a little over 5 months. So, what are they waiting for? Geez! Help a girl (and her obsession) out a little. Release the trailer already!

Some of you have asked me exactly what IS a TwiCon. So, I'll tell you in my next blog post. I'll link it up to the main site and give you a list of cities where they are hosted. Plus, I'll show you some of the fun stuff that I've found on line from other people's experiences at TwiCon...which makes me so stinkin' excited!!!

I saw New Moon for the fifth time over the weekend. I'm patiently waiting on it to come out at the dollar theater. I'm planning on having a New Moon marathon.

How many times have you seen New Moon? Also, have you ever been to a fan-based convention? Have I officially reached nerd status?

Thursday Thankfuls and an Easy Peasy Greek Pasta Recipe

You have no idea how THANKFUL I am that it's Thursday! It has been quite the week. I've kind of been in a funk this week. It's not been all puppy dogs and rainbows. Monday was definitely a Monday...in every since of the word. I got in trouble like all day at work. If it was wrong, it was my fault. Isaiah had a soccer game on Monday evening that I knew nothing about. It was supposed to just be practice. We were late and he had no uniform on...it was embarrassing. Speaking of late, Isaiah was late to school on Tuesday. Then he was almost late again on Wednesday. Yesterday was Weight Watchers and I gained 1.6 pounds...exactly what I had lost the last time I weighed in two weeks ago. I looked back in my log and I haven't lost a single ounce since August 19! I'm at exactly the same weight (down to the tenth of a pound) I was in August...two months with no weight loss. It is so frustrating. Even though I've been in this funk, it's still important to list my "thankfuls"...actually more important.

Today I am thankful for...

• My kiddos I teach at church. They really boost my spirits. We've been getting ready for our Harvest Festival at church and last night we made posters to decorate the church. Our theme this year is Superheroes...I can't wait!
• Party planning for New Moon. I LOVE party planning and I LOVE Twilight/New Moon, so planning this party has been the most fun! I'll start posting some pics of the things I've bought so far and let you guys know what I have planned.
• Party in the USA! "Noddin' my head like yeah...movin my hips like yeah..." You guys know this song, right? The new Miley Cyrus song. If you haven't heard it, you must. I play it in my car or in my office at least 5 times a day.
• Edward and Jacob in my office. No matter how bad the day is, when I look behind my door and see those FSE and FSJ, I have no choice but to smile. :)
• The days of sunshine we've had. I was in desperate need of some natural vitamin d! It's raining and yucky again today, but maybe the sun will come out tomorrow..."when I think of day that's gray and lonely. I just stick up my chin and grin and sayyyyyyy...oooooooooo...the sun will come out tomorrow. Bet your bottom dollar that tomorrow, they'll be sun..." Ok, enough of me serenading you guys. :)

Now for my easy peasy (made up) Greek Pasta recipe.

I was so craving some Greek Pasta like you would get at Zio's or the version they used to serve at Olive Garden, so Monday night I made up my own version. It was so good. I'd like to share.

Jenny's Easy Peasy Greek Pasta

1. Tyson Grilled Chicken Strips (in the freezer section...the whole bag)
2. 1 can of Rotel (drained)
3. 1/2 jar Kalmata olives (or the whole jar, if you like them as much as me)
4. 1/4 cup chopped shallots (or onions would work)
5. 2 Tabelspoons olive oil
6. dash of parsley
7. a little of the liquid (about 1/4 cup) out of the Kalmata Olive jar (if you don't use this then you'll need some liquid like chicken broth or something)
8. Whole Wheat Penne Pasta (I cooked the whole box, but only used about 2/3)
9. feta cheese

Start by putting your pasta on to boil. In a skillet, throw in your chicken and drizzle with the 2 T olive oil, Rotel, olives, olive juice (or chicken broth), shallots, and parsley. Let that just simmer and cook. Drain pasta. Toss with chicken mixture. Sprinkle feta cheese on top. Serve. Enjoy! It's delish and tastes pretty close to what I've had in restaurants. Oh, and it's healthy too!! I'm guessing the points to be 9 points (for 1 cup of pasta and 3 oz of the chicken mixture w/ 2 T crumbled feta cheese...plenty for dinner)! Pair with a salad dressed w/ balsalmic vinegar and olive oil. Yumm-O!

Extreme Makeover {Me Edition}

So, today Amber wants to know if we watch The Biggest Loser and what we think? Is it inspiring? To be completely honest, I love BL and I always have good intentions of watching it and I do sometimes, but I'm not faithful at all. I try to make it to church on Wednesday nights, and I usually DVR BL...BUT you should see my DVR schedule. It is JAMMED packed full of shows. Michael is always nagging for me to quit setting things to record. However, he does NOT allow me to delete shows. He does all the DVR maintenance. I'm notorious for deleting ALL the DVR'd shows. I don't know what happens. I think I'm deleting just my show and BAM...the next thing I know the whole DVR listing is EMPTY. I tried to play dumb the first time...like, "that CRAZY DVR...we should call them and tell them we need a new one!" After a couple of times...it's sooooo obvious that it's not a DVR glitch. I digress. Even though I don't watch The Biggest Loser faithfully, I do love the show. I think it is amazing what those people can accomplish during their time at the ranch. I'm totally inspired and when I do watch I actually get pumped up and note some of the things that they are doing and apply it to my weight loss efforts. I also CRY... A LOT! At times, that can lead to emotional eating. So, I kind of have to be careful and be prepared with a low point snack, because I know I'm going to want to IGAINED at WW today...AGAIN! It was only .2 (two tenths), but UGH! It is so frustrating. However, I stayed for the meeting today and it was so helpful. Our WW leader was talking about setting goals and how we see success. She reminded us that our weight does not define US! That is so true and such a great thing to remember. Also, she made mention that we should try to rid ourselves of stress. It is proven that stress alone can pack on the pounds or at least keep you from losing pounds. So, I'm making it my one and only goal this week to do some major stress relieving...exercise, prayer, devotion. How are you doing?Hope everyone is having a wonderful Wednesday!

This, That, and The Other

THIS is my hubby's 33rd birthday!!

He's such a great guy, who puts up with all my craziness. He always has been supportive of everything I've wanted to do. He even knows about all this Twilight craziness that goes on here. (Like, he EVEN knows that I love Edward and he's ok with that...well, it's like his free pass, because he loves Ashley Judd, so my love for Edward makes us "even".) He let's me just be me. I love him for that...and for many other things. Happy Birthday, babe!

I also wanted to say THAT I'm going to have a Twilight Saga/New Moon bloggy carnival thingy! HOWEVER, I'm not exactly sure how to go about it...any suggestions or advice? I'll keep you guys posted.

THE OTHER thing I wanted to share is that I gained 1.6 pounds at Weight Watchers yesterday. I had a small pity party accompanied by the inhalation of a Snickers bar. After wiping the chocolate off of my lips...achem...I felt a new sense of determination. Those scales will not beat me! I'm bigger than them! I boycotted the whole weight loss venture yesterday and didn't do an Extreme Makeover:Me Edition post, but I'll join back in next week.

Hope all of you are having a great day!

Smile...it's contagious. :)

Extreme Makeover : Me Edition

It Wednesday, and that means it's Extreme Makeover:Me Edition over at {aefilkins}

This week's question:

How are you being a healthy role model for your children?

Well, truthfully, one of the main reasons that I want to be in better shape is to set a better example for Isaiah. Of course, I also do it for myself. I had a WW leader tell me one time that if we always try to lose weight for someone else, we will never succeed.

I make it a point to always offer Isaiah healthy options for meals and we (almost) always eat balanced/healthy meals together for dinner. We stress that exercise and good sleep habits are also essential to good health, and try to do active things as a family. Isaiah asks a lot "is this healFy?" (it's 'healfy', not healthy =P) So, I know he thinks about what he's eating and doing and whether or not it's good for his body. I think causing our kids to be aware is one of the best things we can do.

I know that there is always room for improvement...I'm definitely a work in progress.

I have two 'healfy' recipes to share with you guys!

2 Point WW Devil's Food Cake

1 package Devil's Food Cake Mix

1 15 oz can of pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling, just pumpkin)

Mix those two ingredients together (it seems as if they will never mix together, but surprise surprise...they DO!) Pour mixture into any type of cake pan, but I've found it most helpful for portion control purposes to pour the mix into 24 mini muffin tins (only 1 point a piece) or 12 muffin tins (only 2 points a piece). Bake at 350 for 20-30 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean. It's oh-so-yummy!

Stuffed Mushrooms

12 mushrooms

2 oz low-fat cream cheese

4 tbsp. Parmesan cheese

1 tsp garlic

Mix cream cheese, Parmesan, and garlic together. You may need to soften the cream cheese in the microwave for about 20 seconds. Clean the mushrooms and take the stems off. Spoon the cream cheese mixture into the mushrooms and place them into a baking dish (sprayed with cooking spray) w/ the cream cheese mixture facing up. Bake in the over at 350 for 30 minutes. 1 point per mushroom! Delish! I served these last week with Parmesan Turkey Burgers (basically just one pound of ground turkey w/ 4 tbsp. of Parmesan and 2 tbsp. garlic salt mixed in, divided into 4 patties) and steamed green beans.

Hope everyone is having a wonderful Wednesday!!♥

Extreme Makeover : Me Edition

Here's today's question:

What is one of your favorite dieting secrets?
(I know it's a lifestyle not a diet, but you get the jist.)

I have TONS of secrets...oh, you mean dieting...well, yeah, I have lots of those too.

Like...

1. drink lots of water
2. only eat when you're hungry
3. make small goals

The list could go on and on, BUT my ONE FAVORITE dieting (lifestyle) secret is best said in the words of a dear lady I once knew, her name was Sister Booker, and she would always say "Jus' keep on keepin' on." I like to apply that one phrase to every aspect of my life and dieting is no exception. So, when I have weeks like I just had where life takes over and I have no control over circumstances, I just remember that I'm going to "keep on keepin' on", meaning I won't give up and I won't turn back...I'm only moving forward.

I had weigh-in at WW today and I gained another .2 pounds (so, that's almost a whole pound over the last 2 weeks), but you know what it could be worse and I won't give up. I'll just take it in stride. I faced the scale. I'm keepin' it real...

and I'll jus' keep on keepin' on.

How about you? Any brilliant diet (or lifestyle) secrets you would like to share?

For more EM:MEs, go see Amber at {aefilkins}!!

Hodgepodge

This post is just a hodgepodge of random thoughts. I was thinking that perhaps I made that word up in my mind, because I do that often, but then quickly opened up another browser window and punched it in to the hand-dandy http://www.dictionary.com/ and found out that I did NOT make it up! whew. It means a"heterogeneous mixture". Yep, that's what this post is going to be a heterogeneous mixture. I like using big words. That one is going into my long term memory. So, I said I was going to blog more frequently and here I am. I know you're stoked.

First, I would just like to say that I am ECSTATIC that football is right around the corner, hence the new blog header. I love my SOONERS! There is only ONE Oklahoma...you did know that right? If you're unsure, you should watch this video...






Are you PUMPED? I am. I love it.



Second, I would just like to say for my fellow Twi-holics out there that we are now a mere 92 days away from NEW MOON!! Wow. Have any of you been to a TwiCon? I want to go to one. Like bad. There are about 10 of them coming up in the next year. I want to be at one of them. I'm not sure what they do at a Twilight Convention, but I want to find out.

Maybe one of them will show up?

Random topic #3, I weighed in at WW yesterday for the first time since vacation and I gained half of a pound. I was disappointed yesterday, but today I decided I'm going to look at it as an accomplishment. I mean, I did go on vacation for 6 days and totally enjoyed myself while I was gone...no regrets. I WILL do better this week. I've been drinking water like crazy. I wish there was a way to drink lots of water and not go to the bathroom every 22 minutes. ugh! I brought lots of veggies and fruit with me to work today. No eating out!

I thought I would share an easy Weight Watcher recipe with you. It may not sound very good, but you should try it...you might like it!

Bean Soup

1 can beef broth

1 can fat free re-fried beans

1 can Rotel (diced tomatoes and peppers)

Mix all three cans together and bring to a low boil.

It's fast and easy...and only 1 point per cup on WW! You can put a ham sandwich or a veggie quesadilla with this soup and it's a yummy low-point/low-cal meal! Another variation is to add tortilla strips or baked tortilla chips in the soup with some low-fat cheese. Good!

Hope everyone is having a FABULOUS day!!

Extreme Makeover : Me Edition - Back To School!

I'm not even going to say it...you already know how bad I've been. The proof is on the page, right? I'm not going to make any promises...I HATE breaking promises, but I am going to try MUCH harder to post more than once ever 9 DAYS! Geesh. What a slacker!


What better way to get back in the groove than with an EM:ME post?! Today is Wednesday, which is my Weight Watchers weigh-in day. So, I'm not sure exactly how bad I was on vacation yet. I'll have to let the scales tell the true story. I don't feel like I did all that bad. I watched what I ate on MOST days...OK, a FEW days...and I ate healthy when it was possible...OK, when it was convenient. That's neither here nor there. It's in the past. I'm dwelling on the NOW.



Amber's questions for this week:

How is sending the kiddos back to school going to affect you?

Is it going to be easier/harder?

Are there any benefits/downfalls?
Not just back to school time, but basically, summer is coming to an end.

Is summer harder or easier for you to stick to your weight loss goals?


So, Isaiah started back to school last Thursday, the day after we got back from vacation and HE LOVES IT!

This was him on his first day of Kindergarten

For me, Isaiah starting back to school is a good thing. It helps me feel more organized and on a schedule, which means less stress and I feel in control of things...including weight loss. The only down fall is that I miss out on my morning exercising, unless I can start getting up EARLY! I'm trying, but the tiredness from vacation is still lingering. Hopefully, by next week I won't feel so tired. Summer is usually a great time for me to lose weight. It's warmer outside, so I exercise more. There are lots of fresh fruits and veggies, so I eat better. The warmer temps make me CRAVE water. However, I'm determined to be successful as we go into fall.

I WILL find creative ways to work in exercise (Thank you, Maksim and DWTS :)!

I WILL continue to eat fruits and veggies, even if they're of the freezer variety.

I WILL continue to drink water!

How have you been? Tell me, I REALLY want to know!

Hope everyone has a wonderful Wednesday!!

For more EM:ME posts, go see Amber!

Extreme Makeover : Me Edition

Blah blah blah...that's how I feel about today's Extreme Makeover : Me Edition today. Well, just about my post and the fact that I don't have anything positive to say right now. I just came back form weigh-in where I gained 1.8 pounds...that's almost 2 pounds! What the hey? Ugh. I guess the positives are that I felt a little kick in my pants when I stepped on those scales today...like a little voice saying "see, you better get your butt in gear" and I left the meeting feeling somewhat motivated. So, I guess I better listen. I want next weeks 'tales from the scales' to be good. I wanted soooooo badly to have lost 25 pounds (at least) by vacation. Now I know that I can kiss that dream good-bye. Vacation is a week from tomorrow and now I am an extra 1.8 pounds away from that goal. boo. My WW leader said something today though that really stuck with me..."the road to success is always under construction." I think that is very fitting.

So, this week I will...

• exercise


• eat LOTS of fruits and veggies


• drink lots of water


• make smart choices


• remember that one bad meal does not constitute giving up

I will not...

• be frustrated


• give up


• sabotage myself


• let stress get the best of me


• lose out on quality sleep


• make excuses

I hope everyone on the weight-loss/healthy living highway has a successful week ahead! For more EM:ME go see Amber (she lost 4 POUNDS this week!...go give her a virtual 'pat on the back'!)

Extreme Makeover: Me Edition

*hanging head in shame*...I feel bad. I miss you guys. I think about blogging and commenting on my fav blogs EVERYDAY, but something happens through the day and I NEVER make it over here...I'm sorry. *pouty lip* I would promise that I'll do better, but I see the trend continuing until after vacation, which isn't until August 6th-12th. I feel so consumed w/ planning and getting work to a place where I can leave it for a week...and the to-do list at home grows daily! It's hard work to get ready for vacation. OH, and Isaiah starts to kindergarten the day after we get back. Oy! Pray for me. Seriously. I need it.

I swore to Amber on all things Coach and Twilight related that I would come do EM:MEs yesterday...did I? NO! ugh. I'm sucha loser...a blogger loser. Not only did I let Amber down, but I let two of my favorite things down as well...Coach and Twilight. Come on, what kind of person am I? No, don't answer that. I'm drowning my sorrows in a cup of coffee and a package of 100 calorie Milano cookies as I type. don't look at me like that. Speaking of Amber, she could really use some love right now, so if you have a second, run on over there and give her a virtual hug. K? Thanks in advance. You're awesome. =)

Sooooo, on to EM:ME...

Amber asked, "How are you doing?"

Well, Amber...I'll tell you...and I'll be totally honest. promise. I haven't been doing the best that I could do, but I've been doing ok. I skipped WW last week. *gasp* I know, I know. Bad. Last week was so super busy and we had 3 special things going on at work...and you know what that means...CAKE! Yep, there was a Merritt's Cake in my office THREE times last week!!! I resisted. I didn't eat ONE piece! Can you believe that? I surprised myself. How does one turn down Merritt's cake not once, not twice, but THREE TIMES? It was quite an accomplishment. So, even though I didn't wake up early enough to exercise with Maksim *pouty lip*, I did have some successes. The bad: not exercising enough, letting my emotions direct my eating, buying a can of Frito Mild Cheddar flavored cheese dip...and eating all of the said Frito Mild Cheddar flavored cheese dip. The good: eating lots of fruits and veggies, drinking lots of water, and remembering to take my vitamins daily. Oh, and I went to WW yesterday. :) I lost 1.8 pounds! WOOHOO! It's not a lot, but it's a loss and it brings my total to 20.6 pounds!

So, how is everyone else doing?

P.S. For those of you who I sent packages out to as Thank You's for commenting for a cause, your packages should be arriving in the next couple of days...except for Shilo, I'm thinking Paraguay will take a few extra days. :)

P.S.S. I just wanted to say that Wicked was WICKED! I had a FABULOUS time. It is seriously the BEST musical I've ever been to and I can NOT quit listening to the soundtrack. It's amazing! I'm going to host a little WICKED giveaway soon, so don't miss it. :)

Extreme Makeover: Me Edition

Amber at {aefilkins} hosts Extreme Makeover: Me Edition each week on Wednesdays. It is a fabulous time to read other people's journey to healthy living and weight loss, gain encouragement, give encouragement...and make friends! We all want friends, right?! :)

This week's topic is simple:

--------------------------------------------------------------

Share with us how you're feeling about your progress.

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To be completely honest, this week has been a struggle for me. I haven't worked out with Maksim since last Friday! *hang head in shame* My in-laws came for a visit over the weekend and with visitors always comes FOOD! We grilled out and I was good...I made myself a turkey burger and it was YUMM-O!

Let's pause for a recipe break...

Jenny's YUMM-O Turkey Burgers

1 pound of ground Turkey (all white meat...lean)

2 slices of Pepper Jack Cheese

seasoning salt

Directions: divide ground turkey into 4 equal parts. Roll turkey into a ball and press out. Take cheese slices and divide them into fourths. Press 2 cheese squares in the middle of each turkey patty and cover with the ground turkey and press back into a patty. Season w/ seasoning salt (or any kind of seasoning) and grill...and Enjoy! They're delish!

You know how it is when family is around...you just sit and visit and eat...and drink mojitos. Oh, you don't drink mojitos? Hmmm. Maybe that's just us. Well, for anyone wanting to know a mojito made w/ 2 oz light rum and 4 oz of mojito mix is 4 points on WW.

On Sunday, Isaiah went home with his Grammy and Papaw for a few days. *insert pouty lip and major sad face* He's NEVER been out-of-town without us and NEVER stayed that many days without us. It was so hard to let him go...he's my baby and I want to keep him that way...BUT it was good for him and he LOVED it!

Going to Grammy and Papaw's!

He really had a great time and did terrific! However, while he was gone, in the evening I felt myself wanting to eat and snack due to nervousness/boredom. It was all I could do to just go to bed and not eat something...popcorn, chips and guacamole, crackers and cream cheese...something! I'm just relieved to make it to Wednesday. Isaiah is back home and it's weigh-in day at WW! WOOHOO! As of last week, I had lost 16.2 pounds LOST 18 POUNDS (an additional 1.8 at WW this week!). *fingers crossed* for another good weight loss. (I'll come back on and update this post after weigh-in.) I had a small goal set for this weekend. When I started trying to lose weight back in March, I had said I wanted to lose 20 pounds by my family reunion, which is this weekend. I don't think I'll hit 20, but I feel good knowing that I'm close. My next goal was to have lost 25 pounds by the NKOTB concert in Dallas on the 17th of July. I'm really hoping to meet that one! I need to look smokin' hott for Joey! (Right, Xazmin?! :)

My goals for this week are: to keep eating as many fruits and veggies as I can squeeze into a day..."portable fruits" (aka bananas, grapes, berries...things that don't need peeled, cut, or sliced) ROCK! I also have been trying to drink at least 8-10 glasses of water every day...thanks to my stainless steel water bottle, it's been pretty easy! I love that thing! I MUST exercise! I'm hoping my nose unclogs so I can get back to exercising with Maksim asap ...acceptable levels of oxygen are essential while exercising with Maksim!

Check out this mass mailing...

If you commented on a Comment for a Cause, you have a package headed your way! :)

**I'm still having MAJOR blogging issues, so please know that I'm trying to get around to everyone's blog and comment...it just takes me FOREVER!!!...if I see one more "error" message I think I'll SCREAM and simultaneously throw my computer out of this 4th story window...hopefully, things will be back to normal soon!**

Hope everyone is having a great week!