December Blog Challenge - Sending Christmas Cards

SENDING CHRISTMAS CARDS

I never send Christmas Cards, like, NEVER... I always say I am going to, buy the cards, but then never send them. This year is different. My hubby mentioned that he wants to send cards out. So we are going to do it. 

I hate the cards that i have at home, they were bought a couple of years ago as they were really cheap for my people at work 😀 but they were never used. So I went to Walmart today and bought new ones, now we just have to sit down and prepare them... 

Wish me luck!

Do you send Christmas or Holiday Cards? Let me know why or why not in the comments. 

Weekly Downsizing Me Check In - 11/30/2016 (THANKSGIVING!!! - Leftover Turkey Casserole)

Date - 11/30/2016

Week Start Weight - 239

Week End Weight - 247

Weight Change - I don't want to talk about it...

GOALS FOR JUNE

So the goals for May didn't work out to well... so lets try this again!!!

Downsizing Me Log - 5/22/2016

Date - 5/22/2016

Lazy Off Plan Sunday

What I Ate Today -

• Breakfast - 2 Hard Boiled Eggs with Nutrisystem Pancakes and Walden Farm Syrup
• Lunch - Nutrisystem Meatloaf Sandwich with a slice of cheese and veggies
• Dinner - Out to Dinner - had Steak with mashed potatoes and gravy with green beans and a side salad

Eating On Track Today - uh, No!

Comments - So mommy's coming to visit for a WEEK in just over a month... gotta get going on this Nutrisystem thing before she comes... No more off days or meals... for a GOOD LONG WHILE!!!

Downsizing Me Log - 5/8/2016 (Mommy's Day)

Date - 5/8/2016

Comments - Its Mother's Day.

I miss my mommy. She is 8 hours away (by car) and I sent her an gift card for Southwest so that she can come back to Las Vegas and visit. I am still thinking about my food and body stuff and having an off day. Went to breakfast this morning (normal breakfasty stuff). Then had some chips and olives and tomatoes. Just had some butter toast (it sucked, hard as a rock and VERY disappointing). Not sure what I will have for dinner.

Back on Nutrisystem tomorrow. Gonna try the higher calorie count plan that I lost so well on last year. 1500 calorie plan which is actually a range of 1500 to 1799 calories. More food, a little more options with powerfuels (PF - protein) and smartcarbs (SC - carbohydrates). (4 powerfuels a day and 3 smartcarbs as opposed to 3 and 2). My day will look something like this, sometimes with the PFs and SCs moved around:

• Breakfast - Nutrisystem Entree and PF
• AM snack - PF and SC
• Lunch - Nutrisystem Entree
• PM snack - PF and SC
• Dinner - Nutrisystem Entree and PF and SC
• Late Snack - Nutrisystem Dessert

Well, we'll see how it goes... Either way, we have so much Nutrisystem food that I have to give it a couple more months... I want to be healthy, not skinny, not even slim or thin, just healthy...

Also, I and my household are going through some stuff. More tests for me, have to watch my doggies since the legs don't work issue (no other issues, however, one of my dogs has a belly full of little rocks, seems like a silly thing to eat to me, but, hey... DOG). Just having to take it day by day, actually hour by hour at this point.

TOMORROW IS A NEW DAY! LET US SEE WHAT IT BRINGS...

I'm BAAAACCCCKKKKK!!!

So, I have been out of touch… for a while… a long while.

But I am back, from outer space… No, that’s not right.

I am back from Florida. Last week I went to Florida because my cousin was getting married. For WEEKS before that, I was trying to eat right, I really was… but it just was not happening. Nutrisystem for breakfast and lunch, but then pizza, hamburger and fried chicken for dinner…

No More!!!

Starting Monday, 4/18/2016, hubby and I have made a pact. We will be eating right, joining the gym again and this time, we plan to stick to it! We Have To!

Okay, enough excuses and promises… lets talk about Florida.

I grew up in South Florida, and moved to Nevada about 12 years ago after going through 3 hurricanes in a month. We went back a couple of months after moving for my cousin’s daughter’s birthday. My hubby and I went back in 2010 for my best friend’s father’s memorial. (Hubby got pneumonia while there) So now, 6 years later, I went back to Florida for my cousin’s wedding.

It was beautiful. The weather was perfect, cool and breezy, not too hot. There were a few raindrops to be seen, but not a lot. We stayed at a cute little hotel on the water, Jupiter Waterfront Inn, for a couple of nights.

Jupiter Waterfront Inn

The wedding was at a beautiful venue, Old Fish House in Jupiter, Florida. The wedding was beautiful. The ceremony was perfect and we were visited by two bright orange butterflies in the middle of the vows (the spirits of my grandparents, I believe).

photo credit:917e blaze of orange via photopin (license) 

Visited all my old haunts, the condo I grew up in, my aunt and uncle’s house from later. We saw my grandparents’ mobile home and my best friend’s house (she no longer lives in Florida, moved away a couple of years ago). My high school has changed a lot. My favorite restaurant, Russo's Sub Shop, has not. Still so good.

Russo's Sub from http://russossubs.com/home/photos

All in all, it was a great trip… did I mention I don’t fly well…

I haven't been on an airplane in 6 years, I do not like it, I would rather drive. When I visit my mom, I drive 8 hours instead of flying for 1 hour... I know, I know...Stupid, right?!? I actually made my mom come get me for this trip, she came to Vegas a day early so that we could fly together to Florida. She is the flying expert with all the traveling and visiting she does. Every time the plane did any kind of, well, anything, I looked ay my mom so she could tell me it was okay. I know, I'm a baby...

5 days in Florida, spent some time with my family, my cousins all have children who are growing way too fast. I miss them and really need to make more of an effort to keep in touch. They are really the only family I have as I am an only child and don't really have any other connection. 

So, here I am, home again and really need to get back to me and my health. We are going back to Nutrisystem, hardcore, starting Monday. I will keep you updated and will start the food posts again, it seemed to help me and gave others some ideas about what to do with the food. 

Stick around for a while to see our transformation with Nutrisystem...

Monday - Listless No More - Thanksgiving Day Food List!!

Our Thanksgiving Meal Plan!!!

So, my mother is coming for Thanksgiving. We are making Thanksgiving food. I would say dinner, but it is more like food plan, since we pretty much eat all day!!

Thanksgiving Day 2015

Monday - Listless No More - Ways to Relax

Its almost my birthday and every year I tell myself that I am going to quit stressing as much and learn to relax and let things go... it never really happens.

Here are some of my favorite ways to relax, and a few new ways that I am going to try...

ROAD TRIP

I’m going on a road trip!

Well, I am driving 8 hours to Carson City to attend a training that I did not want to fly to… Have I mentioned that I. DON’T. FLY.

Same Thing!

I have made this drive several times in the past couple of years. We made the drive 3 or 4 times when we moved to Las Vegas 2 years ago. We made it a couple of times before that when we visited here. I have made the drive once since I have lived here to go back to visit. But this time, I will be trying to stay on track eating and exercise wise. I can already say that this is not going to happen all the way. I have a couple of friends that I will be meeting for dinner and I will not stay on plan for those meals. The rest of the time, though, I hope to be on plan. I also hope to continue to exercise, even if it is just walking. I am staying with my mom while up there, and she is also on Nutrisystem so I am hoping that this will help. I will be bringing food with me for the meals that are not out with friends.

I am going to Texas Roadhouse with a couple of friends on Sunday for dinner. I am studying the menu to see what the best options are. I have concluded that there is not a lot of healthy options there.

I am going out for sushi with another friend on Monday night. I have looked at that menu to make my choices, but then I realized that the restaurant that she wants to go to is closed on Mondays!!! So we will have to find another restaurant to go to.

This brings back memories of moving to Carson City from Florida. We took 3 weeks to drive cross country to move to Nevada.

A to Z of Me!!

Hi there, can you tell that I get a little obsessed when I find something I like...

This is another A to Z post like the last couple I did. I found this one at The Bikini Experiment by Lauren. This one is the A to Z of me! So follow along and find out a little (more) about me.

Age: 37

Biggest Fear: Spiders!!! Flying!!! Not being in control!!!!

Current Time: 8:46pm PST

Drink You Had Last: Water, water, water

Easiest Person to Talk to: My mommy

Blog Challenge - Day 28 - Last one!!

What I would do if I won the lottery...


Wow, what a dream this would be. To not have to worry about money. To quit my job. Be able to buy what I want, go where I want, do what I want.

Well, its not quite that simple...

If I won the lottery, I would buy a large piece of property, somewhere that is green and your neighbors are not on top of you. Probably somewhere like Tennessee, Kentucky or even Washington or Oregon...

I would build my dream home. Not necessarily a mansion. But one with enough space for my family. I would also have little cabins all over for family and friends to stay in when they came to visit. I may have to hire someone to come cook healthy meals for me, and a personal trainer to help me finally get healthy, and every once in a while, I would have to have someone to follow me around and slap me when I want to eat all that unhealthy stuff :)

The other thing that this property would have on it is a rescued animal sanctuary. Someplace to take all those abandoned or neglected dogs, cats, whatever... There would be a house just for them and people there 24/7 so they didn't get lonely or afraid. They would have acres to run and roam...

I would also help out my family and friends with college funds for their children (because college is really important).

I would also travel and go all of the places that I talked about on Day 9 of the challenge.

I would do good in the world, I would not be like all the rich people that you see that have to have the most expensive (fill in the blank). Or the people that spend millions of dollars on a party or on a car or anything else. I would not be selfish (okay, maybe a little). I would help those in need.

Okay, can I win the lottery now?...

Blog Challenge - Day 17

Something I miss...


Well, what I am going to talk about today is not a thing, really... its people, 3 distinct sets of people, actually...

First, is missing family that have left us. I am an only child who has a single mom. I was always really close to my maternal grandparents and my maternal great grandmother. I had them in my life for a long time (I really was very lucky in that respect). However, it was very hard to lose them as we did. In 2002, we were all living in South Florida. My mother and I lived in one home, my grandparents and my great grandmother lived in another; we had moved my great grandmother in to their home a few years before after she had a fall and was unable to live on her own anymore.

Another family member had a home that was empty so we all decided to move in together. So in early 2002, my mother and I moved into this home with my grandparents and my great grandmother. It was a good thing we did... a few months later, my grandmother woke up one morning and could not speak.

Blog Challenge - Day 15

Hobbies and Interests…


What do I do for fun? Huh…

Well, I read, a lot! I have two full bookshelves in my living room, books scattered throughout my bedroom and a Kindle with over 900 titles on it. So, yeah, I like to read. I have different moods too… Horror books, romance novels, sometimes science fiction… The only thing I am not that fond of are westerns and nonfiction (usually). I will be talking about my favorites in a later post so stay tuned.

Another hobby is the computer. I love checking out Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and all the other sites to see what is going on in the world. Now that I am writing this blog, I am starting to find other blogs that are interesting and that I am following. Also, since this blog is so new, I am doing a lot of research to find out how to make it better, and, hopefully, eventually, I would love for it to be a job, you know, one with a paycheck!!!

Interests… my interests at this time are pretty eclectic. I love music, I always have songs in my brain (when I am trying to concentrate, when I am trying to sleep, when I am trying to do ANYTHING else, songs are there). I am also obsessed with essential oils at this time. I had a good experience with them, started doing research and now want all of the oils I read about. Earlier in the blog, I posted a couple recipes that I had made with essential oils. I still have one more that I want to make, a whipped body butter, I just have not gotten that far yet. I will keep you updated and post when it is done, hopefully this weekend.

Other hobbies and interests… I love to swim and it is getting to that time of year, went in the pool for the first time in forever the other night, it was amazing.

Another hobby is sleeping! And hanging out with the hubby and the pups. Maybe will start camping and that can become a new hobby…

We’ll see what else evolves with this blog, which, at this point is a hobby, but would like it to become more…

Blog Challenge - Day 13

My Dream Job…


I am a social worker who works with the elderly to keep them in their homes. What I really want to be is a stay at home mom…now there are a few issues with that, continue reading to find out more…

I have been a social worker for 15 years. My first jobs were with juveniles in the juvenile detention realm. I interned at a semi residential facility for at risk youth and I also worked for a juvenile detention diversion program. Then I moved on to my “passion field,” domestic violence. I worked at a domestic violence shelter for 2 ½ years. That is a hard job. I burnt out pretty quickly. I was done by the time my family decided to move and leave the area in South Florida where we were living. When we moved to Northern Nevada I went to work for Child Protective Services, I know, the EVIL CPS!!!!! I was the one who took all the calls, I hardly ever did investigations. I was there for 4 years and then I moved to working with the elderly. I worked with this population in Northern Nevada for 4 years. Then hubby and I moved to Southern Nevada and I have worked with the same population for 2 years here. I love my job.

Blog Challenge - Day 3

My Family…


My family is very important to me. It always has been, even though it has changed significantly over the years.

Growing up, it was me and my mom. I don’t know my father. Never met him, at least that I can remember. My mom’s parents and my maternal grandmother’s mother (my great grandmother) lived close. This was my family. We spent all our time together, my great grandmother watched me in the summer and on the weekends when my mom worked. We moved to Florida and my grandfather’s mother and aunt were also close but they passed away when I was little and I really don’t remember them very well.

When I got a little older, my mom’s sister and her family moved to town. I have three male cousins that I was smack dab in the middle of, age wise. We all got along pretty well. I think I said in yesterday’s post that I was the only girl, so I was spoiled. Two of my cousins are very sports oriented and the other is sports oriented and musically oriented. I only have the musical part. We all were pretty close. Then as we got older, they started to move away. My oldest cousin went out of state for school and now lives in Colorado (he did come back to Florida for a while and has his wife and two littles). My middle cousin moved all over the place and now is in Southern California with his wife and their littles. My youngest cousin remains in Florida with his girlfriend (oops, fiancé) and their little. (I don’t have any littles, that doesn’t seem fair, does it.)

My mom and her sister and I moved to Nevada about 10 years ago. That was my family for a while. My mom’s parents and my maternal grandmother passed away before we moved. Within 2 years of each other (it was not the easiest time, it’s also about the time we were dealing with the hurricanes, see yesterday’s post).

I met my hubby in 2007 and we got married in 2008. In 2013 we moved from Northern Nevada to Southern Nevada but my mom and her sister remain in Northern Nevada. That is very difficult as my mom and I have been very close my whole life (single mom/only child). She visits a lot though…His mom and one of his sisters (who are twins) live in California. The other sister lives in Oklahoma. We don’t see them very often, but my hubby’s father is now living with us. So we see him a lot! We also have the pups, red dog and grey dog.

I have lots of extended family too, lots of second and third cousins, some I know, some I don’t, lots that I am friends with on Facebook…

Then there are the friends that are like family…

So there you have it, my family though the years. Stay tuned to find out about the strange things I do when I’m alone…