Break the Cycle

Wow - the summer is already flying by fast. I'm typing quick this a.m. - the workers will be here soon. They are installing a pocket door for me in the kitchen so I can leave my porch door open all the time. My fishpond with the 2 foot long koi in it is right outside the porch, and with those sliders open, I can hear the water running and the fish jumping (and croaking....who ever heard of fish croaking - need to investigate this one). Had another swim meet last night - girls walked away with 5 firsts and 2 seconds - not a bad haul. I was most excited for my #1 dd - she's overweight, but loves to swim. They practice 2 hours each day - and it's a tough practice, yet she never complains. Yesterday she saw that she wasn't entered into her favorite event (butterfly) but instead the coach had entered her in the 50 back. I just told her it was to give other girls a chance to swim fly in her age group - but in the back of my mind, I knew what the coach was doing. She n...

Whew - busy, busy weekend. My "sister" came to take the girls last Thursday - and I've been running ever since. Had a great weekend with Adam - we did so much - Chuck E Cheese, swimming, shopping - it was a blast. He is very well-behaved when his 3 older sisters aren't around to torture him. I did miss my Weight Watchers Weigh In But - the scale at home looked OK. I didn't want to wake the little man up so early - and there was no one home to stay with him. I switched to Core a couple weeks ago - I think if I can follow the program a little better - it'll work for me. I feel much better since I started limiting my carbs - and there are some wonderful meals that are core, that even the kids like. OH - if you ever shop at overstock - take some time today to send this email - Free shipping all year - amazing - check out this link http://wantnot.net/2007/06/23/overstock-weekender-3/#comment-66167 love this web site - and this is simply an amazing deal. Mo...

Happy Fathers Day to all the Fathers out there. I got up and made dh a special breakfast - spinach and cheese quiche - and to tell the truth - it was NOT low fat tasting. Even the kids ate it - so it'll definately be "in the book" recipe here. Decided not to follow the MyAlli food plan - going to stick with WW core for a few weeks, see how I do. I was down 3 lbs yesterday (2 of those I had gained last week) so I think I can make it work. I did take a pill last night and this a.m. - with no ill effects. We'll see if it helps. Here's the link for the quiche - very good !!

Yes, I KNOW it's not a magic pill - but maybe it's the jumpstart I need. Just happened to be looking through the sales paper (we need TP) - and saw that My Alli was going to be in the stores TODAY. Yes, I did - I jumped right into my car and went and picked mine up. I was first - it wasn't even unpacked yet LOL. Anyway - registered at their web site - lots and LOTS of information. I printed out my first weeks menu - after making personalized adjustments. NOW - I'm going to put the same info into my WW journal and see how many points it adds up to. Hopefully this will be the jumpstart I needed ! I picked mine up at Eckerd today - $50 for a 90 pill started pack. I also preordered the 150 pill starter pack from Costco - so when that comes in - I'll have an extra set of the getting started books in case anyone wants to borrow them. Here's my first weeks menu - It starts on Sunday - and I plan on starting on Saturday after my WW meeting - so I'll just use ...

Can you believe it's already 1/2 through the month of June - just where does time go? Actually, I think the first day of summer isn't until next Thursday though - so plenty of time to enjoy the sun and surf !! Had a great time picking strawberries yesterday. They were small cause it was the end of the season - but the girls had fun eating them (Adam ate them as fast as I could pick them in the beginning !) We ended up buying 5.5 lbs (I'm sure they ate about that much as well) - so for less than $6 - it was a fun morning. Picked up a cast iron baking pan from a nearby Freecylers porch - and left him some strawberries. Did some chores - and while on the road - the kids ate more strawberries. By the time we got home - we were down to maybe 3 lbs. I froze 2 lbs for smoothies, and they ate the last pound for dessert. Good day. Swim team meeting last night - seems like it will be a good season. Can't wait until Adam is old enough to swim. Then I can relax and read ...

First Day of Dell deals - and they must be swamped. I've been trying to sign on since 6 a.m. - no luck. Figures. Tomorrow I'll get up earlier. Will be ordering some gift cards today from Barnes and Noble. With free delivery (via email) - gift certificates to a bookstore is a great gift ! Plus there are always tons of coupon codes that you can use to make the GC stretch farther. BARNES and NOBLE Strawberry picking this a.m., then maybe some swimming, sewing and driving around of course. I do love summer - but wish I could stay home at night.... Have a great Tuesday

Good morning !! First day of "summer" here since it's the first time I don't have to rush to get Adam ready for his bus. I have my school lessons done and printed for the week. I did get a chance to sew some last night - good feeling. I am slowly getting back most of the movement in my wrist - hopefully no PT - don't have time for that LOL I forgot to post this after my WW meeting on Saturday - Karen - I think you did an awesome job getting to goal weight !! 6 more weeks and you'll be lifetime !! I think you've done a wonderful job moving more, trying new foods, and you'll be setting a great example - for your family - and your WW family as well ! I didn't stick to my menu's last week - when the sun is out - I want to be bbq'ing - not cooking for real LOL. BUT - this week, I'll try harder. Tonight is leftover bbq'd lamb, and I'll make some scalloped taters or rice. Not sure about veggies - there is enough asparagus lef...

I need 2 ! Both dd#2 and dd#3 computers have bit the dust. Both computers are about 10 years old - so I got my moneys worth. One is a compaq, the other a dell. Since I've gotten into using computers more - I much prefer my Dell - so I watch for good sales. Their 10 days of sales is coming up - so I thought I'd link it in case you needed a new computer - you could just follow the link everyday to find that days sales. SALE starts Tuesday the 12th - but you can browse the site now if you want to see what Dell has to offer Days of Deals from Dell Home. A different Deal everyday! June 12-21 Happy Shopping

This Vacuum lists at $170 - picked it up for $50 TODAY ONLY \ Kmart.com is having a 10 day sale - every day the sale items change. There were bathing suits for under $20. Also picked up some new skirts for the girls - $3-$5. And mattress covers by Martha Stewart for $7. Awesome deals. Go to Kmart - look at the bottom of the home page for the 10 days of savings - then click on todays date - hurry !!! Just checked - Best Buy and Target have the same vacuum at $150, consumer reviews are mixed, but most all of the bad comments include that it is too heavy to do stairs, and it doesn't do well on bare floors. I'm buying it just to keep upstairs so I don't have to take my Dyson up and down the stairs (STILL LOVE my Dyson). For $50 - and a 4 year warranty - that should last the kids until they can take care of their stuff better (then I'll buy another Dyson for me and give them my old one !!!) LOL

WI wasn’t too bad – up 1.2 lbs – but seeing as I’ve been on vacation, with no scale, I think I did OK. I haven’t been planning my meals, and I haven’t been journaling – both things I need to do to be successful. At today’s meeting – we were asked what do we do well? I know I can sew, and quilt, and I do both pretty well – but when I step back and think – there is a lot that I do well. I am a good friend to those I trust, and I do that well. I am a good mom and teacher for my children, and I do that well. I am a good spouse to my husband, and I do that well. On top of all of that – I keep all of our businesses organized and running smoothly so my husband can concentrate on what he needs to do, without worrying about the money, or any paperwork like permits, leases, and rent increases. I do that extremely well. So as successful as I have been in my life – there is NO reason why I can’t be successful in my weight loss journey. I’m not even going to dwell on the many excuses I’ve used for ...

Vietnamese Chicken Thighs – serves 6 at 3 pts each 1 navel orange 2 TBS grated peeled fresh ginger 2 TBS reduced sodium soy sauce 3 garlic cloves, minced ½ tsp salt ¼ tsp pepper 6 (1/4 lb) skinless bone-in chicken thighs, trimmed To make the marinade, grate the zest from the orange and set aside. Peel the orange, cut into sections, and chop the sections. Combine the orange zest, chopped orange, ginger, soy sauce, and garlic in a zip-loc bag, add the chicken. Squeeze out the air and seal the bag, turn to coat the chicken. Refrigerate, turning the bag occasionally, at least 3 hours or overnight. Grill outside – remove chicken from marinade and discard the marinade. Sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper. Can be served hot or at room temp. WW Pure Comfort

Baked mashed sweet potato with pineapple serves 8 @ 2 pts each Ingredients 4 large sweet potato(es), washed and dried 15 1/4 oz canned pineapple, packed in juice, crushed, drained Instructions Preheat oven to 400ºF. Place potatoes directly on middle rack of oven. Bake, checking for doneness by either gently squeezing potatoes or pricking them with a fork to see if they’re really soft, about 40 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool for 10 minutes. Slice potatoes in half lengthwise and cool for 5 minutes more. Scrape potato flesh from skin into a large bowl. Add drained pineapple chunks and mash with a potato masher or spoon until pineapple has broken down slightly, about 2 to 3 minutes. Yields about 3/4 cup per serving.

Crunchy Chicken Bake – Serves 4 @ 5 pts each 2/3 cup cornflake crumbs 1 TBS all-purpose flour 2 tsp paprika 1 tsp packed brown sugar ¾ tsp garlic powder ¾ tsp onion powder ¾ tsp salt ½ tsp ground coriander 4 (1/2 lb) skinless boneless bone-in chicken-breast halves. Preheat oven to 400*. Spray a baking sheet with nonstick spray. Combine the cornflake crumbs, flour, paprika, brown sugar, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and coriander in a large zip-loc bag. Spray the chicken lightly with nonstick spray and place 1 piece of chicken in the bag. Shake the bag to coat the chicken evenly; then transfer the chicken to the baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining pieces of chicken, and discard any of the remaining crumb mixture. Bake until the chicken is golden and cooked through, 40-45 minutes WW Pure Comfort

Pistachio Green Stuff dessert – serves 6 @ 2 pts each 20 ounces pineapple chunks in juice, do not drain 2 cups fat-free yogurt 1 box sugar-free pistachio pudding and pie filling 1 cup fat free whipped topping Mix the yogurt and pudding. Mix in the pineapple with juice. Gently fold in the FF cool whip.

Green Bean casserole 6 servings – 2 pts each Ingredients: 10 oz (285g) can reduced-fat cream of mushroom soup 1/2 cup fat-free milk 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce 1/2 tsp black pepper 16 oz (455g) package frozen French-cut green beans, thawed and drained 1.4-oz (40g) French-fried onions Directions: Preheat oven to 350F. In a 1 1/2-quart casserole dish, mix soup, milk, Worcestershire sauce, pepper, green beans and 1/2 of the onions. Bake 25 minutes or until hot. Stir. Sprinkle remaining onions over bean mixture. Bake 5 more minutes. Yields about six 3/4-cup servings. Nutritional Info: (per serving) Calories 102.3, Protein 2.6g, Fat 4.1g, Saturated fat 1.1g, Carbohydrate 12.5g, Fiber 2.2g, Cholesterol 1.4mg, Iron 0.4mg, Sodium 408.3mg, Calcium 53.1mg Source: Weight Watchers Recipe Review Board

Parmesan Mashed Potatoes serves 8 @ 2 pts each Ingredients 10 medium potato(es), red (about 2 1/2 lbs) 1/2 cup buttermilk, warmed 1/2 oz Parmesan cheese, grated (about 3 tablespoons) 1/4 cup chives, chopped 1 tsp table salt 1/8 tsp black pepper, ground Instructions Place potatoes in a large pot and cover with an inch of water; bring to a boil, reduce heat, simmer and cook until fork-tender, about 30 minutes. Drain and return potatoes to pot. Mash potatoes with a potato masher. Stir in remaining ingredients and mix well to combine. Yields about 2/3 cup per serving. Flavor Booster: Add the bold flavor of wild mushrooms to mashed potatoes. Soak 1/4 cup dried shiitake, porcini or black trumpet mushooms in boiling hot water for 10 minutes. Drain well, chop and stir in with the cheese. Weight Watchers Website

Flank Steak with Chimichurri Sauce serves 4 at 5 pts each Ingredients 1 pound raw lean flank steak, trimmed of all fat, at room temperature 1 medium garlic clove(s), peeled and smashed with side of a knife 1/4 tsp table salt, divided 1/4 tsp black pepper, divided 1 Tbsp olive oil 1 Tbsp white wine vinegar 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice 3 Tbsp parsley, fresh, Italian, minced 2 Tbsp scallion(s), green parts only, minced 1 medium garlic clove(s), minced Instructions Set oven broiler rack 4 inches from heat. Preheat broiler. Rub both sides of steak with smashed garlic clove; discard garlic. Season steak with 1/8 teaspoon each of salt and pepper. Broil steak for 4 to 6 minutes on one side; flip and broil on second side until well-browned on outside and still pink in center, about 4 to 6 minutes more. Start testing steak for doneness after a total of 8 minutes. While steak is cooking, prepare Chimichurri sauce. In a small bowl, combine oil, vinegar, lemon juice, parsley, scallions, minced garlic ...

Snickers Pie – 8 servings at 3 pts each Ingredients: 12 ounces (1.5 cups) fat-free vanilla frozen-yogurt, slightly softened 1 small box sugar-free instant chocolate pudding mix 1/4 cup chunky peanut butter 1 cup Cool Whip Lite® 3 ounces nugget cereal (Grape Nuts) Directions: Mix all ingredients together and pour into 8" dish and freeze. Yields 8 servings. Nutritional Info: (per serving) 131 calories, 4 g. fat, 1 g. fiber Comments: One the pie has sat in the freezer for a few hours, it gets incredibly hard. If the frozen pie is too hard for your tastes, you can let it sit out for 10-15 minutes, or microwave for 15 seconds, before serving. This came from Jamie's Kitchen

Mac and cheese Ingredients: 2 cups elbow macaroni (regular or whole wheat) 2 Tb reduced-fat butter or margarine 1 Tb flour 2 cups skim milk ½ lb (2 cups or 8 oz) shredded Kraft 2% Sharp Cheddar or Sargento Reduced-Fat Mild Cheddar ½ of a small onion, grated or finely chopped 1 tsp salt 1/3 cup breadcrumbs Directions: Cook macaroni, drain, and set aside. Melt butter or margarine in saucepan. Add onion, flour and then milk. Add salt. (Don't forget the salt!) Heat on medium-high while stirring constantly. When mixture is at a rolling boil, add ¾ of the cheese. (save the other ¼ for the top.) I recommend adding the cheese a little bit at a time so it melts nice and soft. Also be sure to keep mixture at rolling boil while adding cheese or it may not melt correctly. Put macaroni in large bowl or casserole dish. (I use a 2L round glass dish.) Pour cheese sauce over mixture; stir. Top with remaining cheese and breadcrumbs. Bake uncovered in 400º oven for 35-40 minutes. Yields: 8 servings (...

Baked sweet potato chips – serves 4 @ 1 pt each Ingredients 1 large sweet potato(es), peeled 2 tsp vegetable oil 1/8 tsp table salt, or to taste Instructions Preheat oven to 400ºF. Spray 2 baking sheets with cooking spray. Thinly slice potatoes in a food processor or by hand; they should be no more than 1/8-inch thick. Arrange slices on baking sheets so they don’t overlap. Brush with oil and sprinkle with salt. Bake chips until they begin to lightly brown, about 15 minutes. Cool on a rack and serve. © 2007 Weight Watchers International, Inc.