So Unrelated...

When I was at my brother's house, I was able to read a lot of magazines that my SIL had, and they were awesome! I fell in love with "Real Simple ~Life made easier~" It is the coolest magazine ever... easy to read, tons of stuff from recipes to fashion, to homemade decorations etc. Well, I was reading one from November (I told you I read a LOT of magazines) and there was an article about giving back during the holidays. Of course there were people who donated toys, helped serve food at the soup kitchens, and all of the tradition feel good holiday things. BUT there was one thing that really got me motivated... Making cards to be delivered with meals for the elderly during the holidays!!

I mean, it's so simple! Everyone loves to make cards and seriously, it doesn't seem like the holidays without getting at least one card a day, right?! So I started thinking about when my hubby's grandmother would get her meals delivered each day from the local "Meals on Wheels" and how nice it would have been for her to receive a special holiday card from someone. So, I talked with Chef Hubby and asked him to use his connections to find out how many homes these meals get delivered to locally and I'm going to start making cards... now!

I know I won't be able to make them all myself, so I'm going to try to enlist some friends and maybe even ask the neighborhood association to help. So maybe we can help bring that holiday spirit to some of our locals. Maybe you will be inspired to do this in your area, or something else, who knows. Let me know if you have any other ideas that I can use to pull together the community! For now though, I have a LOT of cards to make... lol :o)

I know it's a little early, but "Happy Holidays" just the same

Finally in Kansas...

So my brother and SIL live in Kansas and we decided last year that we needed to bring the kids out here to see them. Chef Hubby and I had made the treck via plane last summer and it was sooo much fun! This time we figured that the airfare would be a bit much and for some reason, thought the drive wouldn't be so bad (did I mention, we live in Massachusetts?) Yeah, that would be almost 1600 miles with 2 children under 5 yrs old. Were we insane?? Oh and it was my brillant idea to "just drive".

We left about 5:30pm and the kids, who had been with my grandparents all day so I could get everything done, were wiped out. 3 mins into our trip and our plans were already gone. The kids were asleep in the back seat and we hit BK instead of the sit down meal we had planned.

I had packed a box full of toys, crayons, coloring books, and all of the kids DVDs. We had the portable DVD players secured to the front seats, Henry's father had gotten the kids fold down travel desks that were dry erase, and we had snacks and drinks on hand... we were ready - I thought.

About an hour into our 25ish hr trip and Phoebe started vomitting... great for the first time in her life, she was car sick. Of course! This happened twice and I'm sure that the people in the hotel we stopped behind to clean her up, and change thought we were insane, but you do what you gotta do, right? I bought her some "sea bands" and she was fine for the rest of the trip. Oh, if you haven't heard of these - they rock!! They are accupressure wrist bands that help with motion sickness and they are incredible.

Anyway, we stopped at a Cracker Barrel for lunch and grabbed audio books... they are super cheap and helped get us through more than 5 hrs of the trip. By about 1200 miles I got really frustrated and started complaining... yes, me, not the kids. Although Payton had asked to go home several times. Phoebe was content watching Barbie's Swan Lake the entire trip (ok, not the entire trip... I turned off the tvs while they were sleeping both nights and during the day for a while) but for pretty much the entire time the tv was on. So much for bringing every movie they had, right?

Well, we made it and now we are trying to figure out our plan for the day. We checked into our hotel and then checked out as soon as we woke up because it was disgusting!! Now we're staying at my brother's house. We got to meet my niece and she is absolutely adorable!! Pics to come later.

Chef Hubby made us dinner last night with items he picked up at the local farmer's market...

Grilled Pork Chops with a Peach and Rhubarb sauce
Sauteed Zucchini
Sweet Potato Fries

and for dessert I picked up some Butter Pecan cookies - OMG!! They were amazing! Gonna buy some more on Saturday for our trip home. Anyway, thats our trip so far, but I'll be sure to keep you posted :o)

Happy Mother's Day!

Happy Mother's Day to all of the "super mom's" out there!! While I was in undergrad, the Head Athletic Trainer gave me a poem called the Athletic Trainer's Lament. I have no idea where it came from, but I loved it! As an athletic trainer we are expected to have it all, to do it all, at all times, no matter what. Well, now that I'm a mom, I have to admit... the poem is even more fitting. To all of the mom's out there...

The Athletic Trainer's Lament

We the willing
Led by the unknowing
Are doing the impossible
For the ungrateful.
We have done so much
For so long
With so little.
We are now qualified
To do anything
With nothing.

I think that I'm back...

Ok, I know that I've seriously sucked at keeping this blog up the past few months now, and I want to apologize. It's been a little insane and I've been a lot overwhelmed but I think that I'm starting to settle in again.

I started doing my tracking for Weight Watchers again this week and that seemed to help me a lot, as crazy as it seems. It actually helps me start to feel in control again. I worked out 3 times this week, but it was hard, not a worked out but didn't break a sweat... I did the elliptical, I jogged, and I worked out with my trainer, William. He's awesome. He reminds me a lot of the athletes I worked with while I was still working at the college level. He's a good kid - Sorry William... it's true. He keeps me motivated and he really pushes me during our sessions.

It's during those sessions that I don't have to worry about anything else but getting the set done. I don't have to worry about trying to get shows, or how to pay for the school my kids just got into, or what to make for dinner, or how many friggin loads of clothes I have to do when I get home. I go to the gym and I'm there for me. I've been working out with a trainer for 56 sessions now and I am the exact same weight as I started?!

I would work out and then I come home and eat... whatever the hell I wanted. WHY!? I worked for more than 2 yrs to lose over 60lbs and once I got into my size 10 jeans, I stopped. I don't know why. It wasn't really planned. I just got comfortable. So now, I decided that I need to find some control. I need to get things done... my poor husband has been looking at an almost done bathroom for more than 2 yrs now! Sorry babe! He actually put a hault on all projects. I am not allowed to start any new projects or demolitions until the molding and painting and everything is finally done. Can't really say I blame him.

My mom thinks that I'm afraid to finish these things. She thinks that I won't know what to work on after I finally reach my weight goal, finish my bathroom, etc. I've been working so long to get somewhere that maybe she's right... what will I focus on then? Well, this week I decided that I'm going to give it a try. I'm going to finish what I started. I'm going to show my girls that when you make a commitment you have to follow through.

I'm going to actually take some pressure off my shoulders and let myself focus on something else. I think that I could really be a great business person once I get my feet under me. I know I can finish the 5k I signed up for in October. I want to be involved in my kids school when they start in September. I need to pull it all together.

Summer is going to be here soon and I don't want to miss it. I'm so afraid that I'm going to fill the days with projects and chores and stupid shit, like I always do and miss those amazing times with my little girls and absolutely amazing husband. I'm committing myself... now watch and see what happens!!

I can't wait to see either....

Dusting Off the Sandwich Maker...

So today I was chatting with a friend about the phases ours kids go through and remembered that I have a sandwich maker from Phoebe's "muffin phase". This kid wanted muffins ALL the time!! It was insane! So I bought a sandwich maker so that we could make muffins in 5 mins. Well, that was just the beginning...

We originally started making the Jiffy Mix muffins, then when she had a hot dog phase, I made some corn dogs using the corn muffin mix and cut up a hot dog and dropped it in. It was a super easy, no dip, no stick, corn dog!!

You can also have the kids help make triangle fried eggs... even omelets! Seriously, does it get any better for a little kid than to be able to make themselves muffins and an omelet for breakfast? Or you can make grilled cheese, with the crusts sealed like the encrustables.

I'm sure there are tons more options out there, if you really put your mind to it! I don't know about you, but I think I might be pulling the old sandwich maker out for breakfast tomorrow. I'm sure that Phoebe is going to asking for this every morning, after she starts making herself goodies :o)

Actually, I might try making some brownies or "sandwich-cakes" in it tonight, to see if it works. They should all come out with the crusts that everyone loves, in little triangles, that all kids eat, and probably super moist... I'll let you know :o)

What I've been up to...

For those of you who actually read this, I'm sorry that I haven't updated it in forever! I've been a little busy, and a little sore. I have been trying to get into shape (as usual) but I helped Chef Hubby in the yard last weekend and injured myself - ugh! I was shaking out clumps of dirt from the grass piles one minute and the next minute I couldn't stand up!! Not a cool thing, let me tell you!

Anyway, I'm doing better now, but still not able to move the way I should. It's all good. Like I tell my athletes, as long as we are continually improving, I think we're in the clear.

Aside from that, I've taken up a new "career". I became an Independent Consultant for the Pampered Chef! My husband and I had a show way back in 2002 and instantly fell in love with the products. We even went to a recruiting show way back in the day, but decided that it wasn't a good option for us at that point. Well, every now and again we would get a call to see how things were going and to check to see if we would like to chat about the possibility of becoming a consultant. It never seemed to be the right time.

Well, we got a call back in January and I decided to set up a meeting. I've been trying to decide "what to do when I grow up", if you know what I mean. Right now, I'm a full time mommy and part time Certified Athletic Trainer. Next year the kids should be heading off to school and I don't know what I'm going to do. How can I be a "full time" mom when the kids aren't even going to be around? That's the kind of pressure I put on myself...

So, my options... 1. Try to go full time at work? 2. Continue staying at home, become the best housewife, ever! Go to the gym, etc... and then make myself feel bad because I'm not "bringing much to the table" financially OR 3. Join the Pampered Chef, make my own schedule, earn some money, free products, and some time away from the kids... guilt free!! YAY!

So, I decided to sign up. In my first two weeks, I fulfilled all my "responsibilities" for the company (they give you 90 days to do 4 shows or sell $1250 in products). I did it in 15 days!! hehe. Anyway, I made back all of my money, earned more than $800 in free products, and can't wait for my next show!! AND all the recipes I have to try to make, I can use for dinner for my family and they are tax deductible because they are actually a training tool! Can it get any better?!?!

A lot of people have been trying to drill me lately though, because of the economy. The funny thing is, with these products and recipes, the economy is actually helping me! People can't afford to eat out as much, so they are buying quality tools and cookbooks to make it easier to get in and out of the kitchen fast!! These products are great for that!!

I'm sorry if this sounds like a commercial, I just can't believe I waited this long to actually take advantage of it!! Anyway, if you want to see what the products are, or are interested in the company, feel free to check out my website... www.pamperedchef.biz/teescooking. If you really like it, you can even place an order - super easy!

Anyway, that's what I've been up to! Hope that everyone else is having

I messed up...

It's been a while since I posted, so yesterday I decided to catch up. I uploaded pics and all that fun stuff. Anyway, to make a long story short... I put it on the wrong blog!! I tried to cut and paste it, but it has links and stuff and it didn't work. I'm not about to redo it all, so if you'd like to check out what's been going on with me, the girls and the hubby... feel free to check out my other website One with the Scale.

Sorry about the mix up. Hey you never know, maybe you'll like the other one too! lmao :o)