Dieting, YET AGAIN!

Finally the holidays are over, the Christmas decorations are stowed away till next year and the new year is a month in.  Now I'm look at working on the weight plan since CLEARLY I've fallen off the cliff in that area.

Last summer I really was doing great with the Nutrisystem and was nearly 20 pounds down but after being in New York, LA, all the holiday goings-on I've put 10 back on, real quick. 

Monday I had a physical and even though I'm still down (doctor is happy) and my blood pressure was awesome I need to get back with it.  My doctor, my kind helpful SKINNY doctor proceeded to go on and on about this NOOM app that he uses to lose weight.  Right there I wanted to hit him but I listened.  I decided to try it out along with my Nutrisystem.  I'm using both the apps along with the food and have taken a month off from workout because I have to focus on one thing right now.  My whole issue is fast food and I know it.  I'm easily swayed at lunch time if I don't plan and have my food with me to just swing by a fast food place because it's easy.  So if I can have my lunches ready to go then the rest of my day and meals are easy.  I try to cook very good for dinner and have no issue, mostly in that department.  It's like last night for dinner I cooked salmon fillets with 1/2 cup of brown rice and steamed spinach.  It was delicious and I was quite satisfied.  Tonight will be grilled chicken and a veggie of some kind and maybe pan roasted sweet potatoes.  See, I can cook well and lean.  Even going out to dinner I mostly choose well from the menu, salad, lean fish or chicken but occasionally I want a steak and baked potato with all the fixin's and that's okay.  

MY ISSUE IS LUNCH AND FAST FOOD!!! Plain and simple.

I'm determined to get this weight off because with the 20 pounds off I felt so much better and with the 10 back on I'm already hurting again.  My body hurts, hurts, hurts and I'm tired of it.  

Happy Anniversary To US!

This past week this guy, my guy and I celebrated 44 years of marriage.  I CANNOT believe that much time has passed.  It just seems like yesterday that these very young babies, US, met, fell in love and said "I do!"

Lots of stuff has happened in those 44 years, good, bad, ugly, wonderful, magnificent...the words can go on forever.

We've forged a wonderful life together, a business together and created a fantastic family together.  Our daughters, oh our daughters.  I cannot be more proud of them and their journeys in their lives and they've given us two beautiful granddaughters that I love more than life itself.  

Happy Anniversary to my one and only...here's to another 44.

A Reading We Will Go

 Set off for the cabin this weekend with Snicklefritz in tow.  She actually gave up a sleepover with friends to hang with us old people for the weekend.  We still have pull that we are fun, helps we have a golf cart she can drive.

It's what you do on a cold Saturday morning with #1 granddaughter comes for the weekend, sit by the fire and read with a cup of hot chocolate and marshmallows and a sidekick, Clayton by her side.  Snicklefritz is mastering chapter books and I could not be prouder of her.  My favorite memories are going to my great-grandparents in Jay or camping with the family at the lake and inhaling books.  Mother always said "teach a child to read and they can accomplish anything in the world they want to."  Mother was a huge advocate for reading and my siblings and I carry on the tradition of being voracious readers.  The next generation is continuing.

I read this book for book club and started yet another one so I got a lot accomplished this weekend too in the reading category!

There weren't any of the ladies on Friday night except Snicklefritz but I still fed the "guys."  I picked up Papa Murphy's pizza, an easy feed, and fed four of the hubby's friends, they were much appreciative.  Saturday, without planning on it I fixed 3-way (chili, spaghetti and beans) and had enough that I again fed the man-crew with an added couple, girl-company!  It works out pretty good, especially if I fix food for The Hubby's friends and he cleans up.  I woke up Saturday to have the kitchen sparkling!  

That dog, oh that dog.  Clayton woke up before 5 both Saturday and Sunday, yet this morning when the alarm went off, when I HAD to get up, the little bugger would not wake up.  No, he was still sleeping until just a few minutes ago, 5:30 and The Hubby HAD to wake him up to feed him.  ARGHHHH,  why can't he sleep in on the weekend when we want to.  Oh well. 

Painting In The New Year

Happy New Year...well, this new year it already flying by as it is the 11th of January.  I've been trying to play catch up with work and painting.  My studio mate and I have a show next September and I want to get several of the self-portraits done.  I've got them drawn but have been very hesitant to apply paint.  But this week I decided to conquer the fear and just do it.  So far I am please with the beginning of block-in on this one.  Skin color is so tricky!  

I did finish this one of Moss Mountain Farm.  I've painted it before in a very small version and it sold very quickly but I wanted to paint it bigger.  I'm happy with it. 

On a quick note this Saturday morning...BRRRRR...winter has blown in and of course our furnace is on the fritz.  Of course my do-it-yourself hubby is not inclined to call anyone but wants to tackle it himself.  Righhhhht...I'm cold and thank goodness most of the day I will be moving and grooving with straightening up the guest bedrooms from our company and dismantling Christmas and stowing it away, so I may even break a sweat.  Lots of blankets this evening and I should survive.  My parakeet on the other hand I will move to the bedroom area where we have a split system to keep him warm.

Sad note is that The Hubby lost two cousins yesterday.  They had both been battling cancer.  

No Words Necessary

There are just no words that can express the love...