St. Patrick's Day

Corned beef, cabbage and potatoes, rye bread, Guinness and family! *love*
What a happy day! Makes you totally forget that all of the kids are sick with ear infection, sinus infection, pink eye...... * Really I could keep going but who wants to think of all that when everything went so well today*
Got up early this morning and painted huge shamrocks on the kids cheeks before school, did a super quick clean up around the house, spent the rest of the afternoon with my husband, then all the family came over for one of my FAVORITE meals. After a day like this its hard to sit here and think of all the stresses of tomorrow. Instead *compliments of my food coma* think its time to snuggle up in bed with my lil angel and watch some tv.
Hope everyone has a fun and safe St. Patty's Day!!

I am not sure if it is the weather * that cannot decide if its hot and sunny or freezing and snowing * or all the loveliness of having 2 kids in public schools, but everyone in my house is taking turns passing the latest sickness from one to another. My poor husband ruptured two disks in his lower back about a month and a half ago and has been home every since. We thought he might be going back to work this week,*I guess thats what we get for thinking.* but the medicine that he was originally on is finally wearing off and he is hurting all over again.
Needless to say that I have not had the energy, motivation or time to work on my house or my baking, let alone my blog.
I did however muster up the strength to bake a small birthday cake for my 7yr old daughter and 4 yr old nephew. It wasn't the prettiest cake in the world but between it and the root beer floats, the sugar high hit and no one even really looked at the cake. * The joys of a big family with 7 kids between the ages of 14 an 11 mos. *
With Saint Patricks Day on Thursday and my daughters birthday party sleepover on Saturday, this is going to be a very busy week. I have all these plans of things I am going to cook and bake, but the sun is out and the weather is warm. What I really want to do is curl up on a lawn chair with a book. It will be very challenging for me to work inside while the outside if calling to me. New goal for this week. Get caught up on housework, do a little baking in the evenings, relax outside and soak up some vitamin D!

 

Chocolate, Strawberries and Spring

Today was a great day! One of those days you wish you could have everyday. Nothing really happened, no winning the lotto or anything like that. Just a nice spring morning, spent walking up and down Main Street with my husband and our son. A birthday party in my 1st graders class, followed by a great dinner *compliments of my husbands and his grilling skills* during which, while praying, my oldest daughter stole my heart by asking God to please join us for dinner. For dessert I made chocolate dipped strawberries and a glass of wine.

*The perfect end to a great day!*

Now my husband is gone to a poker game, the kids are already in bed for the night, and its not even  9pm! 

*I would say time for a bubble bath but I am afraid that would be pushing my luck.*    

Bad dinner plans

What a busy day! It's days like this that make me wonder why I don't lose weight. One of the days where you spend half the day in the car going from one place to another and back again, and the other half of the day is spent trying to remember what you forgot to remember the first time you were there. 

*whew, I'm tired all over again* 

I did however learn a few things today.

1. I should never be a carpenter. My sister and her fiancée *haha D, told you I would mention you* are trying to get a certificate of occupancy on their new house so they can move in. Since we haven't helped with much else my husband decided we should build the landing between the front door and the stairs for them. Way over my head. Somewhere between the building code and trying to find treated 2x4's in Home Depot, I gave up.
2. Trying to unpack boxes and clean with an 11 mo. old is impossible :) I think my sister would of rather I just called and told her I was thinking of her. She will be finding cheerios *my sons favorite snack* stashed places for the next year.

Alright then, time to get back to what I do know. Grocery shopping and food :)

I love doing, my version of, snack night. I know a lot of people, I am guilty of it from time to time as well, who categorize snack night with fend for yourself night. * I think we all need these nights to maintain sanity* But I love a planned snack night. 

Tonights theme *drum roll* 

Italian!

Garlic bread pizza, antipasto salad, stuffed mushrooms and wine. YUMMIE! *Was I wondering why I haven't lost any weight :) *

Doesn't seem like much, well when you don't sit down and eat a meal you just snack it adds up. How do you keep tabs on your calories when you don't know what all you have eaten?

Which brings me to the next thing I learned today.

     3. Snack nights are bad for weight loss :)

Oh yeah, I posted a couple of links at the bottom of my page today :) Things I am using to help meet my goals.

electric cigarette (helping me bunches)
Calorie counter/weight tracker (hates me tonight)

The Beginning

Finally finished setting everything up and ready to start!

Starting this blog in an attempt to inspire and motivate myself as I make certain changes in my life. 

A little history is always good, so lets start there.

About me:

I am married with 3 amazing kiddos. 

I Was born in the same small town that I am currently living in but I dream of getting out. Unfortunately this is where God wants me at the moment so I am trying to make the best of it. 

I come from a large family, most of whom live in the same town or close to it.

I want so bad to be the mom in an apron with the high heals and pearls, the one that after cleaning, cooking and baking all day still looks like she just walked out of the salon. Unfortunately by the end of the day, assuming I even made it out of my pajamas, I look more like the crazy lady you see walking down the road talking to herself. 

OK! Now that you have that nice mental picture of me! 

I have a couple of things that I am starting today aside from the blog.

I quite smoking about a month ago and since doing so I have blown up like a water logged piece of bread * Gross I know*

Goal 1: Loose 30 lbs by summer.

Next, my middle daughter is turning 7 in two weeks! Due to awesome court nonsense, I have not had her for her birthday in 3 years. I want to make her the most awesome tiered cake, due to life, I have not really baked anything in years. This could be scary. 

Goal 2: Start baking again 

Finally, when my husband and I first got together, I wore make up and nice clothes everyday.

Goal 3: NO MORE PAJAMAS!! *during the day you sickos* 

Alright, My first blog turned into a book, time to stop talking about all  of this and start doing!