So I am experimenting with adding photos. The top photo is of the actual soup that my husband loves. This recipe is from the Weight Watchers Momentum cookbook. The best part of this is it is ZERO points, plus it is very versatile.







My Mother is not a cook. So I did not grow up with the benefit of learning how to plan a menu and cook accordingly. So I have a couple of goals to accomplish by the end of summer.
 1) Learn how to menu plan.
 2) Save money by menu planning.
 3) Utilize the coupon and local sales to facilitate these goals!
                                                                 4) Eat healthier and cleaner.

2012 Total New Year

So I haven't done very well with the blog thing. : ( Life gets busy and in the way. Between work, children, exercising, and wasting tons of time with facebook and my new obsession Pinterest and Polyvore!! I just haven't. Plus I wonder what it is that would be interesting to write about. I am a jack of trades while a master of none. I don't know if I have A.D.D.  or what. My focus is only getting worse as I get older.....squirrel!! So I'm gonna try again.
 So to recap 2011~ I am still working at MMC. This February makes 5 years. The girls are both in middle school. Jimmy is still at Cornerstone, though his position has changed. I have read several books this year. Boo started playing basketball. Chey is attending modeling classes.  The year has been very disorganized and disjointed- birthday cards late, decrease in church visits, sinus infections, injured hamstring, nontraditional thanksgiving dinner and Christmas. However, we did provide a very big Christmas for the girls.
 Now we are into 2012! We are wonderfully and graciously blessed. Both Jim and I have signed up for the Knoxville 1/2 marathon in April. So we are training for that, this past week however~ we haven't trained very well. Jim has injured his left shoulder/neck area. So he has been seeing a chiropractor. I do believe my sinuses will be the death of me. Makes me feel all blah. As well as the running, we have been doing the P90X again.
  Also for diet control, we have been trying to eat better utilizing Weight Watchers. One of the recipes that Jimmy loves is the vegetable soup. So I have fixed it many times for him. On valentines day, I fixed another WW recipe of  Slow Cooker Tuscan Soup. Man, did it taste good. (If I can figure out how to load pics, I will show both soups.)

The Busy Life!

'Tis the season, that life gets so busy. My resolve to blog weekly has fell by the wayside. It has been a couple of months now. In November, Cheyenne, Jessica and my Mother have birthdays. So on saturday,Nov. 13, my parents, sister and her children came to Tn. We celebrated everyone's birthday with chili and birthday cake. Immensely enjoyed each others company and went shopping. The girls grabbed up treats from Aeropostle`.
  I worked Thanksgiving day,so we enjoyed thanksgiving dinner with our close friends that following sunday. Our bounty included an assortment of vegetables, bread, desserts and a 22lb Turkey. Jimmy deboned the turkey for me, which is a lot harder than it looks on the Food Network. Everything was very tasty and the company was grand. We are all very blessed.
  Christmas day, Jimmy and I  woke up to a layer of white. We drove to North Carolina to celebrate with our family. Spent time with Mom and Dad,my three girls, Tina and her children. Doug was the only member missing. He was out on call working for the NCDOT, trying to keep the roads safe and clear.
  New Years day was celebrated at home with our little family. We watched the ball drop with Dick Clarke's special. Christmas and New Year's have came and went. And now, we are in the throes of winter.
  It snowed yesterday, so school was canceled again, much to Minnie's dismay.  Time will only tell what else the New Year of 2011 will bring.  I pray, Many Blessings for all my Family and Friends!!

Happiness, part II

Ironically, the pastor at church touched on this subject as well on 9/4.  Anyway, back to my thought process of the book's contents. The happiest people are those that have put themselves out there win or lose, they have the fewest regrets. They tend to be Positive-thinkers, shifting away from negative thoughts. Unfortunately, inaction paralyzes great dreams and desires. This thought is a bases in insecurity. Sometimes one has to fake it until you make it, acting and thinking happy.

Happiness

 " We tend to forget that happiness doesn't come as a result of getting something we don't have, but rather of recognizing and appreciating what we do have." ~ frederick koenig

   I just finished reading a book giving to my Hubby for his birthday. happy: Simple Steps to Get the Most Out of Life, it is a good read. So thinking on some of the ideas in this book I have a few insights. What is it that makes me happy? Well, spending time with my family, I love night time snuggled in my husbands arms, working together with all the household maintenance, fitness workouts, reading a good book, going to church, spending time with my friends, eating good food, just hanging out, hiking, beach, being creative, there is just so much. I want to live a life of wholeness instead of a life that is expected of me or a reflection of  "success". What is the real meaning or purpose of what I do??
  Unfortunately, I spend most of my time at work, not that I don't have a satisfying job. I have the job that I wanted from the start. I work in an Emergency room and it is quite satisfying, especially when I help ease someones distress. It can be really stressful, life is so uncertain when one is sick. Most of the time, I work with a great group of people that work together. The politics can be really stressful, and I need to make a point of staying out of any gossip circle. I thoroughly enjoy patient care, it is making sure everything is charted that can be a-bit overwhelming. It is harder than a person thinks to keep up with charts that grow legs and walks around. My primary purpose of work is to help provide for my family. Money isn't everything, but it sure is nice to be able to pay bills on time, buy groceries, and all the modern conveniences of living.
  Optimist live longer. With that thought, I have always tried to hope, believe, wish, and fantasize about life being better. As I have gotten older, I have learned that you are the deciding factor if life is good or not. Of course, there is gonna be events in life that are out of your control. You can chose to live or just exist. I guess I have always been a fighter, set a goal and persevered to the best of my ability. I believe that I am a blessed woman with a wonderful Husband and  family, good health, good job and a satisfying life.
   I love the quote "Reduce the complexity of life by eliminating the needless wants of life, and the labors of life reduce themselves."~Edwin Way Teale.  De cluttering one's life is a thought I really desire. I really want balance of all the important things in my life, I just don't know if I have the organizational skills to apply all aspects of life. Recently, I have read and trying to apply  The Total Money Makeover by Dave Ramsey. That is just one example of how I am trying to achieve balance in an area of my life. Together my husband and I are doing the P90X fitness regimen for our health, soon we will be training for the 2011 Covenant Marathon. I am trying to be the best mother I can be to two beautiful,smart young ladies. Life is a full plate!! However, I have been blessed.

Weekly Random Rambles

I have decided that on Mondays, I will try to post a weekly update. The key to everything is balance and life is very far from that. Part of life is work, children, marriage, home life and all mundane things that compile that. With only 24 hrs in 7 days, seriously how are we to pack it all in without going nuts. Simplify and prioritize is such a fine balance. Ergo my normal routine: (on a work day) Up at 0530, dress, eating breakfast,get girls up,  0630 drive, work @ 0653, 0700 report, lunch somewhere between 1100~1500, report 1900, drive 1915~ HOME 1930, 5 mins for the girls, P90X(with them sometimes) 2040 done, dinner, shower, bed: Just to do it all over again. Luckily we are in week 8 of P90X, leaving 5 weeks left. Then it starts with the marathon training for Covenant 2011 run. I am sure glad that I can do all things through my Savior Jesus Christ. For I need all the strength he delivers!!
   Then there is the process of cooking and planning for this fitness routine. Trying to stay under 80 carbs a day. It is bloody impossible!! I so love pasta and Italian dishes. Not to mention sweets, chocolates, Breads!! O my goodness. For the most part, I have done fairly well I think. I am used to burning more cals with cardio, ie my running, but soon enough I will get back to that. So I am not sure what the trick is, I have been eating more meat and fish, less breads, pastas and sweet stuff. I haven't had a regular coke in over 2 months now. Every once in a while I will drink a diet pop. Have increased H2O and decreased juices(more carbs). Still eating veggies though!! And still my weight is staying consistent!! I am just trying to use up my fat stores and polish my muscle tone!!
   I was off this past weekend, saturday, we got up early and P90X'd it- Legs and back! We cleaned some around the house, got laundry caught up, doggy bathed and ultimate chili cooked for company. Jim's co-worker and spouse came over. We had a very delightful evening. Lots of laughs and conversation until 2230. After they left, we cleaned up the kitchen together and ran the dishwasher. Quickly followed with a trip to nighty night!!
   Sunday was our off day, so to speak. Back to the low carb high protein diet. The girls and I went to church at Faith Promise and Jimmy had his service to go to. The spirit was alive at FPC!! It was miracle weekend and I hope God above hears my pleading heart. I am expecting an explosion of miracles in my family and my life, my friends, finances and work!!

Getting Started!

I have never attempted a blog before, technology seems daunting sometimes. However, I thought I would give it a try.
Today is a Beautiful day  in Tennessee. I had the day off, so I got to sleep in a little. It felt so good to veg! The girls went to school and Jimmy went to work. It was just Buddy and me ambling around the house today. He is a good little dog. He was giving to us and has proven to be a well behaved little man. The only dog I know that doesn't mind showers. Tolerates them rather well. The girls took to him right away. They have been wanting a dog for some time. It is all good.