Salsa!!!!

I made a ton of salsa from garden.  I love homemade salsa!  I made my own recipe, so I can eat it while dieting.  I also made a yellow salsa. I am interested to see how it turns out.

 

Fill up a large pot with chopped tomatoes, 1 very large onion or 2 medium onions, 3 green peppers, 10 cloves of garlic, 2 packets of Stevia sugar.  Cook for about 20 minutes. Let cool & put in your jars.  Super easy and simple!

Wordless Wednesday

FIFTEEEE!!!!

Them weight loss journey started in May of this year. I made a goal to try to lose 60 pounds by the end of the year.  I never thought I could make it and wasn't very encouraged.  I started counting calories and lost 10 pounds in 2 months. I was encouraged. I maybe could do this after all.  Then I started the HCG diet on July 5 and my life completely changed! 

I wasn't sure if I could do the diet for 21 days.  It was a challenge to me to accomplish this huge task.  I didn't cheat once time in 42 days. The first 21 days I lost 21 pounds. The next 21 days I lost 9 pounds.  I was sooo excited because I had lost 40 pounds!

I started the HCG diet again on September 1. In the first 13 days I lost 10 more pounds. FIFTEEEEE POUNDS!!!!  Holy cow I have lost 50 pounds since May!!!!!!!!!!!  I have another 8 days in phase 1 and I am hoping to lose 10 pounds.  I am planning to stay on phase 1 until the last 10 pounds are lost. Then I want to work on 12 more pounds before Christmas. 

My goal is to lose 22 more pounds before the end of the year. I feel amazing! I can buy clothes from any store. I told my dad I am not sure I have ever been this size as an adult.  He laughed and told me I am still not an adult. LOL

Art has been sooo encouraging through this entire process.  I am surprised I didn't wake up with a pillow over my face.  I know there were times he just wanted to smother me because I have been cranky.  My family and friends have been such a great support team!

Nothing tastes as good as skinny feels!

The above picture was taken in the Summer of 2010.

 On my 30th birthday

 First picture is before I started dieting, Second picture is after losing 26.5 pounds.

The pictures below are me after losing FIFTEEEE pounds!!!!

Biggest April 08 Get Together

The last weekend in August I headed to New Jersey for the biggest April 08 get together.  It started out a small local get together and then it turned into a big get together!!! Unfortantely Hurricane Irene had other plans for our GTG. I headed to the East Coast & wasn't about to get some Hurricane get in my way!

I was able to spend time with some amazing girls and add a hurricane to my weather bucket list.  Below are some pictures from our fun day.  I can't wait for next years GTG.  As long I am not giving birth or have a new born I will be there!

 Gerrie making some DELISH food!

 Jen, Tammy & Pam

 Gerrie & I

 Tammy, Jen, Me & Josie

 This pic cracks me up with the book Gerrie is giving Jen. lol!

 Homemade ice cream cake. TO DIE FOR!

 Dex dumping his juice on the floor & then wiping it up with the towel.

 Pam, Gio & me

 Tammy & Josie looking at kitties on Tammy's phone

 Jen & Josie

 I am not exactly sure what happened in this pic!

 Here is all of us!!!! Biggest GTG to date!

 It takes a few tries wtih little ones involved!

Menu Monday

1. Chicken & coleslaw

2. Steak & zucchini

3. Chicken & eggplant

4. Tuna & spinach salad

Nothing exciting around these parts!

Have you forgotten?

There are some days in life that you can't remember any details of and others you can remember every single detail. September 11, 2001 is one of those days I remember every detail.

I was at work like any other Tuesday. My coworkers were talking about a fire in the World Trade Center. One of them was getting really upset. I told her to calm down, a little plane maybe crashed into the building on accident or maybe a bomb, but everything would be ok. I wouldn't even listen to the news. I thought the media was making a big deal out of something small.

Then the second plane hit. I remember HR coming around the corner telling me go home, be with your family, and I tore out of there. I was the first out of the building! By the time I got to my truck I was crying uncontrollably. I called my mom at work - she was trying to calm me down. Writing all this brings all those emotions right back.

I remember I went to get gas, a few groceries, drove home & was trying to get a hold of my brother and boyfriend. Finally moms work let her go and she came home. Dad came home to be with us. My sisters school was on a field trip & wouldn't bring the kids home. I was hysterical again! That is a whole other issue!!!! My brother came over to the house. The whole family came home & we all sat around the house watching the news. The rest of the day seemed to be in slow motion.

On the West coast my future husband was just getting up for work when the second plane hit. Art's mom told him that morning. His emotions were completely different than mine. He was angry & ready to go fight!

It really irritates me when people say I don't ever watch footages from 9-11 or I wish they would stop showing videos/pictures. Keep living in denial people and it will happen again!!! Thousands of men & women have died for your freedom. Thousands risk their lives daily for your freedom! And you want them to stop showing it?

My husband risk his life for our freedom! It is NO easy task! Each person who goes to war deals with the trauma for the rest of their life! Remember that when you go to sleep at night safely! There are soldiers sleeping outside, who haven't had a shower, or a hot home cooked meal in months for YOU!

My entire view changed on the military, veterans, and terrorist once I met Art. I have more emotions now, it changed my life & my family life more than I ever thought possible ten years ago.

9-11 = 10 years

Pinterest Saturday

Backyard Fun

Once again we worked on the back yard during the weekend.  This weekend we finished the retaining wall which will be a separate post and then we ran the plumbing for the water pump.  The plumbing was right under the deck, we had to run it under ground. Next we need to level out the dirt pile in the backyard.  We are probably half way done right now. There is an end in sight!!!!