SPLITS!

Last weekend I watched Libby for the evening.  She recently learned how to do the splits toddler style.  It was soooo cute!  She would yell SPLITS! Grab on to the table and stretch her legs out.

BOOM!  This is what happens when you do the splits too many times! lol

Eggs Kevin

A couple weeks ago Art found Eggs Kevin in Martha Stewart magazine and made it for breakfast. O-M-G! It was THE BEST breakfast!!!!!!  I am going to ask him to make this for me in a couple weeks.



Ingredients

2 teaspoons unsalted butter

3 large eggs

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

1/2 cup mixed heirloom tomatoes, sliced

1/4 cup sliced or finely grated extra-sharp cheddar cheese (1 ounce)

Directions

1.Heat broiler. Melt butter in an 8-inch nonstick ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat until foamy. Crack eggs into skillet, and cook until whites are almost set, about 1 1/2 minutes.

2.Remove from heat. Season eggs with salt and pepper, and top with tomatoes, then cheese. Broil until whites are set and cheese melts and is bubbling, about 1 minute.

Wordless Wednesday

Livingroom Update

I spotted the pillows below at Target back in the Spring for $25 each.  I loved them, but couldn't imagine spending $50 on 2 pillows.  I would lust after them each time I saw them at Target.  I was shopping the back aisles of Target recently and to my surprise I found one pillow for $4.95!  I snatched it up & put it in my cart.  I kept browsing more back aisles and I found another one!  I wanted to do a happy dance right there in the store.  Instead I just gently put it in the cart before someone tried to grab my bargains! 

Don't they just look lovely in my livingroom?  The pillows remind me of Pottery Barn! Love them!

What Happened to Menu Monday?

I recently read an article in Woman's World by Dr. Oz talking about how he felt the HCG diet was safe.   I have a couple of friends that have done the HCG diet and had great success.  They lost weight and have been able to keep the weight off.  I have been thinking about trying it since April, but I was scared. How was I going to be able to handle 500 calories a day for 21 days.  It became a challenge for me and I decided to jump in head first. It was only 21 days and why couldn't I do it?  21 days out of your life is so small compared to the thousands of days you live.  I read Dr. Simeon's book about the HCG diet, joined a support group, ordered by drops, and made a plan when I would start. 

I decided I was going to start on July 5.  Enjoy the 4th of July BBQ and then hit it hardcore!  I was scared, but also so excited. The first 2 days you need to load on high fat foods.  PERFECT to start on July 3.  My goal was to lose between 15-20 pounds in 21 days.  I told very few people about my plans because I didn't want to hear any negativity!  I told a couple friends and my mom.  I asked Art if he wanted to join me.  Art said he wouldn't be joining me because one of us needed to be healthy to take the other to the hospital from malnutrition. lol!

In May I had started to watch my calories and track them on myfitnesspal.com.  June I was very strict on myself by watching calories and exercising.  In May & June I lost 10 pounds. July I started the HCG diet.  As of Sunday I have lost 16.5 pounds on the HCG diet in a matter of 13 days. The first week I saw 1-2 pounds per day gone.  Each morning I would wake up and weight myself.  I write down the date and the amount I weight.  I am currently a size smaller!!  I have another 8 days to go.  I am hoping to lose 3.5-6 pounds by the end. I would be happy with 3.5 pounds, but 6 pounds will take me to a new weight category!

There have been days that have been horribly hard and other days it was so easy.  I picked a time to do the diet when I knew I didn't have to travel, could avoid going out to eat and avoid pot lucks at work.  Well I forgot about 1 BBQ at work.  I hung in there strong and only ate what I was allowed.  My employees keep bringing me sweets & I have finally laid down the law NO SWEETS!  One of them brought me my favorite dessert and I had to turn it down.  Nothing tastes as good as seeing that scale drop!  My boss told me one day she wanted me to go to lunch with a potential new employee. I panicked!  What was I going to do?!?!?  I told her I would go, but we had to go to a place that I could get a salad.  Everyone must have thought I was nuts when I ordered.  I did it!  I ate out and stuck to protocol.  I even lost weight the next day.

I am sure there are people thinking this is not safe, why would you even do such a crazy thing?  I haven't had any health issues doing this diet.  For those that say it isn't healthy well it also isn't healthy to be over weight!  This diet works for hundreds of people.  In order for it to work you have to stick to the protocol and NOT cheat.  If you cheat you will see the scale go up!  The support group I joined also provides guidance on how to keep the weight off.  There are some foods you may never be able to eat again without seeing a weight gain.

Here is Dr. Simeon's Manuscript.

Menu Monday has gone away while I have been doing this diet, but will return in a couple weeks.  I am sure the menu will change going forward.  I have also went on strike in the kitchen.  I told Art ahead of time I would not be cooking anything that I couldn't eat.  I did make him a couple meals, but I didn't cheat!  I have never in my life stuck to a diet 100% like I have done with this one.  It has been so encouraging to have Art & my mom cheering me on every morning.  I text them after I get off the scale the total amount of weight gone!

Here is to another 8 days and a healthier ME!

     BEFORE                         AFTER - 26.5 pounds gone

P.S. I Made This

I have you ever heard of the website called P.S. I Made this?  OMG it's the best website!  I heard about it watching the Nate Show.  She shows you how to make knock off stuff.  Here are a few tutorials.

Pinterest - Patio Ideas

Here are some beautiful ideas for our patio.  I really like the slate stone that is used in the pictures below.  We need to figure out what type of stone we are going to use and what type of design we are going with in the backyard. 

More Backyard Work!

This backyard project is going to be never ending!  It just keeps going on & on & on.  I hauled dirt out of the area for 3 hours & you couldn't tell I did one thing. ugh!  I am ready to get this thing done!  Art & his dad reinforced the fence.  Hopefully the fence will last another 4-5 years and then we will have to replace it.

Infertility

I listened to 2 episodes on Focus on the Family that discussed infertility.  I thought I would share the episodes since I found them helpful.  One out of every ten people deal with infertility.  Infertility is cruel, heartbreaking, ugly and frustrating. 

Hope in the Midst of Infertility Part 1

Hope in the Midst of Infertility Part 2

Little Sammy

Sammy is such a little baby.  He wants to be the only one of your lap and will push Dora off Nana's lap.  He also likes to be carried around like a little baby.  He closes his eyes when he sees the camera come out.  I usually have to take 3-4 pictures to try to get one with his eyes open.  He also loves to take naps with you.  He is our little baby and knows he is super spoiled!

Wordless Wednesday

4th of July Fun

We went to Art's parents for the 4th of July.  We bbq lots of food, took a nap, chased the dogs around, and shot off lots of firework.

 Below is the only picture I could get with Sammy.  He didn't want to take a picture and all the others were blurry.

 Amber & Art getting the fireworks ready!

 The loot of fireworks

 We had the dogs outside for a little while.  Then Amber took them inside & sat by the window.  The dogs did not like all the noise.

 Here are some pictures of my MIL throwing those little pops at my feet.  She chases me around every 4th of July throwing them at my feet.  She thinks it is sooo funny.  Next year I am going to wear steal toe boots to throw her off. lol