DIET STUFF

So I’ve been trying to focus on little changes. On the diet front, that’s meant giving up coffee most days in favor of tea and a LOT of water. I drink coffee 2 or 3 times a week now instead of 7 and this has proven to be a good change I think.

I’ve also recently discovered a few “diet” treats that excite me, as in, they taste good. The first is Skinny Cow’s new candy – their clusters and crisp bars are rocking my world without doing too much damage. It’s a crutch, I know, but it’s a tasty crutch and they have about 100 calories per package. The other fun treat is Weight Watchers Ice Cream Bars, specifically their English Toffee Crunch. Again, around 100 calories each and they are just divine and have no artificial sweeteners, which surprised me. They are tiny, for sure, but extremely delicious and so far I’ve been able to “eat just one”.

So my goal is to have no more than three 100 calories snacks in a day and… it’s almost working. But I’ve had some set backs to be sure with this plan. I’m currently just trying to make any of the other snacks be healthy ones like fruits and cheese and nuts, etc.

The other big diet change has been trying to get a good, filling breakfast every morning and at the moment that means: oatmeal. Period. I feel like any other breakfast I try ends up being too fatty or not filling enough. So right now I’m trying to find Jen’s Perfect Oatmeal combination. So far I’ve determined that old fashioned oats are definitely worth the extra time over quick oats and that a fruit mix in is a must, as is a tablespoon of brown sugar and some cinnamon.

I’m planning to whip up some baked oatmeal this weekend for an even quicker weekday fix. Either a variation of this apple baked oatmeal by Debbie Does Dinner or this recipe by Two Little Girls which is based off my favorite coffee shop’s infamous baked oatmeal.

EXERCISE

This is where the laundry list of grand ideas comes in. For awhile I was doing a pretty good job of getting in three 30 minute walks at the mall with a friend, but lately life has gotten busy for both of us and when we don’t get together… I don’t exercise. Never mind those other four days. I’m a fairly sedentary person (possibly extremely sedentary if we’re going to be honest) and sometimes my big exercise for the week is the hour I spend grocery shopping. I’m not joking.

Obviously something needs to give. So I’m trying to give myself a lot of options – a few minutes on the exercise bike in my living room (I get disgruntled quickly with this because 6 minutes seriously wears me out), a quick 15 minute mile walk with a Leslie Sansone video (you can watch a few for free online) and next month I’m going to attempt Dustin Maher’s 21 Day Weight Loss Challenge for Mommy Bloggers.

Dustin’s challenge is not for the weak of heart – it involves weight lifting and cardio and it’s about an hour long workout each day. Craziness. I need to find my exercise ball and buy a set of dumb bells this weekend. But I kind of like the idea that it’s not easy, it’s not dipping my toe in – I’m gonna really go for it and see what I’m made of. Maybe I’ll surprise myself. Either way, it’s worth a shot, right? The challenge also has a nutrition side to it, so maybe I’ll be able to kill two bad habit birds with one stone.

For the most part, I find walking to be my favorite exercise that I can manage without issue. But one – I need to actually DO it daily and two, At some point I’m going to need to step it up and push myself outside of my comfort zone I think. So wish me luck!

IN CONCLUSION

So yeah…. lots of grand schemes and big ideas and small steps forward and quick wiggles back. It doesn’t help that I don’t seem to come naturally to this. I’d rather watch a movie and eat ice cream and that’s a fact which to some extent isn’t going to change anytime soon. So for now I’m trying to eat LESS ice cream, to eat more filling meals and to get some real exercise in BEFORE I watch the movie. I need to start earning my creature comforts for a change!

I went to Target last week to get something practical like soap or something but ended up buying fun things like new clothes for BB, because that’s what happens when I’m allowed to go to Target by myself. Honestly, Dan’s lucky I didn’t look in the grown up clothes department because there was a HUGE sale going on and I got BB two shirts, a sweatshirt and a pretty dress for $10. Seriously.

And it was the cute stuff I’ve been looking at for months now, thinking, “Aw that’s really cute but it’s full price and she doesn’t really need it. Well now it’s 70% off and I’m pretty sure it’s mandatory that she owns it and that I’d be a bad mother if I didn’t get it. You can see the adorable Minnie Mouse shirt above, which came with a matching hoodie, pictured below.

I also got her (not yet pictured) a shirt from the Harajuku Mini line that says I <3 Nerds because, well, I think that one’s self explanatory and a pretty long sleeved black ruffle dress that will be so chic this winter and cozy, too. Perhaps I should have stocked up on clothes in larger sizes but I’m not very good at that so I didn’t.

And yeah, these are all full priced online, no clue if they are still on sale in stores but clearly I snagged a bargain because I got all three pieces for less than $4 each. Score!

Yeah, I kind of live vicariously through my daughter’s wardrobe, it’s true.

I showed you a cute picture of BB playing in the snow recently, but I took like 20+ pictures that day that I’m kind of in love with. So now I’m going to be that annoying person that shows you 20 cute pictures of her kids in one post. Brace yourself.

First some pretty standard “Look how pretty my daughter is” pictures – I took these after a lot of stumbling and grumbling and “Mommy, I’m cold!” moments. But you didn’t need to know that.

When we first got outside with the sleds, the kids sat down immediately, then looked up at me with that, “Why isn’t it moving yet, mom?” look – “Where are the batteries???”

Kids these days.

MM pretty quickly figured out the whole self-propelled fun thing.

Daddy helped.

While BB waited for her turn, she practiced stumbling through the snow, falling and making pouty faces at me.

Then eventually, daddy came to her rescue!

He sure falls a lot.

Now, you may be asking why I wasn’t pulling sleds with heavy toddlers and falling down a lot and being cold and wet and… Oh wait, you probably figured it out already, too. You seem clever like that. ;0)

Right about now was when I (having taken plenty of pictures) said something supremely clever: “Who wants hot cocoa?”

New to the What’s On Your Nightstand meme? It’s a fun monthly blog carnival hosted by the awesome ladies at 5 Minutes for Books with a terribly simple and open ended premise. What are you reading? What have you read recently? What are you planning to read next? What books are currently on your nightstand either literally or metaphorically. You could even take a picture of your nightstand for added fun (I used to do this but it just got to be one thing too many)!

So, since I didn’t write a Nightstand post in December and I’m too lazy to dig the archives too deeply, I’ll start with a quick list of the books I’ve read so far this year and then tell you what I’m hoping to read in February, mkay?

So far this year I’ve read:

1. Anne’s House of Dreams by L.M. Montgomery – finished January 4, 2012 - There is nothing like settling down with a book from this series – the comfort of predictable yet truly satisfying story plots and catching up with old favorite characters and delighting in new favorites. These books are a breath of fresh air for me. This is Anne at her best, though we get to see her at her worst, too in this story of Anne and Gilbert’s first years of marriage in their first house. I love that Montgomery fleshes out every character in her stories so that you come to know them all so well.
2. One for the Money by Janet Evanovich (rereading with my book club) - finished January 14, 2012 - I just re-read this long-time favorite with my book club and was amazed at how much I enjoyed reading it for a second time. I’d been worried that I would know the plot too well and have a hard time reading it again – or that perhaps it wouldn’t seem as good a second time. But I got sucked into the story and characters all over again and found my recollection of the details of the story just hazy enough to thoroughly enjoy it a second time. – see my book review-
3. Dear Pen Pal (Mother Daughter Book Club #3) by Heather Vogel Frederick – finished January 22, 2012 - I always enjoy this series – it’s something I would have read and devoured as a tween and love reading now as a mom. This story follows the girls through their 8th grade year as they read Daddy Long Legs by Jean Webster, an author I was unfamiliar with but now I’m anxious to check out (her books are available for free on Kindle!). The girls also get pen pals with some girls in Wyoming who have started a mother-daughter book club also. These books are fun and light hearted, with all the coming of age plot lines you’d expect for a series like this and perhaps some you wouldn’t. I’d strongly recommend the series to anyone.

Right now I’m reading Anne of Ingleside by L.M. Montgomery - this book really dives into the world of Anne as a mother with 5 kids which is pretty easy to relate to for me. I’m only 15 pages in but already loving it. When I’m finished I’ll probably set the series aside for awhile but there are two more in the Anne series and I’m also planning to read the Emily books and a few others at some point.

So what’s slated to be read next?

• These Is My Words by Nancy E. Turner is the book club pick for February so I’ll definitely be reading this. I’ve already got my copy waiting for me but I try to time the reading of book club books just so, so that I don’t finish too soon – that way the plot is still fresh in my mind. So I may not start this until a couple weeks into February. Depending on how long it takes me to read Anne of Ingleside and this book, I may also read…
• Bossypants by Tina Fey – I got this one for Christmas and I am absolutely itching to dive into it!
• Daddy-Long-Legs by Jean Webster – this is the book that the girls in the Mother-Daughter Book Club were discussing in Dear Pen Pal and after all the rave reviews, I’m anxious to read it myself. Luckily Webster’s books are available for free on the kindle so I’ve already downloaded them and hope to read them soon.

What are you reading right now?

My best friend has been raving about her homemade clam chowder recipe for awhile now as I drooled through my computer and kept thinking, “I should make that sometime.”

Well, I my handsome husband finally made some this weekend (I was his handy sous chef!) and guys, it was so freaking good! You have to make some, like, right now!

Andrea’s Ah-mazing Clam Chowder

Makes 8-10 servings

Ingredients
1/2 lb bacon
1 large onion, diced
4 celery sticks
1 1/4 lb potatoes
1 tbsp sea salt
1 tsp pepper
1.5 tsp thyme (fresh use a little less than bottled)
1/2 cup flour
3 cans clam
8 oz clam juice
1 quart heavy cream

Directions
1. Slice 1/2 pound of bacon into small pieces, and fry in a large pot until crispy. Once crispy to the touch add in celery and onion (cut into small pieces so they will fit on a spoon.) Cook down until celery is looking translucent and is soft to the touch.
2. Add seasoning to pot, more can be added if flavor is lacking at the end of all cooking. Stir mixture together until thoroughly seasoned.
3. Add flour and cook for 1-2 minutes until flour is coating all items in pan.
4. Add 2-3 cans of clams (I usually do 1 minced and 2 chopped) and clam juice to pot.
5. Concoction so far can be frozen for future preparation!
6. In separate pot cook cubed potatoes (again, bite sized) until they are soft enough to eat, but not too soft that they will fall apart.
7. Add potatoes (drained of all water) and heavy cream to large pot and cook until thoroughly warm. If chowder is thin then you can cook it for longer (it will thicken as it stands) or create a roux using melted butter and flour and adding it to the chowder which will help it thicken. To really make the flavor complete add 3 drops of hot sauce!

I have to say, this recipe whipped up pretty easily. Granted, I was mostly just in charge of cooking the potatoes and handing my husband key ingredients at the right time (and running to the store at the last minute to buy some bread bowls when we decided it was simply necessary).

But watching him cook it, I definitely thought “I could do that if it was necessary.” Just try and get your bacon and veggies chopped ahead of time and all your ingredients accessible (mise en place) and it’s a pretty easy recipe and oh-so good. Of course a half a pound of bacon and a quart of heavy cream has little chance of not making something delicious.

Go make it now!!

You guys have probably figured out by now that I am trying to lose weight. It’s definitely a constant struggle to keep up an exercise routine and eat a healthy diet, without sacrificing FUN – especially when I’m entertaining.

I love to host parties at my house, especially with the awesome ladies in my meetup group. We get together often to play bunco, have book club meetings, craft nights and more. I recently hosted a White Elephant Party which was so much fun. I always love seeing the wacky gifts and hearing the stories behind how we all came by the different presents we are regifting. I also love an opportunity to indulge in a sweet treat or a fun drink with my friends.

But you have to be careful on nights like that because it’s easy to throw your diet when the spread comes out, esepcially when alcohol is involved. Those wine coolers can really add up quickly. But I recently got an opportunity to review Calypso Bay’s new line of 99 calorie spritz drinks, available in two tropical flavors: Ruby Red Citrus and Pineapple Mandarin Orange. I thought this would be the perfect event to try them out and see what everyone thought. After the New Year, we’re all trying to watch our weight even when we’re having fun.

So what’s the deal with Calypso Bay?

The sophisticated new Spritz boasts the same alcohol by volume as most light beers – 4.1% – but offers a lighter, more refreshing drinking experience.  Lower in calories than most wines and less sweet than other bottled drinks, New Calypso Bay™ Spritz is a tropically inspired line made from natural fruit flavors, and contains a mere 99 calories per bottle.  Calypso Bay™ Spritz is now available in all of Wisconsin and Massachusetts and will sparkle into other locations in the coming months. The product is available in grocery and liquor stores as six-packs and is also served in both states in popular bars and restaurants.

They use a blend of artificial sweeteners to keep the calories lower – and you guys know that I don’t normally go for the artificially sweetened options – often just the taste of an artificial sweetener in a drink or snack will turn me off from the product, but I was so intrigued by these drinks that I decided to try them anyway.

My verdict: I have to say, I was pretty impressed. I couldn’t actually taste the artificial sweeteners in this drink the way that I can always detect them in diet sodas – the flavor of the drink and the alcohol completely covered it up. The Spritz has a light, not too sweet flavor that is less acidic than the Mikes coolers I typically  go for. They are similar to Smirnoff coolers, but with less than half the calories (from what I’ve read a Smirnoff Ice has 228 calories per bottle). I definitely preferred the Mandarin flavor over the ruby red, but I’m not a grapefruit fan personally.

Most of my guests sampled a cooler and the reaction was pretty similar – good flavor, not too acidic, definitely a drink to try! Most of them seemed to prefer the Mandarin drink over the Ruby like I did, something to consider, but we all liked the Mandarin. Even my beer loving husband tried it and was pretty impressed, though he admitted that he’d rather have a beer (more for me!), he did drink a bottle with me the other night while we played cards.

Now, because of the artificial sweeteners, I’d be wary of drinking this all the time, but seeing as I don’t drink very often, it’s really not a big deal for me and I’m glad to have a low calorie option to choose from. These will definitely be a go to choice for me now!

Have you tried the Calypso Bay Spritz drinks or a similar low calorie drink? How do you keep the calories at bay during holidays and parties?

Thanks to Corinna from Duo Public Relations and the folks at Calypso Bay for providing me with free samples of the product to try in exchange for my honest review.

Obsessing over: various projects I want to do around the house – I need a new bookshelf in the office to help corral my growing book collection and other bits and bobs congregating in here. We are also talking about making a new desk for me (like this one) and another bookshelf in the toy room ; Dan is planning out a bed frame with built in dressers he wants to build for our bedroom ; and then there’s the hole in our kitchen linoleum that we continue to ignore. So many projects, so little money. So at the moment we’re mostly just a lot of talk, but we’ll get there…

Feeling: a little tired. I stayed up a bit too late last night finishing Dear Pen Pal by Heather Vogel Frederick and now am anxious to read the next installment in the Mother Daughter Book Club series as well as the books by Jean Webster that they discussed in this one – luckily those are available for free on Amazon! All these titles will have to wait in line though as I’ve already got a little mental list of which books are going to be read next.

Working on: slowly cleaning and organizing the office though a lot of that cleaning is going to have to wait for aforementioned bookshelf that I don’t own yet. I also have all the usual Monday chores to attend to that I’m currently trying not to think about. Speaking of which…

Thinking about: Valentines Day. I took MM to Target yesterday to pick out Valentines. I was going to do the DIY thing but honestly after scouring Pinterest and comparing prices for various projects and humming and hawing, I then innocently perused the aisles of Target only to be reminded out inexpensive store bought Valentines are. MM picked out a set of Star Wars valentines that he is very excited about and now it’s done. I can move on to thinking about the REAL Valentine in my life – that handsome husband who I love so much.

Reading: Anne of Ingleside by L.M. Montgomery, at least I will be tonight. I just moved it to the prime spot on my nightstand and I’m eager to dive back into the world of Anne for a little bit before moving on to the rest of my to-read list.

Anticipating: this Saturday night, Dan is taking me to see Blue Man Group. We bought these tickets so long ago that it kinda feels surreal to me now that it’s actually coming up soon! Neither of us have ever seen Blue Man Group in concert and we’re really looking forward to it, never mind a night out without the kids!

Listening to: the usual, BB is watching Dinosaur Train in the next room, making this blog post possible. Meaning I’m on borrowed time.

Drinking: nothing, though I had some orange juice an hour ago with breakfast. I know, very exciting.

Wishing: I had gotten an extra hour or two of sleep last night!

Pinning: 

fudgy chocolate chip toffee bars * self portrait photography guide * Build your own fairy garden (I want to do something like this with the kids this year) * outdoor mud pie kitchen * simple spiced steamer * Does your fridge need an Eat Me First box?

It’s a tough age right now for BB – at least a lot of the time. Don’t get me wrong, she’s a happy kid who is delighted over so much – we hear a lot of giggles and see a lot of smiles from this girl, but still, it’s clearly tough being two.

For MM, I feel like two just blew over and was never a big thing. I thought, “Terrible twos?” Must be a myth. If anything 3 and 4 were the years where he really gave us a run for our money. I thought maybe the experts were wrong, but really I think it’s just that every kid is different.

So either she’s starting early and we are REALLY in for it or else she’s getting it all out of the way now and two will be her YEAR. Either way, as much as it’s hard on us to navigate the tantrums all day, it’s gotta be tough for her, too. She’s misunderstood constantly as she struggles to find the words to express herself while also not wanting to have to use words at all! Don’t we know exactly what she wants???

She’s more ambitious than her legs can keep up with – running and climbing and stumbling and falling and crying, then eventually standing up again to run and jump and climb and stumble some more – she’s tough, for sure, but still. Imagine how many times a toddler falls in any given day – how would you feel?

She has so much she wants to see and do and not enough time between naptime and dinner to get it all done. She’s discovered her own agenda and is not pleased when it isn’t met. So she has to get upset a LOT to make sure we all know when she isn’t pleased. Which is often.

And to make matters worse, her mother thinks she’s adorable even when she’s sad.

You may remember that this goofy little boy asked Santa for 2 yellow chairs for Christmas (and three socks and a toy car). After giggling over this incessantly, clever husband decided he wanted to make the chairs himself (actually Santa called and asked him to do it because he was so busy this year) and he cleverly managed to build two wooden chairs for like $5 in lumber.

After Christmas Dan and MM painted the chairs yellow and then they sat to dry and then we kind of forgot about them awhile as life happened and such – so they got good and dry until last night Dan remembered them and we finally brought them upstairs. MM was delighted!

There was hugging for joy and squealing and giggling.

Then of course, he got right to work testing them out at his desk. He had very important work to do, I’m sure.

BB wasted no time pulling up the second seat to sit and watch her brother work. It’s like we planned it this way.

Don’t they look cozy together? The chairs even tuck in nicely into the desk next to each other like we measured it out or something. I love it when that happens, when everything just falls into place perfectly like it was part of the plan the whole time.