Green Punches

So I have found yet another 2 new found favorites or should I say one favorite and one like?!?!?!  This past week, I have been using the Gold's Gym Cardio On the Wii, it is mostly boxing and I must say I am in love with it.  My 30 minutes of work often turns into 45, 50, 60 minutes.... its great.  I really like the fact it lets you know roughly how many calories you are burning and how many punches you have done for each lesson and for the whole day.  My arms feel great already and I can even feel it in the mid section too.  I am really wishing I knew some where close to here that might have a gym with a punching bag, but at this time I don't.  If I keep this up and still enjoy doing it, I just might ask for one for my birthday??? Hmmm.  So this is where the "Punches" came from in my title, just in case you haven't figured it out.

I also tried another newish food this week.  Its nothing new to alot of people but to me it is.  Its the famous green beans, I hated them for the longest time.  Let's just say I would eat the raw but cook them and it was a no go for me.  I prefer most of my veggies raw to start with.  But Tuesday meal plan called for cooked green beans so I thought to myself how can I try something new with these things? Something that isn't going to add alot of points to my Weight Watchers Schedule yet make them taste better maybe.  So, I finally found a recipe and thought I would try it out.  And to my surprise it was great, I actually enjoyed them and so did the husband, my kids on the other hand didn't!  All I did was saute some garlic and olive oil, added my green beans, 2 tablespoons of soya sauce and some roasted almonds.  Once they were done and plated, I sprinkled a few bacon bits on top of them and vala its a yummy side dish. Once again this is where the "Green" comes in in my title. 

Is there any veggies that you have tried and at first never liked or hated and once trying them a new way, you really enjoyed?  If so, please send a recipe on to me!!!!  I am up for some food challenges. 

My time is flying!

So I realized I haven't blogged in a few days :(  I am sorry.  I have been busy the last while trying to catch up on paper work for the daycare, cleaning my basement up (that's what happens when you let a bunch of kids down there by themselves!  They say "yes" why you asked them if they have cleaned up, although they didn't really!).

I was talking with my dear mommy yesterday (not that that is anything new, as we talk almost daily) and we decided that we were both going to try our hardest to lose 20 pounds by our birthday (1: June 4th, 2: we both have the same birthday date, we are just 25 years apart!).  Oh sorry mom, that might give your age away, hehehe!  So with that being said June is just over 3 months away.  I think 20 pounds is more then do able for the both of us.  I am excited to do this, and if I get there, I plan on buying a new outfit for my birthday...... I really want to hit 25 pounds though, that would take me out of the 200's and I haven't been out of this for a while now.

So this weeks weigh in was OK, I can't complain I did lose, just not what I wanted to.  I guess those few nights of a bowl of ice cream and peanuts sure didn't help, nor did my indulgent in 4 granola bars (Why?) . But after thinking about what I did last week and the lack of the exercise I was doing........ I guess I can be some what happy.

The last few days I have found a nice exercise routine for me though.  In the mornings I try to get a good 30 minutes of Wii Fit in and then in the evenings after my kidlets have gone to bed, I aim to get 1200 punches in, in boxing and which equals to be about a half hour for me.  After that I aim for another half hour of either step ups or my resistant band work outs.  I "stole" my mother exercise ball from her a few weeks ago and have tryed it a few times, but can't seem to get the hang of it, I will keep trying from time to time.  Does anyone have some of their own favorite exercises they do with their balls....... wow, that doesn't sound right!!!  Oh yes I should get my mind out of the gutter, I'm sorry again!

Today's weight: 223.8
Starting weight: 245
1 st goal: 220.5

Who am I?

Last night I watched a movie called Nanny Dairies. Its a movie from 2007 so no its not a new release at all.  First I thought I would give you some in site on the movie before I get in to my actual post.

A college graduate goes to work as a nanny for a rich New York family. Ensconced in their home, she has to juggle their dysfunction, a new romance, and the spoiled brat in her charge. Directors: Shari Springer Berman, Robert Pulcini  Stars: Scarlett Johansson, Laura Linney and Paul Giamatti OK now that you have got the point of the story/movie, I just thought I would give you a little in site on the actual movie.  I will move on to my post..... Not to long into the movie Annie the main character was in an interview for a position in a large well know company.  The lady giving the interview asked Annie a good question that really got me thinking of myself for a bit.  The question was "OK, tell me who Annie Braddock is?"  Well of course Annie from the movie had a hard time with this answer as that's how the rest of the movie is played out, her trying to figure out who she really was. For me though, I took that same question just after I heard it and put my name in there. OK, tell me who Ashley Vipond is?   Wow, I really go thinking here, if I was ever asked this question by any one, how would I answer it.  Some may think, "oh, that's easy", but for me it really wasn't and even this morning when I got up I was still think about it.   Sure I know the facts and numbers of who I am. I was born June 4, I live at..... in Glenavon, I have 3 kids, 2 pets, I weight 223.8 pounds, I am 5'8" tall..... OK you get the point there.   But if asked by a person who is looking to hire me for a job and asked that question how would you answer it?  No, they don't care when you were born, that you have a cat and dog, or how tall you are.  (OK, for most job that's not important to know, there might be the odd ball job out there that needs some of that info from you).  They want to know what kind of person you really are.  To me, I don't know who I am really and its kinda bothering me.  Am I just a caregiver? A person who stays at home all day long?  Well sure that's my job but who am I other then that?  I'm a Sunday School teacher, A scrapbooker, a cook (or try to be cook!).  Is that who I am? A wife, a daughter, a friend..... I am all of those, but to me I don't feel like I really know who I am for some reason.  I don't know where I fit in, in this town of mine. I don't know why I am friends with some people........ All I know is that I am an over weight mom and wife trying to figure out how to get thinner and healthier.  But would that be who I am?  Or is there still more?  Its truly something to think about I'd say. Who are you? "Who Am I?" Who am I? My first answer would probably be my name. But, my name does not describe who I am on the inside. I could then give the title of my profession. But that is what I do. I could then tell you I am a wife, a sister, and a daughter. But those are my relationships. I ask again, who am I? I could describe myself as an extrovert and outgoing. That is my personality. I am organized in planning events. But that is a gift God has given me. I could describe my appearance, but that is not who I am either. So many times I have believed what others say I am. If I receive affirmation, then I feel worthwhile. However, when I receive criticism, then I feel like a failure. I have chosen to ride the roller coaster of emotions, Instead of believing the truth of what God says about me. I have tried to work harder to prove that I am worthwhile. Yet every time I mess up or fail, I am reminded that I will never measure up. I will never be pretty enough or talented enough. I will never be skinny enough or do enough good things of the church. I will never be a good enough wife or sister or daughter. But, I keep trying harder and harder. I believe the lie that if I continue to try harder, I will finally be "good" enough. ~ Written by: Shelley Hitz

I am pissed off again!

So I seemed to be pissed off at the whole world right now.  Nothing has gone right today what so ever and these "happy"(for depression) pills are not seeming to calm my mood even a little. Where to start?!?!?! Hmmm, I made calzones for lunch today, the kids liked there's as I made pizza style ones for them and for the husband and I, I made spinach, mushroom, onion and cheese.  I thought they were good, I made everything from scratch, I didn't take the short cut and buy premade dough, I worked hard on them and was pleased with how they turned out.  The only thing that upset me a little was that the husband didn't comment on them at all, I am not sure if he liked them or hated them.  I don't know made be I was just excepting more then what I deserved?!?  Then we decided the have a nap this afternoon, it doesn't happen often that I will lay down any more when the rest do, because I just don't have time.  But I thought made be today I would, I have been lacking in the sleep area for a while and thought it might help me out.  Well, just as I dose off the little one wakes up screaming, I laid there for a few minutes hoping my husband would get up to see what was wrong, but nope to all luck he didn't.  Once I got up and checked on the baby, got him milk and brought him out to the couch, who shows up...... Yep, your right the husband.  I asked what he was doing, and he tells me, "Oh I can't sleep" .  Well fuck you I thought.  You know I really wanted to lay down today and try to sleep but it didn't happen, cause the little one woke up.  If you can't sleep why couldn't have you got up for once to look after him.  I guess I am expecting a little to much again, ya know he never gets up with the baby to start with, why would he today????  So once I got done playing with the wee one, I was sitting here reading some blogs from others, and I get a smarky little comment of "well are you going to do dishes?"  What the fuck popped into my head again (no I didn't say it out loud, even though I wanted to), what are you doing?  Why can't you do the dishes for once?  Errrrrrr, I am just getting madder and madder, then he asks if I can up coffee on cause he wanted a cup,  I said no, you can!  He didn't like that!  I am not to sure what is up, with either of us.  He use to be pretty good with something around the house but now he expects me to do it all and all the time.  I don't know if I am over reacting today or what though, but he seemed to be pushing my buttons really well.

OK now with that vented out to  my fellow readers, I feel a little better.  Tomorrow is weigh in day, I truly don't think I have lost anything at all.  I know right now my problem is...... pop and portion control.  I have kinda gotten really lazy on the measuring of how much I am putting on my plate, and well lets face it that isn't going to help me lose much.  Sure I might be cooking healthier and more home made stuff but if I am having 2 cups of pasta when I really should only he having 3/4 of cup... it just its going to get weight moving down.  So this coming week that is my goal.  To start measuring out my food before it goes on my plate.  Might not be a large goal but its going to be one!

Why???

Why is it that when a woman is coming to her TOM (time of the month) she craves sugar or sweat things?????

I just indulged in 4 granola bars....why? I don't really know why I took that first one to start with, I wasn't really hungry, I just finished supper.  But I did!  I am mad cause 1 lead to 2 to 3 and then 4, like really Ashley give your head a shake, what the hell are you doing.  

So I did a little research on why we crave sweats when its that great time of the month every woman loves.  

Eating sugary foods causes blood-sugar spikes, followed by sharp declines, a pattern that exacerbates irritability, anxiety and light headedness. These symptoms only lead to more sugar cravings.  

All in all, I really didn't need that extra 2, 3, and 4th granola bar, hell I really didn't need the first one, but a gave into my god damn carvings once again.  I really need to break this habit and stop doing these nasty things to myself.  It doesn't do anything to me besides pushing me into depression a little more and gaining weight instead of losing it.  So I get my self back on the ban wagon once again, for about the millionth time since I started this journey and I will keep trekking on.  I am just hoping it wont set that scale up to much when I get on in on Sunday!

What then hell am I in labour again?!?!

So yesterday I had to head to the city get another colopospy done, lets just say it was not fun at all.  After I had my 3 child and the great old pap test afterwards came back abnormal.  So they did a colopospy at that time and found I had alot of scare tissue build up and some paulups (growths) in my uterus, so they scraped the inside of my uterus back in August and removed everything that should be there.  That procedure wasn't bad, it didn't hurt at all, due to the fact that I had pain drugs for it.  This time was the totally opposite!  I thought that they were just checking to see how things were going in there, if they was anything I was assuming that they would schedule for another appointment and redo everything they did in August.  Well boy I was wrong, the doctor decided that she was going to do everything at once and with no pain medication cause you know she was already in there, why stop and give me something?!?!?!  So the doctor proceeds to tell me that she is going to remove the stop she found and that I will feel a LITTLE cramping while she was doing.  I am sure that the nurse that was helping her had a broken hand by the time she was done, a little cramping bullshit!  I thought I was giving birth again and was at the end of it and had some of the worse contractions ever.  Wow, I was hurting for a while, even once I was going to bed last night, I was still hurting alot.  This morning its not so bad I still feel a little pain but nothing like yesterday.  I am glad that is over and I will be prepared for my next one, just in case it happens again!  Good thing that's not for another 6 months.

So even with my pain last night, I still got a little exercise in.  I didn't want to but I thought I should so I decided to do my step ups while watching some TV.  I went for a good 40 minutes and once I stopped and looked at my pedometer I was amazed I did 6169 steps.  I felt good after that, well a good feeling, still sore in the inside and my legs were just a little tired afterwards.

While in the city yesterday I was also at Walmart, cause lets admit it, I live for Walmart.  I found a great sale on some Wii games, one of which was a Golds Gym one.  I am looking forward to trying it!  I am hoping I might be able to tonight, seem how I was able to sleep in this morning cause the husband started work late today, so none the less I didn't do a work out first thing this morning.

Other then yesterday my week has been pretty good but busy with alot of daycare activities.  We are working on the letter Bb this week.  Lots of fun crafts going on and keeping the kids busy again, seems how the weather is shitty once again outside.  Man I can't wait till Spring so we can go outside more often.

A birthday Wish

I just wanted to send out a quick Happy Birthday to a fellow blogger.  Roxie-Girl is turning 40 today and she is embracing this mild stone like no other woman would (okay maybe others would!).  I have been following Roxie-Girls blog for about a month now, and I must say she is amazing and I get such a kick out of some of her post. 

Please take a look at Roxie-Girls blog My Inner Pin-Up and I hope you enjoy her writing as much as I do!  So once again Happy 40th Birthday, and I hope you have an amazing, fantastic day.  Keep up the great work and remember to embrace every day to come as you are one strong lady.

Food Menu for Feb 14 to Feb 18

Monday
Breakfast: Fruity Oatmeal
Lunch:  Heart Sandwiches with Peanut Butter and Jam, carrots and yogurt
Supper: Roasted Chicken Sandwiches w/ Brie and cranberries, Cesar salad

Tuesday
Breakfast: Breakfast Burritos and bananas
Lunch: Biscuit Pizza
Supper: Marinated Chinese Noodles and Veggies with a mandarin Orange salad

Wednesday:
Breakfast: Blueberry Muffins and grapes
I will be in the city Wednesday for doctors appointments, so I don't have anything planned for lunch or supper.  Supper with be something easier when I get home

Thursday
Breakfast:  Pancakes and bananas
Lunch: Sloppy Joe's and salad
Supper: Roasted Red pepper Pasta w/chicken and a salad

Friday
Breakfast: Homemade toaster pastries
Lunch: Spaghetti and bread
Supper:  Three cheese caramelized onion, spinach, and mushroom Calzones with Cesar salad

Please remember my lunches are based on children's tastes and not always the fanciest.  I have to please them more then me for this meal!!!!  I am also not one for this breakfast thing yet, but I have decided that I really should be trying things for my family too. 

I will post pictures and recipes at the end of the week!  If any of you would like to know them before hand just leave a comment or send me a message and I will pass it your way. 

Weigh in and a little more

So this morning was weigh in........ the results didn't change from yesterday :(  But I am not going to sulk over what the scale is telling me this week.  I see it and I am going to move on  no pity party this time.  It's a gain like I said in last nights post Wine and Dine  but just cause I am up does not mean that I am not on track.  Our bodies can do some funny things to us, I know personally this time, I didn't cheat, I exercised, and I was getting more water in (not enough yet, but its finally coming to me). 

This week I will continue eating healthy.  I still have a bad habit of skipping meals, I have done this for a good 15 years now, its not going to change over night, not when I have been doing the same thing over and over again for that long.  But it is coming, just like my water intake (that will be another post to come!). 

I am loving my Wii exercises but I was thinking last night, I can't just rely on the wii, sure it gets me moving and its fun at the same time, but I need to get in my mind that I have to do more then that.  This week I would like to get back into my resistance band workout and maybe some exercises on the ball.  I am not to sure what those exercise balls are really called, but I got one from my mommy last week, and well I haven't used it yet.  I am going to this week.  No, its not going sit in my basement and collect dust or be another toy for the kids to play with.  I am going to use it. 

I have a dear dear friend that keeps my spirits up when needed, gives my motivation to keep going (hell she was the one that was able to get me started) and some amazing tips on every aspect of weight loss, exercises, and nutrition.  She has told me a few times now, that I really should get a "starting" picture and keep taking some along the way, it will keep one motivated to see the changes.  She also said that I should take my measurements, not that it has to be every week but once or twice a month even. This way, if you have a bad number on the scale one week you can see that you might not have lost weight, but you might have lost inches along the way. I had thought of this before, but my problem was having to get them done in the first place.  So last night I finally broke down and asked the hubby for help doing these tasks that I was dreading.  Wow, scary numbers(see below of stats).....  I have never liked my photo being taken, because lets face it, I knew I was fat, so why did I want to see myself in a photo.  Why should anyone else have that memory of looking back at pictures and seeing this massive person in a picture.  But I am hoping with enough work one day maybe I wont mind having that picture taken with the kids or the husband.

So here are my scary stats, I don't mind it you all gasp for a breath after you read each number.  I did when the hubby told me what they were.  Hell I am pretty sure he picked me off the floor with a few of them.

Feb 2011

Arms ~ 15 1/8 inches
Chest ~ 43 3/4 inches (that's under the boobs, but I don't have anything there to worry about so I could probably measure them and have damn near the same number!)
Waist ~ 49 inches  (GASP)!!!! Yeppers that's where he picked me up off the floor
Hips ~ 46 3/4 inches
Thighs ~ 26 inches   (another, holy f@#$ from me with this number)

Weight ~ 224.6 pounds
This week ~ up 1.8
1st goal ~ 220.5 pounds
Starting ~ 245 pounds

The number 23

Okay so I just noticed this while looking at my dashboard..... I just wrote my 23rd post Wine and Dine and I now have 23 followers.  I thought I would keep this post going for a bit now that you are reading it!!!!  I know I just finished one, but I do have some many idea's in my head to write about!!!! This one wont be long though.  I just want to thank you, my followers.  Every time I log on to Blogger and notice another person is now following my blog, I get excited.  Not only am I doing this for myself, but hopefully I can hope others out too.  Whether that be from a recipe, encouragement, a photo, what not, everything little thing helps us out.  I get so many great comments from you all, and it really helps to keep me going.  I try to comment on all the blogs I follow, just cause I know how it feels to receive a comment.  Especially when you are just starting out, and after a while you are unsure if what you are doing is worth while or not, just know it is.  There has been a few mornings this week that I get up and think to myself, oh I don't want to work out, maybe I will do it tonight.  I get to the computer and start reading some of the new posts and all of a sudden I get the erg to go do my exercises.  I don't know whether it because of all your encouraging words and all of your hard work that makes me feel this way. Or if it is because, if I don't do my exercises I feel I am not only letting me down, but all of you my followers?!?! Either way, lets all keep up the hard work and cheer each other on.  We call all do it, whether is losing the weight or maintaining it, we can all get health as long as we put our selves into it and remember that its a whole new life style then what we are use to!

THANK YOU ALL!

Wine and Dine

So the hubby and I were wining and dining today.  Not drinking the wine though!  We make our own wine, so today was bottling day for two different batches for us.  I had a Kiwi-melon and a dry red on the go.  Sorry my husband would kill me, cause I just can't for the life of me remember the name of the red wine.  I guess cause I don't drink it (I prefer the fruity wines) so I don't remember it?!?! 

After finishing the wine we headed to the city for our Valentines' supper together.  We aren't no fancy couple so we decided to go to Chili's.  It was great food and a good visit for just the two of us.  We don't often have just us time.  My in-laws took the kids for the weekend so we were able to these things this weekend.  How I love my in-laws, they are so supportive and are always there to help us out and take the kids if need be.  Its great to have them so close.  Now I just my mom was closer too! 

I didn't eat anything all day till supper time (although we had supper at 4:15.....lol yes that early.  When I stepped on the scale this morning (I also know that it was a day early, but I just had the erg to do it) it was showing I was up :( .  After seeing that I was up I didn't feel like eating, I had worked so hard this week and I am up?  Now, I know this could be for a number of reasons.  One, maybe it was that burger for supper, two maybe its water retention?  I have drank more water then I am use to this week, so it might be my body getting use to it? Or three, I gained this weight this week.  I am hope that its not number three, but I will weigh myself tomorrow like I usually do, and will post the results then.  Hopefully I will be down, or at least the same as last week.  All I do know is that I am not going to beat myself over it this week if it is a gain, it happens and I am just going to keep moving forward.

So my menu today looked like this........ (short and sweet)

Breakfast: Coffee w/sugar X 4

AM Snack: nothing

Lunch: nothing, we were bottling wine at this time!


PM Snack:  Nothing, well I guess I did have a Pepsi......


Supper:  I shared chicken fries with the husband as a starter (he chose this!) and for my meal I had Buffalo chicken salad, with the dressing on the side and I also skipped the garlic bread!!!!

Menu clip of my salad from Chili's:

BONELESS BUFFALO CHICKEN SALAD

With applewood smoked bacon, bleu cheese crumbles, tortilla strips, house-made pico de gallo and ranch dressing.

I will probably have a little snack later tonight, we will see how I feel.

None the less, on our way into the city my husband car decides to have a mine of its own and starts playing games with us.  We were planning on going to a movie or show tonight, but after the car giving us problems, we thought it would be safer to come home, while it is still day light out.  So, our night was cut short in the city.  Oh well, I rather get home safe and not be stranded on the highway during the night.  Once we got home, he took a good look at the car and tells me the clutch is gone.  All I said was OK.  I don't know a whole lot about cars at all, lol and the funny thing is I use to work in a parts store!  I could tell you where the stuff went in the store and even if we got it but you ask me what its for..... you would get one hell of a strange look from me.  Hey, I was hired for the office and shipping and receiving, not selling!

A new found favorite

Well I missed this part of my post last night.....

I have found another new food I LOVE, its COUSCOUS.  We had it for supper last night, it was the first time I had ever tried it in my life.  I was amazing!  I boiled it with chicken broth (low sodium of course!) and some dried mushrooms (and not the ones you get high off of!!! That was the younger days..... lol never again I tell ya.).  I was scared to try this weird looking food on my plate, but once it was in my mouth I thought I was in heaven, well not quite, but if was freak delicious. 

OK now on to today.  It was a good day in some ways, I had a parent child interview/meeting today.  Starting this coming Monday, I have another part-time child and once seeding comes he will be full time for that time period.  I am so excited to bring on another child.  This little boy is great to have with us, he is just about the same age as my daughter, so they will be going to school together too.  Now she has someone her own age to play with also.  Now, I am just keeping my fingers crossed that I might be able to pick up another 1 or 2 children soon, that should keep me busy enough then.  I don't want to be one that has to many children running around and I just don't know what to do with them.  I would prefer to have a smaller group of kids, that I can take time for each of them and teach them as we go. 

Today's food menu was anything all to exciting.  I didn't cook supper to what was planned because my kidlets wanted homemade cheese burgers.  So I broke down and made them for us.

Breakfast:  Coffee w/sugar X 4 and an apple

AM Snack: coffee w/sugar X 2

Lunch: Taco Salad (ground beef, lettuce, salsa, onions, cheese, no fat sour cream, and a few nacho chips) Like I said nothing fancy, but it was yummy.


PM Snack: nothing

Supper: Home made cheese burger with stir-fry veggies and pasta, with yogurt for dessert

I didn't get exercise in today :(  My Calf's were just a killing me.  I have had this issue since about Grade 10.... so about 10 years now.  It comes and goes for me, but the muscles in my calf's cramp up really bad and often and then they hurt like a son of gun afterwards.  Some times the pain last as long as the spasms do and some times it last for days after it happens.  If I tend to have more then two spasms in a day or night, that's when the pain last longer.  I think I have had even more the last while from working out and doing my step ups, so I thought I might take it easy today and not doing anything.  Just rest them up, and I will get back at gun tomorrow.  Seriously does this happen to anyone else?!?!  I went to the doctors when it was first happening 11 years ago and they told me it was growing pains!!! Like hell, how can I still have growing pains, I am 25 now, aren't I suppose to be done growing?  I have been told to drink milk when it happens or have a banana.....umm of course 2 of the foods I can not stand!!!  Usually I am able to move my leg after a minute or so and it stretches the muscles out and starts to feel some what better but I seriously don't know how to get rid of them all together.

That's my calf when its in a spasm!!

Quote of the day: (by the way I am so sorry for forgetting to post the last two days quotes!! My bad!)
The time for action is now, it's never too late to do something. ~ Carl Sandburg

How true is this?  I mean why should one keep waiting to do something in life?  Just cause you are 30,40,50, hell 88... why should that stop you from making your dreams come true?  My Grandma In-law is 88 (I believe.... how bad is that, that I am not 100% sure on her age!), this lady blows my mind to pieces.  I swear she could run circles around me.  She travels to new places (she went to Italy last year), she still lives at home, makes all her own food.  Hell, she still drives the riding lawn mower in the summer to cut her lawn at the farm.  Nothing seems to stop her, if she wants to do it, she does it.  I think we should all think this way and take action for what we really want in life and not just sit back and let it go by.

I keep STEPPING on

Wow, today has been a really off day for me.  Didn't get much of anything done that I wanted to, but oh well.  It will all be here for me to do tomorrow (plus more).  So this morning I woke up with a migraine and decided not to do my work out (neither the Wii or resistance band), instead I put the coffee on and curled up on the couch for a little longer, hoping the medication I took would help my head.  None the less about an hour and a half later, my alarm goes off again and I get up so I can start getting breakfast ready and my son up for school.  The pain in my eyes and front of my head where still there, but not as bad.  So I continued on with my day, took a few more meds here and there.  Finally around 12:30, lunch was finished, I layed my youngest son down for his nap, my daughter and I curled up on the couch together again, and we started watching a Dora movie.  To my surprise I woke up at 2:30, with my daughter, cat and the dog all sleeping on me.  I was sweating to death at that time, but they all looked so cute together.  I decided to squeeze my way out from under all of them and get up to get something done today.  Dishes and beds were finally done at 2:45 this afternoon!!!! A little late but I was finally feeling better. 

Food Menu for the day:


Breakfast: Nothing but coffee w/sugar and meds!

AM Snack: Coffee w/sugar X 2

Lunch: Brunch Omelet on tortillas,
included~ egg beaters, green onions, tomato's, hot peppers, bacon, and cheese.  Oh wait, I can't forget the ketchup!


PM Snack:  Nothing


Supper:  Lemon Soy Chicken (check back on Friday (tomorrow) for recipe, Couscous and carrots


Evening Snack: a can of Pepsi and an apple

While my daughter was having her bath, I decided to do some more step ups tonight while watching some t.v. with my son.  I was able to do 3196 steps in 20 minutes.  I would have kept going but I thought it was time for the little lady to get outta the tube so she didn't turn into a raisin permanently.

Once again thank you all for the encouraging comments and those of you with blogs I follow that motivate me so much.  Your all the best, even if I don't know you in person!

4684....

OK, I am sorry for not posting yesterday.  I was kinda a busy day for me with no help that I am use to in the evenings.  My husband had to start work early today so instead of leaving the house at 3:30 AM this morning, he just stayed in the city last night.  I guess that's one of the downfalls of living in a small town and working in the city, but we made it through the evening just the kidlets and I.  With that being said, I didn't make no fancy supper cause I knew the kids wouldn't eat what I had planned so I thought I would save the recipe for another day.  Instead we had Octopus's and seaweed.  No, it was not the real stuff!!! (Like hell, I would eat either of those! And I wouldn't make my kids either, if they want to try else where they can go right ahead, but those 2 things are on my don't buy list!)  The octopuses where hot dogs cut in half and then one end cut in quarters and boil them (I am not a fan of hot dogs boiled so I skipped these!) and the sea weed was spaghetti cooked and I added some green food coloring to the water to make it look kinda like the real stuff.  My kids thought this was one of the greatest meals ever. 

So I was thinking yesterday about my blog (should have been writing, I know....I am sorry!).  I think I might start posting my recipes only once a week instead of daily.  Looking over my own blog I think it would just make it easier for the reader and myself.  I will still try and post my daily meals, but some time on the weekend I will write a full post of all the recipes I used.  If there is ever something one of you comes across and would like the recipe sooner, please feel free to contact me at ashleymvipond@hotmail.com and I will be more then happy to send it your way. 

Now, one more thing before I head off for a while.  My work outs yesterday...... When I got up yesterday morning I didn't want to do a work out, I wasn't going either.  Then I came to my computer and started reading my blogs I follow daily.  Well they surely inspired me and instead of finishing the read then, I went and got changed into my work out clothes and did 45 minutes on the Wii Fit.  After the work out was done, I did come and finish reading every ones posting!!!!! So I just want to thank you all for the inspiration, whether you know it or not, reading your blogs helps me alot.  Now for my evening work out, again I wasn't really planning on working out last night but I got some inspiration from a T.V. show this time.  I started watching I Use To Be Fat , on MTV.  Wow, its the first time I have seen it, I am not one to watch MTV a whole lot, seems how my TV is on kids shows all day long and then in the evening I seem to be to busy to watch much else.  Anyways, back to my point here.  This show is about young teens tyring to lose weight, from what I have gathered from the 2 shows I watched last night is that they have about 100 days with a trainer and they work their ass off to lose the weight.  They are taught how to eat correctly, how to deal with emotions and how to exercise right.  So after watching about 25 minutes of the first show, I felt the need to exercise.  I was thinking what I could do so I was still able to watch the rest of this show.  So I broke out the Wii fit balance board, my runners, and my pedometer, and decided I was doing to keep doing step ups till the end of the show.  And that's what I did.  I know these step ups aren't as high as some exercise ones but still after 10 minutes I was ready to give up, but I pushed my way through it and kept going till the end, a whole 35  minutes and a hell of a lot of sweat.  When I took off my pedometer I was surprised to see I did well over 4000 steps, actually it was 4684.  I was thinking maybe 500, but nope I was wrong.  I guess when I got into the rhythm of the steps and the show at the same time, I kinda forgot about how much I was really doing.  All I know is that I was excited when I seen that big number.

To beans or not to beans?

So yet again I tried something new today (besides working out with the Wii ), it was some more food.  Now not that food is unknown to me and this time I even knew what I was making and knew I didn't like it.  I made White Turkey Chili, I don't like chili.  Its not the taste I don't like, its those beans!!! I am one that has a food problem that co-insides with textures.  Its not that I don't like the taste of alot of food its that I can't handle its texture in my mouth. Example:  I love deviled eggs, but hate egg salad sandwiches.  I know, I know its all the same stuff, but when my egg white and yokes are mixed together like the the salad I just can't handle it.  Once again I know you can call me crazy.  So I have the same kinda issue with beans (kidney, red, black, white..... lentils, etc)  the taste is OK (not great but OK!) but I can not handle that texture in my mouth, I just want to gag.With that being said I still made the chili and tried it.  It called for white beans (usually any chili I ever had only had red beans in it) and I had never tried white beans before.  To my surprise they taste better to me then any other ones and the texture, while still there wasn't as bad to me then some other.  Other then the beans the chili was great I thought.  The hubby and my son loved it, that's for sure.  Now with the chili I made a Santa Fe Salad.  Once again it had beans in it, but black one this time.  I must say I did try it and yes more then one little mouth full, but it was definitely a no go for me.  I thought with them not being cooked I might not mind the texture as much, well I was wrong!!!  So now my hubby has a huge bowl of Santa Fe Salad to eat..... I am pretty sure he will be eating it well into the weekend (that's if I don't toss it first!)

Any who here's be menu plan for the day.

Breakfast:  Coffee w/sugar X 4 (when I have 'X' it is cups not how much sugar I use!)
                  Easy Breakfast Quiche (see recipe below)

AM Snack: Nothing

Lunch:  Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup, half piece of cheese toast (the daughter stole my other half!) and orange

PM Snack:  Orange

Supper: White Turkey Chili (see recipe below), Santa Fe Salad (see recipe below), and rolls ( I didn't have one but the rest of the family did)

Quote of the day:  You may delay, but time will not ~ Benjamin Franklin

Oh how I wish I had really thought about this quote along ago when I heard it.  I have loved reading quotes for years now.  I never applied anything I read (quote wise) to my weight, weight loss, or health ever.  I read them because they soothed me.  But it wasn't until lately that I really started to think about what they meant or at least how I have taken them.  If I would have done this thinking years ago, maybe it would have given me the strength to keep going while on those millions of short term diets I have done.  I am 25 years old and I think I have done at least that many diets in my life plus who can count all the "quick"  fixes I have tried!  If I would have put my all into it the first time I would be doing this right now.  (Although, I can't come plain cause I have gotten to know some friends alot better through all this and even met some great new friends and people along the way (how I love the blogging world)).  At the same time I am saying this (writing)  I am thinking to myself, I shouldn't be.  One should never look back on life and wish for something different, we should always take the memories we have and make the most of them.  If it wasn't for me waiting this long to make my true life change I wouldn't have gotten to know a friend from high school, as well as I do now.  And I am thankful to have her in my life now, she is great support and one whom I claim and a dear close friend now that I can confide in with anything.


RECIPES

Mini Breakfast Quiche ~ Recipe from Kids Approved Meals

Easy 1-2-3 Biscuits dough 


Ingredients:



3 heaping tablespoons of butter
2 cups of self rising flour *
1 cup of milk

*to make your own self rising flour: for each cup of flour used add 1 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon of salt

 Directions:

Preheat  oven to 325 F.  Divide dough into 12 pieces.  Press into well greased muffin pan, making sure to cover the bottom and sides of the muffin container.  Set to the side for time being.

Ingredients:

4 eggs
1 1/2 cups of milk
4 pieces of cooked bacon, crumbled (you could also use about 3/4 cup of breakfast sausage cooked and cut into small pieces)
1 cup of grated cheese

Directions:

Mix all the above ingredients in a bowl .  Pour evenly over Easy Biscuit dough.  Bake for 20 to 30 minutes or until tooth pick is inserted in the centre and comes out clean.

Easy-peasy and Yummy in the tummy!

White Turkey Chili ~ Recipe from Canadian Turkey Marketing Agency

Ingredients:

1 lb of ground turkey
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 medium onion chopped
2 cloves of garlic minced
2 teaspoons of chili powder

1 teaspoon of oregano
1/4 teaspoon of cayenne pepper

1/2 a red pepper chopped
3/4 cup of turkey broth (I used chicken broth cause that's what I had on hand!)
1 can of white kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup of sour cream
2 tablespoons of fresh parsley chopped (I forgot to buy parsley on Sunday, so I skipped this ingredient)

Directions:

Heat oil in large non stick pan.  Add turkey meat, onion and garlic.  Cook, until turkey meat is no longer pink in color.  Add dry seasonings and mix well.  Add green and red peppers and broth.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer for 10  to 15 minutes.  Add salt and pepper to taste if you like.  Add beans, cheese, sour cream and parsley.  Heat through for another 5 minutes.  Serve!

Santa Fe Salad ~ Recipe from The Best of Bridge Vol. 1

Ingredients:

Cilantro Lime Dressing
1/4 cup of olive oil
juice from 2 limes
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1 teaspoon of cumin
Salt and pepper to taste

Salad
1 can of black beans, drained and rinsed
1 red pepper chopped
1 can of corn drained
1/3 cup red onion chopped
1 jalapeno pepper seed and minced (if you don't like spicy food skip this one!)

Directions:

In a medium bowl, whisk together oil and lime juice.  Add cilantro, cumin, salt and pepper and mix well.  Added salad ingredients and mix well again.  Serve room temperature.

The Wii

On Sunday while I was in the city I finally broke down and bought a Wii.  Both my husband and I are not big gaming people and we both have the same mind set that we don't want our children to be sitting in front of the t.v. for hours on end playing games either.  I rather have them outside running around (that's when its warm enough, it wont be happening today that for sure, its -41C out there this morning. (and once again I am for Canada, eh!  so that is Celsius not Fahrenheit)), or doing something with their imaginations inside, like crafts or playing with their toys.  Anyways on with my point!  I broke down and bought one after alot of pondering on it.  We thought at least the Wii gets us and the children moving while we are using it, we aren't just sitting there. 

Last night I hooked the system up and my husband and I tried some of the Wii Sports Resort and the Wii Fit Plus.  I enjoyed it, I must say that.  Not to good at alot of the games yet but time might come for some of them.  You see I have this inability to move my left arm and my right leg at the same time in different directions (and vise versea for the other side).  I have tried a number of work out videos that all seem to have these moves in them too.  I just can't do it, no matter how hard I try or even how slow I try.  I know I'm a gimp, I will be the first to admit it!  And I also can't seem to figure out step movements when doing... lets say a step class.  I just can't do it, tried it last night and again this morning and its a no go at this time. 

Through trying out a number of the games though I came to really like a few already.  The hula hooping is great, the free run, and some of the balancing ones.  I also like the biking and boxing with the Resort Plus.  Like I just mentioned both the hubby and I did some last night and after he left for work this morning, instead of sitting down on the couch and dosing off for a little longer I got my butt in move and put the games on again and did some more work outs.  I actually ran, no we will say jogged 10 minutes at once without stopping.  I was about 4 minutes into this free run game when I was ready to quit.  But I then thought to myself I can't, if I quit I wont know how many calories I just burned, and well I really like that part of the Wii Fit.  You do the work out and afterwards it lets you know how much you just burned. 

I came to one more final conclusion though.  If I want to actually work out and not play around on the Wii, I will not be doing it around my husband!  He can be a pain in the butt while you are trying to do it.  Not that he is trying to hinder my progress at all and I don't think he really realizes that he is getting in the road and on my nerves.  But when you are trying to concentrate on what you are suppose to be doing and trying to work hard at something and there is someone pinching you butt, snapping your panty line or bra and just plain old blabbing away at you about something totally off topic.  It just wasn't working for me, not when I was wanting to work out, I just want to do my thing and be left alone.  Its OK when I am not in it for the work out but just to have fun.  I think my work out with the Wii, will continue to be done in the mornings after he leaves for work!!!

Day one and off of routine already!!!

Now I started out my day a little slow, the routine wasn't in place this morning!  I don't think I slept more then an hour last night and I really don't know why.  So once I did fall asleep I didn't want to get up right away to that alarm going off at 4:45 AM.  So there was no work out this morning, but once I got my butt in move everything was falling into place pretty good.  I am so excited to start these meals this week, they all sound so good to me.  So any ones that I like I will add to my daily blog.  Please note though that all lunch meals are not Weight Watcher friendly (totally) or low in fat.  My lunch meals are geared towards children's tastes not adults, although they are usually really good still. 

Breakfast:Hand full of mixed nuts and Coffee w/sugar X 3

AM Snack: Coffee w/sugar X 3

Lunch:  Cheesy Hamburger-Roni (see recipe below)  Strawberries or Grapes, 100% juice


PM Snack: Coffee w/sugar X 4

Supper: Spicy Steak, Red Mint Potatoes (see recipes below), Salad and yogurt with a chocolate zucchini muffin

Cheesy Hamburger-Roni

Recipe from Kid Approved Meals

Ingredients:


1 pkg macaroni noodles, cooked and drained
1 lb hamburger, browned and drained
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 soup can of milk
½ tsp seasoning blend
1 cup grated cheddar cheese

Directions:

Mix together soup, milk and seasoning in a large pot. Stir in noodles and beef. Cook over
medium high heat until heated through. During final minutes of cooking time, stir in
grated cheese.

~this would make quite a bit so I cut all ingredients in half because I only had myself and 2 children to cook for today! 

Spicy Steak ( we like spicy food and this wasn't that spicy but very, very good!)
Recipe from Wovenfare

Ingredients:

1/2 cup of apple cider vinegar (I didn't have apple cider vinegar, so I used 1/4 cup of red wine vinegar and 1/4 cup of water)
2 table spoons of brown sugar
1 teaspoon of curry paste (1: you find curry paste in the Asian food section of your grocery store. 2: this is where if you are a spicy kinda person to add more I would even try 2 teaspoons)
1 clove of garlic minced
1 table spoon of olive oil
2 4 to 5 ounce steaks

Directions:

Mix together all ingredients except steak, trimmed fat off of steak.  Pearce steak a few times on each side with a fork.  Place in mixture and let sit for 10 minutes.  In the mean time hot frying pan with oil or cooking spray.  Add steak to heated pan and cook to your liking.  Just at the end add the rest of your seasoning mixture and re coat the steak for added flavor.  Serve the remaining sauce over the steak once plated.

Mint Red Potatoes
Recipe from Wovenfare

Ingredients:

6 to 8 red potatoes
large handful of fresh mint leaves
1 tablespoon for butter

Directions:

Clean potatoes and cut into 1 inch cubes (I left skin on them, but you can do what you want).  Add to pot cover with water and add mint leaves.  Cook until soft and drain, add butter and shake pot to coat potatoes.  Now I don't know if you were suppose to take the mint leave out when you serve the potatoes or not but I did. 

I wasn't to sure about these at first but I thought hey lets give it a try!  I am always tell my daughter that she has to try new food besides Kraft dinner, so why shouldn't I?  To my surprise they were really good.  Not a strong mint taste to them at all, just a nice little flavor to them.  I really liked them, it was a good change to normal potatoes. 



Quote of the day:

You have to stay in shape.  My grandmother, she started walking five miles a day when she was 60.  She's 97 today and we don't know where the hell she is.
~Ellen Degeneres

Not really one to think about a whole lot, but I sure though it was cute.  I am hoping to keep you up to date on my quote calendar I have made for myself.  Some of them will make you think and others are just for a good giggle.

I am off to try to set up our new Wii.  And maybe try to get some exercising in tonight too.  I will keep you all posted on my efforts!

Sunday....

Just a quick blog before I head off to bed.  I have a number of things to write about but that will be for tomorrow!!!!  Today I headed into the city to get groceries.  I was in need of them badly, wasn't much food left in my house and with started my routine tomorrow morning I needed to get prepared.  So off I went with my shopping lists in hand and bought some yummy food and ingredients.  I love grocery shopping now, since I started my weight loss journey and making a healthier life style for my family and I.  Before I would head to the store and buy junk.  Processed this and processed that, a few apples or oranges and um chips, chocolate, etc (you know how it goes!).  Now I am happy with walking up and down the aisles looking for ingredients I need to make meals myself, reading nutrition labels and diving into the fresh produce section of the store and filling my cart full of those yummy things, FRUITS and VEGGIES!  Any who, the highways were shitty today, what should have taken just over an hour to get from home to Regina, it took me just about 2 hours.  I have a lead foot and like to speed a little (I can thank my Granny for that one ;)) and having to drive 60 to 70 KM (Yes, I am from Canada, eh!  So that is kilometers an hour not miles)  was horrible and irritating to me.  But I did it because the roads were like ice and I really did not want to end up in the ditch. 

I got home again and started supper for the family and put away the yummy food I bought.  Later this evening I was organizing tomorrows plan, so I texted my one mom whom brings her little one here to be looked after.  I find out that he wont be coming tomorrow and most of the week.  I am starting to get a little worried and stressed out right now.  I started Ducky's Arts and Activity Centre back in September.  I am a daycare centre which is ran out of my home.  But the last few months I don't really seem to have any full time kids.  Before Christmas all was going well I had 2 full time and one part time, now it seem to be 2 part time and one drop in.  I know, some of the parents work schedules are slow right now, but I can't help but to think "Am I doing something wrong?".  Are my rates to high? Do the kids not like it here?  Or whats going on that I seem to have lost my full time children.  Its really starting to bother me and I am kind wishing I knew what was going on.  Its hard to plan things when you don't know how many you are going to have and money wise isn't always easy either.  I am wondering if I might be smarter looking for an actual job out side of home somewhere?!?!?  At least I would know I have an income coming in.  I love what I am doing but at the same time I just can't help but to worry I am doing something wrong.  OK, I know this last paragraph has nothing to do with weight loss or anything really related to it.  But, I had to get it off my chest.  I tend to let these kind of things build up in me and I then eat instead of trying to figure it out.  So in the long run, it does kinda have something to do with my journey, if I journal it out, may I wont eat cause I have been able to think about it a bit more?!?!?!  Anyone else do this to them self's often?

Scrum-diddley-umiuos

This while getting my son ready for his hockey tournament, I was watching the Food Network. One of my favorite channels,  why wouldn't it be?!?!  I look the way I do due to food, so it would go hand in hand with me that watching food shows would be great.  Anyways, I was watching Eat, Shrink, and Be Merry, I love Janet and Greta.  I wish I had a sister to cook with or even a friend!  They have such a qurkie attitude towards one another and their guests, it just makes me giggle.  So today they were revamping a cream cheese muffin recipe.  Wow did they ever look yummy.  After the votes came in at the end of the show and Janet and Greta winning, I thought I just had to try this recipe, and had to do it today.  On I go to my life line the Internet and looked up the Eat, Shrink, and Be Merry website and found their recipe for Little Miss Muffin Tops.

To the kitchen I go to start baking, that is after I checked to make sure I had everything here for the muffins.  For the most part I did.  I added/changed a few things around for what I did or didn't have on hand.  For the most part they tasted amazing! 

So I know you are all waiting for the recipe!!! Here ya go:


LITTLE MISS MUFFIN TOPS
Recipe is taken right from the link above, anything in italics is what I chose to do.  Feel free to try either way!

Lemon-berry muffin tops with strawberry cream cheese filling. Per serving: 187 calories, 6.1 g total fat (1.3 g saturated fat), 4 g protein, 30 g carbohydrate, 2.3 g fibre, 21 mg cholesterol, 274 mg sodium

Yield: 12 mine made 15 regular muffins

Ingredients

Dry ingredients

• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Wet ingredients

• 1 cup low-fat vanilla flavoured yogurt (I used plain, not to sure if there is a difference or not?)
• 1/2 cup lightly packed brown sugar
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 egg
• Grated zest of one large lemon (I didn't have any fresh lemons on hand so I skipped this ingredient)
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice (I used bottled lemon juice, again cause I didn't have fresh on hand at all)
• 2/3 cup fresh blueberries (I used frozen mixed berries.  Included raspberries, blackberries and blue berries)
• 2/3 cup fresh raspberries
• 12 teaspoons light strawberry cream cheese (Philadelphia brand) (once again I didn't have strawberry cream cheese on hand so I mushed up a 1/4 cup of my field berries with light cream cheese and 2 packets of splenda)

Directions

Dry ingredients

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Spray 2 muffin-top(I used regular muffin pans, like mentioned at the beginning of the recipe)  pans lightly with cooking spray and set aside.
2. Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl.

Wet ingredients

1. Whisk together wet ingredients in a medium bowl. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix just until dry ingredients are moistened. Fold in blueberries and raspberries.
2. Divide batter evenly among 12 muffin-top cups. Hide 1 tsp cream cheese in the centre of each muffin. Bake for about 12 minutes (I found mine took about 20 minutes, now this could be because my berries were still a little frozen) , or until muffin tops are puffed up and a toothpick inserted in centre comes out clean. Remove from pans and cool on a wire rack. Serve warm.

We had these yummy muffins for our dessert tonight.  It was a great way to end off a yummy supper!

I stepped on it finally

Well this morning I decided to man up.  No, no, WOMAN up! And step on the hated scale of mine, usually I am addicted to my scale but the past two weeks, I have had it hiding under my bed and not wanting to look at, step on it or end move it to get the cat out from under the bed.  My cat is a huge fur ball and seems to make his way under our bad often and then mews his head off, for some reason.  Its not like he is stuck under there I can get him out just fine?!?! Anyways, now that I got side tracked.... I step on the scale and it read 222.8.  Yep, I am down.  It made me feel a lot better, to know I am down and not up 2, 5, or 10 pounds.  Hurray, I don't have that scale no more.  I know weigh in day is only 2 days away but I just had to do it this morning, I got the urge and needed to know what it was going to tell me.

Now that I am uppity in the mood area, it might just help me to finish my routine schedule, seems how I start Monday morning with it!  I wasn't able to get my lunch menu planned yesterday like I had hoped to.  Instead I was doing daycare paperwork.  Gotta love the paper work!!  Actually, in all honesty I do love doing paper work.  Its a joy of mine, I know you can call me crazy and stupid or even a moron for liking it, I'll let you!

Here's to a good day...... I don't want to say great, cause I don't have many of those days right now, but things are looking up. 

Starting weigh: 245
Current: 222.8
Lost so far: 22.2
1st Goal: 220.5

Needing a routine in life

So I have come to the conclusion that I need some structure in life, just like teaching a child while they are growing up.  I need that structure and routine to keep me on track and keep myself going.  I have been doing a lot of research and reading (a number of great blogs!) and have decided that I will start meal planning and making a daily routine for my day, the daycare day, my workouts, everything.  Now, I know before one says to me that routines aren't good because you can never follow them 100%.  I have come to realize that and I think I am able to take that into count too.  With running a home based daycare you can never be on time 100% cause kids are kids, out bursts, fights, fun, accidents happen.  I have run my daycare on a routine for a while and find it works fairly well most days, so why not try it in my everyday life too?  Whats really going to happen if I do try and its not right?  Nothing.  I will continue on like I am now that's all.  Things get done still, its just usually last minute and a stress over it then.  So I am going to try and pre-plan as much as possible and hope that things go with the follow.

I have sat down and made my daily schedule for Monday to Friday, leaving Saturday and Sundays open because there is often many things going on those days as a family.  I made my house clean schedule so that not everything is done on one day and makes me feel like I am cleaning forever.  I have also made a 2 week supper menu too, with recipes, calendar, and grocery list.  I am hoping to get to the lunch menu planning this afternoon while the young ones are napping.  Its a little harder to plan the lunch menus I find because kids seem to be picky with foods and I also have a lactose intolerant child in my care so that's a lot more to take into consideration.  I try to make as healthy meals as possible with a few food groups at lunch time.  

If I can keep on routine! I am hoping to be able to post my daily routine and food menu each night before bed.  If not the following morning.  As well as recipes (well the ones that turn out!) for each supper meal and possible lunch ones too.  

If any one out there knows some great healthy kid liking meals I can make for lunches, please pass them on!!! I would greatly appreciate it.