So What Wednesday

I'm happy to be linking up again for So What Wednesday! (Sorry...linky button isn't working for me...I think I know why, but can't prove it till I'm home on Friday.)

This week I'm saying So What If:

* I got up early for a video meeting/training session only to find out there wasn't one. Should have checked my calendar before setting my alarm.

* I brought my camera with me on this trip and have yet to use it. Here's hoping today is the day!

* I'm annoyed with our IT department. There's really nothing I can do about it...but mention my annoyance everytime I need them to do something for me because I don't have "permission" to do it myself.

* This is my second "away from home" trip this year and the second time I've had "active" hotel neighbors, if you catch my drift...wink, wink, nudge, nudge.

* I brought this really great book with me on this trip and it's been distracting me from sleep the past two nights.

* I have no idea what guage means with regards to crocheting. I should probably check that out and make sure I'm doing things right. All looks okay so far...but I'm only on my second project (EVER) and I did teach myself. I guess I should also teach myself the terminology.

* I actually want to be responsible with our tax return money. It's not a lot, but it's more than we thought. And all I really want to do with it is either pay off debt or put in savings.

Well...that's all I can think of this morning. My mind is slowly clearing through the sleep fog, with the help of Mr. Maxwell House. Time to sign off and so some work before heading out for the day.

Happy Wednesday, y'all!

Weekly Weigh in - Week 8

Some times I wonder if my scale is telling me the truth.

236.0 was my weight this morning. I lost 2.5 pounds this week. My total weight loss is now 13.7, which means I've met my first WW goal - 5% loss (or 12.5 pounds).

So I set a new goal today - 10 % (or 25 pounds lost). I'm half way there, so I can do this!!

So why do I wonder about the truth of it. Because yesterday I found a new restaurant that serves one of my favorites, as a true Southerner - Fried Catfish. But, when I put it in the points calculator, it didn't come up as much as thought it would. But then there was the Peach Cobbler that I had, and well, that made up for the lack of points from the catfish. I ate well over my allotted points for the day and used some of my extras.

And then there were a total of 3 Activity points for the week. THREE!!

And yet I still lost 2.5 pounds. I think, with the exception of the first week, that's my biggest weekly loss so far.

Don't get me wrong...I'm fine with that. I just wonder, sometimes, what is going on with my body that the loss is so weird when my food intake seems to not vary much (I save my extra weekly points for the weekends so I have a little more wiggle room as that's when we usually do most of our eating out since Mr S works M-F like me).

This week I'm on the road again. So if you've been following this weekly adventure, you know what my goals are:
1.  Healthy, smart choices for food.
2.  Activity points, as always.

Happy Monday, y'all!!

Going to the Oscars

A little something fun as we head into an Oscar filled weekend.



After researching many different designers, I discovered that the one with the most dresses I liked was David Meister. Here's my pick:

Shoes would be Jimmy Choo. But I had a hard time deciding between a pop of color:

and simply silver:

If I did the pop of color shoes, I'd also have this (also by Jimmy Choo):

Thankfully, my jewelry choices would go with either shoe/clutch choice (at least I think they would):

Cartier Ring

Harry Winston earrings

Cartier Bracelet or 

Neil Lane Bracelet (I'm undecided)

Hair and Make up would be something along the lines of these two:

I've toyed with different ideas for a date. While my husband would be fun because of his commentary on people, place, and all things under the sun, he's not a fan of dressing up and wouldn't want to be around all those people. So a celebrity date it will be:

Mark Harmon, aka Gibbs from NCIS!! Aside from the diamonds, he'd be my favorite arm candy for the night!

Enjoy the weekend!

Nail Files & Birch Box all rolled into one

I kept my nails in the natural once my V'day polish started coming off (read "I started peeling it off). I've had the Oxygen Nail Treatment I got in my last Julep Maven box on since Wednesday evening.

It has a very sheer pink tint to it that you can't see at all in this picture! But it seems to be holding in place since I put it on. According to the box, the Oxygen Nail Treatment is "A perfect tint and a revolutionary treatment for thin, weak nails prove to breakage and peeling." Those are the two biggest issues I have with my nails, so here's hoping this stuff does the trick.

On to my Birch Box!

Here's what I got:

Juicy Couture: Couture La La, Dr. Jart+:  Black Label Detox BB Beauty Balm, Curly Hair Solutions:  RevUp Volumist, and theBalm cosmetics:  Mary-Lou Manizer. Oh, and a caramel filled Ghirardelli square (yum!).

Here is something you may, or may not, know about me. I am make up challenged! That is the main reason I wanted to do Birch Box - to be introduced to other products that may help my routine. I use the word "routine" very loosely! My routine consists of Olay moisturizer (with an SPF of 15 or higher), Cover Girl Powder foundation, blush (currently Victoria Secret brand or theBalm I got last month), and Mascara (water-proof). I carry blistex with me...in fact, I may be a little obsessed as I have one in my purse, one in my make up bag, one by my bed, one in my backpack for travel, and one in my desk drawer. *pauses to coat lips*

So I really wasn't overly impressed with the contents of this box (and I'm mucho jealouso of those that got the nail polish...but that's not why I did Birchbox...I have Julep for that).

Here's my thoughts on the items:
* Ghiradelli Square - YUM! (duh!)
* theBalm cosmetics:  Mary-Lou Manizer - love this! It's a little lighter than I normally go for, but I like it as an eye shadow/highlight. The shimmer effect is just enough for me.
* Juicy Couture:  Couture La La - Not my thing.
* Curly Hair Solutions: RevUp Volumist - not impressed. I really didn't notice it doing more than letting my hair air-dry does. I take that back...it did define the curls a little bit (I have naturally wavy hair - enough to drive me crazy if I don't straighten it or shellac it into place with curl spray). But as far as volume, no.
* Dr. Jart+:  Black Label Detox BB Beauty Balm - probably the only thing in the box that impressed me. I had no idea (NO IDEA) what BB cream is or does going into this. So imagine my surprise when I go to put it on like a moisturizer and it not only comes out tinted, but goes on tinted too! HELLO! And it was the perfect coverage color.

I may have a new item to add to the routine replace two of my current items. And it has SPF 15!! 

Today I've linked up with the lovely Tara over at Fabulous but Evil to bring you these two reveiws/links ups. 

 

 and

Happy Friday, y'all!!

Weekly Weigh In - Week 7

I can't beleive I've been on this journey for 7 weeks now! It really doesn't seem that long, which is a good thing, I guess.

Today's weigh in - 238.5!

Good, right? Well, sort of.

As you know, last weekend I gained thanks to Disneyland and poor choices on my part (I accept most of the responsibility, but not all!). Then I was out of town for the rest of Monday until Friday afternoon. I have to admit, I did pretty good. With the exception of a couple questionable choices at lunch, most of what I ate were good decisions. But there was very little exercise. I did get a little walking in each day, but not enough to really be worth anything - 10 minutes here and there, depending on the day (mostly from having to park a block from my destination and walk to/from). I think that may have been in my favor because when I weighed myself Saturday I was shocked to see I had LOST WEIGHT during the week I was gone! Like quite a bit of weight...okay, fine, I'll tell you...I was 237 Saturday Morning!!

See where today's weight might not be so great? BUT...I'm back to over 10 pounds lost, so I am ok with today (besides, some not-so-great food decisions were made on Saturday and Sunday so I was kind of expecting this).

I'm still completely STUNNED that I lost last week while on the road. But I'm thrilled, too. Because it means that I can do this while I travel. I passed my biggest hurdle so far!

And, to be honest, all those little 10-20 minutes of walking added up: I hit my goal of 10 activity points for a week!

Who knew my week away from home would be the week I met some pretty great goals?!?!

So now that I'm back home, it's back on track for me. Especially regarding food! And maybe, just maybe, I'll talk myself into a lap around the complex every day to get my activity points in, too!

Goals for this week:
* ACTIVITY POINTS!!! (as always - this is going to be key to my continued loss)

Happy Monday, y'all!

The Nail Files - V'day Edition

Well, I am actually out and about for work this week and wasn't home with Mr S to celebrate V'day or our 4 year dating anniversary. But I did do my nails in honor of the days! (I know, I said I was going to try the Julep "healing" stuff I got...but I really liked Claudette and wanted something V'day inspired!!)

I give you Julep's Claudette and Orly's Shine on Crazy Diamond.

I would have liked a little more shine coverage from Crazy Diamond. But overall I'm happy with what I have. I kept it simple this week since I'm on the road for work. And red nails go with just about anything!

Come link with the rest of us over at


Happy Friday!

**Blog update (as I typed this a couple days ago):  I added Shine On Crazy Diamond to all my nails. Looks much better and more sparkle is always a good thing!

Tuesday's Tasties - Buffalo Chicken Pizza

A couple weeks ago, I attempted this recipe from Emily Bites. But without the Blue Cheese. However, I will admit, it was missing something (I put red sauce on the hubby's side...I am not a huge fan of red sauce and can do without most of the time).

The only store in my town that sells the Laughing Cow Blue Cheese Wedges is Albertson's. Since I was there Monday, I snagged some, as well as the rest of what I needed.

Here's how this goes...

What you need:
Cooked chicken (recipe calls for 1/2 cup, I did 8 oz) cut into small pieces (cooked via plain ol' boiling in salted water)
2-3 Tbsp Buffalo Wing Sauce (I used Franks)
3 Laughing Cow Blue Cheese Wedges
1 Boboli Whole Wheat Pizza Crust (as far as I know, it only comes in one size...you'll know it when you see it)
3/4 C Mozzarella cheese (I used 1/2 c, as I ran out, and it was reduced fat as I'm trying to lose weight)

What to do:
* Cook your chicken! Again, I just boiled mine till it was white through. You could probably cook it anyway you want to, though.

* Preheat oven to 450
* Cut chicken into small pieces.
* Spread Blue Cheese across crust, leaving about an inch around the edges.

* Spread cut chicken over blue cheese.
* Sprinkle 2-3 T of buffalo sauce (I only did 2, but you can do more if you prefer - Mr S added A LOT more to his when he got home from work).
* Spread Mozzarella cheese across top (I mixed up this one and the previous, but it still worked).

* Place on foil covered baking sheet (or pizza stone or straight on oven rack - you're preference) and bake for 8-10 minutes.

(Sorry...no after picture.)


The way you cut it is how many servings it will yield. I cut into fourths as it's just Mr S and I. Cut this way, it was 8 points per slice. Original recipe serves 6 and is 5 points per slice (she had more cheese than me thanks to my running out).

Review:  Definitely tasted better with the Blue Cheese as the base. I may only use two, next time, though. Also, original recipe calls for chopped celery in the mix, but I've left it off both times. This recipe is husband approved, which is very important for it's repeat-ability in this house.

Enjoy!

Weekly Weigh In - Week 6

Well, it was bound to happen. And I knew it would with the way the weekend went. I gained instead of lost.

240.4

I did get 9 points of activity in. But it was all in one day, not spread out over the week like it should be.

So what caused the gain, you ask? Well, I'll tell you. My favorite thing/place did - Disneyland!

Mr S and I went to D'land on Sunday to renew our passes. A lot of unhealthy food choices were made Sunday. And, because of the crowds, we didn't do as much walking like we usually do. We rode 4 rides and all but one had wait times of at least 45 minutes to an hour. Thats 3 hours of standing still! Plus the breakfast and lunch seatings. We were there for 9 hours and only walked about 2 hours of that time. It may seem like a lot. But we usually cover more ground than that in one day.

I ate all my points, all my weekly "splurge" points, and my activity points on Sunday. It wasn't pretty!

However, it could have been worse...I could have gained more than 0.9 pounds. I could have gained 2 or 3. I'm so glad I didn't!!

This week I'm on the road again. Only I'm actually staying out of town instead of heading home every night. Which means ALL of my meals will be eaten out. Yesterday I did fairly well. I ate over my points, but that was due to dinner - an amazing grilled chicken and cheese sandwich, sans bun, and onion rings. Yes...I took away the bun and had onion rings. It was worth it! Today I plan to be as good as possible.

My goas for the rest of this week:
1. Healthy choices for food.
2. Activity points. (Just cause I'm in a hotel doesn't mean I can't do some sort of work out - I did abs last night).

It's Tuesday, y'all! Mardi Gras is happening the South (where I was born and raised, for those that don't know).

Laissez les bons temps rouler!

The Nail Files - Upside Down French

First off, I got my Julep Box a couple weeks ago! I completely forgot about accepting my box in the allotted time in January and was automatically shipped my standard "Classic with A Twist" colors. But I don't mind - they are quite lovely:

Meet Helen and Claudette!

I've been wanting to try, again, the reverse French Mani (or half moon mani), so I figured these two lovelies would make a great pairing. I wasn't wrong!

I'm not sure why I did two "accent" nails and not all of them in the half moon. Maybe because I truly didn't feel like it once I did the two. It did, however, turn out A LOT better than my last attempt at a half moon mani, so I was happy with that!

Oh, and if you're wondering, here's the rest of what was in my box:

 Again - Love the little quote card in each box!

 An eyelash curler...that I've tried a couple times. Eh! I'm not a big fan of curling my eyelashes, but I did notice a difference in the length appearance after curling them.

 This is SUPPOSED to make your polish last longer...kind of a gel effect without actually being gel. I call shenanigans!! It didn't do the job for me, at least. Hopefully someone else had better luck than me!

 If I remember correctly, it's a "healer" for nails that are brittle and crack/peel easily. Not to be used with polish, this is a loner product. I will be testing it this coming week while I'm on the road for work.

And some chocolates in honor of Valentine's Day.

There was a mystery box posted the first of the week. I went ahead and snagged one and it should be here today or tomorrow. I hope it's good stuff!

As always, I'm linking with the lovely Tara and Vicki for:


Happy Friday!!

So What Wednesday

It's Wednesday!! I'm trying to get back in the game:



So What If:


* I started yet another craft project, got a third of the way in and haven't touched it since. It's what I do.

* Despite having MULTIPLE unfinished crafts, I want to start another one.

* I have yet to make an appointment for the massage/facial I got for Christmas from the in-laws. I need to do this, soon.

* I'm having a bit of a lazy week. The motivation has left the building for all things that require my brain.

* I just want to curl up on the couch and read all the books I've downloaded via Amazon or iBooks. Give me my iPad, a blanket, and a cup of hot cider or coffee and I will be a happy camper!

* I lost my excitement for the Smash premier last night. I loved that show last season, and I was looking forward to it finally coming back on. But now...well, see the above bullet point.

What are you saying "So What" to this week? Come share with the rest of us!

Happy Hump Day!

Tuesday's Tasties - Broccoli Stuffed Chicken

I'm going to attempt to do a new recipe every week. Even though I'll be gone every other week for work, my plan is to have them ready to post automatically on the weeks I'm out of town. Here's hoping that plan stays on course!

This week's creation is Broccoli Stuffed Chicken. I had some leftover thin-sliced chicken breast and I remembered finding a few recipes where they were used with various "stuffings". And since I had some broccoli that needed to be used, here's what I came up with.

What you'll need:
one egg
some panko
broccoli
toothpicks
cheese of choice (I used mozzarella)
chicken
9x13 pan
cooking spray of choice (pam, etc)

What you do:
* Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray your 9x13 pan with the cooking spray of your choice.
* If your broccoli is frozen, like mine was, steam/thaw it (I was using a bag of Green Giant steamables, so I microwaved them). Then chop the broccoli up into small pieces - I used our Ninja Master Prep and pulsed a couple times (I LOVE our Ninja Master Prep...if you don't have one, GET ONE!). Put your egg, beaten, in a container big enough to dip the chicken in. Do the same with your Panko.

* Lay out your chicken. Put a layer of cheese then a layer of broccoli.

* Roll the chicken so the broccoli and cheese is inside. Hold together with a toothpick, or two. (Sorry, no picture...my hands were nasty)
* Dip chicken in egg then in Panko (this is tricky because the inards want to come out, so be careful...or you can stuff them back in when you place on the pan). Coat with Panko to your preferance. Place in 9x13 greased pan.

* Bake for 30 minutes, or until juices run clear.

* Serve and enjoy!

This recipe will probably make 4-5. I only had three pieces left so that is all I got out of it. If my calculations and entries in the recipe maker are right, each piece should be about 5 WW Points Plus each. The variations will be what kind and how much cheese is used and how much chicken. I'm planning to make it again this week and I'll be more mindful of measurements as I go. Look for an update!

Enjoy!