Fitness, Food and My Ass

I thought I would update you guys on my becoming fit (which really means I want to rock out a hard body on the lake this year, no thunder thighs, no bodonka donk butt). I successfully went to work out at least twice a week in the month of December. I wish I could have gone more, but December is a crazy time full of work, parties, family gatherings, and shopping. All things considered I am proud of myself. I lost 4 pounds since the beginning of December, and I am ecstatic because I ate like a pig in December. I didn't hold back at happy hours, family gatherings and holiday meals. The weight loss makes me hopeful that I'll be successful at getting the body I want.

At work we started a "Biggest Loser" type contest. We all weighed ourselves on the 3rd, gave our goal weight loss, and keeping track to see who loses the most weight. It will be percentage based to make it fair. BUT what I am really proud about is the fact that I actually got on a scale in front of people and let them see how much I weigh. Why on earth is it so hard for a woman to tell her weight? Actually when I was thin I didn't care who knew what I weighed, so I think it must be part of the shame of gaining weight. I was slightly embarrassed because I am currently at the high end of what I have ever weighed but it was slightly empowering to tell my weight. So blogger world, I am currently at 139.. there I said it... sure I am having heart palpitations actually putting that in writing for you guys to see but what the fuck. You only live once right :) And I am envisioning how utterly cool it will be once I finally lose the 10 pounds (ultimately I think I would like to lose 15). I realize that I am not overweight, but DAMN I feel the extra weight... It's like it slows me down and makes me more tired. And I can't fit into some of my favorite pants. I have refused to buy any more pants until I lose weight. I don't want to spend the money on something that I will hopefully only be able to fit into for another month or so.

Now that I have the workout thing down, I am focusing on food. We do a really good job of eating at home most of the time, but now I have to "slenderize" the food that I cook at home. Not every night, but maybe 4 nights out of the week. I have some ideas, but I am searching the Internet for tasty healthy meals to make.

So friends, I hope that I make it through this and will be prancing about in my bikini in a short few months :)

NYE cookies

Our friends Jen and Charlie had a bunch of people over to celebrate NYE. I told them I would bring a few things to munch on, but these were the only things I got a picture of :) These are very thin and crispy cookies. I wasn't sure how they would go over at the party, but they were gone by the end of the night, so either people were too drunk to realize they didn't like them or they liked them :) The cookies are delicate and have a hint of orange flavor. I liked that they were unique and I plan to make them again soon!

Florentine Cookies

Adapted from The Food Network.

Made vegan and without corn syrup.Yields 3-4 dozen

Ingredients

1 3/4 cups sliced almonds

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 tbsp finely grated orange zest (from one small orange)

1/4 tsp salt

3/4 cup sugar

2 tbsp non-dairy milk- I used regular milk

2 tbsp brown rice syrup or light corn syrup- I used light corn syrup

5 tbsp nonhydrogenated margarine- I used regular butter

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

3 oz. semisweet vegan chocolate- Once again, I used regular chocolate

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, and make sure you have a rack in the center of the oven. Line a baking sheet with parchment or a silicone mat.2. Pulse the almonds in the food processor until very finely chopped, but don’t let them form a paste. In a mixing bowl, stir together almonds, flour, and zest.3. Put the milk, sugar, and margarine in a saucepan on medium heat. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Sugar should dissolve fully. Let the mixture boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat and add vanilla.4. Pour the sugar mixture over the almond mixture and stir until combined. Set aside for 30 minutes, until cool enough to handle.5. Using a teaspoon or half-tablespoon measure, spoon rounded balls of dough onto a cookie sheet. Leave plenty of space between each cookie, making 6 cookies per sheet.6. Bake for 10 minutes, rotating half way through to ensure even baking. Remove from the oven when cookies have fully spread and are slightly golden. Cool on the pan for 3-5 minutes, until they are firm enough to transfer to a cooling rack, using a thin offset spatula. Repeat with the remaining batter.7. Put the chocolate in a microwave safe bowl, and microwave for 30 second intervals, stirring between each burst, until fully melted. Using a knife, drizzle the baked cookies with chocolate. Let the chocolate set up before serving.

Note: Store refrigerated in an airtight container, for up to 1 week.

First Brunch of the Year!

Rachel was in town visiting from Hawaii so it was a perfect time to meet up for a ladies brunch. This time we decided to give Cru a try, their menu looked good and they had $9 unlimited mimosa's. Plus it was in a centrally located area so it worked for everybody! In the past I have only had a cheese plate and some nibbles at Cru, so I was hopeful for their brunch.

I knew most of the ladies with an exception of a couple (Rachel's friends) so there was plenty of chatting and laughing all day. But like I said, it was unlimited mimosa's so of course there was plenty of chatting and laughing. It was fun to hear how everybody spent the holidays and the new year.

While we were at our table, we asked the waiter to take our picture (in which we handed him 5 camera's :) ) when another waiter came up and said..."hey- why don't you jump up on the bar while we don't have anybody here". So of course we all jumped up and went to the bar and hopped up! Even Kenzie, Krista's 4 year old, joined us :). I love this photo and I love how the employees went out of their way to help create a fantastic photo opportunity!

Krista is sharing stories and pictures from New Years Eve. The picture of her spanking some guy (not sure if she knew him or not) was so damn hilarious.

Kenzie is such a cutie! She had a fun time playing her game

Kelly made a visit, which surprised us all because she just had her baby 13 days ago! She looked fantastic for just having a baby!!

Nicole, Ashley, me and Rachel

Rachel and Courtney

Overall my Eggs Benedict were tasty. I would have hoped for a runnier yolk and a little more Hollandaise sauce but it hit the spot. The potato's were done perfectly and spiced nice.

Baby Ella hanging out, she slept the entire time

Kelly and Ella

I was so lucky to have the camera by me to catch this display

of total and utter cuteness

NYE Fun



On New Years Eve, we met with friends for dinner then we went over to Jen and Charlies to celebrate the new year! We ate at Tokyo Steak House and it was..... not the best experience. First off when we called for the reservation we asked if they had a special menu or if we could order off of the regular menu. We were assured that we could order off of the regular menu and of course when we showed up we could only order from a "special menu". When we asked to talk to the manager, she said that the special menu was a better deal for us and that we were lucky. Once she left the table we all laughed because we were pretty sure that she was (in a nice way) calling us stupid.

Had our mishaps ended there, it would have been a decent night. But plagued with bad service and a cook who LOVED salt and overcooking every bodies steak it became laughable. Thankfully we were with good friends because they made up for the seriously sub par service and food.

Finally at Charlie and Jens... where I'm pretty sure my ankles swelled up from all of the salt at Tokyo Steakhouse. Of course you have a couple ass-hats in the background... Matt and Chris.

The Black Jacket Brigade I'm not sure if I have an abnormally large head or if the damn party hats were small. This damn thing sat on my head like a dunce cap :)

Wouldn't be a blog post without a self portrait

Matt, Vannessa, me and Jim

Starting to get a little crazy

Awww.. Jason and Ashley enjoying a new years smooch

Chris and Lindsay

After all of the kissing and hugging at Midnight, we moved on to Flippy Cup. Jim found the hat in the garage and designated it his had for the night

For those of you that don't know, Flippy Cup is a team event and the winner gains the ability to taunt the losing team for being slow drinkers and not being able to flip their cup. Basically you stand in a line, you have your cup in front of you with about 1/4 or 1/2 filled up with beer. Each person goes one at a time... you drink the beer, put your cup slightly over the edge of the table, and flip it over. Once the cup flips over successfully then the next person goes. This is not a game of skill nor do you need a high intelligence but it can be damn fun.

Ashley, Lindsay, me, Jennifer and Vannessa

Lindsay, Vannessa, Erin and I

Vannessa heard a song she liked so she jumped up on the ottoman and began to dance for us. I got a huge case of the giggles while she was dancing. My friends always make me laugh

I hope you had a wonderful beginning to 2011. For me, it was all about being with my hubby and friends celebrating together.

2011

Once again we are sitting in front of a new year thinking about what happened in the year prior and wondering what the new year holds for us. I didn't really do resolutions last year and I'm not really planning on doing any this year. Sure I have goals for 2011 but I'll take them on one by one. One major goal for me is getting the kitchen done. Our little do it ourselves project has been put on the back burner for far to long. It is so easy to just ignore it since we have a working kitchen, but I am done ignoring it.

Another immediate goal I have is to get in shape. Getting in to shape doesn't mean I have to meet a weight goal, but I want to be more healthy. I have already started working out at Dancers Shape, and it is going well! I have consistently gone twice a week during all of December. I have seen a little difference in my shape, a little less giggle. I have another month pass to Dancers Shape and I plan on making the best of it!

I hope everybody had a wonderful New Years Eve! Here are some funny sayings and jokes to bring laughter to your 2011

New Years Eve toasts:

Be always at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let each new year find you a better man.
Benjamin Franklin

For last year's words belong to last year's language
And next year's words await another voice.
And to make an end is to make a beginning.
T.S. Eliot, "Little Gidding"

We spend January 1 walking through our lives, room by room, drawing up a list of work to be done, cracks to be patched. Maybe this year, to balance the list, we ought to walk through the rooms of our lives... not looking for flaws, but for potential.
Ellen Goodman

A New Year's resolution is something that goes in one year and out the other.
Author Unknown

May all your troubles last as long as your New Year's resolutions.
Joey Adams

New Years Jokes

A young man at a New Year’s party turns to his friend and asks for a cigarette.
'I thought you made a New Year’s resolution to quit smoking,' his friend says.
'I'm in the process of quitting,' the man says.
'Right now, I am in the middle of phase one.'
'What's phase one?'
'I've quit buying.'


On New Year's Eve, Daniel was in no shape to drive, so he sensibly left his van in the car park and walked home. As he was wobbling along, he was stopped by a policeman. 'What are you doing out here at four o'clock in the morning?' asked the police officer.
'I'm on my way to a lecture,' answered Roger.
'And who on earth, in their right mind, is going to give a lecture at this time on New Year's Eve?' enquired the constable sarcastically.
'My wife,' slurred Daniel grimly.


Jemima was taking an afternoon nap on New Year's Eve before the festivities. After she woke up, she confided to Max, her husband, 'I just dreamed that you gave me a diamond ring for a New Year's present. What do you think it all means?'
'Aha, you'll know tonight,' answered Max smiling broadly.
At midnight, as the New Year was chiming, Max approached Jemima and handed her small package. Delighted and excited she opened it quickly. There in her hand rested a book entitled: 'The meaning of dreams'.


New Year's Resolutions by Fido

I will not bark each time I see or hear a dog on TV.
I will not steal underwear belonging to my mistress and then dance all over the back yard with it.
I will not chew red crayons or pens, because my master will think that I am hemorrhaging.
I will not roll my toys behind the fridge.
I must shake the rainwater out of my coat BEFORE I enter the house.

This video is amazing! I love how they have to keep moving the clock as well as resorting to the yard stick to show how much snow they received! I can't imagine living in an area that receives that much snow!

December 2010 Blizzard Timelapse from Michael Black on Vimeo.

Christmas Cards

For the past 5 years or so, my mom and grandfather have created some very funny and memorable Christmas cards. Often it is my mom dressing up my grandfather and making him do things that normally he probably wouldn't do and of course that makes the Christmas cards awesome. Pop Pop has been a cowboy, a cotton picker, a bike rider, a golfer and he has worn a shirt that made him look like he was just wearing a thong. These cards have always been a mystery because my mom keeps her mouth shut about the cards. The last 2 years I have been lucky enough to help create the cards.

This year we thought about doing something that made Pop Pop look like he was hiding in a bunch of stuffed animals... kind of like ET did in the movie. We went out and bought some stuffed animals and some "props" for Pop Pop. Before we got Pop Pop involved in the photo taking process we decided to test it out ourselves. Here is mom trying out the props... you know to help her look more like a stuffed animal.

After taking this photo, we realized we needed a lot more stuffed animals to help make the photo. We raided her Christmas decorations and founded some much needed filler.

Here I am with all of the stuffed animals that we found in the house.

We had to think of a way to get all of the stuffed animals at a height that would be easy for Pop Pop. We decided to use the ironing board and a white sheet. It seemed to work pretty damn good. Here is mom showing Pop Pop what we wanted him to do. I'm pretty sure at this point he just rolled his eyes.
Here is the final shot for their Christmas cards. They turned out so cute!!! One day Jim and I will take over the funny Christmas cards, but for now we'll just leave the funny Christmas cards to mom and Pop Pop

Here is the 2009 Christmas photo :)

Christmas 2010

We headed over to Jim's parents house for Christmas this year. Jim's sister's family also met us over there. It was a nice relaxing day full of food, drinks and spending time with each other. Of course the kids were far more interested in playing with their toys (as all kids their age do) but we still were able to spend a good amount of time with each other.

Jim's Nephews: Ryan, Dawson and Caden

Munchies before dinner

Jim's sister and the kids made sugar cookies

The boys had Santa bring them some type of pellet gun... it actually shoots a plastic ball. They spent some time in the back yard hitting targets.

Lots of great food!

Jamie, Jim's sister

Little Goof-ball, Caden

Big Goofball. I feel very Zoolander-ish in these goggles

Thoughtful Jim

I can't remember this game, but everybody gave it a try. The goal was to get the ball to the furthest slot and it wasn't as easy as you might think

Lilly is staring me down... gonna be a cat fight :) Okay, no cat fight, just some kitty lovin

The Bartender of the day

Horsing around... I was laughing so hard while Caden and Ryan were goofing around

Jim and I with Caden and Ryan. I think Dawson was in the other room watching basketball

I hope you guys had a great Christmas!!!