Craft alert! Long-distance hug for Valentine's Day.

Have I mentioned that we moved from beautiful, sunny Southern California to cold, foggy, middle-of-nowere Northern California? (This is just temporary - and I apologize in advance to anyone reading this that is a proud North State citizen, I don't mean to offend.) See, in Orange County I pretty much had my pick of any store I wanted within a 10-15 minute drive. Here? Not the case. The nearest town is a 30 minute drive EACH WAY, and there are no "big box" stores. (Seriously, I didn't even know what that meant until I moved here!) When we need to stock up on household items, we travel an hour and a half each way to Redding. Though it does have a much larger selection of stores, it doesn't quite have EVERYTHING...the point of this paragraph? When I get an urge to craft, I can't grab the baby and hop in the car to check out the nearest craft store. I gotta make do with what I've got! Thus this crafty project was born, with a little help from something called the internet, as well.

Here is what you'll need:

Construction paper
Paint (in a contrasting color)
Scissors
Glue stick
Ribbon
Stickers (optional...I just happened to find these while digging around in my craft supplies)

1. Basically, you will need to stamp the person's hand that is going to be "giving" the hug. For each hug, you will need 1 left hand stamp and 1 right hand stamp. I needed 3 hugs, so I stamped each hand 3 times.

2. Cut out each hand (doesn't have to be perfect!)

3. Cut ribbon for each hug (length of about 24" - can be longer or shorter depending on how big you want the hug to be).

4. Take one cutout hand, glue on top of another piece of construction paper while sandwiching the ribbon in between the two papers. (See below)

5. Repeat with the other hand, this time using the end of the ribbon from the first hand. Carefully cut out the hands (making sure not to cut the ribbon!) and there you have it - a long-distance hug from a very special someone to their Valentine. <3

Ready to be mailed to the Grandparents & Great-Grandma - hope this puts a smile on their faces!

I like to call these crafts "Nap Hour Crafts" because I can get them done while the little one is napping! (Well, except for the handstamped part - he was awake for that, and he DID NOT like the paint! But hopefully ya'll have better luck!) :)

What quick and easy crafts do you like to do? I'd love to hear/see some of them! Please share :)

Now, it's time to watch The Bachelor (I just can't help myself - I LOVE it) while I make some beaded bracelets that are SUPER easy and SUPER cute and SUPER stackable...another potential Nap Hour Craft? I think so! I'll post that one soon...until next time, will you accept this rose? :P I'm a dork, tell me something I don't know.



Things I'm loving this week.

Over the past week, I've discovered some really fun new things - from makeup to cleaning tips to new DIY crafts and projects. Just thought I'd share!

1. LOVE the new Revlon Photoready Airbrush Mousse foundation (it was even on sale at CVS and I got some Extra Care Bucks back for buying it!)
2. Have lost a little more than 10 lbs. in the past 3 weeks (Ok, I have to admit I was hoping for more, but then I have to remind myself that I'm not on The Biggest Loser or anything...)
3. Finding postage paid Valentine's cards at CVS - bonus that I don't have to find stamps to mail them!
4. Completing TWO craft projects that I set out to do - homemade baby wipes and the long-distance hugs to mail with my Valentine's cards! (Actually starting and FINISHING two projects - now that is an accomplishment for me!)
5. Spending quality time outside enjoying the nice weather with my little guy and finding out that he LOVES the outdoors! As soon as he wakes up in the morning, he grabs his shoes and brings them to me so we can go outside...little monster. :)
6. I won't lie, I'm also loving that today is Sunday, which means Kourtney & Kim Take New York is on, as is Real Housewives of Atlanta - gotta have my healthy dose of reality shows!
7. Ok, what I'm really excited for is that next week (or is it the next?) the Real Housewives of OC is starting!! That's what this girl REALLY wants to watch! (Don't judge! Ok, you can. But OC is my hometown - gotta support it!)

What are some positive things you've realized/discovered/purchased/done this week? I'd love to hear!

P.S. I'll be posting the long-distance hug craft later today, so ya'll have plenty of time to do it before V-day arrives!

A sink full of dishes, but I'd rather not.

Just like I said - I've got a sink full of dishes (and I mean FULL, not, like, just a little bit full...) but I'd rather not do them. The little guy is napping, and what am I doing? I'm running around like a crazy person grabbing my crafting supplies so I can come up with something fun, cute, and quick. Is this wrong that I neglect some of my household chores from time to time so that I can craft? If it's wrong, then I don't wanna be right! (Clearly.)
As if that wasn't enough, I've almost completely forgotten that Valentine's Day is fast approaching. Since I'm in the process of trying to lose weight & forget that chocolate exists, this does not excite me. I've already warned the hubs (we'll just call him that from now on) that I DO NOT want any candy for V-day, and that jewelry will suffice. (Insert sweet smile here.) Why does it seem that every time I walk into a drugstore/grocery store/any store that the Valentine's candy/chocolates is waiting right there to greet me? Oh that's right, because it is!! So, I decided to search for some V-day related crafts that didn't involve stuffing my face...I think I found something pretty cute, indeed. Since most of our family and friends live at the opposite end of the state of California, and they don't get to see our little guy as often as we'd all like, I think the appropriate gift is a long-distance hug from him. :) How does that work, you might ask? Well, I'm about to show you! (Once I get the supplies together and the little guy is done napping and has had lunch.) This is a SUPER easy and simple DIY project that's perfect to send in the mail along with a sweet (not-of-the-calorie-kind) Valentine. Most people have the items needed in the house anyway, so it's practically free! (WEEEEEE! We like free!)
Instructions and pictures to follow...'till then, I'm Pinteresting it.

P.S. Here is the graphic I'd been looking for while writing a previous post but couldn't find. I think it's just so perfect, I'll stick in on this one...

This is SO my best friend and me - we like to play a game at the register. Whoever spends the most $$ wins, only because it's better to feel like a winner than to cry over how much you spent on things you don't need. (I usually win. Not proud of it.)

Homemade baby wipes...yep, I did.

While perusing the internet recently, I came across (what I thought) was an interesting idea - homemade baby wipes. I had never given much thought to baby wipes, although I do use them every day (how could you not with a 16 month old?). Our preferred brand? Up & Up from Target. For $13.69 I get a whopping 792 wipes, which last us, oh, about a month. A pretty good deal if you think about it. But if I can make it myself, why not??? Plus, by making it myself I a) fulfill my desire to do something crafty/homemade and b) can control what goes into the baby wipes, which are then used on my precious baby's most sensitive areas!
So, after searching for a few different recipes/formulas for baby wipes, I combined a few, and decided to give it a try. (Ok, I'm not gonna lie - I was mostly excited to buy a cute little container to house my new wipes, which I didn't end up finding...) Below is the "formula" I used to make the baby wipes.


Please excuse the striped wallpaper and hideous countertop - we are renting a house straight out of the 70s!

You will need:1 1/2 Tablespoons baby wash (You can use your favorite, or try one for sensitive skin)
1 Tablespoon baby oil
2 cups distilled water (After reading people's comments that had problems with mold growing, I found that distilled water should prevent mold.)
Few drops of hydrogen peroxide (This is optional - it can also prevent mold from growing in the container.)
Bounty select-a-size paper towels
A container with lid that the wips can fit into

Instructions:
1. Cut the paper towel roll in half to make 2 equal rolls (about the size of a toiler paper roll).
2. In the container that you will use for the wipes, add the baby wash and baby oil.
3. Add the distilled water to the container, mix well.
4. Place halved paper towel roll into the container cut side down. Cover with lid, turn upside down until the liquid has saturated the entire roll.
5. Turn right side up, remove lid, and pull out the cardboard center from the paper towel roll.


See? Like this :)

6. Voila! You have homemade baby wipes that work and smell great!!



Homemade baby wipes just waiting for a mess to clean up :) Maybe I could add some fabric to the container to make it chic?

Why my wallet hates CVS and Target, among other stores...

Ok, I KNOW I'm not the only one with this problem! You need to go to Target, or CVS, or some store like that to get a few little things for the house (toilet paper, some dish soap, and maybe some vitamins...) but while inside the store, somehow things magically appear in your cart until you've spent over $50 on those few items you needed in the first place. Welp, that ALWAYS happens to me! I try and I try to stick to my list and not wander through the aisles I know I'll be tempted by, but somehow, it just doesn't work.
Example: This morning, I needed to go to the store to get ONE birthday card. (See below)

1 lone birthday card in my shopping cart.

Result: This is what "magically appeared" in my shopping cart. But I have to say, this is MUCH less than if I were to have gone to Target...

75% off selected Revlon?! I can't pass that up...I needed new foundation anyway... :)







(Diet) Red Velvet Cake reipe!!

So, a week or so ago I tested out this recipe for Red Velvet Cake that I found. It was supposed to be a lower calorie version of traditional red velvet cake. I'd never attempted to make this at home, and I thought I'd give it a whirl! Well...turns out, I shouldn't have. Why, you ask? Because it was DELICIOUS, and I had a hard time not eating THE. ENTIRE. THING. AT. ONCE. Which, I guess depending on how you look at it, is a good thing?
I cute the cake into the recommended servings, and I froze half, which turned out to not work so well...I ended up throwing out the frozen servings, which, in the end, my waistline is probably thanking me for!! So go ahead, if you dare, try this recipe - it's really good, and you don't have to feel (too) guilty about indulging. :)

At this point, my photography skills were nonexistent - I just wanted to eat!!

Red Velvet Cake recipe!

COMING SOON - A Giveaway!

More deets (that means DETAILS, everyone) to come. Just thought I'd get ya'll excited! (Did it work?) I'll have more info by the end of this week (if all goes as planned!) :)

ABCs of me :)

I know, I know - where have I been?! WELP, I've been busy chasing around my little guy, trying to work out every day, eat right, and manage a household...but that's not really an excuse, right? I'm not sure, but I do know that I have lots of exciting things to share! :)
I hereby pledge to be much more consistent (that doesn't look like the right spelling, does it?) with my blogging activities, and I promise to share a bunch of fun new recipes, crafts, ideas, and tips!
To jumpstart all of this, I found a cute little quiz that will help you get to know me a little bit better...because, if you haven't noticed yet, I prefer to be anonymous, at least for now. (Otherwise, I'd NEVER have the guts to post my BEFORE picture...which is coming, I assure you.)

So...here it goes! A little bit more about me... :)

A. Age: 25

B. Bed size: King, but if I had my way, I'd want a Queen (to force snuggles!)

C. Chore that you hate: Cleaning the bathrooms - need I explain why?!

D. Dogs: I have 1, she's a teeny tiny little thing, and she's a rascal.

E. Essential start to your day: Put in my contacts (so I'm not blind) and brush my teeth.

F. Favorite color: Grey, white, and yellow...ok, that's 3, but I like them all together :)

G. Gold or Silver: errrr...depends on what it is, I'm kind of loving gold right now!

H. Height: 5’8 3/4" (yes, I'm a giant, but a gentle giant!)

I. Instruments you play: I can pluck out a few notes on the piano, but my preferred instrument is my voie :)

J. Job title: Mama/Housemanager

K. Kids: A rambunctious little 16 month old boy, named Dakota.

L. Live: ugh - currently in Northern California, between Redding & Arcata...in a TINY little town called Big Bar, originally from Southern California (OC BABY!)...soon to be moving back!! :)

M. Mother’s name: Carol

N. Nicknames: In my mind, I'd have all these super cool nicknames, but in reality, I don't really have any.

O. Overnight hospital stays: First was for Lap Band surgery (how well that turned out...) and the second was when I gave birth.

P. Pet peeves: When I spend hours upon hours "couponing" and then don't even end up saving that much money...uh uh, not cool.

Q. Quote from a movie: "Careful man, there's a beverage here!" - The Big Lebowski, just makes me laugh.

R. Right or left handed: LEFTY, woop woop!

S. Siblings: None, I'm an only child still wishing I had brothers and sisters!

U. Underwear: What about it? I wear it, sometimes I don't, they aren't too fancy, but always clean!

V. Vegetable you hate: Brussel sprouts - I've never actually tried them, but when I was younger and my mom would make them for my dad, they always made the house smell like FARTS. NO bueno, no bueno.

W. What makes you run late: Other people, mainly, my little guy.

X. X-Rays you’ve had: Teeth, foot (I wasn't wearing my contacts & missed a stair & slammed it against the corner of a wall - OUCH), and my hips when I was a baby (was born with something-something dysplasia).

Y. Yummy food that you make: ENERGY BITES!! (Recipe coming soon - they are AMAZEBALLS!!! And pretty healthy too.)

Z. Zoo animal: Like: Most of them, especially peacocks. Dislike: Mmm...can't think of any!


Well, there ya go - the ABCs of me! Fill out the quiz and post in comments to introduce yourself :)

DIET Red Velvet Cake? I'm in!

As I was compiling my week's grocery list, I came across a recipe for Red Velvet Cake that claimed to be diet-friendly. As any of my family or friends will tell you, I have a sweet tooth. I love my candy, desserts, treats, and pretty much anything sweet. One of the reason I always had a hard time with diets was that I always CRAVED something sweet (and usually wasn't supposed to have it). So when I found this Red Velvet Cake recipe, I decided I'd have to try it. Most of the ingredients I already have at home, like the white vinegar...which brings me to...WHITE VINEGAR?! Before I post this too-good-to-be-true recipe, I'm going to have to give it a try first and see if it really delivers. I'm not so sure about the vinegar in this dessert, but we'll see how it goes. (Sorry for the teaser, but I do not want to post any recipe I haven't tried already!)
So my goal for this week (besides keeping up with my meal plan and workouts) is to test out this Red Velvet Cake, take pictures, and post the results.
Here's to desserts, diet-style. Now go indulge, just a little. :)

Down 4 lbs., up a delicious recipe!

First the good news - since starting my weight loss journey (of 7 days and counting) I've lost 4 lbs. At 5'9" and now 279.6 lbs, I'm not celebrating JUST yet, although I'm very happy with my progress so far!
Now for the DELICIOUS news - I recently came across a recipe for Shepherd's Pie that claimed to be good AND good for you. Having never tasted a shepherd's pie, I was interested! Something that my family would eat that I could enjoy with them? Had to try it.
Most of the ingredients I already had, but a few, like lentils, I'd never had nor had I ever cooked with them. (Although I have eaten them!) Below is the recipe I used and the nutrition information. Best of all, the serving was HUGE and I didn't feel like I was missing anything!

Shepherd's Pie

YUM!

2 1/2 lb. baking potatoes, peeled, cut into 2-inch pieces
Salt and pepper
3/4 cup low-fat milk (or whatever kind you have in the fridge)
2 Tbsp. low-fat sour cream
8 oz. extra-lean ground beef (You can swap this for lean ground turkey or ground chicken if you prefer)
1 large onion, finely diced
1 carrot, finely diced
1 rib celery, finely diced
1 cup mushrooms, finely diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
2 cups low-sodium beef broth
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce (I added about 2 Tbsp. because our family loves this stuff!)
1/2 cup cooked lentils
1 cup frozen peas, thawed

1. Place potatoes in a pot, cover with cold, salted water, bring to a boil over medium-high heat and cook until potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes. Drain, transfer to a large bowl and mash with milk and sour cream. Season with salt and pepper.
2. Warm a large skillet over medium heat until hot. Add beef and cook, breaking up with a spoon, until no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Add onion, carrot, celery and mushroom and saute for 8 minutes. Add garlic and saute 2 minutes longer. Sprinkle flour on top and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Stir in broth, Worcestershire sauce and lentils, bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes.
3. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray a 9 x 13 inch baking dish with cooking spray. Stir peas into meat mixture and season with salt and pepper. Spoon meat mixture into baking dish and carefully spread potatoes on top. Bake for 30 minutes. If potatoes are not brown enough, turn broiler on high and broil until potatoes are golden, about 2 minutes. (Make sure you keep an eye on the potatoes if using the broiler - they will brown quickly!) Serve hot.

Serves 6. PER SERVING: 297 calories, 4g fat, 6g fiber, 18g protein, 50g carbs, 459mg sodium.


If anyone has any recipes to share, please do so! I love trying new recipes, and I'd love some ideas from you guys. :)

Just another excuse to shop...

When I began my weight loss journey (a mere 4 days ago...) I decided that I needed some new workout clothes too. In the past, I'd gone with some Old Navy sweatpants, an old (I mean, OLD) sports bra, and whatever loose fitting tee I could find. Now, maybe this was just my way of finding an excuse to go shopping, but even if it was, does it really matter?
I wanted 1 outfit that was dedicated for working out. That meant - new pants, new sports bra, and new top. I was happily surprised as I was browsing through Walmart, stocking up on toilet paper, paper towels, and the like, to find a brand I was familiar with - Danskin. I glanced at some of the racks and found a pretty cute (and pretty CHEAP!) outfit that I decided would be The One. I figured that having some cute new workout clothes would motivate me (at least a little) to get my butt out of bed in the mornings and get going! (So far, I guess it's worked!)

Click here to see the selection of Danskin at Walmart

The great thing about these workout clothes is that they are AFFORDABLE! Who doesn't love that? And especially if my goal is to lose weight, I don't want to spend money on clothes that (hopefully) won't fit in a few months!

New Year, not a new resolution...

Every year I make a New Year's Resolution, like most people. Mine (like most people) never seems to last. Why is that? I'm not sure, but I do know that for the past 5+ years my resolution has been to lose weight. Not just a little weight, a LOTTA weight. I've struggled with my weight since I can remember - from being teased in elementary school, to weight loss summer camp the summer before high school, to having Lap Band surgery, I feel like I've been through it all!
I had the Lap Band surgery about 3 1/2 years ago. I was excited for what I thought would be the answer to my weight loss prayers...but I was wrong. (What a surprise!) Now with a 16 month old son, I've decided that I need to be a much better example for him. While I'm feeding him peas and sweet potatoes, why am I eating calorie-loaded mac and cheese? NOT a good example...
Which brings me to January 8, when I finally decided to tackle my resolution to end all resolutions - this would be the LAST year that my New Year's Resolution was to lose weight. Why? Because by next New Year's, I wanted to be at my goal weight. I'm not sure what I'm thinking (or if I even am?) or how I'm going to do it, but I realized my reason for starting this blog was to document my struggles and my successes, and to be held accountable for not following through (by readers, like YOU!).
SO, with that said, I'll start writing about my journey, hopefully with some laughs, crafts, recipes, and fun along the way. Who said losing weight and writing about it couldn't be fun? Maybe this is just what I need!
Gotta go put my little guy down for his nap, then I'm going to do my workout video (Day 4 - I am SO SORE, but it's a good feeling!). I promise to load these posts with pictures, tools, and fun stuff. (Otherwise, who would want to read this anyway??)
Wish me luck with this workout...it's gonna be a tough one!

Will update later today :)

Boeuf anyone?

Alright, so I'm still trying to emerge from hibernation and begin blogging with some regularity. I'm learning to maneuver my new laptop, and eventually (hopefully) I will learn (or be able to understand at the very least) how to fix the format of the blog. But for now, I will share with you a classic recipe that I attempted for Christmas Eve dinner this year - Boeuf Bourguignon! A delicious classic that Julia Child introduced to us Americans many years ago.
Let's be honest - I love to cook, and I cook everyday for my man and our son, but cooking for guests? That's a little scary to me! ESPECIALLY for a holiday meal. Could I take it on all alone? I searched online for a recipe that I thought I could handle for this hearty almost-one-pot supper. I tweaked a few of the ingredients and a few of the steps...and whatdya know?! Dinner was DELISH! Boeuf Bourguignon (or if you prefer, BEEF Bourguignon) will now be a monthly (if not weekly!) staple in our home during the cold winter months.
Below is the recipe I came up with after combining a few of the more difficult recipes I found online...and voila! A picture for your enjoyment as well. :) Happy cooking!

Boeuf Bourguignon

Prep time: 30 min - Cook time: 3 hours

• 2 large onions, chopped
• 2 large carrots, sliced in rounds
• 2 tablespoons cooking oil
• 6 ounces lean bacon cut into small pieces
• 2 pounds of stew meat, cut into bite size pieces
• 1 bottle of red wine (I used an inexpensive Pinot Noir) 
• 2 tablespoons mixed dried herbs (Try herbes de provence or fines herbes - very French!)
• 1 garlic clove, peeled (You can remove this after cooking or leave it in like I did...because I forgot!)
• 1 pound mushrooms, sliced
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• salt and pepper

Ingredients for Beurre Manié (French for "kneaded butter")

• 2 tablespoons softened butter
• 2 tablespoons flour

In a large heavy pot or Dutch oven, cook the onions and carrots in the oil on medium heat until soft, about 8 minutes.

1. Add the bacon and continue cooking and stirring for 8 minutes.
2. Add the meat and cook, turning several times, until browned on all sides. Sprinkle the meat with salt and pepper. Add the herbs, the garlic and the red wine. Cover, turn down the heat, and let simmer for at least two hours.
3. After stew has cooked for about 2 hours, in another skillet, cook the mushrooms in the butter until soft and add to the stew along with the tomato paste. 
4. Simmer until meat is very tender, this can take anywhere from 2-3 hours.
5. Once meat has cooked, mix the butter and flour together in a small bowl until well blended. Blend in a tablespoon of the cooking liquid, and then stir this mixture back into the stew. Continue cooking for several minutes.

Serving suggestion: This would be delicious served over egg noodles or even mashed potatoes, however I chose to serve it with crusty French bread and a green salad with vinaigrette dressing.

My Boeuf Bourguignon - it was more delicious than this picture can show!