Baby Shower Invites

Im SO excited!  I just picked up the baby shower invitations for my sister Kim's shower and they are SO CUTE!  Here is a preview and I have to thank Sarah over at Life Sweet Life for the inspiration and instructions on how to make them!  I just love stuff like this!  :)

Weight Update

So far I have done very well!  I've reached my goal of 185!!!!

Week 2
Weight Today: 184.8
Goal Weight: 180
Lbs Needed to loose:  4.8
Total Lbs needed:  34.8

Its not much, but Im so happy to finally meet a goal!  I even ate pizza this week!!!!  :)

Couch to 5k is going well also.  I finished week 1 yesterday, I was late finishing it because the weather was horrible this weekend and I didn't have time on Friday.  I'm not sure when I'm going to get to do week 2 since the weather is supposed to be bad all week.  Maybe Friday night will be nice enough! 

This weekend was wonderful, but as always too short!  Unfortunatly Mother Nature has decided that it is no longer spring, but WINTER again... BOO...that is what I have to say about it!  It has gone from beautiful and sunny to yucky, cold, and rainy in a matter of a few days.  Hubs and I was going to buy flowers and do yard work on Saturday but thankfully we decided to wait because of the nasty weather.  Im glad too because I think its way too cold and might have damaged the plants.  So instead of working all day we did the EXACT opposite!  We were SO LAZY ALL DAY!  I know this is probably TMI, but I didnt even put on pants until 5 when we had to get ready to go to our small group supper!  It was such a good day!  We just laid on the couch and watch movies.  We watched Police Acadamy 2 and 3.  Slingblade, and The Last Song.  If you have been following me for any time at all you know that I just read The Last Song, and it was an excellent book.  The movie was so so, but the worst part was having to watch Miley Cirus the whole time.  Can someone PLEASE explain her mouth/lips/teeth to me?!  This girl makes all the money in the world yet she has a face that makes me irritated everytime I see it!  Is it necessary to pooch your lips out all the time?  And when they are not pooched she has this stupid look like someone just punched her in her mouth and her upper lip is swollen to the point it cannot cover her front teeth... ECK... Im sorry, I try to find the good in everything, but she should not be an actress.... Okay... off my soap box!  We had an awesome time at our small group supper, met some new friends and ate some excellent food.  I dont have a picture of it but i took my Chicken Lasagna, which is honestly probably my favorite dish to cook.  Sunday morning we went to Freedom Biker Church in Hickory and lead worship for them, then came to Target to pick up a few things.  This is where the fun started.  I've been wanting another patio table to go on my patio.  We only have 1 out on our deck and when we have more than a few friends over we wind up eating inside because there isnt enough room outside table wise.  So we saw some things at target but wanted to check out home depot after that.  We went there and came out with this bad boy!  I havent put it together yet because of the nasty weather yesterday but I think I will put it together Tuesday!  I now have 8 chairs at a table and 12 all together!  Its party time!!!!  :)

We then came home and cooked this lovely dish.  I made the rice which is:  

1 1/2 cups white rice

1 can french onion soup

14 oz beef broth

1/4 cup butter

mix it all up cover it and put it in the oven at 350 for 1 hour.  After 30 min. take it out and stir.  

My sweet hubs made the pork chops, I was tired and he always says he cannot cook in the kitchen so I challenged him with this Paula Dean Pork Chop recipe.  While he was cooking I was going through all my cooking magazines tearing our recipes to file because I seriously have TOO MANY MAGAZINES!  I could hear him cooking the chops in my cast iron frying pan and it sounded like it was HOT....so I just offered him a piece of advise that he might want to cut the heat down since he was using the cast iron pan... he said it wasnt too hot and that it was fine... so I went about my business... It still sounded REALLY hot and I was starting to smell burntness so I got up and went in the kitchen to find a THICK cloud of smoke!!!!  About 2 min. later CPI security offered to send the fire trucks!  Dont worry, no fire ever happened, just smoked it up some (something I've done a time or two!) Nate was a little dissapointed in himself for it, but the food was still excellent, he only burned the grease in the pan!  I think it was a successful cooking experience for him and hopefully he will have more confidence off of the grill!  He also built me a nice cozy fire in our fireplace.  It was SO warm we even still had hot coals this morning when we woke up!  Normally it is already gone by then. 

 

Tomorrow I will update you with my weight loss, I have not got to complete my week 1 of running yet because of this terrible weather.  Im planning on running this afternoon when I get off work because its not supposed to be raining.  Just cold!  

Pepperoni Pizza Stuffed Chicken

 You probably are thinking to yourself right about now... "no wonder your fat moron!  You eat stuff like this!"  But hear me out!  All I had to eat all day yesterday is an Aldi Brand Fit and Active 100 calorie Strawberry yogurt for lunch.  So..I had a lot of calories to use up!  I got this recipe from a Paula Dean Magazine and it was DELISH!  I served it with a spring mix salad and Pillsbury bread sticks.    

 

Pepperoni Pizza Stuffed Chicken

by: Paula Deen

2 chicken breasts

pepperonis

mozerella or itallian blend shredded cheese

2 fresh basil leaves

salt

pepper

cooking spray

cooking oil

1.  cut the chicken breast at the thickets part to make a pocket or deep slit in.

2.  put 4 pepperoni in the slit along with 2 tbls shredded cheese and 1 large basil leaf

3.  secure with a toothpick

4.  over medium high heat about 1 tbls cooking oil in a medium/large pan

5.  lightly spray chicken on both sides with cooking spray, then salt and pepper both sides

6.  brown chicken for 3 min. a side in pan

7.  put chicken in oven for about 15 min at 350 (dont forget to preheat the oven)

8.  remove from oven and sprinkle some cheese over chicken and tear a couple pepperonis up and sprinkle over chicken

9.  return to oven and cook about 5 more min. or until cheese is melted 

Voila!  As I said before I fixed this with a spring mix salad, with a little cheese and cut up asparagus on top with ranch and just used the pillsbury refrigerated bread sticks!

Happy Eating!

Couch 2 5K

I am so proud of my husband.  About 2 months ago, he decided (with a little encouragement from me of course) to train for a 5k.  He started it and after he completed the first two weeks I bought him a new pair of running shoes to let him know how proud I am of him!  I've encouraged him along the way and this week he completed the program and can now run for 30 min at a time without stopping!!!  WOW!!!  That is really inconceivable to me and he said it was to him when he first started.  Needless to say, he has inspired me and since the weather is so nice these days I decided I need to give it a go.  I started Monday and have completed two days of week one and I am going to blog about it as I go.  I really want to loose weight.  My goal weight is 150 and I have been "trying" off and on for two years now and I have only lost 10lbs.  I had lost 20 but I gained 10 back after going on a cruise last year!  I'm sick and tired of taking one step forward and two steps back, so its time I do something about it.  I also feel that if I do this it will help me achieve another goal and that is being consistent.  I am so bad about no having enough self discipline to either deny myself something or make myself do something and that is not a good way to be.  Then I always beat myself up afterward resulting in a viscous cycle of no self confidence.  I want to get out of this rut and this frame of mind and the only person who can help me do that is God and myself.  So... this is going to be a 100% honest blog, maybe an accountability of sorts and a log.  I am going to set short term and long term goals....So here it goes.  As of today here are my stats:

Week 1
Weight: 188
Goal weight: 185
LBS to loose:  3
Total lbs to loose: 38


Some problems I know I have is:

1.  Eating too big portions
2.  Occassionaly drinking soft drinks ( I dont do this much)
3.  Not drinking a lot of water
4.  Eating late
5.  Not working out
6.  Making "exceptions"
7.  Not keeping track of what/how much I eat

So here are my solutions:

1.  Eat from my smaller plates at home when I cook and instead of cooking a huge meal every night, only cook 1 time during the week and 1 time during the weekends.  All other meals will be something light and healthy.  Also I eat at my mom's a lot and I am going to try bringing my lunch to work (just a sandwich) and doing my couch to 5k during my lunch break) Wed. will be the only exception for lunch and as I've said before that is Mommaw's day and I will eat whatever she cooks me because it is worth it!  :) 
2.  Cut out soft drinks unless I have no other choice or my tummy hurts
3.  Drink more water (any suggestions on how I can make myself do this?)
4.  No eating after 8
5.  Couch to 5k at least 3 days a week
6.  I will be honest on my blog and hopefully this will help to keep me accountable and not make excuses
7.  I log my food into the loose it app and I will post my weekly reports on the blog for all to see!

Okay... this should be a good start.  I HAVE to do this...

A pulled Muscle and a clean flower bed!

 I had a fantastic weekend, I feel like I got a lot accomplished, but as always it was still too short!

The Art Crawl friday night was a huge success, I have heard some people say they think around 4000 people showed up!

Saturday morning Nathan and I got up and started working in our front flower bed at about 10AM.  The weather couldnt have been better and I even got a little sun tan!  We took a water break here and there and also ate a sandwich and doritos for lunch, but we didnt got inside until 4:30!  It looks SO much better, I should have taken before and after pics but I will do that this Saturday before and after we put out our flowers and mulch.  Im thinking of going with a smaller mulch this time, we have been using nuggets but I think we will do a mulchier mulch.. if that makes any sense!

Sunday was time for church and we finally made it on time... actually early!  Even early enough for me to get a cup of coffee!!!  The sermon and music was wonderful as usual and if you want to listen just click here!  On our way home from church Nathan and I always pass an old dilapitated barn that usually collapses in on itself every time it storms.  Apparently someone is cleaning it out/up and when we rode by there was an old ladder back chair just laying on top of the junk pile!  So... I have been wanting one (for free) for so long because I want to put it out in my yard and sit a flower pot in it!  Sooo... we got it!  haha  I dont have any pics of it yet but trust me there will be more to come!  Im so excited about it!  So then we got home and I wanted to make these Chocolate Esspresso Cupcakes that were in a Paula Dean magazine, so I did and they turned out scruptious!  Also I clipped off a few branches from my curly willow tree and made this cute little arrangement!

This week is going to be pretty fun.  Tomorrow I am representing the bank in the adult spelling bee.  This is the 3rd year I've done this and its always a good time!  And then we have small group on Wednesday!  Duke plays on Thursday, and Friday I get to go get some flowers!!! 

How was your weekend?

Officially...no more coco...and other stuff

Our friend Chewy came and got Coco and all her belongings yesterday and took her to his parents house that is her new home.  When I got home yesterday it was sad because I didn't have her to let our or her jumping on me saying WELCOME HOME MOMMY!!!!  Not that she did that alot anyway.. half the time she acted scared and just wanted to get outside and pee.  When Nathan got home though that was a different story... she would go NUTS everyday when she hear his truck pull up in the drive.  Im REALLY going to miss her, and already am.  Thankfully we had some friends over last night to practice and learn songs for the Art Crawl in downtown Lincolnton this Friday, so that kind of kept our minds off of everything.  I just have to keep reminding myself that we cant be there for her enough and that is why she kept messing in her crate and acting crazy and peeing in the floor and pooping.  Also I remind myself that I can confidently wear black again without taking half of her with me!  I'll also get my house back and part of my living room and my floors will not be NEAR as filthy.  But I will miss playing with her outside... she always made me smile when she would run and run and run.  The good thing is, we know the people who have her so we can see her anytime we want and have play dates with her if we want to lol so silly I know...

Anyway, back to the Art Crawl.  I'm very excited about it, this is the third year and I've heard that it is really growing.  Downtown Lincolnton is such a nice place to come walk in the evenings I think they should do more things like this, but alas... they don't ask me and the old people around here wouldn't have it, so you have to take it when you can get it!  Nathan and I are playing at a church in downtown called Freedom Church.  They will be serving refreshments as well as other pieces of artwork and of course our art is our songs and music we have written.  I have a new friend singing with me tomorrow as well!  Since we are just doing an acoustic set I thought it would be great if I could have someone singing harmony with me and it would just add so much, so that is what we are doing and if it goes anything like it did last night its going to sound great!  I'm so thankful that God puts people in our paths at the right time.  She is also singing with us on Saturday night at Dallas Wesleyan New Life Saturday Night service.  This will be the first time we have done and all acoustic set there as well so Im excited to see how it is received.  They are having a wing cookoff before the service and Nathan and I get to be the judges of it!  YES!  I LOVE WINGS!  :)  But before that service on Saturday, of course Im going to be working in my yard!  Its supposed to be in the 80's this weekend so I plan to be outdoors as much as possible!  Last weekend I didnt get to do a lot but I will have more time this Saturday so hopefully I can get the front cleaned up and out and looking good! 

Sunday is church and then going to hang out with my mom and dad in Lincolnton, they are going to fix us supper!  YUM! 

Oh... and... I got the yarn to start the baby blanket for Ryder (my sisters pregnant).  Although I will not be posting pics until I give it to her, I want it to be a surprise because its gonna be pretty awesome!  haha  AND I have another surprise for her but I cannot mention it yet, but pics to come when I can post them!

Hope yall have a good weekend!!

What is the world coming to?

Every morning Nathan and I turn on our tv and watch the morning news.  It seems like since the first of the year there has been turmoil all over the world!  The wars, protests, now Earthquakes, Tsunamis, and now possibly nuclear meltdowns.  I looked at before and after satellite pictures of Japan from before and after all the disasters and it made me sick to see all the destruction.  I also just read an article on MSN about oil prices.  They are going down because of all the craziness, but the article also said that they would soon go up ever more because of these disasters with the nuclear power stations in Japan that they would rely even more on oil to power things there which would cause more demand, which would then cause higher prices, which would then cause higher EVERYTHING prices.  As if it wasn't bad enough already?!

All these things can be very scary, and depressing.  But I do not think it is coincidence that our Pastor preached on this very thing Sunday morning.  We can have peace in all this trouble!  Does that mean that we will not have to pay the higher prices and not sacrifce things to pay for necessities?  Nope.  Does that mean that this turmoil will not effect us in any way?  Nope.  But it does mean that we can trust that we have a higher power taking care of us.  We have hope because the Word of God says that God will supply all our needs because his supply in heaven is limitless!  We can have peace in the fact that our Father in heaven has the power to work miracles for his children.

So, dont be discouraged by all this mess the world is in.  If you are a child of God, HE has your back.  If you not a follower of Christ, and you are trying to find peace in other things, I can tell you that those things cannot satisfy you or give you what your looking for.  Only Jesus Christ can.  Surrender to him today.  He's got your back!

If you would like to hear more on this subject, Check out our Pastors Messages HERE!   

No More Coco and weekend plans

Wed. night we had small group at our house.  There are about 4 couples who usually come and we have a great time!  When everyone arrived Coco was ecstatic jumping on everyone (embarrassing) shedding on everyone (even more embarrassing) and acting like she wanted to play but when Matt started to play with her she was suddenly terrified of him... (Im pretty sure she might be bi-polar.)  Any way she finally calmed down and we fed her while we were having our bible study, and after she was fed we took her out twice.   She eventually got in her bed and fell asleep while everyone was still there.  Everyone left and she got up to tell them by and Nate and I went in the kitchen to clean up a little and she peed in the kitchen floor right in front of us!  As I have previously said in my blog we have been having a lot of problems about her doing this, but never before has she just squatted in the floor right in front of us and peed!  So... I cannot take it anymore.  We have tried everything we know, and I cant stand all the shedding.  We have been washing her every other day with the furminator shampoo, we brush her with the furminator brush, and put a suppliment in her food to help the shedding... im pretty sure its getting worse! 


So we told all our friends that we want to give her a new home and luckily our friend who takes her out during the day, his parents want her!  Im happy about this because I REALLY do love her.  She is a sweet sweet dog, so we can still see her if we want to, and we know she will be in a really good home.  They are home all day so she will always have someone with her and she can still play with her best friend Rigby!  I am a little sad because I will miss her curling up on my lap and sleeping and cuddling, and I will also miss watching her play outside in our yard, but I will love to have my clean dog hair free house back!

So for the weekend tomorrow I plan to work in my yard.  I need to get the leaves out of the beds and pull the weeks that have taken over everything.  Then Saturday afternoon my neice Tori has a cheer competition and Im excited to see her.  This  is the first one I've been able to go to and its right near my house!  After that we are meeting some friends at Jax in Belmont and then going to bed EARLY!  We have to be at church for rehersal at 7:15 and with the time change that really means it will be 6:15!  We will play both services at church and then drive to Lincolnton for a wedding.  Then back home to relax and get ready for Monday all over again!  But tonight is Sara Evans!!  My husband is so sweet, we were planning on going together but a girl in our small group really wanted to go (its sold out) so he volunteered to stay home so she could go with me instead!  (Im pretty sure its because Duke is playing tonight)  So...

Let the fun begin!


Here are some pics of the concert last night with John Mark McMillan!  He played some new stuff and I cant wait for September when his new album is released!

Im pretty sure his pants could not have been any tighter! 

Seriously...where do you even buy pants like that... ugh!

THE John Mark!

John Mark

So tonight is the night!  We get to see John Mark tonight at the Visuilite Theater in Charlotte!  Check out some of his tunes!

Lunch with Mommaw

Wednesdays are my favorite day of the week.  Not the weekend, but the work week.  This is for several reasons.

1.  Its almost the weekend
2.  We have small group and I enjoy it very much
3.  Last but not least and most importantly I eat lunch with my Mommaw on Wednesdays!

Normally I go to her house and she fixes a HUGE spread of food.  She never just "makes a sandwich."  She usually has it ready sitting on the table for me when I arrive and we make small talk about how our week has been, whats going on with who in the family, cooking, flowers, her customers (she is 85 and still does hair in her beauty shop next to her house!), and just life in general.

Today however I wanted to take HER out to eat for a change so we went to a little place in Lincolnton called The House of Pizza.  I had my usual, and when I say usual I mean the waitress already puts my order in whithout even telling her!  Mommaw had a Reuben.  I tried a sample of it today and it was very good.  I might actually branch out next time and try that!  Anyway we had a really good time getting out today AND Mommaw got lots of compliments!  A man at the bank told me she was very pretty and the waitress complimented her to!  Her face lit up! She is a very pretty woman and does not look or act her age!  I hope I have the energy she has when Im that age!

Groupon

Okay I know there is probably some rule against posting 3 blogs in 1 day... BUT...I have to share this with you!

I have been a Groupon adict for over a year now and I think you should be to!  Its super easy just follow this link, sign up for the daily emails and enjoy awesome deals on stuff near you! 

I have found so many cool new restraunts just by buying a Groupon and trying it at a discounted price!  There is literally no catch and they are super easy to use! 

Sign up here!

Whats ahead?!

So as you know my hubby was in a wedding this weekend and it was a blast!  It was definatly a long day, but worth it in the end.  The reception was gorgeous, I wish I would have taken more pics of all the decor...boo for me!  Nathan danced at the wedding and that made it pretty much the funnest thing I've ever done!  He is so crazy! 

Here are a couple pics of us on Saturday!

Yes, my man is the most handsome in this lineup! :)

The lovely Bride and Groom

Nathan and Mark (the groom) being silly!

This week is a busy one.  Tonight we have practice at Bethlehem Church because we are on the worship team for this Sunday.  Its our first time and we are very excited but Im a little nervous!  I know it will be great though.  Tomorrow we are hosting our small group at our house.  We are currently reading Crazy Love by Francis Chan.  This book will step on your toes and really make you take a step back and realize exactly who and what you are!  I think I will make Taco Dip to snack on for that.  Then, Thursday we are going to see our FAVORITE song writer of all time... John Mark McMillan.  This man is a lyrical genius!  Check out this song, its my fav...just the music makes me cry!  And Friday we are going to see one of my favorite country singers... Sara Evans!!!  She is going to be playing a show at Coyote Joes in Charlotte which is a pretty small venue for her to play in so Im SUPER excited that I get to see her there!  Tickets are only 12.00 AND you get a copy of her new cd with it!  Saturday is yard work day and my neice Tori has a cheer competition as well.  Then Sunday we get to play both services at Bethlehem then head to Lincolnton to play some acoustic music for a wedding!  Holy Cow Im tired already!

Hows your week shaping up? 

Oh, and I have to brag on myself... I have lost 4.5lbs!!!  :)  Yay for me!!  I have not been eating supper and I think this is really helping.  But... it really stinks because I LOVE to cook so I have been having to make a big sacrifice, but so far its paying off!

SPRING FEVER...

I read this on a blog post today and had to share!  This is EXACTLY how I feel!

Friday?...For real?

I cannot believe its FRIDAY!  This week has flown by and the weekend is already here again!  Im thankful for that!

This weekend will be full of wedding!  Nathans good friend Mark is getting married and Nathan is a groomsman.  Rehersal is tonight at Church at Charlotte near the southpark area, the rehersal dinner is in Indian Land, SC and the reception tomorrow is a the Birkdale Country Club!  Its gonna be interesting!

I was outside in my yard last Sunday afternoon and I had previously thought I would buy a large window box planter to put on my kitchen window that is on my deck, but I thought last week that an old bench would be so cute to sit pots on!  So Im on the search!  I found this on Etsy, but thats WAY out of my price range, I want cheap!  :)  and I wouldn't really want or have to have a back or arms on it.  

Any suggestions where to look?  Have a great weekend!

Oh, and here are some lovely camellias I clipped from my bush!  Bring on SPRING!!!!

WHY?!

I love my dog.  I really do, but some days I just don't know what else to do and I want to throw up my hands and kick her out!!!!  If you do not feel like reading negativity, you might want to stop now because Im fixin to complain...

She sheds like CRAZY!!!! OMG WHAT CAN MAKE IT STOP!?  We brush her with the furminator, we use furminator shampoo, we put the med from the vet in her food... does it slow it down?  NO!!!  AAAHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!  The ONE thing I wanted in a dog was for it to not shed....

She STILL pees and poops in her crate!  SHE IS OVER A YEAR OLD...THIS SHOULD NOT BE AN ISSUE ANYMORE....  The other day she peed on her little stuffed toy in her crate!  Yesterday she peed and pooped and then when I got home she went outside and pooped and then came back in and apparently was ashamed of messing her crate so she went to the corner and pooped and then I tried to get her to go outside and she wouldn't and so she pooped even more in the corner and smeared it all on my baseboard.... OMG I WANTED TO KILL HER!!!!  Im so sorry all you animal activists... I know you think Im a terrible person and I've probably caused all this and that I shouldn't crate her because that is cruel... but GET OVER IT!  Im not... she is a very anxious dog and everything terrifies her and she poops at the drop of a hat... or turd... whatever you want to compare it to!  Oh... yesterday she also ate her collar again... yes.. the collar that is around her neck.... HOW DO YOU DO THAT?! 

Anyway.... I cant take the shedding by itself, dogs shed, its a fact of life.  I can take the occasional poop and pee in the crate, accidents happen!  But I dont think I can take all three every single day.... Some people probably dont have a problem with any of those things, and thats great!  But I do... so... there you have it.

What makes this so hard is she REALLY is a sweet dog.  All she wants to do is play outside or curl up on your lap and sleep.  Thats all!  I wish we could leave her out of her crate while we are gone to work, but obviously she cannot be trusted and the LAST time we left her out of her crate in our spare bathroom she bit a hole through the water line in the toilet and flooded the bathroom and guest bedroom! 

She obviously doesnt like to be alone... and another dog is out of the question...

What do I do?! 

Would anyone like a cute, sweet, and mildly distructive schnauzer/something doggy?!  lol

I loved going fishing with mommy and daddy at the park!

I've never been so comfortable in my entire life...

She loves her daddy....

SNOW TASTES SO GOOD!!!!

HEY!

These are her "bat" ears!

I crochet that blanket and its her fav to lay on!

 

Giveaway!

Okay Im not giving anything away, but I thought I would tell you about one, and get some extra entries! 

check it out here!



http://slumberdesigns.blogspot.com/2011/02/perfume-giveaway.html

good luck!

7 Facts Blog Award

I received this blog award from my sissy at Baby Carrigan! 

Here we go!

1.  Im trying to loose 5lbs this week before this wedding I have to go to on Saturday!  So far I've lost 1.6lbs!  Im doing this by not eating supper but eating breakfast and lunch and maybe a snack for supper instead of something big.

2.  I love to cook!  So.. obviously fact #1 is killing me this week because I normally cook a nice supper every night!

3.  My sister Joy cleans my house 2 times a month!  Random fact I know but I just didnt have time latley to give it the TLC it deserves... am I lazy?  Maybe!

4.  I have the cutest neices and nephews in the WORLD!

5.  Im going to be in the adult spelling bee again this year on March 22... I always make a fool of myself, but its for a good cause and pretty fun!

6.  I wish I could practice and have more time for song writing.

7.  I pretty much have the best job in the world....


So there you have it!