Go for it .... WREAK HAVOC!

Today I made a good choice.

Whooohooo!

I made a deliberate decision to put this cake, and the pile of extra 

frosting into the trash, rather than gorge on it myself...

(like I would normally do).

HA!

I did it!!

I cried just a little bit, 

but surprisingly not because I was mourning my loss,

but because I felt proud and THRILLED that I was being the 

master over my addiction.

I took charge.

I know I have a problem with "Baked Goods".

I admit it.

My name is Melissa.

I am a baked goods addict.

I cannot get enough cookies, brownies, cake, or chocolate

of any kind.

If I take one bite,

I cannot satiate my desire for them.

I will eat these items for breakfast, snacks, and lunch.

However, 

Lately

I have been feeling sluggish.

I am still working out a ton, 

but have snuck on a few extra pounds.

I have also been taking some crazy long naps,

and waking up still tired!

I have always prided myself on being like my dad, 

only needing a snappy little 15 minutes to re-charge my battery.

Two  - 2 hour naps this week.

This scares me, and tells me I have a problem that needs 

addressing.

I can no longer shilly-shally around.

On Monday I decided to take back control of my dietary needs.

I am putting my physical nourishment back on top.

I WANT ENERGY.

I WANT FUEL FOR MY BODY.

I got out my cute little food journal.

The last time I wrote in it was on March 1, 2012,

that was also the last time I stepped on a scale.

Well, accountability is back in town,

and it feels really good!

I am excited.

Three days into it.....so far so good.

I found this little snippet from Jillian Miacheals,

(this was after I had already wreaked havoc on the cake!!)

I do have a problem with wrecking, or wasting food.

I have a firm belief that it should not go to waste....

cuz, well.....THAT'S WASTING.

and that's wrong, throwing money down the toilet.

M.U.S.T. F.I.N.I.S.H.I.T.A.L.L.

But I am going to get over that mind set.

NO.

I am THROUGH with that mind set for myself.

If if is crap, put it where it belongs.

If the kids didn't eat it, ruin it.

It's not worth it.

 ............................................

I do not have to be perfect in my eating.

Only CONSCIOUS and AWARE of what my body needs to 

feel alive and healthy.

............................................

I know something about myself.

I don't enjoy eating A cookie.

I don't like a slice of cake.

I don't want one brownie.

One piece of chocolate is pointless.

If I put one in my mouth.....

I WILL WANT IT ALL.

Of course there are public circumstances which make

having a normal serving possible,

and I guess that will be the perfect time to indulge.

But left to my own devices.....just saying no is a 

better option.

I am an all or nothing person.

I am grateful for the gospel and its guidelines and boundaries. 

They are a blessing to me,

specifically the Word of Wisdom.

Clearly I am still mastering the concept of 

moderation in all things.

Update:

No nap for 3 days.

Feel great.

Today was supposed to be my day off.....but the weather was so 

wonderful, and I felt so good,  I ran 6 miles before dinner.

Yogurt tastes like CHEESE CAKE

100% Juicy Juice is a yummy sweet treat - try Orange Tangerine!

Choffy is my CHOCOLATE Life line.

Thanks for letting me go on about this.

I have probably said these same things all before.....

but when it comes to a head,

best to take it on 

again.

I am on the wagon.

.........................

I don't need it.

I choose a better way.

.........................

 Random nugget:

 This is K every night with his head lamp.

Good Christmas gift mom and dad.

I really liked the word shilly-shally when I saw it on Monday

.....glad I had the chance to fit it into my post.

Word of the Day for Monday, March 11, 2013

shilly-shally \SHIL-ee-shal-ee\, verb:

1. to show indecision or hesitation; be irresolute; vacillate.

2. to waste time; dawdle.

noun:

1. irresolution; indecision; vacillation: It was sheer shilly-shally on his part.

adjective:

1. irresolute; undecided; vacillating.

Great mistake—Make up your mind and don't shilly shally.

-- Agatha Christie, A Caribbean Mystery, 1964

Change is in the air....

This is it....the beginning of the big goal for 2013.

My ticker proclaims it,

we have 9 month, 3 weeks, and 1 day to complete the kitchen ceiling.

I was very HAPPILY surprised when I came home one night to find 

this going on.

Wow!!!

Kev had told me no.

no not now.

no not here.

no remodling.

It will be too big a mess, to much of a pain.

But somehow, he caved.

YEAH!

I haven't really nailed what swayed him in my direction,

but I have wondered about one idea.

The kids and I enjoy watching Property Brothers.

We saw it for the first time at my moms while we were on vacation there.

I decided to set a timer for it.

Every so often, 

maybe once a week, we will hang out and watch 

an episod together.

Kevin thinks we are nuts.....

you are watching this for entertainment?

But maybe it gave him the idea.

We really get into the excitement of the up dating 

and fixing up the homes.  

It is fun to see the transformation and 

talk about what we would, or wouldn't do if it was our home.

Maybe K got swept up in the DIY vibe.

 I love the fan being gone.

I will keep you posted on any new developments.

Recently my mom started sending me her 

 coupon inserts once or twice a month.

I have really appreciated that.

Then two times ago she included an article she thought I would 

enjoy on menopause.

Gee, you shouldn't have....thanks mom.

I actually really liked it.

I liked that it was an unexpected surprise and a little extra.

I had thought it was only the coupons,

which was enough, and already very thoughtful....

However, 

A bonus told me she was thinking about me....

and my aged stage in life.  : )

I mentioned how much I enjoyed the addition the next time we spoke.

A few days ago I received my latest manilla envelope package.

This time I found not only one article,

but THREE!

Yowsers!  

Mom must think I'm sitting around here doing nothing.

I have been dragging them around with me.

Setting them here, then over there on the table, then they were by the

toilet for an afternoon,

then I had them with me while I ate lunch,

(maybe not in that order)

then in the office by the computer while I was waiting for things to 

download or upload.

I have enjoyed the spiritual messages and 

the thoughts on gratitude.

But again, even more than the printed messages on paper,

as I read them, I also got to be reminded of

my mom's thoughtfulness and caring for me.

Thanks mom.

.....................................

Here is my BONUS for you, 

my faithful readers!

There have been many times that I have discovered I am out of 

Lipton Onion Soup mix when I need it for a recipe,

namely Sunday's Roast dinner.

I finally took matters into my own hands and found a recipe for 

Homemade Dry Onion Soup Mix

2 1/2 T. Dried minced onion

4 cubes beef bouillon, crumbled

1 t. onion powder

1/8 t. salt

1/8 t. ground black pepper

Combine and store in airtight container.  

This recipe is the equivalent of one soup package.

(If adding to liquid, there is no need to crumble bouillon cubes).

I have used this recipe a few times.

I have been very happy with the out come.

I hope this BONUS Detail comes in handy.

Love,

M

Collage Madness.

Hey, like I always say, better late than never, 

better in than out,

and don't save for tomorrow what you can do today.

I don't always take my own best advice,

consequently I have a huge onslaught of recent photos I planned to post about

that have built up.

Hence the gazillion collages.

This will save us all time I guess.

First - ETHAN turned 16!!!

Wow!

I have decided that turning Sixteen is a WAY bigger deal to girls than boys.

Eh, yeah, whatever.....seemed like any other day to him.

All he asked for was a full sized store bought cake and two jugs of 

chocolate milk.

Check and Check.

I generously added his own case of root beer, beef jerky, 

and carnation instant breakfast drinks.

Oh yes, 

and his new phone case.

Lately he has been working on a big school project for an event called

"Decade Day".

 He put a lot of effort into his research, 

and info board to display for the night,

but he also had to come up with a canvas painting.

He ended up hiring a girl from his spanish class to paint it.

I asked if that wasn't cheating, he said no, he was only asked to 

come up with the prop, he was not required to make it.

Ok....if you say so.

He paid her $20......if you ask me,

she was robbed. 

Can you believe what an artist she is?

This looks just like the real painters work.

He is also pitching for the JV baseball team and really enjoying it.

Valentines has come and gone, but I just wanted to keep tabs on one cool detail.

M wanted to make valentines for the 19 kids in her class.

I didn't feel like heading to the store to buy any of those

cheap-o run of the mill tear apart valentines,

plus I didn't want to waste money on candy....

so I decided to throw out an idea and see if M would go for it,

knowing she probably would take a pass.

I said hey!

Wouldn't it be fun if you made each person in your class a personalized

valentine this year?

Hey, and you could tape one of my special chocolates on each page

as a unique treat.

OK!

Great idea mom!!

She spent the next four days hammering out her little creations.

They were a feast for the eyes,

here are just a few.

I love the words she choose for each of her classmates.

We just got done babysitting Cookie Quigley for about 10 days.

She is a fun little dog,

but

She is a dog.

Here are a few of my likes and dislikes about her.

I do NOT like her skin tags, but I do like how soft she is.

I don't like that she is always hovering around when the kids are gone,

and yet...... gosh dang it, I don't mind it that much either.

When I'm at the table she comes and will stand right over my foot 

so it is touching her belly.

Good Heavens Cookie.....really?

She will mill around and wait until I get on the couch for a tiny siesta

and climb over and get right into the spot behind my knees.

Cookie is kind hearted and loving.

She makes everyone feel special and important.....except for Lawson,

she comes to me for protection from him.

I don't like that she gets up so early, or that she has accidents,

but we really do enjoy her when she stays with us.

On this night at tennis, she walked M for the solid hour.

She did not want to stop......soooooo much to see, smell, and discover.

People fall over them selves goooooing and gawing over small dogs.

McCauley has been asking to get her hair cut for over a year.

Aunt Keri trimmed it over the Christmas break.

Not good enough.

Finally she broke me.

Why should I care?

I said, ok, lets go outside.

Snip, snip, snip.

She was happy as a clam.

Still talks about how much she loves the length.

Lawson got his retainer, and a phone.

There he is with his phone bag.

He calls it a satchel.

I LOVE that he carries his phone in that sak.

It's cool. 

His phone is safe in there.

He hops on his skateboard and off they go.

Here is the mask L made (creepy). 

He asked permission to go outside and destroy it.

Please do.

He has also made some modifications to his sak, 

he didn't like the plant pattern 

that was on the front.

(I had wondered how long that would last, I had made the bag 

for myself to begin with....it had a cool flower pattern on it,

I was not going to tell him that).

Now it is even better for a kid his age.

Duct tape seals the deal on coolness. 

Here is a fast paced movie re-cap.

You won't want to miss it.