Weigh In Wednesday #9 of 2018

Happy Wednesday and welcome to the 9th Wednesday of 2018. Last week I didn't do a weigh in as I was sick and asleep most of that day. I feel better now, but still am dealing with the congestion crap. I think I blow  my nose a million times a day. Oh well. It happens.

I really didn't want to step on the scale this morning since I have been eating way too much junk food, including Twizzlers, the last week or so as that is what I have been craving. I also had fast food twice which didn't even taste all that good. My hubby told me not to beat myself up because I just needed to make sure I was eating. But I knew it probably wouldn't be good for the scale. So with that being said, let's get see where the weight numbers stand this week....

Official Starting Weight (1/3/18): 241.0

My weight last week: 232.6
My weight this week: 233.8
Weight loss from last week: +1.2 OUCH!!!

Total weight loss for 2018: -7.2 pounds! 

Yikes! I suppose it could have been worse. Now I just need to get back on track and figure things out. It is so hard because I have gotten back in the habit of bad eating. I need to turn this ship around the right way and get back on track. 
  

Source

On the exercise front: I mentioned in my 2018 goals post that I wanted to walk 3 days a week. Since there are 52 weeks in a year, that means my goal is to walk 156 times over the course of the year. 

Well since I last posted a Weigh In Wednesday post, I did the following walks:

February 15-- 2.01 miles
February 18--3.04 miles
February 20-- 2.7 miles
February 23-- 3.00 miles
February 27-- 2.05 miles 

So that means I am now at 11 out of 156 workout walks completed for the year! This number may seem low, but honestly I expect it to be with winter. I am not going to let myself get discouraged.

So that was this week's Weigh In Wednesday-- diet wise, I need to get back on track; fitness wise-- I have to figure it out. If you are trying to lose weight or get healthier, how is your journey going so far?

Happy Homemaker Monday (February 26, 2018)

Happy Monday everyone! Hope everyone had a great weekend. Mine was a mixture of being super busy and on the go and not feeling well. This head cold of mine is kicking my butt. Thankfully it is not the flu, but it still sucks. One day I feel better, then the next I feel like crap again. But I have to just keep going because that is the season of life that I am in right now. 

My weekend:: I was on the go ALL weekend long. Saturday, we had 3 basketball for the kids and then I agreed to babysit for a friend. I ended up getting those kids at 3 while I was at basketball. So for most of the evening I had 2 extra kids here at my house (another 11 year old and a 2 year old whom my husband nicknamed "Hurricane"). Once they left around 11, I went to bed. Then up early on Sunday to teach PSR, then church, then home for lunch, then library for a Battle of the Books scrimmage, then home so Bill could go to an Upward coaches meeting, then make dinner (hot dogs because it was easy), then trying to lesson plan for tutoring today and Battle of the books meeting... Oh and did I mention laundry is way backed up?? Oh vey. 

Right now, I am taking a moment to type this up while my babysitting baby is sitting on the floor playing for once without screaming. So with that, I am joining in with the lovely Sandra over at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom and her "Happy Homemaker Monday" series. 

Breakfast time....what is on the plate this morning::::
I had 2 mini sausage and cheese Bob Evans sandwiches. So yummy! 

On the to do list::::
Today: Kids to school, babysit A, Run to the bank and post office, Battle of the Books meeting, tutor P, Ben to speech, All 3 kids have basketball, attack the laundry monster if possible
Tuesday: Kids to school, babysit A, Battle of the Books meeting, tutor N
Wednesday: Kids to school, babysit A, tutor I
Thursday: Kids to school, babysit A, Battle of the Books meeting, tutor N and S
Friday: Kids to school, grocery store
Saturday: Last basketball games of the season for all 3 kids
Sunday: PSR, Church, Nothing else scheduled for the moment (I know, famous last words)

Currently reading::::

  
On the TV this week::::
Not sure now that the Olympics are over. 

The weather outside is::::
Breaking news::: THE SUN IS OUT!!!! After having flooding rains this weekend, the sun is out today. It isn't that cold out either (high 40s/low 50s).  We are supposed to have sunny weather tomorrow too, then heavy rain Wednesday night through Thursday night. Uggh. We have had so much rain that many areas having flooding issues. The river near us is really high. 

On the menu this week::::
This week the theme is going to be easy as I haven't been feeling well and am so behind in lots of things. 

Monday: Leftovers
Tuesday: Sloppy Joes, green beans, corn
Wednesday: Cheeseburgers, French fries
Thursday: Chicken pot pies and salad
Friday: Clam strips, baked potatoes, veggies
Saturday: ??
Sunday: Ribs? 

If I have a few minutes to myself, I will::::
Read for a few minutes and just relax

Favorite photo from the camera::::
The sky last night was brilliant. My phone camera does not do it justice at all. 

Bible Verse, Devotional::::

Source

I hope everyone has a wonderful Monday and a great week! 

Nature Scenes for February 25, 2018

Sunday is meant to be a day of rest and relaxation and one of the ways that I rest is to spend time in nature. I try to spend a least a little bit of time in nature each week. I have decided that I will use Sundays to share the photos of my nature adventures each week just as a way to relax and share the beauty that is God's creation with all. I hope you enjoy!

The last time I posted in this series was on February 4. This month has not been the best at getting outside. I was finally able to get out a few days so thought I would share some of the photos today. This past week even though I have felt like crap and have this head cold that one minute I have energy and the next minute I feel like death warmed over, I still tried to get out and get some fresh air. 

Photos from February 15, 2018 at the Kokosing Gap Trail

Photos from February 18, 2018 at Kokosing Gap Trail

Photos from Ariel-Foundation Park February 20, 2018-- the temperature was almost 70 degrees that day. There is still ice on the lakes (where the water looks calm)

Photos from February 23, 2018 at the Kokosing Gap Trail-- it was rainy and misty and plain wet. 

For more nature scenes you can check out my other nature posts: 

January 7, 2018

January 14, 2018

January 21, 2018

January 28, 2018

February 4, 2018

I hope everyone is having a good Sunday and if you get a chance check out the nature scenes around you! 

Sick

Sorry. No weigh in Wednesday post today as I woke up in the middle of the night with a pounding headache and fever and chills. Hope everyone our there is staying well. Back to bed I go.

Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole (new recipe #7 of 2018)

Happy Tuesday everyone! The good news is that the sun is trying to peek out and it has stopped raining for the moment. The temperatures today here are supposed to hit 72! I will take it! The bad news is I woke up all stuffed up in my sinuses and my head is throbbing. I probably am getting the cold that Rebecca and Jacob have had the last couple of days. Ugh. But I can't dwell on it, I have things to do and so I put my Thieves essential oil on and tylenoled up and now getting ready to start my day.

I thought I would take a few minutes before the madness of the day starts to share a recipe that I made last night for dinner. Monday nights are crazy between speech therapy for Ben and basketball practice for all three and Bill having to go to work and dinner is usually late and needs to be ready by the time we get home. Crockpot meals are good, however the last couple of weeks I have been making pasta bakes that we can just heat up in the microwave when we get home.

Last night, I made a chicken bacon ranch casserole that I saw over the weekend on Facebook. I showed the recipe to Bill and asked if he would eat it. He said that the ranch kind of turned him off, but he was willing to try it. I reminded him that it wasn't ranch dressing for salad but the dry mix. He gave me the go ahead to try it. 

I made it yesterday afternoon and then heated up individual portions once we got home. Rebecca ate before basketball, Jacob and Ben ate right after basketball. Bill ate closer to 8:30 when he stopped home for dinner and I ate around 8:30. 

Oh my word! It was so good! The boys each had 2 servings so I know they loved it. Rebecca asked me when I was going to make it again and Bill said I definitely need to add it to the menu again. So I say it is a definite keeper! 

Anyone else trying new recipes? Care to share?

Other new recipes in 2018 that I have tried: 

Crockpot Minestrone

Applesauce Banana Muffins

Zucchini and Sweet Potato Hash

Pork Fried Rice
Light and Fluffy Pancakes
Insane Peanut Butter Cup Cake

Happy Homemaker Monday (2/19/2018)

Happy Monday! Happy President's Day!  The kids are home from school today. Unfortunately it is dark and raining yet again so we are kind of stuck inside. The weather this past week has been raining, raining,...oh and more rain. We had flood warnings on Friday and I wouldn't be surprised if they are reissued today as it is absolutely pouring outside. I just finished breakfast so figured I would take some time to join in with the Happy Homemaker Monday theme hosted by the lovely Sandra over at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom: 

The Weather::: Rainy! It is pouring down outside right now. Supposed to be 70 and cloudy tomorrow, then more rain on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. Ugh.

Right now I am::: sitting at the kitchen table typing this up. Jacob is watching a football game replay on TV. Benjamin is coloring a puzzle and Rebecca is in the living room drawing. Bill is at work.  

Thinking::: I am thinking about what projects that I would like to get done today. I got a ton of housecleaning done yesterday so today it will be more like dusting, clipping kids' fingernails, etc.  

    
On my reading pile:::

On my TV::: I have been watching the Olympics with the kids. We also watched "Cars 3" on Friday night on Netflix. It was the second time we watched it last week!   

My simple pleasure::: Flowers from my hubby

On the menu for this week:::

Monday - Chicken pasta bake (a new recipe)
Tuesday - Italian sausage, macaroni and cheese, green beans
Wednesday - Whole chicken in the crockpot, stuffing, broccoli

Thursday - Sloppy Joes, corn, pineapple
Friday - Fish fillets, baked potatoes, veggie of some kind
Saturday - Pizza and fruit
Sunday - ??? Not sure yet

On my to do list:::

For today: cut kids' fingernails, dust, finish up laundry, Ben to speech, all 3 kids have basketball practice

Tuesday: Kids to school, babysit A,  walk?, Rebecca to AHG 

Wednesday: Kids to school, babysit A, tutor I, trash and recycling out

Thursday: Kids to school, babysit A, Battle of the books meeting with team, tutor N, S and N

Friday: Kids to school, Grocery store and Walmart, walk?

Saturday: basketball games for all 3

Sunday: PSR, church, Battle of the Books scrimmage

Looking around the house:::

It looks pretty good. After being on the go last week, I took yesterday afternoon to get some stuff done that had been overlooked. Bathrooms got cleaned, bedrooms got picked up, upstairs got swept, steps got swept, most laundry got done. Today I just need to dust and do the last load of laundry.   

From the camera:::

We took advantage of it not raining or snowing yesterday to go walk. The river was pretty high. 

On my prayer list:::

My hubby as he continues taking steps to start a new career. For those who don't have shelter during this gross weather.   

Bible verse, Devotional:::

Source

 Here's to a great Monday and good start to everyone's week!