Doing a Little Happy Dance!

Just a quick post to let y'all know that I won yesterday's little treat over at Unity Stamp Co.'s Hip Hop Thursday Blog Hop....yeah!...yep, doing a little Happy Dance here! If you haven't joined Unity for their Thursday Blog Hop and Chit Chat in the Unity Forum over at SCS - you have to make a point to get there next week.

Every Thursday, the Unity DT hosts a blog hop showcasing some great artwork...cards, projects, pages...I add so many of them to my Idea File each week. Plus there are prizes! Leave a comment on the last stop on the hop and you have a chance to win Unity goodness each week - plus, if you join the chit chat in the Forum there are even more giveaways ($300 worth a week if I am not mistaken!)

So, I was the lucky winner of the treat for posting a comment on the last stop and I won the Mix up of Cuteness Stamp Set - I can't wait to get my hands on it and ink it up:

Isn't this set the cutest? The pic is linked to Unity Stamp Co.'s website, so click on it if you want to see more great designs.

Have a great weekend!

Tracy

Still holding

Hello! With Monday being a holiday, my week has been topsy turvy and a bit of hectic. So funny how one day can throw off a whole schedule. Anyhoo..I have returned for a Thin Thursday update with some Monday Mojo and Wildcard Wednesday all mixed in....bear with me.

First, I was trolling my Twilight sites this morning and found this great spoiler (although it really isn't a spoiler if you actually have read and love the books). Some crafty fan set filming pics to music of the fountain/plaza scene in Italy. It is really quite well done and makes me ever more excited about the New Moon movie. You can watch the montage by clicking here. Oh, and the official movie trailer comes out in 4 days! Yeah!

Ok - so now onto my weekly update with the battle of the bulge. I want to thank those that made kind comments last week - you really motivated me knowing that others are struggling, have struggled and are interested in my struggle. Some how it makes it easier for me to stay on track when I think others are holding me accountable for it. I know, I know, I should be doing it for me (which in reality I am) but any mind games I can play help.

So where am I? Well I weighed in this past Saturday and surprisingly stayed the same. I say surprisingly because I fully expected a large weight gain and was ready to start over. But now, I can just move forward. I have been pretty focused this week, but it has been hard. We had 2 picnics this past weekend, I was stressed out (which causes me to eat) yesterday and a retirement party tomorrow. Things have been pretty much focused around food that I don't have control over, but overall, I feel that I have done very well - after all, this isn't a diet, this is a lifestyle change and if I plan on staying thin (when I get there) with my lifestyle, then I should learn how to loose the weight with it...because the lifestyle is not going to change. I weigh in again on Saturday, so stay tuned for updates next week.

And finally, a little bit of Mojo Monday (just 4 days late). I made up these cute little cards the other day. See below my sig for the products used.

Oh - and don't forget to check out the Unity Stamp Co. Blog Hop today. That is my dose of weekly inspiration every Thursday, the DT is a talented bunch of ladies. Start the blog hop by clicking here.

Thanks for stopping by!

Tracy

Products used: Patterned Paper/Cardstock - CTMH Let's Get Together My Reflections Kit, Stamps - CTMH Cottage Floral, Say it in Style. Embellishments - Ribbon, Brad (CTMH Garden Green Bigger Brad).

Therapy Thursday

First, I will apologize as this post might get long as I start to rant and rave, but I will do my best to keep it short and sweet. I have been having a bit of a hard time thinking of something to actually write for Therapy Thursday as my intent was not to have a b*tchin' session going on each week. So, I figured, I would have my own sense of Therapy and share with you a long journey that I am on....my weight loss journey, so for the time being, Therapy Thursday will be Think Thin Thursday and we'll see if confessing my problems with food each week to, for the most part, strangers will help me along this journey that has seemed to take a permanent detour south. I will try to keep this as witty and fun to read as possible, and I do hope you come along for the ride, for my own selfish reasons, as I think I might actually finally lose the weight if others are waiting for me to do it.

So let's start at the beginning. I have never been the skinny kid - ever, but I wouldn't consider myself obese either (although medically I do fall into that category...ugh! that should be enough). I am tall, and hide the weight well (years of practice), but weight has always been an issue with me. I can remember as a kid being in the locker room before swim team practice and the other girls laughing at how many rolls I had (they weren't skinny minnis either) or the time the older girls up the street were calling my little sister Lovey and I answered and their response was "we said Lovey, not Tubby." I have been on every diet conceivable since I was old enough to remember and it seems that my weight is everyone elses concern, which is why I think I have such a hard time just loosing it...there is a lot of baggage there.

I have been a member of Weight Watchers for 2 years now and was doing rather well, until I fell off the wagon. Recent comments by my children who thought I should go on the Biggest Loser - or my son who said I was pretty but out of shape, have reaffirmed my commitment to this journey. I do have to say that my husband has never said a word about my weight, but did refer to me once as a "larger woman" - yikes. So now, I am taking you all along with me. I am not brave enough to post my current or goal weight (ok, I do have some pride), but I will tell you that I have 45 pounds left to loose. I go to meetings on Saturday morning, but will post on Thursdays as I will be able to update you on how my week is going.

I would love feedback - positive, negative, etc. I am putting this whole journey out there to shame me into finally loosing this weight. I want to be thin, for health reasons, family reasons and frankly vanity reasons - I want to be hot! - but I love food and have a problem controlling myself around it. I have tried loosing for me, my kids, my husband, my parents...but I always go back to my old habits. So now I am going to try opening up my personal pain to strangers and going public to see if being accountable to my readers will make a difference...you know what, I think it will, and that is all that matters.

So thank you all for reading - and wish me luck.

Tracy

Tasty Tuesday...Gearing up for Memorial Day Picnics!

Happy Tuesday everyone! Here I am again this week with some tasty treats for you. I apologize for skipping Mojo Monday, but frankly my mojo has no time to go! I have so many crafty ideas kickin' around in this big head of mine, but finding time (that I am actually awake or able to function) to put them to use is very limited these days, we are so busy! I can say though that I do have some ideas for Wildcard Wednesday and Therapy Thursday, so stay tuned and I promise, the scrappy postings will reappear soon.

For your tasty treat today, I have recipe for y'all to bring to your Memorial Day picnics this weekend. I hesitate on using the word celebration or party, because Memorial Day is actually not a celebratory holiday, it is an observance of those who have given their lives for our country, our freedom and a tribute to all those who are currently serving our country. To observe the day with family and friends is a wonderful tribute, sharing with our loved ones as we remember those who have paid the ultimate price for our ability to do so.

Alright, that was a slight diversion, but it is my blog and well, that is how I feel...so on to the tasty treat...throw out that recipe for boring old potato salad with mayo and enter...

Loaded Baked Potato Salad

Serves 20 Prep 15 min Cook 1 Hr

7 lbs baking potatoes

Extra Virgin Olive oil (for brushing)

2 lbs vacon, cut crosswise into 1 inch pieces

2 sticks (1/2 lb) butter, softened

2 pints sour cream

Salt and pepper

1 bunch scallions, thinly sliced

1 pound cheddar cheese, shredded

1. Preheat oven to 400 deg. Pierce potatoes with a fork; brush with oil. Bake until tender, 1 hour. Let cool, then cut into bite-sized pieces.

2. In skillet, cook the bacon until crisp, about 10 minutes. Drain.

3. In a large bowl, combine the butter and sour cream, season with salt and pepper. Stir in the potatoes, bacon, scallions and cheese. Serve at room temperature.

(recipe from Rachael Ray Magazine...Rachaelraymag.com )

Got to go fold some laundry...so until tomorrow,

Tracy

Therapy Thursday and some scrappy goodness!

Yeah! I can finally say that I finished a layout! Well, not the first this year, but the first in a while. Finding time to escape and actually scrapbook has been quite a challenge lately. This project has been on my table all week and I have been pecking away at it when I have a few spare moments - I was able to put the finishing touches on it this afternoon.





One of my goals for 2009 was to complete 100 layouts...don't think that is going to happen - but it is still early on in the year. I also have been trying to use up my stash as it has overtaken my little scrapping area and is overflowing everywhere! Sometimes that just seems to hinder my creativity, so I am creating with what I have. The papers, buttons and inks are all CTMH {colors are sweet leaf, vineyard Berry, Cocoa, Colonial White, patterned paper is from Emporium Level 2 Paper Packet (Tulip) and Life Delights Memory Album Kit (Green)}, plus the cute little Creative Clip that I covered with paper and attached a Doodlebugs Charm to. I have also changed the way I scrap. I am playing catch up (aren't we all) and I was trying to go by year, now I just scrap what I want, when I want - or when I find a layout I really want to use - case in point with this one, I saw this layout in CK and had to case it - I changed it a bit (to make it mine), but loved the colors and a few other details...thanks CK for the inspiration!

So Therapy Thursday is all about well, therapy....getting it all out, putting it down and sorting it through...I guess, but I am not ready to go there yet. Yep, I get my therapeutic groove going in many ways...creating, bottles of wine, bubble baths, a clean home, my fav tv shows on DVR, spending time with my kids and my husband. Tonight I had some great Therapy time. It was pizza and a movie night. I snuggled in with the kids, some homemade pizza (we all get exactly what we want on it), a glass of wine and a movie...Beverly Hills Chihuahua. We ate, snuggled and laughed...you know, laughing really is good therapy and brings you closer to those you love. It really was what I needed...and last night, I got my me time, an hour and a half of peace...no kids, no husband, I unplug the phones, take a warm bubble bath with a big glass of wine and a good book...so my therapy this week has been completed, I am recharged, reconnected and ready for the weekend! Yeah!

So, I made it - 3 days in a row. I may post this weekend, but if not, fear not, I will be back on Monday with Mojo Monday.

Til next post -

Tracy

Wildcard Wednesday

Hello and welcome to Wildcard Wednesday!

Today I have a Project 365 posting for you and a few updates.

Ok - I can't really call what I have done Project 365 because I have been pretty bad on actually taking the pics every day. I have excuses though (of course) in the beginning of the year I hated my camera so I bought a new one, now I don't really know how to use the one I have. I am getting better, and so is the frequency of my pics. I snapped this one the other day while playing with the camera - I actually love how it came out (although if I could just figure out Photoshop). It so captures my children's love of Wii, their favs right now...Lego Indiana Jones and Lego Star Wars.

I have two more pics to share as we celebrated a birthday last week (5/7). My baby boy turned 7 - I can't believe how fast time flies...he will always be my baby boy though, no matter how old he gets, although he didn't agree when I asked if he would turn 5 instead of 7...oh, well, I tried.

As family tradition, we took him out to dinner on his birthday - the birthday boy/girl chooses the place (the only rule is the resturaunt cannot have toys with the meals). He choose, Opa Opa Steakhouse (they ordered Kraft mac & cheese..go figure). He wanted to sit on the saddle, wear the cowboy hat and have his pic on the wall....

and...on 5/9 we had his kid birthday party at Amelia Park Children's Museum. What a great party, basically I did nothing...just set up tables, no entertaining, no cleaning...it was great. He wanted a Star Wars theme party, but after searching the only 5 stores in the area that carry party stuff, I could not find any Star Wars themed goods. So I opted for the balloon and a special guest....

The look on his face was worth the $1 store blue plates that I had to settle for. It is nice to have cousins who are young at heart and eager to please the little ones.

Thanks for stopping by...I will be back tomorrow with Therapy Thursday and maybe a little crafty goodness. I have been at the picking away at a layout when I find a free minute and hope to be able to share soon.

Take care and enjoy your day.

Tracy

I'm back with Tasty Tuesday

Happy Tuesday everyone! In keeping with my original intentions (ummm weeks ago...) Tuesday means I am bringing you some YUM! I do apologize for my absence, life kind of got in the way...but I am back and committed to posting at least Monday - Thursday. Thanks to my wonderful friend Sarah, Monday will be Mojo Monday....so expect some crafty goodness on Mondays - and I will spatter it throughout the week too - if my schedule allows (ha! ha!). I guess I inspired Sarah to post often too as she will be joining me on my themed posts - so check her out here, she is a great scrapper, stamper, mom, wife and friend - just a wonderful person all around.

Now - on to the YUM factor. I have years (really years...like 8 of them) worth of Cooking Light Magazines in my closet. They are arranged by year and I have tried many of the recipes, but frankly there isn't really any reason for me to have all that clutter (that is just the tip of the clutter iceberg too!). In an effort to make my home clutter free I started going through the magazines, trying the recipes, saving what I need and recycling the rest of the magazine. I figured I would go through by month so I am working on March (done), April (almost) and May so that I am cooking for the season.

Today's recipe is from Cooking Light, April 2003. The recipe is quick and easy and has earned its spot into my recipe rotation (great for busy nights!)

Asian Pork Medallions

I served it with white rice and steamed sugar snap peas and baby carrots.

Yield - 4 servings (serving size: 2 pork medallions and 1 tablespoon sauce)

Ingredients -
Cooking spray
1 pound pork tenderloin, trimmed and cut crosswise into 8 pieces
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon bottled minced garlic
1 tablespoon bottled ground fresh ginger
2 teaspoons dark sesame oil
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons orange marmalade
1 teaspoon low-sodium soy sauce

Preparation -
Heat a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Sprinkle pork with salt. Combine garlic, ginger, and oil in a large bowl. Add pork; toss to coat. Add pork to pan; sauté 3 minutes on each side or until done. Remove pork from pan; keep warm.
Add water and remaining ingredients to pan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 3 minutes. Spoon sauce over pork.
Click here for Nutritional Info or to print out the recipe.

I hope you enjoy!

Stay tuned for Wildcard Wednesday tomorrow -

Tracy