Peanut meet snow

We got our first snowfall that actually stayed on the ground, on Tuesday last week. About an inch.

J took Peanut out to explore.

She wasn't too sure about it.

Then she licked it...and hasn't stopped licking it yet.

On Wednesday we got even more snow (now about 4 inches). She was really unsure of that - most of her legs were covered. She did not want to squat and do her business. Plus she was too busy licking it. When it rains she licks the ground. Now she licks the snow. Yes we give her enough water :)

After her hopping from leg to leg and shivering, I took her back inside to put her booties on. She doesn't much care for these, but seemed to tolerate them since her feet were no longer as cold.

I can't wait to see what happens when it REALLY snows :)

Clean out the fridge pasta

Since I have joined Weight Watchers, I have been trying to eat more veggies. So I have been creating some veggie-full dishes.

This the meal I created the other night.

Ingredients
Shrimp (what I had left in a bag in the freezer)
Whole wheat pasta (what was left in the box :))
broccoli (1 head cut into small pcs)
mushrooms (3 or 4 large sliced)
onions (1 small diced)
roasted red pepper (couple strips out of a jar)
seasoning salt
pepper
dash of cayenne
olive oil

Sauce
cottage cheese
garlic
Parmesan cheese
milk


I steamed the broccoli.
In a fry pan, I sauteed the onion til translucent, then added the mushrooms and roasted red peppers. Once the broccoli was done (still crisp), I added it to the fry pan. And a tsp of chopped garlic and seasoning.

I then got the water boiling for the whole wheat pasta.
In my mini food processor, I added a couple tablespoons of 1% cottage cheese, a tsp of chopped garlic and a couple tsps of parmesan cheese.
I whizzed this up and then added a splash of milk to make it creamier.
Note: I then microwaved this to warm it up - bad idea - it completely separated and got real weird - I still used it though.

Once the veggies were cooked and the pasta was on, I added the shrimp to the fry pan.

It only needs a few minutes to cook the shrimp.
When the pasta was done, I drained it and then mixed in the sauce.

I plated the pasta and then topped with the shrimp veggie mixture.

Even though the sauce went wonky on me, it still tasted fine.

This made enough for lunch the next day.

Afterward, I though I should have added some feta cheese, fresh chopped tomatoes or even sliced green olives. Well there is always next time :)

GONNA BE A BEAR

Gonna be a bear

In this life I'm a woman. In my next life, I'd like to come back as a bear. When you're a bear, you get to hibernate. You do nothing but sleep for six months. I could deal with that.

Before you hibernate, you're suppose to eat yourself stupid. I could deal with that too.

When you're a girl bear, you birth your children (who are the size of walnuts) while you're sleeping and wake up to partially grown, cute, cuddly cubs. I could definitely deal with that.

If you're a mama bear, everyone knows you mean business. You swat away anyone who bothers your cubs. If your cubs get out of line, you swat them too. I could deal with that.

If you're a bear, your mate EXPECTS you to wake up growling. He EXPECTS that you will have hairy legs and excess body fat.

YUP, GONNA BE A BEAR

Random Memories

I remember when I was little, maybe around 6, going to some type of outdoor market with my father. I remember bushel baskets of apples and other fruits and vegetables all around. I had on a light jacket, so it was either spring or early fall.

I found a metal pole and was merrily swinging around it (you know, one hand holding the pole and then leaning out and swinging around).

My father walked by and I grabbed hold of his hand. I skipped along watching the ground. I don't know if it is all kids or just me, but I was always looking at the ground and not where I was walking. I walked into a street pole once, but that is another story.

Suddenly, a familiar voice barked out my name loudly. I froze. I quickly looked up at the stranger whose hand I was holding, and all in one motion, dropped it and ran back to my father.

I got a bit of a scolding from my Dad to pay more attention. At the time I think I was more upset because my Dad was upset, not out of fear of the stranger.

Thinking back on it, I wonder if that stranger was just another Dad that was used to little hands grabbing his and thought nothing of it. Or did he realize I didn't belong to him. How far would he have walked with me had my father not noticed? Did I simply grab his hand? Or did he put it out to me? I like to think that he was as surprised as I was. I like to think the world was more innocent back then. I guess we will never know.

I'm just glad my father was paying more attention then I was.

Frugality is now fashionable

Have you noticed how mainstream being frugal has become?

Because of the type of work I do, I often go months without working. I have learned to put money aside for those times and also to be frugal and make that money last as long as possible.

I have practiced frugality for a very long time. Now due to the economy, many people are following suit.

Frugal websites are popping up all over the Internet, whereas before, I had to really dig to find some decent ones.

It is now hip to be frugal :) Cool.

Here are some frugal things I now do out of habit:

• Use half the laundry detergent required - my clothes always come clean.
• Cut dryer sheets in half - and I buy the store brand which is cheaper.
• I stock up on sale goods that we use often.
• I add a bit of water to both my shampoo and my body wash.
• Lights get turned off when not needed.
• We keep the temp low in winter and dress warmly (we have a bigger house to heat now too).
• I wear outer (pants and tops) clothes more than once if not dirty. I'm still working on this concept with my son - if he changes his shirt midday - he tosses it into the laundry.
• I do my best to use up leftovers or freeze them for later.
• I always look at prices - my husband has to pay more attention to this - he came home with a (very) small loaf of bakery bread that cost $5 dollars last week!
• I dilute any cleanser that I can.
• I buy fabric at thrift stores for my sewing projects.
• I buy clothes at thrift stores.
• We have replaced all regular light bulbs with compact florescent ones.

I am sure if I thought about it, I would probably come up with several more.

What are some of things you do (or are planning to start doing) to be frugal or save a few bucks?

Random Babbles

I apologize for not posting more often. I think I have blogger block - either that or my life is just really really boring right now.

At my weigh-in on Tuesday evening I was up 2.4 lbs. I'm not sure why, I pretty much did the same as I did the week before. However, once I got home that night I realized I had forgotten to take my blood pressure meds that morning - it contains a diuretic and could account for why I had extra water weight.

I have been doing my best this week and I think I am down 2 of those pounds - only one more pound and it will count as an actual loss for me :)

Out of the blue today, while grocery shopping, the word badminton popped into my head. And then along with it, my annoyance with the way some Americans pronounce it. While on vacation in Bahamas many many moons ago, my sister and I befriended several people from Buffalo. They asked if we wanted to go play batmittin. My sister and I didn't have a clue what they were talking about until the described it to us.

It is pronounced bad min ton.....not bat mittin! Sheesh.

Another often mispronounced word that drives me batty (oh it really really does! I'm weird that way) is centimeter. I have often heard it pronounced (on childbirth TV shows) as sonometer. What the heck is a sonometer?

And it makes me wonder....why do they even use centimeters to describe dilation when they haven't adopted the metric system in the US. I guess it would sound weird to hear that a woman is fully dilated to 3.9370079 inches.

When I first met my husband, he used to pronounce Michigan as Mitchegan. He no longer does that - I fixed it :) There is no T in Michigan.

Ok I'm on a role, yet another thing that bugs me (are you feeling a theme here?) is when someone incorrectly says a common phrase. Such as "You have another thing coming". The actual phrase is "You have another THINK coming"

You usually start the sentence with "If you think.....then you have another think coming". Similar to "Think again"

I am sure if I thought long and hard about it, I could probably come up with more (it really is a weird pet peeve of mine).

So do you have words/phrases you hate to hear butchered...um mispronounced?

Camping Supplies

I know it is almost winter, so what am I doing thinking about camping right? Well, to get a decent spot at Provincial parks in Canada you really do need to book early - they fill up fast.

Before the kid was born, DH and I used to camp most weekend each summer. We had a couple Rubbermaid totes filled with all all our camping gear that we just threw in the car each weekend. Then when kiddo came along, the list of items required about tripled, so we stopped going.

I would really like to get back into camping. we had planned to go this past summer, but somehow just never got around to it.

We have most of the camping gear we need, but if there is anything we don't have, we will definitely find it at Adventure Gear.

This mosquito net looks pretty cool. There is nothing worse than a mosquito buzzing around you at night is there?

This place literally has pretty much everything you would ever need for camping or outdoor adventures.

They also have some really cool watches.

If you just aren't into camping, many of the items found at Sierra Adventure Gear would make great gifts for all those hard to buy for men in your life.

Check it out!

Too funny

While I am pretty sure this fake, it is still funny. Borrowed from http://uncommonpics.com.

Click pictures to see larger image.


This one is from Engrish.com - I can spend hours there (and have) way too funny!



An some from LOLCATS


more animals



more animals


more animals


more animals

And from LOLDOGS


see more puppies


see more puppies


see more puppies


see more puppies


see more puppies

Hi I'm still alive

I have been having blogger block. Have nothing to blog about. Can't think of anything...nadda.

The diet this week is not going as well as last week. Doing pretty much the same thing but I think I gained a pound. My body has decided it doesn't like to lose weight - after one meesly week! I've not giving up, but I don't expect much from tomorrow's weigh in.

I have been Stumbling the interweb this evening (finding ALL kinds of cooking websites with delicious looking food that is making dieting difficult...I should probably stop that huh?).

Anyway, this is one site I found that I found interesting? weird? both?

Canned bacon - they'll put anything in cans these days!


I read another couple books recently.

All we ever wanted was everything by Janelle Brown.
A decent book, easy to get into and held my interest. I little predictable at times, but I'd still recommend it.

The Bone Garden by Tess Gerritsen.
A woman finds a skeleton in her garden. Flipping between 1830 and current day, the mystery of whose body it is, unfolds. Easy read, lots of details, lots of twists in the plot. I'd recommend it.

Until next time :)

Weight Watcher's Weigh In

I had my first Weight Watcher's weigh-in tonight...


I lost 6.4 lbs...not bad for noshing on a few Halloween chocolate bars this week.

Usually the first week is water weight and somewhat easier to lose. Let's see how it goes next week.

I didn't find the Core program too difficult at all really. I didn't eat much bread because it isn't core...I have to count the points of any I do eat. I had half a whole wheat tortilla twice - that is it for bread.

I am supposed to cut out sugars as well, but I can't do artificial sweeteners (they do strange things to me) so I have been counting my 2 sugars in my coffee (1 point) and the honey in my tea (1 point).

I have to come up with more creative dinners, I am already getting sick of chicken breasts.

And does anyone have and good veggie side dishes that aren't smothered in butter? I'm not a big fan of salads in the winter either - I need warm/hot veggie dishes.

Another good thing is that my rings now fit properly again. Since the summer, I had been taking them off often as they were getting too tight and leaving them off for several days. They actually feel odd now since I have had them off for so long.

Halloween & Stuff

My son dressed as a zombie again this year - hey the costume still fit so why not?

Here is last years' version. The make-up and blood was slightly different.



We tried to dress Peanut up as well - she had a frayed T-shirt on but did not much care for it. Plus all the people out at night freaked her out - I ended up carrying her home.

After almost 2 hours of trick or treating we came home and shelled out to kids for another 45 mins or so.

Then after J ate a bunch of junk (yes I had a few chocolate bars - not the 20 I usually have, just a few), I scrubbed J's face clean and he and Peanut got comfy on the couch.

They are both lil angels while sleeping :)




I have been doing pretty well on my diet so far. No major stumbles (other than the few Halloween candy). We have put all that is remaining away so I won't be tempted - out of sight and all that.

I am finding doing Weight Watcher's Core program much easier then some of the others I have previously tried, such as Atkin's or South Beach - both of which restrict or remove specific foods from your diet. With The Core - you can pretty much have anything - things like sugar or bread, simply have to be counted towards your weekly allowance. This time it doesn't seem to be a struggle.

I'll update you after my first weigh-in on Tuesday.