A Ladybug's Journey

We started our own tradition tonight, going to a movie on Easter.  We saw G.I. Joe: Retaliation.  I loved it, maybe better than the first, though I was a little disappointed towards the start of the movie.  Anyhow, here's some pics! =) G.I. Joe: Retaliation Movie Date! (He never smiles) Our ticket stubs.

Holiday's are always a hard time for me to be away from my family.  While we aren't a particularly close family, we did always come together around holiday's and spend time together.  Being 3000+ miles away obviously inhibits that from happening. An Easter tradition in my immediate family is to go to Swenson's for lunch.  This started when my sister Kristina would give up ice cream for lent, and then want only the best on Easter when she could indulge again.  Not sure if they are doing it this year, but I wish I was there to make sure they did!  My favorite lunch from there is the sourdough cheeseburger, it's crusted grilled using a parmesan spread that's to die for!  Their fries are also amazing... thick cut steak house style fries, that my family always leaves to eat with our ice cream.  There's just something about the soft potato inside and the crispy fry exterior mixed with the sweet ice cream that's a match made in heaven.  Oh...

I usually dread going to the doctor - like the plague.  I think most people do, but for those who are overweight it's a unique kind of torture.  If it isn't bad enough feeling bad about yourself and your weight problems, you have a health care professional preaching about how much weight loss would improve your quality of life.  For some people hearing this once is enough to snap them out of it and they turn themselves around... this does not happen to most people. I've always been told about my family history, about my young age, about options (medical and otherwise), and I made excuses, and lied about what I had been trying, and eventually would just switch doctor's, or stop going all together for a while. Last May I decided to stop hiding from the doctor's and to start going whenever they told me to, however often they told me to.  I have a doctor that I officially 'belong' to, but I don't actually see him. In stead I see a nurse practitioner who ...

I did it, I tried to make vegetable soup again... and I LOVED it!!! Okay, it's not the famous 0 P+ WW soup, but it is a 3 point soup, and I loved it.  Baby steps here, right? I used olive oil, an onion, two carrots, a potato, a parsnip, diced tomatoes, spices and beef broth.  It was amazing, and I've eaten it twice since last night.  Oh, and it was fast AND easy!  What could be better? Well, not being sick, that could be better.  I got sick on Sunday and haven't been able to shake it.  The soup helped though, a lot. Back to resting and trying to get better... getting in my servings of fluid for sure today!  =)

I'm (usually) one of those pinners who says "that's awesome!" and then never does anything with their pins.  I've tried a few recipes and saved a ton of stuff for later, but I just haven't gotten around to most of them. There was one pin in particular that really stuck with me.  I originally pinned it over a year ago: (Still looking for original source for pic) A few months ago I created my jars, and I've been using them since the start of January. It wasn't until last night though that I added the words and they were officially done. I also added a hidden motivator: As I loose weight there will be a 'hidden' message revealed through the back of the jar.  Can you read backwards to guess what it is? It's been great moving over a total of 19 stones from one jar to the other.  I can't wait until they even out, and then the Pounds Lost jar has the most stones in it!

I tried something new today and made mini taco shells out of wonton wrappers.  I used them to make yummy chicken taco's! =)   I took the wonton wrappers, sprayed one side with cooking spray and draped them over the edges of my Pyrex baking dishes.  I didn't spray the dishes, but next time I will, or spray both sides of the wrappers since they did stick a bit. I put them in a 400º F oven for about 10 -12 minutes.  About halfway done I rotated the Pyrex dishes around to try to get a more even color. When they seemed to be a nicely golden color I took them out of the oven and removed them from the Pyrex and onto a plate to cool. I topped each one with not-so-refried black beans (made black beans and then pureed with an immersion blender, same consistency without the added calories), guacamole, chicken, cole slaw mix (shredded cabbage and carrots), Mexican cheese and green onions.  This was absolutely amazing and I can't wait to make them gain on Tuesday...

Thursday at work there was a potato chip tasting going on.  Now, I am a self proclaimed potato chip addict, so I made it a point to not go in the room where the tasting was going on, however when some were brought out to us, I couldn't resist but try a couple new flavors that caught my eye. The one that stuck with me the most was the one I thought I would hate.  I didn't.  It's a strange feeling eating something that you don't think you, or anyone, should like, and yet you can't stop eating them.  Well, "can't stop" means that out of a little Dixie sized up that was brought to 4 people to share, I went from a tiny crumb, to a small piece, to a whole chip.  Then they were gone, and I didn't have to worry anymore.  Until someone gave Jessy a small bag to take home.  He ate half, I ate half, recorded the points and they are gone.  But they are strangely good.  Very strangely. They are sweet, savory, have a hint of shake n bake, and ...