Happy happy birthday

It's official! My little stinker, Baby O, is one year old. She really liked getting her own cupcake! Her party went really well. I stayed up all night the Friday before and got up early Saturday morning. I had lots of help from family and friends. At 10:57 am, the party started. The decorations were pretty, the food was filling, and baby O had a great time. I decided to make her cupcakes this year. I originally planned on buying a cake, but I decided it would be much cheaper if I just made them myself. I made strawberry, chocolate with vanilla filling, and funfetti. Wal-Mart had some fun colored icing, and I thought they went well with the theme of a mad hatter tea party.

For the decorations, we made a ton of tissue balls. My sister-in-law got the idea off of pinterest. She helped me make all 523 of them. (I am kidding...mostly.) I bought a few tea kettles from the Beehive thrift shop down town. The tea cups and kettles were only 5 and 10 cents each. Bargain!

I also made pimento sandwiches (mayo, cheddar, and pimento), peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, pasta salad, corn salad, cheese dip, a veggie tray, and a fruit tray. Is it a southern thing to put mayo on stuff and call it salad? My buddy RunninRob made some pigs in a blanket, and my friend Leah made a 'snake' pinwheel. To go with the mad hatter theme, we had some sugar cookies with 'EAT ME' on them. Yes, I gave myself hand cramps writing out the words in pink glitter gel.

The whole party was wonderful! We are really lucky to be blessed with such great friends and family! I will leave you with a family picture from baby O's big day. Cheers!

Real quick update...

(I accidentally didn't press publish on this blog update from last Thursday! Whoops!)

I have been missing in action lately on the blog front. There have been quite a few things happening in my life, so I decided to do a quick update:

1. Baby O is turning one! We are having a big party this weekend, and I am trying to prepare for it. We are doing a mad hatter tea party. Here are some pictures of us getting decorations made:

I feel the need to make sure everything is perfect, since baby O is 1 and will obviously always treasure and remember her first birthday. Hubby C thinks I am nuts for doing all this, but he is wise enough not to say it. Hopefully everything will come together and it will be great. Pictures to come!

2. I finished the 10 day cleanse. I lost 4 pounds and felt great. I decided to continue avoiding flour, potato, and sugar in my diet. This Wednesday I weighed 164.6. Woohoo! Officially ten pounds down! I am excited to get to take ten pound progression pictures. I couldn't tell a big difference myself, but I was out to eat the other night and someone told me I was looking smaller. That comment made my night and made resisting the chips and salsa much easier.

3. I officially restarted the c25k program over since I haven't run in about 5 weeks. It is going well. I like the feeling of working out again. I am running a 5k in town on May 4. No falling off the wagon this time! RunninRob has been running with me, since she is trying to increase her speed. I think it is easier to have a partner. RR is also having a boot camp at the end of the month. I am hoping to participate!

4. Hubby C got into graduate school. Four hours away in North Arkansas. This means that we will be moving at the end of the summer. I am stressed about finding a new job, a new house, and someone to take care of baby O. I am also sad to be leaving all my buddies and job here! We are going on vacation after the party this weekend. I will update soon with birthday pictures and vacation pictures!

Cheers...it is almost the freakin' weekend!

Sugar, sugar..oh..honey, honey

Hello. My name is Linda, and I am addicted to sugar. I have been addicted to sugar my whole life. When I was a child, we didn't have candy around the house. My dad was a firm believer of 'sugar will rot your teeth.' Despite his best efforts, I was a very sneaky kid. If I wanted some sugar, I could find a way. I remember creeping into the kitchen to put a bunch of sugar on a slice of bread. Fold that thing up, and you have yourself a yummy sugar sandwich. I wonder if other people ever do this? My mom would also take me to the grocery store, and we would stop by sonic on the way home. We always got dipped cones, and we always had to finish them before we got home. I loved those trips with mom! Fast forward 20 years, and I still think about/dream about/obsess about sugar. I decided to do a cleanse to try to break my sugar habit.

I started the advocare 10 day cleanse last Monday. I am on day 7 today. The hardest part of the cleanse are the fiber drinks. They are very difficult to chug down. I have to stand by the sink and chase with sips of water to prevent gagging. They don't taste bad, but the texture is so awful. Think snot with sawdust in it. I was worried that the cleanse would have me running to the bathroom all day, but I haven't had any trouble yet. Along with the actual cleanse, I have been cutting out sugar, flour, and potatoes. Basically, I have been eating lots of fruit and vegetables, lean meat, and some dairy. I convinced hubby C to do the diet with me. It is so much easier to diet when your significant other isn't eating Cheetos and Hershey bars while you chew on carrots.

We tried a recipe for spaghetti squash casserole, which I stole from a blog I follow (Elle Noel). We both really enjoyed it! It was simple to make. I used two spaghetti squash, one pound of turkey meat, one onion, one jar of low sugar Ragu, and a little sprinkle of mozzarella cheese. Here is the finished product:

It looks a little different in a bowl (see below). The large purple/black things are Kalamata olives. I love them, hubby C does not...so I add them after cooking. He thinks they look like water bugs--I think they look tasty. (The olives, not water bugs.)

My goal for this month is to try to eat as little sugar as possible. I will weigh again this Wednesday to see my cleanse results. I have got to break this dependency on sweets! My start weight for the cleanse was 169.4. If you saw my last weigh in day the week before last, you know I was on a mission to lose back the pound I had gained. Well, I didn't lose that pound. Actually, I found his little friend and ate him, too. I intend to get back to working out tomorrow! RunninRob wants to do the c25k program to speed up her running time. I want to do the c25k program to be able to run/jog a 5k. We are supposed to meet tomorrow night to start the program. RunninRob completed her first half marathon today! That is 13.1 miles people! I hope everyone enjoyed their weekends. Here's to starting March on the right foot!

Liebster Award

Miss Bailey over at Bailey's Blog (http://baileywheeler.blogspot.com) nominated me for a Liebster award! I am very excited, because I don't ever win anything!! (I think everyone says that, but really I don't!) For the Liebster Award, the rules are...

Each blogger posts 11 random facts about themselves.

Answer the questions the tagger has set for you

Choose 11 new bloggers to pass the award to/nominate

Come up with 11 new questions to ask your nominees

Go to their page and tell them about the award.

No tag backs!

So, with no further ado...here we go!

 

11 Random Facts About Me

1. I like to eat things that are cold! Ice, ice cream, frozen pineapples, frozen grapes, Popsicles, snow cones...you get the idea.

2. I am addicted to the Food Network, HGTV, and DIY network. If I start a show, I have to finish it.

3. I read the end of a book while I am still reading the book...I can't help it! I have to know what happens!

4. I like to go fishing, but I don't like touching the worms. Or the fish. I think I am everyone's least favorite person to go fishing with.

5. I was a vegetarian for two years. My parents lived on a beef cattle farm in Texas.

6. I once got to compete at the State track meet while in High School.

7. Feet, spit, cotton balls, and pomegranates make me cringe.

8. I don't like to say the words moist and jello.

9. I like to bake sweets.

10. I bang my shoes out on the floor before I put them on. (Because I think there might be spiders in there!)

11. I hate the way subway smells. I feel like it sticks in my hair and clothes all day long.

 

Bailey's 11 Questions for Nominees:

 

1. Why do you blog?

I started this blog because I wanted accountability for my weight loss goals. I like having a journal/diary/captain's log.

 

2. What’s your favourite song right now?

Some Nights. Fun.

 

3. What’s your dream vacation?

I want to go to Egypt! I want to see the pyramids! I have been obsessed with going to Egypt since I was a wee little pipsqueak. 

 

4. What’s your favourite healthy snack?

Edamame! I like to eat food you have to work a little for...crab legs, edamame, sunflower seeds.

 

5. Where will you be 5 years from today?

Well, hubby C will be done with graduate school (he starts his MFA program in August). Baby O will be almost 6 (holy crap!) and will more than likely have a baby sibling.

 

6. Where were you 5 years ago today?

I was 22. I was about to start graduate school, living with hubby C and all our animals. 

 

7. Where did your blog name come from?

I thought it could mean losing weight and losing my mind. ;)

 

8. What’s your favourite activity?

Hanging out with Baby O and hubby C.

 

9. If you could move anywhere where would it be?

Hawaii! I am totally moving there when I win the lottery.

 

10. Do you have any pets?

Sam the dog and Sassy the cat.

 

11. What do you hope to accomplish this year?

New house, new job, lose some pounds, have some fun, travel.

 

And these are more questions I am supposed to answer...I think...

1. What was your most awkward date?

We once went on a date with another couple, and they got into a huge fight at the restaurant. She left. Awkward.

 

2. How did you spend this Valentine's Day?

At home with hubby C and baby O. We ate some dinner and watched tv. Hubby C got me some flowers and some chocolate coffee.

 

3. If you were the member of the opposite sex, what would you have people call you?

Bob.

 

4. Where is your favorite place to buy workout clothes?

Old Navy

 

5. Have you ever smarted off to a teacher?

No! My parents raised me to be respectful of any person in authority. I always knew if I got into trouble at school, I would get a whoopin' once I got home. I was scared.

 

6. What is most likely to get you into trouble?

Speeding. I hate being in the car!

 

7. What do you like most about yourself?

My calves.

 

8. I need new music, sooooo what's your favorite jam?

Shake it off by Florence and the Machine is my favorite running song. It IS hard to dance with the devil on your back.

 

9. Do you have any jokes?

No.

 

10. What is the most hideous thing, in your opinion, that people wear?

I hate seeing people's drawers hanging out of their pants....especially when they aren't clean drawers....

 

My Questions for people:

 

1. What is your favorite place to eat?

2. Which television show couldn't you live without?

3. Read any good books lately?

4. What are your summer plans?

5. Pepsi or Coke?

6. I need a new recipe for a cake...any suggestions?

7. What other awards have you won?

8. What words do you most often misspell?

9. What is your biggest pet peeve?

10. What was your favorite memory growing up?

 

Thanks again to Bailey for nominating me!