DIY: Coasters

For teacher's Christmas presents this year, I decided to do something crafty as I had 4 teachers to buy for this year. I had seen
this craft on Pinterest, and thought I would try and make these beautiful handmade coasters.



Supplies you will need:
** 4x4 ceramic bathroom tile - I found these at Home Depot - very inexpensive, 31cents each.
** Mod Podge
** Acrylic Sealer - these were a bit more than I thought but for the amount you'll use, it'll last forever.
** Sponge brush
** Scrapbook paper, any print - I used Christmasy paper ;)
** Thin cork board - I found this at Michaels - was the most costly of all my items.

I didn't take many pictures while I was making them, but it really is an easy craft the steps will be pretty self explanatory.

STEP 1:
Take your tile and brush on the mod podge - cover the entire tile with the glue.
STEP 2:
Place your pre-cut scrapbook paper onto the tile (I cut mine into 3 3/4" squares to leave a little bit of a tile border
STEP 3:
Brush another coat of mod podge over the entire tile/paper surface and allow to dry
STEP 4:
In a well ventilated area, spray a layer of acrylic sealer over the top of the tile/coaster. This will provide a shiny finish as well as make the coaster water proof for any spills or condensation from drinks, etc.
STEP 5:
When the coasters are dry, hot glue a 4" square of thin cork onto the bottom of the tile - to prevent any scratches on your furniture. I had read that you could also use felt for this, but I found it too hard to cut, so I stuck with the cork.

I made 6 sets of 4 coasters - 4 for the teachers and 1 set for each of our parents for Christmas. Everyone loved them - and it was nice to give something that was handmade with love.

Christmas 2011

This was such a wonderful Christmas! It was so one full of excitement and love. The kids are at the perfect age to be so excited about Christmas morning and Santa's arrival. And it was also one of firsts:

*It was the first Christmas that we got to see our beautiful 6 year old girl perform in the school Christmas concert. HoneyPie was part of the grade 1/2 choir this year and they were a part of a well-put together rendition of the Christmas Carol. They sang about 5 songs and there were a few that brought me to tears. "I'll Be Home for Christmas" and "I Wish for Peace" I could've been a blubbering mess seeing my little sweetie up on the stage, but I held it together well. We were so proud of her.

*It was the first Christmas that we got to see our handsome 3.5 year old boy perform in his preschool Christmas concert. It was adorable. They sang songs and acted out some little songs - Buddaroo's was "Five Little Snowman Fat (each had a funny hat...out came the sun and melted one...what a sad thing was that...down, down down, down) He did a great job. I am unable to post a picture of him at the concert as per the privacy policy of the preschool - but here is him just before we left for school. Unbelievably handsome!


*It was the first Christmas that we got to spend with our beautiful niece and cousin. AJB. Tim's brother and his wife welcomed their first baby, August 30th, 2011. Becoming an Auntie for the first time has been so very special. I love that little pumpkin so very much. And so do her cousins. It was so special to have AJB celebrate Christmas with us this year - she was our most special gift of all this Christmas.

And, it was the first Christmas that we spent with friends ice skating. Good friends of ours rent some ice for an hour on Boxing Day and invite friends and family for a fun skate. This was the very first time for Buddaroo on skates, the second for HoneyPie. She did pretty well...He wasn't so sure at first, and sat off with me for a while - but eventually wanted to try again and off he went. So proud of them. We have them signed up for skating lessons in January - they are so excited to learn to skate.

It was an amazing Christmas holiday. Christmas Eve here with DH's family...Christmas Day lunch at DH's parents, dinner her with my parents...Boxing Day with my Mom's side of the family....and lots of fun with the kids. We have both taken the full 2 weeks that the kids are off from school - so we are spending it spending quality time with each other. I am so very blessed to have such an amazing husband and 2 wonderful children to share this special holiday with.

Christmas Eve, 2011

The Month of the Mustache

Well, it is November again...which means it is the Month of the Mustache...the dreaded MOVEMBER

If you've been hiding under a rock and have missed the thousands of men sporting these hideous 'staches this is what Movember is all about:

From www.movember.ca: During November each year, Movember is responsible for the sprouting of moustaches on thousands of men’s faces, in Canada and around the world. With their “Mo’s”, these men raise vital funds and awareness for men's health, specifically prostate cancer.
On Movember 1st, guys register at Movember.com with a clean-shaven face. For the rest of the month, these selfless and generous men, known as Mo Bros, groom, trim and wax their way into the annals of fine moustachery. Supported by the women in their lives, Mo Sistas, Movember Mo Bros raise funds by seeking out sponsorship for their Mo-growing efforts.


Mo Bros effectively become walking, talking billboards for the 30 days of November. Through their actions and words, they raise awareness by prompting private and public conversation around the often ignored issue of men’s health.

At the end of the month, Mo Bros and Mo Sistas celebrate their gallantry and valor by either throwing their own Movember party or attending one of the infamous Gala Partés held around the world by Movember, for Movember.

2011 was the second year that my darling husband participated in this ugly yet very important fundraiser. I was so very proud of T last year - he organized a group of men at his office who raised over $10,000 through donations on their Mo-Space Pages, through raffles and a huge poker tournament with some awesome donated prizes.

Although I razz him 'very often' about his 'stache and remind him daily how more I like his beard....I am so very proud that he is taking part in this wonderful movement and raising money for such an important cause. Way to go, honey!!!!!

Starting Fresh

Hi Everyone,
I know it has been a really long time since I really blogged anything significant, but I wanted to share a new blogging adventure that I have started. In no way will it replace this one, as this is dedicated to the everyday life of this Mama.
Mama to 2 Little Monkeys Weighs In is going to follow my journey to get back on track and lose the weight I've put on since my last weight post...as well as the last little bit to get me to goal. I hope you'll join me over there, as well.
Thanks,
Hollie

♥

You are my soul mate,
my sweetheart,
you are my dream come true,
from now until the end of time,
I give my heart and soul to you.

SMILE?

Found this today on Caprice Crane's twitter:

When people tell you to "smile" they obviously don't realize they're making whatever it is 100% worse.

Definitely true!

♥ MY NANA ♥

Me, Jenn, Nana Christmas 2000 (I think)
Thelma Francis Whitworth b. December 22, 1920 d. July 23, 2002

9 years ago tomorrow, my wonderful Nana passed away. It was a very hard loss for my family as we all loved her so much - and she loved us all immensely. She passed away 53 days before my wedding...I was devastated. She was looking forward to all the celebrations - she loved Tim and was so happy that we were getting married. We lit a candle at our wedding to remember our grandparents who had left us (DH lost his paternal grandmother 9 days before our wedding, another sad loss so close to our wedding).

My Nana was wonderful. I loved being with her. Sleepovers at her apartment, making air popped popcorn and sitting on her balcony chatting away. She loved baseball, specifically the Blue Jays and any sports any of her grandchildren played. She was our biggest fan. She came with us a few years to our cottage - I remember so many fun outings - Funny Farm, Magnetawan, Lake Nippising and the Dionne Quints museum. Any time spent with her was special!

In 2008, on her birthday, two very scary things happened to our family. Around 530pm, I was at the door with one my daycare parents, when we heard a loud bang...Buddaroo had wriggled past our makeshift gate and rolled right down the stairs. He was 9.5 months old. He was fine, but I wasn't...I couldn't believe I had let that happen. Later that night, we headed to our Monday night bowling league. DH had had a couple beers so I drove home...As I was approaching a red light, I slid through the intersection after hitting a patch of ice. There was a ton of oncoming traffic...THANKFULLY, the lady approaching swerved ended up missing us. I was so upset. I cried for hours once we were home. I could've killed our family...and Buddaroo could've been badly hurt or worse by falling down the stairs...and then it hit me...It was Nana's birthday. She was our Guardian Angel! She saved Buddaroo and saved us all that night. People may think I'm silly for believing that...but...I don't care....

My Nana always used to pick up pennies she found on the street/sidewalks...my Mom now picks them up and believes that she is leaving them for her, to let her know she is still with her.
Last Saturday, my Mom's birthday, I went with my parents and sister to a show at the Casino in Niagara Falls. A great time until we almost got into a massive accident. A guy 2 cars ahead of us, slammed on his brakes to look at something - the guy ahead of us swerved to the right and we swerved to the left - thankfully there was enough shoulder for us to get over. We were all pretty shaken up - I said that my Dad has reflexes like a cheetah! Well...the next morning...what does my Dad find at the bottom of the car by the pedals...2 PENNIES! He swears that they were not there the day before...They recently got a new vehicle and it is still pretty tidy...so I think he would've noticed if there were pennies down there. My mom is convinced that she saved us all that night...and to be honest, I do, too. It's all just a bit too much not to believe it, don't you think? She is our Guardian Angel!

I think of her so often but tomorrow I will remember all the wonderful times we had together and thank her for being such an amazing Nana...for making my Mom the person that she is, I am so lucky to have her. And I am so lucky to have had 23 years with the most wonderful grandmother I could've ever asked for. I loved her with all of my heart...and even though the pain of her absence has gotten easier over the years...I still miss her immensely!





♥ YOU ARE MY MOST FAVOURITE MEMORY!!!! ♥

Hugh Jackman...in concert?

Last night, we had the opportunity to see Hugh Jackman in concert. He is performing a one-man show at The Princess of Wales theatre. DH's coworker had a bunch of tickets, so we joined 3 couples to see the show. Now, I must admit I was a bit skeptical when I received the e-mail asking if I wanted to go. Because, I'm sure like most of you...I only picture Hugh Jackman like this....



But, I was so pleasantly surprised by the show. Hugh Jackman was AMAZING. It is so wrong that this man can be so good looking and charming, and also be able to sing and dance and act with such skill.

The show was quite simple...Hugh, a 18 piece band, back up singers, a few projection screens showing some pictures and videos and lots of charm!

But what makes Jackman and his show so amazing is one word: TALENT! Man, he can sing. He ranged from songs by Gene Kelly and Fred Astaire to those by Peter Allen....he even entertained us with some hip thrusts and grinding while singing "Shake your booty" Performing songs ranging from classic to contemporary, he proved to have not only the voice, but the moves.

One of my favorite numbers was where Jackman rattled off Music Man‘s opening scene, I remember watching the movie with my Mom and loved the music...Hugh performed the song playing the part of ALL eight salesmen accompanied by the band’s drummer tapping out a quickening beat of a train rolling down the tracks. Jackman went through a solid two minutes of the opening number performing with a sense of humour and accuracy. It was a riot, as his back up singer Merle suggested he try a 2011 feel to it...it evolved from the class Music Man to the "Harold Mother-Effin' Hill, the music man" It was hilarious.

His show at the Princess of Wales in only on until July 17th, but if you can get there in the next couple days...definitely do it. It is 100 minutes of pure entertainment provided by an Australian hunk that is very easy on the eyes. ;)
An absolutely amazing night out with my hubby.

Wild Rose Herbal Detox - Day Twelve

Well, today was sort of a bust - I was good through the morning and lunch time - but then came the tour at the StoneyRidge winery - I had a bit of wine, some snacks and then later had dinner out with my parents, sister and another couple. Had a burger and fries - I'd been craving something junky - and I had it. Ugh, it was yummy but I definitely didn't feel great later on.
I'm going to try and eat healthier - but I don't think I will be able omit food groups like they suggest (i.e. carbs, dairy, sugar).

DH had an easier time of this detox - and was able to lose 8.5lbs. I only ended up losing 2. Which for me, isn't a good enough incentive to do this again. I really don't know. DH thinks he will do this twice a year...I'm not sure how I feel.
To be honest, I'm so glad we are:

Wild Rose Herbal Detox - Day Eleven

So...yesterday evening, I decided I was going to take the kids to the zoo today. There really wasn't a lot of time to plan my meals for a trip to the zoo. So, today was kind of a cheat day...
I was good in the morning and had my typical berry breakfast...I did not take my pills and such as I didn't want to be feeling off from the laxatives while wandering the zoo and not having bathrooms readily available.

We left here at about 8 and made really good time...my sister, Jenn came with us...we had a fantastic day. The kids had a ball and we loved seeing their excitement.

For lunch, my choices were Pizza Pizza or a BBQ joint...I chose pizza...and boy, was it yummy. I felt off soon after I ate, though, not sure if it was the food or the laxatives from last night...or a bit of both. But afterwards, I felt great....good enough to enjoy an ice cream...a Caramel Drumstick. They say after doing the cleanse to introduce the different food groups back into your diet one at a time...I failed that by adding "breads" and "dairy" and "sugar" Eeek!

For dinner I had chicken and a baked potato...and felt off again after dinner.

I spent the evening outside with the kids - them playing with the neighbours and us parents chatting. It was a great night. Missing DH, though.

Going to try my best to stay on track today - am going on a winery tour with my parents and sister and for dinner afterwards.

1 more day to go!

Wild Rose Herbal Detox - Day Ten

This morning, I woke up to DH's excitement. He has officially lost 8.2lbs in 9 days. Unbelievable. He really is doing great and looks great, too. I was so extremely happy for him and then I stepped on the scale. I am up 0.6 from yesterday. I don't understand. We are following the same plan. UGH! And "NO, I'm not cheating!!!!" I was really hoping I'd lose 5lbs on this cleanse, but it's not looking like it...I'm just in a bad mood now about this - but am going to stick out the next 3 days and see what happens.

Breakfast: strawberries, blueberries and peaches
Felt a bit more energetic this morning and did a good clean/tidy of HoneyPie's room and a little bit in Buddaroo's. Also feeling a bit emotional today. DH is away for the weekend at his boss' cottage...and is away next weekend on a golf trip...just feeling down that he is away 2 weekends in a row, I guess. Don't like it much when he is away.

Lunch: egg white omelet with peppers, tomato and pear. Are you getting sick of reading the same meals every day? I just don't know what to make for lunches. It's the easiest option, I think.

I think I will lay down today while the kids are napping - feeling pretty tired this morning. Just drained - physically and emotionally. I am looking forward to a fun night with the kids. So I want to be well rested and try and improve this sour/sad mood a little bit.

Dinner: Leftover rice, cucumbers and 1/2 an apple

The kids and I are going to watch the last half of Karate Kid (2010), have some popcorn and then have a sleepover in Mommy's bed. I'm thinking of taking them to the zoo tomorrow...we'll all be getting to bed early tonight to prepare for such a large adventure.

Goodbye Day 10...2 more days to go...and if I'm not down tomorrow...I'M GOING TO SCREAM! LOL

Wild Rose Herbal Detox - Day Nine

Well, Day Nine is almost over!
Nothing real interesting to report today...
Breakfast: Strawberries, Blueberries and Peaches
Lunch: Leftover rice from last night, with tomato slices and a pear

After lunch, I did feel a surge of energy and decided to clean the kitchen. Did some reorganizing, washed the floors, cleaned the counter tops, threw away all the old stuff from beneath the sink, things that I had been neglecting since starting the cleanse. I had just been feeling so tired and worn down that the housework had definitely been neglected. Hopefully, the energy will stick around so I can get a bit more done before our busy next week.

Dinner: Meatloaf (found a detox-friendly recipe online, Baked potatoes (in the oven), cauliflower and broccoli.
DH was sooo excited when he got home and saw that I had made a new recipe...and that it was meatloaf (one of his faves). It was so easy...and turned out amazing. I will definitely be making it again. There's a picture of it - forgot to take a pic before I started eating...oh well...still super yum!

I am so proud of DH...he is sticking to his plan so well. He started out at 256 and this morning he was 249.7 We were both so excited for his progress. I can really tell in his face...I told him that he has lost the 6.3lbs from his face. LOL So very proud of him!!!! But at the same time...am curious as to why I am only at 2.6lbs lost. I know...it's because he's a man...and men can just think about it and lose weight, as my friend Cheryl warned me. She told me not to compare myself to him and his progress, but it's so flippin hard. We are doing the exact same thing...just frustrating. Especially 'cause I want to get to goal so badly this summer. From this point (At WW 159.5)...I have 13.5lbs to go. 4.5 which I had already lost but gained back...so from here on out...it's healthy eating and I WILL get to goal in the near future!!!!

UPDATED: Just looking at my weight loss chart: On April 27th - I weighed in at 165.8 - officially having gained 10lbs of which was lost. So in 8 weeks, I have lost 6.3lbs by not really following the program to the fullest. So if I really follow it, I should be able to lose another 6lbs or more in the next 8 weeks. I am coming up to my 3rd year with WW at the end of August - crossing my fingers I'm at goal by then.

So on that note, I am off to bed early...day nine is over...3 more days to go.

Wild Rose Herbal Detox - Day Eight

So, this morning, while I was eating breakfast, I googled "Wild Rose Herbal Detox" just to read some more info on it -and what pops up...MY BLOG! Wow...#6 on the list. Cool =D

For breakfast this morning I had strawberries, blueberries and raspberries - and my mixture of pills and drops, of course. I sure am surprised how satisfying this breakfast is. Usually I would have a WW english muffin with margarine and a yogurt or some Quaker instant oatmeal with a yogurt. I am missing my english muffin...but the berries are a great substitute for breakfast. DH has been having an apple and a pear and he seems to be doing well with that, too.

My morning was OK - nothing interesting to report. For lunch, I made the usual lately LOL An egg white omelet with peppers, tomato slices and pear. It's so yummy. I wondered if I would get bored of it, but so far not yet. And I'm not missing dipping it in ketchup at all. Putting some extra veggies in it, I think helps. I wish I could put some mushrooms in there, though ;)
I still haven't felt the burst of energy they are claiming comes by this time...although I've been a bit more motivated to get things done around the house - definitely not as tired as the beginning of the cleanse.

Went to WW tonight - haven't stayed for a meeting in about a month, I think. I lost 1.7lbs last night - not as much as I'd hoped, but still good. I weighed in at 159.5 - I haven't been 159 since November so it felt really good to see the 150s on the scale again.
Came home and had dinner - As per DH's request, I made the chicken, rice and vegetables with the garlic and red pepper spices. It really is delicious. DH and I were talking about how we are really going to try and incorporate these healthy eating habits into our lives once the cleanse is over and how much we are enjoying the options that we have been eating. "Who are we right now?" is what I said to DH.

So - 8 days have passed and DH and I so proud of ourselves...both of us have not cheated at all on the cleanse and are excited by our progress. 4 more days.....

Wild Rose Herbal Detox - Day Seven

Busy busy day yesterday - didn't get a chance to blog about Day 7.
Nothing really to report about yesterday.
Breakfast: Strawberries and Blueberries
Lunch: Egg white omelet with peppers and sliced tomato
Dinner: cedar plank Salmon on the BBQ, grilled veggies and brown rice
This was the first time we made salmon on the BBQ - we left it on about 15 mins and it looked done, but when I cut into it, it was still a bit raw - so we threw it back on and left it a bit. We all were outside enjoying the sunshine, DH asked me to check on it - it was smoking like crazy - IT WAS ON FIRE! The cedar plank had caught fire a bit and the smoke was incredible - the garage door leading into the house was open, so all the smoke drifted into the house and set the smoke detectors off, like crazy! We had to open all the windows in the house to air it out - it's still a bit cedary in here this morning (Is cedary a word? LOL)
Anyway - despite the fire fiasco - the salmon was amazing! So tasty.
Snack: popcorn, from the popper - - we may stop buying microwave popcorn all together and just use the popper from now on. It's so delish.

So - day 7 is complete...only 5 more days to go.
Am feeling really glad that DH and I decided to do this.

Wild Rose Herbal Detox - Day Six

Well - 6 days done...and feeling OK. I've read online that around day 5-6 you get a burst of energy...I am definitely not feeling this. But, man, how great would that be? I don't think I've had energy in 6 years! LOL

For breakfast this morning, I had blueberries and some delicious strawberries (my daycare children had gone strawberry picking yesterday with their mom and they brought a big bag of them...YUM! THANK YOU AGAIN!) Surprisingly enough, this bowl of berries satisfied me for most of the morning - I was shocked that I wasn't starving by 10am.

Lunch, I had an egg white omelet with peppers and some sliced up tomato. So delish.

The day was pretty uneventful, so nothing really to report. I have been noticing a dull ache in my upper back off and on throughout the day; online it says that some people feel flu-like symptoms (i.e. achey). Maybe this is related to the cleanse?

Wasn't sure what I was going to make for dinner - wanted something quick and easy as HoneyPie had soccer tonight and I didn't want to spend a ton of time in the kitchen. I remembered we had some left over kebabs from yesterday, so I cut the pieces of chicken, beef, peppers and onions up and mixed it with some brown rice...added a bit of red pepper and garlic seasoning...it was AMAZING. DH LOVED it! I was worried it would be a lot like the vegetable fried rice, but with the spices I added - it added so much more flavour...just awesome.

Soccer tonight - I was sooo worried that my stomach would start acting up there - when there is no washroom available at the fields...the closest would be a drugstore across the street. I was so glad "I" didn't have to run over there. That is my biggest problem with this cleanse.

The food has been great - it has really shown DH and I where we were struggling with maybe some unhealthy choices - too many processed meals, etc. But the laxatives for me, just aren't ideal. I worry constantly about not being somewhere where I can get to a bathroom quickly - i.e. on the way to or from / at the school waiting for the kids, at a soccer game like tonight. It's just a real issue for me. Thankfully, I haven't had any real crazy problems...yet (touch wood, that I don't have any in the next 6 days)

We're halfway done...6 more days to go. DH is feeling good and is really happy with his progress on the scale. He was down 4.8lbs since Wednesday morning...I am down 2.6, I'll weigh in at WW on Wednesday night - I will definitely be happy with another loss this week =D

On to day 7...

Wild Rose Herbal Detox - Day Five

Sorry, I didn't get to post yesterday - it was a very busy day...being Father's Day, we had a lot going on and I didn't get a chance to sit down at the laptop all day. We had a wonderful day, breakfast at my Dad's, lunch and the afternoon at my in-law's trailer and the evening spent at DH's baseball game. A really great day spent with a group of amazing Dad's (and 1 Dad-to-be).

I woke up early and was really happy with my scale results this morning. I know that the weight I'm losing because of this cleanse may be hard to keep off once I introduce some of the banned foods, but it's really nice to see a lower number, making me think what I'm doing is actually worth it. I'm really going to try hard to keep the weight from creeping back on - DH and I have agreed to really make a change - to incorporate more healthy food options and cutting down on the many carb-foods we eat (i.e. the pasta that I LOVE so much)

I must admit, I was very worried about yesterday - being away from the house all day. Breakfast at my parents - we had scrambled eggs and fruit - was very yummy and really satisfying. We brought some chicken & beef kebabs to the trailer and had those with some grilled vegetables. DH and I both started to feel off at the trailer - and this was my biggest fear. Having to fight for one bathroom IN a trailer surrounded by our family - was rough! And of course, I had the worst experience so far. I really felt awful! It didn't last too long, thankfully...

We spent the evening at the ball park watching DH's game - the kids had a blast and it was so nice to be able to chat with the other wives/moms for a little while. Once we got home and got the kids to bed, DH and I snacked on some of our new yummy popcorn. He was super impressed with the popcorn from the popper...super good!
Anyway, that's Day 5 done...1 more week to go.

Wild Rose Herbal Detox -Day Four

8:10am
Went to bed early last night and was able to sleep until 7:15 - so I had an almost solid 9 hours.Feeling OK this morning, but still not great. Just feeling run down and tired...and this morning, I was pretty frustrated to see I was up again...so now I'm only down 0.4 for the cleanse.
DH is doing great - he is down about 4.5 pounds since Wednesday morning. He's feeling good, but has finally run into some tummy issues - and of course, it started as he was waiting for his baseball game to start last night. =(

Changed up breakfast this morning
2 Eggs, scrambled
Pear

Have so much I want to do today - out of the house - so I sure hope my stomach cooperates!

7:45pm
Thankfully my morning was good and I was able to get out and get all the things I needed to get done. Dragged the kids all over the city getting a few different things. They were pretty good for the most part - Taking them shopping is not the easiest when on my own.

For lunch, I had
Egg white omelet with mixed peppers
tomato slices
I probably shouldn't have had eggs twice today as it is on the 20% side of the diet plan. But I was struggling with what to have, especially since I picked up the kids something special for lunch. BUT...I was so good, I didn't pick at any of their leftovers (as I usually do).

We all had a massive nap today...Buddaroo wanted to have a "sleepover" so I laid with him from 1:30 - 4...HoneyPie crawled in at 2:20 and slept til after 4:00. Wow, we all needed some sleep today, I guess.

Dinner
Vegetable fried rice - yes, I'm getting sick of eating this - but I didn't want the pot I made to go to waste. I'm going to have to try and make some new recipes this coming week.

Today, we bought a Cuisinart popcorn popper, so we made some yummy fresh popped popcorn. It was so good. Drizzled with a tad of butter - and a bit of salt (both OK on our list). So yummy!

Anyway - looking forward to DH getting home from his golf tournament so we can watch a movie together. Wonder how he's made out being away from the house all day at a golf tournament with lots of junk food and beer.

So - on that note...getting the kids to bed...only 8 more days to go!

Wild Rose Herbal Detox - Day Three

12:00pm
I want a yogurt! I want a diet Coke! I want a bowl of cereal! I want a bowl of pasta.....SO BADLY! Today is the day where I am craving everything I am not allowed to have. I am miserable! I am bitchy! I'm really tired! I feel like garbage! I have been to the bathroom so many times today I have lost count! This program better be worth all this crap (ha, literally). I have a horrible headache...Can you tell I'm in a bad mood?

And it's ticking me off that DH doesn't seem to be suffering like I am. He's chipper, lost more weight and hardly going to the bathroom at all. He does have a head ache but man...could you have some diarrhea already? Eeek...that's way TMI!

Alright - I'm done with my bitchy rant - and now am ogling over Ryan Reynolds on Conan O'Brien (DH is watching and I am drooling over my boyfriend) Man, he's so cute! I could just stare at him (and his abs) all day long. mmmm....hot stuff!

Totally got off topic there...I'm sure the girls reading didn't mind the hot-guy distraction. =D Anyway....

Breakfast - same as yesterday - Oatmeal and fruit.
Lunch - vegetable fried rice and salad with basic oil and lemon dressing (took that recipe from the cookbook)

I have come to the conclusion that I am not a huge fan of olive oil. We have never really used olive oil, and now all the recipes call for it. Blech!

8:00 pm
This afternoon was a bit better. Still feeling quite irritable and I feel badly as my patience with the kids isn't quite there today. We went to Costco right after all the kids had left and stocked up on some yummy fish and lots of fruits and vegetables. Came home and made dinner
6pm
Rainbow Trout
Brown Rice
Asparagus

Was feeling satisfied until I looked through our paper and found all the flyers with all of the unhealthy yummy food...Now I want Pizza and chips...and did I mention a DIET COKE?!?!?!
DH is at baseball tonight, so the kids and I are watching The Goonies (for the 2nd time this week) and then I think I will get to bed early. Perhaps a good night's sleep will help me feel better tomorrow - lots to do while DH is at a golf tournament.So until tomorrow...
DAY3...OVER & OUT!

Wild Rose Herbal Detox - Day Two

8:16am
((Last night DH and I both had a pretty bad head ache. I had to take some advil, and went to bed early.))
I was really happy with my weight this morning. I was 160.8lbs (0.9 down from yesterday) - I haven't been below 161 since December. I've really been struggling with these pounds I've gained. I'm hoping this will give me the kick start I need to get back on track and get my butt to goal...and then to lifetime at WW. Sick of paying...especially 'cause I haven't really been following the program for a while. Time to get serious!

Just finished my daily breakfast of stinky herbal pills and extract as well as:

1/2 c oatmeal
1/2 a peach
a few strawberries
water.
I am finding it way harder to take the pills, etc in the morning. Having to take that first thing in the morning is even worse than the drink you have to take for your glucose test while you're pregnant. At least that tasted like orange pop...these pills/extract are ick! My head is still a bit achey, but not nearly as bad as last night. No issues with the laxatives, yet, for either DH and I.

12:20pm
My morning has been pretty good other than a sore stomach around 10-ish. My head ache is still lingering but feels better now that I've eaten Lunch,

Which consisted of:
Vegetable Fried Rice (Recipe taken from the detox cookbook)
Apple
Water

The recipe for the vegetable fried rice is really easy and boy, is it delish. I made a huge pot of it yesterday - hopefully it'll last longer than the pot I made on Tuesday morning. DH really enjoyed it, so that's a plus =D

8:10pm
The rest of today has been a bit rough. I am visiting the bathroom way more often that I would like. TMI, sorry!
Dinner at 5:40pm
Very yummy tilapia with drizzled butter and lemon
Baked potato
grilled peppers
Was a super dinner...we really enjoyed the tilapia - I hadn't made it before but will definitely be making it more often.

I'm so glad that DH and I are doing this together. I definitely wouldn't be able to do this alone. His support, and the support I'm getting from people online and from those I've told about the cleanse has been amazing and really helpful.
So...for now...I'm signing off for today...
2 days down....10 to go.

Wild Rose Herbal Detox - Day One

10:00 am
So - today is the big day...getting started on the detox with DH this morning.
I'll be brave and let everyone know my starting weight - I'm interested to see how many pounds I lose doing this.
Starting weight: 161.7
(Now if you'll remember, I'd made it down to 155 last July - and slowly the weight has been creeping back up...I had gained 11lbs back, but have lost a few on my own again in the last few weeks)

I'll admit, this morning, I was feeling a bit anxious about it - I stood at the counter and and looked at the list of foods and really didn't know what to eat for breakfast. Gave it some thought and decided on....

Breakfast 8am
1/2c oatmeal (regular oatmeal, not the instant sweet oatmeal that I would normally eat),
1/2 a peach
A few strawberries.
Water

But before I began eating, I had to take the Biliherb, Laxaherb, Cleansaherb, and 30 drops of the CL Herbal Extract (which I mixed with water to help wash down the pills). They smell really weird, so I had a hard time taking them...and the drops taste awful, too...so it wasn't overly enjoyable.

It's 10:15 now and I'm feeling OK. No tummy issues yet, perhaps the start of a head ache and a bit tired...but what else is new?

12:30pm
So far, still feeling OK. Definitely have a head ache and am feeling more tired. They say the first few days are the worst, but I can't imagine it working this quickly. DH thought maybe the head ache is from the lack of caffeine (I had been on quite a Diet Coke kick lately). DH and I may be ready to kill each other after the first week of this - I've read that irritability and moodiness is quite the side effect.
So for:
Lunch 11:45am
1c brown rice (wow, it's pretty good, will be changing from white minute rice to brown for sure)
1/2 c Mixed vegetables (frozen carrots, peas, beans and corn)
1 apple
dipped in Almond Butter

6:50pm
Still feeling alright, I guess...my head has a constant dull ache, nothing too painful, but still very annoying. I was very tired around 2:00 but unable to lay down for a while...struggled through.
Dinner 6:00pm
Lemon Pepper Chicken (taken from the Wild Rose Herbal Detox cookbook - didn't buy it, but was able to find some recipes online)
3/4c brown rice
cauliflower
DH and I struggled through the pills and drops once more - he is finding it very difficult to drink the Herbal Extract - it tastes and smells pretty nasty, even when mixed with water. I found it "a bit" easier to take it all this time, but it still a little icky. We are feeling confident that we can finish the 12 days and really hope to see some positive results.

On a side note:
I weighed in tonight and was down 2.7lbs -Which puts me down 25lbs again (Remember, I was down 31...BOO!)
I missed last week as I was at the NKOTBSB concert with my Mom and Meggy. (It was a blast, felt like I was a teenager again) I <3 Donnie ;)

8:10pm
Well, so far the first day has been a success. Saw this picture and had to include it...how adorable.

DH and I have both stuck to the meal plan and are feeling OK. We'll see what tomorrow brings after being on the program for a full day.
Back tomorrow with a play by play about day 2 ;)