Wednesday weigh-in: week 5

Ok so I've decided to step up my weightloss plan. Instead of just whining about it every week, I've started to actually do something about it.

This weeks round-up:
I didn't do well at all I came to my realization at 11pm on Tuesday. Although Tuesday I did do really good and even got off my butt and went for a walk with my little man.

I have been suffering from severe depression and that really hasn't helped with getting me motivated towards anything especially getting up and active.

I vow to change that today. I restarted the 'my weight loss coach' and will be logging my daily steps and exersize. I'll try and update here as well.

Natures Toys

Today was one of those rare nice spring days so the children and I took advantage of it. We spent the better part of the afternoon outside.

Which leads me to my post title! Why on earth am I spending 100's of dollars on toys for my children when today they didn't play with a single one.

Instead they played happily with natures toys. Lorelai found hours of fun collecting rocks. We even worked on our counting skills!

While Lorelai napped later Peyton and I took a long walk, well long for him anyway, around the complex. He loved finding new fun nature things to explore. He chased a bird and found his very first pinecone.

Ofcourse now I'm a proud keeper of 2 rocks and a pinecone. Because every little child knows mommy is the only person trusted enough to hold on to your treasures.

Computer troubles again

My stupid computer is on the fritz again. So Robert has taken it to be looked at. Let's hope it's not a big problem and can be fixed quickly.

Until then I'll leave you with a few of my favorite pictures I have stored on my iPod.
























the first three pictures were taken by my beautiful and talented sister!!

Wat-Aah! review

Wat-Aah! is on a mission. They want kids (and adults) to avoid unhealthy sugary drinks and make a better choice. Our bodies need water – lots of water. And many people just don’t get enough of it.
Wat-Aah! is packaged in bottles with fun, brightly colored labels. Fun packaging makes this water an easy choice for kids. (Be sure to check out their site, it’s fun and funky too!)

This is water, but it’s extra special. It hasn’t been flavored or sweetened, so it still tastes like water. But each of the 4 varieties has a purpose.

• Body – Pink label – pure spring water.
• Brain – Blue label – ultra-purified water – kid friendly electrolytes
• Bones – Orange label – ultra purified water – bone building magnesium
• Energy – Green label – ultra purified water – energizing oxygen

Wat-Aah! is a fun way to encourage kids to drink more water and less sugary drinks. My little ones are too small to get their own drinks but loved the Wat-Aah I put in their sippys and even asked for more! My husband and I also tried the water and didn’t notice any flavor - just tasted like good water. And I like the idea that they’re getting water and the extras. I will be buying this water is the future!

Wat-Aah has been available in retail stores for those of you in other parts of the country and they are making their west coast debut in April at select Whole Foods stores. Hopefully the Midwest soon after that.

Wat-Aah! is also available on Amazon. A 12 pack for $12.

You can fan Wat-Aah! on Facebook and follow them on Twitter. Or on their main site HERE.

I also encourage everyone to take the Wat-Aah! Challenge, learn more about it here.

*Disclaimer: I received this product free for review and received no monetary compensation. All statements are my full and honest opinion.

Hershey's Easter Basket Blog Hop

This Easter season, Hershey is celebrating it’s new Easter products sold exclusively at Walmart and their legacy of making a difference. Hershey’s will donate up to a total of $5,000 to the Children’s Miracle Network. For each blog that participates in the blog hop by sending virtual Easter Baskets, Hershey's is donating $10 to the Children’s Miracle Network.



I received this fantastic virtual Easter basket from Sadie



^^ This is the virtual Easter Basket I'm passing on to my friends:

Momotics
Auistic Wisdom
Life is Short. Stay awake for it.
Real Heart Prints
Heck of a Bunch

HERSHEY’S BETTER BASKET BLOG HOP RULES

* Copy and paste these rules to your blog post.
* Create a blog post giving a virtual Easter Basket to another blogger – you can give as many Virtual Baskets as you want.
* Link back to person who gave you an Easter Basket.
* Let each person you are giving a Virtual Easter Basket know you have given them a Basket.
* Leave your link at BetterBasket.info/BlogHop comment section. You can also find the official rules of this betterbasket blog hop, and more information about Better Basket with Hershey’s there.
* Hershey’s is donating $10 per each blog participating to the Better Basket Blog Hop to Children’s Miracle Network (up to total of $5,000 by blog posts written by April 4th, 2010).
* Please note that only one blog post by each blog url will count towards the donation.

For more information about the Blog Hop, visit Hershey's Better Basket.

Learn more about The Childrens Miracle Network.

What's your top Ten?

OK time for a little nonsense and fun - What are your top ten's?


TV Shows:

1) Grey's Anatomy
2) Life Unexpected
3) Vampire Diaries
4) The Amazing Race (even though the couple we were rooting for got kicked off)
5) Chuck
6) Hell's Kitchen
7) Law and Order SVU
8) 19 Kids and Counting
9) Law and Order
10) Supernatural

CD/Artist Palylist:

1) Wicked the musical
2) Glee Vol 1
3) Glee Vol 2
4) Casting Crowns (self titled album)
5) All I Ever Wanted (Kelly Clarkson)
6) Almost There (MercyMe)
7) Every Thing By FFH (what? I love them!)
8) Warren Barfeild (self titled album)
9) Rascal Flatts Greatest Hits Vol 1
10) Hannah Montana movie soundtrack (hey, I have a child who loves her)

Books/Series:

1) Wicked by Gregory Maguire (I like the whole the Wicked Years series)
2) The Twilight Saga by Stephenie Meyer
3) The Dark Hunter Series by Sherrilyn Kenyon
4) Father Goose by Marie Ferrarella
5) Gabriel's Angel by Nora Roberts
6) Anything by Nicholas Sparks
7) The Shunning by Beverly Lewis
8) All of Jodi Picolt books
9) Not My Daughter by Barbara Delinsky
10)Letter to my Daughter by George Bishop

Movies / movie series:

1) Miss Potter
2) Twilight, New Moon
3) Love Comes Softly series
4) Finding Neverland
5) Becoming Jane
6) The Wizard of OZ
7) The Harry Potter Series
8) 27 Dresses
9) The Davinci Code, Angels and Demons
10) The Chronicles Narnia

Happy Birthday Sweetie

Today my husband turns 25! We plan to bake a cake together as a family and spend the day just hanging out. Then in the evening he ordered the WWE wrestle mania. (UGH!) no my choice of sunday night TV but what can I say I love him.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ROBERT!!

Winner for the Vivan Lane Jewelry Giveaway

Congratulations Jeannie!
I used random.org and out of a possiable 49 entries # 39 is the winning post.

jmicek8611 said...
I would want my proceeds to go to breast cancer awareness

Jeannie has already been notified of her win and has claimed her prize of a $15 gift certificate and free shipping!

Thank you Laine from Vivan Lane Jewerly for providing this generous giveaway!

SKOY review and giveaway - CLOSED

SKOY!! That’s now a household name, at least in my home. I was given the opportunity to review a 4 pack of SKOY cloths and I love them. A few weeks ago I won a set from a fellow blogger and was so amazed by the product that I wanted to give my own readers a chance to win a set too! My mother and sister have also had a chance to use a cloth from my set and they both love it!

What is a Skoy cloth, you may ask? Well, it is only the most eco-friendly practical money saving product that I’ve found so far.
What a SKOY Cloth does:- On average, ONE Skoy Cloth is equal to FIFTEEN rolls of Paper Towels!
- Skoy Cloths are 100% biodegradable and compostable!
- Skoy Cloths can be cleaned in the microwave, washer/dryer and dishwasher. Its true I’ve tried it!

Things I loved about it:
- The pack came with a professional looking care guide and tied with eco-friendly tie.
- Design and bright colors are perfect for a family kitchen.
- Saves Money!!! 4 Skoy Cloths cost $5.99, 15 paper towel rolls cost almost $31.25, plus wastes a lot of paper.
- 100% natural and recyclable (made from natural cotton and wood-pulp cellulose).
- Feels so soft
- Washable in microwave, washer/dryer or dishwasher.
- Feels good knowing you are doing your part for the environment with a fun and effective product!

BUY IT NOW: Purchase Skoy Cloths NOW! Only $5.99 for a 4 Pack!

**This also makes the perfect gift!

WIN IT: Two lucky readers will win a 4-pack of Skoy Cloths!!

Open to US only. All entries must be received by 8pm central time on April 9th 2010. Please include your email address in each entry. A winner will be chosen at random. I will notify the winner on April 10, 2010 via email (please respond within 48 hours) and the Skoy Cloths will be shipped directly from the sponsor. I will also announce the winner on this blog. If you do not respond within 48 hours, I will pick another winner.

Mandatory Entry:
Go to SKOY and then come back here and tell me one thing about them you learned. (I’ve read their site link by link so be honest!)
Extra Entries:
(1 – Entry) Follow SKOY on Twitter and tweet this giveaway
(1 - Entry) Follow SKOY on Facebook
(1 – Entry) Follow Family Treasures
(1 – Entry) Subscribe to Family Treasures
(1 – Entry) Add my button to your blog (leave a link)
(3 – Entries) Blog about his giveaway be sure to leave a link back here and to SKOY.

*Disclaimer: I received this product free for review and received no monetary compensation. All statements are my full and honest opinion.

A Friends of Gevalia Offer Awaits You

"I love this coffee and want to share this special offer with you! "

Join us for our special Friends of Gevalia offer and enjoy a premium coffee kit including a stainless steel coffeemaker, scoop and a pound of Gevalia coffee-Just $12.95 (a $100 value!) Gevalia’s guarantee-you’ll love your coffee or it’s free!

View >>

Best chili Recipe!

I hate chili bu after watching Racheal Ray cook this one on her show, we gave it a try.
I loved it! OMG - and is not really fateneing if you substitute for fat free/ low fat.

Morrocan Chili and 10,000 Grains of Sand

Courtesy Of: Rachael Ray, Everyday Exotic



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 pounds ground lamb
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons chili powder
1/2 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 bay leaf
1 large onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 lemon, zested and juiced
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce, eyeball it
1 (14-ounce) can tomato sauce
2 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 cups chicken stock
A handful golden raisins
4 apricots, chopped
1 1/2 cups couscous
3 to 4 tablespoons toasted pine nuts
A handful fresh parsley leaves, chopped
A handful fresh mint leaves, chopped
3 tablespoons finely chopped chives
8 pita breads, cut into wedgesfor scooping


Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Heat skillet with extra-virgin olive oil, add meat and brown. Season the meat with salt and pepper, to taste, chili powder, cumin, coriander, cinnamon and paprika. Add the bay leaf, onions, bell pepper and garlic to the pan. Cook until onions are soft, 8 minutes. Add lemon juice and zest, Worcestershire sauce and tomato sauce. Stir and reduce heat to simmer.

Bring butter and stock to a boil in a pot with tight fitting lid. Add dried fruit and couscous, stir then turn off heat and set lid in place. Let stand 5 minutes. Add nuts and herbs and toss with fork.

Toast pita wedges in hot oven or under broiler. Pile chili in bowls, top with "sand" and serve with pita wedges for scooping.

Weigh-in Wednesdays week 4

Have you ever noticed that most overweight people have a good sense of humor when it comes to their size? It's a defense mechanism, I think, that comes with the added pounds. It's easier to laugh and joke with people about our weight than to stick up for ourselves.
Obesity has become the last thing that it's still PC to make fun of or judge. You can't discriminate by sex, race, or religion, but it's still OK to say - "Your too fat!" Airlines are doing it, jobs do it, and it's an all out target for strangers to attack larger people.

Last week, I shared with all of you my actual weight, even though I was embarrassed to do so. I want to be honest with you all, but at the same time, I've bared my self to your judgements and have lowered the humor wall. Be kind.

I stepped on my mother's scale this week and fell in love with the little liar! It first said 166lbs, then I stepped on it again it said 136lbs. LOL, I guess the key to her scale is to step on it 3 times and add the numbers together.

I haven't lost anything but I'm not giving up. Thanks for following along with my weight loss struggle.

Dont forget to enter!

I'm still running the Vivan Lane Giveaway. She makes fantastic jewelry at a great price. Please go here and enter to win a $15 egift card and free shipping! Giveaway ends at 8pm centeral time on March 26th.

Its your choice!!

How often do you get to hear that? I'm going to be taking a break on the personal stuff for awhile (with the exception of weigh-in Wednesday's). I've been pretty depressed lately. I'll be starting a new medicine soon so hopefully that will help. Until then rather than posting my sad depressing thoughts day after day, I want to just focus on other things. Thats where your choice comes in. What do you want to read? I have a few reviews and giveaways coming up (look for them on fridays!) but other than that what do YOU want?

Recipes?
crafts?
have a product you want featured here? (yours or one you've seen)
anything else you can think of......

You decide!!

New moon

I got the latest instalment in the Twilight saga on blu-Ray yesterday. I love the books and I have to say the second movie was way better than the first.

Of course now that I watched the movies again I'm justt itching to read the books again. My mother-in-law has my set in NY with her right now and I'm looking for a cheap replacement set. Sigh!

Exciting Family News

I found out today that my baby sister Ashley is having a baby!

Congratulations to Ashley and Jake! You guys will be great parents I just know it. They are a bit scared and overwhelmed at the moment so all of you been there done that moms head over to their blog and post some words of encouragement.

I cant wait to see my new little niece or nephew.

Will be MIA

The charger broke to our computer last week and even though we have tried to conserve what battery life we had the computer is now officially out of juice. I will be away until the replacement is shipped.
I hope it's not to long when I come back I'll have a few reviews and crafts to share.

A Toy Garden REVIEW

A Toy Garden sent me the Branch Matching Game in a Crocheted Bag for Lorelai. She was napping when the package arrived. After dinner we sat down to play with it and although she hasn't grasped the matching part of the game yet, she enjoyed about an hour of stacking the pieces. I can say she loves it already. She was eager to help put the game away for bedtime at least until Mommy said she couldn't sleep with it. I like that upon first look, you would think that they would be rough but actually the pieces are very smooth and crafted very well. I also love the crocheted bag it came in. It adds just a bit more to the handmade feel to the toy.
Here is what the site says about their product:

Our new Branch Matching Game in a Crocheted Bag is made of selectively cut ash from a homestead in northern Vermont. Each piece is hand-stamped with a non-toxic water-based ink and finished with a food grade quality beeswax finish that is made with organic beeswax and olive oil. This set comes with 20 pieces in a hand crocheted wool drawstring bag (bag colors vary). What fun it is to play a memory/matching game with a young child! Appropriate for ages 2 - 8. Made in the USA.

A Toy Garden offers lots of unique handmade items for children of all ages. A few other Items on my shopping list are:

Teething Doll with Wooden Ring


Don’t they just look so cute? And Peyton is teething so bad right now I just know he would love to snuggle up to one of these new friends.


I also think these dolls are so cute I want one for myself *but will settle with getting one for each of my little huggable angels. Huggle Doll


And lastly I also like these cute cars for my little tough guy. Four Rolling Vehicles
There is so much more at A Toy Garden. I could go on all day about it, I won’t but I do encourage you to take a minute or two of your time and look at what they have to offer.

*Disclaimer: I received this product free for review and received no monetary compensation. All statements are my full and honest opinion.

Weigh-in Wednesdays: week 3

This week is just going to be a quick weight check. Nothing new with my diet.

My Previous Weight: Didnt know was just guessing Over 325 pounds

My Weight as of this morning: A depressing 344 (ouch!) This made me want to cry when I saw the actual number. I weighed myself on the clinic's scale when I took the little ones to their well child checks today.

Pounds lost: None!!

Pounds still to lose: 30 (short goal) on the path to a 100 lb goal.

Planning our Vow renewal

My mother-in-law wants to plan a vow renewal when we move to NY this summer. None of Robert's family made it to our wedding so she wants to plan something special to include them. I think that's fine our wedding was small and the reception was a disaster so its kinda cool to be getting a do-over. Plus Robert and I have had a rough couple of years and it would be nice to have a fresh start of sorts.

I've already started a little planning. I found some re-affirmation vows. A few anniversary ring choices -


I'm not sure if I want to go for a traditonal wedding gown again or a simple white sundress. I dont like tea length dresses so its hard to fine a pretty yet casual long dress. Here are two dresses I'm considering right now -


I wouldnt even know where to start with colors or flowers. For our 'first' wedding we went with a fall theme and my colors were oranges, browns, ivory, champagne, greens and reds.