"Weight Release": Week 1 Results

I am pleased to announce that I have made it one week on my "weight Release" program. My mother in law told me about how it's better to call it "weight release" than "weight loss". Your body doesn't like the idea of losing weight and attempts to stop you from losing weight. So that's another positive encouragement.... I have tried really hard this week to cut my calorie intake, increase my water, reduce the soda and guess what... I weighed myself today and I have lost 9 lbs this week and I had previously lost 10 lbs before that... I have released 19lbs!!!!!!!!!!
I am open to starting an online Weight Release program among us friends with whomever would like to join me... we can email, blog and support each other to our goals. Mom McQ is going to join me on this goal... please let me know if you're interested... I'm going to create a group contact and maybe we can even create Health newsletters and such...

Week of January 1-8, 2009 in Review

This has been a crazy busy week for us. The first thing that changed this week was my work schedule. I've been working Thursday through Sunday nights for about a year now. This time around, my work week is Friday through Monday nights. It's not a significant difference to most people but I notice the change. I worked the first five days of this new year. Things at work are going well. I've been made the "Team Lead" on the graveyard shift which makes me very happy. We're in the middle of getting a new supervisor and I'm still debating on whether to apply for the position. It would be nice to be promoted but I also hesitate because I would have to work day shift. Anyone who knows me knows that I am a night owl and hate getting up super early in the morning. I also know in my heart that there is one person in particular who deserves the promotion more than I do. So I will pray about it and see what happens. We were finally able to get Rylan a big boy bed. He's just reached that point where the crib is too cramped for him and I'm praying he can be trusted in a regular bed. This will require a lot of adjustment on all of us but it's time. I'll be spending most of the day today cleaning his room, putting things out of reach, etc...etc.. I'll post photos when it's all done but here's a preview of his bed. The photo shows brown but Rylan's bunk beds are a dark blue. I've also decided that 2009 is the year that I will get healthier and skinnier. I decided that if I said "2009 will be the year that I get skinny." that it might seem unachievable and unrealistic. I have to face the fact that I have a lot of overweight people in my family and I'm a very tall girl to try to be "skinny" but I do need to be healthy. Roger and I are both devoted to making this change. I know it won't happen overnight and it will require more will power and strength than we've had in previous attempts. We have to do this for ourselves and for Rylan and we will do it. I don't plan on posting my actual weight on here yet as I'm still very embarassed by that. However, I plan to update this blog as to my weight loss and will include some photos. I'm working with another co-worker to see if we can get together enough people to do a Biggest Loser type program. I've always stayed away from this type of thing before due to embarassment but I've decided to change my feelings on it. Please wish me luck. This is going to be a tough thing for me. I'm a MAJOR soda drinker and gotta love those fast foods, chips and PIZZA. I am pleased to say that this last week at work, I did not have one single sip of a soda. I drank lots of water- on average between 6 to 8 bottles a night. I felt better! Well that sums it up. I'm working on my blog book and have to manually import all photos and posts because Blurb and Blogger do not work together anymore. (So annoying!) I'll keep ya posted...

New Years Eve Pics

Here's a few of the photos that we took on New Years Eve. We finally got Rylan to look at the camera!

2009 is here! Happy New Year everyone!!

I was trying to finish up my blog for the year on Jan. 1st. but I might not make that deadline. I'm just going to post some photos from Christmas. I plan on turning my blog into a book this next week so wish me well with that task.

This Christmas season was a blast because we were able to spend some good quality time with Mom McQ. We spent a lot of time playing with Rylan and just relaxing. We are truly blessed to have such a wonderful family. My mother, Dale and uncle made us some fabulous meals and we were blessed to have that time together. Here's our photos.

Snow Storms

We've had some pretty outrageous weather here in Meridian, Idaho lately. I don't think I've ever seen so many days in a row when it has snowed. Don't get me wrong, it was nice to have a white Christmas but I am kinda glad that it's over for now at least. I was at Walmart the other night with the family and I couldn't believe how bad it was snowing. Rylan and I decided to stay in the car and have a mini photoshoot while Daddy and Grandma ventured into the store. We also decided that this is the year that we needed to purchase some sort of a snow blower. We couldn't afford the one we really wanted but we were able to get a power shovel which works pretty darn good. I think our shoveling time has been cut in half using the new power shovel. Roger just loves to shovel snow. (LOL!!!) Here's our house with some of the snow that we got. It may not seem like very much to those of you who live back east but it's alot for Idahoans to handle. We didn't put up very many Christmas decorations this year but you can see the few that I did.
We had also gone out to look at Christmas lights that night which was a lot of fun. We went to this one house that has an animated light show. You park in front of the house, turn your car radio to a specific channel and enjoy the lights and music without having to leave the comfort of your warm car. It was cool.

Recent photos of Rylan

I've been a bit behind in some of my blogging and photography. Here's some photos that I've taken of Rylan about a month ago.

My Blog into a book

So I've been so excited to finally be able to turn the 2007 part of my blog into a book... just one catch. I'm having problems finding software that will let me do it. I'd been looking into Blurb because I've known people who have used it in the past. However, they use Booksmart software which isn't currently supporting Blogger. So if anyone has any ideas, I'd love to hear them...

Post-Christmas Memo #1

Hello! I hoping that you all had a wonderful Christmas! I did. I can't believe that Christmas got here so quickly and now it's over... doesn't hardly seem possible to have this year be over soon... I have been neglecting my blog quite a bit this month but it's been such a busy month for me. I've been so very blessed to have Mom McQ come back for another visit and it's been absolutely awesome to have her here during the holidays. We will all be so sad when she goes home Saturday morning. We've been able to do ALOT of fun things... haven't taken nearly enough photos but I'll try to get some posted soon... I am also very excited to have the ability to publish my blog into a book this next month. I can't wait to see how it will turn out... Well, enough for now but I'll post more soon...

Christmas Recipes: Fudge

Here's a few Christmas recipes that I looked up and think I might try... Not sure which fudge recipe I'll try but I'll let everyone know...

EASY CHOCOLATE FUDGE

Ingredients
Makes about 3 pounds
4 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1/2 cup (one stick) unsalted butter, plus more for fingertips
3 tablespoons light corn syrup
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups chopped nuts, such as pecans or almonds (optional)
Directions
Line an eight-inch square baking pan with wax paper. In a heavy medium saucepan, whisk together sugar and cocoa. Add cream, butter, and corn syrup; cook over medium-high heat, stirring, until bubbling around the edges, about five minutes. Continue cooking, without stirring, until mixture reaches the soft-ball stage on a candy thermometer (238 degrees to 240 degrees), 12 to 15 minutes; wash down sides of pan with a pastry brush dipped in water to prevent crystals from forming. Remove pan from heat; let mixture rest in pan, undisturbed, until it has cooled to 160 degrees, about 40 minutes. When temperature reaches 160 degrees, quickly pour fudge onto surface, using a rubber spatula to gently empty pan while holding pan very close to surface to prevent spattering. Spoon vanilla extract over fudge; let cool until fudge is almost at room temperature, about 15 minutes. Using a long offset spatula, being pulling fudge in a figure-eight motion, moving from the bottom right, then up and over to the top left, before pulling back down to the right. Repeat, moving from the bottom left, then up and over to the top right, before pulling back down, pushing fudge onto itself. Continue in this manner until you see a sudden change in appearance of fudge, from glossy to matte, 12 to 15 minutes. Sprinkle with chopped nuts, if desired, and stir well to combine. Spread fudge onto a wax-paper-lined baking sheet; flatten with lightly buttered fingertips. Cover with wax paper; let stand at room temperature until set, at least four hours or overnight. Cut into squares before serving.

CHOCOLATE FUDGE

Tools and Materials

9-by-5-inch loaf panWaxed or parchment paperNonstick cooking sprayMeasuring cupsMeasuring spoonsMedium saucepanWooden spoonKitchen timerChef's knife
Prep: 20 minutesTotal: 3 hours and 20 minutes
Ingredients
Makes about 24 one-inch square pieces of fudge
FOR THE FUDGE
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 3/4 cups mini marshmallows
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
FOR THE MIX-INS (OPTIONAL)
3/4 cup chopped walnuts
3/4 cup crushed peppermints
Directions
Line 9-by-5-inch loaf pan with strips of waxed or parchment paper; coat evenly with cooking spray. Set aside. Combine sugar, salt, butter, cream, and marshmallows in a heavy-bottomed medium saucepan. Set over medium heat; cook, stirring, until butter and marshmallows are almost melted, 5 to 6 minutes. Bring mixture to a boil; cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. An adult should remove the pan from the heat. Add chocolate chips and vanilla to saucepan. Stir until chips are melted and combined. If you like, mix in 1/2 cup peppermints or nuts. An adult should pour hot fudge into the loaf pan. Top with remaining mints or nuts. Cool fudge in the pan, at room temperature, 3 hours. Grip paper, lift out fudge, and place on cutting board. Discard paper. An adult should cut fudge into squares. AMAZING SHAPES You can use cookie cutters to delight your loved ones with fudge shaped as snowflake or bite-size "drops." Instead of using a loaf pan, pour a double batch of fudge into a lined and greased 9-by-13-inch pan; let cool, remove from pan, then cut with cookie cutters. For the snowflakes, dust the fudge with confectioners' sugar. Pack it in a box lined with waxed paper to avoid sticking. The fudge will keep at room temperature for ten days in an airtight container.

EXTRA EASY FUDGE
INGREDIENTS
2 cups milk chocolate chips
2 1/2 cups prepared chocolate frosting
1 cup chopped walnuts
DIRECTIONS
Line one 8x8 inch square pan with foil. Lightly butter the foil.
In a small saucepan melt the chocolate chips over low heat, stirring constantly. Remove the melted chocolate from the heat and stir in the frosting and the nuts stirring until smooth. Pour into the prepared pan and refrigerate until firm. Once firm cut in small squares.

REMARKABLE FUDGE

INGREDIENTS
1 cup butter
12 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
1 (7 ounce) jar marshmallow creme
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups evaporated milk
4 cups white sugar
DIRECTIONS
Line a 13x9 inch baking dish with foil and butter the foil.
In the top half of a double boiler combine the butter or margarine, evaporated milk and sugar. Cook on medium heat for 12 minutes or until it reaches a temperature of 236 degrees F (112 degrees C). Remove from heat and stir in the chocolate chips, vanilla and marshmallow creme. Stir until chocolate chips melt then mix in the chopped walnuts. Spread mixture into the prepared pan. Score into squares while still warm. Refrigerate until firm then cut along the scored lines.

Yummy Yummy!!

The other night we made spaghetti and I decided to let Rylan try to feed it to himself. I must say he did very well even if he did get it all over his face. It was so cute!