the little things

This is a Keeper!

For lunch today I prepared this in the crock pot. (Sorry for the cruddy cell phone photo + the steam! haha)--  Spicy Steak & Beans. A recipe I just found in a Diabetic Living book/magazine I picked up last week from Better Homes & Gardens. And nope, neither of us are diabetic, but they say PCOS is kind of like being pre-diabetic, so I thought this would be a great resource to have on hand!

Anywhoo, Nate headed off to frisbee golf early this morning, so I got up with him to get my "prep" work all done for this meal.

Seriously, it took only a couple of minutes & then it was time to let the crock pot do the rest of the work!

I must say it's delicious & as Nate said, "it's a keeper!" :)

Normally we would have had it for dinner, but lunch worked better for us today since I have Bible Study & Nate's at work tonight.

Now, I served ours with brown rice (this is optional)-which added about 3 points for 2/3 cup, but the bulk of the meal was so good, we might not even have rice the next time!

Here's the recipe should you want to try it for your family! 

Spicy Steak & Beans (courtesy of Diabetic Living Magazine)

1.5 lbs beef flank steak (I used flat steak & it worked just as well)

1 - 10 oz. can chopped tomatoes with green chile peppers, drained

1/2 c. chopped onion

2 cloves garlic, minced (I used my Tastefully Simple Garlic Garlic & it was awesome!)

1 tsp. chili powder

1 tsp. cumin 

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

1 - 15 oz. can pinto beans, rinsed & drained (I used black beans)

Optional: Rice

Trim fat from steak, cut into even slices (about 1/4 in. wide).  Place meat into crockpot.

In a bowl, stir together tomatoes, onion, chili powder, cumin, salt & pepper. Pour mixture over meat.

Cover & cook on low for 7-9 hours or on high heat 3-4 hours.

Stir in beans.  Cover & cook for an additional 30 minutes.

If using rice, spoon into bowls, top with bean/meat mixture.

Enjoy! :)

Serving Info:  makes 6 servings

262 calories, 8 g. fat, 4 g. fiber, 17 g. carb

WW Points: 5 (Rice not included)

A perfect lunch that will remain in my cookbook for a long time! I loved how STUFFED I was!  The beans help to keep you full!  So good!

Be sure to let me know if you try this!

Stepping on the Scale.

After the good news on Wednesday, I decided that was enough motivation for me to get my tail in gear & get this weight off!

So, day by day as I healed I grew more excited (& even larger I'm sure, because no food was off limits! I chose the "live it up" road in the final days before starting a new program! ;)) to DO THIS!

I had big hopes my body would be okay to start walking & such Monday...& it was!

Over my recovery time I also found several WW-friendly recipes & tips-which I plan on sharing here as I try them!  Exciting!

Yesterday was Day One. For not just me, but Nate too. Although, he's not really following WW...just the "move more, eat less" motto.  I know he'll smoke me, but that's not the point.  The point is for BOTH of us to get some/most/all of this extra weight off so we can not only conceive, but be great, active, HEALTHY parents one day!

With Day One, also comes my least favorite part...weighing in.  It had been so long since we had weighed ourselves, we couldn't even remember where we had put our scale! Oy!

But, we found it.  So, off we went to way.  Ugh.  I am officially the biggest I have EVER been (& Nate is pretty close).  How did we let this happen?  I'm sure infertility & job less had a bit to do with it, but no more excuses.  It's crunch time!  So, we jotted down our (huge) numbers & got crackin' with some Wii Fit stuff!

I wanted to ease into it, because my incision still hurts (as do my insides), but was pretty stoked that I completed 45 minutes of physical fitness!  It sure beat sitting on the couch!

Today is going great too!  We got up & walked a mile & plan on doing more tonight!  

For dinner we're having:

Smoked Applewood Turkey on the grill from Jennie O 

Bush's baked beans

Corn

And for dessert, I made these:

 

Mini Oreo Cheescakes!  They're busy cooling in the fridge as I type this & I must say, I can't wait to have one!

Recipe:

14 Reduced Fat Oreos

2 - 8 oz. packages of Fat Free Cream Cheese

1 c. Splenda, granulated

1/2 c. Egg Substitute

1 tsp. Vanilla

1/2 c. Whipped Topping (optional)

Place 12 cupcake liners in a regular size muffin tin.

Place one Oreo in each liner (set remaining 2 Oreos aside).

Heat oven to 350*

In a medium bowl (or Kitchenaid mixer), beat together the cream cheese, Splenda, egg substitute & vanilla until smooth.

Divide the cheese mixture evenly on top of each Oreo.  It will be thick, so use your spoon to push down & cover the edges of the Oreo fully.

Crush the remaining cookies to make crumbs.  Sprinkle over each one.

Bake for 15-20 minutes at 350* until the center is almost set.

Cool completely, refrigerate from 2-3 hours or overnight.

WW Points: 2

In a Week.

4.18.10 - us. on our way to church.

4.19.10 - someone didn't want to get up.

4.20.10 - a visit with my dear friend, Stephanie & her new baby boy, Wes.

4.21.10 - surgery day. a great day!

4.22.10 - my bed for 3 nights. oy. my back still hurts!

4.23.10 - we had a furry visitor overnight.

4.24.10 - lots of lounging (& reading magazines) on the couch. hi craemer. :)  

All in all it was a pretty good week!  Lots of little things in the beginning, then lots of down time recovering. Ready for a new week.

Ready to try new healthy recipes that I've gathered while recovering & ready to MOVE! Praying I lose that feeling of thinking all my insides might fall out at any moment! lol.

A Happy Little Surprise!

Well, a couple of them, actually!  

 

On Tuesday I came home from visiting my dear friend Stephanie & her new baby, Wes to find these pretties picked for me from the sweetest guy I know! :)

My surgery yesterday went super well! Praise the Lord!

I'll just be spending these next few days recovering & such.  Super sore today, but no real complaints!

The best news of all is, my doctor told Nate & I my mom while I was in recovery that everything looks WONDERFUL!  I have both fallopian tubes, perfectly healthy uterus & ovaries & no endometriosis! She said that those of us with PCOS have a much greater chance of ovulating on our own (which I do not currently do) when we lose at least 5% of our body weight.

So, after recovery...that's what it will be for me!  Heathy eating & lots of moving!  Just knowing I CAN become a mom officially now, with just a bit of weight loss has me sooo motivated already!  My doctor said she sees no reason I couldn't become pregnant once I drop some weight so my body can do what its naturally supposed to!

So happy, so excited & so relieved!  Many prayers were answered yesterday!  God is GREAT!

Thank you for praying, sending emails & notes.  You will never know how much they are appreciated!

In other news...I am still keeping up with Ali E's Week in the Life!  I'm not taking hundreds of photos a day or anything, but I am documenting & recording & that's what matters most, right? :)

Can't wait to see how this project all comes together!  It's been so much fun!  Now, I just have to go buy some more ink-ran out the other day & boy, what a bummer that was! haha.

I'll leave you with a scrap share using all the kinds of goods from the April Joyland kit from Studio Calico!

Yey Spring!!

 
 

Documenting.

I've decided to try A Week in the Life right along with Ali Edwards this week. Except, I started a day early. :)

I'm excited to see if I can actually keep this up for one whole week.

I thought it might be a good week to document with my surgery this wednesday & all.  We'll see.  I asked Nate to take a few photos while I'm at the hospital, with the exception of no photo taking after I'm done, but before I wake up!

The photo up top I snapped quick with my cell right before I took a nap this afternoon. (that's the delightful Sally Field-love her!-on Lifetime!)

& Jilly, if you see this-yes...that's THE candle you gave Nate & I for Christmas that one year-I still have it because I just can't burn it!  It makes me think of you, so I keep it around :)

Anyone else giving this project a shot this week?

 

God is at Work!

Boy, what a week this has been!

Can I share how God has been working in my life?

You see, I decided to join Tastefully Simple early last week. I've been thinking of doing something like this for a while, but never jumped on it.  I first thought of Pampered Chef, because I love it. But, then thought it would be more wise if I went with food. Everyone eats, right? ;)

So, I've been busy with that.

I have been a bit worried about it though, because I am so not a fan of harping/pushing people to buy something. How annoying, right?  So, how in the world could I make this work?  So, I prayed about it.  I knew everything would be just fine.

Fast forward to yesterday when I receive a phone call from a lady from my church telling me the hospital she works at is having a Vendor's Fair & she was looking for a Tastefully Simple consultant (!) & had heard from another church lady that I now sell it! 

AMEN!

Next, I have decided after much prayer & thought that going back to school just will not be able to happen after all.  The money scares me.  The future job prospect scares me. The time scares me.  The no-having babies til I'm finished thing scares me. It breaks my heart, but I have given it to God & I know He will not lead me where I shouldn't be.

But, back to that phone call from yesterday.  The same lady also heads our children's programs at church.  After we discussed the Vendor's Fair, she asks me some questions. The first was, "what do you do on Wednesday nights?" My answer?  "Ummm... not much!" (even though, currently I have just started a women's Bible Study with some girlfriends on Wednesdays) but, I let her continue after explaining that Nate works second shift, so here I am.

She then asked if we were christians. I said yes.  She asked me if I had ever thought of helping with our Pioneer Club on Wednesday nights. With 3rd & 4th graders.  I said, not really. 

I GET IT LORD! ;)

Funny, how He knew I have longed to work with children & then here is this opportunity after I have decided not to go back to school!

I told her I would think about it. Pray about it.

I feel the Lord is speaking to my heart. I think Bible Study might have to be moved to another night! ;)

AMEN!

Okay, now I have to rewind a bit more!

Last Saturday Nate & I were driving into town & I was on my Blackberry, surfing Facebook, when I see my name as a winner to the toystore I worked at back in college, Toyrifix!  Suh-weet!

So, we venture in on Monday & I was so excited to get see some of the girls I used to work with. They are such a great company & great people!

As I'm visiting & shopping, Brenda, my old manager brings up working there again. It happened so fast, I don't even remember what even happened, other than I was offered a job right on the spot!  

AMEN!

It's just a few hours a week, but I am so excited to start there again! I look especially forward to straightening all the shelves again! ha. I'm a nerd!

I don't have an official start date yet, because I have to have surgery next week, but it'll be sometime in May.

Now, I just hope the surgery goes well & that God allows the doctor to figure out what's going on with me in the fertility department!  

God is so good & He is working in my life every, single day!  I am so grateful for that!

Lots going on here lately, but I am happy because that means I am being productive & am so, so blessed!

I hope your week has been great & that you have a terrific Friday tomorrow!

&.

      sometimes this is really all i need. 

Laundry.

My least favorite household chore. By a LONG shot.

Especially the putting away part. Oh, & the carrying upstairs part. Plus, the folding part.

Oh, and I almost forgot...the part where you switch it from the washer to the dryer. Blech!

Just simply not a fan.

So, what does one do when they absolutely hate something?

Why, scrap it, of course! ;)

What's your least favorite chore? 
 

The Birds Are a Chirpin'!

+source+

It's a gloomy (& rainy) day here in O-H-I-O, but so beautiful because I know that with the rain comes spring blooms!  

I love it, because right now there is no rain, so I have many of our windows open, letting the light breeze blow in. Refreshing!

We've had the windows open every day this week & I love it!  The birds chirping are my absolute favorite.  I didn't used to be a 'bird fan', but must admit, they are growing on me! 

As I write this, (5:35 in the evening), I can hear them on & off. chirp. chirp. chirping.  Maybe it's dinner time for them too? ;)

Spring is also bringing a new little one to my family of friends!  

 

My dear friend Jocelyn who I used to work with is set to be induced at 8 tonight to have her first baby!  Praying for her & can't wait to meet little Madyson!

God is so good.

He has brought healthy, sweet babies to many of my friends these past few months & it's awesome seeing them grow & be taken care of by such great parents!  Love it!

Here's a layout I forgot to share from a crop at Tricia's house a couple weeks back. Nate & his Frisbee Golf, I tell ya! ;)

 

And we have a winner for the American Crafts Remarks stickers giveaway, thanks to Nate's number of choice while at work (!), which is....

 

I am getting a great nephew in August named Xander!

Posted by: rhonda nickol | April 07, 2010 at 02:24 PM

Rhonda!  Congratulations!  Please email me @ nichole87220@aol.com with your mailing address & I'll ship your goods out soon!

Thanks for playing along, everyone!  So great to see what everyone's most looking forward to this coming summer!  Lots of weddings happening! Congrats! 

I'm off to play with my Studio Calico kit.  So glad I broke down & purchased this punch!

It's SO much fun!!

Hope you're having a great week!  Yey for Friday tomorrow! 

More American Crafts & a Giveaway!

To all who dropped by yesterday, Thank You!!  That blog hop was a blast! 

I really love being a part of such an awesome team of talented designers!  I was super inspired by the ACDT myself! Gotta love that! 

I just wanted to share a couple more layouts using some AC goodness today!

 

 

And in the spirit of some AC fun, I am giving these cute Remarks sticker packs away to one lucky crafter!

 

*Just leave a comment here telling me what you're most looking forward to this summer & I'll have Nate draw a name on Thursday!