The Day Started So Beautifully...

I got up the other morning to a sky full of soft sunshine and a freshly brewed pot of coffee. Ahhhhhhhh. Bliss. I stood at the backdoor, sipping my coffee, asking myself why is it that I never drink coffee sitting out back, especially on such a lovely day. And then I saw why. The sunlight glinted off something shiny over by the outdoor clock. I looked closer. Here's what it was: Yeah. A big, honkin' spiderweb. Eeewwww. This is the part of the story where I realized I have been blogging way too long. Instead of the usual SCREAM OF PANIC I normally would have given, I promptly went in search of my camera so I could share this vision with all of you. I got as close as I could....that is to say about 6 to 8 feet from it... and then zoomed the camera as much as it'd go. How's this for a giant YUCK, EEECK!, GROSS, SAVE ME, HELP, SEND IN THE ARTILLERY sort of creature?
I'm here to tell you, if Little Miss Muffet has been sitting on her Tuffet and this thing had sat down beside her?..Little Miss Muffet would have either dropped dead from a heart attack or passed out and drowned in her curds and why. And who could blame her. As for the creature? Let's just say he suffered a none-too-soon demise from a biological weapon I like to call Bengal Bug Spray.

Political Correctness Be Damned and More WW Recipes (how's THAT for a strange combination of topics?)

What qualifies as "Politically Incorrect" these days? Lots of things. Lots and lots and lots of things. More things than I could possibly count. Personally, I'm so damn sick of being told what's correct and what isn't, that I could just scream. People don't want you saying "Merry Christmas" anymore because it might offend someone. Instead, you're supposed to say "Happy Holidays". I've got no problem with saying "Happy Holidays". But rest assured that if and when I do say that, it'll most likely be followed up with a loud and hardy "Merry Christmas Everyone!". Why? Because December 25th is a celebration of the birth of Christ, that's why! So while I surely do hope that any and all holidays you may experience be as happy as can be, I further and most assuredly hope that your Christmas season is full of joy, love, merriment and laughter. And I hope my saying "Merry Christmas" to you gives you just one more reason to reflect on the whole entire meaning of life and what we're suppose to accomplish while we're here in it.
Another Politically Incorrect thing these days is "racial profiling", specifically at airports. Yeah. We're not supposed to be suspicious of anyone of Middle Eastern descent simply because they are of Middle Eastern descent 'cause it might offend an innocent person of the same race. Huh. See the thing is, each and every one of the murdering jackasses from 9/11 were of Middle Eastern descent. Sorry, but that's a fact. I darn sure wouldn't want to offend an innocent, really I wouldn't. But then again, I don't want to be taking a header into a national monument while snugly encased in a 747 just because no one had enough cojones to eyeball the terrorist sitting 6 rows ahead of me. You know when I flew to Florida from Texas in 2005 for the birth of our grandson, I was pulled out of line and searched. Why? Because I had a one way ticket in first class and only carry on luggage. All red flags. Cool. They "wanded" me, they patted me down, they took my shoes, they searched my luggage and my purse. No problem. I understood. I mean I was only in first class because it was the only ticket I could get and I only had a one way ticket because Randey and the boys were following by car so I was going to ride back home with them, but okay - I got that I met certain parameters that said "SEARCH THAT PASSENGER". But if I'd been wearing a burka, do you think they would have searched me then? I honestly doubt it. Why? Because I might have screamed "Racial Profiling!" and no airline wants to be accused of that...simply because it'd be Politically Incorrect. HORSE. PUCKY. Middle Eastern people tried to kill us. I hate that for us and for the innocent people of Middle Eastern heritage. But screw that "racially insensitive" crap and keep us all safe, if you don't mind too much. And if saying that induces you to call me a racist, then you're calling me a racist only induces me to call you a willfully blind and woefully ignorant idiot.
One other example of Political Incorrectness...all these people out there all across America who are going through foreclosures. They all blame Bush, the economy, the oil companies, the 3rd phase of Venus, whatever. And yes, some people truly have been victims of circumstances beyond their control, i.e, those who lost their jobs, etc. But I know for an absolute fact that a number of those people who have lost or are losing their homes to foreclosure are suffering because of their own damn stupidity. Back when real estate was booming, many of these people took out larger mortgages. They suddenly had all this equity in their homes because home values skyrocketed. So they borrowed against the "new" values of their homes and lived high off the hog. Woo-hoo! Ain't life grand! Then that "creative financing" that they were so thrilled with earlier became unaffordable. They found themselves with ginormous mortgage payments and no way to pay them. Well, I hate like all get out that those people made poor financial decisions based on current conditions without so much as considering the future, but that's hardly anyone's fault but their own. And yeah, I know it's extremely Politically Incorrect to say things like that, but I. don't. much. care. It's simply stating a fact. And by the way, I'll go even further to say that those ill-planning, whining ass bunch of morons who got greedy without giving one thought to the future have made it even tougher for those who genuinely have suffered because of the downturn our economy is experiencing. And for the love of Pete, stop your crying because you've lost your home due to your own greed. Suck it up, start over and learn from your mistakes. Thank God Randey and I have never lost a home due to our own idiocy, but we have suffered through financial hardships in the past brought on entirely by a syndrome known as "Living Above Your Means". It's a syndrome that affects a lot of people in American today. And it's not a condition that can be cured by the federal government.
So - why the big rant over "Political Correctness"? Because...I want you guys to understand that I know what that term means. And I'm as fed up with it as the next person. Truly I am. I could rant and rave about it for the next 24 hours solid and never even begin to scratch the surface of just how much it irritates me that we are supposed to tip toe around everyone's feelings because it'd be so flippin' horrible if we offended someone. I received several e-mails from very well meaning friends telling me that I had done nothing wrong when I "reviewed" the movie Tropic Thunder and I didn't need to apologize to Michelle like I did. I beg to differ. The reason being this...a person of a different religious persuasion can express those beliefs to me if they get offended by my "Merry Christmas" greeting. They can tell me all about how it offends them because they don't believe in Jesus. And I can tell them to get over it. Why? Because they can actually get over it. A person of Middle Eastern descent can get all kinds of ticked off at me for thinking people who look like them should be given extra scrutiny at the airport and I can also tell them to get over it. Why? Because they can. A person who's driving a Hummer that they bought with the proceeds of their home equity loan before that loan went belly up can get indignant and cry because I've expressed my belief that they've brought their tragedy upon themselves and they, too, can get the heck over it. None of these people have to agree with me, none of them have to accept what I say without debate. They can all fight back, in other words. The mentally handicapped can't. They are a segment of our society who are totally and completely innocent and free of guile. When I said that people who are "easily offended" should skip that movie, I lumped people who have no control over their condition into the same category as those who do. And that was wrong. I still say that was a funny movie. But I hate the thought that something that gave me so much laughter could, at the same time, cause pain and humiliation to innocents. I wish to heck that Ben Stiller had used a more worthy target for his lampooning. There's plenty other segments of our society out there who could use a little poking fun at. Again, I don't think that Stiller and company set out to make fun of the mentally disabled, but rather they used language that is hurtful to the mentally handicapped, as well as those who love them, in their efforts to illustrate the ridiculousness of Hollywood itself. That hurtful language was unnecessary and uncalled for. And that has nothing to do with being Politically Correct or Incorrect. It has to do with being a caring and thoughtful human. Michelle did not try to pressure me into retracting my endorsement of the movie, nor did she chastise me for being insensitive. She merely made a comment on my review because she felt that we were good enough friends to do that. I'm so very pleased that she was comfortable enough with me to express herself without fear of being snubbed or mocked. Her comment was well thought out, it came from personal feelings and experience and it was a point of view I hadn't truly considered. I felt terrible after having read it. Why? Because I knew that she was right. Yes, it was a funny movie, but it was also hurtful to the innocent. The defenseless innocent. That's why I answered her comment as I did. Because it came from the heart. NOT from any pressure to be Political Correct. I thank all of you for your kind words regarding this issue. It's been very much appreciated. It's one more reason why I love being part of this community!!

Now - to lighten up a bit - how about telling me some of the "Politically Correct or Incorrect" things that drive you insane?? I'd love to hear about them. It really gets my blood pumping. LOL

TODAY'S RECIPES

Finally, here's a great idea for a low point Weight Watchers breakfast. This comes from Joan over at Joan's Journeys. Joan has been eating 3 egg whites (just the whites, people!) every morning and has been adding vegetables like mushrooms and broccoli. Three egg whites count for only 1 point on the WW system and in fact, if you were feeling particularly hungry, you could have six, count 'em SIX, egg whites for just TWO points. Not bad, eh? And of course, small portions of most vegetables don't garner any points. Joan says you can even add half a bag of the WW shredded cheese for only 1 more point. She also enjoys a half cup of Sunfresh Del Monte Red Grapefruit because she says they taste so sweet (can't wait to me some of that up the next time I go to the store - I luvs me some sweet grapefruit!). Great breakfast ideas. Remember everyone, it's very important that you eat breakfast every morning. I know it seems like the less you eat, the more weight you'll loose, but if you don't eat on a regular basis, your body starts storing absolutely everything you do eat because it thinks it's starving. So feed your body regularly and do it with mostly healthy stuff. Also remember this: A treat isn't a treat if you give it to yourself everyday! Save those special things for special times. Fuel your body with the healthy foods day to day. Your body will thank you!
Here's a little factoid that surprised the fool out of me...did you know that a "normal and healthy" portion of chicken breast is only 4 ounces? The average chicken breast (raw) is 7 to 8 ounces. I was appalled when I saw that most WW recipes called for only 1 pound of chicken for 4 servings. What the heck? Who could live off that? Well, apparently - anyone! It's the size we should be eating. While I don't always adhere to this portion size (but I try!), it's truly not a hardship to adjust to eating healthier. And I promise you, it gets easier over time, too. Now check out this recipe which is made with only 1 little ol' pound of chicken breast meat:

Crock Pot Chicken Parmesan
4 servings 6 points per serving

Ingredients:
Olive Oil spray
6 Tbsp seasoned bread crumbs
1 tsp garlic powder
1 1/2 oz reduced fat parmesan cheese
1/2 cup egg beaters (or 3 egg whites)
1 cup Paul Newman marinara (if you use a different brand, check it for calorie, fat and fiber count!!!)
2 oz part-skim mozzarella cheese
16 oz boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Spray bottom of crock pot with olive oil Pam. Combine breadcrumbs, garlic powder and parmesan cheese. Dredge chicken in egg beaters or egg whites and then dredge in breadcrumbs mixture to coat chicken. Place chicken in crock pot. Sprinkle chicken with mozzarella cheese and pour marinara/spaghetti sauce on top of chicken. Cook on low 6-7 hours or high for 3-4 hours.

This is a fantastic recipe. I've never made chicken parmesan in my life until I used this recipe. It's so easy - and my family was so impressed - I darn near declared myself a good cook after the first time I served this. (And before I get an e-mail from Aunt Sandi, let me state that calling myself a "bad cook" is no exaggeration nor am I putting myself down by saying it. I don't normally like cooking, I'm not terribly good at it, and I'd just as soon leave the cooking chores to someone else. I have no shame and/or embarrassment about my lack of cooking skills. It's just how I roll.) Anywho - this recipe almost made me change my mind about the Joys of Cooking. It gave me hope that I could make something quick, easy, healthy and full of good taste without resorting to carry-out or a nervous breakdown. I serve this with a side portion (2 ounces) of Ronzoni Smart Taste thin spaghetti (discovered through my friend Susan! Check this stuff out - it's even better for you than whole grain pasta!) and a 1/4 cup of marinara - for an additional 4 points. I also make a lettuce, tomato and cucumber salad (o points). This meal is a lot of food for 10 points, and it's one my family thoroughly enjoys eating.

Here's one more recipe, courtesy of Vee over at A Haven for Vee. In her own words, no less!

Peel slices from one apple into pan with artificial sweetener of choice and cinnamon to taste and water. Stew until apples are softened and water is nearly evaporated.

Place one slice of American cheese (lowfat, if you insist) on one slice of whole-wheat toast. Add apples on top and broil until cheese melts. Yummy!
(I've been eating this for forty years whether dieting or not.)

I ran this thru the WW Recipe Builder and it comes to only 3 points. Yippee!

Please, Let Me Explain!

I have a huge mea culpa to issue here. It's regarding my review of the movie Tropic Thunder. I enjoyed the movie - thought it had a lot to recommend it. That part is fine and I, of course, stand by my right to express that opinion. However, (and this is a BIG however) I was insensitive in the extreme to a certain aspect of our society. When I said "if you're easily offended, skip it", I carelessly trivialized the feelings of people who either are or know someone who is mentally handicapped or disabled. God help me, I don't even know the proper term or if there is one. Please, if I've said the wrong thing, correct me. I'm willing and able to learn from my mistakes. Like now. With that "easily offended" statement. I received this comment from my good blogging friend, Michelle @ Big Blueberry Eyes. It was an eye opener for me, to say the least.

I guess you can count me among those easily offended :) I admit I haven't seen the movie, but that scene between Stiller and Downey Jr talking about why Stiller didn't win an Oscar playing Simple Jack? That scene offends me. In particular Downey Jr's character saying "you went full r*tard. You never go full r*tard" offends me. That phrase is already on shirts being sold online, kids will probably be wearing it in school, and I dread the day Kayla will have to see something like that. I've heard Stiller's response that it wasn't meant to offend, it was a satire poking fun of Hollywood and other actors etc, and taken in the context of the movie it's supposed to be funny. Regardless of what the context is, and that it was supposed to be funny, it just isn't - at least not for me. Ditto with the scene between Stiller and his agent talking about Stiller's plan to adopt. His agent saying "at least you get to chose your son" and then showing a picture of him with his son who appears to have a disability.
Anyway, just my opinion coming from a different point of view of why it offends me :) Hope you don't mind my long comment in response!

I truly did not mean to minimize or dismiss anyone's feelings over this movie. But I did. The truth is, the movie contains offensive language and references to mentally disabled people. That is a fact that I cannot deny. As Stiller said, I don't believe the makers of the movie specifically set out to make fun of mentally disabled people, rather I think the purpose was to show the ridiculous lengths Hollywood and, more pointedly, actors go to for their "art". This is something I agree with so whole heartedly, that I lost sight of the hurt those particular scenes could cause the innocents in our society who least deserve to be subjected to that sort of pain. I mean heck, I was laughing my butt off during most of the movie and, while I found the parts referring to the mentally handicapped to be in poor taste, I took them as a poke at Hollywood, not a poke at the disabled so I skipped right over them in my review of the movie. And honestly, I didn't understand the reference about the agent's kid when he told Stiller "at least you get to pick yours". They just showed a picture of a kid, a kid who looked like a million other kids out there. (Which may show that not only am I insensitive, I'm dense as well.) But the point is, it was real easy for me to laugh at certain things and dismiss others because I haven't had to endure the agony of knowing a loved one who is living with the realities of a handicap. Michelle, Joe and Kayla, if I live to be a hundred years old and apologize to you all every hour on the hour, I will never come close to expressing exactly how bad I feel for my total and complete lack of empathy for your feelings. I still think the movie, apart from the horribly unnecessary language regarding the handicapped, was funny, but (A), it would have been immeasurably funnier without those parts and (B) I never, ever should have even thought, much less said, "easily offended" in reference to anyone's feelings. It belittled what is obviously a very real and true emotion and one that, as a person who hasn't lived with this reality, I could never have any true grasp of understanding. If I had to do it all over again, and knowing what I know now, I believe I'd skip that movie. Sure, parts of it were hysterically funny. But 2 hours of laughter just doesn't measure up to the thought of hurting your feelings and I ache with every fiber of my being just thinking of little Kayla having her feelings hurt by this. I promise you now that I will work towards improving my empathy and sympathy and will be much more mindful of these things in the future. Thank you for your very kind and gentle reminder to me that there's a difference between being "politically incorrect" and being just plain wrong. I hope you'll forgive me my ignorance.



One other thing, today is my oldest son's 28th birthday. Happy Birthday, Nick! Sure wish I could talk to you and I hope you can at least read your birthday greetings. I miss you like crazy and think of you every moment of the day. You're my baby, my "Elvis", my pride and my joy. I love you, son.

P.S. Look one post down for the Weigh Out of Fat Recipes

Finding a Weigh Out of Fat, Volume III

Some of you guys really came through with your recipes! Thank you. You came through so well, in fact, that rather than try to post them all in one day, I think I'll try to break it down to maybe 3 to 5 a post because, wow! my typing skills may not be up to doing it all at one time. lol

This first recipe came from Mary @ Bookfan-Mary. I actually tried to make this myself and it was my own poor planning that prevented it from coming out as intended. I'll explain more on that after the recipe:


Slow Cooker Salsa Chicken

4 svgs 8pts/svg

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 cup salsa
1 pkg reduced sodium taco seasoning
1 can reduced fat cream of mushroom soup
1/2 cup reduced fat sour cream


Add chicken to slow cooker (sprayed with PAM)
Sprinkle taco seasoning over chicken
Pour salsa and soup over chicken
Cook on low 6-8 hrs
Remove from heat and stir in sour cream
Serve with rice or baked potato (add pts for this)

Notes:I don't use the whole pkg of taco seasoning
Soup is right from can, not mixed with anything
I use it with brown rice
You could use fat free ingredients and that might lower the pts value/svg


When I went to try this recipe, I knew that I didn't have the taco seasoning or the salsa so I made a special trip to the store to get those things. By the time I made it home, it was too late to put it all in the crockpot so I decided I'd just cook it in the oven, instead. So, a few hours later, I start dinner and realize that, despite my firm belief to the contrary, I had no cream of anything soup in my pantry and my reduced fat sour cream was woefully out of date. Great. Now what??? Well seeing as how it was so late in the day and I couldn't handle another trip to the store (once in a day is quite enough for me, thank you) I went ahead and made the recipe without those things. I sprayed the dish and lightly sprayed the chicken with Olive Oil spray, I lightly sprinkled the taco seasoning on the chicken, I put about 1/2 the contents of the salsa jar (approximately 11 oz) on top and poured about 3 ounces of vegetable broth in the bottom of the Pyrex dish. Slapped it in the oven for about 45 minutes at 350 degrees and hoped for the best. And wouldn't you know it? The boys and I thought it was fantabulous! Randey liked it quite a bit, but would have liked it more if I hadn't used such a spicy salsa (he's never been one for the jalapenos, etc.). I can just imagine how good it'll be if I manage to follow the recipe correctly. LOL (FYI for those of you doing WW, my Kari, the Bad Recipe Follower version came out to 6 points per serving).

Next we have Teriyaki Burgers from Joan @ Joan's Journey's:


Teriyaki Burgers

4 servings 5 points per serving


1 pound 93% lean ground beef (or turkey or turkey/lean beef mixture)
2 tbsp teriyaki sauce
4 English muffins
1/4 cup ketchup
4 lettuce leaves
1 large beefsteak tomato
1 red onion


In a large bowl, combine beef (and/or turkey) and teriyaki sauce. Mix together and shape into 4 patties. Grill or broil until cooked through. Arrange lettuce on the bottom half of an English muffin. Top with burger, ketchup, tomato, onion and top half of muffin.


I can't wait to try this one. I've never been a huge fan of homemade burgers, but I can't afford the points for eating them out anymore (ha!) so these should be a good alternative for me.

Here's a recipe from Jodie @ Mommy of a Princess.


LEMON CHICKEN PASTA TOSS
Prep:20 mins Cook:20 mins Makes: 4 servings

2 cups dried multigrain penne
12 ounces skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, cut into 1 inch pieces
2 tablespoons all purpose flour
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/3 cup finely chopped shallot (3)
2 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 cup chicken broth
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
3 tablespoons capers, drained
3 tablespoons snipped fresh Italian parsley
Fresh grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

1. Cook pasta according to package directions; drain. Return pasta to hot saucepan;cover and keep warm.

2. Meanwhile, in a bowl toss together chicken and flour until chicken is lightly coated. In a large skillet cook and stir chicken in 1 tablespoon of the oil over medium-high heat for 6 to 8 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink. Remove chicken from pan; set aside.

3. Reduce heat to medium. Add remaining oil to skillet. Add garlic and shallot; cook and stir about 1 minute or until tender. Carefully stir in broth, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Cook, uncovered, for 2 to 3 minutes or until reduced to about 2/3 cup. Stir in chicken, capers, and parsley; heat through.

4. Toss pasta with chicken mixture. If desired, add parmesan cheese.

Per 1 1/2 cups: 339 calories, 9 g total fat (1 g saturated fat), 50 mg chol., 589 mg sodium, 36 g carbs, 4 g fiber, 29 g protein.

I'll have to do this one soon, but first of all, could someone tell me what capers taste like? lol The whole recipe sounds delicious, but I'm a little leery of those caper thingys...Also, I haven't run this through my Weight Watchers Recipe Builder yet so I can't say how many points per serving. The calorie count per serving looks pretty good, though.


Now we have a soup recipe from Lynne over at Lynne's Little Corner of the World:


TACO SOUP

(makes around 15 cups, 1 point/cup)

1 large onion chopped (I use frozen chopped onions, about a cup)
1 package taco seasoning mix (low sodium)
2 cups frozen corn
1 can chicken broth, fat-free
1 can black beans, undrained
1 can white beans, undrained
1 can refried beans, fat free
1 can Rotel tomatoes, undrained
1 can diced tomatoes, undrained


Put all ingredients into a big pot, stir well, simmer about an hour.


I was able to run this recipe through my Weight Watchers Recipe Builder and, using the ingredients (brand names, etc.) I had on hand, this came out to 2 points per 1 cup serving instead of 1. Which brings up what I think is an important point. Not all foods are created equal! Long Grain Brown Rice, for example.The calorie total for one serving of Uncle Ben's rice is 170, but the calorie total for one serving of Mahatma is 150. The fat and fiber contents also differ from brand to brand. It's important to read your labels and chose the product which offers the best nutritional balance. By the way, this recipe would be great to serve with the Salsa Chicken for a Mexican food themed night. Add in a tossed salad and those of you on Weight Watchers can have a great meal for around 7 to 10 points (depending on your ingredients and how badly you can screw up a recipe - I'm referring to my "version" of the Salsa chicken, of course. lol).


Finally, here's a chicken recipe that Randey practically begs for whenever he sees that I've gotten chicken out for supper. Which is often. Why you ask? Because chicken is good for you! And so is fish, but I don't eat seafood, therefore, I don't cook it either. 'Cause YUCK! I know that some of you may be thinking that you just can't eat chicken every single night (and really, who could, besides me? ha!) but if you cook it enough different ways, it doesn't seem to get old. It's all about the flavors! And this recipe I'm going to give you has some of the best flavor out there. Trust me on this!


Honey Balsamic Glazed Chicken Breast
4 servings 7 points per serving (and worth every one!)


4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp table salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 tsp olive oil
4 tablespoons honey
4 tablespoons balsamic vinegar


Heat olive oil in skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle thyme, salt and pepper over chicken. Add chicken to skillet, cook 7 to 8 minutes on each side or until chicken is done. (You can also cube the chicken prior to cooking, which is what we've been doing). Transfer chicken to plate, cover with foil to keep warm. Reduce heat to medium-low, add vinegar and honey to pan. Simmer 1 minute or until glaze thickens; stir constantly. Pour glaze over chicken (do this quickly and, if your chicken is cubed, stir the glaze around on it a bit because the glaze will "set up" - and you most certainly want it "set up" on the chicken and not the plate!).
I told my friend Susan about this recipe and she said she didn't think she'd like it because she doesn't like balsamic vinegar. Like I told her, though, you don't taste the balsamic. The combination of it and the honey gives the chicken an almost oriental sort of flavor, but very light. It's so darn good. I feel like a gourmet every time I make it. Also, the original recipe called for 1 1/2 tsps of thyme, but I reduced that amount because thyme is such a strong spice to me. Feel free to add more, if you'd like to, however.

Okay, that's enough recipes for one post, I think. Stayed tuned, though, as I'll try to post more throughout the week.
I had good news at my Weight Watchers meeting this afternoon. I lost another 2.4 lbs. for a total of 31.8. I can't tell you how much it boggles my mind to think that I've actually been able to lose that sort of weight. I'm thrilled silly and just knowing what I've accomplished thus far has empowered me to believe I can continue on this path and lose even more. How about you guys? - tell us some of your successes. I've found that hearing about others weight loses is a huge inspiration for me! It tells me that all of us are capable of doing this...and we're capable of helping those who are struggling with it, too. And speaking of helping, how about giving us your best snack tips. This was a suggested topic for next week's post and I think it's a GREAT ONE! Tell us what you eat to tide you over between meals or for those times when you feel like you'll eat anything that doesn't move fast enough - what are you eating instead of the potato chips or ice cream or whatever? Here's one of my favorite snacks: frozen grapes. Ohhhhhh, they are soooooo good. And since they're frozen, it takes longer to eat them so I end up not eating as many. lol You just pop one in your mouth and it sort of melts just a bit and then it's like eating an awesomely flavored bite of fruit Popsicle. Give 'em a try if you haven't already discovered these. And then share with the class your favorite snacks. This is a great way to help each other out. I look forward to reading what you've got to say!

Tropic Thunder, My Baby's Movin' on Up, More Art, Maddy's Masterpiece and a Plea for Recipes!

It's been a hectic weekend. I'm on another one of my "gotta get organized" kicks so naturally, everything in the house is a total mess. lol What I wouldn't give for more storage in this house!! Geez. Seems like I'm constantly shifting stuff from one pile to another and not making any progress whatsoever. But that's a whole other story. I'd just as soon not think about it right now so I'll move along, okay? :)
Randey and I saw Tropic Thunder Friday evening. It was offensive on so many levels, it was stupid, it was gross, it was sometimes over-the-top bizarre...and man, did we love it! I haven't laughed so hard in a theater since we saw Blades of Glory. Robert Downey, Jr. is pure genius. I'm normally not too impressed with anyone who makes their living in Hollywood, but this guy is an exception. I loved him in Ironman, I loved him in Kiss, Kiss, Bang, Bang and I totally and completely adored him in this movie. Nobody plays a character better and nobody pokes fun at himself better, either. Genius, I tell you, genius. Another stand out performance in this movie was that of Tom Cruise. Yeah, I know. I stopped diggin' Tom Cruise right about the time he kicked Nicole to the curb and started couch jumping over Katie. But his performance in this movie almost made me like him again. Almost. (He played a great role, but afterwards, well - he's still Tom Cruise - couch-pounding maniac.) If you can enjoy a whole lot of un-politically correct humor, this movie is for you. If you're easily offended, skip it. And there you have it. Another movie review from me. Woo-hoo! lol
Check out Jacob, my baby. He was headed to a job interview so he broke down and dressed in something other than a t-shirt and plaid shorts. It worked for him, too. He got the job and has gone from working fast food to working in retail sales. He's already planning on how to spend the big bucks he'll be making. lol
Remember our fetish for cheap art? Well, check this out:
It's a watercolor painting of an actual windmill. It's the Berney Arms Mill in Norfolk, U.K. It actually has a sticker on the back with the name of the artist and the artist's contact information. I googled the name of the mill and found several webpages with information regarding the origin and the current use of the mill. I think it's a beautiful little watercolor and, at $3 (sorry, Kat, I can't help myself - I have to tell how little we paid! lol), an absolute steal.

When Maddy Moose (our oldest granddaughter) was visiting earlier this month, she and I went to Granbury and painted ceramics together. As you can see, Maddy's granny (moi) has not found her calling when it comes to painting these things. Who knew the brush strokes would show up so much??? Here's the front of my piece:
And here's the back:
Now here's Maddy's. This kid is so creative and so free-spirited, it was a given that I would love her piece. Here's the front of hers:
And here's the back:
I am kicking my own butt for not having her do two pieces so that I could keep one. What was I thinking??? Well, now I know better. Next time around, Moose will be painting something for herself and something for her granny. lol

One more thing. I haven't received many recipes yet for the "Finding a Weigh Out of Fat" post coming up this Wednesday. You only have a day or two to get those to me!! If you have one, please e-mail me with it ASAP (or type it into a comment). Come on, guys! Share what you've got and help the rest of us out! If we're going to lose weight together, we need to do it all together. Including helping each other out in the kitchen (metaphorically, anyway. You'll have to find your own helpers to do the dishes. lol).