A tiny glimpse...

I can't eat for how long???!!

So yesterday was my first foray into the world of Intermittent Fasting (IF).  I am trying to loose weight that has somehow appeared onto my body over the past 15 years out of nowhere!!  Well, maybe not out of nowhere - 2 babies, less activity, and a deeper love of cooking and baking!  I have done pretty well since Christmas losing about 25 pounds so far.  Unfortunately I have hit a sort of plateau recently and my husband suggested that I participate in a 24 hour fast that he and some friends were doing.  I thought it sounded crazy and impossible - I mean how do you go without eating all day I have never done that before!  I was hesitant to say the least and decided to just wait and see how it goes.  I ate dinner with the family on Tuesday and then went to bed at the normal time.  In the morning I had my coffee and started to see how long I could go.  I did pack a lunch and had it at work with me, but before I knew it it was three o'clock and I still hadn't eaten!!  I had some ice tea and water during the day and just kept going.  I was actually surprised by the  fact that I made it and it wasn't that bad.  Nothing blew up in the lab and everyone is still talking to me so apparently I was not a raging loon and I didn't black out!  Now I am hopefull that this will jump start my body into losing some more weight and gear me up for the next time!  Oh yes, there will be a next time! 

New Job.....New Outlook

I have to say we were very lucky to have weathered the economic crisis for as long as we did, but unfortunately it caught up with us last fall.  My company had to go through the downsizing procedure and I got swept into the flow.  It was horrible and I feel for all those who have also lost their jobs in these hard times.  I can't say I saw it coming, and even though I knew that it was always a possibility to be laid off I didn't think it would really happen to me.  Imagine my surprise that after 9 years of service with exceptional reviews I  was told they did not have a spot for me.  I have to say I felt very betrayed, stupid, shocked and hurt just to name a few of the emotions from that day.  I always thought that I had found my dream job and was in a group of people who had been working together for 17 or more years, so I was still considered a newbie!  I feel like there was so much I still hadn't learned and so much potential I hadn't yet reached.  It has been very difficult to handle all of the emotions that have come with the loss of that job.  I was very fortunate to find a new gig that is almost as fantabulous as the old one.  The only thing that could make it any better is if I could do the work I am doing now with my old co-workers.  I miss sharing and seeing the people I have seen everyday for the past nine years....the people who shared the birth of my children, the purchasing of my first and second home, the stories about our families and lots of talk about food!!!  I know that the friendships will continue and I still have the ability to ask them questions about my new work and to ask advice for new endeavors and I will make it!!  I made it through this far and I can make it even farther.  I will create relationships with new co-workers and will e more diligent in driving my own career.  Now if I can just get the kid's through college so I can relax!!!!

Fall

There are many things that I like about Fall, but I think the best part is changing over from our summer supper menu to our wintry menu!!  I really love to cook and try new recipes.  This year I have seen so many new recipes for soups and stews!!  Can't wait to get cooking and now since the weather has started to turn colder it is time. 

I started our fall cooking festivities with the cooking of our pumpkin seeds after we carved our pumpkins for Halloween.  I usually just pull off most of the chunks and cook them in the oven with some butter and salt, but this year I was looking for other pumpkin recipes and found that there is another step.  There was a thread that suggested boiling the seeds in some salted water for about 10 minutes before toasting in the oven which would allow the salty flavor to infuse into the seed some.  I tried this with our seeds this year and was pleasantly surprised with the outcome.  The rest of the family thought they were excellent too and they were not around long!  So here's to starting off a fall of new culinary adventures.....I think we should have roasted chicken tonight!

Concrete leaves

My mother-in-law came across this article in one of her magazines to make concrete leaves for the garden.  The one pictured above is a lotus leaf and can be used like a bird bath.  Well, I have been wanting to learn how to do it since.  I think it is a really cool idea and well who knows what new things that knowledge could inspire!!  She called on Saturday to tell me she had gotten some rhubarb leaves from a local lady and would be making some if I wanted to learn.  Ummmm yes!!!  It is not a very complicated process, but it does take patience.  You have to have patience to grow the plants to provide the leaves (or make some very "green thumb" friends), patience to mold the leaf and then form the concrete and patience to wait for the concrete to harden.  The hardening part is by far the most trying - it is so tempting to touch them while they are drying and to check on them and to pick them up!! Thank goodness they are at her house so I am not tempted.  I can't wait to see the ones I made and with the left-over concrete C made a stepping stone for Daddy!

sick day...

    I really like being in the house by myself for long periods of time, but I really wish I wasn't sick!!  I'd rather be at work than stuck in the house doing nothing when there is so much to do.  I have requested that another day be added to my week just for me, but so far it hasn't come through.  Something about the whole time space continuim that it can't be allowed - whatever.
    I have been able to catch up on my DVR playlist of shows, although if I keep falling asleep I may have to re-watch a couple and there I am running out of time again.  Oh well - heres looking forward to tomorrow.

Happy Mother's Day!

Happy Mother's day to all of you who are a mother to something be it a child, a pet, a younger sibling or a life partner of any kind!  I have to say there are days when i long to have a place to hide all by myself, but ultimately I really love to be needed and am a total pleaser so I wouldn't be able to stay by myself for very long.  We spent Saturday making terrariums for the Grandma's since I saw the idea here on angry chicken.  I love the idea and thought this is perfect!!  Both of our mom's love gardening and plants and having something made by there grandson would be even better.  Well I had to make one for me to, but I do say they didn't turn out quite like the picture in my head, but I think they will be loved no matter what.  Hope you had a great day doing whatever your heart's desire!

Outdoorsmen

So over the weekend we had quite the outdoorsy activities going on.  First we had T-ball on Saturday morning when it was still about 30 degrees out with the wind chill.  I think that was seriously the longest hour of my life.  I was going to take some pictures, but as I am a slacker mom I wasn't really paying attention and it was way to cold to take my hands out of my pockets, sooooo there are no pictures.  I swear I was only listening to my i-pod because the ear buds were keeping the cold air out of my ear holes!

We then attended a couples shower for my friend/co-worker that was just our work group.  It was a lot of fun really good food and pretty much the only traditional thing we did was bring presents so I guess technically you could say it was just a party.  The couple that is getting married do a lot of hunting both with guns and bows so they brought over their bows and arrows and we all had a go!  It was really fun to be so relaxed and we only played one game which was guess how many candy kisses there are so that wasn't to bad for the boys.

Then on Sunday morning the boys went fishing at the park (same park, but not the lake we fell in here).  I did not go - see I really needed to go to the market and I wanted to have the boy take a nap and I wanted to watch some T.V. and be by myself in the house (this hardly ever happens) and well ultimately it comes down to I really don't like fishing.  I am not bothered by the fish or the worms, I just don't enjoy the silence and the waiting and then there is that whole slacker mom thing that is just called LAZY!!  Until next time slack on!!!

Fun Apron Swap!!

So over at "A Feathered Nest" there is a sign up for an apron swap!  I am totally excited about it.  Sign up is now through May 5th and the apron needs to be mailed by June 9th.  Click the picture above or in the sidebar for more information or to join up yourself!

Bag sewing!

I have made two more bags!  One is for my mother in law (above) and is the same pattern as the boat one shown here.

The other is based on a pattern I purchased from Etsy called the Mischeivious Gnome Messenger Bag from Sew Liberated (previously Montessori by Hand).  I also have her Emmeline apron pattern, but have not tried it yet.  It is so exciting to make things again.  I made the strap a longer so it could be used across the body.  I love it!  I am also understanding so much more so that I can make the bag I have been looking for and cannot find!  The perfect bag to carry my laptop and my stuff with lots of pockets.  Oh the things I could do if I didn't have any responsibilities and a bottomless bank account!!  Well, I guess I should get back to reality it is almost bath time.

Boosting the economy!

Well, although we haven't gotten our rebate check back yet, we have gotten our refund and have valiantly gone forth to do our part in boosting the economy.  Not that we weren't going to spend money, but at least this way i can convince myself I did it for the good of the nation and it eases some of the guilt about not putting the money in the boy's college fund! 
A had the pleasure of making our first purchase by buying a new bike!  He has an old road bike that he purchased last year off of Craig's list and it is pretty old and heavy so I gave the green light on a visit to the Trek Store to purchase a new fancy bike.  I have been told that this allows me to be able to ride the old bike so we can go on family rides! 

The second purchase was not nearly exciting, but necessary.  I got to pick out a new patio table and chairs.  I have been wanting one that was able to sit at least 6 people and have food on the table and Kmart had all the Martha Stewart outdoor collection stuff on sale and now the Bloomington collection is on our deck!!