I had an idea that I thought was green and kind of cute. Instead of giving a gift in a gift bag what about giving it in one of the reusable grocery bags you see everywhere now. The bags come in every pattern from leopard to flowers and the person can reuse the bag over and over. The best part is many stores seel them for $1. I did this for my sis in law and everyone thought it was a great idea. Try it out.

Ok so on to life. Yesterday was another long day of school. I did great and packed my lunch. I had a taco salad with ground lean turkey. Yummy.

Today I am studying for a midterm that I have on Thursday. I am so thankful thaat I am almost done with school. I also loked mt my schedule for credentials next fall and it is going to be rough. I will be going 3 nights a week but I will be off during the day and only go nights which is nice.

I have taken up a new hobby of reading. Megan got me turned on to the book series Twilight a few weeks ago. It is a teen book series about vampires and love. I started reading it about 2 weeks ago. The series is 4 books all of which are 500-750 pages a piece. I actually am not a big reading fan. I however loved the series I finished all 4 books, 2500 pages in 2 weeks. It was easy reading and I am now looking for what I can read next.

So I weighed in at 189.4 this morning. I am officially in the 180's again and have lost about 11 pounds. Wow, that is alot of weight when you think about it. I still have alot to go just to fit into my last years summer clothes but I can do it.

Ok well I am off to study. have a great Wed.

Ali

I ate terrible this weekend for Mother's day and it was so worth it. I gained 3 lbs. and I don't even care. with that said I am going to be switching up the diet a bit and see how it goes. I am tying to do low carb weight watchers. My body loses best on low carb but I will be smart on the calories and not lose my hair this time.
My weekend was really good. at I woke up at 8 and drank mimosas (champagne and oj) while reading for a good 2 hours. It was so relaxing and what I really needed. We had baseball in the afternoon and the kids took me to Chili's for Mothers day dinner a day early. We came home and watched a movie.
Sunday we were going to go to church but I felt a little under the weather with a cold and had taken a few to many night time cold meds to get going in the morning. We got things ready to head over to my Mother in laws house. For lunch we went to Tommy and had chili cheese fries and they were awesome. We went to a bbq over at my in laws house with all the family and enjoyed an afternoon of company and relaxation.
I ate way to much but have made a deal with myself that starting today I will be 100% good until the day we leave for the beach trip on June 19th. I think that gives me 6 weeks to lose and feel better before graduation.
Well I am off to study, yet again.
Ali

Feeling hot, hot, hot...

Man is it warm outside. 100 degrees today should be fun from my air conditioned house.

So I had another cheat last night. I ran into my friend Nicole and we ended up going out for a drink and some food. I had 2 light beers and we shared a plate of fried appetizers. I had been good all day so I was close but still over on my points for the day.

I am currently takeing woodshop and I love it. I am posting a picture of my almost finished cutting board. It is maple and walnut and the best part is it has a counter overhang so when you cut on it it will not slide forward on the counter. Next week we are starting some kind of furniture most likely a table. I am excited and really want to keep going even after the class is done.

So instead of a recipe today I am going to share a Green living tip for all of you.

Did you know that the best cleaner for your house is vinegar. Typical cleaners are bad for the environment and also cost a ton of money. So fill your bucket with water and add about 1/2 c. of apple cider or white vingar and scrub away. 1 gallon of vinegar will last for months and costs about $5.

Have a great weekend and Happy Mother's day.

Ali

Weigh in day....
I weighed in at 190.4 down from 193.something last week. I was hoping to get in the 180's but next week I will be there. I don't mind losing slower because it is so much easier to stick with. I guess I can't have it like last time and lose all the weigh really quickly without learning how to eat to keep it off.
School is going really well. I feel a little overrun by it but I just keep think I only have 6 weeks until I graduate from college. Cool just to type it. I am feeling overwhelmed because Tues I go from 8am - 9pm with 2 10 min breaks. It is a really long day and it drains me. I have been doing well and packing good foods. I do have a microwave and fridge in the ceramics studio so I do take a lunch break during class so that I get to my points for the day. I just realized that I write about school an aweful lot and I have never posted any pictures of where I spend all my time. I will have to remedy that soon.
Well I am off to write a paper and hopefully get time today to hit the market and clean up the house a little.
Ali

Well we made it through the weekend. We went to two baseball games, fishing, and two little league games but we made it through while being diet wise. I love weight watchers because I was able to eat three meals a day plus extras and still stay on track. We went to in and out, coldstone, and McDonalds and still made good choices.
So let see what other things have bbeen going on in our lives. Shawn has been sick with a bladder infection. He had an ultrasound of the abdomine and a bunch of bloodwork done to make sure it was nothing more serious and the only thing they found was that he had a bladder infestion and that he recently bruised his spleen so he needs to take it easy for a few weeks until that heals. The only thing we can think of is that while plaaying hockey with his brothers a few weeks ago he ran the stick really hard into his stomach in the same area where the spleen is. He hasn't been able to run or exercise because he has been in pain and the doc told him to take a little time off for his spleen. He is still losing but I am not allowed to say how much in case the poeple he is competeing with at work are reading my blog.
I am in midterm and my life is crazy. I have papers like crazy to write and unfortunitly at the same time have senioritis which makes me not want to do ay of it. I am spenind the day today in my jammies catching up on homework.
Lets see our new food find for the weekend was italian seasoned turkey meat. We got it at Stater bros in the meat section. It is pre flavored raw turkey that is ground. We cooked it up and threw marinara sauce over it and then put it on whole wheat noodles. It was super yummy. The other thing we keep buying is apple dippers from vons. They are pre sliced apples in individual pouches with a little bit of caramel to dip them in. The best part is they are 1 pt and a great sweet snack.
Well off to do homework, Look for my weigh in on Wed.
Ali

Good morning.
What a great day I had yesterday. I won a radio contest on 104.3 and got 4 tickets to the aquarium of the pacific. Yeah we get to go to the aquarium.
I had a bit of a cheat yesterday. I did great all day but ran out of time to eat before garrett's baseball game so we ate at the game. I had a cheeeburger and friess for dinner. Not the best choices and I went over in points for the day but I am back 100% today.
I have a ton to do today so I will leave and say have a great weekend.
Ali

Ok so it is weigh in day, I started 1 week ago at 200.4 and weighed in today at 192.8. I must say that works for me. I know it will slow down but I am that much closer to my goal. I like this not weighing in each and every day thing. I feel like I accomplished something instead of being disappointed.
So yesterday at school was a very productive day. I painted some of my ceramics and they turned out pretty cute. In woodshop I used a tablesaw, chop saw, and band saw to start making my cutting board. I am very happy that I have a clue in the class since I have used alot of the tools before. My cutting board is about halff done and I will post pics as soon as I get some.
So I decided today to tell you about a few of my can't live without foods.
- Skinny lattes from starbucks. They are 3 points for a lg but you can get caramel, vanilla, cinnamon, and hazelnut.
- Lean cuisine panini's they are 7 points but are so tasty.
- my sun butter and raw honey whole wheat sandwhiches. If I use 2 slices of bread with 1/2 tablespoon each sunbutter and honey they are 4 points.
- turkey taco's which run around 10 points with tortillas, rice, and all the fixins.
- kashi granola bars, I really like the cherry chocolate and trail mix. They are 2 points but a sweet treat.
I also thought I would share my two favorite Weight watchers website.
The first is www.dwlz.com she has a link at the very top of the site for resteraunts and she has the points for every fasy food place or resteraunt that is a chain or is popular. I think I use this site 4 times a week. She also has links to other weight watchers info like points for foods and stuff.
The other is www.ronisweigh.com Roni is a weight watcher guru, she knows it all. She lost 70 pounds. She has links to tools like how many points you should aim for based on height and weight, she has recipies, answers questions, and has a food calculator in case you don't have a weight watchers slide to calculate points of foods.
These are the tools and foods that keep me going.
Well I am off to do homework but I hope you find some of this info helpful and useful,
Ali

What a great weekend.
Sat I had to be at school at 8 for clay day. Clayy day is where local high schools come and compete in clay events. It was so cool to work with the kids and see how amazing they are. After clay day I headed to Garrett's little league game. My mother and father in law came to the boys games for the day and of course we used the time to half watch the game and half chit chat. It was great too see them.
Sunday we headed to church in the morning. In the afternoon we went to my in laws for my husbands, brother in laws, and nieces birthday celebration. I love the chance to get to see all of the Brenner's. Because it was my nieces birthday my sis in law had all the girls get their hair and make up one on the patio. We all know that I have 3 boys and no girls. I was asked to do hair and makeup and have to admit I was a bit nervous because I can't even do my hair half of the time. I did a great job and the girls looked so cute, I will try to post a pic if I can get one for you to see. I got to witness my nieces and nephews throwiing lemons over a wall because they thought no adults were out there and man are they a little force to be reconed with.
As for the diet I did great all weekend. I took things to all the events this weekend to make my life easier. I took bean salsa and my own tortillas. I was also constantly moving on Sat. so I am hoping that helps drop a few more pounds. My official weigh in day is tomorrow so I will let you know on Wed how I am doing.
I feel so much better on this diet. I am less tempted to "cheat" because there isn't to much I really can't have. Tonight for dinner we are going to have blueberry pancakes and eggs with sugar free syrup.
Well off to write two papers and go shopping for ceramic supplies. Oh yeah I also get to go pick up a baseball glove that I won at an auction that Garrett is so excited about. hat a great and busy day it will be.
Ali

My husband is making me look really bad and I am ok with it. I have yet to exercise other than house cleaning and walking the school campus because I have to. Shawn on the other hand has been running 1 1/2 miles and walking 1 more mile on his lunch break. He is doing fantastic.
I have been doing very well on the eating side and I am making smart choices. I have been doing alot of whole wheat bread with sun butter which is like peanut butter but it is made out of sunflower seeds, it is higher in fiber and it spreads alot better then typical peanut butter, 1/2 tablespoon is 1 pt. I also add a 1/2 tablespoon of raw honey for 1 pt. and I get a 4 pt sandwhich. Yum! We have done ff bean burritoes on whole wheat tortillas and tuna melts. I have been eating a ton of fruit, 1 1/2 cups of sut strawberries are only 1 pt. We are having so much fun learning what new things we can eat.
I have not weighed in yet especially because I have been eating so much whole wheat;) I will weigh in on Tues and see how it all went.
We are having Shawn softball team over tonight for taco's and poker tonight so I am going to clean and get ready.
Have a really good weekend,
Ali

Two days and so far so good. I am not weighing myself this time. I am going to weigh in weekly so that I don't get discouraged. I am feeling better about the closet experiance today. It is nice being able to find clothes without getting lost each morning.
Today we are going to an art night at Cody's school and will be painting a family canvas. It should be fun. We are making sure that dinner is ready and on the table early so that we eat before we go and don't have any temptation in fast food on the way home. Tomorrow we have two little league games and a full day of school for me so I am not sure how we are going to fit dinner in at all. I am going to look for packable meals that are quick to fix.
Have a good Earth day,
Ali

I just spend 2 hours cleaning my closet and packing up everything that doesn't fit. All my 10 and 12 are in boxes until I get back to that size. I decided it wasn't worth getting dressed everyday and looking at the 100 things in my closet that didn't fit while the stuff that did was at the bottom of the closet due to lack of room. It was rough I kept looking at these tiny cloths and was rough on myself. I feel like crap at the moment but I know when I get to that point of opening all the boxes and everything fitting I will be glad I did this.
Had to share so I can look back later and remember why I did this.
Ali

Two Months until I will be a college graduate. Yeah!!!
So today is the day. I woke up this morning ready to get back on track. Shawn and I are spending the next t wo months losing some weight before the annual beach trip. I am ready to lose again. I have let myself go and I am not proud. I weighed in this morning at 200.4 I was so sad to see the number start with a 2. I know I have to do soemthing or I will be 20 pounds heavier before I know it. I am honestly so disappointed when I think that 1 year ago I was 30 pounds lighted. I am upset with myself that I did let the weight get back on but instead of eating over it I am going to get back to losing and in a healthier way.
Have a great Monday,
Ali

April 15th
Man oh man, just when I thought life couldn't get any crazier it did. I am taking 18 units, 12 is usually full time so I am packed with homework and reading all the time. The kids baseball hasn't eased up at all, we are at pracice or games 5 days a week and sometimes 6. I can't complain thought. Life is great we are all healthy and content. The other new activity in our life is that the Quakes baseball games started this week. We went on Monday for Shawn's birthday and I even managed to get his name on the announcment board. We love the Quakes games it is our time to escape with our family.
What else has been going on? Well I know I talked about having to take my CSET in Feb. and I got my results on Monday. Lets just say I have to go back and redo i part of it. I passed the art history part but I was 5 points from passing on the studio arts part of it. I can't start the credential program until I pass both parts so I get to go back and retake it in May.
So we leave for our beach trip vacation in 2 months and 4 days and lets just say that I am not ready at all. I am ready for a vacation but not shorts or tank tops. I am going out today and stocking the house so that Shawn and I can start weight watchers tomorrow. I think that as a team we can do alot better than we have been when I cook for them and for myself. I am going to do things the kids will like so that I am not in the kitchen all day. he hardest part is with our hecktic life lately we have been at baseball at 4:30 and haven't been home and eating dinner until 9pm and fast food has been our staple because I can't cook at 9 at night. I am going to look for some crockpot recipies and some things I can heat up in the microwave.
So I will post Friday with how our first days goes. Hvae a great Tues and Wed.
Ali

With time off from school I thought I would be able to get so much done. Not the case. I spent the week cleaning house, being a better Mom as far as homework and school with the boys, and a majority went to little league practice which is kind of consuming our lives right now. I don't mind one bit but it is a lot of time.
I am back to school tomorrow with a very busy 18 unit quarter in store for me. I can say that as of today I have 75 days until my graduation. I am so thrilled that I will have the entire summer off to be a Mom and wife. I miss being a stay at home Mom with only that to concentrate on.
So we are out of town next weekend for Easter and Monday is Shawn's 31st birthday. We are taking him to a Quakes game and bowling per his request.
I am excited but knew with these events coming up especially 3 days camping that there was no way I was going to diet. Shawn and I talked for a long time last night and we both with each other support are going to start weight watchers on April 16. I will go shopping on the 15th and get things in order. We decided to start mid week so that we have the willpower to get through the weekend. SO I am taking the week off of the blog so that I have lots to talk about next week. So look for me on Wed. with the starting weight and all that fun stuff. 74 days until we leave for vacation and I am nowhere near where I want to be for bathing suit season.
See ya next wed.
Ali
Oh And Happy Easter everyone<3