Wishful Thursday

From Kelsey over at The Seattle Smith's comes Wishful Wednesday. If you haven't checked it out yet, you should head over there. Even if I am a day late. Hey, I had a GREAT excuse!!

"'I wish'....I was going on vacation tomorrow and going to Bali." Really, really, I wish I were!! Specifically, one of the Over Water Bungalow Resorts!

I can't say enough how much I'd love to be there right now. Instead, I'll share the pictures with you & let them speak for themselves.

Workout Wednesday - Part II

I was so honored when Brittany of Living in the Moment asked me to do a guest post for her Workout Wednesday edition. At first I thought that she was joking. I thought, "Me? Why me? I'm not doing anything super special." Then the more I thought about it, the more I realized that I am doing like so many of you are. Making changes, making choices and doing my best. I also realized that I had to include two bloggers I follow who are making the same hard changes and choices, Brown Eyed Girl (b.e.g.) and Kassandra.

So, for you, the second part of Workout Wednesday.

Little Changes

While I would love to have fried chicken (have I ever mentioned I make great fried chicken?) I know it is not the best choice for me. I've learned to make an oven baked "fried" chicken instead. I love it.

Kassandra told me that she loves chicken. As she put it, you can do so many things with a chicken breast for only 100 calories. Using a crock-pot she can cook it add all kinds of sauces or marinades for next to no calories and make all kinds of good meals with it, whether it be a breast of chicken by itself, or with pasta, or in a salad its always wonderful and full of protein!

b.e.g. has been using the Weight Watchers Essentials book and using their modified recipes. Making slight changes such as using skim milk, reduced fat cheese, and whole grain pasta, and portioning out a single serving has helped her to indulge but without the guilt!

This is such a great way to make the little changes that will add up! I love the Cooking Light cookbooks & magazines. With the nutritional value it is easy to figure my points for the meal.

"But what about desserts," you may be asking. I love fresh fruit. Give me strawberries, blueberries, mangos, apples (but only Granny Smith!), really any kind of fruit. I can top a large spoonful of frozen yogurt or regular yogurt with the fruit & have a healthy dessert.

b.e.g. loves the Betty Crocker Warm Delights, the mini bowls, for 150 calories or 3 points, her chocolate cravings are kicked to the curb! While she's going for the chocolate, Kassandra is enjoying frozen yogurt. She stumbled upon Incredible Yogurt one day when she wanted ice cream. She hadn't gone there a lot in the past but figured that yogurt is better for you so she might as well check it out. They vary from 25 all they way down to 7 calories an ounce so she can get a small 7 calorie and ounce for 35 calories, and its yummy too!

Set Goals

Before starting a big program focus on both your BIG and small goals. Ask yourself what motivates you. Kassandra had a great point when she noted that so often we think, "I wanna lose weight to prove a person wrong who didn't think I could do it or to fit in a certain pair of pants or size." While those are great motivators, they shouldn't be your only goals.

Mr. Potts and I often say, "Go Big or Go Home." This applies here - Think Big. Set Goals that will still be important to you 6 months, a year, 5 years from now. For Kassandra, that sometimes means she has to be harsh and say "Kassey, you want that cheeseburger or do you want a baby in 10 yrs or so??". "Kassey is sitting on your butt not worth ever getting your dream husband or job, because you were too careless to take of yourself?"

As harsh at it seemed those were "BIG" things to her and things that were not worth giving up for food, because she reminds herself that this is a long process, so you have to have big long term goals.

Commit

Small word, big meaning. You have to commit to this. Not just to losing weight & looking better, not just to losing weight and fitting into your favorite pair of jeans (yay me), but to making a lifetime change. This is a change where you amy have to sometimes pick the grilled chicken salad instead of the Reuben & onion rings you really want.

This change may involve going to the gym 5 nights a week & putting yourself through a Boot Camp style class (I die!!) or a spinning class (good for you Kassandra!). This change may be about learning to run to complete a 5K (go b.e.g.!).

This change is about commiting to yourself. To commiting to your health. To commiting to you.

And in the end, aren't you worth it?

Rural Areas - Interesting

Driving through New Hampshire yesterday into Vermont, I noticed several interesting things that I knew I'd have to share with you. Having driven through some of these rural areas before, I've seen these signs, I somehow just managed to forget about them.

The first one I saw as things started getting rural was the bear crossing sign. When you see this, it always gives you pause. I'm used to the cute little deer crossing signs - although, if I were to have one trample me & my car, I'm sure I wouldn't think it quite so cute.

Next up? Snowmobile crossing. Now, I know these areas get a lot of snow, but shouldn't snowmobilers be held to the same traffic laws? You know, like not crossing an interstate without looking both ways first??
Lastly? Moose crossing. I've been warned about the moose. I've been told that if I see one, I should do my best to avoid it. If I see it before I hit it. I love the optimism that some people have!

The other interesting thing about the interstates here is the lack of description on your exit signs. You tell me there's food, gas, phone & (sometimes [I'm assuming it's weather dependent] camping). Great! But how do I know what kind of food?? False advertising, I tell you!! My stomach is going a mile a minute. I guess I'll pull off here. What, the nearest food is 2 miles down the road & I don't know what it is? Yep, getting back on the interstate. Next exit - same thing. No signs telling me what there will be to eat.

I decided to finally just bite the bullet and go for it. I was starving. I was thirsty. And I had to go to the bathroom! I drove 1 mile down the road to find a gas station & a diner that was closed. After asking in the gas station, I found that my options were a local pizza place, Chinese food (hello sodium) and a sub shop. I settled on the sub shop, which was a cute little diner type place. I asked for a piece of grilled chicken with some peppers and onions and a slice of provolone. No telling exactly how healthy that was, but it was good - not usually a good indicator!

Back up in New England for the remainder of the week & already looking forward to coming home.

I'll have a guest post over at Brittany Ann's Living in the Moment tomorrow - make sure to stop by.

Happy Tuesday!!

Pumpkin Picking Success

Our afternoon at the pumpkin patch turned out really well. The kids had a great time and while we may have been freezing, it was fun. Both my Sweet Niece & Precious Nephew were excited to find their perfect pumpkins.

Sweet Niece posed immediately. Wonder who she gets that from?
Precious Nephew has a teddy bear harness. He LOVES that thing & it's quite handy - he's fast! He loves Uncle Mr. Potts! Mr. Potts kept a good hold on the bear's tail.
Sweet Niece found the first pumpkin. I can't get over how big she is getting!
They both wanted to pull the wagon.
When it got full, Precious Nephew needed a little help & Sweet Niece was right there to volunteer!

I'm getting ready to head to the airport. I'm off to New England for the week. Will be in Burlington, VT and Portland, ME. Should be super cold!! Wish me Warm!!

Hope you all had a fabulous weekend!

To the pumpkin patch for pumpkin pickin' with the munchkins!

Aren't you all glad it's Saturday? Mr. Potts and I have a busy day planned. We're heading to my mom's to get the munchkins and take them to a pumpkin patch to pick pumpkins! We did this last year and they started asking about a week ago if we were going to the pumpkin patch this year.

We'll be taking these two precious little ones (seen below with Hayd dog [their name for her]) for an afternoon of pumpkin picking and all the fun that goes along with that.
Hope you all will have a wonderful weekend!!

Fabulous Friday!

Happy Friday Everyone! It's here - another edition of Fabulous Friday! A highlight of all things fabulous that I've stumbled across over the course of this week (in no particular order, of course!).

I'm going to start out today with a fellow blogger (whom I consider my friend, even though we've never met IRL) who amazes me with her courage to share things, her baking skills and her ability to deal with her in-laws. If you haven't been over to Brown Eyed Girl's blog, you must go. Go now!

I'm currently dealing with just nasty allergies. Some as a result of being in New England & it being different from what I'm used to, some from traveling & being worn out & some from my regular allergies. It's managed to turn into a chest cold & cough drops are my friend. I love the Honey Lemon with Echinacea Ricola cough drops. My friends, if you are sick and need cough drops, pick some of these up. I normally can't stand the taste of regular cough drops, but these are wonderful!
I'm currently in a sweater state of mind. This may last for a while, especially since the weather here this winter is supposed to be worse than usual. I'm really loving the following sweaters from Ann Taylor Loft. I think part of my obsession with sweaters is that I feel yucky & all I want right now is warm, cozy, yummy sweaters.


Last night I had my very first cup of hot chocolate. I adore hot chocolate, especially in the winter & something about that first cup is always so good!
I hope you'll all have a Fabulous Friday and an even better weekend! What have you found fabulous this week?

Kreativ Blogger

Does anyone else have an overwhelming urge to fix things like my title when you know it is badly misspelled? I can't help myself. OCD much?

I digress.

Kelly over at Part of Life is Having a Good Ponytail (wouldn't you all agree that the title of her blog is absolutely true? I mean, I have a widow's peak & two [yes two!] cowlicks and hair that frizzes a little in humidity. I don't know that I've ever rocked a fab ponytail for a full day without some sort of hair help.) awarded me the Kreativ Blogger award. Now, she totally broke the rules and didn't post them. This seems pretty self explanatory, so I'm following her lead!
So, seven things you may not necessarily know (or want to know) about me.

1. I have a widow's peak & two cowlicks (I know I just shared that, but c'mon! 7 things you don't know about me is kind of difficult!). This causes a few issues for me. I can never part my hair in the middle - which isn't so bad considering it is 2009, not 1967. I tend to have "lift" around my face where my cowlicks are - good for keeping it from getting flat, not so great for ponytails.
2. I don't own a scale. Mr. Potts agreed to buy one & the only reason I want one in the house is so that I can weigh myself regularly for Weight Watchers. If I don't get to the gym or the hotel doesn't have one, I have no idea what my weight is & I'm supposed to track this once a week. Frustration! Would you get one that measures body fat or do you think that's a total scam?
3. If you put a strawberry cupcake with a rich vanilla icing in front of me I'd have no willpower (well, I might now, but that's debatable). However, if you put a chocolate one in front of me, I'd have no problem walking away from it. Yep, not a big fan of chocolate. Except in very small doses.
4. I make the best stuffing for Thanksgiving/Christmas/Holidays & am super excited to be able to make it this year at my in-laws. Mr. Potts' Meme (Grandmother) agreed that I could make it this year. Yay!
   
5. I am trying to become more patient. This is really hard for me, since I'm just naturally NOT. But I'm trying!
6. I used to pick my toenails (usually stress related & NO they never went near my mouth [I have known people like that {which is why we're no longer friends!} which is just gross]) but I've made a conscious effort not to & now my 10 little piggies have toenails. Real ones!! My own! How'd you like the use of those parenthesis? And aren't you thankful I didn't find a picture of feet?
   
7. I need new pans. I want really good non-stick ones. If you have suggestions I'd love to hear them. I've bought Calphalon non-stick in the past & they didn't last.

So now, I need to pass this on, but I'm not sure who has gotten it or not. So, I'm giving it to all of you who would like to do this!

And if you have suggestions about scales, non-stick pans or how to become more patient, please let me know.