And to Celebrate my new layout...

Don't you think that Black is just more...Erin?

Well to celebrate the layout that made me feel at home I thought I would share a Coffee Frappe' recipe that is in my Weight Watchers cookbook.

Coffee Frappe

• 1/2 cup chilled brewed espresso or strong dark roast coffee
• 1/2 cup fat free milk
• 1/2 ripe banana
• 3/4 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp. sugar(you could probably substitute splenda)
• 1/8 tsp. ground cardamom(I dont think that is the right spelling...) or cinnamon
• 1 long cinnamon stick

Combine the coffee, milk, banana, vanilla, sugar and cardamom(if using) in a blender and blend at high speed until smooth and frothy. Serve in a tall glass with a cinnamon stick as a stirrer.

114 Cal per 1 1/3 cup serving. Or 2 Points per serving! This recipe should only make one serving.

Enjoy my faithful coffee drinkers ;)

IDSO-First Foods Books???

If anyone has any "making your own" baby food books that they would lend me I would very much appreciate it!

TIA!!!

Goodbye July!

I can't even believe that it is almost AUGUST!!! Where is this year going??? Soon it will be sweater weather and *gasp* COLD COLD COLD Winter!

It is so hard to believe that the kids will be starting school in a few weeks, and even more hard to believe that I don't know who their teachers will be yet!!!

So this last weekend we decided that although funds were tight we would take the kids up to the Racine Zoo. If you haven't been there it is a zoo on the smaller side but definatly on the cost effective side!(Adults $4, Kids 3-15 $2) Our family only paid $14. I added a slide show to my myspace with some of the pics from the trip if you would like to see more! So the point of me telling you about our adventure is that I feel like because it is almost August, there is a sense of urgency to get summer activities in. Remember when you were a kid and you would LIVE for the summer? Well...I am trying to get some fun activities in while I can!

So...where have you gone this summer? And how did your kids enjoy the places you have been?

Coke Points Anyone????

Hey...just wondering if anyone has extras but doesn't use them! My brother Kyle is entering them into the Coke website to see if he can get us a Nintendo Wii. He needs like....1000 bottle tops to be able to do it at 6 points a top.

THAT WOULD BE SO COOL OF YOU IF YOU EMAILED CODES TO ME!!!!! SO COOL!!!!

Thanks in advance ladies!

Erin

Can I get a WOOT WOOT????

So...I had my first actual weigh in tonight at my Weight Watchers meeting.

The leader(Sally)talked about attitude and how your perspective can add to your weight loss but also can make you feel better about the "things you HAVE to do during your day" like dishes, laundry, etc. Much like a do all things as if you were doing them for the Lord type of talk without the spiritual aspect brought in. Although she did talk a bit about church and how it is great that we live in a nation that we can choose where to go to. Almost like I could tell that she has a belief system but can't really share what she would like to.

So...If I was being honest with you I would tell you that the reason that I felt so defeated when I got pregnant was because I didn't think that I had it in myself to work as hard as I was when I lost the 62lbs. that I lost. Well...today I feel much better and know that my hard work is paying off! I lost 4.2lbs. today at Weight Watchers and didn't have a hard time doing it!

I don't expect to push myself towards a 4lb. weight loss every week. I know that my body will naturally have high's and low's, but I am very happy so far! I did keep an above 2lb. average last time I was going so I am hoping with my re-commitment I will see the same results!

Anyways...I thought I would share.

Heres a cute set that I got today!

Thought I would show you all my latest fluffy mail! Especially you Becki! Remember when you said that you liked the Heather Ross bikes...here they are! I didn't know that I would be getting this print(it was a surprise set)but I AM SO GLAD that she chose this print. LOVE IT!!! Your right...there is something adorable about bikes with banana seats! Anyways...I know most of you have no clue about cloth diapering...but I thought I would share!

Solving problems in your sleep?

So this morning the alarm went off and some talkradio show was being brodcasted. So as I was waking up(well kinda I was really awake already!)I listened to what the three people were talking about and here is the "jist" of it.

Apparently when you can't solve a problem there really is something to the saying "sleep on it" b/c your brain will solve the problem while you are sleeping. There was a group of scientists who put probes in rats brains and then took the rats through an elaborate maze, they found that when the rats were sleeping they would go through the maze again and find their way out. Interesting....

So...here's my question. Have you ever woken up and knew just what to do about something that you had been thinking about? I have. In fact I do it quite often. I come up with some of my best ideas while sleeping. I also know that my dad is the same way. Are we strange? Wait...don't answer that. But do answer the other question!!!

Starting Over...Again!

Well, after much thought I decided to go back to Weight Watchers. This is my first day on the points system this time around and I am excited to not only see sucess but KNOW what I am putting in my mouth. Weight watchers has updated thier interactive website and it seems to be great so far! At our meeting yesterday the instructor was talking about Fiber One bars. HAVE YOU SEEN THESE? I guess they have lots of fiber and are like a granola bar. So I have a box and will try one later for a snack.

SO...if anyone wants to join me I am going to Thursday evening meetings in Woodstock. Also if you have questions...ask away!

Me Too...but secretly I wish I wasn't so squeaky clean!

Mingle² - Free Online Dating

This is actually kinda funny to me considering I have a terrible potty mouth in real life. I guess I don't like to swear in type b/c I think it is out there for everyone to read...but maybe I should. Of course I would do it tactfully....like

Sean and I went fishing in the dam....or My sister owns a German Shepherd Bitch...or sometimes my husband acts like a jack ass. Hmmm I think I should re-rate...hold on we will see what happens...

Garden Stakes anyone?????

Ok...well I send dh to the Walmart yesterday to pick up my pictures and try to find me some garden stakes or cages for my tomatoes. And guess what....there weren't ANY!!! So, for those who have been out lately or might be going out...DO you know where I can get some?

Also...I have been racking my brain trying to figure out if there is something in my home that I could use for the time being. I have actually thought of cutting part of my trees so that I can use the branches for stakeing. So does anyone have any ideas of something in my home that I could use. I have a feeling that there is something...but I just haven't thought of it yet. The stake has to be about 2 feet tall b/c the tomatoes are pretty tall. ALSO...if you like tomatoes and would like some let me know. I have 12 plants and I know I will have more than I need in a few weeks. I also have red chili peppers, banana peppers, green peppers, red peppers, yellow tomatoes, hopefully cucumbers and grape tomatoes. So...lmk if you are interested!

THANKS IN ADVANCE! Also if you ISO(in search of)anything let me know...I will be garage saling in the next few weeks.

Steel Cut Oats and the 4th of July

Happy 4th of July everyone! I am excited for K1 to see the fireworks tonight(well all of them really)b/c she has been mentioning just how awesome the fireworks have been in the past. She is reminding me about every hour just how AWESOME they are! So...I am glad the sun is out and the fireworks are a go!

In other news.....I figured out what steel cut oats are! When I was going to weight watchers over a year ago now, people would talk about having steel cut oats for breakfast and how the fiber content would make you feel full for hours thus curbing cravings before lunchtime. So for about a year I have been scouring the oatmeal aisle's at nearly every grocery store that I went in for a box that specifically said "steel cut oats" only to find that NO store around us had them.(or that I sucked at reading) SO...yesterday when I was with dh in the Jewel store in town I noticed(to my dismay really)that they had switched the ENTIRE store around yet again making it difficult for me to find anything. But they actually did this so that they could incorporate a new ethnic food aisle and organic food aisle, so.....here's the big finish folks.......I FOUND THE OATS!!!!! And I made them today after I worked out b/c nobody wanted to go to breakfast with me...oh poor me..... They were pretty good. I made them with milk(the canister says you can make them with water or milk)and cut up a fresh peach into them. I also added 2tsp. of white sugar to sweeten but will add splenda's brown sugar and cinnamon next time to spice things up. The peach was really good though. It is 1:57 right now and I don't feel hungry at all. So...if you have issues like I do with wanting to snack, maybe you want to try this. I also kinda felt like I was making something healthy for the kids too. K1 and K2 both liked the peaches and cream method.

So...Once again happy 4th to all the americans that I know! And happy steel oats to me! Or something.... Whatever...you get the idea.

TTYL

E