This looks fun....

Anyone in for tomorrow morning?

Oh, Monday.

Let me just make this very clear.  Usually I LOVE Mondays.  Actually, it's my favorite day of the week. Fresh starts, back on schedule and routines and a day back to the gym after a (usually) very calorie filled Sunday.

Today *started* out okay.  Usual early morning gym sess...but then the wheels fell off.  This morning was CRAZY and behind schedule...I still can't figure out why! And right as we were running out the door already late for school my STUPID loaner piece of crap car BROKE.

I've been without a vehicle for over a month...a family member borrowed my vehicle and hit a deer and the insurance company wrote it off.  Since then we've been waiting for Charlie's mechanic to get another vehicle fixed up for me to use and while we wait he let us borrow one of his vehicles.  And then Charlie goes out of town for a week and now it breaks down.  Awesome.

I hate it when mornings are stressful.  Growing up in a house full of kids mornings were usually pretty chaotic.  I usually do everything I can to make sure that doesn't happen for my kids, but this morning was a write off and I've felt guilty about it all day long.

Luckily, things have turned around! :)  I went "into town" with my favorite person on earth - my Gram.  I got a ton of groceries and when I came home my uncle had fixed my vehicle. Phew.  A relief.  Now I can wait for my kids to get home with a house full of snacks and some Timbits for for dessert.  I can still make this happen! :)

Monday might have won this morning...but the rest of the day is MINE! :)

The BEST salad!

Yes, I took a picture of the menu...lame, I know, but I really wanted to try to make it again later.  It was FABULOUS!

I had an excellent weekend.  Granted, to most it wouldn't sound very fun, but I loved it!

J coming home was awesome...he was VERY different though.....mostly good different.  Hopefully he will loosen up a little bit in the coming weeks.

The rest of the weekend was spent with THIS GIRL.

Ray Ray.  We had a great time doing 1000 Calorie sessions at the gym, eating sushi and just relaxing around.  We also did a bit of shopping and she helped me pick out a super cute sweater that I never would have even THOUGHT about looking at and I LOVE IT!

Miss B. got to go to her cousin's birthday party and had a fabulous time.  I'm not gonna lie, I'm kind of jealous of what a great mom my SIL is sometimes....I don't think ONE of my kids got a birthday party this year.  Yah, I kind of suck.  Oh well...maybe 2012 will be my year. LOL!

I've been really using MY FITNESS PAL to count every calorie and track all of my workouts....I have a goal weight I want to be by my BIG milestone birthday.

It doesn't seem to be working.

But I'll keep going.  It's only been a couple of weeks.

I've learned over the years that my REALY WEAKNESS is these:

When I'm craving a treat, this is the only things that will really work....I will try lots of other things but I won't be satisfied until I get one of these.

With that said....I probably shouldn't have bought THREE BAGS of THESE:

Deadly. I love that I talk about salads and peanut butter cups in the same post.

Have a fabulous, FREEZING Sunday! :)

Uncle J...

I love all of my siblings....but there are a couple that I share and extra special bond with.

Like J.

And J. will be home from his adventure away TOMORROW.  I am so excited I can't even stand it.

I just know I will BAWL because I already do, even just THINKING about seeing him again.

Purse Love

...and, really, what's NOT to love???

I have been to visit this beauty not once, not twice but THREE TIMES this week at a local store...( I KNOW!  Something cute here in Mo Town?  What gives?!?!?!)  A friend of mine picked up a similar one in a different color and I was instantly in love and vowed to get one of my own.

Sadly, (or happily?) I have been doing AWESOME on our family budget and my jars are currently bare. :(  I helped a friend pick out a bag today at the same store while visiting my beauty and promised myself I would send my hubby, Charlie, in to get me that bag before it was long gone.  The sooner the better. A girl needs this kind of thing to ease the pain of turning 30 in three weeks.....

IMAGINE my absolute delight when my friend who bought my lovely purse's sister at the store today showed up after school with an EARLY BIRTHDAY PRESENT for me!!!!

My new favorite accessory!  Thanks Macie! :)

Now I just need a vehicle so I won't have to be stuck at home all day.  I've got to get out on the town with this lovely bag on my shoulder! :)

You Can Take the Girl....

Out of the city, but you can't always take the city out of the girl!

The second I heard that the red Starbucks cups were out I just had to make a trip to my nearest city and order my old favorite...a Nonfat Peppermint Hot Chocolate, extra Hot with light whip.

It always tastes better in a Christmas cup.......

Kind of in love....

With THIS:

What an AWESOME TOOL!  I will obviously ALWAYS be loyal to my beloved Weight Watchers, but it's fun to change it up sometimes and this is ALMOST the same thing!

PLUS it has the added benefit of being FREE!  The one thing that's always bothered me about Weight Watchers is how expensive it is.  I feel like they really take advantage of desperate people in sad situations.  They used to pay me ABSOLUTE peanuts to be a Weight Watchers leader and tell me that people didn’t do it for the money, they did it to help people.

Well….SOMEONE was making a PILE of money off of that…and it wasn’t me.

Back to My Fitness Pal.  I love doing it online and I love the added benefit of having it as a free app on my phone.  Super convenient.  My Sassy Sis and I text each other our journals at the end of the day.  She is super strict and her journal always looks WAY better than mine!   

Give it a try…even for a day or two!  It’s awesome to see your daily intake grow with exercise too.  Last night I was DYING for hot chocolate so I made myself go and earn 150 calories on the treadmill first.  Didn’t even take that long!

Let me know how you do! :)