Calliope's Photo Friday--Freezer Edition

This week the fab-o Calliope selected refrigerator/freezer as the Photo Friday Theme. My fridge is meh, typical black bottom freezer with lots of healthy stuff and a few unhealthy ones too. However, my freezer tells the most about me.

I have not one, but two stand alone freezers. I keep them stocked and organized. When I was a young single mom, I barely had enough money to eat from week to week let alone have anything extra. I fed myself and my oldest daughter on WIC coupons and about $5 a week. My parents were great and let me eat as many meals as I wanted with them, but I felt the need to be independent and take care of us. To me, a full freezer means security. It means I am taking care of my family. (Oh, I am also flying my freak flag a bit. Organized much?)

Miss Pretty's First Joke

Me to Miss Pretty: You're goofy!

Miss Pretty: No, I Mickey! (Starts doing the hot dog dance...)

Calliope's Photo Friday

I decided to start participating in Calliope's Photo Friday. I have been reading Calliope's blog for years; she is bright, funny and funky. I don't know her, but I have been a cohort in her search for a labyrinth rug.

I love this mailbox. It is near my house and the owner's dress her up seasonally. I hope it makes you smile!

Thrifty Finds

Mr. Henry and I went thrifting last weekend. It was her first experience really scouring thrift stores for unusual items and good deals. My best deal of the day was a light fixture I found at the Habitat for Humanity for $5. It was dusty and an ugly shade of antique brass, but with a good scrub and coat of spray paint it looks fantastic! I purchased all of the items in the slide show for $30. It was a great day!

Create your own picture slideshow

Long, Busy Weekend

I had a nice, relaxing 4 day weekend. I actually requested, and had approved, 2 consecutive days off work. I know that may not seem like much to some people, but I rarely get approved to have more than 1 day off at a time. I am essentially a department of one, and when I am gone--nothing gets done. It was refreshing, but busy!

I took Mr. Henry shopping and to see a movie on Friday. We picked up some good sale item from American Eagle and Aeropostale--she was very happy! We also saw "Percy Jackson and the Olympians". It was a great movie! I really want to start reading these books.

On Friday, Miss Pretty got sick. We had plans to go to a family-friendly dinner party at a friend's house that night. My husband (who gets major points for this one) stayed home with her, so Mr. Oswald and I could go. Mr. Oswald got to play with her new bestie and I got some much needed adult conversation!

By Saturday night, both little girls were sick and we were up all night with one or the other! Rob had clean the kid duty and I had strip and wash the bed duty. It was not a fun night!

Sunday was Valentine's Day, but it was also a Tae Kwon Do test for Mr. Henry and I. The test went well. I was really hard with a lot of verbal. It may seem strange to hear that a TKD test has a verbal component, but it does. As a student, you need to learn a lot of Korean terms and the meaning behind what you are doing. As always, we had to complete a board break to advance to the next level. Mr. Henry and I both broke on our first try! We are both now Green Stripe students, 7th Gup.

Valentine's was also special because my husband got me a replacement wedding ring! I was so surprised. More about that another day.

Monday was my last day off, but my husband was working from home. I took the kids out for most of the morning. We ran a bunch of errands and then went for "fresh, peach smoothies"! I had to put that in quotes because Mr. Oswald has been requesting "fresh, peach smoothies" everyday. She loves to watch iCarly with her older sister, and that is something the show characters talk about a lot! She was quite happy with her "fresh, peach smoothie".

On the diet front, I am now down 13.7 pounds! I also went to be measured yesterday, and I am down 11 inches--most from around my waist and hips! I no longer have a muffin top!!!!!

Utter Miscellaneous

I had a stomach bug last weekend and, to be nice, my husband did the grocery shopping. He took a list, but because he wanted one thing from a specific store he bought all the groceries at that store. Grocery total? $150!!!!!! OMG! I can usually get the exact same list for around $70 without trying! The concept of shopping at more than one store never crossed his mind. Note to self: Don't send husband grocery shopping unless you have a large cushion in the checking account!
**************************************************************************************
The diet is going well. I am stuck at 9 pounds down for the past two days, but I think my stomach bug over the weekend did a number on my system. Hopefully my losses will increase as the week goes on. Still, I am quit pleased with 9 pounds in 12 days.
**************************************************************************************
I should be reading my new book club book, but I cannot put down one of my Christmas gifts. It's "Under the Dome" by Stephen King. I think it is fantastic. Definitely more of a psychological thriller, than a gore thriller. It reminds me of "Lord of the Flies", but with adults in a modern American town.
***************************************************************************************
Puppy potty training....UGHH! That's all I'll say about that!

Slightly Off Plan = Slight Gain

I slightly went off plan yesterday and it showed this morning.

I had to take the kids and myself to the dentist yesterday, so I missed my afternoon snack and much of my water. Then, for dinner I had a zucchini stirfry using soy sauce. I think the lack of water combined with the small amount of soy sauce added up to a water weight gain of .1 today.

I'm back on track today. It is only 9:30 am and I have had 3 cups of coffee and 2 cups of water--go me!

We'll see what tomorrow brings.