Resolution? Got it covered

How are you doing with your New Year's resolution?
It's only January 17th; did you quit what you started....it's not too late to start again toward that goal. Simply take day by day and start again.
Having good results and still going with the resolution/goal? Awesome; it takes 3 weeks to form a habit so keep up the good work.

For me, I didn't quite start exercising right away on January 1st. I started January 4th so I've got some work to do to really hit the three week mark of routine. BUT this will be my 3rd Saturday in a row of committing to regular exercise. Last year I blogged about hating the scale and hardwork; and in the spirit of keeping it real - the scale still haunts me, even though I know that it shouldn't. I am also using MyFitnessPal daily for food journaling. It REALLY IS a great tool. So I guess you could say that behind Facebook and Instagram my favorite apps are MyFitnessPal and MapmyRun. After tomorrow's run I will have logged close to 13 miles this week.....with my feet alone! Add in some home exercises after my runs and that is a huge deal for me since I still don't see myself as a runner but I am able to run a little over 1-1/2 miles without stopping now. I need to appreciate these milestones more. Hot Chocolate 5K is February 8th and I am hoping to run at least two miles of it non-stop; I mean, really, they are going to give me hot chocolate at the end along with some chocolate fondue....that will make anyone run faster :)

And eating better is going hand-in-hand with this exercise craziness. I allow myself ONE soda per week/ drinking lots of water daily doesn't really leave room for other stuff but rest assured coffee is still my friend. And even more crazy - I haven't had ANY deep fried food since before New Year's. That is pure insanity for this Southern fried food loving girl, but I'm doing it. Just yesterday I ate lunch with Amanda and brought her McDonald's; I had a grilled chicken salad with 1/2 pack of dressing (and wasn't remotely tempted by the fries). What I am tempted by is the Girl Scout cookies that my kids are wanting to buy. And the ice cream in my freezer. And desserts. Again, keeping it real.

So if I have a 1/2 cup of ice cream (yes, I will measure) while I catch up on Grey's Anatomy, I need to let go of the guilt. I am working out 6 days a week; eating approx. 1500 calories a day with lots of water; and I'm not eating deep fried food. If the scale doesn't move because of a random portion of ice cream occasionally then it's not going to move. I am getting healthier overall so I'll kick the scale and just keep reality in check.

Best foot forward

A fresh start. They always feel good. A New Year brings resolutions for many. Last year I was pretty good in the resolution department so this year I will try to focus on the one that was lacking last year......exercise. It plagues most people I know. I did ok for a while but plantar fasciitis pummeled my left foot. It still isn't really 100% better but I have to figure out other options. So perhaps this will be the year of no excuses?

Stepping off with my right foot (because it's the better one), I am happy to say that I have completed the meal plan for January. I successfully planned 9 out of 12 months in 2013 (April was a bust with the move and Nov. & Dec. were chaos, even moreso without the plan) and, as a whole, the family runs smoother with the plan. Here is the plan for January:

1st - corned beef, cabbage, black-eyed peas (luck, money, and health!)
2nd - smoked sausage sauté, summer squash casserole, fruit
3rd - herb-baked chicken, broccoli casserole, corn
4th - chili, cornbread
5th - skillet stroganoff, stmd. broccoli & cauli.
6th - chicken parmesan, salad, garlic bread
7th - ham, mac n' cheese, peas
8th - macadamia nut chicken, spinach salad, pinenut couscous
9th - chef salad
10th - tilapia piccata, stmd. carrots, roasted red potatoes
11th - steak, green beans, risotto
12th - pecan-crusted chicken tenders, rice pilaf, peas
13th - spaghetti (w/Italian saus.), salad, garlic bread
14th - chicken cordon bleu, ranch potatoes, green beans
15th - turkey pot pie, fruit
16th - sloppy joes, stmd veggies
17th - stuffed green peppers (turkey), fresh fruit
18th - bbq chicken, coleslaw, baked beans
19th - *catch can/leftovers/pizza?
20th - fettucine alfredo w/chicken, broccoli
21st - smothered pork chops, brown rice blend, crmd corn
22nd - chicken stir fry, fried rice, orange chicken (frozen)
23rd - Tex-Mex pulled pork (w/Hawaiian rolls), sautéed greens, fruit
24th - meatloaf, creamy polenta, soybeans
25th - garlicky shrimp scampi, asparagus, brown rice
26th - chicken enchiladas, pinto beans (slow simmer)
27th - homemade vegetable soup, grilled cheese
28th - ghoulash, salad
29th - tuna patties, green beans, pasta salad
30th - baked potato soup, salad
31st - shepherd's pie, crusty bread

So hard to be creative, yet make things that everyone will eat AND keep it somewhat healthy. I keep telling myself it is better and cheaper than fast food. Now to conquer the grocery shopping with my best foot forward.

Holiday Hoopla!

These days it feels like I'm jumping through hoops. Here are my thoughts in a few random sentences ---

1. Wrapping presents in code is fun. Sean can't stand the temptation of gifts with his name on them so this year each child gets all his/her gifts wrapped in the same paper; the kicker is that they don't know who has what paper. They love it. Sweet.

2. Working retail, especially toys, is pure madness this time of year.

3. Peppermint brownies, sugar cookies, butterscotch cornflake candy, chex mix muddy buddies, check! Still on agenda - fudge attempt #2 (REALLY need to get that candy thermometer!) and choc. chip cookies.

4. Cannot commit to doing gingerbread houses this year. They are just as happy with a handful of candy. And I hate the fact that they destroy eat them within minutes of decorating them. I am a Grinch when it comes to this.

5. Some day I will get to sleep in, right?

6. NO Elf-on-the-shelf for us. I think it's creepy. We've had magical elves for YEARS (copied form my sister-in-law).....they are always watching. And they leave a little something in the gift bags outside their bedrooms on the nights of the 21, 22, and 23 if the kids have been good. I thought they were too old for elf checks, but much to my chagrin to my surprise they were asking about the elves last week. Creative mini-gifts is hard enough work without having to go overachiever with a creepy doll for a month.

7. Watching loads of Christmas shows and movies when the opportunity arises. I hope we remembered to DVR The Polar Express.

8. Looking forward to seeing Saving Mr. Banks over the Christmas break. Any other must-see movies out there?

Merry Christmas! May this holiday hustle and bustle slow to a gentle pace and allow us all to savor the blessings in our lives.

Food - talking about it yet again!

I am failing this month......failing at meal planning......and it makes me feel awful. The annoying 'what are we having for dinner?', 'do I have anything I can defrost?', 'do I have all the ingredients?' thoughts roll through my brain constantly and I hate it. Yet, I haven't sat down and done it. I WILL do one for December, NO MATTER WHAT!

But, meal planning, hasn't been the only food matter boggling my mind lately. I have heard/read about two stories recently that have my mind boggled: 1) a Canadian preschool sent a letter home saying that sack lunches were no longer acceptable unless there was a doctor's note for medical necessity and 2) a preschool (Canadian too?) fined a mother, who provided a perfectly acceptable lunch, for not providing a grain/ they provided garbage Ritz crackers and sent her the bill.

My reaction: ARE YOU FREAKING KIDDING, ME?????? SERIOUSLY?????

I know the overall idea is schools provide meals to kids because sometimes it is the child's only 'healthy' meal. Let's all feel good about that. However, I am here to tell say what they provide overall is GARBAGE. Gone are the days of hot food cafeterias with funny lunch ladies in silly hair nets; gone is the fresh prepared food; gone are the trays with silverware and the clanking of the dishwasher. After working at the elementary level for three years, I saw what Irvine (a good district) provided for hot meals........prepackaged, plastic wrapped need-to-be-reheated entrees that were along the lines of chicken nuggets, cheeseburgers, bagel pizzas, taco sticks, and occasionally fried chicken and mashed potatoes; vegetables that were rarely taken (or just tossed in the trash), sometimes fresh fruit but mostly prepackaged fruit cups, and milk or juice. If you are vegetarian, you are stuck with a random mac-n-cheese or plastic wrapped quesadilla with little to no nutritional value.

So, I ask WHY and HOW it is acceptable for the school to tell ME what I can and cannot do with my childrens' lunches. How dare they? So many thoughts run through my mind:
1) What if my child needed a special diet - nut free/ gluten free/ dairy free/ egg free/ vegetarian/ paleo/ low-carb or whatever-the-hell the new rage is.....they should not have to have a note about it. What about kids with texture issues? It is what they eat, period. I have packed it; let them eat in peace.
2) Why is it the school's business what I give my kids to eat? I promise that as skinny as Ian is, he isn't malnutritioned. You have NO RIGHT to tell me what or what not to feed my kids. Even if I asked for lunch assistance, you are feeding my kids mostly crap. Don't deny it. If I am doing well, my kids will get veggies and fruit along with the sandwich on whole wheat bread, string cheese, potato chips, and granola bar. If I am having a bad morning, need groceries, simply not being motivated, or JUST BECAUSE, they will come with peanut butter and jelly (maybe even on white bread, the horror!), a few wheat thins, perhaps some cereal in a bag, and an applesauce. You got that???? Some parents send their kids with lunchables everyday but who am I to judge? I won't give my kids that, but why is it ok for the schools to decide what my kids have. I have seen some multicultural lunches in Irvine; I promise the homemade sushi rolls a lot of those kids get are way better than anything the school is serving.
3) How do schools have time or energy to micromanage lunches? I have worked at preschools too. At the preschool, we were supervising and helping open containers/packages, but we let the kids choose what they ate, when they ate it, and how much was consumed. I was more concerned about keeping them in one place and preventing choking than about Johnny eating his sandwich first. If Mom sends in chocolate pudding, etc. it is not my place to tell them to eat the sandwich first. That is Mom's battle to fight at home, but I promise if you send a 3yr old. with cookies or pudding they are eating it first. (Heck, my favorite saying is Eat Desserts First!)
4) Lastly, it is not about providing nutrition. It is about more control. It is not about preventing childhood obesity. If it were, then why are they providing processed garbage and cutting PE time.

Things like this really bring out the Momma Bear in me. I will continue to provide my kids with packed lunches that include homemade chicken noodle soup, chili, or gumbo; whole grain crackers; homemade chicken salad; leftover pot roast; hard-boiled eggs; sandwiches (nothing better than pb&j on Sunbeam bread!); pudding cups; Little Debbie cakes; granola bars; and whatever the heck I want.
Maybe adding nutrition to curriculums and not cutting PE time (or art/music programs that foster brain development) might be a better investment of time and energy.

And while they are busy staying out of my kids lunches and focusing on the important stuff, maybe they will realize that Common Core isn't all that great either. But that's another rant for another day.

Food for thought

It's no secret that I think about food a lot --- I like to cook; I meal plan; I pack my kids lunches daily; I pack a snack cooler for my husband; I try to bring snacks if I have a drive between work locations so I don't get tempted by fastfood; I love coupons; I LIKE TO EAT; I have a sweet tooth.

 

But, the other day, I was eating some sautéed eggplant with dinner and my brain immediately jumped into MEMORY mode. You know the kind of memory I'm talking about. The one that comes from deep within your soul and brings you back to another place in time. I started talking about how sautéed eggplant brings me back to my Granny Frances's house in Big Spring, TX; I only visited there during my childhood but I can remember her kitchen and her sautéed eggplant; and how I loved it so much. I guess I will carry a little piece of my Granny with me always.

 

And what is even more bizarre is the food memories that are BAD!!! Here are a few of mine:

1) spaghetti O's -- NOOO....didn't really ever like them but ate some; woke up puking in my sleep; to this day I can't even stand the smell of them. shudder.

2) watermelon -- I'm sure it was a super fun 4th of July. I remember running all over the neighborhood and eating loads of watermelon and Fruit Stripe gum. I swallowed all of the gum. When my body revolved that night and I woke up sick, I was ruined for life. To this day, I am a 'watermelon snob.' If it is remotely mealy and not sweet, I won't touch it. I always make my kids taste it before I will try it.

3) Orange Soda -- four traditional glucose preganancy tests were bad enough but then I had a 3hr. glucose test. UGH. Only on a rare occasion would I have wanted an orange soda; now I will never drink one ever again. Monster-type drinks are in this category too. I tried a sip once at the beach and I almost threw up right there.

4) and maybe the grossiest of all --- BAD milk. Too many bad milk cartons from random school lunches over the years I guess. I will sniff any and all milk before I attempt a sip. Scarred for life by milk.

 

Let's switch bad to the GOOD stuff before I ruin my/your day:

1) Roman Meal bread - my Grandma Parks always had it in her little house. And I was always intrigued by the orange bag and begged for a piece of her special bread. Simply delicious.

2) And popcorn balls -- this memory is close to 40yrs. old but I can remember my Grandma and Grandpa (he died when I was 4)  making popcorn balls in their kitchen. How incredibly sweet and delicious they were. And then someone in our neighbor gave homemade ones out on Halloween - the smell wafted for hours on end while they made batch after batch. Kettle corn ain't got nothing on my grandparents :)

3) coconut custard pie --another Texas specialty by my Aunt Mac -- Christmas meant Aunt Mac's pies! And chocolate silk and lemon meringue and pecan. Oh my sweet tooth. A special Christmas memory that seemed so routine at the time but means so much now.

4) Toast with butter and grape jelly --Camp Abbey summer camp. Not necessarily warm either. So yummy (out of the stainless steel bins) especially since some of the food was strange (like powdered milk).

5) Ice Cream Man - Drumstick was the ONLY choice on the rare occasion that my Mom let us get it.

and

6) Cherries and Creole Tomatoes - not eaten together but when purchased from the road-side stand in Raceland, LA they were heaven on earth.

 

I'm hoping that my children are already developing some random good food memories. Maybe corn casserole on Thanksgiving; Dad's bbq'd ribs and the smell of the smoker; and maybe even Mom's chicken salad on the beach (let's hope that's not a bad memory because of any random sand that got mixed in). And Coney Island hot dogs when we visit Mansfield, OH when visiting Grandma Hall.

 

Now that I'm hungry for creole tomatoes I guess I'll venture out to see if I can find some.

 

 

 

 

Because it's really all about FOOD, isn't it!

MEAL PLAN ALERT: It's that time again.....sharing the plan :)
I'm thinking I should get a new crockpot since I am planning to use it this month....

Sept 15: bbq brisket, corn-on-cob, beans
9/16: brisket soft tacos (leftovers), corn&black bean mix, tortilla chips (Sean-football game)
9/17: lasagna, baked eggplant, garlic bread (PTA mtg.)
9/18: chicken pot pies, fruit
9/19: grilled fish, risotto, peas
9/20: chicken enchiladas, Mexican rice
9/21: hamburgers, baked fries, melon
9/22: London broil, garlic mashed potatoes, green beans
9/23: red beans & rice with sausage, rice, salad
9/24: crockpot roast (carrots, potato, turnip), crusty rolls (Sean-football game)
9/25: stuffed chicken breast (spinach & cheese), Stove Top stuffing, asparagus
9/26: breakfast for dinner (pancakes, bacon, eggs)
9/27: spaghetti w/meatsauce, salad (FHS game)
9/28: smoked pork roast, parsley red potatoes, sautéed squash
9/29: shrimp, potato salad, sautéed spinach
9/30: chicken stir-fry, fried rice
Oct. 1: white beans & ham (freezer), rice, salad (Sean-football game)
10/2: baked potato bar (chili, cheese, broccoli, chives, sour cream), fruit
10/3: tilapia piccata, green beans, ranch red potatoes
10/4: Boboli (pepp., sausage, cheese, green peppers, olives)  (FHS game)
10/5: bbq chicken, baked sweet potato, coleslaw
10/6: chili, cornbread, sautéed greens
10/7: Babe's.....out for Amanda's birthday!!!
10/8: ham steaks, mac n' cheese, peas (Sean - football game)
10/9: tuna melts, fruit salad
10/10: pork chops, perogies, sautéed sugar snap peas
10/11: sloppy joes, salad (FHS game)
10/12: fried catfish, mac n' cheese, soybeans  (did I really plan mac n' cheese twice in one week???   guess I will double batch from Tuesday)
10/13: crawfish etoufee, stmd. broccoli & cauliflower
10/14: meatloaf, stmd. carrots, couscous
10/15: shake n' bake pork chops, stmd. broccoli, wild rice blend
10/16: baked ziti w/Italian sausage, salad (Sean - football game)
10/17: NOT cooking ---- my birthday :)
10/18: tacos/quesadillas, refried beans (FHS game)
10/19: calzones, salad

Now if the weather would cool off, I would be thrilled to add some yummy soups and assorted fall dishes. But still waiting for below 75 for that.

Happy Eating :) ..... off to Sean's first game as an 8th grader....

What's cooking?

Well if the question were WHO is cooking, the answer would be me :) What about you? Cooking is cheaper, healthier (overall), and can even be fun. And I want my kids to 'come home' for home cooking when they get older so I'm trying to set the tone now. I know they will really be looking for laundry help and Collin's bbq but I like to pretend sometimes.

Here's the latest meal plan (going back a bit so because I use these posts for reference later):

Aug. 18 - leftovers; soup & quesadilla
Aug. 19 - gholash (gr. beef); salad
Aug. 20 - roasted chicken; mash. potato&gravy; salad
Aug. 21 - pork chops; polenta; green beans
Aug. 22 - hamburgers; fresh fruit
Aug. 23 - lasagna; eggplant; garlic bread
Aug. 24 - smoked pork roast; twice-baked potato; corn on cob
Aug. 25 - salmon; quinoa; brown sugar carrots
Aug. 26 - tuna steaks; couscous; stmd.broccoli
Aug. 27 - stuffed bell peppers (beef&sausage, leftover quinoa); cantaloupe.
Aug. 28 - enchiladas (leftover pork, green chiles, cut corn off cob); Mexican rice
Aug. 29 - leftovers; soup & quesadilla
Aug. 30 - baked fish; risotto; peas
Aug. 31 - crab cakes; ranch red potatoes; asparagus
Sept. 1 -   steak; coleslaw; baked beans
Sept. 2 -   fettucine alfredo with chicken; stmd. broccoli
Sept. 3 -   tuna melts; fruit salad
Sept. 4 -   tacos (beef &turkey), refried beans (make guacamole)
Sept. 5 -   chef salad; strawberries
Sept. 6 -   take n' bake pizza; Caesar salad (*homecoming game for Mag/ Mom helping)
Sept. 7 -   bbq country pork ribs; whole wheat pasta salad; asparagus
Sept. 8 -   herb grilled chicken; crockpot applesauce; baked sweet potato
Sept. 9 -   white beans & ham (w/ rice); salad
Sept. 10 - sausage sandwiches; cantaloupe; stmd. broccoli
Sept. 11 - grilled tri-rip; polenta; green beans
Sept. 12 - hot dogs; fruit salad (sometimes you just have to do this, lol)
Sept. 13 - meatloaf; mac n' cheese; peas
Sept. 14 - stuffed pork chops; salad

Happy Cooking! (and Happy Eating)
P.S. We have dessert on Sundays. This past week I made a butter pecan cake. HOLY MOLY!!! It was simply a recipe I saw on Facebook at some point and googled it. I made the Taste Of Home one. It is three layers so it makes a lot but it is soooooooo good.

Another month/ another meal plan

July has been a wash so far with meal planning because we were on the go so much. However, now we are home for the long haul. People ask me all the time - how do you have time? why bother? So I will try to respond without sounding holier-than-though. Nothing is perfect but this system works pretty well for us.

1) How do I have time? --It really doesn't take much time at all. I only have to think about what to make for dinner 12 times a year. Isn't that surreal. It is a huge relief to pull out what needs to be thawed the day before and just have it in the fridge ready to go. No more daily hustle of trying to figure out dinner and ending up with pizza or fast food. Yesterday when we were just chilling I pulled out the folder of old menus; drew out a calendar on paper; and started asking 'dinner request?'. Usually I get several answers from each family member and then I start filling in the blanks from old menus. I try not to repeat things within the same month so when someone complains "spaghetti again?" I can respond with "we really on have it 12 times a year so hush :)"

2) Meal planning helps us stay on budget.  We spend a lot of money on food. Let me say that again, we spend A LOT of money on food but I shop sales, use coupons, and buy in bulk when it makes sense. For example, I bulk flax seed meal, brown sugar, nuts, couscous, etc. from the bulk bins at Sprouts. I buy smaller amounts than pre-packaged and it stays fresher because it all goes in a sealed container at home. I am also only buying what I'm going to use so there isn't a question about how long something has been hiding in the pantry because there isn't much extra in there. Of course, it has the essential snack, school lunch, extra items from a Costco run, but the core for cooking gets used. There is no random filling of the grocery cart; I buy what I need steering away from pre-packaged stuff. (here are some other specifics from an old post)

3) Meal planning reduces the amount of fast food we eat and keeps dining out to a minimum. If there is a plan, I/we have no excuse. Fast food and eating out are insanely expensive and terrible for you. Recently I have been noticing how SALTY food tastes when we eat 'convenience' foods. All of the traveling recently just reiterated how much I love when we have a meal plan and that I am helping my family stay healthy.

4) Meal planning is teaching my kids that eating a variety of foods is good for you. I would have never dreamed they would like mashed cauliflower, sautéed yellow squash, or polenta. They have come a LONG way and after years of exposing them to variety they will eat what I cook. They don't like sautéed spinach but I serve them a tablespoon full and still expect them to try it; they never know when their taste buds will change. I'm hoping one day they will thank me, but I'm not holding my breath.

So that brings me to the current plan --- end of July until August 17; I included my random notes about ingredients and meat so I can see what I have in the freezer or leftover.
22nd - baked chicken, stmd. broccoli, fruit salad
23rd - manicotti (ricotta, spinach, prosciutto, parm), salad
24th - tacos (ground turkey), black beans
25th - chicken pot pie (using leftover chicken from 22nd), melon & berries
26th - swiss steak (top round) with onion & bell pepp, mashed potato
27th - grilled red snapper, mashed cauliflower, asparagus
28th - parm.-lemon mahi mahi, sautéed grn beans, garlic mashed potatoes
29th - baked ziti with Italian sausage, sautéed eggplant
30th - chicken cordon bleu, creamy polenta, salad
31st - meatloaf (beef/turkey), green peas, baked mac n' cheese
Aug. 1 - chicken stir-fry, homemade fried rice
2nd - chicken quesadillas, refried beans
3rd - grilled fish (check sales), baked sweet potato, sautéed spinach
4th  - spaghetti with turkey meatballs, salad
5th - tuna melts, fruit salad
6th - chicken enchiladas, Mexican rice
7th - Boboli (make our own pizza), ceasar salad
8th - sausage sandwiches, sautéed yellow squash, cantaloupe
9th - chef salad, fruit
10th - rib-eye steak (freezer), Ranch red potatoes, creamed corn
11th - bbq pork butt (freezer), stmd. carrots & brocc., watermelon
12th  - red beans & rice, French bread, salad
13th - carnitas tacos (leftover from 11th), corn salsa
14th - tuna patties, wwht pasta salad, fruit
15th - sloppy joes, salad
16th - crusted tilapia, risotto, green beans
17th - hot dogs, fruit salad 

Some days are healthier than others; but overall I'm good with it. Home cooking is still better than most anything I can buy. I say 'most anything' because homemade French fries still don't hold a candle to McDonald's fries.

Off to prep the chicken for the oven............Happy Eating!

Meals a plenty

Haven't done this since March.....feels so good to not have to think about this for another month. I highly recommend pre-planning; it will save on your grocery bill, it will help you look at what you are eating, and it will save on the daily anxiety of 'what's for dinner'. Feel free to share some ideas and snag some from my list too.

June 2013 -
2 - crawfish etoufee, salad
3 - tuna melts, honeydew
4 - chicken enchiladas, homemade Mexican rice
5 - tortilla crusted tilapia (from Costco), stmd. carrots, salad
6 - homemade chicken pot pie, strawberries & melon
7 - take n' bake pizza, salad (of course, it's the last day of school!)
8 - garlicky shrimp, stmd. broccoli, ranch red potatoes
9 - bbq chicken, black-eye peas, stmd. artichokes
10 - red beans & rice, salad
11 - crockpot roast over creamy polenta (carrots, green beans with roast)
12 - meatloaf, baked mac n' cheese, green beans
13 - hot dogs, homemade greek pasta salad
14 - chicken stir fry, homemade fried rice
15 - Chip-'Hall'-tole (carne asada burritos with fresh guacamole, cilantro rice)
16 - parmesan-lemon mahi mahi, sautéed green beans, garlic mash. potatoes
17 - shake n' bake pork chops, risotto, peas
18 - lasagna, Caesar salad
19 - sloppy joes, stmd. carrots, watermelon
20 - chicken tacos with corn/bean salsa, fresh berries
21 - chef salad, fruit salad
22 - chili, cornbread
23 - grilled tri-tip, baked sweet potato, green beans
24 - ham steaks, creamy mac n' cheese, eggplant
25 - sausage sandwiches, stir-fry squash, cantaloupe
26 - roasted whole chicken, stmd. cauliflower, couscous
27 - mustard molasses pork chops, stmd. asparagus, brown wild rice blend
28 - grilled salmon, stmd. broccoli, quinoa
29 - chicken parmesan, salad, garlic bread

Now I just need to get the ingredients to get us through the 15th. Although, thinking about shopping and how much food my kids will be eating once school is out on Friday scares me to death. The burpees challenge that I committed to for June scares me too. But, onward to healthier living and hopefully a better appearance in a bathing suit.

Monday musings #3

Another Monday is quickly upon us and I feel the need to blog. Things are rolling along at a swift pace and before I know it the kids will be out for summer and asking the dreaded "what are we doing today?" So on this May 6th, here's a little brain dump...

• Spring is here in full bloom and we've got the Zyrtec to prove it.
• Ian had his football evals last Saturday morning; they had about 750 kids total on the day for the program. And they have more registration this Sat. THAT is a big football program.  (and it only goes up to 6th grade)
• Maggie turns 15 on Sunday. We are debating over who gets to rule the day since it's Mother's Day.....I say 'I get the day b/c I brought you in to this world!'/ she says 'but I'll only turn 15 once!'
• She starts with orthodontia on May16th....happy belated birthday to her, muhahaha.
• We took a road trip this weekend down to Seabrook to attend a crawfish boil held annually by one of Collin's college buddies. Crawfish, cocktails, lots of laughter, and fresh seafood to take home from Galveston Bay. Simple goodness; thank you for the hospitality Adams Family :)
• The family dipped their feet in the warm waters of Galveston Bay. I think the first comment was 'this is sooooo much warmer than the Pacific.' Fritz was running around like a crazy fool so he loved the water too.
• I filled my car up for $41.75 today. I paid $2.76 per gallon with my Kroger discount. Sweet.
• I exercised today. Yes, you should mark it on your calendar right along with me.
• I am doing a 5K in two weeks. Let's hope I don't embarrass myself.
• Dinner tonight is broccoli beef and fried rice (scratch) with orange chicken (frozen Costco) and fresh pineapple. Tomorrow is gumbo (shrimp, chicken, saus.) with rice. Help - I haven't meal planned for May completely. I did buy fresh basil and parsley plants today, though.
• still doing Flylady; I love having my house clean. Yes - I know we haven't been here a month and I'm not totally unpacked, but my family can make a huge mess in a short amount of time. It was very refreshing to be able to hit the road quickly and come home to a relatively clean house. And the laundry is a lot less annoying since I'm doing small manageable tasks. (and the kids are actually keeping their dishes out of the sink and putting them in the dishwasher, woot.) Small victories.
• I did get a quick fix on my camera lens at a local camera shop (they literally called the guy the lens chiropractor and the lens cracked when he 'fixed' the tweek; it works so I'll call it good for now)
• Things to do....DMV remains on the list; add schedule a doctor's appt for a physical for me; find the hardware for the boys' bunk beds; get the old fridge and gas dryer put on Craigslist.

And to end on a sappy note, go hug your loved ones. Last week I lost a high school friend to a random freak accident (that happened while her loved ones watched in horror and could do nothing). In the blink of an eye she lost her life. RIP dear Paula.  It has been a serious reminder to me that even with all the busy stuff going on (as noted in my brain dump above) I always have time to stop and tell my kids and my husband 'I love you' before they walk out the door.

Take me home

Sunbeam bread got me thinking about my home, Louisiana. Here are a few things that cross my mind when it comes to Louisiana....
1) A snoball is NOT a snow-cone. Nor is it shaved ice. It has a texture all it's own and is not easily duplicated. Everyone has their favorite flavor or combination. I'm looking forward to my next chance at a spearmint or strawberry personally.
2) The Holy Trinity is sacred in Louisiana. Many people are strong in their faith. BUT there is more than one holy trinity and the second involves onion, bell pepper, and celery. Don't believe me? Watch a Southern cooking show or ask someone about Cajun cooking.
3) The delicious red crustaceans that people enjoy by the pound are CRAWfish not crayfish. And they are best served spicy with mini red potatoes and corn-on-the-cob (served on newspaper is best).
4) Red beans are not from a can. They come dry in a bag labeled Camellia :)
5) Sweet tea is serious business.

and last but not least
6) Blue Bell ice cream is THE BEST. (My kids go through a gallons of ice cream quite easily)

 

Texas has brought us a LOT closer to all of these things considering I can get all of them here except the snoball. And that makes going home this weekend even more exciting. A long road trip topped off with great food, great friends, and specialty foods that speak to your soul. Yeah you right!

Monday musing (minus the morning part)

Yes, it's Monday but not even close to morning. I'll count the Monday part good and move along with some musings.
--I was so tired for free coffee at Dunkin so I went back to bed and then made my own later. Two nights of crappy sleep will do that to a person.
--Amanda doesn't have strep, thank goodness. She has science state testing on Wed. so we really need this virus to be gone.
--We love the pond.....it is so peaceful and has just enough wildlife to have us take notice. Had a random weird crane there this weekend along with some geese passing through. I'm sure Fritz thinks he has moved to the Great Frontier. Amanda did catch the first fish so that was a sweet surprise for her.
--The kitchen is 'almost' together. I think I have two boxes left. I hate thinking I might want to move some stuff around so for now I'm going to see how functional it really is. Still wondering where the flatware organizer is, guess I should get to those last two boxes.
--Ian is signed up for football. (Sean will play through middle school.) Navigating a new system is a very strange feeling.
--I'm trying Flylady again. I know the basics (shine your sink, etc.) in my head but keeping tasks small and manageable is a good reminder. I tend to do 'if you give a mouse a cookie' style cleaning and then I become a frustrated beast. Two big bonuses - laundry is under control and I LOVE having my bed made and looking purdy.
--Back to cooking again :) Pork loin in the oven slow roasting with orange marmalade across the top, pine nut couscous, and cantaloupe for dinner today.
--Deadliest Catch started last week. I really love those guys. Miss my favorite Capt. Phil.
--We are supposed to be heading to NOLA this weekend for Collin's fraternity formal (50th Anniversary).....excited at the possibility of hometown crawfish and seeing some friends we haven't seen in a long time.
--I bought my children their FIRST loaf of Sunbeam bread, ever! They like Texas even more now. And they are wondering what happened to 'wheat bread Mom'.


Many things remain on the list of things to do (exercise! [I did get out once last week, lol], DMV trip, camera repair).....and several have been added (paperwork for Mag's ortho consult & 15yr. well check, mail assorted things like the old Direct TV receiver, find out about Lone Star Storyteller contest for Mag & Amanda).

For now, I'm off to put out a HotSpot for 5-minutes as Flylady has reminded me. I think I can get one of those boxes done if I work fast.

Monday Morning Musings

Not sure I'll get to this every Monday morning, but ideally I'll stop and take the time to jot down some things that I'm thankful for, commitments of the week, maybe some recipes, and whatever my brain dumps out.
Today I am thankful for:
-free coffee Monday at Dunkin Donuts (and I didn't even know about it!). I got free coffee in a travel mug no less. That's like winning the lottery for me :)
-warm spring breezes
-Direct TV installation (if they would just get here already!) Need to program Deadliest Catch.....new season starts tomorrow.
-time to sit and a read a few blogs and laugh at the world. If you don't mind a little bad language, you must check out http://www.peopleiwanttopunchinthethroat.com/ and laugh with me
-strangers that are willing to extend a hand to someone totally new and they help you move in AND bring you food.
-a working washer and dryer
-school busses
-a Sprout's within minutes of my house

Anyone have any favorite spring recipes that are relatively healthy? I need to meal plan for the 2nd half of the month and I would love some new ideas. I can't figure out Pinterest to save my life and it leaves me feeling inadequate anyway. Guess I am not an overachiever.

I need to read Catching Fire before the movie comes out. I enjoyed Hunger Games but am dragging my feet on this one. The movie trailer was intriguing so I guess I'll get sucked into the madness.

Still on the to-do list - exercise. Gonna have to 'schedule' it because I am not self-motivated. It's on the list with a sports physical for Sean, IEP update mtg. for Amanda, DMV trip for car reg., camera repairs, unpacking, and grocery shopping.

Enough computer time for this Monday, bed to be made and boxes remain......

Meals, meals, meals

March meal plan is done, check! I'm still doing daily pics and blogging more so three of my goals are still being accomplished :)

A weird month but better than a sharp stick in the eye:
3/1 - baked tilapia
3/2 - out with Dad visiting - Seafood Noodle House
3/3 - deer shank, mashed potatoes, corn
3/4 - italian sausage sandwiches, squash stir-fry, cantaloupe
3/5 - baked pork chops, risotto, peas
3/6 - southern fried chicken strips, baked french fries, applesauce
3/7 - bonless chuck roast (crockpot)/carrots, green beans, mushroom over creamy polenta
3/8 - quesadillas/bean burrito (Mom busy, lol)
3/9 - cheesy shells and sausage, steamed broccoli
3/10 - chicken enchiladas, mexican rice
3/11 - lasagna, caesar salad, garlic bread
3/12 - meatloaf (beef/turkey), baked macaroni, green beans
3/13 - chicken stir-fry, fried rice
3/14 - chili, cornbread, broccoli casserole
3/15 - crab cakes w/ lemon aioli, salad, ranch potatoes (had a skip day from last month)
3/16 - corned beef, cabbage, black-eyed peas (St. Pat's a little early)
3/17 - *gala at MTV
3/18 - red beans and rice, french bread
3/19 - Shrimp boil/ baby reds/ corn (Ian's birthday request)
3/20 - spaghetti with meatballs, salad, garlic bread
3/21 - take-n-bake pizza (Mom busy, lol)
3/22 - tuna melts, fruit salad
3/23 - chef salad
3/24 - roasted tri-tip, baked sweet potato, green beans
3/25 - breakfast for dinner (eggs, pancakes or french toast, bacon)
3/26 - tacos, refried beans
3/27 - soup and grilled cheese
3/28 - hot dogs with chili, fruit
3/29 - all packed, dinner out
3/30 - on the road.............

It's nice to have a plan overall but some days are better than others. Like yesterday, groceries were needed/ pork chops hadn't been purchased/ homework was busy/ Amanda had opening for Wizard of Oz/ so Wendy's it was. I need to remember that in the big picture of life my kids are getting homemade meals more often than not and some days are going to result in take-out. I'm sure we will have enough take-out over the course of our cross-country move that will get them their junk food fix and they will be asking for home cookin' again. Well, one can at least hope.

And, now I have officially blogged half as much as I did in ALL of 2012 and its only March. Yeah.

What was that other goal.......something about exercise..........

Sometimes survival mode is good enough

Things have been pretty routine and smooth overall. Ya know, the regular routine of work, homework, making dinner, dishes, etc. 

Today started off better than usual, with warm grits on the stove and hot chicken soup in thermoses for lunches. I've been battling a sore throat and a bit of a cold so they sounded good. The day was rolling along nicely. Work went smoothly then I lost track of time at the park with the kids afterschool and forget to pick up Maggie on time. Oooops......then it sorta went down hill. She and I headed to Sprint to get Sean's 13th(!) bday gift; it only took two hours. Thanks to security questions and passwords we can't remember, combined with a husband in TX who is the main account holder, it was a bit of a fiasco to get my dear son his Iphone 4S. (His excitement will outweigh the annoyance I'm sure.)  Disaster averted, I headed home to toss together dinner and my voice is d.o.n.e. My cold has settled into laryngitis (last time I had this was when Amanda was in ICU; so stress = laryngitis for me I guess). Not my best dinner.....popcorn-coated chicken, Kraft mac n' cheese, and raw carrots/cucumbers with ranch.....sad, but they got feed. I tossed some extra chicken strips into the oven to bake so I could make chicken salad and off I trotted to attempt to read with Amanda. Well, let's just say, the strips got forgotten. I won't even feed it to Fritz.

It makes for a funny picture-of-the-day I guess.

Completely voice-less I stumbled through bedtime routine and tackled the mound of dishes. Here, I sit drinking the remains of my hours-old caramel latte and munching an oatmeal raisin cookie. Not even, chocolate chip because I gave that up for Lent.

I'll pass on a do-over of today, but can I go back to Monday when Ian made homemade dot-to-dot messages for me to complete......





I'm so glad that I'm still rolling with my picture-a-day goal because sometimes looking back makes looking forward easier. Looking forward to tomorrow isn't easy when my 2nd child turns 13!

Food, glorious Food

Meal planning time again......all set until March 1st! Feel free to share some ideas and/or snag some of mine:
2/2 - baked potato bar with cantaloupe and strawberries
2/3 - Superbowl! hamburger/hot dogs, chips, etc......NOT counting calories
2/4 - beef stew over creamy polenta
2/5 - baked ziti with Italian sausage; baked eggplant
2/6 - pork chops, perogies, stmd. broccoli
2/7 - oven-fried chicken, beans, salad
2/8 - take n' bake pizza (Mom scrapbooking)
2/9 - bbq shrimp, sauteed green beans, homemade applesauce
2/10 - chicken piccata, brown rice, stmd. broccoli
2/11 - turkey tettrazini, salad
2/12 - Mardi Gras! red beans and rice, french bread (maybe make a pecan pie)
2/13 - pulled pork sandwiches, coleslaw, garlic steak fries
2/14 - tuna melts, fruit salad
2/15 - meatloaf, mashed potatoes, green peas
2/16 - Boboli, make your own pizza (saus., pepp., veggies)
2/17 - herb-grilled chicken, roasted red potatoes, stmd carrots
2/18 - ham steaks, scalloped potatoes, soy beans
2/19 - tacos/chicken quesadillas, refried beans
2/20 - lasagna, salad, garlic bread
2/21 - crab cakes w/ lemon aioli, green beans, risotto
2/22 - Sean is 13! Chip-HALL-tole (homemade burritos/ Chipotle style)
2/23 - chef salad (ham, turk., hb eggs, celery, cuc., bell pepp, bac. bits, avoc., carrot, lettuce, cheese)
2/24 - pork loin stuffed with spiced peaches, stmd broccoli, wild rice blend
2/25 - roasted whole chicken, couscous, steamed cauliflower w/cheese
2/26 - spaghetti w/meatballs, salad, garlic bread
2/27 - hearty minestrone soup, crusty bread, fresh melon
2/28 - baked fish, baked sweet potato, sauteed spinach
3/1 - popcorn-coated chicken, salad, mac n cheese

WOOT! So excited to not think about dinner for another month. The kids love it and have told me multiple times "I really like knowing what's for dinner." I like being able to log in the calories for my fitness pal/counter thing. AND I'm happy to say that except for the night out with Collin to The Habit while I was scrapbooking, our family did not eat out ONCE last month. I am really trying to spend money on good food and not eating out (too $$$$, too bad for you, blah, blah)

To answer a couple of questions that friends have asked:
1) I shop at Albertson's and Sprouts. I make an ingredients list twice a month. I go in the beginning of the month and again around the 16th or 17th. I buy meat when it's on sale or even clearance. I use coupons as much as I can for all the extra stuff like yogurt, cheese, toilet paper, etc. Buy store brand stuff; not loyal to any labels. Most of my produce comes from Sprouts because the prices are amazing; seafood comes from there as well; I buy bulk stuff there too (flax seed meal, nuts, couscous, brown sugar, etc.).
2) I shop only at Costco WITH a list. Things like butter, granola bars for lunches, eggs, lunch meat, canned chicken, trash bags, choc.chips, kitchen wipes. You have to have tunnel vision and avoid the samples (empty calories and way too much temptation). Trust me - I know how good those little chicken sandwiches are, Ma'am; AND why am I drinking this smoothie stuff because I will never buy it; Wait, maybe I do need that super-deluxe-mega-awesome-soup-making-blender.
3) I try to bake from scratch on a regular basis. I make chocolate chip cookies and banana bread (and add in wheatgerm and flax seed meal, muhahahaha)
4) We have family dessert on Sundays. Sometimes I make something; sometimes it's a Sara Lee cheesecake; sometimes it's an angel food cup with berries and whip cream.

BUT before you think my kids only eat healthy.....let it be known, they eat ice cream or popsicles after school every day!!!! (Did you know Blue Bunny is cheap at Walmart?) :)

Hmmmmm, maybe I know what they should give up for Lent?

Re-focus one day at a time

(was supposed to post on 1/25 but I have internet connection issues)

 

No matter what your weight, you have to be comfortable in your own skin. Some people will say “you are fine, don’t stress” but I am one of those people who is NOT comfortable in my own skin. And I’m the only one who can fix it. So along with meal planning, I HAVE to jump on the exercise bandwagon. As much as I would like to say ‘I’m allergic to exercise’, I’m not. To kick myself into gear, today I downloaded two apps…..a Fooducate one that gives nutrition values, grades the item, food value pts. for diet programs, and suggests alternate food choices; the second app is the MyFitnessPal Calorie Counter. Super cool! – I can input my daily food intake, input exercise, note water consumption, and make notes. It also calculates how many calories I can eat along with exercise to meet my goal weight.

Here’s the tricky part --- I can only eat 1200 calories. Huh? What? Say that again? Soooooo, after entering my food intake up to 4pm I was in the RED and heading toward dinner. Lovely! Just when I thought I had a good day.  Here is what I ate today…..

Breakfast – banana, one slice of ww toast with tbsp. peanut butter

Snack – 60cal Colby jack cheese stick with ½ cup soybeans

Lunch – small piece leftover chicken pot pie, an orange

Snack – piece cinnamon chocolate cake from Starbucks (THIS is the killer, grrrr)

So, up until 4pm, I had three servings of fruit and veg and about 9 cups of water. And I technically had no calories left for dinner. Seriously?!?!?! I have to eat dinner. I logged it in and found myself majorly in the red. Dinner was two tuna patties, roasted red potatoes, and steamed carrots. I got my five a day of fruit/veg in and THREE more cups of water.

AND, in my desperation, found myself exercising at 9:45PM! 25 minutes of Just Sweat on the Xbox, two sets of sit-ups/leg lifts/crunches. Better than a sharp stick in the eye, but geez the program said I would lose a total of two pounds over five weeks if I kept up with my days like today. NO WONDER I can’t lose weight. I watch what I eat 85% of the time; I eat breakfast, pack snacks and small lunch for work, DO NOT fall to temptation in the teachers’ lounge (on most days), and drink lots of water. I have about one diet soda a week and maybe an occasional iced tea or lemonade. I drink a beer or a glass of wine MAYBE once a month. It’s truly the lack of exercise. I am blogging about this because I need to hold myself accountable and will hopefully see some results. I have a picture but I'm saving it for comparison.

2/1 Update: one week down!!!! and doing good with calorie limits/ it even told me one day I wasn't eating enough. Exercised three days of the week. We'll see how Superbowl Sunday goes.....I might need a 'cheat' day.

Happy New Year!

2013.....where do I begin?
I guess I'll just jump back in to my blog and hope for the best. 18 posts in 2012, sad and pathetic. I love writing and journaling so I'm going to strive to blog more in 2013 even if I'm the only one who reads. My goals (not really resolutions) for 2013 are to take a picture a day and fill digital pages (with the help of Creative Memories!) weekly as an easy way to see how life goes, progresses, and changes over a year; get back to meal planning; and better overall healthy living including more exercise, less TV, and more sleep.

So far, I've done great with the picture a day (woot, four days, yeah!) and getting more sleep. Sleeping in helps but reality starts next week. My great start is with the meal planning......January is done. Seems like an easier goal if I only have to think about it 12 times a year, right? Here is the plan for January:

5th - chicken parmesan served with pasta, spinach salad
6th - prime rib soup with crusty rolls, tomato/mozz/pests salad
7th - red beans and rice w/smoked sausage, salad, french bread
8th - venison/beef chili, salad, corn bread
9th - ham (Christmas from freezer) with creamy mac n'cheese & peas, pan saute eggplant
10th - sloppy joes, steamed veggies
11th - ***Mom's workshop*** (out with Dad)
12th - chef salad (ham, turkey, hb eggs, cucum., grn.pepp, tomatoes, cheese, celery, bacon bits)
13th - bbq deer leg, grilled asparagus, mashed potatoes
14th - Grandma Noodles -fettucine alfredo with chicken, steamed broccoli
15th - smothered pork chops with brown wild rice blend, creamed corn
16th - chicken cordon bleu with ranch potatoes, salad
17th - leftovers, clear out fridge
18th - meatloaf (turkey/beef/venison), creamy polenta, soy beans
19th - garlicky shrimp scampi, grits, baked eggplant
20th - steak, green beans, risotto
21st - spaghetti with meatballs, salad, garlic bread
22nd - chicken pot pie, fresh cut fruit
23rd - macadamia nut chicken, green beans, pine nut couscous
24th - tilapia piccata, steamed carrots, roasted red pot.
25th - tuna patties, green beans, homemade pasta salad
26th - bbq chicken, coleslaw, baked beans
27th - shepherds pie, crusty bread, fruit?
28th - meditteranean stuffed peppers, fresh fruit
29th - chicken enchiladas, spanish rice
30th - skillet stroganoff, steamed broccoli
31st - baked potato soup, crusty bread, salad

Phew......and what makes me happiest is it's all from scratch except for the sloppy joes. I don't make that sauce. I've come A LONG way and evolved from Rice-a-roni to my own homemade rice; I'm even going to attempt to duplicate Grandma Hall's alfredo sauce. It might not be super creative or even Pinterest worthy but my kids eat it and we aren't eating out. And, best of all, it answers the nagging question (that the kids ask a million times each)....What's for dinner?

I just smile, nod, and tell them to check the list :)
Now to make my grocery list and grab my coupons......

Oatmeal!

Shopping at Costco is always an adventure. An adventure I try not to be a part of very often because it is always painful on the wallet. Even if I manage to go alone, I end up with 'extra' stuff because I was likely hungry while I was shopping and/or the sample lady found a sucker in me.

Today was another adventure with me and three kids. I was armed with a list and limited funds so we quickly meandered our way through only going down aisles where we needed something thus avoiding half of the store. It was going great until I was busy with a teriyaki chicken sample and the kids had time to peruse the cereal selection. That's when Sean found it......the oatmeal!

"Mom, you know I love oatmeal. If you get this oatmeal for me I will eat it everyday. It is so good for you. Can we please get this?"

I was quite overwhelmed with his randomness. "Um, ok, sure!" Amanda chose Frosted Flakes so she clearly had an understanding of what Maggie meant when she wrote cereal on the list.

The trip went quickly and I avoided making eye contact with any more sample ladies. We checked out and when they all parked their butts in the car leaving me with a cart full of food I laughed and said "you've got to be kidding, get your butts out here and load this car." Sean grabbed the oatmeal first.

The unloading at home went smoothly and I did the breakdown of surplus to the garage while they put assorted things away. Then came the oatmeal. I grabbed one of the two bags and poured it into one of the Snapware containers. Well, I should say I ATTEMPTED to pour because half of the bag remained after the container was full. 110 Servings advertised - they AREN'T kidding. Amanda's response to my bugged-out eyes "we are gonna have enough oatmeal for life!" I should have been more quick-witted and responded with 'and Sean's going to eat it all' but instead my brain started thinking about recipes.

So now we have..............Butter Pecan Granola

 and Oatmeal Raisin Chocolate Chip cookies.

And I'm sure after Sean has his oatmeal for breakfast we will have made it through about four of the 110 servings. Oatmeal, anyone?

It's Superbowl Sunday!

The Superbowl is on this afternoon; and who cares. I am a huge football fan but this year I'm looking forward to friends visiting, great food, and funny commercials. Oh, and Madonna. I'm hoping she knocks it out of the park and shows Lady Ga-Ga who the original risque diva is. It must be the 80's girl in me. What are you going for the game?

And I have more pictures of 2012 Life in Pictures....

Jan.26th - I might have been on the losing side of the Game On challenge but I still won. I helped in serving the winning team an Italian dinner. This is my Caprese. It tasted so yummy along with the lasagna, salad, garlic bread and other NONE diet foods :)

27th....a boy and his dog.....if only the dog would SLEEP with him, Sean's life would be complete
28th.......Sound of Music picture day; they are so sweet together, love Family #3!

29th.....Amanda's mission project! the one that her notes got left at school over the weekend so it had to be turned in late. Can you say grumpy mom?

30th....welcome to the world of adolescence; it means more homework AFTER rehearsal. Gah!

31st.....and speaking of rehearsal -- it's ME, off to slappy dancer rehearsal (I was a nun the night before, bahahaha)

and then it was February! Already....always a good time to take a picture of my goofy dog. We love Fritz.

Feb. 2nd -- homemade goodness. Nothing better than walking in after a busy day to dinner 80% finished :)

Feb. 3rd .....the day I flaked. No picture :( I simply forgot but don't give up on me.

Feb. 4th....a rockin' Saturday night for Maggie. Laundry!
And now, let's 'start at the very beginning; a very good place to start'.....Maggie made us a cake for Superbowl.

Working towards being The Next Great Baker. (she used orange b/c it's all she had and we don't care about blue and red teams; it's ALL about Black and Gold!)