Good Eats

I am not a dieter. I don't really fall for quick fixes or trendy diet plans. I believe very much in moderation in all things, sometimes a woman just has to have some chocolate.Plus, I believe that a healthy lifestyle needs to include good diet and exercise.  The exercise is hard to come by lately. After I had Marie I was able to go to the gym 3 times a week because she was bottle fed. A nursing mommy isn't allowed that kind of freedom. I am forced to rely more on reducing my calories than on burning calories to lose the baby weight this time around. Of course, I can't reduce my calories too much because I'm nursing, so this weight loss thing is pretty tricky.

Side Note: Anybody that says the weight "just falls off" when you are nursing. Bologna. OK, had to get that out of my system. Thanks.

So, I've been reading the book Flat Belly Diet by the editors of Prevention magazine. The title is deceiving, it sounds gimmicky. It's not at all. The general idea behind the diet is to eat 4 - 400 calorie meals a day and to include a MUFA (mono-unsaturated fatty acid) in each meal. The benefits of MUFAs are described better here than I could do. There are other tricks and tips that help to reduce bloat and aid in good digestion, which of course would allow for a flatter belly.

Let's add another bit of trickiness to this ... I refuse to cook separate dinners for myself and my family. We all eat the one meal I prepare. There are tons of healthy meals out there that I would enjoy but they are much more appealing to the adult palette. Not so much kid- friendly.

So, long story longer, I tried a few recipes from the book this week. Our favorite meal was the Zucchini Rotini. Simple and satisfying. The recipe with my changes:

Zucchini Rotini

1/2 box whole wheat rotini pasta
1 1/2 cups 1% cottage cheese
1 clove garlic
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
1 cup shredded zucchini
2 cans diced tomatoes
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
 black olives (MUFA)


Prepare the rotini according to package. In saute pan drizzle 1 tsp olive oil and saute garlic for about 30 seconds. Add tomatoes, zucchini, cottage cheese, and Italian seasoning. Warm through (about 5 minutes). Add drained pasta and toss. Garnish with olives.

The other recipe that I fell in love with was a lunch. While I insist that we have the same meal at dinner, I very rarely eat the same lunch as my kids. This recipe is certainly a lunch recipe because I don't think my kids would touch it with a 10 foot pole. I, on the other hand, was in love with the salty and tangy combination combined with a little bit of crunch provided by a sprinkle of pumpkin seeds.

Dijon Turkey Wrap

Take one Mission multi-grain tortilla (use any tortilla you want, this is just what I had). Spread 1 Tbsp dijon mustard. Sprinkle with 1 Tbsp craisins and 1-2 Tbsp pumpkin seeds (love Winco bulk foods for items like this!). Add two slices of deli turkey and a layer of sliced cucumbers. Roll tortilla and enjoy!(The pumpkin seeds are the MUFA)

This week on the menu we have turkey cranberry english muffins, zesty chicken fiesta, chicken with raspberry topping, and sweet potato casserole among other things. We'll see how it goes.

Love at First Sight

Anne meets Grandpa P.

Saying Goodbye to That

October 2007: 2 weeks

Marie gave up her pacifier in September. It took a little bit of bribery persuasion, but not nearly as much as I had anticipated. She didn't shed a single tear and slept angelically without it. I should have been ecstatic and instead I was a little sad.

April 2008: 6 months

I think I braced myself for trauma because to me Marie's That was an inseparable part of her and let's be honest, how cute was it that she called it her That?

October 2008: 12 months

From newborn to toddler, she could be found with a cute little Mam in her mouth and suddenly it was gone. Such a huge part of her first 3 years and it only took 24 hours for it to be erased.

February 2009: 16 months

The first night that she went to sleep without it I thought it was too good to be true. I was shocked to wake up in the morning and realize that she hadn't woken up once. Then came nap time. Surely she was going to put up a fight this time around. She did ask for it. I reminded her about our discussion the night before, that if she went to sleep without it for nap and bedtime the Pacifier Fairy would come take it away and giver her a surprise. She liked that idea. I closed the door and walked down the hallway nearly in tears. It was me that was having a hard time letting go.

August 2010: 2 years 10 months

That night we tucked her That under her pillow for the Pacifier Fairy. We told her that if the PF came and found it in Marie's mouth, she would leave. Before we went to bed, Brandon and I tiptoed in and there was Marie, fast asleep with her That still tucked under her pillow.

September 2010: 2 years 11 months

And just like that she's not our baby anymore .

Picture Perfect

Anne is a very particular baby. If I can tend to her needs when those needs arise, she is an angel. If those needs go ignored for any amount of time, well, let's just say she has a good set of lungs.

When her unhappiness would be less than convenient I am on edge the whole time wondering when her timer will go off. I know it's never really convenient, but much more tolerable at home versus, say, at the portrait study.

Thank goodness she was more than cooperative for her little photo shoot. My nerves needed that.

Celebrating Anne

 We blessed Anne on Sunday with family and friends galore. The bishopric asked us if we could do it again during the month when sacrament meeting attendance determines next year's budget. I agreed only if somebody else hosts the luncheon.

 It was a wonderful day. My mother, as tradition dictates, made Anne's blessing dress. I love this tradition. In the evening we pulled out William and Marie's outfits and admired all three together. My mother is so incredibly talented.

Anne's blessing was calming and reassuring. It was beautiful. When we arrived at the church she was screaming and tired -- she was so mad that I had thrown her into her car seat instead of putting her down for a nap. My nerves were getting the better of me and I was so worried that she would scream through the blessing. She did calm down enough for me to go into the chapel and I braced myself when we had to unswaddle her for Brandon to take her to the front of the chapel. (Thank goodness she didn't start crying!) As soon as Brandon began speaking I was overcome with a sense of calmness. There is no doubt in my mind that Anne is loved by her Heavenly Father. She has a wonderful purpose here on earth and I will continually feel blessed to have her in my home and to be able to be her mother.

The luncheon following was as simple as a luncheon for 40 people can be. Baked potato bar, veggie tray, fruit salad, cake, ice cream, and pumpkin pie for dessert. The highlight was most certainly the cake. Oh the cake! Gorgeous and delicious. My cousin's wife, Misty, was generous enough to share her talents with us. Incredible. We joked about saving the top layer for Anne's 1st birthday. I decided it would be fun to at least save the shoes. They will make their reappearance on her 1st birthday cake, so stay tuned.

When we found out we were pregnant with Anne I was trying to list the perks of having a summer baby (so as not to focus on all the I'm-going-to-be-pregnant-in-July?!?!? thoughts). At the top of the list? We would be able to have the blessing day luncheon in our backyard instead of squeezing into our living room and kitchen like we did for Marie's blessing. Since our guest list increased by almost 20 people this time around, having the luncheon outside became not only a perk but a must!

At the end of the day, Anne let us know that she was over all this craziness, we were all tired, and our house was a mess. But on Monday morning I woke up feeling happy and excited about the day. Now if that isn't the sign of a perfect weekend, I don't know what is.

More Vernal Highlights

Food

Family

Fun

Enough Said

Sleeping Beauties

Over Labor Day weekend we made our way to Vernal. The weekend went by too quickly -- visits with family always do.

The highlight of the trip was a hike on Saturday. Anne was quite cooperative and slept the whole time, besides a brief wake up to eat while we were stopped to stuff our own mouths.

Marie decided her sister had the right idea with the sleeping business. Unfortunately, Baby Bjorns don't come in a 4T. I don't know if Grandpa's shoulders will ever be the same.