Crock Pot Cooking!

Thanks mom for the new cookbook! I happily pulled out my crock pot and started with a yummy looking recipe!  It did not disappoint!  I've already got several recipes I want to make this week!  This cookbook will come in handy with our busy schedule!

New Job

Well, back in September, I decided to join Weight Watchers after watching my weight creep up, up, up these past years.  It was the best decision I have made and I wished I had joined sooner.  Not really knowing much about it, I was certain it would not work for me.  I hadn't been able to lose any weight on my own, so I thought I was STUCK!  But I was WRONG!  I stuck to the plan and the weight fell off.  Yippee!  I am now back to my "pre" arthritis size and it feels great.  I LOVE WEIGHT WATCHERS!

With weight watchers, you get "awards" for losing 5 pounds, 5%, 10%, etc...so each time I lost enough weight to earn an award, I got to say what was working for me; and usually in my "speech" I'd say "I LOVE WEIGHT WATCHERS!"  (because I do!!  It works!)  Anyway, as I was nearing my final goal weight, the leader asked me at one weigh in, if I would like to work there....(she probably liked my enthusiasm about the company!) I laughed and said "yes actually, I would.  It looks like a fun place to work..."  I admit, I kind of said "yes" lightly, meaning, sure I think it's a nice place to work, but do I really want to WORK there??  After many weeks of waiting, praying, interviewing, I did decide to take the job with Weight Watchers!  I am excited about this new journey in my life.  I'm excited about the people I will meet (a LOT of people do weight watchers in this town!!), I'm excited about the new skills I will learn working for them, the places I will go and even the money I will make!!  (Lord allowing!)  

My family helped me make the decision, so I'm thankful for their input on why I should take the job.  Zach and I had many talks about me taking this job.  Those talks are priceless to me.  He really wanted me to do it!  Dan listened and encouraged me and helped me make my final decision.  I'm thankful for his listening ear to help me make the right decision about it.  I'm thankful to God for opening the door for this opportunity to work with adults.  While I love subbing and will probably continue to do so, I longed for a steady job with adults.  Now I have it.  And this won't be a typical job - it's about two to three hours a day maybe twice a week.  I'm thankful and excited about this opportunity.  AND you have to sign an agreement that you will not gain over your healthy weight range while employed with them.  More incentive to keep my weight down.  ☺

It really is encouraging seeing people in the meetings and all the weight that has been lost!  This plan works and I LOVE WEIGHT WATCHERS!

2012 Calendar!!

November 5, 2011 Zach got his braces off!  After two 1/2 years!  While we were in the orthodontist office  they said they were making a calendar and asked if they could take Zach's picture to be in it!  Sure!!

 We got our copy in the  mail today.

 And May 2012 is my favorite page!!  ☺

October 2012 is pretty special too!! ♥

Zach has a great new smile now!  I'm glad to have this cool calendar to show it off!!  ☺

Busy Month of Concerts and Performances!

Here is the Admiral Men singing at an Elementary school.  Sorry the video is sideways.  Good thing the singing is not!  ☺  Enjoy!

What a Boy Wants...

I have found, being a mother of sons, that new clothes or a day at the beauty salon is not what makes my boys happy.  What makes them happy is good food.  So I was happy to come across this Weight Watchers Recipe!  Drew loves a good shish~ka~bob, so I couldn't wait to make these!

We got take~out fried rice and steamed our own veggies.  This meal was a hit!  All three boys went away happy and I was filled with not only a full tummy, but smiles and compliments on a great meal. ☺

Honey Ginger Chicken Thighs

Ingredients

	2 Tbsp ginger root, freshly grated, or less to taste
	2 clove(s) (medium) garlic clove(s), minced
	1/2 cup(s) hoisin sauce
	1/4 cup(s) orange juice
	2 Tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
	1/4 tsp black pepper
	1 pound(s) uncooked boneless, skinless chicken thigh(s), cut into 36 chunks
	2 tsp honey
	1 Tbsp uncooked scallion(s), fresh, minced (for garnish)

Instructions

• In a medium glass bowl, combine ginger, garlic, hoisin sauce, orange juice, soy sauce and pepper; add chicken and turn to coat with marinade. Cover bowl and refrigerate for 3 to 4 hours.
  
• When ready to cook, soak 12 wooden skewers in water for 30 minutes (or use metal skewers).
  
• Preheat oven to 375ºF. Line a roasting pan with aluminum foil to catch drippings; place a wire rack over prepared pan.
  
• Remove chicken from marinade; reserve marinade. Thread 3 pieces of chicken onto each skewer and place on wire rack; cook for 10 minutes.
  
• Meanwhile, spoon reserved marinade into a small saucepan; stir in honey. Bring to a rolling boil over high heat; boil for at least 1 minute to kill any bacteria.
  
• After chicken has cooked for 10 minutes, remove from oven and generously brush with boiled marinade. Flip skewers and bake until chicken is cooked through, about 10 minutes more. Place on a serving platter and garnish with scallions. Yields 2 skewers per serving.

Maybe you will enjoy this recipe too and make the boys in your life smile!  ♥

SnOw DaY!!!!!!

We had "threats" of snow before we went to bed on Dec 4th, and what fun to wake up to find the ground covered in snow!  I was suppose to sub this day, and the teacher text me at 4:30am that school had been cancelled!  So even I was excited!  (I guess, no work, no pay for subs!)

 I let the boys sleep in, and Zach was the first one up!  He was thrilled to have a day to get some game playing time in!!!

 I started pulling the boys rooms Christmas trees out and started decorating them.  I had seen a cute "boyish" way to decorate it and I got right to it....however, I needed a new strand of lights and I wasn't going to let any snow stop my decorating!  Also, Drew informed me that he needs a Colonel Sanders costume for school by the next day!  WHAT?  There went my relaxing snow day!  Drew got out with me to look for costume materials and he spotted this CupCake Barn!  We stopped and got us some "fuel" to finish our errands!  Yum!  Good eye Drew!

 We didn't get out and build any snowmen, but someone did!  I had to snap a pic of these cute snowmen at the University!!

 It was also a great time to pull out our snowman dishes!!!

 And after what seemed like all day, I finished the boys Christmas trees!!

 Helmets and footballs are easy to find in our house!!  I overheard Drew saying how much he loved his tree one night!  I was thrilled!  When I asked him about it, he said he just loved the multi~colored lights!

Thanking God for unexpected snow days, last minute projects, cupcakes, warm house and multi~colored lights!!

Cookies!! Part 1

I recently saw a stained glass cookie recipe in one of my magazines.  Oh, they were soooooo pretty!  I mentioned them to Drew and he wanted me to make them.  Years ago I had made some, so I was ready to do it again, this time making Christmas designs.  *I made the sugar cookie recipe from the Betty Crocker cookbook I have in my cabinet...(mistake #1)....

Drew diligently went to work breaking the candy and filling in the holes....

I rolled more and more dough to make our Christmas designs....

And .....

Our cookies did NOT turn out beautiful, as we hoped!  I realized that I did not make the sugar cookie recipe that comes with the design.  The delicious Betty Crocker recipe was not made for the 'stain glass' design....oh well.  We will TRY again soon!!!