Am I Hungry?

Well, last Tuesday, I took the weight loss plunge.

Trying to be skinny in a fat world...

I signed up for liposuction and a tummy tuck.

JUST KIDDING!

Two days before Thanksgiving, I started Weight Watchers.
I am sure you are shocked and like most comments I have received, are asking yourself,
WHY would anyone start Weight Watchers two days before Thanksgiving?

Well, because...

Because I refuse to gain 15 pounds this holiday season,
eating and drinking whatever I want - whenever I want.

Because I refuse to feel horrible on January 1st
because I am am just a little bit farther from my weight loss goal instead of closer.  

Because I would be happy just to maintain my weight during the holidays.

Oh wait, who am I kidding - I want to loose weight.

Because it is time to take my health back.  My family has endured many diagnoses during the last few weeks.  This has made it difficult for me to ignore that diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, congestive heart failure, and cancer that runs in my family.

Because many nights I work until 2 am - skipping meals, eating junk food, and
I am surviving on high calorie food while making trips back and forth to DSM with Jase.  

Because I am a stay at home mama, who always puts her family first, often times, eating the leftovers off Jase's plate at the sink. (NO JUDGING) Don't worry, I finished my plate first.

Because enough is enough and I don't want to buy bigger clothes.

Because I want to wear a swimsuit on vacation with Jase this summer.

AND, Because as a family, we need to make strides to be healthier together.

Those are my reasons WHY. 

AND in the next few weeks, I am going to attempt to try many weight watcher recipes, to still create good food and share, but to do it with all smart points included.

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I need to be accountable - So here I am tracking my progress and I am sharing it with you. Tonight is my first weigh in and post 5 days since Thanksgiving.  Here is to a lighter me (hopefully)!!

Feel free to share your favorite recipes with me!!

Melissa

In my part to be accountable - Here is my before picture.

Not the best picture, because I hadn't planned on being accountable with pictures,

 but to show that I did wear the tightest pair of pants in my closet to Thanksgiving Dinner. :)

Cajun Chicken and Sausage Pasta

Gather all the Ingredients.

INGREDIENTS:

4 Tablespoons of Butter
1 lb Chicken Breast Diced
1 pkg Smoked Sausage Sliced Diagonally
1 lb Penne Pasta
2 Tablespoons Minced Garlic
2 Tablespoons Cajun Seasoning
1 Cup Low Sodium Chicken Broth
1 Cup Heavy Whipping Cream
(add equal amounts of broth and cream if you need more.)
6 oz Shredded Parmesan Cheese
1 Cup Fresh Parsley Chopped
Lime Juice Freshly Squeezed - OPTIONAL but HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
4 Roma Tomatoes Diced - OPTIONAL but again, HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

Seasonings for the Chicken:  

Lightly season chicken with pepper, kosher salt, garlic powder, parsley seasoning, paprika, and cajan seasoning.

DIRECTIONS:

1. DUST OFF THE DUTCH OVEN... If you don't have a dutch oven.  A large cooking pot for the pasta and a skillet for the chicken will work just fine.

2. In a dutch oven or large pot - Bring 4 Cups Water to Boil.  Cook penne pasta al dente according to instructions on the package (11 Minutes).  Drain/Set Aside.

3.  In your dutch oven or skillet - Melt 4 tablespoons of butter over medium heat.  Season diced chicken with the above seasonings and cook until chicken is white throughout.  Add in sliced Smoked Sausage and lightly brown.  Stir in Garlic, cooking until fragrant for 1-2 minutes.

4.  Add in Chicken Broth, Whipping Cream and Cajun Seasoning. Stir together well and simmer on medium heat.  Add pasta - simmer for an additional 10-15 minutes to allow the seasonings to marry and the sauce to thicken. Add equal amounts of whipping cream and chicken broth if you need more sauce. Remove from heat and stir in Shredded Parmesan Cheese and Minced Parsley.

Pictured Above:

(2 cups of Heavy Whipping Cream, 2 Cups of Chicken Broth & 1 Cup of Fresh Chopped Parsley.)

Next time, I will use a little less!

5. Serve each individual serving with freshly squeezed Lime Juice, Diced Roma Tomatoes and Cajun seasoning to taste!

The fresh lime juice and the cool of the tomato is the perfect blend to complete this meal!

Enjoy!!

TODDLER APPROVED!

NOTE: You may add dry pasta to the Chicken Broth, Whipping Cream and Cajan Seasoning.  Increase temperature to medium-high and use 2 cups chicken broth and 2 cups whipping cream. Boil for 20-25 minutes until pasta is tender.  This will make it a 1-pot / 30 Minute Meal!

Chicken and Stuffing Bake.

It is officially October.
It is officially the month for comfort food.

Here is a recipe I made tonight that was super easy and super delicious.



Chicken and Stuffing Bake
(Serves 4 People .... or 2 Very Hungry People and a Toddler Who Eats EVERYTHING!)



Ingredients:
2 Whole Chicken Breasts (4 Halves)
5-6 Fresh Mushrooms Sliced
1 Box of Stove Top Chicken Stuffing
1 Can of Cream of Chicken Soup
1/4 Cup Milk
4 T Butter (for Stuffing)
Seasonings -
Pepper, Garlic Salt, Parsley & Rosemary


1.  Preheat Oven to 350 Degrees.  Spray 8 X 8 cooking dish with non-stick spray.

2.  Season Chicken with Pepper and Garlic Salt and Parsley Flakes.  Heat 3 T of oil in skillet.  When hot, add the chicken and brown on both sides for about 4 minutes per side.  Add fresh sliced mushrooms to the pan and cook until the chicken is almost cooked through and the mushrooms have reduced and are soft.

3.  Prepare Chicken Stuffing according to directions on box.

4.  Place Chicken in Baking Dish.  Add mushrooms on top of chicken.

5.  Mix together 1 Can of Cream of Chicken Soup and 1/4 cup of milk.  Pour over Chicken and Mushrooms.

6. Sprinkle with Rosemary Seasoning

6.  Top with stuffing and bake uncovered for 30 minutes.  During the last 5 minutes, turn the oven to broil on high to toast the top of the stuffing.  Watch carefully so the stuffing doesn't burn.  Sprinkle with parsley flakes and SERVE.

7.  Optional - 2 packages of Chicken Gravy prepared according to the directions on the package is a wonderful addition to this recipe.  Just prepare and spoon over the top of the casserole when serving.

ENJOY!

I Always Get Up...

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Hello Thursday....

Just so you know, this week has been a rough week.  Sometimes, I wonder if you are tired of hearing about my rough weeks?  

There are days when I am just tired - I have so many emotions, memories, and feelings running through my brain.  I know there are days, we all want to pull the blanket over our heads, just so we don't have to face the day.  We all have moments in life when being an adult is just to much to think about.  

This is how I started my Thursday... At 12:24 am to be exact.  

Because my brain wanted to think and my body just wanted to sleep.  Guess which one won?  What started as a simple memory of how I felt for a moment yesterday, turned into a memory 4 years ago, of my grief-stricken fog of living without Carter.  A memory 3 years ago, of sitting in a dark hospital room grieving for Kaleb while doing my best to stand up and fight for Jase.  I remember 3 years ago, the ups and downs of the NICU, wondering if the next day would be the day we said goodbye to Jase.  Why does my mind have to replay those memories? The psychologist in me would say that I need to replay them to understand, to process and to heal.  The crazy grief-struck me, want to bury them deep in my subconscious, to repress and ignore.  Where I just want to scream... Life isn't fair.

4 years later - I have been living in a constant state of survival.  I could deny this, but I am pretty sure it's still true, and it feels good to say it out loud.   Grief doesn't go away one day, it is the constant reminder of love lost.  It makes you question the very inner part of your soul.  It makes you question yourself, it tries to control you, your emotions, your feelings... your Thursdays.

Grief is the price we pay for love.

AND there comes a day when you realize that bad things happen.  I know this.  I tell myself this.  Most of the time, bad things happen to good people.  Grief is a passage, not a place to stay.... or so they say.  Today is another day of letting go of what I can not change - Of riding the waves of grief, knowing that if I don't ride the waves, I will drown.  

And then,  I realized today as I was getting out of bed,  I am so much stronger because of those emotions, memories and feelings. These experiences, of love and loss have made me who I am today.  I  know that some people can't handle my strength and that is okay.... but I will not stop standing up for myself.  I will not let anyone walk all over me, my family or my beliefs.  I am not perfect, and I will say I am sorry when I make a mistake, but I will not apologize for my feelings.  If there is one thing this life has taught me, it is to ALWAYS GET UP.

I get  knocked down, but I get up again, your never going to keep me down. 

(feel free to sing along)

Thank you Thursday...

for reminding me that love never fails.

A rough week is not a rough life.

Life is AMAZING -  Life is to short to live in a constant state of survival.  So today, I grant myself permission to just be happy.  Today, I will let go of what I can not change, toxic people, negative thinking and the "what ifs" in life.  Today, I will spend the day with Jesus in my heart, joy in my steps, and people I care about.  

I have been dealt a life with a lot of loss, but I have been blessed in

life with TREMENDOUS amount of love.

Thank you Jesus for the tremendous love in my life.

Thanks again Thursday, for letting me vent, 

for letting me get out all of those hurts in my heart,

and for reminding me that I am strong, I am blessed, and I am loved.

Hey Thursday - Let's Do This!

Hello July! You Make Me Smile.

Oh Mama... MORE PICTURES?

July 1st -

Legos and Singing on a Friday Morning

NO PT for Jase this morning - 

Jase doesn't like his picture taken and he refuses to do anything if the camera is pointed at him.

Don't worry, I got him to sing without noticing what I was up to.

And off he goes to have breakfast with Grandma Belinda at Grandma Emma's house.

July 2nd -

What's better then sleeping in on Saturday Morning,

while listening to the much needed rain patter against the window?

Daddy making Saturday Morning Blueberry Pancakes.

Jase must really like them, this is is his second pancake!

July 4th - HAPPY BIRTHDAY AMERICA!

Home of the Free - Land of the Brave.

Friends and Fireworks!

July 6th - Another Zoo Day with our friend Noah and his sweet mama!
We enjoyed Zombie Burger and then chose a very HOT day to go to the zoo.
We braved the heat and the boys had an amazing time.

BEST FRIENDS!!

 

AHHH - Mama, there is a huge tiger behind me!

He touched the giant millipede from the Amazon

and then splashed in some puddles.

We ended our Zoo Adventure with the Curious George Exhibit and the Playground!

 READY, SET - GO!!
Down the Tunnel Slide.

July 8th - Another Day - Another Trip to Des Moines!

Since Jase had PT with Jill, I decided it was a great opportunity for a trip to Home Depot.
Jase really wasn't in the mood.

We headed home for a much needed nap and then dinner with Mama while she worked at the Elks. 

July 9th - A BUSY SATURDAY  

#messyhairdontcare
Cuddles and IPAD games with Mama.  No more pictures Mama!

Following a visit to Great Grandma Emma we played in the sand box.
Jase asked me to share this picture with Grandma because he was covered in sand.

Followed by Jase's First Movie at the Movie Theater.
The Secret Life of Pets

 He loved the popcorn, he loved the soda.  He loved sitting on Mama's lap.

It's been a great week.  July has been amazing for our family!
Thanks for letting us share our life in pictures -

Melissa

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