To Whom It May Concern:

To Whom It May Concern:

He lived in his first "apartment" when he was 7 years old...

 

 

...complete with a TV set that only played episodes of "Ninjago"...

 

 

We taught him the importance of physical activity and fitness...

 

 

 

And we trained up this child in the way he should go, so when he is (yours) he will not depart from it (Proverbs 22:6)...

 

To Whom It May Concern:

I taught her how to write you love letters...

 

We were the first ones to love her in health, and sickness...

 

Love Always,

 

Elizabeth





Dear Jennifer Hudson (Week 42)

Dear Jennifer Hudson,

What's cookin' good-lookin'?

There has been quite a bit of "good-lookin' cookin' " goin' on in my kitchen this week!

At my WW meeting we have what is called "The Traveling Cookbook."

WW puts out a TON of cookbooks...our WW leader picked one of the WW cookbooks, and she has deemed it as our traveling cookbook. Each week someone new in our meeting gets to bring home the cookbook to borrow. This past week I raised my hand, and I got to bring home the cookbook. :0) The cookbook was INCREDIBLE! It was focused on the WW "Power Foods"...power foods consist of veggies, fruits, whole grains, some (healthy) oils, lean proteins, and non-fat dairy (and dairy substitutes).

Side note: If you aren't one that likes to (or diligent to) track your WW points, than WW offers an alternative plan to their normal "track your food/points." Instead, they have a plan that is called "Simply filling." On Simply Filling you can consume as many Powers Foods as you would like in your day under one condition: As soon as you are full, you must stop eating. I think this alternative plan would be a great idea for vacationing and such when you are outside of your normal environment and have to guess at the WW points values for many of the things you are eating at a restaurant, etc.

So back to the cookbook...I loved it! In 2012, we have made huge improvements in the types of food we eat in our home...this cookbook fell right into those ideals..."clean eating." The first meal I made was a HUGE SUCCESS with the family...

That isn't a tomato sauce on top of the chicken...that is a roasted red pepper sauce...SOOOOO delicious!!! And I even got to use the basil from our garden! :0)

Here's the recipe in case you are interested...

The 2nd recipe I used, wasn't as big of a hit with my crew. While I thought the cilantro-ginger marinade was out of this world...my little family prefers their pork chops to be breaded. :0( But I'm telling you...the "green stuff" was GREAT!

 

Here's the recipe...

I had such fun with the traveling cookbook...I always LOVE to browse new recipes!!!

As far as weight-loss goes, I have exciting news to report! As you know I have been on a scale-related-yo-yo for about 3 months. In July I hit the 50 pound weight loss marker, and I haven't been at that weight since. :0( But with consistent losses these past few weeks, I broke through the 50 pound barrier this week, and I am at an all new personal low for myself! :0) I was down 4.4 pounds this week, for a total loss of 53.6 pounds since the start of this year. It feels great to be making a dent in this uphill climb again.

Just under 15 pounds to go until I reach my goal weight!!!! So exciting!

Your Biggest Fan,
Elizabeth

Grammy's Annual Halloween Party 2012

Yesterday was my mom's Annual Halloween Party for her grand-kids...well, and the adults too. ;0) This party is definitely high on our list of "Most Looked Forward to Events of the Year!"

This party is a bit different/special than the other events that we attend throughout the year because it is exclusive to our immediate family only. We LOVE all of our friends-that-are-like-family, and of course, even our extended family, but it's also neat to do this one party a year that is "just us." :0)

My mom was never super big on the idea of Halloween when my siblings and I were young children, but I think she is finally embracing the fact that her birthday is ON Halloween and she has definitely stepped-up her Halloween game for her grand-children.

This party has been a fun tradition since the littles were LITTLE...

Flashback to 2006...

 

Where did all of those babies...and cute CHUBBY little cheeks go!?!?!

6 years later the tradition continues...

The kids always dress up in their costumes, and this year, the oldest boys from each family decided (on their own) that they wanted to be Spiderman, LOL!!!

 

 

 

My mom did an awesome job decorating for the par-tay...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Brady was mesmerized by Grammy's steeping cauldron...

 

 

There were gifts for all of the munchkins...

 

 

 

Among other things, all of the kids were gifted their annual Halloween Jammies :0)...

 

 

And pumpkin carving...

 

 

The eats were fantastic!!!...

 

 

 

 

 

 

And dessert of course!...

 

I understand that there was also homemade key-lime-pie ice cream (by request), and a delicious gingerbread cake, with salted caramel sauce drizzled on top, and another homemade ice cream (vanilla???) on the side of that cake...my mom ALWAYS manages to out-do herself!!! :0)

I loved being with my family :0)...

 

 

 

And my husband made it (fluttering heart)!!!...

 

I'm so disappointed that I did not get any pictures of them, but super-big-SHOUT-OUT to my BIL Desmon, and my step-mom Michelle...they were there too!!! :0)

Thank you mom for all of your hard work and generosity!!!...We had SO MUCH FUN!!!...

And so did they!!!...