Getting Inspired Again!

It has certainly been a while since I last posted.  I have since been to see the 2nd Divergent movie, Insurgent, and actually thoroughly enjoyed it.  It might have had something to do with constantly looking for Hubs in the background.  I told him there was no way I would see Insurgent, and then he got a gig and THEN he made the trailer.  What the heck?  We had to see it.  I think extremely low expectations really sealed the deal.  Even the children had a great time.  Elementary school kids tend to do a lot less eye rolling than middle/high kids which meant I had no partner in snark.

I decided to dust off the blog as I am getting really pumped about losing some weight.  I've been dabbling here and there, but life has gotten in the way each time.  A few weeks ago I purchased an annual meal plan service from The Happy Herbivore.  It is fantastic.  I love almost all of her recipes (almost because I don't like to cook with tofu), and her meal plan is a good way to get organized.  So, today, I did a massive amount of batch cooking to be ready for the week.  Now that school is letting out, it is time to drop all of the eating out.  When your daughter's family tradition is "going to Taco Bell on Thursday nights" then you know it has gone too far.

I also got turned on to something called It Works!  I was completely skeptical when I bought some wraps from a facebook friend a few months ago.  So skeptical, in fact, that I didn't use them.  I decided to give them a try since swim suit season is here, and it actually worked.  My jaw dropped completely.  I can hardly say that I'm ready to rock a bikini at the neighborhood pool, but I did lose an inch and a half off of what I call tier 2 and a half inch off of tier 1.  If nothing else, it has provided me with some motivation to get inspired again.  As I prefer to not classify my abdominal area into tiers.

So, I'll be posting updates on my progress towards my goal.  To at least be bikini ready by the time we take our beach trip in August.  Bikini ready to me is to lose at least 15-20 pounds and tone up.  I feel good that I can do it with Happy Herbivore and It Works! in my arsenal. After all, we have the Club LaVela bikini foam party to plan for in PCB.  AND, it would be a lifetime goal for me to sew a Kahleesi costume and prance around in it at Dragoncon.  And, by lifetime goal, I mean since we started watching GOT six months ago, and I found a pattern for a $1 and bought it purely to make Hubs laugh as I have yet to learn how to sew with leather.

In other news, Hubs and I had a completely enjoyable trip to Senoia, GA for our anniversary.  The walking tour was absolutely hysterical and well worth the money if you are TWD fans.  It was quite delightful to meet other tv/film fans who are so easily impressed with irrelevant sets.

And, P.S.--The Little House on the Prairie party kicked it.  It was so awesome Helen didn't even ask for a party this year.

Andrea and Michonne sat on this bench...like for real

Not only were Maggie and Glenn tortured behind this all, but Andrea was killed....thank goodness

Prom picture in front of the Safe Zone.

Ma and Pa rocking it.  

Can I enter Ma and Laura in the Dragoncon Young Adult Literature costume contest?  

Wash boards are still a favorite way to waste time.

And, yes, I am making these bad boys.  

Par-tay Planning

I am making major progress on our Little House on the Prairie birthday party.

Thank goodness that amazon sells pretty much everything.  Including this...

You might wonder how we can justify an expense of a washboard for a one time party.  Well, I just have to say we are one step closer in fulfilling my lifetime dream of having a bluegrass band.  This item was not purchased in the Home category, but rather, in the musical instruments.  

And this...

So, this is a purchase for Bruiser.  Not sure why they need sexy coonskin cap, but I guess sex sells even in the child's hat category.

I can't wait for this party!  If only now I could find a butter churn and and old timey cash register, we would be set.  It mostly feels good to be planning a party in advance of actually having it.  We are typically flying by the seat of our pants at all times, so this is a nice feeling.  I've got the invites figured out, just need to print and send. Hubs recommended that we include a copy of the first Little House tv movie as he believes that most little girls don't know about the Ingalls. Don't know what planet he is living on...not knowing Caroline and Charles and Mary and Laura and baby carrie and baby grace and Mr. Edwards and Nellie Olsen and Albert...ludicrous I tell ya!  

In the world of eating, yesterday was great.  The bus is about to come so I don't have time to post pics, but I was very vegany.  Oatmeal, veggies for lunch, and our famous chili for dinner.  I did have a mishap with my oats in the morning.  Work BFF sorted me out.  The top of my bowl cover completely flattened in the microwave and absolutely would not come off.  I was about to declare it a muffin day when she came up the brilliant idea to have me heat it back up.  Sadly, it worked. 

Prairie Dresses Ordered!

First things first....I've got our Little House on the Prairie dresses ordered for the party.  We are going full Ingalls here people.  Sister and I will have matching dresses.  As pictured here...

I ordered them from a lady in Kalamazoo.  I decided to go matching to really ratchet the geek factor up a bit.  Mostly, because I have realized that I have missed geeking it out since high school.  Dressing up and acting "in character" to the point of making people feel uncomfortable is my thing.  So, it's time to do it up right.

Still need to plan lots of the details, but at least we have the time sensitive piece taken care of.  I just wish I could sew so that I could make aprons for all the girls coming.  Oh, well.  There's not time left for me, but there's still time left for Sister to learn how to sew (don't you love how you can live your life through your children??)

In diet news, yesterday I had more of a vegetarian day rather than vegan.  Oatmeal for breakfast--I sparing you the reposting of pictures.

For lunch, I had veggies from the hospital cafeteria.  People rag on hospital food, but I find it simply tantalizing.  Sadly, the breaded zucchini probably has egg in it and the cornbread would, too.  And, I couldn't resist a little parkay.  Don't fear, I wasn't a total glut.  I ended up getting too many parkays.  

For dinner, we had Tofurkey for the first time ever.  It was good.  I try to avoid processed soy products because they really aren't any better than other processed foods, but I wanted to try it out.  It was sort of a meatball for our spaghetti.  I also gorged out on the last pieces of the bread.  Thank goodness.  Won't purchase it again as fancy bread is my weakness.

Only thing not pictured is an apply with some caramel dip (which had milk product in it.)  So, not total vegan, but at least no animals were killed in the making of my meal.  Harmed, probably, but not killed.