Happy, Happy, Happy!!!

My house is back to normal!!! All of my inside Christmas is put away until next year! Woot!!! It isn't that it wasn't a wonderful Holiday time, it is just so messy to me! I like order, and with all of the Christmas fru-fru, there is no order! Now, I can relax and look forward to the New Year. I am having the whole family over again on Sunday, so I have one more big dinner and then it is clear sailing!

Christmas was a very fun day. My kids actually got here before 8:00AM. It made me happy because it showed that even at almost 25, they are still like little kids, ready to see what Santa brought. We had a huge breakfast and then just hung out all day. We played several games of Apples to Apples. Have any of you played that game? It is really fun, especially with all ages, and all personalities. I love that my 13 year old granddaughter loves to engage in games and doesn't go off and sit by herself somewhere. I got my grandson a "Stuffie". I don't know if you have seen the commercials for them, but there are several compartments in a large stuffed Dog to hide all of his treasures. He was so excited. I love having little ones around! We skyped with my Georgia daughter so we all got to visit.

Taryn opening her Avenger's gifts. 

Matthew with his new Kindle Fire=Happy!

I ate 4 Mexican wedding cake cookies late Christmas night. The neighbors brought some wonderful treats by and I had made some, but they turned out awful. I just had to eat them all at once! I paid big time with an upset tummy. My weight isn't up yet, but my tummy circumference is:(

The definition of insanity:(
I hope everyone is doing well!
Blessings

Merry Christmas Eve, eve:)

As I look at these  pictures, I realize maybe I should take some photography lessons! I wish things looked on film like they look to my eyes. My husband bought me the Christmas bear, I collected bears until my kids threatened to ban them from our home! I still am missing a big bag full:)

Christmas Bear

Entryway

 The first trip that my husband and I took together was to Disneyland. Micky and Minnie are still important to us. I am actually ready to go back after about 14 years.

Micky and Minnie:

My messy entryway tree is my favorite decoration in my home. I love walking in the house and seeing the tree and Santa's.

BFC update....139 I am up a few pounds. It is a little disheartening because I haven't even been a bad girl yet! I do plan to fully enjoy the next couple of days. I was cleared to go back to workout so I plan to start back to Zumba next Friday. I am shocked and happy that I didn't gain more in the last 2 months. Count my Blessings right?
I am having our traditional Christmas breakfast here. My older son, wife and 2 kids will be here, and my twins. I will really miss my daughter, husband and 2 little ones:( I talked to Konner and Karson on facetime today. Konner is 2 months old and already over 13 lbs! He got so excited when I talked to him, his little arms and legs going crazy. I miss, miss, miss, miss, miss them:( But I will probably go back to Georgia in the Spring. My twin son Matthew's "Boston" girlfriend is arriving on Christmas afternoon so we will have snacks, dips, ham and rolls etc. for dinner.
It is tradition for hubby and I to go shopping on Christmas Eve. We will go run around and then to dinner tomorrow. I am actually done shopping and wrapping. I can tell you it is the FIRST time we have wrapped early since the kids were little. I have never put the packages out until Christmas day. It feels good and bad! Changes....
I wish everyone a very Merry Christmas:)
Blessings! K

3 posts in a row:)

So the question asked of me for my blog posting is what I eat for snacks? I don't eat snacks. I eat 3 meals a day and if I have a snacky type food, I have it during those meals. I know that is not what most people want to do, but I think snacks can really add up quickly calorie wise and I do think at the end of the day, calorie consumption does matter. I would say especially since I am trying to maintain and maintaining is not easy. That is why the BFC has provided a lifestyle for me. I know what I can and can't have, and if I over do carbs for example, I eat far less the next day.

Spinach/spicy burger/cheese omelette

Candied pretzels

No bakes 

Here are some of my favorite things, and what I ate tonight. I have been obsessed lately with red pepper flakes. I put them in my potato soup, hash browns, eggs, pizza...I love them!!! I have started putting them in ground beef when I fry it up. I add Johnny's seasoning salt and a ton of pepper flakes and it is so yummy. I either make quesadilla's, taco's  or omelettes with it. For some reason I have never liked the flavor of the taco packet seasonings, so the pepper flakes work for us. 

I still eat my candied pretzels, strawberries and cool whip every day. 3 berries 

I make the chocolate no bakes about every 2 weeks and eat them sporadically. 

For breakfast I eat an English muffin with butter and nature's hollow on one side and crunchy  Peanut Butter and nature's hollow on the other side. The English muffin is only 22 carbs and if I recall zero sugar. On the other days when I have more time, I eat my potato/sausage/egg scramble. 

Lunches are kind of hard since I quit eating the sandwich thins. I may have another English muffin the same way, or I have 1/2 can of the costco chili with 2 cut up hot dogs. Sometimes I just eat a can of chicken noodle soup. I just don't eat all the noodles. 

I try and add spinach to as many things as I can because it is really the only veggie that I eat. 

Since I am hardly a nutrition oriented person, I am certainly not suggested eating like me, I am just saying it is possible for me to eat this way the rest of my life. 

I did buy some sugar free chocolate toffee's yesterday. I have just been craving the almond roca so I thought that may help. It's a good think most of my Christmas celebrations are over and I won't be confronted with cookies or treats. 

My heart still goes out to the families in CT. I don't know if I mentioned it, but one of the little boys that died had a twin sister that survived. I can't imagine what my twins would do without each other. They still fight and argue, even at close to 25, but they truly love each other. Wow. I am also saddened by everyone saying that because he was "different" and possibly had Aspberger's, something should have been done about him? What???  In this very blog a long time ago I had mentioned that my daughter had most of the symptoms of Aspbergers. But would she murder me and then go murder 20 school children and 6 amazing hero's? Never. There is no answer to Evil. None. There are no answers and sadly little peace for the families. Ugh...I need to turn the news off. 

Trying to show my lack of belly!

Blessings and happy scales:) 

Count our Blessings:)

I just wanted to share a few more things about these amazing women...
The 2 in the front row wearing black, they both survived breast cancer.The gal in black/3 people from the right has a son that has a very rare thyroid disease. He is 34. The gene carried to his 8 year old daughter who had her thyroid out when she was 3 to prevent future issues. She now has a tumor in her adrenal gland? They were blessed to be connected with a hospital in Maryland that is going to pay for all expenses, testing, airfare, hotel costs, everything....for the dad and the daughter to hopefully be healed.
The gal in black on the far left, her daughter had thyroid cancer and had her thyroid removed when she was about 18.
The gal in hot pink, her husband survived lung cancer that then turned to leukemia and he had a stem cell transplant and is thriving.
The gal in the front with the pink and black was diagnosed with MS 20+ years ago.
The gal in white having the gastric bypass surgery has diabetes and totally bad knees.
The gal in the dress in the front row had thyroid cancer and is presumed to be cancer free.

Wow...what a bunch of survivors!

Hello...echo...echo...echo!!!

Is anyone there? Does anyone read this any more? Hellooooooo?????
I know everyone is busy, but it makes me sad to see so little blogging! I totally understand, life gets busy, priorities change, we fall off the wagon, lose interest, just don't do it anymore? Just saying that I am missing everyone!

Life is good at K's house. Our "girls" Christmas party was Thursday night. I was proud of myself for my turning down the Toll House Pie with vanilla ice cream!!! Yikes!!! I have to be honest, part of the reason that I turned it down was because I didn't want to hurt the feelings of my friend that had the party recently and she served chocolate lava cakes. It is nice to be told that I am looking great and know that I have kept most of the weight off. I didn't feel as "thin" as I did last year at this time, but I was actively losing then and I am actively maintaining now. (or trying) My friend in the back row in white is going to have gastric bypass surgery. I have mixed feelings for her, but she has struggled for so many years. I wish for her to have great success!

I have a lot of my Christmas shopping done, if I only had lots of money I would be very generous with my kids. I LOVE buying gifts! My poor husband:) Literally!!!

Is there any questions that anyone may have for me? Any suggestions to make my blog more fun to read or reply to?

Yesterday watching the news about the shooting in CT was so heartbreaking that I really struggled with despair. My heart just hurt so badly for the families. About 4:30 I answered the door to our little neighbor gal and 3 of her friends singing Deck The Halls. I believe she is a 7th grader and I assume it was her choir friends because they had beautiful harmony. I got teary and then realized they would think I was crazy, so smiled on. I wanted to bundle them up and drive them home where it would be safe. I thought how quickly such innocence is lost. They made a heavy day, happier. Please Lord Bless all of the families so sadly destroyed by an evil man.

To all of you that have lost someone that you love, my heart goes out to you.

Blessings and happy scales....

Confession time:)

I eat white bread and tortillas! Yep, I do!
I have tried, really tried, to get used to wheat bread etc. I do NOT like it. I don't like eating it, it isn't worth it to eat it. I have finally decided healthy or not, I am not going to buy it anymore and have it sit on the counter waiting for me to think it sounds good. For quite some time I was eating the Healthful english muffins, but they had sucralose, so that wasn't necessarily a good thing. I also was eating the whole wheat sandwich thins, but they got so thin that it was like eating paper. I may still go to them in the future when I need a fiber boost, but I just couldn't eat one more lately.  I want to eat things that I like, and I don't like the flavor/texture of whole wheat products. It may not be as healthy, but it is satisfying. The deal with the BFC or any "cure, diet, eating plan" is only going to be successful if it is something that we can do for the rest of our lives. I simply can't live with eating wheat bread. I still stay with the BFC guidelines of 15/6. If you don't eat wheat, then you don't eat white bread or wheat bread, but I just thought I would confess in case someone else was struggling with choices.
I can truly,  honestly and quite happily say it takes a VERY special treat to make me even think about eating a sugar treat. At bunko I may put one on my plate just to give myself an OK to have it, but I usually dispose of it later. I feel empowered in that way. I am still eating my chocolate no bakes with fake sugar and my strawberry/pretzel dessert almost daily. I feel satisfied with my food choices at the end of the day, and that my friends is what will keep me happy:)
15/6....low sugar/low carb....I believe...but I simply can't keep trying the wheat bread!
We are all so different in what we eat, what our trigger foods are, what we believe is healthy and good for us...but that is what is special about all of us! We are here to support one another even though we are different. I like being "special"!
I am so thankful that I have my BFC buddies:)