Elf on the Shelf

This is Nick. Nick is an elf. An elf on the shelf. 

He comes every December 1 and stays through Christmas, with a nightly jaunt back to the North Pole to report good and bad behavior. 

Every morning, he ends up in a different spot "high up" in our house. The kids excitedly try to find him when they wake up.  

We started this tradition a few years ago and have had great fun with it. 

If you come over, see if you can spot him. But beware, he is watching ... ;)

Christmas Shopping Mistakes

Top 10 Christmas Shopping Mistakes
By: Dave Ramsey


We've all paid the "stupid tax," making costly decisions with zeros on the end. And a lot of those decisions happen when we're caught up in the emotion of the Christmas season and procrastinate a little too long. Make this year different than before!

Here are the top 10 Christmas shopping mistakes and how you can act differently:

1.    Not prioritizing.

Instead of getting stressed out with all the parties, baking and shopping in addition to your normal daily life, set some priorities before you're bombarded with a million requests. Think about what things are "must do" and which are "would be nice to do." It's all right to say no to keep yourself sane. Shopping for gifts is more fun when you're not completely stressed out.

2.    Not having a budget written down.

Before you make a gift list and head to the mall, set aside a reasonable amount of money for gifts. Make a commitment that you won't add $20 to the fund just because you saw something cute that your niece would love.

[Money Saving Gift Planner]

3.    Using credit cards.

Once you have your budgeted amount of money, stay away from credit cards! You will still spend 12-18% more if you use plastic and you'll be paying it off come next year! Doesn't paying with cash and going on about your day sound more relaxing than having a credit card balance looming over your head through the holidays? You betcha.

4.    Buying for everyone.

Do you really need to buy gifts for every family member and friend you have? That can get overwhelming and expensive for everyone. Talk with them about this and work toward an agreement to draw names for gifts or donate money to a common cause.

5.    Not listening.

Listen to the hints your loved ones drop about what they need or want this year. Maybe your Aunt Sally mentioned in July that she would love someone to help her in the garden or cousin Bob keeps losing guitar picks. A thoughtful gift like this will mean a lot to the person.

6.    Not having a thought-out list on paper.

If you think you can spend time in "Christmas retail world" and not get distracted by all the shiny toys, you're in for a big surprise! You'll be more likely to buy impulsively if you do it that way. Write down what each person you're buying for would like and stick to the list. Stay focused!

7.    Not shopping around.

"Shopping around" doesn't mean you have to spend 24 extra hours running from store to store to save 10 cents. Take a look at your gift list and do some comparative price-checking online before you head out into the retail and traffic madness. This will save you money, time and stress!

8.    Waiting until the last minute.

Giving the gift of procrastination is not the most appealing gift out there. Don't find yourself stressed out on Christmas Eve just because you didn't invest a little bit of time to plan.

9.    Forgetting to plan for next year.

Be on the lookout for outrageous sales on things your loved ones will need throughout the next year. If you time the sales just right and clip some coupons, you could land a major discount on something you were going to buy in a few months for a birthday or wedding gift. Remember to have a list and budget for this, too.

10. Forgetting why we celebrate.

If this season becomes all about shopping and gifts, you've missed the whole point. People—not things—matter. The miraculous birth of a baby who changed the world is what matters.

-iMOM.com

Give Thanks Coloring Sheet

http://www.coloring-pages-book-for-kids-boys.com/images/22_Thanksgiving_quote_we_give_thanks_at_coloringkidsboys.gif

What I Ate

So, how did you do? Thanksgiving went well for me. I had my plan and pretty much stuck to it.

I dished up my food and was somewhat disappointed at the little amount on my plate but I felt so good later that I didn't pig out and make decisions I would regret.

No matter how your Thanksgiving went, it is in the past. You can't change anything that happened but you can decide to make good decisions today.

This next month is going to be tough and full of temptations but just take one day at a time and make a plan. No matter what, determine to make better choices this year than you did last year. It's all in the baby steps.

What I Ate on Thanksgiving:

Breakfast
8 - cinnamon roll with icing (oh, yes, I did)

Snack
1 - WW string cheese
0 - banana, strawberries, raspberries

Lupper (we ate around 3:00 pm)
1 - punch (recipe coming soon)
4 - 4 oz turkey
3 - gravy
4 - stuffing
3 - mashed potatoes
0 - green beans

Dessert
6 - 2 pieces of pumpkiny pie

You can see where my priorities were but that's what I chose. :) It's all about the choices ... That's what makes it work in real life.

Come On, Christmas

Come On, Christmas by Matthew West

Recipe for a Grateful Heart

Recipe for a Grateful Heart

by Greg Asimakoupoulos
November 28, 2002 


I've discovered a fail-proof recipe for a grateful heart. 

First, crush a bunch of sour grapes for all the times you've felt someone else got credit for something you deserved. Drizzle in a drop of spilled milk for every remembrance you have of something you wish you could undo (no need to cry over it). Even though you may be tempted to, refrain from adding the "whine" you keep in the cellar for those pity parties you occasionally throw for yourself. 

To this rather unattractive concoction, sift in some flavorful thoughts that come to mind of times when God was kind and bailed you out. You know the times I mean: when you were in real hot water and had real doubts if you could stand up to the heat.

Then, while this mixture is sitting at room temperature, take some "thyme" alone and thoroughly measure out your blessings. Make sure you add in the plain vanilla ones (like health, shelter, employment, family, enough to eat and a good night's sleep). 

Don't forget to spoon up some sweet remembrances of happy days gone by. With your honey at your side, go to a quiet part of the house and pour out what's on your mind. If necessary, ask for forgiveness.

While bringing the ingredients to a boil, combine a cup full of contentment, all the while skimming off any envy or greed that surfaces. Blend well.

Let the aforementioned batter rise until it occupies a place of prominence in your thinking. Preheat your heart to the point where it takes on a pliable consistency. While your will is warming to the idea of thanking God (instead of blaming him) for where you are at this time in your life, sprinkle the mixture in question with a dash of determination to do whatever it takes to honor God with your attitude.

Then bake the combined ingredients until they are well done. While it is still warm, serve yourself the "peace" you've anticipated, all the while chewing on God's goodness while swallowing your pride.

Well, there you have it. Even though you haven't seen this recipe demonstrated on the Food Network, it's a keeper. A grateful heart is guaranteed. 

You don't need to be a Galloping Gourmet in order to serve up an aroma that will be pleasing to the Lord. All that is required is that you dismount from your high horse of self-centeredness and sit in the presence of the One from whom all blessings flow. As Israel's greatest king is credited with having said, "Taste and see that the Lord is good." (Psalm 34:8)



***Happy Thanksgiving!***
    

Thanksgiving Postcard From God

By Cheryl and Bob Moeller
http://www.marriagevine.com/
http://www.momlaughs.blogspot.com/


It was 10:00 a.m. the day before Thanksgiving. In just a few hours the doors to our inner-city church would open, and we would host our urban neighbors, many of whom were Native Americans, to a free Thanksgiving dinner.

We were making last-minute preparations when we heard a loud knock at the front door. Another interruption, we thought as we trudged toward the door. When we opened the door, we were greeted by two delivery men from Sears.

"Will you sign for this?" one of the men asked as he shoved a clipboard our way.

"Sure, what is it?"

"A freezer," he answered.

"We didn't order a freezer."

"Someone did," he said. With that, he and his burly partner pushed past us and wheeled a full-length deep freeze up the steep steps and into our church.

As we studied the invoice, we discovered a sister church, New Hope Church in Crystal, MN, had purchased the appliance for us. That's strange, we thought. They never told us it was coming.

Our minds returned to the Thanksgiving dinner. Within a few hours, the first flakes of snow started coming down. In Minnesota in late November, that can mean anything from a dusting to three-foot snow drifts. On this particular day, it meant the worst. By 4:00 p.m., the flakes had turned into a major-league blizzard. The timing couldn't have been worse. By that late hour, all the food for our dinner had been prepared—a dozen turkeys, nearly a hundred pounds of mashed potatoes, and scores of piping-hot pies.

But we had no one to eat any of it. All our food and effort was about to go to waste.

That's when we remembered the gift we had received only hours earlier. We wrapped the food and carried it upstairs to our new storage freezer. One week later we held the postponed dinner and served a hot Thanksgiving meal to a church packed with grateful neighbors and needy friends.

Looking back, we realize we received more than an appliance from a department store that day. We received a postcard from God.

What's a postcard from God? It's one of those providential, serendipitous events that appear in our lives, marriage and family—a reminder that God has not forgotten us. For us, it's like receiving a short note that reads, "Dear Cheryl and Bob, I was thinking of you today. Just thought I'd let you know. Love, Your heavenly Father."

The ways in which he sends these timely postcards are as unpredictable as they are amazing. The net effect seems always the same: to encourage and strengthen us, often when we need it the most.

Piles of unwanted junk mail are delivered daily. As catalogs, sales brochures, newspapers, and a host of other materials accumulate on our desks, our goal is to dispose of the piles as quickly as possible. In the same way, our lives, our marriages, our families, and schedules can become cluttered with carpools, shopping, taking care of kids, exercising, committee meetings, weekly deadlines, and urgent calls to make. Our goal can become simply to get through the day.

In the midst of sorting through such clutter, it's easy to overlook the simple notes our heavenly Father sends to remind us of his love. When we take the time to sort through "coincidences" of my life, we discover simple but much-needed messages reminding us, "I love you. I haven't forgotten you."

Signed, Your God.

Letters of Thankfulness

At Waukesha First Assembly, Pastor Todd has been doing a series on "Thanks Living." It has been so good and really put things into perspective for me. 
 
On Sunday, he shared some wonderful ideas on how to have a grateful heart during his sermon. One idea was to start a book and have everyone in the family take a page and write what they are thankful for in it every year.

Another was to write letters to your children each Thanksgiving telling them that you are thankful for them and why.  He said to give one copy to your child each year and put another copy in a book. They both reminded me of my "mom book."

I've never been very good at being meaningful over the years. This year I have really seen the importance and have been trying to do some meaningful things for others. This is another great way to do that. 

I'm going to write letters to my kiddos this year. I feel bad that my daughter had to wait 10 years before I started this but I plan on continuing until they are parents and grandparents themselves. 

I am so thankful for my children and I think it's time they know it. Who knows what a difference this could make in their lives? Or my life? 

I encourage you to start meaningful traditions with your children, too. The newest video game or Barbie doll is great but your time and words of affirmation are priceless. They truly are the gifts that keep giving. 

Pilgrims Coloring Sheet

http://www.thecoloringbarn.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/Thanksgiving-10.gif

What I Ate

THANKSGIVING EDITION

Thanksgiving is coming! Are you ready?

This is the first BIG holiday I'll be celebrating since I've joined WW. I need a plan of attack.

I'm determined to stay within my daily points and I'm hoping not to dip into my weekly points. I do realize, however, that this is a special occasion and if I use a few of my weekly points, it will be ok. It's good to treat yourself once in awhile - as long as you don't go overboard and give yourself permission to overindulge.

I think my plan is going to be to eat a light breakfast with some fruit and vegetable snacks in order to save the majority of my points for the big meal. In our family, we typically eat one big meal about 3:00 pm, so that will work out great.

For those of you who celebrate Thanksgiving more than once in the same day, God bless you. That will be a challenging day.

My biggest piece of advice is to have a plan.

If you can, try to find out what they will be serving ahead of time. If you are bringing a dish, bring something that is points-friendly. For example, a vegetable dish or a lightened up dessert. Make sure it is something you like, so that you'll know there will be one thing there you can eat with little guilt.

Plan out your meals ahead of time. I use to do this everyday when I first started WW. Every morning I would plan out what I would eat for the day. Then I stuck to it. When you are constantly making food decisions all day, your resolve can wane and temptation can hit. If it's already mapped out, you don't even have to think about it. Dish yourself up and ENJOY every bite.

Don't try to make your plan too strict. If Aunt Bernice makes a to-die-for dessert every year, incorporate it into your plan. Try to figure out the points or guesstimate if you have to. Realize your portion may not be what it was in years past. Then make it work. Skip the mashed potatoes. Omit the gravy. Do what you can to still enjoy your meal and end with your heavenly dessert.

Lastly, realize that the progress you've made so far, is going to feel so much better than a full-to-bursting stomach. It's worth it. It's worth giving up the stuffing to fit into those pants you haven't worn for a year or ten. It's worth feeling good about yourself because you made wise decisions and didn't let the turkey talk. You are worth it! Don't forget that. You are worth the sacrifice, the hard work.

A couple of miscellaneous tips:
Chew gum. When you aren't eating your meal or as soon as you're done, pop a piece of gum in your mouth.
Find someone to talk to - away from the food, preferably.
Go for a walk. Grab cousin Mary and take a walk. You'll get your exercise in, you'll get away from the food, and you'll catch up with your beloved relative.

Here is a list of Thanksgiving foods and the points WW has assigned for them (figuring out your own points plus value is best but if you truly don't know, use these values to plan your meal):

*Stuffing - 1/2 cup = 5
*Gravy:
cream - 1/4 cup = 4
canned turkey - 1 cup = 1
brown - 1/4 cup = 3
*Roast turkey - 4 oz = 4
*Mashed potatoes - 1/2 cup = 3
*Candied sweet potatoes - 1/2 cup = 5
*Green bean casserole - 1 cup = 6
*Cranberry sauce - 1/4 cup canned = 3
*Pie
pumpkin - 1 slice = 8
apple - 1 slice = 11
pecan - 1 slice = 14

Here are some yummy recipes I've posted previously on my blog if you are looking to make a lighter dessert:

*Pumpkiny Pie
*Pumpkin Chocolate Chip muffins
*Pumpkin Bars
*Caramel Apple Tart


Happy Thanksgiving!!

Give Thanks With a Grateful Heart

This song is a throwback to my youth and has been running through my head this week. With Thanksgiving right around the corner, I thought it was very appropriate.

This one's for you, Kelly ...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xtxmSAqMtDA&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Caramel Apple Tart

Ingredients:
1 Pre-made Pie Crust
4 large Granny Smith Apples
2 tsp fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup Sugar
1 TB Butter
Cinnamon
1 TB Caramel Topping

Instructions:
1. Place oven rack in lowest position & preheat oven to 400ºF. Place cookie sheet in oven on rack.

2. Place pie crust dough in a 10-inch round cake or tart pan. Work top edge into a decorative scallop. Chill for at least 20 minutes.

3. Peel, core and slice apples into 1/8-inch-thick slices; place in a bowl as you work and sprinkle with lemon juice.

4. Arrange apple slices in pan in circles starting on the outside rim; apple slices should overlap tightly.

5. Sprinkle sugar over tart, adding a pinch of cinnamon and dot with tablespoon of butter.

6. Bake on heated cookie sheet until apples are tender but not mushy, about 40 to 45 minutes.

7. Remove tart from oven to cool. Drizzle caramel over tart and serve.

1/6 of tart is 5 points plus

-courtesy of Kelly S.

For Your Turkey Table

Thanksgiving is next week! Can you believe that?!

Thankfully, I do not have to host a Thanksgiving dinner at my house (thanks, Mom!), but in case you do, here are some cute decorations I found for your table. Click the link under the picture to go to the tutorial and/or print the pdf.

Happy Turkey Crafting!



http://www.vintageimagecraft.com/thanksgiving-napkin-rings.html




http://www.vintageimagecraft.com/thanksgiving-place-cards.html




http://familycrafts.about.com/od/thanksgivingprintables/a/prthnksplcds.htm




http://familyfun.go.com/thanksgiving/thanksgiving-kids-table-fun/thanksgiving-printable-activity-pages/activity-placemat-807114/


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With the busiest time of the year quickly approaching and a lot of my time being taken up with REFRESH 2012, if any of you would ever like to do a guest post, I would be so THANKful!!

This is such a fun time of year. You could share a favorite recipe you like to make (it does not have to be healthy-tasty ;) or a new one you've just found.

Maybe you are working on a fun, holiday craft and would like to share a tutorial with us.

Or you could share a favorite tradition that is special to your family.

It could be anything!

Don't let yourself think that you do not have anything to share or no one would be interested, because you do and we are!

Think about it. Let me know if you are interested!

I'm excited to hear from YOU!!

(PS Just like in school, if there are no volunteers, I will be calling (on) people. I always wanted to be a teacher ... ;)

REFRESH 2012

Save the date!

Please join us for Refresh 2012 ... a day of renewal for moms on Saturday, January 28, 2012 at Waukesha First Assembly.

This one day retreat will rejuvenate you with a time for coffee and worship, fun, crafty workshops, a special speaker, lunch, mentoring from wise moms of grown children, and a special quiet time! Be watching for more details to come!

~ But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint. (Isaiah 40:31) ~

Horn of Plenty Coloring Sheet

http://www.activity-sheets.com/coloring_page/fall/fall-16.htm

What I Ate

As I mentioned last week, being prepared and thinking ahead really helps in those "help, I'm hungry NOW!" situations.  I keep a stock of snacks on hand and in my purse for those times when I want to reach for a candy bar or bag of chips or anything within reach.

Without much fuss, I can eat one of these snacks and calm the hunger raging inside or just tide me over until the next meal.

Snacks are a necessary part of dieting.  When you wait too long between meals, your empty stomach can take over your head causing you to overeat or choose unwisely at mealtime.  So, snack away!  Don't feel guilty if you are choosing healthy, low-point foods.

Here is my list of low-point, yummy, go-to snacks:

*fruit (you can't go wrong with 0 points plus)
*Special K 90 calorie fiber bars - 2 pp (chocolate and chocolate pretzel are my favorites)
*Kellogg's caramel coconut fudge fiber bars - 3 pp (think Caramel Delites girl scout cookies - yum!)
*100 calorie PopSecret kettle corn - 3 pp
*10 Special K multigrain crackers with a WW string cheese - 3 pp
*10 Snack Factory garlic parmesan pretzel crisps - 3 pp
*14 baked tortilla chips with salsa - 3 pp
*yogurt - 4 pp (I eat the non-diet variety but it is worth every point in my book)
*1/2 cup cottage cheese with raspberries or pineapple or canned sugar free peaches - 3 pp


A day of What I Ate:

Breakfast
5 - 2 frozen waffles with strawberries and cool whip free

Snack
2 - fiber bar

Lunch
5 - Smart Ones fiesta quesadilla 
3 - 14 baked tortilla chips and salsa

Snack
0 - apple

Dinner
13 Cousin's cheesesteak sub

Dessert
3 - Skinny Cow Heavenly Crisp peanut butter candy bar

December Playdate

It has been decided! By an unanimous vote, our Christmas playdate will be on Friday, December 9. (We'll miss you, Juliann and kiddos!) 

It will be at my home at 9:30 am. Let me know if you can come and I'll send out an email with my address and directions. 

Come for a Christmas-y time and bring a friend to join in the fun, too!!

Pumpkin Bars

I had been meaning to try these bars for a while now but knew I needed something else to give them some pizzazz.

I found the sugar-free cheesecake pudding mix and decided to give it a try. I was looking for a cream cheese-like frosting and I think it did the job well.

I love how moist the bars are and am completely intrigued by the wonder of canned pumpkin.

Pumpkin Bars

1 box of Spice cake mix
15 oz can of pure pumpkin

Frosting:
1 4-serving sugar-free instant cheesecake pudding mix
1 cup skim milk
oz. Cool Whip free

Mix cake mix and pumpkin together. Spread in a greased 9x13 pan (with cooking spray). Bake according to directions on box but reduce baking time by 1-2 minutes.

Cool completely.

Stir pudding mix with milk until it starts to thicken. Add Cool Whip and stir until completely blended.

Spread on top of cooled bars.

1/12th = 4 points plus

Give Thanks ... His love endures forever

Psalm 136

 1 Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good. 
            His love endures forever. 
2 Give thanks to the God of gods. 
            His love endures forever. 
3 Give thanks to the Lord of lords: 
            His love endures forever.
 4 to him who alone does great wonders, 
            His love endures forever. 
5 who by his understanding made the heavens, 
            His love endures forever. 
6 who spread out the earth upon the waters, 
            His love endures forever. 
7 who made the great lights— 
            His love endures forever. 
8 the sun to govern the day, 
            His love endures forever. 
9 the moon and stars to govern the night; 
            His love endures forever.

 10 to him who struck down the firstborn of Egypt 
            His love endures forever. 
11 and brought Israel out from among them 
            His love endures forever. 
12 with a mighty hand and outstretched arm; 
            His love endures forever.

 13 to him who divided the Red Sea[a] asunder 
            His love endures forever. 
14 and brought Israel through the midst of it, 
            His love endures forever. 
15 but swept Pharaoh and his army into the Red Sea; 
            His love endures forever.

 16 to him who led his people through the wilderness; 
            His love endures forever.

 17 to him who struck down great kings, 
            His love endures forever. 
18 and killed mighty kings— 
            His love endures forever. 
19 Sihon king of the Amorites 
            His love endures forever. 
20 and Og king of Bashan— 
            His love endures forever. 
21 and gave their land as an inheritance, 
            His love endures forever. 
22 an inheritance to his servant Israel. 
            His love endures forever.

 23 He remembered us in our low estate 
            His love endures forever. 
24 and freed us from our enemies. 
            His love endures forever. 
25 He gives food to every creature. 
            His love endures forever.

 26 Give thanks to the God of heaven. 
            His love endures forever.

********************************

What if you woke up this morning and had only the things you thanked God for yesterday?
                          - Max Lucado via Twitter
 

Countdown to Christmas

Whether I want to admit it or not, Christmas is right around the corner.

Christmas CAN be the most wonderful time of the year. The hustle and bustle can damper my spirits, though, and if I'm not prepared and organized, I can be a real Grinch.

I received my iMOM email yesterday and they provided a 7 week planner to keep things organized and flowing smoothly at this most stressful time of the year.

I thought I would share it with you all, too.



http://www.imom.com/downloads/color-pdf/imom_7_week_holiday_planner_color.pdf

The link to the iMOM website is on the sidebar to the left. They have some great tips and resources. Check it out!

May you have a stress-free, enjoyable holiday season!

Turkey Coloring Sheet

http://www.free-coloring-pages.com/page/thanksgiving-22.html

What I Ate

This week I thought I would give you a quick overview of how WW works and little things I do that make it easier for me.

When you go to WW, they weigh you (big surprise) and then give you your points plus daily number depending on your weight, height, and age. This number is how many points plus you should eat in a day. (Eating less doesn't encourage weight loss; in fact, usually it slows it down.) In addition to your daily points, everyone is given 49 extra weekly points to use how they want during the week. It is your choice to use these points, if you want. You can also earn extra points by being active. They give you a chart to use to figure that out. (That definitely encourages exercise!) Every food has a points plus value and you can buy a nifty calculator to figure out this value using protein, carbohydrate, fat, and fiber information off of the packaging. All fruits and most vegetables are 0 points plus (Hallelujah!).

That is pretty much it in a nutshell.

As for myself, I try to never use my weekly points. Just knowing that they are there, oddly, is enough to keep me satisfied. But tell me I'm restricted and then that's all I think about. You can definitely use the extra points, but you will lose the weight at a slower pace. For now, my desire to drop weight quicker has outweighed my hunger or cravings. That may change.

Also, when I do exercise (I'm trying to be better at that!), I don't typically give myself extra points. Once again, my goal is to lose weight as quickly as possible. Besides, I'm not doing all that much physically, so I can't really justify it. Someday, maybe ...

I stick to my daily points target and try to eat all of my points everyday. It's not that hard to do, but there are just some days where the points really stretch and I find myself not eating them all up. Those days are few.

One other thing I try to do concerning my points is to keep myself in a similar rhythm everyday. I eat about 4 points of food for breakfast, about 8 for lunch, and leave about 12-15 for dinner (and dessert - can't forget dessert!) with some snacks in between. I am not able to do this everyday but it helps on most days to keep me on track and remembering how much I have eaten and what I have left. I started out tracking on my iPod (WW has a great app) but now just track in my head. (I'm a numbers person so this isn't all that hard, but staying with the same pattern everyday helps a lot, too.) Otherwise, I would be the type of person who eats 75% of her points for breakfast without realizing and then I would basically starve the rest of the day. I need to pace myself.

I also try not to eat past 7:00 pm. There are occasionally days when I end up eating a late supper but I really try to cut myself off by 7:00 pm. Most days I have my little dessert after dinner and that is like my grand finale for the day. After that, I know I am done eating for the day (and what a way to finish - yum!)

Planning is really the key. Have a plan of attack. Know what make really great low point snacks and keep them in the house, or wherever you are, to eat when you need something. Snack. Don't let yourself get too hungry or you will binge when you get the chance. Eat a little now to keep yourself from eating a lot later. Find meals that you like and are lower in points and keep the ingredients in the house for those days when it's 6:00 pm and you're thinking "what are we going to eat?" It will save you from the drive-thru.

I'd better stop or I will be all out of incredible insight (yeah, right) come next week.

Just know that YOU CAN DO IT! If I can, seriously, anyone can. I believe in you, now believe in yourself.


Here is a day of What I Ate:

Breakfast
3 1 cup regular Cheerios with strawberries and bananas sliced on top
1 1/2 cup skim milk

Snack

Lunch
5 Smart Ones mini cheeseburger
3 10 Pretzel Crisps
1 single serving cauliflower with cheese sauce

Snack
0 apple
1 WW string cheese

Dinner
10 4 Stuffed Shells
3 New York ciabatta garlic bread with cheese

Dessert
4 Pumpkin bar (recipe coming soon!!)

My Life as a Mom with PCOS

Today I am happy to introduce my friend, Aimee, as our guest blogger. I have known her all of her life (I'm just a tad bit older ;) and she is a faithful friend. She signed up right away to share her story with us and I'm so glad she did. Take it away, Aimee ...

**************************************************

To begin, you should know that I have been struggling with how to write this and where to start.  So, with that said I suppose I will start at the beginning, of how I became a mom.

My husband and I struggled for about four years trying to get pregnant.  At first, it wasn’t a big deal but as time passed, I couldn’t understand why.  I kept thinking “is there something wrong with me?”  I would frequently have irregular periods which sometimes would last for up to two weeks.  I never really knew if I was ovulating and as time went on I was getting really frustrated.  After three years of trying to have a baby I finally found out that I have a condition called Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS.)  In talking with my doctor, I had come to find out that some of the symptoms of PCOS are irregular periods, weight gain and, sadly, infertility.

Once we discovered that I had PCOS I couldn’t help thinking to myself that if maybe I had found out sooner, we could possibly have had a baby by now.  At the time, it was really hard for me to see all of my friends having kids, and it hit me especially hard when my sister-in-law gave birth to my niece.  I hate to admit, but I was jealous because I felt everyone was having a baby but me.  I just knew that someday we would have a child and it would all be in God’s timing.  I really had to trust Him because He knew when we were supposed to have a child.

Getting back to infertility; upon the discovery of my PCOS, my OB referred me to a fertility specialist.  My husband and I met with him and he shared with me me some things I needed to do that would help us have a child.  For starters, he told me that I needed to walk two miles a day to help me lose some of the weight I had gained from the PCOS.  Additionally, I was put on a drug called Metformine which is actually a drug used for diabetes, but is also known to help with infertility caused by PCOS.  I began to do all the things my fertility doctor had told me to do, walking two miles a day, working on losing weight, and taking the medication.  After eight months, however, it seemed like the new regimen was not helping.   As time went on and I kept not getting pregnant, it was the opinion of my fertility specialist that our next steps would likely need to be some more drastic treatment, like IVF.   At this point, after some frustration, my husband and I decided I should take some time off from taking the medicine.  We wanted to spend some time praying for God’s plan.  About a month and a half later, I got pregnant!

Finally getting pregnant was a miracle from God.  He is the only one who knows when the time is right. Somehow, Russell knew I was pregnant before I even knew for sure.  I was so excited when I found out (shocker, I know.)  It was a Friday and I had just gotten home from work and decided to take a pregnancy test.  My father-in-law was at our house replacing the sink in our bathroom, so I had to take a test after he left to get some parts at the store.  As soon as I saw the positive result of the test, I texted Russell.  He was in a meeting giving a presentation, read the text and told his boss “sorry but I’ve gotta go!”  He showed his boss the text, gave him a high five and left.  When Russell got home, we went to get my blood drawn and we received the positive news the following morning.  As soon as we knew it was a positive blood draw we went straight to tell our parents.  It was really hard not to tell our friends right away, but I wanted to wait until we saw the Dr.

After a few weeks, we finally got to go to the doctor and see our little baby’s heartbeat.  What a miracle our baby was, and I don’t know what my life would be like today if he was not here.  A few months later, we found out this child growing inside me was a boy, and we were both overjoyed. 

The only part of the story that is missing is how we came upon the name Cullen Matthew.  Cullen means “handsome” and Matthew means “gift from God.”  He truly is our handsome little gift from God!  Cullen means more to me than anything in the world and I thank God every single day for the life he has entrusted me with.

I hope this will give hope to those who have may have similar trouble with infertility.  Always remember, if you put your faith and trust in God ANYTHING can happen.  I am glad that I can share my story with you!

Love,

Aimee

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Thank you for sharing your story with us, Aimee! We are so glad God blessed you with little Cullen Matthew!

Stuffed Shells

I made this recipe this week. I lightened it up a little but could have lightened it up more by using low-fat mozzarella and low-fat cottage cheese. It still ended up being not too bad, pointwise, and completely delicious!

Stuffed Shells
 
32 Creamette Jumbo shells

Sauce: 
29 oz crushed tomatoes
2 15 oz tomato sauce
6 oz tomato paste

Brown onion and garlic. Add tomatoes, sauce, and paste. Season with basil, Italian seasoning, 1/4 c. sugar, salt and pepper. Use spices to suit your own taste. Heat til warm. 

Filling: 
1 lb shredded mozzarella
1 c cottage cheese
1 whole egg + 4 egg whites
4 tbl Parmesan
4 tbl light butter
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
Pinch nutmeg

Mix all together well. Parboil jumbo shells for 8 minutes before stuffing. Layer in casserole with sauce (sauce on bottom). Be generous with sauce. 

Bake 350 for 45 minutes. 

2 shells = 5 points plus
 
 

Autumn Acorn Treats

The super talented baker of delicious things, Stephanie, is sharing a yummy tutorial with us today! She made the most adorable little treats for my kiddos last week and I asked if she would share with us how she made them. She said yes!

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AUTUMN ACORN TREATS
by Stephanie

I saw an image for these on Pinterest. By the way, have you checked out Pinterest? I haven't totally looked through exactly what it is and what it can do, but from what I gather it is something like an online "bulletin board." If you are anything like me, you either have an overwhelming collection of bookmarked websites or a folder of saved images but no way to trace them back to the original source. I think Pinterest is a place where you can collect images that inspire you but also keep a link back to where you found them. For now, I'll add Pinterest to my never ending list of bookmarked sites to check out more thoroughly one of these days.

These little acorns are so quick and easy!

Ingredients:


Hershey Kisses (of any variety)
Chocolate Chips (for melting and topping off your acorn)
Nutter Butter Bites

Directions:

Simply melt a handful of chocolate chips in the microwave, stirring often. Place a dot of melted chocolate on the flat part of the Hershey Kiss and place the Nutter Butter bite on top. Do the same to adhere a single chocolate chip on top of the Nutter Butter Bite and...voila! You have yourself the tastiest little acorn.

Enjoy!

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Thank you, Stephanie, for sharing this tasty little treat with us! I can't wait to make some!

Moms in Touch International

Today's guest post is written by my friend, Becky Boggio. She is involved in a ministry called Moms in Touch International. She spoke about it at the Code Blue women's event at WFA and you could hear how passionate she was about this ministry during her talk. I had never heard about Moms in Touch before and figured a lot of you might not have either. Becky excitedly agreed to share with us today and fill us in on this amazing ministry.

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I am so excited that Jamie invited me to share information about a ministry called Moms in Touch International (MITI). MITI was started by a woman named Fern Nichols in 1984 when her two oldest children were entering junior high and Fern felt a burden on her heart about how different their lives would be at this age in school. Through prayer she asked God to give her another mom who shared her burden who she could pray with and God led her to such a woman. They began to meet together to pray and then invited other mothers to join them. As moms began to share how God was working in their lives during these prayer sessions other groups began as well. This all occurred while Fern and her family were residing in British Columbia. In 1985 the Nichols family moved to California and Fern continued to feel God’s calling for her to grow this ministry. Today the Moms in Touch Ministry have groups that meet in every state in the country and in 130 different countries around the world. The Moms in Touch International Booklet has been translated into more than 48 languages.
There are groups that meet at all school age levels from pre-school through college, there are career-aged groups, grandmothers, prison ministry, home schooled groups, and special needs groups.
Being part of this ministry has blessed me so much and telling my story is my favorite part of it. Two years ago, October 2009, I read an article about Moms in Touch International (www.momsintouch.org), a ministry of mothers that meet weekly to pray for their children, the issues the children face at school, and for the children’s schools (teachers, administration, etc).   I browsed their website and discovered that out of all the schools in the Waukesha School District there were only two that had a registered group of mothers praying for their schools (as of late September 2011 that number has increased to eight).  I immediately felt as though a darkness was covering Waukesha.  I emailed a couple of my friends and suggested that we informally send out prayer requests for our kids, as we have them, in an effort to try and change this but those requests came in few and far between.  At the time it just didn’t seem possible to find an extra hour in the week to commit to something. 
Fast forward to Christmas time, when I received a Christmas letter from a family friend, Marion.  She and my mother grew up together and I have known her and her children (who are about 8-10 years older than me) my whole life.  In Marion’s letter she mentioned that her daughter, Sherri, was still involved in Moms in Touch.  I assumed it was participating in prayer groups for her kids.  I went on the website again to see if Sherri’s name was on some sort of contact list so I could connect.  I clicked on the state of WI to narrow down my search and Sherri’s picture popped up as the Moms in Touch State Coordinator.  Wow!  I totally believe this was God at work. 
I contacted Sherri and she enthusiastically told me about the ministry and encouraged me to set up a group.  I started a group for my children’s school, Prairie Elementary, and while the number of participants is low we know God is at work. My connection with Sherri has allowed me the opportunity to participate in the Moms IN Touch annual Retreat the last two years. It is really a getaway for the Moms in Touch leadership of the state but others who pray or lead groups are invited as well. We spend our time trying to figure out how to spread the word of this ministry and share the incredible stories of how the prayers of us as mothers have been answered by God for our children! We serve an amazing God!
If you would like to learn more about this ministry please go to the Moms in Touch website and connect. Or ask Jamie for my contact info and I will be happy to discuss with you!

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Thank you, Becky!!