To be honest...

This non-existant blogging of mine? It was never meant to happen.

I got this beautiful blog design done, I have free-time coming out of my booty - but yet, nothing to talk about.

I think about the blog a lot.

I can blog at work.

So why then, am I not blogging?

I'm boring.

Yes. My life is boring.

I could talk about what I cook. But that hasn't even been exciting lately.

I could talk about how I take long walks with the dogs. But is that exciting?

My life isn't always going to be boring however.

In 16 days, the kids are in my possession.

After 10 months of waiting, facetime'ing, texting, and phone calls - they will be minnnnnne.

I'm sure THEN I will have LOTS to talk about.

I have had 10 selfish months to myself.

It's been my man and I.

No day-to-day stresses of raising children.

No activity lists to get to.

Grocery shopping and cooking for two.

Life is going to CHANGE.

And.

I.

Can't.

Wait.

16 more days and they are here.

I can't promise this won't turn into a mommy blog.

I also can't promise that I will be back in full swing - because I have said that once annnnnnnd, well we all know how that went!

But that's my semi-annual check in!!

Because I've gotta do SOMETHING

The doctor has me easing into my exercising and eating 100% clean again. 

Good news is I have done this on my own before - so I am fully capable.

I'm an all or nothing kinda gal.

I do things FULL TILT or not at all.

Learning happy mediums is a huge struggle I face.

But look at me go... I'm doing it.

A friend of mine tagged me in a post on Facebook - the squat challenge.

I'm always up for a challenge - and I might be a sicko but I LOVE squats.

So here is the routine I'm easing into:

It's nothing major. But it's something.

On top of that - I am trying to get out every evening and go for a walk.

Over the past week or so I have lost a pound and if all it takes is easy into things to get there then I am more than willing to try.

Anyone else want to join in?

Because I'm an awesome girlfriend

My boyfriend LOVES me.

Like duper-dee-duper loves.

But I think it has a lot to do with the fact that I cook him some in-freaking-credible meals.

It's funny though.

I go on a crazy kick of cooking something gourmet everydray - and then I fall into a rut where the last thing I want to do is cook.

I'm back on the cooking train and I whipped up this beauty that I borrowed from Caitlyn over at Confessions of a Northern Belle.



How good does that look?

While I used the bun version for the manfriend - I went ahead and had (almost) all of the toppings but left out the bun.

DELISH.

You need to try it.

Now.

(Here's the recipe!)

Ingredients - Makes 4 burgers
1 1/2 pounds (1 package) ground chicken
2 tablespoons cilantro paste (or 3 tbsp fresh cilantro)
2 tablespoons jalapeño slices (from the jar)
1 tablespoon japaleno juice (from the jar)
1/2 package reduced sodium Taco seasoning
1/2 cup finely shredded low fat cheddar cheese
1 teaspoon salt


Toppings
4 hamburger buns
guacamole - your favorite recipe
lite sour cream
lettuce
diced tomatoes
bean and corn salad
salsa

Instructions

1. Prepare an outdoor grill over medium heat OR warm a skillet sprayed with non-stick cooking spray to medium heat.
2. Add ground chicken to a medium sized bowl.
3. Add the next six ingredients. Using a rubber spatula or your hands, mix everything together until the taco seasoning has been evenly distributed. Do not over-mix your chicken!
4. Form four palm sized patties. Cook the burgers over medium heat until cooked through, 7-9 minutes per side. Top with a little bit of cheese.
5. Enjoy your chicken burger on a bun with any of your favorite toppings, or standing alone with a dollop of guac and sour cream on the side!



Beetle = extra protein?

Last week for lunch I went to a grocery store that is nice and close to where I work.

Twice or so a week I go here, pick up one of their delicious organic salads.

This day was like any other - I picked each salad up, looking through the plastic cover to see which tomatoes looked the ripest and greens the freshest. Picked one up. Put one down. And then decided on the perfect salad.

I got back to work but ran into a few things I was going to have to do before I could dig into my chicken and veggie salad.

I finally was able to eat and I was STARVING.

As I started out eating I realized this wasn't the freshest of salads. I picked out a whole bunch of soggy pieces of lettuce and spinach and decided on chomping on some chicken instead.

Out of the corner of my eye, however, I noticed something that did NOT look like it belonged in my salad.

Yep. THAT was in my salad.

I lost my mind, as I had the beetle between two finger nails and chucked him.

He didn't move.

I made a huge scene, my coworkers came to try to calm me but even THEY were losing their mind.

I decided to take Mr. Beetle and the salad back to where I bought them.

The manager?

He giggled the whole way through our conversation - and giggled harder when the beetle decided to start moving again.

(That was fun).

Oh and he offered me a refund and a $10 gift certificate.

I know right?

SO GENEROUS!

I got back to work and my coworkers could not believe he LAUGHED at me and I was only offered a $10 gift certificate.

They told me, just to see if I could get a reaction, to call the media and see what they had to say.

I sat down, emailed my bug to CTV (a national broadcaster here in Canada) and instantly they were interested in my story.

Today I head down to their studio for an interview!!

What?!

Yep.

Apparently the beetle has given me my 15 minutes of fame.

I'll let you know how it goes!

Good Intentions

It's about the follow through.

Good intentions are great.

Dream.

Visualize.

Want.

But then you have to do something about it.

It's something I struggle with.

I have big plans - but then putting my plants into action - well not so good at that.

This working out thing - it's HARD.

My body is out of shape, and on Thursday I was told there's something wrong with it - and that I'm supposed to take baby steps.

My doctors has me heading off to specialists in the near future.

My insides are fighting against me.

Which I'm not sure what I did to piss them off, but they better get their act together.

Until I know more - I think I will keep the ups and downs to myself.

But for now, it has been agreed upon by my doctor and I - just to take it one step at a time.

Exercise when I can (a daily walk for sure!)

And put healthy things into my body.

Help myself.

That's what I need to do.

It's a funny road we are on - this life of ours.

But there are so many great things to come.

Until then....



Me vs My Body

{source}

For the past four years I've been in a constant battle with my body.

Not so much the weight issue (because that's just been a new thing) but with my general health.

Four years ago I started experiencing a whole crap load of neurological symptoms.

Buzzing feet, numbness, pins and needles, muscle issues. It went on and on.

After another crap load of tests - blood, spinal tap, MRI - it was decided that I have areas of my brain that have decided to quit doing what they are supposed be doing (like work!)

It was something that was monitored yearly until I realized that no matter whether they monitor it or not - it's still the same.

I commited myself to just taking care of me and taking advantage of each and every day of my life.

Fast forward to the past couple months.

Once again I have been back in that grey area of my health.

Thankfully, since moving down to the Vancouver area I have been blessed with very wonderful health care.

We are back to doing all sorts of tests - because my body is just out of whack.

This time around, however, I have SUCH a different approach to it.

I'm relaxed, I am trusting and I have let go all of those feelings of wanting to control the situation I am in.

It's really made me realize that our body is our temple.

We are given ONE body.

What?!?! You didn't know that? Yep. Just one.

And I am going to get all the testing done that needs to be done - and hopefully some relief for the excruicating pain that haunts me daily.

But at the end of the day - this was the body that I was given.

And I am thankful for its intricacies.

This time a diagnosis isn't going to stand in my way.

This time I am trekking on.

Getting back to the new and improved healthy ME! 

The Going On's Over Here

For those that commented that they can't see my beginning measurements... well that's because I couldn't get the page to work. So I am going to have my blog designer work on that - and then I will put it up. I am going to do my first weigh in on Saturday so you'll get to see just how chubby I am. AND, I'm not going to post it on this page - but on a separte one - but you WILL see me in all my chubby glory. I want a before shot - because I sure as heck will like to compare it at some point.

So.

What have I been up to?

Well I bought a car.

I traded in the old Ford Escape and upgraded to this snazzy Chevy Cruze.

I. LOVE. IT.

The Escape needed a ton of work.

Had a ton of kilometres.

So I thought it was a perfect time to upgrade.

***

I took Marcus to his first NHL hockey game while the kids were here. Cutest freaking experience EVER. He loved it and was in his glorly.

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We booked another trip to Las Vegas!!

This time it's for slightly different reasons.

I'm finally taking the plunge and I'm going to put some of my mama parts back to where they belong and will be undergoing a surgical procedure to do so. I am excited to get "my girls"... and to spend a week in sunny (and HOT Las Vegas).

(source)

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I have been planning my sisters bachelorette party (which I can't wait for!!!)

I've decided on the theme "Something old, Something new, Something borrowed, Something blue"

and we are doing a progressive day... so we will be hopping in a limo and it will be taking us from destination to destination.

So fun!

I will be sharing all of my party planning fun once I get a little deeper in it.

(source)

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And because I haven't shared a pic of my cute girls yet - that's how I will finish this post!!

Have a great day!