Dr. update!!

Hi there!! Better late than never today...
I had an appointment with the nutritionist today who is PUTTING me IN LINE!

No more pop or juice!!! Ugh; torture!

I am allowed no more than 30 grams of carbs at a meal; I can eat carbs no close than 2 hours apart and I MUST have a source of protein along with the carbs to "cancel" the carbs out.

At dinner/lunch, I have to have protein (meat) some fiber (green leafy/veggies) then ONE carb serving- potatoes, small serving of rice, piece of WW bread.

Basically snacks need to be cheese, cottage cheese, fresh veggies with a bit of dip, etc.

She is letting me having only my Activia yogurt (cause it helps my tummy); yogurt is high in carbs.

The ONLY fruit I can eat right now is... pears, apples and grapefruit. (not a fan of grapefruit!!)

I NEED to exercise 3-4 times a week!! (I knew this!)

I have to do another 12 hour fast to have blood draw to check my lipids and tri-glycerides!

I am going back in a month to check in with her, go over my food journal, get a weight measurement, and a possible repeat on blood work to see how my insulin levels are.

I feel SO hungry today!! Oh, she did also mentioned Atkins Protein drinks- which are GOOD; I can have those for breakfast or a snack.

**My body feels like it is going through a withdrawl right now! This really SUCKS bad; but I know I have to do this. The nutritionist also said that if all of this doesn't help me to improve- I will have to cut out ALL carbs!! Can you imagine? **

(I ate a couple crackers tonite and I was LIKE IN HEAVEN!!!!! LOL)

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What to Do this WEEK:

Today: had the dr. appt, class and a CROP! I actually got to scrapbook too!!

Tuesday: Picnic/Field Day at Gavin's school and I am picking up my cake topper that I got FOR FREE!!!

Wednesday: MATH class- BOOOO!!

Thursday: Gavin's last day of school and a picnic/playdate with some friends of ours.

Friday: SO FAR NOTHING... SLEEPING in since "SCHOOL's OUT FOR SUMMA'!!!!" Probably laundry, fun stuff like that!!

Saturday: Graduation party for Brian's cousin

Sunday: LAZY DAY! Maybe a trip to the local zoo!!


**What are your plans for this week???**

Also, please say a little prayer for me that I find the strength to make the NEW lifestyle/diet changes for myself! This is going to be tough, but I think I can do it:)

Love ya,
Noelle ♥

Oh so BAD...but SOOOO good!

Cherry Cola Brownies
From: www.bettycrocker.com

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Love cherry cola? Try it in rich, fudgy brownies. Prep Time: 20 min Total Time: 1 hour 50 min Makes: 24 brownies

Brownie
1	box (1 lb 6.5 oz) Betty Crocker® Original Supreme brownie mix (with chocolate syrup pouch)
1/4	cup cherry cola carbonated beverage
1/3	cup vegetable oil
2	eggs
Frosting
1/2	cup butter or margarine, softened
3	tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
4	cups powdered sugar
1/3	cup cherry cola carbonated beverage
24	maraschino cherries, if desired

	Print these coupons...
	About Concordance™

1.	Heat oven to 350°F. Grease bottom only of 13x9-inch pan with cooking spray or shortening. Make and bake brownies as directed on box for 13x9-inch pan, using water, oil and eggs. Cool completely, about 1 hour.
2.	In large bowl, beat frosting ingredients with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Spread evenly over brownies. For brownies, cut into 6 rows by 4 rows. Garnish each with cherry.

Time-Saver

Skip the homemade frosting, and use your favorite Betty Crocker® chocolate frosting for a fast and fudgy finish.

Nutrition Information:

1 brownie: Calories 260 (Calories from Fat 80); Total Fat 9g (Saturated Fat 3 1/2g, Trans Fat 0g); Cholesterol 30mg; Sodium 125mg; Total Carbohydrate 43g (Dietary Fiber 0g, Sugars 36g); Protein 1g Percent Daily Value*: Vitamin A 2%; Vitamin C 0%; Calcium 0%; Iron 6% Exchanges: 1/2 Starch; 2 1/2 Other Carbohydrate; 0 Vegetable; 1 1/2 Fat Carbohydrate Choices: 3
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.


I am SO making these for 4th of July and I WILL eat one, even though I shouldn't!!!

~Noelle ♥

Scrapbook Sunday: PIZZA!

Welcome to Scrapbook Sunday!

Today I am showing some Pizza themed pages from my Gavin's 2/3 year old album!

Gavin's grandpa owns a pizza place here in town! Gavin started calling his g-pa, "Papa Pizza" when he was little. The pic on the bottom left is of Gavin and his Papa; the apron grandpa is wearing was a gift to him from us one year.
We had the apron embroidered to say "Papa Pizza" on it.

The fun pizza stickers are retired from Creative Memories product line!

This page is covered in a piece of scrapbook paper that I found that is red/white checkered with a giant pepperoni pizza on it! I love this page!! LOL

Gavin was featured in our local newspaper in an ad/coupon that was printed to advertise the pizza place. Yep, that's little 2 year old Gavin holding his "baby pizza"!

Check out these gals to see their Scrapbook Sunday posts...

HOLLY and VICKIE and KATIE!!

Won't ya please join us and share some of your fun scrapbook pages too??

Have a great day!
Noelle ♥

Past Due PICS!!

Hi there! Like my new car?? Lol, it not mine! I mentioned a few posts back the my BFF was chosen to host an American Idol House Party from this site, click HERE!! Her party was on the night of the AI episode where Kris and Adam were the Top 2.

A sales rep from Ford, brought a 2010 Ford Fusion over for us to test drive! Can we say TOUCHY BRAKES!! Oh Lord, I forgot how NEW cars drive!! LOL :)

Here is the nice, clean engine!!

Pic of the cars interior! This car was cool!

Here is the car with our friend Theresa standing by it and my BFF's butt!!

Theresa, ME, my mom, the salesman Alan and my BFF, Valerie!

What do ya know? Kris was chosen as the next American Idol the following night on the finale!

Adam still ROCKS!! He will make one heck of an album someday!

Here I am with my bro Andrew!

Adam and Kris on the TV!

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What are your weekend plans?

Tomorrow Brian and I are going to a wedding for a friend of mine. It has been months since we had a DATE NIGHT, I can't wait!

Sunday will be a lazy day for me. I did too much running around this week, had a Pampered Chef party here at the house, had a play date with a few friends yesterday, met another friend for lunch today and my summer classes started back up this week- WHEW!!

My oldest son's last day of school is next Thursday; which I am SO ready for! I will be enjoying sleeping in till.... a whopping 8 am or so, instead of 6:30 am!!

Oh!! And my Gavin was picked as Student of the Month today at his school! I told him how proud of him I was and I started to cry! My baby will be 8 in July!!!! Its unreal how grown up he is getting:(

Have a great weekend! I'll be back for Scrapbook Sunday:)

Time to go and conquer the laundry that needs to be folded!!!!

Noelle ♥

Wedding Stuff!

Well, its just a little under 6 months till our wedding on November 14th! Time has flowen by so fast:) When we made our engagement official in March of 2008; it seemed like FOREVER till the big day!

Here are lists of what I have gotten accomplished so far and what I still need to do...

The "DONE" List...

Booked the hall, church, dj and photographer.
Found my dress and ordered it.
Found my headpiece, jewelery and veil and have them all.
Picked out the guys/boys tuxes.
Sent out the Save the Dates.
Having our Wedding Invitations designed RIGHT NOW!
Decided on wedding favors.
Decided on the design of the wedding cake and flavors.
Picked out the girls dresses and ordered them.
Picked/designed my bouquet and the grooms "bout" (can't spell the real word-lol!)
Picked out and ordered the Bridal party's gifts!! (CUTE!!!!)
Found a hairdresser to do my hair on the big day!
"Planned" the decor for the wedding reception
Set a date/place for the Bridal Shower and Bachelorette Party- both in October!!

The "TO DO" List...

Choose and order my shoes for the wedding.
Pick out the readings and songs for church. (DOING Tomorrow!)
Purchase our cake topper.
Order the reception and bridal shower favors.
Create our Wedding Ceremony Programs.
FORCE Brian to choose groomsmen gifts!!
Book a place for our Rehearsal dinner (I think I know where it will be.)
Book hotel or B&B for night before wedding for me and our Wedding Night for us!!
Plan and book our Honeymoon; I am pretty sure we are going to Las Vegas for a couple/few days, without the BOYS!!
Decide on gifts for our parents.
Pay the photographer and DJ.
Pay off the rest of my dress balance.
Pay the florist for our flowers.
Find LOTS of cream and wine colored silk roses! (for the girls bouquets)
Purchase our Wedding Bands- we have decided on which ones already:)
Wait anxiously for the day to arrive!!!
and I think that may be it!!!

~Gotta run the Toddler Tornado is up from his nap!!!

Hugs,
Noelle ♥

Mostly Wordless Wednesday #2!

Mostly Worldless Wednesday!!

Here I am in 1997; 18 years old at my senior prom! SKINNY as he**!!! Not a care in the world but... "Where's the party at this weekend?", "Does he like me?", "Where did you get those shoes?"... etc.

Here is me now in 2009; 30 years old and a WHOLE LOT PLUMPER!!
The plumpness came from motherhood... ok, well I can't blame it all on the kids!! LOL Darn chips, hot wings, ice cream, pop, cookies, iced coffees... and so on!
Can't even wear the short shorts anymore cause of spider/vericose veins and flab!

BUT....

These 2 angels of my are the reason I eat, sleep and breathe! I love them more than life itself!! They have made me a better person, the type of person I never thought I could be.

I wouldn't trade them for a pair of short shorts or skinny jeans anyday! (OR would I?? lol just kidding!!)

When you grow up, your priorities change. Things that you once thought were important- such as being thin and "sexy" are not longer THAT important! My boys love me for me; and my "squishy" tummy that they like to lay on:) Some day they will be grown up and gone out of our home, then I will have all the time in the world to MAYBE get thin again!

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Hope I didn't get too WORDY this Wednesday?? LOL

Hugs,
Noelle ♥

happy thoughts

Hi girls! I feel like I haven't posted anything that I have made in a loooong time!! With the lovely green and white goodies that I got from my swap partner Heidi; I made some cards and gift card holders a week ago. Shown above are the 2 gift card holders, hand made by me! I used some pretty white flower brads that she sent me; first time using them and now I looooove brads! I also used some of the pretty floral paper and green rhinestones she sent me too:)

Heidi also sent me a stamp that says "Good things come in small packages" and a green stamp pad; I used the stamp on the card too. She also sent the pretty ribbon and flowers too ♥
What do ya think? Should I put them in my Etsy shop??

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OUTDOOR DECORATING DILEMNA... HELLLLLPPPP!!!

This is the back of my house, by our patio that is so boring looking! I want to jazz it up but want to spend no more than $50-$100.00 in doing so. My thought was to find an old window at a yard sale or something then decoupage some pretty outdoors-y looking papers on the back of the window- maybe clouds? To make it look like a "kinda-sorta real" window. Then I wanted to add a flower box under it and plant some impatients in it. What do YOU think??

My mom suggested finding a big old MIRROR to hang then planting a flower box below it. I think that would be COOL too!

What are your thoughts?

I also want to spray paint our resin table and chairs too; and add some flower pots to the back patio. I was also thinking of an outdoor rug too. I want a cozy outdoor feel to it.

Here is our foundation in the backyard; the bucket fills up with water and dumps. It sounds very soothing too:)

Some of my boxwood shrubs that need top be trimmed and tamed:)

For the life of me, I cannot remember the name of this flowering shrub!! Anyone know? I am pretty sure that it blooms little white flowers in late summer.

This is the bird bath that my grandma had boughten for me a few years ago. Its surrounded by leaves that NEED to be swept up so I can plant more!!

More of the unruly boxwoods that I am afraid to trim!! LOL I might ask my mom to do it.
Don't I need some flower boxes under the back windows too?? That is my mission for this summer!!

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FLOWER GARDEN DILEMNA #2...

This is my creepy neighbor guys backyard; isn't the garden lovely?
His soon to be ex-wife planted all this; and she left him a year ago.
He was telling my mom and I that he wanted to rip out all of these flowers cause he didn't want to deal with them anymore.
I said "I'll take them!!!" And his reply was "Go ahead dear, dig out whatever you want!!" OMG!!! Was he kidding?

There are irises back there, tiger lilies, and tons more!!

I think I am going to ask him again if he is SERIOUS then I will be in TRANSPLANTING HEAVEN!!! LOL ♥

Thanks for visiting me today:) I noticed on my "feed" that I have some NEW visitors that haven't left any comments!! Just leave me a "HI!!"; I promise I don't bite!!

I'd rather know that you are a nice, normal person rather than a CREEPY STALKER!!!! Ewwwwwwwwwww!!!!!

~Noelle~