WWW Week Eight

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This week at Weight Watchers Weigh-In Wednesday.....I lost a big fat goose egg... 0.  That's right, not a pound up or a pound down.  Bummer.  I am getting closer to my goal weight so our coach said it was going to be A LOT harder to lose weight each week and she was right.  Just gotta tighten the reigns this week!

But moving on.
In other news.
There is A LOT going on in my little world that I think has had me slightly distracted:

1.  I found my WEDDING DRESS! Its the exact look I was going for!  There are so many options out there I can easily say I was 100% confused and probably over shopped.  But when I put my dress on and my mom, sis, niece and bestest bud fell in love with it...I knew it was the one! Mum is the word from here on out because I don't want "Charleston" to get the slightest whiff of what it looks like.  We will revisit this topic in a year :)

2.  "Charleston" and I have started our hunt for a house.  We have the sweetest lady, Beth Carpenter, as our real estate agent and I have LOVED working with her; it's just like shopping with my mom!  We are not in a rush to find a house and we don't have to worry about selling anything before we buy so.... the entire experience so far has been a lot of fun!  Fingers crossed we find a gem!

Happy Friday Friends

Picture Text From Livi

A picture text last night from Olivia:  "Hey Aunt Blain!"

My response:  "Hey you little ham!  Where are your clothes?!!!"

Then I get the following picture with:  "Do you want me to go upstairs and play in your bed?!"

(I claim the guest room upstairs in their house because I am the only one that sleeps in it!)

God love that sweet precious little angel face...miss you so Olivia Claire!

Shopping Bag Gallery Wall

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I am LOVING this idea:

via

Just like the girl that posted this picture, I feel that sometimes just shopping in the designer boutique store can be just as exciting as actually making the purchase.  What better way to display that feeling all over again then to display the designer bags they came in on a gallery wall. 
How awesome will this look in my dream house dressing room/closet one day?!  Fabulous addition to my lady-lair!

Even though you don't wear those Chanel shoes everyday, the bag is a simple reminder of the fun experience!

Eliza J Dot Dress

LOVE...

LOVE...

LOVE....

the new Eliza J Dot Dress

It comes in three styles.  How cute would these be as bridesmaids dresses OR a rehearsal dinner dress?!

I can't decide which style is my fave:

Eliza J Embellished Metallic Satin Strapless Dress

 Eliza J Belted Satin Dress

Eliza J Belted Ruffle Satin Sheath Dress

Happy Friday Friends!

I am getting into some wedding dress shopping this weekend and some Wolfpack Basketball tonight! 

GO STATE!

Can't wait!

WWW Week Seven

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And again... yesterday was Weigh-In Wednesday here at work for our Weight Watchers Program and again....I had a pretty good week despite the fact that Saturday was St. Patty's day where I threw it back college style.  I attended a keg party all day with some friends and then went out to dinner and to the bar that night!  Seriously fun times; I am jealous of all those college kiddo's on spring break  :(

I lost 2.2 pounds this week which puts me at a total of 11.2 pounds since starting the program!

My small accomplishment was getting into a pair of Express Editor Dress pants that are a size 4 that I have not been able to wear in AT LEAST three years; so glad I held onto them because they are like new! 

My biggest motivation has been my friends and "Charleston." I am so lucky that they allow me to be open and honest with my feelings and how I feel about myself whether it be a "good" day or a "bad" day.  Because of that comfort, I am not the slightest bit embarrassed when we talk "points" when ordering from a menu or someone asking me out in public how it's going.   Compliments keep me motivated and "Charleston" keeps me in check. I LOVE the fact that he allows me to fix anything for dinner and he never complains.  When its his turn to cook, he questions the ingredients and their point values before putting it into a dish.  I would feel isolated and alone without each one of these people.  Much love and thanks.

Greek Vinaigrette Salad Dressing

I love a good salad but the key ingredient to a good salad is an awesome dressing.  On my little Weight Watchers adventure I have quickly learned how fast a 0 point salad can climb to a 6 point salad in a heartbeat when you choose the wrong dressing. 

Therefore, I decided to eliminate the chance and make my own.  I tried out the Greek Vinaigrette recipe found on the weight watchers website. The entire recipe serves 8 and each serving is only 1 point!  SCORE

Its delicious- light and fresh.  I think it would also make a good marinade for chicken or pork!

Greek Vinaigrette Salad Dressing

Ingredients
1/4 cup(s) white wine, dry-variety

1/4 cup(s) fresh lemon juice
1 medium uncooked shallot(s), minced, or more to taste
2 tsp sugar
1 tsp Dijon mustard
2 Tbsp olive oil, extra-virgin
1 Tbsp dill, fresh, chopped
2 tsp fresh oregano, chopped
1 tsp parsley, fresh, chopped
1 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp black pepper, freshly ground

Instructions
In a medium bowl, combine wine, lemon juice, shallot, sugar, and mustard; slowly whisk in oil. Whisk in herbs, salt and pepper. Yields about 4 teaspoons per serving.

 
You're turn....try it out!

New Hair Products

Stalk me on Facebook and you will notice that the length of my hair has not crossed the threshold of my shoulders in, well...actually, way before I even joined Facebook back in college.   I have always kept it short because my hair is so fine and thin that I feel as it gets longer, it gets straggly looking. 

Well I changed my mind and I want to start trying to grow it out so that hopefully in a year (yes, it might just take a year) I can wear it in some sort of up- for the wedding.  In order to begin the process and have it healthy I knew all along I need to start taking better care of my hair. 

My first step was a much needed visit to Modern Salon in the Hearst Tower for some hair care T.L.C.  I got a good trim, deep condition treatment, soft highlights and some advice from one of the sweetest gals in the salon, Codie.

Since my visit I have discontinued the use of all my old hair styling products that were drying my hair out including hair spray! (I know, it's not the 80's but I still used hair spray to manage fly aways and give me some root boost.)  All of my old products contained some sort of alcohol and each were causing major build up which ultimately weighed my hair down.  I have also stopped shampooing my hair every day.  Now I only use shampoo two or three days a week and I have noticed a tremendous difference in the shine and texture of my hair.

I do still wake up in the morning with MAJOR bed head so I will either spritz my hair and re-style or just wet and condition to give it some moisture while its wet.  Before I style, I use my NEW products that I purchased at Modern.  I absolutely LOVE them.  They are light, and really give my hair a soft texture that I have always wanted:

damage remedy daily hair repair

Smooth Infusion style-prep smoother

So far I feel like I am on the right track!  Codie gave me some little secrets about heat styling with a hair dryer and a flat iron and I am trying my hardest to put those tips to good use so that come next March, I might have a thick, healthy pony-tail!

Fingers Crossed



Creature of Habit

I am a creature of habit and I like it, especially when it makes this city feel like a small town. 

I eat at the Energy Cafe across the street from my work at least three days a week whether it be breakfast or lunch. 

As soon as I walk in the door, the guys behind the counter greet me with "Hey Blain, how's it goin?"  I don't have to tell them what I want and they already have a brown piece of paper on the counter with my name written on it ready to build my Towering Turkey and Cheddar or Egg Delight Sandwich depending on the meal.   

Little things like this make Charlotte feel like home and I like it!  Puts a smile on my face.

Happy Friday Friends!

WWW Week Six

Weight Watchers Wednesday Week 5!

At 11:15 yesterday I arrived at my WW Weigh-In Wednesday feeling pretty good about myself because for the first time since being on the program I followed every exact rule of success. I counted my points ACCURATELY, I measured my food ACCURATELY and I did not CHEAT; not once. If it went in my mouth, it went down in my journal and my points were subtracted from my 26 daily allowance.


My carefulness paid off because I lost 3.2 pounds this week! Yay! That’s a total of 9 pounds since I started the Weight Watchers Program!

The hardest thing for me this week was not the food, it was handling alcohol consumption. Alcohol on Weight Watchers can really swallow your daily points fast. Each beer, liquor drink or glass of wine (a 4oz glass of wine, not a “Blain” glass of wine) can EASILY be 4 points. In order to enjoy a weekend with my girlfriends who were in town from Raleigh, I made many conscious decisions so that I could eat out and have a night out on the town that all of us have been planning for some time now! Overall, super success! Not once did I feel deprived while trying to lose weight. I wasn’t some crazy person trying to skip all carbs or some other diet gimmick. I had a couple beers while watching basketball, a cocktail with dinner at Vida and some drinks that night at Dandelion. I was simply being cautious about how much I was consuming and its ingredients. That’s it, plain and simple.

Yay me!

I Love Being An Aunt

This little girl just melts my heart and turns every bit of me to mush.

When I hear her sweet little high pitched voice say "Aunt Blain" over the phone it makes me want to jump in the car and head to Kernersville to squeeze and kiss all over her.  I am a sucker and already know that I will never be able to say no to her and she will get her way with whatever she wants from me. Sorry Sister and Sam but I will not be able to stand up to that precious face!

Blair sent me this pic the other night saying that Olivia sat in her bed during nap time just talking up a storm to herself so .....when they got home from dinner, she sat down in her chair crashed hard.

XOXO Olivia Claire

WWW Week Five

I forgot to update you (aka – hold myself accountable) last week on my Weight Watchers progress. Last Wednesday I was down another ½ pound in a week. Slllooooowwwwlllyyyy but surely. I honestly went in last week expecting to lose nothing or gain some weight because I cheated. I didn’t count EVERYTHING that went into my mouth and I didn’t measure as accuractly as possible. I would eat a pickle (0 Points) and “Charleston” would deep fry a pickle. I would have several pieces of his and never count the fried ones. Shame on me.

I was a little discouraged UNTIL this past weekend when I got into a pair of jeans I bought a month ago, accidently at the wrong size, and had yet to find the time to return them. Im sure it has happened to all of us at some point; we take two different sizes into the dressing room, one works and one is waaaayyyy to tight and sure enough, we accidently leave with the ones we couldn’t get buttoned. That was me in Banana Republic outlet. Long story short I am really glad I had not returned the smaller size for the bigger size because I slipped those bad boys on Saturday night and buttoned them without even having to suck-in! Those were meant to be MY jeans from the start.

Vegetable Soup

I got my butt in the kitchen again Monday night and made the freshest homemade vegetable soup and of course, it's Weight Watchers friendly.  1 cup = 1 point!  How bout them apples?!

I loved it.  Because it made so much I divided it out into little containers to take to lunch and have for dinner.  It honestly has gotten better the longer it sits.  I will either use this soup as an appitizer or side item to my meal OR I will chop up a piece of grilled chicken, add some shredded cheddar cheese and a couple crumbled up saltine crackers and make it my meal.  The possibilities are endless!  Maybe add some cooked rice?  Or cooked potatoes?  Can of white beans?  I just can't decide!

It's light and fresh and the best part is that it doesnt contain all the sodium that comes from canned vegetable soup.

Fresh Vegetable Soup

Ingredients

2 clove(s) (medium) garlic clove(s), minced
2 medium uncooked carrot(s), diced
2 small uncooked zucchini, diced
2 cup(s) uncooked savoy cabbage, or other variety, shredded
2 cup(s) uncooked leek, chopped
2 cup(s) uncooked cauliflower, small florets
2 cup(s) uncooked broccoli, small florets
2 cups chopped spinach *I added this on my own
1 medium uncooked onion(s), diced
1 medium sweet red pepper(s), diced
1 rib(s) (medium) uncooked celery, diced
2 tsp thyme, fresh, chopped
6 cup(s) fat free chicken broth
2 Tbsp parsley, or chives, fresh, chopped
1/2 tsp table salt, or to taste
1/4 tsp black pepper, or to taste
2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice, optional

Instructions
Put garlic, vegetables, thyme and broth into a large soup pot. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat; reduce heat to low and simmer, partly covered, about 10 minutes.

Stir in parsley or chives; season to taste with salt, pepper and lemon juice. Yields about 1 cup per serving.

Notes
If you like thick soups, consider pureeing this recipe in the pot with an immersion blender.
There are so many variations on this recipe. Add or leave out vegetables to suit your taste.

Save time by using frozen vegetables instead of fresh ones (though the texture of the soup might change a bit). You can also buy small amounts of pre-cut vegetables from your supermarket's salad bar.

Dog Frosting

There are those that dress their dogs up in clothes.

There are those who stuff their pups in bags and carry them around everywhere they go.

Their are dogs that wear Halloween costumes, winter coats and even life jackets at the lake.

If it were me though...

and I had a dog.....

it would wear jewelry:

via

That's right.  In total Blain style, my pup would be all blinged out.  All dogs "frost yourself!"  Super Cute!

Weekend Cooking

I was in the mood yesterday to try something new so I attempted a homemade pasta sauce and I was highly impressed with the results!

I made the Weight Watchers version of a Creamy Tomato Sauce and honestly, I probably will never buy pasta sauce again.  It was delicious, SUPER easy, SUPER cheap and healthy.  Pasta sauces from the shelf are full of preservatives and sugar and honestly not worth the cost when you see how cheap you can make it. 

Creamy Tomato Sauce
Ingredients
1 tsp olive oil
1 medium uncooked leek(s), finely chopped (white part only)
1 clove(s) (medium) garlic clove(s), minced
1/2 tsp dried oregano
28 oz canned diced tomatoes
6 oz fat-free evaporated milk
2 Tbsp basil, fresh, finely chopped
1/8 tsp table salt, or more to taste
1/8 tsp black pepper, freshly ground, or to taste

Instructions
Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add leek and garlic; cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in oregano; cook 45 seconds. Add tomatoes and bring to a simmer; partially cover pan and simmer 3 to 5 minutes.

Puree sauce in pan using an immersion blender. Or working in batches, transfer tomato mixture to a blender and puree until smooth (careful not to splatter hot liquid); return pureed tomato mixture to pan.

Set pan over low heat and add milk; simmer 1 minute to heat through. Remove pan from heat and stir in basil. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Yields about 3/4 cup per serving.


YUM, total comfort food!  I even brought some today to drizzle over a piece of bread to go with my lunch!

My Style "Outdoor" Wedding

I was scrolling through a wedding blog the other day when I ran across this picture that acompletely caught me off guard and took my breath away:

How absolutely amazing is that church?!  At first, I didn't think it was finished and thought there might be a story behind it but NOPE, its complete and it's gorgeous!

That is the Anthony Chapel at Garvan Woodland Gardens in Hot Springs, Arkansas. (photos via Melissa McCrotty Photography)

I have said it several times that I am not the kind of bride to plan an outdoor wedding even though I would LOVE the look and feel of something outside; I am just not risky enough to battle weather conditions and my perfect day.

But if I had this place, I would be in HEAVEN!  This place would  be my kind of destination wedding venue.

 I am jealous of all you brides in Hot Springs, Arkansas to have this in your backyard.  No fair.

Look at how pretty even the floor is and how much of a touch the undecorated pine tree adds to the entire ambiance.  Simply gorgeous. 

I can't help but also comment on how well the bride pulled off an elegant wedding in the middle of such beautiful scenery.  Love everything about this wedding!

How cute is her Buffie's in Sheridan reception dress!

WWW Week Four

Weight Watchers Weigh In Wednesday is baaaaaaakkkkkk.

Well....another week gone and another ½ pound lost. That’s right, only ½ pound but I am OK with that because I am honest with myself and I know what I did wrong.


This week I did not track my points as accurately as I should have and I know that led me to definitely go over my allotted weekly amount. It was a hard week. I ate dinner out three times AND went out to the bar Saturday night. A night out at the bar and losing weight are very hard to do hand in hand but like everyone reminded me, loosing is better than gaining AND again, this is real life weight loss, not The Biggest Loser. I want to go out for friend's birthday dinners and I appreciate date nights with by fiancé so yes, that’s my life and I don’t want to miss out on it.

I will give myself some credit that while out to dinner Friday night at Zio with “Charleston”, I passed on the bread basket which I usually would have had at least two pieces, started with a garden salad with dressing on the side and only had two small slices of thin cheese pizza. The issue came when I got home. Later that night I got a little hungry and instead of reaching for a healthy low-point snack, the leftover pizza was calling my name and I finished it! Not good.

Saturday night, “Charleston” and I joined our friends out at Brazwells and Andrew Blairs and I can totally say that the points that came with drinking a beer, a glass of wine, and a liquor drink were TOTALLY not worth it. I could have sipped on a glass of water and still had the same amount of fun. I am learning my lessons and next time I will do differently.

On Monday night I went to dinner at DISH for my friend Lauren’s birthday. Check out the DISH menu and you tell me what looks healthy…NOT MUCH! DISH is a place for good, down home southern cooking! I had eaten a salad for lunch so I couldn’t swallow anymore rabbit food, therefore I opted for the Grilled Chicken Pesto Pita, hold the cream cheese and grill with no butter. On the side I chose the vegetarian chili. Both ended up to be DELICIOUS and totally worth the points that they were. If it was any other night and I was not trying to lose weight, I would have probably gone for their salmon patties with Mac-n-Cheese and collard greens. Their entrees also come with a biscuit and deviled egg which I would have finished as well.

I might not be losing extreme amounts of weight each week but I feel better now that I am starting to make smarter decisions when it comes to food. I also have a pair of pants on today that I have not been able to wear in quite some time. At least if the scales are not speaking for themselves my clothes are!

Yay for another week to start fresh and hit the nail on the head for a successful week!

Diners, Drive-ins and Dives = Cravings

“Charleston” and I do it to ourselves all the time. We plop down on the couch after work to discuss dinner/evening plans and somehow, at the same time, the TV ends up on Diners, Drive-ins and Dives.

We become instantly hungry, irritated because we have yet to go to the grocery store and really don’t want to take the time to cook anything because all we want is the five-tier-cheeseburger from po-dunk Pennsylvania or the BBQ Ribs from no-mans-land South Carolina. Why do we put ourselves through it? (Lately I have offered up running to Mr. K’s down the street or even hit up The Penguin but, “Charleston” has reminded me each time that I don’t have “the points” for that. Such a good fiancé to keep me in check!)

On Monday night, we watched the episode “Where the Locals Eat” and it featured Captain Chuck-a-Mucks in Rescue, VA. This joint is right near the Chesapeake where they cook all fresh fish and Guy Fieri featured their famous crab-cakes. Captain Chuck-a-Mucks had me at hello and all I want now is fresh fried seafood; especially a crab cake!

Charlotte lacks when it comes to hole-in-the-wall seafood joints so instead, I am going to try this crab-cake-recipe this weekend.

Baked Lump Crab Cakes with Red Pepper Chipotle Lime Sauce

Crab Cakes

9 ounces lump crab meat, picked free of shells

1/2 cup (about 13) reduced fat Ritz crackers, crushed

1 whole egg plus 1 egg white, beaten

2 finely chopped scallions

2 tbsp finely chopped red bell pepper

1 tbsp low fat mayonnaise

2 tbsp fresh cilantro (or parsley)

1/2 lime, juiced

salt and pepper to taste

cooking spray

Zesty Chipotle Lime Sauce

1 tbsp roasted peppers (jarred)

1/4 cup light mayonnaise

1 tsp minced canned chipotle chilies in adobo sauce

1 tsp fresh lime juice

Red Pepper Chipotle Lime Sauce:

In a small blender (or magic bullet) puree mayonnaise, lime juice, roasted pepper and chipotle pepper.

Crab Cakes:

In a large bowl, combine crushed crackers, eggs, scallions, pepper, mayo, cilantro, lime juice, salt and pepper. Mix well, then fold in crab meat, careful not to over mix so the crab remains in large chunks. Gently shape into patties using a 1/2 cup measuring cup.

Chill in the refrigerator at least 1/2 hour before baking.

Preheat oven to 400°. Grease a baking sheet with cooking spray. Bake about 8-10 minutes on each side, until nicely browned.

Drizzle red pepper chipotle lime sauce over crab cakes and serve.

No, they don’t look as good as the captain’s and they are not deep friend to perfection but…my fingers are crossed they satisfy my craving.   



Just Loving!

I am just loving this wedding cake:

 And this dress:

(I never thought I would pray for cold weather on my wedding day but if I could wear this, bring on the frost!)

 Love how soft and romantic this one is! 

and if only my hair would do this!

This weekend my mom and sis are coming into town to do some bridal and bridesmaid dress shopping and I am getting more and more excited to feel like a bride!

Body by Victoria

It was long overdue.  I needed a new bra, bad.

I am far from sexy when it comes to items in this department for my everyday wear therefore, several years ago I got addicted to one specific bra.  It is all I have owned in the past couple years and this weekend, after wearing the same two for more then a year (I know, gross), I went and bought two replacements and I am in underwear heaven:

The Demi Bra - Body by Victoria

 via

via

I am not joking when I say this is THE MOST comfortable bra you will ever own.  The important aspects for me are that the straps stay up on my shoulders and when  I bend over, everything stays in place; no gaping! This bra honestly looks like it has been molded to my body AND it is SUPER soft.

If you have never tried on the Victoria's Secret Body by Victoria line you owe it to yourself to AT LEAST give it a shot before your next bra purchase.  You might follow in my footsteps and always turn back!

WWW Week Three

Weight Watchers Weigh-in Wednesday was yesterday!

I don’t think I have ever been this nervous of a stupid scale before. I will give those people on The Biggest Loser all the credit in the world not only because they face a national audience when they weigh in each week but they do it in the most god awful, unsupported, ugly sports bras and stretch pants. Anyone else watch the show and find it funny that for every weigh-in they have to wear those midriff showing outfits but when they come back for the finale show they wear tank-tops to hide the spanks and every other gut sucking equipment? Why do they do that to those poor people..?

Anyways, this week I lost another 1.2 lbs which gave me a gold star on my “report card” for losing a total of  5 lbs on the program so far! (You get a gold star for every 5lbs lost.)

Not too shabby I guess. If I stay on the pound-a-week team I will be happy with myself. I set a date last night for our engagement photo session in June and if I stay on track, I can be at my goal weight for these photos to be made! Can’t wait!

It Starts Today

I heard it once in a sermon at my church several years ago; it was about the purpose of Lenten “giving up.” Too many times I think we overlook the actual reason for this sacrifice.

So many of us chose to give things like chocolate up for Lent. But then, as soon as that giant Easter basket is sat down in front of us, we devour every poor bunny and Cadbury egg in sight because YAY, Lent is over! These types of actions only prove that most of us only partly understand the purpose of this “giving up” practice during Lent.

Lent is really about conversion, turning our lives more completely over to Christ and his way of life. That always involves giving up sin in some form. The goal is not just to abstain from sin for the duration of Lent but to push sin out of our lives forever. Conversion means leaving behind an old way of living and acting in order to embrace new life in Christ.

You don’t give something up for Lent because of a personal gain (giving up sweets for the purpose of weight loss) or because of the “Just to do it” approach (giving up gum just to give up gum). Give your “giving up” a purpose; a sin that you want to work out of your life so that you are living your life more like the life Christ intended for you.

For Lent this year, I am giving up negative gossip. Let’s be honest, we all do it. We find ourselves sitting around with our buddies and the conversation turns negative when someone starts to go off on how obnoxious “Julie” was at the bar on Saturday and how ugly her shoes were. (Don’t lie; you know you have participated before). Majority of the time (and yes, I am preaching to myself) we partake in negative gossip because it almost makes us feel better about ourselves. How twisted is this? I want to fully adopt the approach that I should have been following for the past 28 years, “If you can’t say something nice, then don’t say anything at all.”

During the times that shall come when my mouth wants to open up and join in on the negative gossip conversations, I want to turn my heart towards Him. Instead of joining in and agreeing with how much I can’t stand that “Dave” always has to be the life of the party, I will pause and remember that God satisfies me more than “this thing” does and I CAN live without it in order to be a better person.

What are you giving up for Lent?

The Date Is Set

March 9th, 2013

Our Wedding Day!

This day has been on the radar for quite some time now BUT, we finally have some dollar bills down at both the church and reception site which makes me 100% more comfortable to finally put this information out to the public! 

Right after I turned in the check for the reception site, I came home from work one afternoon to a delivery on the front porch!  Inside was this:

One of my bestests Laura sent us a countdown clock to our wedding day!  How cute and super sweet is this! LOVE it!

Besides setting the date, booking the church and reception site, as well as putting a deposit down on a photographer (which I am SUPER excited about and will leak that information at a later date)...I think I have a pretty good start and have not really done much else  I have several bridal gown appointments coming up in March which my Momma and Sis are coming down for and "Charleston" and I went to Diamonds Direct to take a look at wedding bands for both of us.

When it comes to my ring....I am 100% in love.  "Charleston" went above and beyond what I could ever have asked for and it has "BLAIN" written all over it.  Before we got engaged, "Charleston" and I obviously had talked marriage and he asked me questions about what kinds of rings I liked.  I always told him I wanted something simple and classic.

Back in college at NC State, I used to teach this water aerobics class at the YMCA on Hillsborough Street every Monday and Wednesday morning at 7am.  It was the highlight of my day for years.  I had the same group of elderly men and women (mainly ages 75 and up) who would venture out, rain or shine, to make it to class.  They were ultimately my home-away-from-home grandparents, slipping me $2 here-and-there, telling me to buy myself something good for lunch!  God love them. 

Well there was this one sweet lady Ellen.  She not only had a heart of gold but she was absolutely beautiful even in her late 80's.  Ellen was not married but after some time of observation, I noticed she wore a diamond everyday on her left hand.   It was a single solitaire set in a standard gold setting.  I made the comment to her one day that her ring kept blinding me as it sparkled in the water and she proceeded to tell me that it was her engagement ring that she has been wearing for 60 plus years. 

Ellen was married for over 55 years before her husband passed away.  He gave her that ring the day they got engaged and she has worn it since. It melted my heart that even to this day, she still wears the exact same one!  It was inspiring.  She proceeded to tell me how important it was to her and how honored she was to wear it everyday of her life and to be his wife, even after he was gone.  Love is beautiful. 

Therefore, there was no doubt in my mind that one day I wanted to follow in Ellen's footsteps. The ring I would hopefully someday receive when I got engaged, I would wear everyday for the rest of my life; the exact same one.  It has so much meaning, significance and love surrounding it that I can't wait in 60 years to tell my great-grandchildren about the day their great-grandfather gave it to me.

I sent "Charleston" this picture on my way home from work one day last month.  I want him to know everyday how much I love my ring, I love him, and I will cherish everyday that I get to be his wife.  I will be honored.

Skinny Chicken Enchiladas

On Friday night "Charleston" and I joined his sister Lorene and brother-in-law Brett at Zio's for dinner.  If you live in Charlotte and have never been there, you HAVE to try it.  It's basic Italian home cooking and it is amazing!  I had the Uncle Duff's Cheese pizza and it was puuurrrfect!

Because I used plenty of WW points on my pizza Friday night,  I opted to cook Saturday night and make something a little healthier.  I decided on the Skinny Chicken Enchiladas from Gina's Recipes and as usual, they were delicious and super easy and each enchilada was only 4 Points+ ; I had two and was good to go.  "Charleston" loved them as well and asked me to make them again last night for dinner but with it being cold and rainy outside, I was not about to head out to the grocery store.  Sorry babe. 

Skinny Chicken Enchiladas

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Low-fat Chicken Enchiladas

Gina's Weight Watcher Recipes
Servings: 8 • Serving Size: 1 enchilada • Old Points: 3 pts • Points+: 4 pts
Calories: 159.5 • Fat: 5.9 g • Protein: 16.2 g • Carb: 17.8 g • Fiber: 8.3 g

Ingredients:

For the sauce:
2 garlic cloves, minced
1-2 tbsp chipotle chilies in adobo sauce
1-1/2 cups tomato sauce
1/2 tsp chipotle chili powder
1/2 tsp ground cumin
3/4 cup fat free chicken broth
kosher salt and fresh pepper to taste

For the chicken:
1 tsp vegetable oil
8.5 oz (2 breast halves) cooked shredded chicken breast
1 cup diced onion
2 large clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup cilantro
kosher salt
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp chipotle chili powder
1/3 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup tomato sauce
8 (7-inch) reduced carb whole wheat flour tortillas (la tortilla factory)
1 cup shredded low fat Mexican cheese
non-stick cooking spray
1/2 cup chopped scallions or cilantro for topping

Directions:
In a medium saucepan, spray oil and sauté garlic. Add chipotle chilies, chili powder, cumin, chicken broth, tomato sauce, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 5-10 minutes. Set aside until ready to use.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Heat the vegetable oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Sauté onions and garlic on low until soft, about 2 minutes. Add chicken, salt, cilantro, cumin, oregano, chili powder, tomato sauce, chicken broth, and cook 4 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
 
Spray a 13 by 9-inch glass baking dish with non-stick spray. Put 1/3 cup chicken mixture into each tortilla and roll it.
 
Place on baking dish seam side down, top with sauce...

Then top with cheese.

Cover with aluminum foil and bake in the oven on the middle rack for 20-25 minutes. Top with low fat sour cream or scallions if you wish. (Extra points) Makes 8 enchiladas

Basketweave Sweater Jacket

I swore to myself that I was not going to buy anything new this month until I lost 8 - 10 lbs but I caved....

"Charleston" and I went to the mall last weekend JUST to return a couple things but who can go to Southpark without stopping by the Banana Republic sale rack?  Not this girl!

I was enticed by the $20 Birthday Reward I just got in the mail from my BR Visa credit card and it was burning a hole in my pocket!

This sweater was calling my name from the depths of the rack:

I just couldn't resist.  After I petted the sleeve, it had me at hello. 

Its 46% Wool, 21% Nylon, 20% Viscose, 8% Acrylic, 3% Cashmere, 2% Alpaca = 100% HEAVEN

Originally it was $140 BUT with the rack sale and a $20 off Birthday Coupon, I stole this puppy for only $59. 

It also comes in a Camel color which is still on Sale here. (just not as good of a sale price)

Thank goodness Charlotte is starting to see some colder weather to give me a chance to wear it this year!

WWW Week Two

And again, yesterday was WWW, Weight Watchers Wednesday, whoo hoo.
Well it’s time to be real, yesterday was not as good as the Wednesday before :(
It wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t good.

I only lost 1lb.

I was a little disappointed but our WW Coach reminded me that their goal on the program is 1 – 2 lbs a week so I was still on track and at least I didn’t gain anything! True that!

She asked me what I did different between my first week and my second week and there were three prominent things that stood out…

#1. I worked out more this week then the last. Working out = possibly gaining muscle

#2. I am a girl and I have that time of the month which just so happened to be this week. Not sure about you but this always causes me to weigh a little more at the time due to who knows what… it just happens.

#3. I ate the same amount of points both weeks but this week I chose to eat foods with higher point values which means I ate less and ate foods that were not AS GOOD for me as they could have been.  I found myself a lot hungrier this week then last because I was eating more calorie dense foods

So…long story short, it was an OK week. I am still sticking to the program and 100% paying attention to the simple food decisions that need to be made every day. It’s not easy but it is also not rocket science; it just takes effort. I was proud of myself for skipping the bread basket while I was out to dinner on Saturday and so happy that “Charleston” supports me in my efforts and keeps my eating habits in mind when cooking dinner or choosing places for us to eat! Having the support really helps.

There are several things I need to work on this week which include developing a better grasp of when I am actually hungry versus just being thirsty; yes it happens and many times we mistake the dehydrated feeling for hunger. I also need to learn how to eat more often and work on not letting myself get to the starving point where I want to eat everything in sight which can lead me to making poor food decisions.

Let the games begin! I will get to that 2lbs or more next week!

Steak Dinner + My Hunny = Valentines

LOVE

below was my valentine last night when he got off work

poor baby, he was exhausted

but he rallied

after i sent him on a little scavanger hunt around the house (which might have been five clues too long ) for his valentine "treat", he saw me off to spin class at the gym while he whipped up an amazing meal in the kitchen

steak, baked potatoes, sauteed onion and mushrooms and steamed broccoli

it was perfect....

...and so is he

happy valentine's day my future husband

i LOVE you always and forever

Weekend Favorites....I'm Lovin' It

I thought I wanted the cold air to get to N.C. but.... I was wrong.  I was miserable walking outside at times this weekend just to get blasted by the cold air and wind.  NO THANK YOU.

Therefore, I had a very laid back weekend watching movies and catching up on "life" and sleep.

Between my hours of doing nothing I did find some time to do more wedding research and ran across a couple new ideas which I am realllllllyyyy loving!

Slight obsession with bows and this dress tops my list!

 I am coming to like bouquets with some fillers and not all flowers like this:

Love the color of the bridesmaids dress paired with the chunky necklace!

Doesn't even need an explanation....jaw dropping. 

Gotta find me one of these for my right hand! 

Yum. Gorgeous. 

Love the soft color and the gray berry looking thingies.  Again, obsessed with fillers! 

Simple yet elegant cake!

  Can anyone else picture this cake as a wedding dress? A fit and flare style with this type of ruching around the body and a flower detail at the bottom?!   Ok, maybe I do watch too much 'Say Yes To The Dress'

Love everything about these B-maids dresses...color, fit, fabric...EVERYTHING!

So sophisticated!


Welcome Back To The Work Week Friends!

DIY Framed House Key

How cute is this idea from Erin McLean Events:

DIY Framed House Key

How To Here

I think I am going to do this with the townhouse "Charleston" and I are in now! Not only is it the place that we will be in as we start our lives together as Mr. and Mrs. but,  it is also the spot where we got engaged; our living room has a lot more meaning then just a place to watch TV!  It will be a nice piece to take with us forever.

 

Maybe then over the years as we move...build a little gallery wall with these special keys sprinkled in! 

WWW Week ONE

Yesterday was WWW, Weight Watchers Wednesday; our weekly meeting here at work to see how we are doing on the program. Just my luck, my first week on Weight Watchers (WW) brought about a weekend out of town, a Super Bowl Party as well as a night out for my birthday; all of which included food options that are VERY tempting and more difficult to manage.

For those that are not familiar with the WW program, basically it’s a simple point system. Every portion size of a specific food has a particular point value based on its fat, carbohydrate, fiber and protein content. Depending on your weight, you are assigned a daily point value and everyday you choose whatever-in-the-world you want to eat but, after adding up each food, the total cannot exceed your daily point value. Also, each week, you get 49 free points to blow however you see fitting AND you can earn activity points when you workout! Seem simple? Well it really is IF you plan and work at it! It’s not a diet; you’re not restricted to particular foods. It’s just about managing and paying attention to the foods and the amount of each you consume. It is a healthy eating strategy!

My plan this week was to stick to my given 26 points/day during the week when I was able to totally control what I packed for breakfast and lunch and what I cooked for dinner. This then allowed me to stock pile my 49 free points for what was to be a tough “food” weekend. I used my free points at our Super Bowl party and on wine at my birthday dinner! I kept my hand out of the chip basket as much as possible while “Charleston” and I were out to a Mexican dinner with Sister, Olivia and Sam and I passed on the butter bread at our spaghetti dinner for my dad’s birthday. It’s the little moves like these that totally add up!

With all that being said, at the weigh-in yesterday I lost 2.8 lbs in my first week. Not too shabby. With the WW program, because it is supposed to be a sustainable weight loss, you are expected to lose around 2 lbs a week in order to keep it off. I kind of wish I would have gone above and beyond but….any loss is fine by me!

Like Miss Lindsay reminded me last week, it’s a slow process but it does work, just be patient! Best piece of advice I have gotten! It does seem like a lot of work in a week just to lose 2 lbs but…..I am keeping my eye on the prize in the end!

I will toot my own horn...go me!