{Christmas Time}

Today is December 13th. I wrote this post a couple of weeks ago....

Today is December 4th. This is usually my favorite time of year. This year, not so much. In just five days it'll be three months since my Mom left us. In eight days it'll be three months since Eddie left us. We lost two very important people three months ago. Just a month before we got married. Of course my Mom would have been a big part of our special day, but Eddie, Eddie was supposed to be one of our best men.

And I just can't anymore. I cry every damn day. I can't get over the sadness that has overcome me lately. I'm so sad and so damn angry all the time. They should both be here. My Mom should be here Christmas day sitting in the chair by the window. Eddie should be here drunk acting like a fool at our Ugly Christmas Sweater party.

Life just isn't fair and I've lost the Christmas spirit.


I've written a lot of things that have been sitting in my drafts (like the above post) because sometimes I write just for me. Sometimes that works. Lately, not so much. Life is just so unfair. This year has been so hard and it was supposed to be the best year of our lives, the year we get married. But instead, the two of us just can't wait for it to be over. Like turning the page of the calendar from 2016 to 2017 will magically erase this past year. Obviously, it won't but there is hope in that blank page. That beautiful blank calendar waiting to be filled with happy events. Hopefully this new year is better to us than this past year has been. I'm sick of crying. I'm sick of being on the edge of tears when I'm not crying.

{Semester One & Other Life Things}

My first college Semester is over. Is it weird that I'm really sad about it? I knew that I would enjoy school but I had no idea just how much I would enjoy it.

I finished my Medical Terminology class with a 98.65. I literally got three questions wrong all semester. WHAT? I also got an A in my Computer Software class and I passed the Typing class that I tested out of. I finished Semester 1 with a 4.0 gpa.

Whoop Whoop!



I am officially one month in with WW and I am down 10.7 pounds....


This kid had a baby tooth pulled. The adult tooth was growing in and the baby tooth was just holding on for dear life... He also had baby chicks hatch in his class last week!


So much weeding was down this weekend. Please don't tell me if these aren't weeds. They're gone either way. Ha!


Snap chat fun! The kids love playing with the snapchat filters.


The oldest turned 11 this week and got a cell phone. She was very excited. As we were when the very next school day she took the wrong bus home and was able to communicate with us.


How stinking cute is this teapot dress? It's from Kohls and is part of the Lauren Conrad Alice in Wonderland line. Unfortunately (or fortunately for my pockets)they did not have my size.

{Weight Watchers - Weigh In 3}

Not counting my first weigh in because it was only two days on program, today was my third weigh in. I had a 4 pound loss! Which brings my total to 9.8 pounds in three weeks. I am loving this program. I feel like I can still have all the food I want for the most part, I just need to ensure that I make it more healthy or have the points to cover it.



I was able to wear this sweater this weekend. I haven't been able to wear it for about a year because I've felt like it's been too tight. Well I rocked it this weekend. Besides losing weight I'm also gaining confidence on this program. I feel awesome and I'm excited to keep going!

{weight loss progress}

After two full weeks on Weight Watchers I am down 5.8 pounds. I know when I add running back into it the pounds will drop off more quickly. I just can't seem to fit the time in right now with school, work and the kids. Oh and the weather here lately has been awful! But hopefully after this week of dreary rain I'll be able to hit the streets.



I thought I would write a bit about the stuff I've been eating on Weight Watchers. Not only cause I really need to get better about writing about anything on here but also so that when I look back, I'll have some sort of record to help me see what I've done.



I definitely eat a lot of salads. I love salad. The lettuce and all the fruits and veggies are 0 Smart Points. My favorite dressing is Newmans Parmesan & Garlic which is 4 Smart Points and the Babybel cheese are 1 Smart Point each.


I've also discovered flat outs. I use them to make pizza. The flat out is 2 Smart Points and the sauce which is Rao's homemade pizza sauce is 0 Smart Points. Then I add whatever toppings I am in the mood for. So good!


For breakfast on work days I have overnight oats. On mornings that I'm home I've been making more of a real breakfast. The bread is 1 Smart Point per slice. Eggs are 2 Smart Points each. The Butterball everyday turkey bacon is 3 Smart Points. The fruits are 0 Smart Points. I also use I can't Believe it's Not Butter Spray which is 0 Smart Points. The pancakes are Kodiak Power cakes and it's 5 Smart Points for 1/2 cup of mix. These are very tasty!


The thing I miss the most for sure on this plan is butter. Butter and I are besties and I feel bad turning my back on it. But you know what butter? You make my ass bigger and not in a good way so we're on a break!

{weight watchers}

Last week I joined Weight Watchers. I've had some success on the program in the past. Specifically right before I got pregnant with Isobel. Then they went and changed everything and it wasn't working for me so I cancelled my membership. Well last week I was reminded by a co-worker about it and I signed up. This wedding is creeping up on me and I need to get serious about losing some weight. Of course not only for the wedding, for my overall health but looking better in my gown is always a plus, right?

So far I am loving the program again! They have Smart Points now and *most fruits and vegetable are 0 points. This is helpful to not go over your daily allotment of points. I have had days where I've gone over but yesterday I was way under and completely full on vegetables. I suppose that's a good thing!

I'm excited to start this journey. I will succeed this time. Consider it done. Also, I apologize ahead of time for all of the Weight Watchers posts and foods headed this way. I'm just way too excited about it!

Starting Weight: 234
Current Weight: 230
1st Goal Weight: 200

{And yeah, I put my weight out there. I don't care one bit. It's just a number. It does not define me. I'm still totally awesomesauce!}

{Wedding Inspiration...Lilac}

I've always wanted a Fall wedding. Fall is my favorite season and the leaves and all the Fall things are just magical. So when Lisa and I started planning our wedding it was obvious that we would get married in the Fall. Duh. Until Spring when the Lilacs bloomed....

Me: Lisa can we get married in the Spring? I want ALL THE LILACS at the wedding. It will be perfect.

Lisa: But we decided on Fall.  Our honeymoon is in the Fall.

Me: But the LILACS! I don't even have to buy them. I can just drive around the day before the wedding and cut them all down.

Truly this was a silly conversation. (And I'm paraphrasing here, of course.) We are meant to get married in the Fall. If only for the Epcot Food & Wine Festival. I mean, come on. That didn't stop me from pinning away all the lilac things. Here are a few of the pins that I loved so much.

I mean, come on! Look at this bouquet!


Look at how pretty they are as a table setting.


Rustic lilac? Yes please!


This cake is absolutely perfectly gorgeous in every way. If we were having a cake I would still go with this as our main color is still purpleish.


A couple of more cute ways to incorporate them.


All of these pics are from my Pinterest board titled "I do Lilacs" if you are interested in knowing where the pics came from.

Follow Angela's board I do Lilacs on Pinterest.

{Roasted Vegetables}

Lately one of my favorite things to make is roasted vegetables. I found a recipe on Pinterest for chicken and veggies and you use those packets of powder that make salad dressing and butter. So good!




You can use any kind of dressing you'd like. I've made these with the Garlic and Herb version and it's also tdf. I bought some dill dressing because it was on clearance and I can't wait to try it!

So you put your veggies on a pan, sprinkle the dressing over the top and then drizzle butter over it all. Roast for about an hour depending on what kind of veggies you're cooking. If you want to lighten the recipe, use olive oil.

This time I made two batches. The first had mushrooms, cauliflower, tomatoes, onion and garlic. I've never made mushrooms or cauliflower myself before and both were so delicious! The second had red bliss potatoes, green beans, onions and garlic. So good!

Batch one....before and after.


Batch two....before and after.



I also made some chicken and packed it all up for the week. Meal prep really helps me to stay on track.


There are so many different combinations you can try. The possibilities are endless.

Recipe:
One packet of dressing mix per batch of veggies
Enough veggies to fill a baking sheet
1/2 stick of butter per batch

Put veggies on pan, sprinkle with dressing mix and drizzle with butter. Let cook for one hour or until veggies are to desired texture. Stir as needed.

{sometimes they get along}

These two used to be best buds. Two peas in a pod. Partners in crime. Well since this school year has started it's all changed. Chloe has moved up to the middle school so now it's just the two of them in the morning.



I think they used to partner up on Chloe. Don't feel bad for her, she probably deserved it most times. ;) But now they only have each other to fight with. And do they ever fight?



I found these in my Flickr stream and they made me smile because sometimes they get along great still. I know someday they'll love each other again but for now send coffee and wine....

{He Loves Taking Pictures}

This post has been sitting in my drafts foreva. Literally. I think it's from Mother's Day like a long time ago. Ian loves to get his picture taken and he loves to take pictures with me. I hope this never changes.


In other news, isn't this hot air balloon sweater totes adorbs?!

{changes}

There are so many new things going on in my life right now. I feel like being back in school {1st semester!} and wedding planning {6 months. 19 days.} make it seem like a whole new start. Maybe it's the flowers poppin' outside but I feel light and fresh. Well, not light as I need to lose weight but that's another post for another day.

I changed the name of the blog from Please Mommy, no More Daddies to Tales from the Quintessential Fat Girl. TFTQFG has always been the tag line so it's not new, per say. I also feel like the new title will have more to do with the blog going forward. I really have been a crappy blogger lately and I want to get back into it while focusing on wedding planning and my weight loss journey. So there you have it. It's all about change and change is good.

{Stuff}

This Month- Is my birthday month.  I share it with Carol and Ian.  Sometimes I make a big deal out of my birthday and sometimes I don't.  This year I did not.  I just have so much other crap going on in life right now.

This Week- We went and saw Dead Pool yesterday.  Do yourself a favor and if you have not seen it finish reading this post and then run to the theater.  It was hilarious and really very good.  I'm not much of a Super Hero movie fan but I am a Ryan Reynolds fan.  ;)  Don't bring your kids though....don't be that jerk

Today- I took my very first quiz as a college student today.  We had an hour and I was done in ten minutes which freaked me out so I spent the next twenty minutes double checking answers with my medical dictionary.  Cause you know, my teacher is cool and lets us use them on tests.  I won't get my results until probably next Monday so, fingers crossed.

Right Now- I'm watching Just Jillian.  OMG I love this show.  Jillian Michaels besides being super successful and cute is hilarious.  Just hilarious.  The stuff that comes out of this woman's mouth makes her my spirit animal.

Tomorrow- I don't even know what happens tomorrow.  It's a Tuesday.  I work.  We'll see.

{So obviously I wrote this a million years ago and in my drafts folder it has sat}

{Disney Alex and Ani}

Y'all know my love for all things Disney. Right? Well I fell in love with Alex and Ani a few years ago and they also have a Disney line. They are TDF gorgeous. The first time I actually saw an A&A was at Disney. I thought they were cute but kept moving cause, well, honestly they're expensive yo.

These are some of the Cinderella themed bracelets and bangles.  That carriage bangle?  OMG.



These are some of my first A&A Disney bracelets.  I have a lot more now. 


I started getting gold ones as well to mix it up a bit.  I love the colored ones they started brining in.


Jack Skellington was a special one I got to commemorate our trip down at Christmas time. 


The Elsa and Ana bracelet I got to celebrate the Frozen themed 5K we ran.



I love my Alex and Ani bracelets.  Especially my Disney ones.  Have you heard of them?  Do you have any?

{What is your biggest regret?}

My biggest regret has always been not going to college after high school.  I got swept up in grown up life too soon.

When I graduated high school my family was homeless.  We weren't homeless because of my mother's inability to pay rent.  It was a lot more complicated than that.  We were basically put out on the street by our landlord.  The week of my graduation my family was staying at a motel type place on the Cape Cod Canal in Bourne.  But before that actual week were had all been separated.  There wasn't any one place we could all stay at big enough to keep us all.  My mom rented month by month cottage type places when she could and we stayed with Aunts and our Grandmother some.  But we were homeless a good portion of my senior year.  This made focusing on school difficult.  How do we pay for school when we don't even have a home?   What address do I put on my applications?

I know that the choices I made were not the right ones.  If I could go back and change one thing about decisions I have made in life it would be this one.  I chose to go off with my boyfriend at the time.  We lived in a tent for the summer.  We got married.  We got pregnant.  Then we got an apartment.  The rest is history.  There's no time for college when you have to survive on your own that young.  Well, I'm sure for some people there is, but not for me.  Not at that time.

I saw this video today on Facebook and it made me tear up. I'll let you watch it before I say anymore...

The whole time I was watching this I was thinking to myself.  Mine WOULD have been "Not going to college".  So I ask you what is your biggest regret? Does it start with "Not"? If so, what are you doing to fix it? I get some regrets are just in the past and not so much fixable. But a lot of them can be fixed.

 I am currently enrolled in school. I'm making a my regret a clean slate. It won't be the same. I won't get the same experience as I would have if I went when I was fresh out of high school. But it's something. Something I'm so proud of. I love showing my children that it's never too late to make your dreams a reality. Never.

{It's the little things}

It's the little things in life right?  Today is my day off from work but I have sooooooo much homework to finish.  I also have to renew my driver's license before my birthday on Tuesday.  So off to Plymouth I've gone.  I finished at the registry.  I even kept my old picture so i can forever be five years younger if only in my license picture.  I also registered to vote.  Now I have been registered to vote before but I never knew where I was supposed to go.  I know that's no excuse but I've taken care of it now.  Cause a vote against Trump is a vote that I need to make.  lol.

Now back to the little things.  Right now I am sitting at a Panera bread getting ready to do homework.  Like a REAL college student.  Ha!  I don't know what it is I've just always pictured myself sitting at a coffee house studying.  A quintessential college kid.  Well, not so much kid....Quintessential college student.

Now back to all this homework.....

{Shopping for Mother's Day}

I think I have more posts in my drafts than I actually have published.  Do you do that at all?  Just start stuff and never finish?  Well while I'm eager to get back into blogging, it's really not an easy time to do that.

4 kids + working full time + starting college + planning a wedding = NO TIME TO BLOG.

But I really want to so on top of trying to blog new stuff when I can, I'm going to start pulling all this stuff out of the drafts folder.

This post is from May 2014.  The kids are so little here but so completely the same that it warms my heart.  We were shopping for Lisa for Mother's Day although looking at the pictures it seems as if the kids thought they were shopping for themselves!