The Prize

When I was a little girl, our centerpiece on the kitchen table was often a pig, much like the one in the picture above. It was made from a bleach bottle and it was the "prize". My mother belonged to a weight loss group named "Tops"...I am not sure what that stands for, but it is still around today. Her, or her best friend, Jeanna, would usually end up with the pig. The pig was given to the member who GAINED the most weight that week. Poor Mom and Jeanna. They were not at all successful in their Tops venture, but they sure had a lot of fun! I think they always went out to eat after their meetings! Well, now Mom and I are in Weight Watchers, and, though we DO go out to lunch after our meeting, we eat healthy, point friendly foods! I got a prize last weigh in....my 10% key chain. (meaning I have lost 10% of my body weight...if I tell you how much, you could easily figure out my weight and then I would have to hurt you!) It was a goal I have had since I started on August 2nd, and I reached it...not as fast as I thought, but I did it! The powers that be at WW tell me I am doing just what they want...losing steady and slow. I am averaging 1.5 pounds a week. My next goal is only 2 pounds away....a charm to put on that key chain! It is all down hill from there!

I got a prized package in the mail yesterday....what a surprise that was! Copperswife made these beautiful knitted dish cloths for me and the gorgeous fall kitchen towel! It hangs on my oven door with everyone being informed NOT to use it...it is too pretty!Thank you, Cher!

I did a little deep cleaning in my make up/skin care bins. Gosh, how do we collect so much "stuff" we never use? I put all my skin care and make up that I use everyday and found a cup with my name on it, that I never use, and put my pencils, mascara and brushes in there...some hair spray even fit there. It all looks so much nicer and there is nothing there I don't use. The prize here was I found a $55.00 set of day and night serums that I forgot I had! They are not that old, but I had misplaced them somehow!

I saw this stitched on a pillow recently....

"Put some lipstick on!! Everything will be just fine!"

Somehow, I doubt that is true, but it sure can make you feel better! LOL
Now an update on those prized kitties! Sassy is TOTALLY warmed up to Cammy. They play together, sleep together, and eat together.

Well not so much eat together, cause Sassy is a hog!Cammy can not eat dry food yet, so she gets soft food several times a day. Sassy thinks she needs it too, so I give her a "little" bit outside of her full can of Fancy Feast in the mornings. Still I need to use 2 bowls. Cammy looks like she is getting a bit of chub herself from the back view LOL! She gets her kitty shots next week, on Sassy's birthday, the day after Thanksgiving.
Sassy has become a kitten again! She is so playful again and they love to play hide and seek in the box!Cammy wears out and needs a nap in the comfort of someones arms....there are always a pair ready to oblige her!So that is all the prize news here at my home! See you again soon...are you all excited that Thanksgiving is just next week?! I am!!!!

Taking A Trip Around The World

Lots going on here. School starts today. It was suppose to start yesterday, but the teacher needed one more day! LOL Actually some books we needed were held up by the holiday so they arrived yesterday. I spent a wonderful day with my mom. We did our Weight Watchers weigh in. I needed to lose 1.4 pounds to hit my 10 loss and get a sticker. I know....but I LOVE those stickers! I lost 1 pound exactly! My mother, on the other hand, lost just the right amount to get her first 10 pounds off. She is doing so well! We both are, really. We are within 1/2 a pound of each other for weight loss.

We have had a summer cold trying to go through the house. I'm not sure about you, but Zicam is a miracle around here. It knocks colds out within 24 hours. On Monday, poor Zach looked and sounded miserable....though he could still talk on the phone to his buddy....A day of Zicam and he looked human again, cold is minor and he even got a haircut!!!! No after picture, but believe me, he looks so much better all around!!!

I am taking a Trip Around The World with my friend Rose Marie!!!!!
Yep! She is doing a tutorial on how to make a Trip Around The World quilt. Not just any TATW....look at the one she is making. It is beautiful! She is using Autumn colors, but since I already have a fall quilt in the works, I am using my old stand bys...my favorite quilting colors.

When will I EVER step outside that box? I don't like it outside the box. It is a scary place for me!

I did get the last of the leaves appliqued onto the UGRR. I went yesterday to buy the batting and backing and could not find a King sized batting anywhere. I had to order it online. The quilt top measures (once the final border is on) 91x91 and a Queen bat is 90x120. *sigh* Oh well...it will come when it comes. In the meantime, I will add the last border today and start marking it. I need to get it done before I take that Trip Around The World!!!! You should come along!!!!!

The Fat Quilt

I am making a "Fat Quilt". You all know that I am working on weight loss and fitness. I know....I am always working on weight loss and fitness, but this time it is working for me too. I am a rewards kinda gal. I set small goals and reward myself when I reach them. Lots of people do this and many times the reward is food related, or clothing related. Don't get me wrong, those are GREAT rewards! I want to reward myself with fabric. Last time I lost 20 pounds I rewarded myself with a yard of new fabric for every 10 pounds lost. I ended up with 2 yards of fabric and they are both all used up. This time I am doing it differently. For every 5 pounds I take off, I buy 2 fat quarters....get it??? FAT quarters..... I know, I thought it was fun too!!! One fat quarter is a background fabric and one is a central fabric. Once I lose the 5 pounds, I not only buy the fat quarters, but I MAKE a block. Here is my first 5 pounds of fat block....It is an olive green with little gold flowers. I officially hit 10 pounds last Thursday, so here is the 10 pound fat block.....This is a dark chocolate brown floral print. I LOVE this background fabric.These will not be easy as they are all to be 2 color blocks. More challenging than you may think! 4 more pounds til I can make the next block...I am thinking red Dutchmans Puzzle. I am aiming at 70 pounds, but 60 will complete my 12 fat blocks. The sashing and border fabric will make it 70. PLUS, if I am happy after 60 I may just stay there for a while. So how many of you want to join me in making a fat quilt? If you have 20 pounds to lose you can make a wall hanging. If you have 100 pounds to lose you can make smaller blocks and get a bigger quilt. Let me know if you decide to join in. I would LOVE to follow along with you! I really think 5 pounds is a good block marker....it is a very attainable goal. Who can't lose 5 pounds, right?

This Sunday afternoon has found me in my sewing room. I did the 10 pound fat block and then decided to get the Libby Quilt I am working on completed. Isn't this the cutest little 4 " block???I actually have MUCH to share with you all, but no time now. I have Anne of Avonlea going in the VCR and my machine is calling me. Here is a sneak peek of what I have to show you this coming week.

She may need a fat quilt some day too!!!! That's Grandma's girl!

Poundage

Let's face it. I need to drop some major pounds. I gained 35 pounds in the last 9 months (add that to the 35 I already needed to lose!)....no there is no baby to be birthed from that weight gain. Rachel lost all kinds of weight when she and Bud were separated, and I gained it all. Stress does different things to different people. I eat when I am stressed. I eat really high carb, sugary, ooey, gooey kind of bad stuff! Over the last month I have changed my eating habits and have dropped 8 pounds. That is not bad, but now it is time to ramp it up with some workouts. I HATE TO WORK OUT!!!! It messes up my schedule...do I workout in the morning? In the afternoon? When will I shower? I am a morning shower person....if I workout in the afternoon I will have to shower twice. Maybe I will change my showers to night time and do a wipe down after my late afternoon workout.....too much to figure out. I decided to just wing it. Today I did my workout at 11 and it is now 2:15 in the afternoon and I am still in my workout clothes and still unshowered! That will not work. It will be a work in progress. I did a 2 mile aerobic walk today. That was TOUGH! In this excerpt I am doing workout #2....it is FAST!



My mom gave me a great dessert recipe. It is very low carb, low calorie, and low fat. How much better can that be? You need
1 small package sugar free orange jello
1 small package sugar free/fat free instant vanilla pudding
8 oz Cool Whip
11 oz. Mandarin oranges drained and rinsed

Dissolve jello in 1 cup boiling water. Set aside til cooled. Add the instant pudding and stir with a wisk.
Fold in the cool whip and Mandarin oranges. Put in an 8x8 pan and chill for 2 hours. OMGosh it tastes like a Dreamcicle, only better. I bet it would be good frozen too.
I made a double batch using strawberry jello and fresh cut up strawberries. It fit nicely in a 9x13" pan. It slices beautifully! (I like the orange better) I better hit the showers if I plan on getting dressed at all today!!!!