Not a whole lot happening lately

Blogging is getting old or I just don't have anything new and exciting that I feel is blog worthy.  Not really too much new happening around the homestead.  Lisa and I are still steadily losing our excess weight.  I am down 22 pounds  as of this morning and Lisa is half way to her goal.  The hard part of dieting, other than the constant hunger and repressed memories of Taco Bell and Pizza delivery is finding new low calorie foods.  So far, the best meal we've prepared fairly often is a chicken cous cous with vegetable meal.  The meal is a bit higher in calories than want we like to consume but it fills you up and a portion is pretty decent size.  The recipe is relatively easy as well.  It includes 8 oz chicken breast cut up into small pieces, zucchini, canned tomatoes, chicken broth, some spices and a cup of cous cous.  I will also make the dish without the chicken and will add portabella mushrooms, broccoli or other vegetables we have laying around.

This weekend I discovered another pretty good side dish.  I basically made potato salad using low calorie or fat free "wet" components and substituted cauliflower for potatoes.  I was pleasantly surprised that even Lisa, who doesn't really care for cauliflower, liked the salad.  The dish basically had about 1/3 the calories or traditional potato salad and I would venture to say only a fraction of the fat.  The trick is how you cook the cauliflower.  Cauliflower has a distinct flavor and smell if you cook it too long but if you cook it just long enough it will take on the flavors of whatever you mix it with.   Tonight, I try my had in a lower calorie Chicken Cordon-Bleu that uses low fat ham slices and Laughing Cow Cheese Bites. We will see.  I just wish there as a low calorie chicken wing!

This week is pretty busy for me.  I have a few after work meetings and functions as well as a dentist appointment and an appointment to have my liver enzyme levels rechecked.  My enzyme levels came back slightly elevated at my doctor's appointment last month so I have to have them rechecked.  I have blood work done every 6 months to see what my cholesterol medication is doing for or to me.  Doc thinks the elevated levels were just a fluke but we will see.  I've been on the same medication for at least 15 years.....

Been working in the yard between work and rainstorms which is barely never.  I've been able to pretty much get the back yard ready for mulch but have barely even looked at the front yard yet.  I typically enjoy yard work but for some reason, I'm having a little trouble getting motivated.  I just need to get out there and finish it up!  Maybe the problem is I know that once I'm ready, I have to spend money on mulch and then the better part of an entire day breaking my back spreading it.  I'm also having an issue with the lawn tractor.  I'm pretty sure, I have it narrowed down to a starter.  I need to hunt a starter down and repair it myself since there's always a couple of month turnaround for tractor repairs this time of year.  I just don't want to spend money on a starter if it doesn't end up fixing the problem.  I'm pretty sure that a starter that over heats and starts smoking isn't normal.  At least for now, I can get the P.O.S. started by jumping it with my car.  I'm not sure how much longer that will be the case though. 

Next weekend is Shawn's piano recital (his third).  He absolutely hates practicing but any time we threaten to make him quit, he gets upset so I guess he must enjoy it to some extent.  After the recital, Todd and I are meeting up with my brother to attend the International Beer Festival.  I'm sure we're just asking for trouble with this one!

I have also added a couple of Katie's picture sessions photos.  If you want to see the three she took at the grocery store, follow the link on the left.

One other quick note.  Lisa is on this craft kick lately.  More specifically kids crafts, party crafts and packaging crafts.  She's been scouring blogs as of late looking for ideas.  Here are a couple she's used lately.  Some for Ted's birthday and others for the kids to take to school for teacher appreciation week: