Watch protect your purse while shopping

Just a tip I thought of while shopping at Aldi yesterday...

When I am transferring groceries from my shopping cart to my car trunk (especially when there is no bag boy to help  me) I always put my purse and keys in first so I can keep an eye on them.  Turning your back so often with your purse left in the toddler seat is risky. It would be so easy for someone walking past to take it while my/ your back is turned. 

I don't lock my trunk when closing it so there's no fear if I shut my purse inside.  I won't get locked  out.  😊  

Weight watcher 5 point breakfast

A couple of times a week I love rice chex type cereal for breakfast or even a snack.

Healthy and delicious with a crunch. 

1 1/4 c. Cereal

1/2 cup 1% milk

Sliced bananas

Sliced strawberries

5 WW points

For a snack I might use less cereal. It's a grain so that's where most of the points are.  

I lost one pound this week which included a food- laden bridal shower so I'm doing OK. 4 lbs total so far...

Weight Watchers Lunch 2 points

I was feeling a little under the weather today so I made a large pot of chicken and vegetable soup.  I used chicken instead of the beef from my Get Well Soup Recipe.  What a surprise when I calculated the WW points and found it was only 2!

I should whip up a batch each week to go with my lunches and dinners.

Get Well Soup

Ingredients:

• 1 large boneless, skinless chicken breast
• 1 Sweet potato
• Bag of frozen green beans
• Can of corn
• Can of diced tomatoes
• Sliced/diced fresh onion
• Garlic pepper (out of garlic today, which is unusual)
• Broth from cooked black-eyed peas
• 3 cups of water to fill the pot

8 Points Weight Watcher lunch idea

Weight Watcher lunch 8 points

Weight Watcher lunch 8 points

Lunch:

• Turkey and lettuce sandwich
• Apple slices
• Cottage cheese/yogurt
• Hot tea

Quite a bit of food for a hungry mom for lunch but I spread it out over the course of 2-3 hours.  I eat the sandwich first --3-4 slices of thin deli turkey piled high with lettuce on a sandwich thin bun spread with hummus instead of mayo.  A half hour later I had the apple and 30 min. to an hour later I ate the cottage cheese/yogurt mixture.  I know some of you can't stand the sight of cottage cheese but I've always liked it and adding a little bit of the yogurt makes it like a dessert to me. Sometimes I add fruit or nuts on top.  Try it!

8 WW points to get me through till dinner and I have 10 left for the evening meal and a snack later.  I'm working the system!

A Funeral of Forgiveness

Yesterday was a sad day... I played the piano for the funeral of a young man (age 22) who passed away last week.  He was a precious son, the only son, of two longtime friends whom I have known since I was in my early 20's.  Although the boy and I were not close, as a mother of sons I could imagine the grief that the parents and his sister were experiencing [if something happened to either of my sons, I'd be so, so sad]  This needless death  was the result of a drug overdose.

I've had the honor of playing at many funerals.  Those for children and young people are the saddest.  One thing that will stay in my memory forever are the touching words of the grieving mother:

...if you tried to help my son in any way, I thank you.
If you offered him drugs, I forgive you...

What a testimony to God's grace.  Only through Him could someone utter those words.  The increased volume of those weeping that ensued after she said this was noticeable and I'm sure her words struck the hearts of other young people who use drugs and were in attendance.  I've thought about those words often ever since she said them and prayed that they truly did make an impact upon the hearers.  I know they did on me.

From my seat at the piano before the service...

For all you young ones out there, take care of yourselves... you have no idea how your actions (and possibly your death) will affect your parents, your extended family,  friends, classmates...  Get help now.  If you know someone using drugs or abusing other substances (i.e. alcohol), tell their parents and help them get the help they need.  Stand up and do the right thing.

Rom 12:15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. 

Col 4:6 Let your speech always be with grace, as though seasoned with salt, so that you will know how you should respond to each person. 

For my Sweet Shot Tuesday, Week #23 photo I chose one of these I took while on a recent visit to  St. Augustine.    These were taken at La Nombre de Dios mission.  We had seen the cross while on a scenic boat cruise on the Intercoastal Waterway that week and as we were leaving town, thought we'd try to find it.   A very interesting and lovely campus the the heart of the city.

Unbelievably, I only had my iPhone with me for these photos.  Not too bad...  :)

This one is what I visualize the evening of Jesus' crucifixion may have looked like with the storm clouds in the distance...

How to poach an egg in the microwave

Some people don't use microwaves at all.  I'm not one of them. They are one of my "servant girls".  [Prov. 31:15]

I use a Corningware handled bowl. Fill 2/3 with water. Nuke for 2 minutes.  Remove from microwave. Crack egg into hot water. Pierce once with fork ( very important). Nuke at 50% power for 40 seconds. Remove with spoon. 

Makes a perfect soft boiled egg. 

Healthy Lunch Salad on Weight Watchers

Salads are just not filling with only lettuce and tomato.  I needs lots of crunchy, chewy, sweet, salty...  Here is a lunch salad = 6 WW points.  You don't have to track the fruit and veggies (apples, blueberries, tomatoes, lettuce)...

Looks great and takes awhile to eat which is good for me!

Weight watchers back on track

Back on track after our trip. One week later I'm down 2 lbs. A visual aid of that helps me a lot!.

Weight Watchers Sabotaged on a Trip

Ugh.  Three steps forward, two steps back.  We had our 26th anniversary trip last week--had a wonderful time--but it included too many restaurants and desserts!  Gained 2 lbs., so a net loss of one pound in 3 weeks now.

Basically starting over but keeping on, keeping on!  Using that tracker online and measuring portions for awhile.

Meanwhile, here are a few photos from our anniversary getaway to St. Augustine ...

A sunset 2-hour cruise (hearing the Gilligan's Theme song?) on the Intercoastal Waterway...

Our Bed & Breakfast... we stayed here on the first night of our honeymoon 26 years ago.  :)

St. Francis Inn St. Augustine FL

Delicious homemade breakfasts each morning...

Aboard the Galleon, a replica of a Spanish merchant ship...

Another sabotage... homemade desserts at the B&B each night...

La Nombre de Dios Mission

Old Marineland...

Washington Oaks State Park...

It was a lovely, fun trip.