6/14- Start the car, I know a whoopee spot where the gin is cold but the piano's hot

Weight Loss for the Week: 0lbs

I've been doing alright counting points the past few weeks, though I will admit I got a bit off track while I was on my road trip with my mom. But, now that I'm back in town, I'm back to it. I've gotten in a few of my workouts this week, but not all of them. I got a bit busier with summer school and some other stuff than I planned. But again, on it for the upcoming week.

My road trip with my mom was so much fun! We began in Charleston where we stayed with my aunt and uncle. Unfortunately, they both wound up getting sick (not our fault), so they ended up staying at home recuperating our last two days there. My cousin who also lives there very graciously drove us around and acted as our personal tour guide. In all, we toured a historic home, the Provost, a former Slave Market, the Tea Plantation, and did a ghost tour. It was so much fun! Then, we were off to Savannah and Tybee Island. There, we got to relax on the beach some, and we did a trolley tour in Savannah for a whole day. We saw Juliette Gordon Low's home, toured Flannery O'Connor's home and Jim Williams' home. It was very interesting and beautiful. Finally, we went to Selma to see another aunt and uncle. We went to Monroeville one day to visit the courthouse used as the basis for To Kill a Mockingbird. It was so fascinating, like stepping back in time. So, now I have plenty I want to read and reread.

The only not so great part of the trip was our last, well supposed to be last, night. Mom wound up getting pretty sick, and we ended up going to the ER. She had to stay overnight for observation, and we were there most of Saturday. She got diagnosed with gall stones, and she is taking care of it now that we're home. It was upsetting to have it happen, but I'm glad they found out what the problem was. We left Sunday morning- after finding out we had a flat tire and getting that repaired.

So, we got home Sunday afternoon, and I got right to finalizing plans for Summer School since that began Monday. I went in early Monday to get set up for it, and I was glad I did since I wound up having a few bumps in the road with no ink in one printer, and switching rooms at the last minute. I swear, God must have needed a good laugh with all the luck I had those few days. But, once it began, it was fine. The kids are staying focused so far since they definitely do not want to be freshmen again in the fall. And their hard work is paying off at the moment. Let's hope the next two weeks prove to be just as productive for us all.

Okay, time to make sure I'm ready for the week ahead :)

Tip of the Week: Be flexible.

Recipe of the Week: Mozzarella and Tomato Panini

5/10- You showed me just how to walk without your hand 'cause Mom you always were the perfect fan

Weight Loss for the Week: .25 lbs

I got in most of my workouts for this week. I tracked points fairly well this week. And I managed to survive one of the crazier weeks/weekends of the school year.

The seniors graduated yesterday. It's one of those bittersweet moments. You're glad they've made it and are moving on, but you know you'll miss them and their unique brand of humor/craziness/sweetness. One of those things so special about teaching- you really care about your kids, feel like they're yours, and then the year ends, and another batch goes while a new one gears up to take their place.

In the meantime, my juniors and sophomores are finishing up their final units and will test on them in a few days before beginning their exam review. This year just flew by. Time seems to go faster and faster every year, I swear. Maybe that's just one of the signs of getting older though. It's been a good year, productive, informative, challenging, and humorous. I can't believe it's winding down in the next two weeks. Then, Mom and I will be off for a trip to Charleston and Savannah :) It will be fun for sure!

Monday evening, Sean, Conor, and I had a nice dinner at Belly Acres- I love that they get along so well. Wednesday, Mom and I caught up while out for a walk. Then, I went to Faith Sharing. Friday, before Baccalaureate, some of us got some dinner which was fun. Before graduation, some of us got some breakfast- yum! After graduation, I went over to Jan's and relaxed with a few other teachers as we reminisced about the year and all. We had so much fun, I didn't even notice how long we'd been at it until it was after 9pm. Then, I knew I needed to go home and get some rest since today was Mother's Day. Mom, Memaw, Conor, and I celebrated Mother's Day by going to brunch at Stone Soup. It was delicious, as always! We had a very nice time, and then we went for a drive around Midtown and Downtown before going home. It was quite nice. I vegged for a bit after I got home, then, I decided to do a deep-cleaning of my closets. It's time to figure out what I actually use/wear, and what I don't. Now, I have a big pile of things to take to the Goodwill tomorrow :)

Okay, time to veg a little more before the weekend ends.

Tip of the Week: Just keep swimming!

Recipe of the Week: Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken

5/3- Soft kitty, warm kitty, little ball of fur

Weight Loss for the Week: 0lbs

I got in some of my workouts, but not all of them. I was good about tracking points this week, but some of the food I chose to eat just wasn't the best. It's life, and it happens, and it's one of the biggest things I have to work on in regards to my weight. I did try a new workout this week. I went with a friend of mine to her belly dance boot camp class yesterday. My legs are really sore today, and my upper arms are a bit sore as well. I may have to soak in the tub tonight to make sure I'm not too stiff for work tomorrow. But it was good, I would definitely go again :)

School was good this week. My sophomores have started their sexuality and morality unit much to their chagrin. They're not freaking out as much as last year's kids did, and I hope that's a good thing... They seem a bit more receptive to what I'm saying I think. Oh well, that's what I'm going to tell myself anyways. My juniors had a short week it felt like since they took the ACT during my class period a few days. They have gotten through two Acts of "Pygmalion" with the time they have had in class this week, and I was so amused to hear them insulting Liza's accent. I suppose we all do the first time we read the play. It was my seniors' last week of classes. It was very bittersweet. While I am definitely ready for them to go what with all the senior-itis they have had since Day One of the school year, I will miss them. They're a good group usually, and I hope they will do well in the future.

This week, Mom and I went to see "Desert Dancer"- go and see it if it's playing near you. It's based on the true story of an Iranian dance troupe facing persecution from the morality police. It was so well done, and the dancing and music was just beautiful. Wednesday, I went over to see Amy and the kids. Then, Amy and I wound up having a girls' night while going to grab a bite to eat and catching up with just us. It was really nice :) Thursday evening, Sean, Matt, and I participated in Dining Out for Life at RP Tracks. We had a nice night and got to support a good cause. Friday, I went to Karen's to house sit for Harley and Maybelle- such sweet dogs! I also went to dinner at my mom's since we had the Florida family in town. It was nice to see everyone, especially the little ones!

Yesterday, I lounged poolside pretty much all day (aside from when I went to the belly dance class). I know it doesn't make sense, but being out in the sun for so long just wipes me out. I took a few breaks (naps) inside, and Sean joined me about midday. The dogs just loved him! They wore each other out, and I was tired just watching them. By the time we finally started getting ourselves together, it was getting to be a little late, and we were still rather tired, so we just ordered some dinner. Then, we got a second (rather short-lived) wind, so we went to Jerry's Sno Cones for sweet treat.

Today, I went to brunch with Kerry, and we had a nice time enjoying the sun. I hung out with the dogs for awhile longer before finally having to go back home for my CYA monthly meeting. We had a good one this month, and we've got some fun stuff planned for the next few months. I'm excited for it all! I have also graded 15 research papers today- oy! I have been making sure that I am prepared for what my classes need this week. I think I might actually be caught up on almost everything, but I am also worried that I have forgotten about something important. Time will tell.

Okay, time to enjoy the last bit of the weekend!

Photos of the Week: 

Tip of the Week: Aim for progress, not perfection.

Recipe of the Week: Chicken Parmesan Casserole

4/26- I hope you're happy in the end

Weight Loss for the Past Month: 0lbs

I know, I know, I haven't updated in awhile. I wish I had something better to say than "I've been really busy", but I don't. School stuff, hanging out with friends, catching up with family, and spending even more time with Sean now that he's down to one job has meant that I am on the go a lot more now. I have not been the best about tracking points, but I have kept up with my workouts which is probably the only reason I'm maintaining. But, I will get back to being a good tracker again. I tracked everything today :) And I stocked up my fridge with lots of healthy, yummy foods (I was down to just libations and a few boxes of GS cookies in the freezer).

School is starting to wind down- the seniors actually graduate pretty soon. I will miss them, but it is time for them to go. They are more than ready, and all of us who teach them are ready for the end of year craziness of their schedules to be over now. I hope they have learned something of value from me. I may never know though- one of the few downsides of being a teacher, especially to seniors. The rest of my classes are doing well too. The juniors are about to begin "Pygmalion"- so excited! Though I will admit I like the ending in "My Fair Lady" much better. Why would Eliza go back to Freddie? I mean, that's so dumb. Shaw, bad ending, gotta say it. And my sophomores are about to begin their unit on Sexuality and Morality. They will not like most of it, and that's fine. They need to hear about it all anyways.

Since I last posted, I have celebrated St. Patrick's Day with friends :) Liz came to visit for Easter weekend. It was so nice getting to see her. We had a relaxing time walking around the Square, going to Mass, and going to the Botanical Gardens. It was just what we both needed. Around that time, Sean was able to stop working at Wal-Mart. Now, he only works at FedEx which means his nights are free, and he is so much more rested! It's been so nice. He got to join us for Easter dinner and the Botanical Gardens. The past few weekends, we've gone to the Dixon Gardens, the Zoo, and the Food Truck Festival. It has been so nice! He even got to come to the CYA Game Night a few Saturdays ago. That was also a pretty fun night. I got to play games I haven't played in forever! Clue is still an awesome game, just sayin'. Last Sunday, MK, Ray, and Gianna were in town, so we went to have dinner with them. It was so nice- I can't believe how big Gigi is getting! She's such a smart, cute little toddler.

After all of this "go, go, go", I laid pretty low this weekend. I stayed in bed almost all day yesterday- and slept quite a bit honestly. I figured I must have needed it. I did finally get up in time to go to Mass with Sean. We saw Mo there and sat with her. Then, we met Conor and Mom for dinner. It was a very nice evening. Today, I woke up with much more energy, and I did a fairly deep-cleaning of my apartment. I also went to the gym, went grocery shopping, and did some lesson planning for the week. I have also been binge-watching "How the States Got Their Shapes"- totally nerdy, interesting show. Watch it. I'm learning lots!

Photos:

Tip of the Week: Never give up.

Recipe of the Week: WW Apple Crumble

3/15- Jump in the line, rock your body in time. Okay, I believe you

Weight Loss the Past Two Weeks: 2 lbs

I've been very on top of tracking my points the past few weeks. I have also been able to stick to all of my planned work outs which has been very good. And while I have eaten out some this past week since it was Spring Break and Sarah came to visit me, I have also made a good bit of my food and worked on portion control.  I have also planned most of my meals for this week. And I know when I am working out this week as well. Woot!

The week before last ended up being another short week of school since we had more wintry weather come through town. This time, we actually got some real snow! I was out sick on Wednesday when it started coming in and everyone was going nuts, so while I was feeling pretty gross, I was also very glad that I didn't have to risk driving in that weather. Thursday, I was feeling a little bit better, and Melissa got Matt and me so we could have a movie day at her place. I made a snow angel and baby snowman in her yard. Then, her dog Knelly and I wound up snuggling while we slept through the second movie. It was a rough day, what can I say? Friday, I felt better in the morning, so I focused on cleaning my apartment and getting everything ready for Sarah's visit. I got to catch up with Marley in the afternoon over some coffee. Then, I found out Sarah's flights were so delayed, she wouldn't be in until Saturday.

Saturday afternoon, Sarah finally made it to Memphis, and we got some Central BBQ right away :) Afterwards, she got settled in my place, and we went with Mo and LeeAnn to see Melissa's belly dance recital. It was a lot of fun. Then, we all grabbed some drinks at Schweinehaus- so much fun! Sunday morning, Sarah and I went for a walk around Overton Park before heading downtown. We walked around Beale St. and took a Backbeat Bus Tour. It was a good way to see all the sights. We visited the ducks at the Peabody, and then I showed her around my old neighborhoods. After that, we went to my mom's for a barbecue feast- we had ribs, pulled pork, bbq pizza, bbq baked beans, corn on the cob, and deviled eggs. We were so full by the end of it! And we had so much good company at this meal too :)

Monday, we went across the bridge for a few quick seconds so Sarah could say she's been to Arkansas. We went to the Slave Haven Museum after that and really enjoyed the tour. Then, we met up with Kerry, MK, and Gigi for lunch and dessert. Sarah and I went down to Mississippi for a quick stop and photo op. We also managed to see Graceland on our way back to my place. We decided to work off some of our calories at Zumba before going to The Second Line for Sarah's last meal here. It was beyond tasty as usual. Then, we woke up very early on Tuesday to get her to the airport. Fortunately, she had much better luck with flights getting home than she did getting here. I'm so glad she was able to visit!

The rest of the week seemed to fly by. I went to the Brooks and the Zoo Wednesday afternoon. Then, Mom and I went for a walk, and Conor and I had dinner. Thursday night, I was able to talk Sean into coming with me to Pinot's Palette. We had a really fun time being creative and painting a tropical beach scene. Sean even said he wants to do it again! I'm so lucky to have a man who likes to do many different activities with me :)  Friday, I got to hang out with Amy, Lizzy, and Daniel. Those kids are growing up so quickly! Lizzy was telling me all about wanting to be a race car driver and an ambulance worker- so adorable! Then, we played a game where she ran past me, I threw a blanket on her, and she "crashed" into the cushy couch. She's so silly :) And Daniel was just walking around and jabbering on and on, I can't believe he's almost two.

Yesterday, a few of us from CYA went to the Dixon to go walk around the gardens and see the exhibitions they have on display in their galleries. It was a really nice morning. Then, most of went to Swanky's for lunch. We also wound up going to 5pm Mass together, so we decided to finish our day by going to Belly Acres together as well! It was pretty fun day :)  Today, I got to sleep in one more time before school starts back up for the last stretch before summer. I also ran some errands, took a walk, and enjoyed this lovely weather! I'm so glad it finally feels like Spring. Tonight, I cooked some yummy chicken penne that will last me all week.

Time to make sure I'm ready for school.

Photos of the Week:

                                     

                                     

Tip of the Week: It's okay to splurge every now and again, as long as you get right back on track with eating healthy and exercising.

Recipe of the Week: Light Chicken Penne- 6 WW pts. per serving
1/2 cup olive oil
1 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
3 cloves garlic
4 leaves fresh basil
2 chicken breasts
1 lb penne
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste

Boil water, add penne. Boil until done. Drain. Set to the side.
Heat olive oil, garlic, basil, salt, and pepper in pan until garlic begins to saute. Cut chicken into bite-sized pieces. Add chicken to pan. Cook chicken thoroughly.
Serving size: 1 cup penne, 1/3 cup chicken and sauce. Makes 8 servings.

3/1- Hear these words and have faith

Weight Loss for the Week: 0lbs

I did fine tracking points, but I missed some of my workouts this week. Since I wound up using almost all of my Weekly points, I'm not surprised I did not lose this week. I went out to eat more than I normally do this week as well. I think this week will be better since I am getting one of my workout (i.e. accountability) buddies back from her maternity leave, and I know that I will not be eating out anywhere near as much as I did this past week.

Well, we only had one snow day this past week, and it was nice to get four whole school days in with the kids- though I'm sure many of them would have rather had more days at home. My students are on track for the most part, but my seniors will have to wait and finish this unit after Spring Break. It will be fine. We're all going to make it to the actual break, and then through the rest of the semester. I have faith.

Wednesday night, I went out some friends to see "The Lion King" at the Orpheum- wonderful! It's such a fun show to see. I love how they act as the animals in it. Thursday evening, Sean came over, and we went to Schweinehaus for some good German food and beer. We had a blast :) Then, we came back and hung out for awhile. Friday night, it was our monthly Church dinner. Kat hosted, and she and Dustin made us vegetable korma, rice, salad, and bread. It was so tasty! After dinner, we played a new game for our group called "Things"- highly amusing! Saturday, we went to see the Memphis Tigers game. It was a good game for the most part. We had a nice time.

Now, to finish getting ready for our last week before Spring Break (pray for us all!).

Photos of the Week:

Tip of the Week: Work on forgiving others. You suffer more in the end if you don't.

Recipe of the Week: Weight Watchers French Toast

2/22- Oh, the weather outside is frightful...

Weight Loss for the Week: 0 lbs

I tracked points this week- I had so much time after all. And I went to the gym twice (when it was actually open). I tried some video workouts from home since I was stuck here for so long. The workouts here were fine, but they were definitely no substitute for the classes and equipment at the gym.  As I said, I tracked all my points, but my food was limited, and I definitely ate some food that's not so good for you. I suppose it's what you're stuck doing when the grocery stores get raided, restaurants are closed, and your options become very, very limited. Also, the temptation to snack when you're stuck inside all day is huge. Finding other things to do is key.

In case you missed it, we've had a lot of snow and ice here this past week. I only had work one day this week. And it was a catch-up day: Here's what you're doing, here's homework for the weekend, and should we be out anymore, I will be posting more work for you.  I know the kids weren't thrilled about it, but we're losing so much class time, and I'm sure their parents were glad they had something to do other than watch TV/play video games.

Speaking of all this free time spent primarily in my apartment, I was productive with it. My apartment is clean, all my laundry is done, and every single assignment my students have turned into me has been graded and recorded. Of course, that was the case before the one day back to work. So, the past three days, I have not had anything to grade, and I have had very little to prep for the rest of the quarter. I have been cooking. I made a really yummy and healthy meal tonight in fact. And I have watched more Redbox movies than I care to admit.

That's about it, this week has been fairly low key since I was not been willing to brave the streets when the roads were bad.  So, let's hope this weather is behind us. Cabin fever is real.

Photos of the Week: Wintry pictures

Tip of the Week: The most expensive food you buy is the food you throw away (shout out to Kelsey for that wonderful insight!)

Recipe of the Week: Grilled Chicken with Light Guacamole- 9 Points per serving



Ingredients:
2 Chicken Breasts
1 Tbsp Olive Oil (I used Rosemary)
1 Tbsp Balsamic Vinegar (I used Fig)
4 oz. Fresh Mozzarella
4 cups Romaine
1 Avocado
1 Cucumber
1 Green Bell Pepper
1 Large Tomato

Directions. Grill chicken- can add olive oil and balsamic vinegar at this point, or wait until putting it on salad. Shred cheese. Chop all vegetables and mix together. Divide lettuce into one cup portions. Divide chicken into half-cup portions. Put one ounce of cheese on each portion. Add as much of the vegetable mix as you please. Eat and enjoy!