I was just reading a back to school article on WW, and they mentioned filling a water bottle most of the way, freezing it, then using it as an ice pack. That way the perishable stuff stays cold and the drink has kind of thawed by lunch so they have a cold drink as well.
I think the idea is that the kids don't want anything to have to carry out of the cafeteria. Unless it was a disposable water bottle, they probably wouldn't want that either. But if it was a non-refillable.... like one of those small Aquapods from Poland Springs.... that is a good idea! (assuming, of course, that UNLIKE our schools, theirs actually has a recycling bin for the bottle.)
Good for you with all that cooking! I feel like I should probably do that. Our kitchen was not built for five people to be in at once, and it seems that 3-4 of us are on the same eating schedule and trying to cook at the same time. If I had everything prepared ahead of time, it would certainly be less crowded in there!
As large as my kitchen is, it isn't idea for more than two people. Even with that, I find we are constantly in each other's way. DD helped quite a bit this weekend with the cooking and I really appreciated it.... but we kept bumping into each other.
You could probably only cook ahead if you had the fridge/freezer space available. But it isn't a bad idea. If you made a pot of chili or soup, you could get many, many meals from that! If you do that and freeze it in tupperware, please don't microwave in the plastic. Pop out the frozen item and microwave it in glass or ceramic. Plastic in the microwave is SO bad for you!
I love pumpkin too (obviously)! And if I remember to ask for the latte with skim milk and no whipped cream, it's only 5 points for a tall.
The pumpkin bread is still 11 points though.
I've been craving something pumpkin-y all summer and couldn't buy canned pumpkin at the grocery. They said something about not being the right season. But I did discover a few cans in my pantry. One of these days, very soon, I'm going to make oat bran pumpkin pancakes for myself!
DD is anxiously awaiting the Dunkin Donuts pumpkin muffins. But they are CRAZY with calories (remember when I told you that muffins were CALORIE NINJAS!! ). I will buy her one every so often, but I certainly try not to make a habit of it. I will usually make a large batch and freeze them and then she can grab one on her way to early morning swim practice or ski lessons.
Wow, guys, I am having a hard time keeping up this week.....and I'm the coach
Since it's a between the challenges week, I'm going to give myself some slack. Hope you understand.
We TOTALLY understand! Heck, if I had all those boxes around my house, plus starting work again and a new school year.... YIKES... you probably wouldn't hear from me for months!!
Pamela, I was sure you were off doing something big this weekend, and you were! You will love having all those meals ready to go!!!
I will definitely be thanking myself this fall! DS did bribe me into leaving one of the meatloaves in the fridge though.... we will probably eat it tonight. He LOVES my meat loaf. It will be a nice treat tonight after a rainy soccer practice.
Back to the grind tomorrow. We are all 3 out the door at 6:30 every morning. I'm at my desk by 7:00
This weekend we discovered DS had not done ANY of his geometry homework this week so we made him do it all tonight. It took several hours. {sigh} We will have to watch him closely this year.
I'll be back on in the morning for the QOTD.
Sweet dreams everyone
Gotta love boys.....
DS was good about getting his weekend homework done quickly so that it didn't hang over him all weekend. I hope that is a positive sign of things to come this year! But when I opened his backpack this morning to put in his snack, it was kind of a mess. I pulled out the "Math Binder requirements" sheet and stuck it on the fridge and put in a note for him to bring home his math binder tonight so that we can get it set up properly. THat prompted him to say that he needs to set up his other binders too! Hopefully he will bring them ALL home tonight. I have plenty of folder, filler paper, dividers.... so no excuses!
How are you at getting up that early? I'm a morning person and don't mind it too much, but it is tough to get the kids going some days.
Good Morning. It's still raining here. I'm certainly concerned about more flooding. So far no reports of any close to home so I'm cautiously optimistic.
Off to work. Have a great day.
Cautiously optimistic is always good. When I was checking weather.com for this week to plan meals and outfits, I noticed they had flood watches up for a lot of NH and VT. Fingers crossed and prayers said for you all.
Good morning
Sure feels like a Monday.....
Today's QOTD is more like a mini-challenge:
QOTD Tuesday September 6, 2011:
Can you find 10 items around the house to get rid of ?
This could be as simple as picking up 10 sections of the newspaper off the floor and throwing away to as complicated as going into the attic
and getting rid of junk you have not used or wanted in years. If you practice this exercise of getting rid of 10 unwanted items a day, it would not take long until you had an entire room decluttered. Report back how you did later today
I LOVE challenges like this! I am all about the purge and clean! I did bring a big trunkload to the Goodwill just a week ago, but I'm ready to find more!
hi friends! i'm here and so behind on this thread. we had a fabulous weekend with my friends from college and their 6 month old little boy. now i know what it's like to have a good baby!
today is a cleanup and get organized day. it's raining and gross so i'm not going to get a walk in. i may hit up the mall and do some laps if the munchkin will agree to sitting in the stroller.
will be back to chit chat later. i need my coffee!!!
Enjoy your coffee. I was going to skip it today, since DH is sick and probably not craving it too much, but I gave in and made a small pot. MMMMMM.... just what I needed this morning.
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Happy Tuesday morning friends. It is raining here, but since I had no outdoor plans I'm not terribly disappointed by it. The kids are out the door, breakfast is eaten and I'm ready to roll. Not sure what I will do first... workout or clean. I've got one load of dry laundry to fold and that will be all caught up. Kitchen is clean (I bribed DS into washing the floor yesterday..... it really needed it after the weekend's cooking marathon), I just vaccumed Friday, so I could probably skip that for now. I will give my bathroom counter and toilet a scrub and then I think today will be spent cleaning DS's room. It hasn't had a good cleaning in a FULL YEAR! Not since we cleaned it out and repainted it last fall. It is SO overdue! I should be able to do it in a few hours though. It isn't a large room and I"ve already cleaned out the outgrown clothes.
I've gotta come clean about something with you all.... sort of a part confession and part
moment.....
I know I've been lamenting here about the slow weight loss, etc. And I am usually SO GOOD about weighing/measuring all of my foods. But I will admit, since starting this SB/WW hybrid thing, I've definitely been eating more nuts (since I really NEVER ate them much before) and I've been REALLY slacking on weighing/measuring the portions.
Well.... I pulled out a bowl yesterday and the jar of nuts. I put the bowl on the food scale and weighed out one ounce and
I've been WAAAAAY overestimating that ounce.... what I've been counting for 1 or 2 or even 3 points.... has probably been more like 12 points!!!!!!!!!! Do this once a day or even once every other day and NO WONDER my weight loss has come to a screeching halt!! So nuts are now VERBODEN!! (Shawn, how's my German??)
I don't love them so much that they are worth the points.... but I will really miss the crunch/salt. That is definitely something that is missing from the SB portion of this plan.
I did end up spending some time on Ancestry last night, but I was mistaken about the "free access" weekend. It was only immigration and naturalization records.... it didn't include international records and that is what I need right now. I guess I'll have to decide if I have the time anytime soon and pay for a month and really work on it diligently for that month. That said, I DID find the Naturalization information for my great-grandfather on my Dad's side....he came from Scotland in 1877 and was naturalized in 1884. I knew most of this, but it was nice to confirm it.
DH seems to be feeling much better today. He is up and showered and dressed and eating breakfast. He feels well enough to keep his scheduled dentist appointment today, so that is good.
Well..... time to check email. I need to get the cleaning done, the workout done, and be showered and ready to leave the house at 2:25 to pick up DS at the bus stop, run him home, and then head straight to the HS to pick up DD. She has an appointment at 4pm. Then home again and grab DS and bring him to his soccer practice/scrimmage tonight. The craziness has begun!!
I'll try to pop on later to say hi. I will chat here mostly until this thread is closed and we are really starting the fall challenge...........P
) I did buy some GF baking mix, so I could try making pancakes. I will have to experiment with that though. Tonight probably isn't the night.
). 
Sonic has a sign up for a pumpkin pie shake 
But it's time to get on the health wagon again 
When I got home, my sister called to tell me she was making a chocolate pie and she's going to bring me a piece to work tomorrow
I will get the camera ready tonight. I'm supposed to be at 2 meetings tonight: Herbalife and church fair planning...not doing either so I can be with the girls at bedtime. I'm hoping to have an Usborne booth at the church fair. Trying to earn some extra $ this fall for our cruise. I have another event planned in November and before that an online event in October. Hoping they all go well!
