Happy Homemaker Monday

Hosted by Sandra!

An avocado every day....    working on getting that nasty cholestrol down!

I am so excited about my  new year's resolution and  well,  new plan for my life!

I started a diet  or  what I call my  new normal  because at my weight, I'll just say it  isn't good... at all...up into the 200's..  I needed to  create a new way of life for myself  because I have tried every diet and they do not last, so in  October  I started  a new plan. I eat whatever I want,  but I only eat half of it, for example,  when I order out I eat half of a sandwich or  my  beef steak  etc  and  bring the rest home and eat it later, including the sides..I usually ask for the box and divide my food before I start eating it. I tell myself I can eat it all, just not all at once.  I  will fix half a sandwich for lunch and have a small helping of chips or nachos, and some fruit and call it done..  Sometimes I think I could eat more,  but actually  once I stop eating and sit awhile  I realize  I am satisfied, and I love the satisfied feeling  because  by supper time my tummy actually growls.. something it never did before.  I love lying in bed early in the morning and listening to my tummy growl..  the natural  parameter God gave us all to let us know it is time to eat..  I never had given myself the opportunity for my tummy to growl because it was always too stuffed..  anyway since October I have lost 25 pounds and  I hardly ever exercise. I mean really,  with my torn meniscuses, I   am pretty sedentary,  but  I  am getting back into  my  physical therapy  exercises  I was doing for my knees  as soon as the  stretch bands arrive from  Amazon.  I'm down a size in clothes and feel and look much better..  I eat what I like,  only I limit it  and eat until I am satisfied... and not  a bite more. I eat slowly and savor the  goodness  of what I eat.. I eat only the good looking french fries and leave the  dark, hard, unsavory ones on my plate.  They aren't good left over anyway. I love leaving things on my plate! This  new  way of eating  really suits me because I love sweets and  salty treats.. I can  have a very small  hand full of  m&ms  with  peanuts for my    afternoon   treat.. they  can barely cover the bottom of   1/2 cup pudding dish.  But I eat  one at a time very slowly savoring  the  chocolate  and  the peanut is good for you, right!   I  like a glazed donut  every couple of weeks.  Hubs brings them home  from the  grocer..  its OK to  have one..  but only if I'm HUNGRY! 

Sometimes, I get up have my yogurt and coffee around 7:30 then eat more of a breakfast   (eggs, bacon and English muffin around 11:00 because I like  breakfast. Then I won't eat another meal until 4:30.. supper..  again, anything I want but   only  half portion of anything. I am always satisfied and I   never feel like I  can't eat the good  tasty foods I enjoy,  I just  limit  them  and try to    balance my  blood sugar  by time  and quantities of  any of the food.  My blood sugar sure does thank me.

Also, I love this idea and it tastes so good!

The lettuce is  so full of water, you need no mayo!

And I look for the small victories to celebrate..  for example, I had a charm bracelet that was my mom's , but it wouldn't  clasp on my thick wrist.  It did today so I got to wear it to church.  I was  over the moon!

The weather

I cannot believe this weather we are having...6o's  all day Saturday and up into the night.. then those pesky storms came and    did  some damage in our yard.....  but  so mild and sunny  Sunday,   my  thin jacket was too much  when I left church and I was wearing just my 3/4 length sleeve sweater.. I'm not sure I like it.. I like  winter! Plus, Hubs has killed 2 stink bugs in the last 24 hours!  Yikes!! 

How I am feeling this morning
I am  doing this post  Sunday afternoon between services.. I have a ladies'  group in for coffee and chat  in the morning so I thought I'd  do this this afternoon. I'm feeling  pretty good.  Looking forward to  the good things the Lord has for me this week, and if  some are  not so good, I know He will be with me through  whatever may come!

On my mind
Our daughter and her family  have been discussing with us about a special trip together this summer  I am anxious to be  helping with the planning and    knowing  what we will be doing but she is holding her cards pretty close to her chest!

On the breakfast plate
Yogurt    and coffee,  then after church 2 other couples joined us at IHOP  for  breakfast  . it was fun.  My favorite meal to dine out!

On my reading pile
I just finished this very sweet book  I got from my daughter for Christmas;




I real page turner!. I am also reading  for my morning worship time,  Beholding and Becoming by Ruth Simons..  absolutely love, love it!

On my TV
I have discovered Create TV  a PBS  network  affiliated with WGBT in Boston; Wonderful programming.  I watch it every night!

On the menu this week
No particular plans as of yet.

From the camera
Our poor daughter had  a lot of sickness in her household last week..  The tide turned  Thursday and she sent me this cute photo..  She and  her baby  were  finally   feeling  back to normal, somewhat!

Looking around the house
We did a major clean up  last Thursday for our prayer group meeting and since the house still looks good I thought why not get the prayer gals together tomorrow before  it gets all messed up yet again!
I need to stop at Fresh Market  when we go out later and  pick up something  to go with our coffee!

Chore I'm not looking forward to today or this week
This week has been designated  unclutter  something  and so I am determined to start really decluttering my magazines..  I have them stuck everywhere, but mainly,  on the recipe book book shelf    that is  become  down laden  with too much weight. Southern Lady, Victoria Bliss, and Tea time magazines   are  eating us alive! Lord, help me! I  have such a hard time parting with them!

To relax this week, I will
enjoy a cup of tea   by the  fire place and enjoy my wonderful book listed above and  do some  Bible study/ reading in James and 2John

On my prayer list

• Our president  for  protection, wisdom,  courage,   strength of body,  clarity
• For  our government  for  transparency,  truth,   justice,  and doing the jobs  they were sent to do!

• For those I know and don't know who are suffering with debilitating  and worse  conditions and sicknesses..  for healing,  strength,  perseverance, find the joy in their suffering.. especially my dear friend,  Jan,  who  is finishing her    chemo treatments which have been so hard,  but now faces  radiation! 
• Traveling mercies for dear friends who are driving to Florida this week.   over a couple of days,  for safety and    strength,  alertness and  that  angels with guide them  all the days of their sojourn there.  They a re older and are needing the   climate mainly. 
• For those  who are hearing the gospel message preached at our church to  come to make a confession of faith and in humility  be willing to come forward to  proclaim their decision in the church..  We have a couple of  single men who are  very faithful in coming these days  and  I prayed so hard for one in particular, and it looked like he  might go forward,  but,  alas,  he didn't
•   But I will keep praying for him! There is  something very special  in going forward   during the call   to make a declaration  of faith ... I did it in 1973 and Hubs shortly there after.. 
• The  fires,  quakes,  the unrest around the world
• The lost in these divers places
• For God's mercy to hover over the earth  and  give  people  rest and  the  forbearance to continue  to persevere  in their trials and testings! 

Devotional/Bible Verse