Friday Weigh-In

Last weekend I was discussing the upcoming holidays with a friend who is on the HCG diet. She said she hoped to maintain through the holidays then hit it hard in January. I thought that sounded like a good plan. Later, after thinking about it, I decided to just keep doing what I'm doing...(not dieting!!) and see what happens. Anyway, this week I lost 2.4 lbs for a total loss of 43 lbs! I just need to keep muddling through the way I am, eat only when I'm hungry and keep walking. Thank goodness for those who continue to encourage me!

Office Field Trip to New Castle

One of our goals at work is to become better friends, so what better way to bond than go on a fun field trip. Dr. Chalmers arranged for us to have tour of Milgro Nurseries out in New Castle (just past Enterprise out in the middle of nowhere). It was awesome and beautiful and gi-normous! Here are white mums.

Left to right: Bobbi John, Anna, Dr. Fagnant, Dr. Chalmers, and Scott the tour guide. Milgro supplies flowers all over the country. Their newest account: Trader Joe's!

Baby mums.

There were huge greenhouses full of pointsettias and people busily getting them ready for shipping. So beautiful! So many shades and types.

Jen, our office manager, Anna from Front Desk, Mary and Kristi who are both M.A.'s.

More pointsettias. We each got a lovely large pointsettia to bring home. What a fun day!

Friday Weigh-In

This is forty pounds of pennies!

This week I lost 1.2 pounds for a total loss of 40.4! The holidays are ahead of us. If I can maintain till January I'll be satisfied. This past week, with the art trip we walked miles a day, but we also ate out a lot, too. My sister and I had the best time ever at Disneyland (she is looking GREAT by the way!). It helps to have my sister and daughter and husband all inspiring me and encouraging me to keep going. My journey is far from ending.

Sisters Star Wars Style

Mary Anne and I met up at Disneyland and I talked her into this. We are ready to take on the galaxy! (Now if only Han Solo would show up.)

Art Trip and Disneyland!

Here's Mary Anne admiring an interesting painting at the LA County Art Museum. So many paintings and sculptures! We also went through a Japanese Art Building and loved it!

On the bus, ready for more fun!

We went to the Huntington Library, the Norton Simon Museum, the J Paul Getty Museum and the LA County Art Museum. Here is Mary Anne by one of the beautiful amazing paintings we saw.

Mary Anne really liked this painting a lot.

Mackenzie and Mary Anne next to a beautiful painting by Jacques-Louis David. We saw several Van Goghs, Manets, Monets, Renoirs, Degas, Ingres, etc etc etc.

This is a painting by James Ensor entitled, "Christ's Entry into Brussels." It was huge!

Mackenzie next to a few statues. This is also at the Getty.

Mackenzie especially enjoyed modern art at the LA County Museum.

Yesterday we spent the day at Disneyland and met up with my sister Mary Anne and her two daughters-in-law, Sarah and Cathrine. We had a total blast, including dinner at the Blue Bayou.

We had fun on the new Buzz Lightyear ride where you get to shoot laser guns at targets all through the ride. Very fun!

My favorite ride was the Haunted Mansion with it's Nightmare Before Christmas makeover. Totally awesome and wonderful!!

Today, our last day on the trip, ended with a visit to Forest Lawn in Glendale. We saw the Last Supper stained glass and a gorgeous Bougereau. The guard led us to Walt Disney's final resting place. All in all we had a wonderful time!

Getty Up, Let's Go!

We will be going to the J Paul Getty Museum, among others, this week on our art trip with Dixie College, so I decided to have an early weigh-in. It should be noted that we are stopping at In-N-Out on the way down and I'm just as excited to go there as to any ol' museum!

I couldn't help it, I was too curious to see how I was doing this week. It's only Wednesday but have lost .4 pounds since Friday. My total loss is 39.4. I am anxious to get to the big 40!

Trick or Treat!

Halloween was so much fun! Here's Cinderella AKA Kahlil...she has to finish trick or treating before midnight or her mom and dad's car turns into a pumpkin!

Here are the Trailerpark boys, top left is James, top right is Phil's friend Will, bottom left is Phil and bottom right is Nathan. White trash fashion kings.

Very cool.

The Gnome Family came by...Anna, Steve and little Sophie looking cute as can be!

Who wouldn't want this garden gnome in their yard?

Here's a truly crummy picture of Ayla as a ladybug! I love all the cute costumes!

Here are the older Van Lehn sisters, ready to gather treats!

Snow White (Amber) with one of the 7 dwarfs (Adam) and wicked witch (Ben). No poison apples, thank goodness.

Here's a few of the jack-o-lanterns we carved today.

The Hall Family (Harley, Kenyon, Hunter and Josh) sailed in on the Black Pearl right to our door! How awesome is this??!!

The Foster kids don't seem to scared of the talking skull.

Jayni is Minnie Mouse!

Claire was adorable as Madeline from the children's books.

George is the Travelocity Gnome...roaming the neighborhood and finally ended up at our house!

Caitlyn and Emily have awesome costumes! Here we have Princess Peach and the Midnight Fairy.

Friday Weigh-In...A Loss is a Loss!

Today's loss was 1.8 pounds putting my total at 39 pounds. Whoo Hoo!!
NOTE: No weigh in next Friday as I will be with Mary Anne and Mackenzie on the art trip with Dixie College.

My New Favorite Chili Recipe!

We are going to the ward Fall Festival tonight and they asked for people to bring chili or soup. Just for fun I perused the internet for chili recipes (hopefully with "easy" in the title) and came across this recipe on (of all places) the WalMart Website. I made a triple batch of it this morning and test tasted it: great! It is easy, yummy and perfect for fall! (The recipe calls for 1/2 tsp salt which I left out)

MANWICH CHILI

1 lb. lean ground beef

1 can (15.5 oz) Manwich Original Sloppy Joe Sauce

1 can (15.5 oz) kidney beans, undrained

1 1/2 tsp chili powder

1/2 tsp ground cumin

1/8 tsp garlic powder

Cook meat in large skillet over medium-high heat about 7 minutes or until beef crumbles and is no longer pink; drain.

Add sloppy joe sauce, beans, and seasonings. Simmer about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Serve warm. Maybe some grated cheese on top?

Save A Sister Walk

This morning was the St. George Save a Sister 10K, 5K and mile walk/run. Mary Anne and I did the mile walk with aspirations for the 5K next year. Mackenzie served as photographer. Half the proceeds go to breast cancer services here in St. George. It was a cool morning, but absolutely beautiful.

Here's me with Anna from work. She ran the 10K! Go Anna!!

Mackenzie and Mary Anne.

On the walk!