3 Part Pasta

Happy Halloween everyone! I hope everyone is enjoying lots of Candy and costumes and Trick or Treating. As an adult with out children who is not in college, I spent my evening sitting at home, not solicitng candy from strangers or shaking my tatas for candy (same thing??)

But I did make a very yummy, easy and cheap dinner that we make all.the.time and I thought I would share.

I bring you 3 Part Pasta!

Ingredients:
1 package of Pasta (doesn't matter what kind, mix it up. Tonight we had shells)
1 lb Italian Sausage
1 jar generic Pasta Sauce ( I prefer the generic...)

Cook the pasta and meat and heat up the sauce.

Mix

Add cheese

Devour.


This meal costs about $5.00 and feeds 8 people. We make it all the time because it is easy to change up, and there is enough for 3 dinners for us, at least.

Yes, you are probably saying "Has this lady ever heard of spaghetti?? It's the same thing!" To that I say, true, but not if you make it with farfale or shells :)

So I leave you with 3 Part Pasta. So cheap and easy and delicious.

Measure twice, cut once.....

With as much building as Andy and I do, you would think this concept would be drilled into our heads.

This is a story where that parable  comes into play.

Lowes was having a great sale on front load washers and dryers, and Andy and I were renting ours from Rent a Center. After making $75 payments twice a month for a few months, we did the math and realized that we would pay $3000 for our washer and dryer before we paid them off. That seemed excessive, so when we saw a front load washer and dryer set on sale for $800 for both (total, not each) we had to jump.

But one of our least favorite things about front loaders is how low they sit. It is really awkward to bend that low to unload and load your clothes. And we thought buying the pedestals was a waste of money when we kept seeing lovelies like this:

And this:

It didn't make sense to spend upwards of $500 on pedestals, when they looked SO EASY to build. (feel free to watch these words bite me in the ass)

We started by measuring our space, which we always do when building anything. It is important to make sure things will fit in your space. (also feel free to laugh at me at the end of the story for this.) We measured the width and height of our laundry room, which looks like this:

And took into account the height of our new washer and dryer to calculate the height of the pedestal. We then went to the store, bought all the wood, and got down to business. Now we don't have a table saw, so all long, straight cuts are done with a circular saw. While Andy does his best to cut straight, it is hard. After 2 big plywood projects, we have decided a table saw is really a must have. 

(we didn't take any assembly pictures...) 

So we had the pedestal in 2 pieces, and we took them upstairs to make sure they fit. We took the base, and tried to put it on the floor, and it got stuck... We could not get it to sit flat on the floor. When we measured the room, we measured wall to wall, but neglected to include the baseboards. STUPID! The top platform fit perfectly between the walls, but the bottom needed to be fixed. We were worried about amy major changes because the structure had to hold a washer and dryer, and if you have ever tried to pick one of those babies up, they are HEAVY! This platform just had to be sturdy. 

The baseboards included, our platform was an inch too big. We figured out that if we took one of the 2x4's off one side, and replaced it with a 1x4, that should fix it. It did, and we put everything together and it worked out fine. Until we had to put the washer and dryer on top. 

Come back on Tuesday to see how things got worse, before they got better :)

Week... 7?

So, I skipped a few weeks... 18 days to be exact. And I am actually glad I did. I had a rough two weeks at work where I was working constantly (52hrs a week) and so my choices were not so great. So instead of getting in the scale and crying, the scale and I "went on a break". I hopped back on this morning to see a great number!

Dear god I need to paint my toenails!

273.4! That's a loss of 2.8 from my last weigh in! I am so glad I am back on track!

October 28, 2011
Height: 5'2 (maybe I will get taller??)
Starting Weight: 281.4
Current Weight: 273.4
Total Loss: 8 lbs


Which is AWESOME because if you remember, my sis and I set a goal to be down 7 by halloween! (when I reached that, we set a goal to lose another 5 by then. Then the last two weeks happened, so that goal has been postponed... it is not healthy to lose 4 lbs in 3 days...)

As suggested by my friend and WL buddy Ashlee (see her blog here) I will be doing measurements later today, and updating my before picture :)

iPhone

After many years of dreaming and lusting over an iPhone, the day is finally here where one is mine!

Andy and I got them today, and we have already face-timed with each other from across the apartment...

Awesome.

22

After the very exciting day I had on Tuesday with by big pants, I decided to dig deeper in my closet. I pulled out a pair of size 22 pants I can't remember the last time I wore. I knew that if they didn't fit, it would be okay, and they would go back to the back of the closet.

I took them off the hanger, pulled them up and they buttoned. And zipped. And I screamed! Andy came running and I told him the pants on my ass were 22's! We the proceeded to dance around and sing "Who's in 22's, Jess is in 22's!"

I am ready to get back on the scale tomorrow and see a number that matches all of these baggy clothes!

Pinterest Challenge- Fall Edition

Today, during my usual blog reading rounds, I saw that on Young House Love, another Pinterest Challenge has been thrown down! Last time I was pretty new to Pinterest, so I chose to sit it out. But this time, it is ON!

Image from younghouselove.com

So what will I craft you ask? Well seeing as I just blogged my Pinterest love, who knows?! So many pins!! Come back Wednesday 11/2 to see!

Big Pants

(This should probably be posted on healthier, but it's a life thing too...)

This morning, I was searching for pants to wear, and I pulled out a pair from my "bottom drawer". We all know the one. The drawer where clothes that don't fit go to wait, like misfit toys. Well a pair I really like has been sitting in there for a while, at least 6 months, so I decided to try them again. The last time I pulled them out, I was not able to button them, even if I was lying on the bed, sucking in with all of my mite, with Andy pulling them together. Hence why they were in the drawer...

So I pulled them out, pulled them up and buttoned them. just. like. that.

And to my surprise, not only did they button, they were loose!

I, of course, made Andy take a picture :)

Please excuse my weird face and stomach...

:)

Power Foods

As I go through Weight Watchers, I am learning all about what foods are best for your body. This week, I am focusing on Power Foods. I get a stomach aches when I get hungry, so I really need foods that will keep me full longer, so I don't have the urge to snack. This is where power foods come in :) They are foods that keep you satisfied longer, to help you eat less.

So it is my goal this week to eat a power food at every meal. For breakfast, I am eating Oatmeal, Bananas,  and 45 calorie bread toast. All of these are power foods, and they will keep you fuller longer.

For lunch, things like potatoes, and most vegetables will fill you up. I LOVE potatoes, and a baked potato is only 3pts before you destroy it with butter and sour cream! Replace with fake butter and Plain Greek Yogurt for free :) Broccoli is also great with potatoes.

For dinner, besides potatoes, I love beans, and rice. Both of those, while added to a lean protein, makes for a very delicious, satisfying dinner.

There is nothing I love more than popcorn! Luckily for me, popcorn is a power food as well as a delicious snack! And at 3 points for 3 cups, why not much on that!?

So this week, I am going to work on incorporating power foods into my menu.

Where's the scale?

So, maybe I lied the other day. I said that on Monday, we would be back to our regularly scheduled post with the scale picture. WELL I decided that Monday weigh ins were not gonna work for me anymore. I, like most people, lose control a little on the weekends. Weighing myself after a weekend feels like a punishment. I step on the scale on Thursday or Friday for kicks, and the number is ALWAYS lower than Monday, then on Monday I have gone back up.
This roller coaster is hard on me, and I am done setting myself up for failure.

So stay tuned for a FRIDAY weigh in post!

Domain Name

Mr O and I have been looking into purchasing a domain name to host our blog (and eventually full website). The cost is pretty minimal, around $10 a year, and we can expand and do lots of things with our own website. We were just curious how many people read our blog, and would like to see more content now and in the future, entailing a full website.

Possible additions would include:

Mr O's movie reviews
Adorable pictures of our future children
More things about our life in general
Potential decorating advise, if anyone wants it... Not that I am a professional or anything...

Just overall more fun to be had :)

BUT we wanted to ask if you all think it's worth it. Would you like to see more content?
Also, please comment letting us know what you think!

PS: If you are from India or Malasia, please comment. I see we have gotten quite a few hits from you, and I wanna get to know you!

Pinterest

I have discovered something AMAZING! It is called Pinterest. Pinterest is a site that is like a virtual pin board. You find things you love on the interwebs and you "pin" them to your board. It is SO MUCH BETTER than bookmarking tons of pages! Easy to organize, and find, things you love! Lets see what I am pinning!

Home Decor Inspiration:

DIY Inspiration:

Yummy Recipes:

So go, check it out! Pin away!!

(if you need an invite, just comment and it's yours!)

3 miles of pure heart

(I apologize for the lack of weigh in this week... Monday we will be back to our regularly scheduled weigh in)

Last saturday I did something amazing. Amazing to me anyway. Over a year ago, I set the goal to "do a 5K" I didn't really have any intention of doing it for a while, when I was in shape, and could run it. But then I heard through the grapevine that there was a local 5K that would not have too many people participating so therefore would be low pressure. AND it benefited a cause close to my heart, Pre-K programs to underprivileged Kiddos. SO up my alley. So I said okay. Life presented me with this opportunity so Andy and I embarked on a journey. With NO training ( I do not recommend... btw) and some sneakers, (AND our baby nephew) we were off.

The first mile flew by. I felt great and jogged about a quarter of it. We did it in about 20 min. It went around a few blocks, so it went by pretty fast.  The 2nd mile took FOREVER! I felt like it would never end and my legs really started hurting. I really started to doubt myself in that mile. It was down a long stretch of road that seemingly had no end. All I could think about was getting to the end of that stretch. We did it in 29 min. I honestly thought I was going to pass out :( 

The last mile felt great. I got my power back and it was our fastest mile at 15 min. I ran the last quarter though the finish line, and that moment I felt amazing. Overall, I was exhausted and SORE, but it felt amazing and I can't wait to train and do it again. The shirt for this run was a 2x. The next one will be an xl, and so on and so forth until I am a smaller, better me. 

It just feels like such a great accomplishment. I never thought I could finish, and there were many times I contemplated stopping and quitting, but we never did. That's what means that this time I will succeed. It will be hard. The first mile will fly by, and the second with suck and be very hard, but getting through that will make it all worth it. Because I am strong enough, and even tho it will feel too hard to take another step, I will and I can do it. I won't quit because it's hard, or because it hurts. I will keep going. 

Pumpkin Punpkin

With the Fall season underway and the pumpkin holiday just a week and a half away, I bought a few pumpkins at the store last night. I HATE carving pumpkins, but I did pin a few painted pumpkins that I liked. So tonight after work, I taped up the pumpkin and whipped out the spray paint.

The key to spray paint is to keep your arm moving. 

Ater just one coat, I waited 5 min then peaked the first strip of paint. I wanted to peal it while it was still wet so it wouldn't peal. 

Pealed them all and here is what I got. I LOVE it! 

So that is how you get from 1 plain pumpkin to an awesome pumpkin in 10 minutes!

101 in 1001

This is something I have always wanted to do. Make 101 goals to complete in 1001 days.

Starting Date: October 15, 2011
End Date: July 12, 2014

I will be working on my list over the weekend, and you can check on my progress on the page above! I will also be writing a blog entry for each one I cross off!

To start your own, go to dayzeroproject.com for more info.

5K

Wow, I am really in disbelief that tomorrow morning I will be doing my first 5K. I have had the goal to do a 5K (and eventually run a 5K) for a long time, and it always seemed too far away!

But it's here, and I can't be more excited! I am going to drink lots of water, eat a good breakfast before hand, and go walk for a cause (funding PreK in an underprivileged part of town, btw)

In Colorado we have a 10 K run called the Boulder Boulder. I think I want to make this my next goal in the spring. And to run at least part of it!

A little project that made a BIG difference!

In my Master Bathroom, the first thing we did when we moved in was take down the doors to the toilet and the closet. They made their respective spaces feel tiny, so off they went. What we didn't think of at the time was privacy. There is no door between the bedroom and bathroom, so you have to shut the bedroom door to have any. Also having those two areas open for viewing made us self conscious about mess.

So we decided to hang a curtain instead of a door. This way we can add more texture and color into the room, but also gain that privacy. So I began searching for the perfect curtain. I wanted something yellow and gray, to match the color scheme we have in there, but also a pattern or something that would not compete with the striped walls. After months of searching, I came across these Table Cloths at Target.

Of course we didn't get the round one, its the only pic on the website I could find. I really loved that the print is small enough to not compete with the large stripes. 

So our toilet situation went from:

to

Muuuuuuch better!!

Hehehehe Silly Husband :)

Week 4- ..... I need to get my shit together

So I hopped on the scale on Monday and hopped off, and prayed my eyesight was bad. On again I went and bam, there it was.

2.2 lbs... more than last week. I honestly needed this slap in the face. I have been lazy with the plan, not tracking, and to be honest, not even eating well. I have been snacking and eating when I am bored, and I see it in red, right there. 

I think this was the inspiration that I needed to turn things around. 

October 10, 2011
Height: 5'2"
Starting Weight: 281.4
Current Weight: 276.2
Total Loss: 5.2 lbs

I can still count this as a loss, but now I have taken a step backward. My goal this week is to eat right and track everything. I am also going to follow my activity goal. This weekend, Andy and I are doing a 5K. I am very excited to achieve this goal I have set for myself. 

Lets get Physical... Physical

I decided its time to get physical  active! I have seen decent results my first 3 weeks on the program, but I know that being active is a part of it. With my job being located primarily at a desk, I am not getting the activity that I used to. Because of this, I am going to need to make it a part of my day. 

I enjoy doing Zumba and also walking and jogging on the tredmil. I went to the gym today and I walked/ jogged on the tredmil for an hour, which came out to 2.6 miles. 

I can commit to an hour of activity on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays. I will either do the tredmil or Zumba. 

Next Saturday, Andy and I will be walking a 5K. The first of many I intend to do. A goal of mine is to eventually run the full length! 

So lets get physical!

Pinterest Challenge: May 2011 Knotties Edition

I am constantly inspired by YHL, including their Pinterest Challenge earlier this summer. I am constantly pinning new things, and so are my fellow May 2011 Knotties, so I proposed a Challenge. Stop Pinning, and start doing. The deadline was today to complete.

My Pinspiration:

We have a really ugly light fixture in the dining room, and I was looking for a non-permenant fix, that also brought in more yellow. We went to Lowes and procured as many yellow paint chips as possible. Then we got a paper punch from Michaels and got punching!

And after trying to figure out the best way to attach them (Needle and thread, twine or wire) we layed them out in a pattern and taped the thread to the back. Then we stuck another circle on the other side so you didn't see the backs. 

We tied the strings to a circular wire ring, and hung it over the old light fixture. 

Tada! 

Blogger of the week: Nikki @ The Shapes of Life

This week (a bit late...) I am featuring Nikki over at The Shapes of Life. 

I met Nikki on The Knot May 2011 Brides message board. We planned our weddings together (until I moved mine up unexpectedly) and she is such an awesome woman! She has had some health troubles that have affected her weight, and I am so proud of her seeing the numbers going down!

She is also on Weight Watchers, so she is a HUGE inspiration for me! I love her blog, and how much it inspires me!

Check her out, and tell her Mrs O sent you!

Week 3- Okaaay....

This week I hopped on the scale after a rough weekend. Lets not hash out the gory details, but there was too many meals eaten out of a bag in a car, pizza and margaritas. These things, my friends, do not a large weight loss make.

But oh well.

I will have pizza and fast food in my life. And lord knows I am NOT slowing down my margarita consumption any time soon! But that is why I know Weight Watchers works for me. I can have these things, and not completely derail my life.

MAN I really need to paint my toenails!

274.4. I can take that. I am really glad it was lower than last week, but I am a bit of a weigh in cheater, and I weighed myself on thursday, before my train wreck of a weekend, and I was a pound lower than that. BUT thats why I only take the picture on mondays. That way I can't lie, and post a mid week weight that might be lower... 

October 3, 2011
Height: 5'2"
Starting Weight: 281.4
Current Weight: 274.4
Total Loss: 7 lbs!

Over all, I am pretty stinking excited! My seester set a goal for me to lose 7 lbs by Halloween and I would get some kind of awesome reward. So here it is! 

And I know I haven't been tracking it this way, but here is my progress from when I first started WW 10 months ago (then took a 7 month break from feb-sept)

Starting Weight: 285.8

Current Weight: 274.4

Total Loss: 11.4 lbs!

That sounds much better... lol

And for some measurements. When I started WW 10 mo ago:

December 16, 2010

Arms: 17 in

Hips: 53.5 in

Bust: 53 in

Waist: 51 in

Dress Size: 24

Thigh: 32

And Today:

October 3, 2011

Arms: 16 in

Hips: 52.5

Bust: 51

Waist: 47

Dress Size: 22-24

Thigh: 30

Total Change:

Arms: -1in

Hips: -1 in

Bust: -2 in 

Waist: -4 in

Dress Size: same, but a little looser 

Thigh: -2 in

So that's not too bad for 10 months / 3.5 of actually being on the program :)

An Entertainment Center, Part 2

So I am finally back with the finishing of our entertainment center. Where did I leave off....

Right, we built the entertainment center and painted it white, stained the top, and painted the back yellow. We built 4 doors, but only decided to use two, on the inside.

Okay, enough waiting, pictures!!!

The candles are Ikea and the popcorn holder (on the bottom shelf) were a wedding shower gift from Crate and Barrel.

So getting our entertainment center started the chain reaction of FINALLY getting a living room! 

We got curtains from Ikea, and the couch from Ikea too. ( and the bench behind the couch, is the bench that used to be by the stairs)

I know the stark colors might not be for everyone, but we love it. It is very bright and serene. (by the way, that is the softest, most awesome rug in the world, also Ikea. )

We also got these great little lights from Ikea. They sit on the sides of the entertainment center. At night, they provide the perfect amount of light. 

Here is our Kivik couch! Let me tell you the story of this lady! We knew we wanted a kivik, and when we finally went to get her, we checked the "as is" section first. I saw someone buying a kivik a few weeks before from the as is, for a really good discount. So we got there first thing and checked the as is. There she was, marked down from $399 for $199. Great deal! We picked up a few other things, like the curtains, and checked out. Upon loading it into the car, we realized it was a sofa bed, which is more expensive. We got online and saw this:

Holy crap! $949.00!! And I got it for $199! I guess they mismarked it when they put it in "as is" So the first thing you think is "What is wrong with it??" and the answer is, nothing. The box opened during shipping, and they can't sell an opened box, so they assembled it and stuck it in "as is". Their loss, and mistake, and our gain!

And as for how we like the couch? We LOVE it! It is very comfortable, and the seats are memory foam, so they don't sink. It is supportive for me, but soft for Andy. And its deep enough to sit with my legs crossed! AND the wide arm rests are great for sitting a computer on, or a cell phone, or even sometimes a dog :)

And when you thought this post couldn't get any longer....

I present you with my two new friends, Effectiv and Ung. I LOVE these two new additions, both from Ikea (shock!) (btw you would think this was an ad for ikea.... ) We love this mirror! I am not sure if she is going to remain white ( I see her more as a yellow) but no matter what color, we are in love with her elegance and classic lines! And our effectiv as seriously de-cluttered our lives! The top houses our printer and various office supplies, and the bottom is a file cabinet, with a lock on it for our important documents. Oh yeah the candles and tray they are on? Ikea. lol

The frame was a gift, it's one of those that slideshows pictures. 

So lets do a little before and after. 

Before:

After:

It feels way more like home! So there you have it, our living room!

:)

Come back on Thursday to check out what I did for the May 2011 knotties Pinterst Challenge!