Easter... The Preparations

Today:
go to grocery store for jelly beans
prepare strata
dye 12 eggs
iron Easter dresses

Tonight:
assemble Easter baskets
hide eggs
fill plastic eggs for outdoor hunt (yes I've decided a few buried in the snow could be a really good time occupier!)

The Easter Garland:


(Yes I realize this seems somewhat unimpressive in pics... but let me tell you each of those eggs is sewn onto the ribbon with clear thread that has been threaded onto buttons inside the eggs to keep them on... it was a LOT of work... so BEHOLD it!)

Biggest Loser Review

The time has come for me to have an official Biggest Loser chat. Some of you may know how inspirational I find this show to be. It played a major role in my weight loss motivation. I didn't just watch the Biggest Loser every week... but thanks to Tivo and The Style Network I was able to workout to past seasons several times a week. I love working out to The Biggest Loser. Whenever I felt my motivation waning I'd turn on an old BL and there was always something about that theme song that was like the call of the Sirens and in a matter of minutes I'd be on the treadmill. Well a year later it is still inspirational to me.

But enough about that what I really want to talk about is all the information that has come out this year on the show... things that had previously seemed somewhat cloaked in mystery... and of course just my general thoughts on the season.

They work out 6 hours a day.

They eat (at least the Black Team) 1500 calories a day.

The Last Chance Workout is the morning of the weigh-in.

They get a "Cheat Day" the day after weigh-in. (Now Bob said this but I'm unclear if he meant an entire day, a meal, or an item... since he was holding a giant plate of mozzarella sticks.)

This season I have found the plugs for daily vitamins and gum to be so over the top and cheesy that it takes away from the show for me.

Mark & Jay are the biggest cry babies of all time and that definitely distracts from the show for me!

I was hoping the Bernie & Brittany would fall in love... I'm still holding out for that one (yes I know he has a girlfriend!).

I'm surprised the producers let the teams get divided so unevenly once they switched to Blue vs Black.

And last but not least.... Bob is being portrayed in such a negative light this season that he kind of seems like a jerk to me now.


Any Biggest Loser thoughts?

First Day Of Spring

Yep here in Michigan that means there is still snow on the ground. Not counting the 5-10 inches we are supposed to get tomorrow!!!
And I'll have you all know that despite wanting to curl up on the floor and die today I took the girls outside to play and then... AND THEN PEOPLE... I cleaned up all the dog poop from the yard! (As hideous a job as that is it is much better than cleaning it off of shoes all spring!)

Here are the rainpants, I can't recommend them highly enough!

I'm Calling In Sick...

You know me... I'll probably be back in an hour ;)

Until then you can spend time with us the video way...

Cliffhanger

Voila!

This is a dress my mother bought for me for my 30th birthday... a good two years ago. At the time I was newly pregnant and I have no idea why she ordered it seeing as I my boobs had ballooned to 10x their natural size and I looked a good six months pregnant by the end of my first trimester (no joke). There was no possible way I could have fit in it... the bodice has boning for crying out loud. Well it has been stuck in my closet ever since. I never could try it on and I didn't know if it would ever fit. The funny thing is she bought it a size up and got me an 8 thinking I could take it in if it was too big. Too big! This is one of those crazy dress sizes because I can just zip myself in there and I'm a pretty solid size 2. Thank God she didn't get it any smaller. So this is one of those little weight loss moments for me. I can finally fit in this...



(as usual photo credits go to Kid... excuse the mess in that last shot)

Crazy, Crazy, Crazy

I stayed up late working out exactly how much money we spent last year. And let me tell you that figure kept me up ALL night! Amazingly we had just as much money come through our hands on its way from either Mr F's employers or our savings.... and the fact that that much money passed us by while barely leaving a mark (minus our house, our food, our new heating & cooling system, and of course our health) is nauseating.

I have to say I am incredibly overwhelmed with my newfound financial knowledge. I don't even know if I'm up to writing about it. Seriously overwhelmed. While I try to compose myself head on over to read Smoochiefrog's Money Monday post from yesterday.


I'm going to start with these little Furious Financial tidbits:
$4711.06 - Target (paper goods, prescriptions, clothing, gifts)
$2910.23 - Gas/Electric
$24,709.80 - Mortgage/Property Taxes (this includes a monthly overpayment)
$986.16 - Comcast telephone/highspeed internet
$676.68 - T-Mobile (we hardly even use our cells)
$7367.80 - New Furnace & Air conditioner
$3070.00 - preschool
$684.00 - extra curricular classes
$451.25 - plumbing repair
$755.64 - DirecTV
$439.15 - water bill
$285.00- life insurance for Mr F
$1728.72 - gas (for cars)
$6909.73 - groceries

This is kind of becoming fun in a weird nerdy kind of way...

Randomness Of The Day

From Mayhem...
To Manicured...

This Week The Plan

Well we've got family coming to town so I'm not going to waste too much time getting into last week. As you can imagine I've got serious cleaning to do! Although I did do a fair amount of spring clean-out this weekend, as per the norm, that doesn't mean things are actually cleaner, if anything things are slightly more out of control. I really need to buckle down and get as much done as possible the first half of the week. Sorry Kid I know I told you I'd teach you how to sew but that might need to wait until next week... I will teach you how to vacuum though ;)

Okay onto the plans...


Menu:

Monday - Meatball Soup w/ Homemade bread

Tuesday - Shrimp and Vegetable Lo Mein

Wednesday - Kid & Mr(s) Date Night

Thursday - Scallops, Asparagus & Sesame Ginger Rice

Friday - Caesar Salad & Pizza ??? Not sure what the family plans will be

Saturday - Go out????? again don't know the plans

Sunday - Easter Breakfast: Bacon & Cheese Strata, Fruit Salad, & Sweet N' Tart Muffins


Diet & Exercise:
If you've been following along then you know I've been trying to get a lot more in control in this area. You can check in with my daily food plan over in my sidebar. One day down and I do have to say that a) it is not as annoying to plan as I thought and b) although I don't follow the plan exactly I have had a lot less mindless snacks today. I got a fair amount of exercise in last week and I'm happy to say as the weather warms up I have been able to take some of it outside and get it done during the day (Yay!). With company in town for the long weekend I am planning to pump out some serious cardio early in the week.


Chores & Errands
I need to get some Easter Bunny work accomplished this week (always slightly difficult with both kids in tow) I'm not sure how I'll fit it in and I am admittedly a little stressed about it...

Monday - pay bills, organize desk, laundry & if ambitious clean kitchen

Tuesday - groceries, pick up bedrooms & if ambitious vacuum upstairs

Wednesday - groceries, vacuum downstairs, clean bathroom

Thursday - post office, bank, Bunny errands, clean playroom

Friday - company groceries

Mission Organization: Part 212

Today's mission:

Pack up all the winter clothes, gloves, scarves, hats, coats, and boots that I didn't wear this season. Let's face it if I didn't find a way to work it in this year what are the chances I'll miss it next year? Slim to none. Good bye Target holiday (subtle holiday, people, I swear) sweater I bought 4 years ago. J.Jill sweater?... yes I liked you (and your funky asymmetry and giant kilt pin) two years ago but you didn't see the light of day this year and so we have to part.

UPDATE:
Clothes to Give
Clothes to Sell
Kid's size 5 hand-me-downs
Clothes to Donate
Baby Stuff for SIL