The Age Old Question.... To Blog or NOT to Blog?

I ask myself this question every day and every day I get a different answer.   I know I don't want to completely walk away from my blog, but I need to find a way to continue that will make me happy and feel good about myself.
I have those days, weeks, months where I say, "I'm just going to walk away and forget about blogging."  I feel there is no way to keep up with all the hundred's of thousands of great blogs just in my niche alone.  How can I fit in and find my spot?  Maybe this niche isn't for me?

I know I'm not the only one in saying that I constantly am comparing my site and writing to all the others out there.   You wouldn't be human if you didn't have those thoughts or doubts.   It's a matter of getting past all that, and doing the best I can to move forward.

I've been doing this long enough to know what I have to do and how to do it.   It boils down to content, commitment and confidence.

Ya know what?   I think I just I answered my own question.  I'm not giving up.  I don't know exactly how it will all turn out in the end but i'm going to find a way.   My way!

My Thanksgiving Holiday With Price Chopper #HolidayAdvantEdge

Disclosure:

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. #CollectiveBias #HolidayAdvantEdge 

All opinions are mine alone.

Here we are, it's already November.  You know what that means... Holiday Entertaining is right around the corner.  

This year I'm doing Thanksgiving at my house.  Normally we go to my sister's in New York, but it's been a tough year for my husband and his mother with losing both my father-in-law and brother-in-law in February.   I decided we need to just stay put and keep it somewhat low key.  My mother will come up to be with us, so that'll be helpful to me (both mentally and physically.)  

I've cooked a whole Thanksgiving dinner before just never on the actual holiday.  So to say I feel a little pressure, would be an understatement!     

I know it's going to be stressful but I'm going to do the best I can and try to enjoy the day in my own home for a change.

I've already been searching Pinterest for table settings, centerpieces and recipes. I'm probably more about the decorating then the food.  I want to try to make this holiday a little more fun.  My grandson Tyler is going to be here so he'll be welcome distraction from any sadness.   

Heading out to Price Chopper is what I need to do first.   I know I'll find great ideas and sales with my AdvantEdge savings card.   Plus there is the always the Fuel AdvantEdge points that add up every time I shop.  (that never hurts, especially this time of year)

First thing I always do when walking in the door, is scan my AdvantEdge card at the kiosk.   You never know what kind of great coupons will print out.

   

 

Price Chopper has everything you need for Thanksgiving dinner.  We stick to the traditional holiday foods, turkey, stuffing, candied sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, green bean casserole,  Pillsbury crescent rolls (to scoop up any gravy left on the plate), of course some fall beer and lots of pies for dessert.   

The floral department always catches my eye.  I'm a sucker for pretty fall flowers and all the displays of plants and arrangements.     I love the orange "Rose Of The Month" for November, those would look gorgeous in a centerpiece on my table.  

Onto the rest of my groceries.... I'm picking up crescent rolls (reduced fat, because I'm trying to be somewhat good on my diet these days.)  I have a few different things I want to  make with them. Besides having them in a basket on the table with dinner, I had an idea for edible place cards and for turkey "leftovers" the next day. 

I know you must be thinking she's crazy with all those weird ingredients but just wait... it's going to a be cute, yummy and different way to serve turkey leftovers.   

But first I'm going to make edible place cards for the table settings.    Using the crescent rolls and holiday cookie cutters.   It's fun and super easy, I could even have Tyler help me.  

I just rolled the crescent out onto wax paper and pinched together the seams.    Each can comes with 8 rolls so combining 2 makes 4 squares of dough.  This way it's easy to get two shapes out off each square.  Which works perfect for me since there will be 8 of us for dinner.

Cut out each shape and place on a foil lined baking sheet.   Next I used a toothpick to sort of carve each family member's initial into the dough, then baked at 375 degrees for about 10 mins.   *Remember you're not making rolled up crescent shapes like the package, so these cook much quicker then the instructions.  I suggest you stay close to the stove and check on them every so often.

Then when they came out of the oven I used an edible pen to fill in each letter so they would show up better against the napkin.

I have old drapery rod rings with clips that I reused into napkin rings.  I had hot glued some acorns to make them more festive for the season.   Just carefully clipped the crescent place card onto each one and there ya have it.   Easy, Edible and Cute!      

   

Now I have a bonus recipe I would like to share.   I make a chicken salad that my family goes nuts over.  I normally make it with a rotisserie chicken you buy at Price Chopper but I figured it'll be even better with the leftover Thanksgiving turkey.  

Now here's the fun part,  I saw somewhere on Pinterest a mini cornucopia using crescent rolls.  I thought to myself "how perfect and cute for leftover turkey salad sandwiches." 

Using sugar cones as the form for the cornucopia...  cover them in foil.  

Then roll out the Pillsbury crescent dough (you could buy the kind that rolls out into one sheet but it's just as easy to pinch together the seams on the regular kind.) 

Then using a pizza cutter, I made six strips of the dough.   

Then wrapped each piece around the cone to form the cornucopia shape.
Baked at 375 for about 13-15 minutes.   They came out golden brown and the cone just slips right out from the crescent dough.  (You could either save the cones wrapped in foil for another project or I guess you could just put them in a ziplock back and save the pantry for ice cream!)

For the turkey salad you'll need 

*shredded or cut up turkey 

*half an apple, diced. (I leave the skin on for color)

*chopped walnuts

*diced Lindsay olives 

*2-3 tablespoons of mayo 

I just go by eye and taste, depending on how much meat I'm using

For more holiday decorating, entertaining ideas, recipes and savings check out PriceChopper.com , Facebook, Twitter  Pinterest and Instagram. 

Have a Happy Thanksgiving!  "Gobble til ya Wobble" 

The Struggle IS Real #WeightWatchers

Today marks 9 weeks since I started Weight Watchers (for the 100th time) and at tonight's weigh-in I FINALLY hit my first 10 lb goal.     Actually I lost 1.6 lbs for a total of 11.2 lbs.  At last week's weigh-in I was .4 shy of that 10 pounds and I can't tell you how unbelievably frustrating it was.

That was the hardest 11.2 pounds I've ever lost!

I'm not saying that I'm not proud or happy to have that weight off, but in my past attempts at WW it's never taken that long to lose 10 lbs.   I used to be able to lose that much weight in just a month's time, maybe even quicker.  

I'll admit that I'm not perfect with my portion controls, food choices or tracking.  But this time around I have tried harder to be better at all those things and have even adding walking regularly to my routine.    That is what has been the most frustrating!

I am aware that this time around I have more stress, health challenges, sleep issues and of course AGE working against me.

I'm not giving up.  I am going to keep pushing along.

I've decided to set goals/challenges for myself.   I'm just trying to make sure they are realistic and to somehow make them fun.   Maybe make a creative, cute board to hang over my desk?  Something like that. Something I will see every day to remind me to not give up.
I've seen on Instagram where someone had made themselves a challenge chart to run 100 miles by a certain date.   She has a board with 1-100 and she crosses off each mile she runs.   I love the idea of doing something like that.

Do you have any creative ways to help you reach a goal?   I'd love to get some ideas.    

Til next Wed..........

1st Day of Fall 2014

Happy Fall                                   Happy Autumn   

Whatever you call it, it's one of my favorite seasons.  

This year I didn't spend the day decorating my house for fall.  Instead, I took my grandson Tyler to a local farm for some traditional fall fun.
First we found our way through a mini corn maze, played on playground, saw some goats, picked out 3 of biggest pumpkins we could find and of course topped it all off with some fresh apple cider and donuts.    Is there any better way to spend a beautiful fall day?  I don't think so.

2nd day of Fall.... Decorating!    


  

Jumping Back On The Weight Watchers Wagon

Two weeks ago I joined Weight Watchers...... AGAIN.

It's probably my 6th or 7th attempt at trying the program.  But believe me when I say it's NOT Weight Watchers' fault that I've joined, dropped out, joined, dropped out, etc..etc.   I know it's 100% me and my issues with food that have prevented success in the past.  I tend to get to a point of losing 20-25lbs and then think, "I'm good, I've got this."  Yeah, no, I don't.  

Weight Watchers is one of the only diet plans I would spend money to follow.  It's more then a diet, it really does teach you to make better choices and if sometimes you don't, that's ok too. I like it because you eat normal, everyday foods.  I don't do good with strict diets where you only eat certain foods at certain times.   For me it's also about accountability, not that there's any judgement when you get weighed in at a meeting but deep down inside I want the ladies at the scale to be like "wow, good job you're down this week."   (I know I sound like a commercial or something but I swear I'm not getting paid to write this.) 

I'm one of those people that eats when I'm happy, sad, angry, stressed, bored or in social situations. So you get my drift, I eat all the time, whether I'm hungry or not.  Honestly, as I sit here writing this post all I can think about it the box of cake mix and chocolate frosting in my pantry.  "Do I make a batch of cupcakes?"   It's a real convo that goes on in my head every single day.  
So, I decided to share all about it here. I'd also love to connect with anyone who too struggles with weight loss as well.  Support and knowing you're not the only one with crazy food thoughts is just as important in this whole journey.

Since I started Sept. 3rd I've lost a total of 5.2 lbs.   I wish it was more, I know it could be more.   This week I'm going to focus on tracking my food more consistently.  It's always been something I don't do well with, which might have a lot to do with why I haven't been as successful as I could be.  

 

Sunday Style - Loving The "Beachy, Shabby Chic, Rustic Cottage" Style

I can't believe summer is coming to an end.  I didn't get nearly as much done as I had hoped.  While we did get two vacations in, it went by way too fast.  As far as I'm concerned there's never enough time for hanging out by the pool, sitting on the beach or just doing fun stuff with family and friends.  

While on our beach vacation at the Connecticut Shore my mother, sister and I stopped into a cute little shop called Grace in Niantic.  Ahh, it was so gorgeous in there. I spent over an hour just walking around looking at everything. I can't explain why, but it's just very soothing to me.  I'm bummed my phone battery had died or I would have taken a bunch of pictures to share with you. They have everything from clothing, accessories, gifts, home decor...you name it, you could find in there.   I could have done some real damage if I had a bottomless wallet.  (No, this is a sponsored post of any kind.  I just really loved the store) It wasn't just the items themselves, it was the whole "feeling" you got from just being in there.  It was that mix of new pretty things with weathered wood furniture and random antique objects.   It really got me thinking about that beachy, shabby chic, rustic cottage kinda style of decorating.  I absolutely love it when I see it in magazines, online, on tv and in person like at Grace but I'm not confident enough that I could pull it off in my own home.  Maybe one when I live by the water and there's no dirty boys or men around.  A girl can dream, right?    

Until then I thought I share some of my favorite rooms inspired by that "beachy, shabby chic, rustic cottage" kinda style. If there is such a thing?  

This living room is done by Joanna and Chip Gaines from the HGTV show Fixer Upper.  

Photo HGTV.com

Traditional Kitchen by Elk Grove Village Carpet & Flooring Signature Innovations LLC

Beach Style Bedroom by London Furniture & Accessories Cabbages & Roses Ltd

Other

Wordless Wednesday - Back to School 2014 - The Year of Milestones

It's a good thing it's "Wordless Wednesday" because I can not express into words my emotions this week.    

Saturday I moved  Nicholas into his new dorm to start his senior year of college.  So proud of this kid!

Then today was Thomas' 1st day of high school.  He had a great day, but can't believe my little man is turning into a young man.   

And as if those weren't big enough milestones for me to handle, my grandson Tyler started kindergarten today as well. Tyler started his little life as a 4lbs 5oz premie and has come a long way.  Although he still has some struggles to overcome, he's a happy little dude!