Hello...Is This Thing On??

Please forgive me for the looooonnnggg absence.  Consider it a mix of me needing a break and just being lazy.  Oh and on vacation.

I was fortunate to be able to join B on his work trip, meeting up in Germany then heading to Prague.  It was awesome.  I am also extremely lucky to have a mom who is willing and able to come and watch the kiddos while I go off, gallivanting around the globe (thanks Mommy!).

Germany was fun, the people are nice and the food is delicious.  As was the beer....

Look at me, enjoying this authentic German beer.

Prague was gorgeous and full of friendly people and old world charm.  And I was full of wine and foie gras.

Needless to say, I have been on vacation with my eating habits and my waistline has paid dearly for it.  I look forward to getting back to some healthier and cleaner eating (and being able to fit into my pants again!).

The 5-Day Juice Fast, My Summary

So, having gone through 6.7 days of juice fasting, I thought I would share a little summary of my pros and cons.  You can read about my actual experiences here and here.

Cons:

- Obviously the hunger.  Made even worse by the fact that I still had to feed my kids and then sit there and watch them eat.  Torture at times.

- The mess.  Juicing is messsssssyyyyyy.  Aside from all the prep you need to do for the produce, the juicer itself constantly needs cleaning.  And it is kind of a pain.  Not to mention the tiny bits of veggie pulp that go flying everywhere that I am still finding.  

- Those days when you feel like absolute hell....tired, weak, grumpy, exhausted.  Ugh.  Combined with hunger?  Kill me now, please.

- The cost.  You need a ton of produce.  Which can get really expensive.  Plus a juicer, which isn't exactly cheap.

- Not conducive to a social life.  I mean, you can't really go out for dinner and bring your juice...you know?

Pros:

- The weight loss factor.  For me (because I am vain), this is the biggest pro.  My starting weight was 147.  My ending weight was 141.8. However, I think a good portion of this was water weight....I definitely have added some back.  And I would not consider this a permanent or sustainable method of weight loss, unless you are prepared to make some serious lifestyle changes when you are done.

- The health factor.  I mean, you are getting super doses of all those veggie and fruit vitamins and nutrients.  All while avoiding the crap food you normally consume.  

So...for the future....

My takeaways from this...I did like the idea of getting more fruit and veggie nutrients, so i do see myself adding in more vegetarian meals.  And it was nice to kind of re-set my eating and drinking habits.  There were several juices that I did like, so I do think I will sub one of those for a meal or snack, especially after a booze/sugar/processed food binge.

A new (to me) breakfast...apples and blueberries sautéed in coconut oil with a little cinnamon.

As to whether or not I would attempt another fast...I have no major health or weight issues, so I don't really need one.  And I am thinking I didn't experience the same benefits as people who actually needed one.  I guess I am not sure....maybe?  But definitely not any time soon.  I am enjoying masticating way too much to try it again now.

Another juicing-inspired meal...pineapple, tomatoes, and 1/2 a baked sweet potato with salt, cumin, smoked paprika, and chipotle chili powder.

The Five-Day Juice Fast, My Juicing Diary, continued...Days 4-5 (+6-7??)

Continuation from here....

Day 4:

Seriously.... I feel pretty good. Almost like I am buzzing with energy.  I even woke up this way, almost like...dare I say it...I had turned into a morning person.  I still had my morning cup of coffee, but only because I wanted it and I enjoy it...not because I needed it.  I now see what all the hooplah is about.  Also, I can tell my stomach bloat has definitely gone down.  My gut fat roll is no longer hanging over my shorts quite the way it was.

Yes, I am still a bit hungry.  And yes, those chips in the pantry do look good, but not as good as before.  Maybe it has something to do with how good I feel, maybe I really have flushed out the toxins (still skeptical on this part), but I think it more so has to do with how proud I feel. Like I can't believe I stuck with this crazy plan and actually haven't chewed anything for 4 whole days (well, except for that one moment of weakness with the taffy, but we won't count that).  Proud that I didn't give up, and proud that I no longer feel the need to ruin this accomplishment (or whatever you want to call it).

The makings of "lunch."  Look at all that vegetabley goodness.

It is weird to me to think that tomorrow is supposed to be the last day....I am contemplating going to a 7-day fast instead.  I think I will make it a last minute decision tomorrow, depending on how I feel and how much longer I want to avoid using my teeth.

Day 5:

I did it!!!  I made it to day 5, my goal date.  Woot!  Feeling decent.  I would be feeling a lot better if my day hadn't started off with an orange and red cabbage drink.  It is the equivalent of drinking liquified hot rotting garbage.  I couldn't finish it.  And now I feel like I am going to vom.  Not good at all.  On the bright side, my stomach looks so much better....much flatter, so I've got that going for me.  Oh, and B informed me that he lost 11 lbs.  What a dick.

We decided since we are starting to notice results weight-wise, and feeling pretty good, we are going to extend to a 7-day fast.  We hit the grocery last night and stocked up on produce.  Bring on 2 more days!

Day 6:

MAN DOWN, MAN DOWN!!  We have a man down!

The meal that did him in....

This morning, the 7-day fast and I lost B to the lure of eggs and toast.  Truthfully, I can't blame him.  After last nights torture of watching the kids eat tacos and garlic creamed corn, I almost broke myself.  And B didn't really need to lose any weight to begin with...I am sure he wasn't getting enough calories, and I know he was concerned about protein and muscle loss.  So I don't blame him too much.  

I plan on sticking with this today (the day is almost half over, I can do this!), but I am not sure I will be able to fully complete tomorrow.  I am tired of not eating, and I am bored with this juicing adventure.  We will see....

Day 7:

Breakfast, check.  Lunch...no problem.  Afternoon time...and I am done.  I am hungry.  And I can no longer resist those wasabi almonds.  And all I can think about is a baked sweet potato (wierd).  So....almost 7 days.  I might still have a juice for dinner and dessert, but I guess I am no longer juice-fasting.  The end.

Just kidding, I am going to follow up with a summary.

The 5-Day Juice Fast, My Juicing Diary, Days 1-3

Remember that one time you decided to watch the film Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead, and then ended up convinced that you too needed to purchase a juicer and do a juice cleanse?  No?  I do.

So...we have this habit where pretty much every single night, B and I put the kids to bed and then retire to the couch to watch t.v.  Lately, we have been on a documentary kick, and one of those was the above show (Warning: do not watch unless you want to end up convinced you need to purchase a juicer and do your own juice cleanse).

What can I say...I am very susceptible to the power of suggestion.  This is why I have to mute commercials.

Anyways, I bought this juicer from Kohls.com (on super mega sale, plus a 30% off coupon so I wasn't tooooo invested in this hair-brained scheme).  And B and I decided to do a 5-Day Reboot, where we consume nothing but juices for 5 straight days.  Oh, and coffee, because I am not giving up coffee.  Nor do I have any plans to EVER give up coffee.  Coffee is the life-blood of champions. But I drink it black...so no sugar or dairy, I mean....it is vegan so it can't be too unhealthy, right?

Before starting the official fast, I was supposed to start eliminating alcohol, grains, meat, dairy, and processed foods from my diet.  I did nothing of the sort.  In fact, leading up to starting this, I was even more unhealthy than usual.  Starting this totally cold-turkey and hoping my food detox isn't terrible.

Here is my captain's log of this crazy plan......days 1-3, cause this is getting loooonnnng.

Day 1:

Weight:  147 lbs...yikes!

So, first off...It was a big mistake not to get rid of all those salty and sweet processed foods in the pantry (helloooo salt water taffy and chili cheese fritos).  But I do need to feed the kids too.  And I need to learn to resist this junk better, so I plan on exercising some will-power.

Desperation mode....I just put a piece of taffy in my mouth.  But I chewed it a few times then spit it out....I am still good, right?  Also, I definitely stuck my face in that bag of fritos and just inhaled.  But I decided they smelled gross...so we're o.k.

Day 1 lunch...a mean green (kale, celery, cucumber, apple, lemon, ginger)

Overall, I felt decent, but by the end of the afternoon I did feel a little tired and cranky.  I also had some mild-medium headaches throughout the day.  I discovered that if my head was hurting, drinking a juice helped it go away.  I think I will just drink more juices on the upcoming days if my head starts hurting again.  My favorite part of the day was dessert/nighttime snack.  Holy crap was that delicious (grapes, blueberries, mint).  I think I can make it through another day with something like that to look forward to.

Day 2:

I woke up feeling ok, but still tired and groggy.  Perhaps it is the juice effects, or perhaps it is the getting woken up in the middle of the night by a screaming L who has decided she is afraid of sleeping (seriously, she is slowly killing me).  And this is why I refuse to give up coffee.

Here is where today totally sucked...I am huuuuunnngggry.  I mean the "my kids are starting to look tasty" kind of hungry.  Stomach growling licking the insides of my juice glasses hungry.  Tomorrow, more tea and hot lemon water is the plan.  Supposedly the first 3 days are the hardest, and then the magical juicing power kicks in and you feel all sorts of wonderful and energized. We will see.

Day 3:

According to some of the reading I did, this is supposedly the worst day.  I concur.  I woke up feeling like shiiiiit.  Queasy, shaky, headache, tired, like i am in a fog and can't think straight....blahhhhh.  The upside is I am feeling so gross that the thought of a cheeseburger (or food in general) makes my stomach turn.  Also, this mornings breakfast juice was a beet concoction, so that probably isn't helping. I don't like beets, and juicing them does not make them any better.  Yuck!

Mmmnnnnnnn.....beet-ey.  Like drinking a big glass of dirt.

As the afternoon went on, I felt a little better, but still definitely tired and a little cranky.  I am planning on taking the kids to the pool.  Thank god they have lifeguards there, because I don't think I have the energy to jump in and save them, if needed.  Another negative here is that i have this constant "scummy" feeling in my mouth...like no amount of toothbrush scrubbing will clean these teeth.

On the bright side, I do feel considerably less bloated, so I might just not automatically reach for my matronly one-piece....gasp! And dessert tonight is the blueberry-grape juice, woohoo!

To be continued for days 4-5, plus my final summary....

Party Time...L & J Turn 4

I thought I would do a quick re-cap of the kids' 4th birthday party.  For whatever reason, they both insisted on a golf theme.  I was pushing for a circus theme, but whatever....it wasn't my day, so I went with it.

For activities, we had a decorate-your-own golf visor station.  My niece and J especially looked spectacular in theirs.

B built a mini-golf course in the backyard.  The weather sucked and it was freezing, so it didn't get as much play as it should have, but I still think it turned out friggin' adorable.

And of course no party would be complete without a bounce house....

My favorite part is always the food (B did the streamer wall...didn't he do a great job?).

For this party I served:

Terra Chips

Pita Chips with Spinach Dip

Beef Tenderloin with Roasted Garlic Horseradish Cream and Rolls

Poached Salmon with Tarragon-Herb Mayonnaise

Hot Dogs

Sugar Snap Peas with Orange, Mint, and Goat Cheese

Orzo Pasta Salad

Fruit Salad

(If you want a recipe for any of this stuff, just let me know.  I am more than happy to share.)

And to finish it all off...the cakes and these adorable sugar cookies we handed out as favors.

J's cake was banana layer cake with chocolate hazelnut buttercream filling and vanilla swiss meringue buttercream frosting and L's cake was cherry chip layer cake with cherry chip buttercream filling and cherry swiss meringue buttercream frosting (pink, pink, pink!).

When all is said and done, I think it turned out great (despite the weather) and I actually really liked the golf theme idea.  These kids are geniuses.

And I leave you with these adorable photos....

Life Via the Camera Roll

Sorry for the absence....I have been busy being not busy lately.  Spending time at the pool, playing with the kids and neighbors, and trying to get as much out of summer as I can.  I have also been preoccupied getting ready for the kids' 4th birthday party (OMG, 4 years already!).  So here is a photo download of all sorts of goings-on in my life....

Getting to hang with my adorable niece and nephew and taking them to magical places such as Culvers, complete with face-painting clowns.

I have been rocking my recent JCP sale purchases a ton lately.  Both of these are from the Joe Fresh line.  Seriously, I can't say it enough, if you haven't checked out JCP recently, you need to.  They have lots of adorable things for cheap cheap cheap.  Also, J took the second photo.  Gotta make these kids earn their keep somehow.

I also got to enjoy a wonderful date night with B to celebrate my birthday.  And I finally got a chance to wear the dress B surprised me with for our Anniversary.  Annnndddd....I tried out fake lashes for the first time ever.  I picked up some cheap ones from Walgreens, watched a couple YouTube videos on how to apply them, and gave it a go.  It was actually fairly easy and a fun/cheap way to add some glamour. I will definitely be trying these again.

Check out these sleeves....just like Stevie Nicks.

 

And look at these lashes.....just don't look at all my wrinkles.

And lastly, we have had our friends daughter visiting from California this week.  I love this kid...she keeps L and J occupied, and I put her to work helping me make these adorable sugar cookies (favors for the party).

Things I'm Loving Lately....

This ranch dressing.  Finally a healthy low-fat, low-cal ranch that actually tastes good.  I can't wait to try other varieties....

Sassy poses for the camera....

How great these bug cakes turned out for my niece and nephew...

Long, lazy days at the pool....

Breakfast with the sheriff...

Movie dates with the munchkins...

And basically all the wonderful things I've got going on right now.  Sometimes it feels good to focus on the good things....

So Many Reasons to Celebrate

I am recovering from an awesome week full of all sorts of celebrating.

It all started on Wednesday when I met my friend for a girl's night wine tasting. It was a small one at a local family-owned restaurant, it included food pairings, and it was amazing.  I used it as an opportunity to re-try these ankle pants. I think it was a slight improvement...

Next up was the weekend which included a celebration of B's birthday, Mother's Day, and our 7 year wedding anniversary. To commemorate this momentous occasion we spent a child-free night at a hotel downtown (where they treated us to an awesome room upgrade and a wonderful bottle of champagne)....

A chance to get dressed up (B actually surprised me with an awesome dress as an anniversary gift, but sadly it was frrreeeezing out, so I had to go with something winter-y. Stupid Chicago weather). Shoes and necklace are from Target, dress is from my Mom. She got it from a little boutique store in MI. It is the same one I wore for NYE.....

And a fancy-foodie dinner out with friends....

We came home to in time for me to spend some Mother's Day couch-time with these 2 munchkins, and ended the weekend with a super 5$ Little Ceasar's pizza dinner.

And not to get all sappy, but 7 years ago today I made the best decision of my life. I am not sure I could make it in this world without you, B. Thanks for being my everything.

(Not Really) Meal Plan Monday....

Really what I have today is a bunch of randomness. This week is hectic with schedules and I won't get to the store until Thursday so my meal plan includes things like: eggs and toast, grilled cheese and soup, pasta, and me just being lazy.

Instead, what I have for you is a couple of beauty-related things (sorry to my male readers).

First, check out this picture L keeps pulling out of the drawer and placing around the house. I think she is trying to keep me motivated. This is B and I in Hawaii, and I was about 15-20 lbs lighter than my heaviest. Ha! Thanks to this chubby little reminder, I have kept up with my workout plan (at least 3x a week) for two weeks now. I know it doesn't seem like much, but when you dislike working out as much as I do, that is an accomplishment.

Next up, an outfit I wore for dinner and a movie with a friend. I felt like getting dressed up, so I pulled out this skirt and paired it with a cardigan-worn-as-a-shirt and some leopard heels for some sass.  Please excuse the mess behind me, I am in the process of cleaning out the guest room closet.  It is a disaster.

And finally....check out what I have for you! A mascara smack-down! This is a comparison between L'Oreal Double Extend Mascara (in blackest black) and Benefit They're Real Mascara (in black).

The DE Pros:
DE is the clear cost winner, it will run you about 10$ in drugstores and can be found cheaper depending on sales. From a distance, this definitely makes my lashes look dark, long, and full. The color is very dark black, and there is plenty of drama. It is easy to remove, wipes off with my face makeup remover wipes, no problem.

The TR Pros:

This makes my lashes look dark, longer, and full. There is zero clumping, and it separates my lashes and seems like it coats each one. The color is not quite as dark as the DE, but the difference is negligible. I have been using the same tube for about 6 months and so far, no issues with drying out. The staying power on this incredible. Like almost permanent. It definitely lasts all day.

The DE Cons:
As far as application goes, DE is a 2-step process so it takes a little bit longer and you need to make sure you get all the white "primer" covered. I have been using it occasionally for about a month and it is now starting to dry out. I also think it clumps a little bit. Wear-time on this is about 6 hours, then I notice it starts flaking off. If I apply this in the morning, there is none left when i get ready for bed.

The TR Cons:
First, the price. This will set you back 23$ at Sephora...ouch. This stuff is impossible to get off. I have to really wipe with my my makeup remover cloth, and it doesn't get it all. It usually takes an eye makeup remover solution, then the wipe, and even after that I will sometimes wake up with raccoon eyes. Also, if you rub your eyes, be prepared for some major mascara circles.

And now for some extreme close-ups of my eyeballs. I took these on different days and didn't wear any other makeup to keep it even. The mascara is only applied to the top lashes, and I didn't curl them or do any other sort of prep. DE is first, TR is second in the pictures.

Conclusion:
Despite the price, I think Benefit They're Real is the winner. It drives me crazy to take it off, but I prefer the way my lashes still look "natural" and not all clumped. Plus the staying power is hard to beat. If you can splurge, go for it. My next plan is to compare this to Maybelline Falsies mascara, which was my previous go-to mascara choice.

I Think My Daughter Might Be Turning Goth, and an OOTD

Yes. I fear that My girly-girl-pink-loving-princess-obsessed-refuses-to-wear-pants L is headed down the path of black. I started noticing it around Christmas....singing carols would randomly turn into her belting out some sort of Halloween song. "Weird," I thought to myself.

Then the obsession began...constantly begging to see the "This Is Halloween" song (from The Nightmare Before Christmas) or the "Dracula" song. I thought it was harmless...I didn't know it was a gateway song.

Now she asks for stories at night about Princess L gets married to Jack Skellington. And then there was this jewel of a conversation:

L: My grandma and grandpa and doggie are all dead. They died. (um, they're not)
Me: Oh my, I am sorry to hear that. That is too bad. How did that happen?
L: You did it.
Me: I did?
L: Yeah. You made them eat too much food and you hurt their bellies.
Me: (a mix between shocked and amused) I did??? Really?
L: Yeah. And you smashed their birthday cakes.

And I smashed their birthday cakes??!!? What an evil bi-yatch I must be.

I promptly purchased her a pair of pink ballet slippers to try and steer her in the opposite direction. I think a trip to Disney World to see Cinderella might be in order.

In other news, I have been sick for what seems like forrrrrrrevvver. Which means I have been living in PJs inside the house, and workout pants when I leave the house (because I think they make it look like I just worked out. Therefore I have a reason to look like ass). This is actually what wore for Christmas day dinner. I picked this dress up at Kohls for like 22$. And I totally lack imagination liked it so much I went and got the same one in black. It it super comfy and, I think, universally flattering. Plus, it has short sleeves, so I can wear it year round. And look! I mixed patterns! Because in my boring mind a leopard print belt and diamond patterned tights counts as mixing patterns. Baby steps.