Week 28

Weight Loss- (29 to go)    I lost two pounds this week :)

 

Recipes- (16 to go) Nothing new this week.

Movies- (1 to go) We saw Tammy at the movies this week.  It was pretty funny, but I feel like if you've seen one Melissa McCarthy movie, you've seen them all.  I love her, and think she is very funny.  I just wish she didn't play the same character in all of her movies.  Having said that it was still pretty funny. 

Books- (18 to go)  This week I finished two books, Diary of a Wimpy Kid Dog Days and The Surprise Attack of Jabba the Puppet.  I'm starting to get a little bored with both of these series, but am committed to finishing them this summer.

Week 27

Weight Loss- (31 to go)    I lost three pounds this week.  It would have been more, but yesterday was a holiday, so you know how that goes.  I also signed up for a race.  The race is in August, so I have one month to get ready for that.

 

Recipes- (16 to go) I made shoestring tuna salad this week.  My aunt has always made it for her cookouts, so I thought I would give it a try.  It turned out pretty good.  Recipe is on my Pinterest wall.

Movies- (2 to go) I saw two movies this week, which puts me only two away from one of my 34 goals.  I saw Enemy with Jake Gyllenhaal.  It was OK.  It was one of those movies that at the end you turn to the person next to you and say, "OK what just happened?"  I also went to the movies this week with my mom and saw Jersey Boys.  I wanted to see it because I saw the stage version.  It was once again just OK.  It started off slow, but started to pick up about halfway through.  Warning, the songs will be in your head for days to follow. 

Books- (20 to go)  This week I finished Diary of a Wimpy Kid The Last Straw.  You would think based on that title, it would be the last book in the series.  Nope there are still a few more.  My reading has slowed down since vacation.  Hopefully, it will pick up again now that vacation and the holiday are over.

Week 26

Weight Loss- (34 to go)    I gained all my weight back on vacation, so that's good :(

 

Recipes- (17 to go) Vacation

Movies- (4 to go) We saw A Million Ways to Die in the West before we left for vacation.  It was pretty terrible. 

Books- (21 to go)  Vacation

Week 25

Weight Loss- (28 to go)    I walked 9.65 miles this week.  I ate at home more this week until yesterday rolled around when I hung out with the relatives all day and we ate out twice.  I still don't have much willpower when going out to eat.

 

Recipes- (17 to go) This week I tried my hand at apple pie for the first time.  It wasn't perfect.  I got the recipe out of a diner cookbook.  I am going to play with the recipe to try and make it my own.  I also made cheesy potato casserole (potatoes, mayo, sour cream, cheese, onions, bacon).  It was cheap, easy, and delicious.  Now that's my kind of cooking!

Movies- (5 to go) Nothing new this week. 

Books- (21 to go)  I finished two books this week.  I finished Diary of a Wimpy Kid Roddrick Rules (book 2 in the series) and The Secret of the Fortune Wookie (book 3 of the Origami Yoda Series).  Like I said after I finished the first book, I see why the Wimpy Kid series is so popular with 4th graders.  The books are funny, quick reads.  The Origami Yoda series is similar to Wimpy kid in that it is written in the form of a journal with drawings.  It is not as funny, but still good, and a lot of the references will be lost on kids who are not into Star Wars.  Fortune Wookie was my favorite of the first three.  What am I reading now?  That's right, the next books in both of these series.

Week 24

Weight Loss- (28 to go)    This week was kind of mixed.  The food eating was terrible.  We had a party on Wednesday and have been eating the leftovers ever since.  I have also gotten into the habit of going out for lunch which needs to stop.  I got in some walking.  I didn't walk every day because it was very rainy this week.  Yesterday I walked for over 6 miles which is the farthest I have ever gone.

 

Recipes- (19 to go) On Monday I tried making pulled pork in the slow cooker (see recipe on my Pinterest wall).  It was pretty good and it made a lot.  I will try it again some day. 

Movies- (5 to go) I am almost at my movie goal.  I knew this would be the first one I hit, because I watch movies a lot, not as much as I used to, but probably still more than the average person.  This week I watched two.  The first was Jobs, which is about Steve Jobs, the creator of Apple computers.  I had low expectations because it stars Ashton Kutcher and it is hard to take him seriously, but it was surprisingly good.  The second movie was 12 Years a Slave.  It was pretty interesting, and hard to watch in some parts.  I liked it, but it is not the type of movie I would buy to watch over and over again.

Books- (23 to go)  I finally read the first Diary of a Wimpy Kid book this week.  As a fourth grade teacher for 8 years, I of course have known all about these books for years, but have never picked one up to see what the big deal is.  I now see it.  These books are really funny.  I think these would be good for trying to get a reluctant reader into reading.  How the book is set up makes it a fast read and obviously they are not too deep, so it would be easy for a weaker reader to follow, but still good enough for a strong reader to enjoy.  I also can see where a teacher could use this book to launch many writing assignments.  Great book for kids 9-12 years old. 

Week 23

Weight Loss- (28 to go)    Kicked my summer vacation off to a good start this morning.  I went on a 5.11 mile walk.

 

Recipes- (20 to go) Nothing new this week. 

Movies- (7 to go) This week I saw The Last Samurai.  I liked it more than I though considering I do not like Tom Cruise.  I also watched The City of Ember with my class.  It wasn't that great.  It didn't follow the book, and it wasn't that they cut stuff out (all movies do that), but they changed stuff just to change it which drives me crazy.

Books- (24 to go)  I finished City of Ember this week.  It's about an underground city and two kids who are trying to discover if there is a world outside of their city.  It was really good.  My students enjoyed it too.  I recommend it to 4th-6th graders. 

Week 22

Weight Loss- (28 to go)   If you look at the last few weeks of this blog, you can see that I haven't been very dedicated to my goals lately.  I have still been posting to stay in the habit, but I haven't been doing anything to meet my goals.  I am ready to get refocused.  Next week is the last week of school before summer vacation.  I need to get it into my head that making these goals is my "job" this summer.  As far as weight loss, I have gained a couple of the pounds that I have lost back, but on a positive, Brian and I have been going for more walks lately.

 

Recipes- (20 to go) On Monday I made fried pickles.  The recipe can be found on my Pintrest wall.  They were delicious, but obviously something that I won't make too often do to the high fat content :) 

Movies- (9 to go) Nothing New

Books- (25 to go)  This morning I finished the kid's book I Funny by James Patterson.  I loved this book, and think it is perfect for boys from about 10-14 years old.  It's about a kid in a wheelchair who is trying to be a stand up comedian.  The chapters were short, and there were a lot of illustrations, so it went by fast.  I am also reading City of Ember (I'm about half way done) and I just checked a Jodi Picoult book out of the library the other day (I figure now that summer is here, it is time to read some adult books).

Week 21

Weight Loss- (28 to go)   I haven't even been stepping on the scale lately.  I am hopping now that school is winding down, I can get focused on walking.

 

Recipes- (21 to go) Nothing new. 

Movies- (9 to go) Yesterday we saw Godzilla.  I was more into it than I thought.  It was nonstop action from the start.

Books- (26 to go)  Nothing new

Week 20

Weight Loss- (28 to go)   Nothing again this week.

 

Recipes- (21 to go) This week I made fiesta dip which is sour cream, cheese, ranch powder, and Rotel tomatoes.  It was good and people seemed to like it more than my 7 layer dip which is good because it is a lot easier to make :) 

Movies- (10 to go) Yesterday we rented Ride Along and August: Osage County.  Ride Along was OK.  Nothing super funny.  August: Osage County was a little bit difficult to watch just because it was so depressing, but it was filled with strong performances, and for once just a realistic family story with no special effects thrills.

Books- (26 to go)  Nothing new. 

Week 19

Weight Loss- (28 to go)   No weight loss this week.  It was a stressful week that include us having no refrigerator which means I ate out a lot.

 

Recipes- (22 to go) Nothing new this week, but we are getting our new refrigerator today.  Maybe that will inspire me to cook :) 

Movies- (12 to go) Nothing New

Books- (26 to go)  I finished Phineas MacGuire Gets Slimed by Frances O'Rourk Dowell.  It was OK.  The only reason why I read it was because it came with our reading series.  I read it completely, but my class is only about halfway through.  They seem to enjoy it.

Week 18

Weight Loss- (28 to go)   Ugh!  I was doing so good and then this week happened.  I ate terribly and didn't go for a walk once.  I blame it on the stress of ISTEP testing and the fact that it was cloudy and rainy all week.  I need to find a way to get my motivation back this weekend.

 

Recipes- (22 to go) Nothing new this week. 

Movies- (12 to go) I went to the movies twice this week. Brian and I saw the new Johnny Depp movie, Transcendence.  It was interesting, but confusing.  My favorite thing about this movie (besides Johnny Depp of course) was that it was actually something new, which Hollywood doesn't seem to be doing much of.  The other movie I saw this week was The Other Woman.  I am not a Cameron Diaz fan at all, but this was actually fun to watch.  I watched it with a group of ladies, which I think helped.  I think if it was just Brian and I it wouldn't have been as entertaining.  In fact, I think guys will hate this movie.

Books- (27 to go)  I finished the first book in the 39 Clues series.  It was a good kids adventure book.  I might read a few more, but there are a ton of these books and saying I will read the whole series seems like a large commitment.  I feel like I need to give up or start over on A Wrinkle in Time.  I was reading that at the same time as 39 Clues, and they both have fantasy elements in them which had me confused, and now I have no idea what is going on in A Wrinkle in Time.

Week 17

Weight Loss- (28 to go)   No weight loss this week.  Too much Easter fun.

 

Recipes- (22 to go) I made an egg casserole Easter morning (recipe on my Pinterest board).  I didn't love it.  I used Bob Evan's sausage and it didn't taste good with the other ingredients. 

Movies- (14 to go) I watched Frozen this week.  It was really good.  I haven't gotten the music out of my head all week.

Books- (28 to go)  I am reading three books right now (A Wrinkle in Time, 39 Clues, and Get Slimed).  I should hopefully finish one this week.

Week 16

Weight Loss- (28 to go)   I am still down 7 pounds.  I did not lose or gain any weight this week.  I am OK with that.  We had company over for dinner last Saturday night and we have been eating the leftovers ever since, so I am surprised I didn't gain weight.  Last Saturday I went for a 5 mile walk, and that felt pretty good.  I am going to try to do that once a week.  I am going to enjoy Easter tomorrow and then it is back to the weight loss grind on Monday.

 

Recipes- (23 to go) Last weekend I tried two new recipes (both on my Pinterest board).  I made country glazed carrots and taffy apple salad.  Neither one of these turned out great, but I will try both of these recipes again.  I feel like if I play around with them I will get them right :) 

Movies- (15 to go)  We saw two new movies this week.  We saw Captain America at the theater, which I loved.  I think it is one of my favorite super hero movies.  It was very well done.  We also rented Delivery Man with Vince Vaughn.  I did not like it at all.  I am glad it only cost me a dollar to rent :)

Books- (28 to go)  I am in the middle of the first book in the 39 Clues series and A Wrinkle in Time.

Week 15

Weight Loss- (28 to go)   Finally!!!!!  The scale moved this week.  I lost 4 pounds this week.  I haven't been following a strict diet.  I have just been eating less and going for walks.  Next week should be interesting.  We have a lot of Easter celebrations to attend to.  As long as I keep my walks going I should be OK.

 

Recipes- (25 to go) Nothing new this week, but I am sure with the holiday that won't be the case next week. 

Movies- (17 to go)  Nothing this week, but I am planning on going to the movies tomorrow.

Books- (28 to go)  I am about half way through the first book in the 39 Clues series.

Week 14

Weight Loss- (31 to go)   I feel pretty good this week.  I lost a pound, I started eating better, and going for walks.  I need to keep going and not get frustrated with the scale.  The scale isn't moving much, but I feel better.  I am doing Ringing in the Spring this morning.  I will probably end up walking most of it.

 

Recipes- (25 to go) Nothing new this week. 

Movies- (17 to go) We rented Anchor Man 2 this week.  It was just as dumb as I was expecting.  There were a few laughs, but that's about it.

Books- (28 to go)  Didn't get much reading in this week.

Week 13

Weight Loss- (32 to go)   Ugh!  Didn't lose any weight this week like I was hoping.  I did pretty good at home, but we went out to eat a lot this week.  At least I didn't gain I guess.

 

 

Recipes- (25 to go) This week I made Crockpot chicken and stuffing (see recipe on my Pintrest wall).  It was chicken, stuffing, green beans, and then the gravy.  It was very good.  It tasted like Thanksgiving dinner except with chicken instead of turkey of course. 

Movies- (18 to go) This is crazy, but I did not watch one movie on spring break.

Books- (28 to go)  I finished two books this week.  I finished Maximum Ride by James Patterson.  This is a series of fantasy books geared towards teenagers.  I gave it a shot because one of the girls in my class is obsessed with the series, but I was underwhelmed.  Even though some of my students have been checking this out of the library, I would save it for middle school or high school kids.  I also finished Stone Fox.  Oh my goodness!  I was not expecting that ending.  This book is perfect for 3rd and 4th graders.  I think I am going to use it for a book club book in my classroom.  It was good and a quick read.  It's a little chapter book that I finished in less than one hour.

Week 12

Weight Loss- (32 to go)   Same as last week, but my back is finally feeling back to normal and I am on Spring Break, so I plan on getting back into exercise this week. 

 

Recipes- (26 to go) Nothing new to report. 

Movies- (18 to go) Last Sunday Brian and I went to the movies and saw 300 Rise of An Empire.  It was OK.  Typical guy movie.

Books- (30 to go)  I finished two books this week.  I finished The Misadventures of Edgar and Allan Poe Book 1.  It was pretty good.  I think boys 10-13 years old are the perfect audience for this book, but having said that I enjoyed it too.  There were a lot of references in this book that kids would not get, which made it enjoyable for me.  This week I also finished reading How to Steal a Dog to my class.  They really enjoyed it.  It is about two homeless kids who come up with a plan to steal a dog, so they can collect the reward money.  My 4th graders loved it!  I should finish Maximum Ride this weekend, and last night I bought book 1 in the 39 Clues series, because I keep seeing the boys in my class with this book and I want to see what it is all about.

Week 11

Weight Loss- (32 to go)   My back is still messed up, but getting better.  Hopefully I will be able to move around better soon.  Having said that I did manage to lose a pound this week.  I have been trying to eat at home more.

 

Recipes- (26 to go) I made banana chocolate chip muffins this week (recipe on my pinterest board).  They were very good and easy to make.  Brian liked them and he doesn't even like banana, so that is saying something. 

Movies- (19 to go) Last weekend Brian and I watched 300, because Brian wants to go see the new one at the theaters and I hadn't seen the original.  I had no desire to see it.  It wasn't as terrible as I thought.  It held my attention, but still not really my thing.

Books- (32 to go)  I am still in the middle of Maximum Ride, and I am reading How to Steal a Dog to my class.  I also started another book called The Misadventures of Edgar and Allan Poe.  I plan on finishing as least one of these books in the next couple of days.

Week 10

Weight Loss- (33 to go)   I spent the week in bed with back problems, which had me ignoring exercise and pretty much everything else this week, but my back going out has me realizing how much I need to get on this as soon as I am better.  Hopefully this will get easier because the weather is starting to change and I can start going for walks outside. 

Recipes- (27 to go) Nothing new this week 

Movies- (20 to go) Last night Brian and I watched Dallas Buyer's Club.  It was pretty good.  It was a little slow paced, but the amazing performance by Jared Leto made up for that.  His Oscar was very well deserved.

Books- (32 to go)  I am still in the middle of Maximum Ride, and I am reading How to Steal a Dog to my class.

Week 9

Weight Loss- (33 to go)  If you have seen me at all this week, you know that there is no way in hell I went to the gym.  I threw my back out last Saturday and have been limping around ever since.  This weight loss thing has been a disaster.  I need to lose between 3-3.5 pounds each month for the rest of the year to meet my goal, which is doable but I can't let one more month slip by me. Between illness, family issues, and plain old winter depression I can not get motivated. 

Recipes- (27 to go) Last Saturday I made pulled BBQ chicken in the slow cooker (see pinterest recipe).  It was pretty good, but even more important cheap and simple to make :) 

Movies- (21 to go) This morning I watched Nebraska.  It is nominated for some Oscars this year.  It is a sweet movie about dealing with aging parents.  It's about a guy who agrees to take his dad to Nebraska to show him that he really didn't win a million dollars from a clearinghouse sweepstakes despite what the letter that he got in the mail says.  On the way they stop at the hometown that his dad grew up in and they run into some interesting characters.

Books- (32 to go) About 100 pages into Maximum Ride by James Patterson.

Week 8

Weight Loss- (32 to go)  I lost one pound this week and went to the gym three times.  In 2010 I lost 30-40 pounds, and I was thinking back last night to remember how I did it.  I remember that summer I gave up pop, avoided all fast food except for Subway, and my stepmom and I were walking 3-5 miles a day.  I need to start moving myself back towards that.  This week I am going to try to ease off pop.  I have a few cans of pop at work.  Next week I am going to try to drink only one can at work and then when it's gone it's gone.  I am sure I will have slip ups from time to time, but I need to remember that slip ups are ok once in awhile if I get right back to it afterwards.  As far as getting myself back up to 3-5 miles a day my plan is to start going to the gym more.  I need to take my gym stuff with me to work everyday and go on the days I get out on time.  I need to get it in my head that 30 minutes at the gym is better than no minutes.  In reality I won't be walking 3-5 miles a day while still at school, but if I can build it up now by summer vacation I should be able to do this.

Recipes- (28 to go) No news to report.  

Movies- (22 to go) Last weekend I watched a terrible movie called Super Troopers and that's all I have to say about that :)

Books- (32 to go) I finally finished Mockingjay, the final book in the Hunger Games series.  It was my least favorite book in the series.  It was slow paced and I really didn't like how it ended.  I would say more, but I won't be mean and give anything away.  I am now reading Maximum Ride by James Patterson.

Week 7

Weight Loss- (33 to go)  This was another unproductive week in the weight loss front.  I didn't get to the gym once.  The good news is I bought new running shoes yesterday and I will not type the same words next week.  I will go to the gym this week and with temperatures hitting the 40s later this week, I might even have a chance to go for a walk outside.

Recipes- (28 to go) No news to report.  

Movies- (23 to go) Monday night we went to the movies and saw The Monuments Men.  It wasn't your typical high action war movie, but it was a very interesting side to WWII that hasn't been told before.  The casting in this movie was fantastic.

Books- (33 to go) I will finish a book this week if it's the last thing I do!!!!

Week 6

Weight Loss- (33 to go)  This week was terrible.  We had a Super Bowl Party on Sunday and our guests really didn't eat a lot so we spent the rest of the week eating the leftovers.  On top of that, work was super stressful this week and I spent a few late nights at work so we only got to the gym once.  The good news is the leftovers are gone and the stress at work should ease a little after Wednesday so I can refocus on me. I gained one pound this week.  I thought it was going to be like 5.

Recipes- (28 to go) On Sunday we had a Super Bowl party and I made Oreo dessert.  I have had it many times when other people made it, but wanted to try making it myself.  It was super good and super easy.  The recipe can be found on my Pinterest wall.  

Movies- (24 to go) This week we watched two movies.  Last weekend we went to the movies and saw Labor Day.  It was not as good as I was hoping.  I was hoping for this great moving love story, but it was a little boring.  Last night we got Bad Grandpa from Red Box.  It was once again just OK.  It had pretty funny moments.  The little kid in the movie was hysterical (way more funny than Johnny Knoxville).  If political incorrectness offends you stay away from this movie, and don't watch it with your kids. 

Books- (33 to go) Do to the insane stress that was work this week, I had no time or energy to read for my own enjoyment.  I hope to change that this weekend. 

Week 5

Weight Loss- (32 to go)  The bad news is I gained a pound this week.  The good news is I started running again a little bit.  We went to the gym Sunday and Wednesdays.  On Wednesday I tried running a little bit.  It was rough, but it was a start.  We missed our Friday gym trip because Brian was out of town.  Brian got back late last night, and we went out to dinner to celebrate his return.  That on top of the giant cookies somebody brought to work on Friday explains my pound gain.  I'm not too worried about it.  We are having a Super Bowl Party tomorrow and then after that I will work on losing that pound again.  I was just calculating and in order for me to lose at least the 34 pounds that I set out to lose this year, I need to lose 2.8 pounds a month.  The first month is over and I am right where I should be (of course I would rather be ahead, but I will take it).

Recipes- (29 to go) On Sunday we tried a new meatloaf recipe.  It was supposed to be turkey meatloaf in an effort to be more healthy, but the store was out of turkey when we went, so we just used beef.  The recipe can be found on my Pinterest wall.  We also did twice baked potatoes which was not a new recipe, but we did substitute the sour cream with Greek yogurt, trying to make it more healthy.  It worked!  Both the meatloaf and the potatoes were delicious.

Movies- (26 to go) On Sunday we went to the movies and saw Lone Survivor.  It was really good, but really graphic.  It had me a little teary eyed, which hasn't happened in a long time.  I highly recommend this movie.

Monday we had a snow day, and I watched a movie on Netflix called Take This Waltz starring Michelle Williams and Seth Rogen.  It was a movie about a young couple who have been married for a few years, and the wife starts getting bored with the relationship.  She then starts getting feelings for the neighbor.  At first I didn't like this movie because I really hated the main character, but then in the end she kind of ended up where she deserved so that made me feel a little bit better.  This movie was just OK. 

Books- (33 to go) Still plugging away at Mockingjay.  I feel like I may never reach the end.  I also started a kids book called Savvy.  

Week 4

Weight Loss- (31 to go)  The scale has finally moved!!!  I lost three pounds this week.  I really haven't changed what I eat, I have just been eating less of it.  Brian and I have also been cutting down on how much we go out to eat.  We are supposed to go to the gym three times a week.  That really didn't happen this week.  We went on Sunday.  Yesterday I didn't feel like driving in the wind storm we were having so I did one of my exercise DVDs.  I did it, but it was kind of torture.  There are just too many distractions at home.  I need to be at the gym when this winter weather permits, and of course on the trails once spring gets here.  I will continue to do these horrible DVDs as a last resort though.  I am excited that I lost three pounds this week, and hope this motivates me to keep going.

***In the midst of typing this, one of my friends sent me a text asking me if I wanted to start going to the gym with her on Saturday mornings, so it looks like I will start going to the gym 4 times a week :)

Recipes- (30 to go) On Sunday we had beef stroganoff.  The recipe came from the Cook This Not That cookbook.  I thought it was really good.  Brian thought it was just OK.  Brian and I have a few of the Cook This Not That and Eat This Not That books.  They are full of good tips for people like us who are not wishing to go on a super strict diet, but are looking for ways to make small changes to get healthier.

Movies- (28 to go) No new movies this week.  Shocking I know :)

Books- (33 to go) This week I finished Who Could That Be at This Hour? by Lemony Snicket.  It's a kids book about a detective who travels to a lighthouse to solve the mystery of a missing statue called the Bominating Beast.  It was a good book, and had the same dry sense of humor as the Series of Unfortunate Event Books.

Week 3

Weight Loss- (34 to go)  I finally made it back to the gym!!!  We went to the gym three times this week, which was the goal.  Each time I did 3 miles on the elliptical and then about 10 minutes on weight machines.  Each day I didn't want to go.  I had to drag myself kicking and screaming, but once I was there each time I felt much better.  I need to keep that in mind and use that as my motivation.  I am never going to want to go to the gym, but will feel better for having gone.

Recipes- (31 to go) Nothing new to report this week.

Movies- (28 to go) Brian and I have watched three movies since my last entry.  Saturday night we watched Despicable Me 2.  I wasn't a huge fan of the first one, but I actually really liked the second one.  This was one of those rare occasion that the sequel was better than the original.  Sunday we went to the movies and saw Inside Llewyn Davis.  It was good.  John Goodman was hysterical, but unfortunately his role was pretty small.  John Goodman has been popping up in all sorts of things lately, and he seems to steal the movie when he is in one.  I love him.  Finally, last night we rented Fruitvale Station which is based on a true story about an unarmed black man being shot to death by police at a train station on New Years Eve.  The end of the movie was pretty intense (obviously), but the movie spent a lot of time trying to make the main character look like a saint so you would feel more emotionally involved.  This is OK, but this movie was a little too obvious about it.

Books- (34 to go) I am still in the middle of Mockingjay and Who Could That be at This Hour? by Lemony Snicket.  I will most likely finish the Snicket book this weekend.

Week 2

Weight Loss- (34 to go) Two words for you Polar Vortex.  I was locked in the house for three days and kind of ate my way through the polar vortex :(

Recipes- (31 to go) Earlier this week I made Parmesan crusted chicken (recipe can be found on my Pintrest board).  It was super easy to make, and was delicious.  It wasn't very healthy because the base of the crust is mayo, but I am sure you could make it with a low fat mayo if you want it to be a little healthier.  I highly recommend this recipe.  Like I said easy and delicious.

Movies- (31 to go) Right in the middle of the snow storm on Sunday, Brian and I ventured out to the movies (luckily the movie theater is only about two minutes down our street) and saw The Wolf of Wall Street.  I am a little confused on my own feeling towards this movie.  A week later, and I'm still not really sure if I liked it.  Leonardo DiCaprio did a great job and it was an interesting story, but it was soooooo long.  It was three hours long, and it wasn't one of those long movies that doesn't seem very long.  It was three hours long, and it felt like it was four hours long.  Maybe I was just distracted by the snow storm outside, but come on already!  

Books- (34 to go) I am still in the middle of Mockingjay and Who Could That be at This Hour? by Lemony Snicket.  Mockingjay is going really slow.  I just can't get into it, which is strange because it is a final book in a series and I really want to know how it all ends.  Who Could That Be at This Hour? is pretty funny, and I am enjoying reading it so far.

Week 1

Weight Loss- (33 to go) I lost one pound this week.  It was a slow start as I knew it would be. I am still on vacation and I have been sick for over a week.  I did go grocery shopping yesterday, and the holiday leftovers are almost gone, so it will only get easier from here.  For week two I am going to focus on drinking more water, and getting over being sick, so I can get to the gym.

Recipes- (32 to go) On New Year's day Brian and I tried two new recipes (both can be found on my Pintrest board).  We made a mashed potato bake, and lemon rice soup.  I had no idea lemon rice soup was so hard to make.  A couple of people commented about how hard it was when they heard we were making it.  They were right!  We had to try to twice.  You have to temper and egg, which means using an egg in the broth to thicken it without cooking the egg.  Ugh!  Brian finally got it after I had given up.  It was worth it though, both the bake and the soup was wonderful, and we enojoyed a nice New Year's dinner.

Movies- (32 to go) We saw the new Hobbit movie this week.  It wasn't as terrible as I thought it was going to be.  I had no desire to see it after not really liking the first one, but it was surprisingly enjoyable.  I liked it a lot better than the first one.  I also watched this movie on Netflix called Prince Avalanche.  It was terrible. It was about these two guys that work together, and their messed up lives.  

Books- (34 to go) I didn't get as much reading done this vacation as I was wanting.  As I mentioned earlier, I was sick all week, and everytime I sat down to read, I ended up falling asleep.  I am in the middle of reading Mockingjay right now, as well as Who Could That be at This Hour? which is by the same author of Series of Unfortunate Events.