BAKED CINNAMON SUGAR PUMPKIN DOUGHNUT BITES!!!

Well, Thanksgiving is almost here and I have surrounded myself with all things pumpkin.  I love me some pumpkin!!!  I found several recipes for Pumpkin Doughnut Muffins, but some called for crazy ingredients that I would never be able to find at your normal grocery store.  Others were full of shortening and stuff I knew I didn't want to put into my body -  I've lost 25 pounds now, so I am more cautious about the ingredients I use.  So, I combined a few recipes, made a few adjustments of my own and this is what I came up with. 

CINNAMON SUGAR PUMPKIN DOUGHNUT BITES

 

INGREDIENTS:

 1 Cup all purpose flour

3/4 cup Whole Wheat Flour
2 Teaspoons baking powder
1/2 Teaspoon salt
1/2 Teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 Teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1/3 Cup Organic Coconut Oil
1/2 Cup light brown sugar
1 Large egg
1 Teaspoon vanilla
3/4 Cup canned pumpkin (NOT pumpkin pie filling)
1/2 Cup milk (I used skim)

COATING:

3 Tablespoons butter, melted
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice.  In a separate bowl, whisk together the oil, brown sugar, egg, vanilla, pumpkin puree and milk until smooth.  Add the dry ingredients and mix just until combined.

Spray a 24 cup mini muffin tin with non-stick spray and scoop 1 oz. of batter into each cup.  I used a 1 oz. scoop for even distribution.  Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for approximately 12 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

While the donuts are baking, prepare one bowl with the melted butter and a Ziploc bag of the cinnamon sugar mixture.   Remove the donuts from the oven and allow to cool just enough to handle.  I used a pastry brush to brush the donuts with butter and then drop in the bag of cinnamon and sugar and give a good shake.  Take them out and let them cool completely.  Try not to eat all of them. 

 

P.S.  I am thankful for Jesus, my Hubby and 4 sweet kiddos, the best parents and family ever, Beachbody (which has helped me lose 25 pounds and 23.5 inches) AND two jobs (school and Beachbody) that I absolutely love.

What are you thankful for?  I hope you have an amazing Thanksgiving with your families!!

 

Mama Needs a New Pair of Boots

So, last year I did this post all about my mid-life style crisis and my love of boots.  Shortly after I did that post, I asked Hubby if he would get my some cowboy boots if I lost twenty pounds.  Of course, being a country boy at heart, he said yes.  I am quite sure he thought he was in no danger of having to buy me said boots.  Anyway, this is the pair of boots I originally picked out.

Cute, right?  These are Ariat boots. 

Well, since I am down 20 pounds, I told Hubby he had to pay up, but it might have to wait until Christmas.  So, I decided I needed to try some boots on and see which style I liked on me.  I've never had cowboy boots before and I had no idea if they would even be comfortable.  I mean, I am willing to suffer for cute boots, but I do have to be able to walk, ya know?  So, Hubby and I stopped by Tractor Supply the other morning and since they have boots, I decided to try on a few pairs. 

Justin Boots

Swoon!  I love the color of the leather!!  So gorgeous and they would go with EVERYTHING!  I love them with jeans and dresses and skirts. 

Sigh.  Anyway, I tried them on and looked in the mirror and immediately loved them.  So cute.....from the front.  When I spun around and looked at the back view......not so cute.  I mean, I've lost 20 pounds and two sizes, but my calves looked like a busted can of biscuits spilling out over the back of the boots.  Yikes!  Seriously?  So not cute!  So, do y'all have any experience with cowboy boots?  I know they come in wide widths, but is that just the boots or is the shaft part wider too for those of us with linebacker calves?  Anybody know? 

My Weight Loss Journey

I am a 42 year old (Gosh, that physically hurts to say/type out loud) follower of Christ. When I met my husband (three kids ago), we were both in pretty good shape.  I was active, worked out and we both played volleyball several times a week. I continued to work out and stay active until we got engaged.  Then, happiness set in.  You know how it is, right?  You fall head over heels in love and all you want to do is spend time together.  I found this amazing wonderful guy and he could cook y’all.  For our first date, he made Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo.  People, it was the best thing I ever put in my mouth.  GRACIOUS!  Then there was the homemade Chicken ‘N Dumplings his Nannie taught him to make. The weight was coming quicker than a freight train.  By the time I went for my final wedding dress fitting, I had gained five pounds and they had to let my dress out.  UGH! 

Three months after the wedding, I got pregnant.  We were overjoyed when our son was born via c-section (my second, by the way).  We were so….fat and happy.  Two years later,we had another little boy blessing (3rd c-section) and two years later another blessing, a girl this time (4th c-section).  This time, my doctor tied my tubes.  He was afraid my uterus would literally explode or fall out of my body all together. So, there I was, a stay at home mom with four little ones.  I was overweight and exhausted.  I felt bad about myself and had zero self-confidence.  So, I took my birthday $ and went straight to a doctor that I knew would write me a prescription for weight loss meds.  He did.  I joined a gym, took my speed and lost weight, but it didn’t last long.  You see, the gym I belonged to, decided they would no longer provide childcare.  I didn’t have a babysitter that I could hire just so I could go to the gym. So, I gained it all back. 

Fast forward six years and Hubby and I were back where we started.  Fat and happy.  Let me clarify, happy together, but not happy with ourselves.  In fact, I was miserable.  I got a part-time job when my youngest started school.  I thought it would help me keep busy so I wouldn’t gain weight……it didn’t (probably the huge bag of Kit Kats I kept in my desk drawer – did I mention I’m a chocoholic?).  By last Christmas, I weighed as much as I did when I brought my youngest home from the hospital.  OH MY GRACIOUS! 

 For a few months, my sister-in-law had been talking about how she wanted to try Shakeology.  I kind of blew it off.  You see, I had tried MANY “diet protein meal replacement shakes” before. FAILURE!  They didn’t taste good.  I was always starving.  And did it really do any good to put a Reese’s Cup in my shake to make it taste good, as directed by the “recipes” that came with the shakes?  Um, NO!  I lost ZERO weight and I was starving, tired and miserable to be around.  Being hungry makes me really cranky!

So, my sister-in-law had been on the shakes and doing Insanity for 30 days.  All she talked about was these shakes and her workout….all the time.  She wasn’t pushy about it but she raved about how good they were.  So, when she posted her before and after pic on Facebook, this is what went through my head, “Well, GREAT!  I’m used to being the fat sister-in-law, but now she’s not only skinnier, she’s stronger too!  This sucks! Looks at her bicep!  I hate being the Haus of the family”.  So, when Hubby asked if I’d seen her pics I said, “Yes, I’m thinking of ordering”.  The rest, as they say, is history. 

 We’ve been on Shakeology for three months.  I never thought I could love a shake so much.  It has a full days serving of veggies and fruits (not sure if I mentioned my extreme hatred for veggies).  It’s all natural and contains no chemicals (my son has autism so that is a big deal for me).  It contains natural anti-inflammatories (did I mention my bad knees) and the best part…….it TOTALLY curbs my cravings for junk food.  I haven’t had one piece of chocolate since I started Shakeology.  I haven’t even WANTED chocolate or pastries. That in itself is amazing. 

 We both did the Insanity workout.  We LOVE ShaunT and we’ve had amazing results.  We are so glad not to have to worry about getting a sitter and going to the gym. We can do it in the living room.  We are now doing Shaun T’s new workout, Focus T25, which is 25 minutes a day, which is great since I am working now.  We are very excited about it. 

We currently have a Challenge Group going on our Facebook page.  It is a group of people who are there to encourage each other, share recipes, be accountable for workouts, etc.  We have had tremendous results with people in Challenge Groups. 

 

I still have a long way to go, but this is my progress so far.  I am down 16 pounds and 16 inches so far in just 2 and a half months.

If you are interested in losing weight, getting healthy and getting fit, feel free to contact me.  My fitness page is:  www.facebook.com/TNTFit4Life and my website is:  www.beachbodycoach.com/TanyaMichelle 

Best Salsa EVAH

I have had a 20 year obsession with salsa.  I love it, which is kind of weird because I hate tomatoes unless they're cooked.  Anyway, I remember when my sister was having her first boy/girl party - I am pretty sure it was her 12th or 13th birthday.  I insisted that I could make salsa for the party.  My mom bought a bunch of tomatoes and onions, etc. and I mixed and tested and mixed and tested, etc.  Of course, this was before the internet so I was just winging it.  Let me tell you....it was awful!  She never let me try to make it again, which was probably a good thing. 

Anyway, back to salsa.  So, just because I have adopted a new healthy lifestyle does NOT mean that I don't occasionally splurge on the good stuff.  Salsa is all veggies, right?  It's made of the good stuff.  It's the stuff you eat it WITH that isn't always so healthy.  BUT, I love it on Chicken Fajitas so that's the way I eat it most of the time.  YUM! 

We have several teachers at work with great salsa recipes, but this one is THE BEST I have ever eaten.  My friend Brenda at work gave me the recipe and now I'm sharing it with you.  I LOVE it!

Best Salsa EVAH!

28 oz. diced tomato
15 oz. diced tomato w/ sweet onion (Locally, I get it at Harp's)
1 can Mexican Rotel (w/lime and cilantro)
1 Tbsp. garlic powder
1 fresh jalepeno
about 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
salt and lime juice to taste

Put all ingredients in a food processor and blend.  It is better if you blend and then refrigerate for at least an hour.  So good!  It will keep about a week in the fridge, or so I've heard.  Mine never lasts that long. 

That was so easy, right?  Hope y'all love it as much as I do!

Vacation

Hey y'all!  Long time no post, huh?  It's been a crazy summer around here.  I can't believe it's flown by so fast.  I had such big plans for the summer and didn't get most of it done.  Time flies when you're having fun, I guess. 

So, we went on vacation a few weeks ago, which was awesome.  We went with my parents, sister and her kiddos and my brother on vacation to Orange Beach, Alabama.  Our condo was right on the beach and was AMAZING!  It was bigger than my house.  I thought I took pictures of the inside, but I guess I didn't.  Here is the view from our balcony.

This is what L did part of the week:

The rest of the week he stayed in the condo and sucked down Dr. Pepper, fussed, and hit and bit whichever one of us was watching him at the time.  Suffice it to say we had a hard week with him.  Autistic kids do NOT do well when you take them away from their familiar places and routine. 

Since Hubby and I couldn't go out to eat with everyone else, because of L, my family decided to stay home one night and let Todd and I go out on a date.  We ate at a place called Shipp's Harbour Grill.  It was amazing!  It was right on the bay and you could watch the boats coming in and out, there was live music and it was wonderful and peaceful!!  So thankful for that night.  We don't get many dates these days. 

E had a great time playing on the beach and in the water.  She had a great time boogie boarding with her Granddad. 

Catherine and I boogie boarded quite a bit too.  What a workout!  Gracious my legs were tired.

C in her Mr. Magoo goggles.  Do y'all remember Mr. Magoo?  Need a visual reminder?

Anyway, the last full day we were at the beach, C was out in the water with her goggles and looking at the fish.  My niece started screaming "SHARK!"  We had watched the dolphins every mornings from the balcony so I thought for sure that was what she was seeing.  I looked up and saw the fin.  It wasn't moving up and down like dolphin fins do.  It was staying above the water constantly and it was way too close to C, out in the water.  I waved my arms, called her name and screamed for her to get out of the water.  Finally she heard me and slowly waded out of the water.  She was maybe chest deep?  The shark kept swimming down the beach as people scrambled out of the water like ants running from the sun beaming through a magnifying glass.  We were talking to the other people on the beach and found out that the beach had already been cleared earlier in the day because two sharks had been spotted swimming there.  We missed all of that excitement.  The rest of the family had gone to lunch and I'm sure L was being too loud for us to hear the sirens on the beach.  SCARY moments on the beach! 

I hate I didn't take more pictures.  My sister had some really cute ones on her phone but mine didn't turn out so hot for some reason.  I think I only had on picture of J that turned out and it is pretty far away.  I am really glad he missed the shark incident.  He talked for MONTHS about being afraid we would get attacked by sharks on vacation. 

A few hours before we left, C and my niece K, decided that they wanted to parasail.  Granddad and my sister took them while we packed up.  They had such a good time.

Overall, it was a great vacation with my family, despite L's bad behavior.  So, we thought we'd thank my mom and dad for the great vacation.

Hubby's Healthy Birthday Cake

Back in June was my Hubby's birthday.  It was just a few days after starting our new healthy lifestyle, but I didn't want him not to have a birthday cake.  I mean, I would feel like a total failure of a wife if I didn't make him a birthday cake.  He tends to like cakes with fruit in them.  His favorite is Lemon Supreme bundt cake, but that is not low fat.  So, I was on the hunt for a new cake.  I searched through many recipes and finally decided on this recipe. 

Easy Blueberry Buttermilk Cake

I tried to cut and paste the recipe, but Skinnytaste's website won't allow it so you'll have to go to her site to get the recipe. 

 Why is it the blueberries always sink to the bottom?  That drives me crazy!!

 We opted for one candle instead of 41. 

In other FFB news, Hubby and I have been on Shakeology and Insanity for 5 weeks.  My Hubby lost 12 pounds and 6 inches in that time.  I lost 4 pounds and 4 inches.  It doesn't sound like much, but it's progress and it's amazing how much better I feel.  I couldn't even do a push up at the beginning of this program, but now I can do at least ten.  I feel so much stronger than I did.  We have 4 more weeks to go so we'll see how much progress we make in that time. 

My New Way Of Life

So, have you ever sort of stumbled on something sort of life changing and not even realized what was happening?  That is the best way to explain what's going on with me right now.  As you know, I've been trying to lose weight.  I've struggled with it for YEARS.  I mentioned in my last post that I was trying something new.  I had no idea what a life changing experience it was going to be.  I actually look forward to working out every day.  If I have a rest day, I feel a little lost.  Weird, right?

So, I thought I would share just a tiny bit of what I'm doing.  First of all, this...

I know!  I know!  It's yet another meal replacement shake.  I've said it before and I'll say it again.....I like to actually chew my food.  I've NEVER done well with shakes because I don't like to drink my meals.  Well, this is truly different.  It curbs my cravings like you wouldn't believe.  I'm now in my fourth week of Shakeology and haven't had one piece of chocolate since I started.  I don't mean that I have had enough self control to stay away from it.  I don't mean that I threw out all of the kids Easter candy (Yes, we still have Easter candy).  I mean I haven't wanted it at all.  CRAZY, right?  PLUS, it has more vitamins and minerals than I would EVER get in a day.  I feel so much better.  AND, best part.....it is sooo good! 

I'm also doing this:

Yes, I have lost my mind.  Shaun T kicks my butt every day.  Now, I'm not going to lie to you and tell you I look like this: 

because that would be a big fat lie.  Nope.  I didn't become some hardbody with unbelievable balance and coordination over the last few weeks.  I'm still a dork and I still stop A LOT, but I'm making unbelievable progress.  In just three weeks, I've lost an inch in my waist.  My clothes fit so much better and I'm seeing more definition in my big fat arms than I've ever seen before. 

So, in a nutshell, that's it.  I'll let ya know what my results look like after the 60 day mark......I might even post pictures.  Don't worry.  I will give you some warning first.  My before pics are SCARY!!!!

Have a healthy day!

There's Some Fat Chick Living In My Mirror

I think when you do something on a daily basis, it becomes something that is just a habit, something you take for granted and don't even pay attention to anymore.  Everyday I look in the mirror as I am putting in my contacts, putting on my makeup, etc.  I even catch a glimpse as I'm getting in and out of the shower (YIKES!), but I still never really pay attention.  This is what I think I look like when I'm not paying attention:

Skinny Me from eons ago (pre four kids)

Then one day, it happened.  I went in the bathroom to get something and caught a glance in the mirror.  I stopped in my tracks and slowly turned to look again.  What in the world?  Some chick was there looking back at me.  Some chick I don't know.  Some fat chick.  Who in the world is that fat chick in my mirror?  The next few minutes looked a lot like the opening sequence of The Patty Duke Show.  I waved my hand and the fat chick waved back.  I covered my eyes and peeked through my fingers (hoping the fat chick would disappear) and she peeked through her fingers right back at me.  WHAT THE CRAP?!?  Where did this fat chick come from? 

I know what you're thinking.  This seems a little familiar, right?  I've talked about dieting and stuff before and I've even lost a few pounds, but I've never been this fat....EVER!  Okay, I was this fat twice before, but it was right after coming home from the hospital with a newborn in tow.  Never have I gotten this fat just all by myself.  GRACIOUS!  What usually happens is that I post about being a fatty and go on a diet and when I lose 5-6 pounds, I start doing posts about cinnamon rolls.  Well, not this time!

I'm trying something new.  I've been on a new plan for about two weeks.  My workout is still hard for me but I'm improving a little every day.  I haven't been cheating on my diet.  I'm sticking with it and even my Hubby is impressed.  No sneaking Kit-Kats for two weeks people and I don't even miss them. 

We have a beach trip planned for the end of July so I have to lose some of this fat by then.  Why?  Well, I haven't had a new swimsuit in several years and I need a new one.  I've been searching high and low for a cute swimsuit with an underwire because "the girls" aren't what they used to be, but that's an entirely different post.  If you search for underwire swimsuits, this is what you get:

Ummmm, no.  I refuse to wear a swimdress.

Hmmmm, not with my current figure.

So, I'm on a mission.  I ready to kick the fat chick out of my mirror.  Mama needs a new swimsuit.  I'll let ya know how it goes. 

Spring Activities

I can't believe it's summer again.  Well, it is for the kids anyway.  I still have a few days left of work.  It's been busy around here.  There has been so much going on the last few months.  For instance,

J and I went to the Mother Son Dance at school.  He was way more excited about the nachos, popcorn and Sprite than the actual dancing. 

E's class had Pioneer Day.  The dress was one I made for my niece several years ago for a play.  Being the fabric hoarder that I am, I still had enough fabric to make the bonnet to match.  Her class made homemade butter and johnnie cakes and square danced in class.  E was a little upset with me because she wanted to be a pioneer kid and only pioneer ma's dresses went all the way to the floor.  Oh well.  She got over it and had a fun day anyway.

 

 

We had a great Mother's Day at my mom's house.  It was even better because of our personal chefs.

 

Hubby and My Brother (our personal chefs)

 

 

Hubby surprised Eden and I with tickets to Disney on Ice.  It was so much fun.  We had a blast!

Last week my J graduated from 5th grade.  On to middle school next year.  I must say I am a little quite nervous about middle school. 

My girls at recital. 

So, what's been going on with y'all?  Can't wait to read up and find out. 

What I've Been Up To

So, it's been awhile.  A loooooong while.  Six. Months.  That is waaaaay toooo loooong!  I have missed my bloggy peeps so much, but it seems every single time I sit down to write a post, something comes up and I have to stop writing.  I am only supposed to work four hours a day, but between subbing for other teachers in the afternoon, PTO meetings and household errands, it's really hard to sit down and get to write.  So, here it goes.

Wanna know what I've been up to for the last few months?  I would love to tell you about my tour through Italy and other exciting adventures, but when I look back to the last six months, not much has happened but everyday stuff.  So, here is my very exciting look back.

In September, my oldest baby, "C", turned 15.  We celebrated with pie.

We also had new puppies, only two this time.

Bella went to a sweet family in Texas.

This is Jake.  He stayed with us.

In November, we had a wonderful Thanksgiving with some of our cousins from Texas.  We haven't gotten together for years so it was a blast to see them.  These three little cousins had a blast together.

On Christmas Day, we had record snowfall in Arkansas.  It was the first white Christmas in 80 years.  We got a total of 9 inches at my house.

In January, I turned 42.  No pictures necessary.  I'm trying to forget it happened.

February has been a pretty good month.  Hubby and I celebrated 12 years of marriage.  What did we do?  Not a durn thing.  We didn't go out to eat.  We didn't have a date.  E had dance and I think we ate leftovers.  My life is so exciting.  For Valentine's Day my sweet Hubby gave me my favorite chocolate truffles.  YUM!  I made him his favorite cake.  Again, no going out on a date.  ugh!  I need a nanny.  Wanna know who DID have a date with my Hubby?

E and Hubby at the Father Daughter Dance

Last but not least, the 1st grade at school has been reading and studying The Wizard of Oz.  On Friday, they had a Wizard of Oz parade at school E, of course, insisted on being Dorothy. 

The Dorothy with her face showing is E.  The other Dorothys were adorable too, but I didn't have permission to print their pictures. 

So, that's pretty much the last six months in a nutshell.  It doesn't sound like I've been busy at all, does it?  Oh well.  Hopefully things will be slowing down soon and I can get back to blogging on a more regular basis.  I can't wait to catch up with everybody!