I know you've all been sitting on the edge of your seats waiting for me to post again! HA! Sorry it has been TWO WEEKS! I have been working and we have had company for the past few weekends so I have been busy!
As far as updates go... I've only lost two pounds. Seriously. I think the problem is that all the healthy, small portions I eat during the week have gone out the window during the weekend and I weigh in Monday morning so it's a losing battle. I am going to be good this weekend and see what happens. It was way easier to lose weight when I was single. I had more of a drive to look good no matter how miserable and hungry I was. Now when I am cranky and had a long day I don't want to eat grapefruit or cottage cheese. I want to drink a coke and eat some chocolate.
I had an email from a reader a few days ago asking about weight loss and goals and it got me thinking about the fact that most of my friends are always on a diet or saying they need to lose weight. We have such a fixation on being skinny instead of healthy. If being skinny was my goal I could achieve it quickly. Give me some SlimQuick, water, walnuts, and grapefruit and I could get the job done but I wouldn't be healthy. I am trying to put more focus on eating well balanced meals than eating 100 calorie packs throughout the day. I think people forget they need servings of fruits and vegetables and protein, etc... I just keep praying for the discipline to stay away from all the fabulous deserts I've been making at WenLilys, drink lots of water, and EXERCISE! Those of you that see my Facebook know that I am constantly cooking and baking. I watched Fat Chef last night on the Food Network and if that's not a reason to stop tasting everything you cook, I don't know what is! Y'all just try to hold me accountable!
On another note.. I am finding out that more people are reading this blog than I thought. And some of the people I don't even know! Hopefully I haven't stepped on anyone's toes or offended anyone with the sometimes crazy things I say.. especially pertaining to where I currently live. I started this as a way to vent and keep up with my family and friends. I guess I didn't really think anyone else would read it, but I am glad to know that people find it humorous.
That being said; the month of January is almost over. I feel like I was just writing about my new years resolutions and all of the exciting things to come this year and it's almost February! I don't know where the time is going. I have been helping my MIL during the week at her Cafe/Gift Shop in Summerton. As most of you know, it is called WenLily's, and we make "southern specialties." For example, pimento cheese, different kinds of chicken salads, cheese wafers, all kinds of home made cookies and bars, quiche, and casseroles. That's really not even the half of it. but you get the picture! This month I have introduced Chicken Tetrazzini, key lime bars, and bacon quiche; now I am working on some new recipes for a salad and new cookies. I swear one day I will get around to that cookbook and share our amazing recipes with the world. I wish we could make the pimento cheese and traditional chicken salad commercially. As much as I love Ruth's, we would put them out of business.
I'm watching the Foot Network and looking for new china patterns, naturally, and I am thinking I want to have a tea party. Any takers?! I'll do all the cooking, just show up with a big hat. No seriously. I don't have any dining room chairs so maybe I should wait until the weather is warm and we can sit on the porch. Or go buy some chairs. Hmmm. I also want to go camping and kayaking. Any takers on that one or suggestions for good places to go? I'm still pretty new to SC and that is something I want to do before it gets warm! To avoid snakes, mosquitoes, and gators! Oh my!
Let me know if you are interested! xx
Friday, January 27, 2012
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
welcome 2012
I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and New Years! Last year was full of many events, both good and bad. Our family lost some treasured women, my brother lost his home in a flood, Brent and I built a house and got married, many of our friends also got married and some had children.. I can only imagine what this year will hold for us! I already know of a few weddings and babies!
As for New Year's resolutions, as usual, lose weight, save money, etc etc. Brent's Mom and I have started trying to lose weight together. Our goal is 20 pounds in 13 weeks. We are weighing in every Monday and holding each other accountable. I can already feel the pounds melting away. (I wish!) I have been eating less and exercising more for a few weeks already and lost about 4 pounds so with the added 20+, I would like to lose a total of 25. That would put me back to my weight when I was 19! Sounds good right? I'll track my progress on here with you guys!
Life on the farm is very quiet right now, thankfully. Brent is away at a marketing conference in Litchfield for the week so I am holding down the homefront. I think tomorrow I am finally going to the Social Security office to change my name and then go get my SC driver's license! I wonder if they can fit my whole name on my license? If not I will just put 'Carson Clark Cogdill' and leave out the Amanda.
This weekend I am heading to Raleigh for a get together with my college girlfriends. It is hard for all of us to plan a time to get together so these don't come around very often! Unfortunately I have obligations at home so I can only participate in half of the activities but will still get to spend some time and catch up with everyone. Hopefully I can stick to my healthy eating while I am away. Brent has already asked me to bring home Smithfields when I come through Lumberton on Saturday. I will just have to resist eating all of the hushpuppies and drinking a massive sweet tea....
As for New Year's resolutions, as usual, lose weight, save money, etc etc. Brent's Mom and I have started trying to lose weight together. Our goal is 20 pounds in 13 weeks. We are weighing in every Monday and holding each other accountable. I can already feel the pounds melting away. (I wish!) I have been eating less and exercising more for a few weeks already and lost about 4 pounds so with the added 20+, I would like to lose a total of 25. That would put me back to my weight when I was 19! Sounds good right? I'll track my progress on here with you guys!
Life on the farm is very quiet right now, thankfully. Brent is away at a marketing conference in Litchfield for the week so I am holding down the homefront. I think tomorrow I am finally going to the Social Security office to change my name and then go get my SC driver's license! I wonder if they can fit my whole name on my license? If not I will just put 'Carson Clark Cogdill' and leave out the Amanda.
This weekend I am heading to Raleigh for a get together with my college girlfriends. It is hard for all of us to plan a time to get together so these don't come around very often! Unfortunately I have obligations at home so I can only participate in half of the activities but will still get to spend some time and catch up with everyone. Hopefully I can stick to my healthy eating while I am away. Brent has already asked me to bring home Smithfields when I come through Lumberton on Saturday. I will just have to resist eating all of the hushpuppies and drinking a massive sweet tea....
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
it's christmas time, in the..... country
Back so soon you say? Well yes, I am trying to keep up with this for a little while. Hopefully I'll have a longer run than last time. I just finished making Aunt Jo's cream cheese braids, well actually they are Nancy Hollingsworth's but since I don't know who she is I call them 'Aunt Jo's' .. It's a two day process of mixing and dishes and flour all over the kitchen and it is so totally worth it.
Every year at Christmas our neighbors, the 'other Clarks', bring us a cream cheese braid and it was technically supposed to be saved for our Christmas Day Brunch, but in recent years I have been eating part of the middle out and sliding it back together so you can't tell I've been secretly devouring it at night while everyone sleeps. My mother probably thought they were just getting smaller every year. HaHa! So finally last year I begged my mother to ask 'Aunt Jo' for the recipe. I will post it under the recipe tag. :)
We had a Christmas oyster roast here on Saturday night and I discussed my ideas for a book club, etc. I had one taker on the book club, then someone's husband mentioned that people around here don't really read, and he meant that they can't, so I didn't feel so bad about my previous post. Then my sweet friend Katherine said that she was recently invited to a Pinterest party and everyone made a craft. Maybe I should really follow through with that idea. (Windsor: I'll let you skype in!)
I thought that Brent and I were really missing out on the social scene around these parts but I was informed that one doesn't exist, unless you are in the crowd that goes to places like Goast Island or the strip mall bar in Sumter, but we are most certainly not. And then I discovered that not only is there no social scene, but people don't even really entertain. I guess I will have to start the trend. I did hear that there is a supper club that we are not a part of, so I am determined that even though we don't live in Manning that I will find my way into that supper club. Or just steal the people I like away from that one and start my own. When else will I be able to use all of my fine china and my 16 foot dining room table?
I could keep rambling on, but it is lunch time and I will have to eat some more cream cheese braid and do laundry. Then start wrapping Christmas presents and pack to go home tomorrow. There seriously isn't enough time in the day...
[[cream cheese roll is NOT low fat... as my stomach hangs over my jeans. yay me. i feel like the truvia commercial of the woman eating doughnuts as they sing "jiggle bell"..]]
Every year at Christmas our neighbors, the 'other Clarks', bring us a cream cheese braid and it was technically supposed to be saved for our Christmas Day Brunch, but in recent years I have been eating part of the middle out and sliding it back together so you can't tell I've been secretly devouring it at night while everyone sleeps. My mother probably thought they were just getting smaller every year. HaHa! So finally last year I begged my mother to ask 'Aunt Jo' for the recipe. I will post it under the recipe tag. :)
We had a Christmas oyster roast here on Saturday night and I discussed my ideas for a book club, etc. I had one taker on the book club, then someone's husband mentioned that people around here don't really read, and he meant that they can't, so I didn't feel so bad about my previous post. Then my sweet friend Katherine said that she was recently invited to a Pinterest party and everyone made a craft. Maybe I should really follow through with that idea. (Windsor: I'll let you skype in!)
I thought that Brent and I were really missing out on the social scene around these parts but I was informed that one doesn't exist, unless you are in the crowd that goes to places like Goast Island or the strip mall bar in Sumter, but we are most certainly not. And then I discovered that not only is there no social scene, but people don't even really entertain. I guess I will have to start the trend. I did hear that there is a supper club that we are not a part of, so I am determined that even though we don't live in Manning that I will find my way into that supper club. Or just steal the people I like away from that one and start my own. When else will I be able to use all of my fine china and my 16 foot dining room table?
I could keep rambling on, but it is lunch time and I will have to eat some more cream cheese braid and do laundry. Then start wrapping Christmas presents and pack to go home tomorrow. There seriously isn't enough time in the day...
[[cream cheese roll is NOT low fat... as my stomach hangs over my jeans. yay me. i feel like the truvia commercial of the woman eating doughnuts as they sing "jiggle bell"..]]
Thursday, December 15, 2011
seriously, it's been three months?
I honestly don't know where the time has gone. I can't believe that it has been three months since I have last written. Trust me, I have gotten plenty of grief about it but it hasn't hit me yet that it has been so long. So much has happened since September 16th.. WOW! Let's see, I've gotten married, gone on a honeymoon, quit my job, buried both of my grandmothers, celebrated Halloween, Thanksgiving, and now getting ready for Christmas. One of my best friends had a baby, one graduated from college (finally after 8 years..), three friends have gotten engaged and another is now pregnant. Time sure flies by! As I write this, Birdie is attempting to climb in my lap, she is completely unaware that she is no longer the tiny baby puppy that used to sleep in my lap while I worked at the computer, she now weighs almost 70 pounds and is barely 9 months old!
You would think now that I am a stay at home wife that I would have more time for stuff like this but I seem to always be busy and on the go. I have turned 'staying at home' into my full time job. I have a whiteboard in my office that I have turned into a schedule of sorts. It lists all of my household duties that must be done Monday through Friday. (I get the weekends off* haha, I wish!) For example on Wednesdays I vacuum and mop all the floors in the house and do laundry. Since these tasks don't take all day I have time to pay bills, unpack boxes, organize, take care of and keep up with our three sweet adolescent dogs, go to the grocery store, bake, cook supper, run errands for Brent, blow the leaves out of the yard, wrap Christmas presents, do dishes... you get the drift. It's not as glamorous as you may think. Sometimes I wish I did still get up and go to an office every morning instead of cleaning up dog poop, picking up socks and dirty washcloths, and playing maid all day, but like they say, the grass is always greener on the other side.
I think for the start of 2012 I will incorporate going to the gym and getting my nails done into my weekly schedule. Maybe one day this place will have a book club or garden club, although I'm not even sure the women down here my age read, much less tend flowers or a garden. I am by no means insinuating that they cannot read, just that skimming magazines or gossip columns probably seem more fitting. At least we have Pinterest now so everyone has suddenly gone Martha Stewart and people are cooking and making crafts. Maybe I should start a Pinterest club! We can all get together and make t-shirt scarves. :)
I jest, I jest. I am still getting used to the idea that I am going to live here forever. Before Brent and I got married there was always still the option to take off, but now I'm here to stay! I do love living on the farm. I love that our front yard right now is a giant wheat field and our back yard is a pond. The dogs are free to run and play and we have no neighbors or traffic going by, well, unless people are coon hunting. Then we might have someone in our back yard, but for the most part it is a life of solitude. The only thing I wish is that we had Harris Teeter and Target close by and somewhere I can dress up to go. I look sadly at the shoes in my closet and I know that they are totally jealous of my crocs and they want to go out and be seen. I could always start incorporating some of my fancier things into my church outfit, but then again.. I live in a super teeny tiny small town and people love to talk. I can hear it now "Did you see that girl Brent married in church on Sunday, who does she think she is?"
So for now I will just continue to wear my fancy shoes around the house and drink champagne in my pajamas. I have a secretly fabulous life. xx
You would think now that I am a stay at home wife that I would have more time for stuff like this but I seem to always be busy and on the go. I have turned 'staying at home' into my full time job. I have a whiteboard in my office that I have turned into a schedule of sorts. It lists all of my household duties that must be done Monday through Friday. (I get the weekends off* haha, I wish!) For example on Wednesdays I vacuum and mop all the floors in the house and do laundry. Since these tasks don't take all day I have time to pay bills, unpack boxes, organize, take care of and keep up with our three sweet adolescent dogs, go to the grocery store, bake, cook supper, run errands for Brent, blow the leaves out of the yard, wrap Christmas presents, do dishes... you get the drift. It's not as glamorous as you may think. Sometimes I wish I did still get up and go to an office every morning instead of cleaning up dog poop, picking up socks and dirty washcloths, and playing maid all day, but like they say, the grass is always greener on the other side.
I think for the start of 2012 I will incorporate going to the gym and getting my nails done into my weekly schedule. Maybe one day this place will have a book club or garden club, although I'm not even sure the women down here my age read, much less tend flowers or a garden. I am by no means insinuating that they cannot read, just that skimming magazines or gossip columns probably seem more fitting. At least we have Pinterest now so everyone has suddenly gone Martha Stewart and people are cooking and making crafts. Maybe I should start a Pinterest club! We can all get together and make t-shirt scarves. :)
I jest, I jest. I am still getting used to the idea that I am going to live here forever. Before Brent and I got married there was always still the option to take off, but now I'm here to stay! I do love living on the farm. I love that our front yard right now is a giant wheat field and our back yard is a pond. The dogs are free to run and play and we have no neighbors or traffic going by, well, unless people are coon hunting. Then we might have someone in our back yard, but for the most part it is a life of solitude. The only thing I wish is that we had Harris Teeter and Target close by and somewhere I can dress up to go. I look sadly at the shoes in my closet and I know that they are totally jealous of my crocs and they want to go out and be seen. I could always start incorporating some of my fancier things into my church outfit, but then again.. I live in a super teeny tiny small town and people love to talk. I can hear it now "Did you see that girl Brent married in church on Sunday, who does she think she is?"
So for now I will just continue to wear my fancy shoes around the house and drink champagne in my pajamas. I have a secretly fabulous life. xx
Friday, September 16, 2011
taking a deep breath
It's been almost a month since I last posted. *slap on the wrist* The meatloaf turned out great. And by great I mean, Brent LOVED it... I however still can't bring myself to love it, it's hard enough to like it. Maybe if it was covered in cheese it would be different! :)
SO.. the past few weeks have been crazy. I feel like this is the first time I have actually been able to sit down and take a breath. On the other side of the screen is my to-do list and the massive list of gifts that I need to write thank you notes for. I have moved all of my stuff from the office at the farm to my office here at the house. That way I am here to meet all the people that keep showing up to fix various things and when I'm not super busy I can run downstairs and change out the loads of laundry.
The wedding is in two weeks. Yes, TWO WEEKS! I've got a million things going on with cakes and dresses and hair appointments. In the mean time I am constantly unpacking boxes, trying to organize and clean out all of our stuff that keeps piling up at the house, and clean up after all the people that have been over at the house and shop. I probably do an average of 4 loads of laundry a day, vacuum the living room at least twice, and then clean up after the dogs.... sheesh!
I think everything will calm down once the wedding is over and people get used to us living out here and realize that this is our home and not the fun place to come hang out all the time.
I am using the computer Brent gave me for my birthday so I have no pictures on here, but I will upload some at some point and start posting some good stuff again! I hope everyone is doing great.
:* xox
SO.. the past few weeks have been crazy. I feel like this is the first time I have actually been able to sit down and take a breath. On the other side of the screen is my to-do list and the massive list of gifts that I need to write thank you notes for. I have moved all of my stuff from the office at the farm to my office here at the house. That way I am here to meet all the people that keep showing up to fix various things and when I'm not super busy I can run downstairs and change out the loads of laundry.
The wedding is in two weeks. Yes, TWO WEEKS! I've got a million things going on with cakes and dresses and hair appointments. In the mean time I am constantly unpacking boxes, trying to organize and clean out all of our stuff that keeps piling up at the house, and clean up after all the people that have been over at the house and shop. I probably do an average of 4 loads of laundry a day, vacuum the living room at least twice, and then clean up after the dogs.... sheesh!
I think everything will calm down once the wedding is over and people get used to us living out here and realize that this is our home and not the fun place to come hang out all the time.
I am using the computer Brent gave me for my birthday so I have no pictures on here, but I will upload some at some point and start posting some good stuff again! I hope everyone is doing great.
:* xox
Monday, August 22, 2011
today i will tackle meatloaf...
Today is a day for the books. We have started moving into our house and tonight will be our first night actually staying there. So in honor of our first night, we are having our first meal. The first meal I will ever cook in my new kitchen. I wanted something hearty, something with meaning, something we will always remember. So I thought I would try to cook meatloaf. (eww, yuck, gross)
Meatloaf is something that I have normally in the past refused to eat. Something that I want nothing to do with and something I am totally not interested in. However, Brent loves meatloaf. I figure I will have to make some compromises in this marriage so I am starting with meatloaf.
Maybe I will like the meatloaf if I made it. Maybe it won't be dry. Maybe the sauce in the recipe I have chosen will be out of this world. Just maybe. If all else fails, I make amazing mashed potatoes. :)
I'll take pictures tonight and post tomorrow!
Meatloaf is something that I have normally in the past refused to eat. Something that I want nothing to do with and something I am totally not interested in. However, Brent loves meatloaf. I figure I will have to make some compromises in this marriage so I am starting with meatloaf.
Maybe I will like the meatloaf if I made it. Maybe it won't be dry. Maybe the sauce in the recipe I have chosen will be out of this world. Just maybe. If all else fails, I make amazing mashed potatoes. :)
I'll take pictures tonight and post tomorrow!
Monday, August 15, 2011
it's been two weeks already??
I do sincerely apologize for the lapse in my writing lately. As we are getting in the final stages of the house we have been crazy busy! When I last wrote they had installed our cabinets and were coming to do the countertops... Now they have installed the granite, finished the plumbing, the appliances are in, and we spent the past 4 days putting polyurethane on the doors, trim, and the entire master bathroom. Needless to say I feel the effects of the fumes in my nose, throat, and lungs.
Now we just have to finish any woodwork and clean out the house so the guy can come and wax our floors! Oh yeah, and we have to wire up the lighting under the cabinets and get the house inspected... oh! And find mirrors, finish putting up the hardware in the master bathroom, get two or three more door knobs.. wait, did I say we were getting close? Maybe not that close.
I will post some pictures of what the house looks like now probably tomorrow. I need to take updated ones where the faucets are in and stuff so you can get the full effect! In the meantime I have managed to lose my spiral index card thingy with all of my important phone numbers in it AND my brand new ray bans. Sometimes I don't know if I am going or coming.
My brother is in town and coming to visit on Wednesday. I am very excited for him to come and see the house. He hasn't been down here in well over a year so he has never even seen what it looks like or where we are building. And he gets to meet all of the dogs! ..... Speaking of the dogs. I have learned that they love pizza. I can get them to do just about anything I want as long as the word 'pizza' is involved. I have started calling Lainey "Cheesey" and I finally figured out yesterday that when she is being bad and doesn't want to go in her pen, if I say "come here Cheesey... you want some PETE-ZA?!" she runs in her pen and sits down like a good girl. I only hate that when she finally figures out I don't have any pizza she will sprint away and hide in the woods like she used to. I will probably have to invest in Pizza Hut soon.
Last week I took some photos with Megan Manus in Sumter, just for fun, and they turned out really great. I didn't buy the digital files but Megan will be putting some up on her blog if you want to check them out. http://meganmanusphotography.com/blog/ ALSO I had my first dress fitting at Hayden Olivia. It was fabulous. Luckily they are having to take the dress in about 4 inches so that made me feel pretty good since last time it barely fit perfectly. I am SO excited about the dress. It truly is magnificent. Afterwards I roamed the streets of East and West Boulevard waiting on my friend Weldon to get off work so I could finally see her place and see Louise and spend some time catching up. I spent about an hour in the shop called Paper Skyscraper and bought a lot of neat things! When Weldon got home we visited for a bit and then went out for sushi (yum! my favorite) and then I had to make the long dreaded trip back down to Summerton. I wish I lived closer to my friends.... well wait, let me rephrase, I wish my friends lived closer to me! :)
Hopefully tomorrow I will get to see Lacey and visit with her. She has never been down here so I am excited to show her the house and the farm. And then my brother! SO it will be a good two weeks! Also this weekend our dear friends are giving us a shower, which will be much needed since we are hopefully going to move in SOON! I promise I will write more now that things are slowing up a bit. I will at least be taking more pictures so I can share some things with everyone.
xox
Now we just have to finish any woodwork and clean out the house so the guy can come and wax our floors! Oh yeah, and we have to wire up the lighting under the cabinets and get the house inspected... oh! And find mirrors, finish putting up the hardware in the master bathroom, get two or three more door knobs.. wait, did I say we were getting close? Maybe not that close.
I will post some pictures of what the house looks like now probably tomorrow. I need to take updated ones where the faucets are in and stuff so you can get the full effect! In the meantime I have managed to lose my spiral index card thingy with all of my important phone numbers in it AND my brand new ray bans. Sometimes I don't know if I am going or coming.
My brother is in town and coming to visit on Wednesday. I am very excited for him to come and see the house. He hasn't been down here in well over a year so he has never even seen what it looks like or where we are building. And he gets to meet all of the dogs! ..... Speaking of the dogs. I have learned that they love pizza. I can get them to do just about anything I want as long as the word 'pizza' is involved. I have started calling Lainey "Cheesey" and I finally figured out yesterday that when she is being bad and doesn't want to go in her pen, if I say "come here Cheesey... you want some PETE-ZA?!" she runs in her pen and sits down like a good girl. I only hate that when she finally figures out I don't have any pizza she will sprint away and hide in the woods like she used to. I will probably have to invest in Pizza Hut soon.
Last week I took some photos with Megan Manus in Sumter, just for fun, and they turned out really great. I didn't buy the digital files but Megan will be putting some up on her blog if you want to check them out. http://meganmanusphotography.com/blog/ ALSO I had my first dress fitting at Hayden Olivia. It was fabulous. Luckily they are having to take the dress in about 4 inches so that made me feel pretty good since last time it barely fit perfectly. I am SO excited about the dress. It truly is magnificent. Afterwards I roamed the streets of East and West Boulevard waiting on my friend Weldon to get off work so I could finally see her place and see Louise and spend some time catching up. I spent about an hour in the shop called Paper Skyscraper and bought a lot of neat things! When Weldon got home we visited for a bit and then went out for sushi (yum! my favorite) and then I had to make the long dreaded trip back down to Summerton. I wish I lived closer to my friends.... well wait, let me rephrase, I wish my friends lived closer to me! :)
Hopefully tomorrow I will get to see Lacey and visit with her. She has never been down here so I am excited to show her the house and the farm. And then my brother! SO it will be a good two weeks! Also this weekend our dear friends are giving us a shower, which will be much needed since we are hopefully going to move in SOON! I promise I will write more now that things are slowing up a bit. I will at least be taking more pictures so I can share some things with everyone.
xox
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)