life's blessings!

sooooo, it's saturday. the boy is

working

again.

i am thankful he has a good job and i am thankful that he is able to work hard.

the

money

is

great.

but

i

am

sad.

i feel like a single person. i feel like i am doing things like i did when i was a single girl.

i

have

cried

a

lot

in

the

past

month.

but the past week, even more.

i feel like i am

being tested.

i know god does not judge, nor 'test'....but

i

feel

like i am.

soooo, last week, i rejoined weight watchers....yes. i. did.

let me give you a little background and then u will

see where i am going with

this whole story.

(remember, i go off on my tangients...)...sometimes it takes a while to get to the original story.

k, background. weight watchers...FOCUS!

i joined WW over 2 yrs ago. i was feeling that i needed to lose a few LBS. not a lot.

but i felt like no matter how far i ran or what i ate, i just could not shake it.

so one morning.....(a saturday morning. at 7freaking30), i got in my car and

went

to

my

first

meeting.

i felt good because i took that step....but i also felt 'weird'.....i was definitely one of the

youngest...but i was also one of the thinnest....

and here i am going to a meeting for excuse me, fat people....(at least that's what i thought)....

i felt like

people looked at me and were like, 'why is she here'....

but

i

instantly (well, ok, not instantly...but shortly after)

realized

these

meetings

are

for

EVERYONE!

our leader is crazy, full of energy. she is an inspiration and helps keep us on that path of 'right / healthy

food

choices.

ok....now fastforward 2 yrs.....yes. i fell off the wagon. thru some stressful times in my life

i gained about 12 lbs back.

yikes.

not

a

good

feeling...

sooooo, last week, i took that step....again.

i went back to my

WW meetings!

i didnt realize how much they really do keep you on track! but what i realized is that i missed them.

i missed hearing all the positive stories.

i missed seeing the transformations that people made and are making.

AND

guess what???

the

BEST

part???

i

lost

FIVE

POUNDS.

happy dancing taking place. i am so thrilled. i am 'relearning' how to make the right

food choices...

AND

what a 'true' portion size really is. ahem....(it's not a HUGE bowl of pasta like one would think....)

try like

one

cup.

one

teeny

tiny

eensy

weensy

cup.

but you know what???

it's so easy to follow the WW way....

and the best part???

it

really

WORKS.

soooo back to my original beginning of this blog post.

today, i got up and went to my meeting.

i have had a horrible week. (please refer back to single life in first few sentences)

but

today

was

another

slap in

my

BIG

FAT *(well almost skinny....lol...)*

FACE.

our leader talked about negativity and making choices. she talked about a 'mean' person

who was not nice to her at work, and what she did about it.

AND you know what?
she felt better.

and then she

delivered these words:

GOD works in mysterious ways. she said she truly believes that EVERYTHING happens

for a reason.

bad things happen to good people, for reasons we are not supposed to know.

but basically she went on to say...

be thankful for what you have. live YOUR dreams....

because someone out there always has something worse.

with everything i have been dealing with this past week / month, with my sister's

new cancer diagnosis, and other various life issues....

i feel

like

this was

just another

slap in my FACE.

life is precious. we need to appreciate....and learn to give thanks for the things we have at the current

moment!

the signs that i pray for are right there in front of me.....

soooo i plug along and try to stop and smell the flowers! sometimes its rough....

have a peek at my cake pops. i showcased them a few days ago but for

those of you who have never made.....

you

are

missing

out

on

a

truly

little piece of heaven.

in

YOUR

MOUTH!

seriously.

thanks to bakerella!

i want her to come to my kitchen and just hang out. chat. teach. learn. grow.

she is amazing.

sooooo, here was the start of two days of cake pops!

bakerellas infamous cake pops!

one box cake mix (made in a 9x13 cake pan, per box instructions)

one container frosting. (see pics below)

lollipop sticks

chocolate discs for melting

sprinkles

plastic bags

ribbon

styrofoam block (important.....i tried it one time with out this...OYE! that's all i can say) :o)

bake cake.

cut cake into pieces and place in large mixing bowl...i use my ever so loved kitchen aid!

add about 3/4 container frosting. (room temperature)

mix until soft gooey dough forms.

form into balls.

FREEZE. i dont have a lot of patience so this was the hardest part.

melt chocolate.

dip in chocolate and sprinkles.

cool.

place in bags. tie with ribbon. give as gifts. be prepared for lots of mmmmmm'ing and awwwww'ing.

and LOTS of questions: "how do you make those"...."are they hard".......and the best: "you're so creative".....

BUT i would not be creative without the help of BAKERELLA! see note above. xo

and for the good stuff:

chocolate......

lollipop sticks!



i think the

whipped

buttercream

is

the

BEST!

balls. lots o balls......

please take note of styrofoam block

all tied up with pretty green and gold bows.......

 all boxed up...in a fancy schmancy bakery box....ready to

be

devoured

by

40

soccer lovin girls!

yellow~chocolate pops.

colored sprinkles~yellow butter cake pops.

either way....

it's lovin

on

your

tongue

and in

your

BELLY!

alrighty, snickerdoodle pumpkin muffin cupcake faces.......

i am

off

to enjoy

one of probably

our

last

80'

sunny

summer, i mean almost FALL

DAYS.....

i hope you do the same....

xoxoxo