Hubby’s Weight Loss

Hubby Butterfly has been doing an amazing job staying on track with his Weight Watchers.  Tonight marked the end of his 5th week on the program – and he lost 2.2lbs this week!  That’s 19.9 lbs total – an average of over 3.5lbs per week.  I am so proud of how hard he’s worked and how dedicated he’s been to losing weight.

Today, I wanted to use up the last of the meat in my deep freezer – but it was a pot roast, and I didn’t have any carrots (and not near enough potatoes).  So I improvised and cooked the beef, then shredded it to make a homemade beef veggie soup.

It tasted GOOD!  None of the Caterpillars complained at all – and Hubby had two bowls full!  (It also made a LOT of soup – there is plenty to have for leftovers and I might freeze some.  I like have emergency soup!)

Beef Vegetable Soup

	1 1/2 cup(s) canned yellow corn
	20 oz cooked beef chuck arm pot roast
	2 cup(s) frozen baby peas
	3 cup(s) Minute Instant Whole Grain Brown Rice
	1 1/2 cup(s) Eden Organic Cannellini (white kidney) Beans
	1/4 cup(s) beef bouillon granules
	12 cup(s) hot water
	1/4 cup(s) Worcestershire sauce

 

1) Cook the pot roast in the oven.  I simply set mine in a pan and used aluminum foil to create a tent.  350 degrees for 2 hours.

2) Shred the pot roast.

3) Add Beef Bullion and Hot Water to a large pot on the stove.  Wisk until bullion is dissolved completely.

4) Add beef, peas, corn and kidney beans.  Bring to a boil.

5) Add brown rice (I use the boil in a bag – and just cut the bag and dumped the rice in).  Boil for 5 minutes.

6) Add Worcestershire Sauce.  Simmer for 45 minutes to an hour.

Yield: 12 servings

Weight Watchers Points: 7 per serving

I think this was a fitting end to my “no grocery shopping – Pantry Cleanse” month!  All the ingredients were on hand, and I was able to really get my freezer ready for my first attempt at monthly grocery shopping.  I’m almost a little nervous about tomorrow – I’m about to head to the kitchen to work on sorting coupons for the big trip.

Hope everyone’s New Year’s Resolutions are still going strong!  I’m saying it again – I’m SO PROUD of Hubby Butterfly’s commitment!

~Mummy Butterfly  )i(

So Much to Say – And No Pictures!

I haven’t had the camera in my hands for 36 hours, and I wish I had!  So here’s a quick recap of our weekend – with two pictures “borrowed” from Boo Sheep’s blog.

Saturday, Hubby took the Caterpillars to Sister Sheep’s Birthday Party.  The theme was “If You Give a Pig a Pancake” and Boo Sheep outdid herself on all the cool crafts and ideas.  My favorite was that instead of cupcakes or cake – each of the kids added toppings to their pancakes.

To read her account of Sister Sheep’s awesome day – go here.  (And before they left – GO actually went potty in the potty!  SO PROUD of my big girl!)

I spent the entire day at a Boy Scout Advance-A-Rama.  It was my first time teaching the Theater Merit Badge and I LOVED it.  I had 12 boys, who all did an incredible job.  Queen came along as my Admin Assistant, and we were lucky enough to actually have the theatre to work in, so the boys were actually on stage!  That lasted from 7 am to 4 pm…a long day, but a good day.

For dinner, we headed to Adam and Eve’s house for a delicious Greek Orzo Chicken (from the crockpot!).  I’ll post the recipe next week – but we were able to take leftovers home and they were great today, too!  We also had a blessed time of fellowship, just sitting on the floor around the fireplace and chatting.  It’s so wonderful to be developing these close relationships with other Christians who are in the same lifeplace Hubby and I are in.

While we were eating dinner, the Caterpillars were hanging out with Cookie and Doc.  They enjoyed themselves, watching a movie and having a special dinner.  They were asleep when we picked them up, and we carefully took them home and put them straight to bed.

This morning, we slept late and had family time.  GO snuggled next to me, as we watched TV and hung out together.  She’s had a runny nose, being particularly boogerific today!  By the afternoon, B10 and I were ready to get out of the house and head to the local pool to meet up with the other Webelos Scouts for their work on the Aquanaut Activity Badge.

I was thrilled – we had 6 boys attend and each of them fulfilled the requirements to earn their Activity Badge.  The most exciting part to me is that B10 and Prince completed the last of their Activity Badges and are now Super Achievers!

After coming home, I crashed for 30 minutes – I forget how tiring swimming truly is.  Hubby woke me up to tell me my first D-Group girl was arriving.  She was about 15 minutes early, but she usually is and I love having that brief time to spend with her one-on-one (with 13 girls it can get HECTIC!).  However, 30 minutes later we started to get worried.  Not a SINGLE OTHER GIRL had shown up!

I started texting, and every other girl had a good reason to not be there, so we made the best of it and decided to go out to eat.  It was her first time to ever have Krystal’s and I think she’s going to be wanting more!

My night ended with a beautiful conversation and prayer time with a dear Christian mentor.  She is a breathtaking example of what a woman can be if she gives herself and her time over to God.  I am so blessed to have her beside me in my journey.

I am headed to bed, thrilled overall with the weekend and wishing I had photos to remember it by.  But then I think how hopefully none of these events were a one time thing.  I’m so lucky that each and every one of these moments will be recreated, because I’m rather lucky in my life.  I have friends and family who are safe and love me.  And a God who cares more than I can even imagine.

It’s enough to make the rough parts of the weekend disappear when I try to remember them.

~Mummy Butterfly  )i(

Organized Closet

Cookie came over yesterday and helped me clean out our hall closet which is full of medicine, shampoo, soaps, makeup and other assorted “stuff”.

I had the baskets, but they were full of randomness.

We dumped over 400 expired pills (mostly vitamins and such) and organized everything else.  I was excited to see that I won’t have to buy soap or shampoo for QUITE a while!  Something FlyLady talks about regularly is USING your “special soaps and lotions”, rather than always holding on to them for a special occasion.  That is my goal for this year.

We won't be buying soap this year!

I have SO much lotion! (I love lotion, but don't use it enough.)

Medicine - none expired!

Now the closet is all pretty (and labeled – thanks to Cookie).  If only I can keep it this way!

I also cleaned my bathroom sink...

~Mummy Butterfly  )i(

Chicken Pot Pie

I made homemade Chicken Pot Pie for Hubby a few nights ago, and it was one of the first dishes that had a pretty low point value – but he felt very full after eating.

It’s also the second time I have made homemade pie crust – it’s the easiest thing ever and I cannot believe that I use to pay Pillsbury to make it for me!

For my Weight Watchers Friends out there – here is the recipe:

Ingredients 1 1/2 cup(s) all-purpose flour 5 Tbsp shortening 1/8 cup(s) water 737 gm Canned Condensed Cream of Chicken Soup (Family Size Can) 1 1/4 cup(s) frozen cut green beans (one small bag) 1 1/4 cup(s) Green Giant Niblets Corn, No Added Salt Or Sugar, Canned 1 1/4 cup(s) canned Black-Eyed Peas 3 cup(s) cooked frozen green peas (one regular size bag) 1 large can chicken (or 5 fully cooked/shredded chicken tenderloins)

1) Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2) Mix the flour & shortening in a bowl.  It should come together and be a little crumbly – add water slowly until it forms a nice ball (you may not need all the water).  Set aside.

3) Mix remaining ingredients in a large bowl.

4) Empty pie ingredients into large baking dish (or split between 2 pie dishes).  You can also make 1 pie and place the remaining mixture in the freezer for a second pie later – you’ll only have to make fresh crust.

5) Roll out dough to approx 1/8 inch thick.  Using a butter knife, cut strips 1 inch wide.

6) Weave the strips in a lattice pattern over the top of the pie.

7) Bake for 35-45 minutes, or until the crust has browned.

Yield: 8 servings

Weight Watchers Points: 9 per serving

On a side note – for dessert, Hubby had 1 cup of Fruit Cocktail (in Light Syrup) with 2 Tablespoons of (off-brand) Cool Whip.  It was a filling dessert (and not overly sweet) – and was 5 points.

~Mummy Butterfly  )i(

Happy Birthday Surprises!

For GO’s 2nd Birthday we’ve decided to do low-key on the actual day – we’ll have her party sometime in late February or early March, when the weather warms up and our friends can come over to play.

Today, I helped her get dressed in one of her new outfits from Minnie Mouse and Granddaddy, then Cookie came by to take us out to a birthday lunch.

She was a little perturbed in the beginning –

Mr. Potato Head Angry Eyes

But quickly got excited when she realized Queen was at the restaurant!

Happy now that there is food and Queen!

Snuggling with Queen

(We used the Panda Express free Kids’ Meal coupons!)

Panda Express Orange Chicken

CW's lunch

B10's "grown up" meal

Dancing in the Restaurant

After lunch, we all headed to the Barnes & Nobles so GO could get her free Birthday Cupcake (and we could pick up Sister Sheep’s Free Cookie…the cupcakes have cream cheese frosting – I even checked the ingredients list…).

Picking out Dessert

GO enjoyed searching for the “perfect cupcake”.

SOOOO Many Choices!

Then she refused to sit in a highchair – she was a BIG girl!

"OH! It's so big!"

Excited about the sweet treat!

"Um? What is THAT, Cookie?"

"I don't need no stinkin' fork!"

eating cupcakes like a 2 year old...

Cookie and GO

so yummy!

Cookie tried to purchase GO a new Olivia book – but GO found a stuffed Olivia and refused to put it down.

Oh well, I can’t say I’m overly upset by the idea of a stuffed book character, and Hubby and I HAVE decided that GO’s birthday party will be Oliva-themed.

She crashed like a rock in the car on the way home –

Fast Asleep with Oliva

Fast Asleep with Oliva

– and slept for quite a while in her bed.

Snoozing with Olivia in bed.

Now, we are waiting to hang out with Hubby and play for her birthday!

~Mummy Butterfly  )i(

GO Turns 2!

Happy Birthday to you!

Dancing Princess 2011

Happy Birthday to you!

October 2009

Happy Birthday, sweet GO!

Snuggly Girl 2011

Happy Birthday to you!

Easter 2009

(And your twin-cousin Sister Sheep!)

Beth Hadid 2009

Much Love,

Mummy & Daddy Butterfly

Your Brother Butterflies (AKA: The Guys)

Opening Her First Gifts

We decided it would be easier for GO to open her first birthday presents tonight, the ones from Granddaddy and Minnie Mouse.  The family had time to Skype with them tonight.

Hubby was in charge of the camera – and if you flip through real fast, it’s like a video!  😉

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The computer at the bottom of the picture is the Skype-ing computer.  THANK YOU Minnie Mouse and Granddaddy for the cute clothes and the awesome airplane!

~Mummy Butterfly  )i(