Meta Day 2

Today was hard!! I think it's all starting to set it now and my body is starting to scream out for the foods I'm no longer eating i.e. processed foods like Cheez Its, breads, dairy, etc. Notice I said Cheez Its first because they are my absolute favorite!!


On Day 91 I'm having a Cheez It party and you are all invited :) Today's workout was not as energetic as yesterdays. I worked out late in the afternoon as opposed to yesterday getting to workout in the morning and I believe it made a huge difference on my energy level. Yesterday my dance cardio was at about 96% effort and today was closer to about 70%. I was begging for that 30 minute mark to hurry up and get here. Poor Tracy was getting a lashing out at on my TV screen! "I hate you crazy woman!" "What the heck are your legs doing and why won't mine go that fast!" And don't even let me get on my rant about how the mat work went down. I've never sweat so much "fairy dust" in my life. So much so that I had to rip off the sports bra because sweat was pouring! I know that's an awful visual but I was home alone :) I never know how this little lady tends to make these workouts feel like your legs are burning off your body but I know tomorrow morning I will wake up and look down and already be able to see a difference. Day 2 down and 28 to go for month 1, 88 to finish the challenge!

Meta Day 1

So today was a success!! I woke up early this morning to the realization that I needed a juicer to get my power juice going. Thanks to my friend Helen she highly recommended the Jack Lelanne juicer and I'm pretty impressed. It'll juice absolutely anything and everything. I may start juicing everything I eat....well at least until I get sick of a baby food diet. So I headed off to Kohl's first thing and yes I felt like a moron knocking down the door at 8:00 to buy a juicer of all things.
Once I got back, I spent all morning preparing the foods that are part of the Week 1 meal plan (Nutrient Boost Week) but the good thing is I made enough for tomorrow too. Now, the Nutrient Boost Week entails 7 different items (servings) of food that can be eaten whenever you want. Breakfast kicked off with the power juice (kale, beets, and apples). I have to say I have never eaten a beet in my life but dang they stain your hands "beet red", now I know where that comes from. The juice was a pleasant surprise considering it looked and smelled awful.

For breakfast it called for steamed apples and blueberries then pureed into applesauce, delish!!


I did my Day 1 workout right before lunch so I was starving come 1:00. For lunch I ate the carrot/parsnip puree which was good and veggie soup. I forgot to take a picture of lunch but I will post tomorrow. Then for dinner I had the Gazpacho and sweet potato/corn puree. The gazpacho was tolerable but the sweet potato puree was heaven!!
Yea that pic looks a little gross but it looked more appetizing than the picture does it justice. And just about an hour ago I was happy to finally enjoy an "approved" glass of wine and dessert. Chocolate/Strawberry pudding! After dessert so sweet I am rethinking about sticking to this for at least another day :) Day 1 down, 29 to go!

Here We Go

So I agree with Jen that I haven't been as faithful as I said I was going to be about blogging but I'm starting a new fitness routine tomorrow that I'm going to blog my way through to help me stay motivated from all of you and keep me on track.  So many of you know my obsession with everything Tracy Anderson.  For those of you not familiar with her, google her! I have all of her DVDs and tomorrow I'm starting her newest project called Metamorphosis AKA "Meta". 

It still entails the muscular structure and dance cardio but its complemented with a meal plan which I know is going to kick my butt.  For those of you that know me well know that I'm always trying to find the next big challenge to take on and this is going to be it.  This Meta series will run for 90 days and at the end of those 90 days, if I make it, she sends the next 90 days worth of material.  So here we go, Ready....Set.....Go!!  I officially have 30 minutes left until tomorrow starts so I may go polish off the cupcakes Julie left here last night :)  I plan on posting the food I'll be making so all of you can be sooooo jealous!!!  Sweet Dreams!

February, already?

I know, I know- you have to be thinking "Gee Jen, it's been almost a month since you posted, you must be right on track with your resolutions!" Sorry to disappoint, but the truth is that I've been terrible about my resolutions!
Somehow, I got completely off track. The good news is that I started over today. Who says I have to wait until January 2012?

I started Couch to 5k over again today. I must admit, I thought it would be easier the second time around. It really wasn't. I feel great though, I'm proud of myself for getting back off of the couch. :)

I'm having a "Bring Wayline Home!!" yard sale at the beginning of March. Some of my very best friends have offered to help me out, aka: Julie and Ally.  I'm super glad that they did, because I think I would feel overwhelmed without them. Every penny we get from the yard sale is going into the adoption fund, I can't wait!

Speaking of Wayline... Andy and I want to keep "Wayline" as a middle name. We are going through baby name books but haven't settled on a name yet. We have had quite a few disagreements, but we both do lean towards Biblical names, we particularly seem to like Hebrew names. Let me know if you have any awesome suggestions!

Have a happy day!
-Jen

January

The last two weeks of January have been packed full of all kinds of things! We are on week four of couch to 5k! It feels funny telling people that this week I've built up to running for 5 minutes straight, as if that would impress anyone who has legs, but it's an accomplishment all the same.
Jen had a birthday! We spent a day making her birthday cake together. While we decorated the cake, the boys attempted to fix the dishwasher, which was seemingly a successful mission! Don't you hate hand washing dishes? I do! Once the cake was done and the dishwasher was put back together, we headed to Ally's house for dinner and games. It felt like Christmas all over again. I loved it! I don't care if we have to have an "un"birthday in February, dinner and game night is a must!

The next day we had a worship team party at the house. We had BBQ catered it, and I made some desserts. I really should have taken some pictures of the spread, but with 30 people on their way to the house, there wasn't time for picture taking! Some of the goodies that made an appearance were: lemon cupcakes with lemon buttercream, magic bars, and homemade brownies.
Speaking of goodies, Haute Cakes made some new flavors this week: chocolate covered banana, strawberry shortcake, peanut butter banana, toffee crunch, peanut butter & jelly, and cookies and cream. So fun (an tasty!) to try new things!
This weekend I had a wedding and grooms cake to make. Driving the cakes to venues is particularly nerve racking, but we arrived safely, as usual and the bride and groom were very please, which is all I need! You can check out the latest cakes at www.hautecakeshop.com.

I can't believe January has come and is on its way out, but I'm excited for February! I will make greater strides at being a better blogger in February. Looking forward to learning new things, cooking new recipes, and running longer distances!

Julie

Yes, I'm Awesome!

I have been working diligently on my resolutions! Couch to 5k? Check! Cooking delicious meals for my hubby? Check! Learning new and wonderful crafts? Check!

I finished week 2, day 1 of the Couch to 5k program. It's getting easier. I am surprised at how quickly my body has adapted. I am now able to run a full 90 seconds without stopping! I'll admit that this doesn't sound like much, but really, for me, it is.

Julie bought a "teach yourself to knit" book. I have been using it and am proud to say that I am now a knitting fool! I can cast, do a knit stitch and I can do a pearl stitch! George has already put in an order for a sweater. :)

Tonight I made a yummy French Onion Soup. Yes, I'm well on my way to taking Martha Stewart down!

Pay it Forward!

Yesterday, I logged onto my Facebook and my friend Sarah had posted the following as her status:

"Pay it Forward 2011: I promise to send something handmade to the first 5 people who leave a comment. They must in turn post this and send something they made to the first 5 people who comment on their status. The rules are that it must be handmade by you and it must be sent to your 5 people sometime in 2011. :)"

I quickly signed on! For one, Sara is one of the most creative people I know and two, it just sounds like tons of fun. So I posted it to my facebook and quickly got 6 responses! Ashley, Amanda, Mandy, Jennifer, Suzanne and Cindi will all be getting something handmade by me in 2011! (I like the idea so much I believe I'll be sending out more than these 6 items. We will see!)

In other news, I finished the second full day of Couch to 5k today. I actually can't wait until Monday so that I can go again! I'm going to be super hot by summer. 

I had my last Christmas today. We had waited to do it with my parents until George was back from Michigan and today seemed like the perfect day because it is also my dad's birthday! We had a great time, George finally got his fish tank, Andy got some power tools and I got lots of art supplies, books and makeup :) Merry Christmas!

-Jen
  

 

Couch to 5k, etc.

So today was day 1.5 for me on the "Couch to 5k" program. I actually began it on Tuesday, but only made it 17 minutes into the 30 minute workout before I thought I was going to die. Today, I did day one over again but actually made it the entire 30 minutes. WOOHOO!! I know, I'm a beast. *See disclaimer below

We picked up George from the airport tonight. He had a fantastic time in Dowagiac, MI with his family. We are happy to have him home! So are the doggies :)


-Jen
*Disclaimer: Julie did Cto5K with me. I'm not actually a beast.

Blah, Blah, Blog...

I've never before had "Resolutions"- I've always thought they were ridiculous. I think that I still find them to be ridiculous, only now I actually have some. The reason behind my resolutions? I want to be an old-fashioned wife/mother, ala Donna Reed:  I want to have a decorated, organized home. I want to be a fantastic cook. I want to be able to sew, quilt, knit, can, etc. When my husband comes home from a long day at work, I want to greet him in heels and an apron. ;)

So here we go:
1. Keep a clean, organized home.
2. Cook healthy meals for my family.
3. Enjoy creative outlets: quilting, canning, etc.
4. Read through the New Testament.
5. Get in shape.
6. Get pregnant!
7. Bring home Wayline.

Ok, so number six has been on my list for a few years now, but I think this might be the year! I'm turning 29 at the end of this month.  This blog will follow me in my pursuit of my resolutions and my last year in my 20's. Join me?

-Jen

The Rest of the Resolutions

I thought I would share the rest of my resolutions with you today. They are in no particular order- I'm equally looking forward to each of them:

Read 3 Books 
   It's not that I will take a year to read three books, but I don't read at all now, so I thought 3 would be a good place to start. One every few months at leisure. 


Cook Through a Cookbook
   Sort of like the movie Julie and Julia, which was my inspiration, but I certainly will not be starting with Mastering the Art of French Cooking. I've checked out a few cookbooks from the library and will keep you posted on which one I choose to be THE cookbook.


Learn to Quilt
    If you haven't ever curled up on the couch underneath a quilt that your grandmother or great-grandmother made, you won't understand my desire to learn this seemingly lost art, but there's something so comforting about the weight of a quilt being draped around your shoulders; it's unlike anything else. 


Learn to Can
    Jessica Jordan, a friend from college, was my first inspiration for this. You can check out her incredible blog here. My second inspiration was Rebecca Noe's homemade hot pepper relish. Rebecca served this scrumptious appetizer over cream cheese at a Christmas party last year. It was to die for! 


Get Fit & Run a 5K
     This resolution doesn't need an explanation and is probably similar to millions of people's resolutions this year. Specifically, though, Zach and I will be doing the Couch to 5k program. We did our first session on Monday and while I am extremely excited to be starting the program, it wasn't easy for this out of shape housewife!


Be Organized
      Filing cabinet, closets, cupboards, the whole nine yards. Organization is liberating for me and now's a great time to get everything in order. 


Be Faithful to Our Debt Snowball! 
     Zach and I read Dave Ramsey's Total Money Makeover book a couple of years ago and made great progress in the months that followed. After selling our house in Mobile and buying one in Baldwin County, we spent most of our "extra" money renovating our new home in 2010.  The renovations are over and we are thrilled to be attacking debt in 2011. I took Financial Peace University in the fall and can't wait to see our debt disappear! I would encourage all of you to check out Dave Ramsey's book, Total Money Makeover, or his course, Financial Peace University; it's definitely a life-changing financial plan!


There they are...8 of them, including what I shared yesterday. It's going to be a great year, full of great memories and experiences!  

I'll keep you posted,


Julie

Auntie Anne's

 Zach has an obsession with Auntie Anne's Pretzels. Perhaps you share the same sentiment toward these delectable treats; if so, you know they can only be found in Bel Air Mall in Mobile, so rather than driving 35 miles for a pretzel, we decided to try making them at home.  We got the following recipe from food.com. It's a copy cat of the Auntie Anne's recipe, and I have to say, we were thoroughly pleased with the outcome. Enjoy!

Love, Julie

Ingredients:

Servings: 4-6

•                1 1/2 cups water

•                1 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast (1 pkg.)

•                2 tablespoons brown sugar

•                1 1/4 teaspoons salt

•                1 cup bread flour

•                3 cups flour

•                2 cups water

•                2 tablespoons baking soda

•                coarse salt

•                2 -4 tablespoons butter (melted)

Directions:

Prep Time: 15 mins  Total Time: 25 mins

Sprinkle yeast on lukewarm water in mixing bowl; stir to dissolve.


Add sugar, salt and stir to dissolve; add flour and knead dough until smooth and elastic. (I used the kitchen aid with the bread hook…easy)


Let rise at least 1/2 hour.

While dough is rising, prepare a baking soda water bath with 2 cups warm water and 2 tbsp baking soda.


Be certain to stir often.


After dough has risen, pinch off bits of dough and roll into a long rope (about 1/2 inch or less thick) and shape. You need to make your dough rope as thin as possible. We tried pretzel sticks, bites, and whole pretzels and the whole ones were our favorite, as long as the dough was not too thick.

Dip pretzel in soda solution and place on greased baking sheet.


Allow pretzels to rise again.


Bake in oven at 450 for about 10 minutes or until golden.


Brush with melted butter.


Toppings: After you brush with butter try sprinkling with coarse salt.




Dear 2011

I have to admit that I felt quite sad packing up the Christmas decor this week. While I certainly look forward to the new year, I love the holidays more than the average girl and always feel a certain amount of melancholy as I watch the season quickly fade away.  This year, however, brings new possibilities and along with new possibilities comes excitement!  I have a lengthy list of resolutions,  and I'll share the first with you today.  This probably shouldn't be "labeled" as a resolution, but it was put at the top of the list for 2011 and is certainly worthy of mention:

Spend every single day, no matter how busy life gets, in the Bible and in prayer. 

Do you ever feel like every thing that happens (or doesn't happen) during your day hinges on whether you have been in the word?  I have really good intentions to consistently be soaking up the Bible so that I can reflect Jesus day to day, but life seems to get the best of me more often than not, and the result isn't something I brag about. It's a "me" that I'd rather not share with others; a selfish, ugly "me". I know that spending time at the feet of the Lord each day this year will make everything else I have "planned" fall right into line where He would have it fall rather than where I anticipated it would. I'm eager to see what He has in store for 2011!

As it turns out, I find this blog intimidating.  As I sit here writing out my thoughts, I'm actually thinking that I'd rather you not know them. Perhaps because I will be accountable to you when I see you and the things I've written come up in our casual conversation or maybe just because it's something I've never done before. I've never owned a journal so I think I've technically skipped a step here by sharing my thoughts with you before I've made a habit of writing them to myself, but along with my hesitation comes anticipation for the great year we will have together.  I'll share my favorite verse with you because I think it encompasses the goal of the blog:

 Psalm 90:12 says, "Teach us to number our days so that we may gain a heart of wisdom."

Through this blog I hope to be able to slow down a bit and count the blessings of each day and share them with you and to use each day to share Jesus with others- not take any day for granted because we aren't promised tomorrow.

Happy New Year to you; I hope it's your best yet!

Love,
Julie

I'm blogging!.....again

It's a new year and with new years comes new resolutions.  I've never been one to set rediculous goals or try to make drastic changes that I know won't hold up until Valentine's Day but this year I decided that I'm going to make this blog a virtual diary so a year from now I can look back and read about everything I (hopefully) accoplished. So here we go! Here's a little bit about me. 
My name is Ally, I'm married to Seth, and we have a stand-in child name Ramsey (our yorkie).  And in one week we're getting stand-in child #2.  We live in Daphne, AL and it's pretty much heaven living here.  We moved into our house about a year and a half ago and my free time is spent on coming up with ways to spend money decorating this blank shell.  It's fun dont get me wrong but it takes me forever to decide what color/decor I want for each room that I'm slowly getting around to starting the next project.  A lot of what I'll be blogging about will revolve around this.  I'm also pretty much addicted to fitness and living a healthy lifestyle.  My typical routine is about 2 hours a day of exercise 5-7 times per week.  Yea, I'm pretty much nuts but it's my "Ally" time and I love it.  My fitness guru is Tracy Anderson and I swear by her muscular design series.  She's changed my body in no way any exercise program has and I love it!  (Also, majority of my blogging will be about her and her fitness program).  I'm also a vegetarian so cooking meals in my house can be daunting sometimes since Seth is no where close to being a veggie. In my free time you can either find me at Ann Taylor Loft or TJ Maxx shopping :)  Im trying to break away from my two trusted friends (stores) and shop the boutiques more but its been such a long relationship I feel like I'm cheating.  I also love to coupon since the coupon rage has struck Baldwin County.  Daphne just got a Publix so I'm in heaven.  Not that the Fairhope Publix was far away but being a few miles up the road definetly helps. So I guess that pretty much scratches the surface of who I am and what I'll be posting mostly about.  I hope you find my blog entertaining.  I'm sure we'll be laughing, crying, and laughing some more together in the next year so let's enjoy the ride together!!
Ally
Oh, and here's a pic of Seth and I and another pic of Ramsey.

Welcome to Haute Housewives

Who and what is Haute Housewives? We are best friends that had the same idea for a New Year's Resolution which was to start a blog to follow what's going on in our lives.  We have many similarities and common interests involving cooking/baking, crafting, shopping, couponing, and exercising, all which will be discussed here.  We've titled different parts of this blog to help navigate to these particular interests.  Also, you can click on either of our individual page to be nosey as to what we're up to.  We hope you enjoy our blog and please be sure to follow us!
Happy New Year!