Janet's Smiles

The #SoCS prompt is Weigh/way/whey and the #SeeYouInSeptember is Spicy.  The way I am going to connect these things is like this:

I have been on many different “diets” as a way to lower the amount I weigh.  Some have been successful for a while.  At one point around the early 2000’s I lost 44 pounds and was down to 169 pounds.  That was using the Weight Watchers way.  Of course things happened – don’t ask me what because I don’t remember anything specific – but I do know that I got all the way back up to 238 pounds! 

The next thing I tried was Hungry Girl program.  Again I lost about 40 pounds.  Why is it that I didn’t keep going?  Who knows.  I am an Italian and I love pasta?  I am a wife and need to feed my husband who doesn’t like low fat/sugar free foods?  Busy working so I call for take out?  All of the above! 

Then my son worked the Keto lifestyle and lost about 30 pounds.  He suggested several times that I try it too but I was resistant.  It’s not a healthy way of eating…too much fat…I have diabetes I can’t have too many ketones in my urine…all excuses.  Finally, around my birthday in March this year, I decided that I’d had enough and it was time to get my act together so I investigated the Keto plan more thoroughly and found that it was actually not that bad and it might even help with my diabetes.  I had a basic set of lab tests done and checked with my doctor who said that each “diet” be it vegan, keto, WW or whatever, have their own proponents but in the end it really is just an individual thing and every body reacts differently.  She said that I should get repeat lab work in September to see where things stood.

I can say that so far I’ve lost 38 pounds since March and 54 pounds since my all time high of 238 (you do the math).  The last time I was at this weight was April of 2006.  I keep setting mini goals for myself and while I know that if I was even stricter with intermittent fasting I could lose it more rapidly, as long as I keep going in the downward direction I’m okay with it.  This is me today.  Excuse the messy hair and the glare from the light.  A bit different than the first picture, no?

My daughter and I have tried many different recipes from the books we’ve gotten and online and most of them have been very good.  I am still not a fan of really spicy foods but I am using more spices in meals than I did before.  Mostly I like garlic and pesto but on fish I use dill.  We do also add some whey protein occasionally.
   

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Missed posting yesterday.  I stopped in the middle of the day to watch the Giants game and work in the studio so I lost track of time.  The #SeeYouInSeptember prompt was School Supplies and although I have no kids to buy school stuff for, Office Depot remains one of my favorite stores.  Pens and markers are my weakness and I love having lots of different points and colors. 

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It is September and that is the month when for the last 22 years we have been going to our cozy spot in the woods of Boulder Creek, CA.  My husband and his friend started a golf tournament there and it is such a beautiful, relaxing place.  I don’t golf so I get to do my own thing while the guys are out on the links.  I do get together with the other wives but that is mostly in the evenings.  Introvert me loves the peace and quiet and the beautiful scenery. 

I tried to recreate a cozy spot in our backyard but when we cleaned it out and made room for the studio, things got moved around.  Besides, those chairs are old and worn out so they are on the way to the dump.

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You know I love a good challenge and my blogging friend, Melodye Shore, has come up with one called #SeeYouInSeptember, a month of show and tell.  I’m not giving up on the Pick One series though so let’s see how clever I can be with combining them!

I am not going to worry about September 1 and 2 because this is a stress free zone and because I did similar ones last month.  Today’s prompt is “Favorite Color.” 

I have to say that my favorite color changes from time to time.  For a long time it was yellow.  Then I added orange. 

California Poppy

A card I made practicing some techniques

When it came time to paint the studio though, I went in a whole different direction.

Baby Blue Ocean drink

Nautical

Maybe my love for the ocean is stronger right now. 

It is the beginning of the month so Linda has given us the Escapist Coloring Club link too.  I’m surprised I didn’t submit an entry last month but here are mine for this month.  I am still working in the Alice In Wonderland coloring book.  I may not be able to eat the sweets but there’s no carbs this way.  

Magic potion

So there you have the color themed post for today.  My Pick One for you is:  Color inside the lines or outside and why?  As you can probably tell, I’m a bit more inside than outside.   How about you?  Favorite color to use when coloring inside or outside?   

  

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In honor of Labor Day here in the United States, I offer this pick one:

Whistle while you work or sing in the shower and why?

One might think that singing in the shower is better but I’m picking whistle while you work.  In my mind, if I am happy enough at work to whistle, then I am enjoying my job and that is something we all want to be able to do.  Here are Snow White and the Dwarfs to show what I mean.

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Looks like this one didn’t get posted!  Found it in my draft file. Ooops!

Day 19 of the #Augustbreak2019 gives us the prompt of movement.  It has been pretty warm in our neck of the woods lately so we have fans going in most of the rooms in the house:

If you want to see the actual moving version, check out my Instagram post at:  https://www.instagram.com/scr4pl80

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Today the prompt for #SLS is cowboy/gun/hat/horse/western.  Jim has been doing a great job since taking over for Helen.  I haven’t heard anything about her lately so I hope that she is doing well. 

I have to share again the song that my mom used to sing us to sleep with.  It is called Cowboy Jack and it holds a very special place in my memory.

I made a mini-album for my family of this song.  It was one of the first minis I did and I was pretty pleased with how it came out, but I think I’m going to take some better pictures of it.  I made a few of them to give to my family. 

My mom singing.

Here’s the song as sung by Don Edwards. 

Fortunately, my mom and dad’s story had a slightly happier ending since they were married for 40 years before my dad passed away. 

Do you have a song that you remember from your childhood?  Want me to make a mini-album for you about it?  Do you like cowboys and westerns? 

Also, I’m starting a new series for September.  I’m using the book “3000 Pick One Questions” to see what you all have to share.  Hopefully you’ll play along.  For today, since the #SLS prompt is western, my question for you is:

Combat boots or cowboy boots and why?  My answer is cowboy boots for sure.  My dad passed away over 35 years ago and I still have a pair of his well-worn boots.  Love the colors and I can remember going with him and my mom to the Western clothing stores to pick out new boots and hats. 

 
 So tell me your answer. 

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And so we come to the end of August Break for 2019.  Gonna try for another three-fur today, combining the last two days of August with the Stream of Consciousness Saturday.  Let’s see how it goes.

August 30 – Smile

We went to the Giants game last night with a bunch of friends for Italian Heritage night.  Since my maiden name is Stagnaro, I’m pretty sure I qualify.  Of course I have to take the smiling selfie wherever we are:

Game #3

Backstreet Boys

Game #1 – “Friends” tribute night.  Some of the Giants players and their wives did a recreation of the opening of the television show “Friends.”  It was pretty good!

Game #2 – Baseball card giveaway

The Beach

The full moon

Cards for any occasion available now.

Baby’s first year mini-album in a box.

Interesting read about Freddie Mercury.  Added some details that I didn’t know.

Latest book from the Braxton Campus series.  Stay tuned for another one in October!

Based on a true story.  I cannot imagine.

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Fortunately I got a large, rush work job so I had to miss posting here for a couple of days but I did manage to post on Instagram so now I’ll recap here…

Day 27 – Favorite recipe: 

I don’t really have favorite recipes because truthfully cooking is not one of my favorite activities.  My daughter and I have been trying out some new meals from these books lately and since the weight is slowly coming off, they are my favorite at the moment – LOL.

Day 28 – In my bag:

This is the bag I have filled with the pens, pencils and markers that I use when I’m coloring. 

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Day 26 – Door – I was looking around this morning for interesting doors for today’s post and didn’t really see anything that grabbed me.  Then I went into the studio and of course found the door:

The bottom section holds the white boards I use as a background when I’m taking pictures of things for the Etsy shop.

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