Chili competition

I had the displeasure of taking today off so I could work on Saturday. I struggle with staying positive about that. 

I took the day to be productive. I went to body pump. I got the oil changed. I also went to lunch with a friend. 

I had a beer with that lunch. 

Then I went home to make the chili for Friday's chili champ competition at work. (See work isn't all that bad. I just hate working Saturdays.) 

I suffered through chopping the onion with the bread knife. I need to buy a real knife set. I guess I'm too cheap and or too lazy to be bothered with buying proper utensils for my kitchen. 

I managed to chop it all up. 

A smattering of ingredients. I'm not sure how I decided to ensure no labels could possibly be seen. 

Ground beef browning to perfection!

Mix in the veggies to simmer. 

The final beautiful product. Now click the link to Kristin's blog stuff and things in my side bar. It's called company chili on her website and there is a secret ingredient not shown here. 

Snickerdoodles were also made for Friday's festivities. We will have full bellies and I will be popular with my cookies. 

Make A Difference Monday

 
 

 How would you like to help save three people's lives? It's possible if you give blood. Personally, I hate blood and needles. Any sort of subject including death, hospitals, and blood makes me very queasy. My mom dreamed of my career as a nurse but it never happened. I couldn't get over the queasiness that overtakes me.

How do I give blood? I always have the entire arm covered. My eyes are closed tightly when inserting and removing the needle. I get a little grossed out when I see the blood. I squeeze the heart (or whatever is handed to me) as much as I can. I want the donation process over. My reward is cookies. I can eat 1000 calories in cookies and not gain weight. The cookies replace the blood. The true reward is saving lives but ultimately I'm more excited about the cookies. Giving back is a selfish venture, no matter what people say.

I've given blood in Colorado with Bonfils. Here in Oklahoma, The Oklahoma Blood Institute has me down as a donor. Apparently, my B Positive blood is on demand. I'm going to give them a call and see if there's time at lunch. 

How do you give back? Do you know giving back can be anything that you want to do? Please stay tuned for Travel Tuesday the link up edition!

 

Make a difference Monday

Welcome to make a difference Monday! Giving back to the community, paying it forward and making our world a better place is important to our well being and others.

Today I would like to share with you about giving blood. I hate the sight of blood (it grosses and freaks me out) and I hate needles. I find comfort in the cookies that I eat afterwards. When we give blood up to three people's lives are saved. I have been doing this act for some years and even with my phobias I know good has been done. I'm gonna need to head over there soon and give blood again.

If you have an encouraging story of giving back or paying it forward, please comment below or email me at estherdavison@gmail.com. I am looking for guest posters. Please stay tuned for top pic Tuesday!

Weight Loss Wednesday

Welcome to Weight Loss Wednesday! I have been in the Christmas spirit and making cookies every weekend. Once completed, I have been bringing them to work but still eating my fair share. Diet fail perhaps? My running has been getting faster but I'm not running long distances yet. I'll try to on Saturday. New diet strategy: get dental surgery and be unable to chew for a week. It's not really my strategy but my teeth need the work. I'll be enjoying soup and apple sauce for quite a long time.

  I am really exctied that there are some cool bloggers who have done awesome at losing weight during the holidays. Congratulations Danielle! Congratulations Jess! Carrie's blog is choc full of great tips including a 12 days of fitness challenge that I did not participate in. Here's Five Tips to survive the holidays! Thanks Alex! I am not done linking up with other bloggers today. Everyone has won a fantastic award from Hubby Jack's Blog Attack! I'm a weiner!

  Please stay tuned for Thankful Thursday!

Thankful Thursday: Cookie Edition

Welcome to Thankful Thursday! This post is set aside as a special space to be grateful for the good things in life, such as cookies. This week, I am thankful for my mom who helped me decide the changes to the recipe was ok and I am thankful that the cookies turned out. I received the recipe from Thaleia at Something 2 Offer. I changed the recipe quite a bit. I did half regular flour and half wheat flour. Plus I added cumin and nutmeg instead of the cloves and cardamom. The final product was edible. I called it "Mexican Christmas Tree Cookies". Thanks to Julie at White Lights on Wednesday for hosting this fun cookie exchange!

Silly Saturday

Welcome to Silly Saturday. It's silly that I'm trying to lose weight during the holidays. It's silly that I'm trying to lose weight, yet I'm still baking treats and freezing them. I made banana bread with whole wheat flour and chocolate chips. I also made pumpkin chocolate chip cookies with some whole wheat flour. It still sounds a little healthy, right? Stay tuned to Serious Sunday. I'm linking up with Jilly at Hi It's Jilly. Update at 8:30 am: De Ja Vu, I gained last week's pound back. I'm shaking my head in unhappiness.

Weightloss Wednesday

I have struggled with weight for my entire life. In high school, I didn't want to get on the scale because I didn't want to face the truth of being over weight. At 5' 2", I weighed over 150 pounds. Now I weigh 136 and ideally should be 125-130. I'm still doing good on cutting sugar out of my diet. Last weekend, I did not have any cookies and there were a lot of cookies. My focus on nutrition is still strong, except for the beers (my current weakness.) I have lost weight using slim fast and special k. My most success comes from workouts and good nutrition. Have you struggled or been successful with weight management?

Busy weekend

I have been so busy this weekend. I have moved two minivan loads into the new storage unit. I volunteered at a race. I have packed more boxes. I even made a batch of cookies.

It's been a fun weekend too. I invited my girlfriends to come over for girls night. We had fun chatting and watching a movie. I can't wait to move and have another girls night.

I am still praying for a miracle. My condo in Denver needs someone to live in it. God will provide.

Is it just me, or do weekends seem busier than the workweek?

Understanding and cupcakes

Dear Lord,
Thank you for giving me the wisdom to know, that I will not understand the peace that I have and the reason for where you've placed me.  The desires of my heart will be mine in Your time and I will be ready when its time. Amen.

I have hope for the future. I continue to pray for things to change. But for now, I know I'm where I am supposed to be.

Nutrition has been off today. I ate a cupcake and a bag of fritos. I managed my extra calories though by not eating a second cupcake and choosing to eat fritos over the high calorie cookies. Tomorrows nutrition will be off as well but I'll find a way to manage.  Someday I will be able to announce weight loss and I look forward to it.

If today doesn't make sense, please let me know. Thanks!

Yummy Thursday

Today’s rating is positive.

I gave back to my community by giving blood today and I treated myself to a lot of food. I enjoyed two breakfasts, nachos, and cookies. I am also drinking plenty of water. One of my favorite ways to reduce stress is to help out others. It is a strong self-esteem booster. I plan on volunteering regularly again. I am on a break to create a new strategy but I will be helping the community again soon. How do you give back to your community? If you haven’t tried, do something small. It will make a big difference in your perspective.

I hate blood, needles, and pain. I only give blood to help others and eat cookies. The cookies ease the pain a little bit. Thanks Bonfils!