Bad blogger

I'm dreadful at this blogging lark. Sorry. I'm worse at the 101 thing though, I've even spent the money I was saving (it is a recession people!)
I'm going to have a tidy up of my list, take some things off and add some new things and hopefully I'll be back on track!

8. Lose 4 stones

I'm back on track. I've pissed about losing and gaining the same 1/2lb for weeks now and it stops here.
This week I lost 2lb and I'm back to my lowest weight (not ever, sadly!) It does work when you actually stick to it and don't have Mcdonalds, crisps, biscuits, chocolate, sweets....

61. Bet on the grand national

I did it (I didn't go into the bookies, I did it online. I still counts right?) I didn't win.

22. Visit 5 different museums

Manchester Museum

It's been years since I've been here, not since I was a child. As soon as we walking into the part of the museum which houses the main attraction, Stan the dinosaur, I remembered it well.

Charlotte moaned and wanted to be carried the whole time. Lydia moaned and wanted lunch about 10 minutes after we arrived. Paul moaned about the children moaning. I had a really great time.

Here they are enjoying themselves


Admiring Stan

16. Bake once a month

I'm baking so regularly now I'm forgetting I'm even doing it. I've made all sorts of stuff. Currently planning anzac biscuits for tomorrow!

8. Lose 4 stones

I have no idea where I'm up to with this. I have lost and gained the same 2lb for months now. Today I have made a huge batch of super speed soup. I will lose the 2lb next week and I won't regain it the week after...

2. Eat faggots

I did it. They weren't as grim as I expected but I certainly won't be rushing to eat them again. They were like testicles in gravy. Grim.
I should have probably taken a photograph of me eating them but I didn't.

Rubbish Blogger!

I've been crap, forgive me. Must try harder.

12. Put photographs in every frame I own

Erm, I bought more frames... ooops!
I put my photos away when we got our kitten so they didn't get broken and when I went to get my wedding photo back out I'd managed to break the glass. Oh the irony!
So I had to by a new frame for that. And another to match. And I've bought some frames to make a gallery wall on the stairs.

Some of them have photographs in...

8. Lose 4 stones

I only went and put a bloody pound back on. I didn't even have my jumper to blame it on so I had to come clean about the cake!

35. Throw away 10 things from each room

I'm getting really into the clearing thing. Last week I filled 5 bin bags of clothes for Lydia's school Bags 2 School collection. I like the feeling of not having lots of old crap hanging round. If I don't like it, use it or need it it's gone.
It's an ongoing thing and I'm planning on clearing the cellar out when the weather is better (so I can empty it all outside and not have to spend any longer than necessary in the dungeon!)

17. Make birthday cakes for each of the girl's birthdays

My baby is 3! I have no idea how she's 3 already, it's surely only about a fortnight since I was in hospital waiting to go down to the theatre!

For her third birthday cake we decided on a cat (well I did, she wanted a blue cake...) I went for chocolate with vanilla frosting. It was a bit rough as it was supposed to have another layer of the buttercream to neaten it up but it was as sickly as hell so I just left it at one. The pictures I have are a bit crap so here's a cute video

27. Plant sunflowers with the children

Day 21

27. Plant sunflowers with the children

Day 14 update. They're growing faster than anticipated!

8. Lose 4 stones

I lost 2lb this week, I've been trying very hard. I had grapes instead of sweets at work and I resisted the delicious scones at a 3rd birthday party!

Maybe I'll get to my next target next week.

27. Plant sunflowers with the children

Sunflower update, day seven

8. Lose 4 stones

I put on 1lb. This was definitely because I was wearing a sweatshirt and not at all because I ate too many biscuits.

8. Lose 4 stones

While I'm on a blog roll (see what I did there?) I suppose I better update my weight loss. I stayed the same this week. SW call it maintaining, not sure I like that. Sounds too much like I meant to do it rather than the fact it was a lucky fluke after a week of troughing like a pig.

Must do better.

100. Go for breakfast in a greasy spoon cafe

Builders tea and the Daily Mirror to accompany my breakfast this morning. Served on mismatched plates with mismatched cutlery on a table with a wipe clean table cloth.
Breakfast was ok, may continue on my quest with this one but for now it's crossed off.

27. Plant sunflowers with the children

We planted the seeds this afternoon after school. It was a treat for Lydia who had apparently not moaned at all on the walk home. She has a very selective memory!

I shall update with photographs of their progress, if there is any. Last year mine didn't grow at all!

83. Listen to 10 artists I've never heard of

I can't get this song out of my head, so catchy! Even Lydia sings along which is hilarious. So, I'm spreading the earworm!

8. Lose 4 stones

Hurrah! I'm back on track (ignoring the midget gems I ate last week which I discovered today are 1.5 syns per 4 sweets eeeek!)
This week I lost 2lb so I've lost what I gained and 1/2lb more.
I have 3.5lb to go to my next target. Bring it on!

8. Lose 4 stones

Urgh, I wasn't going to post this but I decided you have to take the rough with the smooth. Ladies and gentleman, I have gained weight two weeks on the trot.
Not a huge amount (1lb last week, 0.5lb this week) but it's not good. I know exactly why I've gained. Eating like a big fat pig.
The cake in the last post? All gone. The crisps for lunchboxes? Gone. Biscuits because it's not fair that everyone else has to miss out because I'm on a diet? Gone. Cheap and nasty basics chocolate bought to bake with? Erm... that'll be gone too. 600g of sports mixture? Gone. Tin of Roses at work? Gone. I have fallen off the wagon spectacularly.

Tomorrow I'm climbing back on. Spurred on by someone telling me that I'd lost weight (Thanks Edel x) and remembering why I want to do this.

If you see me near a biscuit tin hit me with a big stick ok?

16. Bake once a month

I didn't blog about baking in February but I did bake, honestly!

This month I've baked already, and I'm blogging before I forget. This month's bake is the best so far. Amazing. The best cake I've ever made. This little beauty is Nigella's Torta alla Gianduia AKA Nutella cake.



It's from How to be a Domestic Goddess (also here ). It's very dense and sickly but completely delicious and moreish.

8. Lose 4 stones

I didn't blog last week as I didn't lose anything and the weekly updates are boring me, never mind you!

This week I have lost 1.5lb and bought trainers and a sports bra!

8. Lose 4 stones

I lost another 1lb this week. I'm consistent at least!

8. Lose 4 stone

Lost another 1lb and got an award today.

8. Lose 4 stones

Weigh in day! I lost another 1lb. Today I bought a dress for a wedding I tried it on in my current size and then bought one 2 sizes smaller. It will fit!

ETA: I just tracked my weightloss on the SW website and apparently I have achieved Club 10 (I've lost 10% of my starting weight!)

8. Lose 4 stones

Early morning weigh in today and I lost the 1lb that I gained last week. I had to buy a belt whilst out yesterday so it must be working!

16. Bake once a month

This challenge is getting harder now I'm on Slimming World. I didn't even blog about last month's efforts as I didn't really get to sample them (they were baileys cupcakes, they didn't really taste of baileys at all).
This month I made Nigella's Dense Chocolate Loaf Cake for my Nana. Apparently it was nice, I didn't try any *weep*


Dense Chocolate Loaf Cake

Makes 8 to 10 slices

Ingredients

225g soft unsalted butter

375g dark muscovado sugar

2 large eggs, beaten

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

100g best dark chocolate, melted

200g plain flour

1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

250ml boiling water

Use one 23 x 13 x 7cm loaf tin

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 190C/gas mark 5; put in a baking sheet in case of sticky drips later, and grease and line the loaf tin. The lining is important as this is a very damp cake: use parchment, Bake-O-Glide or loaf-tin shaped paper case.

2. Cream the butter and sugar, either with a wooden spoon or with an electric hand-held mixer, then add the eggs and vanilla, taking care to blend well but being careful not to overbeat. Nigella says: "You want the ingredients combined: you don't want a light airy mass."

3. Gently add the flour, to which you have added the bicarb, alternately spoon by spoon, with the boiling water until you have a smooth and fairly liquid batter.

4. Pour into the lined loaf tin, and bake for 30 minutes. Turn the oven down to 170C/gas mark 3, and continue to cook for another 15 minutes. Nigella says: "The cake will still be a bit squidgy inside, so an inserted cake-tester or skewer won't come out completely clean." Charles says: "Unlike King Alfred, keep an eye on the top of the cake, to avoid burning."

5. Place the loaf tin on a rack, and leave to go completely cold before turning it out. Nigella says: "I often leave it for a day or so: like gingerbread, it improves."

Nigella's serving suggestions: Eat with ice cream; or with a bowl of straw-berries and a jug of white-coloured rum custard; or cold cream cheese.

8. Lose 4 stones

First weigh in of the new year = first gain. Booooo! To be fair, I have eaten a truck load of chocolate, a macdonalds, a kebab,and loads of bread.
Back on the wagon tomorrow.

Happy Blog Birthday!

My project is a year old! To celebrate I've had a cull of the things I'm not likely to do (my blog, my way ;o) ) and I'm looking for new stuff to add and new blogs to follow. I'd love to read yours, leave a comment and I'll check it out!

8. Lose 4 stones

Lost 1/2lb this week, woo!

7. Make a Christmas cake

So, not being one to do things by halves, I decided to make not one but nine christmas cakes! Ok, so they're only little ones but nine seperate cakes all the same.
I started back in October by soaking the fruit in brandy, then in November I made the actual cakes. For the last few weeks thay've been living in a cupboard and being fed brandy every few days.

And here they are, the finished articles. I've already given one to Lydia's teacher. Sadly I only have a rubbish iphone photo of that one, but trust me, it looked fab!







This is the recipe I followed Boozy Fruit and Christmas Cake

8. Lose 4 stones

(I might blog about something else soon...)

Today's rather dull update is that I lost 1/2lb this week. Good considering the chicken fried rice, pizza, chocolate, biscuits, warm coconut macaroons etc etc.

Now, let's see if I can keep up my no gain record next week...

8. Lose 4 stones

I didn't have high hopes this week. The Christmas thank you presents have started to arrive at work, as well as a chocolate hamper from our area manager.
Some kind of advent miracle occurred though and I lost 2.5lb again! I was so shocked I asked her to double check!

8. Lose 4 stones

2.5lb off this week meant I finally got my stone award. I also got slimmer of the week and am currently looking for recipes involving 3 apples, 2 kiwi fruit, a grapefruit, a courgette and a packet of chicken and mushroom pasta 'n' sauce.

So, a quarter of the way to my original goal. I'm at the annoying point where my clothes are too big but the next size down is still too small, hopefully I can rectify that by christmas.

16. Bake once a month

Chocolate Orange Panettone Recipe Here

8. Lose 4 stones

A rather miraculous loss this week, only 0.5lb but I really was expecting to gain. I've eaten a tonne of celebrations at work and my friend Kerry forced me to eat scones with too much cream at the 1st birthday party of her youngest!

I've now set my target on the SW website, it always seemed too far away but now I've lost almost a quarter of my original target it seems more achievable. It estimates that if I keep losing at the rate I have been I can be at that goal by my birthday. Hopefully, if I get my arse into gear I can do it before then.

31. Get fitted for a bra

I can no longer throw them over my shoulder like a regimental soldier. Not clothed anyway.

8. Lose 4 stones

I maintained. Grump. And the first person to say it's better than gaining will get a punch in the nose.

86. Get new glasses

I've put this off for ages. I hate wearing glasses. Really, really hate it. I'd have laser eye surgery in a shot but I'm beyond skint and would have to sell a kidney or a child to fund it. This is a bit tricky as I can't see anything without them. I've had my current ones for 5 years and they really needed changing as a) They're knackered, b) my delightfully tactful husband told me they were dated and c)I can't bloody see anything, even when I'm wearing them.
So finally this month I was forced, kicking and screaming popped along for an eye test. After being told off by the optician for not being able to read the eye chart, even with my glasses on (I told you, it's a wonder they haven't sent me a guide dog) I spend an hour looking at frames. I hated them all. Every single pair. Too big, too small, too narrow, too Dame Edna, the arms are too wide, the wrong colour, too Elton John...
It took me a week to find an acceptable pair, well two as they were buy one get one free. I'm still not sure about them, they're different. I like familiar.