Monday, April 30, 2018

Book Haul ~ April 2018



I added absolutely zero books to my bookshelf this month!  Can you believe that?  I don't know the last time that happened.

I was offered a few books on paperbackswap.com but I only have a few credits left and either didn't want to use a credit on the book or I had already read the book, so I declined.

I stopped by Ollie's where I usually can pick up a few or ten books per visit, but nothing jumped out at me.  There were a lot of books in the Amish genre which I haven't been reading for quite a while.

Actually, I haven't been doing much reading at all, so not adding anything to my bookshelf was probably a blessing.  Did I just type that?!?!?!?

I did start reading a book the other day that I received in March.  I hope to be getting more reading in while sitting out on my deck enjoying the nice weather that will hopefully be coming soon.

Here's the book I'm currently reading:


Hope Harbor ~Hope Harbor Book 1 by Irene Hannon:

Tracy Campbell never wanted to leave Hope Harbor, Oregon, or the idyllic three-generation cranberry farm where she grew up. But life–and love–altered her plans.

When tragedy strikes and changes her plans yet again, she finds herself back in her hometown with a floundering farm to run and a heartbreaking secret. Romance is not on her agenda. Nor is it on Michael Hunter’s. The visitor from Chicago has daunting secrets of his own. But when Tracy recruits him to help save a struggling charitable organization, the winds of change begin to sweep through Hope Harbor, bringing healing, hope, and love to countless lives–including their own.



So, nothing new for April...

Colletta

Sunday, April 29, 2018

Song I'm Loving ~ "Kiss Somebody" by Morgan Evans

Morgan Evans is a new-to-me artist that I found out is an Aussie and married to Kelsie Ballerini.
 
This video is so adorable.  I hope you enjoy it!
 
Let me know what you think :)

 
 


Colletta

Saturday, April 28, 2018

Saturday Weigh-In ~ 4/28/18

 
I missed posting last week's weigh-in results so I want to get up-to-date with that before getting into this week's weigh-in.

At the 4/21/18 weigh-in, I had lost 0.8 lbs...  But that meant I had lost 5 lbs in two weeks!  I had to tell myself this so I would be disappointed too badly.

Now on to this week:

I lost another 0.8 lbs.

I was rather happy with this due to the fact that I ate pizza twice this week and ended up using all my daily points, weekly points and even some of my fitpoints!

I'm only 0.6 lbs away from having lost 10 lbs in 1 month.  That is exciting!  I really hope to reach that 10 lb mark this week.  I am excited that I've lost a bit over 30 lbs from my highest weight!

Somehow I managed to get exactly 43/43 Fitpoints in this week.  I got a new Leslie Sansone vide (more on that in another post) and really like it so far.

Here's to a good week ahead!


My week's stats:

 
Weigh-in:  -0.8 lbs     Total:  -30.6 lbs. 

HW: 297.0
SW1: 285.4
SW2: 275.2
CW:  266.4


Exercise:  Saturday ~30 minutes
                  Sunday ~  45 minutes
                  Monday ~
                  Tuesday ~ 45 minutes
                  Wednesday ~ 45 minutes
                  Thursday ~ 15 minutes
                   Friday ~ 60 minutes

                   TOTAL:  240 minutes =   43/43 Fitpoints


Colletta

Friday, April 27, 2018

Tea Time ~ A Wedding and A Dress ~ 4/27/18


 
Grab a cup of tea, coffee, hot chocolate or your favorite drink
while I share a few things about my life lately...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 
~Today was my last day of babysitting.  I'm looking forward to having more time concentrate on exercise and taking care of the house.

~We went Prom Dress shopping for Kaylee!  After trying on many dresses, she decided on the one she liked the best.  Look for a Prom Dress post soon :)

~I think Spring is finally here.  (please don't snow now!)  I've been watching baseball on TV and am looking forward to going to a AA game closed to where we live.  I'm also looking forward to going to some of Dex's Little League games.

~At my last Weight Watcher's Weigh-in, I've lost 8.6 lbs in the last month!  I weigh-in tomorrow and am really nervous!  I get nervous every week about seeing what the scale is going to read.  Look for a Saturday Weigh-In post tomorrow :)

~I don't know if I mentioned yet that my new deck is built!  The Hubby and my Dad built it basically in a day.  I'm so excited to have my swing right outside the door and also to be able to sit at our patio table with the family and enjoy the weather :)

~My cousin Matt is getting married in September!  The bridal shower is in July so I've started working on an afghan for the bride's gift.  It is very colorful and I'm loving sitting on the new deck and working on it :)

How was your week?
 
Please leave a comment with a link so I can return the visit!

Sunday, April 15, 2018

Song I'm Loving ~ Grace Got You by Mercy Me


I love this song!  It is so much fun :)

Enjoy!





Colletta

Saturday, April 14, 2018

Saturday Weigh-In ~ 4/14/18

 
I worked so hard this week at sticking to the Weight Watchers Program!  Even though I really worked the Program, I was still leery last night about weighing in this morning.

I gave myself a bedtime pep-talk.  I basically told myself that as long as there was a loss, I'd be happy.  I knew I had done all I could and it would all depend on how my body responded

Imagine my excited surprise when I got on the scale at the meeting this morning and lost...

4.2 lbs!!!!!!

In one week!

I could not be happier!

So in the last 3 weeks of being back at the full Weight Watcher Program, I've lost 7.8lbs!  So exciting!

I also got my 5 lb charm.  Gotta love some bling :)


My week's stats:

 
Weigh-in:   -4.2    Total:  -29 lbs. 

HW: 297.0
SW1: 285.4
SW2: 275.2
CW:  268.0


Exercise:  Saturday ~
                  Sunday ~  45 minutes Leslie Sansone
                  Monday ~
                  Tuesday ~ 45 minutes Leslie Sansone
                  Wednesday ~ 50 minutes walking outside
                  Thursday ~ 50 minutes walking outisde
                   Friday ~ 50 minutes walking outside

                   TOTAL:  240 minutes = 43/35 Fitpoints!!!

My Weight Watcher App upped my FitPoints goal to 43 for this week.  Check back next week to see if I make it!


Colletta

Thursday, April 12, 2018

Tea Time ~ Puberty and Graduation ~ 4/13/18


 
Grab a cup of tea, coffee, hot chocolate or your favorite drink
while I share a few things about my life lately...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 
~I turned 40-years-old a few weeks ago!  Whoohoo!  You can read more about it in my "Happy 40th Birthday to Me" post.

~Laken brought home the dreaded 5th grade "Puberty Education Program" permission slip...  How can my baby be of an age to be thinking about puberty?  It seems like yesterday I was giving birth to her!  She's growing up so fast!


~Speaking of growing up...Kaylee is only 35 school days away from graduation!  For the Graduation Ceremony they put together a slide show of the graduates.  I had to go through my pictures and pick out 5 that I would like to be featured of Kaylee.  (She had to approve them.)  Looking through the pictures of her through the years and seeing her grow-up into the lovely young lady she is made me very proud AND emotional!  Here's one of my favorites from her 4th grade Christmas Program:


~I got a new pair of walking shoes for my birthday.  I went for a two mile walk and my heel is now TORN up!  I'll spare you the gruesome details and definitely won't post a picture.  I'm sure you all know what it is like to have a horrible blister on your heel from a pair of new shoes.  Anyway, I've been putting Neosporin on it and a huge Band-Aid to protect it.  Needless to say, I haven't put those tennis shoes back on yet!

~The hubby has been a busy beaver and built our deck onto the addition!  I'm so excited to have my swing on the deck where I can just walk out and relax!  My Mom surprised me with a Welcome mat for on the deck.  I've been waiting to put it outside until the snow stops.  (Please stop, snow!)  I absolutely love the color pops!  And, yes, I'm wearing my flip flops.  See above about my heel :)


~And last but not least, I wanted to show you a picture of 2 of my favorite men.  The hubby and little Damon taking a nap while I worked on a blog post.  Aren't they sweet?



How was your week?
 
Please leave a comment with a link so I can return the visit!
 


Wednesday, April 11, 2018

Weight Watchers Freestyle

I mentioned in my "Happy 40th Birthday to Me!" that my gift to myself was starting back to Weight Watchers Meetings.

I had tried going to meetings about a year ago but then changed my plan to Online Only.  This means that I was still a member of Weight Watchers but I only had access to the Online membership which does not include going to meetings.

The reason I quit going to the meeting was NOT because I wasn't having success.  I was.  I had lost 15 lbs in my 3 month membership.  My reasons were more selfish.

~The meeting is at 8:30am on Saturday morning.
~The meeting is a 35 minute drive away.
~I was burnt out and wanted to sleep in.  So lazy!
~It was going to cost more after the 3 month introductory membership was over.

But....

After a year of trying to go at it alone with Online Only (which I only would stick to for a week at a time) and just managing to maintain, I decided that I think I do indeed need the accountability of the meeting and weigh-in once a week.

I was nervous going back.  I don't know why!  Everyone was as welcoming as ever.

There had been some changes though.  They are now more digital with weigh-ins and keeping records.  And then there's....

FREESTYLE!

Freestyle is Weight Watchers new plan.  They've added a ton of zero SmartPoint foods including some of my favorites:  eggs, chicken breast, turkey breast and even plain nonfact Greek yogurt; not to mention all the fruits and veggies (yuck) that have been added as well as those that had already been zero SmartPoints.

I'm so excited to start trying some new recipes and sharing them here on Colletta's Kitchen Sink.  I already went shopping for the ingredients to make 1 SmartPoint Brownies!!!  So excited!!!

Stay tuned!

If anyone has experience (good or bad) with Weight Watchers Freestyle, I'd love for you to share in the comments.


Colletta

Tuesday, April 10, 2018

Book Haul ~ March 2018



Instead of doing a weekly "Mailbox" meme, I think I'll start doing a monthly "Book Haul" post.

While I've receive more than a few books in the mail during March, I have read absolutely nothing other than my Bible reading plan.  If you see a book in March's Haul that you think I should sink into, please let me know!

Without further ado:

 
 
Without Warning ~ Elite Guardians Book 2 by Lynette Eason:
 
Katie Singleton, a partner with the Elite Guardians Protection Agency, stumbles upon her next assignment quite by accident. Spotting blue lights at a familiar restaurant, she stops to investigate, only to discover that owner Daniel Matthews has become the target of someone who will go to any lengths to put him out of business.

Daniel might be concerned, but he's not convinced that a bodyguard--and a female one at that--is necessary. A new attack and his niece's urgings are enough to make him reconsider. He and Katie must figure out who's behind the intimidation and threats--before a would-be killer strikes again.
Witty dialogue and a simmering attraction will have readers flying through this tension-laced thriller. Eason exercises complete control of her readers' emotions as they race through the pages to discover the truth.
 
A Grand Design ~ Quilts of Love Book 20 by Amber Stockton:
 
When Alyssa Denham, a single career woman, wins a fun getaway for two on Mackinac Island where her grandmother lives, she gives her carefree best friend a call. Together, they tour the old shops and hidden treasures of the quaint island while helping Alyssa’s grandmother piece together an heirloom quilt. Their quest gains them entrance into the homes of many longtime residents of the island, parts of the city that are otherwise off limits to tourists.

As the quilt’s story takes shape, Alyssa gains amazing insight into her grandmother’s life . . . and attracts the attention of the handsome Scott Whitman, an island resident in charge of hotel transportation. Will memories of her past keep Alyssa from letting go? Or will the quest to piece together the heirloom quilt restore Alyssa’s fractured heart—and bring healing to her entire family?
 
Still Life ~ Chesapeake Valor Book 2 by Dani Pettrey:
 
Work hits too close to home for crime scene photographer Avery Tate when her best friend disappears. The only lead is a chilling photo of her--apparently dead. As Avery, her boss Parker, and his friends dig into the case, she's forced to confront her feelings for Parker when they come face-to-face with a dangerous criminal.



Sweetbriar Cottage by Denise Hunter:

When Noah and Josephine Mitchell discover their divorce was never actually finalized, their lives are turned upside down.

Following his divorce, Noah gave up his dream job, settling at a remote horse ranch in the Blue Ridge Mountains of northern Georgia, putting much-needed distance between himself and the former love of his life. But then Noah gets a letter from the IRS claiming he and Josephine are still married. When he confronts Josephine for the first time in months, they discover that she missed the final step in filing the paperwork and they are, in fact, still married.

Josephine is no happier about the news than Noah. Maybe the failed marriage—and okay, the botched divorce—was her fault, but her heart was shattered right alongside his, more than he would ever believe. The sooner they put this marriage behind them, the better for both of their sakes.

But when Josephine delivers the final paperwork to his ranch, the two become stranded in his cottage during the worst spring snowstorm in a decade. Being trapped with Josephine is a test of Noah’s endurance. He wrestles with resentment and an unmistakable pull to his wife—still beautiful, still brave, and still more intriguing than any woman he’s ever known.

As they find themselves confronted with each other and their shared past, old wounds surface and tempers flare. But when they are forced out into the storm, they must rely on each other in a way they never have before. Josephine finally opens up about her tragic past, and Noah realizes she’s never been loved unconditionally by anyone—including him. Will Noah accept the challenge to pursue Josephine’s heart? And can she finally find the courage to trust Noah?


Blue Ridge Sunrise ~ Blue Ridge Romance Book 1 by Denise Hunter:

Former free spirit Zoe Collins swore she’d never again set foot in Copper Creek or speak to the man who broke her heart. But return she must when her beloved Granny dies, leaving the family legacy to Zoe—a peach orchard nestled at the base of the Blue Ridge Mountains.

When Zoe returns home with her daughter and boyfriend Kyle, she finds that she’s the only person in town who doesn’t expect her to give up the life she’s established far away from Copper Creek. Everyone believes she was born to run the orchard, but how can she make it her home after so many years?

Cruz Huntley never quite got over his first love, Zoe Collins, the little sister of his best friend Brady. Not when she cheated on him during their “break,” not when she took off to parts unknown with good-for-nothing Kyle Jenkins, and not even now—five years later.

As life-changing decisions and a history with Cruz hang over Zoe’s head, tensions rise between her and Kyle. Even as she comes to terms with the shifting relationships in her life, Zoe still isn’t sure if she can remain in Copper Creek with her new responsibilities . . . and her first love.




Hope Harbor ~Hope Harbor Book 1 by Irene Hannon:

Tracy Campbell never wanted to leave Hope Harbor, Oregon, or the idyllic three-generation cranberry farm where she grew up. But life–and love–altered her plans.

When tragedy strikes and changes her plans yet again, she finds herself back in her hometown with a floundering farm to run and a heartbreaking secret. Romance is not on her agenda. Nor is it on Michael Hunter’s. The visitor from Chicago has daunting secrets of his own. But when Tracy recruits him to help save a struggling charitable organization, the winds of change begin to sweep through Hope Harbor, bringing healing, hope, and love to countless lives–including their own.



...And that was it for March...

Colletta

Movie Review ~ Paul, Apostle of Christ ~ Recommend!


Saturday afternoon we decided to take the family to the theater to see "Paul, Apostle of Christ".  We heard from some friends at Church that it was an excellent movie.

There was a bit of friction from Laken who really wanted to watch "Sherlock Gnomes" instead, but she understood that we were going as a family and were all going to watch the same movie.  I can understand this of an 11-year-old.

Here's the official trailer for your viewing pleasure:




Now for my thoughts:

Our friends from Church were right!  This was an EXCELLENT movie!  I was captivated from start to finish!

I really don't know how to describe the emotions this movie evoked.  It was a roller coaster.

There were some aspects of the story that weren't technically "BIBLICAL" as in they aren't recorded in the Bible.  But at the same time, the events were definitely things that COULD have happened.  I didn't really see anything that was "UNBIBLICAL".

Laken had lots of questions throughout the movie.  It is rated PG-13 and there were a few places that I worried that the movie might be too much for her but I'd rather her see a movie about Christians that is PG-13 than a secular PG-13 movie.  Overall, she handled it very well.

There were so many thought provoking moments in the movie.  I wish I could tell you how much it impacted me and has made me want to strive even harder to win the race.  There was so much to be encouraged by.

The ending of the movie was so emotional for me.  Tears were definitely falling.

I would definitely recommend this movie to everyone.  If you take kids, be prepared to answer questions so use your discretion on the age and maturity of the child.


So, let me know if you've seen the movie and what you thought.  If you haven't seen it yet, do you think you will?


Colletta

Monday, April 9, 2018

Happy 40th Birthday to Me!!

Image result for happy 40th birthday


OK, so today is NOT my birthday...

In fact, I completely skipped over it during my blog break.

Never-the-less, I did turn 40 years old on March 24th!

40....years....old...

That is NOT a typo!  40 :)

I don't know what I was worried about.  I had a great day!

The first thing I did was go to a Weight Watchers meeting.  I mentioned on my Saturday Weigh-in that I upped my membership from Online Only to Meeting and Online.  That was my birthday present to myself.  I'll share more about my Weight Watchers experiences in future posts.

The rest of the day was spent with family doing family things.  I love those kind of days.  Everyone was home and we got to hang out and have quality time.  Doug even chose not to work overtime that day.  That in itself was such a sweet thing and a great present!

So, overall, being 40 has been great so far.  I do still have goals and things I want to achieve, but I don't feel like I have a time crunch.  I can relax, work hard and enjoy myself.
 
It is going to be a great decade!

Colletta

Sunday, April 8, 2018

Song I'm Loving ~ "Meant to Be" by FGL and Bebe Rexha

I absolutely love music and have it playing from the time I get up in the morning until the time I go to bed.

Every once in a while, I'll be posting a "Song I'm Loving".  I might say a few words about the song or I might just let you enjoy the music without being wordy.

Today, I'd like to share "Meant to Be" by Florida Georgia Line and Bebe Rexha.  I had never heard of Bebe Rexha before this song came on SiriusXM The Highway but I am LOVING her voice.

Let me know what you think:


 
 
 
Colletta

Saturday, April 7, 2018

Saturday Weigh-In ~ Weight Watchers ~ 4/7/18

 

I have decided that I DO want to continue with Saturday Weigh-Ins.

I'm still trying to lose weight and get healthier.  In fact, I recently upped my Weight Watcher membership from Online Only to Meeting and Online.  (More on that in another post.)

So, this morning was my weekly WW meeting.  Bright and early...

This is my third week to be back to meetings.  The first week was my official weigh-in.  The second week I lost a whopping 0.6 lbs.  (So disappointing).  This week I lost:

3 lbs!!

I was so excited!  For like a minute.  Then all the doubts started flooding in.

~I have so far to go...
~What if I quit again...
~What if I have a bad weigh-in next week...

etc., etc., etc!

I had to immediately change my mind set to positive thinking and kick out the negatives. 

~I have a plan.
~I'm going to stick to that plan this week.
~Just think about this week.
~Stay on plan today.

If I'm brave enough, I think I'm going to start posting my actual weight.  This would be a big step for me.  Let me know in the comments if you think I should.

My week's stats:

 
Weigh-in:   -3.0    Total:  -24.8 lbs. 

Exercise:  Saturday ~ 30 minutes walk outside
                  Sunday ~
                  Monday ~ 45 minutes Leslie Sansone
                  Tuesday ~ 45 minutes Leslie Sansone
                  Wednesday ~ 30 minutes Leslie Sansone
                  Thursday ~
                   Friday ~ 45 minutes walking outside

                   TOTAL:  195 minutes = 39/35 Fitpoints!!!


Colletta

Friday, April 6, 2018

A New Direction ~ 4/6/18

Hi, Everyone!

In case anyone has noticed, it has been a little while...

I got to the point with blogging that I really wanted to take a step back and evaluate if I even wanted to keep blogging.  I got tired of doing the same routine each week with the same weekly linkups, memes, etc.

After giving it a great amount of thought, I need something different.

I even thought about starting a brand new blog, but I really like this space.  Colletta's Kitchen Sink is almost 10 years old!  Can you believe that?  I have 1169 followers and have surpassed the 1,000,000 views milestone so I really didn't want to just turn away from that progress.

So...

I decided to just head my blog in "A New Direction".

I'll be posting about a variety of topics that are of interest to me at this point in my 40-year-old life.  I'm not even going to promise to post on certain days, but I will try to post at least a few times a week.

If you're still reading my blog, I hope you'll stick around to see where it goes :)

Also, if you have any suggestions on what you'd like to see on my blog, please leave a comment.  (Heck, I'd love for you to leave a comment so I know people are still reading!)


Colletta