11:45pm

(I wrote this late last night, please forgive my looniness.)

I probably should be sleeping. But this blog has been neglected the past two weeks, and I had some thoughts running through my head as I was brushing my teeth and I want to get them down before they fly away and I forget. That’s the way my brain works these days.

I am really happy to have given up desserts for Lent. It hasn’t been as bad as I thought. I miss baking, though. I have made two things with modified recipes - as in very little sugar. Basically they are like eating bread (to me). For example, I made the butternut coffee cake from Deceptively Delicious with only ¼ cup sugar in the cake, no marshmallows, and instead, some banana added. My mom and sister were visiting. And I made the basic muffin recipe from my BHG cookbook. I used ¼ cup sugar in that, too. Normal people would probably think they taste like dirt.  But I can eat them with control.

Our grocery budget is being blown out of the water this month. Why???

I was excited today to see that Costco is carrying fruit leather again. Only this time, it is the Simply Fruit brand by Betty Crocker, the makers of the original Fruit Rollups. Not quite as pure, but a step in the right direction for ol’ Betty. Now, our Costco carries Sugar in the Raw and unbleached multigrain all-purpose flour, too!

I finally finished the 30 Day Shred. It took me about 75 days, but I did it. I highly recommend it.

Not to be on a Jillian Michaels kick or anything, but Master Your Metabolism was a good read. Chock full of information. It basically lines up with what I already know, but I learned a lot of new information, too. If you are skeptical about if organic food is worth it, this book is for you.

I also read Skinny B*tch for the first time. Foul-mouthed? Yes, it is, so it is not for everyone. I found it to be motivating, though. And a very quick read. I don’t agree with the authors that vegan is the only way to eat healthily. I also don't agree with how much they advocate eating soy.  However, it does inspire me to want to know the origin of the animal products we eat.

Purge week is almost here! I got a head start last weekend and did the kitchen, laundry room, and kids’ clothes. The two worst closets are still left: our closet and the one in our son’s room which has general storage in it. I will share photos. They will not all be pretty, though.

Ok, the clock is about to strike midnight and I am going to turn into a pumpkin. See you later!