Delightful Dumplings

"A big,fat,bowl of dumplings,boiling in the pot.Sugar them and butter them and eat them while they're hot."

Ok,they are actually Caramel Apple Dumplings but last night I made them with my dd on her special night with me and we had a great time coming up with all sorts of "D" adjectives describing the dumplings.I won't list them because some are completely silly but we sure did laugh.lol

3 cups water
2 cups brown sugar (We used 1/2 sucanat)
1/4 cup butter
2 tsp vanilla
1 tsp salt

Combine the above and bring to a boil in a large suacepan.

Dumplings:

2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 TB baking powder
1 cup milk
1/4 cup butter
2 tsp vanilla
2 cups diced apples

Mix dry ingredients,cut in butter(or melt it) and and then fold in vanilla,milk and apples.
Drop by spoonfulls into the boiling syrup.Cover tightly and cook on low for 8-10 minutes.Don't open the lid for atleast 8 minutes.You can't peek on dumplings,they need that hot air/steam to cook properly.Check the center after 8 minutes and if they are still not done (they should be like a really moist biscuit.....not doughy but not dry either.) then give them another 5 and they should be.

Serve with sweetened vanilla cream or ice cream!

Are you taking care of yourself .....

so that you CAN take care of your family?

It is way to easy for us Mammas to put our own health aside because we are to busy taking care of everyone else.WE CAN"T DO THIS! We CAN"T! All those excuses we have are all just excuses.The TRUTH is that our health is not a priority and THAT is why we don't have time.Most of us find time to do what we really want to do.So don't say "I don't have time." because you do! :):)

I for one do not want to start having problems with my pregnancies/births/recovery/breastfeeding.I don't want  to be overweight! I have 25-30 pounds that I have been hanging onto for my last few pregnancies that has GOT to go.I am expecting that I will probably be EXPECTING again :) before I get the weight lost but that is ok.I am going to keep plugging away even throughout my next pregnancy (If I should be so blessed) BECAUSE what I am doing is not dieting but lifestyle changing.Eating healthy is a constant desire/battle of mine.I am passionate about it and I know that because of that, alot of people assume things about me that are NOT true.Things like..... my family never eats junk food and that I eat salad everyday.:) Not true!:) The TRUTH is that I have a HUGE sweet tooth and I definitely love my Symphony bars.:) I don't eat near as many salads as I would like to because I don't take the time to make the salads!Anyhow,I just wanted to make it public that I fight the junk food battle just like everyone else :).I am trying to find a balance though.We aren't cutting it OUT but just trying to be moderate with it.

I have already lost 25-30 lbs but then I started slacking.I am back at it again though and hope to truly stick with this.

Join me in my weight loss journey why don't you!???? We can only neglect our health for so long! You may eat tons of junk food and very little good food and feel fine NOW but it WILL catch up with you! 40's-50's is when most of the health problems start happening.I can't guarantee that I won't have any but I can sure do a whole lot more to keep myself healthy than I AM doing.

My plan:

SLEEP- I don't get NEAR enough sleep and I only have myself to blame.I am a night person AND a morning person and that = not enough sleep! :) So I am trying to get to bed around 10:00 which gives me 6-7 hours of sleep.

WATER- Make sure that I remember to drink it.I love water but sometimes just forget to drink.I rarely drink anything else other than water.

EXERCISE- aprox 30 minutes a day.I do about 300 different reps.I am doing two different challenges with MOMYS.A pushup challenge to work up to 100 pushups and a Situp challenge to do 200 situps.I am also doing Couch to 5K.As I said,about 30 minutes a day and I exercise at 6:30 sharp so it is DONE.No exercise on Sunday.

FOOD-3 ,Healthy, well balanced meals a day and I am trying to SIT and eat them SLOWLY.I am trying to always include some protein and vegies plus plenty of good fats.No counting calories but I *am* trying to eat less junk carbs.Two snacks a day....1 healthy and one sweet :).Friday starting at supper time is eatwhateverIwant  night.

I have a wonderful accountability partner and that is helping SOOOOOOO much!

Come on ladies! You can do this!