Goals for the Week

I think I want to start a new tradition where I will post my goals for the week and then at the end of the week, see if I have met them or not. I do this every week on a piece of paper that I put on my desk. I write out all the things that I absolutely must accomplish. I am anal like that. I write down EVERYTHING. I have so many reminders everywhere all over my desk, my walls, my phone. I must be organized and make things easy for myself...because if I don't... chaos sets in and I freak out.

So, here are my goals that are coming directly from this piece of paper on my desk.

-do the whole "go apple picking/pumpkin picking/corn mazing" thing (I got half of this done!)

-carve a pumpkin

-figure out my language arts lesson plan for the 1st graders

-Unit rationale for the 1st graders

-Multicultural lesson plan for Kindergartners

-Go see Paranormal Activity so that I won't be able to sleep ever again. (this movie looks creepy!)

-Go to the mall with my roommate so that she can get her Halloween costume

-Say Happy Birthday/catch up with my cousin whom I haven't spoke to in years

-Lose at least 1 pound

-workout with the Biggest Loser dvd

-bake WW Chocolate Halloween Cupcakes

-Don't overeat on Halloween

That last one is a big one. I remember every Halloween when I was younger.. it was like my brother and I always had a competition to see how many pieces of candy we could eat before we puked. No, not really. But, our Mom never let us eat junk food unless of course it was Halloween, or Easter, or Christmas...etc. So whenever these holidays came around, I was all over it.

So since our Mom never really gave us any junk food.. How did I get so big? I can answer that in one word.

COLLEGE.

I gained SOO much. It was horrible and will never ever ever happen again. I was miserable and depressed. SOO unhappy with myself. I look back on old dance pictures and dance videos and I look completely unhealthy and completely unhappy.

But now... my eating habits are SO different. I can't even imagine stuffing my face with Halloween candy anymore. I would probably puke because my body is so used to eating healthy.

One night a month, my roommates and I have "roommate bonding" night. We all go to Cold Stone Creamery for ice cream. I get my ice cream and it just goes right through me. Does not agree with me at all. Back in freshman year of college, my roommates and I would have ice cream for dessert EVERY night!!! I can not even begin to think about doing that now. I think the word DESSERT is not even really in my vocabulary anymore. Yes, on the weekends I will have dessert on occasion...like birthday cake for my brother's birthday. I don't deprive myself if I really want it. But, I can definitely live without it. Whereas 3 years ago... I just HAD to have it....or so I thought.

Here is the recipe for the chocolate cupcakes I'm making for a Halloween party I'm going to on Halloween. This recipe is stolen from WW. I have made them before (not for Halloween).. and they are awesome!

POINTS® Value: 3 Servings: 24 Preparation Time: 25 min Cooking Time: 32 min Level of Difficulty: Moderate

We topped these marshmallow-frosted cupcakes with a spooky web and plastic spiders for some sweet Halloween fun.

Ingredients

	2 spray(s) cooking spray
	2 1/2 cup(s) all-purpose flour
	2 cup(s) McNeil Nutritionals SPLENDA No Calorie Sweetener
	1 cup(s) unsweetened cocoa
	1/2 cup(s) cornstarch
	1 tsp baking soda
	1 tsp table salt
	1 cup(s) fat-free egg substitute
	2 cup(s) water
	1 cup(s) light corn syrup
	1 1/2 cup(s) sugar
	1/2 cup(s) water
	2 medium egg white(s)
	1/2 tsp table salt
	1 Tbsp light corn syrup
	1 tsp vanilla extract
	4 tsp decorating icing, orange

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350ºF. Coat two 12-hole muffin tins with cooking spray and line with cupcake wrappers.*
  
  
• In a large bowl, combine flour, Splenda, cocoa, cornstarch, baking soda and 1 teaspoon of salt; set aside.
  
  
• In a medium bowl, whisk together egg substitute, 2 cups of water and 1 cup of light corn syrup.
  
  
• Spoon egg mixture into flour mixture and mix until completely smooth and incorporated.
  
  
• Pour batter into muffin tins until each hole is completely full. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until a tester inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean. Allow to cool completely.
  
  
• While cupcakes cool, make frosting: Heat a medium pot of water to boiling.
  
  
• In a medium metal or glass bowl, beat sugar, 1/2 cup of water, egg whites, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, 1 tablespoon of corn syrup and vanilla extract with an electric mixer on high speed for 1 minute.
  
  
• Place bowl of frosting over rapidly boiling water (you are creating a double boiler) and beat at high speed until the mixture forms soft peaks, about 7 to 10 minutes.
  
  
• Remove frosting from heat and beat on high speed until mixture is thick enough to spread, about 5 minutes. Frost cupcakes, create a spider web-like design on each with icing and decorate as desired. Yields 1 cupcake per serving.
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Until next time,

Karla =)