Happiness.

Not going to lie, I have been very stressed out lately. There is only one person in the world that I want to talk to... vent to... cry with... and she is just as busy as I am lately with work and life and all. I hope you know who you are. =)

But, until I can talk to her... I have Scott, and my close friends, and this blog to vent to.

I'm okay. I'm happy. I'm able to now live in the moment and celebrate my engagement to Scott with him and only him now that the "visiting family" thing has died down a bit. It gets so overwhelmingly crazy at times...it's nice to just sit with him at night and not do a damn thing but smile, and be grateful and happy for the ring around my finger, for the love that we have for each other... for the hand that squeezes mine three times ...saying, "I love you" without even opening his mouth.

=)

But I'm not okay when our love is questioned, or interrogated or deliberately messed with. I sometimes want to scream to the world..."It's OKAY, I'm making a good decision, WE'RE making a good decision. WE love each other and WE are so happy!!" Haha. Ahhh.

I think I just have to grow a thicker skin. That I know.

I know in my heart that I am happy, he is happy, we are happy. I don't need to prove it to anyone. It just bugs me that some people don't ... see it.

I have been reading Scott this book every night. I found a quote from it that I love. Or, a passage I guess you could call it. Here it is....

"So, have we solved the secret of happiness?"

"I believe so," he said.

"Are you going to tell me?"

"Yes. Ready?"

"Ready."

"Be satisfied."

"That's it?"

"Be grateful."

"That's it?"

"For what you have. For the love you receive. And for what God has given you."

"That's it?"

He looked me in the eye. Then he sighed deeply.

"That's it."

=)

Keep Smiling,

Karla =)

Whewww..

I know, I know... I have not blogged in over a week. This engagement stuff has been crazy. Visiting family almost everyday and not having much time to breath. Although, I have gotten some awesome meals in...minus the not so awesome BBQ's with cake, and salads filled with mayo...and the occasional hot dog and hamburger.

My life, as I said, has been crazy the past week... but it is still so exciting. I am the happiest I've ever been. I have even lost some weight since I started back up with WW. I feel like my old self again. Scott and I working as a team has definitely helped.

So here are some things that I have been eating:

*Fiber One Bars (any fiber I can get, I eat)

*Haystack Cookies!! -- Fiber one cereal covered in melted chocolate that hardens into a cookie.

*Boca Burgers-- Yes, I do not eat real hamburgers if at all possible. Veggie burgers are lower in points and healthier. And... surprisingly... very yummy!!

*Whole wheat everything... (bread, tortilla chips, rolls, pasta.... everything)

*Sandwich thins-- Greatest invention ever. Cuts points almost in half.

*Ground Turkey-- I make sloppy joes, hamburgers, meatballs and even chili with ground turkey instead of beef.

*Water!!! Nuff said!

*Nuts! I eat a lot of nuts. Protein, filling... and... their yummy!

*Fruits and vegetables.... we have a garden... so ... I'm eating squash and tomatoes like a mad woman. I try to incorporate veggies into every dinner meal.

*I'm trying new things. --- This is KEY to losing weight. Don't just do the same old routine. I try so many different recipes. Some I hate, Some I love.

Here are some new ones...

1. Asparagus and Mushroom Risotto

What you will need:

- bundle of asparagus

- one cup uncooked rice

- one package sliced mushrooms

- fat free chicken broth

- salt/pepper

- light margarine

1. Cut asparagus into about 2 inch pieces. Place in skillet over medium heat with one tablespoon margarine. Cook until somewhat soft. About 5-6 minutes.

2. At same time, begin cooking rice. Follow instructions on rice box.

3. When asparagus is cooked, place in cold water to retain the green color.

4. Put sliced mushrooms into same skillet that asparagus was in. Add another table spoon of margarine and cook. About 2-4 minutes.

5. Pour cooked asparagus and mushrooms into the pot of cooked rice.

6. Add one cup of chicken broth to the mix... or as much as needed to make the mixture somewhat soup-like.

7. Stir and let simmer until bubbles form.

8. Add salt and pepper for taste.

*This recipe was simple, but did not have enough flavor. I wasn't too fond of it and Scott wasn't either. To make this taste better, I added a few more spoons of butter ...which was fine because one serving (about a fist size) was only 4 points. Pictured below.

2. Baked Ziti

Very simple recipe. It's just a twist on what a regular baked ziti recipe would be.

1. Preheat oven to 350.

2. Boil water.

3. Pour entire box of whole wheat pasta into boiled water, cook as instructed on box.

4. Take out ground turkey (about half a pound) and cook on a large skillet/frying pan.

5. Drain any fats/oils.

6. Add crushed tomatoes to the mix. About 14 oz.

7. Stir and let simmer.

8. Add any seasonings you would like...oregano, dried basil.

9. Spray baking dish with a light cooking spray and put some of the mixture onto the bottom. Have pasta ready and put some pasta on top. Then add more of the mixture, and pasta on top of that.

10. Finally, add the last bit of mixture and sprinkle the top with shredded skim mozzarella cheese. I used the WW kind.

11. Cook for about 25-30 minutes, or until lightly browned.

* I even added mushrooms into this, because I love mushrooms... but you don't have to. I loved this dish and so did Scott. This was a huge hit and 5 points a serving. Makes 16 servings!!

3. Meatball Grinders.

SIMPLE, SIMPLE, SIMPLE!!

Just buy or make turkey meatballs... Cut them into fourths.

Put on a skillet.... add crushed tomatoes, oregano, and dried basil... stir around, let simmer... stick a few into a sandwich thin....and ... WOLLAAA... Healthy turkey meatball grinders.

Sorry the pictures are so dark!! With this recipe, I even added some hot sauce to give it a little kick. This recipe was a huge hit with Scott. Sooo good!!

In other news... This weekend was pretty fun. I got to see my friend Amanda before she leaves for Europe for a whole year. I hope to have her in my wedding and I asked her if she would and she said YES! Woohooo! She should be back from Europe by then and hopefully not going on any other crazy trips. Amanda--- Good luck, stay safe, and keep in touch!! I love you =)

Also over the weekend, I got a new cell phone. I now share a plan with Scott. Helps us to save money this way and also to kind of be on our own a little more. I love my phone! It's pink!! =)

And even more exciting than that... I have an amazing friend who I talk about all the time on here. Marisa Pellerin. =)

She just told me last night after I got out of work that she has won tickets for her, and Scott and I to go see Train (Scott and I's favorite band) perform on the Today Show at NBC studios in NYC.... On my birthday!!! Which is August 6th !!! I am so excited!!!!!

I have some amazing friends. =)

More later!

Keep Smiling,

Karla =)

I'M ENGAGED!!!

Today was going to be the day that I posted about all the awesome food that I have made/eaten over the weekend. But, I'm going to save that post for tomorrow because,

I'm engaged!!!

How crazy is that??

Yesterday, Scott and I spent the day in NYC. We took a tour of Radio City Music Hall, and I got to actually step foot onto the "great stage". Yeah, I was pretty much in heaven. We walked through Central Park later in the day and I remember telling Scott how I could die happy now since I was able to walk across the stage at Radio City Music Hall. I told him that it was one of the best days of my life and I didn't know how it could get any better. And then he reached into his pocket and got down on one knee! I started balling my eyes out and forgot what else he said to me by that point. It was such a beautiful spot where he did it. The ring that he gave me was his Grandmother's engagement ring for a number of years (until she had it replaced when she renewed her vows) and she gave it to him to give to me. The diamond that is in the ring was a diamond that Scott's step dad (who passed away) gave to his mother... who gave it to Scott to give to me. So, the ring means so much to both him and I. I feel very blessed.

Here are some pictures:

Below: Me on the stage!!

These pictures below are just after he proposed. My face looks blotchy from crying!

Today there will be a small get together at Scott's grandparents house to celebrate. My family is going to meet his family for the first time. We're both excited.

What a fantastic day.

I'm a very lucky girl.

Keep Smiling,

Karla =)

Stuffed Shells

Ohhh the drama drama drama. I don't know how I survive the drama in my life sometimes. Sometimes, I'd like to climb up the highest mountain and scream: "It's so not worth it....just LIVE LIFE!"

Anyway-

Last night was stuffed shells.. a WW recipe. YAY!

Stuffed Shells

POINTS® Value: 4 Servings: 6 Preparation Time: 20 min Cooking Time: 20 min Level of Difficulty: Easy
Mixing the ricotta with nonfat cottage cheese gives the filling more body and flavor while reducing the fat content.

Ingredients

	1 cup(s) part-skim ricotta cheese
	1 cup(s) fat-free cottage cheese
	1 tsp table salt
	1 tsp garlic powder, or to taste
	1 Tbsp dried oregano
	1/4 tsp black pepper
	3 cup(s) canned tomato sauce
	1 pound(s) cooked pasta, jumbo shells, approximately 24 shells

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375°F.


Mix together cheeses, salt, garlic powder, oregano and pepper.


Spread a few spoonfuls of tomato sauce on bottom of a 9- x 13-inch baking dish.


When cooked shells are cool enough to handle, fill each shell with cheese mixture and place in baking dish. When all shells are in dish, spoon remaining tomato sauce over shells. Cover pan and bake for 20 minutes. Yields about 4 shells per serving.

It was yummy!!!

It's also that TOTM for me.. so I indulged on a WW ice cream bar. 1 point!! Hell yes!

All for now!

Keep Smiling,

Karla =)

Yesterday

...was great.

Went shopping with Scott and bought a TON of food for the week...and maybe a few more weeks. I did a lot of cooking last night, with his help. We made 2 meals. One that we ate last night, and one that I am going to have with him tonight.

Ok, so... what was last nights meal?

Homemade Sloppy Joe- Karla's Healthy Version!

-extra lean ground turkey

-crushed tomatoes

-1/2 cup BBQ sauce...low sodium

-dash of salt/pepper

-few teaspoons of chili powder

-I put hot sauce in (you don't have to)

-chopped up red bell pepper

Now, stir all that up...heat in frying pan over medium heat. Wait til it starts to bubble up a little bit... then we put it into a WW sandwich pocket.

The meat was 4 pts a serving..(about fist size) and the pocket was 2 points. So there you have it.. a 6 point meal. We had some pasta salad along with it filled with celery, carrots, broccoli and other yummy veggies!! This was a huge hit with Scott. It was so filling that he didn't even eat all of his sloppy joe! Success!! This is coming from the guy who told me that all WW and "diet food" is disgusting!! Guess Again!! hahaha!

In the mornings, we will have egg beaters, or fiber one bars with v8 juice or this awesome new orange juice that we found. It has 50% less sugar than your average carton of OJ. The whole carton is... 6 points!!

Scott and I are soon going to start walking at night... right after digesting dinner! I'm really excited. We also play DDR on the Wii a lot, as well as all of the Wii Sports games.

Alright, well... please do try the sloppy joe recipe.. it's amazing!!

More later!

Keep Smiling,

Karla =)

First Day Back

...on WW that is!

I am excited, yet nervous to start with WW again. I go shopping for food tonight. Already started the day off this morning with some V8 and a Fiber One bar.

What is even more interesting about this round of WW is that Scott is doing it right along with me. It will be interesting to see how he likes it and if he sticks with it. It will also be fun to see how his results compare to mine and what we both look and feel like in a month.

This weekend was a lot of fun. I was able to go back to my parents house and relax while Scott was away on a business trip. My parents went up to Vermont for the weekend, so I watched the house while they were gone. Friday was a pretty low key night. I ordered a movie on the TV and fell asleep on the couch. Amazing =)

Saturday was spent with my friend Marisa. Shopping and going to see some fireworks. We even stopped at the casino on the way back home. Lost all my money though. A whopping $10.

Yesterday I went to lunch with my best friend. We caught up on life and how our summers were going. It was a good time =)

Scott came home last night. I had fallen asleep after cleaning for most of the afternoon and he woke me up with a huge hug. I was glad to see him. He was so sunburnt and his eyes were so blood shot. He worked 14 hour days and then drove 6 hours home from Pennsylvania where his business trip was.

Scott was not a fan of the V8 juice... but he did love the chocolate Fiber One bars that we had for breakfast. One bar has 9 grams of fiber!! But really, all you taste is chocolate... which is obviously the best part.

I'm heading to Central Park this Saturday to spend the day there. I'm excited because there is so much to do in Central Park. I'm going to be in heaven with my camera. On the list is, Belvedere Castle, Alice in Wonderland statue, Burnett's Fountain, Central Park Zoo, Shakespeare's Garden, and maybe even the Museum of Natural History which is just outside the park. It will be a loooong day... but very worth it! =)

All for now...

I'll keep ya'll updated on how the weight loss is going!!

Also... Holly!! If you're reading this... Congratulations on your engagement to C!!

Keep Smiling,

Karla =)

July?!?!?

How can it already be July? I feel like summer is just kind of whipping right by me. Right before my eyes. And I'm missing it. This part time job can be overwhelming at times. Especially since I have more hours now and I am going to be bumped to full time fairly soon. It's crazy. I feel like I have next to no down time to enjoy summer. Although, I must say... I enjoy the rather large paychecks.

So... what have I been up to?

Recently, Scott and I went to Rhode Island. We spent an entire Saturday there, just looking around Providence and Newport. It was a little too low-key for us, but we found an amazing park. Since I like photography, and Scott has gotten into it too, we spent some time there. Roger Williams Park is beautiful. We loved it so much that I just had to take one of my friends there to see it. She is also into photography and I have tagged her blog on here many times. She took photos of Scott and I. Please refer to her blog to see some of them.

Here are some others...

Marisa Pellerin Photography

I love him ... =)

And Marisa, I love yooou tooo and thank you so much for taking them for us. I think they all really capture "us".

On another note... I have been thinking of re-starting weight watchers. I feel ready to. I just need to get back on track, get some recipes, and start getting into "points" mode again. I loved myself when I was on WW and lately, I can feel myself slowly slipping back to the deep dark "i hate body" hole. This happens to me when dancing season ends. I just want to feel good, fit, and healthy. I don't necessarily need to lose a whole bunch of weight... but shedding a good 5-10 lbs this summer that I have gained back, would not be a bad thing.

Interesting thing is... Scott wants to do it with me. I think this will be great for the two of us. We are in it together... both motivating each other. I'm excited for it. We will start soon. When we do, I'll be excited to blog about the results and the journey that we take toward an even healthier lifestyle. We live together, make meals together... and I just think it will work out real well.

So, that's the news.

Keep Smiling,

Karla =)