So I have a new ‘Diet’ Plan. Basically what I’m doing is watching very stringently what I’m eating 5 days a weeks eating mostly fruits and vegetables with about one serving of meat daily. Then on the weekends or 2 days out of the week I can have within reason whatever I want just focusing on portion control. I figure that way I can still tame my cravings without going overboard. This is of course all to my husbands dismay as he doesn’t want to watch what he eats and he doesn’t have to as he’s really skinny. I’m also focusing on not eating after 7 p.m. at night and at that time if I get cravings I focus on keeping my hands busy such as reading a magazine and knitting. That then takes my mind away from thinking about anything. The other thing I’m doing is taking fish oil which is supposed to boost my metabolism. I take that before I work out and then work out for around 40 minutes. Any other suggestions?

Well when “The OC” first started I got utterly hooked to the show. It had all the good makings of a night time soap opera and still utterly addicting with the right amount of humor, romance and drama. I’ve continued to be addicted to it but I have to say lately I feel we are just getting the same stories over and over and over. Ryan and Marissa get together, Ryan and Marissa break up and so on and so forth. I’m getting bored! What ever happened to the half sister of Kirsten? Or what happened to Teresa’s Baby? Was it Ryan’s? Or bring back Anna she was a sweet girl. I got “The OC” season one for Christmas and let me tell you I can see why I got addicted when I watched that season again but now it just seems to be the same stuff over and over again and its getting old. Maybe thats good because how would the show’s writer maintain it next year with everyone going off to college? Hmmm I think its done for after this year but I hope not and I hope it improves!

So American Idol started up again and even though I told myself this time I wouldn’t get drawn into the hype again, it drew me right back in. Last night we watched the top 12 women sing and I have picked 5 favorites already and I hear the men are even better. There is one girl though that thinks its all about her as she put it, its called American IDOL not IDOLS. I think she should be eliminated. If we haven’t learned anything in the past it truly is IDOLS as not just Carrie Underwood got a record released, but Bo Bice, George Huff, etc. Bo Bice’s CD is doing better in allot of ways then even Carrie Underwood’s so I have to say this is about idols and not idol and if you think otherwise maybe you need to get your head examined!:)

So I had always heard about places where you go and you put together your meals and take them home and make them but I had never gone to one.  The other night I went to a place called Let’s Dish (www.letsdish.com).  It was a great experience.  You go to their website pick 8 or 12 meals and set up a time to go there.  I picked 8 meals for 135.00 and picked the location in Eden Prairie.  They tell you to plan for 2 hours and bring a cooler or tote to carry your food.  It took us almost the full two hours so really plan for that.  We got there and it was somewhat busy but not bad.  They had two cooking sessions on each table and you find one of the meals you picked out and follow the directions on the recipe.  Everything has the right measuring tools in the ingredients so its hard to mess up.  Plus say you like something a little more spicy then they recommend then you can do that, you can add more or less of whatever ingredients except meat.  So that was good as I wasn’t a huge red pepper fan.  Once you complete a meal you put a label on the bag or pan that tells you what it is and how to cook it when you get home.  Everything here is meant to be prepared and taken home and frozen so that you can thaw it and make it whenever you chose.  We made one of the meals I brought home and it was great, I’m looking forward to trying more.  The best thing is their menu changes month to month so you can go back each month and have meals for a month.  The one thing I will warn you though you need to have freezer space as 8 meals takes up quite a bit of space.  Overall I would give the place two thumbs up.  If Eden Prairie isn’t close by you there are places similar to these popping up all over the place!  Try it out for yourself I bet you won’t regret it!

For my birthday I received an electric fireplace.  It is the coolest thing.  We saw one at my soon to be in-laws house which was just fake logs that glowed and made crackling noises but we wanted something a bit more for our house.  I’ve always wanted an actual fireplace in my house but yet the risks and the cost I didn’t want so here’s a great compromise.  This fireplace is antique looking and has logs inside and flames that go up (or look like they do) then there is an option to make it kick out heat if you want.  So far this is great because it adds just a bit more heat to take the edge off the cold days when you really don’t want to spend the money and turn up the heat.  Plus unlike real fire places this doesn’t get too warm and can be set on carpet rather than having an area strictly cemented for a real fireplace.  The best part is they aren’t that expensive.  I highly recommends them they add heat, atmosphere and are just cool!