Friday Fave: Nutty Bars

Y’all. Nutty bars might be my most favorite snacks from my youth. And they still taste mostly the same (unlike other things).

I have memories of these going back to elementary school. Friends of ours gave me a special Halloween treat bag every year that had one in it. Very rarely my mom would buy them as a special treat. We could buy them in the high school lunch line (this and a Mountain Dew was often my unhealthy lunch – for $1.05).

I generally forget about them for long periods of time, but then I’ll buy a big box and eat them all (though my kids help me now) in a short time span. We’ll be finishing our second box shortly!

Do you like a Little Debbie Nutty Bar?

Friday Fave: Goodwill memories

I love wandering Goodwill because I love finding something cool I didn’t expect. It’s especially neat when I find something I used to own that brings back memories!

I found this single bowl… that I received as part of a full set for our wedding from my Aunt Rose! I was tempted to get it…but didn’t.

Do you like shopping at Goodwill?

Friday Fave: Michigan jewelry

I was born and raised in Michigan…so when we moved away after college and Tom joined the Marines, I was all about the Michigan items. Birch trees, Petoskey stones, the Great Lakes, etc. And I accumulated a bunch of things over the years.

This is just one necklace I have (I also have it in silver). It’s just a small reminder of where I began and met my husband…and where most of my family still lives! And I just happen to think Michigan is the coolest-shaped state!

The Len Christmas in July is over!

It’s now just a gathering with food (lots of food!) and catching up…and euchre!

Plus we get the chance to get the kids together for comparison pics!! (They were all really good sports about it, too!)

Nick (18) and Owen (14) have been going back-and-forth over the years, but Owen is taller now (he was taller than everyone except Tom!).
2013—Katie (1) • Owen (4) • Aubrey (almost 5) • Grace (almost 7) • Nick (almost 9)
The three close birthdays!

Revisiting Scream

Omg y’all. We watched the original 1996 Scream tonight because Katie has been saying she wants to watch horror movies.

This was the first movie Tom and I saw together in the theater so we wanted to see how it held up. Of course we didn’t remember how bloody it really was… Owen bowed out after the first few scenes saying he didn’t like scary movies. Katie freaking loved it and now wants to watch the rest of the series. (I hadn’t kept track and there are six!)

I’m not a fan of horror/slasher films (I’ve never had any desire to see any of the Freddy/Jason franchises) so we’ll see what happens next.

Oh college…good times.

I ran across this photo from college this morning and showed it to Katie. She did NOT believe it was me. She kept looking back and forth from me to the photo like HUH? WHAT? and I assured her it was indeed me.

What I didn’t tell her (but will later — she was running behind for school) is that this was NOT my normal look. This was after my roommate Angi plucked my brows (for the first time ever!) and put some “more involved” makeup on me.

I remember being in sweatpants and was like “Well now we need to go out somewhere!” but it was like a Tuesday night or something.

Nuts and bolts!

Otherwise known by most as Chex mix. But it’s not your basic recipe from the back of the cereal box.

My mom has been making this for probably 45 years — though now it’s on a much smaller scale than before. She gifts each family a small container every Christmas and it’s never enough… So this year I decided to make some myself! I’ve made it before but it was so long ago I can’t even remember when it was.

The best part about making it yourself is putting in whatever you want! This is what I chose (the last box is peanuts).

All buttered and seasoned and ready to bake!

Laying out to cool…just like mom does on brown paper bags!

To be honest it wasn’t the best, but it was still damn addictive. I bagged up 7 small bags for some of the moms and the rest was gone within a week!

Our first hosted Thanksgiving dinner!

I was so busy with a houseful of guests and dinner prep that I barely had time to look at my phone (so most of these are from everyone else)! But it was so worth it to have everyone together — from Georgia (Filipek), Michigan (Schwalm & Coe), and Illinois (Schwalm & Hudson). And our best friends joined us, too…and fit right in!

Puzzle #2
Still can’t believe Izzy’s a college sophomore!
Izzy wanted to steal Olive.

Then we did some reenactment shots!

I can’t believe it was 22 years between these photos. But we all still look the same, right?! Also: no kids in 2000, six kids in 2022!

The whole gang!
Yes, two turkeys. Smoked and fried!
We easily had enough food for 4x as many people.
Kids table
Photobomber!

It’s been 20+ years!

When you travel to Michigan and are close to your first apartment you officially shared (after my cousin Lisa moved out), you stop for a selfie.

The name of the complex has changed slightly but it looks exactly the same. Tom had to stop me from knocking on our actual apartment door and asking to look around.

We also stopped to check out Horrocks. Holy shit has that place grown (since we were last there 20 years ago)!! I would kill to have something like that by us now! We managed to spend a few hundred dollars on fun food items like flavored meats and cheeses, bulk dried goods and treats, flavored bulk olive oils, and Michigan-themed products just to name a few. If you’re ever in the area, you MUST stop: Horrocks of Lansing

Happy 10th *GOLDEN* birthday, Katie!

Double digits today! She says Owen calls her the double digit midget.

This is Katie’s GOLDEN birthday!! (Let’s not talk about how I apparently didn’t take a 9yo photo. I have no idea what happened.) You completed our perfect little family, even if Owen screamed that he didn’t want you to come home with us because you wouldn’t stop crying. You’ve been a cute little pistol ever since, and he loves you now, even if he’s a teenager that rarely shows feelings. And we love you, too, even though you challenge us on a seemingly daily basis.

48 is better than 44!

Who’d have thought I’d look younger (better!) at age 48 than at 44? Anti-aging skincare and makeup? Yes please and thank you very much.

Also? Way more personal confidence, makeup application confidence, and business confidence.

Also? I just had one of my top five sales months while celebrating my fifth year with SeneGence.

Can I get a whoop whoop?!

I’m giving myself 19 months.

Okay, friends. Be gentle with me. 🥰

This is completely embarrassing to post because it shows my failure. And the before pictures are awful. 🤮 But I’m hoping that my journey might help inspire some of you here as well so…

I was soooo proud of myself back in 2015-2016 when I lost 141#! I was on top of the world! 🌎

I was finally thin for the first time in my life. I swore I would keep the weight off because it had been technically easy to lose and the process was easy enough to maintain.

Until it wasn’t.

A few pounds here, a few pounds there. It’s okay, I told myself, I’ve still lost 130#! Then 120. Then 100# is still amazing! 🤦🏻‍♀️ The saying is true—you can’t gain 20 if you don’t gain 10.

But it continued. A PCS (military move), no friends, a new lifestyle, excuses, no exercise (I missed my most awesome walking trail through the woods). But I was still able to wear the clothes I had (I had kept a single size above my lowest weight).

But then we had friends! YAY FRIENDS! And we were always having dinners and parties and cookouts and drinking and all the things.

🦠And then COVID. And we drank even more than we used to. And didn’t exercise. And ate even more. I tried halfheartedly a few times and would lose 10-15 but would then immediately gain it back.

But about a week ago I decided it was time to get serious. My acid reflux is back with a vengeance (I totally forgot I used to have that), I’ve had to obviously buy fat clothes again, I’m winded by the easiest things, I have arthritis in my knee, and my skin feels tight all over because too much fat is stuffed in there. 🐖

I think my body knew I needed a serious reset as I got struck with a stomach bug that kind of jump started my new (old) lifestyle. I haven’t really been hungry in a week so I’m enjoying it while it lasts. And I’ve started walking again (which I posted in here the other day). 🚶🏻‍♀️

🎯My goal is to lose EVERYTHING again by the time I’m 50… which gives me 19 months. And I’m posting publicly so I will have major accountability. And to ask y’all for support, whether it’s via your thoughts, your keyboard, or in person. This is much harder this time around but I know I can do it. I HAVE TO DO IT.

HERE WE GO!

Cue random tears.

Katie was emptying the dishwasher and putting away pet spoons and bowls. We discussed what to do with them. (We are keeping some pet stuff JUST IN CASE but also getting rid of some things.)

I was fine.

She asked about some of Maggie’s toys. I said we still had to sort through them but would likely give most away.

I was fine.

She asked about the collars. I said we’d probably get rid of them. And then she handed them to me.

I was not fine.