CUTLER.FAMILY.CHRONICLES

hello beautiful weekend

2012-01-27T11:26:00.002-05:00

oh weekend, i love you so...and boy do we have one jammed full of fun. isn't that the best kind to have?

tonight both of the littles are going to winterjam soooooo mr. cutler and i have a date night planned. we are going to do dinner, get our taxes done and hopefully get my nails done. not sure he'll enjoy date night nearly as much as i will :)
tomorrow will be a day packed full of cleaning, cleaning, cleaning (with laundry thrown in there)...the youngest little will NOT be happy about that buuuuut such is life...tomorrow night we are going to have dinner and movie night...i'm thinking we should go out for dinner then just chill with netflix ♥

sunday i have a special breakfast planned for my sweet fam, homemade breakfast pizza...we have church and then a big day of nothing but jammies + movies. i love sundays!!!!

out for now
~kisses

a {little} bump in the road

2012-01-26T10:12:00.000-05:00

Reckless words pierce like a sword ~Proverbs 12:18

i am one of those girls that likes to pretend that words don't hurt my feelings. i like to pretend i can just brush them off and go on about my day. i take the hurtful words, cram them deep down inside and save them for another day. a day that i'm by myself and can pull those words back out and stress over them all by myself.

two nights ago the littles and i went out for dinner while we were waiting on my car to be worked on. i had two restaurants planned out beforehand and had already browsed their menus and figured out what my healthy option would be from there. i've been doing sooo well with sticking to my diet and i knew planning ahead was key for me. but there was a wrench thrown in the works (as life does so many times) and we ended up having to go to a restaurant that i hadn't planned for. we walked through the doors, i panicked and had no idea what to pick. i mean, there are people in line behind me, surely i can't just stand here and whip out my weight watchers point calculator. i panicked, rushed and reverted to my old ways. i picked something that i knew was unhealthy.

knowing i had made a bad choice, i hung my head and followed the waitress to our table to be seated. i sat there, slightly stressing, and talked to myself. (tell me i am not the only person that talks to themselves inside their head) i knew i had ate extremely well all day long and was WELL under my points. i whipped out my calculator, figured my points for my meal and a cup of soup. i was pleasantly shocked that i was still 3 points under for the day!

the littles and i had a great dinner and really just enjoyed each others company, eating and laughing the entire time. then jade said "my head keeps telling me not to have dessert but my belly is telling me to go get some". i told her we would hit up the dessert bar but just have a little bit. i knew i had 3 points to spend and thought i would get a bit of ice cream.

i was standing at the ice cream bar, littles beside me, and i hear someone walking quickly up behind me. i turn when i heard them start to speak to me. it's a man that i've never saw before in my life, ever. he was a total stranger. and he says "you know, that's all very fattening". i stood there, mouth hanging open, and just stared at him. i had no response (and those of you that KNOW me know that is something)

he had might as well of just walked up and told me i was just a big fat fatty, that is what it felt like he said anyways. i again hung my head and walked back to my seat, carrying my ice cream. i felt defeated and low. in those 6 little words he managed to make me feel like the "fat girl" again. i was instantly self conscious of what i looked like. i wanted to crawl under the table and become invisible. those 6 words did more damage than that man would ever know.

my littles were instantly infuriated and wanted to spring to my defense. i managed to play it off as not bothering me at all when what i really wanted to do was sit there and bawl my eyes out. i knew if i did that we would have a big scene in the restaurant. so i decided to turn it into a life lesson for them.

lesson #1 was respect your elders. the man was visibly older than i am, probably in his 60's. (might i add that is also old enough to know better) i told the littles you always respect your elders, no matter what

lesson #2 was just because other people are ignorant doesn't mean we have to be as well. (i know, right, can you even imagine those words came out of my mouth). i guess i was hearing those famous words my mama has told me a million times "amy beth, keep your big mouth shut".

i really wish people would think before they speak. you have no idea how sharp words are sometimes. i'm working through it and i will be fine. cause this chickie, yeah, she's a tough one :)

out for now

~kisses

{semi} wordless wednesday

2012-01-25T08:00:00.000-05:00

out for now

~kisses

hello tuesday...

2012-01-24T12:53:00.004-05:00

oh tuesday, such a strange day for me to love...but i do. i love it for a few different reasons...

tonight the littles and i are heading to altoona to the dealership where i bought my durango...they are going to put a new battery in for me, which i am super pumped about...turns out i'm not a real big fan of my car not starting for battery related issues, especially when it's freezing cold out

after that the littles and i are going to head to subway for dinner...i would MUCH rather go to outback buuuut outback + my body are not friends, only on un-diet days...so dinner is going to be easy peasey tonight (and go against the meal planning monday post, my bad)

then hurry hurry home to get our workouts in before biggest loser comes on...biggest loser night is one of my FAV tv nights...i just loooove how much it inspires me to keep going in my journey! i always take that opportunity to remind myself that i can do anything.at.all.

tomorrow the littles and i both have a day off...a day off means sleeping in, which i'm all for (please note that my bodys version of sleeping in is normally me waking up at 6 am rather than 5:30 am...and yes, i think it's complete rubbish)...our day will be filled with dr appointments for them (and some shots but sshhhhh don't tell them that) and i have an ultrasound to do a little check on some things...

so enjoy your tuesday as i'll be enjoying mine...

out for now
~kisses

meal planning monday

2012-01-23T08:30:00.000-05:00

monday - crock pot chicken, gravy and stuffing (but made with turkey)...mmm, i bet it will be delish!

tuesday - chicken pie...this is, without a doubt, one of my FAV meals!!! i will alter it a bit to make it healthier (which means less butter, lol)...

wednesday - hobo bean soup...i love this soup (the oldest little does NOT, he isn't a lover of beans)...it's packed full of fiber and isn't bad on the diet...i cut the sugar amounts in half (to also be easier on the diet) and i use turkey bacon...i'm hoping to be able to freeze some of it in single servings for a quick grab-and-go for lunches at work...

thursday - spaghetti with meat sauce (whole wheat pasta, my own canned spaghetti sauce and 96% fat free ground beef)

friday - chicken and dumplings...one of my own personal FAV winter meals...and i love how easy it is! i use a rotisserie chicken bought from the grocery store and that makes it easy peasy.

saturday - perhaps a little pizza + movie night ♥

sunday - joes famous bbq ribs (thank you leyo's for your ridiculous sale on ribs), cheesy potatoes and ranch bread...can't hardly wait for this comfort packed meal!!!

out for now
~kisses

one of those days...

2012-01-22T17:15:00.000-05:00

today is one of those days...the kind where you think of everyone in your life, everything you have in your life and where your life is headed and you just sit in awe, tears hanging in your eyes...my life is blessed in so many ways...i have an amazing family, my friends are the best, gypsy tree is doing amazing things...i want to take time today to remember JUST how blessed i am and to thank God for it all...have a GREAT sunday everyone!!!

out for now
~kisses

p.s. remember to count your blessings today too =)

can i get a whoop whoop

2012-01-20T09:49:00.004-05:00

random things that i ♥ about today...

* the weekend is almost here
* movie night with my littles tonight
* luncheon at work (un-diet day) <----also read this as "eating ridiculous amounts of bbq ham"
* jeans + boots, fav combo ever
* an ah-maz-ing husband

out for now
~kisses

statements of stupidity

2012-01-19T08:30:00.000-05:00

a little list of statements i've received over the years that are obviously NOT the way to get on my good side, just fyi...someday i'm sure i'll look back and laugh...well, maybe i will...

~ "i'm glad too see your hair is straight now and not that kinky stuff you've had for years...i hated that"
~ "in case you need it soon, the wide load sign is in the garage"
~ "you remind me of her sister...ya know, the butch one"
~ "so what kind of drugs are you taking to lose weight"
~ "that store has really ugly clothes...so when they are too big for you, can i have them"
~ "wow, cute kids...are they both to your husband"
~ "oh, you're actually doing work today? boy, that's out of the ordinary"
~ "is that a picture of aaron rodgers? oohh, that's your son"
~ "amy being skinny? i've never saw that yet"
~ "that is a cute hairstyle...but you understand it won't make you LOOK like that girl, right?"
~ "why are you putting splenda in that? isn't it already sweetened? that's dumb. you know, splenda causes cancer. i can't believe you would put ALL that in there. what is wrong with you?"

out for now
~kisses

{semi} wordless wednesday

2012-01-18T08:30:00.000-05:00

out for now

~kisses

* this IS me *

2012-01-17T21:50:00.000-05:00

this IS me

inside and out
i look the way i look
think the way i think
believe what i believe
feel the way i feel
and love the way i love
i refuse to appologize for it
don't try to change me
or make me feel like less of a person
because i don't fit your idea of who i should be
i love myself 100%
the good and the bad

out for now
~kisses

meal planning monday

2012-01-16T10:41:00.000-05:00

monday - french dip beef sammy and sweet potato french fries baked in the oven...this is something the ENTIRE fam loves...and the leftovers can be frozen to make a delish meat pie in the future...

tuesday - creamy ranch pork chops and rice...a dinner the entire fam loves!

wednesday - turkey hotdogs {for mama}, corndogs {for the littles} and boxed mac n cheese (meal requested by the littles)

thursday - subway with the littles

friday - pizza + movie night with friends =)

saturday - out to dinner with the fam

sunday - Rotisserie Huli Huli Pork Tenderloin and garlic mashed potatoes

out for now
~kisses

oh it's a happy monday

2012-01-16T08:30:00.000-05:00

yep, extra day off this weekend...HECK to the YES!!!

out for now

~kisses

sundays are my absolute fav...

2012-01-15T09:00:00.000-05:00

oh sundays...lazy sundays...church...photoshoot...dinner with the fam...movie day with snuggles...lounging in pajamas...sundays ARE my fav, especially when i have the next day off ♥

out for now
~kisses

happy birthday aunt vi...

2012-01-13T08:00:00.000-05:00

♥ happy birthday aunt vi...we totally LOVE and MISS you like crazy!!!! the next couple months can't go quick enough...can't WAIT to see you ♥

weigh days

2012-01-12T08:30:00.000-05:00

every saturday is "weigh day" at my house. the most anticipated, loved + hated day of the week.

last week i woke up and got on the scale to find that since december 23rd i had actually gained 8 lbs. i took one week off, simply one week, and that is what i gained. needless to say, i felt pretty ~~yucky~~ angry about it.

i have learned over the years that focusing on a number is a terribly bad idea. there was a time when i would weigh myself daily. bad bad baaaaaad idea! my daily mood would then hinge on what that number on the scale was. and soooo many days i would see a bad number then rush to the kitchen to eat out of frustration and disappointment. but now, if i don't see a change on the scale i just ask myself why and tweak what i did the week before.

so here i am, hard at it again. although the scale was deffo not my friend last saturday i have a pretty good feeling that this saturday we will make back up. i refuse to let my self-esteem and worth be determined by a piece of equipment and I will NOT give it that power EVER again! simple as that. period.

out for now
~kisses

{semi} wordless wednesday

2012-01-11T08:30:00.000-05:00

out for now

~kisses

10 random things...

2012-01-10T09:00:00.000-05:00

making me totally, crazy and over the moon happy today...

1. biggest loser tonight
2. staying on track and feeling sooooooo good
3. long weekend coming up :)
4. taking the high road
5. an amazing (healthy) lunch + dinner planned
6. one of my pics featured in the huffington post wedding blog
7. pumpkin spice coffee
8. simply amazing friends
9. an amazingly blessed life
10.date night with my littles friday, can't wait!

out for now
~kisses

meal planning monday

2012-01-09T08:00:00.000-05:00

monday - corn soup with baked tortilla strips

tuesday - chicken, baked potatoes and salads

wednesday - chicken pie...this is, without a doubt, one of my FAV meals!!! i will alter it a bit to make it healthier

thursday - sloppy maple-bbq turkey joes and sweet potato fries baked in the oven...i know, sounds delish right? recipe below...

friday - leftovers, hopefully

saturday - out to dinner with the fam

sunday - bbq chicken, cheesy potatoes and garlic crescent rolls (for the crescent rolls i use the low fat ones and sprinkle them with garlic powder before i roll them up...my fam loves them)

sloppy maple-bbq turkey joes

1 lb lean ground turkey
1 tbs poultry seasoning
1 small red pepper, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup tomato sauce
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
3 tbs soy sauce
2 tbs cider vinegar
2 tbs brown sugar
1 tbs dijon mustard
8 whole wheat hamburger buns

in a large skillet brown the turkey and season with poultry seasoning. cook until browned, then stir in the pepper, onion and garlic and cook until the veggies are tender. in a bowl stir together the tomato sauce, syrup, soy sauce, vinegar, brown sugar and mustard. pour the sauce over the meat and simmer over medium-low heat for a few minutes to combine the flavors. service the sloppy turkey joes on the rolls. this recipe is 4 points for each sammy, that includes the rolls

out for now
~kisses

beauty

2012-01-08T21:51:00.001-05:00

The best and most beautiful things in this world cannot be seen or even heard, but must be felt with the heart.

- Helen Keller

out for now

~kisses

random happy things

2012-01-06T10:07:00.001-05:00

a little list of random things making me over the moon happy today...

~ the weekend is here (and much needed)
~ nerd glasses on my face
~ feeling amazing about decisions
~ pumpkin spice coffee
~ friends, of course (i clearly have THE best)
~ sunshine + blue sky

out for now
~kisses

my journey...

2012-01-05T08:50:00.000-05:00

wow, 2011 was quite a hard year; physically, emotionally and mentally. my weight loss journey got pushed to the side on quite a few occasions by different things, some i could control and some i couldn't. there were times i wanted to just throw in the towel and give up on it (and some days i did). i had an uncontroled job change, family stress, a broken nose and a surgery with crazy complications in the past year. so many days it left me feeling defeated and broken.

BUT...

i refused to let circumstances defeat me and i will NOT be broken. i am determined, now more than ever, to get this journey rolling again. i will be starting the monthly weight loss posts again and documenting my journey.

i know what doesn't kill us makes us stronger...and all 2011 did was strengthen me up to show 2012 who is boss...so, in february we will be starting the beginning of the month weight loss posts (complete with pics)...

out for now
~kisses

{semi} wordless wednesday

2012-01-04T08:26:00.000-05:00

out for now

~kisses

breathe

2012-01-03T08:00:00.000-05:00

after much thought i've finally decided on my "one little word" for 2012.

breathe.

breathe deeper, see clearer and slow down.

breathe in, be calm and not uptight.

breathe in the positive, breathe out the negative.

breathe in and out when i workout and empty my mind.

breathe in the amazing smells God created for us to enjoy.

breathe in and out, letting go of anger.

breathe slowly and enjoy every single moment i'm given.

breathe in courage, breathe out weakness.

out for now

~kisses

Breathe. Let go. And remind yourself that this very moment is the only one you know you have for sure.

Oprah Winfrey

meal planning monday

2012-01-02T09:00:00.000-05:00

monday - spaghetti, easy peasey

tuesday - buffalo chicken meatloaf and sauteed mushrooms, both biggest loser style (in celebration of the new season starting tonight)

wednesday - roasted cauliflower and chicken pie...this is, without a doubt, one of my FAV meals!!! i will alter it a bit to make it healthier (which means less butter, lol)

thursday - quick pig casserole (cabbage, 96% fat free hamburg, brown rice, sauerkraut and tomato soup)...one of my absolute FAVS and soooo healthy!!! under 250 calories a serving and it's packed with protein and fiber...i highly recommend this one!!! i plan on making a big ole' batch of it and freezing it in single serving containers for quick lunch and dinners.

friday - subway night =)

saturday - dinner with friends

sunday - out to dinner with the fam

out for now
~kisses

oh 2012...

2012-01-02T08:51:00.000-05:00

determined to make my new year look just like this...

out for now

~kisses

hello 2012...goodbye 2011

2012-01-01T08:30:00.000-05:00

a year in review (in pics of course)

out for now

~kisses

new year = new me

2011-12-31T10:11:00.000-05:00

"The new year begins in a snow-storm of white vows."

-- George William Curtis

i've read time after time "don't make resolutions, they don't work"...this totally makes me laugh, it's nothing but an excuse...it's up to YOU to make your resolutions work and there is no reason at all that they shouldn't...one thing that always helped me stick to my resolutions was my children...what was i teaching them by setting a goal then quitting two weeks later? i was showing them it was acceptable to be a quitter...and i wanted to show them you can do anything you set your mind to, anything at all...

a few tips to help you succeed:

keep your resolutions realisitic (50 lb weight loss in 1 month is not realistic)
if you fall off the horse in the first week, it's ok, just get back on it (believe me, i've fallen many times)
make sure it's something you want to do...not something society, friends or family members think you should do (exactly why i failed at quitting smoking the first billion times i tried)
celebrate the small victories along the way, they are just as important as the big ones

goals and resolutions don't intimidate me anymore, not a single bit...three years ago i made only two goals, to quit smoking and lose weight...i've now lost nearly 100 pounds and i've not touched a cigarette since...so i KNOW i can change whatever i want to change in my life...actually, setting and reaching goals is something i enjoy now, something i hadn't ever really done in the past...i'm not going to set myself up for instant failure by setting a ton of goals...that is when i get overwhelmed and just give up...i'm going to keep it short and simple, and set mini-goals along the way...

my official goals and resolutions for 2012 ~

**i want to lose the last bit of weight and get to my goal weight...

**i want to exercise daily...
**i want to do a 5k...
**i want to help my family become healthier...
**i want to be better with our finances...
**i want to find more balance in my life...

so there are my goals for the year…to be met…that will be met....have you made your resolutions yet?

out for now

~kisses

meal planning monday

2011-12-26T10:40:00.000-05:00

this weeks edition =)

monday - leftovers

tuesday - chicken and dumplings

wednesday - country style casserole (recipe below) and pull apart bacon bread

thursday - french onion pan rolls and zuppa toscana soup

friday - leftovers :)

saturday - out to dinner
sunday - hotdogs, pork and kielbasa cooked in sauerkraut with mashed potatoes

country style casserole

2 cans condensed cream of chicken soup
3/4 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup milk
3 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons dijon mustard
1 package frozen, shredded hashbrowns
4 cups cubed cooked chicken or ham
3 cups sliced frozen carrots (optional)

in a large bowl, combine the first five ingredients. stir in hash browns, chicken and carrot if desired. transfer to a greased 13 x 9 baking dish. cover and bake at 350 for 45-50 minutes. uncover, bake 15-20 minutes longer or until bubbly.

out for now
~kisses

merry christmas...

2011-12-25T08:28:00.000-05:00

merry christmas from the cutlers!!!

i'm sorry I ruined your lives, and crammed eleven cookies into the VCR

2011-12-24T08:00:00.000-05:00

the days leading up to Christmas are always filled with such excitement and naughtiness...i think sometimes the excitement is just too much and they have to sprinkle some naughty in there to balance it out...

tonight we are having a little buffet of appetizers here before we head to the candlelight service at church...i love Christmas Eve service, one of my favs...then i'm sure the littles will head to bed early as they always do on Christmas Eve...they reasoning is the earlier you go to sleep the quicker morning comes...and i have to admit, i STILL have a hard time sleeping Christmas Eve because of the excitement :)
Out for now, I need to head to bed.
~kisses

total.HAPPY.day

2011-12-23T10:38:00.000-05:00

today is my last day of work then i'm off for 10...can.not.WAIT! i'm planning on doing some cleaning, some laundry and LOTS of spending time with my littles...i think we'll start our vaca off tonight with a MOVIE night...of our fav stupid humor movies...and play some wii while we wait on papa to get there :)

out for now

~kisses

little full...lotta sap

2011-12-22T08:00:00.000-05:00

merry almost christmas peoples...our past week has been filled with tons of crazy pre-christmas schtuff...last minute present buying and tons of wrapping...

the littles had their christmas program at church sunday evening and it was so cute...this year they did it differently and did a dinner theater, awesome idea...and the kids had such a good time...in between skits they would serve us our food and get our drink refills (our "waitress" counted how many refills joe got, lol, and she kept telling jade "your dad wants ANOTHER drink")...

we've been busy busy busy cleaning and getting the house ready for christmas and papa coming...i'll be glad when the cleaning is done and we can just relax (although i have a sneaking suspicion tonight is going to be a relaxing movie night)...

out for now
~kisses

happy birthday papa

2011-12-21T08:32:00.000-05:00

happy birthday papa...hope you have a completely wonderful birthday...wish we could spend it with you but we'll see you soon (in like a few days-ish)...LOVE you!!!

out for now

~kisses

friday...you're my BESTIE!

2011-12-16T08:00:00.000-05:00

meal planning monday

2011-12-12T08:30:00.000-05:00

here is this weeks edition...

monday - bbq ham and french fries baked in the oven...easy peasy (i'm going to use diet coke and whole wheat rolls to try and healthy it up some)

tuesday - bbq chicken calzones...can't wait to try this easy recipe (i'm going to use turkey in ours)

wednesday - oven pizza, quick and easy...

thursday - stuffed peppers and mashed potatoes

friday - out to dinner with my fav girlies :)
saturday - out to dinner with the fam ♥

sunday - homemade lasagna, garlic bread and ranch bread with a side salad...

out for now
~kisses

happy birthday to my sweet sis-in-law...

2011-12-11T08:00:00.000-05:00

(totally took this pic from your facebook...because a pic of you without anna just wouldn't be right)

hope you have an amazingly awesome birthday...wish i was there, not to hug you of course, but just to give you a pat on the back and a hand shake...love and miss ya'all!

out for now
~kisses

i'll be gnome for christmas

2011-12-10T08:00:00.000-05:00

totally going to just hang at home today...i love days spent enjoying time with my FAM, watching movies, hair in a fat bun, sweats on and have a nice homecooked dinner...that is totally what i have planned and i can't wait!

joey has his first dance tonight...the girl he is going with is sweet-as-pie, which is a plus, but this is the first time mama has let her boy go on a "date"...so wish me luck, please :) this letting go thing is awful hard on me

out for now
~kisses

i just like to smile, smiling is my favorite

2011-12-09T08:00:00.000-05:00

soooo glad this work week is over...this close to the holidays i have a super hard time getting motivated, geesh...

the littles and i are heading out christmas shopping tonight, wish me luck with that one too. sometimes they are good shoppers and sometimes, well, not so much...

hoping to pick up our gingerbread houses tonight...the kids and i make them together every year, which is normally quite a production...last year it included icing basically everywhere (except on the houses) and at one point the icing was even squeezed directly into the dogs mouth...

out for now
~kisses

yay for today

2011-12-07T08:48:00.000-05:00

tonight is exercise class and I.CANT.WAIT. i know, that is slightly freakish...but it's such a good sweat/burn...and you feel SO good afterwards!!! and i just LOVE the girlies that go with me, we always enjoy our little chat time we have :)

i've also set a mini-goal for myself for december...i want to get in one hour of exercise every.single.day. i'm hoping that will make the holiday eatting a little easier on my weight :) AND i know i can do whatever i put my mind to!

out for now
~kisses

semi wordless wednesday

2011-12-07T08:00:00.000-05:00

out for now

~kisses

meal planning monday

2011-12-05T08:30:00.000-05:00

this weeks edition...

monday - leftover lasagna

tuesday - three cheese beef enchiladas

wednesday - bubble pizza...i've not tried this before but it sounds like a great recipe that the littles will love...

thursday - taco night...the littles LOVE tacos!!!

friday - crockpot chicken...can NOT wait to try this recipe!

saturday - out to dinner with the fam :)

sunday - haluski

out for now
~kisses

don't throw me down clark

2011-12-04T21:19:00.001-05:00

what an amazing weekend we had here at the cutler home ♥

joe and i both took friday off...i had a cat scan first thing in the morning at like o'dark thirty...then we had a little breakfast date...home to nap...got the kids out of school early...stopped at the funeral home...then went to altoona to find mama a new car...and guess what, we found one :) she isn't named quite yet but once she is i'll share a pic of her

saturday joe and i got up early and went to get a ton of my bloodwork done...then got a bit of groceries (two days in a row of a mini-date...what what)...home just in time to eat and head off to my photoshoot...then an entire evening with my fam watching movies

today was church...lunch...cleaning...editing...and relaxing...and now getting ready to start another work week

out for now
~kisses

the little lights, they aren't twinkling clark

2011-12-02T09:00:00.000-05:00

and with this we begin our december posts titled with my fav quotes from christmas movies =)

busy busy day today which involves NOT working...oh yes, you heard that right...three day weekend

medical tests this morning...running errands in town...funeral home...ending the night in altoona {with some outback perhaps}

i have one shoot this weekend and the entire rest of the weekend free...sounds like i will have a big bunch of snuggling with my pup in my pajamas this weekend...it's my fav you know

out for now

~kisses

oh hello there december

2011-12-01T08:46:00.000-05:00

i'm happy to see you...you are one of my FAV months! you are happy, festive, sparklie, shiney and you smell really good...you hold the birthday of the REAL reason for the season...you've given us tons of classic movies (with great quoteable lines)...and songs...and for all those reasons i love you...

tonight i am trying out a new zumba class and I.CANT.WAIT. i know, that is slightly freakish...but it's such a good sweat/burn...

i've also set a mini-goal for myself for december...i want to lose weight, not gain :) AND i know i can do whatever i put my mind to!

out for now
~kisses

2011-11-28T08:00:00.000-05:00

this will be our first week without joe, just the littles and i for dinner every night...joe is on his winter shift at work, boo...sure does feel weird to not have him at home for dinner!

monday - leftover thanksgiving casserole...

tuesday - homemade turkey noodle soup...

wednesday - fat free cheese and turkey quesedilla for me...hotpockets for the littles...

thursday - baked potatoes and chicken fingers (the littles)...baked potato and fish (mama)

friday - subway ♥♥♥

saturday - out to dinner with my fam :)

sunday - bbq chicken, cheesy potatoes and pugutch

out for now
~kisses

thankful...27/30

2011-11-27T07:12:00.000-05:00

today i am thankful for a walk + talk with my mama

out for now

~kisses

thankful...26/30

2011-11-26T14:16:00.001-05:00

today i am thankful for littles that cleaned the house while i was at a shoot this morning...and the rest of my day i didn't have to do anything but edit pics while enjoying my christmas tree :)

out for now
~kisses

the living Bible

2011-11-26T07:28:00.000-05:00

i LOVED this and had to share with ya'all...

--------------------
His name is Tom. He has wild hair, wears a T-shirt with holes in it, jeans, and no shoes. This was literally his wardrobe for his entire four years of college.

He is brilliant. Kind of profound and very, very bright. He became a Christian while attending college.

Across the street from the campus is a well-dressed, very conservative church. They want to develop a ministry to the students but are not sure how to go about it.

One day Tom decides to go there. He walks in with no shoes, jeans, his T-shirt, and wild hair. The service has already started and so Tom starts down the aisle looking for a seat.

The church is completely packed and he can't find a seat. By now, people are really looking a bit uncomfortable, but no one says anything.

Tom gets closer and closer and closer to the pulpit, and when he realizes there are no seats, he just squats down right on the carpet.

By now the people are really uptight, and the tension in the air is thick.

About this time, the minister realizes that from way at the back of the church, a deacon is slowly making his way toward Tom .

Now the deacon is in his eighties, has silver-gray hair, and a three-piece suit. A godly man, very elegant, very dignified, very courtly. He walks with a cane and, as he starts walking toward this boy, everyone is saying to themselves that you can't blame him for what he's going to do.

How can you expect a man of his age and of his background to understand some college kid on the floor?

It takes a long time for the man to reach the boy.

The church is utterly silent except for the clicking of the man's cane.

All eyes are focused on him. You can't even hear anyone breathing. The minister can't even preach the sermon until the deacon does what he has to do.

And now they see this elderly man drop his cane on the floor. With great difficulty, he lowers himself and sits down next to Tom and worships with him so he won't be alone.

Everyone chokes up with emotion.

When the minister gains control, he says, 'What I'm about to preach, you will never remember. What you have just seen, you will never forget.'

'Be careful how you live. You may be the only Bible some people will ever read!'

thankful...25/30

2011-11-25T14:13:00.000-05:00

today i am thankful for some super amazing friends...the littles and i got up this morning at 0'dark thirty and went black friday shopping for the first time ever...we met up with my chickies from work and spent the rest of the day shopping with them...and we had an AMAZING time!

out for now

~kisses

thankful 24/30

2011-11-24T06:19:00.000-05:00

today i am thankful for...sitting around the table enjoying amazing food with my fav people in the entire world

happy thanksgiving

from the cutlers

thankful 23/30

2011-11-23T08:08:00.000-05:00

today i am thankful for...

♥♥♥short work week♥♥♥

oh hello there short work week...you KNOW you are one of my besties...today at 3:30 my 4 day weekend will officially start, YES! and i can't wait! i'm so so so excited to cook (and eat) thursday and friday...i'm going to do a little shopping on friday with some of my fav girlies...and enjoy the day. saturday i have a little photoshoot then we are heading to clearfield for the cheerleading skating party! sounds like a pretty perfect weekend huh...

out for now

~kisses

thankful...22/30

2011-11-22T22:02:00.001-05:00

today i am thankful for the person life has shaped me to be...i am proud to be me :)

out for now

2011-11-18T09:48:00.000-05:00

today i am thankful for...a date night with my love ♥

we will be spending it getting groceries and falling asleep on the couch at 8 pm

out for now

~kisses

thankful...17/30

2011-11-17T14:20:00.001-05:00

today i am thankful for, as little as it may seem, hair pingers...i've been working a bit of overtime and by this afternoon i was just done with my hair hanging all around my face...i'm also thankful that i thought ahead and stashed a few in my desk drawer :)

out for now

~kisses

thankful...16/30

2011-11-16T14:00:00.000-05:00

today i am thankful for pinterest and all the ideas it gives me (although, i'm not sure my husband could say the same thing)...this was one of last weekends projects and i just adore it! also a side note...i am also thankful my dad had this rake that i was able to use!

out for now

~kisses

thankful...15/30

2011-11-15T12:39:00.000-05:00

today i am thankful for time spent with this boy...time with him is always spent nearly peeing your pants in laughter...i totally get his sense of humour, his dad not so much...we love the same stupid movies, jokes and sayings...

out for now

2011-11-11T08:56:00.000-05:00

today i am thankful for EXTRA days off...

YES!!! shopping with my mama and my love today :)

out for now

~kisses

thankful...10/30

2011-11-10T16:13:00.001-05:00

today i am so thankful for my business and how much the Lord has blessed it over the last year...

out for now

~kisses

thankful...9/30

2011-11-09T08:43:00.000-05:00

today i am very thankful for pumpkin spice coffee {and the amazing mama that bought it for me}

out for now

~kisses

thankful...8/30

2011-11-08T19:50:00.001-05:00

today i am thankful for nights where i don't have to do anything but veg in my pajamas, watch tv and snuggle with my pup...it was very much needed after starting back to work yesterday

out for now

~kisses

2011-11-01T08:00:00.000-04:00

i LOVE LOVE this idea...and i'm totally going to do this...i love this time of year and how it makes me feel sooooooo warm, cozy, grateful, thankful and LOVED...i'm going to do mine with a photo a day here on my bloggy...hopefully i can keep up with a photo a day...watch for my first post later today...and if you want, play along with me :)

out for now
~kisses

happy halloween

2011-10-31T08:00:00.000-04:00

happy halloween from the cutlers

happy {almost} halloween

2011-10-30T08:36:00.000-04:00

i know mr. cutler won't think this is nearly as funny as i do...

out for now

~kisses

happy + blessed

2011-10-18T10:30:00.000-04:00

sunday afternoon i struggled and pulled myself up into a sitting position in bed, worked to swing my legs over the side and slowly stood up. it felt so good to stand. i bet a little walk would make me feel even better and so i started down the long hallway. as i was walking, i was thinking back to my conversation with joe the day before.

that was when it hit me, i was in a very serious situation on friday and it could have went either way. having a bleed that the doctor can't find and once they can find, they have a very hard time stopping is serious and so is being put in ICU.

but i survived because of God's amazing grace and love. He has a beautiful, perfect plan for my life that didn't end on friday. and now it's up to me to make sure i'm fulfilling it.

i am so blessed to have the most amazing husband, parents, children, church family and friends. i love you ALL. thank you so much for everything!!

out for now

~kisses

today

2011-10-14T08:00:00.000-04:00

i will be going in for a little girlie surgery...hopefully i'll be home today or tomorrow...and for the next week or so i will be home aannnnndddd able to blog my little heart out :)

out for now
~kisses

the journey must continue

2011-10-12T12:42:00.002-04:00

i'm totally not going to lie, i'm still struggling...in august i took two weeks off from the gym (for probably no good reason at all, can't even remember now) and then i hurt my ankle somehow, i think i pulled something...i've always kept it real here so no sense in stopping that now...lately i've felt as if everything is falling apart, like i had no control over it (which is ridiculous)...

actually i've struggled for months...i *knew* what i should do and what i shouldn't...i *knew* i was giving up...but i just continued down the same old broken road, the one that led me astray years ago...

not going to lie or try to front about the weight gain either, i have put some back on...thankfully it's not a real substantial amount...but still, i'm heading back into the territory i said i would never go again...

so, with that said, i recognize it's time to buckle down and get to it...zumba has started back up (thank goodness) and i'm planning on starting a walking program next week as well...in november i'm planning on heading back to the gym every morning...and i'm ready to hit weight watchers hardcore...i have a plan, which is the first step, and i'm ready to get going...

i am NOT going to let this evil rule my life again...i will NOT let it defeat me...i will NOT let change and stress win...i will NOT throw all the work i've done in the last two years away...

i am back on track and excited to continue on my journey!!!

out for now
~kisses

oh it's a happy monday...

2011-10-10T08:00:00.000-04:00

yep, extra day off this weekend...HECK to the YES!!!

out for now

~kisses

a day full of awesome

2011-10-08T08:04:00.000-04:00

~ visitng with fam we don't see often

~ NOT having to work
~ artists selling their wares in the town park? yes, please!!
~ kids playing with their cousins
~ dinner with my fam

out for now
~kisses

we are off...

2011-10-07T08:01:00.000-04:00

to one of our fams fav places...we are going to see the pennsylvania little grand canyon and then eat lunch at the cutest little diner ever...maybe shop around a few of the little cute antique stores...and then we are off to visit our fam in NY for the weekend...

out for now
~kisses

football thursday...

2011-10-06T08:00:00.000-04:00

hello gorgeous thursday...wanna know WHY your so beautiful to me? yeah, because you are my FRIDAY!!! yes, doesn't get better than that. AND monday off as well, oh that is almost too much...

joey has an away game tonight so we are heading there as soon as i get home...and you KNOW i'll probably take tons of pics (and then it will take me forEVER to get them loaded on here, i know)...after his game we are hurrying home to finish our packing for our weekend trip...up and out of the house by 5:30 tomorrow morning and I CANT WAIT!

out for now
~kisses

{semi} wordless wednesday

2011-10-05T10:27:00.002-04:00

meal planning monday

2011-10-03T08:00:00.000-04:00

monday - leftovers, hopefully...

tuesday - breakfast for dinner...pancakes and sausage...my fams fav!

wednesday - homemade chicken noodle soup and paninis...this soup is DELISH!!!

thursday - leftovers again...joey has a game so dinner has to be quick and easy so we can get out the door...

friday - eating on the road on our little vaca

saturday - in NY with the fam :)

sunday - in NY with the fam :)

out for now
~kisses

sweats + movies...

2011-10-02T21:23:00.000-04:00

that was exactly what my day was full of...

my littles didn't get home until around 2 am so this morning they slept in quite a bit...while they were sleeping in i tried to get some of this stupid laundry done...i am going to miss wedding season but i can't lie, i'm going to enjoy having saturdays to get my housework done again...it's now 9:20 and i am STILL doing laundry, yuck...

once the kids got up, we went and grabbed a quick bite to eat then got our groceries for the week...and yes, i totally wore sweats to the store...i had not a single intention of getting dressed today...

once we got home it was time to continue laundry and start editing yesterdays wedding pics...and while i was editing pics the fam and i got to watch a movie...it was soooooo nice to sit in my sweats, relax and watch a movie with them, i've missed that!!!

tomorrow it's back to work :( but it's a short work week, that makes it slightly more tolerable...

out for now
~kisses

a day full of busy

2011-10-01T08:00:00.000-04:00

i'm off to shoot another gorgeous wedding today...

joe is going along to help me (any day minus kids is like a mini date)...
the kids are off to a concert with the church...
it will be another day jam packed full of busy (and FUN)...
love days like this!

out for now
~kisses

it's football thursday...

2011-09-29T08:00:00.000-04:00

football thursday means a few things...

~ quick and easy meal
~ a pinch of "hurry, hurry"
~ a whole lotta "joe, i have no idea what is going on"
~ an enormous amount of patience displayed by my husband
~ tons of proud parents yelling in the stands (i reserve my yelling for touchdowns only, i'm have this fear of yelling at a totally inappropriate time)

i ♥ football thursday!!! GO BIG MO!!!

out for now
~kisses

randomness...

2011-09-28T20:51:00.003-04:00

totally random post here...to let you know whats been going on in my life this week...

* lots of cheer for miss jade (basketball tuesday and basketball + football tomorrow)
* exercise class tonight...yay! looooove it...
* joe's back is out and has been all week, poor guy
* rain, rain, rain and more rain
* two days of switchboard this week, boo hiss :(
* doing a little christmas shopping here and there...

out for now
~kisses

meal planning monday

2011-09-26T20:20:00.002-04:00

almost forgot this weeks edition, yikes...

monday - leftover potato soup in bread bowls...

tuesday - hotdogs, brats and pasta salad...

wednesday - chicken pie...this is, without a doubt, one of my FAV meals!!! i will alter it a bit to make it healthier...

thursday - grilled kielbosa, quick and easy...

friday - subway ♥

saturday - i have my last wedding of the season this day and we'll be eating dinner there :)

sunday - bacon cheeseburger meatloaf and homemade mac and cheese...absolute comfort food!!! i will do what i can to "healthy" the recipes up...

out for now
~kisses

a day of perfection

2011-09-24T08:00:00.003-04:00

- sleeping in
- photoshoot with some awesome littles
- visiting with papa
- date night
- outback (hopefully)
- shopping

out for now
~kisses

oh hello truck pulls...

2011-09-23T08:00:00.002-04:00

tonight we are going to have a big night out at the HARMONY TRUCK PULLS...oh heck yes, ya'all know i wait for this night all year long!!! i have not missed the truck pulls (except when they were rained out) for about 15 years...every year, faithfully, I am there at 6 when the gates open. i get my GOOD SEAT (which is completely necessary to view the truck pulls) and then we go grab something to eat...and the food at the fair, gosh, it is amazingly good...the air is crisp, the food is good, the trucks are loud....what could be better?!?! love me a full size dodge diesel with stacks ::sigh:: LOVE LOVE that truck!!! Gotta have some redneck in ya to love these pulls...i'm totally taking my camera for some serious truck lovin'...

here are some pics from years past...

out for now
~kisses

i ♥ today

2011-09-22T07:50:00.000-04:00

hello gorgeous thursday...wanna know WHY your so beautiful to me? yeah, because you are my FRIDAY!!! yes, doesn't get better than that.

joey has his first home game tonight AND papa is here to watch him play, so excited...hopefully the weather cooperates...as always, this paranoid mama would appreciate prayers...
so i'm off...finish up my work here and get ready to scream for my boy at the game

out for now
~kisses

how to keep your diet on track.

2011-09-20T12:24:00.001-04:00

find a cd of vacation pictures from your "fat days"...that will put you right back on track! i've always kept it real here so i figured i might as well share these pics with ya'all...

i have no words for this first picture...it doesn't even look like me, does it? soooooo weird looking back on these...and it makes everything i've done, all the hard work, totally worth every sore muscle and growling stomach...

on a different note, joe looks totally handsome :)

and one last "gem"...as you can see, i had to blur out some of it...i didn't want to cause small children to be scared for life and need years of therapy...so like how do you NOT feel that your entire stomach fat roll is totally sticking out of your suit?

there are days where i still struggle with feeling like that "fat girl" even now...i think every once in a while it does us good to see how far we've come and give ourselves a well deserved pat on the back...and remind ourselves where we don't want to go back to...

out for now
~kisses

guess what's back...

2011-09-19T10:02:00.000-04:00

meal planning monday, woohoo!!! i know, i know...ya'all are crazy excited for it...for some strange reason i've missed this weekly post on the little bloggie...

monday - stuffed peppers and mashed potatoes

tuesday - spaghetti and garlic bread, a fav of my littles

wednesday - stuffed chicken shells by request of miss jade

thursday - grilled kielbosa and brats with ranch/bacon/cheddar pasta salad (it's football thursday so the meal has to be quick)

friday - a quick sammy so we can head out to the truck pulls

saturday - date night :)

sunday - lasagna (papa's fav), garlic bread and ranch bread...

out for now
~kisses

CUTLER.FAMILY.CHRONICLES

hello beautiful weekend

a {little} bump in the road

{semi} wordless wednesday

hello tuesday...

meal planning monday

one of those days...

can i get a whoop whoop

statements of stupidity

{semi} wordless wednesday

* this IS me *

meal planning monday

oh it's a happy monday

sundays are my absolute fav...

happy birthday aunt vi...

weigh days

{semi} wordless wednesday

10 random things...

meal planning monday

beauty

random happy things

my journey...

{semi} wordless wednesday

**breathe**

meal planning monday

oh 2012...

hello 2012...goodbye 2011

new year = new me

meal planning monday

merry christmas...

i'm sorry I ruined your lives, and crammed eleven cookies into the VCR

total.HAPPY.day

**little full...lotta sap**

happy birthday papa

friday...you're my BESTIE!

meal planning monday

happy birthday to my sweet sis-in-law...

i'll be gnome for christmas

i just like to smile, smiling is my favorite

yay for today

semi wordless wednesday

meal planning monday

don't throw me down clark

the little lights, they aren't twinkling clark

oh hello there december

thankful...30/30

thankful...29/30

thankful...28/30

meal planning monday

thankful...27/30

thankful...26/30

the living Bible

thankful...25/30

thankful 24/30

thankful 23/30

thankful...22/30

meal planning monday

thankful...21/30

thankful...20/30

thankful...19/30

thankful 18/30

thankful...17/30

thankful...16/30

thankful...15/30

meal planning monday

thankful...14/30

thankful...13/30

thankful...12/30

thankful 11/30

thankful...10/30

thankful...9/30

thankful...8/30

thankful...7/30

thankful...6/30

thankful 5/30

thankful...4/30 {a day late}

thankful 3/30

thankful 2/30

thankful 1/30

30 days of thankful

breathe

little full...lotta sap