August 21, 2011

It's like Christmas morning...

...when I log on and read your comments on my blog! I mean it. Thank you all so much for the support, inspiration, loyalty, concern, advice, and laughs you give me on a daily basis.

But I have one question:  Am I the ONLY person that peels my carrots before eating them?

It's been driving me crazy for a while now. Every dieting/healthy living/etc blog that I read that shows pictures of carrots, the carrots are unpeeled. I'm assuming they are washed, but I had no idea that people ate carrots that weren't peeled. My mom always peeled them, and I never knew any different. I'm kind of repulsed by the idea of NOT doing it, because the carrots look so much cleaner when they are peeled. So I ask you, dear friends: Do you peel your carrots before eating, or just wash them?


Okay, I have to address a couple of comments and questions from yesterday's post about me:

Linda, I think it's hilarious that you asked who told me about the vitiligo on my lady parts. I'm sorry to disappoint you, but it was just my gynecologist ;)

About Camp Shane--MTV was actually there filming that show the summer that I was there! It was a Real Life episode called I'm Going to Fat Camp. I watched the whole episode, and I am not in it anywhere, so don't bother looking!  And yes, many most of the (older) kids there were there to hook up with other kids. The girls in my cabin were 13-14 years old, and that was ALL they cared about. As counselors, we actually had "Nookie Duty" on rotation at night to walk around with a flash light and catch kids making out and put a stop to it.

The whole experience was actually really disturbing, seeing the kids that were there because their parents made them go. I don't think any of the girls in my cabin would be classified as obese. Maybe slightly overweight, but some of them were actually pretty thin. Almost all of them came from a lot of money. One girl told me that her mom made her go to camp so that she (the mom) could spend the summer with her boyfriend, sans kids. Another girl told me that she was a size 6, and her mom told her she'd better come home a size 2 or smaller. A celebrity's daughter was there, and she got a LOT of attention.

Steph, I wish I could help with your frustration. I don't think I've ever experienced a TRUE plateau. Every time my weight loss stalled, it was because I was overeating or I binged or something like that. If you're feeling really discouraged and need a good mental boost, try lowering your sodium intake for a few days. That will make the scale drop a little and hopefully help you from feeling defeated.

Allison, when you made the chocolate pb oats, did you include the chia seeds? The chia seeds are what thickens it so quickly. When chia seeds mix with water, they form a gel-like substance, which makes it thicker.

As for all the comments about the book... I just don't know! Like I said, I'm super shy, and you already know I'm hypersensitive to criticism. I will think about it though.

And about Eminem... I'm so glad to know I'm not the only one who loves his music!


So yesterday was a rest day, which I definitely needed. My body was pretty sore from strength training Friday. Today I have 60 minutes of cross training scheduled, so I think I'll ride my bike while the kids are at church.

My favorite shirt that I got--$2!
In the morning yesterday, Jerry and I went to the biggest city wide garage sale EVER. There were sooo many people and cars up and down the streets. We just parked and walked up and down each street. I spent about $45, and I got a LOT of stuff. I bought a bunch of clothes--6 Hollister shirts (4 hoodies, 1 t-shirt, 1 sweater); a few shirts and a couple of pairs of sweats from Victoria's Secret PINK collection; a pair of jeans; two pairs of shoes; a couple pairs of comfy pants; a handmade lap quilt, which I LOVE, and it was only a quarter!  I also got a handmade kitchen apron for a quarter at the same sale. It's amazing how many people spend SO MUCH MONEY buying things brand new, only to sell them a garage sale for dirt cheap.

Another comfy hoodie
Out of everything I bought, the lap quilt is my favorite! 25 frickin cents for this!
I love handmade items, and it always makes me sad to see people sell them at garage sales. Some of my friends have hired me to make things for them (usually knitted or crocheted) and I charge a LOT for the--because it takes so much time to make! Someone on Sparkpeople asked me how much I would charge to make a jeans quilt, just like mine. I don't remember what I said, but I honestly don't think I'd do it for less than $200. I think it took me about 40 hours total.  If you're a new reader, I made a huge quilt out of all my jeans as they got too big on me. I cut them into squares and stitched them together, then backed it, and tied it. This is the finished product:
The day I finished my quilt project... relief!


Can you guess what THIS is???
THAT would be my awesome packaging job for the Garmin ;)  I settled for duct tape instead of packing tape. It doesn't look pretty, but it got the job done. My Garmin is somewhere between here and New York right now! I decided to send it to the cooler climate states first, and we'll save the states like CA and TX for later when it's not hot enough to melt your skin off while running outside.


Sorry this entry is so long!  Are you a crafty person? What do you like to make? If not, have you ever tried to learn a craft?  Also, I want to know about your carrots!


33 comments:

  1. Hey Katie,
    I usually buy organic carrots and just wash them...but they do look nicer when peeled!

    Last year my granny taught me how to knit a beanie and I made one for all of my friends... I love to knit during fall/winter...

    I really enjoy your blog, keep going :-)
    greetings from Germany,
    Tinka

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  2. OMG I totally peel carrots, to be honest I can't ever remember not peeling them. The skin just looks dirty and gross to me. I peel cucumbers too.
    As for a craft I know how, and really good at, cross stitching....unfortunately I don't have any free time to do it anymore....

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  3. I am a crafty person but have not done much lately. I can't believe that quilt was 25 cents! I have made a few quits and each one is a long project!
    Way to go on all the loot you picked up at the sales! I never really thought to look for clothes at garage sales.
    I always peel carrots or buy the baby ones that come peeled and washed in a bag.

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  4. You did mean the long carrots, right? I peel them, too, but I haven't bought regular carrots in like forever. I just buy the baby carrots now. My kids will grab a handful and snack on them, so no prep needed. If I'm using them in a recipe I just eyeball what I need and chop them up.

    About Camp Shane: If I were a parent of a child who wanted to go and it cost me a fortune and then I watched them piss and moan about the exercise and lack of food, all while lusting after some boy/girl, I would be PISSED! (And then to see them smuggling in candy and iced tea...!!!)Of course MTV did not highlight the kids that didn't have a weight issue. I would think the camp would have some criteria to meet in order to be enrolled, but it's a business and they wouldn't refuse someone's money. Sad.

    I really need to find some thrift shops here on LI! I went to Savers, which is where Big Brothers/Big Sisters sell the items that are donated and I didn't like it. Maybe I should try it again. I guess it is a hit or miss sort of thing? You always seem to hit it though! I went into the American Eagle Outlet this week and I saw an adorable top, but it was $49.50! Needless to say it's still in the store!

    I am a crafty person. I make my own greeting cards from all of my scrapbooking supplies, which I have been slacking on. I have dabbled in just about everything, like Faster Plaster and Donna Dewberry painting. I really loved cross-stitching and have made a lot of gifts for family and friends' weddings and births. I really need to spend less time on the computer and more time crafting. I even have a room dedicated to all of my stuff! Granted, there's a Christmas tree sitting in the middle of it, but I can squeeze around it!

    Have a great day!

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  5. Long...that look like they are out of the garden..YES peel them! The easy shorter small ones..NEVER.

    Not crafty but totally wish I was..I can't believe you got the quilt for 25 cents..my mom has the orange/brown flower sheets from years back and they are so comfy...which makes me think the quilt has got to be super soft too. LUCKY girl!

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  6. My mom peeled her carrots too! It was really weird to me when I got married and my husband didn't do that. Now mostly we get the precut baby carrots because they kids eat them as snacks at school, and we don't peel those.

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  7. I always peel full size carrots. Mom did too. I think it was a monky-see monkey do with me.
    I have many crafts underway, and none completed, mainly knitting, cross stitch, paint by number and sewing. For outdoors activities I have both vegetable and flower gardens. I am great green thumb when growing weeds!
    Katie, keep writing. Your blogs start me out on the right foot each day. Someday that will be second nature for me, but now, I need boosting! Thanks,

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  8. Thank you for answering my question! It awesome that you interact with your readers. It's like we are having a one on one conversation with you. Plateaus are extremely frustrating! I haven't tried lowering my sodium, but that will definitely help the scale to move. I've decided I am just going to keep doing what I do because this is a lifestyle change and I know it will eventually take me in the right direction. Atleast I am not gaining.. I think my body is just trying to hold on to the last 20-30 pounds.

    As for carrots, I always peel them. It's how I was taught so I don't even think twice when I do it.

    I'm not a very crafty person, but I do try to be. I LOVE scrapbooking!! Probably my favorite thing to do ever, but it's a very expensive hobby.

    And by the way I looooooove when you show us what you bought at garage sales! I get really excited when I see pictures of clothes & stuff. I always get a little jealous though because you seem to have the best luck finding great clothes. I never seem to find anything at garage sales.

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  9. You should seriously consider publishing your book. Im sure it is nothing less then amazing!

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  10. Katie, I have never heard of NOT peeling carrots - are you kidding me??! Unless they're baby carrots, of course.

    You know I'm crafty - knitting all the way :-)

    Wendy
    (Madwin)

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  11. Way to go on the rummage sale finds, I love rummages and city wide sales rock my socks off! I recently participated in one and sold some of my fat clothes in hopes that I will NEVER fit them again. :) I totally peel carrots, but more often than anything I buy the bags of baby carrots ready to go. I'm lazy like that. I don't peel them if I am putting them in a pot roast though, I like the earthy taste of the dirty skin after it cooks with the meat - random, I know!

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  12. First, I wanted to tell you I've been reading your blog for a few weeks now and I'm loving it. I'm never bored and I look forward to your posts every day.

    I agree with your other readers on the carrots--peeling is a must unless they are baby carrots. They taste a bit bitter with the skin, I think.

    I think what you're doing with your Garmin is awesome and I'm really interested to see reviews from the people you send it to.

    Keep up the awesome blogs!

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  13. I used to think that everyone peeled carrots, but then I went to this get together where the carrots were not peeled. I thought this was so strange and I came home talking about it. Everyone I talked to informed me that this was normal and apparently tons of people do not peel carrots. Which is so weird to me because the skin just seems pretty gross to me! To each their own I guess.

    Also, I second that comment about seeing the clothes/great things you buy! It's very fun!

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  14. First of all the carrot question--I peel the regular big sized ones. Who could eat those without peeling them first? EEWW--Not me. Mom Peeled them, I peel them. However, those little mini carrots just get washed at my house--no peeling needed. Sometimes I cut them in half or quarters prior to putting them in a relish tray for dipping. I like smaller pieces of carrots, some of those little stubby ones are pretty FAT.
    I love crafts. I used to crochet, but have kind of forgotten how. I tried to finish a doily my mom had left half-finished, but even though I re-taught myself some of the simple stitches, I couldn't figure out WHERE, in the instructions that she was...so I put it away. I'll get it out again someday. I hate to leve things undone, but I do that quite often.
    I am into counted cross stitch again, after a 20-year hiatus from it. I just finished a baby smapler for some friends, and am now working on a Boyd's bear for my sister-in-law's birthday, and it is an absolute bitch (the bear, not the sister-in-law). So many colors of brown, and I can't tell one color from another when I'm done, so it's really hard to figure out where you're at. There's lot of mistakes in it, but I just keep going. I have entertained the thought of quitting, and just buying her a Boyd's Bear figurine for her birthday, but I keep going back to it. When I'm done with it (can't wait to be done with it!), I have a project started that I can't wait to get back to--it's Care Bears spelling out words like JOY and Peace, that are red-striped for Christmas. I love Christmas decorations. I could do those all the time!
    I will be first in line to buy your book, so let us know what you decide there. I love reading your blogs, you have such a great gift for writing.

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  15. I dont peel my carrots, Ive never heard of anyone peeling there carrots...your weird ;)
    What is a garmin and why are you shipping it?
    I made a comforter for my hubby out of his tshirts, the jeans idea is awesome, I may have to do that...hmmmm
    I sew, paint, and take pictures, and anything else that inspires me.

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  16. Off topic but I just wanted to let you know that I am loving your recipe blog! Everything looks so delicious and I love that you include nutrition. My husband and I already sat down and made the schedule.. we are going to try one new recipe of yours per week. This week by his choice we are making General Tsao's Chicken! I would have left this comment on that blog, but I figure you check this one more often and I want you to know how much I enjoy it!!!

    And to stay on topic... I peel my carrots always, couldn't do it any other way. And I'm pretty into scrapbooking.

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  17. I love the jean quilt!! I don't have enough jeans to do that! But I did save all my shirts that I shrunk out of and had my grandma make me a shirt quilt :) I use it in the winter and it's got a lot of my favorite shirts that I just didn't want to get rid of, but I couldn't wear them anymore.

    Don't have a blogger yet, so I had to post under no name :)
    Dena (ilikesongs on SP)

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  18. I always peel carrots. I'm a total germophobe so anything and everything must be washed thoroughly or I get grossed out. The only carrots I don't peel are the baby carrots but I don't buy those often as they just don't taste carroty to me like the big ones.

    I LOVE that you made a quilt from your jeans! I wish I would have thought of doing that with mine. Hmmm... it's not too late as I just put 3 pairs of jeans in the charity pile but I kind of dread working with denim. I love the raw edges.

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  19. i think i have a slight allergy to carrots, i was eating them with lunch (instead of chips) at work cause they were easy to grab (baby carrots) and about 30 mins later i woudl get this weird pain in my chest (but not as in heart pain). so i ate two bags and figured out it was the carrots. so i stopped eating them and no pain.
    i wish i was crafty :( i remember when you did that jean quilt, do you still use it?
    lessoff

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  20. Oh no, I peel my carrots each and every time! My Mom taught me the same thing! Now I think it's kinda gross to eat the skin! Lol!

    I wish I were crafty like you! That seems to have skipped my side of the family! LoL! My aunt and niece on my mom's side are all very crafty though! I'm so jealous of anyone who can do that!

    ~Jolynn

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  21. seriously... who the eff doesnt peel their dirty nasty carrots?!!!

    lol. i usually only buy ones that are already cut and peeled though like baby carrots because they are roughly very close in price and it sames me that much time of doing it myself. lol

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  22. I always peel my carrots before eating them.

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  23. I'm really interested in quilting but my mom is a quilter and I know how much time it takes so i've never attempted! I did make a satchel for college today, post about that tomorrow :) I always peel carrots, who the hell doesn't LOL!

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  24. I always peel carrots, I can't believe that people eat them without peeling them.

    I look forward to your blog everyday. Its like having coffee with an old friend even tho we've never met.

    I love the jean quilt and what a wonderful idea. I just finished my first quilt and I just finished 2 aprons, so for now quilting is my crafting pleasure. I would like to learn how to crochet and knit, maybe you could start an instructional video series or blog on learning how to knit or crochet.

    Thank you for being a wonderful inspiration and friend.

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  26. I buy baby carrots so I don't have to peel them. :)

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  27. Leigh-AnneAugust 22, 2011

    I totally agree with you about the carrots. I buy baby carrots so I don't have to peel them! As for craftiness- I actually make specialty cakes. It's been a difficult craft to continue with trying to lose weight though. Anybody have any tips on baking without tasting? I also do some design- invitations and the like.

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  28. I peel my carrots for sure! I think they taste dirty if they aren't peeled, even after washing. Ugh.

    Thanks for the note on the chia seeds! I did not use them... Figured it was like flax and therefore optional. Whoops! I'll have to google and find some. Do they have a taste or just add to texture?

    You always find such great deals at garage sales! I can never find there ones that have clothes... And if they do they are either not my size or way out of style. Any tips for locating good sales? Please do share in a blog - I'm going broke buying new clothes. Good problem to have I know, but still....

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  29. I totally peel my carrots and always have. My mother always did it, too, and so I've always done it. Now I'm uber lazy and just buy baby carrots so I don't have to do that.

    I'm so excited about your recipes blog - that first recipe (Southwest Ckn & Beans) is so totally easy! That is exactly the kind of recipe that I need - I'm a mess in the kitchen! LOL!!

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  30. I'm addicted to knit and crochet. (I'm Legal Eagle on Ravelry) I also dabble in other crafts such as counted crossstitch and calligraphy. I would love to learn to quilt, but i'm afraid of getting addicted to another expensive hobby! :)

    Like a previous poster, I only buy the bagged baby carrots these days, but if i were to buy full sized carrots, DEFINITELY peel them!

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  31. Carrots: Sometimes I peel them and sometimes I don't. I grew up with peeled carrots, but have had people tell me that I should leave the peel on. So depending on how the carrot looks and how much time I have, I either peel them or I leave them!

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  32. I always peel my carrots!! If I get a baby carrot with a little peel on it, I cut that part off.

    Your garage sale finds make me wanna check out some garage sales! I hate spending money on clothes when I don't plan on being this size for long.

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  33. I love your lap quilt!! The flower pattern is exactly the same as the sheets that used to be on my Gramma's bed. I had forgotten all about them until I saw your photo, so thanks for bringing that memory to me today :)

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I used to publish ALL comments (even the mean ones) but I recently chose not to publish those. I always welcome constructive comments/criticism, but there is no need for unnecessary rudeness/hate. But please--I love reading what you have to say! (This comment form is super finicky, so I apologize if you're unable to comment)

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