Yummy Cheesecake!

As some of you know that I've been doing a weight loss challenge for the last 8 weeks through NW Nutrition, a friends company and it's been going great. Last week at class we got a couple recipes that I've tried and thought I would pass along. One is for the best cheesecake ever...seriously (I didn't even know I liked cheesecake). I think that they got it from Chuck's produce (I didn't know they had recipes)...anyhow I hope you enjoy.

The New Cheesecake

2 cups low fat (2%) small curd cottage cheese

8 ounces light cream cheese or fat free

3 eggs

1 cup sugar or sugar substitute (ie Stevia)

1 Tablespoon Vanilla extract

1 1/2 teaspoons strained lemon juice

Equipment:

One 8" cheese cake pan or eight or nine 4 or 5 ounce souffle or custard cups.

Instructions:

1. Position rack in lower third of oven and preheat to 350'. Put a kettle of water on for Step 4.

2. Process cottage cheese in a food processor for 2 1/2 to 3 minutes, or until silky smooth, scraping the sides of the bowl once or twice as necessary. Set aside.

3. In a small microwave safe bowl, soften the cream cheese on high for about 30 seconds in microwave. Stir until smooth, scrape into the processor. Add the eggs, sugar, vanilla, and lemon juice. Pulse until incorporated and perfectly smooth. Do not over process. Pour into cheesecake pan or divide evenly into cups.

4. Slide oven rack way out. Place the cheesecake pan or custard cups in a badking dish and set on oven rack. (I used a cookie sheet) Carefully pour boiling water around the pan to a depth of about 1 inch. Slide oven rack in gently to avoic sloshing water. (I spilled a little of my hot water into the cheesecake...so be careful during this step)

Bake cheesecake until it has puffed up and risen slightly and is just beginning to shinrg from the edges of the pan, about 40 to 45 minutes. (25 to 30 minutes for cups)

Remove cheesecake from water bath and cool on a rack. When completely cool, cove rand chill for at least 12 hours or up to 2 days before serving.

Nutrition info: (if you use the light cream cheese and the real sugar)

Calories per serving: 204

Fat: 7.4

Protein: 10.7

Carbs: 24

Pumpkin Patch

Friendship

I just read the book, The Girls From Ames; a recommendation from my friend Christy Wagener. I thought it was a great book, and it reminded me of all my friends from high school who I truly view as my closest friends. So here's to all of you (because you're the only ones that read my blog anyway). I love you Megs, Christy Wagener, Ambs, Saah, Kymmy, Pie, Kath, and Joc. I love our friendships and am thankful to have you all in my life.

My boy

Yesterday Andrew and I spent some time looking at pictures of when he was a baby. It brought back so many memories, things you forget about in your day to day. So here are a few pics of my baby boy. I am such a lucky mama.

Tae Kwon Do & Lolo

Andrew started Tae Kwon Do this week, and let's just say it's super cute.
He probably understood about 10% of what he was supposed to do...but still so cute. I think I like the uniform best of all. He did get to break a board though (he was super excited). I got the pics in the wrong order...but you get it.
The pic is of his individual lesson; and now he's in his Tiny Tigers class. It's great.

On another note: Lauren is officially potty trained. She's done so well. I look back and read my post and think, "Why was I so worried?" She has grown up so much in the last two months. She gave her binky to the babies and is potty trained. I think my house is officially empty of babies and I'm not sure how I feel about that.

PS-I'm not happy about how the pics are in this order and not where I want them to be but I don't have time to deal.

Yes, I'm updating.

I know.
I know.
I know.
Get over it, I'm finally posting again. (At this point no one may be reading because it's been so long they don't check to see if I've posted...but whatever I'm moving on)

As I sit and type I'm in Sunriver Oregon. It's beautiful outside, warm and lovely. And yet I'm inside with my daughter, who I am ATTEMPTING to potty train. Now don't get me wrong we've been outside on the deck and inside but I HAVEN'T LEFT THE HOUSE. My husband is out and about. I am not. And you may ask how is it going? Well let me tell you; not well. I'm 1 for 4. Right. The one success we had today was actually number 2. (I know a lot of details) The other 4 fails have all been pee. I'm pondering the should I give it up question. Not so sure at this point. What I do know is that come September she needs to be potty trained because I've paid for pre-school and she HAS to be potty trained. I'm trying not to freak out. My new mantra is who cares if she pees or poops her pants? I don't. Then the minute she does I seem to care.

On to other topics that I don't "care" about. My son Andrew. Oh my how he's getting so big. This morning he had his first tennis lesson, he'll be doing swimming lessons on his own this summer, VBS at church, and starting on a soccer team in the fall. What's happening? It's like he's reached the age where he can do things on his own. In some ways I'm so thankful and in some ways it makes me sad. To be honest at this point though I'm pretty thankful, because he seems to need my attention all the time. When he's at camps, playing, swimming, etc someone else can give him their attention for a minute and give me a break. We've started a new rest time system and it's worked for the last 7 days (yes I'm counting). He spends 1/2 hour in the play room quietly playing, the next 1/2 hour he can have a video of some kind. He gets one pass to get up and talk to me. He can use the pass whenever he wants, but once he uses it that's it. If he's able to do this he earns a sticker. After 5 stickers he gets some kind of special treat, the first success was ice cream with him and I. (Special treat for mommy too). We happened to be in Sunriver so we went to Goodies. Oh so yummy. This seems to be working well, and I get one hour of time to myself. One whole hour. Hold your applause.

As for Nick, he's busy busy at work. He's still working even though we're on vacation. That's why I have this computer right now. Thanks BCI. He's been working out pretty hard, thinking about a bike race in August and one in October. We're celebrating our 6th wedding anniversary this Friday the 9th. It's my year to plan it (I have even years he has odd). Not sure what we'll do yet, I have a few ideas but am open to suggestions. I think we're going to have the whole day/evening because he'll still be on vacation. We'll have the kids for the morning and then my mother-in-law will be taking them. (Thank you Kathy) Suggestions?

Lastly, I've been running quite a bit with a friend. I'm contemplating a 1/2 marathon at the end of July and one in October. Not too sure. Today I ran and thought I might die after 4 miles so that's not a good sign for a 1/2. We'll see. It's good for me to have a goal to look forward to. In other random news I'm thinking about going to my natural hair color; with a few highlights. For those that know me well (and I'm hoping that's anyone that reads my blog) I haven't had my natural hair color since I was 13. Yes, I did type that correctly. I'm not quite sure what I want to do. Right now my hair is looking fairly crappy because it's been forever since I colored it (trying to save money) and thought I could stretch it out. WRONG. So now the question is, what to do. I've seriously thought about emailing my hair dresser all my thoughts so that when I go in next week we don't have to spend too much time talking. Obsessed much Lindsey? And as I've been at church lately I've realized I have a very controlling personality and am trying to work on not always having a system. Not sure how it's going considering all the controlling things within this one post.

Well for those of you that wanted it, there it is. An update. Aren't you glad you spent time reading this. Oh and I think I have an addiction to Facebook. With that, goodnight all.

Our new house!

So I'm finally getting around to posting a picture of our new house. We love it. We are finally beginning to feel like it's our home. We feel very blessed and thankful to have a house. One of these days we may get around to having a house warming party...but stop on by if you're in the neighborhood. By the way our neighborhood is Deer Creek in Camas.