205.2 - Lunch With The Scrappers

The 10-point challenge this week on HWHL was to post about a lunch, or lunch date, you had. I chose to report on the scrapbooking crop I went to over at the library yesterday:

Here we are, all set up in one of the library meeting rooms. As many of you know, scrapbooking supplies multiply like Tribbles. So, room to spread out at a crop is essential.

Laurie Johnston, who has been hosting the crop for several years and inviting me forever to come to the crop, is in the black t-shirt on the left, and her daughter Kamila is on the right.

They both wore these cool t-shirts - "Scrappers are acid free." Does anyone still want to have a cool HWHL t-shirt? I'd pay for one!!

Everyone brings snacks, that while tasty, are not the healthiest or lowfat. There was a lovely selection of chocolate cheesecake slices, which I resisted after I checked the calories on each slice.

Here I am, all spread out with tons of stuff. This is only about 1/10 of what I own, seriously. It's sad.

Here is what I ate for lunch - I brought carrot sticks as backup, as well as my digital scales and 1-cup incremental measuring cup. Kind of anal, I know, but I hate guessing on calories. I picked grapes and healthy crackers from the snack table, and I splurged (not pictured) on a piece of the coconut nut bread. And of course, I had my trusty 24oz. pink water bottle.

I had so much fun at the crop. In fact, a little too much fun, because I talked, gabbed, surfed the internet looking for stuff for my project (digital cutting files for my electronic Pazzles die-cutting machine), so I basically got nothing done. So, sorry, I have no pictures of projects to post. I'm going to try and work on something the next few days that I can post for you guys. Also, Laurie told me about their yearly Scrappin' It Pink breast cancer fundraiser crop that they host once a year, where they donate part of the entrance fee to the Susan G. Komen foundation. This year it's on Saturday, Sept. 25th, and goes from 10am to 10pm at the college. There are door prizes, scrapping challenges and make-n-takes, and it's a catered lunch and dinner by the college. I think I'll have to make that a "free day" for my calorie points. I'm really looking forward to it, now I just have to figure out what to do with my kids! I need a serious plan for that.

It just goes to show that there can be good surprises around every corner. I was really bummed about not being able to go to Salt Lake, but I found something good, maybe even better in the long run, by staying here in Rock Springs. Laurie has been encouraging me to come for several years, and I always kind of blocked it out, sometimes intending to go but always forgetting. I made a serious commitment to go this time, and I think it will be a great blessing. I got to meet some new people, and I rekindled my enthusiasm for scrapbooking.

P.S. I took these pics with my little point-and-shoot because my digital SLR is in the shop getting the lense fixed after I was stupid enough to take it to the pool, and then wade out in the water with it. I hate point-and-shoots, I really, really do. The lag-time between pushing the button and when the camera actually takes the picture, the lack of control over settings, etc. I miss my camera!

Weight - 205.2
Weight Lost - 30.8 lb. in 81 days
Total Calories Eaten - 1507
Today's MFD calorie allowance range - 1545 for a 2 lb loss/week rate, 2545 for weight maintenance
MFD occupation activity level - Moderate Activity
Total MFD Exercise/Activity Calories Earned - 218
MFD Calorie Balance - 38 left to eat at 2lb loss/week rate
MFD Weight Loss Rate Today - 2.1 lb loss/week
HWHL Points Today - 42 (217 total this session) I did everything today including extra for posting, except completing 30 minutes of exercise, but I completed the lunch post challenge for 10 points
Cat's Challenge Points - Session 2 goes from Friday Sept 10th to Thursday Sept 16th. I had 65.5 points for Session 1.
Exercise - 20 minutes on the Gazelle strider

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Breakfast - 24 oz. water with exercising, 1 banana, 1/2 cup Corn Chex cereal, 1/2 cup Wheat Chex cereal, 1/2 cup 2% milk
Total calories - 325

Lunch - 12 plums, 1 Frigo Light mozzarella string cheese, 1 slice Smith's Whole Wheat Cottage Bread, 1-1/2 tsp. Miracle Whip Light, 1 slice Oscar Mayer Smoked Turkey round lunchmeat, 1 wedge laughing cow cheese, 1 roma tomato sliced, 11g of Quaker Quakes Rice Snacks Rosemary & Toasted Garlic, 4 small Chocolate White Chip Cookies (recipe below), 24 oz. water
Total calories - 588

Dinner - 2 small Chocolate White Chip Cookies, 2 cups romaine hearts lettuce, 1/2 cup Nalley's Turkey Chili, 1/3 cup roma tomato chopped, 1/4 cup Great Value Mild Salsa, 1/4 cup Naturally Yours fat-free sour cream, 2 Tbsp. Kroger Nacho shredded cheese, 24 oz. water
Total calories - 366

Dessert - 1 small Chocolate White Chip Cookie, 1 Great Value peanut butter ice cream sandwich
Total calories - 228

Chocolate White Chip Cookies - a Becky original

1 cup or 2 sticks butter
1-1/2 cups white sugar
3 egg whites or 2 eggs (calories below reflect the egg whites)
2 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. salt
3/4 cup cocoa powder
1-3/4 cups white flour
1 bag or about 11 oz. white baking chips

Calories - 116 calories per 1 oz. serving

Cream the butter and sugar together. Add the eggs, vanilla, soda and salt & mix. Add the cocoa and the flour. Mix. Add the white chips and stir. Bake at 350 for 8 minutes for melon-ball size cookie dough, longer for larger balls of dough.

**Note - This is a high altitude recipe (I'm at 6700 feet), so if you are at a low altitude, you should probably reduce the flour to 1-1/2 cups.