July Holidays 2011. Photopost.

This post will be all about the bold week I've had. But firstly, I just found out. I've been nominated for an Irish Blog Award in the lifestyle category! I am beyond surprised, and to those who did nominate me - thank you!!! You're awesome! Who ever did do it, must have done so back when the blog was still http://redrunner.posterous.com as opposed to now I have my own url. But hopefully that won't matter right? Anyway, I'll keep you updated as I find out!!! :)

Other news is that I still have no clue when the feature on me and my weightwatchers success will be published in the Sunday Life. I did check out the Sunday just past there but nothing. I wish they had of told me, but sure I'll just keep checking. Hopefully it will be this week though!

Anyway, I love Valentines Day. Most of you will go on about how it's a stupid commercial day but I don't care. I love it. Probably more than Christmas if I'm truthful. I love the colour red, I love how it takes over the shops, I love roses and they're everywhere at this time of year and I like a bit of material good and presents. I tweeted over the week about how much I love it all and I got told that I should show my love and appreciation for the wonderful Gavin all year round. And I want to point out that I do! He's awesome, I know it.

I'll start the valentines / seriously bold week with last Tuesday straight to this evening (when I weighed in and took my massive gain).I did not track or propoint a single item that crossed my lips. I also didn't measure or portion control anything, so I know that's why my gain was so massive.

I loved my leader Jackie's Valentines display last week. Red hearts on the wall, what's not to love?

boldness began I think on the Wednesday, I had a sausage roll, just the pastry mind you, but that's probably the worst part.

Home made burgers on Friday

hot chocolate and marshmallows - twice actually. made with milk not water. yum yum yum.

The tequila is mine, I wouldn't touch Jack Daniels.

Another day, another cocktail.

Getting to Valentines day, the gifts I got for Gavin was this, yep lego.

And then I baked him oatmeal cookies and macaroons, plus a festive breakfast.

These were the cookies. Just out of the oven they are so, so good.

This is my baking apron. My normal cooking one is white with red polka dots

Yeah... I'm so bold. Smothered in garlic sauce.

These were the Macaroons. Best batch I've ever made. Mouthwateringly good.

 

Moving onto Valentines Day itself. I made Gav's breakfast in bed (for the record, this isn't all that special - he get's breakfast in bed at least once a week, usually twice). Heart shaped, home-made pancakes / crepes and bacon.

Our Valentines Plans were to go to the Clarion in Carrickfergus. We've been there before, years ago, in the honeymoon suite for our first anniversary and loved it so it was nice to get back.
We went for a walk and seen the castle and I took a load of pictures.

Even the sky knew it was Valentines and went all pink for me :)

We had dinner in the hotel. I decided on what is now a very familiar dress to all of you, this is my favourite dress at the moment. It's from Banana Republic, I just love it on me.

Champagne and Strawberries

Gav had the duck.

I had the lasagne. Cheesy, yummy goodness with its garlic potatoes and garlic bread.

and ice cream

I adored our wee get away bar one thing. The hotel was boiling. Our bedroom was so warm I got ill and although I turned off the radiator in the bedroom, the one in the bathroom couldn't be turned off and hotels won't let you open the window very far so I had the craziest nights sleep ever. Mad dreams, and I woke easily 6 times. So I've been shattered all day.

Here was breakfast I didn't like the cooked breakfast so went for the cereal and yogurt. I was gulping a jug of water into me at breakfast, still trying to cool down. Anyone would think I was hung over when I was far from it. The heat made me not want to drink!

Today I contiunued the badness, with much chocolate, loads of it really. And I was glad to get to my meeting, a late 6pm one, accompanied with my mam, who had not been in 16 weeks, and had only put on 1.5lbs. Quite the maintenance!

I got on the scales and got a 4.5lb gain. Shocking, I've never put that weight on in one week! But to be fair I know exactly how I done it. Everything was done to excess. Nothing was pointed, nothing was measured. And I feel awful for it. My tummy is bloated, my skin feels a bit crappy and I'm looking forward to being back on track and getting back to portion control! Which was todays meeting topic! - I'll not go off on one about that, because we all know how much I love it and think that it's the key to losing weight for good and developing good mental attitudes towards food, and everything in general.

I suppose that's it for this post.
Before I sign off though I want to say that I'm sure a couple of readers will be in the same boat as me where we've put on a few pounds due to Valentines, or more accurately, due to ourselves / our own decisions and then blaming Valentines Day. Do what I'm going to do. I enjoyed my week, I'll take my gain, but now I'm back on track to lose a few to get back to my target weight. Don't beat yourself up about it. What's done is done. Put it behind you, move on and make the better decisions this week. It takes persistance, not perfection.

Love Sarah xx