Paco's Tacos

I've been wanting to try Paco's Tacos for a pretty long time, but I never thought it was open.  Turns out they are only closed on Mondays and the parking lot is in the back.  Every time I go to Marshall's, I think about stopping.   Well, I finally did and I'm certainly glad that I did.  It's a quaint little house with lots of funky decorations outside and inside. I got queso and shrimp tacos for lunch.  I loved them both. I wish I would have gotten the large bowl of queso.  The shrimp tacos have a little kick to them, but really good!  Our plan was to go there again and try their breakfast yesterday, but 290 is under construction, so we didn't want to get stuck in the traffic.  I hope to bring Mike there soon!! I want to go sit on their patio and have a taco and a beer soon!

Calorie Counter

I am always in a constant state of struggling with my weight.  I started out at 151 a couple of years ago.  I noticed that one of my favorite people had lost a lot of weight and that motivated me to start watching what I eat.  I started trying to eat more healthy and started walking.  I started walking two miles about 3 - 4 times a week.  Over the last two years, I increased to a little over four miles a day.  Weekends I try to do 5 - 6 miles.  At this point, I weigh between 127 - 131.  I've maintained that weight for about the last year or two.  At one point I was 125, but people started saying I was too thin.  I really think that had to do with the fact that I didn't have clothes that really fit me.  I've finally caught my wardrobe up to my weight loss.

Recently, a friend of mine told me that he lost weight by counting calories.  He talked me in to using the Livestrong Calorie counter to stay on track. He said that eating too little is almost as bad as eating too much.  The biggest thing I've struggled with on calorie counting is that I haven't been able to figure out how to count my calories when my husband makes the food.  Well all that is OVER!! My friend at http://definitelyleopard.blogspot.com/ found a calorie calculator online!!  When you make something, all you have to do is add all the ingredients to their page and they will do the calculating for you!!  Recipe calculator is the way to go.  It is amazing what all you can find on the web!  I've slacked on counting calories because we've been trying to cook, but that all comes to an end today!!


I like the Livestrong calorie counter because it tracks the calorie intake in conjunction with the exercise that you do.  I use the endomondo app to count the calories I burn when I'm out walking.  I set up challenges every month for my friends and me to see how much we exercise.  It really keeps me motivated to be in a challenge with someone.  I also have my exercise posted automatically to my Facebook page, so it keeps me accountable.  On the days I don't work out, I've had people comment to me to find out what happened.

Overall, I've mostly limited  my exercise to walking, but I'm trying to add strength training also. I got the multi-rep app on my phone, so every other day I do pushups, squats, triceps dips and sit ups. Every day the app adds to the amount I did the time before, so it is really starting to get harder.  I've only been using this a little while and my husband said he can already notice the difference, so I think I'll keep this up.  I'm sure this will help me tone up.  I'm not as motivated to do strength training activities, so we'll see how this goes.

Cooper

After a few months without Jack, we decided to adopt a new puppy!  I wanted to get a puppy and I wanted a rescue dog.  Since I like to walk and sometimes have to go alone, I wanted the dog to get big.  Thanks to a very special person, I found the perfect puppy for our family! She picked him up and kept him for a week until I could get him!

We finally decided that his name was Cooper after trying out several names.  We've had him a few weeks now and he's a pretty good little dog.  He already walks 4 - 5 miles with me.  (I asked the vet and she said that it was ok to go that far.)  He's chewed up 2 iPod cords, and a lot of paper, but I really expected it to be much worse.  I'm sure there is more to come.

He starts puppy school on Wednesday!  He was supposed to start last Sunday, but when we got there, they said the class didn't make, so they put us in another class.  I can't wait to learn how to better take care of my new baby. 

For some reason, he seems to only want to attack ME!! I'm going to ask the puppy trainer how I can stop that.  I'm not a fan of getting bit all the time.  Well, I guess I have to go now since he's attacking me as I type!

Fire Crackers

My friend, Cheryl had a pajama party over Christmas holidays and one of the things she made for us was Fire Crackers.  I LOVED them.  I heard how easy they were to make and decided this is something I would have to make for our Super Bowl party of three.  

When I put the Saltines in the grocery basket at Central Market, my husband and father-in-law laughed at me.  What could I possibly make with Saltines!?  Well, after I made them, they took back all the ridiculing that they had done.  I think this is their new favorite snack.  I bet that we'll be having these at all future parties!!

1 – 1 1/4 cup canola oil (you decide how much you want to use)

1 packet Ranch dressing mix

2-3 Tbs. red pepper flakes (I used close to 3…a little warm)

4 sleeves of Saltine crackers (give or take…however many you can fit in your mixing bowl)

1) Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl for a good long while (5-10 minutes), to really get the crackers coated. Eat a few if you want.

2) Lay them out on a cookie sheet, (doesn't have to be orderly), and drizzle the left over mixture left in the bottom of the bowl over the top of the crackers.  Bake at 250 degrees for 15-20 minutes.

3) Put them in baggies for later or serve.  

Since I made a whole box of crackers, I had plenty of these to share at work this week.  One of my friends told me that she makes them, too.  She uses the low fat saltines.  She said that mine were crispier.  She also mentioned that she doesn't cook them and lets them sit out and soak for 2 or 3 days.  I'm pretty sure that cooking them makes the difference.  Happy snacking!