Day 1- First attempt at a blog - Buffalo Chicken Macaroni & Cheese

So, I suppose I should first explain the title of my blog.  I worked my way through graduate school with the help and support of my wonderful husband.  Following the completion of my Ph.D. in Chemistry, I worked as a post-doc for a few years.  In an effort to get prepared for starting a family, I began a long weight loss journey which resulted in the loss of 70 lbs.  I was hot! :)  WeightWatchers and Curves were my favorite friends during this journey.

Our daughter was born in 2004 in the wonderful state of Texas, and I continued to work for about 16 months after she was born.  But things had changed for me emotionally and I wanted to be with her all the time.  I had always known that I wanted to stay home with my children.  So why did I get my Ph.D.?  Good question, I'm still working on a solid answer to that.  But now you know why I call myself Dr. Mom.  I do have hopes of using it again sometime in the future.  When she was 16 months old we relocated to the city that my husband grew up in...he found a wonderful job.  It worked out that I was able to stay home with our daughter.  A dream come true, right?

I was still carrying some of the baby weight from my pregnancy, but not that much when we moved.  Unfortunately, I really didn't know how to be a stay-at-home mom, so I was lonely and filled up my time with food.  I might as well be honest, it's true.  I gained almost 50lbs in a year or so.  Wow.  I wish I could go back to that woman and knock some sense into her.  Go for walks, meet other moms, etc.  I've always been a closet eater, just ask my parents.  I'd love to blame it on the healthy eating I had to do as a child, but that's not really fair to my mom.  She is a wonderful, amazing mother and woman.

Ugh, overweight, depressed, wow I was pretty pathetic.  Then we decided it was time to try for #2.  I was really happy when I found out I was pregnant.  My husband was not happy that it happened so quickly. ;)  We were blessed with a little boy just 3 years and 5 days after my daughter was born.  Now I was a SAHM of two kids!  Now what was I going to do....

Fast forward four years and here we are, I have a first grader and a preschooler who are just the most amazing people I have ever had the pleasure of knowing.  Watching them grow up thus far has brought joy and tears and screams and laughter and pride to my life.  But I haven't been able to get control of MY life.  I want to be healthy and a good role model for my children.  I spend alot of time volunteering with the PTO at both schools and with the Girl Scouts.  So I do feel like those things show them that I am interested and involved in what they are doing at school and in their lives. 

But I have to face it, sometimes I can be pretty selfish.  My husband would tell you that I watch too much tv, and it's true.  But he just bought me a dvr for my birthday. It's a computer that we have nicknamed Jacques, which comes from an old Simpsons episode in which Homer bought Marge a bowling ball with his name on it.  Yes, a computer for my birthday, how romantic! :)  To be honest, I've just started using it and it's pretty cool.  At least I don't have to record using my VHS tape anymore...I was starting to wonder if I would ever be able to buy a blank tape again.

Okay, so why the blog now?  Because I love to write and I love to talk and I need to be held accountable to someone other than myself.  I want to make a commitment to a healthier and more enjoyable life all around, with my husband and my children.  I have been a follower of Hungry Girl for a few years now, and I love her ideas and recipes.  I recently purchased her new book Hungry Girl 300 Under 300:  300 Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner Recipes Under 300 Calories, but until tonight I hadn't made any recipes yet.  So in true "Being Julia" style, I decided to attempt at making one of those recipes each day for the next 300 days starting today.  I highly doubt my husband  will eat all of them, but I know he will support me in following through with this commitment.

I adore mac and cheese, not just love it.  I really want to marry it.  Tonight I made Buffalo Chicken Macaroni and Cheese from the book.  It was creamy and buffalo-y and really filled me up.  Preparation was fairly simple and quick, I think I may have overshot the Franks just a tad though.  I had to tell my husband that there was mustard in it, so I'm sure he won't touch it, but he thought it smelled really good. 

So I made it through day number one and have typed a book for my first blog.  I'm really not sure what I will type everyday, but I will share my life and thoughts as I continue my path as Dr. Mom. Here starts my journey to a happier and healthier me!