Quality Time...

Not too long ago, in a lifetime that I'm striving to forget...

David and I would watch TV or a movie when we had time to spend together. Or, we'd sit on the deck if it was nice enough. Now.... We go to the gym! David had to work the day shift at the hospital today and got home at 8:15. Instead of sitting on our lazy butts, we hit the gym!

Now, my knee is still hurting, so working out was a little scary for me. I looked at some workouts on Weight Watcher's stuff and found 2 strength workouts that I could do without too much pressure on my legs. I did the abs for beginners and arm sculpting. I knew if I did the beginning abs that I would probably be okay incision wise.... And I was! The arm sculpting workout was tough, but I did it! I want to get my "wings" toned - I know I can't spot reduce, but it would be nice to at least tone up a little! I did "fake" pushups - very mild, knees bent, on a mat, and only 1/2 the reps I was supposed to do. I know I wasn't going far enough to make it "real," but the attempt was there and I was DEFINITELY working muscles!

So, I'm pretty proud of us right now! I also stayed at points today. Last week was bad - 5/7 days I went over my daily points, using 15 weekly points. This week will be better!

Oh, and we're setting new goals tonight! Check out my side bar shortly... :-)

Weekly Weigh-In/Month in Review

Well, this week did not go as well as planned. I was up 1/2 lb from 2 weeks ago (when I was up 2 lbs). But, we had a tough week so I'm thankful it was only 1 lb. No, I'm not making excuses, but life happens. Here is how life happened to me:

* Monday night, David's mom made us dinner. BBQ ribs, green bean casserole, texas toast, and cobbler. The cobbler was the only thing healthy. I did okay, but not great.
*AF is also visiting this week, and I always feel like I'm starving mid-week. So, yesterday was my "starving" day - seriously. I ate like I hadn't eaten for days!
* Today was food day at work. If you are a teacher, you know what food days look like! We had sub sandwiches, "salads", chips, and desserts. I use the term salads lightly. There was one relatively healthy one - mixed greens, mandarin oranges, walnuts, and a balsamic dressing. Then, there were the others... I actually didn't have any of the others. But, I blew it at the desserts. I have a confession in case you haven't figured it out: I am a CHOCOHOLIC. And I'm proud of it. I can usually contain myself and choose healthy chocolate. But food days? Those are just asking for me to eat all the chocolate in the world!
* I looked at my weekly view - only 2 days I stayed at my daily points. I used 20 of my weekly points which is VERY high for me (usually only use 5 or less). But, my cobbler with "healthy" ice cream and wine addictions for the week were worth those points!

So, my month summary: I lost a total of 2 lbs. David said I still earned my reward because I lost 4.6 the first week but then gained the rest of the month (well, last week I didn't weigh in, but the other 2 weeks I gained). I'm 5.4 lbs from goal right now.

But, you know what? I'm okay with it. I'm okay with the fact that I had a bad month. You know why? Because this is a lifestyle. I can eat whatever the hell I feel like. Yeah, I need to watch my portions and make better choices some days... But, this is my life. I'm not going to deprive myself of the chocolate that looks good, or my glass of wine when I want it..... or even the spinach and artichoke dip! Because that's not life. That's a diet. And I'm sure not going to diet for the rest of my life!

Tonight's meeting was about carbohydrates. Any "diet" that tells you to get rid of a food group is bad, right? Weight Watchers is about choosing the healthy carbs and limiting the not-so-healthy carbs. I can do that! Yeah, I like my sugar and my Diet Coke. But, I don't drink 5 cans a day - hell, I don't drink 2 cans a day! And my sugar is usually limited to right before bed - I HAVE to have something sweet before bed. It's against everything I know NOT to! And I can do it! Why? Because this is a LIFESTYLE.

David got me my hungry monster tonight! I'm not sure where he'll end up but somewhere that will keep me from snacking on not-so-good things!

(They were out of the magnets, so I get one of those, too, when we get restocked.) We also got a few snacks and a new cookbook. The latest book is called Hit the Spot. It has an entire chapter dedicated to..... Chocolate!!! And another chapter just for other desserts! Plus other stuff. David is excited to be home next week so he can cook for me!

Speaking of David... He finally joined the 21st century and made a blog! Check it out here! He promised he will keep up with blogging his progress and other random things (although I am wordier than he is!).

In exercising news.... David and I went for our weekly morning workout today. We always meet on Wednesday mornings at the gym because he works Tuesday nights and I don't have any other time on Wednesday. I like to workout before weigh in, so this is when I do it. Don't get me wrong - I am NOT a morning person (just ask him!). But, I like working out with my husband, so I deal. Anyways.... I got on the elliptical this morning and my left knee started bothering me after only a few minutes. I tried moving my feet around because sometimes that helps. Not this time. It actually got worse. I had to stop after 10 minutes. David put me through HELL with some weight lifting for my arms, and I did a little bit of ab work. I'm definitely not up to par there yet - I was sore for about 2 hours around my incisions. But, my knee is still really hurting tonight. We bought an ace wrap and some Excedrin. Hopefully that and a little ice will help get me back going. I'm definitely taking a few days off of cardio - I will probably go lift weights tomorrow night - and hoping my knee feels better soon!

This is the knee I had surgery on 11 years ago, so I always get nervous when it hurts. It's not swollen, but it hurts all over - not in one particular spot. Who knows what I did... I did some stairs at the administration building yesterday and I'm wondering if I took one funny or something... Only time will tell! I'm on my feet so much, though, that I really need to get better quick!

Oh, and the March of Dimes on Sunday.... We were in a severe weather warning so they asked us to not walk. Some people did, but I'm not a good "wet walker." So, I drove to the gym and walked it on the treadmill! I did the 3 miles just like I would have at Mahoney. It would have been nice to do it outside, but at least I did it! And I'm already planning my next walk: Race for the Cure on October 4th!

So, this is has gotten really long, but one more thing... Baby related stuff... David is going to see the Urologist sometime in May - he is calling tomorrow. I'm increasing my Payflex contribution for next year so that we can get any treatments payed for pre-tax, and then have some left over for pregnancy and delivery. Right now, the time line is David gets on Clomid in June (possibly May depending on when he get in); 90 day test in August; try on our own September. If nothing, then we will do an IUI in October. And hopefully baby in July!

Oh, and one more thing... David's brother, Matt, joined the army about 9 months ago. He was stationed in New York (Ft. Drum), and was almost deployed a few weeks ago. Please say a prayer for him, his wife Tina, and their two young sons. It will be really tough on them because they are so far away from all family. Also, David's mom got some bad news at the doctor - her cancer continues to spread. He didn't really give her a time line, but she probably will not be here this time next year. So, prayers for her and our family during this time... She is a strong woman and has battled alot in her lifetime - I want her to continue so that she can meet her son's children!

Okay, now I'm really done. :-) Night Night!

March for Babies!

Well, today was the March of Dimes for babies at Mahoney. Summer is sick, so I went down by myself, driving through rain. I didn't know the forecast, so I thought it was supposed to clear up a little.

I got there, waited for a little bit, and when the race was supposed to start, they announced we were in a severe weather warning and they advised against walking. Of course they couldn't say "don't," but they strongly encouraged we not walk.

I was really sad, but figured I could just drive home and do the 3 miles at the gym. So, that's what I did! I didn't want to let my sponsors (or myself) down and not complete the walk altogether. The gym wasn't as much fun as the outside walk would have been, but it was just as fufilling!

I'm proud of myself for making the committment to do this - a year ago, I would have said no way in hell! Especially when Summer got sick... I would have said Nope! Not goin' by myself! And then, when it was cancelled, I would have just come home and crashed on the couch. But, I made the committment and I followed through. I'm already looking forward to next year!

Blackberry Cobbler

David got this recipe at weigh-in tonight. So yummy!!! You could use any fruit if you don't like blackberries. How easy can this be?????

POINTS® Value: 3
Servings: 12

Preparation Time: 5 min
Cooking Time: 40 min

Ingredients
1 pkg frozen blackberries (still frozen)
1 box Angel food cake mix
12 oz Diet 7Up

Directions
Preheat oven to 350. Spray a 9x13 baking dish.

Layer the dish with: blackberries, then cake mix, then pour Diet 7up. DO NOT MIX.

Bake for 40 minutes and serve! (I noticed there were a few spots that were still powdery from not having liquid. I was worried, but it tasted great that way. I might add a little more 7up next time, but who knows!)

Tortilla Pizza

I can't claim this recipe (obviously), but it wasn't from Weight Watchers! David found this recipe on Biggest Loser's website. We added a little to the original recipe, I plugged it into Weight Watchers, and there we have it!

POINTS® Value: 4
Servings: 4

Preparation Time: 15 min
Cooking Time: 4 min

Ingredients

4 medium whole wheat tortillas
1 cup canned pineapple, packed in juice (I like the tidbit size the best)
8 TBSP BBQ sauce
1 cup cooked chicken breast (cubed) (you can use any meat - different meats may change point values though)
1/2 cup feta cheese (if you can find reduced fat, points would lower)

Instructions

Toast tortilla on non-stick cookie sheet in oven for 3-4 minutes. Flip and toast another 3-4 minutes.
Assemble pizza with desired ingredients.
Cook at 400 degrees for 3-4 minutes.

This was so easy. We got home, David started "cooking" right away, and dinner was ready in less than 15 minutes and was so yummy!!! The original recipe did not have the chicken or mushrooms, but I needed protein and veggies. We're excited to try different combinations! I still like our baked pizza, but this is lower points and quicker to make. It wasn't quite as filling, but just as yummy!

Monthly Vent Time

Well, it seems like about once a month, I need to get it all out.... I've had some stuff building up the last week or so, and today was the straw that broke the camel's back. Good luck keeping up.

I found out this week that 2 of my friends are pregnant. I am excited for both of them. But, I'm sad at the same time. I'm mad at myself for thinking "It's not fair" - even for that split second that I thought it - I feel guilty for it. Both of these women have been trying for 6 months. They both deserve their babies. But, damn it, I want a baby, too! Another friend of mine who is having problems getting pregnant is having the same issue - everybody around her is getting pregnant. David is meeting with a new urologist sometime soon, getting back on the Clomid, and then we'll try an IUI. We're both getting back to our vitamins. Hopefully in 4-5 months I'll be announcing a baby!

But it's hard. I want to be pregnant now. It's not fair. June is our 2nd anniversary, August is our 2nd trying to conceive anniversary. As a teacher, I see good parents and not-so-good parents. Why can these women sleep with 4-5 different guys and get pregnant everytime they get into bed? And why can they keep popping out kids and getting free aide? David and I will be good, loving parents who have common sense and understand what routine, and talking, and loving, and not getting high/drunk with our kids in the next room... Everytime I see a pregnant woman, I wonder "What did God see in you that he doesn't see in me?"

We had weigh-in tonight. David did great! He lost 6 lbs! I gained 2. I know that this past week was tough - Easter, 1 winery and 2 tasting rooms, plus 1/2 a bottle of wine the other night. But, I've been going to the gym and watching what I eat. I think maybe my problem is tracking... I didn't really track my food like I usually do. I just guestimated - and I didn't keep track of my activity points or weekly points. Guess what that means? An added 2 lbs to my body. Next week will be better. I know it will.

Financially, things have been tight. We have a fair amount of credit card debt and we owe my parents some money. My dad has been great - relaxed about it. He'll get it when he gets it. My mom needs the money back. So, we worked out a "payment plan" with her. We also have all my medical bills - payment plans for them as well. We were planning on starting Dave Ramsey's Snowball plan in June. And then............ our water heater died. Last night, the "pop top" blew. David replaced it, and the new one popped today. The plumber came out and said that it's 20 years old (wow!), and needs to be replaced. So, the power is off (it's electric), and we can only turn it on to do laundry, showers, and dishes. Well, we can shower at the gym (after working out) and do laundry with cold water. But dishes? No. I need hot water.

So, we spent the evening figuring out the best way to go. David and I found one at a decent price from True Value and he is going to get it tomorrow. We decided to look at a couple other places and by the time we were done, True Value was closed. So, he's going to deal with it tomorrow. We still need to get a plumber to install it (eek!), but hopefully we can find one who will accept payments.

I seriously feel like everytime we start to get ahead, something goes wrong. David was supposed to call the urology clinic today, but now we can't afford it. We were planning summer trips, and now... we don't know. We want to be parents. And now.... It's not just the water heater. It's the surgery, the flu, the car accident,..... everytime we get one step ahead, we fall 2 back. Damn it. When will it be my turn to get ahead? When will it be my turn to say "I paid off a credit card!" or "We're pregnant!" My student loans are coming due in July and I know we can get the payments reduced, but seriously? I don't want to be paying on those for the rest of my life!

So, someday, some way, we will get ahead. We will succeed. 99 3/4% guaranteed. I hope.

2009 Nebraska Wine Tour

Last year, we started the wine tour but didn't get to finish it because of me getting sick in July. So, we are starting early this year!

David FINALLY took me to my winery. We chose to go to James Arthur Vineyard, and found the passport for this year's tour. JAV has a new Brianna that is REALLY good. A bottle found its way home with us. There's a newer winery close by but they weren't open today. So, we stopped at From Nebraska Gift Shop for some tastings. We tried wines from quite a few different wineries - some we went to last year, others are on our Get-To-Quick list!

The best part about wine? A 4oz glass of white wine is only 2 points! I don't drink red, but it's slightly more. The killer is the bread baskets that you HAVE to get. Well, you don't have to get, but it definitely helps keep you from getting drunk!

So, Nebraska Wine Tour - Here we come!

Getting Closer!

Tonight was Weigh In. After a busy day of cleaning, dealing with a stupid check company, working out (made it 30 min on the elliptical for the first time since surgery!), taking the monsters to the vet (everybody is vaccinated and tested - DAMN that's expensive!)..... we hauled ass to weigh in. We got there 5 minutes before the meeting was over, but we got to weigh in!

I lost 4.6 lbs! Holy Cow!! I am 2.8 lbs away from my goal weight! I can't believe it! I've been really good this week and now that I'm exercising again, I don't need as much pop to keep my energy up. When we had Chinese, I was careful. When I went to Applebee's with a friend, I had a 7 pt sandwich with fruit. David lost .2, which in my book is still a loss. He was glad to not gain - he had alot of temptations this week and did good with some, not so good with others.

Think I can make goal next week? I don't know. I haven't lost 4 lbs in a LONG time. It's almost like this was a fluke! I'll be happy with 1 lb - that's still only 3 weeks until goal! I'd be really happy if I did make it, but I'm not holding my breath.

Tomorrow is my last day off before going back on Monday. I'm working at the flower shop on Friday and Saturday. Sunday is Easter, so we're spending the day with family. That doesn't count as a day off in my book. David and I are going to a winery tomorrow afternoon! This was my reward for a different milestone and I haven't gotten it yet. So, we're relaxing and enjoying some good wine. I'll post more info tomorrow - I love that white wine is only 2 points for 4 oz!

Going out milestone!

I love, love, love Spring Break! I took the dogs to the groomers this morning and then picked up the carpet cleaner from my dad. David and I had a few errands to run and decided to get lunch while we were out.

I wanted Subway or Applebees or something healthy... He wanted Chinese. EEK! So, we went to China Buffet, my all time FAVORITE Chinese restaurant. I love their crab ragoon, egg rolls... everything! So, what did I do? I got a plate full of salad, honey dew, and a few raw shrimp. I relaxed while I ate that, we talked about the weekend.... Of course, I was still hungry. So, I went to the mongolian grill - a few ounces of chicken and TONS of veggies later (and I didn't do too bad with the sauce either) - I was full! I did eat 2 crab ragoon, but I figure the rest of the meal was healthy-ish choices, right?

David didn't do as well, but he did better than he would have a year ago. And, we worked out tonight, so he "paid" for his "crime." I worked out also, but one of my incisions started hurting after 20 minutes so I had to stop. David and I talked about his successes because he was feeling a little down on himself. But, we found the positive side and we're both proud of ourselves.

So, all in all, a very successful day! The puppies look SUPER adorable with their hair cuts - I'll post pics eventually. They got their usual shave and they look like dogs again!

For the 2nd day of Spring Break, David has class so I'm going to lunch with a friend (Applebee's - I like their chicken sandwich). I'm also going to clean the carpets if I can get our vacuum to work and do a little more cleaning. And of course my usual tutoring...

I found a new food! And other randomness...

#1 - I'm getting one of my tutoring cases back! It's a state paid case and when I was sick, I lost it because I obviously couldn't be there. But, the company called me today - the new tutor has to move, and the foster mom asked for me back if I'm up for it! Of course!!!

#2 - Even with all the drinking last weekend and my monthly visitor paying her unwanted visit, I still lost .8 lbs this week! David lost 5.6! We got a new cookbook - the WW Momentum. David is excited to try some new recipes!

#3 - (And the reason for this post) - David made dinner tonight... He grilled Boca burgers! I've never tried them before, but they were really good. I was kinda low on points tonight, so I had 2 patties, 1 slice of cheese, and 1 bun. I also added tomatoes, cucumbers, and a tiny bit of ketchup. 6 points! That's it! And most of it was in the bun and cheese! I also had a big salad with fat free dressing - yummy! So, my point - if you haven't tried the Boca products, definitely check them out. David wants to check out some of the other products out. So excited!

#4 - Next week is Spring Break. I just have to get through one more day and then I'm free for a week. I'm tutoring, but other than that, it's 5 days of peace and quiet. David and I will be cleaning and the dogs are getting groomed. YAY!!!

#5 - Tonight is the last episode of ER. I'm really sad. It's been on for 15 years. I've come and go as a fan, but the last several years, I haven't missed a single episode. But, so far the episode is really good!