You know you're old when...

Your Christmas wish list consists of 2 things:
** teaching certificate for the state you live in
** new vaccuum!

Yes, there are the normals - clothes, ornaments, scrap booking stuff, etc... But I would much rather have the other 2 things! In fact - I NEED the other 2 things!

So, Poll: What's your vaccuum - remember: we have dogs, allergies, and a dust-attracting house! What's your heavy duty vaccuum? And why do you love it?


In other news...

I'm thinking about going back to school to get my administration endorsement. I spoke with my PK supervisor and she said she hesitated quite a few years ago and then realized how many opportunities the administration opened up for her. Did she HAVE to leave the classroom? No. But, now she loves what she's doing and knows that she could go back to the classroom someday if she wanted....

The knee brace is working! I have 4 exercises that I do everyday - 2 of them, I do 15, and the other 2 I do 10. I do them 3 times a day (2 of them I only do 2 times a day because they are hard to do without a bed or table - laying down). I wear the brace all day so that I can get the support I need. Sunday was a sore day, and Saturday evening was pretty bad... but, still, the pain is WAY better than it was. Today? I walked around Walmart and it stopped hurting as soon as I got in the van and had a chance to rest for a few minutes. One of the exercises that I have to do was making my knee pop. My PT told me if I had unbearable pain associated, to stop. Well, yesterday.... the popping STOPPED!! That's right - no more popping! My knee itself pops sometimes, but not as often. Ahh.. relief! Here's what it looks like:





Last week was Red Ribbon Week (drug awareness/prevention). Thursday was Jammie Day, so David took a picture of me in my sexy jammies. And no, I don't really wear these to sleep in, but the kids LOVED them! And it gives you a better view of the brace.

That's about all I know right now. I'm busting ass on healthy eating this week, and I'll go to Weigh In next week. This week, I won't be able to make it because of PT, so next... Sure hope I'm under 190!

Knee Update

Well, it's been a little over a week since my cortizone shot.

I tried exercising on Sunday and it did not go well. I made it a total of 10 minutes between the elliptical and treadmill. 47 calories. That's it. And what happened? STRONG, SHARP pain. Intense. And it hasn't stopped since.

So, I called Dr. Brown back on Monday and he ordered an MRI. I had the MRI done Wednesday morning and got the results back today. Everything "looks good." All the ligaments and everything "in there" is fine. My knee cap is loose (yes, I knew this), and there is some "wearing" of my joint because of the way my knee cap moves when I walk. It doesn't sit in the center like it should, so the "track" is wearing down and causing pain.

I have to take 2 Aleve tablets 2 times a day. Okay, fine. Got it. And.... I have to start going to Physical Therapy. He wrote the order for 2-3 times a week for 2-3 weeks. Great. One more thing to do. I'm hoping they teach me some exercises that I can do to keep my knee strong so I can start working out again.

I need to work out. Need to. Have to. No if's, and's, or but's about it. It's KILLING me to not work out. So, if Physical Therapy doesn't help, I have to go back for a re-evaluation... I'm praying this works because I really don't want to end up with surgery at the end of this!

So, that's about it for me.... Tonight was Open House - I'm exhausted and in pain! We begin Foster Care classes in just a few short weeks (Oct 8 is the start date), and I'm still tutoring 2 nights a week. David is going to take one more bottle of his supplements - about 1 month worth - and then retest his swimmers! As soon as they get up to an "okay" number, we are still planning an IUI. Now I'm headed to bed.... Happy Friday Eve!

Accountability...

Well, tonight was yet another Weigh In... I was up 3.2 lbs. I was expecting to be up, and I had a feeling it would actually be worse... But, still!

Labor Day weekend was full of food, food, and more food. Also, less than "normal" activity (read: sitting around staring at each other), and some wine.

David, on the other hand, did AWESOME! He lost 7.8!! He's really motivated now that he's kicked his butt back in gear. He set the monthly goal of 15 lbs and working out 4 times a week for the entire month of September. If he achieves both goals, he gets a case of wine - and HE gets to pick all the wines (although he did promise that he'd get some that I like too).

Right now, I'm 4.6 lbs away from my ultimate goal - 180 lbs. I think if I work hard, I can be there by the end of September. My reward? Just knowing I did it. I really don't "need" anything. Well, I do... I need clothes, but I'm waiting.......

What was going on 3 months ago? I hit Lifetime - not just goal - LIFETIME. I can't believe it's been 3 months since I received my Lifetime status! Wow! I had to buy a new 3 month journal at the meeting tonight, so I'm changing things up a little...

I redid my points quiz. I've been giving myself 28 points, knowing it was over what I "should" be getting, and I've been allowing myself to use the weekly points (no activity points since I haven't been earning them). I want to lose the extra few pounds, but I didn't necessarily care as much as when I was "actively" losing.

My points quiz says I should get 27 points. Starting this week, I will only give myself the 27 points. I am hoping to start some light exercising again on Monday, so I can use the activity points, but not the Weekly Points unless it's something very important AND planned. Also, I've been lazy about getting all daily Healthy Guidelines in. This week, my focus is fruits and vegetables. I WILL get all 5 servings in.

I'm hoping I can handle some light treadmill and elliptical time this week. I want to start cycling - at the gym first, then on trails until it gets too cold - but I need to get my endurance back up and make sure that this cortizone shot is really going to help as "planned."

So, that's all for now.... I will be back with better news next week - exercise and all! Oh, and stay tuned for a few more new recipes! I got some rhubarb from Mom this weekend and plan on using it next week!

Ortho Appt

BLECH! I had my ortho appt today and Dr. Brown and his resident (can't remember his name) were both wonderful. I got good news and bad news.

GOOD: The benign growth on my bone is "normal." Dr. Brown said 95% of cases referred to for this reason are actually experiencing pain for other reasons.

GOOD: I can exercise............

BAD: I can't run anymore.

BAD: I have beginning stages of arthritis in my knee. I have alot of fluid under my knee cap, some swelling, and my knee cap is very loose. The resident said "If I wanted to be a prick, I could probably pop it out without trying very hard." Gee, thanks.

I got a cortizone shot and that was NOT an experience that I'd wish upon my worst enemy - or myself again for that matter. I'm taking tomorrow off work because the pain from the shot is really, really bad. David was worried about me pushing myself too hard at work so I'm gonna sit on the couch and keep my knee up.

I have to wait and see what happens as far as the pain goes. Dr. Brown said it should be MUCH better in a few days, and then I can resume exercising. He said walking, elliptical, swimming, and possibly biking are good options. No running, and no stairs.

I'm not sure what to about our upcoming races. Both the Corporate Cup and Race for the Cure I can walk. But, can I PHYSICALLY do the distance? I'm not sure. I haven't signed up for the Race yet, and I have 3 days to make the decision. I'll see how tomorrow goes and then go from there.

So, there you have it.... I'm sad, but at least I know what's going on. I know I'll get through this hurdle just like I have all the others, but DAMN! I wanted to be able to continue running!

Wow!

Has it really been 2 weeks since I've done a real post... one other than recipes? Gosh, I go from one extreme to the other!

I guess things have just been really busy and - believe it or not - normal!

The school year has started and I have 14 students right now. They are very, VERY low academically, but decent behavior wise. I can still get 2 more kids, so I'm just waiting for that to happen.... They love Crush & Squirt and we've had several "Turtle Time"s since starting school.

Weigh In was good last week. I lost 1.6 lbs, so I 'm down to 182.4. This is the lowest that I have EVER weighed and I'm less than 2 lbs away from my ultimate goal of 182! I'm hoping I'll be there by the end of September!

I have 9 days before I see the ortho for my knee. I haven't worked out since the 5K - the pain has gotten worse. Walking hurts now, and dancing with my kids - which I do daily - irritates it. So, no working out. I'm still planning on doing Corporate Cup on 9/15 and Race for the Cure on 10/4. Just not sure how much pain I'll be in afterwards and whether or not I'll run the Race for the Cure.

David is back in school and doing well. We're both trying to adjust to the new school-year schedule and it SUCKS. But, at least we're able to spend Friday night's together and we usually go up to Too Far North, our favorite tasting room!

We start our Foster Care classes on Oct 6! We're praying that it all goes well and we will have kids in our home by the end of December.

So, that's about it... I just wanted to give a little update and say hi! I planned a few new recipes this week so look out for a couple more recipes soon!!

Quick Update

Well, since David updated his blog, I should probably update mine for the week! I'm running short on time, so no fun formatting - sorry!

Weighin was last night - I was up 1 lb. But, you know what? It was only 1 lb! I'm at 184.8. I can handle that! I had a tough food week - I let myself slack off, and I'm not able to exercise as well because of my knee. So, this week, I'm back to paying attention to what I'm doing. I will track every day, I will pay attention to my daily, weekly, and activity points. I will lose weight this week!

I went to see a PA this week for my knee. She's an idiot. She did an xray and found a "benign" growth on my bone right above my patella. Her nurse said "if" I want to go to an Ortho, they'll write me a referral. Yes, I want to go. Oh, and I asked about exercise and running - "Well, Linda [PA] says you're fine to do it if it doesn't hurt." Okay, well, obviously it hurts - that's why I came to you in the first place! Idiots!!! My Ortho appointment is Sept 8th, and I've heard very good things about this doctor.

So, Saturday is our 5K. I'm still not sure what I'm going to do. I know I'm going to at least walk it - I'm hoping to run some of it. I may walk all of it but the last part - at least then I can be running across the finish line! We'll take before/after pictures at the race, and then we're going to breakfast with my dad!

I have my sleep study scheduled. They think I may have narcolepsy or some sort of para-insomnia. So, instead of just staying the night, I have to stay the day, too. They will give me 5 "opportunities" to nap throughout the day to see what my brain does. Lovely. That is Sept 15th/16th.

We went back to school this week! The kids start Monday, but we're doing meetings and getting our rooms ready. Today is a Curriculum Day (meeting with big-wig administrators) and then tonight is "Safe Walk to School" - basically a "meet the teacher" night. So, I have to dress up a little. I'll post a pic later but I feel great!

The turtles get to go to school tomorrow! They are starting to get used to each other. In fact, last night I caught them snuggling in their sleep. And, yes, they are both girls! It wasn't THAT kind of snuggle. I'm excited for the kids to see them!

Well, I think that's about it for my quickie update. I promised you recipes, but I haven't been cooking much. My energy level is still in the dumps and David hasn't been home much. Hopefully next week we'll get into the swing of us both being back at work/school and home together a few hours a night!

Another Check In!

I think I'm liking these weekly check ins.. I know with school getting ready to start, things are going to get CRAZY! So, if I tell myself I will at least post once a week, plus at least one recipe, I can commit to that!

Life

Nothing *too* exciting this week. I've been getting myself mentally ready to go back to work next week. I'm making myself wake up by 7:00, even if I don't have anything going on, and no naps! (This has been tough with my lack of energy, but I'm surviving.)

David and I decided to get my class turtles as pets. It will be a learning experience for all! My mom helped us with the setup, and now I'm waiting to hear from the Turtle Rescue people here in town - an employee at Petco said they have 2 red earred sliders that are between 5-10 yrs old (he wasn't sure)... So I'm just waiting to hear back. If they aren't available anymore, I'll just get 2 from Petco.

Yesterday, the memory card on my camera crapped out. I know there were pictures on there, but I *think* most of them are on a computer. But, I'm scared that not all of them were... We had pictures of Toby and Max when they were little on that camera! (99% sure those pics are on a computer!)

My sleep study consult is Friday. I've been keeping a sleep diary for the last 2 weeks. The last week or so, I've had a little more energy, but I've been really irritable - almost, like I'm still tired but my body is changing the way it's reacting to that... Hopefully we can get the sleep study scheduled quickly and figure out what in the world my problem is!

5K

The race is getting closer and closer! It's in a week and a half, and I feel like I'm not ready. I'm not running as much as I thought I would be by now... And my knee is starting to hurt! It's not swollen, so I've been taking Tylenol and icing it after runs. But, it still hurts and I'm not able to run more than 5-7 minutes at a time.

It worries me... Maybe the doctors in high school were right: I will never run. But, damn it, I CAN run! I'm doing it! I feel great when I'm doing it! Until last week, and now I struggle to get through pain free. UGH!

Weigh In

Tonight was another weigh in! I kept my points at 28 this week to lose what I gained last week... I lost 3.6 lbs this week! I was very, very excited! I used all of my weekly points and 3 of my 17 activity points, so I guess I'm doing it right. I'm going to stay at 28 for a few more weeks and try to get down to my personal goal: 180. I have 2.8 lbs to go!

David is at work, so he wasn't able to come. He'll probably weigh in Saturday morning. I know he's doing awesome!

Fruit and Vegetable Challenge

Yes, it's over. It ended this week with getting 5 servings in a day. Well, my green monsters are 3 - yes 3 - servings of f & g, 1 serving of milk, and if I use "real" peanut butter (vs. PB2), an oil!

When it first started, our leader said to bring in the paper, all filled out, and we'd be placed in a drawing. Only 4 of us brought the papers back and..... I won! I got a POINTS Calculator! We used to have the old one, and it disappeared one day - it's probably in David's car, or maybe it was in the Equinox when he had the accident... So, now I have one! Super excited!!

Another week gone by...

Much has happened this week! Let's see if I can sum it all up without overlapping from last week's post....

General Life
David and I decided several months ago that we wanted to look into Foster Care. (did I tell you about this? If I did, sorry!) So, back in June, we turned in our paperwork and attended the orientation. 6 weeks later... We've been approved to take the classes!!!! Basically, our background checks came back clean (duh!) and they like what they see on the somewhat basic application. We start the classes on October 6. They are 10 weeks long and basically teach you how to help children the best you can in the situation they are in. It also involves 3 home visits - they will come in and let us know what we need to fix to make it safe for children (smoke alarms, fire extinguishers, chemicals/medicines locked up, etc...). We finish the class December 8, and then wait for the license to come through. After that, they can place kids in our home when needed. Yes, we can tell them "No." But, we're thinking we will have kids in our home by the end of January! Please pray for us through this adventure... We are nervous, but excited!!

My sleep study consult appointment is coming up - it's in 1 week! I'm hoping we can get this sleep study done quick so that I can find out why I am SO DAMN TIRED! David is going with me, and I have to do a sleep diary for the next week.

I can't believe I'm saying this, but I report back to school in 11 days. EEK! Where in the world did the summer go? I've been at an early childhood training all week (optional, but paid) and have gotten quite a few good ideas. I'm excited to get back and implement the new things with my kids! I am thinking about going back a day or two early so that I can get a head start. I need to get organized, and I'm the first to admit that I'm not. I don't utilize all the materials that I have in the classroom. This is my 5th group of kids and I don't think that I even know everything that I have! So I'm changing that this year. It is going to be a great year!

5K Training

Well, we only have 15 days left! I really can't believe that the summer has gone so fast and we are so close to the race! Last night, David and I decided to go out to the lake where the race will be. We don't know the route - hopefully it is posted soon - but we picked a way and went. We went at our own pace and I made it out about 2 miles in 25 minutes. I was able to jog all but 7 minutes of the 4 miles! I got done with the entire thing in about 50 minutes. I'm happy with this time because that's almost a mile more than the actual 5K distance! One thing I found out: Zorinsky has WAY to many hills! Oh. My. Goodness!

We are going to go out a few more times before the race and try different routes. From the posted starting point, there are 3 different directions, so we want to do all 3. Hopefully the other 2 won't be so darn hilly!

Weigh In

We were back home this week and got to go to our normal meeting. I was expecting to gain, or maintain, because we had Chinese the night before. Granted, I didn't eat all too bad, but I always retain water because of the sodium. I also ate a REALLY big lunch at my district training because I was bored and there were cookies... Yes, I still fall to the trigger foods. But, yesterday, I only had 1 cookie! I didn't eat 4 like the day before!

So, I gained 3 lbs. David did amazing this week. He lost 13 lbs!!!! He got his 50 lbs charm, and we figured out that he's actually lost 70 lbs from the first time he started! I am so, so proud of him. He is melting in front of my eyes. When we hug, we can both put our arms around each other and touch our hands together. We've never been able to do that because we were both heavy. Now, I'm down 66 lbs and he's down 70!

Part 2 - Challenge

Tonight was Weigh In, so I got the 2nd part of the challenge... But, first, you have to read my ramblings! Enjoy!

Life

David's mom was in the hospital this week. Monday morning, she woke up and her heart was racing. And by racing, I mean OVER 200 beats! When the medics got there, they had trouble finding her blood pressure. They got her heart rate calmed back down, but then she started "throwing" weird rhythms. Even the ER doctor didn't know WHAT the rhythm was. So, she spent Monday, Tuesday, and today in the hospital. She had a heart cath done yesterday, which showed "normal functioning" with the same blockages she had 5 years ago - way down deep in the branches. It's safer to just leave them alone than to try to break it up. But, the overall health of her heart isn't that great.

She came home today, and boy was she ready! She's still very tired, and since nobody in her house will help her... I get the job while David is working. I took them to dinner tonight and will cook dinner tomorrow night. She should be okay lunch wise - she has a few left overs from last night and frozen pizza she can heat up if she needs to.

I had some blood work done this week because I've had no energy. I haven't even WANTED to exercise, which is unusual for me. I can usually be a little tired but still want to work out, and then have energy afterwards! The last couple weeks - nope! David has had to DRAG my butt to the gym to do even 1/2 of my normal workout. All my blood work came back normal, so my doctor wants to do a sleep study. I'm waiting for them to call and set it up.


Fertility

We got some news this week. I'm scared. David's labs came back. Basically, his testosterone and estrogen levels are reversed - he has very low testosterone and very high estrogen. His semen analysis was also not good. Good volume but low count. Also, it says that he had 0% motility, which is worse than it was last year. And, the count was so low that they could not tell how the morphology was, but we know that's off from last year's analysis.

So, he called his new urologist, the one that we had so much hope in, and he said that he can't help David at this point. Right now, his physiological needs are more important than the fertility needs. The levels of estrogen in his body are DANGEROUS for him, as is the testosterone. It may even explain some of his struggles to lose weight in the past. So, he said David need to see an Endocronologist.....

His family doctor is also a licensed Endocronologist. So, we have an appointment to see him on Tuesday. The Urologist recommended a specific drug (I can't remember the name of it) that is used in women to treat breast cancer. Basically, it should lower the estrogen, which will then raise the testosterone. We don't want David to be on an actual testosterone supplement because that will hurt the sperm that ARE there!

We'll know more on Tuesday, but we are both scared. We know that adoption is a definite option for us. We will not do donor sperm (our own personal reasons), but adoption is there... But, why do things have to be so difficult?? I'm trying not to be angry, to not blame people who aren't to blame, to still be happy for friends who are pregnant, for friends/family who have children... But, you know what? Sometimes, I just can't be! Every time we turn around, we are getting more bad news with every doctor, every month that goes by.... When will OUR miracle be here?????

Weight Loss

Onto a happier subject.... Tonight was weigh in! I lost 3.8 lbs this week! I am down to 183.4! I can't believe it!!!! I'm a stress eater, and hospital food is not exactly healthy. Yes, the salad bar is, but the pecan roll or the slice of sausage/mushroom pizza I had yesterday WERE NOT so healthy. As a running total... I am down 68.8 lbs! I keep thinking: If I carried all of my dogs all at once, I would be carrying the body weight that I had 18 months ago!

David was up a little. He realized something this week: How important tracking is. His phone died a few days ago, and that's how he tracks what he eats. He hasn't had it for a week, so hasn't tracked his points. He's not a "writer," so he was keeping points mentally. Well, mental points + your mom in the hospital + your wife being crazy psycho for a few days + overal, general stress = a gain. He got his phone back yesterday, so things will be better next week!

This Week's Challenge

Last week's veggie & fruit challenge was to get 3 different colors each day. How did you do?? Writing down, I realize I stick to "comfortable" colors, or maybe just "comfortable" fruits/veggies. But, I did throw some different colors in throughout the week.

So, this week, we are building on that... Get 3 different colors a day (or even shoot for each meal!) AND fill half of our plate with fruits and veggies EVERY SINGLE MEAL. Not just once a day, or once this week - but every meal. Can you do it??? We talked about the proportions of a plate - 1/4 should be your protein; 1/4 grains; 1/2 veggies/fruits. This is how it should ALWAYS be. Not just for our challenge. But, that is what Weight Watchers is doing - teaching us to incorporate more fruits and veggies into our lives!

I went to farmer's market today and picked up tons of veggies and it only cost me $19! I got corn, green beans, blueberries, new potatoes, yellow and green zucchini, and cucumbers. Yummy! Tomorrow I'm going to try a Green Monster smoothie for breakfast. I'm using peanut butter for protein (and an oil!) and a banana for my fruit. I figured out it will be 6 points if I drink the entire thing. BUT it should keep me satisfied for most - if not all - of the morning!

Well... I guess that's about it for my update. I know.. lots of random stuff but things that I needed to get off of my chest. Thanks for listening. Let me know how you are doing with the fruits & veggies challenge!

Weekend Recap and Randomness

4th of July Weekend! Can you believe we're already into July?? I report back to work on August 11 - EEK!!

Anyways... The weekend recap...

Friday - I worked at the flower shop. We thought we'd get out early, but Pam had a late bridal appointment. She let the 2 designer's go home and had me stay. We were going to leave at 4:00, after the appointment. All of a sudden we got BUSY! WTF?? So, we were there until 5:00.

I babysat for one of our "old" designer's - she just recently "retired" so that she can have days with her boyfriend and his daughter. Sharon is such a sweet girl. David's parents wanted to take us to dinner, so she got to go with us. It was amazing to watch David with her. He is such a natural - encouraged her to eat, stay in her chair, etc.. She's pretty shy, and by the end of the night she was talking to him and laughing with him.

Saturday, we went down to my mom's. She belongs to a LARGE church. I've been here before, but I seriously feel like I'm in a high school gymnasium or college lecture hall - not a church. The band is really loud, and for a while, I felt like I was at a freaking concert! It didn't feel like a church to me. But, whatever...

Mom took us to Mexican afterwards. I was a little upset about this because David's stomach is still iffy - some things bother him, and others don't. We tried to look at the menu before leaving for church and she got upset. "We need to go! What are you doing? I told you there are healthy options here." Okay, but I want to see them. I want to know what I'm going to have. I want to prepare - one of the big Weight Watcher principles!

I think I did pretty well. We did get cheese dip, but I didn't eat too many. I had 2 shrimp tacos, about 1/2 the black beans that was served, and maybe 1/4 of the rice. I was full! When we got back, David and I decided we wanted to go for a walk. Mom has a nature trail that runs behind her house. Again, she got annoyed because we wanted to go run - she wanted to go for a nice, leisurely walk. It was my day to run anyways, so we just told her we're going.

I took David's pace because I was in unfamiliar territory and we had an awesome time! I am so proud of him - he is working so hard to make up for lost time from his surgery. He's still planning on doing the 5K in August, and is working so hard for it! We watched fireworks for a little bit and then headed to bed.

Sunday, we had to go to a family reunion. I wasn't too excited about the reunion, but Mom really wanted us to come down and David thought it would be fun to meet family. Well, there were 5 younger mom's there. It was really tough. Then, mom started ooh-ing and ahh-ing over my cousin who had the first biological grandchild 7 months ago. She talked more about the California relatives than she did my sister or I. I don't think I heard her say my niece, Emma's, name once. She talked about David and I like we weren't in the room, and when people tried to talk to us, she jumped in and interrupted.

David has a new mission: to get me knocked up! He's taking tons of vitamins to try to bring all the numbers up. He's having some blood work done as a baseline... He needs to talk to the urologist to see if he can take Clomid with the vitamins he's taking. We're hoping to do an IUI in October. I'm also going to see my OB next week for my yearly (whoopee!) and discuss a few things. I'm wondering if my progesterone levels are low, so I'm going to see about getting that tested.

I'm setting up a new workout plan to make sure I meet my goals this month. Monday, Wednesday, and Friday are my running day. I'll either go on the trail, the track, or the gym depending on how hot it is (and what time of day I'm going). Sunday, Tuesday, and Thursday I'm going to do toning or strength training. I'll be doing videos at home or going the gym for circuit/ab work... Saturdays are my day off because I'm always exhausted after the shop!

If you've read through this, kudos to you! I know it's probably long, but you know me and my rambling! I hope you all have a wonderful week! I'm working at the shop a few days and still working on deep cleaning the house!

Changing of the Goals

Have you ever been to Washington DC and watched the changing of the guards by the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier? It is seriously one of the most amazing things I have ever seen. It's completely silent, just an occasional click from a camera - and you aren't allowed to use your flash. It takes 10-15 minutes for the whole thing to go down!

Anyways... It is now time for the Changing of the Goals! That's right, June goals are no more! It's time for July!
But first.. a recap of June:
Weight Loss: My goal was to lose 4 lbs. I met this goal on June 17th. So, then, I had to keep it off. Well, last week, I had a big gain (thanks in part to emotional eating). Yesterday, I lost the exact same, so I'm back to 186. David said even though it is *technically* the 1st of July, he'll give it to me because "Well, if you had weighed in yesterday, it would have been the same!" Works for me. My Reward.... Movie Night!
Exercise: I had 2 parts to this goal. Training for my 5K, I wanted to get it done in under 45 minutes. I also wanted to tone 2 times a week. I didn't do so hot with this goal... I did get under 45 minutes on my 5K. In fact, I got 42 minutes on June 21! But I didn't do so good with the toning... So, no reward for exercising.

So, July.... What are my plans?
Weight Loss: I want to lose another 3 lbs, putting me at 183. Remember, my ultimate personal goal is 180. I'm expecting, but not hoping for, a plateau at some point. I mean, really... it's the last 6 lbs! How often do you see someone blow through that? Not very! I'm not sure yet what my reward will be. I'll keep you posted on that!
Exercise: I want to be able to run 2 miles without stopping. It doesn't have to be fast, I just want to do it! And I want to tone 2 times a week. This is a MUST! I am SO sick of my bat-wings and my flabby abs... Not sure on this goal either, but it will be something DAMN good to keep me motivated!

I can't believe it is already July! Really? It feels like yesterday I was saying goodbye to my students for the summer, and now I report back in 6 weeks! EEK! July is going to be full of lifestyle challenges:
* 4th of July/Family Reunion - BUT supposedly several family members are diabetic, so there will be some slightly healthier options.
* July 12th - a Wine tasting weekend on the Western Iowa Wine Trail. I've been planning this for a month!
* July 18th - a coworker is getting married. I love wedding cake!
* July 22nd - my mom's birthday. I love birthday cake almost as much as I love wedding cake!

No news on the Foster Care front. We are still waiting to hear back about our background checks. Obviously we know they will come back clean, but we still have to wait... Waiting, waiting, waiting...

I hope you all have a wonderful, safe, exciting 4th of July! "See" you next week!

On the baby front...

In response to someone's post, I wanted to touch base on the baby making front. I haven't posted much about it lately because, honestly, there hasn't been much to post.

It kills me to say this, but we are still where we were 2 years ago. Not pregnant. David saw a new urologist last week and we are sending him all of David's results from everything over the last 2 years. He said that he will prescribe Clomid as soon as he gets the results. We are still hoping for an October IUI.

On my front... I need to call the insurance company. Because I hit my out of pocket max with my surgery in February, I want to see if a few tests would be covered. I ovulate late and have a short luteal phase - the time between ovulation and when my period starts. It should be 12-14 days, but mine is 8 days; 10 if I'm lucky. Dr. K says that when we do an IUI that I'll be on Clomid, and then my LP will probably "extend" itself. But, it could be a progesterone problem. And, that would be bad! I had blood work done last year and everything is good on that front - no clotting factors or anything else that could impact me getting pregnant.

But, while we're waiting..... David and I have made a big decision. We are starting the process to become foster parents. We've both had experiences with the system in the past - his nephew; one of my tutoring cases... We have a 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom house and there is absolutely no reason we can't share it with kids who need a home. We know that most cases will only be temporary. Iowa "prides" itself in reuniting families. Sometimes this is good; sometimes this is bad. But that's a whole other post for another day....... But, we have filled out all the paperwork. We are going to get fingerprinted tomorrow, and then we have an "informational orientation" tomorrow evening. The paperwork says that it can take 6-8 weeks to get everything back, but it can sometimes be quicker. If we are approved, then we will go through a 10-week training, and then we will be licensed foster care parents!

Yes, we are still going to keep trying to get pregnant. We have always talked about helping kids - fostering, adopting, anything we can do. It's just who we are - someday, we want to buy a huge acreage and have room for tons and tons of kids - biological and adopted! We are keeping an eye out on Craigs list and garage sales for furniture. We have a twin bed but we need a dresser. We'd like to find another twin bed so that if my mom comes to town, she has a place to sleep also!

Sometimes, I think that I'm giving up hope that we will ever have our own children. It's so hard for me to work in the area of town that I work in - these "parents" (and I use the term loosely) can look at a man and get pregnant. They don't even raise the children they have - they don't make the decisions that are best for their child. They bring them to school drunk or high, live off of the system, don't work, don't set rules for their children... and then they get pregnant again, and the cycle continues.....

I believe in God. I do. I believe that He knows what's best for us. And I know that we will have a baby when it is our time. It seems like everytime I turn around, somebody else is announcing their pregnancy. Babies are a blessing, but damn it, I want MY blessing. And then I feel guilty because I know I should blame God, or be mad at Him, for us not being pregnant. He knows the big picture - not me. And supposedly, He won't hand me more than I can handle. But, I've handled alot. And I'm ready to "handle" a baby. I'm ready to grow our family -- I would love for David's mom to meet our son or daughter. Not her first grand child, but her first by David. But I know that we need to get pregnant sooner than later for that to happen. And that pressure scares me. I may not always get along with the woman, but she loves us, and she will spoil our baby rotten!!!!

Anyways... enogh of the emotional shit. David is recovering nicely from surgery. On Thursday night, though, he started having problems breathing. We went to the ER on Friday evening, and they admitted him for a possible blood clot. Turns out, it wasn't a blood clot! He has Pluracy, which can lead to Pneumonia. The lower lobes in both of his lungs are kind of collapsing on themselves, making it difficult and painful to breath. He has an inhaler and is using something called an incentive spirometer - it makes him take really really deep breaths. He's also on stronger pain meds and is feeling better. His follow up appointment showed improvement, and his doctor thinks he should be okay to return to work after his surgeon appointment on the 30th.

My dad had a colonoscopy today. It's routine for him - in fact, I had one last year - our family history is so high that we have them regularly. Dr. S cleared Dad for 5 years!!! I was SO excited! It's usually 2-3 years; for a while it was every 6 months. So, here is me on my soap box: if you are older, or have a family history of colon cancer, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE get routine colonoscopies! The prep sucks, but the procedure is super easy - in and out in 30 minutes. Colonoscopies save lives. My grandparents and my uncle all passed away from colon cancer. My uncle could have been treated if they had caught it soon enough. I think about him everyday, and wish he could have been at my wedding in person rather than in spirit.

I think that's it for ramblings. If you are the praying type - please say a prayer for us for the foster care "thing." We are very excited and hoping that we will be approved and can provide a loving home to many, many children. A pregnancy would be nice too - how about we take both! :-)

My tastes in life are changing....

I made a decision today: Either I'm getting old, or my tastes are changing! Why, you ask? I'm making this conclusion based off of several "facts" from the last few weeks.

Fact #1: Birthday gifts
I got EXCITED about getting clothes, a bathroom scale, and a Heart Rate Monitor! Seriously! Who does this besides the old people? Only a few years ago, I was asking for fun stuff: books, games, alcohol, clothes (but to totally different stores).

Then, I see my dad for my birthday breakfast today. And, he gives me this:

And I got even more excited!!!! David and I had thought about getting this exact scale when I get my summer school check! I LOVE it!!!

Fact #2: Food choices
I found another yummy "thing" to throw on salads. I'm not a huge fan of tuna, but a friend of mine introduced me to these:

I've now eaten it on a piece of toast, on crackers, and.... on top of a salad! It was a perfect, low point, protein to a big salad! I've had the Mango Chipotle and the Tomato Pesto. David loves them also! They are now a "requirement" in our cabinets!

Fact #3: Trying to get healthy choices
I have the joy of inheriting my mom's sinus problems. I get sinus infections 2-3 times a year. The last couple years, I've avoided getting more than 1 a year. This year, the season has started early. I started with allergies, then got a cold, and now I'm fighting the sinus infection. My sister, and several other people, told me about this:

It looks complicated, but it really isn't. Lukewarm water, dump a packet of solution in, shake. Bend over, stick the end of the pot in your nose and let it do it's magic. Eventually, the water will start to run out your other nostril. Doesn't it sound yummy? I get it down my throat every once in a while, which that does NOT taste good. Then you blow your nose, and do it on the other side.

But, the big thing: it works! The pressure in my head is starting to go down a little bit. I'm able to blow stuff out for an hour or two after I do the pot. It's great!!! David laughs at me because I've taken to saying "I need to do my pot."

I know this was all totally random. But it's amazing how life has changed in the last few years! Things that never, ever mattered matter now. Things that I thought "You're crazy if you own" I WANT. I LOVE. Things that I thought were gross, I purchase, and use 2-3 times a day!

Anyways... look for some yummy new recipes coming up! I haven't done any for a while, and we've had quite a few yummy things! Plus, we're doing a BBQ this weekend, and Saturday is food day at work. I'm debating which recipe to take for that. David's surgery is Tuesday, so please say a prayer. He's pretty nervous and stressed about everything. He needs all the prayers he can get.

Anniversary Weekend

Tomorrow marks our 2nd anniversary. This time 2 years ago, I was getting my nails done and freaking out about how much I had to get done still! I was up until 2:00 in the morning doing last minute stuff... And, in looking back, none of it mattered! But, I thought it did at the time.

Every year, David and I have marked our anniversary by visiting wineries across Nebraska and always going to a special Bed and Breakfast. So, if you are bored, here's a weekend in review - complete with links, pics, and reviews of places!

We went to Soaring Wings in Springfield. My favorite was the Winter White, their dryest semi-sweet. David's favorite was the Falco Red, a semi-sweet red.

Next, we visited Windcrest Winery in Raymond. This is his first year open, but you cannot tell that by the taste of his wines! We took a bottle of the Crest Select (semi-sweet) and Cherry Delight (a semi-sweet cherry wine) home. If you have a little bit of chocolate in your mouth when you drink the Cherry Delight, it makes it taste like chocolate covered cherries! Yummy! And because he is a newer winery, he will actually let you try all of his wines - dryest to sweetest for the same price. He just gives you slightly smaller portions than the other wineries do for only 5 tastings. But, so worth it!

After Windcrest, we checked in at The Anniversary Mansion. Two years ago, David surprised me with staying here the night after our wedding. We have made it a tradition to come every year and have now stayed in 3 of the 4 rooms. Dave is an awesome host and his employees are fabulous! As always, we are looking forward to going back next year!

Before settling in for the night, we dressed up

and headed to Misty's. As if we hadn't had enough wine already, we ordered a bottle of the Riesling. We had the portabello mushroom appetizer. I had the Salmon Choe and David ordered the Petite Prime Rib. Both were delicious!

We headed back to the mansion for the night and enjoyed an awesome breakfast! The jacuzzi tub was nice and relaxing, and the bed was SO flipping comfortable! I told David I want to steal it.

We left the Mansion and headed for the zoo! We haven't been since the weekend of our wedding - we went with family the day after - so it was a nice break. We went to the store beforehand and got stuff for sandwiches. The one thing we didn't do that I wanted to was the Butterfly Pavillion. But, we have a zoo pass and plan to go back next week. The animals were feeling lazy, but it was the perfect day and we had a blast. (All the walking and hills provided great exercise also!)









After the zoo, we decided to finish our weekend with another winery! I won a bet last night, so David owed me another bottle of wine. We went to our favorite tasting room, Too Far North, in Ft. Calhoun. Sandy is always awesome and can pin your tastes perfectly! We tried a few new ones, and I actually liked a dry red! Yes, I, Amanda, liked a dry red! We brought home a bottle of a wine from Hartington, NE (Northeast Nebraska Winery - they aren't on our tour, though). They have an outlaw "series," complete with history on the bottle! I loved the Sam Bass (the dry red), but we bought a bottle of Jesse James (semi-sweet red).

We headed home, made dinner, and played with our puppies! Oh, and had a glass of wine (of course!). We had a great weekend relaxing and enjoying ourselves. Tomorrow starts a new week. It's my first day with kids for summer school. Hopefully the 14 days go by quickly! Look for tomorrow's post.... a blast from the past!

April Showers bring May Flowers

I know you've all heard this phrase. Well, I'm really hoping that our personal "April Showers" will be bringing some awesome flowers soon! This week has been tough, but it's also had some ups. There are days where I just wonder what we've done to piss God off. But, then something good happens, or somebody says something, or I get emails! I know that other people have things worse, but it's been an emotional week for me.

So, a rundown of the week....

Sunday and Monday - spent the day with David's family. I love David to death, and his family is great - individually and in small doses. But all rolled up into one? And at my house (and in some small ass town in Iowa)? Yeah, not so much. Lots of wine was had by Amanda!

Tuesday and Wednesday - packed up my classroom for the summer. I don't know why this always makes me more sad than the day the kids leave. Seriously - I get emotional packing up my room! I think it's the consistency and routine. And the bare walls. I hate bare walls.

Thursday - got my room ready for summer school! I'm at a different building so I had a few things to do. Am I ready? No. I'll go early Monday morning. I'm excited, but at the same time, I just want to be done. The money is nice though!

Friday - got bad news all around the board.... David decided to pull a tooth that needed a root canal. We can't really afford it right now (for several reasons), and he's in so much pain. So he made the decision to pull it. We also finally got the results back from the nuclear test they did on his gall bladder a week ago. It's dying and he needs to have surgery. He goes to see the surgeon on the 10th, but now he can't do his summer classes. So, his graduation is pushed back to December 2010.

I'm glad David will be getting healthy. He'll have a little time off work and then he can get back on track. It also means we have to keep holding out on a baby. We're not sure if we're going to wait until David is completely out of school, or until late fall, after he is recovered and things slow down a little.

I know that we will be great parents when it's time. I just hate that people who can barely afford to raise the ones they have keep getting pregnant. And then pregnant. And then pregnant.

So, the goods for the week!
We're keeping up on the 5K training. We went to the track together Monday night and Friday morning. I went by myself on Wednesday. Monday and Wednesday I made it 2 miles in 30 minutes - jogging half and walking half. Friday, I made it 2 1/2 miles in 40 minutes! The best part.... there were some army guys doing some kind of training. 3 guys were running. When they started, I was about 1/3 of the way around the track from them. 2 of the guys easily passed me. When I rounded the corner, I looked back at the 3rd guy... He was jogging slowly, but going. I don't know how far they had to run, but I know they were being timed by the "guys" on the bench. I keep doing my thing - walk, jog, walk, jog... The 2nd guys passed me a couple times. The 3rd guy? He NEVER passed me! I never passed him either, but I did notice that he was walking some.

Now, granted, he could be recovering from something, or just having an off day. But it felt great that someone in the MILITARY never passed me as I did my "thing" on the track!

I also got my hair done. It was my anniversary present to myself. I haven't been in 3 months and it felt great! I got it lightened up but I decided to grow it out a little. We're going to do pictures this weekend, so I'll be sure to get one of my hair!

I had to have my eyes checked. I haven't been since October 2007. Oops! That's what happens when I don't wear my contacts every day so they last longer. My prescription didn't change! So, I have contacts ordered and they gave me a sample pair because I begged.

So, it was a good and bad week. I was pretty emotional all week, but things are improving. I know things will get better for us. We work our asses off and deserve to have a break! It will come.... It will come.....

Something to think about

I got this through an email from my cousin and after the day I have... I needed something positive (More to come - probably tomorrow)! I don't know who the original author was, but several of the lessons struck home for me as I read it.


To celebrate growing older, I once wrote the 45 lessons life taught me.
It is the most-requested column I've ever written."

My odometer rolled over to 90 in August, so here is the column once more:


1. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.

2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.

3. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.

4. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends and
parents will. Stay in touch.

5. Pay off your credit cards every month.

6. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.

7. Cry with someone. It's more healing than crying alone.

8. It's OK to get angry with God. He can take it.

9. Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck.

10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.

11. Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.

12. It's OK to let your children see you cry.

13. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey
is all about.

14. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn't be in it.

15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye. But don't worry; God never
blinks.

16. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.

17. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.

18. Whatever doesn't kill you really does make you stronger.

19. It's never too late to have a happy childhood. But the second one is up
to you and no one else.

20. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don't take no for an
answer.

21. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don't
save it for a special occasion. Today is special.

22. Over prepare, then go with the flow.

23. Be eccentric now. Don't wait for old age to wear purple.

24. The most important sex organ is the brain.

25. No one is in charge of your happiness but you.

26. Frame every so-called disaster with these words 'In five years, will
this matter?'

27. Always choose life.

28. Forgive everyone everything.

29. What other people think of you is none of your business.

30. Time heals almost everything. Give time time.

31. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.

32. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.

33. Believe in miracles.

34. God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn't do.

35. Don't audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.

36. Growing old beats the alternative -- dying young.

37. Your children get only one childhood.

38. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.

39. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.

40. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's, we'd grab ours back.

41. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.

42. The best is yet to come.

43. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.

44. Yield.

45. Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift."

New Progress Pic

This morning I put on a shirt that I got 4 years ago. My mom and I went to see Brad Paisley in KC and I got a shirt thinking it would fit. It was a baby-doll style, with the really short sleeves. I bought it in XL, thinking that's what I wear - it will fit. Right?

Well, it didn't. I think that was one of the first times I realized that I was heavier than I thought. But, I wasn't at the point in my life where I wanted to do anything about it. I hung onto the shirt, thinking if nothing else, it would become a good dust rag someday.

About 6 months ago, I tried the shirt on. It was a little snug, but it fit nice. The sleeves were a little tight, and my stomach looked "okay."

Today??



It is super comfortable! This is now my new favorite shirt! :-) And don't mind my look - early morning, just out of shower... not ready for another day!

I had weigh in today. I gained 3.8 lbs. I knew I was going to go up - 2 bottles of wine by myself over the weekend... Every day, I used all my daily points. I also used all my weekly points and about 1/2 my activity points. I didn't earn as many as I usually do (12 instead of 15-20). On a normal week, I use all my daily points (a few days, I will short myself a couple, but not many), and maybe 5-10 weekly points. I never dip into my activity points. So, now I've learned - the point of maintenance - where my limit is! All daily, some weekly, and I need to earn 15-20 activity points!

I'm okay with this gain. I didn't think I'd ever say that. But, I am! WW has taught me how to live the lifestyle - I can have wine and 2 BBQs in one weekend. Next time, I'll work out more or listen to my body a little better! There is always a next time!

This weekend is our anniversary. I can't believe that we've been married for 2 years! Be prepared for a sappy post sometime next week. I love David more each day, and I never thought I could love him more than I did the day I married him. But I do. Yeah, we have our ups and downs. But our love is strong and we can survive it all together.

Weekly Check-In

Last night was weigh in! I really watched my points this week because I wanted to win the Biggest Loser competition at work. I lost 2.8 lbs this week!!! Leah was proud of me, but now I'm .6 under the maintenance "window." So, over the next 4 weeks, I need to gain a little. Gain weight? Really? How? I'll figure it out. At least I won't have to watch myself quite as much over Memorial Day Weekend and our anniversary!

So, Biggest Loser at work.... I have lost 23 lbs since the 2nd week in January - 11.05%!!! Was it good enough? Not quite! I got 2nd place. The person who won lost 25 lbs, 12.56%. 3rd place was 10.5%. Everybody else was right around 4%, and a few 1%.

The biggest frustration about the day? Having to DEFEND my weight loss to my coworkers. The other day, I had a coworker tell me it wasn't "fair" that I was still in the competition because I got sick. She didn't understand that I actually gained while I was in the hospital - being chalked full of fluids and greasy hospital food. I made her realize this, and she dropped it.

Today, that coworker and a couple others and I were talking. They asked me about WW - how it works, etc... I was talking to them about it, and coworker #3 says "Well, you haven't lost ALL your weight with WW." WHAT?????? She says, "Well, when you were sick this summer you lost a ton of weight." Yeah, and then I didn't lose for the next 2 months because my body was catching up. I had to defend myself and my weight loss to this teacher. I was SO upset. I think she finally got the point when I got an attitude with her. I wanted to say "You can't say anything to me when YOU have gained at least 20 lbs back from your weight loss."

Nobody has the right to tell me about my weight loss. I know I get defensive about it. I've worked my ass off for my 25% weight loss! I know I need to "gain" a little for a few weeks, but then I can lose it again. I like that number. And I'm NOT gaining the weight back until I'm pregnant.

I'm not letting these people upset me, or make me feel like my weight loss isn't as "good" as their's just because I was sick. And I'm sure as hell not going to turn into them and gain it back! Their comments kind of ruined my high from getting 2nd place. But, I did it! And I'm proud of what I did.

Any thoughts on how to gain .6 in 4 weeks? :-P

"It's okay to cheat."

Yeah, somebody said that to me today. I'll get to that in a minute....

My workouts this week have been great! I haven't been to the gym much because of time, but I did the Biggest Loser videos a lot and met my exercise goal for another week.

I wanted to go to the gym Wednesday morning but slept in. I woke up with a decent headache and sore neck. So I took the BL Yoga DVD to work and did it with a coworker after school! I've been working out a little with a couple other teachers and this one was good. We were both dripping and felt great! But, don't be misled: Yoga - especially weight loss yoga - is tough! Bob works you so hard! You will be amazed!

Last night was my first weigh-in of maintenance. I gained .2. My leader said that was awesome! She said alot of people either continue to lose their usual 1-2 lbs or GAIN 1-2 lbs the first week. She was proud of me! She said to do the exact same thing - maybe not quite as many weekly points, but other than that I'm set!

I went to tutor afterwards. When I got done, David had texted me. He wanted to go to dinner with friends. At Noodles & Company. Really? Can we be any less healthy? I also found out the dogs had not been out much throughout the day, and David hadn't been to the store yet. I'm thinking: there is so much I need to do! I don't have time for this. But, I decided to go. I got there before everybody else, so I looked at the Nutritional Values and used my slider to calculate points. I decided to get a small buttered noodles (6) with sauteed shrimp (1) and lots of veggies (0). I also got a small salad with fat-free dressing (0). Dinner was great! They offered to go to Dairy Queen, and I knew I could get a small chocolate cone for 5 points.

Well, I got home after enjoying dinner and found out: the noodles were 11. Yeah, that's right. WW has Noodles & Company in their tracker, and it was 11. Even for the small one. And the dressing was 1. Yeah, not bad, but still... I was so frustrated! I took it out on David - he knows I can't go to a restaurant without knowing my healthy choices and noodles are NOT healthy. AND he knew that WW had Noodles & Company points but didn't bother to share that with me until AFTER I ordered and ate. He never did tell me my points for the noodles. It's not fair that I took it out on him.... Yeah, he had more data than I did, but it's not fair. I was just tired and stressed.

So, today... I'm talking to a coworker about the spaghetti. I told her how frustrated I was last night and she says "You know it's okay to cheat! You don't ALWAYS have to eat healthy." I looked at her and said: You're right, I can choose less healthy foods. But, that dinner wasn't worth the calories it cost me. It's not cheating to choose a less-healthy alternative, but I can be upset with it when I wasn't expecting to do something so high in calories! This is also the girl who works out 4-5 times a week but eats junk 9/10 meals. Then she complains that she can't lose weight. Um, duh? She's watched me lose 62 lbs - she knows that what I've done works. That I've had my wine, Chinese, and Italian. I've had my chocolate, emotional eating days, and turned down treats that aren't worth the calories. But, yet, she makes the most assanine statement she could possibly have made! UH! I was so frustrated.

I get home... David had started the kitchen but not made dinner for me to reheat. He forgot he had to work and left the kitchen mid-cleaned. I still don't have clean counters (grumble) to cook on. So, I'm chilling a bottle of wine and planning on eating a lean pocket for dinner. It's about all that's in the house.

I know everybody is allowed to have a bad day here and there... I'm tired, crabby, and hungry. But am I hungry because I'm hungry? Or because I'm emotional?? I'm having trouble figuring that out! Maybe the wine will help me figure it out? I did work out this morning, so I don't have to try to do that tonight on top of my mood. I will probably work out in the morning again because I have to tutor after school. Then, David is taking me to dinner. I know I will be more prepared this time!

Alert: Random Post Ahead!

I'm watching the Biggest Loser finale - loving it! They all look great! I'm surprised Mandy and Aubrey didn't lose more, but they still look good.

So, last night I did some math... at my goal weight, I lost 24% of myself. Wow! I couldn't believe it! I knew I had lost alot, but to put it with a percentage - just like Biggest Loser does - was astonishing! I was talking to one of the teachers today and told her how much I had lost... I had to laugh when she said "And we don't want that bitch back, do we?" HA! I vow, right here and now, that I will NEVER go above 200 again, unless I'm pregnant or losing pregnancy weight. That "bitch" will never come back. I don't consider being pregnant a bad reason to gain weight - obviously - and I will take the initiative as soon as my doctor lets me to lose the weight again!

I have another picture for you. The parent finally sent the pictures from field day. Obviously, I blacked the kids' faces out for security reasons. These were taken the day after I weighed in for my goal weight!


And yes, I was yelling at kids for some reason - you have no idea how hard it is to keep attention on a field full of excited kids! But, the point is: I feel great in this picture! There are always the trouble areas that I want to get rid of: tone my arms, get rid of the stomach.... But, I did it! I've reached a weight that I'm proud of; I'm wearing clothes that I feel comfortable in. My 14s are really baggy, my 12s are a little loose, and I can wear 10s comfortably! I'm proud of where I'm at - I'm proud enough to show you these pictures. That has to say something, right?


Yes, I actually did the sack race! Well, I started to do it, and jumping hurt my one incision. But, this more of a humorous picture than anything.

I told you this was gonna be random! But, there you go! Tomorrow is my first weigh-in of maintenance. Next week is weigh-in at work for Biggest Loser - $150 jackpot! 8 days of school left. That's it! YAY!!!