How have you all made out??

Sorry for not posting...or posting so late.

I hope that you all made it through the holidays. I did OK. I was proud of myself for the most part. I had a couple of rough and rocky days where the temptation took over but I am not taking advantage and giving up. I am getting back on track and getting back into the groove of everyday life again.

So over the holidays I gained 1.5 pounds bringing me back up to 209.5. I'm OK with that. I didn't exercise and was very busy the entire time with temptation and food everywhere. I don't want to beat myself up over it so I'll just be proud that it wasn't more and just go back to doing what works and feels better.

Cruddy food makes me feel just that cruddy. Tastes good and makes you feel better at the time because your brain tells you you want it. Truth is it's just telling you ,you do want it but are going to pay for it later.

So back to the good eating mode, the water drinking mode, and the moving mode. How did you all make out over the holidays??

am I really??

1 more... gone forever.

I knew it wouldn't be good but I am still happy with 1.

1 pound is better than +1. So I'm good with it.

Christmas is a week away and I haven't gained so I can live with it.

Especially since I have snuck in a few treats.

But I have to realize that a few are not failure but just not a fall back either.

I have to learn how to live life and be successful at this in order to make it a new lifestyle.

If anyone can do it, I can. I will.

Do you figure i I read it back enough times I will??

Am I the only one that struggles with this. I know I am not. I often wonder though how we ever began to think it was OK to begin with??

it must be christmas!!

It must be getting closer to Christmas. I didn't think that I had time to do much before but now it seems even less.

I often wonder how lazy I was before I had kids. I was either lazy or had way too much time on my hands and just didn't know what to do with it. Anyway, over the past week this is what I have been up to.

Monday, Christmas luncheon for work. I enjoyed a seafood wrap and a nice salad for lunch it was all really good and could fit it into my budget for just under 450 calories. A lot for lunch but I made it fit into my day with and egg white omelet for breakfast and a chicken salad for supper. It was all good and totally worth it!

Tuesday, early am, kids off to school. Had CPI at 1200pm so I didn't have much time to do anything before work today.

Wednesday was my day off but I so totally missed it. I was so busy running around getting all my Christmas stuff completed so that I didn't have to go back into and mall or store other than the grocery store for necessities. Thank goodness. I hate waiting 30 minutes to check out for just a few things and that is how it goes at the walmart here. It sucks!

Thursday, I wrapped presents. Almost all done but not quite yet. then went to work and spend 6 1/2 hours at the hospital with one of my people from work. All for nothing he had to go back on Friday for the same thing!! It is so hard to plan ahead for these types of things.

Friday was a total waste. I went to work for a staff meeting at 1pm. Ended up going to that appointment at the hospital with my individual. Then as he finished another person from where I work brought another individual I support to the hospital because he was quite sick as well. So I had to stay with him. Well, I couldn't leave him alone at all because he was so sick and uncompliant and he didn't want to come with me to do anything. IE eat. So we waited. We waited 6 hours to be seen by a Dr. Then he was immediately admitted. then I couldn't leave him for one second because he was trying to pull the iv out even though he so desperately needed it.

To make a long story short, I finished work, Saturday morning at 830am!! Yes that's right went Friday at 1 finished sat at 8:30. Wanna know what I had for supper, a snickers bar and a coffee at 1130pm. Nice eh. It was all the nurse could round up. The kitchen and all the cafeteria's were closed at 8pm. But I was so preoccupied with the person I was with it totally slipped my mind. If I knew that I was going to be there sooooo long I could have prepared better but who knew.

Regardless once I got home, guess what, Dalton was so sick that I ended up going right back to the hospital and was there until 2pm. I should just have them give me a bed there! LOL

He is better now and on the mend but home from school today.

Sunday, baked in the am, went to church had company mid afternoon and in the evening!

So I think I will be glad to settle down now. Get back to the things I need to be doing!

So today is weigh in day and once I eat and shower I will get to it. I am hoping for the best but expecting the worst. especially after that snickers supper. I don't even really like snickers that was the worst part!

We'll see what the scale tells us after. How has your holidays been so far??? Ad busy as mine??

2 more

So this weekend we were out alot!! ALOT!! and you eat what is offered but you try to eat wisely and try to guess and think out your calories.

Well, this Christmas I think that I can finally handle the holidays.

I made 8 dozen chocolate cookies and ate 1. I was happy. I made 64 peanut butter balls and ate 1. Again I was happy. I made a point of eating them the day after I made then to fight off the temptation. It worked. After one I was satisfied.

So today was a bit of a monumental moment. 2 more pounds gone forever. bringing the total to ....drum roll please.... 209 which exactly 20 pounds.

Yay me!!

So I proved I can handle the holidays so far. but I'm sure it will be a piece of cake....er...celery!!

How about you guys are you making out ok so far??

Mix97 | Teacher of the Week

Mix97 Teacher of the Week: "Mrs. Zennette is such a wonderful person. I appreciate her kindness for the children she teaches. She makes it a point of making each and every one of her students to feel great about themselves. She not only teaches them the literal teachings of school but the kindness, self esteem and love that helps to make this world a better place. I wish all teachers could have the passion that Nicole brings to work with her each day.
Thank you for touching our kids hearts and minds ,Nicole you are one special woman!!"

That was the nomination letter that we sent into Mix 97 for 12 full weeks. Finally she was picked this am. Dalton was so thrilled. She isn't Dalton's teacher anymore she was his teacher from last year. But he loves her so much that he has nominated her every week since the first day of the contest in September.
Nicole has changed schools now and no longer teaches at Dalton's current school. I hope that she comes back over the next two years. She has that option and I hope she does. As do so many other parents. I posted it on face book and there were many comments from the parents of our school so happy that she won!
Nicole's mom does teach at Dalton's school still and came up to him and gave him a little hug and thanked him for making her daughter fell like the most important person ever! Dalton was so happy.
Nicole also called ( still crying) after she heard Dalton on the radio talking about how great she was. And begged her to come back. Her birthday is next Friday and he has something special also planned for her!

So that made Dalton's day. He was walking around with a smile all day. I also want to add that her dad won a few weeks ago and Dalton said at the radio..."seriously, Mr LeSage! What does he need flower's for!"

Kids ya gotta love'em

1 lb....

1lb...

One lousey pound. You eat so well and drink your water and that is all you get???

Is that how I feel NOPE!!

I am glad at least it's something!! Woo Hoo me! I have to admit I was a little disappointed at first and it took me a few minutes of thinking and not going to the fridge or cupboard. But then I thought about it and realized that I didn't get this way overnight and it isn't going to come off that quick either. I have just been spoiled over the last five weeks with the rapid drop that it finally caught up with me.

But I am good with that. I am happy. 1 pound I'll take and be just as happy as if it was a 5!!

Woot hoo!!

Thinking positive that next week might be another ...... at least 1!!

Santa emails????

Have you seen or heard about the Santa email?? Santa will send your child a personalized email in regards to Christmas. It is really cool. You upload your child's picture and age, eye colour and a gift that he/she wants. Your postal code . Santa shows the child where the north pole is and how far it is to your house. He shows their picture in the naughty and nice book. And points out that he knows what your child wants for Christmas.

Dalton is at the age where he kinda believes but isn't sure, He got an email and was amazed at how he knew the stuff he did. But then he saw Tyson's and said "you had something to do with this didn't you?" I said I just gave him the email addresses he did the rest. So he is still unsure.
Tyson watched his 4 times he was amazed. He sat and watched intently. I'm not sure if it was because Santa is totally snowballed on his behavior and told him he was good or just the email message itself. It is called Santa's PNP. Here he was watching with Daddy. Over'n' over.

Tomorrow is weigh in day. I 'm sure I'll be OK but I really have to try to get some more activity into my Day. I hate to do it before I go to bed at night but I am starting to think that I am going to have to to fit it in. I find I don't settle in as well after working up a sweat!!

Ugg how do we make the day longer??

For anyone interested.... the page to get to SANTA EMAILS IS.....

http://santa.sympatico.ca

give it a try your kids will love it!!

Kids..... christmas...

It is hard to believe that we influence our children as much as we do. I am amazed some days at the things that Tyson spits out. I know that he has heard it somewhere or is repeating what he has heard someone say. Sometimes I laugh and sometimes I just have to bite my tongue because it is funny but not for a four year old to be have it coming out of his mouth. Then I have to remind myself that he doesn't understand what he is saying and correct him or give him a warning on his behavior.

My favorite holiday of the year is Christmas. It was my birthday but that sucks now for so many reasons, I hate to bring them up. Regardless, we took the boys out for a drive tonight to see all the Christmas lights. I only have one more weekend off before Christmas. And I work a LOT of evenings. Works for our family. While we were out, Dalton asked about our Christmas tree. So we went looking for them while we were out. We didn't end up getting one tonight, but Dalton did.

He is nine now and wanted a tree for his room. A real tree!! I thought i'd die laughing. He went into home depot and bought himself one. Then asked his Dad to take him to dollarama to get some decorations and lights for it. So he did. Shaking his head, but he did it.

Dalton came right home and decorated it up and put it on his desk. Darin whispered to me that night after the kids went to bed. Looks like a Charlie Brown tree but he loves it!!He plugs it in as soon as he gets up in the morning and when he gets home from school. What a kid. he's his Mommy's boy!!

We we'll probably get a tree tomorrow after church. We'll see. Are you all starting to prepare for Christmas at your homes??

seriously.....

Don't ya wanna just punch somebody when they note what your eating???

We decided to have pizza for supper tonight. We were rushing and needing to get things done. I was starving. I mean tummy growling starving. Not good.

So I ate one piece. Not so good for the healthy eating, I know but better than burgers and fries. Then still hungry. Ate another. Then my (not so) better half , says " isn't that enough?", "not really part of the diet is it?"

Did you ever want to just smack someone? He came close. I wouldn't but Jeez. I have been so good. I was done. I had been good all day and only went over my calories by 149. I just wanted to reach across grab his shirt and say.....REALLY??? Have you looked in the mirror lately. Are you some kinda perfect?? Did I miss something??

For those of you who know me.. your shocked aren't you. I was good. I refrained from slapping and commenting and just walked away. So NOT me!! Really I wouldn't have slapped him but ohh his is so lucky I was quiet! LOL

Just for note though, I was up sick at 3:30am so it so wasn't worth it!! But I wouldn't dare tell him that!! Ahhhh, Rolaids.

SMACK !!! lol

Congrats 266

I am a regular reader of a blog called 266. This wonderful woman has reached a great mild stone in her blogging with her readers. She has reached 100 readers. Not to mention all the while losing a pile of weight.
So in commemoration of this she is doing a not so give away give away. She is donating a $1.00 if you leave a comment on her blog and $1.00 if you leave a link back to her blog from yours. These donations will help to feed the homeless in her community.
So because I am so proud of her and think that it is a great thing she is doing. Here is the link so you can help her out. She does have a limit for her donation ( which I understand, all to well. Because of the economy) but the way I see it she is changing people's lives one person at a time. And for that alone, I am proud to be a part if it.
So here is the link to her blog. Please leave a comment and link back to her blog too so you can do your part in helping her pay it forward!
So congrats 266!!

Just click on 266 and it will send you right to her blog!!

Have a great day!

Learning a new way.

For a long as I can remember, I have always subdued things with food.

• upset = eat
• pain = eat
• things not going good = eat
• family issues = eat
• anything stress = eat
• bored = eat
• sad = eat

I can't remember doing anything else but eating to manage things. So today is the day. I am not going to succumb to pressure and the regular bad habit I once would just let myself fall into. It's easier to fall back into a pattern again but I won't.

Darin will soon be laid off and with Christmas coming it becomes a stressful time. Money isn't the problem we will be fine until his unemployment comes in. He is home and unhappy about it ( even though he gets tons done and gets to spend time with Ty, that part he loves) and today was just the beginning. It was a hard morning.

I have been so busy and just haven't gotten around to a few thing he would like and that started the day off to a rough start. Thing settled after a bit but it would have been quite easy to fall back. This isn't about anyone but me. Time for me. Time to find me again. Time for Mom to start looking after MOM.

TIME FOR MOM TO BE HAPPY AND HEALTHY.

Therefore I WON"T fall back.

Did I make myself clear?? I won't!

There is a better way I just have to learn it. And I can and will.

Food is NOT my friend is is a way to keep me nourished and healthy only.

measure......measure...measure...

So I measured myself this morning. I have lost 4 inches overall. I thought it would be more the way my pants feel but nope. I'm happy with that so I'm not complaining.

I spent most of the day cleaning up my sad affair of a house so that I can get some decorations up this weekend. I find that when I work nights everything sacrifices. The house, the sleep, the patience. Ugg glad they are over for another 3 weeks. I know they say it takes years off your life. I believe it.

So tomorrow is Thanksgiving for all my American friends. Happy Thanksgiving. Enjoy your day and try to stick to the plan. You can do it. Thanksgiving is being thankful for the family, friends and your life. YOUR LIFE!! Eating tons of stuff that will make you feel like crap in the long run is what got us here in the first place.

Enjoy your day and indulge a little but remember Christmas is not that far away!!

Have A Great Day!!

Weigh in Day....

So with working nights and everything being backwards this week I was a bit concerned on how things were looking. Scale wise but.......It was good. I weighed in this am at 212 lbs. Woo Hoo I was/ am thrilled about that. That is a total of 17 lbs in 5 weeks.

I didn't measure myself though today. I was too tired and once I got the kids off to school. I dragged my fanny into bed. I slept or tried to sleep today but I really only got about 4 hours of solid sleep. The rest I just laid there. I hate that. Tomorrow Ty is home so I will have sometime to get that measuring in. Kinda sorta. Hmmm.

My biggest thing is I haven't had any "exercise" of sorta to think of. I have to be more diligent to fit that in but when everything goes backwards with nights it seems hard to get it in. I could give up more sleep but if healthy is the way to be that isn't really an option now is it. One more night then afternoons the rest of the week so even if I only get in my 30 day shred I will be happy with that. 30 mins of "Hard" work and I can at least say that I "did" some exercise.

Have you tried that Jillian Micheal's 30day shred?? You wanna work out. Try that. Ugg for the first few days. Better now but still hard to find the energy, even though I have more, to fit it in on nights.

If you haven't tried Spark people I suggest that too. I love the fact that I can journal my food, keep track automatically and am accountable like a bank book. I credit some of that to my success. I think that is why it takes time to learn to eat properly again. Try it. If you haven't I like it!!

Is there any suggestions like spark people or Jillian's 30 day shred that you have that you haven't mentioned on your blogs?? What has been the best part of assisting you on your journey?? Is it...exercise, the support, the food journals, your family, what is it?? Care to share??

Oh one more thing, made the salsa chicken from The prior fat girl cookbook!! Tonight for supper, just tweaked it a bit!! LOVED it!! Have you got your cookbook yet?? Stop by and see Jen and get yours now.

pics as promised and the SCALE!!!

Here are the pics of my house as I said the top one is without the flash. It glows in the dark. In the bedrooms and living area you don't need lights on because it glows like a night club inside. We don't even needs lights on for the back deck it lights it up too! My boys think it's COOL!!

The bottom is with the flash on it doesn't have the same effect but you get the point. You can see the house 2 blocks away. I like it. I like it a lot!!

The SCALE....

The dreaded scale.

I try to stay away from it. People have told me that they weigh themselves a couple of times a week, others tell me they weigh themselves once a month. I like the once a week method. Same approximate time. Same day. No confusion. I think I will begin to measure once a month staring tomorrow.

I could easily get discouraged if I weighed myself every few days with no results. Don't get me wrong. If it works for you, good stuff. I know for me it spells disaster. If I was to weigh in and gain then I would know why and spend the next few days until I weighed in again stressing about everything. If I gain it's because my body is fighting me or because I wasn't taking care to count and measure. I don't want to obsess and I know I can get to that point, I have done it before and the failed. This time I am succeeding, and plan to win the fight. To get healthy and stay there.

What works for you?? Daily....Weekly....Monthly??? How often should you measure yourself??

Lights are up......

Well I got home from work this morning and it was warm...(kinda) out and I decided that it was time to get our Christmas lights up on our house. As some of you know, we had a house fire last year and we just moved into our new house last October.
Well we were so busy getting things for the insurance, Christmas, and getting all the household items purchased so we could live in it, that we didn't get much of a chance to get Christmas lights up before the holidays had arrived. So today, even though I should have went to bed, I worked away at them until they were done. And I must say they look fantastic. I may be prejudice. I'll post a pic tomorrow night and you can make your own opinion keeping in mind that they look better in person!
I finally fell into bed at 6pm. Thing is I was over tired by then and couldn't sleep I laid there for a couple hours, seemed pointless so I got up at 8:30pm. I know sleep is an important part of a healthy lifestyle but if I was to sleep as much as I felt I should I would never get anything done.
I can come right home and fall into bed in the morning. Darin and the boys are going away for the day and shouldn't be home until after lunch. Then I will have to get up because he will be doing a brake job for his uncle. I get supper ready while I am up and then once he comes in I can go back to bed until I have to get up and head to work. I have a feeling that I will need that much sleep by then!!
Monday Ty is off to chool so I can sleep all day that day too. Hey I am getting spoiled I am not use to that much sleep.......then again we'll see what tommorrow brings.

Never seems to work out how it is planned. :)

I think I got my work out in today. Up and down that latter. At least 60 times today. Goot exercise for the legs. Trust me I can feel it!

Today is also my next door neighbours 50th birthday!! Happy Birthday Gloria. Thank you for the help with my kids. I hope you have a great day!! XO

I'll post a pic tomorrow of my house so you can give me your opinion!!... of the lights that is

PRIOR FAT GIRL COOKBOOK !!!! LOVE IT!!

Have you ordered yours yet?? I got mine on Friday afternoon!! It has tons of great recipes in it. I submitted one but it didn't get in there and I am guessing that with the popularity of it that Jen may make another. Maybe next year.
If your looking for a healthy meal, generally easy to prepare, you can find one in there. With lots to choose from.
Jen is donating proceeds, $4.00 from the $5.00 she collects to the USA YMCA. Good Cause.

If you would like her cookbook, you can get one here @ http://priorfatgirl.com I am going to make some of the eggplant Parmesan next week. Maybe I can sneak it onto the kids plates and they won't know???

We'll see. :)

LOOOOOve it!!

Yesterday I was at Walm*art with my Mom and I found a new treat. It is yummy. At only 5 calories per serving it is such a good treat that you can squeeze into any day. It is Cherry Pomegranate Sugar free Jello!! It was soo good. Did I say that already. Why can all things be this easy. But that isn't what this about getting it done easy.


It took me many years of getting overweight and eating unhealthy that this is going to be work. Hard work, work that I will be proud of, work that I did just me no one else. I did it for ME! So it shouldn't be easy. It should be work. Easy is what got me here to begin with.

I start my midnights tommorrow so I am back to switching my eating around. It is so hard to organize your eating day when your sleeping when you should be eating. So I eat my breakfast at suppertime. Eat my lunch when I get to work. And Eat my supper about 4am so that it is long digested before I fall into bed at 8am. It is the only way that I can manage because it I try to eat meals "normally" when i work nights, I find that I am hungry all night and fight to stay away from it. This way it works for me.

Anybody have any better ideas?? I am open to suggestions. I just don't know what else to do, it isn't about will power it's about going to bed not on a full stomach and not gorging at work on midnights.

DOO, DOO, DOO, DOO CHANGES!!

My kids are growing up. Wanting to do things on their own. That's OK I get it I was a kid once. Dalton enjoys doing things on his own. He gets that from Darin. He gets his love of computers, books and learning from me. Both good and bad mixed together. He loves Tyson don't get me wrong but with the 5 years between them, he also gets so frustrated too. He came home with a basketball slip the other day. Wanting to go because he loves basketball and a plus to it is that Tyson isn't old enough.
He played Charger hoops which was only for 8 weeks and loved it but this session is longer from Dec to may. So I guess we are off to register him next Wednesday night. I hate to see them grow up but what are you going to do. There is good and bad in everything.

The things that make me feel good. ( these bullets are for you Jen)

• I have noticed a few of changes over the last few days. By shirts aren't so tight. Neither are my pants. The most annoying thing is my underwear are falling down with my pants. I wear a belt for the pants but.... yup they are sliding down. Makes me feel good but at the same time ugg what a pain. Good pain though! :)
• I have carpel tunnel. But since I began I noticed that my hand is going less numb all the time. I used to wake up at night and have pain because it was asleep. Hasn't happened in a long time.
• I feel way better. I not too long ago was feeling exhausted and was falling asleep in the middle of the day. I would fight sleep while doing everything. Working, driving, and watching TV. ( not that I do that much). I felt like crap not to mention how unsafe it was. Tyson is staying in his own room, which helps and I think that the exercise and a few less pounds is putting in some bonus too. yay me!!
• I have energy. I can go longer and do more than I could just a month ago. It feels like the day got longer even though it didn't. I can find time to do things. Maybe because I am not so sluggish????
• Reading about other people success make me want to be just like them. Giving me the strength and ambition to go on. Thank you Jen, Jack Sh*t, Lindsay, Friend of the bear and Sean. You help push me even though you are great distance away. Not even knowing your doing it, just by reading and learning about your journey. Giving us ideas, tips and sharing your strength, makes me grateful. I search around through your comments to find other stories just like mine. Thank you for being honest, open and sharing. I don't know how many times I have read something one of you have wrote and I think.....BEEN THERE, how did they know it was me. But now too I can say.... doing that!!

Things that frustrate me...

• A lot of the recipes on the Internet are for Americans. We are not able to get alot of the things that they have available to them. Eg... vita muffins, Flat out bread just to mention a few. We have to look harder or make your own to find low calorie alternatives.
• I find that planning my meals for the day is so time consuming. I am going to start planning out my week on one night so I know what to buy, have and prepare for the week. hopefully this will make it easier. With Ty home every other day, it is tedious to sit and figure it out. Then there is too much room for error. i 'll leave so many calories for misc then if something comes up I have some room to change things.
• Not having time to exercise as much as I'd like. I think that I may join the gym after Christmas again. They have a daycare there so I can go with Tyson. And I can go before work the days he is at school. Right now with Christmas it isn't in the cards. Darin will soon be laid off too. So till then I will do my DVDs and walk as often as I can. Shift work doesn't help much either. Especially nights, your day seems wasted sleeping and you actually need more sleep because your body is backwards.

Regardless of all these things I will persevere. Find the way. I will be here to be a grandmother. I will watch my kids grow up! If I don't, it won't be because I didn't do something about it. It will be an act of god.

:)

ENCOURAGING>>>>> You bet!!

Over the past few weeks since I started my healthy lifestyle, I have never once looked back at what I could be eating. I make meals that my family will eat. This does not include veggies. Darin and both boys hate them. If I can manage to hide them somehow then they get eaten but otherwise forget it. So I make one meal and just tweak mine a bit or totally eat different. It becomes a difficult road and I continue to try to add veggies to their life but it doesn't seem to happen very quick.
I find I have to plan ahead. Make sure that I know what I have planned to eat for the day so I can keep a balance. Know my ranges and stay within them. Weigh, measure and count everything. Seems tedious right now but once I know what, how much and what it looks like then I can learn to moderate.
Today I came home from work to find the most inspirational message from a friend. She reads this blog and didn't know what I had been up to. Till today. She told me what a great job I was doing and offered to join me walking. That is what I need to stay focused. I cried.big baby I know. But those words that Steph wrote just hit me right there. I know I am doing the right thing no matter how I got here, I know where I am headed. And that is healthy.
The impact of others sometimes has more of an effect that we'd like. I'm glad that Steph took the time to encourage me. It meant alot. She knows how hard it is she's been there done that.
The weight doesn't seem like much but I can feel it in my clothes, the dryer didn't shrink them this time!! lol I can see that one of my chins looks smaller. LOl. Little things like that.

I did get a few minutes of exercise in today. Not as many as I'd like it is hard when I work 1-9pm to get things into my day that I would like. And Ty is home tomorrow so I'll try but it isn't always easy.

So thanks again Steph. I appreciate it more than you know.

Friend.... for life!! And weigh in day!

So I have managed to recruit a friend/ family member on this healthy little life changing journey. I am going to call her Lady P. I don't know what she would like me to share and I know she reads this blog so until I get the go ahead I will just give you tidbits of info.

Lady P is a beautiful woman. She is a cousin in law. I have only met her once but talked to her many times on facebook etc. I adore her. What I do know. She is a woman who is a bit "fluffy" like myself. She loves all the comfort foods, pasta, cheese, and bread , again like myself. She has tried many diets to no avail. ( This info I hear from others in the fam). She needs support like me and I think together because we both have a bad side that we can puch each other to a less "fluffy" version of each of us. I think that the bad side in easch of us, will cause us both to make the other accountable. To encourage and to understand. Then together we can shop for new clothes when we see each other next year. I see no downside. Other than we live so far apart. But email/ facebook will keep us connected.

We can do it Lady P!! I know it!!

On another note. Today was total weigh in day and I am happy to write that I hit the scale at a lighter 216.5lbs. That makes me happy. Not thrilled but happy.

I haven't managed any exercise since last week. I'l have to get on that tommorrow when the boys head out to school. Some days I find with shift work that it is difficult to get a work out in unless I am doing it before I go to bed....then who can sleep??

Any advise for that??? Working shifts, small kids and regular life just thrown in??

Well that's it for today. Got a few christmas presents in today. Only like 31 days or something. UGG!

So thanks again Lady P, I am so looking forward to you and I pushing forward together!!

Nice Day...

It was a perfect day for 4 wheeling.

Darin's Mom, her friend and the four of us went on our bikes for a ride. It was a great day. The kids had a ton of fun. We went out for lunch and it was a bit difficult having everyone around you eating hamburgers and fries, chicken nuggets and fries, and you have to choose a turkey sandwich. I love turkey so it wasn't that difficult. It isn't as good without Mayo and butter but it was good. It is also more difficult to control the calorie count. You don't know how it is prepared and all the extras that they put into it.

I used my best possible guesstimate. I was quite liberal with it better more than less. I also had a bowl of turkey soup. It was good. It warmed the belly on a cool fall day.

I just can't get past the whole "black" coffee thing. I like my cream. I love my Tim Horton's but too have learned to drive by instead of drive thru. If I told you that an extra large double double was over 200 calories would you be surprised? I figure I should have an extra $ 10.00 in my pocket each week if I continue to Drive by. Maybe it's a good thing "black" coffee doesn't taste so good? Kinda makes you think doesn't it. A few little changes can make a BIG difference.

Some thing's are easier than others. Trust me though I still have a LONG way to go.

Santa is coming to town.....

My legs feel good today. No pain. stiff a bit but the pain when I bend has passed. (That's a good thing). No exercise today :( I had Tyson home, no excuse I know. But I had many other things more important to get done. That had to be done.

I can have a day off I just have to be sure to stick to my calories and push that water into me. I find it easier to drink it at work when I am busy and get my few minute breaks, than at home when I have so many people needing different things all at once.

I took Dalton out of school early this afternoon. He went to see his teacher from last year, Ms. LeSage. He loves her. I guess that she was really happy to see him. Surprised and happy!! He was too. Thank you Nicole for making such a wonderful dent in my son's life and for giving him back the love of school. Your one special woman... and you hubby is not too bad either...:).

Nanny and Poppa took the boys to the Santa Claus parade. It is at night, and lots of lights. I met up with them after work and finished watching the end of it with them. Pastor Mark was sure to stop by and drop a TON of treats at their feet. I said no but apparently he forgot that Halloween was just 2 weeks ago. He always spoils them.( on the up side though, I have been good to stay out of the treats. If you know me personally, you know how good it is that I have not eaten the chocolate bars, it calls me but I resist! Yay Me!)

Tyson was so excited this year, I was surprised. It will be fun this year at Christmas. It's fun ever year! Just more interactive this year.

THANKS Mom and Dad!! We all Love you so much! The things you do for us we can't say thank you enough.

Ugg the pain...

Well, if I thought that Jillian was hard yesterday. I didn't know what today was going to bring! I am sore. My legs are killing me. I thought I had good muscles in my legs but boy was I wrong. I fought through it again today. Pain and grimacing aside it was OK. But I am sure walking funny I am sure.

Not much to report, it is a beautiful day again today but I cannot walk outside. I have way too many things to do and not enough time to do it! I managed the workout so I'm happy.

I have to go to Wal*art and I think I am going to pick up some weights to go along with the workout.

On the food side. I am doing pretty good to stick to my calories and fat. I am looking more and more for things at the grocery store that are healthier. Thing is.... most of the stuff i love there is no way it can be lower calories. lol

I found the best recipe for some muffins and my kids LOVE them. And they are healthy. It's a devil's food cake mix and a 15 oz can of pumpkin. That's it. Mix them together and bake for 30 minutes making 24 muffins. It is just like brownies. They are 87.5 calories each and very little fat and LOTS of fibre!! I wish everything on this new way of thinking was that easy.

Try it out!!

another nice day....

I did it I made it for a walk like I said I was. I walked for 40 minutes at a healthy pace. We only have sidewalks so far down our streets so I walked to the end and back. It's about 2.5kms. Far enough for my first day. It was nice not too hat and just enough vitamin D to make me feel good.

I was tired I have to admit or I would have went farther. I worked 4 midnights and it makes me so tired with not enough sleep. I don't care how much energy people think that they can get from being healthy but you know midnights can kill you no matter how healthy you are.

Last night I had a prepackaged Salmon steak. Let me tell you at 700 calories per portion it isn't very healthy. Companies sure know how to wreak a nice thing.

Today i did the Jillian Micheal's 30 day shred. For anyone who is trying to lose weight or exercise. It will kill you!! Holy Hannah. I was stiff when I was done and it was only a 20 minute work out. Ugg I am out of shape. I can't walk today my little man is home it's not his school day.

I hope everyone takes a few minutes today to remember all the brave soldiers that have and are fighting to keep our country as well as others safe. I appreciate all you have done, are and will do to keep me and my family in a safe, free and war free place. You are a special breed of people that I admire and remember.

Well I need to get a few things done before I head out to work. So have a great day and remember to take a few minutes to.......

Remember the soldiers that have given their lives so your families can be safe....

Long time.....no post..

So, as you can see I have been over neglectful on this blog. I will try to be more accountable in the future. For those who know us we are quite busy and having two boys a full time shift working job and trying to keep a house in one piece can be a lot some days.

I will post the pics of the house from the past year that some of you have been wanting to see the competed project. It is nice I must admit having a new house. It is unfortunate but I am glad now that all things transpired as they did. At the time and for the last year I could not say that but now that things have settled and I have not lost my mind. I am greatful. And thank the powers that be everyday.

On the kid front, Dalton has recently turned the big nine and Tyson turned four. Dalton went into grade four and Tyson started in Jr Kindergarden. He loves it. I find that he is starting to settle down and develop the personality with wisdom. He was such a character before and now he can use the bigger words to make us laugh more. Only because he now knows what they mean. He has a great teacher and I adore her. She is so attentive to all the kids. And patient. I am glad that Tyson got her for his first year of school.

Dalton is not enjoying school this year as much as last. He does not have as nice of a teacher as last year and apparently she is a screamer. It seems that every year that he is in the portable that he ends up having a teacher that is. Then again no teacher is as great to him a the teacher he had last year. ahe is hoping that she returns to his school next year to teach him in grade 5. But he will most likely get her mother instead.

Darin is Darin and he is well. Nothing much changes with him. He is busy with work and when he is home he is busy in his garage. When he isn't busy with his kids.

Me well I have embarked on a new adventure and will share with you along the way. Hoping for encouragement and kind words. I am starting the long struggle to get healthy. I am not going to "preach" about diet and exercise but be aware that if your coming here, you may find me venting about it sometimes. Or looking for help. Either way I look for your feedback.

This blog is about our family and health is a part of that. It is a long journey that I have entered in. Looking about 90lb journey for me. So feel free to give your 2 cents.

90 lbs. Seriously. I can't believe I let it get to that. I am ashamed as well as happy that I have decided to stop here. It was 99lbs. I have struggled through 2 weeks of eating better and lost 9 lbs. Doesn't seem like much and becomes hard to find a way through your eating habits when I go to work. I take things with me but when you have the will power at home and remove all temptation, then go to work and it awaits you it is a challenge. Not to mention the shifts. It is hard to totally switch your days and nights around and still eat healthy. Excuses. I know I can do it.

So I am about to do it. I can't believe that I am but.... I weigh 220.0 lbs today. Hard to believe but I do. It makes me sick to look at that. Upsets me. tears me up. But not anymore I can do it. I can do it for me. I can do it for my family. I can be an example to my kids. Whom I love more than anything.

On that note. I am going. Saddened and flustrated. But I am going to go for a walk it is a beautiful day, my kids are at school and I CAN!!

Thanks for reading!

kaboose