Wednesday, April 30, 2008

Thirty six and loving it!


I turned 36 last week. Hmmm.....that number looks a lot bigger written than when I simply tell people my age. Anyway, I really enjoy getting older. I know it sounds crazy but I really do. I can't explain it without sounding very cliche but I'm past all the drama of being in your twenties and have found out who I am and what I can accomplish. Mostly what I can accomplish on my own. For the longest time I was raising my two daughters alone, working full time, and was able to buy my own home. It's such a great feeling to know I can do anything I set my mind to. And I have two amazing kids to boot!

I am nearing the end of my Nutrisystem hell. I have lost 17 pounds so far so apparently the "hell" works. If I am to be honest, the breakfast and lunch meals are definitely manageable (for the most part). The dinners are really just not for me. I am picky by nature, though not ridiculously picky. I like the basics. So to try to choke down meals at night was a challenge. But the results are worth it.

Once I finish this, I will follow the Weight Watchers program which was always successful for me. If I followed it. But I just love to eat. Especially all the stuff that is considered unhealthy. Weight is such a constant struggle for me. Hopefully I can stay focused and keep on losing.

Time will tell.

Friday, April 25, 2008

For Fun

1. Go to Photobucket (don't sign in)....I used flickr.
2. Type in your answer to the question in the "search" box
3. Use only the first image
4. Copy the html and paste for the answer.

Your first name


Your favorite color



Celebrity Crush


Favorite Disney Princess


Favorite Movie


Favorite Adult Beverage


Dream Vacation

Favorite Dessert


What I wanted to be when I grew up

Monday, April 14, 2008

Emmitt

YUM.....or not

Thursday will mark three weeks on the Nutrisystem diet. I've lost 12 pounds so far in 2 1/2 weeks so it's definitely working. And I can honestly say I have gotten used to the taste of most of the food. I'm not saying I enjoy it, but I've adjusted. Breakfast and lunch are the easiest meals to get through. Dinners, however, suck! The dinners are really tough for me. I sit at the kitchen table and talk myself through it.....chew, chew, chew, swallow. And so it goes. I eat really, really fast so it will be over. Those testimonials I saw on the Nutrisystem website that state" the meatloaf and potatoes were better than my mom's"? LIES. Your mom must SUCK at cooking!

Let's take for example the Cajun Style Chicken & sausage with rice. Looks good, right?

In the photo on the box, there are actually pieces of chicken and sausage. You can see individual grains of rice. Yum. Can't be that bad, right? Not so much.

I opened a small corner of the lid for ventilation and put it in the microwave to heat. Alas, this is what I found when I opened it and put it on my plate:
Really? Need I say more?

Thursday, April 3, 2008

Are You Serious?

I hate dieting for the pure reason that I like eating. My husband and I decided to go on the NutriSystem diet for a month to get a jump start on losing weight. Though it is pricey, we knew it would provide the quick results we are looking for and then at the end of that month we could begin following the Weight Watchers program where you can eat anything you want as long as it is within your point allowance.

I am a picky eater so this has been a bit of a challenge (actually a HUGE challenge). My taste buds are on strike. I've tried to reason with them that eventually they will enjoy the true taste of food again. Actually, it's not too bad. I've been on the diet for one week today and have lost 9 pounds so far. I can't complain too much. But I miss having the same things as the kids for dinner.

But imagine my surprise last night when I decided I would try the pizza for dinner. I excitedly tore open the box and took out the pizza crust, pizza sauce, and cheese. I thought perhaps this dinner came in 2 parts? Not so much.

This is the size of my pizza. As you can see, it is not much bigger than an apple. Seriously? Where's the rest of my pizza? I want my FREAKING pizza and I want it NOW.

Megan wanted to know why I was taking a picture of my pizza and I told her because I thought it was funny. I've never seen something so ridiculous. Apparently when you need to lose weight, portions are a bit smaller.

My goal is to lose 50 pounds. Realistically? I'll be happy with whatever comes off.

Friday, February 15, 2008

The Long and the Short of It

We had our first trip to the Doggy Emergency Room last Friday night and I am hoping it will be the last. By nature, I am squeamish. ER's? Not my first choice of places to visit....doggy or otherwise, though after my experience I can say I prefer the people ER.

Last Thursday night I was up with darling Emmitt all night as he was really sick and throwing up every hour or so. Not surprisingly, as I was cleaning up all of these messes, I saw all the things he had been munching on throughout the week: the corner of a purple sponge, part of my husband's slipper, yarn, wood pieces from our entertainment center and God only knows what else. I knew I'd be seeing all these items again at some point so I can't say I was really shocked.

After finally getting to sleep at 5:45 am, I was awoken by Samantha telling me it was time to get up. The time: 7:40am. The time we have to leave for school? 8:00am. That left me 20 minutes to wake up Megan, get myself up and ready for work, give the girls breakfast and get their lunches packed and stuff together.

We get to school and work on time, miraculously, and I muddle through the day quite tired. All I can think about is making it until 4:30 so I can go home and take a nap.

However, that was not to be the case. As I am leaving work, I get a frantic phone call from my mother who is babysitting the girls at our house. Apparently, when she got home from picking the girls up from school, she saw that Emmitt had a very long piece of string coming out of his ass, when will I be home and call the vet.

I called our vet and was advised NOT to pull said string as it could saw his intestines. Proceed to Seacoast Animal Hospital asap. Wonderful. That nap I had day dreamed about all day? Gone.

By the time I arrive home, my husband is there as well. He is standing at the kitchen sink washing a very long piece of poopy string he has just cut from Emmitt's ass. Bag it up and let's go. As my husband had his son and was bringing him to laser tag, he watched Samantha and Megan while I headed to the animal hospital. Apparently, my mom wanted to come with me but was frantically searching for her cell phone (I don't know how she lived without one for 65 years....she's worse than a kid chatting with her friends.). I didn't realize she was coming so I took off, only to be called 10 seconds later to come back and get her. Aggravated I spin the van around and head back to get her. As Emmitt is already sitting in the front seat (naturally with a towel under his smelly, string ridden butt), mom has to sit in back.

We arrive at the ER, frazzled and stressed, and check the poor baby in. The waiting room is the size of a shoe box. As sick as Emmitt is, he is still trying to greet every animal and human that walks through the door and I am trying to harness him in so he's not jumping all over everyone.

Finally, after sitting in an examination room for a while, the vet arrives. After the mandatory questions she decides to give Emmitt a rectal exam. Oh this should be good. My job is to make sure he continues to stand up by holding onto his underbelly. My mom is sitting in a nearby chair. There is NO way in hell I am going to watch what she is doing, nor is my mom who is just as grossed out as I am, so we both look in the opposite directions. The first thing that makes me want to pass out is the stench that is coming out of his butt as the vet is reaching in there to try to see if she can get the string out. Thank God I am already close to the ground should I take a header. Then, Emmitt starts crying. It's not like he's a child and you can say " See what happens when you eat things that you shouldn't? You get a hand up your ass." Naturally, there's not much you can say.

So the vet is able to get out another foot of string until she can't pull anymore. Really? You couldn't pay me enough to do that. My options? Take an x-ray to see if the string is wrapped around his intestines. If so, we're looking at surgery. If not, we are looking at a laxative and some patience. Back out to the waiting room where I am continually trying to keep him calm and not let him near anyone coming in. I decide to take him out for a walk around the premises. I am hoping that if I walk him for a while, he'll poop and the rest of the string will emerge. Of course, there are a thousand animal scents all around the outside so he has to stop and sniff every few feet. After 20 -3o minutes, and several fruitless attempts, he squats, and he poops the rest of the string out! Or at least I hope it is the rest of the string. I go inside for a glove and baggy and happily bring in his poop......well, poop covered string. Just as a precaution, I still request the x-ray. Peace of mind is NOT overrated.

After what seems like FOREVER, the vet lets me know that everything looks fine, there is no sign of any more string remaining. They still give him a shot of "pepto" to settle his stomach as he was up all night vomiting and he was a bit dehydrated. The shot was in his upper back and made a huge bubble under his skin. I was assured that it would go down to normal in a few hours. Still, I was freaked out.

Have I mentioned that I am squeamish? Yeah.

In between all this chaos, families were coming into visit their sick pets, pet owners were bringing in more sick puppies, and those that had casts on their paws. The last straw for me was when the door opened and a husky walked in with porcupine quills sticking out of her entire face, all around her mouth, eyes, etc. I thought I was going to be sick. Smelling salts anyone? Yes, I gave birth twice but I am still a big baby! It is such a sad, depressing place and I pray that I never have to return.

We left the hospital around 7:30 but had to stop and buy hamburger and rice for Emmitt because his belly was still unsettled.

So much for a quiet night in. When all was said and done, the string he ate was at least 6 FEET long. He is lucky he got that all out. Where he got the string, we still aren't sure.

Needless to say, I am praying for a quiet weekend. :)

Wednesday, January 23, 2008

Nothing New Happening!

Well, it's been over a month since I last posted. There has been nothing terribly exciting to write about until recently.

Two of my friends have recently had babies. My friend, Michele, had her sweet little Maggie a few months early but all is fine with mom and baby. I really don't know if it is possible for Michele to have had any more complications than she had. Really. You name it, she had it. She was on bed rest for pretty much her entire pregnancy, being in the hospital since before Thanksgiving.Maggie weighed in at 4 lbs 1 oz and is 17 1/2 inches long. She is so little and absolutely adorable. We are very relieved that everyone is doing so well. Michele and Mark are great friends and are going to be incredible parents. I am so happy for them and cannot wait to see and hold Maggie.

My friend, Kim, finally had her sweet baby boy, Jack, on Saturday. Kim is enjoying some vacation time in the hospital. I say this because she has two little boys at home, ages 3 and 2. GOD LOVE HER. So seriously? Having time in the hospital is like a mini vacation. Quiet time, 3 square meals a day, not chasing around 2 very active little boys all day while being pregnant, all the reality TV you can watch..... Heaven. Jack is so very cute. Chubby, chubby cheeks and just perfect. I am very happy for Kim and Chris. I wish she lived closer so I could visit. Maybe someday.

As far as my family? We're so B-O-R-I-N-G. I guess it's good because everyone is healthy and doing well. We are on the tail end of re-doing our bathroom. When we moved into our house in April, EVERYTHING was white; white walls and trim in every room. We have since added some color to the place. The girls each picked their own bedroom colors and actually helped paint their rooms too. I worked on Sam's room one Saturday and Megan's the next day.

Sam's bedroom:
Megan's Bedroom:
And our work in progress: the bathroom:
It doesn't get more exciting than this, folks! Oh, other than the Pats losing the SuperBowl. But really? Let's not go there.