Thursday, December 20, 2012

Better Days are Coming

Hellllloooooooooooo!!! Is there anybody out there?!? It's been so long since I blogged that I would not be surprised if I lost all my followers LOL!

Things are FINALLY starting to settle down. My mom came home for the rehab facility yesterday. It's been over two months since she had been there. I had not been there either. I have the neighbor bring the mail in and the caregiver was bringing me the mail. I know it may sound kooky but I don't like being there when there is no one there. She lives in an extremely safe neighborhood so it's not that. It just creeps me out even though it is the house I grew up in.

My brother is coming out for the weekend too which was spontaneous but great. We have not been together for a Christmas in at least 10 years. My SIL is Jewish so they don't really celebrate Christmas. 

I am on Winter break from work. Today I am actually covering for the office for their Christmas lunch. It is the 1st time I have been in the office since August. No one is here so it is fine but just a little odd to be here.

My mom has always said "Better days are coming" after something has happened so I am going to focus on that. It's all we can do is hope for the best right?

I could not do a post without including my handsome little man. I made this my Christmas card this year too.  Isn't he adorable??? I just can't get over how cute he is. He is like 8 months old now and getting bigger every day. It takes them at least a year to be full grown so he will continue to sprout for a few more months.

My weight is stable. I gained 3 lbs. while I was off of work (sick/FMLA) but since things have settled down a bit, I can focus on my health again. Still getting 10-12K steps in a day at work.

Bogey - 8 months old
Hope you all are doing well and I do plan on posting more regularly in the near future. It helps keep me accountable and I totally miss you guys! Until next time...

Tuesday, November 13, 2012

Updating

My mom had surgery last Friday. She made it through with flying colors! She is now back at the facility she was before. They are being extra attentive which is good. I have been off work since Wednesday last week and I have requested FMLA until Nov. 26th.

I'm hanging in there. I have learned I need to take care of myself. It's hard but I'm no help if I'm sick or run down. I'm still coughing and I probably need to see a doctor. Add it to the list of things to do eh?

Hope you all are doing ok. I need to look in on you all! Take care until next time...

Friday, November 9, 2012

You Can't Make This Stuff Up

I know I have been quite the stranger. I miss you all and haven't looked at my Google Reader for moons.

Over the course of the last 6 weeks or so I have had a virus. My car got hit in a parking lot, lost my netbook, got my foot ran over by a car and my mom falling and breaking her back. She was making some major progress but she fell on Wednesday in the bathroom at the rehab facility and broke her hip. Not only does she have 6 stitches in her head but she is going to need surgery to repair the hip. The surgery is only about an hour or so. The approximate recovery time is 12 weeks. The facility that she was in has claimed liability for the incident as well which just adds to the situation. It doesn't change it.

I am hanging in there. This is not my first rodeo with her in the hospital but given her age now and the risk factors it is a lot scarier. Wish I had better news to share... such is life huh? Until next time...




P.S. Weight is holding steady...

Thursday, October 25, 2012

Dapper Dude

I swore I wouldn't be one of those pet owners that dress their pets but I could not resist getting this costume for Bogey.

My mom is doing better. She's sitting and standing which is great news. It's just going to take time for her to heal. I just want her to be back home again. I've been avoiding going to the house but need to go there soon for mail and stuff.

Work is still fun but crazy. The kids are STILL commenting about my weight on occasion. One of the boys said "Miss Katie, you have two chins. One and two" Thanks for noticing S! I guess it's just the age but sheesh! It gets old after awhile. I wonder if some of the other heavier teachers get the same comments.

I got a new scale and actually I have two of them so I will do a giveaway for the other one soon.

That's about it for now. I lost my net book :-( in one of the rental cars I had. I am majorly bummed. I still haven't quite found my groove with this schedule. After 20+ years in Admin positions, teaching and walking 5 miles a day makes for a tired Katie J. I'm getting enough rest but I'm still battling the virus I got a month ago. People did warn me it would take awhile to adjust. Guess they weren't kidding !

Until next time...


Friday, October 12, 2012

Update

My foot and ankle are sprained. Fortunately it's not broken or fractured. Thanks for the well wishes.

Here is the evidence LOL!

My mom is going to the rehab facility. Hopefully things will improve soon.

Hope you have a good weekend!

Thursday, October 11, 2012

Run Me Over

I apparently have a black cloud following me. A parent dropping off their child ran over my foot with her car this morning. I'm at Urgent Care now. I don't think it's broken but it hurts like heck!!! I tried to pull it out from under the tire too so whole foot is sore. I will post more once I know more.

Tuesday, October 9, 2012

Falling Apart

On Monday morning around 5:30 a.m, my mom fell and broke her back. I'm at the hospital now and was here all day yesterday as well. She is in a lot of pain and most likely will have to go to a rehab facility to heal.

Meanwhile, my car was ready yesterday and I picked it up but the stereo and digital display are not working. I'm pissed off as you can imagine. Who wants to deal with that sh*t. I was upset and tried not to show it too much but they knew. They comped me some gas which was nice. I just hope they fix it quickly.

I will go back to work tomorrow. I actually miss the kids! Their happy sweet faces would be a nice change of scenery. Until next time...

Tuesday, October 2, 2012

Cavalier Katie

Good morning my friends! Man oh man I miss blogging. I swear my brain thinks in blog post form now. It's been a wild ride the last month but I finally feel like things are settling down a bit. I am still on antibiotics for the ear and sinus infection. Those little people have super germs I tell ya. I have not been that sick in a long time.

Speaking of, I went to the doctor when I was sick and she ran some blood tests for blood sugar, cholesterol, etc. The results were not as good as before. I had reduced my insulin and was not taking my cholesterol pill and it showed. Dr. M said I was being cavalier about my health and basically scolded me. In my desire to get off the meds, I prematurely lowered the amount of medications and it backfired. The one good note about my health was my weight. I am actually at 243 which means I lost 4 lbs. in September. That means I have lost a total of 72 lbs!! That is at least a 2nd grader.  She said that this was the lowest weight on record since I have been seeing her which has been at least 6-7 years. She did not want to discount the weight loss but for my age my numbers need adjusting. She said I was too young to have those readings.Meanwhile, I am back on the Lipitor and adjusted my insulin. I still need to do one more blood test and also get a pap smear and mammogram. I am overdue for both.

Work has been taxing but very fun. One of the teachers even commented that I have a fan club. They are just so cute and fun. I am planning on getting some ECE units (Early Childhood Education) so I can teach preschool. I prefer the 4 year olds then the 3 year olds. I am going to take the classes online.

I'll leave you with a picture of Bogey. He was playing fetch with me and then kitty flopped on the floor.


Until next time...

 

Monday, September 24, 2012

I'm Alive!

Whew it's been forever since I posted! It's certainly the longest break thus far.

I had a bad cold last week that turned into an ear and sinus infection. I missed a few days of work and back today but my right ear still hurts and I can't hear out of it.

On the 13th, my car got hit in a parking lot and it's going in for repair on Wednesday.

I have more news but I'll have to post it tonight or tomorrow. I need to find a good time to blog now since I'm not in front of a computer. Maybe after work or first thing in the morning. We shall see. Talk to you all soon! Hope you are well! Until next time...



Wednesday, September 5, 2012

Katie does Kindergarten


Helloooooooooooooo! Oh my goodness, seems like forever since I wrote a post. I have totally missed it and all you guys.

Kindergarten is kicking my touche! I have been walking 13K-15K steps a day just during the course of my work day. From basically sedentary to walking over 5 miles a day. The kids are very entertaining to say the least and I already have favorites and of course the trouble makers LOL! They all call me Miss Katie and some even use my last name which if funny.

One funny story from last week was I was showing the kids flash cards of various workers like truck drivers, nurses, beauticians etc. and one came up for a photographer and one of the girls, Allyson, said "Paparazzi!" They are 4-5 years old mostly.

Weight is holding steady. I did not take my meds over the weekend so I am a little bloated but I will weigh in tomorrow. Speaking of weight, the kids have been asking me "Miss Katie, why are you so FAT?" Lovely eh? I knew it was inevitable but I have to call them out on it, explain it is not appropriate and to have them apologize to me. Make a learning experience out of it basically.

Sorry I did not announce a winner for the giveaway yet. I have just been trying to catch up on everything. It requires a lot of preparation so I have been getting things organized plus I have been getting up at 5:00 a.m. every day. Good ole kitty alarm clock - Bogey is 4.5 months old. I have had him 2 months today.

I need to get going but wanted to pop in and say hello. Hope you all are doing okay and I look forward to catching up with my reading. Until next time...


Monday, August 27, 2012

First Day

I am blogging from my phone today. I have a break from 9:40 to 11:00 so I am having a bite to eat. I will need to figure out a new time to blog. I'll either do it on my break or lunch.

I went to my mom's on Saturday and she did not recognize me :-( it was SO sad! I knew this day would come but I don't think you can prepare yourself for that. I saw her Sunday as well and she knew who I was thankfully.

My blogging may be spotty as I get used to the new schedule. I'll announce a winner for the giveaway tonight when I get home. Until next time...

Friday, August 24, 2012

NEW Territory

Holy shamoley! The last 24 hrs. have been a whirlwind to say the least. First things first though... I am down to 248 which means anything I lose from here on out will be NEW Territory! About time huh? Sheesh!! I have a feeling the scale is going to start moving again because...

I am going to be a Kindergarten TEACHER! The short version of the story is that they are combining my job with another gals here in the office and instead of laying me off, they asked if I would be interested in teaching. Since we are a private school, you do not have to have teaching credentials, just a BS or BA. I have a BS so I qualify even though it's in Business/Marketing.  The details have not been ironed out yet as far as hours are concerned. I may even have a break in the day to run errands or go to the gym or what have you. I am going to meet with the Headmaster today to set the schedule. Right now I will be getting the same rate of pay but after I put in the hours, I could potentially get a $15/hour raise. It is a lot different then working in the office but I have a feeling I am going to enjoy it. The other things is that I could potentially have summer off. What a concept. I don't think I would though. I would have the option to work summer school too.

Of course I cried about it! What a wuss! After 7 years here, I have gotten attached to people and it is going to be a NEW experience so I am nervous, scared, sad, excited and grateful all in one. It also means I will not be sitting on my arse 8 hours a day so that will help with my weight loss efforts.

I gotta run because I am training Lori on my position. Hope you have a great weekend! Until next time...

Thursday, August 23, 2012

Medleys and Musings

We are on the downhill slide to Friday! Yipee!

I tried a new product this morning that I wanted to share. It is Quaker Oatmeal Real Medleys. The flavor I tried was the Summer Berry Oatmeal+

You’ve never seen oatmeal like this. Packed with wholesome multi-grains and chunks of real fruit – sweet strawberries, red delicious raspberries, and plump whole blueberries, Quaker Real Medleys Summer Berry Oatmeal+ is an oatmeal experience beyond your expectations. It comes in a convenient, portable package so you can eat it anywhere! Just add water and microwave. No mess, no bowl to clean up.

It was tasty and filling. It is 250 cals which is actually better then the 320 cals that two packets of the instant has. One envelope never quite satisfies me for very long. These will be handy to have at work or in a pinch. There are three other flavors as well: Apple Walnut, Cherry Pistachio and Peach Almond. I bought the Apple and Cherry ones but peach does not appeal to me. I will let you know how they are once I try them.

I wanted to thank all of you for commenting on yesterday's post. It felt good to get it out of my head. I know that some of it is irrational. I just have to keep reminding myself. I think that it has to do with my self-worth and self-esteem. After 40+ years of feeling inadequate, it is sometimes hard to ditch those old tapes but I am working on it! Until next time...

Wednesday, August 22, 2012

Feeling Flawed

How goes it? I am hanging in there. I have been a funky head space for the last week or two. I know it is temporary but it is hard to shake it. I am trying to fake it but even that isn't working.

Some of it has to do with my mom situation. That is normal and expected given the circumstances. A lot of it has to do with my identity and who I am and where I came from. For some of the newer readers, I was adopted and located my biological family in 2010. I had this perception of who I was and where I came from and then I learned more about their (bio parents) lives and lifestyles and how I inherited some of their traits both good and bad. Maybe because I am in my mid-forties too that I am re-evaluating my life but it has left me shaken. Maybe I suppressed all those feelings and now they are coming out. While it is great I have been able to fill in the puzzle pieces of missing information it is painful to learn all the dirty secrets like their drug addictions and mental health. I know they do not define me. I am my own person and that they did have an influence on me through DNA but I have my own identity.

I am flawed as I am only human but I feel like a failure in many ways. I never got married. FAIL. I never had any children. FAIL. I am obese. FAIL. I know rationally that these things don't make me a failure but I can't seem to shake the FAIL feeling. I know I should focus on the positive too. I have accomplished things in my life like my BS and AA degrees. My ceramics/painting. My singing (once upon a time) but instead of focusing on the positives, I keep staring down the negatives. I know this too shall pass. I just thought getting it out of my head by posting it here would help. Until next time...



P.S. Did you enter the giveaway?

Tuesday, August 21, 2012

Back to School Giveaway!

Well we survived the 1st day. Whew! It went pretty smoothly considering. The topic of the day was the traffic that happens during arrival and departure. It is a parking lot right now with all the cars lined up. They are actually lined up on the street and some are even blocking the intersection. Sheesh...

Did not go to my mom's. I wasn't feeling up to it. I have been headachey and naseous the last few days so I just went home and rested. Not sure what it is. Could be stress and anxiety but that is a whole other post.

I was changing Bogey's litter box this morning and was reminded of a story. The kitty litter that I just bought was 25 lbs. I was at Danielle's one day and she asked me to carry litter into her house for her since she has a bad back I had one in each hand and she said "That is equivalent to the weight you have lost" It helped me to put a visual to it. No wonder I was so uncomfortable!

Now on to the giveaway!  I don't think it is a secret that I love bags. Tote bags, purses, lunch bags you name it, I love it. Soooooo I decided to giveaway a lunch bag from Simply Bags. The winner will recieve one personalized lunch bag of their choice. All you have to do is go to their website and then come back and tell me which one you like the best and what name you would put on it. That's it! I will announce a winner on Monday, August 27th. For an additional entry, you can tweet about the giveaway. Also, If you have never commented before (hello lurkers!) you can get an additional entry.

This is the one I got for myself.
They are not hosting this giveaway. I just liked the product so much I wanted to share with you guys. Until next time...

Sunday, August 19, 2012

Scrubbed and Bummed

Greetings and Salutations. How are you all doing? Did you have a good weekend? Mine was productive and good overall. I ended up finished cleaning the carpet. Here is a shot of what it looks like now in the front room. It looks like when we moved in. It was not new but freshly cleaned when we moved in. To answer your question Patrick, I think it is exercise for sure. I was sweating so hard I was actually dripping on the floor!

Now I need to rearrange some things so I can put the cleaner away. I have a huge bedroom closet so I most likely will put it in there.

Got the flowers delivered on Friday but there were a few squished petals and a little discoloration on some of the white ones.  I emailed the company that I ordered them through and they are willing to replace them. I just need to let them know when I want them delivered. I am not sure I would order from them again though.  I think they need to do a better job of packaging them. A simple step that could save issues down the road.

I need to go see my mom. I haven't been mentioning her or her situation much but it is weighing pretty heavy on my heart.  She is medically doing well which is really good news. All her numbers are stable. It is her memory loss/dementia that is so hard.  I feel like I never have time alone with her anymore. The caregivers are nice ladies but there are just some things that they don't need to know or hear. I still need to get her a new PCP which still sucks.

The other thing is I am not going to Fitbloggin12. I have been really looking forward to it but the expense to fly across country is steep. It's $500+ for airfare alone. It is just too much for me to spend right now. It sucks but it is what it is. I don't want to go in hock just to go you know what I mean? If you are interested in going and would like to buy my ticket let me know via email at katiejisonherway [at] gmail [dot] com. I paid $199 for a full access ticket.  I also reserved a room at the Hyatt which now is booked solid so you could also utilize my room reservation as well. BIG sigh...

Until next time...



Friday, August 17, 2012

Fantastic Friday!

I am so glad that it's Friday I could cry! Seriously, I don't think I could handle much more. 

Last night was productive which was good. I have a no shoe rule in my apt. to help keep the carpets cleaner. We would use the Green Machine to clean up any spills or spots as needed. It was pretty effective but it was time to really clean the entire carpet so I decided to invest in a Hoover SteamVac. I am an Amazon Prime member so I got a good price for it and ohhhh eeemmmm geeeeee it worked great. Here is a sample of the difference:

I was proud of myself for assembling the steamvac on my own. I had to study the directions for awhile but I did get it put together. I haz tools and I knowz how to uze them!

Today, I will be getting flowers delivered at work. From me to me! I had a Groupon that I bought awhile ago and decided today was a good day to get them.  Here is the picture from their website. Next to long stem pink roses, Gerbera daisies are my fave flower. I love the fun, happy colors they come in.




As for this weekend, I will be finishing the carpet cleaning, going to a baby shower for a friends sister and getting some form of exercise. It is going to be cooler then it has been so that will help.

I will be doing an excellent giveaway starting on Monday. I am super excited about it but you'll have to check back to see what it is.  Until next time...





Thursday, August 16, 2012

Kitteh and Katie

Good Morning friends.  Hope you are doing well. I am hanging in there. It has been a stressful week so I am feeling a little drained on the emotional front. Last night, my neighbor made some chicken with rice pilaf and brought it over for me so that is what I had for dinner. It was good. Unfortunately, I grazed after that and ended up having a little carb fest with a wrap AND a bagel. Blechh... I'm upset with myself but alas today is a new day. In the past, I would have spun out and said "Screw It" but not now. Like the image says, EVERY second is a chance to turn your life around. 


Source
Tensions are high in the office today. Since school is starting on Monday, things are getting stressful.  Construction needs finishing, liscencing needs to visit, the fire marshall needs to approve, etc. I am just trying to lay low and not get in anybody's way. BIG sigh...

Bogey is still a cute little rascal and he is getting bigger every day. He truly is like a kid - watching him learn and grow.

My concern is my lower legs. Like all kittehs, he likes to play and even bite on me which would not be an issue but because of my NLD, my skin is comprimised. I have one spot on my ankle that he nicked and I am afraid it will become an ulcer. Right now it is just a blood blister.  The last time that I had an ulcer I had to bandage it daily for 6 months! I heal a lot faster then I did back then but I am still concerned. Keeping an eye on it and crossing my fingers.

Until next time...


Wednesday, August 15, 2012

Worrying Wednesday

Did not feel like cooking so I had ham and cheese wraps for dinner. I used the Multi-Grain with Flax variety. They were a teensy bit dry but with a little extra mustard they were fine. I did not realize until I looked at their website how many flavors they actually have. The grocery store closest to me does not have them so I went to Safeway. Of course they are on the top shelf so I can barely reach them but I am not sure what other flavors they carry. I will have to check it out.


Here are yesterday's stats:
Calories where over the top. Barely a 100 calorie deficit. Not good.

Thanks for your comments on yesterday's post. My intent on sharing the story was that I hope to save someone from the effects of obesity on your health in the long term. I did not take action soon enough and was faced with the co-morbidities like high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, sleep apnea and other afflictions. With my weight loss I have been able to reduce medications and all my numbers are in check which is good news but doing insulin shots and sleeping with a CPAP machine are NO FUN!  As for how she reacted, I was a little taken aback that she go SO defensive and resorted to name calling but I knew before I commented that there might be repercussions.  I have never had anyone call me vile or evil before. I have been called mean a few times. If I am pushed too hard, I will lash out and yes I can be mean.

I am worried because there was a murder one street over from my work on Tuesday. A guy was shot to death in his car at 1:40 p.m. in the afternoon. Yikes!! It is a very industrial area of San Jose and there are a few times I have been fearful even in broad daylight. The alternative is stay on campus at lunch but I also like to get away for awhile so I will have to figure something out.

The other thing I am worried about is my neice, Candace. She lives in Sacramento and her mom, my sister, Tess, called on Monday to ask if I had heard from her. It has been months since I talked to her. They filed a missing persons report and checked the hospitals and morgue with no results thankfully. I was sending a text to Tess just now and she was sending one at the same time! Eeeek! It gave me goose bumps! Looks like Candace called her landlord and the landlord called Tess to say he had heard from her. I just hope and pray she is okay and that she makes amends with her family. Until next time...




P.S. I have some exciting giveaways planned so stay tuned for that :)

Tuesday, August 14, 2012

Coddle or Throttle?

Had a decent evening. I did not really eat dinner but had some grapes, almonds and swiss cheese. Pretty random but it was hot and it worked. Did no formal exercise. That needs to change immeadiately!

I had a situation happen last week that reminded me of my own story and I thought I would share it in hopes of helping someone see the light so to speak.

There is a blog that I used to read until recently and the blogger considers his/her blog a weight loss blog. They have been blogging for 5 years and the goal for this blogger is to lose 30 lbs. so they can get Gastric Bypass surgery. Over the course of the 5 years, the blogger has lost a total of 5 lbs or 1 lb. per year. This blogger is over 300 lbs. and is 40 years old. I had been reading this blog for quite awhile and decided to comment. On this particular week the blogger gained after a week of waiting to weigh in. I basically said that no matter how it was spun, it was still a gain and that if he/she did not take some action soon that their future would be filled with obesity related co-morbidities like sleep apnea, diabetes and high blood pressure. Well, needless to say the comment flew over like a lead balloon. The blogger totally attacked me in the comments and in subsequent emails. She called me evil, vile, mean and nasty all because I mentioned something that could happen if she did not take some action.  I had debated about even commenting but after a year of reading I thought it was time. Apparently, she just wants people to comment that support her and don't question her progress or lack thereof.

It reminded me of my own situation. I had friends that wanted to approach me about my weight but did not for fear of offending me but asked why I was being coddled by others. Ultimately, I had two different friends separately approach me and expressed their concern for my health and that they wanted me to be around and not die from obesity related illnesses.  It is what was the final straw for me to finally do something. I lost 68 lbs. and have kept it off for a year and a half now. I have only lost about 8-10 lbs. in the last year but plan on losing much more. I don't claim to know more then the next person about weight loss but I have walked the walk and made some progress towards my goals in the 3 years I have blogged.

It also reminds me of another friend I have. He is a nice guy but he does a few things that are counter productive to a successful future. I watched him do it for a few years and finally said something about it to him and he took it okay actually. He has made some progress and is working on a brighter future for himself. He knew it was coming from a place of kindness and not a judgment call. He was grateful I said something just like I was grateful that my friends took the time to say something to me. Until next time...

Monday, August 13, 2012

Mundane Monday

How was your weekend? Mine was pretty good overall. Saturday, I took Bogey to get his final shots. I am glad I went when they opened because it was chaos when I left. LOTS of goggies. I think there were only two other cats the whole time.  One of the cutest goggies was a minpin that was 8 weeks old named Peanut. His owner is going to mate him with another minpin named Jelly. How dang cute is that?!? He was so tiny and I just loved his sweet puppy breath. Too bad their breath doesn't stay like that!

Not much else to report. Went grocery shopping and also bought a case of meat and a box of halibut from my friend. There is absolutlely no room left in the freezer. Fortunately, he put the meat in there so it got stacked properly. I had a bacon wrapped filet mignon last night for dinner. Yummy! Also went to my mom's for a little while.

I had recently contracted a company to trim trees and put in new tan bark and it looks fantastic. It was way overdo but now it's done. My next plan of action is to get a quote on replacing the fence on the right side of the property. It has fallen down in one spot and looks like crap. The neighbor is an odd bird to say the least and it is on his side of the property. He is a recluse and I am going to approach him about splitting the cost. When my dad was alive, he wouldn't even approach him about things like that. He would just pay for it all and not deal with him. I am a little nervous but the worst thing that could happen is he says no.  Until next time...


Friday, August 10, 2012

Winner Spinner

Happy Friday! Yay! Best day of the work week I tell ya! Had a good day yesterday. I had Flounder for dinner with some sweet potato fries and spinach. Stayed on plan and I even got in all my water. Deficit of 764 which is not bad. Anything over 500/day will get me a 1 lb. loss per week (500 cals x 7 days = 3,500)



The winner of the Biggest Loser DVD is Patrick from Responsibility 199. Congratulations Patrick! Please check your inbox. I am doing another giveaway in the next week or two so stay tuned for that :-D

After work yesterday, I wanted to do some paperwork but was draggin ass so I decided to drink a double espresso to give me some umphhh... well it did and I got things done but I did not go to bed until midnight. I am usually in bed by 10:00 p.m. at the latest so it was a late night for me. I was up at 5:00 a.m. but I surprisingly have some energy. Maybe because is is Friday and I am in a good mood. Either way I'll take it.

Nothing too exciting planned for the weekend. It is going to be a scorcher though... triple digits... so I will be trying to stay cool. I need to take Bogey in for shots and they are open 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. I haven't tried to get him in his carrier for awhile. I hope he still fits lol.  Until next time...

Plum tuckered out!

Thursday, August 9, 2012

Choosy Beggars

Good morning y'all. Last night was uneventful. Not in the mood to cook so I just made wraps. Spinach and roast beef. No activity though. I think I may be having a gallstone issues. I have never had them but it feels like I may have them now. As women, we are more prone to them and it is not uncommon for people losing weight. I am hoping it just goes away by itself.  As for the scale, I am holding steady at 249. Not where I want to be but not a gain.

So yesterday I went to get a taco at the local taquiera and sat outside to smoke chill for a minute and was approached by a homeless man. It is not uncommon at this area (by my work) and I am accustomed to people asking me. I usually just give them my pocket change. In this case he said he was hungry and so I pulled out my wallet and had two $5 and one $10. I handed him a $5 and instead of thanking me he said - and I quote - "That is not enough" I had to process it for a minute and then told him that was all I had and that I am sure he could find something to eat for $5 and walked into the restaurant. I was astonished at his response. I posted this on Facebook and almost everyone says not to give anyone any money and now I think I will follow suit. I have been more then generous and figured it was good karma points but in essence I am just enabling them so I am done.

Bogey at almost 4 months old
I've got my Fitbit on, eating oatmeal and hoping to have a good day. Until next time...



P.S. Did you enter the giveaway yet?

Wednesday, August 8, 2012

Fail and Cool Finds

Happy Hump Day! Hope you all are doing okay. I failed to put on my Fitbit this morning. I put it on the charger to charge and upload data and walked out the door without it. Grrr... It is a tiny little bugger and just like anything else it needs to become a habit. Did not feel like cooking so I had PB&J for dinner. Ate too many graham crackers again. I just don't do well around crackers in general. Blerghhhh...

I have found some cool finds lately and I wanted to share:

The first one is Goo Gone Sticker Remover. I bought Bogey a litter box with a lid and flap door. The door had a large sticker on it and when I took the sticker off, the surface was all gunky so I put some Goo Gone on it and let it set for a minute or two and then took the scraper tool and it came right off! No residue and it even smells good.
The next item is the Kikkerland Easy Fold Step Stool I found this at Bed Bath and Beyond. It folds up for easy storage, is a fun color and it holds up to 300 lbs. I am only 5'2 so I am always standing on my tippy toes to reach things. I do have a foot stool at home (Rubbermaid) but I like the portability of this one. Plus it's a fun color.

The other useful item is the Mr. Clean Magic Eraser. I had a stain in the kitchen sink that I tried 3 different products on including straight bleach but it was still there slightly. I used the Magic eraser and it took it right off. Should have thought of it from the start. They do have super powered ones that I have not tried yet. I will let you know when I do.

The last thing I wanted to tell you guys about (sorry Matt and Patrick!) is the Shellac manicure. They still look pretty decent but you can see the outgrowth similar to acrylic nails that need a fill. They looked the best the first two weeks. I did a french manicure so I think that helped. Next time, I think I will try a color to see how long it lasts. I am not a manicure gal but it is nice to have decent looking nails. Until next time...



P.S. Did you enter the giveaway?

Tuesday, August 7, 2012

Tuesday and A Giveaway

So here are my numbers from yesterday. I got snacky last night and ate a few too many graham crackers but still did okay overall.  Deficit of 679. One thing I will say about the data is the bodybugg had it all in one location but the fitbit tracks them in different areas. Not a huge deal. I bet if I dinked around I could find a report that would give me the data.  This feels like the old days but that was when I was losing so I am going to stick with it.

I also wanted to do a Giveaway. I received this from one of the vendors and I have never used it so I thought someone should.

It is for The Biggest Loser The Workout 2 DVD


In this stepped up Volume 2 version of The Biggest Loser: The Workout 2 you will be able to maximize your weight loss efforts in minimum time with The Biggest Loser trainers Bob Harper and Kim Lyons and six contestants from seasons two and three of the NBC hit show. No matter what your fitness level this no-gimmicks program will give you the tools and motivation needed to shed pounds and improve your overall health! To support you in your success this DVD includes workouts specifically designed for men and women and a customized option allowing you to mix-and-match your workout according to your current fitness level. Since weight loss is also about nutrition and lifestyle we have also included both an inspirational segment and a nutritional cooking segment.

All you have to do to enter the Giveaway is tell me your what your favorite workout DVD is. If you don't have a fave, then tell me what type of workout you most enjoy. If you would like an additional entry, you can tweet the giveaway and use #katiejgiveaway. I will announce a winner on Friday, August 10th. This giveaway is open to everyone, even you Kiwi's.

Tonight is another Planet Beach session. There are so many benefits to doing the Red Light Therapy. It is really helping my NLD and I am going to write my doctor and tell her. I belong to Kaiser and I think that their patients would benefit greatly. They would make money hand over fist too. I am sure the initial investment would be fairly steep but they would make their money back ten fold. Until next time...

Monday, August 6, 2012

Adios Aerobed Etc.

Hello! I missed you guys but boy it was nice to take a little break. I had a wonderful mental health day on Friday. Started my day out at the spa and breakfast with Danielle then I went home and chilled. I started cleaning and organizing and went to town let me tell you. I cleaned out my closet, drawers and even my car. On Friday night, I decided to return my Aerobed AGAIN. This is the not the 1st time. Very frustrating! What happens is there is a switch to inflate and deflate on the bed itself and the switch stopped working and had to be filled manually. For $250 I want a switch that works for goodness sakes and it happened both times. I gave up on replacing it and got my money back. I bought it at Bed Bath and Beyond and they were really nice about returning it. I will be writing a letter to Aerobed to express my dissatisfaction for sure. That is a hefty price tag for an item that does not work properly ya know what I mean?

The rest of the weekend was good too. I went to a wedding on Saturday afternoon and I wore a dress! No makeup on my legs and no hose and I survived. No one even gave my legs a second look. I did get a few compliments and one gal said "I have never seen you wearing a dress" I told her she was pretty darn observant. I should have taken pictures but there were pictures taken of me so I will track those down. Did fine on food. Had Halibut for dinner and it was good! Wedding food usually isn't but it was this time.

Speaking of pictures, I framed these two pictures of Bogey yesterday. I found the larger frame at Kohl's and the smaller frame at Aaron Brothers. I had the small one for awhile but never put anything in it.

July 5th - Our first meeting

Who Rescued who?
How cute is the last one! OMG! I have here on my desk at work and I just love love love it!

I am sporting my Fitbit and logging my food. I need to make the next 7 weeks count! Until next time...

Thursday, August 2, 2012

Psyched and Not Synced

Good morning my pretties! How are you doing this week? I am doing fairly well. Got on the scale this morning and I am the same, 249. Good news but bad news. Doesn't get me closer to my goals but I am still hovering in the 240s. I must kick it up a notch NOW not when I think I will be ready to start. NOW Katie NOW!

I did not sync the Fitbit so no data for posting today but I am still wearing it so it will track the data for the weekly report. I just need to be within 15 feet. This is what it says on their website. The Tracker will upload your data every 15 minutes provided you are within range of any plugged in base station (about 15 feet for direct line of sight), the computer is on and not in sleep or hibernate mode, the software is installed and running, and you have an active Internet connection.

The reason I am psyched is that I took tomorrow off for no reason other then because I wanted to. No obligations and I am not sick. Just a mental health day :-) I have a short list of things I want to do and I need a pedi so I will be doing that. Also going to the gym is on the agenda. Going to look at the class schedule and see what they have going. Otherwise I will swim but I am going to darken the doorway of the gym come hell or high water!

I love you momma!
I took this last night while we were hanging out. Every day my wittle boy is warming up to me more and more. He actually likes sleep on top of me. I just love waking up to him cuddled up to me. Until next time...

Wednesday, August 1, 2012

Eight One

Went to the Laser appt. I did not take the ibu's but I did use the numbing cream and that seemed to help with some of the pain. It is to be applied an hour before and I only did it like a half hour before. What we go through to look good huh? Dayum! I have 4 more treatments after this one. Went to my mom's after the appt. and had dinner there. It was salmon, baked potato and asparagus. Delish!  Her caregiver, Lena is a pretty good cook so that helps.

I looked back in my blog and when I was most successful, I was posting my calories consumed and calories burned from my bodybugg. It helped keep me accountable and on track. While I haven't gained any weight (thank GOD!) I have not lost much in the last year or so either. I don't think I will ever make total peace with food but I have made substantial changes in my mindset and my consumption.

What I plan to do is get the details from my Fitbit and post them here like I did before with my bodybugg. I really would love to achieve my goal by the time I go to Fitbloggin12 and I think this will definitely help me achieve my goal. That and getting off my arse and exercising more! Until next time...


Tuesday, July 31, 2012

Friends and Friday

Good morning my lovely friends! How are you doing? I am actually doing pretty good.  After work yesterday, I got to hang out with Danielle and Karla and it was an enjoyable evening chatting and sipping 14 hands Cabernet Sauvignon. It is a fabulous wine and if you ever get a chance to try it, I would recommend it. I did not overdo it so I am feeling fine this morning. I actually got to sleep past 6:00 a.m. this morning! What a concept!

Tonight I am going to LG to get my 2nd laser hair removal treatment. This is the 2nd of 6 sessions that I am doing.  It hurt more then I remember from before so I think I will take some ibuprofen before I go to help with that. After I am done, I will go to my mom's and have dinner. I requested salmon (big surprise!) I really need to make a point of going over there at least once or twice a week.

Work has been busy lately since we are getting ready to start on August 20th. The next two weeks will be chaotic for sure. I am going to request this Friday off just for the heck of it. I just want to enjoy the day without having any appts. or commitments to deal with. It will be the last day off before September 21st when I go to Fitbloggin12. Until next time...