Weight Loss and Diet Accountability

Alright--no more him hawing around. I must, must do this!



I'm bound and determined to make 2009 the best year I've had in means of accomplishing things. I already have a pretty extensive goal list, and it has really helped me to keep on track this year. One of my many goals is to lose weight, and get healthy. Quite honestly, that has been a goal for about 7 years now--ever since I've had my daughter.



I won't go too much into specifics, but I was on birth control after having her, and little did we know that due to a blood clotting disorder, that was not a good plan. I gained a lot of weight, which I fully blame on the birth control, and maybe another health issue that I keep putting off getting checked (hey, it's on the list!). Anyway, I've literally been on a yo-yo for the last 7 years.



I could stand to lose about 50 lbs. I know that that won't all happen this year, but I would love it if I could lose atleast 20--hopefully 10 by summer.



Problem here is, I don't own a scale. I would be on it all the time, and I know that that isn't how it is supposed to work. But, I do hope that in the next month or so, I will be more comfortable with having one, and be able to us it "properly".

Thankfully, my husband is fully on board with me on this. He, due to bad cholesterol levels, is on a forced diet, and we're doing it as a family. I look forward to this adventure and to what we can accomplish and learn together!



Thanks so much to Janet for posting her journey, and getting me even more amped to start mine!



I know that it won't be all too interesting, but I'm going to start posting my food intake, and exercise so that I am accountable for my actions. The blogosphere is good for that!

Do you have healthy recipes or exercise routines to share?

Catching Up

I didn't realize that it had been January since I made my last post over here. There is a lot of catching up to do.



First off: Nicholas is doing AMAZING! Apparently it really does make a difference to have a good nights sleep. We never mentioned to anyone at the school or church that we had made any changes, and we got the same response from both ends. "Whatever you are doing, keep doing it!" That is music to my ears!



We had another evaluation at the school, which happened right after we started the new medication. So far we aren't going to change a thing. Between their evaluations and the evaluations from the OT, we are fully convinced that it isn't Autism, but Sensory Perception Disorder instead. Completely makes sense now that I know what the issue is. It only took us about 4 years or so to get here.



Basketball has come and gone. The kids had a blast, although I thought it was a joke. Very poorly organized, and nothing like it was "suppossed" to be. But, the kids really did enjoy it, and really that is all that matters.



The garden is coming along quite nicely. I've been doing regular posts on my other blog charting it's progress. This has been really good for me, as it is forcing me to get outside instead of continually making excuses. It will also come in very handy with our diet plans. We are focused on becoming healthier and getting fit after getting Willie'c cholesterol results last week.



Lots of happenings going on--just nothing all too exciting! I really wanted to post some pics from our St. Patricks Day meal, but my computer won't recognize the USB cord from the camera anymore. Really not sure why--anyone know?

What's been happening around your house?

Things are getting crazy!

As soon as school was back in session from Christmas Break, I had a meeting with the school to discuss Nicholas's behavior and see what we could do. Basically we are doing more evaluations and talking with doctors to see exactly where we are.



Last week we went into his regular doctor to have a talk with him. Nicholas's behavior has been so variant, that at times it is hard to know if we are on the right track and if it is really worth it to have him medicated. I struggle so much with knowing that my 8 1/2 year old relies on medication every single day, but yet I refuse to take meds that the doctor tells me to take.



Nicholas has stated numerous times that he doesn't sleep one iota at night and his dreams keep him awake. We voiced this concern and learned that it isn't uncommon for ADHD kids to need a sleep aid to calm them down and get to sleep. I know right? Another med.



Unfortuntely yes. For now, he will be on a small dose before bedtime. He started Friday night, and it is amazing how refreshed he is in the morning and how fast he falls asleep. He used to stay up all hours of the night. I asked him the other morning how he slept and he said that that was the best that he has ever slept.



Oh what a great feeling to know that he is finally sleeping. But it pains me to think that yet again, he is reliant on a med to make it happen. Since the sleep aid is helping, there is a possibility that we pull him off of his ADHD medication. Maybe a good nights sleep is all he needed afterall.



We will also be starting Occupational Therapy before too long. This should help us a big deal, if with nothing more than just an understanding. It's been a long road, but atleast it is finally going somewhere!



We are also starting basketball. The big kids are just thrilled! In the past we have kind of strayed from sports because Nicholas has a hard time with competition and just his behavior in social settings period. However, I know that I cannot shelter him forever, and I hope that maybe this will help some. I guess we'll see.



Kait actually asked to play as well. I was floored. She never really has shown an intrest in basketball, just volleyball and cheerleading.



The only downfall with this, is that they have practice on Wednesday nights from 4-5. The kids don't even get off the bus until 4, so I will have to pick them up at school and waste an hour in town everyday before practice starts. I have a feeling we will become quite familiar with the local library.



As soon as practice is done we will have to rush home, eat dinner, and rush back out the door to church. I'm hoping that Wednesdays don't become a quick excuse to eat out. That would be a budget buster, indeed! I hope to rely heavily on crockpot meals or homemade frozen entrees.


I've been trying to spring clean before spring so that I can focus more on the garden. Our garden plans keep growing! Freecycle has become a good friend of mine! I'm tired of looking at all this "stuff" and although I was hoping to sell it and get some snowflakes for my snowball, I'm over it and ready to see it go. I've listed a few things so far, and they were claimed just as soon as I put them up. Oh the relief!



This has turned into quite the ramble..


Until next time.

Update

Do you remember this post about the young woman I wanted you to pray for? I came across a web site that her family set up to keep everyone updated about her treatments and such. Her story is far more amazing than I ever knew.



I can't even begin to tell it all here. I asked her father for permission to post a link to her website, to which he agreed. If you have a chance, go visit it, and make your way around it. It tells about their journey, the rareness of her disease and all the treatments she is going through. Their faith just exudes through their words.


Here it is.

I know that this isn't the best picture in the world (thanks, trees!), but I had to show you the wonderful colors of the sunrise earlier this week.



I was messing around on the computer, and looked out the window and this is what I seen. It was beyond beautiful! It was also insanely freezing outside, so I just walked on my front porch and snapped the picture. Which is exactly why it isn't the best.

This is the day that the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it!

Whew!

Life has been so insanely busy this week. I cannot seem to get caught up on housework, or coupon clipping! That's bad!



The big kids had Parent's Night at school last night. Oh man was that a mess! For one reason or another they had the 1st and 2nd grade parent night the same night....one on one side of the building, one on the other. They each had about 4 activities each, and it only lasted an hour! Needless to say, we didn't get much done.



But, I finally made the Rotisserie Style Chicken in the crockpot...and it was amazing. I was really beginning to wonder if we were meant to eat it. I actually put it in the crockpot Wednesday about 10. I had it all seasoned and ready to go. Noah and I left the house around 11 or so to go drop off the Operation Christmas Child boxes. I really should have known that something was not right when I walked in the house and didn't smell the wonderful smell of dinner cooking. I kept telling myself to go peek at it, but I would get busy and forget.



Willie came home just before 4, and I wanted to show off my awesome chicken. Did you ever notice that chickens aren't really all that awesome looking when they are uncooked?



Apparently, right before Noah and I left, he turned the crockpot off. I do remember him saying something to the effect of wanting to eat chicken for lunch, and that it was done cooking. Little did I know that he would turn it off!!!



So, I turned it on at 4 (which obviously wouldn't be done by dinner) and whipped up some breakfast for dinner. We just decided to have the chicken last night for dinner.



You would have thought that Wednesday night's catastrophe would have served as a reminder. WRONG!



I put the container in the crock and turned it on low since it was pretty much cooked all the way. Thankfully my nose was working and some time later I realized that I wasn't smelling the wonderful aroma of my chicken.



Did you know that in order for a crockpot to work, you must plug the bad boy in? Lesson learned.

So, I got the show on the road, again! And Noah would turn it off. I lost count how many times he tried to turn it off. After Wednesday, and the start of this go around...I watched that baby like a hawk!



But....it was one of the best chickens I've ever eaten. Hubby liked it so so much that he wants me to make a soup out of it tonight (the juice the thing made was AWESOME) instead of the Bierocks I had already planned.



Needless to say...the menu plan I made...yeah it doesn't exist this week!

Oh yeah...and we are going to Kansas City this weekend to see TobyMac!!! Oh yeah...

Does the running ever stop?!