Canada

Bill and I returned after a WONDERFUL few days in Canada........ the night before we left, I started to get a really bad headache right behind my left eye..... woke up with major sinus pressure and pain........ it was so ironic that i would get sick the day before we left........ but i wasn't gonna let it put me down, and actually Bill and I laughed, what else could we do....... Bill planned this trip all by himself, and i must say he did a wonderful job.... the trip included a wonderful dinner in the skylon tower, overlooking, the Falls, Buffalo, even Toronto. we went the year we got married in 2001, and then again with the kids for our first anniversary in 2002. 8 years has changed the place drastically :(, or maybe it is me that changed. since we were there last, it is built up prob 50%, a Huge Casino.... sadly the falls was littered with garbage, cans, bottles, papers, plastic........ Doesn't anyone care anymore. I found sadness looking at this awesome wonder that God has hand made.... and see what humans have done to this...... yeah I think sometimes God Cries... Everything is commercialized, dozen of tacky shops and stores on every block. I imagined how the falls was a couple hundred years ago, when the Indians roamed the Earth.......... what a true wonder. The next day both Bill and I didn't even want to bother with "hanging" at the falls, or the casino....... so we plugged in the address to http://www.casaloma.org/ and decided on a road trip to Torono to visit this very old Castle full of history..... it was awesome and a highlight of our trip. Bill and i walked about 5 miles that day. mostly steps and mostly up hill, even Bill said his butt is hurting from walking so much. it was a beautiful road trip, along Lake Ontario. There is so much untouched beauty in Canada, so it was nice to see some of that too...

It was so neat that food was NOT a main issue, actually it wasn't an issue at all....... we took a cooler that plugged in to the car or an outlet that acted EXACTLY like a refrigerator. it was so cool.. Ha ha ha no pun intended. i put in bottles of water, i premade my shakes, i put in low fat cheese, yogurt and sugar free puddings...... along with my OMega "III" oils, flax oil, and my probiotics. I couldn't eat breakfast, and that was fine........... it was cute, Bill figured out my 3 hour timer on my watch......... and he'd ask " is the three hours up?, can we eat yet? " He had to remind me to eat on Monday....... Dinner i ate whatever.......... one day was Prime Rib, the next meal was Chicken Cordon Blue. I ate dessert, i just didn't eat alot, even Bill noticed that i no longer clean my plate, and leave quite abit on it actually! We had to walk so many steps and do so many steep hills, there is NO way I could have walked like i did, if i hadn't started hiking again seriously a month ago.......

well i am tired, and i am ready to go chill..... Love and Blessing to all

I forgot.......

How much i love my "little" world,..... and no matter how much i enjoy my hikes with Bill and Christina...... I forgot how much i enjoy going by myself too........ it has been a while since i've hiked the hill by myself, .........and i felt wonderful..... it's like exercise and meditation all in one :).
i must also say my weight fluctuation dilemma, has leveled off, and has continued to drop 3 consecutive days (6 lbs) I was telling Patti, my true weight is 3 to 4 days after my cycle starts.... which will make it Sunday. so i have a feeling with the way i am exercising, and the way i am eating........ i am going to see another day or two of a downward weightloss I ALSO NEED TO GET A GRIP ON THE ISSUE WITH A NUMBER, it has never been about numbers for me, so why am i starting now, i think it is because my little wii fit , asks me to check my weight daily, and when i do i can pick a stamp for my calender......... and now i have 7 stamps to choose from., and then i love the graph, and i love seeing my progress. Now i can still do my training without weighing myself...... but i don't get a stamp............ hmm, i think i need to deal with this LOL
well i gotta get my butt moving.......... ready for work in a 1/2 hour....
Love and blessings to all

He's just a great guy

i know there are a few out there, that don't like to see a married couple happy, but oh well i just don't give a Rat's A** anymore. Okay folks, i am going to say it, I am happily married. don't forget there is a big difference between happy and perfect...... i am not saying i am perfectly married... I have just accepted Bill's idiosyncrasies, as he has mine. We are going on nine years. so doubt that we can be called Newlyweds anymore :). As the kids get older, they seem to appreciate Bill more and more. Because now they realize the impact of him, coming into our lives, Marrying me and gaining 3 children in an instant. He put the kids first from the beginning. and that is why he kept the Albert situation as it is, that is why even years later he help their dad get a job at his work. Katie and Bill spent Saturday together, of course, a Hockey game in Pittsburgh....... they had such a great day....... what a good step daddy!!!

We are both looking forward to this weekend getaway..... i think we both need it. That is another cool thing about me and Bill... we do enjoy being together, he goes grocery shopping with me almost every week, we love road trips, he even comes and helps me clean the office. BUT in the same breath, He encourages me to get out with the "girls', always encourages a trip for just me. and i would love for him to get away without me too. Financially we work together, if things are tight, both he and i will find an extra job, extra hours...... we work together and do what it takes.

for the first time since i can remember, the PMS is dragging on, ummm, no end in sight yet. have had 3 attempts of a migraine, stopped it in the light show stage. my fluid retention is fluctuation greatly, and it is frustrating. I guess i am not used to weighing everyday, but i have been on my wii fit every morning...... one day i gained 7 lbs over night, just to lose most of it the next day, and two extra pounds the next day, just to gain 5 the day after that. my size isn't going up, and actually my clothing are getting loose again. So i am looking forward to seeing where my weight will land 3 days after my cycle starts. i am exercising and eating so well. enjoying hiking again, muscle and strength training. Christina said i am almost too perky right now.... of course she is just joking........

Well i have to go to two jobs today. i go with the elementary school as a school nurse, on a field trip, and then i will go directly to the doctor's office....... it is going to be a long day. Patti i miss ya girl, i am in great need of a Patti chat, maybe your wisdom can help pin point what is going on with my great weight fluctuation i am disappointed i missed the call, but i didn't recognize the number......... a number i don't know on my cell, i don't answer.

Christina, lets make a point to hike tomorrow morning..... i won't go to work prob until 1 pm and it isn't supposed to rain, although rain shouldn't stop us

Okay long day, need to grill a piece of Cod, seasoned with Lemon Pepper Mrs. Dash and pack my lunch for the rest of the day.

Love and Blessings to all

it has been awhile........

..... I hardly get on this computer anymore........ busy at work, but lately i've been taking any morning free time to get outside and hike. Katie was off last week for spring break, and she made sure i walked every morning....... She could make a very tough trainer someday :-). last tuesday via my Wii fit graph i lost 1 pound. HOWEVER this tuesday i gained 7lbs from monday to tuesday. although the number can be mentally frustrating since i am eating like almost perfect, and have increased my workout tons. it is also just before my "time of the month". My hormones can cause a fluctuation in the fluid balance by almost 10 lbs the next day 5 of the 7lbs dropped and two days after my cycle begins i'll prob drop another 5 lbs. Since last month was a mild cycle.... i just know that this month is going to be a killer... i work like clock work and have been for 20 years, but have really only started to pay attention the last 5 years... esp since i now get migraines 6 to 8 days before my cycle is to begin....

The Weather is beautiful, and i am looking forward to Spring. All the snow is finally melted in our yard, and the grass is already turning green. Bill planned all on his own, a short 3 day trip for just the two of Us.... and i mean i had no say in it. ... we are going to spend a few days in Canada, he has a reservation for Us for Dinner at the skyline towers.. he has it all planned. what a sweet husband. he does spoil me, i need to appreciate him even more. what is nice the trip isn't about eating, it can't be. i've tried a few times in the past week..... my lap band is still working so well, mornings esp. are hard to take anything but my protein shake ( skim milk, protein powder, frozen mixed berries, probiotic capsule opened, Omega 3 fish oil, Psylum husk fiber, and, Cold pressed flax seed oil) all under 300 calories, high protein, high fiber and delicious!!!. by lunch time i can eat a little more, but i must eat slowly.......... and by dinner, i can eat a small small serving of about anything. still no white bread, pasta, etc..

Well i need to go and hang with my wii fit personal trainer Georgie for 25 minutes. tomorrow morning i'd like to hit the trails with Christina........ hi Christina
Have a great day

I really really hate this hill

I went for my first hike in a while, Katie and Juneau joined me. and i am reminded yet again, how much I truly hate this hill..... but to get to the trails that i like, I MUST CLIMB THIS FIRST. I am about 1/2 way up when i stop and take this picture, it is a little over a quarter of a mile..... all up! my lungs/breathing/asthma tolerated it well, but my thigh muscles felt the burn. Katie kept pushing me to move faster.......... i don't think i'd like her as a personal trainer...... i am just sayin'. none the less, i enjoyed getting outside and i enjoyed the fresh air. i am going to have to up my Cardio up a notch.

The lapband is working exactly how it should...... and i am still getting used to the last adjustment.... all in a good way. yesterday morning, Bill and i went over to clean the office building, afterwards at about 9:30 am, he was so hungry....... he said he was starving..... umm yeah right... i hadn't had my protein shake yet.... and realistically i can't eat much in the mornings. BUT i tried, i ordered a veggie scrabble........ i ate less than 1/4 a cup and then i felt the stuck feeling........... Katie said to me, doesn't Bill know it is a waste of money to go out and eat before 2? I think she is right. i made spaghetti and meatballs (extra extra lean) in a marinara sauce for my brother and his wife...... i didn't even attempt it. Instead i had about 6 oz of a Chicken Marsala including 2 oz of garlic mashed potatoes. I just have to adjust my menu, and listen to my lapband right now....... no white bread, no pasta, no eating fast, no carbonation.....

i had a busy last week at work. the washing machine broke......... it was just one of those weeks! but it reminds me how blessed I am... it reminds me how wonderful my kids are...... and how awesome my husband is. he took the laundry all week to the local laundry mat so it wouldn't be an issue for me. Thankfully it was fixable, and only 60$ Well i want to get moving and get somethings accomplished today. have a great day :)

oh and in closing is a photo of two of my favorite girls :)

1.4 pounds

My wii fit measures weight by the tenth. and i will take 4/10th's of a pound off :). so in two weeks i have lost 3.4 lbs. I am very happy with that.

I want to take time to thank Christina, and to admit in writing...... that Christina was right and I was wrong!!! i have had a MAJOR tooth issue especially lately. it was a year and 1/2 ago when a filling fell out ( to the last back upper tooth on left side). I went to the dentist, and when they didn't fill it then, and said to me to make another appointment to get it filled...... i realized my dentist office was too busy. ( they are wonderful, but i think they just got too busy) when they tried to schedule me they couldn't get me in for several weeks........ well in the mean time.... we were preparing for Andrew's major oral surgery, most of the funding in our medical/dental expense account went to Him, and then Bill went on strike....... so i just said heck with it, if the dentist office didn't think it was important enough........ than either will I. FAST FORWARD . to now..... tooth causing tons of pain, starting to have difficulty chewing..... Bill found this dentist that he is really happy with......... so i decided to let him pull the tooth, i did not want to try and save it....... hell, i have a wisdom tooth trying to come in back there, now i made room for it :0). i don't know why .......i was thinking no big deal, it is like when a young child loses a tooth, they'll pull it, and i'll go shopping...... When i casually told Christina that i was babysitting Carley..... and getting my tooth pulled........yada yada yada......... She says...... " i'll take you, i'll drive you, you aren't going to feel up to driving." i sorta blew it off, but took the offer, cause i enjoy hanging with Chris, and she could help with Carley while i am getting it pulled. Well first off, the tooth is huge, has three roots going in different directions......... and it did not want to come out, it took the dentist a lot of muscle work, a lot of prying and pulling and twisting......... finally he pulled it out. i was still numb, i felt a little woozy but was fine........... UNTIL THE NOVACAINE wore off. the left side of my head began to throb.... it felt like the roots were ripped from my ear drum, my eye socket and my sinus cavity......... the blood was making my stomach nauseous, I felt terrible........ God Bless Christina, she stayed with me, and watched Carley with me, and then took me home. I don't take medicine, i can't take ibuprofen, didn't want to take asprin (increase bleeding) I did have a Tramadal, which helps with inflammation and pain, but it also makes me very very tired........ I knew i had work today....... so i didn't want to feel "foggy " all day. so i held off, used ice........ by 9 in the evening...... the pain was so bad, the swelling and the redness on my left side of my face...... i was crying ......... so Bill finally talked me into taking the Ultram...... it took a few hours since i waited so long........but i finally fell asleep.
This morning i am feeling "okay" pain isn't nearly as bad, still can't talk, and do not want to even think about eating, and it has nothing to do with the LapBand . I don't work until 4 pm, so i think i will go lie back down..... Sometimes i don't know what i'd do with out my bestest friend i sure love her like my lungage.
Speaking of friends........ i have that dear one in Arizona..... that sent me this all natural healing salve that she made........ i just got it in the mail yesterday...... one week after Christina got hers, but who was keeping track :-p, thanks Patti.
well i am going to go drink a shake and crawl into bed.....
love and blessings

OMG~~~>muscles

OUCH MY GROANING ~~~> muscles. This morning i did the complete Strength Training workout on my wii fit, and every muscle in my body is burning...... especial my core center. I also did15 minutes of Cardio. it is a great workout for me right now, and it is also great entertainment for Katie as she sits on the couch and laughs at me trying my damnest to balance on one leg, Graceful i am not :-P, but who cares:::

I had a wonderful time at McKeever, and i was able to make my own shakes in the AM, reheat my own prepared lunches, and both Dinners worked for me. i must admit i did end up bring back up my last lunch, i just assumed i could eat it, so i didn't prepare for that meal.. it was tomato soup and grilled cheese, i tore the sandwich up and put it in my soup...but i didn't wait long enough for it to soften as much as it should have, and we actually ate 90 minutes earlier than normal. ( i seem to tolerate foods better from Noon on). As the Nurse i didn't do as much hiking/walking as i could have because i have to stay in one place while several groups go out on the trails, they also did an afternoon hike, but i couldn't do that either. :(, i did manage to keep myself moving and did my squats and lunges in the Nursing Office. on Friday i walked over 4 miles according to my pedometer. I took my own snacks, of Prunes and Sunflower seeds, and I even shared my prunes with my buddy Dave one of the teachers. I so love that place, i plan on going for many more years if they'll take me.

have i mentioned SNOW yet? well we are having snow, and snow and more snow........ it doesn't bother me, and it is so beautiful......... but even i a die hard WINTER lover, is ready to see, hear, and smell signs of Spring...... not long now
Tomorrow i have Carley, and i also have plans to hopefully get a tooth pulled out. it is the tooth farthest back in my mouth, on the top left side.... the filling came out a year ago........ but honestly i didn't want to take the funds to fix it, first off Bill was on strike and second every available dollar went to get Andrews mouth fixed.... i don't want a root canal, i have a very tiny mouth, and plenty of teeth....... hey i didn't say i had a quiet mouth, just a small one....... ;0).
Christina offered to take me just in case I have bleeding issues or light headiness issues...... never even thought about that.
well i think i am going to go and read a while..... my tooth is really bothering me..........

TWO POUNDS

I'd like you to meet my trainer "Georgie", I started my Wii fit + on Feb 16 which was last Tuesday. so i guess i'll post my weight Tuesday mornings on the blog, to help me stay accountable, if i don't then ask me why i didn't post....... so i dropped 2 lbs this week. :0) I am more than happy with that...... i mean if i continued to drop 7 and 8 lbs a week like when i first had my last adjustment...... well then that would not be healthy! my doctor said once i get used to the adjustment i should realistically lose 1 to 2 lbs a week, and that is what i plan to do.
I must say the workout can be very difficult, for instance they have a hula hoop cardio game, and you think you are playing....... and playing,... and playing......... and then all the sudden your lateral abs, are screaming......... hey this isn't play. and they have a boxing game, and a bird flying game,......... and and and...... OUCH!!! my muscles are feeling it :)
I go to work today at 4 pm....... so this morning i am cooking, packing, washing laundry and getting ready to go to McKeever with our school district http://www.mckeever.org/ I already read the menu, and know every meal we will be eating ~ i am not even going to pretend that i can eat pizza, chicken nuggets, french fries, grilled cheese........ breakfast's are out of the question too..... i have my shakes, my frozen berries, and my Flaxseed cold pressed oil.... i'll prob pre make them, and just grab the shake in the morning. I plan on making my fish for two lunches, and maybe chicken for one of them....... dinners i may be able to work with to an extent.... one meal is a turkey dinner..... one meal is baked chicken......
I won't be able to do my wii, but i may take my bands, and heck Johnny taught me i can take squats and lunges and push ups with me where ever i go. i also started wearing my Pedometer again.........for this week i am not "trying" to add steps, i am just doing what i normally do, and see how many steps i do in my "normal routine"......... then next week i'll try to increase a little!!
Well i really should get my butt moving....... gotta drink 24 oz of water before my watch goes off again for my next meal, and i haven't even started yet. have a Chicken in the rotisserie, ....
I doubt that i will get on again as there is no service at camp, and i leave so early tomorrow morning........ i'll touch base when i get back.
Have a great week

my Greatest Accomplishment~

No doubt my greatest accomplishment in life happen to be these three Kids, Sammy, Andrew and Katie. Tonight was the sweater hop dance, and the classes pick freshmen to escort the seniors.... both Sammy and Andrew were selected to be on the court..... They are growing up so fast, and i am enjoying the adults they are becoming. Katie of course picked out the sweaters for both brothers....... i think she did a good job. I am blessed...... i am blessed !!!!

My plan / my menu / my stats

things are going well for me, and I am finding that i am starting to get more consistant writing down everything in my "Dietminder". this week i've also decided to try something different for me, instead of the end of the day writing everything down that i eat..... i plan my menu the night before or during my breakfast "shake". This way i can look in advance see how my protein numbers are and my calorie number, and i can add or subtract as i need. AND if i stray off my meal plan, i can erase and add.......but i find the last couple days it is nice not thinking about what i should eat, i just look in my dietminder and know what i need to eat. for instance this morning i precooked everything..... and have my lunch packed and ready to go for this evening.
today:
Breakfast:
1% milk 6 ounces
protein powder
raspberries 1 cup
Cold packed Flaxseed oil 1 TBS
added fiber 10grams

set watch for 3 hours:

Lunch:
Gilled Tilapia 4 ounces
Broccoli Cheese Soup 3/4 cup *Christina's soup
2 Tbs of light shredded cheddar * added to soup on top
Dark Chocolate Pomegranit 1/2 serving

set watch for 3 hours.

Dinner:
Grilled Lemon Rosemary Chicken 4 ounces * Patti's recipe
Lettuce/ Tomatoes/ Spinich leaves/Arugula
LF individual cheese 3/4 oz.
Red wine/Olive oil Drsg * meme Glady's recipe

set watch for 3 hours

Snack:
Prunes 1/4 cup
Choc Mouse sugar free 2 ounces

I weigh and measure everything

Calories are approx :1155
Protein is approx: 107 grams

and if you all promise not to laugh...... i started using the Wii fit + to increase my activity level until i can regularly get out on the trails. again don't laugh unless you've tried it.... my muscles feel like i've worked out with johnny, or when i tried the Firm video's a few times years ago. Yesterday i did Cardio and Strength Training, and Abdominal. Today i did 45 minutes of steady Cardio activities. it's cool how most of the strength exercises are Lunges and Squats, something that Johnny incorporates with every workout. The balance board scale is right on track with the doctors scale in regards to my weight...... and it will keep track if i want it to as my weight drops or goes up. i picked the boy trainer for the exercises........cause Jillian has just annoyed me lately. besides my little wii guy reminds me of my brother Johnny :0).
Well i am going to get a bath, get dressed and head to work..... that is if i can talk this very sore body into moving..... have a great day today

Baby Paige

With this baby's mama's permission, a crop, and a blackout around the face, i am able to post this picture of this very precious baby. I LOVE BABY FEET! I love this baby...... please understand i love my many many babies, i just happen to see this little peanut more. After all, this is Christina's beautiful granddaughter.
Paige is such a joy to be around, there is something about this little girl. she dances, sings and talks all the time. she is so happy and so much fun, haven't seen her in a while so today knowing she was at grandma's ....... i had to go down and see her.... so when i get there, get her out of her high chair, she gives me this huge hug, says in her sweet baby voice..... " hi Sandi". and pats my back..... my heart just melts., she'll be playing and she'll just look at her mama, or her meme, and just again in her sweet voice say....... hi mama, hi meme. This baby is so much like her Mama.... if she loves you..........she loves with all that she has, and if she is pissed........ well you know that too ;0). Next to my three children, Christina's kids follow..... how could they not. Chris has been my dearest friend for two + decades...... And Chris will be the first to tell you, she lucked out with the son in law and daughter in law she has. Okay now back to my little "title" girl. If you tell Paige something one time.......... she remembers it even weeks later........ gee the girl will be 17 months in March, and sometimes she acts like she is 13. I wish i can explain how sweet this baby is, ...... but i just can't get the words out..... i just know, when you've been with her, you smile more, laugh more, and love more!!. Thank you Christina for sharing this baby with me, and i promise to share my grandchildren with you someday...... no hurry Katie, Drew or Sam...... i can wait and enjoy Christina's grandchildren as they come :0)

i know i already posted today but i just had to show you....

isn't this the cutest little plate..... it is much smaller than a salad plate. 4 maybe 5 inches in diameter. i actually take it with me to work..... today i had 3 0z of grilled tilapia with 2 TBS of Alfredo sauce (not the 1/4 cup serving size suggested) with old bay seasoning. on top of the mixed greens.... no dressing. and with this i had 4 oz of Greek yogurt with 1/4 cup of Red Raspberries. and that was MORE than enough for me, and i did not get hungry even after my watches alarm went off after 3 hours. the plate has gray letters all over, no order. and as you see in Red, I "love" you!! what a better way to remind myself to be good to ME, gotta love Me first before i can love others right???.
Okay folks enough plates for a while, i promise ~ i think everyone knows how i am eating since my last adjustment.... so i think i'll move on to bigger and better things.
I had a wonderful chat with my dear dear friend Patti today, i sure miss her :(, i am looking forward to figure out when i am going to get out there.... i will make arrangements before i lose the next 15 pounds... that is a goal of mine, to at least figure it all out before then........ even if it is several months away ....... and i gotta start looking for that Bike too.... oh so much to do.....
love and blessings

"forced" to eat healthy

okay i haven't posted in a day or so, but Christina was aware that i was wondering if my lapband was okay.... because as i've blogged lately, i eat very little, i can't even think about trying white bread, pizza, steak, heavy pasta. So i was a good girl and contacted my surgeons office~ spoke with the wonderful physicians asst. who informed me that NOW my lapband is doing exactly what it is supposed to. although 10 lb weight loss in two weeks is high, it is normal considering i hadn't had an adjustment in so long. Now that it is leveling off, i should lose 1-2 lbs a week. like i've said i drink more than fine, can chug a cold glass of water like before. and if i am in pain at all it is after i've eaten something wrong or too fast, once that part gets resolved, i am fine and feel no pain what so ever. i am sure that i have readers thinking............ not enough calories, too drastic,..... not healthy...... actually what everyone is thinking doesn't really affect me, it is what i am thinking, and what my doctors are thinking that impacts my thoughts and decisions. I am eating a healthier 1000-1200 calories than someone eating an unhealthy 3000 calories. It is like this. I knew what i was getting in to, and with God's Grace, i will continue to have success with my Lapband surgery. notice i didn't say speedy results, i said SUCCESS!!! :0).
So this is where the "forced" to eating healthy comes in right now.. so right now my tummy holds about 4 to 6 oz of food, every 3 hrs. i could fill it with 4 oz of ice cream and 4 oz of Pecan Pie, or i could fill it with 3 oz of grilled fish, and 3 oz of Greek yogurt with a few berries and maybe a few greens. If i want to get healthy there really isn't an option. Oh the Doc office also said it is perfectly normal to be tighter in the morning, and looser in the evening..... so she thought a high protein, high fiber (20g), 1/2 cup of berries, 1 TBS of cold packed flax seed oil, and 6 oz of skim milk....... is a worthy breakfast, that nobody could really argue with.
So i am doing fine,........ and my labband is doing what it is supposed to be doing..... and for the record the weight has slowed down....... i lost 2 pounds this week....... i think that makes a 12 lb weight loss since my last adjustment which was 2 weeks ago ........
Have a great weekend folks.........and enjoy the moment!!!

presentation

okay, let me explain before i show you the pictures.... I always make a point to put my food on my dessert size plates, make it look all pretty, and then i take a picture, to put on my blog. i just bought several new tiny plates, a few salad plates, and a few what they call desert plates. i even put my sugar free jello in a little dessert dish. if i am eating 1/2 oz of cheese and 3 whole grain crackers, they go on a plate.... right now i have to really focus on how i eat, so i sit down and enjoy the food slowly, it makes it easier when i have something pretty to look at. So be patient with me for the next few days while i show off all my new little plates.

this photo is my lunch, it is 1/2 of a burger, with 2 TBS of cheddar cheese, Arugula, Spinach and Romaine lettuce, with cherry tomatoes and one tsp of Italian dressing. with 1/2 cup of organic low fat yogurt and a few raspberries.


sadly though i found out that i can't do beef as easily, this came back up, but the yogurt went down well.

this photo is my dinner. it is a homemade crab cake with minimal bread crumbs (1/2 cup in the entire recipe (made 8) each cake weighed approx 3 ounces. Bill had surf and turf, so he had a grilled steak with his crab cake. I didn't even try the beef this time.

I had to eat this slowly, but it stayed down.

Now i can't resist putting this last picture up, Katie and Bill were making fun of me...... so they "Vanna Whited" my plate........ silly silly family i live with, but I love them tons


this morning i had my high fiber shake 20grams of fiber, with 1/2 cup of berries and 6oz of skim milk, and 1 TBS of cold pressed flax seed oil.
snack tonight will be Greek yogurt and maybe a sugar free jello pudding.....
and that is my day of eating with a lap band

about 1000-1200 calories

My last lapband adjustment has been considered a success~ I feel good. I am able to drink without any difficulty, and i am able to eat about 60z of food at every meal. I am trying to eat 4 meals a day. after i eat a meal, I set my alarm on my watch to beep 3 hrs later, to remind me to eat again, and to not eat between meals . I eat until I am full, as soon as i get that "full" feeling...... I STOP!!! This is how the Lapband is supposed to work :) , i must admit i was a little worried last week, that i'd need to go back to the doctor and have the adjustment........ re-adjusted. i have been forced to eat more mindfully yet again. and i am choosy as to what foods I eat. i mean i'm not going to fill my little tummy with a cupcake, no nutritional value there..... but i will fill it with grilled fish and veggies and greek yogurt. :0). i am so ready to head outdoors again for my daily hikes........ i am loving the snow i truly am, but i think when Spring pushes through...... i'll be happy.

My life is going well, And the kids are doing great. Katie has jumped into school again head on. She goes to class mon through fri. but she is forever doing homework. Andrew's senior year is half way over. he does both, the dual enrollment, high school and college classes. he also works at our local grocery store. Sammy is in 9th grade, and loving being a kid.

Getting ready for the second wave of Snow, School has already been closed for Saltsburg yet again. . . . i always enjoyed snow days, i loved having the kids home when the weather was in question. and that hasn't changed.

Have a great day today.........stay warm and safe

Sunday Morning at Seclairer

for my regular blog readers i posted these photos for my co workers to view, i'll blog later!

the first picture is the walk way for our patients, there are two and three foot drifts- not sure what is going to happen........ do we have a snow shovel anywhere????

the last picture is of my yard....... early this morning..... i have 4 and 5 foot drifts...

it has been years......

it has been years since i remember snow like this. the last time i can remember something like this, was January 4,1994. The day my Dad died, it was such a hard time figuring out how to get to my mom..... I almost ended up going with Larry on a snow mobile... however, i got a ride from my home to Saltsburg then from Saltsburg to Apollo, and then Apollo to Brownstown.

Because i live on top of a hill, there was a lot of wind and drifting~ some of the drifts went mid waist if not deeper. Thank goodness for Christina's husband Larry, he came up with his big farm tractor and plow, and got us dug out! He is such a wonderful guy. Chris and I are such lucky women having husbands like we do :) Even though there are days i don't want to even look in Bill's direction........guess i'll keep him.

This morning when Izzy first went out, she did a leap off the porch..... maybe thinking like Patti does, that one can walk on the snow...... however she went into a snow drift way over her head, she panicked and high tailed it back to the porch.... ( just what Patti did too) but after a little while, as noted in the picture above.........she was lovin it. :)

I think i am going to head back into my room, put in a movie, or curl up with a book. I've got supper in the crock pot...... it is going to be a nice day!

~~> honestly

not that i am not honest in my blog anyhow, But i guess i've had the lapband for ten months, and just now am understanding how it really works. Pizza at this point isn't even possible, not even a bite. I am not having problems with drinking fluids, or taking soft foods at all, so there isn't an issue there. They have told me all along that when the lapband is working, at least for a while, the stomach usually holds 1/2 to 1 cup of food.... this morning i made an omelet, using one egg, one egg white, mushrooms, cherry tomatoes and 0.5 oz of Havarti cheese. i am weighing my food now, and my eggs weighed in at 5 oz., I ate 3 ozs. and had the "full feeling". lunch I ate 4 oz light yogurt, 1/4 cup of raspberries, and one Jello mousse pudding ( 2 oz). and i tolerated this quite well. IF I EAT TOO FAST, IF I DON'T CHEW MY FOOD WELL.... I THROW IT UP! and that is how it is. I told Christina that i am not going to exercise this week, as i let my body adjust to the decrease in calories, and i also told her that if i start dropping weight too fast... that i will go get a small adjustment (removal of fluid) my goal isn't and never has been to drop weight at high speed. Sometimes after an adjustment, if it is too tight, it is difficult to swallow liquids, that is obviously not a problem as i am taking in 8 to 10 glasses of water a day. i plan on taking an extra protein shake while i am adjusting too........ we shall see.
Well i am at work now, i brought my rotisserie in, Jeff one of my co workers brought in a duck, and i brought in a chicken. the duck was first..... don't know how Jeff talked me into trying this, but i tasted the heart, the gizzards and a bite of the duck....... not bad, Jeff said Duck is usually greasy, but by cooking it on the rotisserie, it seems to drain the grease as it cooks. my bites were the size of the finger nail on my pinky... and i chewed and chewed. the Chicken is cooking now, i'll eat about 2 oz of this, and i will eat my Greek yogurt. and when i get home, i'll make my protein shake......
We are supposed to get several inches of snow this weekend......... so i may not go anywhere :0) and that is okay by me.
Oh and Patti, in regards to your comment on my last blog entry, if you ever watched the movie Ground hog day........... that is what is Happening to Christina, she must be reliving New Years Eve...... over and over again,.. i know we are neighbors, but i've moved into February...honest

~> 4 to 6 ounces <~

This is a photo of my lunch, just to illustrate how much i am actually eating. This is a desert plate. and i have 4 oz of Whole wheat, Fire roasted vegetable lasagna with about 1/2 cup of salad using 3 cherry tomatoes and 1 tsp of Italian dressing. As soon as i finish my meal, i set my 3 hour timer on my watch, and i will not eat again until it goes off. And i am FULL!! i am not miserable and i am not having that "stuck", mouth filling up with saliva, feeling that i usually get. I must also eat very very slowly too. This morning i had one scrambled egg. couldn't even eat my yogurt with breakfast. Drinking fluids is NO PROBLEM, I had 5 glasses of water before noon. i also snuck on the scale and have dropped two more pounds, making a total of 9lbs since Thursday night when i weighed myself before my next day appointment. I figure i'll wait to exercise next week when my weight loss stabilizes, and maybe i'll be able to eat a little more. IF for some strange reason, i can't drink, or the amount of food i can digest decreases. I will call the office and make sure this is all cool. i am feeling good though.... speaking of which, I am heading to work soon, so i better get my butt in gear. dinner is going to be 4 oz of grilled fish and if i can 40z of mixed steamed veggies, or carrots and hummus...... maybe i should try carrots and hummus, because it has more calories and protein. and my 4 th meal will be 1/2 serving of my protein shake, with 1/2 cup of berries and 1 TBS of cold pressed flaxseed oil... .sounds good to me.

Getting "stuck" vs "sweet spot"

above is an illustrated photo of a Realize band in place, the upper pouch is what makes my new stomach, the food is then processed there and continues into the rest of the stomach, with a lapband there is no alteration in the digestive process as would be with a gastric bypass. the access port in which they adjust the tightness of the band is to the right of my abdomen just below my ribs. this is where they inject fluid to tighten the band. ... so when i go for "an adjustment" this is what i am getting done.
For reasons beyond my surgeon's office control, (two Physician assistants leaving, and one in a terrible car accident.) it has been about 6 months since my last adjustment. there are different kinds and makes of lapbands available. some hold as little as 4 cc's of fluid, these bands are tighter in the beginning, and people usually experience the "sweet spot" ( which in Lapband pt terms, means the point in which you are able to drink fluids with ease, and eat about a cup of food and then you get the full feeling) after the first or second adjustment. With the Realize band that I have, it holds 11 cc's of fluids. which is good that i have much more room for adjustment. However they told me on friday, it also takes several adjustments to find that "sweet spot". all these months when i'd eat and get that "stuck" feeling. I just assumed it was the "sweet spot". and i have decreased the amount of food i've drastically ingested. We went over what i am eating, and it is a really healthy balanced diet. and when i go on maintenance, it will be the perfect amount of calories ( 1600 -1700). However it was explained that the lapband isn't doing it's job if I can eat 6-8 oz of baked fish, 4-6 oz of veggies, and 4 oz of potato or rice, and 4 oz of sugar free pudding that ='s almost 22 oz of food which is about 3 cups of food......... seems like a lot when i look at it that way. The doctor that did my adjustment on Friday explained to me, that getting stuck does not mean finding the sweet spot. i can get the first bite stuck if i don't chew well. which makes sense. it will be one year in March. and I just found my sweet spot this weekend.
and it is amazing to finally understand what that means.
i can drink fine, i can chug 12 oz of water with no problem (sometimes a too tight band, and you cannot drink) HOWEVER to my surprise, i can eat only 6 to 8 oz of food at a meal. today we took the kids to get clothes and take them out for lunch, i ate chopped chicken and veggies that equaled about 6 oz's of food. I didn't experience pain or a stuck feeling, it just felt like i just enjoyed a thanksgiving dinner, and i could NOT take another bite. Supper today i ate 60z of greek yogurt but i could only eat less than 2oz of my grilled turkey burger. today was the first day i could eat something other than soft foods. and it worked fine. I ate dinner at 6pm, it is almost 10 pm and i am full, and i have no desire to eat before bed. I haven't had the stuck pain, or throw up urge. I must admit i had a miserable day yesterday..... my chest hurt from back to front... the doc said there are alot of nerves surrounding my stomach area, so when she deflated my band completely to check the fluid level, then she filled it back up aggressively (cc when they usually fill 1 cc at a time) that i may feel sore, but as long as fluids where going down, and if i did not throw up i would prob be okay. Because of her aggressive adjustment she told me if i threw up even once, i was to go directly to the ER. {{ yeah, didn't happen}}.
AND bottom line ... i've dropped 7 lbs since i weighed myself Friday morning before my appointment. :)
I KNOW that my calories are low, I know Vitamins are a must right now, and I know i must eat 4oz of protein before i eat the other food..... BUT i did get the lapband to help me lose weight. If i drop weight too quickly they will remove a little fluid, if i start to maintain again or even gain, they still have room to add more......... I love this decision i've made, and i am doing well.
I know this blog entry is quite boring, so hang in there. i had a couple people ask exactly what is the lapband, and what is an adjustment......... so i thought i'd just explain it here.
Love and Blessings, Think i'll drink a few more cups of water before i go to bed. Good Night