My Three Boys

My three border collies, after a round of fetch. They all drink out of the same water bowl, and I have yet to catch a photo of them all with their heads down. These boys keep us active. As the mom and domestic engineer in charge of the house, that means I have to vacuum daily to keep the hair at bay. If you look close, you'll see I haven't vacuumed yet today...there are hair bunnies on the floor. I love my fur babies.

The Fair Fair (Two NSVs)

One half of our fair from the midway. Our fair gets smaller and smaller each year. We've decided that next year we won't go. We used to enter things in the fair, we've always gone, but year after year it dwindles to the point that there's very little offered. It's very sad. Every family who opts not to go in the future perpetuates the shrinkage, but it's expensive and I don't think it's worth the money anymore.

Here's a photo of my son on the Ferris Wheel. I had two startling realizations when I rode this with my boys.

First, as we were getting on, I whispered in my son's ear, "Sit on dad's side to balance the weight." So he did. The funny thing about that? My stinking thinking hasn't caught up to my weight reality. Right now my husband and I weigh the same amount. There's no balancing needed, aside from my 10-pound purse. (Or whatever it weighs.) Old thoughts and habits die hard.

Secondly, I need to admit I don't like fair rides. I find them anxiety producing. I don't like the Ferris Wheel. I usually squeeze my eyes shut, holding on to the bar in the middle. As if that's going to help if something were to happen! Last night I just got on, sat, chatted, pulled out my camera and took some shots and enjoyed. Halfway through the ride I interrupted and shouted: "I'm not nervous!" lol And I wasn't. And I enjoyed the ride.

Huh, me? How did that happen? I'm pretty happy about that.

Now to work on balancing my thinking. I weigh the same as my husband. !!! How long has it been since I've been able to say that? And the great thing? I will soon weigh less. That's how it's supposed to be.

I love this kid more than anything. Here he is, on top of the world.

The Fair Food

We ate at our local Mexican restaurant and really enjoyed our meal. I always guess at the points, and I think I'm fairly accurate as I've never had a gain after eating. I dutifully counted my chips out before eating them, loaded them with salsa, and enjoyed.

As we were leaving, my son got a shake. Hubby and son each got a funnel cake. They should have got one and shared it as hubs through half his away (that's why he's skinny!), and my son took only a few bites. He's nibbled on it off and on this morning. There's still 7/8ths of it left--that's why he's skinny.

I decided against donuts. I think hubby knew I really wanted a couple, so he bought a bag anyway. He made a very big mistake. He asked me to hold the bag as he paid for and got his funnel cake. The very second he passed me the bag, it was as if the whole world around me disappeared. I saw only the donuts in my hands. I heard nothing, I smelled only the donuts. I jokingly told him I heard the angels sing when he passed the bag.

I ate one. It was hot and it tasted so good. I decided I'd have two total. I ate the other. Yet, there was this bag in my hand. I couldn't resist. I had eaten four of them by the time I came out of my fog. I stood there watching, holding this warm bag of bliss in my hands, waiting for him to finish what he was doing. When he did, he asked me how many, I told him, and he snatched the bag out of my hands. At that point, I was fine. He didn't need to take the bag away, I was not going to eat anymore. Yet I came SO close. I ate double what I wanted, but I was still okay points wise--I figured it to be 8 points. (Thank goodness for flex points!) The instinct to snarf that entire bag was so strong and so overwhelming. It scared me.

I can eat at home fine. I can make wise choices at restaurants I cannot handle warm baked goods. So it was a win and a lose. I lose because I lost control for a few fleeting seconds. I honestly came very close to saying "What the hell" and eating a lot more than I did. I win because I snapped out of it pretty darned fast.

My history with baked goods is not good. Cakes, cookies, brownies, donuts...they all are a reason I got fat, because I cannot limit myself. That, plus I would down a lot of milk with the baked goodies. I do occasionally have a breakfast cookie, but aside from that, I have not had any of the sugary, fat-laden former friends of mine. I know I'm not quite strong enough to have that stuff around. I had half hoped that the donuts would taste like garbage. I had snuck a very small bite of a glazed donut my son had a month or so ago and it tasted disgusting. No such luck last night.

I know my limits, and I guess it was really a good thing that I did what I did. It was a great learning experience. I know that I'm seconds away from a binge if I make poor choices. I'm pretty determined and strong-willed, so I don't think I'll be making poor choices like that. I can guarantee you my hubby won't buy a bag of donuts again!

Whew!

The kitchen is cleaned, floors vacuumed, some laundry is done, the paperwork has been sorted and filed, the checkbook balanced, and the bills paid. Tons of bills this month--medical bills. I love how we got the best insurance plan offered through hubby's work, but they only pay X amount for certain procedures, and they say we "may be" billed for the difference, plus our co-pay. Yup, they should just say you will be. Thankfully the insurance is good, and I have paid under $300 for my surgery and doctor visits for hubby and son. I still have my doctor's bill pending, so I'll probably have to kick out a little more dough. I'm counting my blessings that we have insurance, even though I joke about that "may be" stuff.

I hate paying bills. I say this every time I do it: I would rather clean public restrooms than pay bills and balance a checkbook. I really do mean that. I just detest it.

Tonight we're going to the fair. I'm hoping the rain clouds keep moving, because we just had a cloud burst. It was fun to watch, the air smelled so clean and good. Everything is always so fresh after a good soaking rain. We're planning on getting soaked tonight, nonetheless. Plus, it's only 61 degrees at this very moment. I don't think I kept any jackets, and I know I don't have any long-sleeved shirts to wear! I might be bit chilly tonight!

I think I might just have a couple of those donut holes tonight. They're fried right there on the spot and then rolled in sugar. I have absolutely NO clue what the points value would be. We all decided that rather than eat fair food for supper, we'd go out to eat somewhere we like. (Mexican or Subway.) Much easier to count points, more pleasant dining experience (if you call Subway dining), and healthier. My son wants to get a funnel cake and shake at the fair. My hubby will want a funnel cake, too. I used to get them, but never enjoyed them that much, so I'll pass.

I typically do not eat my flex points, so I can use them for a few donut holes. I'm going to estimate high points--like two or three per hole. ??? Maybe more? They're small, but fried and sugared. I should check WW online before we scoot out.

It will be a lovely ending to a stressful day. I am always a little bear when it's bill paying day.

I haven't read blogs today, and probably won't get to it tonight. So I'll be spending part of tomorrow morning catching up.

Housekeeping

I woke up early this morning, climbed out of bed and gave my husband a morning grunt. My hello in the mornings is usually a "mmm, unh" sound. I am so not a morning person. He is, go figure. I didn't sleep last night, it was after 3 when I finally drifted off. After he left for work, I was going to sneak back to bed and set the timer for an hour when my son got up. Shoot, I'm up for the day. I'm drinking coffee this morning, lots of it.

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The green shirt that I wore in the photos has been retired. I haven't worn it for a long time. I cleaned my closet out awhile ago, and I kept it and a size 24 jeans for comparisons. Hubby took my photo that day and he didn't like the shirt I was wearing. So, we both decided the before shirt might be fun so we could compare. Actually the photo made me feel good, as I could see in the neck of the shirt how much bigger it was.

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I did not call my doctor. I know, shame on me. As soon as I whined and complained about cramps, period, etc., it stopped. The bleeding stopped. Go figure. Finally! And I've read enough on the internet to know that this procedure isn't like having something removed: it takes time for the body to adjust and heal and get into a normal routine. The pain I had had the previous week was just like I used to have before--only I didn't recognize it. So barring any complications, I'll just make it to my 3-month post op appointment with my little notebook of what happened when. And in reality, if what I had was really a period, and I'm sure it was, it was pretty darned easy compared to what I used to have. So I can count my lucky stars on that. Time will determine the true outcome of this, and I need not be jumping to conclusions. Hormones will do that to me every time, though.

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We're going to the county fair this week. I have had only one cheat day since being on this journey. Hubby and I were talking about fair food, and to be honest, there really isn't anything I want. Unless, of course, they have roast beef shakes like VRaz60 talked about on her blog. Last night was the free pork feed and I talked hubby out of going. I just didn't want to eat standing--standing in a long line to get the free sandwich, cookie and milk, then standing there eating with no place to set your stuff down, dust blowing. So not an enjoyable meal. Everyone goes, because it's free. I'd rather pay for food and have a decent experience. So I may or may not have a cheat that night. If I do, it will be on donut holes, and I probably would only have one or two. I'm betting that I decline. I may have to sneak in a Subway sandwich while my boys have something on a stick.

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I have been in a very sour mood this week. I don't know if it's due to the end of summer or what. I do know I read a blog post about where you live that struck me, as I do not like where I live. There's nothing I can do about that, so I need to learn to accept it. After living here 11 years, I am still not used to small-town living, the fact that we have no book store--NO book store, can you imagine? No museums, no Whole Foods, nothing fun that I like. That, coupled with the fact that it is an ultra-conservative community, and I'm not ultra conservative, I just have not had an easy time of it here. I get worked up over this every once in awhile. I guess right now is the time for me to be worked up about it. It's difficult when you are a fish out of water. Never in my life have I had a hard time meeting people, making friends, having things to do. Until I moved here. I know a lot of people, but I don't do things with them. There's just no common bond--even though most people are very nice. It's frustrating to me and very lonely. I can count my lucky stars that I have very good friends in various states that I chat with on the phone. It would be nice to go on a girls night out, though, or have someone to go get coffee with.

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I have a lot of things I need to get done today, errands and housekeeping stuff. It's amazing my house can be spotless one day and the next, it looks like a tornado went through it. Today is "tornado recovery day." (No offense to anyone who has ever been in a tornado--I have, and it's not pleasant.)

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One final thing. My husband and I are sick to death of chicken. I am in desperate need of chicken recipes. The trouble is finding one that all three of us will eat. What I like is completely different than hubs or son likes. This is why I have a very limited recipe pool. When I cook, I cook one meal and I try to accommodate everyone's tastes. We've never been big chicken eaters prior to Weight Watchers. Hubby and son liked deli chickens, I did not. Hubby likes fried chicken. I do not. I like tomato-based recipes, he does not. I like noodles, he does not. We are just a pair. My son, who wants to be a vegan, does not like vegetables. I know, it's funny he wants to be a vegetarian but doesn't like veggies. Actually, it's sad. He's getting better, but still has a lot to try.

I Won a Giveaway!!!

I won a giveaway from MacAttack at Fat Buster. I never win any giveaways, so I was very excited. Thank you so much, MacAttack!!!

The Fed-Ex man delivered the box this afternoon, and I promptly tore it open!

Oh, look at the pretty colors! I had no idea I would get so many!

What is it? Mix 1. Yummy drinks that have 3 servings of fruits/veggies per serving and antioxidants equivalent to 4 cups of green tea. The Mango, which I have at my side, has 200 calories, 2.5 fat grams, 3 grams of fiber and 15 grams of protein.



I waited until my husband got home from work to try them. He pulled a bottle of each from the fridge and we taste tested. Here's what we think:

Mix Berry:

Me: This flavor wasn't for me. (I'm a picky eater, so go by my husband's reviews, as he's more normal with his taste buds.)

Hubby: Loved it.

Blueberry-vanilla:

Me: Pretty good.

Hubby: Loved it.

Mango:

Me: Taste explosion in my mouth! I LOVED it.

Hubby: LOVED it, it was his favorite.

I do not think I would have sought these out had I not won the giveaway. I am thankful I did. That mango was just heavenly to me, and I will definitely check my store out to see if they carry it. I checked Mix-1's store locater, and my store should carry it! If not, I'll drive to the big city to stock up.

It's good to try new things and I'm glad we were able to. Hubby said that it's thick and filling, I though it was a good stick-to-your-ribs type drink. I can see these being really handy while on the road or on the run. I can also see them being a great pick-me-up when I want a great taste explosion. Hubby is going to take the mix berry to work and use them as afternoon snacks.

Thank you so much, MacAttack!!! You made us very happy today!!!

Lovely Blog Award

Skinny Hollie has awarded me the One Lovely Blog Award. Thank you, I am so honored. This made my day!

The rules are, I must:

1. Acknowledge the giver.
Thank you, Hollie! I love your blog.

2. Pass the award to 15 other blogs I love.

Now this is the difficult part. Must I choose only 15? What happens when you love more than 15 blogs? Because I do! I am not going to let on how this stresses me, that I get near panic attack mode trying to figure which bloggers to choose. I like all the blogs I read, and they're all deserving of an award, they're all lovely--even the guys' blogs are lovely. lol I will admit I spent a long time going over my blog roll, trying to select. Oh, it was stressful, I think some more of my hair turned gray. I am dead serious that this stresses me.

In no particular order, here are my 15:

1. Ang Get Fit After 40
2. Hadley Halving Hadley - A Weight Loss Blog
3. Amber Dropping It Like It's Hot
4. S. Ethereal Endeavor
5. Kimberly The Woman Inside Me
6. Amy The Not So Secret Life of a Not So Super Together Mom
7. Bonnie No More Stinking Thinking
8. Erin My Personal Weight Loss Journey
9. Val Festively Plump All Year Round
10. Michelle Journey to Onederland
11. Jen Mission Thin
12.Crys Bigger Than My Body
13. Tania Baby Shoes3
14. A Tail of Two Kittehs on WW (To both The Orange Kitteh and The Black Kitteh!)
15. 266