Monday Menu Planning

How is it that I let the weekend pass by and I am still not organized with my menu planning.
Why do I miss out on the opportunity to have all my meals ready to be served up at just the right time.

I know there are sites out there that help with menu planning. In fact there are sites that help with just about any kind of organization one is looking for...

For example there is 'flylady' who gives you tips on things you never thought about, and actually enjoys doing things in 15 minute increments.

There is a whole host of sites that help with menu planning and strategies to end all.

I just wanted to be able to pick up on Monday, knowing that my lunches were prepared for the whole week.  Did I get there...NO!

I am too distracted with all my geeky stuff to do what could be done, should I actually put my mind to it!

Friends who pickup as if there had been no distance

I enjoyed an evening with friends this weekend. It was as if no time had passed, although it had been almost 10 years since we last talked.

It is such a rare thing to have a relationship with someone who allows you to pick up where you are with no feelings of discomfort or fear.  Such is how I feel about Lynne, a very dear friend, who spent many days, nights and weekends in our home.  We were kindred spirits in so many ways.

Our lives take place in two different counties in OHIO, but we are always a just an hour's drive away.
Bless you my friend, Lynne.

5 Strategies for success at a healthier me...

"Have a positive attitude."  How many times have we heard that one?  While our emotions can not cause some of physical issues I have, they no doubt affect my symptoms. How can I maintain good thoughts when my body feels lousy?  This challenge, of course, does not pertain exclusively to physical issues, but to any time when things do not go as I wish. So how do I find strength to climb back on the health and fitness regimen? I am listing 5 strategies, ideas, or thoughts for maintaining a positive attitude:

1. Expect Bumps! As much as I don't want to admit this, I am at this point right now. I have seen bumps and now I am frustrated with my response to what seems to be yet another failure.  The point is, I need to allow my 'shoulda, woulda, coulda' mentality not sabatoge my over all efforts to be healthy.
2. Track Changes.  Keeping track of my numbers helps to remind me that I am still going down on the weight.  It tells the 'bigger picture' story. Although I hate the process of tracking everything that goes into my mouth or the points value of the foods, it surely teaches me that I do not always tell myself the truth about how much I am eating or if what I am eating is the best choice of foods.
3. Distractions are a must! We all need to keep lists handy of the things that make us happy.  Evidence shows that people who are in physical pain can become engrossed in a beautiful movie, talking to a good friend, or even listening to music - while the pain receptors in our brain are being tricked into leaving us alone for the moment. Why does this happen, because physiologically our brains can process only so much input at a time.  So I have refreshed my list!
4. Shape Perspective.  Is the glass half empty or half full? Am I a loser at weight watching or am I getting it done through persistence. This thought process can be most destructive if given free will to reign on our parade day in and day out.  Be willing to fight through the tough times instead of letting them define you. Don't forget the good stuff. By focusing on the positives in our lives we can be more aware of how many blessings are there and the motivation to be healthy is ever present. I will call someone the next time I am struggling through a decision that seems impossible.
5. Create a new self.  If we hang on to our old self and the attitudes and perspectives that have placed us in this situation, it will be increasingly difficult to be successful. This does not mean we should totally discard our previous conception of self; rather, we need to find a way to integrate the two. In other words, we should seek to find in our new bodies new ways to enjoy and experience the things that we had done before.  Consider all the aspects of yourself that you like, and the things that you most want to do; then step by step, find ways to achieve as many of these as you can.  At the same time, recognize that our expectations must shift so that we can once again meet them. Believe that I can be exactly what I want to become!

Why do I do what I don't want to do?

Over a month ago I decided to try weight watchers as a way to get a handle on healthy eating and healthy living. The problem is this, I can't seem to stick to it.  I love the biggest loser show and watch it faithfully.  It is so highly encouraging.  So how does one get motivated. There seems to be no excuse, especially with all the support systems around me. It can be so frustrating.  So what is the problem.  Is it the lack of energy? Is it the fact that I have soreness in my muscles on every level and I ache most of the time. Or is it that I am just so good at excuses.  I would suspect the latter.

But, here I sit in a chair with my macbook typing away. Maybe I should get busy moving. Today I wore my pedometer and sat in meetings all day.  At the end of the day I had walked 1456 steps.  I should be walking 6000 to 10,000 steps per day.

I think I must have did most of the walking before I even got to work, because there is no way I walked that much just going from meeting to meeting.

Tomorrow is another day, and Weight Watchers is a great program for teaching lifestyle eating vs dieting and deprivation.

2009 a year that changed us all!

So, where to begin. There are so many things that happened this year not only to our country but to the Myers' family.  Let's start with Politics and the new President.  Now let's stop there!

Moving on to Brayden and his surgery at the beginning of the year. He was just 4 months old when they went into his chest to create a pathway for blood to flow correctly from his heart to his lower body and back and then from his heart to his lungs and back.  What a trooper and faith building situation we experienced.  Our hearts are forever molded to this little guy and it is as it should be that he will grow and thrive for several years before needing additional surgery.

Now, life comes at you fast, but this one we didn't expect, the death of the Patriarch of the Myers.  David Myers, Sr.  Absolutely the most influential man in my life and in countless others.  We love you and miss you.  As the seasons of this year come to an end, it will be sad to not have you celebrating with us. But you are always there in our MEMORIES.

Then came the liver transplant for David Myers JR.  Yes, another experience in life that has changed us tremendously.  Although we are privilege to have Dave with us for more years, it did not come to us with out him having to pay such a terrible cost.  His life since May has been hospital bound and now he has moved into rehab.  What a story to tell by both Dave, Linda and there children. They are all the most amazing family of strength and resilience.  I have no room to complain about my life, when I think of how much this family has had to endure over the last 18 months.  God continues to rain down many great witnesses to the power of prayer and faith.

As I start up this blog, again after a long hiatus, I am challenged to continue to use this as a format for much of what I am feeling and thinking about events in my life, friends and family and yes, even random thoughts.

Thanks for all who will read and comment...

I want to grow a garden

With all that is happening in the economy, and the impact to prices of gas, food, etc...
I want to get back to basics.

Tonight for example, I enjoyed fresh corn on the cob, fresh snapped green beans and new potatoes, and we grilled zucchini on top of it all. What a night to feast on the bounty of the earth. It made me want to do a garden again. I used to have a huge garden in my yard. It was about 4yards long by 3yards across. It took up a a whole section just east of my patio.

I was remembering back to a time in my life, where life was simple. We lived somewhat in the country and Bryant was preaching at a church in the little town were we lived. We had a quiet life while living there. It was so simple. I was a stay at home mom in those days with 3 children ages 2 to 5 years of age. I worked a garden the two summers we lived there and canned unbelievable amounts of food. It brought me such pleasure to be able to be self proficient in storing up for the winter, fresh veggies and so on...

You know, I think on those times when we were so poor and yet we were content with what we had and didn't have...hmmm, imagine being content.

Those two summers I put up 200 quart jars of green beans, including more of that in tomato juice, salsa, whole tomatoes, spaghetti sauce. We even froze dozens and dozens of corn as well.
I remember canning peaches and getting sick on eating so much of them while I canned. It was a time in my life to treasure.

Brit left today for California

I sure miss her. It was hard not to be emotional, but we all stayed strong.

Our vacation together was awesome. We made lots of fun memories and spent many an hour - together.

The picture of the falls is the famous "Grotta Falls" and is ice cold coming down the mountain. They drove up the mountain to a landing, and parked. Then they proceeded to walk another two miles straight up to get to the falls. Brit and I didn't go, but all the boys did and they ran into a mama bear and her cub, a wild turkey, and some deer.

The next picture is the famous Cades Cove Mill, where the earliest settlers of that state began their small communities. You can imagine how amazing it was to see history in such a magnificent way. The old homesteads of the community are few and far between, but they are as old as the late 1700's.

Vacation has come and gone

Here it is Monday the 7th, and all I have to show for my vacation is a sunburn and no money in the bank account!

BUT IT WAS ALL WORTH IT!

Yep, my biggest hurdle for the week involved two things.
My Mother
Gaining Weight

Let's talk about my Mother and then you will get the picture as to the weight gain for the week.
So, the first full day we are there, we still have yet to pick up my pregnant daughter who is flying in from California. She is arriving at 11:20. But they do not get to the cabin until around 2:00'ish.

She looks so cute, with here nice round belly.
But my mother can't just let things go. Here is the picture, we are sitting on the porch enjoying the mountain views, and discussing Brit and her boyfriend's personalities, and then she did it...yes my mother asks "well, is your boyfriend as fat as you are?"...
OMG! My chin dropped to the floor. What in the world was I going to do to bring this conversation around to a positive note, and not disrespect my 83 year old mother.

Hmmm, let me think****
Nope, I just turned that back around on her and said, "what difference does that make, MOM"
(inside I am seething and thinking about what motivated her to ask such a question to someone who is 6 plus...months pregnant.) It is a minor miracle that my pregnant daughter just didn't go off on her right there. But she restrained herself. Or, just felt so deeply hurt that she pulled back into her shell and decided to get up from the table and go find a more positive conversation elsewhere.

What an idiot. I can't believe how much of those types of stories occurred during the week, not only with my daughter, but my daughter-in-law and then there was my grand - daughter.

So, as you might see I am a little over the edge with the vacation.
It will be the last one - where we will have both my family and my mother there!

My daughter is having a baby shower tomorrow night and she will be flying out on Wednesday to her home in California. She probably can't wait to get out of Columbus.

Free Online Diet and Exercise Journal

http://www.my-calorie-counter.com/calorie_counter.asp
Good night --- this is a great tool.

I started today with my calories in = calories out strategy for breaking down and meeting my goals one calorie at a time.

Today, and at my present weight, my goal is to lose 2 pounds per week.
So! Fellow bloggers, I have found this tool to help me and boy did it help me. Today I went to Arby's for lunch. Hmmm, thought I would order the turkey bacon ranch on wheat and save myself some calories. OMG, you would not believe it! I came back to the office and searched under my journal to add my sandwich in...
I am thinking, ahh this might be 500 or so calories. Well, let me just tell you something. If I had ordered a regular roast beef, it would had been 330 calories. But - NO - I had to over think and analyze and spend 880 calories on my sandwich. GOOD GRIEF!!!!!!

I have now expended a total of 1130 of my allocated 1500 for the day and it is only LUNCH!
What is going on! What a crazy way to start my calories in = calories out.
This forces me to exercise for 1 hour so that I can burn 449 calories which will help me stay on target if I want to eat anything for dinner. As it stands right now, I can eat 2 apples, 1 bag of lowfat, sodium, no butter POPCORN!

SHOW ME THE BEEF...

I am resolved, to learn to think before I eat. So tomorrow, I will pop in the food items before I go to lunch and proceed to order accordingly.

In the meantime, I just finished a very slow walk on the treadmill, which - if I am lucky - will have burned off a few of the extra caloric intake for today!

Journal for the weekly changes in eating

Today I had soup and salad at Cap City Diner.
AWESOME, AWESOME

A few of my coworkers are doing this soup and salad eat healthy on Wednesdays. We had a great time today. I am so excited. Comrades in Arms - right there cheering me on to be successful.

I didn't have my cappachino this morning and I didn't snack on M & Ms today.

It was good day, until I went to ladies class tonite and low and behold the host and class facilitator served us all up with "BANANA SPLITS". Now this was crazy. I was going for my womens Bible Study and I encounter the devil! Little demons everywhere that looked like hersheys syrup, caramel, marcchino cherries, mixed nuts, and whipped cream. UMMMMM
Why me???? Ahhhh, but you know --- that little cloud of whipped cream was almost like heaven.

OMG, I am so twisted in my thinking! demons and angels they are everywhere!

PIZZA, one of my favorite foods

Okay, so the 5 week body makeover is on the horizon!

Now, it means I need to stretch and exercise and yes, I need to keep track of calories.

Calories in calories out!

You know if it is so simple, why do we have a nation that is 31% greater than 30 on their body mass index (BMI)?

If it is so simple, why have we not seen an unleashing of the magic pill to the millions of people that are overweight?

I just don't get it. If it is so simple, why am I forever seeking a new way of eating, or a new way of exercising?

So a fat burning program, what does that mean? How do you burn fat easily? Can't be done fellow bloggers. There is no magic pill until they take care of what is messed up in my head about weight! All the thoughts I have consuming everyday is usually about why I am feeling bad. Why do I always feel fatigue?

So, I have decided to make the change in my life by pursuing a determination to do one thing consistently every day.

The doctor says I need to start with sugar! Okay, so does that mean candy, cake, ice cream and other such things? Or does he mean stop eating things that metabolize as sugar. Hmmm, I am hoping that means no special sugarery sweets, because if it means the metabolizing thing then I am in trouble. I love carbs!

They don't love me.

So I am starting with the M&Ms and the Cappuccino's for the rest of this week!
Next week I will try to take out refined sugars, coffee and cake

Desperado Dieting

So feeling blue about the weight, I decided to uplift my soul with a little sarcasm.
Where can you find sarcasm...
www.faddiet.com

Here is a little excerpt of humor from that site!

Amputation Diet

People often write to me and ask: "What is the fastest way I can lose weight?" Being a wise-ass I always reply with the same answer "Amputate your arm". That usually ends a conversation that I didn't feel like participating in.

After five years of replying in this manner I started to wonder how much weight you would ACTUALLY lose if you did amputate your arm. Here is a little bit of information for you:
FadDiet.com presents the Amputation Diet Plan

Fellow Bloggers this is a great site! Keeps me in reality!

Happy Father's Day

We spent a day feasting. Now let me tell you this was a very important father's day for my son who is coming up on a year anniversary of his divorce.

So, my goal was to help his two children learn how to put on the party for showing how to honor your father.

Alexis decided she would set the table outside on the patio. Tyler decided to play the wii.
Nana pulled together the steaks and shrimp while the kids continue to play wii.

So, somehow the learning experience is turning into Nana constantly nagging them to put away the game and help get things ready.

Yep, that was a lot of fun! (sarcasm). You know the generations of today just don't get this honor your parent's thing.

Anyway, we had a sit down dinner with yummy food and great times with the two men in our life that are fathers, my husband and my son.

A new car !

Now for today...all my sisterhood of bloggers.
Today was a day spent looking at new cars.
Yes, we traded the PT Cruiser in for a new Rendezvous. Wow is it nice! We are pretty excited to make a road trip, soon!

In just a few weeks we will be vacationing in Tennesee. I just can't wait to get to my cabin in the smokies...my place of refuge.

A soft bed!

Well we spent the day at the farm on Saturday. It was a good day but the grandkids were very tired afterwards.

It was bath day and all the horses took turns getting cleaned up from a very long spring. Lexi worked on her pony and Tyler lost interest and played video games.
What a fun, but long day.

All is good with the Horses. I will attach a few pics later.

Another month and no sisters bloggin

Wow, I am surprised at myself and how much I actually love blogging.
Although, I miss my friends, my fellow bloggers!

Chesney Girls...

So, this time last year my hubby surprised both my daughter and I with two fantastic seats for the Kenny Chesney concert. What a great time.

Oh, how I miss the fun times my daughter and I have with each other. She is so far away now...California! What is really bad is she is expecting her first and I am having a hard time thinking about her going through the pregnancy and not being able to be close.


But, she and I talk everyday, even around the crazy time zone differences. She is so excited about her little one. His name is Brayden Michael O'Malley and he will be loved much! She is due October 16th and seems to be doing very well with the pregnancy...even without Mom around to coddle her every move!

I am so confident that Brittney will be the most amazing mother. She will be twice as good as I was and more! What a blessing! The new daddy is doing fine and they are enjoying the pregnancy together.

I love you Brittney. Miss you more each day.

A burden to bear...

Happy Memorial Day to all!
It has been a back breaking weekend so far. We have been re-doing all the landscaping around the house. Trying to re-edge the beds and mulch as well as plant some new plants. Needless to say, my back is killing me!

The the grandkids are here and since it was so warm yesterday, they spent several hours jumping on the tramp while at the same time we ran a hose to mist them. They were worn out after a couple of hours. What fun! Oh to be a kid again, with only worries of how to have fun.

Well, today is going to be a day of rest and relaxation with fun in the newly landscaped yard and a picnic to celebrate the beginnings of Summer. Ya'll enjoy!

Arbonne...shabonne...

You will not even begin to guess what happened to me with my new product. The new SPA line.

So, I decide last night that I am going to do the spa detox. I get everything ready. Start with the Mud Pack and OMG! Within seconds this stuff is burning my face. I am thinking, it must be me, I am being a sissy. I know I haven't ever had a mud pack before, but how hard can this be?

I decide to try and leave it on a minute, but literally, I couldn't stand it! I was on fire. So I hurry to splash cold water on it. I just try to dilute it as fast as possible. I am thinking, what in the world is in this stuff.

Once it is off, I sit for the next hour trying to calm down my welted face. I get a white washcloth and keep getting it wet with cold water...and then applying it to my face.

The next thing I know, I am looking at my face in the mirror, my face is one great big red blister. I am serious, it was welted up like a huge blister.

So I get online with the distributor. "We have never heard of that happening." Well, no kidding, it is not a shocker that you haven't heard of this before!

I say, "send me a list of ingredients between the products, so that I might be able to do a process of elimination with what is in the Mud pack and the rest of the spa line".

Honestly, I am so upset with them discounting my experience, that regardless of what they say right now-I am done with the stuff!

Is Summer coming...

I am sitting here wondering why it is raining and raining this week. I miss the Sun.
I would come to the blogging site just to get my sunshine fix from the sisters and now that isn't even happening.

Today, is just another day...well have a great weekend you all!