King Adventures

Low Impact Cardio

2012-02-15T19:22:00.000-06:00

Another good e-mail from Jillian Michaels on Low Impact Cardio!

Got a bad back, bum knee, or trick hip? These kinds of injuries can prevent you from doing typical cardio exercises like biking and jogging. Sometimes even walking is painful. But an old injury isn't a free pass to skip your cardio routine! There are plenty of other lower-impact cardio exercises to choose from.

It might be time to hop in the pool — swimming is kinder to your body than land-based exercise because your natural buoyancy in water helps you avoid the jarring knocks that can cause injuries. In water, you weigh about a tenth of your normal weight, and the range of motion for the less-fit person is much wider because the water supports the weight of the limbs. So, swimming is a good choice for people who want to exercise, but who might have problems with weight-bearing, land-based activities. Swimming might suit those who have arthritis or back problems, extreme weight problems, or are pregnant. To mix things up and target different muscles, vary your strokes during your swim between breaststroke, freestyle, butterfly, and backstroke.

Understanding Insulin Resistance

2012-02-05T17:59:00.001-06:00

I had to post this article from Jillian Michales becuase I am Insulin Resistant and actually learned a couple new things from this article!

Understanding Insulin Resistance

We heard a lot about insulin in the days of low-carb diets. And for good reason. Problems with insulin are a root cause of some of the most dangerous health conditions, as insulin affects almost every cell in the body.

Insulin plays a critical role in how your body uses food. Its most important role is to lower the concentration of glucose in your blood. When you eat, your digestive system breaks food down into glucose, and the glucose recirculates in your blood stream. In response to the rise in glucose after a meal, the pancreas releases surges of insulin, whose job is to clean the glucose from the blood. Some of the glucose is diverted into the liver, where it's converted into stored glucose, called glycogen, for later use by the muscles. Insulin then helps turn any leftover glucose into fatty acids and stores them in fat cells where they can be tapped later for fuel.

By making poor food choices, like scarfing down too many highly processed, refined carbs (like white bread and pasta!), we can do things to cause our bodies to create too much insulin. When you repeat that cycle too many times (like by repeatedly eating sugary junk on an empty stomach) your pancreas will overcompensate and produce more insulin, which your cells will eventually start to ignore. This is called insulin resistance and it is the precursor to type 2 diabetes and it is common in overweight people. Turned away at the door, the sugar is left with no where to go. If it hangs around in your blood too long, doctors call this impaired fasting glucose (if measured in the morning) or impaired glucose tolerance (if measured two hours after a meal). You could develop full-blown diabetes if both conditions go unchecked.

While high levels of blood glucose trigger insulin release, low levels suppress it, Maintaining low levels of insulin — one of the primary goals of the diet — allows your body to more easily tap in to your stored fat for fuel. Conversely, being insulin-resistant can hamper your weight-loss efforts. Try to avoid spikes in your blood sugar, by eating regularly. Pair carbs with protein, eat whole foods, avoid sugar juices and fruits, and highly-processed carbs. When your insulin-release mechanism works the right way, it helps keep your weight in check. So strive to keep it balanced!

What Will Keep Me Going...

2012-01-29T18:53:00.001-06:00

In March 2010 I posted about "What Will Keep Me Going". Obviously the list didn't keep me going... but I liked the list and still want to accomplish things on that list. I decided to make an updated list. I liked what I blogged before and decided to keep it and just add and update where needed.

I orginally did my first list back in 2005. My life has done a complete 360 since that list 4-5 years ago. I still have a lot on that list that will be put on to this list, however some things will change... like make mens heads turn, and to have men notice me and to be able to pick who I want to date, not just accept who wants to date me. I am married now and of course those things aren't inportant to me. Making this list also makes me realize that "morbidly obese" people have to go through so much in life that they shouldn't have too. I want to live a normal life and not worry about if I'm going to fit somewhere. I stopped living because of my size. I don't go to concerts or sporting games anymore becuase the seats are just too small. I make myself sick worrying if I will fit in the chairs at work and if they will hold me without breaking. I've gained 100 pounds since that old list, and now my new list is twice as long. So let's get started.

To be healthy
To watch Olivia grow up
To live a long happy life with my husband
To be able to tie my shoes like a fit person does
To not have to use a seat belt extender in my Jeep
To fit in an airline seat
To fit comfortably in a stadium seats (Royals, Chiefs, Sprint Center, Concerts)
To own a pair of "Skinny Jeans" .. no not the tight skinny jeans.. just jeans beause i am feeling skinny!
To own a "Little Black Dress"
To run a mile with out feeling like I've died
To be able to walk a flight or two of stairs without stopping
To not have to shop in a "Plus Size" specialty store
To be able to cross my legs
To be able to wear high heels
To be able to sit in a Restaurant Booth and not ask for a table
To be able to go somewhere and not be stared at and made fun of
To influence others my size and help them on their weight loss
To play sports and have fun with Olivia
To have a neck and chin
To be able to say "I Did It!"

There's just a few on my list. I'll add more when they pop into my head. Hope everyone has a good day!

7 Simple Changes That Will Help With Weight Loss

2012-01-22T19:19:00.003-06:00

*article from Weight Watchers*

7 Simple Changes That Will Help With Weight Loss
Try these tips for small changes that can lead to very big weight-loss results.

Beginning a weight-loss plan doesn't have to mean drastic changes. You don't need to live at the gym or subsist on crackers alone to get your eating and exercising on track.

Instead, think of more realistic, sustainable changes you can make to your lifestyle. Sometimes small, simple adjustments can produce the biggest results. Consider these suggestions, and think about what other small changes might work for you.

•Trim back your eating a bit here and there, not altogether. For example, sauté your broccoli with one teaspoon of oil instead of two.
•Make some wise food substitutions, like opting for low-fat cream cheese instead of regular.
•Kick it up a notch in the activity department by taking the stairs instead of the escalator.
All or Nothing
"People put too much pressure on themselves to change everything in their diets, which sets them up for failure," believes New York-based registered dietitian Shari Mermelstein. Her advice? Set your sights on making several small dietary and lifestyle changes, and you'll lose weight without really missing out.

Need some incentive? Try this on for size: Cut back 100 calories on a daily basis and you could lose about 10 1/2 pounds in a year. One hundred calories equals:
•1 cup of regular soda
•1 tablespoon of butter
•1 ounce of cheese

Skimming Off the Top
Here are seven simple slim-down ideas:
1. A spoonful of sugar can add up over the course of a year. Add one less teaspoon of sugar (15 calories) to your cup of morning and afternoon coffee each day and you'll save about 10,000 calories—the equivalent of about 3 pounds per year.
2. Slim down that bowl of cereal: Switch from 1 cup regular whole milk to 1% milk (about 50 calories less per cup) every day. Once your taste buds adjust, you'll be thrilled! That's a tad more than 5 pounds lost by this time next year.
3. Take the scenic route. Park your car as far as possible from the entrance to your office, the shopping mall or a restaurant and get those legs pumping. Ten minutes of daily moderate paced walking (five minutes each way burns about 20 calories) can take off over 4 pounds a year.*
4. Get your vitamin C boost with a whole orange (60 calories) instead of a cup of juice (110 calories) each day. Your 12-month weight loss: 5 1/4 pounds.
5. Go calorie-free by switching from regular to diet soda (150 versus 0 calories per can). If you drink one can per day, that's nearly 16 pounds lost in a year.
6. Flavor your sandwiches with very low-cal condiments like mustard or vinegar instead of calorie-packed mayo. Leave off 1 tablespoon (100 calories) every day and you're looking at close to 10 1/2 pounds a year.
7. Downsize, don't super-size, fast food meals. Opt for a small McDonald's French fries (250 calories) instead of a large order (570 calories) at your weekly fast-food meal. You'll enjoy the same great taste all year long but with an added bonus: almost 5 pounds lost.

*For a 155-pound person at 3 miles per hour. Based on calculations from Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, the official journal of the American College of Sports Medicine.

Low-Fat Vegetable Lasagna

2012-01-18T14:48:00.002-06:00

Yum Yum Yum!

*use whole-wheat pasta to make this healthy recipe even healthier, if you're like my husband and have to have meat, use low fat ground turkey*
Low-Fat Vegetable Lasagna

Ingredients

9 lasagna noodles, uncooked
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed
8 ounces mushrooms, sliced thin (optional)
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1/4 tablespoon salt
1 (10 oz.) package frozen spinach, thawed, drained thoroughly
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
2 cups meatless tomato sauce
15 ounces low-fat ricotta cheese
3/4 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
2 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese

Preparation

Prepare pasta according to package directions; drain and cover with cool water until ready to use.
While pasta is cooking, combine onions and oil in a skillet over medium heat until golden, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook about 1 minute. Spoon out half the onions and reserve for later. Add the mushrooms (if using) to the onions in the skillet. Cook, stirring over medium heat, until the mushrooms are tender and slightly browned, about 7 minutes. Add the parsley and a pinch of salt; transfer to a bowl.
Add the reserved cooked onion and the spinach to the skillet. Cover and cook over medium heat until the spinach is wilted, about 3 minutes. Uncover and cook over medium heat to evaporate any excess moisture, about 1 minute. Season with a pinch of salt.
Heat oven to 350° F. Drain the lasagna and pat dry with paper towels. Mix the oregano and basil with the tomato sauce. Spread 1 cup tomato sauce in the bottom of a 13 x 9 x 3-inch pan. Arrange 3 lasagna pieces, slightly overlapping, in the pan. Spoon the spinach mixture on top in an even layer. Spread with half of the ricotta. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup of the shredded mozzarella cheese.
Arrange a layer of 3 more lasagna pieces. Spread with the mushrooms, the remaining ricotta mixture, and 1/4 cup of the mozzarella. Top with the remaining 3 pieces of lasagna, 1 cup of tomato sauce and 1/2 cup of the mozzarella cheese. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Bake until brown and bubbly, about 45 minutes.
Makes 8 servings

Prep Time: 15 mins
Cook Time: 1 hr
Total Time: 1 hr 15 mins

Nutrition Facts
Number of Servings: 8
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 243
Total Fat: 7.7 g
Cholesterol: 23.7 mg
Sodium: 228 mg
Total Carbohydrate: 29.9 g
Protein: 15.1 g

*recipe from Jillian Michales"

BMI

2012-01-16T18:44:00.000-06:00

A number we should all know. Your BMI.

My BMI is over 60. Lets work on getting this down!

BMI (Body Mass Index) is a measurement of body fat based on height and weight that applies to both men and women between the ages of 18 and 65 years.

BMI can be used to indicate if you are overweight, obese, underweight or normal. A healthy BMI score is between 20 and 25. A score below 20 indicates that you may be underweight; a value above 25 indicates that you may be overweight.

Click HERE to enter in your information and find out what your BMI is.

18.5 or less Underweight
18.5 to 24.99 Normal Weight
25 to 29.99 Overweight
30 to 34.99 Obesity (Class 1)
35 to 39.99 Obesity (Class 2)
40 or greater Morbid Obesity

Please remember, however, that this is only one of many possible ways to assess your weight. If you have any concerns about your weight, please discuss them with your physician, who is in a position, unlike this BMI calculator, to address your specific individual situation.

This information and many other helpful tools can be found at http://www.bmi-calculator.net/

2011 Recap

2012-01-15T17:37:00.000-06:00

I thought I'd take a moment and recap the best of my 2011. 2011 was an amazing journey for me. Many ups and downs, highs and lows. Although there were many great things that had happened (especially with Olivia) I only have a couple of months that really stick out for last year.

February - after 75 long stressful days, Olivia got to come home from the hospital.
May - Daniel and I were able to purchase our first home. It feels so good to be able to provide for my family. Olivia has her own room and a play room. Danny has a "mancave" and the dogs have a HUGE fenced in yard. I never knew what pleasure could be brought from watching those to silly dogs run and play.
November - We received the news that Olivia would not need a shunt. Tears of happiness filled our eyes has we felt a huge relief being lifted off our shoulders. We still have to have follow ups with the neurologist and MRI's, but right now everything is going great.
December - Olivia turned 1. What an emotional and wonderful day. It's amazing to see how far she's come in just 1 year. She is taking this world by storm. December was also amazing because Olivia was home with us this year to celebrate Christmas.

I can't wait for 2012. I look forward to every day it brings me. I can't wait to watch Olivia grow and learn. She is such an amazing girl. I also can't wait to conquer the changes that I want to make with myself. Personal, Professional and Economical. I want to be the best mother, wife, daughter, and friend I can be. I want to finally get rid of all this excess weight, all the sadness it brings with it and be free of the shame it causes. I want to be the best worker I can be for the State of KS. They are amazing to work for and helped me out a great deal in 2011 when I needed time off for Olivia. And I want to learn to manage my money, pay off debt and provide for my family. I've never been able to manage money or lose weight, so this year, I dream to do both... May my dreams come true~

Emerald 100 Calorie Pack Nuts

2012-01-12T08:49:00.000-06:00

Another new snack, another review. Emerals Nuts has a 100 calorie pack of nuts. Excellent! Nuts are good for you and they come in a variety of types and flavors.

At first, I was shocked by the amount of nuts that equal a 100 calories. You get a small handfull and thats it! There's not very many nuts per bag, but that's why I like it. Nuts are something so good and healthy that it's easy to go over board. I never paid much attention to how over my calories I was going on Nuts. This small bag is perfect for an over eater like me. I know I will pay more in the long run buying nuts in the little small bags, but I don't have to be accountable for eating a handful every time I measure out a serving to put in a ziplock! I love the Walnut and Almond Mix. And the Cinnamon Almonds. My only downfall is that I want to eat more then one bag!

FIber One Chocolate Peanut Butter Brownie - Review

2012-01-08T14:06:00.000-06:00

I've been seeing these advertised on TV for the past few months and thought they would be great to satisfy my chocolate/sweet cravings.

YUCK! They look good. They are small in size. They are DRY! They are not very sweet nor do I really taste any peanut butter. They almost seem chalky to me. I wish I would have only bought one of these instead of a box. Some may like these, but not me. I needed a couple glasses of milk to get this brownie down.

I give this brownie 2 thumbs down!

A Dynamic Duo: Exercise & Weight Loss

2012-01-08T12:51:00.000-06:00

A Dynamic Duo: Exercise & Weight Loss
For long-term weight control, physical activity may be even more important than diet. Here's why.
by Susan Moores, M.S., R.D

Why is exercise so important in a weight loss program? Here are 5 good reasons.

Exercise burns calories. Weight loss comes down to a very simple equation: Burn more calories than you take in. Every time you move, you help tip the scale in your favor.
Exercise preserves and builds muscle. Muscle burns calories. The more muscle you have, the more calories you burn all day long – even at rest. The right exercises help you maintain the muscle you have, and build even more.
Exercise can change your shape. Women (particularly as they approach menopause) and men alike often find that excess fat tends to settle or accumulate in the midsection – where it poses a greater risk of heart disease, high blood pressure and diabetes than fat on the hips and thighs. The good news: Research suggests that abdominal fat may be more responsive to hormones released during exercise that cause fat to break down.
Exercise supports long-term success. Dieting can help you lose weight, but exercise strongly influences whether or not it stays off. Studies show that dieting plus physical activity is the most effective recipe for losing weight, but for keeping it off, physical activity matters most.
Testimonials count. The National Weight Control Registry tracks thousands of dieters who have lost, on average, 60 pounds and kept it off for five years. More than 80% of registry members say exercise was and is integral to maintaining their healthy weight. Other studies agree that regular exercise is a good predictor of long-term weight loss success.

Beyond Weight Loss

Apart from its role in weight loss, there's more good news about exercise and its role in maintaining health.

Exercise keeps you physically sharp. Physical activity bolsters your endurance and energy levels, and helps improve flexibility. At any age, exercise can rebuild lost muscle, and improve strength and stamina.
Exercise boosts attitude. Studies show physical activity improves self-esteem, offers a mental lift, reduces depression and eases anxiety.
It's integral to good health. Even without weight loss, exercise can:

Cut the risk for heart disease by improving cholesterol levels.
Protect against diabetes by increasing the body's sensitivity to insulin.

Strengthen bones.
Improve sleep.
Possibly lower the risk of some cancers, including those of the breast and colon.

Happy 1st Birthday Olivia!

2012-01-04T13:02:00.002-06:00

I'm a month late on this post, but I am home sick and can't rest.. so here it is!

My beautiful 27 week baby is a year old. What an emotional day. We celebrated with those closest to us. Presents, balloons and cake! Here are a couple of pictures from her party.

Olivia overall is doing very well. She weighs 21 pounds and is almost 30 inches long. Thats a long way from 2.12 and 14 inches! She has 8 teeth, loves saying dada and bub bub. She has a bunch of words, but those are the favorite. She loves bouncing in her exersaucer and her favorite food is sweet potatoes and gerber puffs! She is crawling all over the place and is pulling herself up. Im so proud of my little boogie!

It's all built up, time to let it out.

2012-01-03T17:23:00.001-06:00

Well after days of debating and crying ounces of tears, I've decided to join my works Biggest Loser competition. I already have the best co-workers in the world, I know they will be super supportive of me.

I'm at the heaviest I've ever been. EVER. And if I don't change things, I may not be able to watch my little girl grow up and grow old with my husband. My body aches, my feet hurt and I can't walk a block with out being winded, we wont even mention how hard it is for me to do the stairs at my house.

I've spent my whole life fat. FAT, I'm not even going to cushion it, I'm far from chunky, chubby, obese and even morbidly obese. I'm a couple of my co-workers in one. I'm a few super models in one. I've been teased. I've been humiliated. I've been embarrassed. I've been harassed. I've been ashamed. I'm tired of being all these things. Growing up, I got made fun of. DAILY. Classmates, friends and my Brother teased and made fun of me daily. I got called every name in the book, fatty, two ton tonya, big bertha, elephant, hippo, pig, Roseann (I'd be happy to be her size now) and many many more.

My grandpa tried to buy my weight. I couldn't even be motivated by money to lose. I remember the first time I had to get off a roller coaster because I didn't fit. The joker ride. Humiliated. I've squeezed into seats at stadiums and listened to the people next to me make fun and make rude comments because I was "squishing" them. I got called up in front of an airport full of people to be told I was too big to fly and needed to purchase a second ticket. Tears.

Dating. Horrible. That's all I'm saying on this subject. I am so lucky that I met my husband who loves me no matter what. Who doesn't look at me like a fat person. Just his beautiful wife.

My whole life I've been fighting my weight. Every time I get my hopes crushed, or I get depressed or lonely, I eat. It doesn't make sense, something that makes me so sad, I turn too. It's an addiction. It's comfort. It's my friend.

My uncle said it best "food was my friend & my friend is killing me". I don't want to die this way. I am too young to be thinking about dieing.

2012 - bring it!

1st Birthday Party Planning

2011-11-27T19:54:00.001-06:00

I've been thinking about Livi's first birthday since she came home from the hospital. Her birthday is less then a week a way and I still don't have it done/planned! I just placed her cake order with KlassyKakes KC I can't wait to see the final product. We are doing a Minnie Mouse theme with hot pink and Zebra decorations. I ordered a cute banner from an Etsy seller. Balloons are a must, but what else do I need? Olivia can't have a lot of party guest due to her BPD and her lungs are still damaged from her being a preemie. It's easy for her to catch colds and get RSV, which can turn deathly in infants, especially preemies.

Do I plan games? Do we have snacks? Do I give party favors? Off to the internet I go to get some tips. Here's what I got from AmazingMom.

BABY'S 1ST BIRTHDAY PARTY TIPS
When should I have my party?

Keep the party short 1 to 1-1/12 hours is about the most a one year old can handle without getting over stimulated and possibly cranky.
Schedule around nap times. Late morning, allows for a morning nap or late afternoon to allow for an afternoon nap.
Weekend parties usually work better for parents and other adults.

How many guest should I invite?

Most first birthday parties are for the adults in your child's life (family and friends). Invite the most special friends and relatives.
Keep it to a manageable number of guests for you and your space. Keep in mind, that you will be caring for your little one at the same time.
If you intend to invite other babies or toddlers 1- 3 guests is ideal with a maximum of 5.
Parents of little ones should be included as guests so they can assist their children and you if necessary.

Should I serve food?

Although it is not necessary to provide a meal, finger foods are always nice. Especially with babies.
Check with ALL parents regarding food allergies and safety. Keep packaging fun but safe.

What else should I keep in mind?

Be flexible! All parents know that children and their behaviors are not predictable. Un-scheduled rests, tears, accidents etc. are to be expected at a baby's first birthday. Just relax and go with the flow.
To help you be flexible...arrange for help from a reliable friend or family member who can watch your child or entertain while you change a diaper, pick up a spill etc.
If you plan on having children at the party keep plenty of toys and activities available to keep them occupied.
Baby-proof the party space.
Parents are often looking for a healthy alternative to the standard, birthday cake for their baby's first cake.

Wish us Luck!

Article: Start Losing Weight Today!

2011-11-26T19:33:00.001-06:00

I have been saying for months "I am going to lose weight", "today is the day", "I'll start tomorrow". Tomorrow hasn't arrived yet. I find every excuse to not do it. I need to, I'm killing myself. I Have a goal to lose 30 pounds by my daughters first birthday, well that's next week and I don't see that happening, unless I cut off my foot!

Anyway, I do read articles about weightloss and diets and food and all that jazz, and I wanted to share this one with you. I actually got it from my work, they are all about making my us "healthy". I've gotten some good pointers and suggestions and will be posting them as I feel worthy.

Enjoy!

Start Losing Weight Today!
Five things you can do now to make this plan work for the long-term. by Heather Zeitz, R.D., C.D.N.

When you start a new weight-loss plan, you need to go step-by-step. Don't overwhelm yourself with too much information or high expectations. If you want to keep the weight off for good then this is a long-term commitment.
But you do want to use your energy and excitement to get yourself on the right track. Below are five things you can do right now that can help you have success. You can do this!
Step One: Set Your Goal
One of the keys when making any change is to have a clear goal.
Long-term goal: What's your ideal goal weight? Establish a healthy, achievable and sustainable weight-loss goal with our Diet Manager tool. You'll get a personalized meal plan, an on-line journal, and quick tips to help you reach your goal. Check in a few times a week!
Short-term goal: Now look at the next six weeks and decide on a realistic starting point. A good short-term goal would be to lose five pounds through the first six weeks. Remember, it's important that your short-term goal be achievable!
Step Two: Learn the Basics on Calories
Many diet plans have complicated formulas and ratios. But the basics of weight loss are simple:
Consume less, burn more: To lose weight, you need to burn more calories than you consume. Our plan will help you be satisfied on fewer calories, while encouraging you to stay active and burn more calories.
Step Three: Choose Your Foods Wisely!
Learn portion control: Identify any foods that you're more likely to overeat. Common problem foods include: ice cream, cakes, cookies, full-fat cheese, pizza and red meat. Cut back on these first. Read labels carefully and watch how much goes on your plate. Remember these tips to help visualize your portions:

1 cup is about the size of a baseball.
1/2 cup is close to the size of a computer mouse.
A deck of cards is equal to about 3 oz. of protein.

Pick healthy favorites! Now for the fun part. Find healthy foods that you can substitute for your high-calorie favorites. Pick foods you like! Your meal plan (which you can access from your Diet Manager) will give you ideas.
Write them down! Start recording your eating habits in food journal. This is a proven strategy for weight loss. Use our Progress Tracker to record your foods online or just use a notepad. Stick with it!
Feel full on fewer calories! If you fill your plate with lean protein-rich foods, fruits, vegetables and whole grains, you'll feel more satisfied. Soups are a great example of a food that can fill you up on fewer calories. "Several studies show that soup eaters end up weighing less than non-soup eaters," says Penn State nutrition professor Barbara Rolls, Ph.D.
Step Four: Make a Plan to Exercise
Make it easy: To make your plan work you have to get moving! Identify at least three exercises you can do easily and conveniently.
Schedule it: Get specific about exactly when you will add activity. Decide now, write it in your calendar or planner and stick to it.

Step Five: Get Support
You're much more likely to keep to this plan if the people around you are supporting it.

Talk about it! Speak with your friends and family and let them know about your goals. See if they'll agree to help by giving you positive encouragement along the way. Find a partner! Even better, see if you can find someone to join you as a fitness buddy. You can help each other stick with it!

To Keurig or to not?

2011-11-25T18:05:00.000-06:00

Does anyone out there (all 11 followers) have a Keurig Brewer? I thought it would be a nice little holiday present for my husband and I. We aren't big coffee drinkers, and we like a cup of coffee on occasion. We have a traditional coffee pot, and when we make a pot, 75% of it goes to waste. I've heard people talk about these and have seen them advertised and wanted to check them out.

Wow these things are pricey! On average, the Keurig cost $120-$160. And on top of that, you have to buy the special K-Cups for it. Those can run up to $18 for 18. The good part is that it cost only $1 for a cup of coffee. The bad part is it cost you $150 to get that one cup of coffee. I just don't know if I would get my money out of the machine for that price. Plus they still take up as much room as a traditional coffee pot.

Are there any brewers out there that are similar and cheaper? I do really like the idea of 1 or 2 cup brewing.

New Photos

2011-11-19T21:08:00.002-06:00

Totally random, but I need to add new photos to my blog and redo my header!

Taco Soup

2011-10-27T21:17:00.000-05:00

My husband and I loved this new dish. Taco Soup. I loved how easy it was to make and made the house smell wonderful. I used 2 cans of beans instead of one, and left out the chilis. Perfect for these cool fall days!

Slow Cook for 6-8 hours on Low.
Ingredients

1 pound ground beef
1 onion, chopped
1 (16 ounce) can chili beans, with liquid
1 (15 ounce) can kidney beans with liquid
1 (15 ounce) can whole kernel corn, with liquid
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
2 cups water
2 (14.5 ounce) cans peeled and diced tomatoes
1 (4 ounce) can diced green chile peppers
1 (1.25 ounce) package taco seasoning mix

Directions

In a medium skillet, cook the ground beef until browned over medium heat. Drain, and set aside.
Place the ground beef, onion, chili beans, kidney beans, corn, tomato sauce, water, diced tomatoes, green chile peppers and taco seasoning mix in a slow cooker. Mix to blend, and cook on Low setting for 8 hours.

Day Zero - House Edition

2011-10-22T10:29:00.000-05:00

So here is the list that I've came up with so far for my Day Zero "House Edition".

Bob Villa, Where are you???

1. buy/install trim in livi room
2. fix basement bath plumbing
3. replace all plug ins & plate covers
4. replae all light switches & plate covers
5. put up outside trim boards
6. put up shutters
7. replace front door or paint
8. repair concrete in back yard
9. build front deck
10. rebuild back deck
11. put up stair trim
12. grout bathroom tile
13. replace front door screen door
14. fix outdoor faucets
15. fix toilet seat and seal upstairs
16. fix shower wall
17. install splash guard in garage for dogs
18. replace or paint trim by outside front door
19. put up sheet rock in laundry room
20. install insulation in laundry room
21. redo front window trim outside
22. fix livi pink bedroom door to make it close
23. put up new sheet rock in base bath
24. repair garage ceiling
25. repair holes in walls
26. build shelves/rods in master bedroom closet

$$ It’s all about the Benjamin’s baby $$
27. buy and install fan for Livi room (purchased June 2011)
28. buy stove (may 2011)
29. buy over counter microwave (may 2011)
30. buy new fridge (may 2011)
31. buy water hose
32. buy rake (sept 2011)
33. buy air conditioner-central air (june 2011)
34. buy heather & install (bought june 2011)
35. buy lawnmower (push mower june 2011)
36. buy charcoal grill (june 2011)
37. buy weed eater (july 2011)

Martha?... Mrs Stewart? A little help please!
38. paint basement
39. set up scrappy room
40. set up man cave
41. paint white wall divider in kitchen
42. put up towel bar in upstairs bath
43. unpack ALL boxes and put in plastic totes
44. paint master closet
45. decorate upstairs bath
46. replace bath light upstairs
47. rebuild front flower bed
48. hang curtains in house
49. hang pictures in bedroom
50. put up jungle stickers on Livi wall (July 2, 2011)
51. put up polka dots stickers in Livi play room (July 2011)
52. buy blinds for house and put up
53. put handles on kitchen cabinets
54. replace vanity handles in bath

OMG I’m a Homeowner!
55. wash windows
56. put up new house numbers
57. replace door locks (july 5 2011)
58. de-clutter bath cabinets and hall closet/cabinets
59. hang pictures in hall
60. fix cracks/leaks in backdoor/front door
61. fix popcorn spots on ceilings
62. install new faucet/sprayer in kitchen
63. throw away rung in laundry room
64. repair front door lock
65. install smoke detectors
66. install carbon monoxide detectors
67. remove cables (black) in rooms and on house
68. remove satellite dish
69. clean ceiling lights in office
70. replace backdoor screen door
71. install door stops
72. clean air ducts
73. wash house
74. buy/install curved shower bar
75. replace shower handle/faucet upstairs
76. install new shower head upstairs (June 2011)
77. replace carpet
78. build or buy storage shed
79. fix kitchen leaking faucet
The Great Outdoors!
80. replace window screens
81. fix fence/gate
82. buy or build dog house
83. remove big rocks in back yard (june 2011)
84. pull trees out of fence line
85. plant flowers
86. replace mailbox
87. paint house
88. replace roof
89. remove brush piles
90. landscape front yard
91. fix front porch light
92. clean up debris from under deck
93. remove nails on outside of house
94. put out solar lights (august 2011
95. plant grass seed
96. repair/redo driveway
97. remove tree stump
98. clean gutters
99. Buy Garden Tools (October 2011)
100. fill in holes with dirt in yard
101. fix drain spouts on ground

　

My New "Personal" Day Zero Project List

2011-10-14T21:17:00.000-05:00

Here it is, the new 101 things that I need to do in 1001 days.

MISC CATEGORY

1. Recycle weekly
2. sell clothes on eBay (6)
3. donate clothes (6)
4. have garage sale
5. get red car fixed
6. clean/wash jeep 1x month
7. buy new jeep tires

The Biggest Loser
8. lose 30 pounds by Olivia's 1^st bday
9. lose 1 pound for every item on list
10. lose total of 60 inches over body
11. start walking 2 x week for 6 months (6)
12. Take dogs for walk 1x week
13. Lose 20 inches off waist
14. Decrease BMI by 20 points
15. Walk a mile under 12 minutes
16. Get tested for diabetes yearly (3)
17. No soda for a month twice a year (6)
18. No pizza or wings for a month twice a year (6)

Financial happiness!
19. no credit cards for one month
20. pay off pediatric
21. pay off St Luke's
22. pay off Shawnee mission med
23. pay off medco
24. pay off children's mercy
25. pay off women's clinic
26. pay off avenue
27. pay off Kohl's
28. pay off Nebraska furn mart
29. pay off cap one
30. pay off target red
31. pay off target visa
32. Save $25 a paycheck-Tonya
33. Save $20 a paycheck-Danny
34. start retirement fund
35. Pay off household card
36. Pay off Lowe's
37. Pay off mom
38. Pay off 2 of Danny's collection debts (2)
39. no Walgreen's for one month
40. Spend $250 or less a month at grocery store
41. Go 4 months a year only buying necessities (12)
42. Pay off quest collection debt

Livi’s World
43. throw big party for Olivia 1^st bday
44. start Olivia college fund
45. transfer Livi to new car seat
46. One mommy Livi day a month
47. Teach Olivia to Walk
48. Take Livi to NICU for bday
49. Scrap Olivia year one
50. Scrap Olivia year baby
51. Scrap Olivia year two

Get out and Explore!
52. plan or book trip to Disney world
53. take Olivia to KC zoo
54. take Olivia to Deanna Rose Farmstead
55. take Olivia to Omaha Zoo
56. Visit Joe
57. Visit Oklahoma
58. Go to a concert
59. Go to st Louis
60. Go on one random weekend get away
61. visit gpa Charlie (2)
62. Take Olivia to pumpkin patch (3)
63. Family yearly fishing trip (3)

It’s not always about me!
64. donate to homeless pets
65. renew wildlife membership
66. donate to harvesters (3)
67. donate to toys for tots (3)
68. donate to march for dimes (3)
69. walk march for babies (2)
70. raise money for march of dimes (2)
71. take mom for pedicure
72. take mom dad to dinner (2)
73. Donate to 5 new charities (5) *down syndrome, American cancer society, st Jude's
74. Donate $ to each item not completed
75. Take Danny to OU football game
76. Buy KING headstone
77. Start process to find Danny's biologicals Sometimes it is all about me!
78. Buy new eye glasses
79. Buy a bra that fits!
80. Learn to speak to Danny without getting upset
81. Only spend 4 hours a week couponing and looking for deals
82. Make a new friend each year (3)
83. Buy an excellent camera
84. Make/keep a mom calendar/planner yearly (3)
85. Blog twice a month (72)
86. Danny Tonya dentist 2x year (6)
87. No complaining for 1 week!
88. date night with friends (4)
89. buy new cell phones

Enjoyments
90. Keep in touch with friends, other then facebook 4x a year (12)
91. Family portrait (3)
92. Host bbq/party
93. Take a photo of a tornado
94. Mail xmas, holiday, bday cards misc cards every year (3)
95. Niece/nephew sleep over (2)

Experiments & Becoming Betty Crocker
96. Learn to make a pie from scratch
97. Take cake decorating class
98. Try sushi
99. try 1 new recipe a month (36)
100. Learn to BBQ
101. Try 10 new restaurants

Others:
No fast food for one month
No eating out for one month
Make a daily "goals" list

　

My new Day Zero Project: 101 things in 1001 days

2011-10-14T20:55:00.001-05:00

I know my previous Day Zero project isn't complete, and many items on that list are not able to be completed, however, I need a new one. In fact, I need two new ones. One personal and one for my new home. (what is the day zero project? click here!)

I like the Day Zero project because I like the sense of accomplishment and challenges. Much of my list may seem simple or silly, however I feel they are things I need to work on, or things that need improvement. Also, I feel like if it's on paper, then I need to try my best to achieve it.

I've gathered my list and am currently organizing them to post, as I'm sitting here, I'm thinking of more and more things I want to add! Maybe I should start working on a third list for after these 1001 days are over!
May 17, 2011 - February 11, 2014 - home Day Zero list
October 1, 2011 - June 28, 2014 - personal Day Zero list
(click here to figure out the 1001 days!)

Is rapid weight loss bad for you?

2011-08-21T07:51:00.000-05:00

I just read an article I'd like to share. I've heard that rapid weight loss is bad for you, however, so is being this fat! There were some good pointers and reminders in the article, so I thought I would share.... Enjoy

A reader emailed me the other day: “Is rapid weight loss dangerous?”
This is actually a fairly common question. And when I see it, here’s what I read between the lines: “How bad would it be if I starved myself to drop a few pounds?”
The answer: Pretty bad. Not because it’s unhealthy—though it can be—but because in the long run this strategy will make you fat. Really.
When it comes to losing weight, how fast is too fast? We asked Men’s Health Weight Loss Coach Alan Aragon, M.S., a nutritionist who works with Olympic and professional athletes, for his perspective. His definition: “Dropping pounds so rapidly that in addition to losing fat, you lose muscle too. This isn’t ‘dangerous’ as in ‘life-threatening,’ but it’s not good for your overall health.”
Here's why: Losing muscle reduces your ability to burn calories and regulate your blood sugar, says Aragon—and, of course, it makes you weaker. (To keep your calorie-burn high, use our 100 greatest fitness tips of all time.) What’s more, lost muscle is often replaced by fat when you stop dieting. The result: You end up looking flabbier than ever. After all, each pound of fat takes up 18 percent more space on your body than each pound of muscle.
Aragon dug into the scientific research to determine the rate that different people could lose weight without losing muscle. His findings:
* Obese to morbidly obese: 3 to 5 pounds per week
* Overweight: 2 to 3 pounds per week
* Lean to average: 1 to 2 pounds per week
* Very Lean: 0.5 to 1 pound per week
AMERICA'S FITTEST FEMALE ATHLETES: We found them and ranked them! See if you agree.
Of course, you can help your cause even more by lifting weights while you diet. Research shows that this can prevent the wasting of muscle, helping ensure your weight loss is pure fat.
The other dangers of rapid weight loss: bone loss, dehydration, and an increased risk of binge eating in some people. “But these are typically the result of severe caloric restriction,”says Aragon. His solution: “I’ve found that you can use a simple formula to calculate a smart and effective caloric intake; it’s based on your target body weight.”
For example, let’s say you’re a man who weighs 220 pounds, but you’d like to tip the scales at 180 pounds. You’ll base your calorie intake on that of a 180-pound guy. Now if you don’t do any resistance exercise (you should!), simply multiply your target body by 11. That’s the minimum number of daily calories you should consume for healthy weight loss, with little risk to your muscles.
If you do lift weights, use 9—instead of 11—and add to that the number of hours you work out per week. So if you exercise one hour a week, you’ll multiply your target body weight by 10. If you exercise two hours a week, you’ll multiply your target body weight by 11; if you exercise three hours a week, you’ll multiply your target body weight by 12; and so on. (The extra activity will allow you to eat more and still lose just as fast.)
Then remember these tips as you start your weight loss program:
1. Prepare to plateau. “Your weight drop will be linear at first, meaning you’ll typically lose a steady amount every week,” says Aragon. “However, as you get lighter, your weight will tend to drop in a stepwise manner. So don’t get discouraged if scale holds for a few days, or even a couple of weeks. The closer you get to your goal, the longer the stalls or plateaus can be.”
2. Take a time out. Every 8 to 12 weeks, take 7 days completely off from dieting. “Don't consciously try to stuff your face, but don't rigidly restrict yourself either,” says Aragon. “This is a good mental and physical break from dieting that allows people to sustain their diets for longer periods.”
3. Redefine progress. “Look at other determinants of success besides the scale,” says Lisa Sasson, R.D., associate professor of nutrition at New York University. Monitor your triglycerides, blood pressure, and body fat percentage. As these numbers improve, you’ll have even more motivation to stick with your eating plan.

*Written by Bill Phillips

Bread or no Bread?

2011-07-25T21:48:00.000-05:00

I'm not a huge bread fan, however I like a sandwich or toast now and then. I've heard so many good and bad things about bread, that I decided to do some research and find out what bread is best for you. Below is an article that I found in Men's Health. I'm happy to say that I have selected a "good" bread! We eat Sara Lee 45 calorie! Hope this helps some of you wondering the same thing about bread!

Here's the article:
First off, ignore the advertising copy on the front. Flip around to the ingredient list. Is the first ingredient a whole grain? Does each slice have 2 or more grams of fiber? Do "inulin" or "polydextrose" show up? The correct answers are yes, yes, and no. "With whole grain, nothing is stripped away," says Jim White, R.D., of the American Dietetic Association. That means you're noshing on natural fiber, not inulin or polydextrose, two additives used to artificially boost fiber. The breads below meet the criteria, and could also help you build muscle, lose weight, and beat heart disease.
1. Arnold Grains & More
Double Oat Hearty Oatmeal Bread110 calories, 5 grams (g) protein, 3 g fiber
2. Sara Lee
45 Calories & Delightful 100% Whole Wheat with Honey45 calories, 3 g protein, 2 g fiber
3. Food for Life
Wheat & Gluten Free Brown Rice Bread110 calories, 2 g protein, 2 g fiber
4. Martin's
100% Whole Wheat Potato Bread70 calories, 6 g protein, 4 g fiber
5. Genesis 1:29
Sprouted Grain and Seed Bread80 calories, 4 g protein, 3 g fiber

Olivia Updates

2011-07-24T15:48:00.000-05:00

Over the past couple months, I have really slacked on keeping updates on Olivia. Here we are in July and I haven't had updates since February.

Olivia will be 8 months the first part of August. She is slowly learning to crawl and makes lots of sounds. She is trying so hard to make words. She weighs 16 1/2 pounds. I know full term babies that way less then she does at this age! What can I say, she is like her mama and loves food. She sleeps well. She wakes up about one time a night. She can't get enough of her Gar and Papa and cousins. I'm so happy she has a love for people and hasn't had any "stranger danger" experiences. I guess being in the NICU with tons of different people a day may have played a big part in that.

Olivia is using a service called Tiny K. Tiny K is a state program that helps families out with the growing and development of children. Olivia is almost 8 months, however being born 3 months early, we have to adjust for that time. Tiny K makes sure she is meeting the requirements of a 4-5 month old instead of a 7-8 month old. We are still working on sitting on her own. She almost has it down. She can also hold her bottle on her own... when it's close to empty. I'm just so proud of her accomplishments. She's my world and I love her so much!!!!

February 2011 Olivia Updates

2011-07-24T15:26:00.000-05:00

Saturday, February 5, 2011 7:15 PM, CST

Sorry that is has been a few weeks since my last update. Danny & I have been busy preparing the apartment for Olivia's arrival. We've been trying to declutter and make room for all her toys. She also has been doing very well. She is officially off of oxygen and eating from a bottle! She is also off of Caffeine. They had to add thickener to her formula to help her learn to eat and they are starting to transition her to the formula she will go home on, Similac Neosure. She is 9 weeks old today and weighs 6 pounds 14 ounces.

I cried tears of joy when I watch my baby girl take her first breath with out any help. It was so amazing, she has come so far. She had to be put back on the 1 litter cannula about 4 days ago because she was having several d-sats. She perked right up the next day and was taken off of it.

She is also doing fantastic with her bottle feeding. She has to take all 8 of her feedings by bottle for 48 hours prior to her coming home. The doctors were shooting for her to come home on Feb 10.

That changed a little as of yesterday. Olivia had a very rough afternoon and evening. She kept having d-sat after d-sat and brady after brady. The scariest was after she ate and was all snuggled up with Danny. Her alarm went off and in a matter of seconds a nurse was sweeping Olivia off of Dannys chest and vigorously stimulating her to make her breathe again. She went to a gray/blue color and as limp as a noodle in seconds. It was the scariest thing ever. After they got her to breath again she kept having d-sats and the nurses had to put oxygen back on for a while. The doctor ran blood test last night and started her on 48 hours of antibiotics to be on the safe side in case she was catching a "bug".

The results came back today and the doctor said everything looked normal. After reviewing her charts, she noticed Olivia had her two month Vaccinations yesterday just prior to all of this happening. She believes this was the cause to her crashing yesterday. Her little body was so exhausted from those shots that she just was to tired to remember to breathe.

Olivia had a fantastic day today. She didn't require any extra oxygen, she is taking all her bottles and is having few d-sats and no bradys. God was watching over my precious baby girl yesterday.

Monday, March 7, 2011 3:56 PM, CST

Where do I start?? I guess I have the whole month of February to catch up on!

I wish I would have kept up on the dates of things so this would be easy to keep up on... but I'll just lay it out for ya from the begining of the last post.

Olivia is starting to drink from the bottle every feeding now and is having good weight gain. She has to take all her feedings for 48 hours before she gets to go home. Olivia is also moving to "another" room. The NICU is expecting Quads so they are kicking us out of the room. Our new roommate is Eliana.

Olivia had a step back around the end of the first week of February and had to be put back onto the nose cannula for a day and had a brady. They are treating her for possible infection and running tests to see why she took steps back. All test came back negative. We met with the ocupational therapist, Cindy, again. She is having us thicken her formula to help her swallow and learn control of her bottle. It seems to be working.

Our 7 day countdown to go home is on! She is breathing on her own with no help and is taking all her feedings. she is now on Neosure formula, she will go home on this. Oy makes her very,very gassy. Olivia received her two months shots. The shots didnt' go over so well with Olivia. She had a brady and an Apnea. She was sleeping in daddys arms, the alarms barely dinged and she went blue and limp very fast. The nurses rushed in and had to give her the "bag" (oxygen) and really had to rough her up to get her to start breathing on her own. Let me tell you, that was the scariest thing. I was more scared then, then when she was younger. she had a couple more bradys that night. our countdown starts over.

olivia had a good week. she is scheduled to go home on the 11th. on the 9th olivia passed her car seat with flying colors. Thursday morning she had had an eye exam and everthing looked good. minutes after her eye exam she had a brady and apnea that required stimulation. One day to go and we have to start over. Danny and I had reacged our breaking point that day. We finally voiced our complaints and concerns that we had built up inside for so many days. Including getting a new room. We had personal conflicts with her roommates mother and how she felt she was better then everyone and how she acted like her daughter was the only one on the NICU. Her daughter was there just a little longer then Olivia.

olivia had a video swallow gram done on the 11th. We finally have answers to all these bradys and apnea. Oliva was asperating regular and necter consticancy formula. She is now on honey consistancy. We have special gel thickener to put in her formula. The FINAL countdown is on. Olivia did fabulous her kast week in the NICU. She did get another roommate, Kazdyn. He is a quite boy. I was a little disappointed that we didnt have any of her favorite nurses taking care of her the last day. Infact we had nurses we've never had before.

the 16th, The rooming in was fun. she was all ours for the night... with nurse assistance if needed.

Februry 17, 2011. day 7 is here. she made it. 75 days later, she is a NICU graduate. she weighs 7 pounds 10 ounces and is 19.5 inches long. Gead circumfrence is 36.5 cm. we tucked her into her carseat, put her in the NICU wagon and waved goodbye. im sitting here holding her trying to type with one hand and tears fill my eyes. its still hard to believe she is finally out of St Lukes. I owe them everthing i have, they saved my daughters life. My miracle. "its amazing how 2 pounds can change your life "

January Olivia Updates

2011-07-24T15:22:00.000-05:00

Saturday, January 1, 2011 9:48 PM, CST
Happy New Year Olivia!
The last two days were better. She has fewer Desats. 12-30-10 she weighed 3.7 and 12-31-10 she weighed 3.7. We are hoping for a gain tonight. We still have yet heard from the nurse.
She had a fantastic afternoon while we were there. Olivia is getting 3 hours of cannula time twice a day. If she does well on the 3 hours, they will move her up to 6 hours twice a day. The nurse dressed her in a little fleece onesie today, she looked soooo cute! They had to up the amount of sodium they are giving her. She is still getting iron, sodium and caffeine daily. Her feedings are up to 32 mils with added protein and calories to it. My pumping hasn't got better. I'm not giving up tho. I keep hoping that it will happen! I believe that's all for now, I should update this as soon as I talk to the doctor/nurse becuase I forget everything by the time I get home

Monday, January 3, 2011 5:39 PM, CST

A quick catch up on Olivia's weight:
1-1-11 weight was 3.7
1-2-11 weight was 3.10
1-3-11 weight is 3.13!

It's been a few days, so it's time to play some catch up, I appologize if anything is duplicate or out of the timeline.

Olivia was put on two diaretics to help get the fluid off of her, the Doctor thinks that the fluid may be pushing up against her lungs causing her breathing problems. With two diaretics, there is a chance she may lose sodium. Well she did lose sodium so the gave her a sodium supplement (on top of the caffiene and iron). Day two on the Diaretics, her sodium dropped even lower. The Doctor ordered an increase in Sodium. Day 3 of the diaretics, her breathing appears to be better, however her sodium dropped again. The doctor took her off the diaretics.

Olivia is scheduled for a head scan today to recheck the bleeding and she has an eye exam on 1-5-11.

Olivia is scheduled to go on 3 hours of nose cannula each shift to help ween her off the CPAP.

They've also increased Olivia's feeding times. They are now feeding her constantly for 2 hours. They think she may have reflux. Hopefully this will help her!

Oh and the funny thing, Olivia pooped on Danny's hand! :)

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Tuesday, January 4, 2011 5:29 PM, CST

Happy One Month Birthday Baby girl! Sometimes I have top stop and take a deep breath and let reality hit me that I am a Mom. :) I like being called Mom, it's pretty cool. Maybe I should call Doris (Gar) Mom more often. :)

Today Olivia weighs 4 pounds!

Gar came to visit Olivia today.

Olivia didn't have much scheduled for today except her head scan. Her head scan showed that she still has about the same amount of blood on her brain, however it is NOT bleeding. The doctor said that the blood will go away within time. The doctor also mentioned that her ventricles were on the Larger side of normal. She said this could be caused by some of the bleeding. They are going to keep watching it, they will most likely retest her in a few weeks. I'm not sure what side effects can/could happen if the ventricles remain large. I asked the doctor about the ventricles, but I'll be honest, I got very confused!

She is also advancing to 6 hours (each shift) on her nose cannula. Yay! I decided to share and let Daddy hold her today. She had no blood work scheduled today.

We also helped give Olivia get a sponge bath tonight. She loves having her hair washed. When it's freshly washed it fluffs up! It's so cute!

I'm so proud of my little girl! She is growing so strong!

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Wednesday, January 5, 2011 5:46 PM, CST

Just a quick update on Olivia.

Her blood gases came back GREAT! The doctor is hoping to extend her cannula time to 9 hours each shift in a couple of days.

Olivia had her eye exam today. It showed that she has immature blood vessels and retnas. This is very typical for immature babies. They will recheck her in 2 weeks.

They are lowering her feedings from 2 hours to 1 hour. They are hoping to be able to get her ready for regular feedings in a couple of weeks.

Her sodium level was better today so the Doctor is decreasing the amount of sodium she is getting with each feeding.

She also will get her Hepatits B shot today or tomorrow. :(

They did the state required testing on her when she was born and everything was normal. They rechecked her at 14 days and she had elevated fatty acid levels. The doctor thinks this was from her IV fluids, but she is going to retest her in a couple of days. (not sure if it is called the "state required test" or if it has an actual name or not, that's what the docotr refered to it as).

I got to hold her for 3 hours today. I love my snuggle time with Olivia!

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Saturday, January 8, 2011 11:10 PM, CST

I need to get better at updating this daily. Olivia was put on all cannula yesterday, today she was having a few to many Desats so the doctor dropped her back to 18 hours of cannula and 6 hours of CPAP a day. She was not happy about getting put back onto her CPAP. She has weighed 4.4 the last two days. She is now eating 35 mils of donor milk a feeding. She is still gettting iron and caffeine. Her blood gases have looked great the last few days.

They are keeping an eye out for relux. She is starting to show some signs of it.

Gar and Papa visited today. papa got to hold Olivia for the first time today.

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Monday, January 10, 2011 8:03 PM, CST

The weather has kept me from seeing Olivia today. I think we already have about 7 inches and are expecting more.

Olivia has been doing really good the last couple of days. The doctor is doing a blood gas in the morning and if it is good, they are going to try her on all cannula again. I hope Olivia is strong enough. She's a tough little girl!

The Doctors don't have much planned for her today. They said she has good color and is gaining an average of 2 ounces a day. She is still a little under weight, but they are hoping that upping her feedings to 36 mils will help her gain. Last night she weighed 4.7!

Keep up the work baby girl. We love you!

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Sunday, January 16, 2011 8:17 PM, CST

Olivia has been really improving over the past week. She is now getting formula for four out of eight feedings. She is up to 42 mils. She is getting so big and changing every day. She weighs 4 pounds and 14 ounces. Her head measures 12.5 inches and she is 17 inches long. We will get new measurements tonight.

I wasn't able to go see Olivia today because I feel a little under the weather. I don't want to chance anything. She had 2 new visitors this week that have been waiting very patiently to see her, cousins Chezney and Adrieanne. Lily, Gar & Papa also visited this week.

Olivia is also on all cannula now. Her breathing is now in it's correct range and isn't too fast. She has few bradys and all most all of her Dsats are self resolved. She should have another eye exam on Wednesday.

*** this just in from her daddy***
Olivia is now 17 1/2 inches long and her head is 13 1/4 inches and she weighs 5 pounds!!! She's had a great day.

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Wednesday, January 19, 2011 9:46 PM, CST

Oh this snow! A Big Thank You to Angela for the baby clothes and equipment. It means so much to us. We love you! i had so much fun putting them in her closet!

Yesterday she weighed 5.3. her feedings are now being feed for 30 minutes instead of an hour. She also got moved down to a 1.5 liter cannula instead of the 2 liter (high flow). She moved up a size in binkys and she is learning how to suck them and keep them in all by herself. The discharge lady also came in to talk to us about preparing for her discharge. Yesterday, All I did was cry. She is growing up so fast and my dreams of bringing her home are finally starting to happen!

Today(1-19-11) Olivia had her eye exam. They said so far she doesn't need eye surgery and they will check her again next week. She's had a great day. Her oxygen levels are still great and she is having fewer and fewer Dsats. She weighs 5.4 pounds tonight!

Team Olivia Jean for the March of Dimes Baby walk is coming along greatly! I'm so excited for the Walk and We can't thank everyone enough!

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Thursday, January 20, 2011 10:46 PM, CST

Today was a big day for Olivia. Her oxygen needs are at the same level they have been for the past few days. So the doctor moved her to a 1 liter cannula! This means she can now learn how to eat from a bottle! We asked the doctor to be sure to schedule her to start at a time we can be there.

They are also weaning her off of her isolete bed! She should be in a bassinet in a day or so. She also got to take her first tub bath tonight! She was a little upset at first, but after a while she really enjoy that warm water. The nurse missed weighing her at her 8'clock feeding and will do so at her 11'clock feeding.

She is growing up so fast and has been making huge improvements the last couple of days. Keep it up my little princess!

Saturday, January 22, 2011 7:53 PM, CST

Olivia is up to 5 pounds 9 ounces(friday)! She was at 5 pounds 6 ounces on thursday! I can't wait to see what her weight is tonight (saturday). Friday we got to meet with the Ocupational Therapist and learn some oral stimulation with Olivia in preparation of feeding. She wasn't able to feed Friday becasue her breathing is too fast.

Today was another big day for Olivia! She is now sleeping in a big girl crib! They are watching her tempature to make sure she doesn't get to cool. if she gets to cool her body will start burning calories to help keep her warm and she'll be moved back to an isolete.

Olivia also got to try and eat from a bottle for the first time today! I think she got more all over her face then she did in her tummy. But she was so cute trying to eat!

Olivia also had her first hearing test today. Her right hear passed at 100% and her left ear was 90%. They will retest her left ear on Monday. The lady doing the screen said it was no biggie.

She also gets another headscan on her brain on Monday to check and make sure the bleeding is still stopped and to check the size of the venticles.

Things are moving very fast for Olivia. And I can't wait!!

February 2011 Olivia Updates

2011-07-24T15:11:00.002-05:00

Where do I start?? I guess I have the whole month of February to catch up on!

I wish I would have kept up on the dates of things so this would be easy to keep up on... but I'll just lay it out for ya from the begining of the last post.

Olivia is starting to drink from the bottle every feeding now and is having good weight gain. She has to take all her feedings for 48 hours before she gets to go home. Olivia is also moving to "another" room. The NICU is expecting Quads so they are kicking us out of the room. Our new roommate is Eliana.

Olivia had a step back around the end of the first week of February and had to be put back onto the nose cannula for a day and had a brady. They are treating her for possible infection and running tests to see why she took steps back. All test came back negative. We met with the ocupational therapist, Cindy, again. She is having us thicken her formula to help her swallow and learn control of her bottle. It seems to be working.

Our 7 day countdown to go home is on! She is breathing on her own with no help and is taking all her feedings. she is now on Neosure formula, she will go home on this. Oy makes her very,very gassy. Olivia received her two months shots. The shots didnt' go over so well with Olivia. She had a brady and an Apnea. She was sleeping in daddys arms, the alarms barely dinged and she went blue and limp very fast. The nurses rushed in and had to give her the "bag" (oxygen) and really had to rough her up to get her to start breathing on her own. Let me tell you, that was the scariest thing. I was more scared then, then when she was younger. she had a couple more bradys that night. our countdown starts over.

olivia had a good week. she is scheduled to go home on the 11th. on the 9th olivia passed her car seat with flying colors. Thursday morning she had had an eye exam and everthing looked good. minutes after her eye exam she had a brady and apnea that required stimulation. One day to go and we have to start over. Danny and I had reacged our breaking point that day. We finally voiced our complaints and concerns that we had built up inside for so many days. Including getting a new room. We had personal conflicts with her roommates mother and how she felt she was better then everyone and how she acted like her daughter was the only one on the NICU. Her daughter was there just a little longer then Olivia.

olivia had a video swallow gram done on the 11th. We finally have answers to all these bradys and apnea. Oliva was asperating regular and necter consticancy formula. She is now on honey consistancy. We have special gel thickener to put in her formula. The FINAL countdown is on. Olivia did fabulous her kast week in the NICU. She did get another roommate, Kazdyn. He is a quite boy. I was a little disappointed that we didnt have any of her favorite nurses taking care of her the last day. Infact we had nurses we've never had before.

the 16th, The rooming in was fun. she was all iurs for the night... with nurse assistance if needed.

day 7 is here. she made it. 75 days later, she is a NICU graduate. she weighs 7 pounds 10 ounces and is 19.5 inches long. Gead circumfrence is 36.5 cm. we tucked her into her carseat, put her in the NICU wagon and waved goodbye. im sitting here holding her trying to type with one hand and tears fill my eyes. its still hard to believe she is finally out of St Lukes. I owe them everthing i have, they saved my daughters life. My miracle. "its amazing how 2 pounds can change your life "

more December updates on Olivia

2011-05-09T16:53:00.000-05:00

(im copying these updates from Olivia's Caringbridge website)

Tuesday 12-7-10
1:00 am, My Milk is starting to come in!!!
Olivia's doctor called today with her update. Last night she had 5 bradycardia arrhythmia's. They had to help her with one. Bradycardia is when she forgets to breath and her heart rate drops. They typically can help her remember to breathe by rubbing her back. Her blood gases came back and showed she had Metabolic Acidosis. A heart murmer also showed up. The doctor explained it, but there was so much information, I got confused. She said she didn't think it was anything to be too concerned about, but she was going to watch it closely. If needed, it can be treated with medicine. At 2:00 pm, she was given a feeding tube. It runs down her little nose and into her tummy. They will feed her every 3 hours and she will get 2 milliliters of breast milk each time. They also have her on the lowest level of oxygen, which is awesome! They did say now and then they bump it up, but for the most part, it's on the lowest level. We also were able to hold her for the first time. My heart melted, it was so amazing! When the nurse put her in my arms, she opened her eyes and just snuggled into the blanket. When she got a little fussy, Danny recited the book we read to her every night while she was in the womb and it calmed her down. It was so amazing. I was even kind enough to let Danny hold her for a couple minutes. :)
We also met Olivia's Roommate... uh hmm... "boyfriend" parents tonight. They brought Olivia a little monkey in from him. His name is Omi. They said he must really like her because he ran off the past few babies they tried to put in with him.
Olivia had 4 Bradycardias while we were here today. The nurse had to come in on each one of them. She just rubbed Olivia's back and got her back on track. Let me tell you, it sure is scary. her machine beeps my heart stops. The nurses here are great. They are responding to Olivia (and all the other babies) within seconds of the machine beeps.
Olivia weighs 2.6 today.
I got to hold Olivia again for the second time today. This time I held her skin on skin, or Kangaroo Care. They place the baby on your chest. I had tears holding my little girl so close to me. I got to hold her for over an hour! I felt her heart, her breathe, her squiggles, and her grabbing at my skin. It was so amazing. I hope that someday soon Danny will be able to do this with her.
12-8-10 Wednesday. Olivia was put back on CPAP (Continuous positive airway pressure). They had to raise her oxygen levels and her breathing has been fast and she keeps having pauses and drops in her breathing. The nurses had to help her out 5 times in 3 hours this morning. They say the CPAP will help keep pressure in her lungs to keep them open. After the CPAP was placed, Oliva was able to be back on the lowest level of oxygen.
They were also able to pull her UAC line out of her umbilical cord today. Her biliruben is 3.1. Hopefully they will be able to pull the light off of her in a day or two. They are still giving her a dose of caffeine daily. They have been able to hold off on blood transfusions so far.
I did learn that by me having Gestational Diabetes was a good thing. it helped make my baby girl be just a little bit bigger.
They also did an ultrasound today, they say they do them on all babies under 32 weeks gestation. The results hadn't came back before we left. I didn't catch what type of ultrasound it was, Danny thought he heard it was a brain ultrasound. We will find more out about that tomorrow.
Baby girls kidneys are still immature and she is peeing a lot.
Olivia still has a heart murmer. They did a cardiac echo on her tonight. The PDA (Patent Ductus Arteriosus) is not closing up on it's own. This is very common in premature babies. She has a big PDA and they are going to give her medicine to try and close it. They will give her 3 doses of medicine every 12 hours. During this time they will have to stop her feedings and she will just be on IV fluids. Hopefully this does not dehydrate the little girl. She will have another cardio echo done on Friday to see if the medicine worked. If not, she may have to have surgery to fix it.
Olivia will also have a PICC line put in tonight. She weighs 2.7 today.
She is such a cute baby. I can sit there and watch her all day. She loves to stretch those long legs and toes. It's so cute. I love my baby girl.
*Danny called at 11:00 PM to check on Olivia and they had not put her PICC line in.
12-9-10 Thursday. We called for updates on Olivia at 3:30 and 5:30 this morning. They still had not put it in. They said they had a couple other babies a head of her.
Today we made it down to Danny's work to have Olivia put on his insurance. I know now why he gets speeding tickets, we passed 16 cops on the way from Harrisonville to the Hospital!
10:00 am they started to work on Olivia's PICC line. We were able to tell her good morning and are waiting for them to let us know it's done. It should be about an hour. They have a decent lounge with free internet. Danny is addicted to the free coffee/espresso machines.
Olivia's PICC was done around noon. The nurse blew 2 of her blood vessels in the process. :( They were able to take out her umbilical cord UV today. There were tears shed by Danny & I when they pulled the tape off of her belly. Poor little girl started crying, it broke our hearts. The nurse is going to check on the PICC about every hour to make sure it's doing ok.

12-10-10 Friday.

Yesterday was a very emotional day for us.
The doctor came in with good and not so good news. The good news, he didn't hear the heart murmur on his stethoscope. They are sending a cardiologist from childrens mercy in today to run another heart scan on her and see if the valve is closed.
The not so good news. Little Miss Olivia has some slight bleeding on her brain. The doctor classified it has a level 1, non severe. Severe bleeding can cause major problems for the little girl. They will be doing another brain scan next Wednesday to see if the bleeding is still present.
And more not so good news. A part of Little Miss Olivia's brain did not completely develop. The CORPUS CALLOSUM is the neural bridge that connects the two hemispheres to each other, located centrally in brain.
Danny & I also got to change our first diaper together. She started to cry and Danny gave up. :)
Olivia is having a good day today. She is on room percentage oxygen (21%), she gained 3 ounces and is now up to 12.10 and she is getting lots of rest. She also had her photo therapy light removed. Her biliruben count was good, they said it is common for it to come back in a couple of days.
I got to change another diaper today. SUCCESSFUL! No tears or spills!
The Heart Doctor hasn't been in yet today (1:00 pm). I am anxiously awaiting the results!

The Heart Scan reults are in. She has went from a Large PDA to a Medium PDA. They are going to treat her with another dose of medicine. Sunday they will do another scan of her heart and we will go from there. Typically they only give two doses of medicine before surgery. If a baby is stable with their breathing they will wait and watch before surgery. I sure hope this second dose of medicine works! My poor baby can't eat until Sunday! :( After the scan she had to have her oxygen turned up a little, 24%, but I'm happy with that. She is doing so well.
They took her "sunglasses" off today as well. It's so cute watching her open her eyes. She also has some long eyelashes. We can thank her daddy for those. Uncle Jimmy & Aunt Heather visited today.

Olivia is off to somewhat of a rough start today. She is keeping her nurses on their toes. She has had to have a lot of extra help breathing today. She is having to have her oxygen turned up pretty high for her. It's been as high as 47% today. They refitted her CPAP and hope it helps. They also did a chest x-ray, her lungs came back good and they don't think she has an infection. They are going to give her a dose of antibiotics just in case. They ordered more blood gases and cultures. They will do another chest x-ray in the morning, as well as the heart sonogram and more blood gases.

They had to work on her PICC today as well, it was 0.5 cm in to far, so they moved it back.

Also found out that she has a Pectus Excavatum, a congenital deformity (often present at birth) of the sternum, which is depressed into the chest, resulting in a "caved-in" or sunken appearance.

Little Olivia has to also start blood transfusions today. Im so scared for her. The doctor is hoping that this will give her the boost that she is needing. Gar & Papa are visiting today.
2.14 pounds and snow on the ground!

12-11-10 Saturday Afternoon

Update on Olivia. Afte changing the CPAP, her breathing didn't get much easier for her. We are waiting on the reults of her cultures to see if she has an infection, and they went ahead and put her on a ventilator. They also took out her feeding tube for the time being since she can't eat while she is on the heart medicine.
The doctor said this is typical for babies her age.

Sunday, December 12, 2010 1:11 PM, CST

Olivia is doing great on the ventilator. She is having quite a few suctions today. When the ventilator is in the mouth, it's a foreign object to the body, and the body produces mucas secreations, that is what they suction. The nurse said she had a great night and she needed the rest. The blood transfusion is doing it's job, her color is so much better today then yesterday.

We are still waiting to hear from the heart sono/doctor to see if she will have to have heart surgery. If so, she will have that on Monday.

2:30 pm. The cardiogram is done and the PDA is smaller! That is fantastic news!!! That means no surgery for little Olivia! They are waiting on some blood cultures results to decide if they want to try one more dose of medicine to try and completely close the PDA or sit and wait for it to do it on its own.

She is still doing awesome on the ventilator, she is almost to the point where they can take her off, however the doctor wants to keep her on it a while longer. When she was on CPAP she was really fighting and working hard to breathe and the doctor wants her to get more rest before putting her back on the CPAP. She has been sleeping so good, I've been in the lounge most the day so I won't disturb her. I can sit and watch her sleep all day long.... wait, I already do! :) Gar came to visit today.

2.12 pounds today!

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Monday, December 13, 2010 4:29 PM, CST

12-13-10 2.14 pounds! The nurse said Olivia had a great night! She said that Olivia has been "toying" with her and the doctor today. When she is on her belly she is great, but when they put her on her back to examine her, she starts causing her oxygen levels to drop and needing assistance. But as soon as they lay her on her tummy and leave hear alone, she is back down to 21% oxygen again. Little stinker! She also has only had a few suctions today, awesome!

When I got there today her eyes were peeping open and she was sucking her fingers.

The doctor said they are not going to give Olivia the heart medicine again. They will have to push her hard the next day or so to see what the PDA will do. Hopefully it closes and doesn't get bigger. They are going to start weining her off of her ventilator starting at midnight and they are going to start feeding her again starting at 5pm. She will get small feedings for 5 days and then they will start increasing the feedings once she is doing well on them. Her urine out put is on the Low side of Normal, her sodium level is good and she doesn't have an infection. They said it's probably just her lungs acting her age(28 gestation). Her biliruben count was good as well. She is also off antibiotics, she had her last dose last night. She is still on caffiene. When her oxygen drops, she is getting it back up to the normal rate on her own with out any nurse assistance or extra oygen needed. I'm so proud of my little girl!

My milk still hasn't really came in. I'm still getting around 10 mils each time I pump. I've been working with the lactation ladies since I delivered. I've tried all their tricks and still am not having good results. They encourage me not to stress out and get frustrated. That's easier said then done! Every time an alarm goes off in Olivia's room my heart stops!

Olivia will be 29 weeks gestation tomorrow! 11 more weeks until it's 40!

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Tuesday, December 14, 2010 8:24 PM, CST

Olivia had another good night, she is doing really good on the ventilator weaning. She is currently on 25 breaths per minute (which is the amount of breaths the ventilator makes her take) and is on 21-24% oxygen. She is also doing great on her feedings. I'm still working with the Lactation ladies for more milk production. She recommended a herbal pill to try if the increased pumping doesn't work. Olivia is still real touchy with the nurses when it comes to her daily cares, but she is getting better. Her blood gases and biliruben were also good.

I got to hold Olivia (Kangaroo Care) again for over an hour. It is total heaven to hold her so close. I know danny can't wait for his turn to hold her.

The doctor did the brain scan on Monday (instead of Wednesday) and the bleeding is still a level 1. There is no more bleeding, according to the Nurse Practitioner, the blood is still there but should absorb and go away like a bruise. They plan to rescan her in about a month.

The doctor also got Danny's FMLA paper work filled out. Yay!

Danny would like me to add that he and Olivia aren't sure about some of the nurses up here, especially the nurses in training :) They ripped her precious skin on her belly, they hold an object in their hand and spend 5 minutes looking for it, and they put the diaper on backwards... I asked about this and she said it was easier to do it when she was on her belly... sure :)

Wednesday, December 15, 2010 4:19 PM, CST

Olivia had another great night! She now weighs 2.13 pounds. Her urine output is getting better and she is now pooping again. :) (she'll love me for that information when she gets older)

When we arrived this morning they had already taken her off of her ventilator. She is now on the CPAP again. She was having some issues adjusting to it this morning, running high heart rate, high tempature and high oxygen needs. She was using 34% oxygen on her belly and at times needed up to 50% oxygen on her back. She has since then calmed down and is happily back on her belly and at 34% oxygen.

The doctor said her chest x-ray was "hazy" this morning, he will run another x-ray in the morning. I asked him what "hazy" meant and he just explained that it could be from the ventilator or just her imature lungs. He didn't seem very worried about it.

Her blood gases came back good and they will run more on her at 5pm.

Gar, Uncle Jimmy & Cousin Lily came to vist today. Her 5 pm blood gases looked good.

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Thursday, December 16, 2010 2:29 PM, CST

Olivia had a decent night. The nurse said she had to turn her oxygen up to 48% a few times. Olivia weighed in at 2.15 pounds!

I got to hold her this morning for over two hours! She snuggles up close to Mom and goes right to sleep.

Her chest x-ray ws good, the doctor said it was better then yesterday, so he believed that yesterday's "hazy" x-ray was due to the ventilator. He also said her blood gas looked good. Also, the nurse didn't hear her heart murmur this morning!

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Friday, December 17, 2010 5:11 PM, CST

Olivia weighs 3 pounds!!!

She is doing great. Today the nurses took her off her CPAP to give her nose a break, they thought it looked brusied so they put her on a Nose Canula today. The doctor said her blood gases look great so she is going to leave her on the nose canula as long as she can take it. Her urine output is doing better today, her oxygen has been between 27%-40%. Danny and I both got to hold her today. We held her skin on skin/Kangaroo care.
Saturday, December 18, 2010 6:01 PM, CST

Olivia had another great night. She is weighing in at 3.1! The doctor said she is still doing good on her nose cannula and is going to leave her on it. She may even get a new isolate bed! Her blood gases and labs came back great, the urine output is doing much better. Olivia is being picky again about being on her back, she just doesn't like it and wants to be on her belly.

I got to hold her for about 3 hours again today. It is the best feeling in the world! Gar & Papa came to visit today. Olivia also lost her umbilical cord sometime last night or early this morning.

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Sunday, December 19, 2010 5:08 PM, CST

12-19-10

Olivia is still kicking butt on her nose cannula. Her oxygen levels are better today then they were yesterday. She is still showing her temper to the nurses when they go to do her cares. She loves when mom does them and when I hold her. I held her again today for a little over an hour. Our room has such a chill in it that I was afraid she was getting cold.

Gar came to visit today. We were sitting there watching her sleep and she decided to pick her head up, completely off the bed, and turn it to the other side! I was so amazed! She is such a strong little girl.

She only has electrolytes and a xray scheduled for tomorrow. The xray is to just check the placement of her picc line. She still is getting daily doses of caffeine. They upped her feedings to 6 mil. As of last night, she weighed 3.2!

Sunday, December 19, 2010 9:47 PM, CST

Just a quick update after her nightly cares.
Olivia now weighs 3.4 pounds and she is 16.5 inches long! My baby is growing like a weed! Keep it up Olivia! Mommy and Daddy are so proud of you!!! We love you!

Monday, December 20, 2010 4:01 PM, CST

5 more days until Christmas little girl! I know Santa is making a special stop at our house for you!

Today, Olivia is needing a little more assistance with oxygen. Her levels have been in the 30% all day. I got to hold her again, she lifted her head off my chest and turned it to the other side twice! She is such a strong little girl!

Olivia had some special visitors today. She got to meet Rylee and Jordan, their mom Kari and their aunt. Rylee and Jordan is having their 2nd birthday today and stopped by the NICU. They lived at the NICU for a long while when they were born too. They are strong little girls!

Her feet are still swollen, they said that will stop once she is primarily on the breastmilk. They have her up to 10 mil on the breastmilk 8 times a day, and I barely pump that. So once my supply is low, they will start giving her donor breast milk. I really wish my milk supply would start picking up! I would like for her to only have my milk, but I know that probably won't happen. As long as she is getting everything she needs, I will be happy.

The doctor didn't have much to report today. She said she isn't ready for the low pressure nose cannula yet becuase her breathing is still fast.

That's all for now, I'll update more when the night nurse comes and does her cares.

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Thursday, December 23, 2010 6:05 PM, CST

Sorry it's been a few days since I last updated everyone on Olivia.

First I'll start off with her weights.

12-20-10 Monday 3.6

12-21-10 Tuesday 3.7

12-22-10 Wednesday 3.8!

Olivia still might loose a little water weight, as her diaretic starts working. Tonight she is up to 20 mils on her feeding. They are adding an extra 22 calories to her feedings. They hope that once she starts gaining more weight that her lungs and respitory will start kicking into gear.

They had to put her on a new CPAP because her oxygen needs were getting higher and higher. They were getting up into the 60% during her cares and about 45-55% while resting. It makes her look like a Rhino or Elephant! Poor little girl!

She is doing much better today on her oxygen. She has been between 25-35%. Danny got to hold her today, but it was very difficult with the Rhino CPAP and her oxygen, heartrate and respitory rates dropped. Maybe tomorrow will be a better day to hold her.

The CPAP also makes her little eyes swell, so the nurses are making sure to switch which side of head she sleeps on with each care. She is also still on Caffeine. Her Hematocrit (volume of Red Blood Cells) levels showed up a little low but they said they are not going to do a blood transfusion. Oh, they had to put the chin strap back on her because she won't keep her mouth shut and she loses oxygen.

She has been resting very well today.

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Friday, December 24, 2010 9:25 AM, CST

Just a brief update before we head off to the hospital. Olivia weighed in at 3.7. The ounce loss is good for her. She is so swollen, her chin strap was leaving indentions on her head. I felt so sorry for her, so did the nurse. She took it off for almost an hour so I could run her little head and ears.

The doctor called this morning and let us know that she is still on CPAP and her oxygen levels have stayed in the 30% range. She had a good blood gas this morning. They are also stopping her IV fluids today and taking out her PICC! My little girl is progressing and growing so fast!
As of Olivia's 8 pm feeding she still weighs 3.7. She is now on 22 mils with an extra 24 calories added to it. She is also out of breast milk and now using donor milk. This depresses me a great deal that I can't provide for her. What I do get is still very little, the lactation lady told me to side track my mind to help me, well it doesn't help because I end up spilling it! Then I cry and that doesn't help production either! I think I will try one of those Herbal pills the lactation recommended.
Merry Christmas Eve everyone!

Saturday, December 25, 2010 8:49 PM, CST

Merry Christmas!

I was so happy to be able to spend Christmas morning with Olivia. She is still having some slight struggles with her breathing today. She was having apnea and bradys today. (Apnea is where she stops breathing and bradys are where her heartrate drops low).

Danny got to change her diaper and take her tempature with no tears!

The doctor came in and said she looks & sounds good. Said she had great color.

We are waiting to hear back fromthe nurse to find out how the rest of her day went.

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Sunday, December 26, 2010 8:55 AM, CST

Well it took the nurse over 2 hours to get us called back last night, so here is last nights update.

The nurse was worried about all the bradys and apnea's Olivia was having and called the docotor to come check her out. The doctor ordered blood cultures and a CBC (complete blood count) to see if she may have an infection or cold. She is also thinking that she might need another blood transfusion. She lost an ounce so she is now 3.6 pounds.

Fast forward to this mornings update: Doctor doesn't have the results of her blood cultures (they take 24 hours for results) but she went ahead and put Olivia on an antibiotic to stay ahead of anything that "might" show up on her blood cultures. She is also getting a blood transfusion today. I hope my little biscuit pops out of this funk soon! She is giving her mom and dad a heart attack with all these apneas she is having!

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Tuesday, December 28, 2010 3:51 PM, CST

Olivia's been having a few more drops in her breathing/oxygen the last two days. They tested her for infections and RSV and they came back negative! The doctors/nurses think she may have acid reflux and they can test her on it when she gets a little bit older.

She also had a chest x-ray. Monday they tried explaining Chronic Lung Disease to me. I guess all preemies have it and they grow out of it. They say that maybe an inhaler in the future could be the only effect from it when she grows up. Her x-ray looked better then her last one.

Sunday she weighed 3.8 and Monday she weighed 3.9. While I was changing her today, she almost pooped on me! She hadn't pooped in 2 days and the nurse told her it was time for a supository, I lifted up her bottom to change her diaper and out it all came! Stinky little girl! :)
I also got to hold her for 3 hours Monday night. She is such a good little girl.
Tuesday morning, they changed her CPAP again. I hope that this one works better. Her blood gas showed she still has carbon dioxide in her lungs, another cause from her being a preemie. Her oxygen has been between 26%-37% today.

Tuesday she weighs 3.7 pounds
Keep up the good work princess!

Wednesday, December 29, 2010 6:29 PM, CST

Olivia is still having quite a few Desats. They are going to put her on another diaretic, this one is taken orally. They hope that the second diaretic will get all the fluid off of her and will help with her breathing. She is still enjoying being able to sleep on her belly.

They added an iron supplement to her feedings and is now eating 29 mils of milk.

Olivia had to move rooms because Omi is having eye surgery today. She has a new full born baby in her room now. His name is Daniel. The new baby had some issues with his lungs and he shouldn't be staying much longer before he gets to go home. The new family is nice, however they are loud and they have loud children that scare Olivia. Her stats will be fine, and once they come to visit, she starts declining and become restless and gets very startled. I infomred the nurse about it and they have noticed it too. We may be moving back to Omi's room soon.

She weighs 3.7 pounds today. Aunt Norma & Aunt Lucy stopped by today.

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Thursday, December 30, 2010 6:23 PM, CST

Olivia's doing great on her CPAP. Her oxygen has been 21-25% all day. The doctor said she her oxygen levels are good enough for the nasal cannula, however she is still having Desats and she would like to see the number of Desats go down before they switch her over.

She is now getting a sodium supplement with her meals because the diaretic is causing her to lose sodium. Her feedings are still at 29 mils and they are now adding protein to her meals. She had one Brady today.

I got to hold her for about 30-45 minutes today. She was fussy and kept trying to pull her feeding tube out and she kept knocking off her CPAP and wiggling out of it. Little stinker!

She only has an electolyte scheduled for tomorow. Papa & Gar visited today. They got to watch her get a diaper change and tempature, as well as a sponge bath. She loved the bath! she also weighed in at 3.7 today.

blog catch up: Olivia

2011-05-09T15:21:00.000-05:00

Sunday, 12-5-10. Olivia was visited by her Grandma and Grandpa, Her Great Aunt Lucy, Norma, Clara & Uncle Kent. Olivia had to have one of her unbilicord IV's replaced because it came out. They tried to run it in her little hand, but it caused her hand to swell up very big. Olivia's oxygen levels are doing great! Her weight is down to 2.8, but the nurses say that all babies lose about 10% f their body weight after they are born.

Monday, 12-6-10

It is a sad day for me, I was discharged from the hospital and had to leave my baby. I know my baby is in great hands and they take wonderful care of her. I am so happy with the staff here at Saint Lukes. Olivia was visited by Grandma today. Grandma told her she loved her and she smiled. It was a tear jerker. Her oxygen is still doing great. She likes to wiggle and stretch her long arms and legs. Olivia also had her first poop Monday night. Yay! Olivia weighs 2.7 today.

The Story of Olivia

2011-05-09T15:16:00.001-05:00

I will try to play catch up here. On Wednesday, 12-1-10, I started having lower back pain and slight cramping. I thought nothing of it and used a heating pad to ease the back pain. It worked. I was up all night with cramps and contraction like pain. I finally got up at 4 am Thursday and did a little research on contractions. I put them off as Braxton Hicks. At 8 am, Danny and I started timing the contractions. They were 4 minutes apart lasting 30 seconds. I called my mom and then the doctor. I had to go get checked out at Shawnee Mission Hospital. Luckily, my doctor was the one on duty that day. I was checked out and found out I was dilated to a one. I was put on magnesium and given a steroid shot to help the babys lungs progress, just in case I was in active labor. Around noon, I noticed I felt like I was "leaking" 2 test confirmed that my water was leaking. I was then transferred to Saint Lukes due to their fantastic NICU department. Due to my water leaking, I was told that I would be staying at the hospital until I delivered. It could be hours, days, weeks and even months.

10:00 pm on Thursday, I got to ride in a fast ambulance to Saint Lukes, I was looking forward to seeing the Plaza lights... well the ride was so bumpy, I didn't have time to try and look, as I was hanging on for dear life. By Friday morning my contractions started slowing down and they were able to lower my dose of Magnesium. I was also given another steroid shot for the baby. Friday night, the contracts had returned. I was still dilated to a one. They turned the dose of magnesium back up. The nurse gave me some good drugs to help me relax. I dreamed of fuzzy purple bunnies, monkeys and marshmellows. I was told that I even had conversations with these animals.

On Saturday 12-4-10 the contractions started to slow back down, again. By noon I was taken off the Magnesium. Things started to take a change around 4 pm. The contractions were getting harder and longer. I got another dose of the good drugs. I refer to it as the "bunny drugs". This time I dreamed of short little men with big afros. Mom and Dad can tell some good stories with this one. Around 5:00-5:30 I was beating on the bed in pain and pushing the nurse button. The doctors were paged, in the mean time, I had mom call Danny and have him come straight from work, I wasn't sure what was going on, but I knew I needed him. I was checked out and was dilated to a 4. They couldn't give me any more magnesium to stop the labor, I had already had all they could give me. A quick sonogram showed that baby Olivia was head down and in the right position. They asked if I wanted an epidural and I didn't hesitate. The nurse was very helpful, she taught me how to breathe through my contractions and helped hold me still while I got the epidural. It works wonders, I don't see how people don't want one! Around 10:00 pm, I was dilated to a 9+ and they wheeled me down to the Operating Room. A few hard pushes and Baby Olivia was born at 10:17 p.m. She weighed 2 pounds and 12 ounces. She was 14 inches long and her head circumfrence was 26.5 cm. We had to deliver in the Operating Room because of Olivia being so early, they needed to have all their neonatal specialist and nurses in there. There were about 15 people in the room. Danny and I were able to touch Olivia's tiny hand in the Operating room while they were cleaning her. I got wheeled back to my room and waited and waited. Danny was able to take a few people back to the NICU department to get their first peek at our beautiful princess. Olivia was visited by her Grandma & Grandpa, Her Uncle Jimmy, her Great Uncle Dave and Great Aunt Jennifer and her cousins Marie, Barbara & Stephanie. Finally at 2:00 am Sunday morning, my nurse was able to wheel me down so I could look at my baby. She is so precious. We got moved moved to a new room at 2:30 and slept like a baby. I had a good labor, I didn't have to have stitches and I was up walking around the next day.

Nachos!

2010-11-20T18:42:00.000-06:00

Since I found out I have Gestational Diabetes, I've been really craving some of my old favorites. I did a little researching and found some recipies that I can't wait to try!

These zesty nachos are tantalizing to the taste buds, provide approximately 29 grams of carbohydrates, and are a good way to work in a little calcium and a serving of vegetables into your prenatal diet.

To make: layer 10 corn tortilla chips—just over 1 ounce in weight—on a baking sheet and top with 1/4 cup of grated cheddar cheese and 1/4 cup of chopped green pepper (or use hot peppers, if preferred). Bake for 10 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit, or until cheese is melted and bubbly. Remove from oven and transfer to plate. Top with 1/4 cup of tomato salsa and a tablespoon dollop of low-fat Greek-style yogurt.

Health Tip: Because flavored tortilla chips tend to contain lots of sodium and, even worse for moms with gestational diabetes, added sugar, stick to plain corn tortilla chips.

*recipie & photo from Babyzone

Gestational Diabetes = Postitive

2010-11-16T13:04:00.001-06:00

I had a feeling once I found out I was pregnant that I had a high chance of getting Gestational Diabetes due to my weight.

My first visit to the Doctor, she tested my blood and my results were a little high, then at 24 weeks she scheduled me for the 1 hour Glucose test. I've heard that the Glucose Drink is very horrible to drink... however I thought it tasted just like flat Sunkist.   Well that test came back positive and I was on my way to take the 3 hour Glucose Tolerance Test. 3 hours!

Let me tell you, that drink IS HORRIBLE! it has twice as much glucose! Yuck! It made me hot and dizzy and I wanted to pass out! But I knew if I got sick I'd have to retake the test, and there was no way i was coming back and drinking that stuff again!   I made it the 3 hours and couldn't wait to eat. TGIFridays was around the corner and it was on my mind since I walked through those doors to have the test done.   Starving...We arrive at TGI Fridays. What the hell, it was closed! Not a happy camper!

A day later, I received my results...   Positive.. Dum Dum Dum (really bad noise effects).   I have to now watch my Carbs and take my blood sugar 4 times a day. My husband is being very supportive and is helping me plan meals and snacks. I have never hated Grocery shopping until this week. We have nothing in our house and there appears to be nothing that I can eat that I like.

I know I have to do this, not only for me but for my baby Biscuit.

For more info on Getational Diabetes, check out this link. http://www.diabetes.org/diabetes-basics/gestational/what-is-gestational-diabetes.html I found it very helpful.

Baby Shower Games

2010-11-15T07:31:00.002-06:00

I know I'm not suppose to plan my own baby shower, but I'm excited to play games! I played this game at one of my friends baby showers and everyone had so much fun. It's a basic Match Game and you get Candy for the prizes!!! What's better then Candy?!

If you're hosting a baby shower, you want to have creative games that work for both the younger and older crowd. One simple game that will get everyone involved is the Match Game. First, create a list of pregnancy related terms. To make this game even more enjoyable, come up with prizes that go along with the terms. Here are some examples you can use, with prizes.

1. Conception - Skor
2. Father - Big Hunk
3. Umbilical Cord - Rope Licorice
4. OBGYN - Mr. Goodbar
5. Poopy Diaper - Raisinets
6. Midnight Feeding - Milky Way
7. Bottle - candy bottle
8. Pacifier - Ring Pop
9. Baby talk - Snickers
10. Pregnancy Forgetfulness - Watchamacallit
11. Hemorrhoids - Hot Tamales
12. Anesthesiologist - Lifesavers
13. Baby Names - Baby Ruth
14. Doctor Bill - 100 Grand Bar
15. Twins - M&Ms

There are plenty of other pregnancy and baby related terms you could use. Be creative with your prizes.
Get a big piece of cardboard that you can have someone hold or lean against a wall or couch. Use 3x5 cards or thick paper to put the terms on. In big, readable letters write or type the terms on cards. Remember to make two of each word or phrase. If you use 16 terms, that's 32 cards. On the back of each card, put a number. Make sure it's large enough for everyone to read. Tape the cards in numerical order onto the board. If you have 32 cards, you can do a grid of eight across, four down.

When you're ready to play, make sure you have your list handy so you know what prize goes with each match. Go around the room and have a person pick two numbers. Show each card and read the terms aloud. If it's a match, take the cards off the board and give the person their prize. Keep going around the room until all the matches are found.

Other Candy ideas are:
Pregnancy

•Daddy at conception (answer: Big Hunk)
•The conception (Skor)
•Pregnant belly (Chunky)
•Choosing baby's name (Whatchmacallit)
•Girl's name (Baby Ruth)
•Twin boys* (Mike and Ike)
•Contractions* (Now and Later)

Labor and Delivery
•Hospital address (5th Avenue)
•Late to hospital (Rocky Road)
•Anesthesiologist (Mr. Goodbar)
•Epidurals* (Life Savers)
•Delivery doctor (Butterfinger)
•Labor and delivery nurses* (Sweet Tarts)
•Daddy during delivery* (Bonkers)
•Umbilical cord* (Twizzlers)
•Hospital nursery*(Cry Babies )
•Hospital bills (100 Grand)
•Hospital accountants* (Nerds)

Your baby's first days
•Seeing your baby* (Tear Jerkers)
•Premie* (Runts)
•11 pound babies* (Whoppers)
•Swashbuckling triplets (3 Muskateers)
•Chunky baby* (Rolo's)
•Breast engorgement (Mounds)
•Postpartum tummy* (Jelly Belly)
•Breast feeding (Milky Way)
•Grandparents* (Sugar Daddies)

Bringing your baby home
•Time alone (Zero)
•Mommy's lunch (Take 5)
•Mommy's sleep time (Fast Break)
•Baby giggles (Snickers)
•Diapers, formula, medicine (Payday)
•Dirty diaper* (Milk Duds)
•Lullabyes (Symphony)
•Love my baby* (Hugs and Kisses)
•Teething (Crunch)
•Daycare* (Sugar Babies)
•Baby's intelligence* (Smarts)
•Your new baby (Treasures)

Hello 6 Months!

2010-11-14T11:30:00.000-06:00

I haven't been very good at keeping up with my blog. I guess if I had a bigger following I would be better at it. :) I suppose if I did a better job, I might get a bigger following lol.

I am officially 6 months now. Things are going great. Being pregnant for the first time, I am such a worrier! It never bothered me that I coudln't feel the baby, prior to actually feeling it. Now that the baby moves a lot, I worry when I don't feel it! I worry if I am smooshing the baby, if my size is limiting the ability for the baby to move as much as needed. I worry about the dogs and when they jump up to tell me hello and snuggle close at night. I worry about driving, going out in the weather and doing everyday house chores.

We went 2 weeks ago to determine the babys sex. I don't know about the rest of you, but dang those sonograms hurt! I end up with bruising on my lower stomach. I think they have to push so hard to get through all my "excess padding". Ouch! The baby is growing great, the heartbeat is 150-152. The baby was sucking on it's four fingers and you could see the mouth moving. Noice how I keep saying Baby and It's? That's because the little one was sitting indian style and not showing anything! That made me chuckle, my baby is part Native American! And it shows that it has his daddys stubborness!

We are schedule to go back and have a Level 2 ultrasound soon. I told my husband that it would be ok to be a surprise, however he is dieing to buy baby stuff and just has to know!

We have officially decided on a boy name and a girl name. That will be a secret until a later day.

I hope everyone is doing fantastic and enjoying this wonderful fall weather. Happy Football Day!

Mini Pumpkin Pies

2010-09-26T15:02:00.000-05:00

Most of you know how much I love Fall and of course Pumpkins! This has turned out to be the most fantastic day in Kansas City. The chiefs won! And the temp is about 70 something... perfect for a starbucks pumpkin spice latte!

I was doing some e-mail catching up today and ran across this recipe from Kraft and just had to share! Mini Pumpkin Pies!!! I haven't tried it out yet, but I will be sure to put all the ingredients on this weeks shopping list!

prep time 20 min

total time 1 hr

makes 6 servings

What You Need
1 pkg. (4 oz.) graham cracker tart shells (6 shells)
4 oz. (1/2 of 8-oz. pkg.) PHILADELPHIA Neufchatel Cheese, softened
1/2 cup plus 1 Tbsp. sugar, divided
2 Eggs, divided
1 cup canned pumpkin
1/2 tsp. Pumpkin pie spice
1/4 cup chopped PLANTERS Pecans
6 Tbsp. thawed COOL WHIP LITE Whipped Topping

Make It
HEAT oven to 350ºF.

PLACE tart shells on baking sheet.
Mix Neufchatel, 1 Tbsp. sugar and 1 egg with whisk until well blended.
Spoon into tart shells.
MIX pumpkin, spice, remaining sugar and egg until well blended; spoon over Neufchatel layers in tart shells. Sprinkle with nuts.

BAKE 40 min. or until centers are set. Cool completely. Serve topped with COOL WHIP.

Biscuit Continued.

2010-08-29T09:33:00.000-05:00

Super Excited, we started telling immediate family members and a couple of friends. Missing periods makes it so hard to "Plan" and to "Try" to get pregnant. So this was such a shock and we just downsized from a two bedroom lower level apartment to a 1 bedroom second story apartment.... ugh stairs.

The following Monday I called my doctor and scheduled an appointment. We weren't sure how far along we were since I do miss periods. We were able to have an ultrasound and found out that we were only 4 weeks. Our originally thinking was 8-9 weeks. 4 weeks is ok, we are still going to have a baby!

Proud Daddy

Lots of concerns were on my mind, and at first I was scared to death. I tried not to stress, but It's easier to say "don't stress" then to do it. First off, my size scares me to death. As all of you know, I am morbidly obese. It's very risky. I talked to my doctor about my concerns and she does realize the risks of being my size, but she also reassured me that she is not going to treat me like a high risk until that time comes. She said all pregnancies are risky and that we are going to take this one month at a time. I love my doctor. She is fabulous.

We went back a month later and had another ultrasound. We found out we were 9 weeks. We got to hear the heartbeat.. that is the most awesome sound in the world! And Biscuit was dancing for us! He/She was just a wiggling and shaking their bootie! It was so cute.

We have been discussing if we should find out the sex of the baby. When in your life will you be able to have a surprise like that? (well maybe if you weren't trying to have a baby and one day you find out your pregnant... thats a wonderful surprise) After browsing through baby departments, we decided that there weren't alot of neutral items. Most of the neutral items were still geared towards boys. So we decided to be prepared and find out if it's a boy or girl. We find out on October 22. I'm hoping to be able to move that date up a couple weeks. It's so hard to wait! My husband and I have been running through names and have a few selected. It will be much easier when we know the sex of the baby. I should be 21 weeks at that time.

I hope everyone is having a good summer! I can't wait for fall! This 2 week heat wave of 100+ degrees weather has extended it's welcome!

I'd Like for you to meet Biscuit!

2010-08-28T18:10:00.000-05:00

So I haven't been blogging very much lately. I use to be so big on looking at all the bargin websites and finding all those deals and steals... however, we moved a couple months ago and I realized that one individual does not need 12 bottles of shampoo and my husband does not need over 15 packages of razors! We have quite the collection of personal goods in our new bathroom.

The other major reason for the lack of shopping and posting those good steals is that my husband and I found out on June 25th, that we were expecting our first child! I'd like for all of you to meet Biscuit.

This was at 9 weeks and was our second ultrasound. I have been diagnoised with PCOS (altho the only symptom I had was missed periods) and for the past couple of years my periods were not regular... they weren't even close to regular. I've been batteling irregular periods my whole life, so when I missed my period, I didn't think much of it. My Husband and I would take a test and the result was Negative... time and time again... negative.

Well not on June 25th! I went in thinking the result was negative... but to my surprise, that stick put up two lines so quick, I didn't even have to wait the 3 minutes. My mouth dropped and excuse the language, but the first words out of my mouth was "Holy Sh!t". Then I asked my husband to get out the directions and check what two lines meant. We coudln't believe it. We were going to be parents. We went out and bought 3 more test. All came back positive!

Soooo ready...

2010-07-31T15:24:00.000-05:00

for some FOOTBALL! Spring Training has started and I'm so exicted for Football to start. Hopefully the Chiefs will not suck so much this year! 1 more month until the first preseason game! Yay!

Strawberry Shortcake

2010-07-24T15:16:00.000-05:00

Strawberry Shortcake

A Summer time favorite!!! I had this posted on my weight loss blog, (however I'm deciding to cancel that blog and just use one) and wanted to share it here!

Was POINTS® Value: 9
Now POINTS® Value: 6
Servings: 6
Preparation Time: 30 min
Cooking Time: 25 min

Ingredients
24 medium strawberries, about 10 oz, hulled and quartered (reserve 6 whole berries for garnish)
2 Tbsp orange juice
2 cup(s) all-purpose flour
6 Tbsp sugar
4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp table salt
4 Tbsp reduced-calorie margarine, chilled and cut into pieces
2/3 cup(s) fat-free skim milk
2 tsp fat-free skim milk
1 tsp sugar
3/4 cup(s) fat-free whipped topping

Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 400ºF. Coat a large baking sheet with cooking spray.

2. Combine quartered strawberries and orange juice; toss to combine. Set aside.

3. In a separate large bowl, whisk together flour, 6 tablespoons of sugar, baking powder and salt. Add margarine; mix together with a fork until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add 2/3 cup of milk; mix until a manageable dough forms.

4. Transfer dough to a lightly floured surface and roll out to 1-inch thickness. Using a 3 1/2-inch round cookie cutter (or round glass), cut dough into six circles. Transfer rounds to baking sheet. Brush tops with 2 teaspoons milk and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon sugar.

5. Bake until puffed up and golden, about 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from oven and, while still warm, split in half crosswise (like an English muffin).

6. Spoon 1/3 cup of strawberries onto bottom half of each shortcake round. Top with sugar-coated second half. Spoon 2 tablespoons of whipped topping on top and garnish each with a whole strawberry.

WW renovated Strawberry Shortcake by:
Using reduced-calorie margarine instead of butter in the dough.
Swapping fat-free milk for whole milk.
Coating the dough with fat-free milk instead of beaten egg.
Reducing the amount of sugar in the dough and using orange juice to replace sugar in the berry filling.

*recipe and picture from WW*

Wow It's been a while!

2010-07-24T15:11:00.000-05:00

It's two months since I've posted on here... Honestly I don't have much to report. I've been keeping busy with work. I've been doing a lot of local traveling lately, and it sure is wearing me out! My Husband and I finally solved our flooding problem with the apartment... we moved! We terminated our lease and have moved to a nicer happier community. We both like it a lot.

Not much else going on for now... I hope everyone is having a great summer and keeping cool!

Bounce Back From A Binge!

2010-05-06T12:41:00.001-05:00

I recently read an article by Cynthia Sass, R.D. about easy ways to bounce back from a binge. I know that I have a hard time not splurging on some good food and thought I’d share what she wrote.

1. Do A Reality Check. As full and heavy as you may feel, the numbers don’t lie. 3,500 calories make one pound of body fat. So unless you are six slices of cake and drank eight glasses of wine, you are in the clear.

2. Get Enough Water! Drink 8 - 10 cups throughout the day to flush out any extra sodium that could cause water retention.

3. Eat Balanced Meals. Starving yourself after a binge often backfires. It slows your metabolism and it sets you up for another binge! So eat!

4. Fill Up On Fiber! Consuming too much of the wrong foods can lead to short-term constipation and bloating. Keep your digestive system humming with fiber-rich foods such as black beans, artichokes, raspberries and barley.

5. Work Up A Sweat. Stay on that stair-climber for an additional 15 minutes or park farther from the door at the store or office and you’ll burn extra calories!

When I’m trying to really stay focused on my diet and I binge, I am very guilty of #3. I think if I just eat less or skip a meal then it will make up for the damage of my binge. I guess I was Wrong! I knew long term starvation would make your body store the fat it already has and you don’t lose, but I didn’t know short term would do that also!

Turkey Burgers! Yum!

2010-05-04T12:57:00.002-05:00

Turkey Burgers…Diet Friend or Diet Foe?

While I’m still learning and training on my job, I have a lot of down time and have been catching up on a lot of reading. I found this article interesting because how many of you heard that turkey is always better then hamburger? Me too, so I started buying ground turkey instead of hamburger.. then I read this article from Shape.

Just because it’s a turkey burger and not a beef hamburger, doesn’t mean it’s healthier. Some of Turkey Burgers contain dark meat and skin, which can make them high in saturated fat and calories. (Sotiria Tzakas Everett-nutritionist) To save over 200 calories and 7 grams of fat with a turkey burger instead of beef burger, you need to select a ground turkey that is at least 90% lean and contains fewer then 5 grams of saturated fat.

After reading this article, I headed to the store. The downside to eating healthy turkey is it is expensive! 93% lean is 3.50 a pound and 99% lean is 5.00 a pound! It’s also very bland! I made a 99% lean turkey burger for me and my husband and we had to choke it down with about 3 glasses of water! Next time I’ll be sure to mix in some healthy flavors to spice it up!

Also, does anyone know how healthy the 97% lean ground hamburger is compared to the turkey? I’ve been researching and haven’t found anything yet. Thanks!

Southwest Airlines

2010-05-04T04:02:00.000-05:00

Southwest Airlines, come fly the NOT to friendly skies. I guess that’s not all true. I had a wonderful flight out of Kansas City into Tampa.

For months, I have been worried about fitting on the airline since the Kevin Smith/Southwest Airlines incident. If you’re not familiar with the story, He got kicked off the plane because he was too big. I stressed myself out, made myself sick for months worrying about this. I even bought an airline extender seatbelt to try to not draw attention to myself.

So Vacation day arrives. I sit beside my 7 year old nephew and use my extender. I leave the armrest down, because that is their policy, It’s a tight squeeze, but the armrests are down. The plane takes off, not a word is said to me. Yes! I made it! All the stress and worries are gone!

If you don’t know about southwest’s “Customer of Size” Policy, you can find it here. But plain and simple, if you cant fit comfortably with the armrest down, then they can make you buy a second ticket. It doesn’t matter if you have someone smaller (like my nephew or spouse) next to you. It’s for everyones safety. If the flight is not a sell out, they will refund your money.

So we are getting ready to leave Tampa. I’ve checked in my luggage, I’ve received my boarding pass and I’m waiting for my airplane to board. We arrived early so we had a couple hours to sit and wait. Well my husband and I decided to move closer to the gate and wait. He went to the laptop station and my mom came over to visit. The lady boarding the flight ahead of us asked me twice if I was waiting on someone or if I was flying out. I told her flying out both times. The second time she went and told one of the customer service people at SWA. I’m guess she went and told her that there is a HUGE woman waiting to fly out because the Customer Service Lady came over to talk to me about their “Customer of Size” Policy and telling me that I should purchase another ticket. Well you guess it. I am flaming pissed. Mom is there and helped handle the situation. She told the lady we are on our way back to Kansas City and we were never approached about our size or informed of the policy. We told her that I flew out with my little nephew and that’s how we are flying back. She went ahead and told me for his safety I need that extra seat. I got lucky that I didn’t have to buy another seat because it was Kansas City’s fault I didn’t buy an additional seat in the first place. So she was turning Kansas City in. She gave me a pre-boarding pass and a sign that reserved a seat next to me. She also told me that my nephew is still allowed to sit next to me. WTF??? Seriously??? You just told me it’s not safe and that’s why you make “Customers of Size” purchase two seats!

I wrote a complaint to SWA and let them know how discriminating it was to sit in an airline with 100’s of passengers, and yes many were large, and be told that I am too large. I didn’t even get the chance to sit in the seat! Just because I look to big you approach me and make me feel like shit? I don’t think so. And then you tell me it’s your policy that you have to buy two seats even if you planned on having a family member sit next to me, because of Safety! And you then proceed to tell me after you’ve made me feel like shit about my size that he can still sit next to me? Oh I don’t think so! I’m waiting to hear back from SWA on my complaint. I’ll keep you posted!

Tonya, you just got a job, where will you go?... I'm going to DisneyWorld!

2010-05-03T00:50:00.001-05:00

Family Vacation! What an experience! It was me, my husband, mom, dad, brother, sister n law, and their 4 kids. We all flew to Tampa and traveled east to Orlando to spend 8 wonderful days there! Thank you mom for the tickets!

I had a fabulous trip, despite a few family members being jerks 90% off the time. I had my moments when I would lose it and get hateful, but that was only because of someone else being a rude buttface. My poor mother just wanted us to all have fun, and all we did was bicker. Don’t get me wrong, we had a lot of fun, but the bickering was too much. No one could agree on what to do, and when someone decided, it wasn’t what someone else wanted to do. Pretty much, I felt like we did what my brother wanted to do.

I did have a fabulous time though. It was so nice to get away from it all. Especially knowing I had a job to come home too! Unemployment had ran out and we were very LOW on money, so it came at a perfect time. *Side Story: 5-6 years ago, the same situation happened with my father. He got laid off from his job of 29 years. He applied and interviewed at several places. His unemployment ran out. The good Lord was looking out for my family. The radio station was giving away a trip for 4 to Orlando. My whole family, heck the whole city, had been trying to win these trips. I can’t remember if it was one trip a day, or one trip a week, they were giving away, but anyways, it was the very last trip, I was sitting at work at 8am, and they played the magical touchtones, I tried and tried to win it for my family, no luck. Just then my work phone rings and my it’s my dad. He starts a casual conversation asking me if I got in on the radio, and Moms voice came on air. She was the correct caller! She wont the trip to Disney! Dad was trying to make sure I was listening to the radio with out giving it away. Oh it was so exciting. (A side note, when the radio stations had money, they gave away trips and concerts and prizes all the time. Mom is the luckiest person I know, she also won a trip to Hawaii from this same radio station!) Just shortly after, Dad got a call and a job offer. Thank you God. So we are off to Florida and Dad has a job when he gets back. Pretty much the same situation with me 5 years later.*

We experienced, Disney, Orange Groves, Kennedy Space Center, M&M world and Gators! Driving to Kennedy Space Center we saw Gators just chilling on the side of the road in some little watery swamps, It was so exciting, we almost missed a couple of exits looking for gators! The kids had such a great time at Disney. Lily got so use to use taking a bazillion pictures, she started stopping in front of every tree and flower and asking to take her picture! One of the cutest moments with Lily was when she asked Tinker Bell and the Fairies if they could make her fly! Chezney got to meet his favorite Pluto and the big kids loved the bigger roller coasters. I will be honest, I was not a fan of Epcot. It’s basically just some neat buildings, and a lot of shopping. We walked so much that day at that park. I think someone told us it’s about 7 miles if you walk the whole thing, which we did.

I had a few depressing moments on vacation. I didn’t get to ride a lot of rides because I was afraid I wouldn’t fit. So I missed out on a lot of fun. Also, I got stuck in a turn stall trying to board the train. It was one of their older ones, and they are smaller and I just couldn’t get the sucker to spin around. I tried to not cry, but when I saw the line forming behind me and my 5 year old Niece kept saying, “Kaka is stuck” Louder and Louder each time. (They call me Kaka J ) The tears just rolled. This is also the day that it decided to rain cat and dogs and we were so wet it looked like we went swimming with our clothes on. I was able to make my way through the crowd and I saw a handicap entrance. So I went through it and boarded the train. A few minutes later a grumpy old man that works there cam back and loudly stated “YOU WENT THROUGH AN EXIT” I said yes because I don’t fit through the turn stall. at this point im already upset, but he couldn’t hear me so I had to say it louder 3 more times! By this time, everyone on the train in my section knew I was so fat I couldn’t fit though the turn stall. And they were talking about me. I wanted to just turn around and be like, “The old man was hard of hearing, not me!” but I didn’t. I tried to regain composure, but it was hard. That incident and the rain ruined the day so we went back to the rental home.

Vacation was good. It was needed. But I was never happier to get back home. Keep a look out for my Southwest Airline Post in a few days. You think the story about the turn stall was bad, just wait. have a good day everyone!

Work Work Work

2010-05-02T12:40:00.003-05:00

What a month April has turned out to be! As you all know, I finally got a job offer (3 to be exact!) and accepted the position working for the State of Kansas. I started that job this week. It’s a nice, short, 10 to 15 minute drive on the side streets. No highway -Yay! It feels so good to be working again!

Day One: It was pretty slow, I got to meet just about everyone in the office. It’s so different to work in an office with more then two people! They are so laid back and carefree. During lunch breaks they play board and card games. I learned about the type of clients we deal with, that can be pretty creepy if you think about it, because everyone that’s a client has committed a felon in the past. Not all are serious, but we do deal with sex offenders and murders. The afternoon, I sat through orientation, learned all the benefits and policies… yada yada yada.

Day two welcomed me with a carpool ride to Topeka for the Regional Meeting. A long hour ride early in the morning with 3 guys who listened to talk radio! Yep, you guessed it, snooze time! I bet I made a good impression on my second day! I just hope I didn’t snore! Regional Meetings are where the entire North Region gets together and talks about how to better the department and things that are going on with the state. Everyone kept telling me how boring it was, but I learned so much! Maybe it’s because I was the new girl. For instance, before I started this job, I was against the proposed sales tax on soda and sugar beverages. But at the meeting, I learned that the State proposed that tax to try and help meet budget cuts and save State Employee Jobs! I also learned that the State of Kansas is VERY poor these days! Enough about that, on to day Three!

Day three, four and five were all the same. I finally got a computer and started learning some of the basic programs. We have lots of meetings and group sessions we hold on Wednesday and Thursday, so the office was hopping all day long. Friday, I dove into some files. My new task is to reorganize the filing cabinets and make more space. No worries, I wont blog much about my job every week. lol. I was just so excited to finally be back at work and share my new experience with everyone!

I really think I’m going to like this job. There is so much to do and learn! I’m off to the Library to pick up a few books so I can learn a lot of the lingo and crimes! What a good week!

Biggest Loser

2010-04-29T07:10:00.000-05:00

Oh what an episode! I cried for 2 hours! There were so many motivational moments during this episode. You just have to watch it. One point that is sticking in my head is from Michael, he said "it's the smallest changes that make the biggest difference". I just need to take that to the street and start making my small changes. So many moments had me thinking of myself, and when Sam and Koli went back to get the last lady walking the 5k just made the tears flood.

**spoiler**

And it's no secret that I heart O'neal. That man is just AMAZING! I had so many tears flowing when he got voted off. :( Sad to see him go. He was such an inspiration.

Learn to Control Emotional Eating

2010-04-14T16:36:00.002-05:00

I coudln't remember if I posted this article eariler or not.. so if I did, here it is again! I struggle hard with this and can always use a reminder on how to conquer it. Again, article from Jillian Michaels. I promise I do get other educational information from more sources then Jillian Michaels! LOL, it's just so easy to post hers because it comes straight to my inbox! Hopefully, I will start posting more then just Jillians stuff!

Let Go of the Trigger
Okay, go get your journal or log in to your online Fitness Diary. As promised, I'm going to start showing you how to break the cycle of emotional eating. Below are two questions. For a week, before you eat anything, whether it's dinner or a small snack, I want you to answer these two questions in your journal. By doing this, you'll begin to distinguish between real hunger and emotional triggers.

1. Are you hungry?
Are you experiencing any physiological conditions that are signaling to you that you are hungry? Is your stomach growling? Do you feel weak or tired? Has it been longer than three or four hours since you last ate? If you concentrate on answering these questions, it will be very easy to determine whether you are genuinely, physically hungry or whether you are eating for a different reason. If you've determined that you are hungry, then it's time to eat. If not, it's time for the next question.

2. Are you depressed or anxious?
Did you just get into a fight? Are you anxious about a work-related deadline? Whatever it might be, write down what you're feeling and why you think you're feeling it. Getting in touch with your emotions here is critical. If you can't, you're going to have an incredibly difficult time reaching your weight loss goals. Dig deep, and get it in writing

Bath & Body Work Coupon

2010-04-08T08:49:00.000-05:00

Who doesn't love a Bath & Body Works Coupon!!!

Click Here to get your coupon for 2 free travel size signature collections, when you purchase 1 regular priced full sized collecetion (Lotion, shower gel or mist)

To the Greatest Woman of All!

2010-04-08T07:53:00.001-05:00

Happy Birthday Mom! I love you!

Struggles

2010-04-06T21:26:00.001-05:00

I feel like I'm on my blog all the time complaining about things. Well here I go again. I am so tired of my struggles.

Again, I know people have it worse then me, but I am tired of it! Right now I am so frustrated that we are having severe thunderstorm and the stupid digital tv won't keep a signal and I'm missing Biggest Loser! I'm to poor to afford cable, my apartment has their own cable so we can't go out and get any good deals. And it's not the fact that we are poor... I just can't manage money... but more on that later.

I love Biggest Loser, it's inspiring seeing everyone overcome their weight problems. But what am I doing? Sitting at home on my ass eating a pan of brownies or a birthday cake. I sit and cry constantly that I need and want to lose weight. And here I am watching a show about changing life and losing weight and I am shoveling horrible foods down my throat. Biggest Loser just makes me feel like a huge loser.

That brings me to my weight, that's a constant struggle. I was born fat. I grew up fat. I grew up on McDonalds, Pizza and Fried Foods. My favorite thing growing up... Fried Potatoes. Mom would fix them with spaghetti. Spaghetti hasn't been the same since I moved out. I am poor so I have to eat the fast and cheap foods that are packed full of unhealthy junk and no good stuff. I love food. I love the taste, the smell, the look. I love trying new foods. I love eating... and it shows. I have extra body parts and invented new body parts. I have extra thighs and arm wrinkles. I've invented back boobs.

Money Struggles. We all have them at one point in our life. 4 years ago, I fail victim to the joy and luxury of credit cards. I bought every thing I wanted. I bought my friends things and spoiled everyone at the holidays. I traveled. I lived. Then the bills came in. 27 working an entry level office job didn't pay the bills. $49,000 in debt I filed for bankruptcy. I learned my lesson.. so I thought. Soon after my bankruptcy cleared, I started receiving credit card offers in the mail. I applied. Approved. So the cycle repeats it's self. Not as bad, thank god! But all my cards are maxed and I lose my job.... then I lose my part time job. I get unemployment checks. I paid the minimum and blew the rest. My mom warned me a couple times to save it all, but I didn't listen. Once again, Mother was right. And she knows it! I get reminded of it weekly. I love her to death, but I'm not one to have my problems rubbed in my face over and over... especially if I would have listened to her! Mom is so supportive and loving and giving. I lose my temper easily when things don't go my way and I start to get rude with her sometimes, and that isn't right. I get my temper from my father. Mother has been a life saver to me for so many years. I feel guilty when I am rude and unthankful. I love her to death and would be lost with out her. I just need to learn to listen to her more often! 99% of the time she is right! So thank goodness the job struggle has ended, but I still have the bills. I can barely keep my head above water. I'm drowning slowly. After my husband gets paid on Friday, We will have $3 dollars to our name. That doesn't include gas or groceries. Not to mention that I am suppose to be going on vacation in less then 2 weeks.

I know you may be asking, why are you going on vacation if you are in this situation!? Well, my mother bought us all tickets for Disney World. We have to go! We just don't have money for anything else. She gets so upset with me when I tell her that we only have money to eat crackers on vacation. But it's true. I try saving money. It doesnt work. I have it saved, I spend it.

I've been struggling with my relationship with my husband. Both are nerves have been stressed to the max. Every little thing we do drives the other one nuts. I know we will work it out. We sit down and talk daily about our struggles. But it's so upsetting to know that we are so stressed out about our situations right now. I chewed his head off because he spent $3.17 on some snacks for work. Well, why did I chew his head off, it was only $3.17? Because we were so tight on money that I only had $3 left in the bank. That little snack ended up costing us $23.17. Then I chew him out becuase his car takes so much money in gas every week. I found out that instead of using our debit card, he's been putting it on a credit card. The card that I've been trying to slowly pay down! Well I needed to fax some documents for my new job and at FedEx Office, you have to use a card to pay (Which is a rip off, they charge $2.49 for one page and $1.49 each additional page!) I call for the balance and it's $2.80. Seriously?!

So of course I get all worked up, this causes a fight, and we don't talk for a few hours. No worries, it's all worked out. It's a double standard with me and money. I see nothing wrong when I run out and buy lunch out or treat myself to a fountain drink, but get all angry when he does. I guess it's because I know the money situation and when it's safe to spend it and he doesn't. To be honest, I;m the reason we are having money troubles in the first place!

Taxes are another mess that I don't even want to get into. My mom and I were spatting tonight because I told her that I would pay them as soon as I can. She's told me 2 or 3 times about the payment information already this week. I am stubborn and don't like to accept the fact that I screwed up and blew every penny we had.

I know things are looking up for us and will get better. I have been starting to put more trust in God and a few things have slowly turned around. I need to put all of my trust in God and let him help and guide me through these struggles. No worries, I won't go all God on everyone. I know my beliefs and am comfortable expressing them when I feel need to praise and thank. (Which brings me to another topic to blog about later!)

I hope everyone had a great Tuesday!

*sorry for any typos, i can't find spell checker on here!*

Salt

2010-04-06T13:26:00.002-05:00

Interesting article on salt. I was not aware that your intake should be no more than 2300 mg. I've noticed that a lot of the healthy frozen meals have almost 500 or more! And Soda.. wow. I'm going to have to really pay attention to this! I'm sure my feet would like me a lot better!

Salt shocker

By Helen Vong

As an active woman, you’re always trying to eliminate sodium from your diet – you certainly don’t want the side effects of high blood pressure, heart disease or potential weight gain that come with ingesting excess salt. To stay lean and healthy, your salt intake should be no more than one teaspoon per day (2,300 mg) – that’s the upper limit advocated by various agencies, including the National Academy of Sciences’ Institute of Medicine.

Sticking to this amount isn’t too difficult if you’re only eating fresh whole foods, but it’s not easy to abolish processed, packaged fare from your diet. Even clean eaters can be lured in by hidden sources of salt, which account for 77 percent of the sodium in the average American’s diet. While you do need some salt for basic bodily functions, you can unintentionally go over the limit if you eat too many of these sneaky sources of sodium:

Bonus tip: If you must have salt, choose sea salt, and add it to your meal after it’s cooked. Its well-rounded flavor can help you use 1/3 less than table salt.

A New Job Awaits

2010-04-05T16:03:00.000-05:00

Well folks, I received another job offer. This one, better then the other two. This is the State Job! I will be working Monday-Friday and 8-5! Perfect!

I honestly didn't think I would get this job. It was my shortest interview and I thought I did horrible! I got the call on Friday while my husband and I were making a few returns. I was so excited I started jumping up and down and pumping my arms. All weekend I just kept thinking how I was amazed I got this job, in the back of my head, I keep hoping that they didn't get their candidates confused!

They are being thoughful and letting me go ahead on my vacation (which is coming up in a few weeks!) and I get to start on 4-26-10. I can't wait! I have enjoyed all the free time with my husband and dogs (and I'm going to miss them) and all the time I've got to spend doing whatever I wanted, but I am ready to work!

Here's Looking to the future! have a happy Monday!!!

Happy Easter!

2010-04-04T18:52:00.007-05:00

Happy Easter Everyone!!!

KOTEX - Free Sample x 2 !!!

2010-04-03T14:30:00.000-05:00

Walmart is offering a free sample of Kotex latest product, U. Click here to get your free sample! I trust Walmarts site and Kotex site with my personal information, plus I've always received the samples I've requested, unlike many sites out there!

BONUS!!!

You can also visit U by Kotex to sign up for a free sample from them as well! Be sure to also print your $1 off coupon for U products.

20 Ways to Cut Calories

2010-04-02T17:02:00.001-05:00

I onlyh disagree with one of these, The Biggest Loser promotes drinking Milk, and in this article she is telling people not to drink it.... the rest of these tips are great! I'm really gonna start trying the "Leave 3 bites"!

20 Ways to Cut Calories

Emily Fonnesbeck is the Registered Dietitian for the Biggest Loser Resort, and joins us today to share some must-have tips to help you manage calorie consumption and weight loss.

Chances are you have heard some of these suggestions before. But just because you have heard them, doesn’t mean you are actually doing them! Take a good hard look at what you are currently doing and decide where you can slash some calories. Some of these are easy as long as you are committed!

1. Quit drinking your calories. This includes milk, juice, alcohol, sweetened tea and coffee with sugar and cream. You’re quenching thirst with added calories.
2. Eat more often. That’s right, if you are going too long in between meals, you are probably overly hungry and eating too much.
3. Switch to leaner proteins. Poultry or fish instead of red meat. Skim or low fat milk and dairy instead of whole. Beans, legumes, nuts and seeds work well too!
4. Add in produce. Every time you eat, make sure it includes a fruit or vegetable. This will add volume and bulk without all the calories.
5. Go veg. Try to make two lunches and two dinners each week vegetarian. Meats can be high in calories, especially for the portion sizes that we currently eat. Case in point, 8 oz. of salmon (the size of fillet you would buy or order eating out) is 440 calories.
6. Substitute. Take original recipes and use this substitution list to lighten up family favorites.
7. Use lower calorie condiments. Try mustard, ketchup, canola or olive oil based mayonnaise, vinegar, light oil based dressings, worcestershire sauce, light soy sauce, hot sauce, lemon/lime juice, horseradish, salsa, relish, herbs and spices for added flavor without the calories. Order all condiments on the side when eating out.
8. Downsize. Use mini-bagels, pre-portioned yogurts, cheese or ice cream bars, order half size entrees or salads at restaurants and choose smaller fruits and vegetables at the grocery store. Look for easy ways to watch portions.
9. Ditch the sugar. Look for unsweetened or lower sugar fruits, cereals, granola bars, condiments, etc.
10. Leave 3 bites on your plate. You don’t have to finish it! And by starting with 3, you will realize that it is possible.
11. Go fresh. Eat the whole food instead of the processed version: an apple instead of applesauce, chicken breast instead of the chicken nugget, plain yogurt instead of flavored yogurts.
12. Bake lighter. Anytime you are baking, cut sugar by 1/2 and fat by 1/3 and you will still get good results.
13. Eat for volume. Start your meal with a broth based soup or a large salad. This will fill you up without adding calories.
14. Get adequate sleep. If you aren’t sleeping 7-8 hours at night, your Leptin hormone level may be lower resulting in weight gain. You’re also awake more hours, which means more hours to eat!
15. Stay hydrated. That way you won’t mistake hunger for thirst.
16. Eat at home. Meals eaten at home are much lower in calories, fat and sodium and higher in fresh fruits and vegetables, lean proteins and whole grains.
17. Be picky. If you don’t like it, don’t eat it! Make sure it is worth it.
18. Be assertive. Don’t be afraid to order food the way you want it. Some examples: order meats grilled “dry” (without butter or oil), steamed veggies without butter, ask for whole grain options and order condiments on the side.
19. Be mindful. Quit nibbling on dinner before you eat it. Don’t take bites out of your kids’ food. Take the long walk around the office avoiding the candy dish.
20. Eat breakfast! Studies show you will eat less overall by starting with a healthy, balanced breakfast.

How to Boil that perfect Egg

2010-04-02T06:29:00.001-05:00

This should be simple, a no brainer, however I never can get it right! This year I am going to follow the directions and hope for those perfect boiled eggs!

Secrets to a Perfect Boiled Egg

Place eggs in a single layer in a saucepan. Cover with 1 inch of cold water. Cover pot and bring to boil. Remove pan from heat as soon as boil is reached. Let the eggs stand, covered, in the hot water about 15 minutes for large eggs (about 12 minutes for medium, about 18 for extra-large). Cool immediately in an ice-water bath.

Easter Eggs

2010-04-01T07:45:00.008-05:00

Wow I can't believe how fast this year is going! Easter is this weekend! I haven't even bought my eggs to dye yet! I found these tips on Betty Crocker and thought I would share. Enjoy!

Some fresh Easter Egg Decorating ideas to try:
Stripes Rubber bands of varying widths, placed tightly around the egg, will leave strips of the under-color after dyeing.

Wax-resistant patterns Have your kids use a crayon to create desired image on a hard-boiled egg. The wax will repel the dye when you dip it, leaving your design. Mom can then place the dyed, dried eggs on foil-lined, rimmed baking sheet in 250 degree oven for 10 minutes to melt wax. Remove the eggs, then carefully remove residue with paper towels.

Animals Create a bunny, hen, pig or even the family pet using the egg as the body and adding ears, tail, and so on. Pipe cleaners, yarn, paper cutouts, non-toxic markers and pompons will bring your critters to life.

Stencils Tape small stencils to the egg and brush or sponge-on some colorful designs.

Shell games Use hollowed-out eggshells if you'd like to save your decorations for future use. And don't let the egg insides go to waste. Enjoy them scrambled and topped with Old El Paso® salsa, add to Betty Crocker® Pound Cake Mix, or freeze them for another use.

Centerpieces For an eye-catching centerpiece, try layering eggs and Easter grass, lasagna-style, in a wide-mouth glass vase (a large tube or cube works beautifully). Eggstraordinary!

Be Egg-stra Careful: Egg Safety Handling Tips
"It's important to be safe and sanitary during fun springtime egg activities," says Cayla Westergard, director of Consumer Affairs at the Iowa Egg Council. Follow these guidelines:
• Wash your hands thoroughly before handling the eggs at every step, including cooking, cooling and dyeing.
• If you won't be coloring your eggs right after cooking them, store them in their cartons in the refrigerator.
• Don't cook or color cracked eggs. Discard them.
• Use food coloring or specially-made, food-grade egg dyes.
• Use non-toxic crayons, pens, paints, glue and other art supplies on any eggs you will eat later.
• When coloring the eggs, use water that’s warmer than the eggs, and refrigerate them in their cartons right after coloring them.
• Don't eat eggs that have been unrefrigerated for more than 2 hours.
• If using hard-cooked eggs as a centerpiece or decoration and they will be out of refrigeration for many hours or days, cook extra eggs for eating and discard the eggs that have been left out too long.
• Hiding hard-boiled eggs for your Easter egg hunt may introduce harmful bacteria. Consider using plastic eggs for this purpose if you plan on eating the real ones.
• About 1.5 percent of young children are allergic to eggs, which can cause skin irritation or anaphalaxis, according to the Food Allergy and Anaphalaxis Network (FAAN). To keep your affected youngster safe, have her decorate wooden eggs, available at craft stores, just like the real thing. Read labels on candy carefully to avoid stocking her basket with potential allergens. Children with an egg allergy can most certainly get in on the egg decorating fun at Easter, just not with real eggs. The FAAN recommends decorating plastic eggs with stickers, or painting or decorating wooden eggs with glitter, ribbons, or permanent markers. Another idea is to make paper maiche eggs, instructions are below. Other Easter-type activity ideas include hiding plastic eggs with coins, stickers, themed erasers, or even coupons for inexpensive activities such as movies, roller skating, etc. Easter baskets can be filled with small toys, coloring books, art supplies, or storybooks. The key to enjoying Easter for children with food allergies is to take the focus off of food.

Enormous Easter Eggs
If your child is allergic to eggs and cannot dye Easter eggs, consider the following alternate activity-the only danger is having too much fun!

For this activity you will need:
* Water
* Plaster of Paris
* Disposable squeeze bottle(s) with squirt cap
* Balloons
* Large bowl of water
* Sand paper
* Paints, ribbons, and other decorative materials
Pour 1 cup of water and then 2 cups of plaster of Paris into your squeeze bottle, screw on the squirt cap, and shake vigorously to mix. Attach the mouth of a balloon to the opening of the squeeze bottle. Holding the balloon, gently squeeze half the plaster mixture into the balloon. Tie off the balloon and place it in a bowl of water until plaster hardens (about 30 minutes). Repeat with another balloon.

One squeeze bottle of mixed plaster will make two large eggs. To make more plaster eggs, immediately rinse the squeeze bottle and squirt cap in a bucket of water before the plaster residue hardens, or you may dispose of the squeeze bottle and use a new one for subsequent eggs.Once the plaster has hardened, carefully cut away the balloon, and allow your giant "egg" to cure for several hours. Sand off any uneven parts, and allow your child to pain and decorate with acrylic paints, ribbons, buttons, or glitter as desired!

Job Offers!

2010-03-31T21:06:00.000-05:00

I've been job searching for 6 months and I've received 2 job offers. I accepted the first one I received because I was afraid I wouldn't get another one. I am having a hard time deciding what to do. I've talked to everyone I know about it, and I still can't make a decision. I thought I'd ask you all for advice.

Job #1
Major Retail Company
Administrative Assistant
Part Time 20 hours
$1 less then the full time job
I like the manager
the job duties change daily
10 minute commute
Morning Shift M-F and I would have rotating weekends, about once a month

Job#2
Major Financial Company
Customer Service Rep - Call Center
Full Time 40 hours
$1 more an hour then part time job
I don't know anyone that I will be working with or the manager
repetitive work dealing with cutomers over their credit cards and bills
15 minute commute
Afternoon shift 1230-900pm
I would have to work every saturday and have off sunday & tuesday.

My husband works Sat-Mon 12 hour shifts during the day.

I'm leaning towards the Part time Job because I will have my afternoons to spend with my husband and dogs.
But I would be giving up half the money
I would have a variety of tasks to do, not the same thing ever day over and over at the call center.
Plus I wouldn't have to deal with mean cranky customers on a daily basis.
But we need the money! and I can sleep in. But with that schedule, it seems like thats all you would have time for is sleep & work.

Oh decisions! I honestly thought I would get one offer and I would have to take it. I never thought I would have to make a decision!

And there is one more potential Job working for the State. There is no problem making a decision there, State Jobs are great!

So what would you do? Job#1 or Job#2?

Real Age

2010-03-31T08:53:00.001-05:00

Do you know your "Real Age"? You're "Real Age" is the age that your body feels like. Years can be added or deducted due to your lifestyle. I've seen this on many tv shows (Dr. OZ, Biggest Loser) for many years and am just now getting around to doing it. (Thanks to my cousin Marie for sharing and refreshing my memory to do it!) Go to http://www.realage.com/ and fill out some questions about your life style and they will e-mail you your "real age".

I thought I would share with you my results. It's a little shocking, but I know I don't live the way I should. So, what is my "Real Age"? 42. My calendar age is 31.6. That's a difference of over 10 years! Living this life style has cost me 10 years!

When they e-mail you your results, they also tell you what is making you younger, what is causing you to be older and how to fix it. A few things that cause me to be older are being an ex-smoker, getting to much sleep, stress and many many more things!

So, even more encouragement to get my diet started again! I want to get those 10 years back!

Has anyone else taken the Real Age test? How did it turn out for you?

Understanding Insulin Resistance

2010-03-30T22:53:00.001-05:00

Pillow of Tears

2010-03-30T11:22:00.000-05:00

Sunday night, I was afraid to go to sleep. I was afraid I wouldn't wake up. I have so much stress in my life right now. I know my stress isn't as bad as some peoples, but it's a lot for me. I got so worked up about everything that it caused me to cry, and then I got to crying so hard that I coudln't talk and could hardly breath. Then I started feeling tingles in my left arm. I was so afraid to lay down and go to sleep. I prayed to god for hours that he would let me be ok. So sometime a few hours later I woke up and it was dawn. I made it through the night.

I had a long talk with my husband and told him how my health had me so scared. At age 31, the thought of a heart attack shouldn't cross your mind. So I got online and started doing some research on warning signs, and small changes that I can start making to get healthier. I know diet is the best answer, however, I wanted to also find more information on things that especially benefit the heart. I will be posting an article on some foods that are heart beneficial later today.

So, you may be asking, "what's got her so stressed?" I'll answer. The main reason is Money and how I'm going to take care of things.
My unemployment runs out in 2 weeks and I didn't have a job
Money
I wasn't smart enough to save the unemployment checks when they came in
My mother reminds me of this almost daily
Money for Vacation
Money
I wasn't smart enough to not use credit cards, so i have charged them up again.
The Weather, cold, cloudy, rainy and snowy for the past 5 months
Money for Taxes
Job Searching & Interviewing has got me emotionally drained
My husband hates his job
I can't keep the house clean or find the motivation
and money.

However, It's a new day and the sun is out! It can only get better from here!

Women Heart Attack Signs

2010-03-30T10:47:00.000-05:00

The other night, I scared myself (I'll blog on it next) but lately I have been so stressed out, and being over weight has got me to think about heart attacks and the signs in women. I know the main warning signs for men, and I've always heard that the women signs were different, so I went to the trusty WebMD webiste and did some searching. I thought I would share the article with you below. The thing that gets me, these are common almost every day signs for people, especially those that are extremly overweight like myself.

By Katherine Kam

WebMD the Magazine - FeatureReviewed by Michael W. Smith, MDMost women know the symptoms of male heart attacks -- squeezing chest pain, shortness of breath, nausea. But as it turns out, the symptoms of female heart attacks can be quite different – and it’s important for all women to learn the warning signs.

For instance, Rhonda Monroe was mystified when strong pain struck her left breast and left arm. Monroe, who was a 36-year-old mother of three, didn’t know it at the time, but she was having early symptoms of a heart attack. “I certainly wasn’t thinking about my heart because I was young and healthy and had been skinny,” she says.

As the pain moved into her shoulder and back, Monroe took pain relievers and showered for relief. But the next day, she was overwhelmed with nausea, sweating, vomiting, and chest pain. An ambulance rushed her to the emergency room.

Her next hurdle: getting the doctors to believe her. “They didn’t take me seriously,” Monroe says. She didn’t fit the profile of a heart attack patient. The doctors told her she was too young, she was not overweight, and there was no family history of heart disease.

Bedeviled by worsening pain and weakness and convinced she was dying, Monroe returned to the hospital several times over the days that followed, only to come home with no answers. “I was angry and frustrated,” the West Virginia resident says.

Monroe turned to her primary care physician about her situation and went through more tests at the hospital. Finally, she got her diagnosis -- a week after the initial breast and arm pain. As Monroe recalls, a cardiologist who had previously dismissed her complaints made the diagnosis. “The doctor told me, ‘Well, it’s a good thing you’re persistent because you’re having a heart attack.’”

Heart experts say Monroe’s situation is all too common. Women who have “atypical” symptoms, such as arm or back pain or nausea, might not realize at first that they’re having a heart attack. Then when they do seek emergency care, doctors sometimes misdiagnose them.

Female heart attack symptoms
“Typical” heart attack symptoms include chest pressure or squeezing or stabbing sensations in the center or left side of the chest, says Myung H. Park, MD, FACC, who is director of the Pulmonary Vascular Diseases Program at the University of Maryland Medical Center. “It’s very typical for people to make a fist when they’re describing their symptoms,” she says. “Some people describe it as feeling like a vise encasing their whole chest area.”

But in women, symptoms are more likely to be atypical: Although most women experience chest pain or discomfort, many don’t. In a 2003 Circulation study of female heart attack patients, scientists found that during an attack, 43% of the 515 women studied had no “acute chest pain, a ‘hallmark symptom in men.’”

The study noted some common female heart attack symptoms:
• shortness of breath (57.9%)
• weakness (54.8%)
• unusual fatigue (42.9%)

Women had other atypical heart attack symptoms, too: nausea, dizziness, lower chest discomfort, upper abdominal pressure or discomfort that feels like indigestion, and upper back pain.

Often, women are unfamiliar with these atypical symptoms and blame them on heartburn or indigestion, arthritis, or stress, experts say. If they become short of breath with little exertion, they tell themselves they are out of shape, overworked, or fatigued.

Pay attention to heart attack symptoms
But experts urge women to learn the various heart attack symptoms and to call 911 promptly at the appearance of these signs. While every woman feels indigestion once in a while, experiencing a cluster of unusual symptoms or a sensation in the chest or stomach never felt before is reason to seek emergency care. Park has seen too many patients wait too long. Because women have lots of competing demands -- jobs, families, and sometimes caregiving duties -- “taking care of themselves, even if they don’t feel well, usually doesn’t make it to the top of the list,” she says.

That can be dangerous, experts say. “The longer a woman waits before getting treatment to open the blocked blood vessel to the heart, the more damage is done to the heart muscle. If a large amount of the heart muscle is damaged, the woman will be at risk for heart failure,” says Teresa Caulin-Glaser, MD, co-author of The Woman’s Heart: An Owner’s Guide and director of preventive cardiology and research at McConnell Heart Health Center in Columbus, Ohio.

Assert yourself if you have heart attack symptoms
Unfortunately, doctors who are not familiar with atypical symptoms may overlook a woman’s heart attack, experts tell WebMD. In fact, according to the Circulation study, women have more unrecognized heart attacks than men and are more likely to be “mistakenly diagnosed and discharged from emergency departments.”

Be direct with doctors and other medical staff, Caulin-Glaser says: “Women arriving at the emergency room should state clearly that they think they are having a heart attack and need to be evaluated.”

At a minimum, an immediate evaluation should include being placed on oxygen, taking aspirin, having blood drawn, having an electrocardiogram performed, and receiving a cardiac monitor within minutes of arrival, she says.

Being bold can save women’s lives, Caulin-Glaser adds. “If the triage nurse or emergency room physician does not take their concerns seriously and begin the immediate evaluation for a heart attack, then all women should tell the emergency room physician they want to be seen by a cardiologist.”

Shortly after Monroe’s heart attack was finally diagnosed, she underwent emergency quadruple bypass surgery. She reports that she didn’t know all the right questions to ask when she first felt symptoms, “but I definitely knew that something was wrong.”

Now she urges other women who believe they might be having a heart attack to advocate for themselves. “Persist. No one knows your body the way you do,” Monroe says. “I really believe the only reason I’m alive today is that I wouldn’t give up, and I wouldn’t relent.”

Learn about your local heart attack resources

One of the most important ways you can advocate for yourself is doing research. “Take action before you ever have a heart attack,” says Teresa Caulin-Glaser, MD, co-author of The Woman’s Heart: An Owner’s Guide and director of preventive cardiology and research at McConnell Heart Health Center in Columbus, Ohio.

“It’s important for women to do their homework regarding the hospitals in their neighborhoods. Find out which hospitals specialize in heart disease,” she says. Some questions for women to ask:
-Does the hospital have a cardiac catheterization lab that performs procedures such as angioplasties and stents?
-Is this “cath lab” available 24 hours, seven days a week?
-Is there a coronary bypass surgery program?
-Once a woman arrives in the emergency room with a heart attack, how quickly is she sent to the cath lab?
-Can doctors open a blocked blood vessel within the acceptable range of 90 minutes?
-Are all of the physicians in the emergency department board-certified in emergency medicine

Diet: Staying on track when you're on Vacation

2010-03-30T08:11:00.002-05:00

More from the fabulous Jillian! This one is really good for me since I will be on vacation in less then a month. Yay!

Q: I've been really good about my workouts and eating right, but I'm about to go on vacation with my family. I want to have fun and not be too strict, but I don't want to fall off the wagon completely! What do you suggest?

A: Here's what I suggest — EXERCISE! Even if you overindulge a little, you will stave off weight gain by exercising daily. Second, I would say that you should eat the foods you want, but in moderation. Have a bite of the cheesecake, but don’t eat the whole slice. Be smart about your indulgences: Don’t waste your calories. For example, instead of having a margarita by the pool, opt for a white wine spritzer or a light beer. Frozen margaritas have a whopping 700 calories. Think of your calories as an allowance. Save on calories where you can, and spend them on things that are really worth it, like chocolate!

Should You Work Out When You're Sick?

2010-03-27T20:56:00.004-05:00

I should have posted this during flu/cold season, but I guess better late then never!

Q: Should you work out when you have a cold? Anything special to keep in mind?

Jillian Michaels A:
The rule of thumb for exercising while sick is called the above/below-the-neck rule. If your symptoms appear above the neck (runny nose, sneezing, sore throat), then yes, you can continue with a low-intensity workout. Studies have shown that exercising at a moderate-intensity level does not intensify cold symptoms or compromise the immune system. Avoid high-intensity exercise, such as heavy weight lifting and high-intensity aerobic training, which has been shown to have a negative impact on the immune system during a cold or any respiratory infection.

If your symptoms are below the neck (diarrhea, intense coughing, vomiting, fever), then the American College of Sports Medicine and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggest you let your illness run its course before resuming physical activity.

Pub Guidelines if your on a Diet

2010-03-25T15:11:00.002-05:00

A major part of many americans lives revolves around a Pubs, Bar&Grills and Alcohol. Anymore, Alcohol is as common to have at a picnic or ball game as hot dogs are. Over St. Patricks Day, Weight Watchers posted this article on how to stick to your diet and still have fun.

Bar food is notoriously salty, fatty and tasty. Here's how to enjoy the grub without gaining.

1. Don't drink on an empty stomach
"Alcohol enhances appetite and it also lowers inhibition," says Stokes. So if you intend to eat a meal, it's best to order it right away before the cocktails lower your defenses.

2. Do your homework
If the bar offers its menu online, take a look at it and decide what to order before you get there. That way you won't rushed into making a bad decision.

3. Fill up on fiber
When you choose dishes based on starchy foods, such as bread, pasta and potatoes, go for whole-grain options where possible, for extra fiber.

4. Cut down on salty foods
Avoid salty snacks such as chips and nuts, and heavily salted foods such as bacon, cheese and pickles. And to try not to add extra salt.

5. Make meals low in fat
If you're having a baked potato, ask for a low-fat spread instead of butter or, if you are having pasta, choose a dish with a sauce made from tomatoes or vegetables instead of cheese or cream. Steer clear of bacon, sausages, battered or deep-fried foods and creamy desserts.

6. Choose a dish with plenty of vegetables
A portion is roughly three heaped tablespoons of vegetables. Salads and vegetarian dishes are good options. If a dish comes with fries and vegetables, hold the fries and ask for extra vegetables.

7. Go for grilled, boiled, poached, steamed or stir-fried dishes
These involve less fat in the cooking. If you can't tell from the menu how a dish is cooked, ask your server.

8. Opt for fruit
If you want a dessert, choose a fruit salad or apple crumble.

9. Look for pubs that prepare food on premises
That's where it will be more practical for you to request healthier options.

10. Factor in your drinks
There is nothing wrong with having drinks with your meal — you are in a bar, after all. But alcohol is high in calories, so be sure to keep track. Here's a quick cheat sheet:

•12 ounces of regular beer: 2.5 POINTS® values
•12 ounces of light beer: 2 POINTS values
•5 ounces of wine: 2 POINTS values
•1 "shot" of 86 proof distilled spirits: 2 POINTS values

Enjoy!

Whittle Your Middle

2010-03-24T16:05:00.001-05:00

I've been posting a lot of Jillian Michaels post lately, however I've been trying to educate myself more on the benefits of weight loss... plus I'm way behind in my Inbox and thought I would do some catching up and share them with you!

More Reasons to Whittle Your Middle

I think we can all agree that "muffin tops" — the fat hanging over the waist of a too tight pair of pants — and beer bellies aren't attractive. Still, when it comes to excess belly fat, the situation is more serious than how you look. Excess belly fat has been linked to diabetes, cardiovascular disease, some cancers and stress.

When you have stress, your body releases certain "fight-or-flight" stress hormones that are produced in the adrenal glands: cortisol, norepinephrine and epinephrine. When you first get stressed, these hormones kick into gear. Norepinephrine tells your body to stop producing insulin so that you can have plenty of fast-acting blood glucose ready. Epinephrine will relax the muscles in your stomach and intestines and decrease blood flow to these organs. Once the stressor has passed, cortisol tells the body to stop producing these hormones and to go back to digesting regularly. It's normal for your cortisol levels to go up and down throughout the day, but when you are chronically stressed your cortisol level goes up — and stays there.

When your stress and cortisol levels are high, the body actually resists weight loss. Your body thinks times are hard and you might starve, so it hoards the fat you eat or have present on your body. Cortisol tends to take fat from healthier areas, like your butt and hips, and move it to your abdomen which has more cortisol receptors. Hello ab flab! In the process, it turns once–healthy peripheral fat into unhealthy visceral fat (the fat in your abdomen that surrounds your organs) that increases inflammation and insulin resistance in the body. This belly fat then leads to more cortisol because it has higher concentrations of an enzyme that converts inactive cortisone to active cortisol. The more belly fat you have, the more active cortisol will be converted by these enzymes — yet another vicious cycle created by visceral fat.

So what if you have belly fat? Lose weight by following the best nutrition and lifestyle strategies that support you in times of stress, like the ones in my program. When you limit your caffeine to 200 milligrams a day, avoid simple carbs, processed foods, and refined grains, and get plenty of high-quality protein, in addition to de-stressing yourself, you'll automatically help your body keep your stress hormones, especially cortisol, lower. It's a day by day choice you'll have to make, but the results will be worth. Think how good it will be when you are as healthy on the inside as you look on the outside.

Low Impact Cardio

2010-03-22T20:08:00.001-05:00

Another good e-mail from Jilliam Michaels on Low Impact Cardio!

Got a bad back, bum knee, or trick hip? These kinds of injuries can prevent you from doing typical cardio exercises like biking and jogging. Sometimes even walking is painful. But an old injury isn't a free pass to skip your cardio routine! There are plenty of other lower-impact cardio exercises to choose from.

It might be time to hop in the pool — swimming is kinder to your body than land-based exercise because your natural buoyancy in water helps you avoid the jarring knocks that can cause injuries. In water, you weigh about a tenth of your normal weight, and the range of motion for the less-fit person is much wider because the water supports the weight of the limbs. So, swimming is a good choice for people who want to exercise, but who might have problems with weight-bearing, land-based activities. Swimming might suit those who have arthritis or back problems, extreme weight problems, or are pregnant. To mix things up and target different muscles, vary your strokes during your swim between breaststroke, freestyle, butterfly, and backstroke.

Jack's 2nd Birthday

2010-03-22T16:42:00.000-05:00

On March 15th, my little puppy Jack, celebrated his 2nd Birthday.
This year I was going to bake him his own treats, however I ran out of time. I bought him a cookie from Three Dog Bakery. Jack has a sensitive stomach and we try to keep to basic ingredients. We bought him the basic bone cookie and had it personalized with his name. He looks all excited in his pictures, however he wasn't a big fan of his bone! He didn't eat one bite!

Three Dog Bakery is a fabulous bakery, the food looks so good, I want to eat it! Click here to see if there is a location close to you!

What will keep me going

2010-03-21T14:58:00.000-05:00

Lately I have been so stressed about things that I have been really screwing up my diet. I haven't focused on me or my diet... my life change... for the past month. A week or so ago I posted that I was so ready to get back on track... well it hasn't happened yet. I have a couple other blogs to catch up on and hope to get them done today. But on to "What Will Keep Me Going!"

In the past I have made a list as to why I wanted to lose weight. I was reading that list and realized that it was very motivational to me. However, my life has done a complete 360 since that list 3-4 years ago. I still have a lot on that list that will be put on to this list, however some things will change... like make mens heads turn, and to have men notice me and to be able to pick who I want to date, not just accept who wants to date me. I am married now and of course those things aren't inportant to me. Making this list also makes me realize that "morbidly obese" people have to go through so much in life that they shouldn't have too. I want to live a normal life and not worry about if I'm going to fit somewhere. I stopped living because of my size. I don't go to concerts or sporting games anymore becuase the seats are just too small. I make myself sick worrying if I will fit in the chairs at the job interviews I go on, and if I will fit on the airline this Spring. I've gained 100 pounds since that old list, and now my new list is twice as long. So let's get started.

To be healthy
To have a baby
To live a long happy life with my husband
To be able to tie my shoes like a fit person does
To not have to use a seat belt extender in my Jeep
To fit in an airline seat
To fit comfortably in a stadium seat (Royals, Chiefs, Sprint Center, Concerts)
To own a pair of "Skinny Jeans"
To own a "Little Black Dress"
To run a mile with out feeling like I've died
To be able to walk a flight or two of stairs without stopping
To not have to shop in a "Plus Size" specialty store
To be able to cross my legs
To be able to wear high heels
To be able to sit in a Restaurant Booth and not ask for a table
To be able to go somewhere and not be stared at and made fun of
To influence others my size and help them on their weight loss

There's just a few on my list. I'll add more when they pop into my head. Hope everyone has a good day!

Hello Spring!

2010-03-20T19:39:00.000-05:00

Wait... this doesn't look like spring!!!

I woke up to about 5-6 inches of snow this morning! And it's still coming down at 7:30 PM! It was Sunny and 65 yesterday! I hope everyone else got to enjoy Spring weather today!

Love It!

2010-03-18T19:18:00.000-05:00

I can't get enough of this weather! I Love it! Today was finally a nice day! The sun was out, the wind was gone, and it was mid 60's! Tomorrow is suppose to be the same for most of the day, however, it's suppose to snow later Friday night/early Saturday morning. WHAT?! SNOW?! UGH!!

So with that forecast, my husband and I packed up the dogs and headed out to the park. He was able to do some fishing while the dogs and I went for a walk. This park has a nice 1/2 mile walking trail around the pond. I normally don't like park trails due to all the shadyness and rapes/murders that happen at lakes/parks around here, however my husband was able to keep his eyes on us at all times.

The dogs loved it. They got to experience so many new sights and scents and sounds. Ducks, Geese, lots of children, a few other dogs and MUD! They loved the wet soggy ground and the mud. Jack was covered in mud up to his elbows. I wish I would have brought my camera to enjoy a few snapshots of the little boogers! Fred is so good at walking on a leash. He stays within distance and if he gets to far ahead, he stops and waits for mom to catch up. Jack, on the other hand, is a handfull. Not only do I get some cardio in, I get some strength training! He is a little bully and out of control! As promised, about two hours later we stopped and got them their free puppy cone from Twisters and they sacked out for the rest of the afternoon.

Danny didn't catch any fish, so I'm off to figure out something for dinner. Hope everyone had a good day too!

50 Worst Interview Mistakes

2010-03-16T10:15:00.000-05:00

I've been brushing up on my interviewing skills and ran across this article on YAHOO and thought I would share. It made me laugh becuase over 1/2 of these are no brainers! Working the past 8 years in the staffinng industry, I can remember people doing just about all of these! Heres the article.

You may have heard the horror stories--job hunters who take phone calls or text during an interview, or bring out a sandwich and start chomping, or brush their hair, or worse. You wouldn't do any of those things, would you? Of course not.

But there are tons of other job interview no-no's you may not have thought of. Or that you've forgotten. The job hunting trail is long and arduous, and a little refresher course can't hurt. So for your edification and enjoyment, here are 50 (yes, 50!) of the worst and most common job interview mistakes:

1. Arriving late.
2. Arriving too early. (In my experience, I would recommend no earlier then 10 minutes early)
3. Lighting up a cigarette, or smelling like a cigarette.
4. Bad-mouthing your last boss.
5. Lying about your skills/experience/knowledge.
6. Wearing the wrong (for this workplace!) clothes. (I have been trained to tell my job hunters to dress one step better then the work attire. If it's casual, you should dress business casual)
7. Forgetting the name of the person you're interviewing with.
8. Wearing a ton of perfume or aftershave.
9. Wearing sunglasses.
10. Wearing a Bluetooth earpiece.
11. Failing to research the employer in advance.
12. Failing to demonstrate enthusiasm.
13. Inquiring about benefits too soon.
14. Talking about salary requirements too soon.
15. Being unable to explain how your strengths and abilities apply to the job in question.
16. Failing to make a strong case for why you are the best person for this job.
17. Forgetting to bring a copy of your resume and/or portfolio.
18. Failing to remember what you wrote on your own resume.
19. Asking too many questions.
20. Asking no questions at all.
21. Being unprepared to answer the standard questions.
22. Failing to listen carefully to what the interviewer is saying.
23. Talking more than half the time.
24. Interrupting your interviewer.
25. Neglecting to match the communication style of your interviewer.
26. Yawning.
27. Slouching.
28. Bringing along a friend, or your mother. (If you have to catch a ride with someone, leave them in the car! I've had so many people bring their driver in to the interview, AKWARD! Also, employeers are really needing someone dependable, and showing that you have to depend on someone to drive them to their job all the time)
29. Chewing gum, tobacco, your pen, your hair.
30. Laughing, giggling, whistling, humming, lip-smacking.
31. Saying "you know," "like," "I guess," and "um."
32. Name-dropping or bragging or sounding like a know-it-all.
33. Asking to use the bathroom.
34. Being falsely or exaggeratedly modest.
35. Shaking hands too weakly, or too firmly.
36. Failing to make eye contact (or making continuous eye contact).
37. Taking a seat before your interviewer does.
38. Becoming angry or defensive.
39. Complaining that you were kept waiting.
40. Complaining about anything!
41. Speaking rudely to the receptionist.
42. Letting your nervousness show. (Sometimes this is impossible to do! I am bad about covering this up!)
43. Overexplaining why you lost your last job.
44. Being too familiar and jokey.
45. Sounding desperate.
46. Checking the time.
47. Oversharing.
48. Sounding rehearsed.
49. Leaving your cell phone on.
50. Failing to ask for the job.

Job Interview

2010-03-15T21:31:00.000-05:00

Well, after being rescheduled for the 3rd time, I had my interview. I didn't mind being rescheduled, it gave me more time to prepare. As previously blogged, I was nervous and worried about stairs. I reassured myself that no matter what, I was going to this interview. I tried talking myself out of it. But there was no good reason to 'not' go to the interview. I sit around sad and depressed because of money struggles and I sit and complain that no one has called for an interview... there was no way I was letting me talk myself out of this interview.

How did I do? Hopefully Great! I felt great when I left the interview. Lots of good questions and good answers. They offer everything that I have been wanting in a company and more! The company received over 600 resumes the first weeks posting. They narrowed it down to about 20 candidates. I was one of the lucky few that got selected for an interview. Today, they told me they received over 200 more resumes! I know times are rough right now, but wow, 800 resumes for one position! I've got my fingers crossed, my toes crossed and everything else I can cross. I should find out by the begining of April if I get the job. Wish me luck!

Wear Your Green!

2010-03-12T09:08:00.003-06:00

Here's just a few things thats going on in Kansas City this week to celebrate St. Patrick's Day.

Saturday 3-13-10
Snake Saturday
26th annual Snake Saturday Parade and festivle.
10am-3pm in North Kansas City. The Parade starts at 11 am and runs along Swift Street, Armour Road and Howell St.
for more info http://www.snakesaturday.com/

Brookside St. Patrick's Warm-Up Parade
30th annual parade starts at 2 pm at 65th and Wornall Rd.
http://www.brooksidekc.org/ for more info

Lee's Summit Emerald Isle St. Patrick's Day Parade
5th annual parade starts at 1 pm in Downtown Lee's Summit
http://www.downtownls.org/ for more info

Sunday 3-14-10
Shawnee St. Patricks Parade
28th annual parade begins at 1 pm.
The parade will head down Johnson Drive down to Monrovia and East on Nieman.
http://www.irishamericanclubofshawnee.com/

Browne's Irish Market 3300 Pensylvania
Guinness head brewmaster, Fergal Murrary, will stop by the store from 2:30 to 5:30 pm.
Enjoy Irish music, food and of course Guinness.
http://www.brownesmarket.com/

Wednesday 3-17-10
Kansas City St. Patricks Day Parade
The parade has been going on since 1973 and will start at 11 am and goes until 1 pm. Parade route starts at 33rd st. and Broadway. Parade makes its way through Westport to 43rd st.
http://www.kcirishparade.com/

Ragland Road - Power & Light District
Ragland Road will be celebrating all day long!
Irish Breakfast from 8-11 am.
They are offering a free shuttle from Ragland to the Parade between 10 am-2 pm.
They will also have Elevation- U2 tribute band perform from 12-5:30 pm and Connacht Town goes on at 7 pm.
http://www.raglandroadkc.com/

McCoy's Public House - 4057 Pennsylvania
Irish Breakfast from 7-10 am $8.99/person

The Beaumont Club -4050 Pennsylvania
Radio Station Q104 is having a St Patricks Day Blow Out starting at 11 am.
Another U2 coverband - Rattle and Hum, performs at 1:30 pm
Admission is $5
http://www.beaumontkc.com/

Crosstown Station - 1522 McGee
Live Music featuring the Blarney Stoned starts at 1 pm
Tickets $5
Green Beer, Guinness and Irish Car Bomb Specials

also check out http://www.knuckleheadskc.com/, http://www.theriotroom.com/, http://www.howlathtemoon.com/ for more live music and great beer specials.

Be Safe and have a fun St. Patrick's Day!

*information obtained from KC Star

A Trip to the Winery and Cider Mill

2010-03-11T19:06:00.000-06:00

Part of my 101 list was to have a date with my husband once a month, and to visit a winery.

I decided to check out a local winery called Somerset Ridge Winery. I've lived in Kansas all of my life, and I've just recently learned of this winery. The best part is that it is only 20 minutes away. This would be my husbands first time at a winery. I've had the chance to experience some of the fabulous wineries in Napa Valley, CA. Somerset Ridge is a small down to earth winery located a few miles south of Louisburg, KS, the perfect environment for my redneck husband. After some wine tasting and a few pictures, we settled on the Buffalo Blush and the Ambrosia. Ambrosia has got to be the best sweet wine I have tasted in a long time!

While we were down in Louisburg, I also took my husband to Louisburg Cider Mill. (He is from Oklahoma and hasn't experienced the cider mill either!) They have the best cider and cider donuts ever! We couldn't have asked for better weather either. God decided to make the rain and snow stop and let the Sun come out and play. I had such a wondereful time experiencing a few first with my husband.

7 Simple Changes That Will Help With Weight Loss

2010-03-11T09:38:00.000-06:00

For me having such bad luck on Weight Watchers, they sure do have some good articles!

Try these tips for small changes that can lead to very big weight-loss results.

Beginning a weight-loss plan doesn't have to mean drastic changes. You don't need to live at the gym or subsist on crackers alone to get your eating and exercising on track.

Instead, think of more realistic, sustainable changes you can make to your lifestyle. Sometimes small, simple adjustments can produce the biggest results. Consider these suggestions, and think about what other small changes might work for you.

•Trim back your eating a bit here and there, not altogether. For example, sauté your broccoli with one teaspoon of oil instead of two.
•Make some wise food substitutions, like opting for low-fat cream cheese instead of regular.
•Kick it up a notch in the activity department by taking the stairs instead of the escalator.
All or Nothing
"People put too much pressure on themselves to change everything in their diets, which sets them up for failure," believes New York-based registered dietitian Shari Mermelstein. Her advice? Set your sights on making several small dietary and lifestyle changes, and you'll lose weight without really missing out.

Need some incentive? Try this on for size: Cut back 100 calories on a daily basis and you could lose about 10 1/2 pounds in a year. One hundred calories equals:
•1 cup of regular soda
•1 tablespoon of butter
•1 ounce of cheese

Skimming Off the Top
Here are seven simple slim-down ideas:
1.A spoonful of sugar can add up over the course of a year. Add one less teaspoon of sugar (15 calories) to your cup of morning and afternoon coffee each day and you'll save about 10,000 calories—the equivalent of about 3 pounds per year.
2.Slim down that bowl of cereal: Switch from 1 cup regular whole milk to 1% milk (about 50 calories less per cup) every day. Once your taste buds adjust, you'll be thrilled! That's a tad more than 5 pounds lost by this time next year.
3.Take the scenic route. Park your car as far as possible from the entrance to your office, the shopping mall or a restaurant and get those legs pumping. Ten minutes of daily moderate paced walking (five minutes each way burns about 20 calories) can take off over 4 pounds a year.*
4.Get your vitamin C boost with a whole orange (60 calories) instead of a cup of juice (110 calories) each day. Your 12-month weight loss: 5 1/4 pounds.
5.Go calorie-free by switching from regular to diet soda (150 versus 0 calories per can). If you drink one can per day, that's nearly 16 pounds lost in a year.
6.Flavor your sandwiches with very low-cal condiments like mustard or vinegar instead of calorie-packed mayo. Leave off 1 tablespoon (100 calories) every day and you're looking at close to 10 1/2 pounds a year.
7.Downsize, don't super-size, fast food meals. Opt for a small McDonald's French fries (250 calories) instead of a large order (570 calories) at your weekly fast-food meal. You'll enjoy the same great taste all year long but with an added bonus: almost 5 pounds lost.

*For a 155-pound person at 3 miles per hour. Based on calculations from Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, the official journal of the American College of Sports Medicine.

Twlight Eclipse Teaser!

2010-03-11T09:21:00.000-06:00

Thanks for my Twilight addicted cousin, she shared with me the teaser for Eclipse. Here's the links, Enjoy!

http://www.imdb.com/video/imdb/vi2422342681/ or http://www.twilighteclipse.org/

4 Reasons You May Not Be Losing Weight

2010-03-11T08:59:00.001-06:00

Weight Watchers released another good article this week about 4 Reasons You May Not Be Losing Weight. I have to say that I can relate to #2 and #3! I bought my huband some cookies the other day, he had a couple and left the bag out on the counter, before I knew it, I was plopped down in front of the TV with a glass of milk, eating the whole bag of cookies!

Heres the article:
If the scale isn't budging, you might want to consider these possibilities

If you're sticking to your weight-loss plan and the pounds aren't coming off, chances are you're sneaking extra calories and POINTS® values into your day.
But sometimes the reason behind the unaccounted for calories is subtle. If that sounds like you, see if one of the following is to blame.

1. You need more sleep.
People who sleep less than 7 hours a night are more likely to gain weight than those who sleep more, according to a recent study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology. Sleep deprivation causes a cascade of physiological effects, including changes in the hormones that regulate hunger.
A study showed that married couples who joined an exercise program together were 94 percent less likely to drop out after a year compared to people who joined separately.
"For those who have difficulty falling to sleep or staying asleep, regular exercise will help you fall asleep and improve your sleep quality," says the study's author Sanjay Patel, MD, assistant professor of medicine at Case Western Reserve University in Ohio. So will the common-sense measures of avoiding alcohol, nicotine and caffeine close to bedtime, and keeping a regular schedule for getting to bed.

2. You're watching too much TV.
"Time spent watching television has been linked to increased weight gain and obesity," Patel says. In fact, a 2006 study published in the journal Preventing Chronic Diseases found that more than two hours of television watching per day was associated with a high body mass index (BMI) in men and women, which translates to being overweight or obese.

3. Your significant other isn't a healthy eater.
For better or for worse, your partner's eating habits greatly affect yours. University of Minnesota research showed that married couples share similar body mass indexes. The same environment and shared meals are the culprits, researchers found. The key is to convince your partner to become an asset to your weight-loss goals, and vice versa. One area to share and encourage one another in is exercise. A study at Indiana University showed that married couples who joined an exercise program together were 94 percent less likely to drop out after a year than people who joined separately.

4. You don't eat breakfast.
Eating breakfast will make you less likely to overeat throughout the day. Research from the National Weight Control Registry, which tracks Americans who have successfully lost weight in the long term, showed that nearly all of the 3,000 people, who had lost at least 30 pounds and kept it off for more than a year ate breakfast every morning.
Says Ann Yelmokas McDermott, PhD, LN, a nutrition scientist at the USDA Nutrition Research Center at Tufts University, "When you skip a meal you start setting yourself up for starvation mode. Then you start just wanting to grab anything and you lose that ability to register when you've had enough."

Good News!

2010-03-10T20:56:00.000-06:00

As I sat and sulked in my big fat leather chair, thinking about how no one has called me for a job since October, I received a phone call. An interview! Yes! Finally, someone was interested in me. Super excited! An administrative assistant position for a major candy company. Great, a fat girl interviewing for a candy company. I have been going over all the "right" answers in my head. I've told myself 100 times to relax and not be nervous. I'm perfect for this position.

But..... 1 little word has me freaking out and about to cry. Stairs. The interviewer said "we'll go up stairs". Oh lord. Not only was I kinda worried already about my size, now I have to climb stairs? Let's just stack the deck even further against me. I can't do stairs. I have bad knees and I'm carrying an extra 200 pounds of fat on me! I will be so out of breath! My husband is trying his best to calm me, however I just want to cry and cancel this interview. The thought of being embarassed and losing a potential job because I am so damn fat kills me.

I just hope I can get past my fears and have a good interview!

Biggest Loser

2010-03-09T21:43:00.000-06:00

It's no secret that I am addicted to the Biggest Loser. Almost every episode touches my heart and puts more motivation in my step. I was sad to see Cheryl get voted off, my personal vote was for Stephanie.

My views of some of the contestants have started to change over the past couple of weeks. I am totally behind Sam and O'neal. Sam has grown up so much and has a strong determination. O'neal is such a motivator and his love and support for his daughter brings tears into my eyes. I can no longer stand Michael. I was totally cheering for him at first becuase he was the biggest contestant, however he just erks me lately! And what is it with that sweatband he wears around his head! He looks like a poofy mushroom!

Anyway, I can't wait until next weeks show!

Yankee Votive & Tarts for $1

2010-03-09T18:10:00.000-06:00

Click here to get your coupon for $1 Yankee Tarts and Votives! You can also shop online with code XF003A3. Shipping is a flat rate of just $5. Beach Walk is one of my Favorites!

Smallest Things

2010-03-07T21:11:00.000-06:00

Sometimes it's the smallest things in life that can brighten your day and lift your spirits.

It was last week, and nothing was going right. The dogs woke me up at 5am. The washer flooded, the paper shredder broke, the cat decided to vomit and my puppy sprained his knee. My part time job laid me off in December and no one was calling for an interview. Money is sparce, we owe a ton in taxes and we are going on a family vacation in April. Life was just getting me down. It felt like nothing was going right and all I wanted to do was cry.

On my husbands way home for work, he spent his last dollar to surprise me with a diet cherry coke from Sonic. My husband made my night by something as simple as a cherry coke. I love you Danny!

Week of Failure

2010-03-05T20:44:00.001-06:00

For the past two weeks, I have failed myself. I have taken the easy way and have gotten off track from my goals. I have ate so horrible for the last two weeks. I can feel the physical effects of what this bad food/life style has done to me.

When I stopped drinking regular soda and added more water into my daily routine, the swelling in my feet and legs dramatically reduced. They no longer looked like I was 9 months pregnant. The past two weeks I have noticed that the swelling is back in my feet and legs. I've noticed that I have lost energy and get tired easily. I've also noticed that my body physically aches. I did very well for over a month, and it only took two weeks for me to throw is all away. It scares me to death to think that all this change only took 2 weeks, imagine what a life time did!

I have failed myself. I have made it my goal to take those same small steps I took over a month ago and to get myself back on track and to start working my way to accomplishing my goals.

Free Tanning

2010-02-26T08:03:00.000-06:00

Kansas City area Celsius Tannery is offering Free tanning this weekend Fen 27 & 28th. Just print the coupon below!

Kansas City Fat Tuesday Events

2010-02-15T13:22:00.001-06:00

Oh how I wish I was in New Orleans this week! I've been to New Orleans on St Patricks day, and it's one heck of a party, I can only imagine what Fat Tuesday will be like this year... especially after the Saints won the Super Bowl.

But, if you're like me, and stuck in Kansas City for Mardi Gras, I found these few events happening around town.

Pardi Gras Pub Crawl:
With five participating bars (Brooksider, Hooper's, Lew's, Granfalloon, and The Well) the Pardi Gras Pub Crawl won't disappoint on February 16th. For a mere $5 (presale at party venues) you'll have access to all the venues and get a free bus ride to and fro---the fun starts @ 6pm, buses leave every 15 minutes starting @ 7 and last bus departs @ 1:15.

Martini Gras at Martini Corner 2010:
The Martini Corner hosts their own 'Martini Gras' on Saturday, February 13th from 8pm-?.
The four bars of the Martini Corner will celebrate with drink specials all night (think $3 shots and $4 hurricanes) and guarantees a great time.
Visit the Martini Corner website for details.

Beads and the Blues:
The 19th Annual Kansas City Blues Society Pub crawl teams up with Westport this year on February 16th for their Beads and the Blues celebration.
Listen to some serious blues at local jam spots including Kelly's, Blaynet's, Harpos', ONE80, Darkhorse, Firefly, McCoy's and the Foundry.
Visit the Kansas City Blues Society Website for details. http://www.kcbluessociety.com/

Beads, Balconies and Bands at Power and Light:
The KCP&L's will have two Mardi Gras events in 2010. Their Mardi Gras Festival on February 13th, features live music, entertainment and over 30,000 beads thrown. This no cover event will have Mardi Gras specials at participating venues throughout the district, as well as musical guests Pomeroy (on stage at 8pm).
On February 16th, Shark Bar and McFadden's team up to host the KC Live! Balcony Garden Party. $2 specials all night.

Jazz Lousiana Kitchen:
Both locations (39th Street and Legend's at Village West) will celebrate Fat Tuesday the only way they know how with live bands, thousands of beads, and all the Hurricanes, and Rum Runners you can muster. course THE FOOD!

Mardi Ra Party: Ra Sushi, 11638 Ash St. in Leawood, celebrates with Mardi Gras-themed food and drink specials from 9 p.m. to midnight Tuesday. DJ Mike Scott spins from 10 p.m. to close
http://www.rasushi.com/

Mardi Gras Crawfish Boil: Enjoy crawfish flown in from Louisiana and live music from Risky Shift Phenomenon and the MGD’s with the Hearts of Darkness brass section at Crosstown Station, 1522 McGee St. Tickets are $12 and include crawfish, dirty rice, cornbread and a Hurricane. Starts at 7 p.m. Tuesday.

I was hoping for a parade, but have found nothing... Grrr...
I hope everyone has a safe and fun Mardi Gras! Laissez les bons temps rouler!

White Silk Raspberry Tart

2010-02-12T20:43:00.000-06:00

I was browsing the net looking for a good dessert to fix Danny for Valentines day and I ran across this fabulous looking recipe for White Silk Raspberry Tart. I'm sure mine won't look as good as this one, but I have no doubts it will get eaten up!

Prep Time: 30 min
Total Time: 4 hours 30 min
Makes: 12 servings

20 creme-filled chocolate sandwich cookies, crushed (2 cups)
1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted
1 package (6 oz) white chocolate baking bars, chopped
2 cups whipping cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
1 package (10 oz) frozen raspberries in syrup, thawed
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 cup fresh raspberries

1. Heat oven to 375°F. In medium bowl, mix crushed cookies and butter. Press in bottom and 1 inch up side of ungreased 9- or 10-inch springform pan. Bake 7 to 9 minutes or until set. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, in 1-quart heavy saucepan, heat white baking bars and 1/2 cup of the whipping cream over low heat, stirring frequently, until chocolate is melted. Stir in vanilla. Cool to room temperature, about 15 minutes.
3. In large bowl, beat cream cheese with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Add white chocolate mixture; beat on medium speed until creamy. Set aside.
4. In chilled large bowl, beat remaining 1 1/2 cups whipping cream on high speed until stiff peaks form. Using rubber spatula, fold half of the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture until blended. Fold in remaining whipped cream. Spoon into crust. Refrigerate 3 to 4 hours or until set.
5. Place small strainer over 1-quart saucepan. Pour package of raspberries into strainer. With back of spoon, press raspberries through strainer to remove seeds; discard seeds. Stir cornstarch into raspberry puree. Heat to boiling over medium heat. Cool completely, about 20 minutes.
6. To serve, spoon fresh raspberries around top edge of tart. Remove side of pan. Cut tart into wedges; place on individual dessert plates. Drizzle raspberry sauce over individual servings.
High Altitude (3500-6500 ft): No change.

Nutrition Information:
1 Serving: Calories 420 (Calories from Fat 280); Total Fat 31g (Saturated Fat 18g, Trans Fat 1 1/2g); Cholesterol 75mg; Sodium 220mg; Total Carbohydrate 30g (Dietary Fiber 3g, Sugars 22g); Protein 4g Percent Daily Value*: Vitamin A 15%; Vitamin C 6%; Calcium 8%; Iron 6% Exchanges: 1 Starch; 1 Other Carbohydrate; 0 Vegetable; 6 Fat Carbohydrate Choices: 2
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

CorneliaMarie | Crab Fishing Vessel on Deadliest Catch

2010-02-11T18:06:00.000-06:00

I will miss Capt Phil Harris of the CorneliaMarie. Over the past few years I have grown addicted to the show The Deadliest Catch. On Tuesday, 2-9-10, Capt Phil Harris passed away due to complications from a stroke. I have copied the statement from http://www.corneliamarie.com/ below.

CorneliaMarie Crab Fishing Vessel on Deadliest Catch: "It is with great sadness that we say goodbye to our dad - Captain Phil Harris. Dad has always been a fighter and continued to be until the end. For us and the crew, he was someone who never backed down. We will remember and celebrate that strength. Thanks to everyone for their thoughts and prayers. - Jake and Josh Harris
It is with tremendous sadness that I say goodbye to Phil Harris. Phil and I have been business partners and friends for nearly 20 years. We have been through a lot of ups and downs together with the F/V Cornelia Marie. As a skipper, he was a great fisherman. He loved his family and cared for his crew. We will all miss him. - Cornelia Marie Devlin
Statement from Discovery - Discovery mourns the loss of dear friend and colleague Captain Phil Harris. He was more than someone on our television screen. Phil was a devoted father and loyal friend to all who knew him. We will miss his straightforward honesty, wicked sense of humor and enormous heart. We share our tremendous sadness over this loss with the millions of viewers who followed Phil’s every move. We send our thoughts and prayers to Phil’s sons Josh and Jake and the Cornelia Marie crew."

Product Review - Millstone Hawaiian Blend

2010-02-08T08:44:00.001-06:00

Two Thumbs Up! Oh I love this coffee! I have been in a coffee mood lately and while my husband and I were at the store, we decided to try a few new blends. We picked up Millstones Hawaiian Blend Coffee. I'm typically the plain coffe with a ton of cream and sugar type of girl, but the aroma in the store was so invinting, I had to give it a try. It has such a great flavor to it! I didn't notice the "after taste" as much with this coffee as I do with others. The aroma was eye opening and made the house smell good. I recommend everyone giving this blend a try!

Hawaiian Blend

This medium-bodied, light roast coffee is a delicate blend with bright, floral notes highlighted with subtle citrus character and smooth (or clean) aftertaste. Only the finest-grade Arabica beans and coffees produced on the Hawaiian Islands are used for this delightful blend.

Colts Chili and Indiana Sugar Cream Pie

2010-02-07T05:42:00.002-06:00

And in honor of the Indianapolis Colts, here is a recipe for Colts Chili (Hoosier Chili) and Indiana Sugar Cream Pie.

Prep Time: 20 Min
Cook Time: 1 Hr 30 Min
Ready In: 1 Hr 50 Min

Ingredients

2 pounds extra-lean ground beef
2 cups chopped onion
3/4 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped green pepper
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon brown sugar
3 tablespoons chili powder
2 (16 ounce) cans stewed tomatoes
1 (46 ounce) can tomato juice
1 (10.5 ounce) can beef broth
1/2 cup uncooked elbow macaroni
1 (15 ounce) can kidney beans, rinsed and drained

Directions
1.In a large Dutch oven or soup kettle, brown beef until no longer pink.
2. Add onion, celery, green pepper and garlic.
3. Continue cooking until vegetables are tender.
4. Add all remaining ingredients except last two; bring to a boil.
5. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 1-1/2 hours, adding macaroni for last half hour of cooking time.
6. Stir in the beans and heat through.

Nutrition Facts: One serving (without additional salt and using sodium-free tomatoes, tomato juice and broth) equals 255 calories, 13 g fat (0 saturated fat), 45 mg cholesterol, 68 mg sodium, 23 g carbohydrate, 0 fiber, 18 g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 2 meat, 1-1/2 vegetable, 1 starch.

Indiana Sugar Cream Pie

Prep Time: 10 Min
Cook Time: 1 Hr
Ready In: 1 Hr 10 Min
Servings = 6

Ingredients

1 prepared 8 inch pastry shell
1 1/2 cups white sugar
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup heavy whipping cream
3/4 cup whole milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 cup butter, chilled and diced

Directions
1.Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (225 degrees C).
2.In a medium bowl, mix together sugar, flour, and cream. Add milk and vanilla extract, and continue to stir until mixture is smooth. Pour into pastry shell. Sprinkle top with nutmeg and dot evenly with small chunks of butter.
3.Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) and bake an additional 45 minutes.

Nutritional Information
Amount Per Serving Calories: 541
Total Fat: 28.6g
Cholesterol: 78mg

Arm & Hammer Coupons

2010-02-06T06:41:00.000-06:00

Head on over to Arm & Hammer to print $9.50 worth of great coupons!
The coupons are:

$1.00 off Vacuum Bags or Filters
$1.00 off any two Laundry Detergents or Fabric Sheets
$1.00 off Cat Litter Deodorizer Spray
$1.00 off Whitening Booster
$0.75 off Daily Shower Cleaner (This stuff is Great!)
$1.00 off Cat Litter
$0.50 off Carpet and Fabric Odor Eliminator Powder (This works great too!)
$0.50 off Baking soda or Fridge Fresh
$1.00 off Toothpaste
$1.00 off 2 in 1 Dryer Cloths

New Orleans Beignets & Shrimp Creole

2010-02-06T05:26:00.001-06:00

In honor of the Saints, A recipe for New Orleans Shrimp Creole and Beignets

Ingredients

8 slices bacon, diced
1/2 cup chopped yellow onion
1/2 cup chopped green onion
1 1/2 cups chopped green bell peppers
1 cup chopped celery
1 clove garlic, minced
2 (14 1/2 ounce) cans plum tomatoes, coarsely chopped,with juice
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1/2 cup chicken stock or broth
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
4 drops Tabasco sauce
1 teaspoon salt
fresh ground pepper
1/2 cup dry red wine
1 lb large raw shrimp, peeled and deveined

Directions:

1. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, fry bacon until crisp, about 6 minutes.
2. With a slotted spoon, remove bacon to a plate, leaving 2 tablespoons bacon drippings in (the best part!) Reduce heat to medium.
3. Add onions, bell pepper, celery, and garlic and sauté until tender, about 6 to 7 minutes.
4. Add tomatoes, tomato paste, stock, vinegar, mustard, Tabasco sauce, salt, and pepper.
5. Return bacon to pan.
6. Simmer over medium-low heat, uncovered, for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
7. Add wine and shrimp and cook until shrimp turn pink, about 5 minutes.

New Orleans Beignets

Prep Time: 30 Min
Cook Time: 30 Min
Ready In: 3 Hrs
Servings-10

Ingredients

2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
1 1/2 cups warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
1/2 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 cup evaporated milk
7 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup shortening
1 quart vegetable oil for frying
1/4 cup confectioners' sugar

Directions
1.In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add sugar, salt, eggs, evaporated milk, and blend well. Mix in 4 cups of the flour and beat until smooth. Add the shortening, and then the remaining 3 cups of flour. Cover and chill for up to 24 hours.
2.Roll out dough 1/8 inch thick. Cut into 2 1/2 inch squares. Fry in 360 degree F (180 degrees C) hot oil. If beignets do not pop up, oil is not hot enough. Drain onto paper towels.
3.Shake confectioners' sugar on hot beignets. Serve warm.

Bob's Blog 2/5/10

2010-02-05T18:13:00.001-06:00

Just wanted to share Bob's latest blog. It was full of good information and reading it reminded me of how frustrated I was with only losing one pound... slow and easy wins the race Tonya.

Okay well, we’re one month into 2010 and I know so many of you have made a New Year’s Resolution to lose weight, get in shape and be the healthiest you can possibly be, and I applaud that so let’s talk about a few things that you can do to get you AND keep you on track. The first thing that you have to remember, and I can’t stress this enough, be careful to not change everything all at once. Slow and steady ultimately wins the race here. I know that you want to get to the finish line fast and drop the weight that you want to drop but this is a lifestyle change not a quick fix so start small and you can always build as you go along.

Start by doing some cardio activity 3 times a week for those of you that have never worked out before for 30 minutes. This is going to get the ball rolling. If you are used to eating a lot of fast food, start cutting out the processed foods and go for more fruits and veggies. Another key thing to remember is to stay hydrated. Staying hydrated helps with weight loss, it’s inexpensive, easily accessible and REALLY GOOD FOR YOU. Personally, I never leave home without my Brita FilterforGood Bottle. You will always see me in the gym with it and you will NEVER see me with a plastic water bottle. It is the little things that you can do to not only help you but to help the environment.

When it comes time to really focus on what you are eating, the main thing you want to do is to eat to lose weight. So many people think that skipping meals is going to help them lose weight…NO WAY!!! When you put yourself in starvation mode, your metabolism is going to slow down (btw, water increases your metabolism, helps build muscle tone and re-energizes you). Your body is going to hold on to every bit of fat you have waiting for you to eat and let me tell you, you are gonna have no resolve because you are so hungry and you will, more times than not, overeat and a lot of times for many people it will be late at night, the worst time to overeat. Choose more sensible meals, eating about every 4 hours. Have your complex carbs in the earlier part of the day to fuel you and keep you going and choose proteins (I’m a big believer in plant based protein) and all the veggies you want.

Remember, starting small is the key and as you continue your weight loss journey, use these simple tips to keep you on track. This is a lifestyle change….NOT A QUICK FIX!!!

And just because he's so cute.. a picture of Bob.

Free On The Border Chips 2/7

2010-02-05T17:29:00.000-06:00

Click HERE to get your coupon for a free bag of On The Border Chips! Valid Sunday, 2/7 only. Just bring the coupon to your local On The Border and get your free bag. No purchase necessary!

Mist Hydrator

2010-02-05T17:14:00.000-06:00

The snow has ruined my plans for the day! I was hoping the snow was over, but I guess the Groundhog did see his shadow... ugh. We've had so much snow this year! I like snow, don't get me wrong, but it's time to move on. At one point, it was snowing up to 2 inches an hour! I think we have about 6-7 inches since about 10 am and has finally slowed down.. But it's not over yet, the forecast is showing atleast 2 more days of it. I hope it doesn't ruin my super bowl plans!!!

So since I wasn't able to get out and about today, I decided to conquer my stack of magazines. In Real Simple November 2009, I ran across this neat little product that I think I must go buy! I haven't seen these around anywhere and I think it's a great invention! Not only for athletes and those die hard fitness fans, but for hot summer days at the fair or vacations! Trudeau has this neat Mist Hydrator. It's a water bottle with a pop up straw and a mist squirt button! It's also ECO friendly and BPA Free. The magazine says they cost $10, but I don't see a price or a way to purchase them on their website. Click HERE to find an online retailer or click HERE to find a retailer near you. My address popped up ACE Hardware, so I will be calling and double checking before I head out and buy one. Green for the hubby and of course Hot Pink for me. They even advertise a Breat Cancer Pink one.

Oven "Fried" Chicken Fingers with Honey-Mustard Dipping Sauce

2010-02-05T08:04:00.014-06:00

Yield: 8 servings (serving size: 2 chicken tenders and 1 tablespoon sauce)

Ingredients
Sauce:
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup spicy brown mustard

Chicken:
1 1/2 pounds chicken breast tenders (about 16 pieces)
1/2 cup low-fat buttermilk
1/2 cup coarsely crushed cornflakes
1/4 cup seasoned breadcrumbs
1 tablespoon instant minced onion
1 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Preparation
To prepare sauce:
1. Combine honey and mustard in a small bowl; cover and chill.
2. Preheat oven to 400°.

To prepare chicken:
1. Combine chicken and buttermilk in a shallow dish; cover and chill 15 minutes.
2. Drain chicken, discarding liquid.
3. Combine cornflakes and next 5 ingredients (cornflakes through pepper) in a large zip-top plastic bag
4. Add 4 chicken pieces to bag. Seal and shake to coat. Repeat procedure with remaining chicken.
5. Spread oil evenly in a jelly-roll pan, and arrange chicken in a single layer in pan.
6. Bake at 400° for 4 minutes on each side or until done.
7. Serve with sauce.

Nutritional Information
Calories:185 (18% from fat)
Fat:3.7g (sat 0.8g,mono 1.2g,poly 1.2g)
Protein:21.6g
Carbohydrate:16g
Fiber:0.3g
Cholesterol:49mg
Iron:1.3mg
Sodium:306mg
Calcium:46mg

Southwestern Layered Bean Dip

2010-02-04T09:20:00.001-06:00

What's a party with out dip? Try this healthy version of Southwestern Layered Bean Dip and tell me what you think! I think I'll leave the jalapeños off my dip and serve with Baked Tostitos. Yum!

12 servings, about 1/2 cup each
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:
1 16-ounce can nonfat refried beans, preferably “spicy”
1 15-ounce can black beans, rinsed
4 scallions, sliced
1/2 cup prepared salsa
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 cup pickled jalapeño slices, chopped (optional)
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack, or Cheddar cheese
1/2 cup reduced-fat sour cream
1 1/2 cups chopped romaine lettuce
1 medium tomato, chopped
1 medium avocado, chopped
1/4 cup canned sliced black olives, (optional)

Preparation:
1.Combine refried beans, black beans, scallions, salsa, cumin, chili powder and jalapeños in a medium bowl. Transfer to a shallow 2-quart microwave-safe dish; sprinkle with cheese.
2.Microwave on High until the cheese is melted and the beans are hot, 3 to 5 minutes.
3.Spread sour cream evenly over the hot bean mixture, then scatter with lettuce, tomato, avocado and olives (if using).

Nutrition
Per serving: 146 calories; 7 g fat (3 g sat, 3 g mono); 12 mg cholesterol; 15 g carbohydrates; 7 g protein; 5 g fiber; 288 mg sodium; 164 mg potassium.

Baked Honey Mustard Chicken Bites

2010-02-04T07:22:00.003-06:00

I am totally making these for the football game!
Baked Honey Mustard Chicken Bites Only 1 Weight Watcher POINT!

POINTS® Value: 1

Servings: 24
Preparation Time: 10 min
Cooking Time: 20 min
Level of Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients
1 pound(s) boneless, skinless chicken thigh(s), cut into 24 equal-size pieces
8 oz refrigerated bread stick dough
1/4 cup(s) honey mustard,
Dipping Sauce
3 Tbsp honey mustard
1 1/2 tsp low-sodium soy sauce
2 tsp chives, minced

Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 375ºF. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Unroll dough and cut it into 24 strips; place strips horizontally in front of you. Top each strip with a piece of chicken and brush chicken with some mustard; roll dough around chicken (chicken will stick out on the ends).
3. Place chicken bites on prepared baking sheet. Bake until breadsticks are golden brown and chicken is cooked through, about 15 to 20 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes before serving.
4. Meanwhile, combine mustard and soy sauce in a small bowl; sprinkle with chives. Yields 1 chicken bite per serving.

Cheese Steak Sandwich

2010-02-03T19:21:00.000-06:00

Here's a good looking recipe for Cheese Steak Sandwich. The nutritional information was not provide by Weight Watchers, however the POINT value is 7.

POINTS® Value: 7

Servings: 4
Preparation Time: 12 min
Cooking Time: 21 min
Level of Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients
1 spray(s) olive oil cooking spray

1 medium onion(s), thinly sliced
1 pound(s) raw lean flank steak, cut into 8 thin slices
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/4 tsp table salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
4 roll(s) reduced-calorie hot dog bun(s)
1/4 cup(s) low-fat shredded cheddar cheese

Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Coat a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray; set pan over medium-high heat. When pan is hot, add onion and sauté until tender and golden brown, about 10 minutes. Remove onion from pan; set aside.
3. Add steak to skillet and sauté until browned and cooked through, about 1 to 2 minutes per side. Add Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper; cook until liquid is absorbed.
4. Divide steak evenly between buns and top with onion and cheese. Wrap in foil, transfer to oven and bake until cheese melts, about 5 to 7 minutes. Yields 1 sandwich per serving.

Beer-Battered Onion Rings

2010-02-03T08:00:00.000-06:00

Here is a healthier version of Beer-Battered Onion Rings... I found this recipe at Cookinglight.com and my husband can't wait for me to make these! I'm not an onion fan and have no desire to even taste them, so I'll have to let you know what he thinks!

Here is a simple way to flatten beer that you'll need for this batter. Measure 1/2 cup beer in a small bowl, and stir with a fork. You're left with about 1/3 cup flat beer.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 4 onion rings and 1 tablespoon ketchup)
Ingredients
2 large onions, peeled (about 1 1/2 pounds)
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup flat beer
1 large egg white, lightly beaten
1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
Cooking spray
1/4 cup ketchup

Preparation
Preheat oven to 400°.
Cut the onion crosswise into 3/4-inch-thick slices, and separate into rings. Use 16 of the largest rings; reserve remaining onion for another use. Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine flour, salt, paprika, and pepper in a medium bowl. Stir in beer and egg white (batter will be thick). Heat 1 1/2 teaspoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Dip 5 onion rings in batter, letting excess drip off. Add onion rings to pan; cook for 2 minutes on each side or until golden. Place the onion rings on a jelly-roll pan. Repeat procedure of dipping onion rings in batter and cooking in remaining oil, ending with 6 rings. Coat the onion rings with cooking spray. Bake at 400° for 10 minutes or until crisp.
Serve rings with ketchup.

Nutritional Information
Calories:209 (25% from fat)
Fat:5.8g (sat 1g,mono 1.6g,poly 2.7g)
Protein:5.1g
Carbohydrate:34.1g
Fiber:3.7g
Cholesterol:0.0mg
Iron:1.5mg
Sodium:490mg
Calcium:39mg

Honey Chicken Kabobs

2010-02-02T17:04:00.000-06:00

Are you ready for some Honey Chicken Kabobs?

Amount Per Serving Calories: 178
Total Fat: 6.6g
Cholesterol: 45mg
Prep Time: 15 Min
Cook Time: 15 Min
Ready In: 3 Hrs

Ingredients
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup honey
1/3 cup soy sauce
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
8 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cut into 1 inch cubes
2 cloves garlic
5 small onions, cut into 2 inch pieces
2 red bell peppers, cut into 2 inch pieces
skewers

Directions
1.In a large bowl, whisk together oil, honey, soy sauce, and pepper. Before adding chicken, reserve a small amount of marinade to brush onto kabobs while cooking. Place the chicken, garlic, onions and peppers in the bowl, and marinate in the refrigerator at least 2 hours (the longer the better).
2.Preheat the grill for high heat.
3.Drain marinade from the chicken and vegetables, and discard marinade. Thread chicken and vegetables alternately onto the skewers.
4.Lightly oil the grill grate. Place the skewers on the grill. Cook for 12 to 15 minutes, until chicken juices run clear. Turn and brush with reserved marinade frequently.

Super Bowl Football Brownies

2010-02-01T16:50:00.000-06:00

So who's ready for some football?! I am a huge PEYTON fan and my husband is a huge Saints fan so we can't wait for this years super bowl! I won't be disappointed if the Saints win, I think it's pretty neat that this is their first time ever at a super bowl.

In honor of the super bowl, I thought I would post a "Super Bowl" recipe for each day of the week. I tried to find healthy recipes to insure that we all keep on track, however there are a few that aren't so healthy friendly. I haven't been able to make and taste these recipes yet, however they all had great reviews.

This first recipe is not a healthy recipe, but it's simple and oh so cute! It's a basic box recipe and the frosting is from a tub. I found a whole set of football cookie cutters at Michaels for about $5. If you don't have a football shaped cookie cutter, you can cut both the top and bottom lids from a tuna can, and bend the open-ended can into a football shape. Or make a paper cutout, and cut the brownies around the shape. Be sure to cut your brownies with a plastic knife, it provides a smooth, clean cut and doesn't tear the edges. I think I'll be making an extra batch of these and sending them to work for my husband and co-workers.

Prep Time: 30 min

Total Time: 2 hours 0 min
Makes: 12 brownies

Ingredients:
1 box (1 lb 6.5 oz) Betty Crocker® Original Supreme brownie mix (with chocolate syrup pouch)

1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup water
3 eggs
Football-shaped cookie cutter, 3 1/2x2 inches
1 container (1 lb) Betty Crocker® Rich & Creamy chocolate frosting
Betty Crocker® white decorating icing (from 4.25-oz tube)

Directions:
1. Heat oven to 350°F. Line 13x9-inch pan with foil, letting foil hang 2 inches over short ends of pan. Spray foil with cooking spray.
2. In medium bowl, stir brownie mix, chocolate syrup, oil, water and eggs until well blended. Spread in pan.
3. Bake 28 to 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted 2 inches from side of pan comes out almost clean. Cool completely, about 1 hour.
4. Using foil to lift, remove brownies from pan. With football-shaped cookie cutter, cut brownies into football shapes. Spread frosting on brownies. Pipe on decorating icing to look like football laces.

1 Frosted Brownie: Calories 420 (Calories from Fat 140); Total Fat 16g (Saturated Fat 4g, Trans Fat 2 1/2g); Cholesterol 55mg; Sodium 300mg; Total Carbohydrate 67g (Dietary Fiber 0g, Sugars 50g); Protein 3g Percent Daily Value*: Vitamin A 0%; Vitamin C 0%; Calcium 0%; Iron 15% Exchanges: 1 1/2 Starch; 3 Other Carbohydrate; 0 Vegetable; 3 Fat Carbohydrate Choices: 4 1/2

*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.