Yoga Baby!!!!!

Guess what I did tonight?????  YOGA !!!  can I saw it is diffidently harder than it looks? My body hurts in places I thought it would never hurt.  My really good friend Michelle texted me yesterday asking if I wanted to go to Yoga with her.  My first thought was heck no I’m the least flexible person, I have no upper body strength, I am the most uncoordinated person alive.  The more I thought about it, I was thinking I don’t do much for my self, I need to step away from the house/work and the kids.  I need to have alone time.  I texted her back and told her yes I would go.  Ill be honest with you I was so excited to go until about 5:00 and I was fighting with myself on going, I wanted to text her and say I decided not to go, Work was a long and stressful today so I really wanted to sit on the couch and do nothing tonight, But I decided not to text her and go, I am so thankful I went, it was so much fun and so relaxing, except for the part where I was stretching my body and hurting at the same time.  I have to be honest with you I was more worried about passing gas than anything…. I know TMI TMI but seriously some of those moves were a little crazy and I was so worried about passing gas but Thankfully I did not. HA! HA! HA!  I am a little worried if I will be sore tomorrow…..  I had such a great time I am looking forward to the next time I go. My two older girls went swimming with Michelle daughter and Brook Michelle husband watched Ellie for me, I was a little worried on how she was going to be with him but when we got back she was having the best time, she did not even want me, she kept sitting on Brook lap and watching a movie.  About 15 min after we were there Brook pulls out the Nerf guns and Ellie thought that was so cool she can sit and shoot us.  Thanks Brook for your help with Ellie so Michelle and I could go to Yoga!!!!

Guess who has cooked at home everyday this week so far? including breakfast, lunch and dinner.. YEP YOU GUESSED IT!!!! MEEEEEEEEE!!!! It’s been so nice staying home in my nice warm house and not going out in this bitter cold.  Can you believe it School is cancelled again tomorrow for my girls.  They only went to school all day on Tuesday and was at school for 30 min on Wednesday and sent them home.  Tomorrow morning it is suppose to be -13 at 7:00 am. FREEZING!!!!  I am glad they have our kids best interest and keeping them home. 

Today Menu

Breakfast- You guessed it, Protein Shake and String cheese

Lunch- I was so busy with work today that I forgot to each lunch until around 2:00 so I made me a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, I use one slice of Wheat bread and fold it in half, and String Cheese

Dinner-  I made Beef Pepper Swiss Steak with Vegetables- It was a big hit with my family tonight, my girls loved it, I was going to make Riced Cauliflower but we ran out of time so I just barley cooked the Cauliflower so it was tender enough to eat, and we also had cottage cheese.  It was really good, this is one that I will make again.

We are working on getting the house organized and dejunking.  I am so sick of having so much stuff in the house, so the girls and helping me and going through all their clothes and Ellie toys to take to the DI.  It feels so good to let go of stuff.  Stuff that we don’t need anymore, stuff that takes up space.  

I am so grateful to have a nice warm house to live in, I am so grateful for my job and for such an amazing boss who cares so much about me and my family, I am so grateful for my husband who wakes up every morning puts that badge on, that serves and protects his community, I am beyond grateful to be a mom to my 3 beautiful girls whom I love with all my heart.  I thank my heavenly father every day for everything he has given me.  I am one blessed women.  

A New Day, Fresh Start

It still is so strange to type 2017,  how on earth have I been out of school for almost 20 years? how is it that I have been married to the love of my life for 16 years?  How can I have a 15 year old?  Wow, I am starting to sound old!!!!!  I had a really hard time sleeping last night, so much on my mind. It would not shut off and let me just relax, Finally at 4:30 this morning, I climbed out of bed and decided to go into my office and start working.  That is one bad thing about working from home I can’t get away from it, it’s in the room across from my bedroom, I was in the hallway and see it.  I had to get caught up on a couple of things.  

~ Today Menu ~

Breakfast- Protein Shake, String Cheese

Lunch- Chicken Lettuce Wrap with Peanut Sauce

Dinner- Carne Asada Taco with Onions, tomatoes, sour cream, and cilantro on a corn tortilla with a couple of chunks of watermelon

I ate my breakfast,  I worked for a couple of hours and than got the girls up for school,  the girls were at school for about an hour and all of a sudden I got a message from the School District saying they are closing the schools for the day, due to the horrible snow storm, VERY cold weather, bad wind that was causing the snow to drift, it was just not safe for our buses and kids.  Luckily Eric was still at the Gym that he left and went and picked the girls up from school for me.  It’s always fun to have the girls home because they help me out os much with Ellie, but boy oh boy do they fight.  Especially when I ask the to help clean up or do their chores. It’s crazy how they start fighting and yell at each other,  Please tell me I am not the only one that their kids do that?  I found a recipe on Facebook that we Love so much we make it at least 1 time a week.  We love Chicken Lettuce Wrap with Peanut Sauce.  BOY OH BOY they are amazing!!! They are so easy to make and so much flavor they are amazing!!!!!!  Kamree helped me this afternoon by making lunch, she makes it as good as I do.  She is such a great cook/baker.  I ate one lettuce wrap for lunch, it was so dang good I even licked my plate and had to do everything to not lick the pot that we made the Peanut Sauce in, it’s that good.  

Here is the recipe for the Chicken Lettuce Wrap with Peanut Sauce:

INGREDIENTS:

For the Peanut Sauce:

1/2 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth

3 tbsp PB2 (or 2 tbsp peanut butter)

1/2 tablespoon Sriracha chili sauce

1 tbsp honey

1 tbsp soy sauce (use Tamari for gluten free)

1/2 tbsp freshly grated ginger

1 clove garlic, crushed

For the Chicken:

cooking spray

16 oz ground chicken

1 tbsp Sriracha chili sauce (more or less to taste)

4 cloves garlic, crushed

1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated

1 tbsp soy sauce (use Tamari for gluten free)

3/4 cups shredded carrots

2/3 cup scallions, chopped

3/4 cup shredded red cabbage

2 tbsp chopped peanuts

cilantro leaves, for garnish

4 lime wedges

8 iceberg lettuces outer leaves

DIRECTIONS:

Make the peanut sauce; in a small saucepan combine chicken broth, PB2, 1/2 tablespoon sriracha, honey, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1/2 tablespoon fresh ginger, and 1 clove crushed garlic and simmer over medium-low heat stirring occasionally until sauce becomes smooth and thickens, about 6 to 8 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat a large non-stick skillet or wok over high medium until hot.

When hot, spray with oil and sauté the chicken until cooked through and browned, breaking it up as it cooks; add the sriracha, remaining garlic and ginger and saute 1 minute. Add the tablespoon of soy sauce, cook 1 minute.

Add the shredded carrots, and 1/2 cup of the scallions and sauté until tender crisp, about 1-2 minutes. Set aside.

Divide the chicken equally between 8 lettuce leaves, top each with shredded cabbage, remaining scallions, drizzle with peanut sauce, chopped peanuts and cilantro, for garnish and serve with lime wedges.

Read more at http://www.skinnytaste.com/thai-chicken-peanut-lettuce-tacos/#u4Gsf4kRSMMmzAj8.99

I worked all day, nothing too exciting happened today, Just have been thinking a lot about some things in my life, knowing I need to work on my self and be a better person.  It’s been a rough couple of days but the one thing I know is I am doing the very best and trying everyday to be better person, better friend, better mom, and better wife.  

I started cooking dinner around 5:30,  The one nice thing about my husband being a police officer is when he has down time and it’s around dinner time, he can stop by for a min and have dinner.  Most of the time we have already ate dinner before he gets home but at least we can see him for a few min.  He and his partner ( he has to drive with another officer until he graduates from Post) which is in 10 weeks.  He leaves Saturday for Post- Policy Academy :(, anyway Eric and his police partner ran over for dinner for about 15-20 min.  I love every time he walks through the door, Ellie runs up to him and gives him the biggest hugs, and says “I love you daddy”. or daddy your a cop, she say’s the funniest things to him.  Tonight for our dinner prayer my Two year old said it and she can say about half by her self, it’s so awesome hearing her say her prayers.  This kid brings so much joy to our family.  she is truly our miracle baby.  ( that is a whole another post). For dinner I made Carne Asada Tacos.  They are so dang good and so easy.  A local grocery store sells Carne Asada so all you have to do is cook it,  I was going to smoke it on our smoker but we are in a horrible snow storm and it’s 5 Degrees, and so much snow you can not even move so that was not going to work, so I just did it in my pan on the stove it was still amazing, it almost melts in your mouth when it’s cooked.  I sliced it up, cut up onions ( i like raw onions on my tacos). you can cook them with the Carne Asada if you want but I just had it raw, cut up a couple of tomatoes and cilantro.  Warmed up corn tortillas and there you have an easy dinner ready in 15 min.  My girls love it, this dinner never has left overs, which I am sad because I love left overs for lunch the next day.  

We found out this afternoon that the girls school is cancelled tomorrow also, so here is to another day of fighting, yelling at each other and playing on their phones all day!!!!  

What a Crazy Hard Day!!!

Tuesday January 3rd 2017

What a hard crazy day today has been with a lot of ups and downs, already I have failed one of my New Years Resolution. I am trying really hard to have a positive attitude but when things are said or things are pointed out about you that is hard to hear, it’s hard to have a positive attitude. I am going to pick my self back up and make tomorrow be better because today was a little rough. 

Going to back to work today was harder than I thought, I loved having the last two Mondays off from work.  It has been so good to spend so much time with my husband and kids.  I am so grateful for my job and being able to work from home and be home with my children.  

Here is the low down on what I have ate today.

For breakfast I had a protein shake and string cheese, I made sure I took my meds & Vitamins (which I forget all the time).  Work was so crazy I forgot to each lunch, which I know is not good but time sure flew today.  

I got done with work around 5:30 and started dinner.  I made homemade Chicken Tenders, Broccoli Slaw Salad, and steamed veggies.  

It’s crazy to think how much I saved tonight by not eating out for lunch or dinner.  

I also did accomplish another New Years Resolution, I made my bed, it was later in the after noon but I made it!!!!!

Here is to a better tomorrow.  

Well Hello 2017!!!!

Hello 2017!!!!  I have been thinking a lot about 2017 and what I want to accomplish this year.  I think like everyone else they set goals and have great intentions to accomplish them all.  I know I am one of those people. I am a list person, every year I get my note book out and I write down all my goals for the year.  Sometimes there are 20+ goals.  Really, who can accomplish 20+ goals in the year?  This year I am doing goals but going to make them somewhat accomplishable.  I am going to blog everyday, I am going to tell you all how they are going so I am held accountable for each one of them.  As most of you already know I “LOVE” to cook, but I hate to clean up the mess so after working all day the last thing I want to do is cook and clean.  I would always get the kids in the car and go out to eat or go through the drive through and eat out.  We spend so much money eating out, plus it is no unhealthy for us.  I am not doing any favors for my kids, what kind of example am I to my girls.  With Eric being gone a lot at night for work, it’s so easy to have the attitude lets just go grab something to eat.  If I make dinner every night and he has some down time he can come home and eat with us.  Eric biggest concern is being a police officer and being in a drive thru and get that call that he has to go to and be stuck in the drive thru and can’t get out or be in the line waiting for his food and have to leave plus it’s not healthy for Eric to eat out all the time.  As the wife I need to be better at cooking dinner for my family. With that being said that is my First New Years Resolution making a Menu for 5 days a week and eating dinner as a family at home at our kitchen table. Here is my menu for this week. 

~MENU~

Monday Jan 2nd-  Kamree Birthday Dinner-  We did eat out today for my daughters 15th birthday 

Tuesday- Chicken Tenders, Steamed Veggies, & Broccoli Salad

Wednesday- Carne Asda Tacos with Black Beans

Thursday- Crockpot Pepper Steak with Caulflower Rice

Friday- Breakfast Pizza & Hashbrowns

Saturday- Creamy Chicken Pillows, Steamed Veggies, Rice -A-Roni

Sunday-  We usually eat dinner at my mom’s on Sunday so we all bring something to eat

Second New Years Resolution:  

I have been saying for the past 3 months that I was going to start going to the gym and work my butt off and get some body parts toned up.  It is hard to get to the Gym but I have made excuses one too many times.  I am not going to promise you that I will make it to the Gym 4 days a week but I will promise you that I will do something 30 min a day,  I have an amazing spinner bike, a really good peddle stepper that kick’s your butt all at home, so I can’t make it to the gym which I am going to try really hard, I need my alone time, I need to take care of my self first than I will do something at home.  

Third New Years Resolution:

Get out of Debt…..  I love my purses, shoes, clothes and home decor.  I buy a new purse every couple of weeks.  I have put a stop to that (for now) LOL. Every time I want to buy a purse or shoes or something that I really don’t need I am going to put that money towards a credit card or car loan or something instead of waisting my money.  We are going to go straight cash on some things,  we are giving our self an allowance so we still can buy items for us but when the money is gone it’s gone.  I still can get my hair done, my nails done but it all comes out of my allowance.  Than at the end of the month what is left in our account we are going to put that towards a debt.  We have lowered our cable bill, we cut that bill in half.  We are going to work as hard as we can and get out of debt.

Fourth New Years Resolution:

Have a positive attitude about everything, be thankful for everything I have, be grateful for my job, my cute small older home, for the amazing life, husband and children I have.  I am going to be a better mom & wife.  I am going to work really hard on not yelling at my kids, or getting frustrated with them for the smallest things.  I get frustrated really easy which is not fair to my kids.  If I am happy and have a positive attitude than hopefully everything else works out.  I suffer from depression and have been for many many years, my goal this year it to fight the depression, fight the demons, and hopefully with my Dr approval and my self approval get off the medicine,  This is something I may not be able to get off my meds but this is something I would love to accomplish.

Fifth New Years Resolution:

Go to church every Sunday, and not break the Sabbath. Working 5 days a week and having Saturday be the only day that I have to get everything done, There will be times that I have to run to the store and grab something, or we do something as a family.  I know what we are suppose to do, I know what the lord wants us to do but it’s really easy to just make an excuse dad say next week I promise I won’t break the sabbath.  I am not setting a good example to my girls.  I need them to know that we need to follow the commandments and do what we are suppose to be doing.  This is going to be a really hard one for me but I will do my very best and make this goal a priority.  

Sixth New Year Resolution:

Have Family Home Evening and Family Prayer.  We don’t really do Family Home Evening but this is something that I want to start doing with my girls every Monday, I need to spend as much time as possible with my girls one day they are going to be married and have their own family and than what???? I am all a lone and have no one there.  I need to cherish these moments and be with them as much as possible.  I know if we pray together every morning and every night it will bring us so much closer to each other.  

Seventh New Year Resolution:

Have a clean house-  I don’t know about you but when I have a clean house my life seems to be better, I am happier, I am happy to be home, I want to be home.  I love having a clean house but I am so tired by the end of the day that I don’t want to clean, same thing with cooking, I love to cook but hate to clean, but as a family we can work together and make it all happen.  I have such amazing kids.  They help me out so much and do so much for me.  I love each one of them, I know having a clean house will make me feel better. Part of a clean house is making our beds every day, I love climbing in bed when it was made makes me sleep better, I love being in a tight bed. I sleep better.

Eighth New Year Resolution & FINAL ONE!!!!

Get my Photography and Vinyl Business up and running again.  I have loved doing pictures for so many clients and I took a break from it but I am ready to start again.  I am going to start a vinyl home decor, re finish furniture business.  This is something that I have a great passion for and what I love doing.

I am going to make 2017 the best year possible.  I am giving this 150%, I am going to work hard to accomplish all my goals.  There will be some ups and downs, there will be mistakes made along the way.  I am not perfect but the one thing I will know that you only have one life to live and why waste it, why not make it the very best you can.  I am so beyond grateful for my amazing husband, my beautiful girls, I am thankful for my job, my house, my cars, my life.  

Starting tomorrow I am going to Journal my day, including all the food I put in my mouth, all the dinner I cook, all the cleaning I do, all the exercise I do.  This was I am held accountable for everything.  

I am looking forward to 2017!!!!!! 

Good BYE 2016

With only a couple of more days until 2017 I have to say 2016 was not too bad for me and my family.  We have so much to be thankful for.  My husband has his dream job of being a police officer, I have 3 beautiful girls that I love more than they will ever know.  I have a great job that I get to work from home,  I have a beautiful older home, I have food on our table and clothes on our back.  

I lost 61 lbs this year, I have got my health back, I am not a diabetic anymore.  I am doing better with my depression.  ( I think this is something I will struggle with the rest of my life).  I look back a year ago today and was heading down the wrong health path, I was 226 lbs, I was in a size 18-20,  I was always tired, I was taking so much medicine every single day, I was eating out 2 to 3 times a day, I was not ever exercising.  Now I can say I don’t take the medicine like I use to, I am down to 165 lbs.  I am in a size 10-12 I try to work out as much as I can even if it’s just my stationary bike, I get up early in the morning, most the time I get ready first thing in the morning, I am much happier, my marriage is so much better, I am still tired but I guess that is being a full time working mom.  I want to do more in life.  I want to be a better person, better wife, better mom.

Every year I write down all my goals for the new year, I have high hopes to do it all, to accomplish it all, but within the first 2 weeks, I FAIL!!!!!!  This new year I am going to write down all my realistic goals and DO THEM…. I am going to be blogging about everything!!! this blog is for me to be held accountable.  I know if I am held accountable I do so much better.  There is no better time than this new year to make it my year, the year for Shay.  I am going to be sharing all the good, the bad and the ugly,  I will share my mistakes, the things I accomplish, the things that I don’t accomplish.  I am going to do it.  I want to loose another 15 - 20 lbs and get my stomach skin a little tighter since it’s so loose ( I KNOW TMI) but that is what happens when you let your self get as big as I did.  I wanted to get a tummy tuck on 2017, but I have decided since I pay for a gym membership and don’t use it like I am suppose to, that I am going to start going to the Gym and start toning that way instead of instantly going for a straight tummy tuck,  I am going to write down all my measurements, share them with you, So I am held accountable EVERYTHING.

I am going to post all the food i put in my mouth, all the food I cook for my family.  I am going to post it all.  I want all my family and friends to know how much I love each one of you and for all your support and encouraging words you have given me.  I was to say good bye to 2016 and hello to an AWESOME AMAZING 2017. Are you ready to go on this long emotional roller coster with me?
Love you all so much!!!!!

A Couple of New Posts and Monday Weigh In

I promised myself I would Blog everyday and did that happen NOPE, it's hard to do it, but I want to make sure I do it to keep myself on track, here are some post from the past couple of days.

 Friday Post May 20th

I actually woke up early this morning and I have to tell you I feel really good.  I woke up at 6:40 to the puppy needing to go out.  The puppy slept through the night and so did my 2-year-old… I feel like a new woman.  I had to be at the Dr.’s at 8:15 to get my drain taken out, I was not going to shower until after my apt because it is a huge ordeal to take a simple shower with all the gauze under my arm and dealing with the drain that keeps getting in the way, but I decided I needed to look somewhat decent going to the Dr.’s.  I jumped in the shower, got my make up on and did my hair, got Ellie dressed and hair done (With the help of my older girls) and out the door by 8:05 am.  That is a record for me, if you know me I am late to everything, I will even be late for my own funeral.  My mom met me at the Dr’s office to help me with Ellie.  Dr came in and said everything looked great and I was able to get that ugly thing out of me.  I already feel so much better not having that drain attached to me.  I got home and had to start work.

For Breakfast I had a Protein Shake, they are so easy to drink on the way to the Dr’s.  I had half of the shake before I went to the Dr’s and then around 10:30ish when I got home I drank the other half. 

For Lunch I had ¼ cup of Tuna Fish, with 1 TBSP of Mircle Whip and of course you have to have a little bit of pickles in your tuna fish, I can’t do the Real Mayo, I have to cheat a little, I had one slice of Toast, The toast helps dissolves better in my stomach then a regular piece of toast. 

For Dinner we made Fajitas- The thing I love about Fajitas is they are so good without tortillas I don’t need the carbs eating them, I love the cooked Veggies and the yummy Chicken. 

Saturday May 21^st

I had a nail apt at 8:30 in the morning and a meeting after that for my church.  So of course I had my protein shake for breakfast again because I woke up late and did not have time to make me something but I will be honest with you, when I knew it was my nail apt I would make sure I would have plenty of time to get up, get ready and make a special trip to McDonalds and get my breakfast and Large Diet Coke and eat it and drink it on my way to my nail apt.  It feels so good not be tempted to go to the drive through 2 times a day.  After my nail apt I had to go to a Stake Primary Meeting, I am the Primary President in my church/ward.  It really was my first outing with my family there, with all the fresh fruit you can eat and all the Yummy Muffins you can eat.  I have not had any fresh fruit for 8 weeks so I decided maybe I will try a little, I really wanted some pineapple but I was a little worried about that so I stayed with the Watermelon and the Cantaloupe, I did take a mini muffin but only ate half of it before I knew I had to be done.  Everyone kept telling me to go back and get 2^nd but I knew my limit.  It’s hard when people don’t know what you have been through to keep pushing you to keep eating because there is so much food,  I had to nicely decline more food.  At the end of my meeting they handed out some homemade small round chocolate balls and I thought I will just eat one.  I ate it on my way back home and about 15-20 seconds after it hit my stomach I thought I was going to puke and die, Luckily I only lived 3 min from the lady’s house where the meeting was, I came home and had to lay down for about 20 mins, it was so not worth it.

After I felt better we ran to Idaho Falls to get some things, Everyone was starving and we stopped and got Tacos, I got a small Hard Shell Taco and ate most of it, I think there was only a few bites left, it was the first time I had a full Taco in a long time, I usually just eat the meat and the cheese when we make them.

For Dinner I made the Meatball Spaghetti Cast Iron Bake, it was really good, I had a meatball and one small spoon full of Spaghetti. I made sure I had my protein first before I ate the Spaghetti.  Normally I eat a whole plate full of plain spaghetti noodles, I love them and just a small spoon full satisfied me.  I will put the recipe on my blog because it was such a hit for my family.  It’s not the healthiest food but it was sure yummy. 

Sunday May 22^nd 2016

We got up a little late for Church so again I had a protein shake, my kids asked me if I ever get sick of them and the answer is yes but the convenience of them is the best for a buys full time working mom of 3.  I drank a little on our way to church and then during Primary I was able to drink the rest of it throughout the rest of church.

For Lunch we had Grilled Turkey and Cheese Sandwiches, I was able to eat one half of the sandwich and a couple of bites on the other half.  I was so full it made me so tired so I took a long Sunday nap.  I love them, they are the best

We go to dinner almost every Sunday to my parents and my brother and sister and their family come.  We made Hawaiian Hay Stacks.  I ate about 6 bites of dinner and was so full.    I love them because you can fill it up with fresh veggies and some good protein in it.  I only had one small scoop of Rice but was not able to eat it all

Monday May 23^rd 2016

Nothing to exciting happened today, just the normal busy crazy Monday’s.  Work was crazy busy, I forgot to eat breakfast, so I grabbed some cheese and some nuts and ate a snack at 10:30.  That has not happened to me in a long time, I don't know how I forgot breakfast

I finally did my actual weigh in and I am down to 186.4 lbs.  From the start of this Journey I am down 34.4 lbs.  Which I am beyond Excited about

I am embarrassed to even show these before and after pictures but this is where I am as of today. I still have a long way to go but I am very excited for the road I am heading down to have a healthy life

For Lunch Eric brought home a Jr Hamburger from Wendy’s I ate half of the hamburger and gave the rest to the girls when they got home from school.  We had to go grocery shopping I had no food in the house we went down to Winco to get food by the time we were done and I would get home and have dinner ready it was going to be 9:00 so we stopped at Café Rio and I got a Chicken Tostada, the crazy thing is before the surgery I was able to eat a whole big Salad and most of the yummy shell, I was able to eat about 7 bites and I was so full, I told Eric next time I am going to just share with him and have a couple of bites of his.  It was a waste of money and did not taste as good as I remembered, I have noticed since my surgery nothing tastes the same WHICH IS GOOD. There is nothing that I really crave fast food like I did before the surgery.   I don’t think I will be going back to Café Rio anytime soon.  We got home put all the grocery’s away and of course I had to watch the Bachelorette.  I know today I have made some really bad choices in eating out and this goes to show how crazy busy life is and if you don't have anything planned and in your house how easy it is to go right back to where you were.  I have planned Breakfast, lunches and dinners for the next 6 days so there are no excuses.

I want to again thank you all for the love and support you have given me.  I can't wait to see where I am in another 7 weeks.  Love you All!!!!

I am back and READY!!! and AWESOME IPhone and IPad App

I am BACK!!!!!! I know I have been MIA for a while and I have finally decided today that I need to get back on the band wagon and get my big girl pants back on and move forward.

I have had a couple of things happen to me these past couple of week make me question what I was doing was the right thing, I know it’s already too late for the surgery part, but somethings were said to me that made me really question who I am and what I am here for.  I am not perfect I have never been perfect but the one thing I know is I am here for a reason and I have gone through EVERYTHING for a reason.  I have made some bad choices for many years on how I handle stress, how I handle my depression, how I handle every day to day things.  This is me, this is how I thought I should handle things.  What I have learned these past 7 weeks about myself after having surgery is I am a strong, hard headed, but a very determined woman. 

I finally got back on the scales and I am down 33.6 lbs which I am happy with.  I thought the weight was going to fall off me, I thought I was just going to go to sleep and wake up every morning and loose weight.  For the most part that has been the case just not as much as I thought.  For as little as I eat I was surprised that it was not coming off faster. It just goes to show that this is just a Tool, not a fix it all.  

I have had to go through my closet and get rid of 2 big garbage bags of clothes, a lot of my pants won’t stay up on my hips.  I love when I go through my closet put it on and look in the mirror and it looks too big and makes me look frumpy and have to find something else to wear.  

I have learned the hard way it’s not always the number on the scales it is how you fit in clothes.  I have some pants that I could not even get up over my hips 8 weeks ago and now I can get them on and button them up but they are very very tight and very uncomfortable.  That is a new goal I have set for myself is to be able to wear them comfortably by the end of the first week of June. I know I can do it.

We have been walking so much as a family, I think I have walked more in the last 5 weeks then I have in the last 10 years.  A good friend of ours had a yard sale a couple of weeks ago and scored the best indoor bike.  We got a Marcy Club Revolution Cycle Trainer.  That has become my best friend, I will ride it when I have a few min of down time from work, or before I start work I will ride it 20 min or ride it after my kids go to bed, sometimes I catch myself riding it 2-3 times a day.  One thing I never thought of is my BUTT!!! My butt hurts so bad from riding it.  It has been a great workout for me. I want to get weight band and start doing weight bands while I ride the bike.  I YOU-TUBED a couple of spinning classes, hummmm yeah they kicked my butt, could not do it all, but I will soon.

Starting Tomorrow I am going to start Blogging all my food intake to keep me on track, I cheated today and had 4 vanilla wafer cookies, did they make me feel better?  NOPE, matter in fact my stomach hurt a little more than normal.

Last Thursday I have had a minor setback, just when I was finally feeling better I had to have a lump under my left armpit removed and I have had to be careful with my whole left arm.  I have a drain on my left side hopefully it will come out tomorrow morning. I go see my surgeon tomorrow and praying hard he will take it out.  I feel like I have had to take a couple of steps back on my exercising because of this lovely tube, plus being on pain medicine and feeling like garbage.  Hopefully I get the green light that I am good to go tomorrow morning!

For Mother’s Day my amazing Husband bought me an IPad Pro and I LOVE IT. I am trying to get my life organized, I have learned the more I am organized the easier everything is for me. It all works out. Working 8-10 hours a day with 3 kids, 2 in softball and a crazy busy 2-year-old, husband who works 2 jobs and is never home, a new puppy and yes I said a new Puppy… husband got an early father’s day present.  Was not my first choice getting a new puppy but we feel in love with him as soon as we saw him.  Meet Jax Olsen, 

he is 8 weeks old.  We love him but not at 4:00 am pee breaks. 

 Okay back to my awesome apps I found on my IPad. 

I love to cook, and I love to find new recipes all the time.  I print them off and then put them somewhere and then can never find them again.  This app lets you put in all the recipes you have and also if you find them on line then you can save the online recipes.  You can categorize all your recipes how you want. There is another section that allows you to add the recipes to your menu board and then you can add it all to a grocery list.  All in one app you have your Recipes at your finger tip and neatly organized, you have a weekly menu and you also have your grocery list.  I love that I can have it on my IPhone and on my IPad.  When I go to the grocery store all I need is my IPad or IPhone, no more writing your grocery list on a piece of paper and losing it or forgetting what you wrote down what you were going to have for dinner.  I have a new love.  Paprika App you’re a life saver. 

*** THIS IS THE MAIN SCREEN ON ALL MY RECIPES THAT I HAVE CREATED SO FAR***

*** THIS IS THE MENU SECTION, IT SHOWS WHAT YOU HAVE SELECTED FOR THAT DAY***

*** THIS IS THE GROCERY LIST SECTION***

*** THIS IS WHERE YOU CAN GO ON THE WEB AND FIND RECEIPES, THERE ARE 100'S OF 

WEBSITES ALREADY ON SAVED YOU CAN CHOOSE*** THIS IS NOT THE BEST RECIPE TO HAVE IN MY RECIPE BOX BUT I AM GOING TO TRY TO BAKE IT INSTEAD OF FRYING THE CHICKEN

*** ONCE YOU PULL IT UP FROM THE WEBSITE, YOU HIT CREATE RECIPE***

*** YOU HAVE TO SAVE THE RECIPE ONCE IT PULLS IT UP***

***THIS IS HOW IT LOOKS ONCE IT IS SAVED***

*** ONCE IT HAS BEEN CREATED AND SAVED IT WILL SHOW UP IN YOUR LIST OF RECIPES***

I am so happy to say I am back, I am moving forward, no matter what someone say’s or thinks, is going to put my down, make me question who I am, why I have chosen what I have chosen in my life. I am going to do what I said from the beginning of this blog, is I am going to post my daily life on my struggles, my good days, and my bad days.  I want to thank everyone for all your support you have given me so far on this crazy journey I have felt so loved by so many people.