Do I even dare post?

Just wanted to say hi. I am here. I'm a working girl now, travelling from FL (home) to WI (work) every week. Between work and my stupid band slip and whatever, I just haven't been inspired to blog. I suck. I know I do. But I can't blog from work - yep, that's my excuse!

So, yep, I do suck. But hopefully, I'm still welcome here, just like at Cheers! You know, where everybody knows your name. And they're always glad you came! (Right?!?!)

On to other not-so-good-news. Post-slip, I was completely unfilled. Three fills later, I was t-h-i-s close to perfect restriction. Then....%^&*@#&*%^$ leak in the band. Yep, I went for one little fill and came out with NO restriction.

Seriously.

Why?

So, I am now strongly considering revising to the sleeve. If I have to go back under the knife, I'm not risking more band issues. While I've done well with the band and was really happy with it until my slip in January, I am self-pay, and if I am paying for another surgery, well, I just can't take more possible band issues.

But if I am no longer a bandster, I guess I'll have to change my blog name to...what the heck goes with Sleevester?

Although since I only post once every five months, I'm not sure anyone is even still reading! And I certainly am not a babbler.

PSA: Kitchen Gadget Must-Have

Now that I am settled in (mostly), I have all of my own kitchen stuff back!

And I am back in love with my pressure cooker. Every bandster should own this little piece of genius. Seriously. It makes the MOST tender meat. I ate 1.5 pork chops the other night! Amazing. I haven't eaten pork chops in a long time, because they are too tough for me. Not with the pressure cooker - 15 min of cooking, and they were fork-tender. And delicious! I've also made a beef roast, meatballs, and chicken drumsticks in it. All this week. Yep, a slight bit of an addiction. But hey, I am definitely meeting my protein goals.

One of the really nice things about my pressure cooker is you can brown or saute in it before you cook in it. Only 1 dirty pot + no hot oven = Happy Amy.

ETA: To answer a few questions.

• I'd say for most things, they cut the cooking time down by about 1/3, not 1/2. It still takes time for the unit to come up to pressure, then cook, and sometimes the cut of meat calls for natural pressure release (which takes time). However, the trade-off is the meat is ALWAYS tender. Always.
• It IS old-school, but they've kind of come back 'in'. The new ones are totally safe, no danger of exploding. Also, they are pretty much fool-proof. No checking pressure, no messing with temps, etc. Push a few buttons and it regulates itself. So easy. Plus, since you can't stir it or anything once it starts, I always have my kitchen cleaned up by the time it's done. It's a two-fer! :)
• I made the porkchops breaded - dipped in egg and then seasoned breadcrumbs. Lightly browned them on both sides for a few minutes in 2 T. evoo. Right in the pressure cooker. Took them out, put the rack in, added 1 c. of chicken broth, and added the pork chops back in (the rack keeps them from sitting in the liquid). Added a sliced onion on top of the chops. Cooked for 15 min on high pressure (could have done less, but I wanted them really tender). Served with steamed broccoli and cauliflower and a Lipton noodle thing (don't remember what, since I don't really eat that.) It was good. And easy!

Here's the pressure cooker I have. I seriously love it! You can get it on amazon, if you are interested.

SOLD!

We did it! We found a house! It's kind of a convoluted story, but we ended up going back to the very first area we'd considered, and we found our dream house. The sacrifice we made is it's not centrally-located, but because I am now working from home, my commute was a non-issue. What we gained was size, new construction (!!!), and the most wonderful community ever.

It's a planned community that is based around green living and coexisting with nature. The community has two geo-thermal pools, a golf course, horse stables, about 40 miles of walking/running/hiking trails, playgrounds, a splash pad, a conservation center with animals, "A" rated schools (which is a huge deal in FL where the schools mainly suck), a lake with boats you can use for free (!!!), and so much more. They are even a dark sky community.

Our house is green star-rated, meaning it has met federal standards for energy efficiency, and is supposed to be at least 30% more energy efficient than other comparable houses. Four bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms, and a bonus room (so happy we have a toy room!). I think my favorite two things about the house are the second-floor laundry and that the garage is behind the house. I hate when garages dominate the front of a house.

To say I am in love would be an understatement!

SOLD! Happy Homeowners!

Side view - notice the balcony! 

Living room/dining room - the family room is on the other side of the kitchen.

Elise looking at her future school - yep, it's that close. And the third community pool is slated for the area by the stop sign.

Kitchen - can't wait to cook in there!

Master bath

We're hoping to close on 7/21 and be in by 7/23, so I will probably be scarce the next few weeks as we get ready to move. But I promise to keep on keepin' on and to check in when I can!

You ask, you shall receive...

Introducing me with my new hair!

The thing I like about the cut is I can flip it out, smooth it down, fluff it up, wear it to the side, wear it more forward, and about a million other ways. It's fun!

Word.

I'm still losing! I know, usually when I disappear, I'm gaining. But this time, I've actually been eating right, going to the gym, cutting off my hair, working on getting an work-from-home-job (yeah!), making an offer on a house (!!!), and generally trying to keep my life moving in the right direction.

I am down 144 lbs to 230.4 lbs! I am loving it. I wore a size 16 jean skirt from Old Navy today (given to me by Heidi). A SIZE 16!!!!!! My 20s are getting too big, although I don't really have any 18Ws (hint, hint - anyone need to clean out their closet and contribute to the sisterhood? Shorts, skirts, dresses, capris?)

I'll write more tomorrow. Promise promise! Smooches!

An Ode to Bacon

Why is it when I am on the tighter side, thick liquids are often hard to get down, but bacon (and tortilla chips) always go down just fine? Seriously, makes no sense to me, but you know, if I had to pick a go-to food, bacon would have been at the top of my list. Therefore, here it is:

An Ode to Bacon

There once was a girl who loved bacon

She even said she'd never forsake 'on.

She loved it thick and crispy

Or even thin and wispy.

Oh bacon, you're never mistaken!

Bullet time

• Life is going at warp speed. I can't believe it's been 3 weeks since I posted. I swear, I thought it was about 3 days!
• I have two very promising job interviews coming up. Please send any good job vibes you have my way!
• It's been more than a year since my last fill! Seriously! My last fill was Cinco de Mayo 2010. If you are having a hard time finding restriction, do not despair. It took me FOREVER to get it and then once I got it, it's been awesome. Although I keep losing, and my band keeps getting tighter. Grrr...
• Still mostly on the low-carb bandwagon. I have had some carbs here and there, as my tight band makes eating low-carb difficult sometimes.
• I am down to 245 lbs! My collarbones are popping out, and my face actually looks kind of thin to me.
• A friend posted some pics of me on Facebook, and for the first time ever, I wasn't disgusted. I looked normal.
• I might wear a size 18W suit to my interview! I wore it my first day at my first real job in 2000. And it fits. It has NO give (it's a linen blend). And it fits. It fits. It FITS. IT FITS!
• I got to spend the day with Heidi a few weeks ago. I can't even tell you guys how awesome she is. AWE to the SOME. Seriously.
• I promise to do some progress pics this week.
• I guess that's about it. Off to catch up with my lovely bandster bloggers!

It's a bullet-type day.

• One of the icky side effects of low-carb is dry mouth. Ugh, I am so stinkin' thirsty all the time. I can't remember if or when it does away, but I hope it's soon.
• One of the good side effects of low-carb is (TMI) no gas. I am such a gassy person (yes, TMI), and I swear, it's sugar that causes it in me. It's nice to not constantly feel like a pin would pop me!
• DH is having a hell of a time dealing with doctors and orders being taken care of and all that. He's so frustrated, and while I understand, he seems to think this has never happened to anyone else and that he is special. I've tried to explain to him that this stuff happens to everyone dealing with medical stuff.
• Speaking of DH, he is in tremendous pain, and while I understand (again), he has GOT to find a way to deal better, or I am going to kill him. He sits with his leg straight out in front of him, no brace, and then yells at the kids when they trip over his leg. Well, what do you expect when it's sticking out like that?! And then it happens again 5 min later, and well, duh, yes, you didn't move it and it happened again. I don't find that all that shocking.
• I begrudgingly did day 5 of shredding yesterday. I forgot to do it in the AM. By the time we got home at 9:30 pm last night, I was wiped. I sooooo wanted to skip, but I didn't, and I really did feel energized when I finished.
• Have some soup in the crockpot, made with leftovers from yesterday - ham, steamed broccoli/cauliflower/carrots, and chicken stock. Later on, I'll add cheese and cream to make it tasty! Hope it turns out good.
• It's just kind of rainy and dreary today, and I'm just feeling here. Not blah, not unhappy. Just kinda here.
• And last but not least, a pic of my kiddos from yesterday. Aren't they the cutest?!

My baby is TWO!

My sweet and stubborn and sassy and temperamental and completely adorable and little-guy-who-has-my-heart turned TWO yesterday!

And no, I did not indulge in a cupcake. YEAH ME!

Day 11 of Atkins here. I haven't weighed myself yet this week. Figured I'd try to stay off the scale for a week.  Not sure I can do it. It's amazing how when I'm diligent with my eating, I can't stay off the scale, but when I'm slacking, I can't convince myself to go anywhere hear the scale!

Nothing much else is going on. The kids and I are hanging out today while DH works. We were going to go to a kids' festival, but life is about to get crazy and it's supposed to be 90+ today, so I think we'll skip it. Tomorrow, I'm taking pictures of a friend's family, and then they are staying and watching the kids so DH and I can go out for a few hours. We really need it. We've just been picking at each other lately. DH has had the "induction flu" since starting Atkins, which is where you feel like crap from cutting the carbs. I have tried to take it easy on him, but the more I back off, the less he does. Honestly, the man has NO responsibilities other than to go to work. I cannot name one thing he does around the house or to contribute to our family on a regular basis. I'm starting to get a tad frustrated to say the least. I think a few hours to relax together will help, since I honestly can't remember the last time we had a chance to go somewhere alone.

Later, gators!

Braggity, braggity - photos I took

Yes, I am totally bragging, as I am thrilled with how these turned out. I feel like I finally GET it. I know what to do to get the shot I want. When I first decided to really 'understand' photography, I had NO idea how complex it is. While it's frustrating at times, it's also fun, because there is always, always, always more to learn about photography. It truly can be a life-long hobby.

Enough of my babbling, though, here they are - my BFF's engagement photos, shot by yours truly! (Click any photo to make it larger.)

Not much to say.

Huh. This doesn't happen to me very often, but I don't have much to say! I feel like I'm going a million miles per hour and getting no where very quickly. The stupid flu really pushed me behind where I wanted to be right now - Christmas shopping is done, but my baking isn't even started. Christmas cards are here, but I am not happy with the quality. And needless to say, they aren't sent yet. I haven't started my half-marathon training, as I cough violently when I move too quickly. Oh, speaking of coughing, DD has been really coughing a lot from the flu. Today, she was playing in her room and coughed so hard, she vomited all over her comforter and in a laundry basket with three loads of clean clothes I was about to put away in her room.

So, hey, I guess I am just full of good cheer and fun, huh?

On the band front, my band is freakin' tight again. I'm not sure if it's the flu and it's after-effects, or if it's just tightening up again. I PB'ed on stupid italian wedding soup today. Good ole' liquids for the rest of the day. I'll give it until I'm not longer phlegmy and coughing, and if it doesn't let up, I guess it's time for another unfill.

What else? Nothing really, so I guess I'll go see what you've all been up to.

Did you miss me?

I can't believe I haven't posted since Friday. I am not exactly in a slump, but I'm not exactly not in a slump either.

I did start training to start training for the half-marathon. Get that? To start the half training, you need to be able to comfortably run 3-4 miles. So I am training up to that point using a great walk-run method I've used in the past. It's similar to the C25K but ramps up a little more slowly but is also more intense in the time you run. If anyone is interested, let me know. I can send you the PDF with the weeks mapped out. Anyhow, I am going to map my runs on a new page, so check out "13.1".

In other news, my band is being very, very naughty. I ate fine yesterday (protein shake for breakfast, cheese and grapes for lunch, latte and a chocolate for snack, eggs and bacon for dinner) and then promptly PB'ed on some iced tea before bed. WTH? I'm getting tired of this back and forth crap with my naughty band. I think it's linked to being overtired, as I haven't been sleeping well. Sigh. It just seems all interconnected.

What else? I cleaned the entire house yesterday. I love having a clean house. I just hate what it takes to get there! What else? Honestly, not much. Just kinda going through the motions the past few days. Whatever it is, I know I'll snap out soon. A good nap would probably do it, if my two-year old would just take one herself. Sigh. Guess I'll have to have a good cup of coffee and a chocolate instead!

You know what's nice?

Watching football and NOT weighing more than every.single.player on the team.

Not sure there's one title for this doozy.

There's so much to say, I'd do bullets, but it's even too much for bullets, so how about bold headlines?


Working Out with Mick Jagger
Just got back from a great workout at the gym. I really pushed myself, which is ironic, since I really only went this morning to get a break from the kids! I'm having a bit of port pain (I get it every now and again); just feels a bit like a pulled muscle, but I just wasn't in a workout mood.

I did 25 min on the treadmill to start. 10 min warm-up followed by 15 min of alternating 1.5 min run and 1.5 min walk. I decided, while on the treadmill, that since I can't go to BOOBS, I'd do a 5K that day instead while you are all doing the BOOB run/walk.

Then 2 rounds of weight lifting where I upped several of my weights. Ended with a 4.5 min run.

I also got to work out next to this annoying guy (he was on an elliptical) who kept stopping every 30 sec to adjust his shoe. I don't know why but it was driving me fucking. insane. like. no. other.

The woman next to me was working out with a curler in her bangs. Yep, you read that correctly.

And to round out my wacky morning, dude on the weights was Mick Jagger, I swear. Complete with the crazy hair held in place with a white terry cloth headband.


Another goal met & crazy thoughts
I officially weigh less than the lowest point I got to when I last lost weight (early 2007). This means this is the smallest I've probably been since 2003ish? It's the smallest my husband has seen me. It's the smallest my kids have seen me (obviously).

The flip side of this (which I really am happy about being here, I am!) is I am kinda ticked at myself for needing to lose 112 lbs to even get to this point. Sigh. I know there is no changing the past, but damn, 112 lbs gained in 7ish years. And that was with a bunch of dieting in there!

I think what's driven it home is that I am receiving clothes from some very generous bandsters, and I am not saying this to make anyone feel bad for me or tell me how great I am doing (logically, I know I am). But the clothes they are sending me are from when they were their biggest. It didn't bother me much when I was bigger. But now that I've lost 112 lbs and I am STILL bigger than they were to start, I don't know - it's just getting to me. When I was 374 lbs, I would have given anything to weigh just 262 lbs. But now I'm feeling generally dissatisfied here. I guess that's ultimately a good thing, as it'll keep me pushing forward and downward.


Goals
I haven't set any goals recently, other than aiming to stay above 2 lbs/week lost. But in trying to get out of this mini-funk over my "112 lbs lost and still fat" attitude, I thought I'd look forward to some milestones. Assuming I lose at 2.4 lbs/week on average (I'm averaging just over that right now), here's some goals I'm going to aim for:

BIL Wedding (10.2) - 254 lbs/120 lbs lost
Thanksgiving/First Bandiversary (11.25) - 235 lbs/139 lbs lost
Christmas/New Year's - 223 lbs/151 lbs lost
My Birthday (1.28) - 213/161 lbs lost

I know I won't likely hit them all, but I like having goals to reach for. It keeps me honest (kinda like weighing myself daily). The first one, BIL's wedding, is probably the 'biggest' for me, as I'd love to be able to answer "120 lbs" when people inevitably ask how much I've lost.


Random Shit
My band is behaving much better. I ate okay last night. Sticking to soup for lunch, but making meatloaf for dinner. Thinking I am back to a pretty sweet spot. Sweet!

My dad is having hip replacement revision surgery as we speak. He's at the Cleveland Clinic with a world leader in hip revisions, so he's in very good hands, but all positive vibes/thoughts/prayers would be greatly appreciated. His body metabolizes pain meds way too efficiently, and he was in incredible pain last time, so he is really dreading the recovery. I'm keeping my fingers crossed this surgery isn't as tough on him and that this doc will be able to find something that makes the pain tolerable.

That's enough for today! Later, gators...can't wait to see what everyone comes up with for Thousand Word Thursday!

BYOC

1. What is your favorite genre of movies? (comedy/romance/horror/action)

My favs are documentaries (Born into Brothels) and independent films (Run, Lola, Run), but I also like a good intellectual thriller (Memento) and quirky stuff (Napoleon Dynamite). For the most part, I am not big into mainstream and/or blockbuster type films.

2. What do you order when you eat Chinese food?

I usually go for something like Spicy Garlic Triple Play (chicken, shrimp, beef, and veggies in a spicy brown garlic sauce). I also LOVE wonton and egg drop soup, fried rice (the more crap in it, the better!), crab rangoons, egg rolls, orange chicken, szechuan beef - Hell, who am I kidding? I love it all!

3. Okay no one kill me for this one - and don't answer if you don't want to BUT I just saw some preview for Dr. Phil on swingers and I wondered - what's your take on swingers.....for it, against it, do it, would never do it, etc.?

I'm totally cool with whatever you want to do behind closed doors, however, I think it's a very slippery slope, and there's no whining if things don't work out the way you want them to! It's certainly not anything I could engage in, thanks to my history (having been cheated on) paired with a slight jealous streak.

4. Let's go back to a repeat question. Pick one thing you'll do one next week that is for your physical/mental health.

Physical - I will hit the gym 4x.
Mental - I will go to the library and get some books, so I can spend less time on the computer and more time reading this week.

5. Repeat question. Which blog or comment stuck with you the most this week and why?

Vanessa's post about her feelings towards fat people and herself really resonated with me.

Photos of real people with real BMIs

I found this quite interesting...and eye-opening.

Illustrated BMI Categories

It's pictures of people complete with their height, weight, and BMI. I actually guessed correctly on probably 80% of them, but it was definitely difficult on many of them. I was wrong the most often on people being overweight vs. normal.

BYOC

1. What’s the oddest diet you have tried? Or which ones have you tried and were any successful?
Nothing odd. I've done Weight Watchers (points and Simply Filling/Core), low carb, and counting calories. I had the most success on low carb and Core, I think mostly because my body reacts to sugar/carbs much like an addict's body reacts to heroin. Points was VERY hard for me to do, simply because I have a very addictive/obsessive personality, and couting/weighing/measuring everything that entered my mouth just fed the negative part of my personality. For some, WW might be livable long-term, but I guess I just didn't see how I could count points for the rest of my life.

2. Do you prefer baths or showers?

I'm going to lose my "girly girl" card on this one, but I despise baths. I don't like laying in my own dirty water, I don't like being in a steamy room with my face getting all sweaty, and I generally just don't like them. I honestly can't tell you the last time I took a bath, but I can guarantee you that I took a shower afterwards!

DH & I do, however, regularly use our hottub!

3. What is your favorite breakfast food?

Leftover pizza! Second place is sugary, fattening coffee drinks from Starbucks and McD's. I still indulge in these every once in a while, justifying it because I can't get solids down in the AM! HAHAHA!

4. What’s your least favorite word?

M-O-I-S-T. I hate what it usually refers to, I hate the way it sounds with the "oyyyy" in the middle, and I hate the way my mouth feels when I say it. Gag.

5. Repeat question…make someone a Superstar for a day! Whose blog or comment spoke to you or stuck with you the most this week and why?

The one that popped into my head was Amanda feeling guilty over her success and not wanting to make anyone feel bad. I hope we all reassured her that we are thrilled for her successes. How incredibly sweet and supportive and thoughtful of her to not want to upset others. She definitely gets my vote this week!

Oh, and Jess who called me out on my blog - she really made me think and think hard, and I loved having to do that. It's too easy to take the easy way out and not put in effort sometimes.

O/T: Tornadoes

If you are the praying/good thoughts/positive energy kind of person, please send them my way. My community was devastated by tornadoes Saturday night. One was an F2, the other was an F4 (which is equivalent to an category 5 hurricane). Five people were killed, two local communities were devastated, and it is just so heartbreaking. A local high school was destroyed, which postponed graduation that was supposed to happen Sunday afternoon. The valedictorian's father was killed by the tornado. Another woman was running from her car to the police station to take cover with her long-time boyfriend and 4-year old son. Their house didn't have a basement, and they were to go to the police station for cover. The tornado hit as they were running and literally, she was sucked away. The boyfriend and son survived, but she did not. Half of the police station was demolished.

These are small farming communities that have already been devastated by the economy, especially given our proximity (and reliance on) the auto industry in Detroit. Add $100 million of damage and loss of life, and it's a horrible situation.

About 10 miles from my house (click on the pics to see the whole thing)

What used to be the police station - note the police car upside down in the tree
Devastation


Tornado path through a field - note the giant tower for perspective on the storm's size
What was the high school where graduation was supposed to be on Sunday

Two totally random questions

1. HAIR COLOR

Do any of you color your dishwater blonde hair blonder at home? And does it look okay? (Of course, you are going to say it looks fine or else you wouldn't do it!)

I am so tired of salon highlights. My hair grows quickly and looks like crap within weeks. And I'm cheap and tired of spending a good chunk of change to look good for a few weeks (literally 3 before the growth bothers me) and then look like crap for many more weeks while I try to justify spending another chunk of change.

I tried coloring my hair at home a medium brown, and the color itself looked fine, but I just look (and feel) better as a blonde. But the last time I tried blonde at home, I turned my hair a light shade of lavendar, and not on purpose.

2. JEWELRY ORGANIZERS FOR DRAWERS

I have a floor jewelry box that is on its last leg, so I am thinking of clearing out a drawer in my dresser for my jewelry. I ran to Bed, Bath, and Beyond to get organizers, and WOWZA - to get everything I want/need, it's $80! And they aren't anything special - basically fabric covered pressboard. Ummmm, any cheaper ideas for me that aren't just plastic??? (This is some of my better jewelry, so I'd prefer a step up from plastic.)

This and that

I swear, I am losing my mind. I am having a hard time focusing on things, remembering stuff, and keeping my life straight. I am normally very level-headed, have a great memory, and feel very 'together'. But being overwhelmed at both work and home is pushing me right to the edge of insanity! Ahhhhhhh.....Anyhow, some randomness for your Tuesday:

Even eating ice cream last night, the scale was down another .2 lbs this morning. Have I mentioned lately how much I love my band? She rocks!

I have a fill tomorrow - I'm thinking .25-.5cc should really, finally, be the fill that brings me to my sweet spot. And I love a good sweet spot! ;)

No one has asked for my sisterhood clothes! WAAAHHHHH! I hate being the fattest sister. LOL Seriously, I will hang onto them for a week or so, just in case someone comes along and wants them. But if not, I will sort out the work wear for our local Dress for Success type organization and the rest will go to Good Will. ETA: You guys rock! I so appreciate all the support about being the fattest sister. But no worries - I was saying it in a very tongue-in-cheek, sarcastic way. I wish my very dry sense of humor translated to the written word, but alas, it does not. I am by no means upset about being one of the largest bandsters. I wear it like a badge of honor, and anyhow, who else will be able to say they lost 200 lbs!?!?!? And when that happens, you can all be soooo jealous of MWAH! Smooches!

The most I ever lost on a diet was 59.8 lbs on Weight Watchers' Core plan July 2006 - March 2007. I am quickly approaching that amount and am excited to pass it right by! If my fill is tight, I anticipate doing that next week!

DH still doesn't know when he'll be coming home. Not this weekend, but maybe next. In case you are counting, that would be 3 weeks! I think it's the uncertainty more so than the length of time that is making me nutso.

DH's aunt, who is the controller for the company, is heading to Orlando tomorrow, and the owner told her not to leave FL without a signed contract for a warehouse. So, if all goes well, we should have a better idea of when we are moving by the weekend. However, I'm not getting my hopes up, as I've thought this a few times and it's not panned out yet.

While this journey with the band has not been super easy, it's also not been super hard. If that makes any sense. OTOH, I've had to work for every ounce of these 56 lbs without being in the green zone. OTOH, I haven't worked nearly as hard for every ounce of these 56 lbs as I have when dieting in the past. Something is working right, even if it's not working as right as I would like it to!

Off to drink my latte and attempt to get some work done. Toodles!