Day 1 of 31 Days of Nothing...

We started the morning with a homemade breakfast of Yellow Grits topped with diced ham (left over from Friday's meal) and shredded cheddar cheese, whole wheat toast with all natural grape jelly and sweet tea.
Then it was off to the store for a few necessities. I bought a half gallon of almond milk, a gallon of Hickory Hill milk and a dozen eggs for a grand total of $7.38. Lord willing this will be the only shopping trip I will have to make until grocery day on Friday. Our meals could get interesting, but we will not do without.

Our little ones spent the day playing outside on scooters, chasing Sophie and Sara (our two pooches) and just enjoying being kids. I played games on the computer, read (I finished Courting Morrow Little today, a book I highly recommend by the way) and researched frugality.

Lunch was PB and J on whole wheat bread, carrot sticks with ranch and dinner was leftover black eyed peas and macaroni and cheese. Now it is on to movies and family time, life is good!

New Year, New Approach

First let me apologize for not blogging since October. Inspiration has been very little here lately and writer's block was the norm. I do hope that has changed and we are back on the blogging horse so to speak.

With the new year I feel a renewed inspiration to get our budget under control. I started working part time which will help us meet more of our financial goals if we do not lose sight of what is important. I also want to start paying off our mortgage early. That is a mountain to take on but what I keep hearing in my heart of hearts is slow and steady wins the race. So I have started a change jar and when it gets full I will apply that money to the principle of our mortgage. I don't want to take away from our emergency savings to do this with our government's fiscal cliff looming, I think it would be better to save as much as we can but change is small and does add up so that is my approach for right now. We are also bringing back the 30 days of no spending (except necessities). There is plenty in this little house of ours to keep us occupied if we just stay focused. And we have a few home improvement projects that really need to be put on the forefront. And I want to try my hand at gardening, which I am not good at in this South Carolina soil, but perhaps this will be the year I find what works.

Happy New Year every one!

Gluten Free and Loving It!

We tried a new brand of gluten free cookie mix this week, they were on clearance so I couldn't pass them up. I am so glad I didn't. The brand is Gluten Free Sensations. Their chocolate chip cookies looked and smelled delicious  (I can't eat them now that I am post bypass) the kids devoured them in one sitting. So look for them in your stores. I bought 2 packages of their sugar cookie mix for Christmas cookies!

Delayed Grief

The thing about grief is you can't get away from it. We as humans have to take time to grieve properly, if not it will hit you full force when you least expect it. For me it hit 7 years after the loss of our Elisabeth Grace (Libby). We were to adopt a beautiful 5lb baby girl in June of 2005. The day we were to sign the paperwork with the hospital to bring her home our world was shattered. She was not coming home with us.
At the time we had 2 children to raise so life had to go on. And to be honest Donald and I had no idea how to honor this life that had meant so much to us. What makes adoption loss so unique is there is no traditional way to grieve. Our child did not pass on to heaven, she was still alive here on this earth but did not belong to us. There would be no funeral or service to give us closure. I kept her baby things for months, I couldn't bring myself to get rid of them, to be honest I kept hoping that we would get a phone call asking us to go get Libby and bring her home, they had made a mistake. Then I found myself needing to get rid of everything that we had been given/bought for her. Including pictures. Then we just chose to act like nothing had happened.

That was a big mistake. So there I was at work, in the bathroom washing my hands. Then the next thing I knew I was crying uncontrollably, it hit me, the soap was the same soap I had used 7 years ago to scrub in to see my baby in the NICU. Who would have known that this one small detail would be forever etched into my memory via my sense of smell? Just waiting for the right trigger?  I remembered everything about those three days. The placement of her bed, holding her warm little body as I rocked her and talking to her about all the plans her daddy and I had for her, the first time she smiled (which by the way was the 2nd day she was alive, her daddy had come to meet her, I didn't even know that was possible) and the way I felt when she was taken away. These were tears that should have been shed 7 years ago. But how do you grieve a loss when the child is still here growing and thriving? How do you grieve when others don't even see her as having been yours? These are difficult questions but I have decided that we should and will grieve this loss. And we will honor her memory and all that she meant to us. I will talk about our sweet girl. This was a very real loss in our lives. We were to be parents to this sweet baby and that dream was taken away. We loved her, had hopes and dreams for our life with her that never came to be. Even though 7 years have passed there isn't a day that goes by that we don't miss her and wish she were here with us. I look at our two younger girls when they play and I wonder what it would be like if there were 3, there should be 3. I wonder if Libby would be a little mother hen encouraging the younger two to get along when they disagree. Would she play school and insist on being the teacher? What is her favorite color, book or television show?



Donald and I have sat together this week and cried over our loss and the beautiful memories we have of our baby. This was such a healing time for us, I just wish it hadn't taken us 7 years to take the time to heal.

Frugal School Lunch Containers

Rubbermaid Lunchblox Bento

With 5 kids we are always looking for ways to cut back on waste and save money at the same time. Sometimes that is a tall order. With 5 lunches to pack I needed something durable and wanted something that was stylish. While Amber and I were shopping this weekend I picked up two of these Rubbermaid Lunchblox sets. There are 2 inner containers that fit into the larger outer container. They also have smaller containers that snap onto the top to fit into any lunchbox and keep things neat and together. I scored these on clearance at a local K-Mart that is closing. Walmart has a pack of 6 for $28.88 online.

I also use 4oz glass canning jars for yogurt, applesauce, and side salads for the kids. It keeps cost down and gives the kids the perfect portions. A win-win. Now I just need to find drink containers that are not plastic and don't cost a fortune. Wish me luck!

Things I can do now...

I am 104lbs lighter than I was in November of 2011. I still do not own a scale because I refuse to let my weight define who I am. I follow my doctor's plan, if I do that I will get to where I need to be. If we hit a hiccup, he knows how to fix it. So with that said I look to nonscale milestones to see my success. And I must say all of these things are better than the best piece of cake, pie, candy, etc.

1. I no longer need my seatbelt extender when I buckle up.
2. I can cross my legs like a lady.
3. I can now walk 12 hrs without feeling like I am going to die.
    (thank you day at Kings Island)
4. My kids can wrap their arms around me for the best hugs ever.
5. I can run after my kiddos.
6. I can use a Wii Fit.
7. I can hold my toddlers on my lap now.
8. I fit in movie theater seats.
9. I can ride theme park rides.
10. I can tie my own shoes.

This is my inspiration to keep going. Each day I get a little more of my life back.

Planning a vacation on a budget.

Our annual family vacation is right around the corner. We are working hard to keep to our budget but still have a great time. To do this we will be taking mostly homemade snacks, lunches and breakfast for the 12 hour drive. We usually stop at a park or nice rest stop, have a picnic and let the kids run and get some energy out, instead of paying high restaurant prices. I love this because the kids get healthy food and it keeps costs down, and they get some much needed exercise. For the snacks we will be taking, I have been couponing and buying snacks at our local dollar store. I also make our drinks (stored in reusable orange juice pitchers so they are spill proof and frugal) and we reuse water bottles. I found gerber sports lids that fit on the water bottles on ebay and only spent 1.99 for 4 including shipping, using my ebay bucks.

I will also make our lunches for the trip home. This saves money and lets us spend where it counts while vacationing.

Food, the never ending battle

So I am 2 mos out from my gastric bypass, I surely thought by now I would have this eating thing nailed down. Hah! What a joke...I don't like food. Nothing tastes good and cooking for me seems like a joke since I only eat between 1/4c and a 1/2 c. I think my biggest mistake is cooking separate for me. Before surgery we all ate low carb for dinner and on weekends and it was easy for me to stay on track. I slipped back into the "old way of cooking" after surgery. One thing I have learned is this process is just that a process. So I have armed myself with some new recipes from www.theworldaccordingtoeggface.com and will try this food thing again.

The Battle In America

It seems these are uncertain days in America. The economy is insane, there are many people out of work, losing their homes and then we have the marriage debate going on. Through all of this we are suppose to maintain order in our daily lives. How do we do this? I say give it to God. He is the creator of all things, the One Living God, He is more than able to handle this. This reminds me of God's account of Elijah trusting God to show Himself when others were turned to Baal in 1 Kings 18 . If you have not read this chapter I challenge you to. I wanted to stand up and cheer as I finished reading what God chose to do here...this is the same God I serve today. He is able to do anything! I don't believe God wants us pre-occupied with political issues. In His word He gives ALL Christians a direct command to go out and tell the World of Him and His Son dying for their sins. This is what we should be doing as we see things changing around us. This world is not our home, it is not where things will be easy or comfortable for us as children of God and lets not forget that there are many who do not know Him, we should not stand idly by while others die without Him. I say let us be about Our Father's business.

And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.

 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:

 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

Matthew 28:18-20 KJV

We have decided in our little house to set aside time after dinner each night to pray for our Country, The hearts of Christians living in America (that they would repent and turn from known sin and serve God with new vigor) and for our politicians and leaders (that they not be swayed with peer pressure, worldly influence and that if they are not saved born again children of God, God will set people in their path to witness to them and bring them under conviction that they might be saved.) Will you join us and set aside time to deliberately pray for our nation, it's citizens and leaders. What a testimony to God's Greatness this would be!

ll Chronicles 7:14 KJV  

If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

Budgeting for Vacation

Our 2nd family vacation is coming up so we are in super frugal, budgeting mode. Donald and I are once again committing to a 31 days of no spending beyond our monthly household bills to make this a good trip. We are also dedicated to being frugal on the way there and back, it just makes sense. When we went to my SIL's wedding in October we took a picnic lunch for the trip, we bought cereal, sandwich stuff for breakfasts and lunches and we were able to spend a weekend in Myrtle Beach for 500.00, this included gas there and back. Now we were treated to a very nice dinner at Joe's Crab Shack thanks to her husband's father, but we even had that money tucked back. Since dinner was taken care of the kids were able to be treated to a candy treat and an ice cream. So we are wanting to do this again, it takes the stress out of vacations, and why spend when you can have just as much fun being frugal?

You existed before me...

Most mothers were there the moment their children were created. They were able to nurture the new life God blessed them with from the beginning. I on the other hand was not there until our children were born and in some cases well into their childhoods. They were nurtured by other mothers, aunts and sometimes family friends. These precious children knew loss well before they should have. When this happens children are forced to grieve in ways many of us could never imagine. They are left with large holes in their emotional well being. Then they are placed in new families and are expected to thrive.

This is not an easy task. I remember when Amber was little well into her pre-teen years she grieved for her birth mother. She didn't understand why her bio-mom wasn't there and it hurt. I remember holding her on many occasion soothing her through tears of my own letting her know it was alright to cry and to miss her bio-mom. After all could I have survived my mom moving away from me at 6 years old? At 29 this would have been devastating, so how much more was it to my daughter? Looking back I think crying with her and allowing her to grieve in her way showed her that I loved her and I was there even when it wasn't easy. There were times I wished that we could just be a family without the grief and hurt, but this was the path we were walking and it would have been foolish to expect a young child to just get over it. There was a natural biological pull to her birth mom, it didn't mean I was unloved, as I have told Amber on many occasions, she has enough love for 2 moms. As the years went on our relationship grew in new ways and she knows that I would never leave her, that I would love her through anything.

A couple of years ago Alex who cried when he found out I wasn't his bio-mom wanted to reach out to his first mom and see what that would be like. I was scared but knew that this was a normal phase, he was missing a part of his life that was no longer there. He loved me but had to know this other part of him. We loved him through this journey, we were there when he had questions and doubts. This too strengthened our bond. He now says it is like I am his biological mother, I know that he had to travel to this road, it wasn't about me, it was about the man he is becoming.

When Amarissa and Annaliese were born and placed with us I read extensively on bonding with adopted infants. We wore them, took advantage of skin on skin snuggling. And were  always there with comfort after a biological parent or caseworker visit, we wanted them to know that we are their parents and would always be there with comfort and love for them.

With Drew, he bonded with Donald immediately. Donald was dad to Drew immediately. It took Drew longer to want to refer to me as mom. He had been hurt and abandoned by the only mother he had ever known and he wasn't sure he needed that type of relationship in his life. I had to come face to face with the possibility that I may only be able to love and care for him in a caregiver role, but I was going to be the best most loving care giver he had ever had. He was my son no matter what. Now we have been a family for almost 5 years and I am his mom through and through. I know that he loves me and we are bonded but in those early days I wasn't so sure.

A conversation tonight put me face to face with some uneasy questions. Why did I bond with my children through so many obstacles? What makes us different than other families who became mom and dad under the same circumstances? And I think the answer is, we chose these children, through good and bad, and there have been both, but these are my children and I am their mom through all of life not just when it is easy for me to be mom. No matter what we wanted them to know that we loved them with all we had even if they rejected it. They know hurt, they know rejection that no human should ever know, and they aren't equipped as children to handle it and we didn't want to add to their hurt and rejection, so we make sure that they know how much they are and were wanted. How hard we fought to get them and to keep them. And how happy we are that God chose us to be their parents. Believe it or not we have had these conversations in the middle of temper tantrums, eye rolling, and rebellion. Children deserve unconditional love. They didn't ask to be born in families that are dysfunctional, selfish and broken, they cope the best they can. We as adoptive parents are to come alongside them and gently train them that they don't have to stay broken. It doesn't have to define who they are. Is it sad, yes it is heart wrenching, but it was an event in their life, not a defining moment. And we strive to show them all that God has brought to them since the hurt and rejection, and all that God gave us the moment He decided to place them in this family. None of this was their choice and it is up to Donald and I to be the adults and raise these children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord and for us that means giving them unconditional love just as Christ has given us.

We love him, because he first loved us. I John 4:19

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? Romans 8:35

As Christians we are to take Christ's love to the world, what better place to start than in our own home and with our own (step, adopted, grand) children?

***Now please don't think that I think I have it all figured out. I have had alot of love and support in my journey as a step parent and then as a foster/adoptive parent. I learned early that you have to know when to ask for help. Raising children is never easy but they do deserve love.****

Choosing Contentment

My tiny kitchen on a good day.

This week was my breaking point with our home. My kitchen was over flowing with dirty dishes, bins with specialty mixes and foods for our kids with food allergies. The kids were not getting along and all I could think about is how nice it would be to have a big yard the kids could run around in and a house that had enough storage for our things. As Donald walked through the door from work, I blurted out "Can't we sell this place, or rent it out and rent a bigger house? We don't fit anymore!" To which his reply was an understandable "No, sweetie we cannot."

Our home was built in 1974 it is made to fit a family of 4 maybe 5. We are a family of 7. Most days we make it work, some days the house wins. As I fussed about our family size in relation to our house size my Heavenly Father gently reminded me that we own our home, it keeps us dry, warm/cool and safe. We have been blessed enough to stay here the past 8 years, so it is where we have raised our children and will continue to do so. It gives them roots and for that I am grateful. In 1 Timothy 6:6-8 this is what God has to say about contentment  6 But godliness with contentment is great gain. 7 For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out . 8 And having food and raiment let us be therewith content. Nowhere in this passage does God mention a large showy home, He says if we have food and clothing let us be content, how much more have I been blessed with? So this week I have been decluttering, reorganizing and choosing contentment. Contentment, being positive and upbeat is truly a choice. We can focus on what we think we are lacking or we can see the beauty and gifts that we are blessed with daily. God only gives us one life, I don't want to waste it focusing on junk.

Getting back to Frugality

Since my surgery we haven't been as frugal as we would like. With my new diet demands food is more expensive. I was eating 5-6 small meals plus protein shakes and I like variety, that adds up to a high grocery bill. However all of this changes today. Today I was graduated to regular foods and only have to eat 3 meals a day. So it is back to being frugal for this household. I also hope to put my clothes line to good use. The weather has been unseasonably cool so that meant waiting to line dry. Drying our clothes outside really helps our electric and gas bills, which can climb into the $400.00 a month range if we are not careful. I also have plans to put two old fashioned screen doors in and a screen on the patio door so when Donald is at work we can turn off the AC and sweat it out, it isn't that bad, we have an inground pool. This too will help keep the utility bills down.

What are some of your tips and tricks for cutting costs during the summer months?

The itch has begun...

Every Spring I want to simplify our lives. I chalk this up to the normal ritual of Spring Cleaning. However I also would love, love, love a small log cabin (pioneer style) on 10 acres of land. I would love to own a milking cow, chickens and goat. The older I get the more I want a life that is free from material possessions and rich in family time and quiet. Perhaps one day I will have my little cabin on 10 acres....

My Frugal Score Today.

I headed to Kroger and Save A Lot this morning for a few groceries and found some really great deals.

Kroger: .87 Smuckers Grape Jam and .14 Cook and Serve Chocolate Pudding, Kroger Brand.
Save A Lot: 3.00 Chickens, .50 cupcake mixes

All in all not a bad score.

Magic Pill Syndrome

Before having gastric bypass everyone told me not to view this as a magic pill. It would still take hard work and devotion to achieve my goals. Surgery just gave me a new, very powerful tool to fight the battle with. I really thought I was prepared to not feed into this mindset. That is until my appointment this past Monday. I found out my total weight loss was 30lbs since surgery, I should have been excited, instead I was disappointed. I found myself wondering why my weight wasn't just melting off, afterall I had been on an additional liquid diet for 4 weeks. What I didn't think of is I had surgery, my body needed my reserves to heal. I am sure my metabolism slowed down since all I had been getting for 6 weeks were liquids and exercise was slow going since I was healing. So after a heart to heart talk with myself I have decided to look at the fact that since November I have lost 68lbs, with another 32lb loss I will have lost a 100lbs. This is something that seemed impossible just a few short months ago. And no matter what happens I have taken a step in the right direction for a healthier, better future for myself and my family. So if you are waiting for surgery try and prepare for the work that comes not just physically but mentally as well. This is sometimes an intangible battle that can get the best of you. Stick to your plan of action no matter what and keep your head held high and you will see many rewards.

Living Life With No Regrets.

The term "Living Life With No Regrets" is usually used in our society when people do things they should be ashamed of but don't want to take responsibility for their actions. For me it has come to mean something totally different.

A couple of evenings ago Donald and I were talking with my dad about life and the topic of accomplishing your dreams after you raise children came up. My first thought was "There is nothing I want more than to be home raising my children". Then I thought is that too easy? Am I taking the easy way out? So over the next few days I did some soul searching and have come to the conclusion that being married to a Godly man and raising our little ones are my dreams. It is all I have always wanted and I have it. I wouldn't do well juggling work and family, I am the type of person that has to give one thing my all and for me that one thing is my family. How could I ever regret all the afternoons helping the children with their homework, playing games and cooking dinner together? The rewards that I get from being with them are immeasurable and I am sure they will draw on these memories when they are parents raising their children. I also want to be an awesome Grandma when that time comes. You know the type that bakes cookies and holds summer camp at her house for all the grandchildren, yep that is me. I want to pass down a Godly heritage to as many generations of our family as God will allow. How blessed I am to have all that I have always wanted at 37 years old.

10 days out, my first reward.

Today I went for my post op, I am doing great and have 2 more weeks on my liquid diet. As I start to get back into cooking for my family I do want more variety but for the most part I am okay dealing with liquids, they are safe.

After I left the doctor's office I took the girls to preschool, loaded with a yummy bagged lunch and their Easter baskets (1.00 baskets from Family Dollar, they were ecstatic). They begged me to stay and have lunch with them and help with the Easter Egg Hunt, I agreed. So off we went. I was able to see what they do during class time and meet their friends. And I have to tell you that their teachers are amazing. One of the teachers taught our 15 year old when she is was in prek. They love those kiddos and love their jobs and you can tell.

After class time we headed out for lunch, outside, on a towel, on the ground. I was so nervous. However I will have you know that this Mama was able to sit on the ground with her kiddos and have lunch. Not only that I also helped them pickup Easter Eggs and I wasn't winded or hurting after. It was the best feeling. The girls kept telling me, Mama it was so much fun having you eating on the ground with us. I am so glad I decided to go ahead with this surgery. I don't want to miss out on any more memories like this! Nothing tastes as good as today with my girls felt!

8 days post-op, my happy little surprise.

   
This morning I got up with the mindset that I would wear smaller clothes, by goodness. I have lost a little over 50lbs so I should be able to. I tried on the bridesmaid dress that I wore back in October in my best friend Nicole's wedding. The bodice was alot bigger now than in October, however the waist not so much. Then I remembered that it was very snug then because it was made too small and that made me feel some better. Then I came across a pair of jeans that I had bought like 5 years ago and have never worn. They fit perfectly and I even have a waist!!!! Not something I had before. So I wore a cute t-shirt and my jeans out today with flip flops. I felt so girlie and normal it was a great feeling!

What do you mean feeling out of place?

In yesterday's blog I mentioned that my first night home I felt out of place. It was true and unexpected.
It started because I didn't feel comfortable in my bed or on my furniture, the smell of food made me nauseous (my family had to eat) and that made me panic. Did I make a mistake coming home so early, what if having surgery was a mistake? Then that led to anxiety about the fact that I didn't know how to take care of my new pouch, how was I going to do this? All of a sudden everything I had learned all these months made no sense, because I never really thought of how applying it to myself would feel or how difficult  it would be, I really went into this thinking I was going to bounce back immediately, so far I was doing well but that was only 2 days down. I cried like a baby, and it made my stomach drop with a thud, I had 5 children and a husband who would eventually depend on me again and here I didn't know what to do with me.

Getting comfortable in bed was the first step and it helped calm most of the anxiety about the new me. I won't wait to tell you that the days since have been fabulous, not super easy but doable and when I use the tools that help me use my new pouch (ie: support group members, my surgeon, their office staff and my booklet) I get the answers I need to get things back on track. Using your resources is a very important step in this journey.

THE Surgery and my homecoming.

I waited to write because everything seemed to happen at lightning speed. Donald and I went away for 3 days to enjoy some one on one time and attend a Jeremy Camp Concert (I love Jeremy Camp's testimony and the love he has for our Lord) before my bypass. It was a nice time reconnecting, enjoying a new town and meeting new friends.

The Tuesday after we got back I was scheduled for the bypass. The closer and closer I got the more anxious I became. I was confident in my surgical team, my weight loss team but I was terrified of something going wrong that no one could control and leaving my dear husband raising 5 children alone. We had prayed so hard for these children and I had waited so long to become a mother was I being careless? The answer in the end was no, I weighed 405lbs at the beginning of this journey. I had high blood pressure, PCOS, insulin resistance, and reflux. Not to mention it was hard finding seats at the local theater, people stared where-ever I went, which I know sounds vain but it was bothersome at best. I wanted a new life for myself. I wanted to have the energy to get through my days successfully. I didn't want to worry about diabetes, heart attack or stroke later in life. I also wanted to be the best wife and mother to my family and I just couldn't do that without radical weight loss. Back in November in preparation for my surgery I started seeing a doctor in my bariatric practice that specializes in weight loss in a healthy life changing way. By February I had lost 30lbs, this is something I had never been able to do. It was hard, I was enjoying my new eating plan and I felt better than ever. but in the back of my mind I kept asking "When is the PCOS and insulin resistance going to rear their heads and take this away from me? That is when I called and scheduled surgery. So no I didn't feel selfish or careless, but I wanted to be cautious.

So Tuesday morning we headed to the hospital for my 8am appt. Our Pastor arrived right as they took me back to pre-op, he was able to chat with us and pray with us. Then I went back got gowned for the surgery and they started IVs. I was relatively calm until after talking with my surgeon and the reality of my surgery set in, YIKES. I started crying and my surgeon came back in to talk with me and make sure I was okay and that there were no last minute questions or concerns I had...nope...I was just nervous....Then they whisked me back and in between my room in day surgery and the OR they gave me some great meds...because all I remember after that was maybe seeing the OR and a mask being placed on my face.....then I woke up to a male nurse telling me I was okay and that I was going to feel some pain (I was moaning because I had the worse stomach ache I had ever had and I wanted it to stop) then I fell back asleep or they gave me great meds and I woke up in my room to my family and Amber (our 15 yr old) rubbing my hand telling me she loved me.

I slept and woke in waves that first day. I do remember asking every time my eyes opened if I could go walking yet (what was I thinking....oh yeah Dr. Glass told me to walk as soon as I remembered our pre-op conversation). Thankfully I didn't have to walk until midnight that night and it was not bad or unbearable. I felt unsure of my feet but I had 2 nurses helping me down the hall. I made 2 laps that first time...and was at 8 laps by 8am when Dr. Glass made his rounds...he said I was a star patient...I think he was just encouraging me, but I took the complement.

That first 24 hrs ice chips were wonderful. I could only eat about 4 at a time but my mouth was dry and I was thirsty, they were great. My nurses kept a fresh cup within my reach at all times. Then at about 9am I was allowed to drink 1oz of protein every hour...it took me 25-30 mins to conquer my 1ox but I did it...I kept up with my ice chips all was going well.

Then at 4:30 Wednesday they said I could go home. Home???? I panicked, I have 5 kids how am I well enough to go home? I just had major surgery, the doctor said so himself. Surely I could stay. The nurse gave me the option of going home or staying before her 5:00 conference with Dr. Glass....in that 30 mins I had become uncomfortable in my chair and the bed was not any better. So I agreed to go home.

The ride home was uncomfortable, Donald took great care to not jostle me too much. However once we reached our drive way I felt like his truck had run me over. I was eager to get inside and get in my bed. My peace and contentment were shattered about 3 mins later. I couldn't sit or lay on our bed comfortably. The loveseat in our room was no better. My sister was over cooking dinner (which I now see as a sweet gesture) and I instantly became nauseous once food smells filled the house. I got snappy and started crying with everyone. I felt so bad, they had all been so great and here I was being mean. My daddy kneeled down beside me and empathized (he had heart surgery 2 years ago so he knew a thing or two about being uncomfortable) Donald and my mom chatted on the porch to let me get my bearings and in that time my mom came up with the idea of buying a "husband" for the bed. So off to wal-mart she and my dad went. My sister plugged away in the kitchen cooking and entertaining our children and hers, despite my hormonal episode, that is sisterly love. Once the husband was in place and pain meds administered I was comfortable and didn't feel as out of place.

7 days until surgery & Pre-op

Yesterday was my pre-op. We met with Dr. Glass to finalize surgery plans and for a quick physical. Everything went great. He was very pleased with my progress thus far (I lost another 4lbs in the last 5 days!). Then we headed to the hospital for pre-op. I had no clue what to expect. Everyone was super nice and very thorough. They took blood, did and EKG and got my medical history. All paperwork is filled out and my hospital bracelet was ready to go. It still all felt like a dream until the nurse calibrated my spirometer and handed it to me to bring back the day of my surgery. I felt faint and it hit me, this is reality, I am having my gastric bypass in a week!!!! It is funny the things that trigger anxiety.

The liquid diet is going well. The thing I miss the most about eating is the chewing, popsicles help with that. I will continue the liquid diet until my 4th week after surgery, then I can graduate to pureed foods.  I am so scared about what eating will be like after surgery, I am afraid of doing the wrong thing, but thankfully I have an excellent team of doctors to help me through this. And I am encouraged that I have not stopped losing on the liquid diet, for some reason I was worried about that.

I survived another day...

...but not without tears. I called my doctor's office to see if I could have sugar free pudding, they listed sf jello as one of the foods so I was hoping pudding was included, it was not. I got off the phone trying to be strong, but I caved and cried like a 3 yr old over pudding. Then Donald and I went out to the bookstore and to get  dinner for him. Doing the liquid diet is easier for me when I am not at home, not sure why that is, but I do not have a hard time with cravings, etc when out and about. When the cravings do hit I just remind myself that 4 months ago I thought I couldn't do any of this and I have learned that alot of what I was giving into were just feelings. I am not going to die on this liquid diet and it is only temporary, and if I want a new me some pain and discomfort (physically, mentally and emotionally) is going to happen. And all of my cheerleaders/friends have been a HUGE blessing during this, so thank you.

Donald paid me a big complement yesterday. He told me that he sees big changes in my size (for the smaller) since I started the liquid diet. So I cannot wait until Friday when I go to my PCP to change my med forms to weigh in. It also dawned on me this morning that I have no idea what I will look like after I lose this weight. It was both a thrilling and scary thought.I am definitely realizing that there is more to me, in a good way, than I knew.

Day 1 down on to Day 2

Sorry I didn't post the pics of my new gadgets for the bypass. My body is either translating this liquid diet as "I am sick" or I am actually coming down with something. However I think it is a misinterpretation of events. Yesterday was not too bad until dinner time. I even accompanied Donald to Golden Corral for lunch with my chicken broth and crystal light packed in my new thirty-one tote, and did well. Even though our server refused to heat up my broth, grrrr. Cold chicken broth is disgusting, so I stuck with the crystal light.

So today I am hoping to get my pics posted for you all.

Let the Countdown Begin

I decided with my 2 lb weight gain to go ahead with the gastric bypass surgery. Some may say this is too extreme but I have battled my weight for 15 years. I have tried various diets, eating plans whatever you call them to no avail. The low carb diet my doctor has had me on is the first thing to really work, however with that said, when I gained that 2lbs back I realized that I would always battle PCOS, this is what makes my weight loss extremely difficult. Then I looked at the statistics of PCOS going away with gastric bypass and it goes away in a 100% of patients. Now I know that I will always have to stay away from carbs and eat the way my doctors and dietician have taught me but I will then have a very reliable tool to keep the weight off. I have let this weight take enough it is time I reclaim my life for me and my family. I scheduled surgery this past week and the first 2 days I was very melancholy and second guessing my decision. This is when I had to remind myself that I prayed about this for 5 years and never had the peace to even start the process. It was funny I told God that if this surgery was for me then He needed to just bring someone into my life that had this surgery and would just talk to me boldly about it with out them knowing I had thought about it. Last year God brought a dear sweet  lady into my life, Mrs. B. Her grandson attends preschool with our girls. The first day she met me she walked up to me and started telling me about her gastric bypass surgery and how she thought I would benefit, she even used the same practice I had been referred to. God started dealing with me and showing me that if this was in His time I had nothing to fear. So I made my first appointment with Dr. Chasen. At this appointment I learned that Dr. Chasen was relocating and would be leaving the practice. What??? Had I heard God right? I thought He called me to this doctor. The doubts flooded my heart and mind. Then very clearly God spoke to my heart to trust Him to see this journey out. So I went to a seminar where the new doctor was speaking. Dr. Glass takes his job very seriously and truly cares about his patients and their well being.  He is stricter than other Bariatric doctors I have heard of and is too the point, that is exactly what I needed. God showed me that if he called me to Dr. Chasen then he called me to see Dr. Glass since nothing takes Him by surprise. This fact has brought me great peace.

So with that said I start my 2 week liquid diet tomorrow. This is to shrink my liver before the surgery so my doctor has a clear view of my stomach and intestines and also gets me off to a great start on this new weight loss journey. I am hoping it won't be too difficult transitioning since I do have 2 protein shakes a day now, one for breakfast and one for night time snack, and I only eat a small lunch.

I have also found some neat fun dishes and cups to make this journey a little brighter. I will post pics of my goodies tomorrow for you all to see. And please bear with me, this is where I am at right now and I am completely embracing it, so it is pretty much all I talk about. So sit back and come along on the journey of a lifetime, the journey to a new me!

Safe in the arms of God

I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth. 
~3 John 1:4

     Sunday Morning started out well enough. We were up at 7:30am. I put on lunch while the children bathed and dressed for church. It seemed like the perfect morning, which was a blessing since Donald was working that morning and unable to help diffuse arguments and fix disastrous outfits.

Then things started getting chaotic. One child couldn't find his clothes, another wanted to wear something 2 sizes too small, why it wasstill in his closet I am unsure.

The girls were fussing over toys and their hair had yet to be done. And I entertained the idea of just skipping church and staying home.After all, it would be easier. 

That is when the Lord brought Hebrews 10:25 to mind.Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.

So off to church we went. Half way to church Annaliese asked ifAunt Tina would be there.  After hearing "I don't think so" She said "Mama we need to live right so Aunt Tina and her kids will get saved." Now my sister has made a profession of faith and so have 2 of her children, this showed me that Annaliese knows that God wants us to worship together as an outward testimony of Christ's love and provision for us. She thought for a moment and then stated very matter of factly "Mama I am going to get saved today." And she did, about 3 minutes later Annaliese prayed and asked Jesus into her heart. She made a  public profession after church, what a big girl she is becoming and what a blessing that she loves Jesus. Then we packed up and got ready to head home. I was getting in the van and Amarissa had come to the front seat to tell me she was so glad Annaliese was a Christian. Then she said "Mama, I want to get saved too and have Jesus in my heart." Amarissa had been raising her hand for a few months at the end of each service when our Pastor would ask if there was anyone present that was unsaved and if so could they raise their hand and he would pray for them. It was amazing seeing God deal with her little heart and bring his Will to fruition in her life. So we bowed our heads in the church parking lot and Amarissa too asked Jesus to come into her heart and save her." There is no greater joy than to know that all 5 of my children are saved. That they will

get the opportunity to serve the Lord with the majority of their lives and that they have a burden to see others brought to our Loving God. If you too are in need of our savior below is His plan of salvation. All you have to do is believe Christ is the Son of God and confess this with your mouth and you too will be saved.

We are all lost in sin 

Romans 3:10 - As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:
Romans 3:23 - For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
I John 1:8 -  If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

We are all in need of a Holy Savior

Romans: 6:23  For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. 

 John 3:36 -  He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.

We cannot save ourselves

 Titus 3;5,6 - Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour;

  Ephesians 2:8,9 -  For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.

Only Jesus Christ can save us

 Hebrews 2:9 -  But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man. 

 I Timothy 2:5 -  For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;

We are saved through Faith in Jesus Christ

 John 3:16 - For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
John 3:18 - He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

Losing Weight Adventurously

Last week's 1/2 basket

Last weeks full basket

So last week I joined a veggie co-op. We have been looking for a good one since Amarissa was born. So basically I place my order each week and then on Saturday I go pick up my baskets of goodies (since we are a larger family I buy and basket and a half). This has challenged me to step out of my comfort zone when it comes to healthy eating. Last week we stayed pretty close to our comfort zone but this week we are trying fresh roasted beets and their greens and turnip greens. I am eating and liking foods I never would have thought possible. Until this week I had only tasted canned beets, not a good thing. I never ate greens except spinach in salad, now I am eating them boiled, baked and fresh. The best part is I feel great. So I challenge you this week to try a new veggie and a new fruit. Get creative with it and most importantly have fun!

Our spinach and strawberries

The lesson of 2 lbs.

So I am 3 months into my weight loss journey. It has been going great, until last week....I had weigh in last Friday and knew I had not done well. Not because I hadn't followed plan or worked out, I could just tell I wasn't losing, which in and of itself is invigorating because before this journey I never knew whether I had lost or gained. So I stepped on the doctor's scale and it showed a 2lb gain, A GAIN!!!! How could that be??? My doctor asked me to journal for a week, increased my medication for PCOS and insulin resistance. I went home in tears, after a very heartfelt pep talk from my doc. What had I done wrong? Was this going to be a failure like everything else I have tried? Should I quit and just learn to live with my weight? I wanted answers and wanted them immediately. I scoured the kitchen, reading labels and calculating tsps of sugar in every thing. I asked my husband if he knew of any thing that I was doing wrong, he was clueless and so was I. So against my norm I decided to give journaling a good shot not just a half hearted try. I started on Saturday and on Sunday I discovered a change in our almond milk. We had been buying unsweetened and somehow original had been bought by mistake and I use that every morning (unsweetened has like 1g of sugar original has like 7g) so we immediately changed back. I also noticed that I wasn't drinking as much water as I had in the beginning so I drank even when I wasn't thirsty. And I kept journaling. Today I went for the one week weigh in and I had lost 5 lbs, I couldn't believe that these two missteps were to blame for a gain. And obviously my body needed a higher dose of my metformin.

However, I am glad it happened. This week I learned a few things about myself. I learned that I really want this weight loss, more than I have ever wanted anything, and I don't mind working for it. Even when things are bleak and the outcome is less than perfect. I learned that if we quit when we hit a small bump in the road (my doc's words not mine, it felt like a HUGE mountain in the road to me) we will never get anywhere and will always fail. Last but not least I now know when my body is gaining for the first time ever. So I thank the Lord for my 2 lb gain, it sure taught me more than  I could have ever imagined. And I think that it will lessen the blow when my body decides to plateau, I will know that "this too shall pass".

Redefining Frugal

Since Christmas things have changed drastically around our home food wise. We have 2 kids back on a full time gluten free diet. Our oldest daughter can no longer tolerate processed foods or school lunch due to severe reflux, and last but not least Donald and I are now on a low carb diet. So I am spending more on food than I ever have. With these changes have come huge amounts of guilt. I know that sounds strange since I am shopping for the good of my family. But when you go from spending $1.50 on a bag of pretzels to $6.35 for their gluten free counter parts, some guilt creeps up on you. Not to mention we are eating more protein than we used to, which is healthy and good for us but is also a little more expensive. So I haven't been posting a lot on the frugal end of things because our frugal has changed and I am playing around with things to see how we can get the budget down and still adhere to our new way of eating. We do eat 95% fresh fruit, veggies and lean meat, instead of always buying gluten free noodles and bread, cake mixes. I do splurge for the kids lunches since they need something portable and easy to eat for school.

Happy Valentine's Day

Today Donald and I celebrate our 9th Valentine's Day together. I have been in a reflective mood this year as we approached Valentine's day. As I look back on our 9 years there are a lot of great memories. God has packed a lot of blessings in our time together. We met, got engaged, we were married, bought a house, I adopted Amber and Alex, we adopted 3 blessings together and he has become my best friend. I am still in awe that I get to spend everyday as his wife and the mother to his children.

picture taken by Jennifer Chastain.

I met Donald when I least expected to find the love of my life. And if I had been really stubborn I would have missed him completely. We have all seen the online dating ads that claim to allow you to meet someone based on your parameters and that gives you a greater relationship and a better chance at succeeding. Well, if I had thought like that I would have missed the greatest blessing in my life (apart from my Lord). I never wanted to marry a man with children, ever. Donald was raising 2. I said I would never go on another blind date....His sister set us up. Donald loves contemporary christian music and I couldn't stand it. I am a HUGE worrier, Donald is laid back and happy almost all of the time. We are opposites on so many levels, however God has made us best friends and has given us a wonderful life together.  I am thankful God blessed me outside of my comfort zone. I have learned so much thanks to my dear husband, and I cannot wait to see what the next 9 Valentine's Days bring us! I love you honey!

Loving Others, our church's legacy.

Donald and I as a married couple have had awesome experiences with church and our church family. When Amarissa was about 2 she was having night time seizures and the pre-episodes would start around 5pm so it made it hard to get back and forth to church. As a result we started missing more services than we attended. So we started praying that God would give us clear direction as to what was best for our family. The seizures continued so we started praying about a new church that was closer, 30-40 mins in the car with a toddler that was screaming the entire time was no picnic. After months of visiting we were discouraged and thought we would never find a church where we fit. One Sunday morning we were at a loss as to what to do next. Donald half jokingly said "Google Baptist Churches". So I did, you never know right? At the top of that list was Faith Baptist Church. We visited and ended up joining. This church and church family has been such a healing balm to Donald and I. They have shown us what it truly means to love one another and be a church family. When we homeschooled the Pastor and his visiting partner would just drop by to say Hi to the kids and to be an encouragement. Our Pastor's wife is one of my best friends and when we miss she takes the time to call and keep us up to date with prayer requests and lessons. Not to mention the many "older couples" who love our children and are always there with a hug and a smile. Donald and I are even blessed to have a couple that is close to our age who also have small children to hang out with and who have become like family to us. They challenge us by their love and commitment to the Lord to become stronger Christians and better parents. 

And I cannot say enough about the young people in our church. Amber is our only "teen girl" and we have two young men who serve the Lord in our children's church. They are kind, patient and have a sweet spirit toward the younger children in our church. They are always looking for ways to make God's word more real for our pre teens and to challenge them to grow spiritually. Something that is not the norm in today's society. This group of believers have taught us so much about ministering and edifying one another. We are blessed to be part of this family.

Pinkalicious Fever!

I usually don't get super excited about kids books. I love them but they are all equal in my eyes usually. However Pinkalicious has found a special place in mine and my girls' hearts. The story is about a little girl "Pinkalicious" who eats too many pink cupcakes and turns pink, pink hair, pink skin, the works! Her mom takes her to the doctor who diagnoses her with pinkititis and prescribes a diet of green veggies. If you have a little girl and remember what it is like to fall in love with the color pink, you should take the time and share this book with your little blessing.

My Day In Pictures

We received this beautiful plaque from our sweet Mellisa!

My low carb chipotle chicken wrap

Amarissa and Annaliese made this arrangement for your enjoyment.

Our Valentine's Stash.

It's a Frosty Day Valentine's Day 7

 

Yesterday's Valentine treats were frosties!

My children adore these cold, sweet treats.

And I have to admit they are loving all the candy.

We never eat sweets this much...lol.

Valentine's Day 6

Goodies for Amarissa and Annaliese

Goodies for Alex and Drew

And I couldn't leave my sweetie out...I even slipped in an SD Card.

No More Mega Parties!

This year Donald and I have decided that we will throw no more "mega parties" for our kids. Let's face it. kids only want three things when it comes to a party. 1. Friends/Family, 2. Cake and 3.Gifts (and they don't have to be expensive just interesting). Why do we as parents make planning a child's birthday party difficult? In all honesty kids parties have turned into extravagant affairs,that only stress mom and dad out and take a toll on the wallet. Who needs that headache? When I was growing up I think I had like 3 store bought cakes (those were for milestone birthdays like my Sweet 16) the rest were made by my mother with the exception of my 7th birthday cake. My Aunt Dee made me a pink three tiered heart cake, I still remember that cake to this day, and I loved it! So we are getting back to our roots in regards to parties. And let's face it we do have 5 children who will hopefully someday either go to college or get married and that money can be put to better use.

Valentine's Day 5

Tonight I lavished my family with super bowl food. We were home today with Amarissa not feeling well. So I cooked lots of snack food and we were able to visit with 2 of our very favorite people tonight. My heart is truly over flowing.

Valentine's Day 3 & 4

Michael and Mellisa

I am sorry I haven't posted pics of day 3and 4. Now that the kids have caught on that they are getting something every day for 14 days they rush to their bags to see what goodie mom and dad have stashed away next so quick that I don't get the chance to snap pics, unless I do so before they are home from school, which I have not been doing. So I will just tell you what they got. Day 3 was a valentine's pencil with a mini moon pie. Day 4 were hair bows for the girls and small puzzles for the boys. Tomorrow I will have a pic to share :) since I am up at midnight putting their goodies in bags and packing my sweetie's lunch for work.

Tomorrow we get a very special visit from Donald's cousin Michael and his wife Mellisa. It is always such a sweet time when our two families can relax and spend some time catching up when they are in town. So I will be buying some snacks and putting together an impromptu spread tomorrow in anticipation of their visit. This is one of my favorite things about slowing down and being content with what you have. It allows us the time to get together with family and share more of our life, than if we were both working and running all over creation. I wasn't made to be a soccer mom or to work out of the home. There is nothing I love more than having my family close to me enjoying the simple pleasures of our everyday life.

Valentine's Day 2

My kids love this stuff, they were raised in the South, go figure. :-)

Valentine's Day 1

Hot Cocoa, Marshmallow Hearts, Foam Picture Frame Craft, 2 choco hearts.

14 Days of Valentine's Day

This year we have decided to approach holidays differently and incorporate more fun into our celebrations. So part of doing this is extending holidays and celebrations. So for Valentine's day we thought it would be fun to celebrate 14 days of ooey gooey love. Since tomorrow is February 1st this will be our first day.  Almost all of our treats came from our local dollar store. A few exceptions are, I bought coupon books from Wendy's back in October and Donald and I are giving our boys their purity rings this year. The most important thing is to have fun and let your personality shine through. This will be something your children and spouse will always remember.

So stay tuned for the next 14 days as we celebrate Valentine's with flare!

examples:
Day 1: Frosty Coupon with a scratch and sniff valentine's card.
Day 2: Hot Cocoa with a small bag of heart shaped marshmallows
Day 3: Popcorn (in red and white popcorn bags) with cinnamon hearts.
Day 4: Pretzel sticks n cheese (come in one pack, with 5 packs attached) w/ mini juice boxes
Day 5: Purity Rings, Earrings and/or play rings, depending on your child's age. And a few chocolate hearts.
Day 6: Conversation Hearts w/ a coupon for an extended bedtime and a nice long chat with Dad and/or Mom....

Our Valentine's Bags all ready for tomorrow.

This should get you started and give you some inexpensive ideas to spoil your children rotten! Have fun!

*I have my garland reinforced with clothes line twine so it will support the weight of the bags and goodies.

Your Children are Watching...

Friday morning I was sick in bed, Amarissa had come in to keep me company and asked her daddy if she could have breakfast in bed with me. He agreed and when he had finished cooking, brought breakfast to her on her favorite princess plate, with her strawberry shortcake spoon and he came in so happy and was joking around with her. Amarissa looked up at him with a big grin and her big brown eyes and said "Daddy you are prince charming!"

I am so blessed that my girls have a good man to grow up with. One who loves them beyond all measure and wants to please the Lord more than men (including his wife).  Girls if you don't have a husband please know that there will one day be a very impressionable life looking at your husband-to-be's every move. Please make sure that you pick a man who loves the Lord and wants to serve and please only him. In turn, he will please you and be all that your heart desires. Wives if you are currently married but you are thinking "My husband sure does fall short...". Pray for your mate and love him anyway.  God can and will do great things with him, our job is to love them and to build them up.

Why Courting?

 Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, 

in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.

1 Timothy 4:12

Amber turns 16 this year. As we prepare for this part of her life we felt it was important to know how God wanted us to handle "dating". So with a lot of prayer we sought God for His will. It was made clear to us that courting was the way to go. It has become a trend in our society that once a child hits the teen years parents back off and alot of times pursue their own dreams and goals while their teen is left to do his/her own thing. Donald and I feel that is destructive thinking not only for our teen but also for our family. Teens are thrown all kinds of temptations and they need their parents wisdom and guidance during these years probably more than they needed it in their early childhood years. They also need to know that they are still and integral part of your family, even though at times it may be hard for them and for you.

When Amber was younger we talked with her often about what our dreams and thoughts were for her teen years. We thought it was important to let her know what we were feeling and thinking before the hormones and emotions of the teen years set in. We are also doing this with our boys. This way they know that our rules and expectations have always been the same and weren't put in place to make them miserable or to hurt them. They were in fact fashioned out of love and genuine concern for their well  being. We are new to raising young adults and don't claim to be experts but so far with a 15 yr old, 11 yr old and 12 yr old it has been our saving grace. Also knowing our rules are grounded in the Word of God helps them see the bigger picture for their lives.

We feel that courting is important, it is the opposite of the world's model and it keeps down the baggage that dating can bring along. Dating by definition is designed to throw failure at our children. You pick someone based on looks usually and try to get that person to fit in your mold, we all know how well that works. However with courting you seek God's will for your life and ask what He would like for your future spouse to be like. And then once he brings the two young people together, in his time, the parents of both young adults are able to help them navigate their new found relationship, centered on God's word and His truths. We have asked Amber during her own personal devotion time to seek God and ask what His goals are for her and her spouse to be, and to search His word as her model for a husband. And also to seek whether or not she is too be married. I know a lot of Godly women who are single and serve the Lord in very fulfilling and mighty ways, the important thing is that Amber is in the middle of what God has for her. Her father and I are doing the same thing concerning our children's future. We want our children to know that finding a spouse should be a deliberate journey.We are seeing that by asking Amber to be active in prayer and searching scripture she is taking responsibility for this new phase in her life and the importance of picking a spouse is becoming more real to her, and most importantly she doesn't feel alone during this time. She knows that her parents are here for her every step of the way.

An eventful day.

I do believe I have found my personal trainer today. I met with a gentleman and his wife at our local rec center and was put to ease immediately. He understood that I am super nervous about getting back in the gym and was perfectly comfortable putting together a routine for someone my current size. He and his wife work together, which is awesome. He also understood that it was important for me to work very closely with my weight loss doctor and will be submitting monthly reports so he can see my progress. And the best part is he let me know that he was flexible and could work out a schedule that would be good for me and for our budget., which of course I loved. So Donald and I are looking at the budget to make sure we can do this long term.

We also added 4 new family members. My sister and her 3 little ones will be staying with us for a little while. So it will be an adventure making menus for 11 people now. The kids are over the moon that their cousins will be here. And I have someone to watch movies with when Donald is working. Yay!  So be on the lookout for some new entertaining posts as we adjust from being a family of 7 to a family of 11.

Inflation and Our New Way of Eating

So I had to make another trip to the grocery store this week and I spent $130.00 on groceries. So we didn't quite make it on the $300.00 from last payday. We have found that Amber cannot eat school lunch without it irritating her stomach, so I had to get some lunch stuff.  Donald has also decided to join me in losing weight and is doing low carb so that is more protein being bought. I still don't think we have extended ourselves too much, we are only 2 days from payday and the things I bought today will last at least a week. And lets face it, cooking at home is still cheaper than eating out (especially for our family) so we are still on top. I have also noticed that food seems to have gone up more since I went shopping last, which doesn't make it easy at all. Not to mention that the boys are eating us out of house and home. Looks like they have found those teenage appetites.

Day 15

This week has been interesting, our paypal account was hacked and we were charged $202.00 in paypal charges. So our bank account is in limbo for the next 10 days. It seems that we can't catch a break on our budgeting, I know this is temporary but it is so hard. Thankfully we take our household money out of the bank and use cash only. So I went grocery shopping and spent almost all of our $187.00 from payday last week. We needed supplies for laundry detergent, toilet tissue, dog food, groceries and Amarissa and Annaliese needed new tennis shoes. I was able to buy every thing we needed and have $10.00 in my pocket, at the end. Not a bad day.

This Week's Dinner Menu:

Meatloaf, Mac n Cheese, Salad (lettuce, tomatoes, cheese)
Turkey Sausage w/ Onions and Peppers served over Brown Rice
Chicken hotdogs sliced w/diced Potatoes and Onions, Baked Beans
Grits, Scrambled Eggs, Toast, Sausage
Bean Soup and grilled cheese
Chicken Stir Fry Over Brown Rice
Tomato Soup (homemade), Hot Ham N Cheese Sandwiches