Not much happened today

So for being a Monday, today went rather smooth. Went to work, day flew by really fast. Came home, for once I didn't have a meeting or appointment or anything. Chilled on the couch for like an hour. Then made dinner, did the laundry, kids did their homework. And Now I am just chilling out on the computer.
I want to make my page pink too for breast cancer awareness, but I have to do it at a later date when I have a little more time to be on here. Right now, I have to fold clothes, put them away, do my treadmill, do my weights and then hit the sack.
So, I read the comment my dad in NJ said to me. Thanks DAD I didn't know you read my blog. Did you read it all? I love doing this thing. It helps me keep in touch with my family all over the place. I love it. Thanks Peggy for hooking me up with it. I know sometime, what I write is boring. But it is just my thoughts for the day.
So anyway, I am off of here. Laundry is calling me. Have a great day tomorrow everyone!!!!!!!!

Sunday's newsflash!!!!!

Hello all my friends. So today is Sunday and guess what? I didn't make it to church this morning. I actually slept in late today for like the first time forever. I am one who wakes up at the crack of dawn even on the weekends. But today for some reason, I slept till after 10 am. So I didn't have enough time to make it to church. So I used today to get caught up on all that paperwork that is still hanging around. Not much more to do though. Almost done with it.

So as you all know, today is my weigh in day. I am so happy to report that my total weight loss as of this morning is now 48 lbs. CAN YOU BELIEVE IT!!! I am so happy with my progress. I feel fantastic, energized, motivated, excited, and HAPPY. Each day seems to get a little easier, I feel lighter, and I feel like I can do more. I do not have a goal at all. I just want to stay healthy and live a long, healthy, productive life and I want to enjoy my grandchildren whenever they decided to come along. NOT TOO SOON though. So thanks to all my friends and family for all of your support. I love you all and I miss everyone, especially my cuz Frank in NC. I LOVE YOU CUZ!!!!!

It's the Weekend again

Well, it seems like we just got done having a weekend and now it is the weekend again. Man time sure does fly when you are having fun. LOL!!! Anyway, I had another very busy week. Between work, meetings, appointments, and errands to run. I guess that is why I feel like this week just flew past me. BUT I am in no way, shape, or form complaining about it at all. I LOVE to stay busy. Next week is not going to be that busy for me. I only have 3 meetings next week as appose to 4, 5, or 6 on any given week.
So my plans for this weekend is to get caught up on paperwork. I have been doing all these meetings and the paperwork that came from all those meetings have just piled up and I hate clutter. So I have some time this weekend to get caught up with paperwork.

I went this morning with my friend Doris to pick up food from a church. They have a program that is called "Angel Food Ministries" I have never heard of it. It is being done all across the country. It does not go according to income at all. Anyone can place an order for it. It cost $30 for the first box, which that is what I got. It came with chicken breasts, sirloin steaks, chicken nuggets, pork loin, ground turkey, frozen green beans, frozen broccoli, dozen eggs, box of mac and cheese, can of pork n beans (yuk), a bag of pinto beans and 1/2 gal of milk, and some other things I forgot. All that for only $30. They also offer other boxes of food too for a different price. IT is well worth it. It does not have an income limit at all. Their website is www.angelfoodministry.com I would recommend it to anyone and on the website they have the menu saying what is available for the next month and a place to find a location near you. Next month they have on there ribs, hamburgers, pork chops, spaghetti, meatballs, stuff that we all would like to eat. So check it out if you are interested and it may help you out with your grocery bill. It is a once a month thing. Usually order in the middle of the month and the pick up is the last Saturday of each month, depending on your location. All the food is fresh and not dented or outdated stuff.
So with the sirloin steaks I got today, I am using two of them and making beef stew for dinner in the crock pot. I am getting ready to cook it very soon.

Tomorrow's plans is church and staying home and spending the day with my family.

Thanks for everyone's support and encouragement with the comments you made on my last post about my two month anniversary. I love you all and I miss you all.

Two Month Anniversary!!!!!

WOW!!!!!! Can I really feel a difference now. It has been exactly two months ago today that I had my surgery and I just had Lil Sam take pictures of me so that I can post them and add them to my photo journal that I have on here. It is amazing how different I look and FEEL. I feel fantastic!!!!! I have lost 45lbs already. Probably 1 or 2 pants size. Inches I'm sure I have lost inches. I just don't know how many. But ready or not, here is a picture of me before and present. Like I said I plan on doing this monthly. Especially so that my mom, dad, and Peggy and Lynn can see because they don't get to see me that often.

Sunday's News Flash!!!!!!

Man, so as I said in the last post Sunday was another great day. Of course I wasn't home all day today either. My bff Doris called this morning and wanted to do lunch together. So I made arrangements to meet her. So I went to church this morning, I know I said I wasn't going to go, but I know all the back roads around here and ways to get away from traffic. So after church, I had some time before I was meeting Doris for lunch. So I went to the public library. Only to find out they don't open til 1:00, the time I was going to meet Doris. So I had like 1/2 hour to waste. So I went to goodwill store. Didn't find anything. But still looked around and wasted the 1/2 that I needed to. Then I met Doris for lunch. We had fantastic "girl bonding time". We talked, laughed, reminisced, and she made some really good suggestions. YOU see, we (me and Sam) have been kind of talking that we are tired of living here in this trailer park. We want to move. We want to get out of this trailer and the trailer park. They raised our lot rent now, we pay $320 a month, for NOTHING!!!! It really sucks. So anyway, as Doris and I were talking she suggested we look into "trading" this one in for a new, upgraded (two story-bigger) one with land. They have some that they have land/home package deals and they take old trailers, like mine and list them as in park sales type of things. Well I didn't even think about that. So I came home and got Kimbirlee and we went "house hunting". Not all the places were open today because it is Sunday but we looked at a few. None that I really fell in love with. The places I really want to look at they are not open on Sunday. So that will be another adventure some other day. I also think I want to contact a Realtor and start looking at actual houses too and see what our options are. Now that the housing market is a buyers market again here there might be things we can do to get out of this. We are out growing our house (sound familiar Peg?) Anyway, so in my spare time in the next few weeks we are going to start house hunting and see what is out there. I will keep you all informed on our hunt as it comes along.



So you all know it is Sunday and You know what that means. WEIGH IN DAY For me. Well, I weighed in this morning and GUESS What???? I have now lost 45.2 lbs. Can you believe it???? I was so shocked. That means it was over a 6 lb weight loss this week. I was so excited. I guess it was that beach air. LOL. Anyway, so I have now lost 45.2 lbs and I FEEL FANTASTIC!!! Sam finally is starting to notice it. He said he never noticed any of it earlier because he sees me every day. But now he is starting to see it. I would hope so, 45 lbs is a lot. This week Thursday will be 2 months since my surgery, I will post pictures again on here and let you all see the progress. Man do I feel it. This is the best thing I have ever done for myself. Thanks so much for all of your support. Love you all.

45 lbs down YEAH!!!!!!!!!

So much for my weekend home!!!!!

Ok so my last post, I said that I was just going to stay home and work around the house and not leave till Monday morning. WELL that totally changed!!!!! I have not been home all weekend. I woke up yesterday really wanting to spend some time with Sam alone, we never get to see each other that much. Well, he wasn't feeling too good, couldn't seem to stay out of the bathroom too long. SSSSSOOOO, I went out ALL BY MYSELF. And let me tell you, it is one of the best things I have done for myself in Years. I left the house about 11 am. I filled up the gas in the van and I went to BEACH all by myself. I brought a really good book that I have been wanting to read and I went to beach. I brought my chair, a cooler of water and snacks and I just really enjoyed the peace and quiet. I read, sunned, watched the waves (they were huge, like 6 feet tall), watched the people, strolled into different shops, had an ice cream cone (only could eat half), read some more. JUST totally relaxed and man I felt so good after that. I stayed down to the beach till 5 pm. I didn't answer my cell phone, I didn't tell anyone where I was going. I just left. The air was wonderful, the sun was warm, the waves were so calming. Every once in a while, the waves were huge. There were people in the water, I wouldn't think about going in, it was only 73* out. but hey they looked like they were having fun. So then when I left around 5 pm, I took myself out to dinner. I went to Cracker Barrel. It was so nice to just sit and relax and enjoy a home cooked meal that I didn't have to cook. I ordered Chicken n dumplings one of my favorites. It was so yummy. Of course I couldn't finish it all so I had left overs for later. Then I came home around 6:30. The house was a total disaster, so I got everyone in here to clean up. They cleaned their rooms, we dusted, vacuumed, did the laundry, I mopped the floor, did the dishes. Everyone helped and did their share. Then I finished reading the book I brought to the beach with me. It was the first time I have ever started and finished a book all in the same day. I now have another author I really like. James Patterson. I LOVE Nicholas Sparks, I own all of his books and I have read them all. So it was time to read someone else. So we all finished cleaning, so then today I didn't have to do any of the cleaning. More about Sunday's adventure in the next post this one is getting lengthy. But I will never forget the time I spent all by myself at the beach. It was exactly what I needed to rejuvenate myself. I left feeling relaxed, refreshed, renewed, excited, calm. I loved it.

Dover is being SWARMED!!!!!

It is Officially the weekend to stay home all weekend. Those who follow Nascar know that Dover Delaware is being swarmed with campers, people, race cars, traffic, flags, beer, vendors, and the list goes on and on. Those who live here, if they are not into the races, hibernate for the weekend. This is the weekend that Nascar takes over our little town of Dover and us locals feel so out of place. It is funny how it happens. For like 2 weeks or so before the race (twice a year-Sept. & June) businesses up and down the highway put up "welcome race fan" signs, the various car dealers in the area empty their lots and put up "parking for race" signs, suddenly there is massive amounts of porta pottys up and down the highway. It is a sight. So funny to see them prepareing for the race. Then when Friday comes , we (who do not get into races) get off of work, go home and STAY put. There is no way we can even get around anywhere if we wanted to. Every parking lot is full, all the stores are crowded, every side street leading up to Dover Downs is covered with cars, the highway becomes a slow way, nobody moves. It is a mess. The race brings in about an extra 100,000 people just for the weekend. Sure it boosts our local economy but DANG!!! We are stuck. SSSSSOOOOO needless to say, I will be staying home all weekend, I stopped by the store on the way home to get the few things that I needed and I am done. The streets will not see the likes of me until Monday morning when I have to go back to work. I am even going to miss Church this Sunday because the race starts at 2:00 on Sunday and the traffic getting to the race will be crazy and I will not even be able to get out of my development. So, there is a ton of things I can do around here and this will be the perfect weekend to get those things done.

Anyone need a Car Wash?????

Ok so I KNOW I need my car washed. I found this car wash in town, Wonder if it comes with any "fringe" benefits? Anyone in with me?????

Home for a change!!!!!

So today, I got to come home straight from work and was able to STAY home. That does not happen too often. I did not have anything to do after work, no meeting, appointment, or errand to run. So we came home and Lil Sam has been none stop talking all night. He had a really good day in school and he is a happy camper tonight. The boys finished their homework. We did a "FFY" dinner, I like that Peg. Fend for yourself in case anyone doesn't know what that is. Kimbirlee, Sam, and her boyfriend Andy are here and they are making Brownies. Everyone seems to be in a really good mood tonight for a change. I like this kind of night. No stress, no pressure, no meetings. Nothing but good old family fun. Andy, Kimbirlee, and Sam are going to be watching the football game that is on tonight Eagles vs Cowboys. They are bonding I guess, LOL! So, we are all having a nice relaxing night. I wish days like this will last a whole lot longer. With everyone getting along, nothing to stress about.

OH so more on my progress of my weight loss. You know I weigh myself on Sundays. SO yesterday I did and now my total is up to 38 lbs. Wow do I really feel it now. I went through my clothes this weekend. I was going to wait til I got to 40 lbs, but I just couldn't wait that long. Things were starting to really almost fall off of me. Can't wait till I post another picture of myself on here on the 25 of this month. It will be 2 months then. I like doing that and looking at the progress myself because I really can't see it unless I look at pictures of myself. I see it in the mirror slightly and I definitely feel it in my clothes and moving around. But when I see a picture of myself that is when I really really SEE it. So as this night almost comes to an end, I wish all of you a good night and a wonderful week ahead. Until next time my blog buddies.

Do you follow my blog?????

I added a blog follower gadget to my page. If you are a follower of my blog I would love for you to be added to my list. Just click on the follower thing and add yourself to it.
Thanks

What a day, it never ended

So as I said yesterday, I had to go grocery shopping. So I woke up this morning about 9. I had to clean up some things around the house. Then Kimbirlee and I left around 12 to go ALL over the place and get some applications filled out for her to try and get a job. We decided to get the applications, bring them home and then we will bring them back later. So we went to like 15 different places, some were hiring, some were not. She came home with 12 applications. Her hand was killing her. So as we were out, we ended up at Walmart to go grocery shopping too. Man everything is going up. OMG I have to tell you all something I have never seen it before in my life. I was in line to get gas yesterday after work about 4 pm. The place had at least 2-3 cars in every single gas pump. So I was in line to be the next one to pump my gas. Tyler was in the back seat. SO all of sudden, he said "how come the numbers changed?" I was like what. He said the numbers on the sign changed. SO as I was sitting there waiting to get to the pump, the price of gas went from 3.28 to 3.42 just like that. SO the girl in front of me got gas for 3.28 BUT I had to get it for 3.42. MAN IF THAT IS NOT FAIR. That has never happened to me before, I was like totally shocked. So anyway, that was my shock I had to tell you about, I have been telling everyone. So we went grocery shopping, then came home. Put the food away, filled all the applications out. Then we went back out to bring them all back to the places we went to. In the mean time, Robert and Crystal and their little girl Courtney came over. Crystal went out with her mom for a bit. I sent Sam and Robert out to my friend Doris's house to get the dresser she was giving me. I am buying her complete bedroom set one piece at a time for $50 per piece. 2 dressers, 2 end tables $50 for both, and the headboard. So her one dresser was ready to get picked up. So he went to do that. Kimbirlee and I put the apps back, then I came home and cooked dinner, did the dishes, did the laundry, vacuumed, dusted, and switched out the dresser in my room. Now it is like 10:00 pm and I am just done. I am ready to go to bed and call it a night. Rob and Crystal came back they are spending the night. They are all playing video games and I am on here. Tomorrow I am going to weigh myself, go to church and do nothing else for the rest of the day.

TGIF!!!!!!!!!

What a week. Thank GOD it is Friday. I have to go grocery shopping but after the week I have had I just wanted to come home a CRASH. Walmart will still be there tomorrow. Every single night this week, I have had something to do. I was either in a meeting, had open house with the kids school, or went to dinner with my parents and my sister's family when they were in town on Monday. The only plans I have for this weekend is to go grocery shopping, pay bills, do laundry and REST. We were supposed to have a Date night with me and Sam but we have visitors coming up for the weekend. Our nephew Robert & Crystal and their little girl Courtney are coming up for the weekend. I do not know if they are actually staying her or at his grandmother's house. But none the less they will be here most of the weekend. So our date night is on hold til next weekend. It will be nice to see them because we haven't seen them in a few months. So that is what is happening in my little life. My weigh in will be on Sunday so I will hopefully have a new number to post about.

September 11, 2001 WE WILL NEVER FORGET!!!!!!!

It's been a few days!!!

Wow, life sure is busy for me lately. It's been a few days since I have been on here. That is what happens when school first starts. There is work all day every day. Then there is open house times 4. All three of my boys have open house at their schools then I have open house at my school I HAVE to go to. It is mandatory. Then Kimbirlee started school last night to get her GED. So I had to take her to that. And Tyler went tonight to Band auditions, he wants to play the drums (oh boy, can't wait for that) NOT!!! but I have to be encouraging. Then on top of all that I have had meetings after meetings to do with school and the union. It is a big election year all over the place and being the president of my (district) local union, I am part of the interviewing team that interviews different candidates to see if we (the State Education Association) are going to endorse any of them. So I have been involved in all that. So I have been doing all of that and still keeping my house spotless, kids on track with homework, working out on my treadmill, and all the laundry that never ends. But it will all calm down soon. But this is exactly the way I like to be, busy and active, that is me. I hate to sit around and do nothing. It is so boring and unproductive.
So that is where and what I have been doing for the past few days. Not much news on any more weight loss if there has been because I won't know until Sunday. I know I have to go through some clothes really soon or they will fall right off of me. That won't be so pretty!!!!!!

My Bucket List

So I saw on my sister's Peggy's blog that she and my mom has started what is called A Bucket list. A list of things you would like to do or accomplish before you "kick the bucket" or pass away on this Earth. So I thought what a great concept and I put some deep thought into my bucket list and this is what I would like to do or accomplish before I kick the bucket. In no particular order.

1. Go on a Cruise
2. Take a vacation to Japan
3. Renew our wedding vows in a Catholic Church
4. Own a 1978 Black SS Monte Carlo with Red Pin Stripes
5. Visit my family more often without worrying about the price of gas
6. Own our own big house on land that I can call my own (not lot rent that I pay an arm & leg for and can't do anything with it)
7. Be debt free
8. Become a Grandmother!!!!! (but not too soon)
9. Take a romantic/exotic vacation to Hawaii
10. Die knowing that I have made a difference to somebody in this world

So what is your bucket list? Join us in telling us what 10 things you would like to do before you kicked the bucket.

Sunday is weigh in day

So this morning, I was actually excited about weighing myself. I only do it on Sundays. I don't know why, but I couldn't wait till I got on the scale today. Well I guess now I know why, I have lost 5 lbs this last week alone. I have now lost a total of 36 lbs!!!! Isn't that AMAZING? I feel absolutely FANTASTIC!!!! This surgery is exactly the tool I needed to get a grip on my weight. I did not do it to be in model size clothes, I did this surgery to stay healthy and not put myself at risk for any health issues. If I had not done this, I was heading for something I'm sure. I am a very healthy person and I wanted to stay that way. And now that I am loosing weight I am even at a greater advantage to staying that way. So now as the weeks are creeping into months, I have a totally new perspective on life. I have a better understanding of food and what is right and wrong for your body. I have a new outlook on my future and how wonderful it is going to be to be healthy and in a weight that I can manage.
I don't know, I am just so excited about everything today. I am getting ready to go to church and thank God for all that he has done for me in the past few months. So I am signing off today and I will post more later. I really hope everyone who is reading this have an absolutely wonderful Sunday and a great week ahead of them. Happiness is something that makes you smile. So smile and be happy and good things will come.

Very Rainy, windy, dreary Saturday!!!!

We have not had rain in such a long time our grass is dead. So today we are getting the remains of what was Hurricane Hannah. We need the rain so bad. So today I took advantage of the rain and stayed inside the house all day long. I have not stayed home all day in a few weeks. I am always doing something or going somewhere. So today, I cleaned and the boys and Kimbirlee helped and we got all the cleaning done by 12. Then we made brunch. It was nice to have everyone home at the same time for a change. It is a nice quiet day today in my house. Everyone is doing something. Either watching a movie, playing with toys, playing a game, or on the computer, it is so relaxing and chilling in here. Not much more is happening in my neck of the woods. Oh except Kimbirlee has informed us that we (me & Sam) need to have a date night. Which is true, with him working nights and me days, we never see each other anymore. So she said she and her boyfriend are going to stay here all night one night on the weekend and me and Sam are going out whether we like it or not. I was like ok, she told me. LOL. No she is right. We need to do that so we are going to go out on Saturday Sept 20. This weekend it is raining and I really don't want to go out of the house today. Next weekend is the races here in Dover, (NASCAR), so us locals hibernate when the race fans are in town. So that is why we are going on the 20th. So I am going to plan a nice romantic night out. I think I hear the beach calling us. Do you hear it? So I am looking for a really nice place to have dinner and see what other things we can do on our date night. I am actually looking forward to it. I think we haven't been out like that in probably 6 months or so. So our date night will be fun. Now I can't wait. I will let you all know what we decided to do and where we decided to go. Until then.

6 Week Check Up!!!!

This Friday will be 6 weeks that I have had my surgery. I went to the Doctor's office yesterday. He said that I am doing "text book" perfect. What ever is expected after this surgery each and every milestone, I am hitting it. I have no pain, no nausea, loosing weight slowly, eating all the right things. I am doing that all. And I feel FANTASTIC!!!!! He has released me from all restrictions and I do not have to go back to him for another 2 months. So as the weeks slowly turn into months, I am just so happy and excited that I am going along on this journey.
I will continue to update on my progress on this blog.
Thank you for all of your support.

31 lbs YEAH!!!!!!!

Well as I have mentioned in the last post, I only weigh myself on Sundays. So yesterday was Sunday and I have now lost 31 lbs so far. I was so happy to see it over 30 lbs. I am doing fantastic. Nice and slow and steady. When I hit my 40 lb mark, that is when I have decided that I have to go through my clothes. I am still wearing all my clothes but they are getting so big on me.
I have a doctor's appointment this week for my 6 week check up. I think they are going to say that everything is fine. When this appointment is over, I won't have to go back til the 3 month check up. So that will be good considering the doctor is way up in Wilmington which is 1 hour away.
So all of you that are keeping track of my progress, I will post a new picture on the 25 of September. Thanks so much for everyone's support, prayers, and love that everyone has given me. I feel wonderful and I am so excited to be on this new journey of my life.

There are girls in my house.

Well since it has been a long weekend, I have had girls in my house since Friday night. I am so not used to that. It started out with Sam's niece Sara, her mom and friends wanted to go out Friday night and needed someone to keep Sara. She is 15 years old but they do not like her staying home by herself at night. Especially if they are going to be out late. I kinda of understand cus she is on the computer all the time and who knows who she talks to and they may end up finding her type of thing. So anyway, she was here then. Kimbirlee went to her dads house this weekend so Sara was kind of bored here with all the boys. But it was ok. Then on Saturday we had a big family BBQ at Sam's sister Linda's house. It was just a get together for the weekend. We had lots of fun. Well when we were about to leave, Sara wanted to come back over again and Crystal (another niece) wanted to come over too. So Saturday we had both the girls here. Not Kimbirlee yet but just the two girls and my boys. Crystal will be 15 in Nov. So we have had girls here all weekend. They are still here today. Kimbirlee came home last night around 7 so the girls were all happy that she was home and they stayed up did girly things all night. I myself went to bed. I don't get into girly things. But it was fun for them I guess. They kicked Lil Sam out of his room for the night. But that will be ok. So as I wake up this morning, and look around my house I have 3 teenage girls in my house, something that has never happened before. I am so not used to girls. But they are all going home today, except Kimbirlee. That will be really nice to have my house back to normal. I'm glad they were able to take care of themselves. I guess if I had had a girl of my own I would be more sympathetic to them but I didn't and I just was never into the girl thing. I guess God knew I would not have been a good mother to girls. They are too needy and pampering and stuff. I am just so used to my boys, get up and go. No fuss, no mess, no hair, no makeup, just get dressed and go. That is how I am and I am so glad I did not have a girl (until now) but she takes care of herself. I do not have to do things for her. LOL. So my threereidboys are just right for this mommy.