10 Weeks - Quick Update

Hi Everyone..Just wanted to give a quick update..  First...thank you for all your thoughts and prayers for my dear friend Kim..  Her husband passed away late Sunday night (May13).  Please continue to pray for strength and peace through the days, weeks, months and years ahead for Kim and her son Ty.  Love you Kimbo!

This week is 10 weeks since surgery...my total weight loss is 45 pounds.. YAY..  I am so excited.  I find myself doing better each day...but there are some days that are not so good..ex..not drinking enough water or taking that extra bite..that I am not suppose to (than I feel so yucky afterwards...physically and emotionally)...those days are few. But all in all....I feel good and I am more active than I have ever been.  I am not so tired all the time..  So things are going really good.  My workouts are getting more intense (with the help of Lesa)...which is good too.

POA - Yes...I am still working on the meal planner and daily meal journal.  Really need to just sit down and do it..  Oh well..I will someday.  I am glad summer is here...so is Grady.  Family will be visiting...which I love...and Grady has some football camps/camps coming up too.

I will leave you with a few quotes that I ran across this week...and they always make me stop and think..

• Don't trade what you want most, for what you want at the moment - so true..when I go to the kitchen and think I am going to get something...than I think of this...and I tell myself...nope not going to do it.
• Just because you get the monkey off your back doesn't mean the circus has left town. The fight is forever. - Very true...days are definitely getting better but it will be fight I will have forever which is OK..I am learning so much about myself and it has helped me in other areas of my life.
• Shoot for the moon.  Even if you miss, you will land among the stars - Les Brown - To me this is a everyday quote...I have always liked it....Always try your best..
• Dare to live the life you have dreamed for yourself.  Go forward and make your dreams come true! - Ralph Waldo Emerson - I don't know if I am the only one (I doubt it) that goes through a big change (any kind of change) and starts thinking about other things (changes/dreams/what makes them happy) in their lives and what could they change..I know I am...and I have started making a list.  I am not sure my list will amount to something or not..but I do feel the need to write it down and pray about it...hmmm..something to think about..

I have more..but will save for a later post...  Hope everyone has a great rest of the week...and a great Memorial Day Weekend.

Love to all,
Loralee

Mother's Day

Hi Everyone..I am still here and trucking along..  First..Happy Mother's Day to all... I am so thankful for my mom..she has taught me so much and I am learning more and more from her every day..

I have had a good couple of weeks...I had gotten sick last week with a stomach bug...watch out..when your stomach is smaller...it is much more painful..but we are all better now.  I just had a tupperware party on Friday..I made some yummy appetizers...and did well... I hardly ate any of it... (I have always been worried about grazing) and I always want to have food for everyone..just not for me only.  So I was proud that I did my thing and left the rest for the others..and I didn't feel tempted at all.  Today was another good day...made a big meal for mom for Mother's Day...Roast Pork Loin (with red skin potatoes), steamed broccoli, deviled eggs, stuffed mushrooms with crab (from scratch..was so proud of myself) and for dessert..apple purses (slice of apple rolled up in crescent rolls with brown sugar, butter, and cinnamon (needless to say..I didn't eat that)...but I had my small plate and did what I am suppose too...so YAY!  I am feeling more comfortable around food...still don't enjoy eating out that much..but I love the social part of it...our society today is surrounded by food and it is so much a social thing.  I am losing weight weekly and will give a total update on the 19th (it will be two months).

Projects - I made something this week for mom for mother's day (with some help with my good friend Yvette..thanks so much Yvette).  I made her an ice pack for her back...see picture below.  I hope it helps her some with her back (you freeze the one rectangle and place in the envelope, and then tie around waist.  The boys did great for me for Mother's Day...Grady got a movie for me (Grease on DVD)...YAY...my copies were VHS...they were so old....and money to order the automatic ice cream machine I wanted (I am so excited..I can put my protein mix in and make ice cream...yumo).

One of the dips I had for the tupperware party is the black bean salsa/dip.  I have included the recipe below..it is one of my favorites. 

Black Bean Salsa/Dip
1 can of black beans
1 can of corn (I used shoepeg corn...but you can use either)
1 chopped green bell pepper
1 chopped red bell pepper
a few cherry tomatoes sliced in half
1 chopped sweet onion
2 avocados (cut in half, than score half, and spoon out)
cilantro

Dressing - evoo, balsamic vinegar, red wine vinegar, cumin, and salt/pepper.  I just mix it all together and then pour of bean/corn mixture.

You can use as a dip with tortillas or could put in lettuce cups...either way..it is yumo.


OK...onto POA (my famous plan of actions) - continue to stay organized with my planning and preparation (still haven't made that book...oh well..maybe this weekend).  Also, write down the projects I want to make..they are all floating around in my head...could be that is what is keep me up at night...maybe...but there are others things that have been on my mind...

I am going to end today with a special prayer request...my dear friend (Kim)..who I have mentioned before...  Her husband (Todd (who has brain tumors) was taken to the hospital early this morning...he was sick and barely responding..he is sleeping now but they think it is coming.  They are at the hospital now and plans are for hospice to start tomorrow....please be in prayer for her and Tyler and the family.  I pray for God to give her strength and peace...love you Kimbo!

Love to all...
Loralee