A Student, Again...

I am officially a student at Whittier College, again. I did find out, a few weeks ago, that I did not get a position with Broadoaks as a Graduate Fellow. That was a big disappointment, but has it's silver lining too. It would have been great experience, but I would have been working full time next school year and making slightly less money than I make now, working part time.

Yesterday, I had my interview at the college for the Teaching Credential and Masters program. It went great, and I have been accepted. I don't know that there was any real concern that I wouldn't be, but I now have, an official letter saying that it is so.

I have completed all of my financial aid paperwork and am working on filing out grant applications. I will start classes on June 24 and for six full weeks, I will have class from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. on Monday, through Thursday with Fridays "off". I plan to spend 9-4 in the library, studying my brains out.

I don't know how I will fit work into this schedule, but I have to bring in some money. Andy did get a summer school position, but it is half day and 4 weeks. This puts us at shortage to start with. We have saved throughout the year to cover August...we do this every year. We were really hoping to re-do our kitchen floors with the money coming from the government and our tax return, but have realized that it would be much smarter to set that money aside to cover the shortage that summer is going to cause. In addition to being short on income, our expenses will increase because I will be driving to uptown everyday instead of just twice a week, and the kids will be in full time summer school, Monday-Friday. We know that we will be provided for and are working on a "faith budget" right now. Prayers are welcomed...more for peace of mind than for cash...but hey.. .I won't turn down cash, either!

I am excited and nervous and worried about juggling everything but I figure, heck... I handled 36 hours of REALLY hard labor and delivered two babies with NO DRUGS... I can handle six weeks of chaos! Andy will really have to step up and do grocery shopping, laundry, and all of that other "stuff". He helps with it all now, but he will be the "man" in charge!

I worked on the calendar tonight, filling in every one's schedule of classes, workshops, school, swim lessons, sports camp and a couple of weekend camping trips and feel overwhelmed. I know that I just have to focus on what comes next and no further. Our minister tells us, "You can drive down the highway at night and your headlights only show you the next 200 feet in front of you, and that is all you need to see. You keep driving, having faith that the next 200 feet will be illuminated for you. Heck, you can drive yourself from California to New York by only seeing the next 200 feet!" I am off, headed for New York... 200 feet at a time!

Weight Loss continues!

Hooray! I FINALLY seem to have broken through my "plateau"! A while back, I said that I was "back on the wagon" and was counting points and doing Weight Watchers. I don't go to meetings, but I have all of the materials.

After I had Gavin, I weighed in at 230 pounds! I had gained 10 pounds in the year between getting married and getting pregnant and then added another 80 to it. I went on Weight Watchers and the weight really came off, but after a while, I got bored and took a break, but every time I started again, I lost. Until... I got to the last 15 pounds. Those did NOT want to budge and right before Gavin turned 3, I tried South Beach, dropped the weight and was back to my pre-wedding weight of 140. That is a good weight for me. THEN, I got pregnant with Ella.

Here I am after Gavin... whew... I was really big! Just check out how far my thigh goes, past Andy's hand! I don't have a good picture of me, after I lost the weight...

I fared better with my second pregnancy, "only" gaining 60 pounds instead of 80. I did really well until the holidays hit. I was 7/8 months along, already big with baby and unable to do much exercise and gosh darn it...Fudge just tastes GOOD! Oh, and so do cookies! And since we all know that when you are pregnant, you should eat healthy food to grow a strong and healthy baby, I ate that TOO! So... I had some weight to lose.

Of course, I started counting points and really slimmed down fairly quickly, until... I got to the last 15 pounds. Those did NOT want to budge (does this sound familiar). Three times now, I have tried to shed these pounds. The first time I quit was when Ella was just over a year old and I thought, well, I must still need the padding. The second time was last summer when I counted and measured and weighed and NOTHING happened. I did do South Beach but got discouraged when the weight did not come off as fast as it had the last time. I dropped 7 pounds in 4 months and then over the course of a year, put it all back on (and then some).

So... here I am again... 15 pounds to shed. (I don't like to say lose, because I really have no intention of finding them again) I really wanted to do Weight Watchers because I think that it is the most healthy and really, I can eat anything I want, so long as I am willing to pay for it! I lost the first 5 quickly and then, I stalled at 150.. ugh....almost 3 weeks went by with no loss. I stuck to the points and REALLY watched what I ate and I exercised too (sort of). At least I walk Gavin to school every day...and it is about 3/4 of a mile! (uphill!) (pushing a stroller!)

I was talking to a group about my dilemma when somebody told me about the "Wendie" plan where you change your point allowance every day going from your extreme low to a mid-range to your highest point level, plus ten and then back down again. After reading about it on line, I thought, well... that makes sense. I am such a rule follower that I don't normally vary my daily points, I eat in the middle of my range and that's it.. and I don't use up any "banked" points, EVER! This way of using points is supposed to help your body not notice the days that you "go low" by feeding it high on the other days, thus keeping your metabolism up. It still keeps you in your weekly range, but doesn't give your body a chance to go into "starvation mode". It is recommended (by Wendie) for people trying to drop that "last" bit of weight. I did it. It worked! I lost 2 more pounds last week AND I ate chocolate cake (that was my big plus 10 treat!). I hope that it continues to work... I am now down 7 pounds and feel so much better. It is amazing how big of a difference a few pounds can make.

Weekend Fun!

Whew.... are you ever glad when the weekend is over? Sometimes, I am! Like this weekend, where I was only home for a few hours and now, I am glad to be here to get back to a routine! Don't get me wrong... I had LOADS of fun this weekend, but I am beat!

Friday was really nice... Ella and I went up to Gavin's school to cheer for the Fun Run! The kids run laps and raised money for the school. Gavin ran a MILE! He was very proud of himself! Afterwards they all had popsicles and Ella and I headed home for lunch. After lunch, we hung out in the backyard, Ella in the sandbox and me on a lounge chair with a book. (I am STILL reading "Eat, Pray, Love" and I don't want it to end, but I am almost there...) I did some house work and prepped for the weekend and stopped by to visit with my in-laws while the kids played "Pokemon" around the pool. Later, Andy and I went out... on a DATE! It CAN happen!

Afton stayed home with the kids and we went for $15 massages! It is really very cool...you just sit on a little stool (with clothes on) while your feet are soaking in a tub of HOT tea. The guys work on your back, shoulders, neck, head, legs and arms. When you are done with that part, you sit in a recliner and get about 20 minutes of foot massage with reflexology. AMAZING!

We then went out for dinner at a great Thai restraunt that we have been wanting to try. Food and company were great. We ran into Gavin's kindergarten teacher and her husband and ended up chatting for about an hour before we went home to enjoy a HUGE piece of chocolate cake and an episode of "LOST". Ahhhhhhh.... so nice! (I should have taken my camera so that I could have taken some pics....but...I didn't!)

I was up early on Saturday to do my Snack Shack duty for Little League. I had to pick up the doughnuts (7 dozen in my car... can I tell you how good THAT smelled!) and be up at the field by 7:30. My shift officially ended at 12 noon, but I stayed to help the next shift get into the swing of things, and was done at 1:00. Then it was time for Gavin's game! He is doing so well! He is a great hitter and getting really good at staying and playing his assigned position. It was hot though and the kids were worn out. When we got home, we set up some lounge chairs on our front lawn, in the shade and chilled. I even took a lil snooze! Dinner, story time and some more time with my book rounded out my day.

Sunday was church and out to Pasadena to visit with my brother and his family. It was my Sister-in-law's birthday and we had a wonderful bar-b-que. There were lots of friends and family there, the kids played in the ball pit, kiddie pool, sprinkler and with bubbles. I sat in the shade, tried to stay cool and eat within my points and downed bottle after bottle of water. My lil niece is getting cuter every day and I love to see her toddle around and be goofy. She has a great fake laugh and likes to tell you "no" for every question you ask.

We got home pretty late, I read some stories to Gavin (The Frog Prince & Hansel and Gretel) and then, I promplty fell asleep on the couch. Weekend over.

Tummy Update

I AM CURED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

At least, I think I am!!! I forgot to take my meds one night last week, and I had been feeling pretty good, so I thought, "Well, we will see how I do". I was fine on Friday and Saturday, but by Sunday I was feeling not so good and by Monday I was back to square one.

I went online, I talked to my mom, I thought and thought about how I FEEL. My step dad has had heart burn problems for a long time and after talking with him, I decided that maybe...it was acid and that I had "heart burn" from my esophagus to my colon!! I took a Prilosec on Wednesday and felt REALLY good...I had an "anti-feeling" in my guts, like I didn't even know that I HAD guts. (is this the way it is supposed to be?) By the evening time, I was a bit naseuous and went to bed.

Yesterday, I felt GREAT and today my guts are a non-issue. I also think that part of the reason that I over-eat is because I have been trying to quench the burning in my belly... I especially crave sugarary treats, like chocolate. THAT too would make sense considering that sugar is a base...my body craves it to counter balance the acid! As a result, I have had an easier time sticking to my points and not eating so much!

I am going to try the drug for the 14 day cycle and hope that I can get off of it and only take a cycle every now and again when I start to have a problem. I know that my step dad cannot stop taking it, at all.... and I hope that I do not have to do that, but if it keeps my tummy in check. I will. Thanks for your prayers and support, and hopefully, I will not have to spend another day, curled up in pain.

Spring Break wrap up...

I never did finish writing about our Spring Break.... We really had some fun days (mixed in with hard work on the kitchen...more on that in another post).
We went to the Discovery Science Center one day for Bubble Fest and saw a great bubble show with Fan Yang! He was on Oprah and has a show in Vegas and it was really cool....

We also spent a HOT day at the L.A. Zoo! We ended up getting passes because the deal was just too good! Afton joined us and we had a great time trekkin around. Gavin was a bit whiny, but he was hot and not feeling very good. While we were watching the Gorilla's, one of the big males charged the glass right where we were standing, it was a little scary, but very cool. We also got close up with the Giraffes, which was interesting. We met up with my sister-in-law, Jen and baby Jordan, so that was a treat too!

We spent an afternoon relaxing (yes, we DO that on occasion) at "the pool". Andy's parents have a pool and we hung out over there and had a LATE dinner, but were just enjoying the time together and even though the water was a bit chilly, the kids had fun getting wet.

I got to go to an all day scrapbooking workshop! From 9 a.m. until 9 p.m. and I worked on Ella's book, I am going again tomorrow to catch it up and put it away until next year. I am off to do "power layouts" so that I can be faster and more productive.

I will post about the kitchen later, it is "coming along"...