I broke down this past Thursday and joined.. Are you ready? Are you sure? Ok. I joined a GYM! Woo Whoo!! Yeah me! I know I am tooting my own horn but this is something I never thought I would do. I even hired a personal trainer one day a week. My first personal training episode was this past Friday. My legs have just stopped screaming at me. It has been a chore walking up and down the stairs and even doing some of the normal things that a person does during the day. Let me just say I became quite fond of the handicap bar in the restrooms at work. I have pretty much gotten my diet down. Well, not DIET DIET but Diet as in way of eating. I have become very good at calorie counting and food measuring. It has been a month that I have been doing this and it really has gotten much easier. I do allow myself one day where counting calories is a no no. I have not eating at a fast food "joint" in a month. I don't miss it at all. I feel amazing. Well, I do need to get off the computer. 6 am comes pretty early and I need to be at the gym.

I really need to get better at this..

Well, I have been slowly changing the way I eat and my exercise level. In 3 weeks I lost 6 pounds. Tomorrow will be week 4 weigh in. I am using a program that a friend showed me called My Fitness Pal. It is an app on my phone so it is always with me. I love that I can scan bar codes for calories and such for the foods I eat and can track them. It feels good to be accountable. I am able to use another app- Runtastic- to gauge my walks and then the calories burned are automatically transferred over to My Fitness Pal. I have increased my exercise. I have a sedentary job and that helped me pack on the extra weight. Back in 2009 I worked hard to lose almost 80 pounds. This was achieved my walking to and from work 5 days a week (1.5 miles each way) or riding a bicycle. Then being on my feet for my whole shift and up and down ladders. So now that I drive to work and sit for my job in the past 2.5 years I have gained almost 50 pounds ( a total weight gain of 98 pounds in 4 years. GASP!) So, it has hit me that this is not acceptable. I don't want to be the girl with the pretty face and the fat body. I am tired of squeezing myself into chairs and not having pretty clothes to fit. For some reason it seems that manufacturers think that fat people = ugly clothes. My goal is a total of 164 pounds to lose. I am hoping for a loss of 1.5 pounds a week. I have recently taken up walking again. I was walking during my 15 minute breaks. Half mile each break. Today I started using my lunch break for the full mile walk and then split my lunch between my two breaks. I will be joining a gym this weekend coming. I have to wait until a day off so I can go there during office hours to join. I have changed my thoughts on food. I am learning that I don't need to eat that last cupcake. It can go to the trash. I don't need to overfill my plate. I don't need to eat junk food all the time. I don't need the chips from the vending machines at work. I have not eaten at the cafeteria at work in almost 3 weeks. This was my favorite place to eat during the week days. I have been bringing my lunch. A sample of my lunch is a flat bread with 2T mayo with olive oil, 2 chicken tenders (not breaded. boneless. skinless) cooked with Mrs. Dash seasoning, some baby spinach leaves and my new favorite guacamole. I drink just about a gallon of water a day. To achieve this I carry a gallon jug at work and that is all I drink. I do allow myself diet soda when I am home. One or two. I know GASP but I have to have this vice right now. I have also become very adept in measuring my food. I do allow myself a sweet. I take 1/4C (a serving) of M&Ms to work. I snack on these all through out the day. When that 1/4C is gone I am done with my sweet. I do have one sometimes two cheat days. Always on Friday and sometimes on Thursday too (not often). Friday is my day not to worry about calories. I can't say when my last trip to a fast food joint was. At least a month ago and it was Wendy's. I am setting mini goals for myself. My first mini goal is 50 pounds and I will get a new tattoo. :-) As of right now I have 44 pounds to go!

New Mind Set

Turning 40 last December was not too bad for me. However, now I am starting to stress over it. There are so many things I want to change. I have picked up my cross stitching again. Which brings joy to my heart. I have a third grand-baby on the way. Little Man's momma and her fiance are expecting their little bundle of joy next year. We should find out today what her due date is..

But finally it has hit me.

 I am 40 years old and over weight.. Not just a little over weight but a lot. I feel like such a failure to my friends, my family and most importantly to myself. So. I finally sat down and decided it is time to pee or get off the pot. I have tried many many diet fads. I have been vegetarian and I have eaten meat. I have very little energy. There are some days it takes all that little energy to get out of bed and get to work and work for eight hours then come home (I am sure this is also part of the depression.) I am in a vicious cycle. I am depressed because I am fat. I eat because I am depressed. I gain weight because I eat.  I am depressed because I gain weight.... On and On. Over and Over.  But.. I have taken a step towards a better, lighter me. I have purchased an exercise bike that I get on most nights for a minimum of 15 minutes. I started out at 10 minutes. I have a friend at work who used to be a personal trainer in New York (I don't hold that against her though. lol) who is always giving me encouragement and even has stayed after work to walk a mile with me on the trail at work. She often posts encouraging pictures on my Facebook page such as

I have given up caffeine (almost 2 years ago) and am working on totally giving up soda. I carry a gallon of water into work daily and try to drink as much of it a I can. I have cut out 90% of lethal fast food. I have cut out 95%  of breads and pasta.

I want to be around to watch my grand-babies grow. Watch my daughter grow, graduate University, get married and have her own family.


"To God Be The Glory Great Things He Has Done!"



JMFK 11/27/2010 Gone but never forgotten

Have a Heart

Please help

A blog that I like to read has put out a call for help. He does not know the person that he is asking for donations for but if there is anyway anyone can help, even if it is just by sharing the original post that would be wonderful.




"To God Be The Glory Great Things He Has Done!"



JMFK 11/27/2010 Gone but never forgotten

Another Paleo Site I found.

Paleo Parents is such a neat site. I just found this site yesterday. But I have to admit I am enjoying reading their blogs and I LOVE the pictures they put up. I so want to try this recipe Licorice Sausage.



 I have a friend with twins and single (she knows who she is). From that site I found 

Constructive Eating 3-Piece Utensil and Matching Plate Set and Garden Plate & Utensil Set and instantly thought of my Little Man and your 3. How cute are these???? There are even placemats to go with them. 

I moved my computer out into the dining room area so I have better access to it every day (it just wasn't conducive to our family time having it in the bedroom) so I am hoping to be here more often.. 

Just a quick hello and now off to work. 

"To God Be The Glory Great Things He Has Done!"



JMFK 11/27/2010 Gone but never forgotten

Paleo Lifestyle.

I am really enjoying eating Paleo. I do have to admit that today is the beginning of strict paleo. We have also decided to cut out all beer.. GASP!! The horror I know... But I figure that is the biggest factor in my weight. That and I have a sit down office job.. But I have been trying to get some walking in while I am at work. I part in the back lot that is .25miles from my desk. (figure that is a a sure way to get at least a half mile in)

Some of my favorite sites are Paleomg and Civilized Caveman. I have made two recipes from Paleomg.

                                              Turkey and Spinach Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

and last night was 

Hawaiian Pizza Salad 

Today the Monkey started her Junior year of High school. She is taking two classes at a Virtual School- AP Art History and Latin II. The remaining of her courses will be from the Alpha Omega LifePacs and then also a Physic course. She We are pretty excited about some of her classes.


Well, I hope everyone has a wonderful day!

"To God Be The Glory Great Things He Has Done!"



JMFK 11/27/2010 Gone but never forgotten

Wow been a long long long time. So sorry

Well, so much has changed.
The Monkey turned 16 last week and The Boy will be 21 in 2 weeks. I can't believe how grown my babies are.

As for me. I was on a loan position as a supervisor but now I am a permanent supervisor. YAY!! I am so happy. I love this position. Man, I love HSN

Well, our second trip into being vegetarian went SPLAT. Didn't last for long and just didn't take for us. I felt that I was missing something. So.... Complete 180. Frankie and I are going to try Paleo/Primal eating. I have a couple of blogs that I am reading pretty daily. I have to say my favorite is PaleOMG. I just love the way Juli writes. She is so funny and her recipes are amazing. I recently bought her new cookbook. From what I understand the book version was not to what the writer wanted and was done on less that great paper. I had bought this for my Kindle Fire. So I am officially starting Paleo/Primal eating tomorrow. So how I am finishing out my style of S%^t eating. Pizza and buffalo wings with bleu cheese dressing.
I have started parking in the back lot at work. It is about a .25 mile walk from my car to my desk. I figure that way I have no choice but to get in a 1/2 mile walk 5 days a week. Some days I even walk the "long" way into work and that is about 3/4 mile. Today was the first time I was caught in the rain. My umbrella was in the car and I was in the building. The car was .25 miles away.. Oh well. It wasn't a bad walk in the rain.

I hope all of you have a wonderful evening. Until I post again...

We are coming to an end of our homeschooling year for 2012-2013 year. At the end of this "term" my baby will be a Junior.. Where did the time go??? I never thought I would be a parent to a child who is such a "nerd." She embraces this. She calls herself one and is happy about it.. Next years courses she has decided to take things such as Physics (WHAT?!?!?!), third year of Latin (I bought her a special present that I can't say at this time since she is sitting behind me as I type. She will be getting it later today though so wait for a pic to come.) I am back to using Rainbow Resource . We did the online Virtual school this year and it was not fun. Obviously other students were not so into their school work and Monkey had some assignments that required collaboration with others and they would disappear. So, I got tired of her being penalized (and secretly I miss setting up her assignments and grading them and having a more hands on approach to her school work) when these students would stop working. I must say the online school was wonder when we used it for 8th grade. But once it got to high school level it was not a good experience.
One neat thing we are doing next year is Monkey will be using Training Our Daughters to Be Keepers at Home . Now before any of my feministic friends get upset she is not planning on staying home to be a housewife (not that that is at all bad. I loved my time as a stay at home momma and housewife) she is interest in learning sewing and cross stitching and I am excited for her to learn about family finances and we both will be learning the garden section.

This year is going to be a big year for my children. The Boy turns the big 21 in May. The Monkey turns Sweet 16 in April. In June I will have been at HSN for 2 years. Making this officially the longest I have been employed outside of the home. (and I still love my job. Being in the position I am in now is amazing. This is the position I wanted when I first started working. I love being a Senior Account Supervisor and getting to help the customers and even getting to help the Customer Service and sales reps is wonderful)  Little Man's momma is getting married in November. I see a trip up to MA in my future. Looking forward to catching up with some old and dear friends.

Taxes done. Thankfully, we were able to pay off three credit cards and pay a chunk off the last one, order The Monkey's curriculum for next year AND still have some money left. Frankie wants to save all of it. I want to spend some of it.

Well, enough of my blah blah blah-ness. I hope everyone has a wonderful blessing filled day!


"To God Be The Glory Great Things He Has Done!"



JMFK 11/27/2010 Gone but never forgotten

Grilled veggies

Last nights supper was grilled veggies and grilled pineapple on a bed of brown rice. Sorry no pictures.
What I did was take a few different veggies and cut them into large chunks. Threw them in a large gal ziploc bag. Mixed up Braggs Liquid Aminos, Low Sodium Soy Sauce, Honey and some O.J., and then pour that over the veggies. I let the veggies marinate all day. Flipping the bag every couple of hours.
The pineapple we just cut and grilled. Added a sweet taste to the veggies and rice.

Today I will be taking the left over veggies with some balsamic vinegar to put on my salad for lunch..
Yum Yum

Journey in Plant Based Diet

Our journey has begun into our Plant Based Diet.. I have to admit I am having a lot of fun. Here are some pictures from last nights meal.. Sweet Potato Lasagna courtesy of Forks Over Knives and Engine 2 Diet. Wasnt sure how hubby was going to enjoy this nor was I sure how I was going to enjoy.. Whoever heard of making a lasagna with no dairy and using ground walnuts on top.. But I was willing to try. It was amazing!

Getting ready for the oven

The addition if the ground cashews after 45 minutes

The final product

Look at those layers.

Needless to say this supper was a HUGE Success. One serving filled us all up. It was also enjoyable making it as the Monkey decided she wanted to get in on the action... She was a great help. Up tonight.. Veggie kabobs and fruit kabobs..