Friday, September 30, 2011

Weight Struggles

I started Weight Watchers the last week of April.

I lost a lot of weight at first, nearly 10 lbs in 3 weeks.

I have lost a total of 15 lbs.

I am pretty mad at myself because I did so awesome from the end of April through the first week of July.

Then the 4th of July came and I really just started slacking as far as my eating habits went.

I still watched but not like I had been.

Thankfully, I haven't gained.

But I haven't lost either.

I started back on Weight Watchers hard core last week and I didn't even lose, I gained .4 lbs this week!!!

What gives????

I think I need to do something different for working out, I generally walk a little over 2 miles every day with Davis, but this week hasn't been so great because it has rained every single day.

We just got our free 3 month membership to our local YMCAand starting next week, I am going to try to get there at least 3 days a week.

Here's to seeing a big loss next week!

Tuesday, September 27, 2011

It's That Time of Year

Starbucks brought out their "Fall" drinks.

Pumpkin Spice Latte and Salted Caramel Mocha.

I've had the rare chance to try them both thanks to a $20 Starbucks gift card my husband won in some contest at his quarterly administrators meeting.

They did some minute to win it game and he won.  Maybe we need to get him on the real show.

Anyways, Sunday I tried the Salted Caramel Mocha, it sounds delicious, right?

I was disappointed. 

It was boring.

The Caramel Mocha from McDs has more pizzazz that the Salted Caramel Mocha, the flavor was really lacking.

Today I tried a Pumpkin Spice Latte.

Can you believe I've never had a Pumpkin Spice Latte??

I know.

I like to stick to my tried and true Peppermint Mocha, but you know, this isn't really my money I'm spending so I feel obliged to test new things.

I was IMPRESSED!!!!

It was really good and I can say I would order that again and again.

Of course nothing will ever top my beloved Peppermint Mocha.

I order those things year 'round.

Do you have a favorite drink at Starbucks?

Monday, September 26, 2011

Home Based "Mommy" Businesses

I have been wanting to write about this for a while.

Since becoming a SAHM I have met several moms who started their own home-based business out of a hobby.  I have first hand experience with this because I gave it a shot for about 8 months.

I think this is harder than being a mom that works outside of the home.

I am fans of a lot of these pages on FB and I don't know how some of them do it without going insane.

I know someone who is up until 4 a.m. every single night making her product, getting 3 hours of sleep and trying to raise 3 kids.

I don't know how she does it.  I really don't.

Is the small amount of money you make off your home based business worth the insanity of it all.

When I started my cake pop business, I was so excited, my little hobby was going to make me cold hard cash.

It started out with a few friends placing orders last Christmas and turned into something that was in high demand.  I felt like I couldn't turn away any business and after a few months I was burnt out.

Doing this from home wasn't as easy as I thought it would be.  I needed huge blocks of time where Davis wasn't around which required me to find someone to watch him up to 3 times a week.  Sometimes I'd try to do it why he was here but after an hour he was over it and I'd be in tears because cake pops isn't something you can do for a few minutes, leave it, go back in a few hours, it is kind of an all or nothing type thing in a way.

I started dreading orders.

How did something I so dearly loved turn into something I loathed?

I'll tell you how.

My first job is a mom.

My second job is a wife.

My third job, well, I guess that is everything else.

Cake pops turned into my first job and everything in my life suddenly got pushed way down on the list.

Every bit of my "me" time wasn't spent on "me" anymore.  It was spent making cake pops.  Davis and I barely attended playdates anymore because I had to make cake pops.

And if you think these work from home mom's are raking in the dough, they can't be.  I just don't see how they are.  Even if they are pulling in several thousand a year, is missing out on life, sleep, your kids etc... worth it. 

I will give you an example of how much money I would make off an order of 2 dozen cake pops.  I charged $36 for two dozen basic cake pops.  Supplies to make two dozen cake pops cost the following:

2 lbs confectionary coating = $8
Cake Mix, Frosting, etc... = $3
Misc supplies = $2-3

I would have $13-$14 in an order of 2 dozen.  I charged $36 so I would make about $22.

From start to finish including baking of the cakes, rolling the balls, dipping, decorating, set up and clean up I would be in my kitchen 3 hours for that order of 2 dozen which means I made about $7.34 an hour.  Not a lot of money when you think about it.

In the 8 months that I had my little business I made maybe $700 total and I had a lot of business.

In the end it wasn't worth the sacrifices I was making.

Sunday, September 25, 2011

Crock Pot Challenge - Week 1

I'm starting a crock pot challenge this week.

I plan to see how many weeks I can go cooking our main dish for dinner in only the crock pot.

Why am I doing this?

I have no idea really.

I'm just tired of cleaning up pans every night after dinner.

With a crock pot everything goes in with little effort at the beginning of the day and by dinner time you should have a yummy meal.

I will take pictures of each of my meals and post the recipe along with it this week.

On this weeks menu:

Broccoli Cheese Beer Soup

Chicken Enchiladas

Beef Stew

Ranch House Pork Chops

Spinach Pesto Lasagna

Creamy Italian Chicken

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Update on "I Pee"

My doctor said it would take about 2 weeks to really notice a difference after starting Vesicare.

Wow, was she right!!!!

Let me give you a few scenarios of my life before Vesicare. 

Scenario #1

Leave my house at 9:15 a.m. to take Davis to therapy/daycare, pee before I leave.

Arrive at therapy/daycare around 9:30 a.m., have to pee when I arrive.

Arrive at grocery store around 9:50 a.m., have to pee when I arrive.

Leave grocery store around 10:20 am., have to pee when I leave.

Arrive at another store around 10:45 a.m., have to pee when I arrive.

Leave store around 11:15 a.m., have to pee when I leave but am so over public restrooms I hold it until I get home.

Arrive home around 11:25 a.m., pee at home.

11:40 a.m., have to pee, again.

You get the idea here.

Scenario #2

Playdate with Davis at someone's house.  Drink nothing before I leave or the night before because I don't want them to think I am crazy pee lady.

9:15 a.m., pee before leaving for playdate

9:30 a.m., arrive at playdate, must pee, NOW

10 a.m., shit, have to pee, but hold it, I don't want them to think I am crazy pee lady

10:30 a.m., considering leaving playdate early because I have to pee and am embarrassed about using bathroom again, but I get up and claim I drank a bunch of coffee which is a lie and pee again

10:45 a.m., good lord, I have to pee again but know I cannot use the bathroom at this house again, they will start to think I am crazy

11:00 a.m., can no longer take the fact that I have to pee and come up with an excuse to leave so I can just go home and pee at leisure

****************************************************************
My constant need to pee was truly controlling my life and I didn't realize it was so bad until I started taking this medication.

Last week I left for Davis' therapy/daycare, I peed before I left.  I arrived and didn't have to pee, I went and ran 2 hours worth of errands and never once had the urge to pee.  I got home and still didn't have to pee for another 30 minutes. 

It was then that I knew the medication was working.

Yesterday we went to a playdate and I only had to pee one time and that is because I had 2 cups of coffee while there.

I feel like a huge weight has been lifted from me.

Oh and guess what, I am not in the bathroom in upwards of 15 times a night peeing.  I'm up maybe once, if that. 

It is like a miracle.

I only wish I had approached this subject 5 years ago with my doctor.

Sunday, September 18, 2011

Obsessions

I am currently obsessed with:

Athenos Honey Greek Yogurt, YUM!!!!  I buy it at Costco for $9.99 for a pack of 12.  It is so good, but you have to mix the honey in with the yogurt to make it perfect.



Redken 02 Satinwear Blow Dry Lotion, LOVE!!!!!!  I have tons of hair and this stuff really cuts down on my drying time and makes my hair nice and soft too.





Jeff Lewis of Jeff Lewis Design and the hit show on Bravo, Flipping Out.  I've been Jeff Lewis obsessed for a few years now.  He has great decorating style and he is super hot, too bad he is gay.  If I ever win the lottery, guess who is designing my house???




Skinnygirl Margarita.  Thank you Bethany Frankel.  I super love this stuff, I bought a bottle way back when it first came out and have been in love since.  Not only is it delicious, it will get you drunk and 5 oz of this is a cool 1 point on Weight Watchers!!  Woot Woot!!



What are your obsessions these days?


Saturday, September 17, 2011

What Was It Like?

Davis is only 2.5 years old, but in that short time I have completely forgotten what life was like without a child.

I have no idea what it feels like to go to the bathroom alone, not rush around to get ready to go somewhere, eat a meal in silence or eat a hot meal, read a book without a 2 year old grabbing it and ripping the pages, not having to break a sweat while changing a 2 year olds clothes, not have a care in the world, sleep late, stay out late every weekend, not have a family room full of toys, not have a 2 year old pulling on my pant leg every 3 seconds while screaming MOMMY, not watch cartoons, you get the idea.

I am having one of those days today where I'm really just needing a moment for me.  Every single second of my days are consumed by cartoons, playdates, toys and therapy sessions for Davis.  I do get a break, one day a week I leave him at the daycare at his therapy facility for 5 hours that day, but let me tell you, those 5 hours go fast and they are typically consumed by rushing home, cleaning my house from top to bottom, doing school work and before I know it, it is time to pick Davis up. 

I think I need a vacation.

Without a kid and maybe without my husband too!!

Seriously, how many of you moms would take a vacation all by yourself?  Just to get away from your kids, your husband, your resposibilities as a mother and wife.  Wouldn't it be grand.

A girl can dream.

Time to go change a shitty diaper.

Thursday, September 8, 2011

Our Vicious Attack Dog


Maybe not so vicious, but she at least scares the kids away that are coming door to door every 5 minutes selling crap like magazines and candy bars.

I guess this means school is back in session?

I don't understand why parents allow their grade schoolers to go door to door selling things, alone.  This world is a sick place and I trust nobody.

Do you let your kids do this?  If your kids are not in school yet, will you let them do this?

Wednesday, September 7, 2011

I Pee

I pee, you pee, we all pee.

I pee A LOT!!!

I have known that I've had an excessive peeing issue for about 7 years now.

Ask anyone that knows me well, I probably go to the bathroom to pee more times in a day than you probably go in a week.

It is such an issue for me that if I am going somewhere and know that a bathroom isn't going to be readily available I'll stop drinking liquids for almost 24 hours.

Bad.

It has gradually gotten worse over the years to the point where I panic if I can't find a bathroom and to the point where I dread going places because I don't want people thinking I'm the crazy bathroom girl.

I lose sleep because of it.

I get up in the middle of the night to pee anywhere from 10-20 times.

I can pee before I leave my house, get to Target which is literally 2 minutes away, have to pee when I get there and after shopping for 20 minutes I have to pee before I leave.

It is ridiculous.

My husband has always tried to get me to tell my doctor, but I never did.  I just kept dealing with it in my own way.

Recently it has gotten to the point where I'm ready to have a breakdown over the constant bathroom use, it was wearing me down.

With some encouragement from my mom and husband, I made an appointment with my family doctor a few days ago.

She said I have something called Overactive Bladder.

She prescribed me Vesicare.

Guess what?

It works.

I am having a few side effects from it like dry mouth and drowsiness, but I take it at night so I'm not drowsy all day and honestly I will gladly take these side effects if it means I'm not spending my life in a bathroom.

I can't believe how normal it has made me feel in such a short amount of time.

I only wish I'd have not been embarrassed and said something to a doctor sooner than I did.

Maybe I wouldn't have felt like my life was controlled by my frequent urination.

My doctor is still running a few tests to rule things out like diabetes, but I'm sure it isn't anything else but overactive bladder.

If you have a medical issue, don't be embarrassed like I was, talk to your doctor!!!!!  I promise your not the only person he or she has seen with the issue.

Saturday, September 3, 2011

We are the proud owners of a...

2008 Jeep Grand Cherokee with 19,200 miles.

It has had great owners.

Us.

While the appeal of a brand new shiny car, complete with that toxic new car smell is super appealing.

The appeal of not having a car payment is even more appealing, in 6 months the newness would have worn off and I'd probably be looking at that $300 car payment wishing I'd have just kept my Jeep with no car payment.

Friday, September 2, 2011

9333

It is no coincidence that my number obsessed, Virgo self would turn 33 on 9/3.

All divisible by 3 of course.

I have a feeling 33 is going to be a good year!

Cheers!!

New Car Confusion

I posted a while back about buying the lease out on my Jeep Grand Cherokee.

The time is here.

But I am a Virgo and Virgos are research freaks.  I can't do anything until I research all options.

My poor husband is humoring me and going to look at new cars this weekend.

My top pick is a Honda Pilot.

His top picks are an Infiniti and a Land Rover.....really???

We are not the Kardashians.

If we do get something different, mark my word, it will be the Pilot.  I already found it and am in love.

Of course, we will probably end up with the Jeep.

But you gotta weigh all options, right?