A SUMMIT ATTAINED! and the reasons WHY!

I haven't talked much lately about my weight loss. WHY? Because I was forever stuck in a stawl. Very frustrating to say the least when I kept seeing 201 to 205 lbs on the scale for over 2 months...ARGGHH!. Good thing you all didn't hear the obscene expletives used everytime I got on that scale..would make a truck driver blush! I just wanted to break the 200 lb mark!! Then FINALLY I did! I let out a WHOOP and Chris came running in and WHOOPED some more! This happened last week. I didn't blog about it untill I knew it has STUCK lol. That day I was 199.5 lbs ...YES ...Just under the 200 mark, but hey its UNDER! Today it is 197 lbs so I'm glad the process has finally restarted. That day of Whooping, Chris went to work and came home that day with this beautiful bouquet of flowers ..AWE..what a guy.

Many who know little about Gastric Bypass surgery, figure it to be the easy way out. It's a normal thought actually. But untrue. Yes it reduces the stomach size thus restricting food intake. But alot less food means, takes alot less time to digest..and one can become hungry alot faster. In the beginning, eating is baby steps so the weight falls off...it can be painful, difficult and u ask yourself wtf was I thinking. BUT once u start eating more normally, all be it smaller portions, u feel your life get abit easier. That said, even with smaller portions, u always have to watch out for high caloric things...food addicts will always be food addicts so its easy to sneak in stuff, specially if u don't have the dumping syndrome...I don't...but I have tryed to be logical and not gone over board. I have also been working hard on the treadmill and eliptical.many don't. The hard part is dealing with having to eat often, which again goes against what we are used..but that said, we are hungry often because we eat smaller portions. I was stuck for that reason. Nothing was moving. Untill I started changing more things that we eat, I say we, because Chris loves everything I have made from the G I Diet Cookbook . It's what started the motor working again, so here are some more photos of recipes made ...absolutely delicious! Below is White Chicken Chili with low fat sourcream topping on a bed of Basmatic rice.

Below is the Apple crumb recipe but I used Canned peaches instead...worked wonderfully! We loved it!

Below is Chicken Tagine...a terrific Moroccan dish served with Basmatic rice and sprinkled with fresh mint. Just Devine!

Finally , here we have Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Icing...best carrot cake I have ever had, no joke. It's moist and absolutley delicious...without the icing it's a green lite food, like all the others above..meaning u can eat these foods WITHOUT GUILT they are the things u can eat as much as u want foods...with reason ofcourse...like they say, don't eat 12 apples in a day, it's just not smart lol. With the icing it's yellow lite, meaning a few calories, so be careful. But again the icing is made with the lowest fat cream cheese, no fat plain yogourt, some splenda and vanilla..so its very smart as icings go. It's VERY filling so one piece is enough. Let me point out that the part cut out here was enough for 3 servings NOT one lol, I wanted to show the inside of the cake lol.

I hope I haven't made u too hungry lol. I do hope however that some of you go out to get this cookbook, it has been fun cooking and baking new things but knowing they are all EXCELLENT for us with no compromising on taste, is just the Cherry on the top! Also the only reason I have restarted losing weight.

Please share...have u any really great food tips? Or recipe books you know of that give great healthy alternatives? Btw the link to the book I am talking about is inbedded in the title here G I Diet Cook Book.

MY BABY IS GOING TO COLLEGE!

Hard to believe that my baby will be starting College this January! We got the acceptance papers yesterday. She is very excited! She is entering a program this first semester that is pretty open so she can do credits while seeing what major program she wants to go for. Her goal is arts and music if she can swing it. Time will tell. The important thing was getting her foot in the door.

I think it worked out better that she had to wait a session rather then start last sept because of late credits coming in ect. Why..well,She just turned 17, 2 months ago! But also because she started working in a nice french resturant this summer...in the kitchen.When the tourist season dropped off...she started working with some ppl, putting up TEMO's (they are those temporary car port things ppl errect for the winter). While still keeping her kitchen job during the weekends. So unless it rained...she has been working 7 days a week. I am proud of her...she has been putting money aside to help with her college costs.

She has done some more growing up while earning some money. Also not afraid to work hard to earn it. I think this hard work experience was exactly what she needed before starting college. The fact that she is helping to pay for it herself will also make her more serious about the school part.....I can only hope lol. Reality tells me that the college scene is also full of *LET'S PARTY!* mode but those are things she will have to weigh for herself.

This time last year , she was all about...OMG, I CAN'T WAIT TO LIVE ON MY OWN! ON CAMPUS or WITH FRIENDS IN AN APARTMENT...speach...u know the whole, I NEED MY SPACE...chant. After working for her own money these past months, she realized alot of things...(althought these things I had often pointed out myself) but u know how us parents have no idea what we are talking about.

Anyway, she had these thoughts of being on her own, going to college, working full time to pay for all that by herself. I have nothing against the idea, lord knows many ppl do it. But there was no need in her case. She could still get a part time job, live at home and travel to school with alot less living expenses.

Well low and behold...in the past months, her ideas have reflected the realization that she would get alot more out of remaining home....HMMM I wonder why lol.

It's all good...and it get's even better. She finally broke up with the LOSER bf she had since the beginning of last summer. I knew..as any mother would, that it would eventually die but it was a slow death. Although I.m not surprised as it was her first SERIOUS relationship. She was aware of our opinion of him to a certain extent, but he was welcome here regardless as he was her bf. She had to come to her own conclusions...and thank goodness she did!

She has just turned 17 yet a new chapter in her life begins and I'm just so happy for her. The fact that she is a free bird going in, will help her fly even higher. Knowing she can always land safely at home everyday will make her and MY life alot easier also lol!

I AM FLUSH WITH ANTICIPATION.......

FINALLY...tomorrow, work begins on what used to be the bathroom downstairs!!!! Whooo hooo!! We finally found a contractor to begin work on it with Chris. He was recommended by a friend and with Chris' help it should hopefully, only take a week.

The timing couldn't be better actually, although it's been a long wait...right now, with Chris working weekends this month...he is home for 4 days of the week so he will be here the whole time except Friday to work with the guy. I am ofcourse always here also...but I have to remain upstairs with Luke AND I am not really into doing construction lol. I will stick to paint chips and accessorizing thank you very much!

We are just so happy it will finally start to materialize. The fact that the former bathroom has been totally gutted really saves precious time and money because Chris did it himself. I can't wait to finally add the AFTER pics to the renovations photo folder!

Best of all will be remaining asleep as I groggily make my way a few short feet to the bathroom to pee in the middle of the night.....AHH BLISS......

Rather then wake up, gage how BAD I really have to go...u know that inner conversation we have....I'm all warm, do I REALLY have to go NOW? or if I don't I will regret it in half an hour...arghhh....Now I have to trudge out of the bedroom...then all the way up the MILE of stairs...then undo the security fence we have in the hallway for Luke...then go to the bathroom..by this time totally awake...come out...redo the security fence, go down the 2 MILES of stairs...get into bed.....I know, you all must feel so bad for my whoa's...haha

SO SUE ME! I MISS MY DOWNSTAIRS BATHROOM!

One of those YUCKY FEELING days.

You know the kind. The days u get up and just feel like crap. Dragging your feet, achy and sore all over. No apparent reason.

Worst part of it, is I had to put my face on and dress out to go out. YES, OUT!...my day out is usually saturdays I know. Today however, Chris and I had to do some bank stuff...and we both had to be there so we booked the sitter. Her minimum is 3 hours so I had made a list of things to do.

I haven't felt this crappy in a very long time...I must be fighting something.As I was putting the ingredients together for our breakfast protien/smoothy ...I got really dizzy and had to go sit town right then and there. Achhh...yucky feeling. I got my stuff done, did a half ass job on my face lol and thought...I just wanna go back to bed!

We got our stuff done, even dragged my feet into a few stores to get the few items on my list. Closing my eyes each time we were in the car and Chris was driving. Thank god he was home today. We stretched it to 2.5 hrs and just wanted to come home and go to bed. Chris scooted me to bed and I slept for 3 full hours...I wish I could say I feel better...the sleep was good but I still feel all weird...no fever but feels like it.

Hopefully tomorrow I will feel better.

As for good news...Chris will be working weekends for a month...YAY! Tobad it's not for always...Since I have the clients/boarders here 24/7 it makes no difference to me if he works weekends. The great thing about it is he works 3 , 12 hour shifts..fri, sat and sun...but he is HOME 4 days! Hense him being home today...it will be so nice for this month..and worked out great for me today, as he took care of the boys for me so I could be the veg I am today.

Another good note...My sister turned me onto a great cookbook called (The GI Diet Cookbook....by Rick Gallop) It's full of 200 terrific recipes all made with healthy, nonprocessed ingredients. Must sound horrible lol...but actually I have been impressed with every recipe so far..and Chris has loved everything I have made. I have started taking photo's of the dishes...I should have taken pics from the beginning but didn't think. So far I have Beef Stroganoff on whole wheat pasta ......

To finish with an Almond Cheese Cake with a Mixed Berry Sauce. Absolutely delicious! The best part is that is all GOOD for you and VERY low on calories!!! You wouldn't be able to tell at all that it's made with tofu instead of heavy cream cheese! HONESTLY! How cool it that...great desert without the guilt!

I will be adding more...a few I have already tryed and loved.

Anyone have a great dish they found that is yummy AND good for u? lol.

SUPPER, A SHOW and a FIRETRUCK?

So, this past summer my gf Theresa and I both took in a friend of both of our daughters ..for about a week each in June. The friends mom asked us because they were moving but the apartment wouldnt be ready for a few weeks..so she needed to find places for both her daughters etc...long story short, we took Mel in for a cpl weeks each out turn....Later in the month the mom gave each Theresa and I a ticket to a show in the local theatre. A very nice gesture to thank us. Knowing also that me and Theresa are good friends, was a perfect gift to give us a girls night out.

Montreal and the surrounding area theatres...usually have really good shows. Quebec has it's own celebrity community..channels and very rich theatre culture...also often expanded into France and Europe...so we were looking forward to what ever show we got the git tickets to.

We planned the whole evening, including a leisurely supper at a fondue resturant not far from the theatre. Perfect for catching up,as we don't see eachother often. It was just supper...how often do we let life pass us by with the mundane. Months seem to fly by without making time to spend with out good friends? I know, we all have lives, routines, jobs ...but when we finally do make the time, we wonder why it took so long. It was so nice to be with my dear friend. We have known eachother since out daughter's were 1 yrs old. So many many moons now lol.

So we get to the theatre...great seating. Totally anticipating what's to come. Not knowing really if it was a musical or a play or comedy.

One thing that struck us both...we were not dressed up like for a big theatre production in formal wear...but we did dress nicely..better then casual..Something I would think most would do. It's a show afterall...tickets where a substantial price. I could not believe how most of the crowd was dressed badly...what I mean by that is ...so many looked like they had their yard clothes on, no effort in their appearance what so ever! I mean COMMON.. What has happened to basic pride in one's appearance. I could even excuse very young adults because many don't know better but there was as many ppl our age dressed terribly. I am not a snob...I am not talking designer clothes either, I can't afford them myself..I am talking basic...clean, pressed appearance, combed hair !...Sloppy tops, ragged jeans, hair thrown in a ponytail like u are ready to clean the house...is NOT appropriot for THE THEATRE no matter what the show! Am I over reacting here? ...moving on lol...

Turns out it was a music meadly of 80's songs. It was also a premier performance. Now, I am in my 40's so 80's tunes is what I enjoyed in my clubing days..so figured it would be fun even though it's not my prefered choice of music. Theresa in turn...thought the same thing...we are here to enjoy.

Curtin opens...intruments are set up across the stage. Music starts and 2 ppl start singing.

OH ...MY...GOD....!!!...We both started laughing so hard (in eachothers shoulders ofcourse!)...but unfortunatley this wasn't a comedy! It was the WORST show we had ever seen! The costumes were terrible, and although both singers weren't bad, the whole production and what they called choreography was middle school quality lmao! We couldn't wait for the intermission so we COULD GET THE HELL OUT OF THERE! LOL.

We filed out along with most who wanted a smoke outside. My friend smokes so she lit one up while we decided what to do as the night was young and we certainly didn't want to waste it sitting in there ...OH THE HORRORS!! LMAO

Suddenly we hear an alarm in the building. (thinking that someone pulled the alarm for an excuse to leave like us lmao) We see the police pull up, then a fire truck then another emergency vehicle. There was no fire but they had to do the rounds anyway. As this is happening, we decide to call her hubby to come get us and go to her house to drink some wine and just enjoy the rest of our Friday night together. As we are waiting, I notice a fireman standing near the emergency vehicle...it's a truck I have never seen before. I strike up a convo with him..very nice young man...told him of the stellar show lol...had a few laughs...then ask him what exactly the vehicle is. He explains it's for various things..and offers to show us the interior WHOO HOO, COOL! It has built in seats with oxygen incase firemen need it after being in fire...also to rest...there is 2 desk areas with laptops for the supervisors incase of major incedents..to oversee operations...also a place for ppl that need a place to keep warm incase they are forced out of their homes because of a fire...also all the equiptment needed incase of any dangerous substances or emergency etc...was all very interesting...and I was happy to tell him, that it made up for a wasted hour in the theatre hands down! I was just telling Theresa that ...just watch, as we are stepping down out of the vehicle...her hubby would show up to see us doing so and say WTF..ARE U TWO UP TOO? and that's EXACTLY what happened lol!

Too funny!...We went on to her house, drank some wine something I RARELY do and had a terrific evening. Chris joined us as soon as he got off work for a bit and we came home. Turned out to be alot of fun.

I had to throw in a pic of my new boots. Got them last month at Macy's..when we went to NY state. Along with the very nice satin lined pants I got on sale! LOL

Just moi, before my gf arrived to pick me up. New, see through blouse with simple camisole underneath but hard to tell lol.

Now tell me...am I over reacting by being dissapointed at the lack of basic pride of appearance with regards to an evening at the theatre or concert or even just an outting? .....Please share...