On The Road Again...

Or should I say wagon?  Yesterday was by far one of the worst eating days I have had since being banded.  I grazed all. day. long.  I don't know what was with me.  I think a lot of it was boredom.  Work has gotten painfully dull and boring bland.  That's a good word for it...bland.  It's not that I don't necessarily like what I do but it is pretty monotonous.  Yesterday morning, I attended a breakfast for my daughter.  She's "Student of the Month" in her class for October and they had muffins and juice and then held a little ceremony where she got her certificate along with the 30 or so other kids.  I'm very proud of her and I think it meant a lot to her that both my hubby and I went.  (Incidentally, this does NOT mean I'll be placing one of those bumper stickers on my car.  It's bad enough that I drive a minivan...) We split up the parenting duties pretty evenly so it's rare that both of us go in late to work or something for an event.  But I felt this warranted it.  So anyhoo...I went into work late but I think I got it in my mind that I was actually running late so I rushed through some of my projects which left a good chunk of the day with very little to do.  Then I heard it..."Mandaaaaaa.....Oh Mandaaaaaa....You know you want some...I've missed you....How could you abandon me?"  Yep...it was the community candy bowl.  Freshly stocked with Halloween goodies.  I haven't caved to this temptation once since being banded but yesterday...oh yesterday...I went back to that bowl like a long lost lover returning home from war!  I had kit kats; I had hershey's; I had MILK DUDS!  EGAD!!! 

I tried a new hot dog place for lunch and got me a chili dog.  A chili dog...bun and all!  And it wasn't even worth it.  They got my order wrong (put onions and mustard on it...blech) but I ate it anyway.  WTF??  I had chips.  Some kind of cheddar and sour cream kind and I usually can't stand stuff like that.  I don't know what was the matter with me.  I hit up Arby's (remember my fast food rule????) and had a sandwich AND loaded potato bites!  Seriously????  Someone strap me to a chair and feed me protein shakes intravenously from now on! 

So today is a new day.  I have brought a couple protein bars and some fruit.  I'm not sure what I'm going to do about lunch...I may just skip it today or just go for a bowl of soup or something.  I feel like I need to go through detox to rid my body of these ridiculously processed and horrible-for-you foods.  Tonight, we are going to a Fall Festival at my daughter's school.  I plan on eating before we go as to avoid temptation there.  I did hit the gym once this week and will try to hit again at some point.  I have caught a cold so I feel like warmed over panda poop so we'll see how the whole working out thing goes.  Regardless, rain or shine, sick or well, I will be walking my 8 miles on Saturday...maybe 10 if I feel punchy.  Heel pain?  Still there...I'm just ignoring it.  If I don't post before the weekend, hope you have a great one and if you live somewhere other than Arizona, enjoy the fall weather!  It's supposed to get up to 94 here tomorrow.  Ugh!!  I leave you with a giggle...

12 miles - Check, 10 miles - Ummmm

12 Miles on Saturday - Check

10 Miles on Sunday - Not so much.  I did the 12.  Somewhere before mile 5, cue the trip on big rock and scrape my knee and turn my ankle (the one without the heel pain.  Mile 7, cue the heel pain. Mile 10, cue the "my feet are going to fall off pain."  Sunday morning - cue the I'm too stiff to move and I can barely hobble on the heel. 

Excuses?  Maybe but Sunday just wasn't gonna happen.  So it didn't.  I'm still happy with the 12 mile walk.  It's the first I've made it into double digit mileage and I didn't just hit double digits, I drove right into them.  So I feel good about that.  The idea was to do a back to back to get a feel for doing high mileage a couple days in a row.  To be honest though, at this point, I can either do that or I can't.  If I can't...I'm not sure I need to know that before the walk because I could very well play a nasty psychological game with myself and quit the 3 day before I start.  This was supposed to be the last weekend of training walks before the big event.  We were taking a couple weeks off the walking (and just focus on conditioning) to avoid any injury and still be prepared.  Since I didn't do the back to back.  I'm going to do one more training walk next week - 8 miles probably around my neighborhood just to feel good about it and then I'll take the weekend before off.  I really do think I can do this without a back to back training weekend.  So there you have it.

Weigh in Day - 208.  It's water.  I know it's water.  I ate like crap over the weekend but I didn't eat a whole lot of it.  Seems after a long walk like this, I always retain some water so I'll take the 208 and am guessing as I drink more and improve my habits this week, that number will go down.  My heel?  Great googly moogly!  It hurts.  It really hurts.  I got some new shoes, some new insoles and plantars fasciitis contraption to help.  And it does seem to help a little but oh my.  I'm not sure what I can do about this other than grin and bear it at this point.  I'll do the best I can and hope that it's good enough.  I'm just gonna have to walk through the pain I think.  If it still kills a couple weeks after the big walk, then I'll go see a doctor for it.  Until then, I'm suckin' it up!

Weekend otherwise was good.  My daughter had soccer.  Wow...kindergarten soccer just isn't all that exciting is it?  The kids seem more concerned with water breaks than learning how to dribble.  Their first game is this Saturday...we'll see how it goes.  My daughter enjoys it and that's the main point but I don't think we'll sign up for this particular program again next year.  We'll see.  Had dinner with friends Saturday night.  It was delicious and made from a healthy cookbook so I don't feel bad about it at all.  We played "Are You Smarter Than A 5th Grader" on the Wii and, not surprisingly, I am not smarter than a 5th grader but I could kick a 3rd grader's ass in this game!  LOL.  Sunday was somewhat wasted as I could barely move.  We sat around, bought some things for my youngest daughter's birthday party (at the end of November) and generally just hung out as a family.  Eating could be better and I'm definitely recommitted this week.  I'm also going to try to hit the gym at least 2 days this week.  Resting all last week didn't appear to help one bit with the heel pain so I'm done with that.  I'll probably stick to the elliptical as it's lower impact and avoid the step class but otherwise gotta get back on the activity wagon.  Hope y'all had a good weekend and happy Monday to ya!

Head, Shoulders, Knees & Toes (and heels)

Good morning all you studmuffins out there.  Thank you all so much for the suggestions and sympathies in my last post.  I will be trying all of them (probably even the goofy looking sock. LOL).  My apologies to Catherine for mis-stating her foot issue...  Update:  My heel still hurts.  Feels fine in high heel shoes but tennis shoes, flats or barefoot aren't so good.  My first order of business tomorrow is buying a new pair of running/walking shoes.  A pair that is supposed to help with this kind of thing.  I am still going to attempt my double header this weekend.  That's 12 miles on Saturday and 10 miles on Sunday.  I only have 3 weekends until the breast cancer walk.  Next weekend is no good for my training partner and to be perfectly honest, I don't think I can do 2 in a row without her.  The weekend after that is the last weekend before the walk and we both agreed a weekend off was in order before the big event.  So it's this weekend or no weekend.  I'm going to suck it up and do my best.  Wish me luck.

In other news, hubby got back from La La Land yesterday.  He seems genuinely happy to be home and I'm really happy to have him home.  It's just not the same around the house when he isn't there.  I need someone around to laugh at my stupid jokes and I just don't sleep as well without him there.  So happy he's here.

What else?  Not much to report in bandland I'm afraid.  Weight is holding steady.  I'm not eating fantastic but I'm not doing too badly either.  I have packed a healthy lunch for today so feel good about that.  Since I'm not working out this week, I'm trying to pay extra attention to my food choices.  Honestly, I can't wait until my next fill so I can actually feel this band doing something. 

Since this post is beyond dull, I'll give you a Thursday laugh...

Didn't Make 10

Ugh.  I only made about 9 miles.  I was doing really good until about mile 6.  Then I got this awful pain in my heel.  So I thought..must be some weird muscle thing and I tried to walk it off.  By mile 7, I was in agony...by mile 8, I knew we had to just call it a day so I hobbled back to where we started.  I immediately went to see Dr. Google for heel pain and I'm pretty sure I know what I've got...Plantars Fasciitis.  I believe Catherine blogged about how she used to have this and losing weight has allowed her to get rid of it for good.  It seems it's pretty common for overweight people and is caused by the following:

• Biomechanical factors, such as decreased flexibility in the foot and ankle, imbalances in muscle strength (muscles in one leg or foot are weaker than the other), abnormal foot mechanics (when stepping down), and tightness in the Achilles tendon.
• The repetitive nature of sports activities and improper training.
• Rapidly increasing the number of miles run or walked.
• Running or walking up steep hills.
• Wearing athletic shoes that are worn out.
• Wearing athletic shoes that do not have a cushioned sole or enough arch support.
• Abruptly changing the intensity or duration of the exercise routine.

I've highlighted in purple which ones I think are causing my pain.  The traditional remedies for plantar fasciitis include stretching the calf, massaging, decreasing one's training, losing weight, purchasing better-fitting shoes (with a raised heel and arch support), icing the sore heel, and taking ibuprofen.  So I'm going to try all of these aside from  decreasing one's training.  I'm taking this week off from the gym but I'm still trying my training walk this weekend.

Aside from the disappointing training walk, my weekend was pretty good.  Soccer practice for my oldest daughter (she's only 5 so there's not a lot to it).  Then my hubby left me for Los Angeles on Sunday morning.  He has a conference there and gets back tomorrow.  Yay!  We went to the zoo yesterday...heel killing me through it all but I survived.

In band news, this fill isn't doing a whole lot for me.  I can eat like a horse but then I stay full for hours.  So I guess it's keeping me fuller or longer but I'm still eating way too much.  I'll work it the best I can and see what I can do with it.  My official weigh day was yesterday and the scale said 208.  That's officially 20 lbs so I'll take it and update my ticker accordingly.  Work is crazy so I hope to check in on everyone's weeks in the next day or so.   Hope y'all are having a good Tuesday!

First Fill Report

I had my doctor's appointment yesterday.  I'm down 7 lbs from the last time I was in their office so they were all pleased with that.  He said all the scars look fantastic (at least as far as scars go) and then he said, "Hop on the table for your fill."  So I laid down.  He started poking around and then asked me to lift my legs a few inches off the table so I did.  Incidentally, that's not as easy as he made it sound.  Anyhoo...he's feeling around and feeling around and then he said "Your port is twisted."  I said "Uh oh." Yes...that was my brilliant reply to that.  I didn't know what to say so I start freaking out a bit.  So he's moving stuff around on my stomach and it's sorta painful and then he says "OK...you're done."  I asked "You filled me up?"  He laughed and said "Yep."  So I asked him if that whole twisted port thing is something I should be concerned about.  He said that as long as he can access it, we're OK.  It's not completely flipped around just pointing more towards the inside of my body than the outside. Then he said if it does flip, it's just a real small procedure to get it turned back around.  But he told me we'd worry about that when it happens.  He did say that it'll make fills a little more painful for me than other people since he has to feel it out more and twist it up to get at it.  And it did hurt a little bit but it really wasn't so bad.  I've seen pictures of some bandsters who were actually bruised after a fill and it's nothing like that.  So while I'm still kinda freaked...I guess it's OK.

So how much do I have in my band?  I have no idea.  LOL.  A couple things here...I keep forgetting to ask how big my band is.  Dumb, right?  Outside of that, my doc doesn't really seem to do fills like everybody else.  He doesn't have a standard..."On your first visit, you get 2.5 cc's; on your second visit, you get 1 cc..." kind of thing going on.  He adds fill until he feels pressure back and then he backs off a little.  Doesn't sound very scientific but he's one of the best here in the state so I don't doubt his method.  He's a fantastic surgeon...my scars aren't too horrible and his patients tend to do very well.  I guess it just seems odd that all of you seem to know how much is in your band at all times and I don't even know how big mine is.  Then again, I kinda like it this way.  This way, I'm not obsessed with the number and I won't start freaking out if the amount of fill it takes to hit the sweet spot is more than others.  Hmmm....something to ponder.  I remember when I was pregnant with my first baby (hang with me here...I have a point...I promise), and it got near the end and I would go in and the doc would tell me I was 1 cm dilated and then 2 cm dilated and then I just stayed there for weeks.  The lack of progress was REALLY frustrating.  So with the second baby, I told the doc I didn't even want to know.  The baby would come when she was ready and there was no point in obsessing over it.  And sure enough, she did.   So in a way, I feel like the amount I have in my band is something that I don't need to worry about.  I think it's more important how I FEEL with the fill.  Right?

So how do I feel with the fill?  Exactly the same.  At least right now because I do liquids for 24 hours after a fill.  I'll let you know how I feel after dinner of real food.  I go back for my second fill a couple in a month.  Off to work now.  Hope y'all have a fantastic weekend!

Lemon Tarragon Chicken Toss

Tried this recipe the other night and it was VERY yummy...

6 oz fettuccine or linguine
2 cups broccoli or cauliflower
1/2 c reduced sodium chicken broth
3 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp honey
2 tsp cornstarch
1/4 tsp ground white or black pepper
12 oz skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into bite size strips
2 tsp olive oil
1/2 c shredded carrot
1 tbsp fresh snipped tarragon or 1/2 tsp dried tarragon

1. Cook pasta, adding the broccoli or cauliflower for the last 4 minutes of cooking.  Drain.
2. Meanwhile, in small bowl combine broth, lemon juice, honey, cornstarch and pepper.
3. In large skillet, stir fry chicken in hot oil for until no longer pink.  Stir cornstarch mixture; add to skillet.  Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly.  Add carrot and tarragon; cook 1 minute more.
4. To serve, spoon chicken mixture over pasta.  If desired, garnish with lemon slices.

This was a big hit in my house.  If you don't have tarragon, you can also use fennel seed or marjoram. 

Nutritional Info:
320 cal, 4g total fat (1 sat fat), 49 mg chol
143 mg sodium, 43 g carb, 3 g fiber, 27 g protein

In other news, I have an appointment with my surgeon today.  I'm REALLY hoping I get my first fill today.  I'm ready to fill this bad boy up and get it working.  I can't imagine why I wouldn't get my fill today but I guess you never know.  I did my step class last night...I swear the instructor is trying to kill me.  She's really nice but DAYUM...that class is tough.  And I sweat...like seriously sweat...like dripping on my step kind of sweating.  I like that though.  While I don't smell like roses afterward, it does make me feel like I'm getting a good workout.  Doing a 10 mile training walk this weekend.  I think I can do it...my goal is to finish in under 4 hours, that's including any pit stops.  We'll see.  I hope to post a fill update tomorrow.  Have a great Thursday!

Personal Victory

Happy Columbus Day to one and all.  Being Italian, I have a special place in my heart for Columbus...regardless of that whole Marco Polo and the Vikings came here first thing.  And aside from that whole brutally murdered millions of Native Americans thing.  Alas...I am working today.  I think most people who don't work for their respective state or federal governments or a bank are working today.  Here's the irony...I work for a bank.  However, I don't deal with customers and I need next Monday off so I came in today to a nice and practically empty office and decided to start my day with a blog.  So there ya go.

So...my BFF who is doing the 3 Day with me and became my gym buddy ('cause she's just awesome like that) got sick last week and bailed on our 8 mile training walk on Saturday.  So...I had several conversations with myself that I will recount to you now.  At the time she texted me and told me she couldn't go I had this conversation:

Me:  Self, if she's not going, we shouldn't go either...I mean, it sucks doing a short walk by yourself much less a long 8 mile one in which you will probably collapse and die on the side of the road somewhere because you were dumb enough to try it by yourself.
Self: You'll have a cell phone to call 911 if you think you're going to die.  I think you're just making excuses and you need to come up with a Plan B.
Me: *sigh*  FINE.

So Plan B is what I did.  I hopped on mapmyrun.com and mapped out an 8 mile course throughout my neighborhood.  So then my alarm went off at 4:45 the next morning and I proceeded to have yet another conversation with myself.

Me:  Self, It's so freakin' early.  I actually have an opportunity to sleep in for a change and I really want to start this walk at 5 a.m. like I always do???  I don't think so.
Self:  Don't be a wuss.  Get up and do the damn walk.
Me:  I really don't want to do the walk.  It's going to take me like 3 hours.  I'm tired and I have the perfect opportunity since I'm doing it alone to not do it at all.
Self:  If you're that tired, set your alarm for 5:45 and take another hour.  But GET UP AND DO THE DAMN WALK!
Me:  *sigh*  FINE.

So that's what I did.  I got up and out of the house by 6 a.m. and did my 8 mile walk.  Not only did I do my 8 miles but I did it in 2 hours and 20 minutes!!!  For those of you doing the math, that is a 7 mile pace not an 8 mile pace.  I did the first 4 miles in 1:04 which is a personal best for me.  I'm usually lucky to be hitting the 20 minute mile mark so I feel fantastic.  For the first time since I've gotten this band and started working out, I am truly feeling very proud of myself.  Not only did I conquer the mental part of getting my arse out of bed and doing the walk at all...but to do it in that kind of time was really just fantastic for me.  It's a HUGE personal victory that I hope is a sign of things to come.  How was I feeling Sunday you ask?  S O R E.  My feet hurt pretty badly Saturday afternoon.  Sunday, my feet were OK but my hips hurt.  I thought that was a weird place to be sore.  Once I was up and moving, I was OK...just hurt when I sat around and stiffened up.  Meanwhile, I got my house cleaned up and dinner made yesterday so it was all good. 

So how did the scale reward me this morning?  It didn't.  I'm still at 210.  8 miles and absolutely no loss whatsoever.  This was on top of the other two days I spent at the gym this week doing the elliptical and a step class.  I wanted to throw my scale out the window at first but then I thought about it.  Did my doctor not say that any weight loss in the first 6 to 8 weeks was just a bonus until the band is properly adjusted?  And didn't my doctor say he recommends not weighing yourself at all during this time as to not get discouraged?  And did my doctor not say that without the band properly adjusted, it's no different than being on any other diet?  Yes, he did.  He said all those things.  I've just been obsessive about the scale.  The fact is my band has very little fill in it and it shows.  I can eat anything with 2 small exceptions and I can eat almost as much as I want of them.  While I've been trying to stay on the right portions, I know I haven't been eating the right STUFF and that's more important than anything.  So, discouraged?  Yes but not with some mythical scale demon that is forcing it to stay where it is.  I'm discouraged with myself and bad decisions.  The beauty of that is I can change it.  I know what my opportunities are and I can make different decisions to get that scale to move so it's certainly not a plateau where I know I'm doing everything right and it just refuses to move.  I know I could do better and I will.  One the bright side, I have a doc appointment this Thursday to hopefully get my first fill and start feeling some of that sweet restriction everyone keeps talking about it.  Hope y'all are having a happy Monday and a productive Columbus Day (you know...despite all the savage Native American murders and all that).

I Wish Wednesday

I haven't done Drazil's Wednesday blog before so we'll see how we do with it...

I wish I had more mental strength.  Seriously...I get surgery to get a band to help cut portions.  That still doesn't change what I'm putting into my goddamn mouth!!!  I remember reading on lapbandtalk and blogs about people who get the band and even before their first fill, they're hitting up McDonalds or Taco Bell or downing oreos.  I remember judging this people (Bad Panda!) and thinking "Why would you do that?!?!  Why would you go through all the trouble to have surgery just to keep eating like you always did?!?!"  Well, you can add me to the list of crazy people who do this.  I have been eating like crap this week and just can't seem to shake it!  My portions are too big (I know I'm eating more than the cup to cup 1/2) and it's the wrong stuff! 

I wish I had more energy.  This stems from the last one...I know if I ate the right stuff, I'd feel better and have more energy but I'm not, so I don't and there you have it.  I wish I had the energy to hit the gym, cook dinner, play with the kids AND clean my house.  I wish I had the energy to do some fall projects, maybe make some Halloween cookies or crafts with the girls.  I wish I had the energy to reorganize my closet and finally finish my laundry room.  We moved in over a year ago and this is still the miscellaneous-crap-I-have-nowhere-else-to-put-it room.

I wish I had a closer family.  You know one of those always meets for Sunday dinners kind of family.  The ones who call just to chat, the kind you want to spend holidays with, the kind you actually want to take with you on vacation even after you all have your own kids.  This is not my family.  We all get along fine - with a few in law type exceptions.  My hubby loves my parents but not the siblings which makes it impossible to do anything as a group.  My sister lives cross country and my brother is going through a difficult divorce so things are just so BLAH in that area.  My in laws are even worse so there's no lovey dubby type vibes coming from the Midwest. 

I wish the lady who sits next to me who, despite being a nonsmoker, seems to hack up a lung at least 3 times a day, would just knock it the hell off!  I don't know what her deal is but seriously...she has cough drops in her desk at all times..why would someone need this?  Maybe she should go seek a professional medical opinion instead of relying on the Halls of Medicine to solve the problem.  I have sat next this woman for 2 years (very nice...had gastric bypass - but she doesn't know about my surgery - and is now one of those annoyingly fit aerobics instructors) and she has had a chronic cough for both of those years.  ENOUGH ALREADY!

OK.  I guess that about sums up what I'm wishing for here.  I have step class tonight...surely, I'll start getting better at them right?  It's not just the coordination that isn't coming along, it's the cardio part.  I seriously feel like I'm dying halfway through.  I also have a packing clinic tonight for the 3 Day.  It's hard to believe I only have 37 days until the big event!  I still have so much work to do.  They only allow you take one bag and it can't be more than 35 lbs and that's including your sleeping bag.  Egad!!!  How do you fit everything?  Hence, the clinic.  There's supposed to be volunteers and veterans at this clinic to give you tips and hints on how and WHAT to pack.  Looking forward to it...need to start preparing.  My BFF mapped out our next training walk for Saturday - 8.8 miles!  Holy shin splints Batman!  If I survive, I'll post our finishing time on Monday.  Hope y'all are having a great week!

Weigh In Weekend

Good morning!  Official weigh in day and I'm set at 210.  A 2 lb bounce from the all time low I saw earlier last week.  I'm attributing this to some water retention.  I had Chinese food yesterday and that usually has me retaining water for a couple days.  I do think my latest training walk contributed to my stagnant weight loss this week as I KNOW I did not drink enough water during this walk so I think my body is definitely still holding on to it.  My wedding band is tight and that's usually a sure sign of water retention for me. For the sake of honesty, I will say I did not eat particularly well this weekend.  While I ate a lot less than I normally would, the nutritious aspect was somewhat lacking and will definitely aim to do better this week with the eating.

I did my 7 mile training walk on Saturday.  Holy bugger!  I was doing pretty good until the 5 or 6 mile mark and that's when I started losing it a bit.  I made it in 2.5 hours (includes a pit stop and small detour) so the pace is right on for what they're looking for.  The Komen site says to aim for a 20 minute mile.  Important to remember that we're walking 60 miles in 3 days so endurance is more important than speed in this case.  I was seriously SORE when I finished up the walk and stayed that way pretty much for the rest of the weekend.  It was the good kind of sore where you know you've used just about every muscle in your body whether it wanted to be used or not so that's definitely a good thing.  I'm thinking next weekend, I will aim for 8 or 9 miles.  I'm not ready for 10 yet.  I'm not sure if it's a mental block or what but I do know I was seriously hurting doing 7 so I think it's better to ease up to 10.  That's what I'm going with anyway.  This walk reiterated how far I still have to go to be able to do 20 miles a day for 3 days.  I still think I can do it but I have to keep stepping it up each time to make sure I don't just die somewhere during the day on Day 2. 

As far as the band goes, while I can definitely tell it's in there...a couple of stuck episodes with certain foods remind me, I REALLY hope I can get my first fill at my doctor's appointment on Oct 14.  I can definitely still eat way too much at one sitting and I'm hungry every couple hours.  I'm trying to use good snacks - fruit, cheese, etc. for when I'm getting hungry but would really like to get the ball rolling with this restriction stuff.  The doc gave me 3 cc's at the time of surgery but since I don't know how big my band is (one of those questions I just keep forgetting to ask. LOL) I'm not sure if that's just a drop in the bucket or what.  I'm guessing it's a 10 or 11 cc band as he said it was "standard" (at least that's what he told my hubby).  If that's the case, I think I still have a long way to go before the "sweet spot" but I'll take whatever help I can get. 

That's it in Pandaland.  Hope everyone's having a marvelous Monday and had a fantastic weekend!  And so another week begins...

BYOC

1. Are you late, early or on time?


Before children, I was always early...at least 10 minutes.  Now, I'm RIGHT ON TIME.  There's no wiggle room so if traffic's a mess, I'm screwed.  This drives me absolutely crazy.  I can't wait until they are old enough where I don't need to get them ready to go and they move faster than a snail's pace.  I agree with Drazil on this one...I think being late is kinda rude.  I have friends who are chronically 30 minutes for everything.  What makes them so special?

2. Name 3 things you dislike and 3 things you like:


Dislike:
Having no money by payday
Political bumper stickers
Atheists who can't accept Christians and Christians who want to shove God down everyone's throats (Explanation: I'm a news junkie - always on cnn.com or usatoday.com and somehow the arguments often wittle down to the existence of God.  It seems that some atheists think anyone who believes in God must be a complete moron and probably need help tying our shoes.  Then there's always another person who answers the atheists quoting bible verses and condemning them to hell and damnation...as if this argument means anything to an atheist.  I just don't know why we all can't agree to disagree...)
 
Like:
When my kids are acting all sweet & happy
Going to the movies (I only do this maybe 3 times a year these days...such a treat)
Sleeping in
 
3. Are you a morning or night person?
 
Prechild, I was a night person.  Up all night, slept during the day...never woke up before 11.  Now that I'm a responsible parent of two...I guess I'm a morning person.  I mean I get up at 4 a.m. to go to work and my kids are up by 6:30 even on the weekends.  Do I like it?  No.  I yearn for retirement. 
 
4. What is your favorite clothes store?
 
Fashion Bug.  They have regular sizes and larger sizes.  The larger sizes are the same styles as the smaller ones (over all) so you don't feel like they're trying to make you look fatter by putting huge flowers on things. 

5. Repeat question: Summarize your week in life and in blogland.

My life was beyond dull this week.  Work was crazy busy with meetings and home life was seriously lacking quality time.  I'm hoping I can get on a better schedule with things and have some more energy to do stuff with my girls.  Blogland was pretty dull as well.  It was consumed by Chicago.  The pics are great but not many posts coming out of it.  Those of that didn't go were whining about not being able to go. I look forward to when the time comes for normal blogging again.  I miss the regular posts and progress of other bloggers.