Bloat Sucks.

So, with this trip to California rapidly approaching my diet anxieties (well, all my anxieties) are at full throttle. In the past, vacations or big events have proven to sabbotage my best intentions. I have got to come up with a fool proof plan.

I am on a roll right now. Since December 31st, in 11 weeks, I have lost 19.6 lbs. My clothes fit wonderfully, and I feel a million times better. I still have a long way to go, and want no setbacks.

A good friend pointed out that I have lost the equivalent of a 20 lbs bag of soil. I happened to have purchased one that day, and could barely lift it, yet I was carrying it around with me just a few shorts weeks ago.

First, I must make sure to pack friendly car foods, for both myself and the family. I may put oranges, and Weight Watcher's snack cakes in the bag for me, but if the kids have Goldfish crackers there is no way I wil be able to keep my hands out of there. The addition of car activities, such as knitting and reading will help me not want to eat as much.

Second, I have got to track my points every single chance I get. I will have to switch to paper tracking for the road portions of the trip. I am finding the transition challenging b/c the Weight Watcher's website has erased a few of my memories; before I always knew the points value of everything in my head, and now I don't have to. I know if I track every morsel I will succeed. Therefore, that is what I must do.

Three, I have got to eat according to my activities. We will be on the road 4 days (2 there, and 2 back). Thanks to my pedometer I will know exactly how many steps I rack up at rest stops. I cannot make any mistakes on very low activity days, and should probably eat my points minimum. On the days I can, I need to walk as much as possible. I have pulled Theo in on the idea, and we have plans to take several walks in our old town during whatever down time we find. On Disneyland Day I know I will walk more, and I plan on using those activity points to stay satisfied, but also to feel slightly indulgent on my "vacation."

Fourth, I need to bring my Tens Unit (transcutansous electric nerve stimulator) to help with my back pain. Thankfully, the unit, which arrived this week, is extremely portable. I plan on having it with me all the time, just incase!

Fifth, I have got to attend meeting while on vacation. I know where to go, as I was on Weight Watcher's when I lived in So Cal. I will bring my monthly pass, and attend while I am there.

Sixth, I cannot let anyone deter my intentions.

As for the here and now, I have a WW meeting in the morning, and I am as bloated as can be. I thought to myself, this in all psychological, and stood on the scale to find out I am indeed retaining about 5 lbs of water! No doubt my menstrual cycle combined with the stress of this trip is farfing up my body, bigtime. I am using my "no weigh-in pass" tomorrow morning unless some miracle occurs between now and then. I pledge to not let skipping a weigh in throw me off, and plan on stepping on the scale early next week in Southern California.

Now, back to the stress of packing, and preparing to leave.

California Bound

We will be heading to California soon. I hope to have a million pictures and posts to share!

Vacation Mini Album

I finished this mini album celebrating a two day vacation Theo and I took in the fall of 2008. I had the album started, and sitting on a shelf for a year. Felt fabulous to finish it, and I wanted to share some of my favorite pages with you.

We have not been up to much blog worthy stuff lately.
Here are a few of Ben's art fair projects. The lego creation is a "Transformer that turns into an airplane."


Hunter has been amazingly helpful in spring garden clean up. He filled two trash cans with twigs and wet leaves all by himself! He is having trouble understanding why we can't mow immediately.


Theo finally tackled the giant pieces of the tree in our yard that was cut down by the energy compnay a few weeks ago. The logs and saw dust were all frozen in the snow until this week. This giant log from the very base of the tree kicked Theo's butt, and took him hours to break up.

Hunter got some good cuddle time in with his Schmoopy cat this week. This poor cat has trauma from Hunter hauling him around for his entire kittenhood; now, Hunter is the only person Schmoopy will let hold him.

Hopefully, as spring warms up, more fun, photographable things will occur.

Sometimes I wonder...

Ben is so strange. He comes up with the oddest stuff. Yesterday he walked down the stairs and showed me this:

He says, "Mom, look what I made for the dead fireman." I cautiously turned my head, and sure enough my son made a casket for his fireman. Out of legos. Okay then.

See, that is the spot for his feet. Hmm. Ben's maturity and curiosity just amaze me. Both his soon-to-be-kindergarten teacher and his current preschool teacher refer to him as a sponge. He can explain what happens to your soul after you die, and how gravestones mark where you are buried. Aparently he's pretty keen on how the coffin works, too. Also, he knows firemen put their lives on the line. Intense stuff for a 5 year old.

This morning he announced that if the newspaper people could see the great lego Power Miner things he builds they would promptly put him the newspaper as "The Best Lego Builder Ever." I asked him who told him that, and he said he came up with it all on his own. Of course. He added under his breath, "He can't wait!"

Hunter on the other hand, is adorable. Also strange, but mostly just way too cute for me to handle. This morning I was upset, actually crying because the city workers are replacing the electric poles on the corner of my property and they trampled their big stinky boots all over a small lilac shrub I raised from a tiny stick 4 years ago. He saw me crying, explaining the situation to Theo on the phone and brought me a palm he made at school out of construction paper, and said, "Do dis make you happy, mom?" It did. Of course. He's adorable, and still has those edible chubby baby cheeks I smoosh myself against whenever life feels sour. His feet don't even stink yet, therefore making it still very appropriate to kiss his toes, too. Thank God for little boys and love.

In contrast, Ben wouldn't let me smoosh myself against his face for a second, I barely get to kiss him because he's so busy building things. I could barely get him to go to school this morning because he was so inspired by his legos. Won't be long before Hunter doesn't want to cuddle his momma anymore either. Hmpf. Those stinky boys.

Here are a few shots of Hunter earlier this week wearing his Tiger costume.

See, you want to eat him up, too, huh?

And pinch his tiny little butt.

Perfection.

Also, finally, out new countertops are in. We spent most of this week working on getting these puppies installed properly. We are amatuers, and clearly not smarter than sink clips. Anyhoot, we have new counters, and are quite pleased. Later this month we'll be painting the cabinets a nice dreamy white called "Powder Sand," the same color as the rest of the trim in our home.

Happy week to you all.