CANKLES! :-(

Ok people.. I think I've said it before, but I'll say it again.. I hate my legs.
HATE them! I despise dresses for that reason.. And I finally realized why! Besides being pasty white.. I still have chunky ankles - or cankles as the term is coined lately! I don't know if it's that I retain water, or just that my ankles are fat..

How do I fix this?! LOL

Happy Monday!

Good morning to all.. I'm highly caffeinated this morning, so hopefully this post doesn't go all over the place.. but then again, it wouldn't be me if it wasn't, right? LOL

Hope everyone had a fantastic weekend. Mine was really nice. I took Friday off because I felt sick on Thursday.. thankfully it was just allergies, and I woke up feeling fine on Friday. I picked my mom up from her place, and brought her over to mine so she could do laundry. Later we went to Wallyworld so she could do her grocery shopping and all of that fun stuff. Later, I went to the Asian supermarket and bought some chinese sausage for some fried rice that I'll be making this week. While there I went next door to a teahouse and has some Thai tapioca tea.. OMG if you've never had tapioca tea.. it's so good.. Sometimes it's called bubble tea as well. Basically, it's tea with tapioca balls in it. Sounds weird, but it's fun, and actually quite filling for very few calories (depending on the type of tea you get!)

Saturday, John and I went to the Astros game. One of his friends turned 40, and her husband got a suite at the game. We got our butts handed to us.. I lost track, but I think the score was 10-4. OUCH! We still had a lot of fun.

Sunday, John grilled redfish for us. We had a few friends over - Jil and Jason, and Michelle and David. I love hanging out with my friends.. it's awesome! :)
Jil taught me how to make a yummy pasta dish. She's so creative in the kitchen.. and elsewhere too. I'm not creative at all! I'm trying to absorb her aura though! :)

My mom turns 65 this week. I got her a ticket to go to New York for a few weeks so she can visit the family next month. On Wednesday (her birthday), we're going to grill some fish and then take her shopping for some clothes for her trip! :)

Hope all is well with everyone... Have a great day!!!

Super Duper Fantastic Giveaway from Fight Fat Phobia

I sooo wanted to spell phobia with an f.. sighh... one of those days.

Check out Tricia's blog at Fight Fat Phobia (almost used an F again... DAMN!) She has a great giveaway, so read her post and do what she says.. and you may also want to follow her.. she's great! :)

xoxo

Confession Time

Here is my bank record information since I discovered that the Pumpkin Spice Latte is back:
POS DEBIT SBUX HOUSTON #13671 HOUSTON TX $4.33
POS DEBIT SBUX HOUSTON #13671 HOUSTON TX $4.33
STARBUCKS USA 00136 09/18C A* STAR $4.33
09/22/2009 Debit Card Transaction C A* STARBUCKS USA 00136 09/19C A* STAR $5.69
09/21/2009 Debit Card Transaction C A* STARBUCKS USA 00136 09/16C A* STAR $4.04
09/21/2009 Debit Card Transaction C A* STARBUCKS USA 00064 09/17C A* STAR $9.19
09/18/2009 Debit Card Transaction C A* STARBUCKS USA 00136 09/15C A* STAR $4.04

Then, I discovered that there are 60 grams of sugar and 330 calories in a Venti...

So.. I... Must... Quit!!!!

I brewed my own Pumpkin Spice coffee from HEB and added 8 oz of fat free milk to my 32 oz cup... it is not the same.. but it must improve!!

Anyone interested in starting a support group for Starbucks addicts?

The Week is Starting Out Right... huzzah!

Wow, things are coming together.. I'm starting to blog more often.. I'm going to the gym (went on Friday AND last night).. I'm cooking more often (not just opening boxes and preparing things).. it's great!
OH! I forgot to post about my weekend.. If you're in the Houston area and like comedy shows, you should go to the Improv's website and join their mailing list. You'll get emails about once a week, but often you can get 4 free tickets to shows. We got to see Greg Behrendt this weekend.. If you haven't heard of him, he's the co-author of the book that later turned into a movie He's Just Not That Into You. OMFG!! He was freakin hilarious. I laughed so hard that I cried, and was concerned that I'd pee on myself.. thankfully, I have good bladder control! haha Anyways.. if you EVER have a chance to catch him live, I HIGHLY recommend him. Quite hilarious! :)

Friday when I went to the gym, I did the elliptical (which I'm getting incredibly sick of!) for 20 minutes and then did weights for a few.. Then I went home and rode my bike for 150 calories. haha I wanted to make sure I burned 350 calories, and I did it!

Last night.. John and I went to the gym and I did the elliptical again (sigh!) because I got home too late to join in on a class. After the elliptical, I did arm weights and 100 crunches, then went to the sauna. I doubt I'll be going to the gym today because with the weather we're getting here, it's going to take me wayyy too long to get home. I was in traffic for over an hour and a half this morning, and evening traffic is always worse... UGH!!! So, I might as well put in my time here today for my half day on Friday instead of sitting in traffic.

Hope all is well in everyone's world! I'm still in my quest to achieve balance in life between work, home, gym, etc... HA! I've never had that balance, but it sure sounds dandy! :)

Transfer Addictions

In the WLS world, there is a lot of talk about transfer addictions. Once the honeymoon stage of WLS is over, what's next? I think the first year is a piece of cake - it was for me at least. You're losing weight at a rapid pace, and that in itself is reward enough to "behave" yourself, eat properly and make sure you're following all the rules. Once you get your goal within your sights, you realize that you have to deal with what made you fat in the first place, so you don't get back to that place again. Food made me fat. It was my best friend and my worst enemy. I wasn't abused, I wasn't treated badly, I just liked food. Sure, I had lots of unhappy moments in my life, but rather than deal with what made me unhappy, I ate.. and ate... and ate! My typical day would be stopping at Chick-fil-a and getting THREE four packs of chicken minis and a large sweet tea.. it'd all be gone by the time I got to work. Now, I still indulge in foods that I shouldn't, but that meal for example - I eat 2 chicken minis and that's it. (for those of you without the pleasure of a chick-fil-a in your area, a chicken mini is basically a chicken nugget on a mini bun.) I know I shouldn't eat this.. and I usually regret it the minute I eat one, but it is what it is.
Am I still addicted to food? Yes and no. I still love food. But I control it now, it does not control me.
In the past, shopping was an addiction for me. MAJORLY. As much as food possibly. Is it still? No.. Purging things is actually more of an addiction that buying things. I actually NEED to buy clothes, but I don't want to. I am actually a little nervous to, because I remember the high I used to get off of swiping a card and bringing home lots of goodies. I'm cash (debit card) only now, and if I can't afford it, I can't buy it. WOW... who am I? LOL
My addictions now? Coffee... trying to save money.. coffee.. lol
What is the point of this post? I have no idea besides the fact that I need to learn how to deal with all of my emotional issues.. I really don't think I have a ton, but I never want to turn to food or shopping or alcohol as a means of dealing with a problem. I'll be two years out in less than a month, and I still haven't gotten to the core of dealing with what got me to this point in the first place.
I hope this post doesn't sound negative.. it really isn't. I'm just venting. I'm actually in a really good place in life right now, but I'm also in a rambling mood.. lol

What are your transfer addictions, if any? Are there any that are danger zones for you?

It's Party Time!

Hello and Happy Friday to all of my friends in Blogland!
I've been talking about my kitchen lately and I have decided to host a Pampered Chef party in an effort to get some new goodies for my kitchen since I've been purging the baddies! haha
If any of you need some kitchen gadgets or are in love with Pampered Chef stuff like I am, please take a look! My good friend is the consultant, and if you have any questions about the products, she'll take great care of you!
The specials this month are 20% off stoneware and 20% off metal bakeware.. That's a great deal, and just in time for the holiday baking season!
Thank you so much for taking a look and helping me become the domestic goddess that I'm longing to be! :-)


Link to the website: Pampered Chef
Search for Hostess: Laurie Sawyer
Then you're good to go!

Have a wonderful weekend... I hope you're enjoying the weather as much as I am! :)

Autumn is Near

Oh, how I love the weather lately.. I know I've said that recently but I am just in love with it! Every morning I take my dog out (there's a picture of the little crazy thing!), and I don't want to go back inside because I am loving the cool breeze in the a.m.!

Last night I went grocery shopping and worked on unpacking my kitchen.. John and I combined our stuff, so I want to get rid of some of the things and declutter. That'll be nice! :) Some of the stuff we both have is crap, so I want to buy some new things soon too! haha

My ulcer has been bugging me lately so i need to get back to my medicine and taking it on regular basis. I'm bad about starting to feel better and then forgetting to take my meds.. ugh!

Hope all is well and you are enjoying the weather near you! :)

Product Review: Pom Wonderful 100% Pomegranate Juice

I'm getting back into the blogging spirit.... maybe it's fall coming on the horizon? I love the fall through spring weather that Houston has.. the summer is almost unbearable, though!
One treat that you can enjoy year round anywhere though is Pom Wonderful's 100% Pomegranate juice! It's a delicious juice that is pure juice with no added sugars, colors or cheap filler juices.
A few fun facts about the juice and pomegranates:
- It's the only juice whose health benefits are backed by $25 million in research. Participants in clinical studies experienced significant improvement in heart, prostate & erectile health after drinking eight oz of Pom Wonderful 100% Pomegranate juice daily!
- Throughout history, pomegranates have been revered as a symbol of health, fertility and rebirth.
- Many scholars suggest that it was the pomegranate, not an apple, depicted in the biblical Garden of Eden.
- Pomegranate juice has more and better antioxidants then red wine, grape juice, blueberry juice, cranberry juice, vitamin C, Vitamin E and Green Tea... even acai juice, which is getting all the media buzz right now!

If you haven't tried it before, I highly recommend it. I love the fruit itself as well, but the juice is a lot cleaner and usually a lot more affordable! For us gastric bypass patients, I'd water it down a little.. you still get the sweetness, but it may be a little bit of an overload.. there is no added sugar, but if you don't tolerate sugar much at all, definitely water it down a tad. I handle it full strength just fine, but I always water down any juices that I drink.

Pom Wonderful also makes iced coffees, pomegranate teas, and even has an antioxidant super pill.
Enjoy!

Another Thrifty Thing! Check it out!

Ok, you know how I've been on a quest to save money in every aspect of my life... well, I found another cool site online. It's Aisle by Aisle, and it helps you configure your grocery list by aisle, and the program grows with you as you customize it. It's really easy to use, and you can even enter coupons in there to remind you to use your coupons.
Here are a few tidbits from the site:
The online aisle-by-aisle shopping system features:

► Zip through the store in half the time.

► Print list on paper, or view list with iPhone or Blackberry, your choice.

► Get a handle on impulse spending.

► Track sales, coupons, and prices to save money.

► Use it online from any computer anywhere. Nothing to download

I got the one year trial for $5, but they also have a one time purchase which never expires, and with my promo code, 8051, you save $5 and it's only $19! I've been setting up my store, and I really enjoy it. I also like that you can access from any computer, and multiple people can access your account, so you can create the list, and your significant other can go to the store.. ha!!

Check it out and let me know what you think! :)
http://www.aislebyaisle.com Promo code in upper right corner is 8051 to get a discount.

Weekend Update

Good afternoon, one and all! I know this has been one of my first weekend updates in quite some time, and I am truly sorry for that. The weekends of the past few months have been basically packing, having a garage sale, moving, being in a wedding, unpacking, BBQing with friends, etc..
Last Friday, I left work at 11 am because I had so many extra hours. I took my mom on a lunch date (and dinner with leftovers) to Olive Garden, and then took her grocery shopping. I actually took a snooze in the car while she shopped because I was in a Benadryl haze.. my sinus headache was gone when I woke up, though. Woo hoo!
Friday evening was quiet and relaxing.. we didn't do much of anything. I actually went back to bed when I got home from my mom's, and slept until 8pm. Amazing how the body knows precisely when to shut down on you! LOL At least I am well rested for the moment!
Saturday morning, I woke up early and went to the grocery store. I picked up several things for breakfast and made bacon, eggs and hash browns for breakfast... John had some orange juice, and I had some Pomegranate tea.. Yum!
Saturday evening, John and I went to Jil's house.. She made some enchiladas that were tasty! I made a banana creme pie that was pretty tasty, but too sugary and made me dumpish! lol
Sunday, I started a project with my coupon clipping (organizing them! ha!), got bored with that, and started laundry and working on unpacking those last few pesky boxes. My kitchen needs help, as I have a lot of stuff, but am wanting to get rid of some more things too.. With kitchens, it's hard telling what you're going to need.. and you will likely never need it unless you get rid of it! ahh! lol
Anyways, I'm back at work... I survived my crazy weeks at work, and have roughly a week or so before life gets crazy again at work. At least I have job security, I suppose!

Hope you're all doing well!

Checking In

Hi everyone! Yes, I've been a bad bad blogger lately, and I apologize. Life just gets so busy sometimes, and time slips away so fast!
Last weekend, one of my dear friends got married, and I was in her wedding. It was an absolutely beautiful wedding, and the reception was tons of fun! Now, we have another wedding coming up in March... our very own cut n paste girl, JustJil! Congratulations, Jil! You deserve every drop of happiness in the world, and I love you dearly!!

Work has been the same... Terribly, terribly busy, and I'm exhausted most of the time. I had applied for a part time job at Target, but now I'm terribly thankful that I didn't get an interview yet... My full time job has also been my part time job, and thanks to overtime, it pays a helluva lot more than Target would! LOL In all honesty though, I just would like to make it a week of getting home at a decent time and being able to finish unpacking my kitchen. I want to feel settled!

We're going to have a Halloween party this year! I'm excited.. and at the same time I am stressing ALREADY of what to dress up as! I've never dressed up as a "normal" sized person, so it's going to be interesting. When I was looking on ebay last night, every thing I looked for was only available in a plus size.. when I was super duper plus sized, it was almost impossible to find a costume to fit on my body! Any ideas for costumes? I don't want any short dresses or low cut tops.. I'm a very modest girl! lol

Anyways, just wanted to check in and once again, I apologize for not keeping in touch more as well as being so behind on everyone's blogs. I feel cut off from all of you lately, and I hate it! :(

hugs to all of you!!!!

Freebie for your Birthday!

Join Aveda's Birthday Program today and get a free, full-size product on your birthday!

Frozen Lunches

Happy Monday, one and all! In an effort to further saving money and to make sure I don't waste money over and over again on frozen lunches that I don't like, I've started a spreadsheet reviewing frozen dinners. There are so many different varieties out there, when I go to the grocery store, I'm so damn confused! Several times I've ended up buying one that I previously tried and disliked immensely just because it sounded halfway decent on the box.

Is anyone interested in participating, or want a copy of once I've reviewed once I've gotten a good list going? Basically, I'm listing the brand, the name, whether I'd buy it again or not, and a short review (also listing the # of points and grams of protein). I'm not doing Weight Watchers, but I'm so familiar with their point system that it gives me a general idea of calories just by looking at it! :)

On another note, I finally dragged my ass back to the gym this weekend! It was nice... I was worn out, but I felt good!!!

The Grocery Game

My sister told me about a really cool site - The Grocery Game. Basically, it's a site where you pick your grocery store(s), and then you are provided with a weekly list of great buys based on advertised and unadvertised specials as well as coupons. They claim that you can save over 60% on your groceries!! WOW!

I am just starting, and although I haven't saved 60% yet, I've gotten some great deals. Each list is color coded (and different fonts, so it's b&w printer firendly). Green (bold) is an item you can get FREE, Blue (italics) is an item you can get at significant savings, and stockpiling is recommended if it is an item you use often, and black (plain text) is something that will go on sale for a better price soon.

Want to try it out? Go to http://thegrocerygame.com and sign up for the free 4 week trial. After the trial (which is really easy to cancel if you don't like), it is only $10 for the first store list every 8 weeks, and $5 for each additional if you would like more than one grocery store. Please use me as the referral! My email address is laurie9797@yahoo.com

Hope you enjoy!

Craziness!

Life has just been going by sooo fast lately! I am trying to keep up! lol It's hard to believe I've been living with John for almost a month already. We haven't gotten to see a whole lot of each other because work has us both so busy! :( I have not made any plans this weekend besides a haircut, so my weekend will hopefully consist of going to the gym, possibly for an early morning bike ride, and to finish unpacking the kitchen.. I had set aside unpacking the kitchen because we were going to pain the cabinets, but I think I'd be fine just getting new hardware. I'm ready to feel settled and get unpacked so I have a good sense of accomplishment. The kitchen and a few random boxes are all I have left! Woo hoo! :)

As far as my last post goes, I've slightly curbed the stress snacking.. I've turned back to my old friend, coffee. Yes, it has caffeine, but it's better than my high calorie alternatives. Plus, I'm so exhausted lately, it sounds damn good! LOL I am back under 160, and hope to be back down to 155 or lower the next time I weigh in. We shall see!

My downtime at home has been spent playing those cheesy games on facebook.. I love the Mafia Wars, Pirates, Special Forces, Bejeweled and Farkle games.. OMG they're addicting! haha

Anyways, wanted to touch base with you all... I really miss blogging and reading everyone's blogs.. I'll get back to where I was soon! :)

Time to Get Serious

I've been in denial. I've been avoiding the scale on purpose. Why? Because I've been so busy and stressed. What do I still do, after this period of almost 2 years post op? I stress eat. I can eat marshmallows and not dump. I know exactly how much sugar, fat, etc I can ingest before I hit the dreaded dumping syndrome. It's not failsafe, sometimes I do dump. But I truly wish I dumped EVERY time. That way I would have an issue with eating something I know I shouldn't!
I stepped on the scale this morning, and although I knew I'd probably be teetering around 160, I was at 164. My lowest weight was 151 I think.. but I haven't been above 157 in quite some time.. until now! I know my problem is snacking at work. I frequently chew on a variety of snack foods that are provided free by the company I work for. The temptation is ALWAYS there. In the kitchen, we have the packs of chips, cookies, granola bars, etc.. In payroll, we have every sort of chocolate you can imagine. We have free sodas - everything from Diet Dr Pepper to Ginger Ale. No wonder I gained 30 pounds working here BEFORE WLS.
I'm going to become conscious of what I put in my mouth like I should have been all along. I will not let the food win, and I refuse to become a WLS statistic by regaining what I lost!

They Just Keep Rolling In!!!

Wow, I've been cleaning up my computer and finally organizing my pictures and stuff.. and I keep coming across some quite flattering (cough, choke!) pictures of me! Here's the best angle ever for a pear shaped girl! LOL

This picture was actually a little over a month post op, so I was already down about 30-40 pounds... I remember I was losing rapidly, but not sure where I was at that point..
And, just for reference, here's another seated shot.. I still hate my legs, but wow, when comparing, maybe they're not so terrible after all! haha


Anyways... after that little trip, here's my update on life.
Work - still absolutely crazy.. nothing new there!
Non-work - John closed on his house on Friday the 24th.. We stayed there on Saturday for the first time. My commute is about 45 minutes now, which isn't as bad as I thought it would be. We're still both moving out, still both cleaning, etc. The house is really nice, but it's older, so it has more work to be done than a brand new "fresh" house! haha I'm working on the kitchen.. he's working on stuff outside, changing locks, getting the TV and computers set up.. you know, guy priorities! hehe I can't believe how much shelf paper is! WOW!!! I have spent probably $500 in cleaning products, shelf paper, new home supplies, etc in the past few days. I'm ready for that to stop and be able to get back to my debt snowball! :)
I'll update more soon and post some pictures as well! ;)

Hugs to you all!! As soon as life calms down a bit and/or I have DSL at the house, I'll be able to post and read more. I haven't had a computer at home for about 3 weeks now, so I'm limited to work.. and as I said, work is crazy! :(

Miss you all!!!

Before...

I can't believe I'm actually posting this picture, but it's Me... OLD me.. I will NEVER let myself get even remotely close to this again..
And obviously by the look on my face, I was miserable! lol

Bonus! 2 blogs in a day