tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-47430430414204631562024-03-12T23:34:29.219-05:00A Midwest Former Fat GirlAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17617451103396626233noreply@blogger.comBlogger140125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4743043041420463156.post-46656637389702656572018-04-14T22:51:00.000-05:002018-04-14T22:51:01.329-05:00April Snow Showers Bring...Tonight, I'm sitting here at work (yes, work) on a Saturday night evening dispatch shift and updating my blog. So, clearly April snow showers are not bringing us anything to do, that's for sure! In the last 24 hours, we've had a Severe Thunderstorm Watch, a Severe Thunderstorm Warning (complete with hail) and currently we are in a Winter Weather Advisory. Don't think you can have all 4 seasons in 24 hours? Iowa, "Hold my beer!"<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This could be us tomorrow morning in Iowa!</td></tr>
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Anywho, I've been thinking a lot lately about how once again I've totally neglected my blog. How I do so much better in my daily food tracking and accountability when I have you all to read about it (or not read about it) and when I put it all out there for everyone to see. Plus, I enjoy posting the occasional recipe, or maybe my newest find in the WLS world.<br />
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When I started this blog YEARS ago, it was my WLS pre-op blog. A place where I first started my weight loss journey. Where I wrote about my journey ahead, some of it weight loss related, some of it not. And then after having my surgery, I would also add in bits and pieces of my not-so-normal daily life. My ups and downs, my thoughts, my fun purchases and my many, many break-ups with Diet Coke *taking a drink of Diet Coke* (clearly we're dating again).<br />
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So, I'm sure this comes as no big shock when I type that I'm going to try to do this thing again. Be a little better at it. Be a better Internet blogger friend, even if what I have to post may not be interesting to you. I know, I know, I've typed this before. Just like I've typed this before, but my regain has got to go. I'm tired of carrying it around. I'm tired of my clothes not fitting and having to buy bigger clothes. I'm tired of seeing the person I've become, the person that worked so hard to get approved for surgery, to lose 100 pounds and fought so hard to keep it off, only to gain some of it back. I'm physically, emotionally and mentally tired of the extra weight. I'm.Tired.Of.It.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wouldn't life be great if weight loss came with an easy button?</td></tr>
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Even though I had my WLS in 2010, I'm still human. I still make <strike>bad</strike> <b>HORRIBLE</b> food choices, more often than not, hence the weight regain. Life doesn't come with an easy button, weight loss doesn't come with an easy button and WLS certainly doesn't come with an easy button. If it did, no one would be overweight and life would be perfect! It has taken me many years and numerous times failing things to figure out that I may not perfect and I never will be, but I am me, I have my faults but I'm a pretty good person. And once I finally came to that realization, I could finally focus back on myself and my health. I'm not a WLS failure, I failed to use my tool properly. <br />
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Last fall I started having some health issues, nothing too serious, but serious enough that I went to my PCP. I was sleeping 12 hours a day, I couldn't kick a common cold and I just didn't have any energy. After a bunch of blood work, it was discovered that my Iron and Vitamin D had bottomed out. Now, those of you that know me, know I'm not a huge meat eater and I'm not a red meat eater at all, so when the Dr. told me my Iron was low, I wasn't too surprised. But I have been working my tail off to get that back up. 325mg Iron (ferrous fumarate) a day...yep, a day and 10,000 units of Vitamin D a day. I started this back in January and within a couple of weeks I started feeling better. In fact, until the last month when I got sick (thank you very much Mother Nature) I was feeling great! I had a ton of energy, I was only sleeping 6 hours or so a night and I had started a new lifestyle of eating (more on that next time). I let my symptoms go way to long, like months too long. Listen to your body people, it really knows when there's something wrong!<br />
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Well, I'm pretty sure I've bored you guys enough with this "Hey! I'm Back! <i>Again!</i>" post, so I'll sign off for now. I just checked our outside cameras and it's still snowing, harder now and I still have an hour and a half of work left *sigh* Maybe next week will be Spring???<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-HFkcQ2AsVac/WtKuwKdEhbI/AAAAAAAAA2k/PE5_lpdojgwpPhF9P_q_jlhvssEisSnbACEwYBhgL/s1600/April%2BShowers%2BBring%2BMay%2BFlowers.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="450" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-HFkcQ2AsVac/WtKuwKdEhbI/AAAAAAAAA2k/PE5_lpdojgwpPhF9P_q_jlhvssEisSnbACEwYBhgL/s320/April%2BShowers%2BBring%2BMay%2BFlowers.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We should have some pretty impressive flowers in our future!</td></tr>
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Until next time!<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17617451103396626233noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4743043041420463156.post-34458554411570049822017-06-23T14:44:00.000-05:002017-06-23T14:44:03.544-05:00Adulting Is Hard! <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Need I say more?! When I was in high school, I couldn't wait to graduate, live on my own, have a full time job and be an adult. Well, it's been fun being an adult for the last umpteen years, but I'm ready to go back and slow down time. Does anyone else feel this way? I mean, I can't be the only one that wants summers off again as a kid, zero responsibilities and someone to make me dinner every night.<br />
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Adulting...it's hard! Plain and simple. And just when you think you have all of your ducks in a row, one of those little jerks wanders off. *SIGH* But, you pick yourself back up, you pull up your big girl panties and rock those kitten heels...with a cup of coffee in your hand of course!<br />
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But sometimes that's easier said than done. June was a big month of changes for me diet wise. I stopped drinking soda the first week of June. Then the second week of June I stopped my morning snacking and last but not least, the third week of June I stopped all afternoon and evening snacking. All of this while cutting back my calories to 1200 where they were supposed to be for YEARS post-op. With all of those changes came a wonderful summer cold accompanied by a severe ear infection. An ear infection?! Who at almost 40 gets an ear infection? This girl, that's who. UGH!!!!! But there is a silver lining to all of this, I promise!!!! Wait for it.....I lost 10 pounds! 10 pounds of my 50 pound regain. Heck yes! I'll take it! It's pretty amazing what you can do when you actually pay attention to what you're putting in your mouth, making the right food choices, measuring everything and quit grocery shopping like your parents left you home alone for the weekend. <br />
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Speaking of shopping like your parents left you home alone for the weekend, my trip to the grocery store today actually surprised me, in a great way! I came home with healthy snacks and ideas! Foods like red grapes, bananas, cantaloupe, brussel sprouts for roasting and frozen veggies. For a sweet treat I picked up some Greek and other yogurts and I think I'm ready for my vacation days off! <br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pCTGg7KfD-M/WU1nBIRmKzI/AAAAAAAAA1c/nUlcg4OOde4AZgZvTpJIi_mfoP1xMRMLgCEwYBhgL/s1600/Modern%2BGranny.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pCTGg7KfD-M/WU1nBIRmKzI/AAAAAAAAA1c/nUlcg4OOde4AZgZvTpJIi_mfoP1xMRMLgCEwYBhgL/s320/Modern%2BGranny.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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In an effort to keep my hands busy and to break the snacking cycle, I've really picked up the pace on my Modern Granny blanket. I have big plans to get it finished before I go back to work next Thursday, so I can give it to a very special little girl that needs a big girl blanket to keep at her Grams' house when she comes to stay. As soon as this is off my hook, I'll be onto making another blanket to keep my hands out of the snacks. <br />
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So, you can guess what I'm off to do...picking up the hook to keep the snacks down! <br />
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Until next time!<br />
<img alt="post signature" class="centered" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54491/60/8C70F46A706CCEEF6310965CE0FFFEE2.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0px;" />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17617451103396626233noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4743043041420463156.post-68992696456426280942017-05-29T19:26:00.001-05:002017-05-29T19:26:34.006-05:00Is Starting Over (Im)Possible?<br />
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We've all be there. And if you're sitting there saying you haven't been, give it time, you will be. I have yet to met a single weight loss surgery patient who hasn't pushed the limits of their new pouches, who haven't cheated or just plain given up on their diet. I will be the first to admit I have fallen completely off the wagon...like bad. Restricted diet? What's that? Is that something I'm supposed to be doing 7 years post-op?<br />
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Who remembers the complete and total bliss of not feeling hungry after surgery? Who else remembers the excitement of actually wanting to get on the scale because you knew you had lost weight? And remember how much fun it was to go shopping for a new pair of jean because you were buying a smaller size? Ahhhh....the good old days of weight loss euphoria.<br />
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But on the flip side, who remembers the first time you got food stuck? OUCH! Or that time your pouch decided it didn't like a food that it liked the day before? OUCH! Or when your whole body hurt and you used to be able to pop a couple of ibuprofen and make the pain go away....does Tylenol even do anything or help with pain? <br />
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When you decided to have weight loss surgery, you decided to take the good with the bad. Hoping, praying there would be more good times than bad and for most people the good times far outshine the bad. We wouldn't have decided to have this surgery if we hadn't thought it would be worth it, right? So what changed? Where did things go wrong? Where did you turn left instead of right?<br />
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You know what happened? You're human. I'm human. I am a perfect example of what happens when you think you have a handle on things. I think I have a handle on my diet so I can start eating things I know I shouldn't, but damn it, I just want to have it. I think I can have more than one beer in 24 hours because damn it, I want it! I can eat out more often, it's okay, because I'm not eating as much (lies, lies, lies), but damn it, I want to be normal! <br />
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But what is normal? Normal is defined as conforming to a standard: usual, typical, or expected. I don't know about you, but I signed away my definition of normal at about 6:30am October 5, 2010 when I checked into the hospital to have weight loss surgery. We no longer have the typical definition of normal. We have new definitions and they are anything BUT normal. We have taken everything we have ever known when it comes to food and eating: mixed it up, moved it around, rearranged it, spit it back out and here we are...some of us are fractions of the person we were before. Some of us (me) are a bit fluffier than what we would like to be, which brings me back to my post title, do you think starting over is (im)possible? I know I've said many different times that I've had it and that I'm starting my diet...again. No exceptions! I jump in head first, hardcore and then I bottom out and fail. Every.Single.Time. When am I going to learn? I didn't gain all of my weight overnight, it's not going to come off overnight. Every time I start over full force it feels so overwhelming, I get so discouraged, I end up giving up. </div>
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This time I have decided to take on this task a couple steps at a time. My first step? Giving up soda FOR GOOD. I'm very good about giving it up for a week or two, but then the weekend comes along and I sneak one in. Not anymore. Today is one week soda free. My next step? Picking a healthier morning snack. Every day at work at about 11am or so, I would get hungry so I would snack on either some crackers or chips. Not anymore. My new snack? <a href="http://www.oikosyogurt.com/products/triple-zero-single-serve/salted-caramel/?httpreferer=www.google.com" target="_blank">Oikos Yogurt</a> if I'm even feeling hungry. Up next? Logging food. Man, I hate, hate, HATE logging my food, but it keeps me accountable. And last but not least that I actually just started doing today is adding a handful (which is about 1 cup) of fresh raw spinach to my morning protein shake. I know it sounds weird and I was very doubtful, but I'm telling you, you can't taste it and it only adds 7 calories to your shake. 7...that's it! 7 little calories and you have a simple serving of your veggies in. </div>
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So, see...as of May 29 2017, it is possible to start over. You can start over too, you just need to find out what is going to work for you. Some people do better if they jump in head first, but after numerous attempts, I've found I'm failing. I'm going to focus on making good, solid changes and work my way from there. I can do this. WE can do this. We didn't come this far for nothing! </div>
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Until next time!</div>
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<img alt="post signature" class="centered" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54491/60/8C70F46A706CCEEF6310965CE0FFFEE2.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0px;" />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17617451103396626233noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4743043041420463156.post-47929121327918679562016-08-07T16:55:00.000-05:002016-08-07T16:55:38.572-05:00So, I Purchased A Scale And I've Lost.....<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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One of the hardest things about getting back on track besides walking thru my surgeon's office door was getting the on the scale and seeing how much weight I had gained. I hadn't stepped on a scale in probably over a year. When my scale broke, I never replaced it. <b>HUGE</b> mistake! </div>
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When I first had surgery I got on the scale at least 3 times a day. That was a little extreme and I finally stopped that and would just weigh myself every morning. That was one of the many ways I would keep myself in check. Once again, another thing I just let go in the long list of many in my journey.</div>
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After getting on the scale at the surgeon's office and seeing that number I realized I needed a new scale and pronto! So, today while I was in Des Moines, I stopped by Bed, Bath and Beyond with my trusty 20% off coupon and decided to pick one out. I didn't want to spend a lot of money on it because I'm holding out for a <a href="https://www.fitbit.com/aria" target="_blank">Fitbit Aria Scale</a>, but found <a href="http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/store/product/conair-reg-thinner-trade-portable-digital-bathroom-scale/1016546313?Keyword=thinner+scale" target="_blank">this</a> scale for $19.99. With my 20% off coupon, it was $16. I love their coupons and I like a good deal, so it came home with me.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The New Addition To My #nomoreregain Journey<br /><br /></td></tr>
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After I got home, I couldn't wait to hop on the scale and to see how much I weighed. Crazy, right?! It's amazing how something so small can make or break your day, but...my hard work over the last 10 days has paid off. I'VE LOST 7 POUNDS!!!! In 10 days!!!! I can't believe it! It's not a lot, but it's better than nothing!!!! That 7 pounds is the motivation I needed to keep going.</div>
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It's been a rough weekend for my diet. Beers on Friday, a birthday celebration last night with eating out and wrapping up the birthday celebration today. But I think I did okay. Last night we ate dinner at an upscale diner that had comfort food. Things like mac and cheese with bacon, chicken pot pie, a grilled cheese sandwich with short ribs. Name it, the comfort food was on the menu. I picked the meatloaf with garlic mashed potatoes and green bean casserole. It was fabulous! I ate 1 1/2 slices of the meatloaf, a couple bites of the mashed potatoes and a couple of green beans and I was done and stuffed. I don't even know where to begin to calculate the calories, but look how amazing this was!</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The plating was beautiful!<br /><br /><br /></td></tr>
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So, now you're all caught up on my weekend, my new purchase and my weight loss. I weigh in on Wednesday at my surgeon's office and am hoping that maybe I can hit that 10 pound loss by then. I'm going to have to push extra hard, but if I don't make it, I'm not going to get down on myself, 7 pounds is still pretty good! I am proof that if you've gotten off track, you can get back on the wagon and if I can do it, so can you! We can do this! Team <b>#nomoreregain</b>...we've got this!</div>
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Until next time!<br />
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<img alt="post signature" class="centered" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54491/60/8C70F46A706CCEEF6310965CE0FFFEE2.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0px;" />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17617451103396626233noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4743043041420463156.post-66525202638000432342016-08-03T14:48:00.000-05:002016-08-03T14:48:23.054-05:00One Week Ago.....<div style="text-align: justify;">
Can you believe it's only been one week since I've been to my surgeon's office to get back on track? Me either! A lot has happened in this last week. My last soda was Tuesday on my way home from my surgeon's office. My last Click protein shake was the Friday before that. I'm down to 1 cup of coffee a day and I am eating more of my protein instead of drinking it. I've been doing really well at staying between 1100-1200 calories, getting my water in and getting my steps in. All of that in a week! Whew!</div>
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And in true Katie fashion, I've started my cooking back up and trying new recipes. Last week I tried 3 new things. Breakfast Burritos (without the tortilla), Ground Turkey and Broccoli Egg Bake and last but not least (and my new obsession), Overnight Oats. Have you guys tried these yet? They are amazing! You have to try them! They are low in calories and high in protein so it's a win win for a breakfast! And they keep me full for a very long time! What more could I want? Want to try them for yourself? Here's the <a href="http://www.quakeroats.com/cooking-and-recipes/overnightoats" target="_blank">link</a>. There are so many different recipes out there too, check out <a href="https://www.pinterest.com/" target="_blank">Pinterest</a> for even more recipes. I want to try so many of them, I may have to make an Overnight Oats board!</div>
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Here are the 3 I made last week:</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-z1HUtMx5f8A/V6IrrsXnDVI/AAAAAAAAAyw/lsOpJYHnhUAMJ-p34fupLjlMOFL6swpYACLcB/s1600/Overnight%2BOats%2BChocolate%2Bwith%2Bstrawberries%2Band%2Bbananas.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-z1HUtMx5f8A/V6IrrsXnDVI/AAAAAAAAAyw/lsOpJYHnhUAMJ-p34fupLjlMOFL6swpYACLcB/s320/Overnight%2BOats%2BChocolate%2Bwith%2Bstrawberries%2Band%2Bbananas.jpg" width="258" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chocolate with Strawberries and Bananas Overnight Oats</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gowaZpKbQ4o/V6IrrsE7rWI/AAAAAAAAAyo/tBuigX2a5EcPqDvcPF5ZGP4sMGc4qWKWgCLcB/s1600/Overnight%2BOats%2BPeanut%2BButter%2BJelly.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gowaZpKbQ4o/V6IrrsE7rWI/AAAAAAAAAyo/tBuigX2a5EcPqDvcPF5ZGP4sMGc4qWKWgCLcB/s320/Overnight%2BOats%2BPeanut%2BButter%2BJelly.jpg" width="284" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Peanut Butter and Jelly Overnight Oats</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-sXdPdwy0KXg/V6IrrnOxDGI/AAAAAAAAAys/ayvZI2YnVTEJWBPZr6v4CQ81tX7mJIsDwCLcB/s1600/Overnight%2BOats%2BStrawberries%2Band%2BBananas.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-sXdPdwy0KXg/V6IrrnOxDGI/AAAAAAAAAys/ayvZI2YnVTEJWBPZr6v4CQ81tX7mJIsDwCLcB/s320/Overnight%2BOats%2BStrawberries%2Band%2BBananas.jpg" width="242" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Strawberries and Bananas Overnight Oats</td></tr>
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All 3 of these were amazing! The peanut butter and jelly one was so rich and creamy, but it was too rich for me. The recipe calls for 2 Tbsp of peanut butter, but when I make it again, I will only be using one. Tonight I will be making <a href="http://amyshealthybaking.com/blog/2015/09/02/pumpkin-pie-protein-overnight-oats/" target="_blank">Pumpkin Pie Protein Overnight Oats</a> for breakfast tomorrow. I'm excited and a little nervous, this recipe calls for Greek yogurt and I haven't had one like that before. Fingers crossed that it turns out! </div>
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This afternoon is going to be filled with laundry, dishes, cooking for the next 3 days and filling Scentsy orders and getting them ready for delivery. I think I'll be busy enough to keep my mind entertained and not thinking about snacking, hopefully. But, if I'm going to get anything done, I should probably wrap this up and get to it! Have a great day everyone!!!</div>
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Until next time!</div>
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<img alt="post signature" class="centered" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54491/60/8C70F46A706CCEEF6310965CE0FFFEE2.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0px;" />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17617451103396626233noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4743043041420463156.post-40751621033026394032016-07-29T16:38:00.002-05:002016-07-29T16:38:54.601-05:00The Hardest Part Is Over<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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As many of you have read or heard, I decided to go back to my weight loss surgeon to get back on track. I was all geared up and thought I was ready for the appointment, until Tuesday morning when it became a reality. I was nervous, upset, excited, ashamed, basically a basket case of emotions. </div>
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My surgeon's office is only about 45 minutes away, but it seemed like the longest ride of my life. I did the "walk of shame" from the back of the parking lot, finally made it to the doors, took a deep breath, walked in and the most amazing thing happened. There was zero judgement for not being there in 2 years. Everyone one was excited to see me and welcomed me with open arms, for serious, with real open arms, my nurse that I've had now for 6 years came up and gave me a hug, telling me it was so nice to have me back. That black cloud I felt had been hanging over me walking into the office vanished. There was no yelling, no screaming and no harsh words. My team knew how hard it was for me to come back and instead of nitpicking my failure, they were excited to get me back on track. My nurse Tracy said it best after I got of the scale, "The hardest part is over, Katie. You're here now, you're taking the first step to get back on track and we're all happy to see you here and to help you." </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Just get started!!!!</td></tr>
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After meeting with the Dr, I met with my new nutritionist (we will call her my Nut from here on out) and she too was just happy I was there and so willing to help me. We only had 15 minutes (I go back August 10 for another appointment with her) but I fell like I have a handle on my weight loss journey again. Going back to the basics of no drinking 30 minutes before a meal, during a meal or 30 minutes after meals. 1,000-1,200 calories a day. Vitamins, protein shakes, healthy snacking, breaking up with my Diet Coke. All of that in 15 minutes. It was exactly what I needed to motivate me to get back on track. I have a lot of work to do and a long road ahead of me, but I know I can do it!</div>
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So, in true Katie fashion, I jumped in head first Wednesday morning with 100% motivation and zero room for failing. I cannot fail, I will not fail. I cannot fail, I will not fail. <b>SAY IT WITH ME!!!!</b></div>
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<span style="text-align: justify;">Even though I have this new cannot fail mentality and did an awesome job at work the last 2 days (under 1,200 calories on both days, no AM snacking both days, no soda both days, over my step goal both days), this weekend has me very worried. Now, don't get me wrong, I love my 3 day weekends. LOVE THEM. But doing so well the last 2 days that were so structured for me and now these next 3 days of no structure has me feeling a little uneasy. I need a lot of good vibes sent my way that I don't fall off the wagon in the next 3 days. So far today it's been okay. I've been for my walk (I feel I got cheated on my steps, but I'll save that for another post), been to the grocery store and have hit the water hard. No AM snacks and only my 1 cup of coffee. But I'm struggling with what I'm going to have for dinner, which really shouldn't be a shock to anyone. I have out chicken and broccoli, so I'm pretty sure that is what's on the menu. I do have some strawberries to clean and 2 dozen ears of corn to take off the cob and freeze, so I should keep pretty busy. I'm also going to try to make a crust less quiche with ground turkey, broccoli and cheese. Wish me luck on the quiche...I've never made one and may never make one again!</span></div>
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I hope you all have a wonderful weekend! As you can tell, I have a lot going on in mine LOL I would love to hear your plans, live vicariously thru you all! Enjoy your time off!<br />
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Until next time!<br />
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<img alt="post signature" class="centered" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54491/60/8C70F46A706CCEEF6310965CE0FFFEE2.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0px;" /></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17617451103396626233noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4743043041420463156.post-39081898186300861372016-07-23T11:45:00.000-05:002016-07-23T11:45:58.033-05:00Time To Shake Things Up!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vpMfeqg5upM/V5OJLd1ma9I/AAAAAAAAAwo/ej9LyuRPIxQtxBYOIfy2JZuYpHEXUooqwCLcB/s1600/Shake_It_Up.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="182" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vpMfeqg5upM/V5OJLd1ma9I/AAAAAAAAAwo/ej9LyuRPIxQtxBYOIfy2JZuYpHEXUooqwCLcB/s320/Shake_It_Up.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Do you like what I did there? Pretty clever, huh? In getting back on track, I need to make a few changes to my daily routines and eating habits. I'm sad to say that after 5 1/2 years together, for almost every day, I'm making a clean break from my Click protein breakfast shake. We had a good run. A very, VERY good run. But as the title says, it's time to shake things up a bit. So, this week I decided to order one of my old favorites. This morning I picked up a new to me protein flavor, <a href="http://www.vitaminshoppe.com/p/syntrax-nectar-fuzzy-navel-grab-n-go-12-packets/io-1043#.V5OIBfkrI_k" target="_blank">Fuzzy Navel by Syntrax</a> single serve packet at Hy-Vee on the way into work. My go to for a long time was <a href="http://www.vitaminshoppe.com/p/syntrax-nectar-roadside-lemonade-2-lb-powder/io-1018#.V5OIWvkrI_k" target="_blank">Roadside Lemonade by Syntrax</a> (which may or may not be on it's way to my house), but I couldn't find it in town so I have to wait. But I didn't want to wait too long to change things up, because if I wait too long, I won't do it. I know this about me. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My Breakfast Today Plus A Banana</td></tr>
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My thoughts on it? Well, it's not coffee. It doesn't have any caffeine. And it didn't have any vodka (I swear that's water in that <a href="http://www.blenderbottle.com/" target="_blank">blender bottle</a>) but for 24 grams of protein and 100 calories? It was pretty darn tasty. As tasty as my Roadside Lemonade? No. Will I get this again? YES! The only problem I had was that it took longer to mix in the bottle than I thought it would. I had this along with a banana and saved about 100 calories. Worth it? You bet!</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My Next Breakfast Adventure</td></tr>
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Next on my agenda? Actually eating my breakfast, not drinking it. I'm wanting to try to make breakfast burritos (without the tortilla), portioning them out and freezing them so I always have something on hand to grab to take to work in the mornings. Any of you have a kick-a** recipe you want to share? Or a secret ingredient I NEED to have? I have a very simple recipe in mind: ground turkey, red and green peppers, an onion, eggs, cheese, salsa and taco seasoning. Or I might mix it up with some ham or bacon depending on my mood when I make them. Easy Peasy! </div>
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I think at this point, I might have a handle on breakfast. I have decided to break my meals down and work on them individually so it's not so overwhelming and perhaps easier to get back to the basics. I'm open to any suggestions or help anyone has to offer. Any food journals, menu planners, recipes. Anything! </div>
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Until next time!<br />
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<img alt="post signature" class="centered" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54491/60/8C70F46A706CCEEF6310965CE0FFFEE2.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0px;" />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17617451103396626233noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4743043041420463156.post-63980021478151072492016-07-17T13:44:00.000-05:002016-07-17T13:44:41.962-05:00Fitbit, Bits of Fit, Let's Get Fit<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I have been wearing <strike>my</strike> (dad's old) Fitbit Flex since about Christmas time. I had purchased the Fitbit Charge about a year before that, but had gotten a chemical burn from the clasp, so the Flex was perfect because I could change out the bands to something that didn't have the same type of clasp. I had found some really neat bands on Amazon that were really reasonably priced for the Flex, so I purchased a couple of them and away I went. And by away I went, I mean I wore it. That's about it. Well, that's not completely true...I did like to track my sleep, or lack there of. And every once in awhile I would get the urge to see if I could make my step goal but that was really it. </div>
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Since then, my Flex has started to lose it's charge, lasting only a couple of days. Now, it's had a very good run. My dad had it for probably close to 3 or 4 years and wore it faithfully every day and I've had it about 6 months or so. All in all, I would say the Flex has had a good life. And I wouldn't even be considering looking at a new one if the charge would hold on the Flex and if I wasn't trying to get back on track.</div>
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So, what's a girl to do when she needs a new Fitbit? Well, read all 2000+ reviews on Amazon of course! I've read reviews, I've watched videos, I've compared the Charge HR to the Alta to the Blaze. I've looked at the pros and cons of them and have narrowed my choice down to the Blaze...for now...</div>
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Look at how pretty it is! The band comes in Black, Blue or Purple. The band is removable so if something should happen to it, I can replace the band only and not have to buy a whole new one (like the Charge HR). The clasp, it's like a watch so hopefully I won't get a chemical reaction. The screen...HUGE! I can see how many steps I've taken, what time it is, track my heart rate, receive notifications and more. Probably more than I need! But it's early in the week, I could change my mind a dozen times before now and when I go get one next weekend.</div>
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The 2 pictures above pretty much sums up how I feel right now while I'm typing this post. My Bits of Fit is charging, it was DEAD, so I can't possibly can't step right now when it's not going to count, right?! RIGHT! I've mentioned my friend Mary Ann before on here, she's keeping me going on my Fitbit by inviting me to do challenges to get my steps in. My best friend and I also do challenges and have a blast! She and I work some of the same hours and understand the struggle of trying to get steps in when you're pretty much handcuffed to a computer and phone all day and can't leave your area. I will tell you this.....it's exactly 27 steps around the 2 dispatch consoles in the Comm Center. One night I managed to get just about 4000 steps in before midnight while dispatching. That's a lot of circles around that room! But hey, steps are steps! </div>
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I've only been looking at Fitbit trackers, but I know there are other brands out there. So, if anyone has any other suggestions or even opinions on a Fitbit, please hit me up! I've been out of the Fitbit loop and workout world for awhile, so I don't know much about what's out there. </div>
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So, now you know what I've been doing the last couple of days, which isn't much, but I've managed to get some steps in, so not all is lost. Last night my youngest niece wanted to ride her bike, so I walked around with her and gained quite a few steps. She had fun, I got in a small walk, so everyone was happy! I'm going to try to get some steps in today while I dink around the house and yes, walk in circles. Are you wanting to get some more steps in? Wanting to do more challenges? Wanting more friends on Fitbit? Find me <a href="https://www.fitbit.com/user/2265M4" target="_blank">here</a> and let's get to stepping!!!! </div>
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Until next time!<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17617451103396626233noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4743043041420463156.post-26926024990469782592016-07-11T16:18:00.002-05:002016-07-11T16:18:50.001-05:00Baby Steps<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Usually when I put my mind to something, I jump in 100% with no blinders and just go full force. In the past, it has worked for me I would say 8 out of 10 times, which really aren't bad odds.<br />
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However, when it comes to WLS and being successful, you can by all means jump in head first, but, you're going to hit rock bottom and hit it fast. WLS patients will agree with me on this, we have to have the patience, ambition and drive to be successful, but we also have to form good habits, which doesn't happen in a week. <br />
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I'm ready to make my change and I started yesterday but setting my mind to getting back on track. And today I called my surgeon's office and made an appointment with not only my surgeon, but also the nutritionist, which is July 26th at 2pm. I've also made an appointment to have my lab work done Friday (the 15th) and have the results sent to the surgeon's office. I would say those are pretty good starts for someone who has been putting things off for a long time.<br />
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I also added the below picture to my blog for visual motivation. The picture taken in November 2011 was 1 year after my weight loss surgery. The other picture was taken at the end of May, 2016. I love both pictures of myself, but I like the one in 2011 better. Will I ever get back to that? I hope so, but it's going to take a lot of hard work and dedication and I know, deep down I have what it takes to do it!<br />
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I want to thank everyone who read my post yesterday, commented and reached out to me. It meant a lot to me and it's the kind of positive energy I need. But I want to give a HUGE thank you and shout out to my close friend Mary Ann. She has been there for me from the beginning and thru many ups and downs and she continues to be there for me. She's my weight loss cheerleader, my life coach and a wonderful positive influence I need in my life. Thank you, Mary <span style="color: red;">♥ </span>I could never repay you!</div>
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Until next time!</div>
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<img alt="post signature" class="centered" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54491/60/8C70F46A706CCEEF6310965CE0FFFEE2.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0px;" />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17617451103396626233noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4743043041420463156.post-44879718540635822702016-07-10T13:30:00.000-05:002016-07-10T13:30:13.596-05:00It's Never Easy Admitting Failure...<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Oh, here I am!!!!</td></tr>
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<br />I've been sitting here, trying to think about how I'm going to approach this blog post. It's never easy admitting that you have been sliding backwards in your weight loss journey. But it's time I throw up the white flag and admit it. I have gained some of my weight back. Enough that I need to be held accountable for it. And to start being held accountable, it's going to start here today with this first blog post since December 2013.<div>
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So, where have I been? <b><u>NOT</u></b> working out. <b><u>NOT</u></b> watching my food intake. <b><u>NOT</u></b> eating healthy. <b><u>NOT</u></b> food planning. <b><u>NOT</u></b> keeping appointments with my surgeon.. Basically, I've been doing nothing. There you have it-I haven't been accountable for a single thing in my weight loss life, including this blog. Having this blog being public and shared on my social media was one way of keeping myself in check. You all were unknowingly part of what kept me going and kept me aware of my weight loss (or lack thereof right now).</div>
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I have gained back some weight-too much for me to be comfortable with. I'm finding myself buying bigger shirts, or pulling out older clothes from early on in my journey. This needs to stop, there's no excuse for this, but believe me, I've managed to find every one of them in the book. "But I work 12 hour shifts." "It's too hard to plan ahead on a shift like this." "I don't get off of work until 7pm, by then it's too late to go for a walk." "I don't like to drink plain water." And those are just the excuses on the days I work! I didn't come this far to fail, failure is not an option. </div>
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Now that I've fessed up, it's time to do something about it. It's only a lot of hot air if you don't have a plan of attack or goals in place. </div>
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<li>The first thing I'm going to do is schedule an appointment with my surgeon and nutritionist. Are they going to be unhappy? Yes. Do I need to hear it? Yes. It's part of being held accountable.</li>
<li>Exercise. Plain and simple. That's it. I miss running, I really do. I'm not sure I'll ever get back to that point, but I sure as heck need to try!</li>
<li>Menu Planning/Planning Ahead. I did very well when I was doing this. Every WLS person knows our daily struggle and anxiety with food. Not planning ahead can turn into a downward spiral very quickly. And once you get out of the habit, it's even easier to just keep going down the rabbit hole.</li>
<li>Stay Positive. The changes that I made back in 2010 did not form overnight. The weight I've put on in the last almost 3 years didn't come on overnight, so it's not going to go away overnight. </li>
<li>Keep this blog going, even if people I know don't read it, it's out there which means someone will see it. </li>
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They say it takes about 21 days to form a habit, so hang in there with me. You may not hear from me daily, but I'm not going off the grid again. THE Midwest Former Fat Girl is back!</div>
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Until next time!</div>
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Kates</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17617451103396626233noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4743043041420463156.post-30182458410164672762013-12-29T12:56:00.000-06:002013-12-29T12:56:05.579-06:00Did You Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas?Christmas...the most wonderful time of the year! Even though it was a blur this year (with working days 6am-2pm and doing family stuff at night, getting up at 4am was a little rough) and I was exhausted, but I wouldn't change it for anything. I didn't get to see my nieces and nephews for long, but it was better than nothing and seeing the looks on their faces when they opened their presents made the lack of sleep totally worth it ♥<br />
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I received many MANY nice gifts this year but the best one was seeing how excited my niece and nephew got when they opened their Samsung 3 Tablets and when my other nephew opened his iPod Touch from Aunt Katie. That made the lack of sleep and extra hours at work seem like nothing! My sister told my mom that my nephew hasn't put his iPod down since he opened it :)<br />
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My parents went all out and got both my sister and I <a href="http://www.kitchenaid.com/shop/countertop-appliances-1/countertop-appliances-2/stand-mixers-3/-%5BKSM150PSES%5D-400120/KSM150PSES/" target="_blank">KitchenAid Stand Mixers</a> this year. I picked out the Empire Red one that matches my kitchen perfectly. But I had picked it out in October, which meant I had to wait FOREVER to use it! It was pure torture! I got it out of the box yesterday, cleaned off the top of my pantry and I think it matches my kitchen decor pretty darn good! <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I got quite the workout hefting it all the way up there!</td></tr>
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I have been pinning recipes for the last couple of months to make when I finally got my mixer and decided to try making <a href="http://www.bakedbyrachel.com/2013/02/garlic-and-herb-pull-apart-bread/" target="_blank">Garlic & Herb Pull Apart Bread.</a> It mixed together very easily, but I did need to add about a 1/2 TBSP more warm water. It pulled right off the dough hook and shaped into a ball without any problems at all. You need to cover the dough and let it rise until it doubles in size. Since this is my first try at this, I turned my oven onto it's lowest temp, which was 170, let it heat up and shut it off. I covered my dough and placed it in the warm oven.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cover and let it rise, until it doubles in size, about 45 minutes.</td></tr>
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The next part was actually humorous. I had never rolled out any type of dough, so this proved to be a little difficult in a kitchen that is no bigger than a box. But, I did it and it didn't turn out too shabby, but I can see where the phrase practice makes perfect would apply here. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I'm going to need more practice at rolling out dough.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Almost there! Cover and rise, again!</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ta Da!!!!! The finished product!</td></tr>
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Now, I'm no Rachael Ray, but I must say, this turned out FABULOUS!!!! The smell alone while it was baking was enough to make my mouth water! This was my first attempt ever at bread from scratch (besides using a bread machine) and I think it turned out pretty good! So, round one with the KitchenAid Mixer was a success! So much so, I'm making another one right now for my niece's birthday party!<br />
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Until next time!<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17617451103396626233noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4743043041420463156.post-39780558544347080842013-11-03T07:57:00.000-06:002013-11-03T07:57:01.037-06:00What Time Is It?! <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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As many of you know or are just remembering as you're waking up, we got to turn our clocks back an hour this morning at 2am! Or is that 1am? And since I was up at 6am, (that's really 7am, right?) I didn't know what time it really was. Thank goodness my iPhone and docking station turned back on their own, or else I wouldn't have a clue what time it is. Of course, you're never more confused about what time it is until you start walking around your house and find that every clock you own is still an hour ahead. Let's see, there was the one on the stove, the one on the wall in the kitchen, the microwave, the one next to me as I type. The one in the bathroom and the one in the basement. I think that should be it. I think. <br />
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I was all excited for my extra hour of sleep when I went to bed last night that I think I jinxed myself and was wide awake at 6. Wait, 7. No 6, it was defiantly 6. New time. I laid around and watched some Sex In The City and some Beverly Hills 90210 and then decided to get my lazy rear out of bed and do some laundry. And change some clocks. A lot of clocks.<br />
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So, here's my friendly PSA for the day, <b>don't forget to fall back, change the batteries in your smoke detectors</b> and enjoy your extra hour of the day, no matter what you're doing. <br />
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Until next time,<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17617451103396626233noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4743043041420463156.post-7487618322999236592013-10-27T09:43:00.000-05:002013-10-27T09:43:48.096-05:00What's Your Secret?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Lately on Facebook, I've been seeing posts from some friends who have posted before and after pictures of their weight loss. And it seems about every other comment says the same thing, "Congrats! You look wonderful! What's your secret?". When I posted my 100 pounds lost pictures, I received the same comments and never thought a thing about it. Until last night.<br />
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Someone I've known for a long time lost 100 pounds recently and they look AMAZING! And as I'm looking at their pictures and making my comment of how fabulous they look, there they are. The "Hey! You look great! How did you do it?!". The "What's your secret?" and "Message me your diet plan!" comments. And then it hit me. Their secret is like every one else who has lost weight,<b> HARD WORK AND DETERMINATION</b>! Those two words are the secret to any success. There's no magic diet, no wonder food and there's surely no easy way out. You have to WANT to lose weight, you have to WANT to better your life, you have to WANT to feel better. So, basically what I'm saying is you have to WANT it. It's kind of all or nothing, especially when it comes to weight loss surgery. <br />
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Hard work and determination have been my secrets to my success. My weight loss surgery was merely a tool to get me back on track and to keep me in check. The rest has been up to me. And it's up to you! Whether you've had weight loss surgery or not, your success is YOURS! So, the next time someone asks you what your secret is to weight loss, you tell them...HARD WORK AND DETERMINATION! <br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17617451103396626233noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4743043041420463156.post-33497147968111069602013-10-06T12:37:00.000-05:002013-10-06T12:37:39.328-05:003 Years Ago...YesterdayOctober 5 2010, I made one of the biggest decisions of my life. To get control over my weight, my health and my life. And that decision has been worth it! All the pain, tears and smiles...worth it. <br />
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I have lost friends along the way, gained inspiration in places I never thought possible and have become a stronger woman. I have had struggles, disappointments and letdowns, but I didn't stop. I still make bad food decisions and have diet soda when I should be having water, but I am only human. But with the support of all of you, my family and friends I got thru it.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-JgFlvubzzec/UlGeDDgFs9I/AAAAAAAAApM/cZX9hIo2MFg/s1600/3+years.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-JgFlvubzzec/UlGeDDgFs9I/AAAAAAAAApM/cZX9hIo2MFg/s320/3+years.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">3 years and still going strong!</td></tr>
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Yesterday was a nice sunny day (a little chilly, but hey, it's fall!) to have a surge-iversary (and yes, in the weight loss community that is a real word LOL) and it was a great night with a couple of close friends to celebrate my accomplishments. <br />
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Today I'm just laying back and relaxing. It's cloudy and cold out so that gives me a green light to sit around, right? RIGHT?! I'm all curled up in my heated blanket, have my dogs by my side and dinner is cooking in the crockpot. I think I'm ready for the afternoon.<br />
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Until next time!<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17617451103396626233noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4743043041420463156.post-18083354058151571862013-10-04T15:55:00.000-05:002013-10-04T15:55:35.531-05:00Fall Is Finally Here!<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Wcj8McZrd6c/Uk7Z88foepI/AAAAAAAAAoQ/X6pPOJb1OHo/s1600/Happy+Fall.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Wcj8McZrd6c/Uk7Z88foepI/AAAAAAAAAoQ/X6pPOJb1OHo/s320/Happy+Fall.jpeg" width="310" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Finally, Fall!</td></tr>
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Fall, my favorite time of year, is finally here! I was beginning to wonder if it was ever going to show up, but with the rain last night and cooler temps today, I'm going to go out on a limb and say it's here. Along with Fall also comes one of my favorite holidays, Halloween!!! I have been decorated outside for about 2 weeks now and am thinking I might do a little inside decorating this weekend. I should have the time since I'm off work for 5 days. Yep...5 days! Not having to set the alarm clock for 4:45 is going to be so nice. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CPU_PPHNDIQ/Uk7vPvIOCoI/AAAAAAAAAo8/_X2cFWAgHrE/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CPU_PPHNDIQ/Uk7vPvIOCoI/AAAAAAAAAo8/_X2cFWAgHrE/s320/photo.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Just a little bit of my outdoor decorations.</td></tr>
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I think my biggest plan this weekend will be to get back on track and make <a href="http://katiedid911.blogspot.com/2013/05/salads-in-jar.html" target="_blank">Salads In A Jar</a>. This of course will require a trip to the grocery store, one of my most hated places to go <b>*SIGH*</b> But it will be worth it in the end, I guess. When it comes to grocery shopping, I can talk myself out of it in a heartbeat, but when it comes to Starbucks, I'm in the car headed East and I barely have my shoes on! <strike><b>IF</b></strike> I end up going to the store, I'm also going to grab a couple of things to make <a href="http://kim-thislittlelifeofmine.blogspot.com/2012/10/slow-cooker-garlic-brown-sugar-chicken.html" target="_blank">Slow Cooker Brown Sugar and Garlic Chicken</a>. <br />
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Last weekend when I was out and about with the best-neighbor-ever Beth, I found some really yummy pumpkin flavored stuff. I found <a href="http://thomasbreads.com/our-products/product.aspx?sku=4812122622" target="_blank">Thomas' Pumpkin Spice Bagels</a> and pumpkin spice cream cheese. They are pure heaven together. I couldn't wait to try them, so I skipped the toaster and just went to town ♥ I also made Pumpkin Spice Cake and Pumpkin Bread (both from <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes-and-cooking/50-canned-pumpkin-recipes/index.html" target="_blank">50 Canned Pumpkin Recipes from The Food Network Magazine</a> ), so that makes me officially ready for Fall, right? <br />
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The weather tonight in Iowa is supposed to be bumpy with some really bad storms headed our way. The local news stations are saying that some of the big wig storm spotters are headed to Iowa for this "event", so I think after I get my hair done (more blonde, here I come!) I'm going to come back home and just wait for it to hit. I will have plenty of veggies to wash and dry to get ready for my salads and I found <a href="http://www.newbelgium.com/beer/detail.aspx?id=4a0076ef-aa43-44bb-a1ff-1a20d33245b6" target="_blank">this beer</a> interesting, so I will be set!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-P2pv_rF7Arw/Uk7sV6ez4NI/AAAAAAAAAog/pWaH6MaqhLE/s1600/pumpkick+beer.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-P2pv_rF7Arw/Uk7sV6ez4NI/AAAAAAAAAog/pWaH6MaqhLE/s320/pumpkick+beer.png" width="91" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another Sign of Fall!</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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Before I go, I want to share these "awesome" pictures with you. About a month ago, my best friend Gina and I, were at the mall and we found this store that had all things...retro. It was a blast! Here are a couple of pictures of our adventure in that store. Enjoy!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0EhksXVXPLM/Uk7tIAK2kPI/AAAAAAAAAoo/lpqWEZs3H0M/s1600/My+color!.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0EhksXVXPLM/Uk7tIAK2kPI/AAAAAAAAAoo/lpqWEZs3H0M/s320/My+color!.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is my "I think I can rock these" face.</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jtj50o5YCWM/Uk7tVaCnubI/AAAAAAAAAow/RWiUdzyxLIg/s1600/1097947_10151590356903963_1948452985_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jtj50o5YCWM/Uk7tVaCnubI/AAAAAAAAAow/RWiUdzyxLIg/s320/1097947_10151590356903963_1948452985_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">These were 30% off, but covered 50% of my face!!!</td></tr>
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Well kids, I'm off! I hope you all have a great rest of the day. If you're in Iowa, stay safe and check in later either here or on my <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/A-Midwest-Former-Fat-Girl/159138447574171" target="_blank">Facebook Page</a>, let me know you're okay!<br />
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Until next time!<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17617451103396626233noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4743043041420463156.post-11134439501438739622013-08-31T08:38:00.000-05:002013-08-31T08:38:23.992-05:00Where Has Summer Gone?!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9Ed9uN3G-Ng/UiHppTboZaI/AAAAAAAAAm0/LDh7e0cdan4/s1600/Summer-is-over.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9Ed9uN3G-Ng/UiHppTboZaI/AAAAAAAAAm0/LDh7e0cdan4/s320/Summer-is-over.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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With Labor Day weekend, comes the unofficial end to summer. However, in Iowa, that's anything but true right now. All week we have been in the 90-100's, schools have been dismissing at 1:15 daily and this weekend doesn't look any different. There could be a break in the heat on Labor Day itself, but I'm not getting my hopes up. It's hard to believe that fall and cooler weather could be right around the corner. <br />
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This weekend is also bringing the beginning of Iowa State Football! And even though I've had weight loss surgery, that doesn't mean I have to miss out on tailgating food, thank goodness! I love tailgating food and you all know how much I love my crockpots, so today I have the best of both worlds. I have Baby Back Ribs in the big crockpot and am making cream corn in the smaller one later. Also, for later are some baked beans. The marinade for the ribs is pretty good, if I do say so myself. I took some olive oil, black pepper, garlic salt, minced onion and a couple of squirts of Sriracha Sauce, combined it in a huge Ziplock bag and threw the ribs in. I put them in the bag at about 4pm yesterday afternoon and kept them in there until I put the ribs in the crockpot at about 7:30am this morning.<br />
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If you like heat and spice, then you need to try Sriracha Sauce. It has a kick, so be careful! I picked mine up at World Market and it was very inexpensive. Right next to the display of sauce was a cookbook full of nothing but Sriracha Sauce recipes. Some of them looked good, some looked interesting. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hCRikkYPVTg/UiHskJiYjUI/AAAAAAAAAnA/SZZORA5rfsg/s1600/Sriracha-Sauce-337x1024.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hCRikkYPVTg/UiHskJiYjUI/AAAAAAAAAnA/SZZORA5rfsg/s320/Sriracha-Sauce-337x1024.jpg" width="105" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A little dab will do ya!</td></tr>
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The cream corn is also over-the-top yummy! And SO easy! Ready? Here you go...a bag of frozen corn, a brick of cream cheese, a stick of butter, couple splashes of milk, 5 sugar packets, salt and pepper. That's it! Throw it all in a crockpot and set it on low for a couple of hours. DONE! If you're running out of counter space you can make this in the oven (at 350) or even in the microwave, but no matter how you make it, it will always turn out creamy and wonderful. <br />
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Other than cooking and baking this holiday weekend, I don't have any other plans and I'm okay with it. With my shift change, I have learned to enjoy being home. I don't miss going out all the time and always feeling like I was on the go. I think people call this relaxing?<br />
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I have to work Monday, so for those of you that don't, enjoy the day off for me! I hope you all have a safe and happy Labor Day weekend! Oh, and <b>GO STATE!!!!!!</b><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-L6Dt2yfWjJA/UiHukwIaIOI/AAAAAAAAAnM/nKLJt3Orbuc/s1600/Iowa_State_Logo.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-L6Dt2yfWjJA/UiHukwIaIOI/AAAAAAAAAnM/nKLJt3Orbuc/s320/Iowa_State_Logo.gif" width="320" /></a></div>
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Until next time!<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17617451103396626233noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4743043041420463156.post-13998618123437541452013-07-31T16:24:00.000-05:002013-07-31T16:24:09.149-05:00What's For Dinner?This whole week I have been hungry for eggs. At one point I was even hungry for a fried egg...I don't even like fried eggs! So today, I decided I would get out my egg cooker so I could have an egg salad sandwich for dinner.<br />
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I have an egg cooker similar to <a href="http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/product.asp?SKU=40817224" target="_blank">this one</a> by Cuisnart that my parents gave me after I had surgery. I love this thing! It reminds me of the old food dehydrater...you set it and forget it! The little timer goes off and VIOLA! You're done! You can cook up to 7 eggs or you can even poach them (if that's your thing). Super easy and a great gadget to have.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-yz9CNySXyes/Ufl6eXCxgAI/AAAAAAAAAmU/7Kopb44Thjo/s1600/egg+cooker.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-yz9CNySXyes/Ufl6eXCxgAI/AAAAAAAAAmU/7Kopb44Thjo/s1600/egg+cooker.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This Is My Egg Cooker</td></tr>
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My recipe for egg salad is really easy. I don't have exact measurements, so I'm just going to list what I use.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<u><b>Egg Salad</b></u></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>1 hardboiled egg</b></div>
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<b>Miracle Whip (at least 1 Tbsp)</b></div>
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<b>Mustard (small squirt)</b></div>
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<b>Ketchup (yes, ketchup)</b></div>
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<b>After I peel my egg, I dice it using an <a href="http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/product.asp?SKU=17080970" target="_blank">egg slicer</a>. Then I just mix in the Miracle Whip, mustard and ketchup. </b></div>
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That's all there is to it. The Miracle Whip and ketchup give it a little kick. I know it sounds like an odd combination, but you should try it, honest. I do the same thing when I make deviled eggs. I always get funny faces when I tell people that's what I use. Ketchup, my secret ingredient! </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gAC8HiwKv_0/Ufl_u08TXhI/AAAAAAAAAmk/eCtVksmcPrU/s1600/ketchup.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gAC8HiwKv_0/Ufl_u08TXhI/AAAAAAAAAmk/eCtVksmcPrU/s200/ketchup.jpg" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My Secret Ingredient</td></tr>
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Until next time!</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17617451103396626233noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4743043041420463156.post-7769127210705365782013-07-28T18:37:00.000-05:002013-07-28T18:37:20.446-05:00Super Easy Sweet & Sour ChickenWhere would I be without my slow cooker? I have used it Saturday and today both! I may <strike>or may not</strike> have a slight addiction to slow cookers. Currently, I have 2 large ones, 1 medium one, 1 small one and 1 for work. I have <a href="http://www.hamiltonbeach.com/programmable-slow-cookers-set--forget-6-qt-programmable-slow-cooker-33969.html" target="_blank">this programmable</a> slow cooker and it gets used the most. I love that you can set it and when it's done cooking, it will automatically put itself on warm. My other large one just has a high, low and warm function. It's my backup slow cooker. My medium one is about 3 quarts and is the perfect size for 2 packages of little smokies or a dip recipe. The small one I hardly use because the food container doesn't come out, so it pretty much collects dust. <a href="http://www.kohls.com/product/prd-1417146/crock-pot-20-oz-lunch-crock-food-warmer.jsp" target="_blank">This</a> one is a food warmer and I use it at work. It's 20 oz and perfect for heating food. It's not meant to cook raw foods, but is perfect otherwise. It has one setting which is low. When I get to work at 6am, I plug it in and by noon my lunch is ready to eat. I've been using the heck out of it and the best part? The food container comes out so you can wash it! PERFECT! <br />
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Today I decided to make sweet and sour chicken in the slow cooker. I took the easy way out, but it still tasted pretty darn good! The only thing missing were the egg rolls. Maybe next time. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qRePAJMcJ00/UfWmXnyya6I/AAAAAAAAAmE/p3SEdBwWhtU/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qRePAJMcJ00/UfWmXnyya6I/AAAAAAAAAmE/p3SEdBwWhtU/s320/photo.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Super Easy Sweet & Sour Chicken</td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<u><b>Super Easy Sweet & Sour Chicken </b></u></div>
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<b>2 lbs chicken, cubed</b></div>
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<b>2 (16oz) bottles sweet & sour sauce</b></div>
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<b>16oz pkg stir fry vegetables, thawed</b></div>
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<b>2 Tbsp cornstarch</b></div>
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<b>2 Tbsp water</b></div>
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<ol>
<li><b>Spray slow cooker with cooking spray. In large bowl combine cubed chicken and sweet and sour sauce. Pour into slow cooker.</b></li>
<li><b>Cover and cook on low 8-10 hours.</b></li>
<li><b>In a small bowl, combine cornstarch and water. Pour into slow cooker and mix well. Add thawed vegetables. Cover and cook on high for 30 more minutes.</b></li>
<li><b>Serve over rice. </b></li>
</ol>
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How much more simple could you get?! Instead of cooking rice from "scratch" I picked up one of those flavored rice packets, the Stir Fry one. Again, super easy. This makes a bunch, so I will be freezing some of it and I will be making it again. Next time I might actually make my sweet and sour sauce from scratch, depending on how ambitious I'm feeling. And I think I might add some red pepper flakes to give it a kick.<br />
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Speaking of ambitious, I suppose I'd better go start folding laundry. I'm always shocked at how much laundry I have for being single. Where does it all come from?!<br />
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Until next time!<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17617451103396626233noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4743043041420463156.post-83053477720011383532013-07-27T20:24:00.001-05:002013-07-27T20:24:37.079-05:00Recipe Obsessed? Maybe...Since my gastric bypass surgery almost 3 years ago, I have been a little more than obsessed with finding the perfect recipe. I can't explain it, I don't know why, but I am. It comes and goes, but lately it's been back with a vengeance. <br />
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I would spend hours. And I mean HOURS on the Internet looking at food blogs and writing down recipes I thought sounded good, or I thought I might want to try at a later date. Then I would watch The Food Network or Man vs. Food. To say I was still obsessed with food would be an understatement. Then came along Pinterest plus my meal planning and let's just say it kicked my obsession into overdrive. However, this new found obsession for recipes keeps my hands busy and out of food. Catch 22? Maybe. But I have an awesome collection of recipes to chose from when I want to try something new. <br />
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I now have notebook, after notebook, after notebook full of hand written recipes which have no organization whatsoever. I'm trying to figure out a way to organize them all and am drawing a blank. Does anyone have any ideas? I've started typing them up and printing them out, but my goodness that's a lot of work! But again, something that keeps my hands busy. So, this is what I've come up with so far. I thought of putting them in page protectors and then having a binder for each "category". What do you think? Yes? No? Something better? HELP!!!!<br />
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On a side note, I've been having a lot of fun infusing my water with different fruits. I've done a batch of watermelon lemonade (Crystal Light), cherry lemonade and strawberry lemonade. Earlier this week I did lemonade with fresh lime juice, strawberries and mint. It was wonderful! Today I might try watermelon and cucumber. The possibilities are endless!!!! <br />
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I decided to try another new recipe tonight for dinner, Slow Cooker Lasagna. And, are you sitting down? I only changed one ingredient! Can you believe it?! Instead of Ricotta cheese, I used cottage cheese. I don't remember where I found this recipe, so if you're reading this and it's yours, please take credit for it☺<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Slow Cooker Lasagna</td></tr>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;"><u>Slow Cooker Lasagna</u></span> </b></div>
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<b><u> </u></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>1 lb ground turkey</b></div>
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<b>1 jar (24oz) spaghetti sauce</b></div>
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<b>1 cup water</b></div>
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<b>1 container (15oz) Ricotta cheese</b></div>
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<b>2 cups (8oz) mozzarella cheese</b></div>
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<b>1/4 cup Parmesan cheese</b></div>
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<b>1 egg</b></div>
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<b>2 Tbsp parsley flakes</b></div>
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<b>lasagna noodles, uncooked</b></div>
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<ol style="text-align: left;">
<li><b>Brown turkey, drain fat. Stir in spaghetti sauce and water. Allow to simmer for about 10 minutes.</b></li>
<li><b>In a bowl, mix together Ricotta cheese, 1 1/2 cups (6oz) mozzarella cheese, parsley, egg and Parmesan cheese.</b></li>
<li><b>Spray slow cooker with cooking spray. Place one cup meat mixture on the bottom of slow cooker. Follow with noodles (broken to fit across) and then 1/2 of the cheese mixture. </b></li>
<li><b>Next, scoop 2 cups of meat mixture, top with noodles and then the other 1/2 of the cheese mixture. Top with remaining meat mixture.</b></li>
<li><b>Cover and cook for 4-6 hours on low. Sprinkle remaining mozzarella cheese on top, allowing it to melt. </b></li>
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The verdict? Not too shabby! I will be making this again, but next time I will add some of my own spices like garlic. There wasn't enough garlic for this girl. And you could easily change up the taste depending on the flavor of spaghetti sauce you pick out. I ended up cooking mine for about 5 1/2 hours and then put it on warm for about 30 minutes while the neighbor and I went for a walk. <br />
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Well, I'm off to do my menu plan for next week. I think I'm only going to try one new recipe, so I should probably be picking that out. Have a good rest of the evening!<br />
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Until next time!<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17617451103396626233noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4743043041420463156.post-61291522868882228812013-07-26T18:58:00.001-05:002013-07-26T18:58:36.994-05:00Wahoo!!! It's The Weekend!!!We did it! We made it to the weekend and not a day too soon! This week seemed a little long for me because I picked up an extra day last Sunday at work, but the paycheck will be well worth it. Just a quick post tonight because I have a recipe I want to share with you all. With the weather being nice and cool this weekend, this one would be perfect to pop in the oven and not heat up the house.<br />
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This recipe started as a black bean casserole but I tweaked it. A lot. It didn't have any corn, pepper or chicken so I decided to add some and it turned out pretty darn good. I also messed with the measurements. I think it would have been better topped with sour cream, so keep that in mind. Next time I might use salsa instead of picante sauce. Mainly because I don't know what the difference is. I'll admit it, I'm no Julia Child LOL Here is my version of the casserole.<br />
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<u><b>Chicken, Corn and Black Bean Casserole </b></u></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>2-3 chicken breasts, cubed</b></div>
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<b>1 cup frozen corn, thawed</b></div>
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<b>1 small onion, chopped</b></div>
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<b>1 green pepper, chopped</b></div>
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<b>14.5oz can diced tomatoes, undrained</b></div>
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<b>15oz can black beans, drained and rinsed </b></div>
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<b>16oz jar picante sauce</b></div>
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<b>2 cloves garlic, minced</b></div>
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<b>2 tsp ground cumin</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>2 cups Mexican blend cheese</b></div>
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<b>12 6inch corn tortillas</b></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<b> 1. In a large skillet, cook chicken. Add green pepper, undrained tomatoes, corn, picante sauce, garlic and cumin. Bring to boiling, reduce heat. Simmer uncovered for 10 minutes. Stir in beans.</b></div>
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<b> 2. Spread 1/3 of the bean mixture over the bottom of a greased 9x13 pan. Top with half of the tortillas (overlapping) and half of the cheese. Add another 1/3 of bean mixture, then remaining tortillas (overlapping) and top with remaining bean mixture.</b></div>
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<b>3. Cover and bake at 350 for 35 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining cheese and let stand for 10 minutes before serving.</b></div>
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<b> </b></div>
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I would say it took me about a 1/2 hour to cut the chicken, onion and pepper and that was the hardest part of the recipe. So, super easy in my books! I have to run, but hope to post another recipe tomorrow if it turns out well. Keep your fingers crossed!</div>
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Until next time!<b><br /></b></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17617451103396626233noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4743043041420463156.post-12065584210509754392013-07-20T18:36:00.000-05:002013-07-20T18:36:00.260-05:00Meal Planning Stresses Me Out!!!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="color: magenta;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>***Warning Long Post Ahead***</b></span></span> </div>
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That's right, meal planning STRESSES me out. And not just a little bit, but a lot bit! I have been reassured by a couple of different people that once I get the hang of it, it does get better. Let's hope this holds true.<br />
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I have been trying to get this done for what, about a month? But I just couldn't wrap my head around it. I spent hours and I mean hours on <a href="http://www.pinterest.com/" target="_blank">Pinterest</a> looking for the perfect menu/meal planner and grocery shopping list. And then the perfect way to store them, and use them and blah, blah, blah. I think that's where part of my stress came from because I wanted it to be so organized. The other half came from just deciding how I was going to attack it. One person I spoke with had 2 different methods of attack, 1) Plan your meals around the weekly grocery store ads and coupons or 2) Plan around different recipes or favorite recipes. I decided on planning around different recipes because I'm starting my new week on a Monday and our local ads don't come out until Wednesday. <br />
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So, after all of that searching and stressing and deciding, I FINALLY came up with a meal plan this afternoon. Now, I'm not going to lie, it took me probably about 2 hours to figure out. I'm not only doing dinners, but I'm doing lunches also. I decided to use <a href="http://www.organizinghomelife.com/grocery-list" target="_blank">this</a> printable grocery list and <a href="http://www.artsyfartsymama.com/2012/01/lets-get-organized-printable.html" target="_blank">this</a> printable menu planner and put them on the fridge. I went to Wal-Mart and picked up a couple of cheap clipboards and some magnets and easy peasy! Done! I think I might add some ribbon on the "clip" and call it quits. I put the menu in a sheet protector to keep it from curling up, but didn't do that with the list in case I decide to add to it.<br />
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So, what am I having for dinner you ask? Monday I'm having left overs from tonight, Sloppy Joes (I'll post the recipe below), Tuesday is left over BBQ Beer Chicken that I had frozen from the last time I made it. Wednesday is Piglets In a Blanket (crescent rolls and little smokies) and Thursday is Tortilla Black Bean Casserole. I went pretty plain on Friday with an egg salad sandwich, something nice and easy. For Saturday and Sunday I decided to break out the slow cooker (shocking, I know) and make Slow Cooker Lasagna and Sweet & Sour Chicken. With making 3 different "big" recipes, I should have plenty for leftovers for the following week and the freezer with any luck. I'm hoping to try to make a couple of bigger recipes a week so I can get my freezer stocked up to make this whole thing easier. But hey, you have to start somewhere, right?! Now, how about that Sloppy Joe recipe:<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">After 4 hours in the slow cooker.</td></tr>
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<u><b>Slow Cooker Sloppy Joes</b></u></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>1 lb ground turkey</b></div>
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<b>minced onion (as little or as much as you like)</b></div>
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<b>1 green pepper, chopped</b></div>
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<b>1 can condensed tomato soup</b></div>
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<b>1/2 cup ketchup</b></div>
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<b>3 Tbsp mustard</b></div>
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<b>2 Tbsp brown sugar </b></div>
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<b>1 Tbsp BBQ sauce</b></div>
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<b>1/8 tsp garlic salt</b></div>
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<b>pepper to taste</b></div>
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<b>Brown the turkey, minced onion and green pepper. Spray slow cooker with cooking spray and place browned turkey in the bottom. In a mixing bowl, combine soup, ketchup, mustard, brown sugar, BBQ sauce, garlic salt and pepper. Whisk ingredients together until the brown sugar is dissolved. Pour mixture into slow cooker and mix with turkey. Cover and cook on low for 4 hours, stirring after 2 hours if you're around. If you're not, it's not a big deal. Serve over hamburger buns. </b><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In our family, we serve ours open-faced.</td></tr>
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So, there you have it. An extremely long post, a couple of printables (is that even a word?!) and a recipe. Not too shabby for a Saturday! By no means does this make me an expert on menu planning, but this is how I started and maybe it will help you, also. Have a great rest of the weekend!<br />
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Until next time!<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17617451103396626233noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4743043041420463156.post-53497111100995395802013-07-14T17:31:00.000-05:002013-07-14T17:31:26.183-05:00Sleep Overs, The Color Run and Swimming Pools!This weekend was a very busy one, jam packed with a lot of family, friends and fun! For starters I had my niece staying with me, so we could do the Color Run yesterday. We had a blast! The weather was perfect and so was the company, I love that girl to pieces <span style="color: red;">♥</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Gmzz6yRXN3w/UeMUurJ2VcI/AAAAAAAAAho/Txe1Ohjylhk/s1600/photo+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Gmzz6yRXN3w/UeMUurJ2VcI/AAAAAAAAAho/Txe1Ohjylhk/s320/photo+2.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A couple of good looking Color Runners!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My Beautiful Niece, Maddie!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me, Struttin My Stuff!</td></tr>
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After the run, we went to lunch which was pretty amusing. We walked in to the restaurant and in the process of being seated our server looked at us like we each had 2 heads. Explaining the Color Run, while covered head to toe in bright corn starch and with pink hair was a little challenging to a person that didn't speak much English, but we managed to get thru it. <br />
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A trip to Kohl's was also on the agenda for 2 things. First, the shoes I'm wearing in the above picture are my old running shoes from last year and I managed to get 2 blisters on my heels, so I needed a pair of cheap flip flops for the rest of the day. And then I wanted to see if they had <a href="http://www.kohls.com/product/prd-1233062/sonoma-outdoors-acrylic-infuser-pitcher.jsp" target="_blank">this infuser water pitcher</a>. My good friend Amanda had picked one up last weekend and has been making the best infused water all week *jealous*. I found it, on sale AND I a $5.00 off coupon AND a 15% off coupon, so I my total bill (flip flops included) was just under $13. SCORE!!! I may <strike>or may not</strike> be drinking some Crystal Light Lemonade infused with strawberries while I type this. I have some frozen fruit in the deep freeze that I think I'm going to try next, see how it works. Wish me luck! <br />
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And of course, what's a trip to Des Moines without going to World Market and Starbucks? That's right, a wasted trip! At World Market I picked up some syrups, my usual salted caramel and cinnamon vanilla (both sugar free of course) and then decided to try out English toffee. This morning I put 2 squirts of English toffee and 2 squirts of white chocolate in my <a href="https://drinkclick.com/" target="_blank">Click</a>, along with my 2 cups of skim milk and 3 ice cubes. It was amazing! <br />
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And now...the pic you've all been waiting for...or not o_O<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-84seBeV2h5E/UeMY2z6PPkI/AAAAAAAAAiI/fWqSxyNT_Ag/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-84seBeV2h5E/UeMY2z6PPkI/AAAAAAAAAiI/fWqSxyNT_Ag/s320/photo.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I Actually Went To The Pool!</td></tr>
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For those of you that don't know, I haven't been in a swimsuit since 2000. And I haven't been in a swimming pool since before then. Today was the first time in <b>13 years</b> that I've been in both! Now, I'm going to spare you a whole body shot (you'll thank me later, trust me) but this is proof that I own a suit and that I actually went. I was a little excited, very nervous and VERY self conscious. But after about 20 minutes or so, I finally relaxed and enjoyed it. It was an odd feeling going back to my childhood pool, but now that it's over, I think I'm ready to go again, after my burn goes away. Guess there are parts of my body that aren't used to getting sunlight. Like, you know, my whole body?! <br />
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So now, I'm just relaxing, doing some laundry and waiting to make dinner. I think <a href="http://www.food.com/recipe/diet-cola-chicken-my-way-303856" target="_blank">Diet Cola Chicken</a> sounds good and will make leftovers for lunches and dinners this week. I'm trying to plan ahead. Key word here <i>trying</i>. This is going to be the week I get this menu thing down *maybe*. <br />
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Until next time!<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17617451103396626233noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4743043041420463156.post-87350219678192602112013-07-11T17:21:00.000-05:002013-07-11T17:21:13.132-05:00How Early Is Too Early?You know the old saying, "The early bird gets the worm"? Well, I've been getting up early....and I mean EARLY (2AM one morning to be exact) and I've yet to catch that worm!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-44Dw1n__Quo/Ud8pbPxOYbI/AAAAAAAAAhY/pH6L_H35lP4/s1600/Early+Bird.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="211" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-44Dw1n__Quo/Ud8pbPxOYbI/AAAAAAAAAhY/pH6L_H35lP4/s320/Early+Bird.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ever feel like this?</td></tr>
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I have just about made it thru my first week of day shift and I must say, it's been pretty successful. I was worried about my sleep patterns and habits since I hadn't been sleeping for months, but it seems I may have a handle on it and so far the only complaint I've had has been from my dogs having to get up at the butt crack of dawn. Their transition didn't go as smoothly as mine, poor little guys. Monday, Mister was less than thrilled when he was outside at 4:45AM. And Stella? Well, let's just say she woke up, did her business and fell back asleep outside. Then Tuesday, it was pouring down rain. And Wednesday I was up at 2AM. So, after all of that "drama" I decided I would let them out AFTER I shower, which seems to work better for them. Who knew they were such creatures of habit like their mom?<br />
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Meal planning is still going...well, I don't think it's even going. I have the menus I want to use printed out, I have my clipboard all ready to go, but the menu is still blank. This week has been a little more overwhelming than I thought it would be, so I have decided to work on it this weekend. At this point, I'm doing good to remember to grab my protein drink and something for lunch. Go me! I will admit, this is harder than I thought it was going to be. The day shift transition and the meal planning thing. But rumor has it, once you get meal planning down, it's a breeze, so I'm really looking forward to that day.<br />
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So, here it is, just after 5PM (Iowa time) and I'm about ready for bed. Sad, isn't it? I think maybe I'm still playing catch up from when I was up yesterday at 2AM. At least, that's my excuse and I'm sticking to it.<br />
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Until next time!<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17617451103396626233noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4743043041420463156.post-21725723034566812032013-07-07T13:20:00.000-05:002013-07-07T13:20:00.426-05:00I'm About To Become A Morning Person Tomorrow!!!Yep! It's true! Tomorrow is the <b>BIG</b> day! Day shift here I come! I'm not much of a morning person, but I've been "practicing" all last week and this weekend by coming home after work and going to bed early (by midnight) and up at 7 or so. That's pretty good for this night owl. But because I'm so excited to be going to days, it hasn't really bothered me getting up early. And for a change, I'm actually sleeping at night, so that makes a difference. Who knew you could get things done before noon if you get sleep the night before?!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9cOPBGSiBEQ/Udmpq42-x9I/AAAAAAAAAg4/oc4y89M8Nxg/s1600/Not+a+morning+person.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="186" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9cOPBGSiBEQ/Udmpq42-x9I/AAAAAAAAAg4/oc4y89M8Nxg/s320/Not+a+morning+person.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I'm pretty sure this is what I will look like at 4:45AM.</td></tr>
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Today I've already gotten a bunch of things done and I'm pretty proud of myself (if I do say so) all before noon! I have been to Walmart, Hy-Vee, Dollar General, put dinner in the crock pot, mowed the yard and did 2 loads of dishes. And I'm still going strong! Up next?! Laundry! Look at me go!<br />
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I've been "prepping" so to speak for days by gathering things that I think will make meal times easier while at work since I'll be eating breakfast and lunch there, instead of just dinner. I've also been trying to get into meal planning but it's not going well. It's harder than I thought, so if anyone has any tips, please, PLEASE send them my way. Anywho, I picked up this <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Crock-Pot-SCCPLC200-PK-20-Ounce-Lunch-Warmer/dp/B006H5V7ZY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1373219337&sr=8-1&keywords=crockpot+20oz" target="_blank">20 oz Crockpot</a> that has a removable food container for my lunches. I actually found it at Kohl's yesterday and it came with a bonus removable food container for the same price as the one on Amazon. Plus I had a 15% off coupon, so I paid $16.34! I was pretty excited! <br />
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I'm also noticing I'm buying more and more bottles of water to take to work because I can't stand straight tap water. And since we don't have a filter at work, I've been spending around $1.50 a day on water. After talking to one of my friends she suggested getting the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Brita-Squeeze-Water-Filter-Bottle/dp/B004GN6QV4/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1373219368&sr=8-2&keywords=brita+bottle" target="_blank">Brita Water Bottle</a>, hence my trip to Walmart today. <br />
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And last but not least on my list of day-shift supplies, a <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Oster-BLSTPB-WBL-250-Watt-Blender-Powder/dp/B004P2OLB8/ref=sr_1_3?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1373219978&sr=1-3&keywords=oster+blender" target="_blank">blender</a> that doesn't take up too much room. I have this same one at home, but I don't want to haul it back and forth. With this, I can just bring the blender bottle home at night, wash it and fill it with milk and syrups on my way out the door. I think...maybe...I might be ready for days LOL<br />
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For dinner I'm making <a href="http://kim-thislittlelifeofmine.blogspot.com/2012/10/slow-cooker-garlic-brown-sugar-chicken.html" target="_blank">Slow Cooker Brown Sugar & Garlic Chicken</a>, which I've made before and it's so yummy! It makes a lot, so there are lots of leftovers (perfect to try out my new little Crockpot tomorrow) and is so tender it basically just falls apart. Chicken + baked red potato<span id="goog_189710695"></span><span id="goog_189710696"></span><span id="goog_189710693"></span><span id="goog_189710694"></span>, topped with cottage cheese = Perfect Meal. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aJmF7-IH2tI/UdmuCP66H0I/AAAAAAAAAhI/akWw6py5pcA/s1600/Brown+sugar+and+garlic+chicken.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aJmF7-IH2tI/UdmuCP66H0I/AAAAAAAAAhI/akWw6py5pcA/s320/Brown+sugar+and+garlic+chicken.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The finished product!</td></tr>
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Well, I suppose I should wrap this up and get started on my laundry. I need to get it done before my new bedtime. And yes, I have given myself a bedtime LOL<br />
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Until next time!<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17617451103396626233noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4743043041420463156.post-92053420694477658592013-07-05T10:04:00.000-05:002013-07-05T10:07:28.243-05:00Happy 4th of July...A Day LateI've been a little MIA lately, okay<b> A LOT</b> MIA and to be honest I don't think I could really tell you why. I haven't really been up to much, so there's no hiding behind that. Perhaps, maybe, I've been *GASP* lazy? Yep! That's probably more like it. Hey, at least I'm honest!<br />
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4th of July came and went and was pretty uneventful around here. I worked my usual shift and had the usual calls. "What time do the fireworks start?" "My neighbor is setting off their own fireworks!" "My dog ran off because he/she was scared of all of the noise, have you had anyone call him/her in?" Yep, uneventful, but that's also a good thing, too. While we like to rock and roll in dispatch, we also want everyone to be safe and have a good time. Kind of a catch 22. Speaking of work, a couple of weeks ago I made what I consider to be a really big decision in my career. After 8 years of working evenings and overnights, I decided to bid day shift. For the past 3 years or so, I've thrown around the idea of bidding days, but other co-workers had very important things going on in their lives, so I decided I would just stay put. This year being 3 years post-op and pretty much maintaining my weight loss, but getting out of the exercise loop, I needed to do something and this was the change I felt I needed to make. It wasn't the popular choice, but it was the choice I had to make for myself. For once, I had to put myself first, even though it might have seemed I was stepping on toes, or being vindictive, I wasn't. This was purely, 100% selfish. All.About.Me.<br />
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Like I said, the 4th was pretty uneventful for me and even though I had to work, I still celebrated a little bit. I made <a href="http://recipesweet.net/fruit-flag-pizza/" target="_blank">a fruit flag pizza</a> that turned out really good (if I do say so myself). You use a crescent roll sheet instead of sugar cookie dough and Greek yogurt instead of cream cheese. Now, I will tell you, I messed with the recipe some (shocking, I know) but I'm just not a coconut fan. I used vanilla yogurt instead of coconut and also instead of sprinkling the dough with powdered sugar, I used a cinnamon/sugar mix instead. But I swear, those were the only 2 changes!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-E1YLTsWyZkQ/Udbg0pyv_KI/AAAAAAAAAgg/ioMMcg6lPqA/s640/blogger-image-399797403.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-E1YLTsWyZkQ/Udbg0pyv_KI/AAAAAAAAAgg/ioMMcg6lPqA/s320/blogger-image-399797403.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The finished product!</td></tr>
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I also did a little bit of decorating by my front door for the holiday. It was fun to do and was actually a combined effort (thanks to my mom who made the flags ♥). I painted up some Mason jars and took an old wine "rack" to stick them in. Added the flags and BAM! 4th of July at my front door!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zg7Woz5t-Sc/Udbd2LberqI/AAAAAAAAAgQ/9oMFop99mO4/s1600/front+door+4th+of+july.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zg7Woz5t-Sc/Udbd2LberqI/AAAAAAAAAgQ/9oMFop99mO4/s400/front+door+4th+of+july.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Happy 4th of July!</td></tr>
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So, there you have it. I've been MIA, not really doing anything and am totally late on wishing everyone a Happy 4th of July. Hope it was a great holiday for everyone!<br />
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Until next time!<br />
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