Thank You! Thank You! Thank You!

Hello all!  I just wanted to take a quick moment to thank everyone who follows my blog, everyone who has stopped by and to everyone that has supported me thru this wonderful journey!  I couldn't do this without you guys and I wouldn't continue to succeed if you all weren't here for me.

Every one of you has made some sort of a positive impact in my life and I can only hope I've done the same for you.  I know my blog isn't anything fancy or special, and is a far cry from professional, but it's a place where you all have listened to me ramble and made me feel more comfortable about myself.  Once again, thank you everyone...my journey wouldn't be the same without you! 

Look What I Made!!! Baby Quilt #1

Baby Quilt #1

So, this has been the latest project I have been working on.  My good friends had a little baby girl about 2 weeks ago and I get to be an honorary aunt, again!  I love being Aunt Katie! 

This quilt was a kit from Keepsake Quilting and went together in about 3 days.  I should have had it done in a day, but I was being slow and dragging my feet when it came to actually quilting it.  I decided to just go around some of the blocks on the machine and in the middle did some stars, about 5 of them I think.  This is quilt 1 of 3 that I am doing for co-workers.  The next baby is due in July and the other one in September.  I'm going to be busy making these little buggers, but I love doing it! 

I LOVE this backing fabric!

Happy Easter

Happy Easter Everyone! I hope you have a blessed and wonderful day with your family and loved ones. 

CLICK Me With Your Best Shot!

I know, it was a sad attempt at a Pat Benatar joke, but hey!  It's early for me.  And yes, 11:30 is early!  LOL  Well, it's official, I have joined the world of CLICK...and I love it!  I have been drinking it daily for about the last week or so and I don't know how I lived without it.  I only ordered the Vanilla Latte one, but it's still rocking my socks off!  I've been playing around with my sugar free syrups and have come up with one that I think it pretty good, if I do say so myself.  I will say I prefer to drink it with water over milk, but that's just me.  I know, I know, with the milk it really bumps up the protein, but I just think it tastes better with water...I'm weird, I know this.  Anywho, back to my uber-wonderful drink that I'm in love with.  I use 14 oz of water and the 2 scoops of CLICK.  I mix it in a Blender Bottle (watch your prices, I just picked one up for just over $3) for one minute.  Yes, I'm anal enough that I actually start the timer on my microwave and go to town.  Then I add 2 Splenda packets, 2 squirts of sugar free caramel syrup and 2 squirts of sugar free white chocolate syrup.  Set the timer again for another minute and BAM!  I pour it over 6 ice cubes (I have no idea why 6, but it works) and drink it up.  Now, it takes me over an hour to drink it, but it is truly worth it, trust me.  If you haven't tried this stuff yet...you need to do it NOW!  Oh!  And until the end of April, use code CLCKES76 to get a discount.  You can order CLICK here.  But finish reading first before you leave me LOL 

Thanks to Eggface I also have me a super cool Bento Box that my parents got me for my birthday back in November.  I used that thing daily for the first couple of months back to work.  I loved this thing, but somehow, our love affair ended.  I don't know why (okay, I'm lying, I know why) but this week after my 6 month follow up, I have decided to get back to the basics.  Protein, water, portion sizes and lots and lots of exercise.  Sure, there are other things in there, I know that.  But to me, these are the things I have been slipping on.  I ordered extra little containers for my box so I will always have some on hand, which equals NO MORE EXCUSES!  I cruised thru Eggface's blog to find some ideas to pack my box for work.  There are a ton of ideas on her page...so many I will have options for days and not get tired of any of them.  I have been raving about my box for the past week or so (that sounds dirty), so starting tomorrow, when I go back to work, that little thing is going to be packed full of protein and my pouch is going to be full and happy! 

So, I've decided that I need a fresh start in the world of weight loss and weight loss surgery.  I only have 17 more pounds until I'm down 100 pounds and 20 more pounds until I'm below 200 pounds.  Something I haven't seen since high school.  Can you believe it?  High school!  Now, I don't want to date myself, but I've been out of school since 1996, so you can do the math on how long ago that was.  This surgery truly is amazing if you use your tool properly and don't take advantage of your body and it's weight loss.  Keep your chins high and you will succeed with this.  We can do this!  Now, go shopping!!!!

Blah, Blah, Blah And A Bunch Of Crap

Well, today seemed like a very trying day and I couldn't even tell you why, it just was.  It's been rainy, cold and windy for a couple of days now, so that's probably part of it.  I had my 6 month follow up last week and got my lab results back.  My B12 and vitamin D were low...hardly on the charts, low.  My surgeon's nurse wants me to take my B12 twice a week and contact my PCP to see what she wants to do about my vitamin D.  So, since Friday I have been trying to get a hold of her and she won't return my calls.  That makes me so mad!  She is always like this too...never on time, never returns calls.  It might be time for a new doctor.  I think I'm going to call back down to my surgeon's office tomorrow and see if they can help me. 

I finally found a protein shake that goes over well with me after 6 months...(drum roll please) and it's CLICK!  I don't know why I hadn't listened to everyone earlier, this stuff rocks my socks off!  I have been experimenting with the Vanilla Latte and my sugar free syrups and some Splenda.  The one I'm stuck on is white chocolate, caramel and vanilla iced latte.  It's wonderful and hits the spot.  I have been drinking it now for about a week and don't see me getting sick of it anytime soon.  I also found a protein bar that is hitting the spot.  It's by Supreme Protein and they are peanut butter and jelly flavored.  I get them at my local health store, but you can get them anywhere online.  I get the smaller bars, which are about 15 grams of protein and around 200 calories, I believe. 

I haven't been doing too much today.  Worked on a baby quilt, did/doing 6 loads of laundry and just got done eating dinner.  It was nothing fancy, no recipe to post, but it hit the spot and reminded me that I can have normal food, just in smaller portions.  Tonight's dinner was a hamburger with cheese, fresh green beans and a red potato.  I used that spray butter for the first time tonight on the green beans and my potato.  It was pure heaven...I can't believe I haven't used it before!!! 

So, there you have it...blah, blah, blah and a bunch of crap.  Not a very interesting day for me, but there it is for you. 

Tonight's Dinner 

Finally...The Rain Has Stopped

If April showers bring May flowers, then the ceiling in my kitchen that was leaking, is going to look beautiful after all of the rain we have been getting.  The rain started late Wednesday and didn't stop until about 6:30 this morning.  It was non stop, huge, cold raindrops being blow around by 40mph winds.  The last 2 days have been horrible! 

Last night, about 9:30 or so I could hear this weird "knocking" noise that I thought was someone knocking lightly on the kitchen backdoor.  The dogs were barking like someone was here, so I got up and checked the door wondering who in the heck would be out in this crazy rain when SURPRISE!!!  Huge drips were falling from the ceiling above my kitchen sink and hitting a plastic container I had just washed. 

I stood there for awhile and watched the water drip, called my dad wondering what I should do (the only man a girl can depend on is her daddy, after all) and then logically did what was next...posted about it on Facebook LOL  But, just as quickly as it started, it stopped about 45 minutes later and you can't even tell it was leaking, which brings me to this thought.  How long has it been dripping like that and how many times has it dripped on the dishes that I thought were clean? o_O

So, this morning my dad and his buddy came out, took a look around and of course found nothing.  But the next time it rains, I'm supposed to call them and they will come over and check everything out again.  Let's keep our fingers crossed that it was a fluke and the wind and not some $5000 fix to my roof.

AAACCCCKKKKK!!!!! Easter Candy!

Temptations SUCK!

That pretty much sums it up....AAACCCKKK!!!  Easter candy and temptations suck.  Candy had always been a weakness and a trigger for me pre-op, but after surgery, never once did I have a craving for candy.  I made it thru Halloween (okay, so my surgery was October 5th, so you can't really count that), Christmas was a breeze and Valentine's Day?  Don't even get me started on Single's Awareness Day. 

So all in all, I feel like I'm cruising down easy street when it comes to sweets.  Then, all of the sudden, out of nowhere, BAM!  I was blindsided by the temptation of Easter candy.  That stupid furry little bunny that brings chocolate goodness to kids and adults alike entered my world.  What have I ever done to him?!?  I thought we would have an understanding.  I don't do sugar, he moves on to some other sweet tooth junkie.  Oh, hell no!  He stopped right at my work desk last night and WOULDN'T LEAVE!!!!  The little bastard just sat there tempting me all night long. 

The first hour was a breeze.  2nd hour went over okay...but by the 3rd hour the little furry freak had gotten to me.  What could one little chocolate egg do to my system?  Would it really be all that bad if I just had one so the little shit would leave?  So, I popped one of those little malted milk ball eggs.  It was pure heaven, it tasted like bliss, it...didn't upset my pouch or innards at all!  Oh no!  I was supposed to feel like crap!  I was supposed to double over in excruciating pain and break out in the sweats and almost crap myself.  I thought I'd be like most of the post WLS patients and dump on sugar...NOPE!  

So, now what I do?  I should stop, right?  Hide the candy, throw it away, just get rid of it!  Well, that would have been too easy.  I sat there and ate those malted milk eggs until I went home at 3am from work.  I was so disappointed in myself last night, I came home and just bawled myself to sleep.  I'm still mad at myself this morning for sitting there and eating all of those.  But after about a 1/2 hour of beating myself up about it, I'm going to start this day new and fresh.  I'm going to stick to my eating today, and not let one slip up take me down for the rest of the day.  I'm going to move on and realize that I'm only human and that everyone makes mistakes.  I'm going to find that Easter Bunny and run him over with my car!  :)

Another AWESOME Recipe...If I Do Say So Myself

Katie's Mexican Casserole

This was my dinner tonight, and I must say it pretty much rocked!  Today has been cloudy and it's been raining on and off, so I thought a casserole would be perfect in this weather.  Lately meals have looked really good to me and haven't tasted good.  Or they look like crap and taste wonderful.  Well, this one looked good AND tasted good so I thought I would share it with you guys.  That is pasta you see in it, but it's the Barilla Plus pasta with protein, so I thought I would give it a whirl and see how it goes over.  My stomach is so happy, I'm surprised you all can't hear it from here!  I had about a cup of it and I was perfectly full, so I'm happy too!  This was super easy to make, which makes it even better in my books :)  So, here's the recipe, let me know what you think, okay?

Katie's Mexican Casserole

• 1 lb ground turkey (you could use ground beef, I just prefer turkey)
• 1 packet taco seasoning (I used reduced sodium)
• 3 cups uncooked pasta (as I said, I used Barilla Plus)
• 2 (16 oz) jars of salsa (my choice was Cookie's Mild Brand...LOVE it)
• 2 cups shredded Mexi-blend cheese (I used Weight Watchers)
• 1 cup sour cream, fat-free, light or regular
• 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 can whole kernel corn, drained and rinsed
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro (I didn't have any fresh, so I just used dried)

Cook pasta according to package directions and drain well.  Meanwhile, brown ground turkey, adding a small amount of olive oil (depending on your brand) and drain if needed.  Mix in taco seasoning and cook according to packet directions.

 Mix pasta, taco meat, salsa, 1 cup (4 oz) cheese, sour cream, beans, corn and cilantro.  Spray a 9x13 casserole dish with non-stick cooking spray.  Spoon mixture into dish and top with remaining cheese.

Bake at 375 for 20 minutes or until casserole is heated through and cheese on top is melted and browned.

Enjoy!

Little Miss Sunshine!!!

This is me today :)

Ahhh...finally, after all these months, the sun is shining, it is beautiful out today, Spring is here!  I have the windows open and I am taking in all of the fresh air that is out there today.  It's 76 here in central Iowa and I'm loving it!  L.O.V.I.N.G. IT! 

It feels so good to finally take a walk outside for the first time since November and not freeze my tail off!  It's nice to take the dogs outside and sit and watch them play instead of telling them to hurry up because the wind is blowing and the snow is flying. 

The grill is getting fired up tonight for some hamburgers and veggies and my mom is making her famous potato salad.  I found some fresh green beans (as fresh as they can be in Iowa in April) and I'm going to try to make some sort of green beans tonight, hopefully. 

So, to embrace this wonderful day, this awesome season and of course the new me, I'm going to order this shirt and I can't wait to add it to my collection of new SMALLER shirts.  Along with this wonderful season comes of course, Spring cleaning.  I have been doing that since about February, but hey, who's keeping track.  I have actually switched rooms in my house, like a big switch.  I moved my craft room downstairs on the main floor in my old bedroom and moved my bedroom upstairs.  Yep, I opted to climb stairs daily to go to bed, get dressed, ect.  Can you believe it?!  The room up there used to be an old attic, but the previous home owners made it into one big room for their girls.  The room goes across the whole front of the house and is huge.  I'll have to post a pic of it later as it's still in the works.  I'm hoping to finish it up tonight after dinner though.  I have to run to Dollar General and get a few storage containers for my jeans and sweatshirts and then my clothes will be put away. 

I hope you are all having a great day and if you're having weather like we are here, get out and enjoy it!  Suck up all that fresh air!  

Comfort Food For Dinner

Easy Crockpot Chicken and Stuffing

You all know how I've been searching and searching and searching for recipes online and in magazines and I stumbled upon this one on Food.com and thought it would not only be the perfect dinner for tonight, but also the perfect comfort food I've been looking forward to all winter.

It wasn't until about a month ago or so that I could even have bread items or stuffing, so all winter long I had been wanting something like this.  I ended up eating just about 1/2 of a chicken breast and a spoonful of the stuffing mixture and I was stuffed!  This recipe is so easy, it's ridiculous and it makes your house smell like Thanksgiving...Yummy!  So, without further ado, here's the recipe and as always, I'm open to suggestions.  Enjoy!

 Easy Crockpot Chicken and Stuffing

• 4-6 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
• 1 (10 oz) can cream of chicken soup (I used the Campbell's 98% Fat-Free)
• 1/3 cup skim milk
• 1 (6 oz) package chicken flavored stuffing mix (I used Lower Sodium Stove Top)
• 1 2/3 cups water

Place chicken in a greased 4 1/2 qt slow cooker.  In a separate bowl, combine soup and milk, pour over chicken.  Combine stuffing mix and water, spoon over chicken and soup mixture.  Cover and cook on low for 3-4 hours or until chicken is cooked.  I used chicken that was partially frozen so I cooked mine for 6 hours on low.  If I had to change one thing, I would have made sure my chicken was completely thawed because the extra liquid made the stuffing kind of mushy.  Other than that, it was wonderful and hit the spot.  I'm not sure how well this is going to freeze, but I'm going to try it and see. 

All ingredients before cooking.

Finished product...Yummy!