A day in the life........

2010-09-12T11:32:00.001-07:00

I am MOVING. Ok not my physical address but my blog address. Look for me here now.

http://livinglovinglaughinglosing.blogspot.com/

Thanks,
Ali

2010-05-14T16:33:00.000-07:00

So I recently found this blog that I love for crafts and fun ideas and I wanted to share it with you all. If you click on this link http://www.makeit-loveit.com/2010/05/new-sponsor-and-fun-giveaway.html she does free giveaways and has all kinds of amazing craft ideas. Love it!
Have a great weekend,
Ali

2010-04-30T08:08:00.000-07:00

Todays sewing project was diaper bags. It seems like I have purchased a million diaper bags over the years and a ton of them were terrible. I decided to see if I could make the worlds best diaper bag and I think I am pretty happy with this one. It has a ton of pockets and places to hide bottles and baby stuff. check it out at www.etsy.com/shop/alibee78
on the home front the hubby is out of town fishing which leaves me even more time to sew. Watch out!
No really life is great and busy, I can;t complain. My family is healthy and happy.
Have a great weekend,
Ali

2010-04-19T09:52:00.000-07:00

I was talking with a few people and they said that I never put the link on my blog to look at my prices and other things that I offer. so here it is
www.etsy.com/shop/alibee78
Here are a few new things I have been working on

2010-04-13T17:37:00.000-07:00

What trouble have I been getting into lately? A ton I am sure. Actually if I haven't been doing school work, cleaning, the house, or doing all my Mommy duties I have been sewing still. I have made 2 sales on etsy so far. I made a purse for myself last weekend and the last few days I have been working on stuff for bday, baby shower, and just because gifts. So here are a few of my favorites

So these are the newest things I have been working on.
Other than sewing and school life has been busy with baseball. The kids are doing great. Garrett's team has lost once and Cody's has lost twice. Cody has been pitching which is awesome to watch.
We have been working on getting Pj ready for school next year. He has been to the doctor and we have filled out all of the papers. He goes for an assessment next week for class placement.
Today is Shawn's bday and we are taking him out to dinner and then a walk around Bass pro shop.
Well I will check in again soon,
Ali

2010-04-07T08:29:00.000-07:00

Well I have been at it again. Sewing that is! Shawn and I have been thinking of ways for me to help out the family, be a stay at home mom, and finish school all at once. I decided that since ceramics is very hard to do in my garage and really pricey I would sew. I have sewn almost all of my life. My mom used to sew everything for us and it was actually part of her major in college. I took home economics in junior high so I know the basics. What I didn't know is that I am pretty good at looking at something and recreating it without a pattern. I have been looking online, at Target, and other places and putting my favorite ideas together to make new items. So far I have purses, diaper bags, nursing covers (for breastfeeding), camera strap covers, and coffee cup sleeves. I am hoping that some of the items start selling so I know what to keep sewing and what was a flop. I think today I am going to make a messenger bag and later this week I am going to make a black corduroy purse with cherries on it.

What else has been going on? I started back to school so I am gone Monday and Thursday at night. I am almost half way done with my credentials. Yay! I feel like it is taking forever but at least I am going somewhere.
We went on our annual Easter vacation with the boys. We had a great time for the most part. I had a cold from Friday on so I was a little bummer but the kids swam, played all kinds of games, and played the weekend away. The kids were in the pool for our fun little earthquake so they didn't know what was going on. Here is a pic of easter morning, please excuse Garrett I can't get him to take a normal pic for the life of me.
Well I am off to get to real life,
Ali
http://www.etsy.com/shop/alibee78

2010-04-02T08:13:00.000-07:00

Spring break baby!!!
So how does a Mom on spring break spend her time? Sewing, that's how.
I purchased a new sewing machine and went to work.I love to sew so I thought that maybe I could make some stuff to sell. So here is what I created this week.

What do ya think?

I posted them on a popular craft site that people sell things on to see how they do. Check them out at

http://www.etsy.com/shop/alibee78

Have a very Happy Easter everyone and remember why we celebrate, it's not all about eggs and candy.

Ali

2010-03-30T09:29:00.000-07:00

Sorry it has been awhile again. The last few weeks have been crazy. I was in finals which is always tough but the kids were on spring break and wanted to go do stuff. We had a good week and went to the beach to my grandpa's house and got it clean and ready to turn the keys over to the new owners. We stayed until Friday and when we got home Shawn called and I had to drive back to City of Industry because he had lost his keys while golfing. Once we got home again I got a phone call from my Mom that my Grandpa had passed away. So all in all it has been very busy, hectic, and sad all rolled into one.
I am on spring break this week so I am spending my days sewing a few things for a baby shower that is coming up in a month. I sat down to sew yesterday and my machine (which is from like 1960) wasn't working right. I had been saving up to buy a new dining room table but decided that my table is fine and I went and bought myself a new sewing machine with the money. I am so excited to sit down and see what this baby can do.
So the last few weeks have been tough but I am doing well. I am glad that my Grandpa had a great life. He dies peacefully and he was ready to go. He had gotten tot he point where he couldn't golf, drive, go out, or even watch tv. He said he lived a very fulfilling life and was't able to live the quality of life he wanted to be living anymore. So I am sad but I am relieved that he went peacfully and without pain.
Well I am off to sew. We are going out of town for easter and to get away from life for the weekend.
Have a very Happy easter.
Ali

I attached a pic of my grandpa with my brother and my super cute niece Emily. I have ones with my family but was being lazy and didn't want to dig them out and scan them. We will miss you Grandpa Don.

2010-03-11T10:17:00.000-08:00

I broke the plateau of 199.8, I got stuck for over a week. (yes I weigh in everyday) anyways I am down 2 pounds this morning. What a relief.
So with that said I did my first teaching demo last night where I had to show a class of my piers how to do an art project as if they were students. I think I rocked. I think the teacher loved it as well and she is hard to please. She loved that I had options for the kids and lots of fun and unique ideas using recycled materials. All in all it was a success.
I am in my last 2 weeks of school and my house, family, and I are all feeling it. I have been doing homework pretty much non stop. I have managed to keep up the laundry and the dishes but I need a maid to keep up with my kids and everything else. I keep apologizing to Shawn and he keeps saying don't worry about it I haven't had tome either. Shawn has had baseball for the boys every night since last Sat. and we don't get a break from that until this coming Sunday. Life is hectic but when we have down time we aren't sure what to do with ourselves.
So I can't think if I mentioned this or not but my Grandpa is back in the hospital. He has a bacteria infection in his blood and a bruise on his head from falling. The bruise is making him moody and irritable. Yesterday was his birthday and he spent it in the hospital. I so want to go break him out and taking him golfing or something I know he loves. Maybe when he moves back to the home he will be well enough to come out and play:)
Ok well off to do more homework,
Ali

2010-03-10T07:11:00.000-08:00

What is happening to education in the state of California? Last night while in class the professor shared a news article with us about the terrible test scores some of the local schools have on standard tests. I was very pleased that not one of the schools was in Etiwanda where our kids go but many of the schools were in Fontana and the surrounding area. I woke up this morning to the same information on the news. We also got a phone call from our school district yesterday saying the 80 teachers in our districts are getting pink slips in the next few months.
As a future educator who is currently in school to be a teacher what does this mean? Well first I can't ignore it because every time I go to class it is talked about. I am currently spending thousands of dollars to pursue my dream of being an art teacher. I can't let all of this talk convince me to do something else. The one thing I am relying on is
1. There has to be an upswing in jobs eventually. The state cannot keep firing teachers because we still have kids that need to be taught.
2. I have a specialized credential. As a teacher you have two choices. The first is to get a multiple subject credential and teach elementary. The second is to get a single subject in a certain subject like I am doing. This means that if a teaching job in art opens up they must hire someone with an art credential. They cannot hire someone with a math credential to teach art. So this is good for me if a way.
3. Many of the local art teachers are reaching retirement age and looking to be replaced in the next few 1-5 years. So even if I don't find a job on my first year I know there will be one in the next few years.
So as I face this everyday I know that the future in teaching isn't ideal, I know that teaching is always a necessity, and I know that teaching is what I really want to do. So as I go deeper in debt to fulfill my dream pray for my future job because I know it is out there waiting for me.
Ali

2010-03-09T10:49:00.000-08:00

So I am a little frustrated. I have been sticking to my diet 100% except for the Islands burger this weekend. Even with the burger i was still within my calories for the day. Despite all if it I gained a pound this week. I know week 2 can do this but it still doesn't make it feel better. So anyways I will stick to it and if next week I haven't lost I will rethink the diet. I can't complain over all because I still am down 9 pounds in 2 weeks. So I am looking at the up side and getting on with the week.
Last night the kids had their first baseball games of the season. I threw on my thermals, 2 sweaters, a big jacket, gloves, scarf, and down blanket and sat at the park for 5 hours. It was still cold but both kids won their games so it was well worth it.

This week is a busy school week. I have to present an art lesson to the head art lady on campus. I am nervous but excited. I have some great ideas. My art project is recycled art which means that all of the items have to be used items or things that you can recycle. So far I have made fish using 2 liter and shampoo bottles, a mobile using fused plastic bags, and my favorite a light bulb vase with soda can flowers (See above image) I have to teach the other students in my class as if they are high school age kids how to do an art project. I will let you know how it goes tomorrow.
Ok well I am off to do some more homework.
Ali

2010-03-08T08:34:00.000-08:00

Did you know that on most diets you are allowed a cheat meal and it won't affect your results greatly? I am so thankful that I get a cheat meal once a week. I did great all day Sat. and packed snacks for the baseball field. Sunday I actually got to spend the whole day with my family. It was perfect and much needed.
Sunday we decided to take the kids bowling. We had a free coupon so off we went. The kids love bowling. After bowling we decided to go to lunch/dinner at islands. Looking at the menu there were a few choices that would have been good but they were all vegetarian and I was in the mood for a burger. I got a mushroom hamburger on a wheat bun. It was delicious. I ate a few fries but they weren't that great so it made not eating them easy. The burger was great and it was the only meal I ate for the day. I had a pear and some dried fruit, nut, but did great to keep my calories low before and after the meal. Cheat for the week done!
So on Friday I was saying how I was going to make trail mix. I did and it is yummy. I got raw cashews, peanuts, organic raisins, and yogurt chips threw them all in a ziplock and done. he kids love it and have eaten more then I have. Shawn even ate it as a snack at the baseball field and was impressed. I think we have a winner.
So my other fun adventure this weekend was making my own dishwasher soap. I heard it was easy and much cheaper to make you own dishwasher soap but was always leery on actually doing it. I went to but some on Friday and decided to buy the ingredients to make my own instead. The box I was going to get was $6.00 I got all of the stuff for mine for $3.00 and it makes twice as much as the $6.00 box. I got a plastic container to store it in and it worked really well. I was surprised.
So here is the recipe.
equal parts borax and baking soda mix it in a container. Use 2 tablespoons for a load of dishes. Its really tough I know. So if you want to save a little money try it.
Ok well off to get some homework done for the week. The kids both have baseball tonight so figuring out a portable dinner to take or something filling to eat at 4pm to hold us all over for the night.
Ali

2010-03-05T09:05:00.000-08:00

Thank the Lord that it is Friday. I think adding up all the time I have seen Shawn since Monday the total is about an hour. It has been a heck of a week. I do have homework yet again today but it is only one chapter so not too bad. I am eating my breakfast of sprouted wheat english muffin with sugar free peanut butter. Mmm warm peanut butter is so good. So as of this morning I have lost 10.4 pounds in less than 2 weeks. Yay!!! I was starving at school last night, I guess my fruit dinner on the run just wasn't enough. I had calories that I was going to use when I got home but my tunny was grumbling. I had a 10 min break and 1 vending machine close enough on campus to go to. I normally pack snacks but forgot. So I go to the vending machine and I was pleasantly surprised. There were stickers by the cost of some of the items that said "healthy choice" now beef jerky that is flavored is loaded with sugar so I knew that was a no. I looked around and they had the perfect snack. I got trail mix with peanuts, almonds, sunflower seeds, raisins, and yogurt chips. It was no sugar and everything I could have. I was so happy. I liked it so much as a throw in the purse idea that I am going to make my own today. It wasn't super low in calories but at around 140 for 1/4 cup it is perfect for a quick snack. I think I am going to leave out the sunflower seeds because they all sunk to the bottom of the bag and were hard to eat so out they go. I also might add carob chips if I can find them.

So as you all know my good friend is moving back to New York. She had this thing called a lovesac that she can't take with her so she gave it to me. It is basically a really big, unpopable beanbag chair. I got it in the house this morning and it is HUGE. The thing is a 6 foot circle. The kids love it and I am trying to figure out how to fit it into the kids playroom doorway. So my exercise for the day is lifting this 70 pound thing around my house.
As for the hula hoop I am getting the hang of the waist thing. I can keep it up so that is a step. Soon I will work on doing more with it. I wasn't sure about it but I wake up and my abs and legs are really sore so I guess it is.
Ok I had too much coffee so forgive the lang post.
Ali

2010-03-04T16:07:00.000-08:00

Hey everyone,
I feel great today. I had a ton of homework but it wasn't bad because I was in a great mood. Isn't it funny how if you eat the right things you body feels so much better. If I stuff myself and eat terrible stuff I feel terrible so why do I do it? No idea. I just know that I have been on this for 11 days and I have energy and feel good.
So how funny is it that I say I love something on my blog and the people who make the product respond. I really do love the Coconut bliss bars:) if you ever go to Henry's pick them up, unless you don't like coconut and then maybe don't. Or do and if there not your thing you can pass them on to me:)
As for the gross quinoa my friend Ali explained that it may have been gross because it sprouted. I think she may have been right. I am going to give it another try once I go buy a new box.
So what else is going on..... Hmmmm. My good friend Nicole who I went to school with is moving back to New York. Last night I went to dinner with her and I did great. I had a steak dinner. Why is that so good? I ate half the steak which is protein, half of my dinner salad(would have had more but it was swimming in ranch), some steamed veggies, and a half of a baked potato plain. I say that was a success. I didn't gain this morning so yay for me.
Well I guess that is it for today. See y'all tomorrow.
Ali

2010-03-03T07:35:00.000-08:00

I am down 9 pounds today. I feel great and I eat all the time. I think I found something I can do long term:)
I sound like an infomercial. Sorry!
I eat a ton of dried and fresh fruit, yogurt, nuts, eggs, salads, chicken, avocado, and a few new choices. I did try something called Quinoa it's like a grain you use instead of rice. It was terrible! It wasn't good at all. So no more quinoa for me. My favorite treat is called coconut bliss bars. They are coconut ice cream bars that are healthy. Mmm they are really yummy.
So other than the diet like is busy as usual. Seems like Shawn and I see each other on the weekends and Monday and then the rest of the week we literally see each other for about 1 hour at night. Next quarter I go back to two nights so life will be a little easier. Right now it is crazy because Shawn has baseball every night while I am at school so non stop.
On another note I have a sister in law who showed me hoop exercising at Thanksgiving. I thought is was cool. I talked to her again and she keeps inviting me to come to her classes. For the fun of it I made a hula hoop and tried it. That thing fell right to the floor. No kidding I couldn't get it to stay on my waist for anything. I have been trying everyday since last Thursday and I think I am finally getting somewhere I can keep it on my waist for about 2 minutes. No tricks yet but I am addicted to figuring this out. So check this out I attached a video of something similar to what my sister in law does and it is amazing.http://hoopstasy.com/ It isn't the best video out there but it's the easiest to see and she isn't wearing a bikini which seems to be common because it helps the hoop stay up. So that's the newest fun in my life.
Ok well have a great Wed.
Ali

2010-03-01T08:16:00.000-08:00

I realized Friday night while talking with a friend that I forgot to post. I just forgot, it slipped my mind. It kids of surprises me that I forgot.
Anyways so for so good. My main problem is that following the plan I feel like I eat all the time so I have actually modified it because I was eating all the time. I just don't have the time or need to eat every 2 hours. The hard part is it was full meals with prep and all every 2 hours. I have purchased a ton of dried fruit and nuts and eat those for snacks now. I also was supposed to eat around 2000 calories a day which is high for a diet. I have decided to cut it down and I haven't been going over 1600.
Friday night we went out with Matt to Applebee's looked online ahead of time so I knew what I could have. I had a chicken dish with mushrooms over it, steamed veggies, and potatoes. It was really good and under 550 calories. I did chase it with a mini hot fudge sunday but I had the calories to allow for it since I had been really careful all day.
Sat. I was good we went to El Torito for lunch/dinner. I still picked really carefully having steamed fish and shrimp in corn tortillas.
Sun. we went to church, cleaned the garage, pay int he yard and enjoyed the weather. For dinner we made homemade sushi and watched a family movie.
It was a great weekend. I should have been working on homework and stuff for school but wanted to enjoy my family so I did. Today I will work on catching up on everything.
I forgot to weigh in this morning. I was out of it when I got up at 6am. I love Monday blah. Anyways I will weigh in tomorrow. I know I was down 6 pounds between Mon. and Wed and Sun. I was still the same as Wed so I will just say 6 for the week.
Ali

2010-02-24T07:55:00.000-08:00

Do you ever feel like you are drowning in your own life? I kind of feel that way right now. Between school, being a full time mom, a household to keep up with, and my future staring me in the face I am overwhelmed. Just me self pity for the day. Enough of that.
So I woke up yesterday and drank my tea but within a few hours had a pretty mean headache. I gave in around 4 and had my coffee for the day. Headache fixed. I did well but kind of low on calories because I just felt nauseous and not like eating. I ate nuts and fruit but kind of felt gross. I had a yummy salad for dinner with avocado, chicken, eggs, spinach and a vinegar dressing. I cleaned and did laundry so I burned more calories. At the end of the day I had burned 2700 calories and took in 1300. I did however make my family walk to a school function to get in extra exercise. I ended the day with 10000 steps.
All in all a successful day.
Well I am up to my eyeballs in homework so off to my homework chair I go.
Have a great day,
Ali

2010-02-23T07:47:00.000-08:00

before i forget Cody is getting an award for scoring 100% on his math standard testing last year in school and highly advanced in all other subjects. This is a huge deal and not many students in California do it. So yay for Cody.
Day one down
I got up yesterday and started my day with black tea, it's not coffee but it has half the caffeine until I can break caffeine all the way. Even if I make tea for the rest of my life I haven't ever heard of tea addictions. For breakfast I ate 2 eggs over a piece of Ezekiel toast, and a banana. I was doing great and felt really full.
11am I remembered I had to eat a snack so I grabbed some raw cashews (raw is healthier than roasted it keeps all the nutrients) and some dried apple rings. Something that I ate triggered my hungryness because all I wanted to do after that was eat more.
Lunch I made the yummiest salad and I am sure I will eat the same one again today. It had chicken, fresh motz cheese, some tomato, cucumber, avocado, and a splash of apple cider vinegar. It was fresh and so good. The avocado made it. It filled me up and I was good once again.
My afternoon snack was a coconut milk yogurt (it's easier for the tummy to digest than milk) and some dried mango's. I am trying new things and mango's was one of them. I always say I don't like fruit and fresh mango's are not my thing at all. Dried mango's taste like candy. I was pleasantly surprised.
For dinner I had a taco in a bowl, I had chicken, brown rice, beans, sour cream, and all the veggies, topped with lime juice. I didn't miss the tortilla or cheese at all.
Now last night after baseball Shawn and I were chilling on the couch watching Castle (one of my fav. shows) this is the time I normally have a Pepsi, popcorn, ice cream, basically my yummy relaxing treat for the day. I was DYING. I wanted to eat sooooo badly. I even went back and added my calories up again to see if there was any wiggle room. I checked my bodybugg arm band to see how many calories I actually burned through the day. I burned 2600 because i was sitting a lot of the day doing homework. I ate 2100 calories. I couldn't really afford to eat anything else so I pouted and then went to bed at 10.
Here are my accomplishments for the day.
- I didn't drink any coffee (ok little lie there, I did take one sip after buying creamer that I can have, it was so bad I dumped it out)
- I didn't drink any soda.
- I took my vitamins and drank 100 oz. of water.
- I didn't give in and eat on the couch.
- at baseball practice instead of sitting on the bleachers and freezing I walked to warm up. It was only about a half of on hour but it was something.
So I made it through day one ( I feel like I say this all the time)
Sorry if this post was boring I needed to journal and keep a log of my food, plus it gives you all ideas, right?
Anyways here's to day two,
Ali

day 1

2010-02-22T07:24:00.000-08:00

Well day one is here. I went to Henry's yesterday and stocked up on everything I am going to need to be successful. I am stoked to start getting healthy again. I weighed in this morning and after a weekend of eating and drinking a ton of soda I am actually not wanting to write my weight on here today. I am within a few lbs of where I started in July 2007 when I lost 60lbs. so i may write it later but I don't want to today. So here are the basics of the plan
- no white flour instead you eat sprouted Ezekiel 4:9 bread, English muffins, tortillas, etc.
- no sugar or sugar substitutes. I have purchased stevia which is a natural sweetener that doesn't have many calories and doesn't give you craving like sugar sub.
- I am giving up coffee and taking up tea. I have decided that the amount of cream that I use hinders my calorie intake so off it goes.
- to figure out tour daily calorie intake you take you current weight and multiply it by 13 if you sit a lot or have an office job, 14 if you work out 3 times a week, and 15 if you are really active. Take that number and devide it by .80 and there is your calories for the day. You get a little more than a typical diet but the hope it a lifestyle change and ease instead of killing you. So my daily is 1664 calories.
- I also have a meal plan I must follow so breakfast I get 2 carbs and 2 proteins basically 2 eggs and some veggies in an omelet, and a piece of fruit. or 1 egg, lean bacon, and a piece of toast with sugar free jelly on it. Each meal you have a different amount to follow and they add fat to dinner and lunch which could be avocado or salad dressing.
- last you try to drink half of your weight in oz. each day so a 200 lb. person drinks 100 oz.
I think that is the basics of it.
Anyways I got ready yesterday and made the yummiest chicken to get ready so here is the recipe. I will let you all know how I did tomorrow.
Ali

roasted chicken.
1 whole chicken 5-6 lbs is typical. I use foster farms because there is no added salt.
rinse the chicken and lay it in a roasting pan.
take 1 lemon cut it in slices, place the slices under the skin next to the meat. If you look near the opening you will see that you can life the skin away from the meat and slide you hand in, that is where I am talking about.
take the remaining lemon and place it in the cavity.
next some springs of fresh thyme. Place some under the skin with the lemon and put the rest in the cavity.
next 1 onion, cut in in half and put in the cavity
1 head of garlic cut in half to expose the middle of the garlic ( basically the wrong way) put that int he cavity.
next using butter or coconut oil ( it's better for you and tastes great) slather on the skin of the chicken about 2 Tablespoons.
Last sprinkle with sea salt and pepper.
Bake at 400 degrees for 1 and 15 min for a 5 lb bird and 1 and 30 min for a 6 lb. bird.
I swear it is sooooo good you will make it again.

Cody and Garrett loved it.

New eating ideas

2010-02-18T13:59:00.000-08:00

Ok so if you read my blog you will find a few things 1. I have done low carb 2. I have done weight watchers. 3. I have failed on both of them. I have been really wanting to come up with a good carb, lean protein, and fruit and veggie way of eating. I find that I am starving or don't eat enough on diets. I have been doing a lot of research for some kind of plan that takes everything I want and rolls it into one. After much debating I found something I think is worth giving a try. Monday I will start a new way of eating. It is going to take a little extra work on my part. The "way of eating" doesn't really have premade meals so it's alot of cooking required.
It seems pretty straight forward. Each meal you do 40% lean protein, 50% healthy carbs, and 10% healthy fats. I think it will take some getting used to but I am going to give it a go.
4 months until the annual beach trip and I am nowhere near ready.
Trying to do this healthy and long term.
Ali

2010-02-10T16:06:00.000-08:00

Sorry I haven't posted. I have been super busy with school this week. So I wanted to give you all another Grandpa update. On Sat. morning the nurse at the home tried to wake my grandpa up and they weren't able to. The called 911 and had him taken to the hospital. Once at the hospital he was awake and ok. The hospital says he had a stroke. He spent a few days in the hospital again. He wasn't able to go back to the home he was in because he is higher needs than they thought. He is now living in a home with on site medical in Temple City. He is ok but looks terrible. His health is deteriorating really quickly. I am worried but he keeps saying that he is ready to be done. He says he has lived a long life. It makes me sad to hear him talk like that. So that is the newest and I will keep you up to date on anything else I hear.
So for my 32nd birthday Shawn and I took the boys to Disneyland. We had a great time and the kids loved it. We were there for 14 hours and hit everything at least once. The cook thing is we got free tickets to go to California adventure in the next month. Never been there either so Whoo hoo.
Ok well I am off to school yet again.
Have a good rest of the day.
Ali

gardening and movies

2010-02-04T10:18:00.000-08:00

What a great week I have had so far. Sunday we went to our good friends Chris and Ali's new house. They bought a house on Monrovia with an amazing yard. Let's just say that after seeing all the work they have done it made me come home and eye my front garden. Monday morning I woke up with a mission. Pj and I went to Home Depot and picked all kids of pretty flowers. We came home and then I looked at the area and remembered I haven't done anything with it in like 2 years. It was so much work but I love it now. I have however spent much of the week trying to recover. My muscles hurt worse than any workout.

Tues. Pj started preschool. He wasn't thrilled when I picked him up but adjustment time I figured. Well turns out he got in trouble the first day and the teacher yelled at him because he was sticking his tongue out with another little boy (Pj knows him from church and they came to our home bible study) needless to say Pj woke up yesterday and cried because he didn't want to go back. What genius teacher yells at a kid his first day? anyways we pulled Pj from the school after 2 days. The program also prided itself on lots of outdoor time. There "playground" was a cement slab the size of a bathroom with no toys. So Pj and I are going to be homeschooling for preschool until he starts kinder in the fall.

Yesterday I watched a movie that I loved! I honestly think it is my top 5 movies now. It is called Julie and Julia, It is about Julia Childs (the cook) and a woman who vows to cook and blog her way through one of Julia's cookbooks. I highly recommend it. Shawn like it too.
Other than that we are trying to plan something fun for my birthday on Sunday. We figure that since it is superbowl we might be able to go to Disneyland or Knotts and not hit nearly as many people. Well see.
On a great note my Grandpa is out of the hospital. He was released yesterday and is now living at a more lenient home for senior citizens. It isn't an old folks home. He has his own room with a beautiful patio. His meals are all served in a dining room and they have lots of activities like poker. I hope he is happy there. My grandpa is an punk some times and isn't ready to let go of his independence.
I am off to work on homework. Shool is going well. I have some great ideas which make it more bearable. I woke up this morning sick with a cold and cough so I am hoping to get stuff done early and maybe email it to a friend to take to class for me. Well see how I am feeling at the end of the day.

so thankful it is Friday

2010-01-29T10:10:00.000-08:00

I am so glad it is Friday. I don't know if I could handle anymore this week. My week had some major lows, stress, and self pity. I know just what you wanted to know. Anyways I have had the worst week and sometimes stress is more than I can handle. I made it through without to much but the diet wasn't all that great at all. I was so bust all week it was a lot of quick and easy between classes and homework. Next week I will be better. Anyways I am just glad I made it through.
So update on Grandpa. He is still in the hospital and it seems like he will be there until Monday. They are looking for a rehabilitation home for him. He can't live by himself anymore but he is to stubborn for a rest home. So he is doing good.
School has been crazy. I have assignments up to my eyeballs and they all take hours. I am taking my first art class since graduating. It is an art ed class so you don't actually make anything but they teach you how to teach kids about art and plan fun art lessons for them. It is great but a lot of work. At least I enjoy it. The other classes I am taking are boring and necessary to teach but boring.
I did have one fun thing this week. Wed. I met up with 4 other girls for breakfast all of whom I went to high school with and 2 who I haven't seen since graduation. It was great to catch up and see everyone. It was a much needed break.
Lets see the other big adventure this week was signing Pj up for preschool. He starts kinder next year and I thought I would help next years teacher out by at least getting him used to sitting in a classroom environment. He will be going 2 days a week for 2 1/2 hours. Just enought time for me to get a pedicure, just kidding.
Well have a great weekend.
Ali

busy as a bee

2010-01-26T11:50:00.001-08:00

I am not ignoring you I am just really busy and don't have time to post a lot today. I will post more tomorrow

2010-01-25T10:53:00.000-08:00

Well it's Monday which means weigh in day. I lost .2 which I am pleased with after a long and not so good eating weekend. Sat. I had the chance to go with Shawn and all the guys to a U.S. mens soccer game. Before the game we went out to eat and I ate. I walked a bunch on Sat. but Sunday was another rough day of homework ALL day, stress about my grandpa, and life in general. I ate yesterday as well. I am back on plan today and hope that life doesn't throw me any curve balls.
School is so much harder this quarter then it has been in my entire college experience. There are teachers that seem to thing that their class is the only class you are taking and give you a ton of work, reading, and projects. unfortunately I am taking three classes and all three think that their class is my only class. I am up to my eyeballs in thing to do and don't feel like doing any of them. Bad combo! I worked all day yesterday and it looks like I will be spending today and tomorrow in this chair as well. only a year and a half to go.
So my Grandpa is in the hospital still. He is weak and can't do anything for himself. He had an MRI and they found that his brain is shrinking which is normal but it is causing him to lose mobility sometimes in his arms and legs. With the lose of mobility he trips a lot causing all his broken bones ( rib, wrist, and foot) He also has liver problems, among other issues. He is losing a ton of weight and looks fragile. I am having issues because my grandpa has always been the hard ass, tough one, of the family and I can't bring myself to see him fragile and medicated. Ok enough about that.
I did by the way eat like 2 quarts of veggies soup on Friday to stay on diet. I needed something sweet and thank goodness I had pumpkin and spice cake on hand so I made muffins. I'm really trying.
Well have a good Monday.
Thanks for letting me vent.
Ali

I will get through this without a food crutch.

2010-01-22T12:52:00.000-08:00

I decided to take the time to post today because I am having a rough morning. I got a call from my Mom this morning that late last night she and my great uncle had to go pick my Grandfather up and bring him to my Mom's house to live until they can find a home for him. In the last few months his Alzheimer and alcoholism have gotten a lot worse. He has been in and out of the hospital for falling and other medical issues. My Mom was dealing with a social worker trying to decide if should be living by himself. I guess yesterday she got a phone call from my grandpa's good friend that said he was in a ton of pain, can't take care of himself, and it was time for him to live with someone or in a home. My Mom went down and packed him up. I have been on and off of the phone all morning with my Mom trying to help the best I can. He is having some medical issues and needs to be in the hospital but he forgets what is going on and keeps asking to be released. My Mom is having a really hard time being the one to plan and figure all of this out. With my past my natural instinct is to protect my Mom. I have been having a rough morning and want to do nothing but eat. I have a pot of veggie soup on the stove cooking and I am determined to get through this without my food crutch. Anyways I had to share what was going on more for myself as a way to keep busy but also so I can look back and remember that I made it past this without the help of food.
Please pray fro my Grandpa's health and my Mom's sanity. (they have kind of a rough past)
Have a good Friday,
Ali

rain, rain go away.

2010-01-21T15:48:00.000-08:00

Boy am I ready for the rain to take a LONG break. The darkness outside makes me lazy and makes my house feel dirty. Yesterday I was looking for a recipe for roasted veggies that I knew I had posted on here sometime in the last 3 years. I started to read all of my blog posts from day one in 2007. It was so strange to go back and read it. It gave me a little hope in the diet roller coaster. Anyways I found the recipe and make it for dinner last night. It is whatever veggies you have in the fridge. I did onion. zucchini, bell pepper, mushrooms, tomato, an some other things I am sure. Toss a little olive oil and balsamic on it and throw it in the over for 45 min at 400 degrees. It makes the veggies sweet and yummy.
well I am off to write a paper for class on why I want to be a teacher. Should be interesting and I will post it later for you to see. I am not sure if I will post tomorrow. We have company coming to town to stay with us and I have a lot to do to get ready.
Have a great weekend,
Ali

oops my bad

2010-01-20T10:00:00.000-08:00

Well yesterday was a real day of learning. I was busy all day with homework and didn't have time to eat dinner before school. I stopped at Starbucks for my soy sugar free vanilla latte and decided to pick up a little pastry. They have a sugar free, low fat selection so I decided they would be around 5 points and I would check once I got to school. I decided on a no sugar added lower fat banana, choc. chip muffin. As I was eating it I told myself about 10 times to throw it out the window and stop eating it. I thought low fat and no sugar I will be ok. I got to school and pulled out my laptop before class. My little good for me muffin was anything but good for me. According to the Starbucks website it was 11 points. My guess is 11 points is around 600 calories. So needless to say I learned from my mistake and didn't get to eat a healthy dinner because of the stupid muffin. What is even more shocking to me is that my normal before Starbucks stop with coffee and some kind of goodie was probably around 2000 calories. Holy cow. Funny because we wonder how we gain weight like we do and then realize something so simple as an afternoon treat was more calories than I am eating in an entire day now.
Have a great day.
Ali

the drama of dinner

2010-01-19T12:47:00.000-08:00

I am so glad that I had good company at dinner yesterday because the food was terrible. We decided to splurge and go to a place called the melting pot for our anniversary. The cost of the place is just over $100 for a couple without any drinks. I thought for the money that it would be awesome. Boy was I wrong. We decided to start out with a beer and they came warm. The place is fondue style so you get stuff to dip in cheese or raw meat to boil in a little pot on your table. It was gross. The only good part was dessert but it was warm chocolate and a tray of yummy stuff to dip in it. I say save you money. I know we won't be going there again. I was bummed because I was the one that planned it and it flopped big time. Oh well.
Other then that our day was great. I am loving my new couches and can't wait until this summer to pan the walls yet again.
Anyways back on diet today. I did great yesterday and ate very small amounts of veggies before dinner so I knew I could eat and not feel bad about it. Luckily we don't have any big outings with food for at least a few weeks so I can lose some of this weight.
Okwell I am off to do a TON of homework that is due tonight.
The pic is of what our new couch looks like.

Sorry I am a little scatter brained today. I have been staring at a computer since 7:30 am and it is now 12:30. My eyes are all out of whack.
Have a good rest of the day and stay dry.
Ali

Happy Anniversary to me!

2010-01-18T16:45:00.000-08:00

Happy Monday and Happy Anniversary to My hubby. We have been married for 13 amazing years.
So since it was Monday I had my first weigh in. First let me say that Sat. we took the kids to mongolian bbq and although I am not sure about the calories I ate really well. Sunday we went to a family pizza party. I ate 1 piece of pizza and a ton of salad. So when I weighed in this morning I wasn't sure what to expect but I weighed in at 198.8 down from 203.6 so yay for me.
As for tonight Shawn and I are going out and not counting any points but we are going to have a great time. We are going to a fondue restraunt. I think it is the first place we have ever eaten that you have to make a reservation. A little splurge but hey it's 13 years.
Lastly I am excoted because our new couches got deliver this morning. They are a camel color and I thing they look great. I will need some getting used to time. The best part is they have a 5 year warrently against stains and rips, tears, broken anything, 5 years with my kids is awesome.
Well have a great day.
Ali

Happy birthday Connie

2010-01-14T11:09:00.000-08:00

Happy Birthday to my favorite Mother in Law Connie. You are an amazing woman who has showed me a great deal on how to be a mother of 3 boys. You deserve only the best and I hope that you have a wonderful birthday. Can't wait to celebrate with you on Sunday!
With that said on with the daily post.....
I have a headache:( I have that nice feel like poop from dropping my sugar by alot. I have tried coffee, taking a nap, and nothing seems to help. I guess I will just make it through the few days and then know it's just my body getting rid of something I don't need.
So I have awesome news (at least for me it was) my class on Wed. night is being taught by an amazing art educator and because of budget cuts she is teaching the class for free. She was worried about art teachers being unprepared to go into the work field without knowing how to teach art. So the good news is since she is teaching the class for free she has made it only every other Wed. I am so glad that I will have a little less time away from my family than I had expected. I know it seems small but when Pj cried because I had to go to school again it made my heart hurt. I am excited for this class and the chance to really know how to teach art to kids.

As for the diet all is good. I tried something new yesterday that was quite yummy and thought I would share it with you. It is salsa made with corn and it is tomato less. It is sweet and spicy. I love corn and anything with it I am willing to try. I ate it with baked chips but I think it would be great over cream cheese with crackers as well. So if you go to Trader Joe's pick up a jar for around $2.99 and you will be glad you did.
My other favorite is plain Greek yogurt with honey over it. I swear if I eat anymore of it I will be spraying Windex on people and bragging about being Greek.
I wanted to add that I feel so great being back in control of my eating. I have a headache today but it was also the first mornign that I woke up and didn't feel swollen in my stomach from dinner last night. I actually woke up and wanted to eat. I guess this means the no eating in the evening this is going well. Also I do have a little partner in crimem Shawn has been slowly seeing how many calories a day he burns ( thanks to the bodybugg) and trying to eat 500 calories less than that. He has been doing awesome! Now this weekend we have a bday party for a bunch of family members at a pizza place and I bet you money Shawn will not watch what he eats there but he is doing great.
Have a great Thur. Ali

A quickie

2010-01-13T11:39:00.000-08:00

Quick post to say school went well last night. Diet is going great. Spirits are high and I am feeling great. More to say tomorrow.
Ali

Day 1

2010-01-12T07:48:00.000-08:00

Day one went well. No major craving or issues. Shawn and I sat for about an hour last night discussing w.w. vs. counting calories only. I have decided after much discussion that I am going to be doing w.w. but making high fiber choices, more fruits and veggies, and more willingness to try new things. Yesterday I tried a few new things. First I tried cherry peserves on my sunflower seed butter (just like peanut butter but made of sunflower seeds) sandwhich, I am not a chunk in my food kind of person but it was really yummy. For lunch I tried hummus which I new I liked but haven't eaten in a very long time. With dinner I tried freekah which is like wheat kernals before they are prossesed and you eat it like you would rice, it wasn't bad but I don't think I will be eating it again (texture was weird). Last for dessert I had plain greek yogurt with honey on top and frozen berries mixed into it. I am not a chunk fan as I said before so I normally don't eat chunks in yogurt but this was SOOOO yummy. I will for sure have it again if I have a sweet attack.
Today is my first day back to school after the nice long break. I am a little sad to go back because this quarter I have to go 3 nights a week. The days I have school Shawn and I see each other in the morning and then not again until 10:30 pm. I make sure the kids homework is done and when my evening should be hanging out with my family I am off to another long 4 hour class. I honestly wonder why credential classes arent during the day like normal college classes. So with all that I am sad that I am still in school but I know that my future job will be much more satisfying if I do finish.
Well I am off to get kids to school and life going for the day. Thanks for reading, Have a wonderful day.
Ali
Just a pic pf my favorite flower to make you happy!

I'm BACK!

2010-01-11T09:28:00.000-08:00

Well I am officially back! My holiday eating vacation is over today. I went to Trader Joe's and Henry's yesterday and stocked up on my old favorites as well as some new things that I have heard great things about. I look like I live in a home of an organic vegetarian if you look in my pantry. If you look in the fridge you will find lean meats, shrimp, and turkey. So after trying low carb without siccess in the long term I have decided to go with the age old idea of burning more calories then I intake. I will be simply writing down in a journal how many calories I eat each day without going over 1200 but also going no lower than 1000. I will allow myself 1 day a week that I go a little higher maybe around 1500 but I haven't fully decided yet. The dreaded weigh in was 203.6 ouch again as usual!
Last week was an awesome week. There is an auction house that I buy from all the time that as a thank you put everyones name in a drawing that had purchased 10 things in 2009. I got the phone call last week that I had won a $1000 gift card to a local furniture store. We are so excited but we realized that this will be our first piece of furniture that we pick out together. We have it narrowed down to a new dining tabel set or couch but after a week of debating over what to get we still have no idea.

The day after the gift card winning I went to WalMart and an employee who's daughter has childhood arthritis was doing a drawing to help pay for her medical bills. I gave them $10 for their raffle hoping to win a tv but instead won a little gadget called a bodybugg. If you ever watch the biggest loser it is the band they wear on their arm to track calories burned. I have been wearing it for a few days and it is a really cool little tool. I basically senses heart rate and skin temp. to tell you if you are burning more calories than you are consuming. It costs $250 plus a montly fee to use their internet site so I never would have purchased it for myself. So that was my awesome week.

Well I feel ready to start eating healthy and ready to get moving and losing. So check in every once inawhile as I am BACK!

A new year, a new attitude.

2010-01-05T17:08:00.000-08:00

Happy 2010!

Well as many of you know I have been dieting off and on since forever. I have decided to start a new lifestyle instead of a diet. I am going to be trying to stop eating "bad" carbs like white flour and white sugar. I know this will be difficult but I see it as a reason to start baking again. I have read a ton of things on the side effects including weight gain from "bad" carbs. I will however still be eating carbs from good sources like fruit, whole wheat, honey, brown rice, corn tortillas, etc. I decided that I would try a new recipe today and we LOVED it! I am not officially starting my new way of eating until next Monday (had to get the bad stuff out of the house first). Here is my first attemt at the new blog style and to my new way of eating.

Chocolate Chip muffins

1 c. unbleached flour

2/3 c. whole wheat flour

1/3 c. wheat germ

2 T flax seed

Mix all of these in a bowl

In a seperate bowl mix
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
2 eggs
1 c. vanilla greek style yogurt ( used Honey flavored because it's all I could find)
2 Tbsp. oil
1/2 c. milk
1/3 c. maple syrup
2 tsp. vanilla
mix together with a wisk

mix the flour mixture into the wet mix. Once it is all incorperated add 3/4 c. chocolate chips
put the mix into muffin cups and bake 25 min at 400 degrees
Definitly worth a try in our families mind.

2009-12-16T07:42:00.000-08:00

Man has it really been 2 months since I have posted? Wow where does the time go? Well lets just say that the Holidays hit and I did not do well at all. I am taking a full break from weight loss throught the goodie season.
I will be back with posts at least weekly starting in Jan.

Have a very Merry Christmas

and I look forward to seeing you all

in 2010.

2009-10-15T12:47:00.000-07:00

I realized this afternoon that I have not posted in a week. Schools is keeping me really busy. am still doing really well on w.w. I did have a little bit of a rough weekend and used my 35 points extra in one meal on Sunday night. On Monday I didn't even want to go to the meeting a weigh in because of my bad Sun. Well I threw on jeans, a big sweatshirt, tennis shoes, and a hat which are not my normal shorts, tshirt, and no shoes for weigh in. I gained 2 pounds. I am hoping that this week when I weigh in the bad weigh in last week won't be that bad. I knew at some point when the weather changed I would have to take a hit on my weight when I wore pants figured I would have the nacho weight and pants all in one shot. Other than that life has been school and family. Can't complain,
Have a good weekend and I will try to post on Monday,
Ali

2009-10-08T15:04:00.001-07:00

Still doing well. I keep waking up with headaches so that isn't fun. School is already kicking my butt. I don't think I have ever had so much reading in my life. 6-10 chap. at 40-50 pages each per week. I should be a reading snob by the time I am done with this class.
Well Just a small post to let you know it is going strong still and to say thanks for all the encouragment.
Ali

2009-10-05T14:09:00.001-07:00

What an exciting day for me. I woke up this morning and was feeling good about weighing at the w.w. meeting. I had two social events this weekend and has been really good about sticking to my points even with eating pizza. I was sure I would lose 1 pound because I had lost alot last week I wasn't thinking much more. I got on the scale and wow I lost another 4 lbs. Yeah!!!

The coolest part is I got another 5 lb. sticker from my leader but I also lost 5% of my weight so I got a 5% sticker and a blue star to hang on my fridge.

I now have a w.w. buddy. Jennifer C. joined W.w. and went with me this morning to her first meeting. I think she is a little overwhelmed but I am glad I have someone to do this with.

So with my recent 4 lbs. it brings my total to 11.6 lbs in two weeks. I am more then thrilled but a littlle nervous about next weeks weigh in. I just don't think I can keep going with such high numbers.

Well I am off to take care of a bunch of homework. I will write again soon,
Ali

2009-10-01T09:00:00.000-07:00

Well the diet is still going strong. The last few nights with school and life I haven't really been eating a dinner. I grab a snack or something between events. Today I am going to work on eating a dinner. If I don't eat a dinner I find that I have a hard time getting in all my points for the day. I am loving that I get to really eat. I have some days where I feel like all I do is eat and I still seem to be losing.
School went well for the first week but man am I going to be busy. I have 250 pages to read before I go back next week. Seems like alot of reading will be a typical pattern.
Yesterday we decorated for Halloween. Shawn and I had decided no Halloween party this year. Now that everything is up we may reconsider. We are thinking of bbqing hotdogs to pass out to trick or treaters as well as candy. Another way of loving on people.
Have a great day and talk to ya all soon,
Ali

2009-09-29T07:47:00.000-07:00

My first day back to school went pretty well. I saw a bunch of friends before randomly so that was nice. I got to class and within a few min the fire alarm went off so we had to evecuate. After about an hour they let us back in. Apparently someone popped their popcorn a little too long and it set off the smoke detector to the largest building on campus, over 1000 people were evacuated. We finally got back in and got our schedule for the class. The sad yet cool part is because of the budget cuts some of this class is going to be online. There was one soccer and baseball thing for the kids that overlapped and we weren't sure what we were going to do. Luckily that one day is one of my cancelled classes becasue of the cuts.
Diet wise I was really busy yesterday so I actually had a hard time getting my points for the day. I ate in the morning but then between w.w. meeting and our new washer delivered, kids homework, and me going to school I ended up eating dinner at 10pm. I am going to be working on not making that a habit.
I am off to another class tonight. I have heard mixed reviews on the teacher. I get the idea that he is good but a hard grader. Either way I am not too worried.
Well off to deal with the day.
Ali

2009-09-28T11:11:00.000-07:00

I weighed in this morning thinking that 3-4 pounds would be awesome as a first weeks lose. Well I didn't lose 3-4 pounds I lost 7.2 !!!!! I was kind of floored because I ate like crazy and still lost. The meetings to me are the key. I don't weigh myslef all week and it's like the big reveal of how I have been doing.
This weekend was fun and interesting. We had Cody's soccer game on Sat. and my in laws came to watch. The team did awesome and won. After soccer we had an open house for a good friend and I ate but was so careful. I felt kind of deprived because they had all these yummy looking cookies. I got a cup and filled it with fresh fruit. It was so good and I felt awesome that I didn't give in and eat the cookie. Sat. night we went to church so that Sun we could sleep in.
Sunday I spent almost the entire day shopping for a new washing machine. We bought a new washer 2 years ago but it broke and the part to repair it with labor was more then a new machine. I am a bargain shopped and ended up with a $599 machine for $424 after price matching and talking them into free delivery since we bought our old machine from them. I just about gave up on getting a new washer but finally got all that I wanted in one place at the right price. Whoohoo.
Well I am off to get ready for my first evening back to school. I am not thrilled with the idea of going back to school but I am sure I will be fine once I get into the swing of it.
Have a good Monday,
Ali

2009-09-25T07:48:00.000-07:00

Good Friday Everyone,
Well I have made it through 5 days of W.W. and so far so good. I had a major sugar need yesterday so I ate a fun size Snickers and then realized that it wasn't as good as I thought it would be in my mind. I would have much rather had an entire bag of kettle corn for the 2 points. I feel so much more energetic during the day when I am eating healthy. When sleepy time comes I sleep so much better. I don't feel like I am losing yet so I am hoping that the scale moves when I weigh in on Monday. The true test will be the weekend and then weighing in Monday at 9am.
So funny story for the day
We took all of the boys to get haircuts last night. It was the first time I didn't just tell the lady what they wanted. Garrett found the haircut books and picked a short spiky look that is pretty much what he already had his entire like but spiked a little differently. Pj went with the typical bowl cut that Shawn loves on him. No Cody was a mess. Me looked at the book for am hour. He wanted a mullet, no. Next he wanted blond and purple highlights that you have to use a hair iron to get the look. He cried because we would let him do what he wanted. He finally found a long spiky, messy look that we all agreed on. This morning he realized that they cut off his long hair. How he didn't realize last night when he saw her cutting the hair is beyond me. All in all it was an eventful night. Lesson - next time you go to the salon take a look at the mens hair cut books, they are hilarious. Shawn and I laughed at the guys for an hour. So bad!.
Have a great weekend and I will post after my weigh in on Monday.
Ali

2009-09-23T07:20:00.000-07:00

I have made it through 2 days of W.W.
I decided to make dinner at 4 again yesterday so that is was ready when we all got home from baseball. When we got home Shawn gave me a look. I made broccoli beef stir fry with rice. Lets just say that it wasn't good at all after sitting. The meat got tough and the veggies fell apart. We threw it away and went to In n Out. I stuck on plan and was able to have a hamburger without spread and 1/2 of an order of fries. Yummy.
All in all the diet is going really well. I went to the market and picked up a few things I might not normally get. I found cranberry almond popcorn that is super yummy and preportioned in 2 pt. bags. I bought a ton of yogurt to make sure I am getting my milk in. I am trying to be smart and do this diet without eating "diet" food, If I am going to make this a lifetime then I have to eat foods I like.
I think I am going to redo the design of the website today. I need something a little more upbeat when I sign on at 6am.
Have a really good day,
Ali

2009-09-22T09:02:00.000-07:00

Yesterday morning I was looking on the W.W. website and was trying to decide between online or going to meetings. I happened to look at when and where the meetings were and the closest one started in 30 min. I jumped up, threw on clothes, no makeup, got PJ dressed and ran out the door. I am signed up for 2 months of w.w. prepaid. I got all the new books and learned the new plan. I am excited with going to meeting and seeing how I do. The bad news is my meeting is Monday at 9am so no weekend oops.
So yesterday went well. I made dinner at 4pm so that when we got home from baseball and soccer it was ready in the oven. We got home at 7:30 and ate as a family at the table. Normally when we are on the run after practice we stop and grab food on the way home. It was a nice ending to the day.
I love the program because you can eat. I ate my popcorn and granola bars. Yummy but a nono on low carb. So 1st day went well.
I am going to weigh in each Monday so I will post here either Monday or Tues. Yesterday at my meeting fully clothes with shoes I was 198. Ouch! The good thing is I am already lighter today. Have a good rest of the day,
Ali

2009-09-21T08:23:00.000-07:00

Good Morning everyone.
I'm back!!!
I have spent the last few months as me time. I took time to reorganize my house (which had gotten out of control while I was in school full time), spent time setting up routines (bedtime, bible study, clean ups before bed), getting myself and my house prepared for another round of school. We are in church full time, baseball, soccer, life is just full time non stop. I figure is I can't lose weight now then at no time will I be able to lose weight.
Everytime I go on a diet I get frusterated that it goes so slowely. I usually go to my old reliable weight loss plan of lose quickly and can't keep it off. I am ready this time to take time and do it right. I am going to do weight watchers yet again but this time I am going to stick with the points I should be having not less to lose faster. I am at 25 points a day. I am going to work on making better lifelong livable choices rather than quick and not lifelong. I am signing up for weight watchers but I am thinking about signing up for the online version instead of $14 a week it is $65 for 4 months. I figure if I pay for 4 months I will commit for that long. 4 months also happens to get me within a few weeks of my 32 birthday. Ouch 32!!!
With all that said I weighed in at 194. back up to where I was before I lost all the weight for my graduation. I just can't keep going up and down like I have been, it has got to be hard on my body not only physically but mentally. I am ready for a change and this time I am going to make it slow and steady. I am not going to aim for 4 pounds a week I will be thrilled with 1-2 if I still get to eat like a human and not a carnivore.
So if you have any Weight watcher advice of recipies I would love to hear them. Thanks for all the continued support.
Ali

2009-09-09T08:09:00.000-07:00

I have been very frusterated the last few weeks with school. I was upset that it was going to take me two years to finish. Funny thing is I kept praying about if teaching is what I am supposed to be doing and feeling frusterated because I felt like I wasn't getting any answers. I had a heart to heart with Shawn last night and he was laughing at me. He explained that he was a little upset at first because of the extra expense but how now he is ok with it all. He explained that I just wasn't seeing what God was trying to show me. Here I am trying to figure out my future when God is saying "Ali I have given you everything you have asked for. You get to go to school while being a Mom. You don't have to put PJ in daycare fulltime because you won't be working full time until he is in 1st grade". I was upset about not passing part of my cset and said well maybe God doesn't want me to teach and this is a sign. Now I know that is was because if I had passed none of his plans would have worked out. Funny how once it is put into perspecive for you, you begin to see how obvious it is that he was listenening all along, even before you were talking to him about it.
I still feel that there is a bigger picture for Shawn and I and I would love to see where he is going to take us. I am looking at our home Bible study as a springboard for much bigger things he has in store.
I know that I am not ready to hear God's audible voice, that would really freak me out. I am however really going to work on not seeing things as coincidence. Everything will fall into place.
"Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths." (Proverbs 3:5-6)
So true, Have a great day,
Ali

2009-09-03T08:44:00.001-07:00

I owe you all a HUGE apology. I was supposed to post on the first and I didn't and for that I am sorry.
I have had the last few weeks from Hell. 2 weeks ago my Sister who was 4 months pregnant had a miscarriage and it has been very hard on her family. We have been being supportive but there is only so much you can do in the situation.
I have spent the last 2 weeks getting everything figured out for school. I finally got accepted and registered forclasses and thought I was ready to go. It has taken me many trips to school to sit and wait for them to get their stuff together. Lets just say they are terrible at what they do. On Monday I got a letter saying I was unable to take one of the classes I need Blah, blah, blah let's just say that instead of doing credentials in 1 year like I have planned on I am now being forced to do them in 2 years. Stinks because we bought our house with the plan of me working in 5 years and now it won't be for 6 years so it just messes things up. Anyways life is hard right now and full of undecided ends and I am not sure what to do.
Other then that life is crazy busy and I so need a vacation even though summer just is coming to an end.
The great news with everything is I have time to be a great Mom to my boys for the next year and time to get my house and life in order while going to school only at night.
Ali

2009-08-24T08:47:00.000-07:00

Well it's official. Shawn and I are going to have a small goup Bible study in our house. We had been saying how in a church so large we really needed to get into a Bible study. Well our dilemma is it had to be on Wed and it had to allow you to bring children. Not one of the studies fit what we needed. We thought about it and talked with a bunch of people in the church and yesterday we signed up and went to our training. We are one of a handful of studies that will allow familes with children to come. The best part is because we are about 5 min from the house the elementary - high school age kids can go to a program at the chuch while the parent and little ones come to our house. We have already been told that we will fill up rather quickly because of the kids stuff.
Lets see what else has been going on. The kids are all in full force sports, and school. Life is busy, busy, busy all the time. I am officially accepted as a credential student at Cal State San Bernardino and start in Sept. I have to be honest that I am not thrilled with the idea of going back. The credential program is very intense. From Sept through Dec. I will be going 1 day and 3 nights a week. Jan through June I will be going to school at night and teaching as a student teacher in the classroom from 8-3 5 days a week. I am not sure how I am going to be the Mom I want to be, the wife I want to be, and the person at home I want to be while my schooling is so intense. We shall see!
So we had some unexpected expenses with the kids going back to school, sports, band, life, you know how it works. We have been doing cheap and simple meals with having practive every night of the week. My eating has not been in contol since the beginning of the summer. I am going to be starting weight watchers on Sept. 1st. I am hoping to go to meetings but I am not sure if finances will allow for it. I am waiting and praying for what to do. I will post again on Sept. 1st with all my new diet news and ideas. I am hoping to be refreshed from a summer of bad eating and no exercise. So look for Me on Sept. 1st with a whole new attitude.
Ali

2009-08-18T08:37:00.000-07:00

Why is it that just when the kids go back to school and I think I should have free time I don't? I feel busy non stop. I have a list of things I want to get done before I go back to school and can't seem to get anything done. It is amazing.
Well Shawn and I are officially memebers of Water of Life church. We went to the membership class on Sunday evening and made it official. We also signed up for a spiritual gifts class that starts in Sept. and after much prayer and thought we have decided to start a home Bible study. The church has a huge need for people who are willing to lead groups in their home. We had been thinging about it and after talking alot and praying a ton Sundays message reallt spoke to us and told us that we were supposed to open our home and not only that but make it so that people can bring their kids. As a young family we know how hard it is to find a Bible study that is kid friendly. The church offers care for Garrett and Cody's age and since we live close the kids can go to the church but Pj's age is what we are gearing towards. We are going to stock up in kid videos with Christian themes and hope that we can get though a study. I guess well see how it goes in Sept.
I am still waiting to see what it is that I am supposed to be doing. I turned in my credential stuff but haven't heard back from them yet. I have been praying about my future and where God want's me but so far I have really been learning patients. Hopefully we will see soon.
Well I am off to a filled up day,
Ali

2009-08-12T10:50:00.001-07:00

Wow were the last two days rough. The kids started school and life as we know it is getting crazy. I let loose on my blog and was talking to myself and I think some people took it the wrong way. Let me clarify that I was talking to myself. Iw ould never vent on my blg without talking to people first so for that I am sorry.

I think life just got the best of me and I was running on no food, sleep, or coffee creamer. I wasn't a happy camper. I feel refreshed and much better today.

Yesterday my brother andd his wife welcomed their first baby.

Emily Elizabeth (that's my middle name) was born at 5:59 via c-section. She weighed in at 8 lbs 14 oz and 21 1/2 inches long. She is beautiful and perfect in every way. Something so simple can be such an amazing spirital reminder. God is so good and awesome.

Well I am off to work on pulling stuff together for soccer tonight have a good one,

Ali

2009-08-11T07:18:00.000-07:00

I have commitment issues. I signed a contract with a few people to not cheat and do well for 6 weeks. It is not going well. I am angry that someone else is telling me how to diet. Not in a mean way but it just isn't my terms so I am bitter and mad. It isn't that someone is telling me it is just that I have no will power and don't want I admit that I cheated.I like to do things on my terms and on my time and right now I am not feeling like dieting and so there.
Ok now that I ranted I 'll tell you about my week.
The kids are back at school. I am glad they are back but also a little off on my schedule and stuff. Brandy went into the hospital Sun. to have my niece and she still is there this morning. Still no baby. They are inducing but doing it very slowly. Hoping today will be the day. I'll keep ya posted. We start soccer practice for Cody this week among with Porter baseball so we are busy with practices monday - thursday from now until December. Life is crazy and it wouldn't be life if it wasn't, right?
Well I will post again later.
Ali

2009-08-04T08:47:00.000-07:00

Yesterday went super well. I went to the market for a real shopping trip for the first time since our beach vacation in June. I would go grab 1 meal but no the whole shabang. I decided on weight watchers as my diet or lifestyle change of choice because I can live long term on it. I need something that isn't quick and done so I can gain it all back again. I need a diet that teaches me how to eat. I looked at Prism and a few other diets but I don't want to eliminate and one food group. Let's be realistic, I still want dessert every once in awhile. I still want bread and popcorn when I have the points.

Matt came over for dinner last night and we had a great meal. We had steak, baked sweet potatoes, grilled veggies, and corn on the cob. I cooked it the same except I made the guys baked potatoes with all the fixens while I had my sweet potato with a little cinnamon. Yummy! We had a great night of conversations and Ghostbusters the movie.

I am in a little pickle over what to do with my future. I am not sure what God wants me to do. I keep praying but I haven't heard back yet. I really feel in my gut that an art credential isn't what I am supposed to be doing. I am not sure what I should be doing. I am going to turn in my application and keep on the road for my credential but if another answer surfaces before or even during my credential I may follow it. I just feel that an art job isn't where I am supposed to be. I may look into multiple subject credential for elementary school but I am just chillin waiting for God's help in this area.

Well today is an organize the house and get back from vacation mode day.

Have a good Tues.

Ali

2009-08-03T09:09:00.001-07:00

Well I am back from vacation. We had a wonderful time and it was so nice to relax with my family. Coming back from vacation is bittersweet, not only because it means coming back to reality but also because this is the Monday. I have been putting off dieting for almost the entire summer and now that the kids are heading back to school and life is starting back up it is time to work on me again.

I am realizing that it is more than just food to me. I have an addiction to food and I use it as a crutch. I have areas of hurt in my life and I use food to fill the hurt. I have had long talks with alot of people about my past and it is a reoccuring topic in my life alot lately. I feel like God is telling me that I have to fix myself and deal with this issue before I can move on to bigger and better things that he has in store for me.

When I was 11 years old my Dad walked away from my family and left my Mom to be a single Mom to three kids. My Mom did the best she could for the situation she was in. My life was great for the most part but as a young girl there is alot of hurt that goes along with your father leaving you. I have abandonment issues as well as other issues including food. I always tell people that I have forgiven him and moved on but the truth is that forgiving him and getting over this is impossible. How am I supposed to forgive him for being a complete asshole and changing my whole life when he made a very selfish decision? I can't! I recently read that you know something is from God if it sounds impossible well this issue in my life is impossible and I am actually a little upset with God that he wants me to deal with it.

I didn't intend for my post today to be an angry one or to talk about this but I had to. I am angry and I know that the only way I will get over this is with God. Through God all things are possible. I know that I am not going to walk away from my kids and that I am not him but alot of his choices to be a selfish jerk of a man have effected and changed my life. I am starting a journal of my feeling and journey through healing. I know it may take years and may not ever happen but I am finally willing to hand it to God and get on with my life.

Ok as for diet I know that I have an addiction. I have been doing diet after diet but I know that I need to change me and figure out why I eat. I have a book called Prism weight loss that helps youu deal with more than just eating. I am going to be reading this as I try to figure out why food has such a hold on me.

Here is my plan. I weighed in this morning at 186.6. I am putting away the scale and not weighing myself for 6 weeks. In that 6 weeks I also am NOT going to cheat. It isn't an option. I am making a vow to myself that I can and will make 6 weeks, 42 days. On Sept. 14th I will weigh myself. I need to learn that weight is more than a number it is about how I feel while dieting and about myself that matters. My post has gotten kind of long so tomorrow I will fill you in on my eating regimine. I'm not sure yet which program I am going to do. I love Weight watchers but I feel that by not eliminating any certain food that my addiction will still be there when I have lost that weight. Well enough for today.

Ali

2009-07-26T19:09:00.001-07:00

I recently was having a discussion with some family about what we as Christians should do in a situation where someone confides in us when they are going through troubles in their marriage. We as a group decided that this situation is one that can't be handled by one person in the marriage but has to be a team effort on both of your parts.
Last week I was talking to someone that Shawn knows who is going through some rough relationship stuff and has been confiding in him about it. I know this person very little but ran into them last week. When we were briefly talking this person was telling me how awesome my husband is and how enviouse they are of our relationship. This really bothered me and really made me think back to the discussion with my family. Something felt off and uncomfertable so I went to Shawn and explained what I was feeling about the situation. He of course said I have nothing to worry about but he made a suggestion that I wasn't to keen on but prayed about all weekend. This person was having a birthday party for their child and invited my family.
Well Shawn was in Portland for the weekend visiting Jim and Kim so the party was a no in my mind.
Friday I was talking with Shawn while he was in Portland and was explaining that I wasn't sure why but her comments were still really weighing on my mind. Shawn said well I know what I think you should do. I jokingly said go to the party and laughed. Shawn's answer was I never would ask you to go without me but if it is still on your mind there has to be a reason. I hung up a little upset that he would even ask me to do that without him. I prayed and thought about it all night and even had dreams about it. I woke up a little upset because I knew that I had to do and as a Christian I knew what God wanted me to do.
Sat morning the kids and I went to the Christian bookstore and picked up a dvd and stuffed animal for her son. After picking up the gift we headed to the party. The kids had a ton of fun and I'll admit that I had some good conversations and it was fun. I know I did what God wanted and I felt at peace the entire time. The issues that I had have gone away and I feel like I had the chance to talk about the Holy Spirit and how she needs to get her kids and herself into a church.
I know we all go through struggles with what we know is what we should do but I did what I didn't want and feel so much better now. I also know that she knows that Shawn and I are a team and that she can come to US with her problems.
Just had to share.
Ali

2009-07-20T09:20:00.000-07:00

Isn't it funny how God works in our lives? Shawn and I started working at our new churches VBS last night. We are both group leaders. Shawn is a leader to 12 4th grade kids and had 3 7th grade helpers, I have 17 3rd graders and 2 junior helpers. We learned about Gidion and the kids had so much fun. I came home energized and ready to go back, I have a great group of kids that all listen and can stand still for more than 4 min. Shawn on the other hand has decided after one night that kids are not his calling:) He had fun but his patience was tested. Anyways I am explaining to children what baptism is and how you can ask God into your heart. It is refreshing to see how without much effort the Holy Spirit get's into their little hearts and how easily they believe.
So we gave offering for the first time in awhile now that we have a church we are calling home. Now I am really bad about getting the house mail so when we got home last night I decided tog et the mail. How amazing was it that we recieved some checks in the mail that equal up to the exact amount we had givin. I am always leary about giving 10% because it is suck a large amount, I mean we could buy a new car if we didn't give, but we gave and we know that God is watching over us.
Ok so for the Non God stuff j/k
I still have no desire to diet, I just can't get back into it. We are going away camping with our family in about 2 weeks and I am thinking that I will use the away time to vamp myself back up and catch up on reading about the diet and stuff. We will see.
My tooth is feeling so much better, I go back in 3 weeks to get it finished but for now no pain at all, such a great feeling.
alright well I am off to look for some little inexpensive gifts for my VBS kids,
Ali

2009-07-16T12:58:00.000-07:00

Please don't think I am avoiding you. I have been so busy. I have been painting and redoing the boys bedroom and bathroom for the last week. In the middle of that I got a terrible toothache and had to get a root canal. I have been kind of uninspired in the diet area when I have been feeling like poop. I had the root canal done this morning so now I am swollen and sore. I will post again soon but I just didn't want anyone to think I had disappeared.
Please pray for us as well. We have been going to church and getting God back into our lives. Someone doesn't like what we are doing and we feel like we have been under attack. The best part is that we know we are doing something right if we are going through trials like this but none of the family has been able to sleep the last 3 nights. The kids keep waking up with nightmares and hearing noises. The kids also keep waking up sick and strange stuff so please keep us in your prayers.
Ali

2009-07-10T09:00:00.000-07:00

Happy 9th Birthday Cody!!!!!
Last night Shawn and I watched the movie Fireproof. What a good make you feel good kind of movie. We liked it so much that we are planning on buying it for one of the girls at Shawn's work who is going through some bad marriage stuff right now. I love the idea of not only relying on God but giving in when things are bad and making people try at a marriage.
I am so excited for a few reasons today. I will tell you something that many of you do not know. I can't pray out loud, never have. I have never prayed with my kids or husband out loud. They pray in front of me and I pray in my head and say Amen. It's not that I don't pray at all, it's is extremely hard for me to pray out loud. I have never prayed out loud in a group EVER. Scares me to death. Well I have been really working on this area in my life. Cody woke up with an ear ache a few nights ago and it took me 45 min. to ask Shawn but I prayed with him out loud for Cody. Last night at dinner I prayed for the meal out loud with my family. I know they are baby steps and I have no plans to pray in a big group but God is working in my life and giving me courage to be the wife and Mom I need to be.
Ok so the second reason I am so excited today is that on Sat. is my big graduation celebration. Whoo hoo. We are taking 60 people to Quakes stadium to see a baseball game and have all you can eat BBQ. It doesn't seem realy yet becuse I haven't had to work at all. I am so excited to see everyone and celebrate my accomplishments with the people who not only mean the most in my life but also the ones who without I wouldn't have made it to my college graduation. I will post pics on Monday as well as do some W.W. talk as I will be restarting the diet on Monday.
Have a great weekend,
Ali

2009-07-07T10:13:00.000-07:00

I have been slow to post recently and I am sorry. I can't seem to get back on the diet. Typical Ali behavior. I weighed in at the end of the beach at 183 and weighed in this morning at 183, at least I am staying the same. Logically I know I need to go back on but I keep reasoning with myself about it. My grad party is on Sat and I am getting food in the house for a Monday start.
What have we been up to? We had a great 4th of July party at our house with all the family, we had a great 3rd of July baseball game, and we went to my brother and Brandy's baby shower on the 5th. Busy weekend but so much fun. The most fun was watching the kids be old enough to be in charge of lighting the fireworks.
I am working on homeschooling the boys for the summer and it is going well so far.
Last we have two boys with ear infections. Cody and Pj both have swimmers ear and the meds are taking a long time to work. Please pray for them to start healing and for the pain to go away.
Now for a big admission, Shawn and I have tried many churches since moving but never found one that we liked. We had gotten tot he point of giving up because we were frustrated with not finding what we were looking for even though we were out there looking. We decided last Sunday to try the church closest to our house again. It is a mega church which isn't our favorite but it also has a ton of kids programs and is less than 5 min away from the house. We really enjoyed it there. The kids had fun. We are no matter what giving it a 3 month trial run and then will decide if it works for us. Shawn and I have never really been a great couple in God. We do things seperatly but we are starting to work on praying and reading together. I will admit that I am scared of God. When I was younger ever time my Mom would go to church or read a Christian book bad things would happen to our family. It has stuck in my head and I am really working with God to get through this crazy fear. I read yesterday "A woman that fears God is to be praised" God and I are working together to make me a better Christian and a great Christian wife, woman, and Mother. I want my kids to see God in our lives and we are on a road to being better Christians. Ok with that off my chest I need to go homeschool the kids.
Ill catch ya later.
Ali

2009-07-01T07:43:00.001-07:00

What a week back from vacation so far.

Cody went to the doctor yesterday because he just wasn't getting better like we thought he would. He is going to get bloodwork done today but the doctor thinks he has Mono. He is tired and dizzy. I woke up yesterday with a tooth ache and getting a dentist appointment on a holiday week seems to be proving harder than I thought it would be. We are moving slow but it is kind of nice as we readjust from vacation.

Happy Birthday to Porter. Pj for his birthday wanted doughnuts, to play at a playground and wanted chicken nuggets for dinner. We took him to Victoria Gardens and they played on the playground aand in the water fountainn. They had so much fun. We had doughnuts in the afternon and for dinner we went to Mel's Drive in. Mel's is a 50's diner complete with a juke box at each table. They serve the kids meals in a paper car. Pj loved it. The food was only ok but the shakes were awesome.

Ok so I am officially starting weight watchers on Monday July 6th. I have alot of crazy stuff going on this weekend with the 4th, a baseball game, and my sister's birthday so I am taking the easy way out and being diet free a little longer. I know I will regret this decisioon when I have to weigh in but I don't care at the moment.

Well Have a great 4th of July and be safe.

Ali

2009-06-29T08:45:00.000-07:00

I'm back!!!

I am officially a college graduate. Whoo hoo. It feels strange, we are back from vacation and I am not sure what to do with myself. I typically go on the internet in the morning and spent the afternoon reading or working on homework. Yesterday it started to set in but today it just feels strange. I am like a person with no mission. I do have plans to homeschool the boys over the summer and get my graduate application finished for school. It isn't that I have nothing to do, it is more that I haven't had a school break in years and it just feels wierd.

So my graduation went fabulously. We made it with min. to spare and the ceremony was long and boring like we expected.

We also went to or annual family beach trip last week. It was a much needed break from life. We love to see who is going to show up on a day to day basis. We spend our days playing mahjong, reading, chit chatting, swimming and enjoying the sand, and relaxing. It was wonderful. We did have to come home a day early because Cody got the flu but he was a trooper and we didn't leave until late at night, so all we really missed was getting up and cleaning up with the family. The beach was beautiful and we didn't have any random bees. We did have a crazy man who liked fire a feew doors down but that was about it in that dept.

I didn't follow a diet at all while I was away. I am not weighing myself for a few days but I know I gained. I am 99% sure I will be switching to weight watchers on the 1st. My low carb diet was intended to help me lose a bunch of weight before graduation and I did. The low carb lifestyle is very hard to live on long term and as soon as you eat a carb you gain. I will be shopping on the 1st and getting our house ww friendly.

Well here are a few beach and graduation pics, enjoy.

Ali

2009-06-19T06:33:00.000-07:00

Well we are leaving today for a 10 day beach vacation. My college graduation is tomorrow. I weighed in at 173 even. Life is good. Look for me in 10 days!!!!
Ali

2009-06-17T07:31:00.000-07:00

My mind is exhausted. Between finals, the CSET drama, and spending every free moment doing beach stuff I am so ready for a vacation. Shawn wants to sit and plan things and I just want to sit. I bought 4 new books for the beach and planning on vegging for the 10 days. I am calling it makeup time for the last 2 non stop years of school and stress.
I think it is setting in even more that I am graduation 4 days. I am nervous and jittery about it. I know Ill be back in Sept. but I will be in an entirely different part of campus nowhere near the safe and fimiliar art area. Ok so enough about that.
I weighed in this morning at 174.4 finally broke the 175 mark that I have been stuck at for what feels like weeks.
Well I am off to pack clothes, pack the nice clean trailer, and get beach stuff going. I did go to Costco yesterday and $415 later (ouch) we usually plan better but we got new chairs, and Shawn new white t-shirts, and a ton of sunscreen. Now I remember why I never shop at Costco. Oh well off to work,
Ali

2009-06-16T12:50:00.000-07:00

Ok so Great news!!!! After writing the blog below a guy called form my school and said that because I passed half of the CSET and my GPA is high they will let me start the credential program in Sept. like planned. I have to pass the second part before I am done with the program so I have 1 year to pass. I am so relieved I think I could cry.
I also won't cheat because of it again. I went to See's and had one single chocolate yesterday to make myself feel better. It didn't work.
I am on top of the world right now.
Ali

2009-06-16T10:02:00.000-07:00

What to do now?
Well I found out yesterday that I didn't pass my cset by 1 point. I was and still am very upset. I thought I would be able to take it over the summer and start credentials in Sept. Well my plans have now changed. They are no longer offering the test over the summer and I must wait until Sept. to take it. This means that I can't start credentials in fall like I had planned. This delays my entire schooling by a year. I am unsure what to do and am actually depressed that my entire plan for the next year has suddenly changed. I was so upset yesterday I cheated and had 1 see's candy but was good the rest of the day. I guess I will have to wait out the summer and see what happens. I am bummed because I thought I had nailed the test and then to not pass by one point. Well I needed to vent.
Ali

2009-06-15T07:59:00.000-07:00

I have to tell you why I love my blog. I woke up this morning and weighed in at 175.4 and was a little bummed because in my head that was the same as I weighed on Friday. I get my coffee and sit down to write my blog and look at Fridays where I had weighed 176.6 so I did still lose and the blog had to remind me.
I got an email on Sat. that mae my day. The head of the art dept. sent me an email telling me that at an awards ceremony on Thurday I am going to be presented a medalion to wear at graduation because I am going to be graduating wiith Honors. How cool is that. I am really proud of myself. Honors heans that I got higher than a 3.5 Grade point average at CSUSB. It means I got almost all A's and a few B's. I am so thrillled I can't contain it. I the girls who didn't know if I would ever finish school is now graduating with honors. Whoo hoo to me.
Our party went fabulous, we had so much fun even though it was a little cold the kids still went swimming for a little bit. The craft turned out perfectly. All in all the whole thing went off without a hitch. I didn't cheat at all that day either. We did a decorate your own cupcake table and I resisted and had a pineapple spear instead,, we put out cheese as a appetizer that we could eat, and I stuck to no alcohol and only my diet pepsi. I resisted it all. I even got some much needed help form the girls at the partu about what to wear to graduation.
Sunday we went to a bbq at Scott and Matt's house and I didn't cheat there. I was tempted by these stupid wheat thins but I got a big bowl of water melon to eat instead. We ha fun hanging with the guys as well as our friends Jum and his kids Max, and Ruby. Oh I also forget that the most imprtant member oof the family was in on all of the days festivities Drake, Scott's black lab.
We leave for our beach trip in 5 days and I have not planned anything. Our plan was to get things organized yesterday but we cleaned up from the party instead. Hopefully with the crazyness of the week we can pull it all together.
Ali

2009-06-12T08:25:00.000-07:00

Well the closet that I packed up a few months ago is being unpacked today. I wore a pair of 12's a few days ago and my 13 jeans yesterday. I am feeling great and ready to try on all the shorts and shirts to see if I have a wardrobe for the beach next week.
I think it is funny how each time I lose weight it looks different on my body. Last time, and sorry if this is to much info, I lost my boobs. I had to go buy new bras and everything. I still have 25 pounds to go and the boobs haven't moved, I am still in the "fat" bra's. I will admit they don't look the same but seriously I want them to go so I can wear the cute stuff again.
So we are haing a birthday party tomorrow for the boys. I haven't done anything to get ready yet. I have bene so stressed and busy with school and little league I wasn't able to wrap my head around doing another thing. So today we are filling the pool, cleaning the house, organizing and getting all the food, etc. I do things great under pressure. To top it off we have a Quakes game tonight. Sometimes I think we are crazy but if we slow down we might miss something:)
ok well off to get things ready but I weighed in at 176.6 almost 25 pounds lost. Yeah for me.
Ali

2009-06-10T07:18:00.000-07:00

I have finished two of my finals and I have two to go. I am so ready to be done. I have 11 days until I am a college graduate. Whoo hoo.

I am stressed to the limit and I am now planning a b-day party and it is starting to set in that we leave on vacation in 10 days. AHHHHH. J/k. I am actually doing really well I think it because I know tthere is a light at the end of the tunnel. I was able to finish two classes yesterday so my stress has dropped to "I'm good"

So I have to admit that I cheated on Sunday night. We had a babysitter for the kids so we went out to dinner. We did so well and ordered a caesar salad to share, it was yummy and we didn't cheat. After dinner they brought the dessert tray over and we decided to splurge. Well dessert went to going to a second resteraunt to get my favorite peach drink. Lets just say my instincts went out the window. Good news is I got right back on. Better news is I felt terrible on Monday. Why is this good? I don't want to cheat if I feel like that. I had a tummy ache and headache all day. I also gained 2 lbs. I have been superior ffor the past 2 days and I weighed in at 178.2 this morning.

Yesterday I was getting ready for school and I had no pants that fit. I pulled out a pair of capri's that haven't fit in over a year and they slid right on. I have dropped 2 clothing sizes. Awesome.

Alright well I am off to get ready for a party this weekend and it is the boys llast day of school.

Have a good day, I also attached a pic of my finished table.

Ali

2009-06-08T10:32:00.000-07:00

Looking Toward the Future by Reflecting on the Past

Thirteen years, what can one person do in thirteen years? A child can start kindergarten and complete his high school career in thirteen years. A college student can earn a bachelors, masters, and doctorate degree in thirteen years. It has taken me thirteen years to follow one of my lifetime goals of graduating from college. The road to get here hasn’t been an easy one. Now that I have reached my goal I am scared beyond belief of what the future holds for me.
Immediately after high school I decided to go to the local community college. My very first semester I took American Government along with 2 other classes at Citrus College. While I was enrolled in my first semester of college I found out that I was pregnant. I was eighteen, unmarried, and pregnant. I dropped out of my classes because I thought that this was my fate. Shortly after finding out I was pregnant I married my boyfriend Shawn. We were eighteen and no one thought that there was a way in the world we would make it.
When my son turned six months old I decided to try out college once again. I reenrolled at Citrus College. My husband and I took classes side by side. I managed to make it through the semester with decent grades. I took many online classes so that I could be a stay at home mom of my young son. My grades got worse and worse as the classes that I took became harder and harder. I made it through two years of part time classes before was excused from Citrus for having too many F’s. I thought that was it.
My husband decided that he was also tired of school so he took a job as a trash man in Big Bear and our family of three moved up the hill to start a new life. My husband had complete all of his general education classes but thought that this job was a great opportunity, so off we went. We lived in Big Bear for six months before my husbands thirst for knowledge and tiredness of being a trash man moved us back down the hill to Monrovia. Shortly after gave birth to our second son.
My husband started at Cal Poly Pomona and I became the bread winner for the family. I worked a retail management job to put my husband through school. I worked nights and weekends away from my children in hopes that when my husband graduated, life would change as we knew it. It took two years of me working and my husband going to school twenty plus units a quarter for him to graduate. In June 2003 he graduated with a degree in Agriculture.
For the first time in my life I realized that I wanted that degree. It didn’t matter what it took, I wanted to complete a degree. At the same time I realized that a degree in a specific area doesn’t guarantee you will work in that field. My husband’s degree was almost useless except for teaching, which wasn’t something he really wanted to do. My husband found a job and I was able to go back to school and being a full time mom to my two boys.
For the first time in my college career I realized that I wasn’t going to be able to breeze through classes like I had done all through high school. I was going to have to earn my degree. I kept taking classes nights and weekends while my husband was able to stay at home with our two sons. I enrolled at two community colleges in order to get the classes that I would need to transfer to Cal Poly. I didn’t even know what I wanted my major to be. I just knew to keep taking the general education classes and transfer. Somewhere in the midst off all of my classes, my husband and I welcomed our third son. Married life with three kids just got harder and harder but I just kept trucking.
It was my last semester at Chaffey College and I took a ceramics class. I had taken ceramics for two years in high school and loved it but never thought of it as a potential career. While I was enrolled in the class I remembered how much I loved clay. I immediately applied to Cal Poly and was accepted to start my degree in ceramics in the fall of 2007. I got a letter from Cal Poly the summer before I was supposed to start at the school. Cal Poly had cancelled all of its art classes except for graphic design. What was I going to do? I decided to apply to California State University San Bernardino and I got accepted as a ceramics major. I had done no research on the school’s art program it was simply the closest one to my house.
In the fall of 2007 I started at California State University San Bernardino. I was so scared. I felt totally out of my league. What was I doing majoring in art? I wasn’t an artist. My first semester at Cal State I kept to myself, my main goal was just doing well in my classes. I would go home do my homework, and be a great wife and mom. My second quarter I started to get to know people in my major and I joined the ceramics club on campus. I started to find my niche. I was being challenged in my art and loved going to school. I will admit that it started to get overwhelming as this was the first time I had done full time classes in my college career.
My third quarter at school started to feel much more natural. I became Vice President of the clay club and had more and more friends from school. As I took on more at school, my home life took a toll. My marriage and kids were great but keeping up with laundry, cleaning, yard work, etc. became more than I could handle most days. I just kept plucking away with my classes and did my best to be a great homemaker. I would read and write papers in between loads of laundry, my children’s homework, entertaining a two year old, and all of my other duties.
This is my final quarter at California State University. In the last year I have been in school art shows, was elected president of the clay club, and continued to grow as a woman, artist, mom, and wife. I truly had always hoped that I would make it to this point but in the back of my mind never thought I would actually be where I am today. On June 20th I will be walking at my college graduation with a degree in studio arts and I am in awe that it is really happening. On one hand I am thrilled and on the other I am terrified for what the future holds for me.
In September I will be returning to California State San Bernardino to continue my college career. I will be spending the next year working on my single subject teaching credential in art. I don’t know what the future holds for me. I know that I am strong and I can handle anything that comes my way. Graduating from college is the ultimate way to prove that I can do anything. Things do not change, we change. That is my new motto. I am nothing like the person who started college thirteen years ago. There is not a chance that girl would be where I am today. I am very lucky to have a supporting husband and amazing kids who have allowed me to go to college and prove to the world that I can do this.
As I look back it brings a little tear to my eye. I achieved a goal that many people don’t ever make. I, the person who started out as a stupid young girl, have become an amazing woman. It may have taken me thirteen years to do what some people do in four. In those thirteen years I have stayed married to a wonderful man. I have been a great mom to my three boys, and have learned so much through my experiences of being a parent. I put my husband through college, and he now has a great job that he loves. We were even fortunate enough to have purchased a home. Many days the laundry is piled in the hallway and kid’s toys are spread throughout the house, but I now know that come with the roll I have as a parent and student. Most importantly I have taken this time to figure out who I am, and I think figuring out who you are for most people takes a lifetime. I consider the last thirteen years very well spent and I can’t wait to see what the next thirteen years brings for me.

I had to write this paper as an assignment for a class and I thought that it would be nice to share with all of you since all of you have been there ans supported us the entire way though all of this.
Ali

2009-06-05T07:42:00.000-07:00

Well I have been the same weight since Sat. and I finally broke my plateu. I was starting to think the diet had stopped working but normally I would be like well it stopped working so I guess my body is fine where it is. This time I kept going and it finally paid off and I lost almost 1 pound. I weighed in at 179 even.
I have new people joining me on the low carb diet wagon. Shawn has decided that weight watchers was to slow and he had started gaining even though he wasn't cheating at all. He started on Tues. and is down 6 pounds already. I have another friend who's name I won't say ad she is doing really well as. It is nice to have partners in the hourney. Shawn has been doing alot of research on how the diet works and my other friend is giving me new recipies to try. Awesome. It has been inspiring.
Other than dieting I am just working really hard to get done with school. I am at the tail end and I can feel it. I have a 10 page paper to write this weekend with a partener at school so Sunday I have to meet him for the afternoon. I have finished all of my ceramics work for the quarter, and my woodshop project is almost complete. I basically have an art history final and a few papers to write for english and I am DONE!!!! I am so excited because I honestly wondered if I would even make it to being done with school. 2 weeks to go.
Well have a great weekend and I will chat again on Monday,
Ali

2009-06-03T08:19:00.000-07:00

So I got to school yesterday and as soon as I sat down in my class the guy next to me (who is a ceramics major) was filling out a sheet for a ceramics sale. OH my Gosh, I forget that there was a sale that day. I jammed out of the class, drove home picked up some stuff to sell, drove back and set it up with the help of a few people, and sat the rest of my day selling work. I felt like such a lop, I ususally don't forget stuff like that. I sold a bunch of the ladybug and bird stuff that I made awhile back. When I left at 3 there was one hour left and I had made $97 not bad for throwing some stuff together that I had in the garage.
I am in some major uncomfertableness. I have had eczema on my hands for awhile but recently it has moved to my feet and instead of one area on my hand it is all over them. The kind I have is called dyshidrotic eczema which means I not only get the dry layers but little blisters that itch like crazy. I have been taking benadryl and all kinds of home treatments but nothing is working on it. I have been reading the diet is a major factor in it and dairy is really bad for people with eczema, I am trying to convince myself to stop eating dairy for awhile and see if it helps. I am starting that today.
I went out to happy hour with a friend and had a beer and we ordered 2 appetizers that were low carb, I did great. Cody had a preformance at school and we went to the resteraunt at bass pro shop for dinner. I had 2 beers and a great plate of fresh fish and shrimp with broccoli I did great there as well. I weighed in today at 180 even so up a little but I did great and enjoyed myself and I know I am going right back on it and the weight will come right back off.
Well I am off to work on yet more homework, 17 more days to go.
Ali

2009-06-01T06:54:00.000-07:00

So I was really good all weekend and only lost .4, I was a little bummed as I would get on the scale and not see the number move all weekend. I feel thinner and this is making it ok that the number didn't move. I am going to think of it as the weight is redestributing so that even if it is still there it looks better on. Nice thought right? oh well I am thinking that it might be necessary to add exercise to keep it moving and am trying to talk m yself into it. Did I add that I am officially in the 170's!!!

What a great weekend. I saw alot of people and it seems like people are starting to be able to tell that I am losing which is always a great motivator.

Garrett was at a friends and the other two boys and I went to my nieces b-day party, we had so much fun hanging with the fam and celebrating. I had a ton of homework so we rented movies for the boys and hung out Sat night. Sunday we went at got Garrett and I decided to take the kids to see the new movie UP. It was suck a cute story and the kids enjoyed it. I will admit it is a bit of a tear jerker for adults but totally worth seeing.

Shawn gets home today and I can't wait to see him. He called yesterday but his throat is bothering him so it didn't sound like him. Shawn told me that is has been raining almost the entire time and last night they decided to pack up the camp and stay in a hotel to get out of the weather and get some sleep. He says they have been catching and having fun even with the weather so that is good.

my goal today is to work on a research paper I have been putting off and really need to get done, it is in a new format so I am stumped on how to write it and not looking forward to it.

Well have a good Monday,

Ali

so here is something to make you think.

Junk Mail

we all hate it and it seems like when you pick up mail in the mailbox more than half is junk mail. The USPS make million of dollars a year by delivering junkmail sot hey don't want to stop and don't offer a service to stop junk mail

So what to do

there are online resources that you can pay $1 and they will get rid of junkmail to you mailbox by adding you to a do not send to list. It is like the do not call list for junkmail. Here is the link

https://www.dmachoice.org/dma/member/home.action;jsessionid=D76779F3736595A2D2A796828E721DE0.tomcat1

Stopping junk mail is earth friendly but....

Did you know that if there were no junkmail an average letters cost to be sent would be well over $1 a piece. So which is better??? Going green or going broke? I am still torn on this one but I am thinking going broke isn't an option.

2009-05-29T06:59:00.000-07:00

TGIF

Another week down. I am so close to being done with school and the closer I get the more I have to do. I am talking the whole weekend to get caught up on homework. I have 12 ceramics things to paint, 3 papers to write, and a ton of reading. Between homework I have 2 little league games, and 2 birthday parties. It is going to be a busy weekend but I am almost done(can you tell I am trying to convince myself).

I am putting a few pics up of the latest Ali ceramic stuff. I am trying some new things to see what I like. It is sad that after 2 years I still am not sure what to do in ceramics.

Well I weighed in at 180.2 so I have officially lost 20 lbs. Yeah for me. I am hoping to lose 5-10 more before the beach trip in 3 weeks. We will see.

have a good weekend,

Ali

2009-05-27T08:49:00.000-07:00

Well here is my laptop table so far. The table is the one I am making from recycled materials. When it is done it will be all black with a plexiglass inlay to protect the glass of the window. I am having so much fun in the class. I really wish I had taken it awhile ago. I would love to learn more and have more time to make stuff under a teachers supervision and the advice is the best.

Lets see another good diet day yesterday. I forgot my lunch so ran to the local market and picked a few things up to get me through the day. String cheese and low carb yogurt are my favorites still.

Shawn's friend Jimmy is flying in tomorrow to stay with us for a few days. Shawn and Jim are going fishing in Bishop over the weekend so I get to do b-day parties, baseball, and 3 papers while they are gone. The house is in good shape but I am doing the little thing today like making sure the floor is mopped and the boys rooms are clean.

We are heading to a Quakes game tonight for hotdogs and getting the kidds out of the house so that I don't have to clean it again tomorrow. We love the Quakes games. It is the best time to hang out as a family and the kids really enjoy them.

Ok well I weighed in at 181 today. I am hoping to hit 20 lost by this weekend. I actually had 4 people at school yesterday tell me that they can tell I am losing weight. I hadn't told anyone I was so that was really uplifting.

24 days until I am a college graduate and this means 23 days until we leave for the beach trip Whoohoo.

talk to ya soon,

Ali

2009-05-25T12:14:00.000-07:00

Happy Memorial Day.
I knew that I wouldn't have time to post tomorrow so I am doing a holiday edition today. We just got back from our relaxing weekend in Big Bear. It was a much needed time of no plans and alot of laying around and doing nothing. We went fishing on Sat. but for the most part our days were spent in our cabin reading, doing puzzles, and hanging out as a family. I had no idea how bad I needed a weekend away until I was up there with no computer, homework, etc. to keep me off balance. Sunday our good friend Matt drove up and we all went to Thelma's (our favorite little resteraunt) for lunch and then we BBq for dinner. It was nice just to be away from it all.
We packed all of our meals except for one which we knew we were going to go to Thelma's for. I was great on my diet all weekend. I didn't cheat once. I did take the smallest bite of a cookie and then spit it out because it wasn't worth the cheat. Shawn laughed at me but I felt like I was in power by spitting it out. I was nervous to weigh in today when we got home but I did it anyways and was pleasently surprised. 182.2 so down 1.5 pounds from Friday. I am thrilled that I was able to go out of town and out to dinner and still stick to the diet and lose at that.
Talk to y'all on Wed.
Ali

2009-05-22T06:41:00.000-07:00

I got my class ring yesterday. It is setting in more and more each day that I am graduating. I tried to take a pic of my real ring but that didn't work very well so I am using this pic so you get an idea. I got it in silver and the stones purple, it says my school name and my grad year. I love it.

My arm is killing me today. Yesterday I worked on my table at school and for a cut that I needed to do on the legs there is no power tool that can be used so I had to use a saw, chisel, and hammer for about 2 hours. My arm is dead today.

We are leaving this evening for a little vacation to Big Bear. We so need a weekend off. I am really looking forward to hanging with just my family. Shawn has some hiking planned and maybe some fishing. I am looking forward to sitting and reading in the sun.

I weighed in this morning at 183.6 so down again. I am feeling so much better already. When I am losing weight I actually want to get dresses each day and try to look cute. It is hard at 200 lbs to feel cute.

Alright well I am off to get packed, clean and all that good stuff. Have a great LONG weekend,

Ali

2009-05-20T07:11:00.000-07:00

I am starting to realize that in 31 days I will be graduating from college. I am starting to get nervous about it now. I will pass on my classes so I am not worried about that. It seems like I have spent the last 13 years in college trucking towards the goal of graduating andd now I am here and I have no idea what to do next. They do not prepare you for being a college grad. I feel like have the skills I learned aren't real world skills and on the other hand I still feel like I have so much that I have not learned. I have 4 1/2 weeks of school left and at 2 classes a week that is 9 classes. Totally freaking me out. Ok well now that I have vented on with my life.
Life hasn't been any unnormal lately. We are doing the school, baseball, and normal house stuff. I am excited because we are going on a mini vacation this weekend to Big Bear. I totally need a vacation. I am however going to be taking all my books and computer to work on some papers but life wouldn't be complete without having to lug my 2000 page art book around. So Shawn is planning some hikes for us and other who knows what activites.
Diet is still going awesome. I have people telling me now that they are starting to tell that I am losing so that is awesome. I weighed in this morning at 184.2 so down another pound. I feel like I have so much more energy finally and feel like I just want to keep moving which is one of the benefits of low carbing. I seem too averaging 1/2 a day and with 31 days until our family beach trip and my college graduation I am hoping to lose 15 more pounds for a total of about 30 pounds before the big events. I did however have to break out my smaller sized jeans yesterday which was cool I put on my old ones and they are getting so big in the butt and waist. Yeah!!!

So I don't have a green tip today so I decided to share my stupid useless art knowledge. I think everyone on the planet has seen the above picture by Van Gogh titled Starry night. Well did you know that art historians went back to the year that they know it was painted and have looked at astronomical records and they have pinpointed that is was painted in Sept. because the stars in the sky are in the exact allignment in the sky in the picture as they were in Sept. of the year it was painted in the real sky. So he wasn't just painting, he was painting exactly what he saw.

Ok well I am off to take Garrett to his 12 year old physical this morning.
Ali

2009-05-18T09:15:00.001-07:00

This is the first weekend in forever that I make it through and did really well and lost!!!
I weighed in at 185.4 down from 188 on Friday and down a total of 15 pounds in 3 weeks. I swear I am eating non stop and good stuff and losing. We went to a Quakes game on Sat and I ate a philly cheese steak but not the bread and Sun we bbq in the backyard. We had marinated chicken that was super yummy and I will post the recipe soon. We also had bbq ardichokes with a tomato relish and roasted garlic mayo, and watermelon. The kids and Shawn had rice with spray butter and fresh parmishan cheese on it. We had a great dinner and I even had a beer while we were relaxing in the back yard with the kids. How is this a diet? For dessert we had sugar free jello with whipped cream on top.
I took my cset teaching test on Sat. I already passed one part of it and had to retake the 2nd part because I didn't pass the first time by 5 points. I think I did much better this time. I don't find out until July but I am not as worried as last time.

Ok so a new green tip of the day.
An easy way to clean green is to turn the dial on your washing machine to cold. Most loads don't need hot water, and 90% of the energy used by washing machines goes into heating. The higher the water temperature, the higher the cost to you and the planet. We have been doing this for awhile and it is true, most loads get just as clean in cold water. I still do however wash sheets, towels, and bleached loads in hot water. One more little tip is to run your water heater at a little lower temp. if you turn it to a cooler temp it isn't running as offten to keep the unused water warm. We did this and didn't notice a difference and it is also safer with kids in the house.

Have a good one,
Ali

2009-05-15T06:59:00.000-07:00

I had a really great day yesterday. I got to school at 7:45 for my midterm and on my way to class the teacher found me and told me she wanted to talk about my art history paper that I had turned in a week before. I started freaking out in my head because I thought oh no what did I do wrong. She could tell I was freaking out a little and said " no, I loved it, it was fantastic." She lliked it so much that she is going to use it as an example of how to do the assignment for future students. I was the highest grade in the class of about 200 people. How cool is that.

Next was the midterm, I was nervous that I hadn't studied enough but I am pretty sure I did fantastic.

Later in the day we had our critiqe for our cutting boards in my wood class. In a critique the teacher and students tell you what they liked and dislike about your work. I got nothing but great feedback and my professor loved it. He wants to put the board in a display by the museum for people to see. Another cool.

So for the diet I had another greaat day. Cheese has become my new best friend. I eat a ton of protein (shrimp, chicken, lunch meat) and yogurt, cheese, and veggies. We had the best recipe last night for roasted veggies and I will post it at the bottom. anyways I weighed in at 188 even today. I can't remember where I was on Wed.. so I know it is .8 from yesterday.

Pj is sick and has a terrible cough so we are going to spend a day home and a little cough time to try to mae him more comfy.

Have a great weekend,

Ali

Roaster veggies

in a large bowl mix

2 red bell peppers cut into thick strips

1 sweet onion cut into thick strips

1 zucchini cut into circles

1 yellow squash cut into circles

1 lb. os asparagas chop off ends and cut remainder into two parts.

4 teaspoons of olive oil

4 teaspoon. balsamic vinegar

1/2 t.easpoon basil

salt and pepper

toss everything and lay on a baking sheet

put into a 450 degree oven for 30 min.

Super yummy and the veggies get sweet and soft.

*next time I am going to add 1 pack of mushrooms*

1 c. = 1 POINT

2009-05-13T06:56:00.000-07:00

I had an idea that I thought was green and kind of cute. Instead of giving a gift in a gift bag what about giving it in one of the reusable grocery bags you see everywhere now. The bags come in every pattern from leopard to flowers and the person can reuse the bag over and over. The best part is many stores seel them for $1. I did this for my sis in law and everyone thought it was a great idea. Try it out.

Ok so on to life. Yesterday was another long day of school. I did great and packed my lunch. I had a taco salad with ground lean turkey. Yummy.

Today I am studying for a midterm that I have on Thursday. I am so thankful thaat I am almost done with school. I also loked mt my schedule for credentials next fall and it is going to be rough. I will be going 3 nights a week but I will be off during the day and only go nights which is nice.

I have taken up a new hobby of reading. Megan got me turned on to the book series Twilight a few weeks ago. It is a teen book series about vampires and love. I started reading it about 2 weeks ago. The series is 4 books all of which are 500-750 pages a piece. I actually am not a big reading fan. I however loved the series I finished all 4 books, 2500 pages in 2 weeks. It was easy reading and I am now looking for what I can read next.

So I weighed in at 189.4 this morning. I am officially in the 180's again and have lost about 11 pounds. Wow, that is alot of weight when you think about it. I still have alot to go just to fit into my last years summer clothes but I can do it.

Ok well I am off to study. have a great Wed.

Ali

2009-05-11T07:23:00.000-07:00

I ate terrible this weekend for Mother's day and it was so worth it. I gained 3 lbs. and I don't even care. with that said I am going to be switching up the diet a bit and see how it goes. I am tying to do low carb weight watchers. My body loses best on low carb but I will be smart on the calories and not lose my hair this time.
My weekend was really good. at I woke up at 8 and drank mimosas (champagne and oj) while reading for a good 2 hours. It was so relaxing and what I really needed. We had baseball in the afternoon and the kids took me to Chili's for Mothers day dinner a day early. We came home and watched a movie.
Sunday we were going to go to church but I felt a little under the weather with a cold and had taken a few to many night time cold meds to get going in the morning. We got things ready to head over to my Mother in laws house. For lunch we went to Tommy and had chili cheese fries and they were awesome. We went to a bbq over at my in laws house with all the family and enjoyed an afternoon of company and relaxation.
I ate way to much but have made a deal with myself that starting today I will be 100% good until the day we leave for the beach trip on June 19th. I think that gives me 6 weeks to lose and feel better before graduation.
Well I am off to study, yet again.
Ali

2009-05-08T07:35:00.000-07:00

Feeling hot, hot, hot...

Man is it warm outside. 100 degrees today should be fun from my air conditioned house.

So I had another cheat last night. I ran into my friend Nicole and we ended up going out for a drink and some food. I had 2 light beers and we shared a plate of fried appetizers. I had been good all day so I was close but still over on my points for the day.

I am currently takeing woodshop and I love it. I am posting a picture of my almost finished cutting board. It is maple and walnut and the best part is it has a counter overhang so when you cut on it it will not slide forward on the counter. Next week we are starting some kind of furniture most likely a table. I am excited and really want to keep going even after the class is done.

So instead of a recipe today I am going to share a Green living tip for all of you.

Did you know that the best cleaner for your house is vinegar. Typical cleaners are bad for the environment and also cost a ton of money. So fill your bucket with water and add about 1/2 c. of apple cider or white vingar and scrub away. 1 gallon of vinegar will last for months and costs about $5.

Have a great weekend and Happy Mother's day.

Ali

2009-05-06T07:06:00.000-07:00

Weigh in day....
I weighed in at 190.4 down from 193.something last week. I was hoping to get in the 180's but next week I will be there. I don't mind losing slower because it is so much easier to stick with. I guess I can't have it like last time and lose all the weigh really quickly without learning how to eat to keep it off.
School is going really well. I feel a little overrun by it but I just keep think I only have 6 weeks until I graduate from college. Cool just to type it. I am feeling overwhelmed because Tues I go from 8am - 9pm with 2 10 min breaks. It is a really long day and it drains me. I have been doing well and packing good foods. I do have a microwave and fridge in the ceramics studio so I do take a lunch break during class so that I get to my points for the day. I just realized that I write about school an aweful lot and I have never posted any pictures of where I spend all my time. I will have to remedy that soon.
Well I am off to write a paper and hopefully get time today to hit the market and clean up the house a little.
Ali

2009-05-04T10:16:00.000-07:00

Well we made it through the weekend. We went to two baseball games, fishing, and two little league games but we made it through while being diet wise. I love weight watchers because I was able to eat three meals a day plus extras and still stay on track. We went to in and out, coldstone, and McDonalds and still made good choices.
So let see what other things have bbeen going on in our lives. Shawn has been sick with a bladder infection. He had an ultrasound of the abdomine and a bunch of bloodwork done to make sure it was nothing more serious and the only thing they found was that he had a bladder infestion and that he recently bruised his spleen so he needs to take it easy for a few weeks until that heals. The only thing we can think of is that while plaaying hockey with his brothers a few weeks ago he ran the stick really hard into his stomach in the same area where the spleen is. He hasn't been able to run or exercise because he has been in pain and the doc told him to take a little time off for his spleen. He is still losing but I am not allowed to say how much in case the poeple he is competeing with at work are reading my blog.
I am in midterm and my life is crazy. I have papers like crazy to write and unfortunitly at the same time have senioritis which makes me not want to do ay of it. I am spenind the day today in my jammies catching up on homework.
Lets see our new food find for the weekend was italian seasoned turkey meat. We got it at Stater bros in the meat section. It is pre flavored raw turkey that is ground. We cooked it up and threw marinara sauce over it and then put it on whole wheat noodles. It was super yummy. The other thing we keep buying is apple dippers from vons. They are pre sliced apples in individual pouches with a little bit of caramel to dip them in. The best part is they are 1 pt and a great sweet snack.
Well off to do homework, Look for my weigh in on Wed.
Ali

2009-05-01T07:45:00.000-07:00

Good morning.
What a great day I had yesterday. I won a radio contest on 104.3 and got 4 tickets to the aquarium of the pacific. Yeah we get to go to the aquarium.
I had a bit of a cheat yesterday. I did great all day but ran out of time to eat before garrett's baseball game so we ate at the game. I had a cheeeburger and friess for dinner. Not the best choices and I went over in points for the day but I am back 100% today.
I have a ton to do today so I will leave and say have a great weekend.
Ali

2009-04-29T10:34:00.000-07:00

Ok so it is weigh in day, I started 1 week ago at 200.4 and weighed in today at 192.8. I must say that works for me. I know it will slow down but I am that much closer to my goal. I like this not weighing in each and every day thing. I feel like I accomplished something instead of being disappointed.
So yesterday at school was a very productive day. I painted some of my ceramics and they turned out pretty cute. In woodshop I used a tablesaw, chop saw, and band saw to start making my cutting board. I am very happy that I have a clue in the class since I have used alot of the tools before. My cutting board is about halff done and I will post pics as soon as I get some.
So I decided today to tell you about a few of my can't live without foods.
- Skinny lattes from starbucks. They are 3 points for a lg but you can get caramel, vanilla, cinnamon, and hazelnut.
- Lean cuisine panini's they are 7 points but are so tasty.
- my sun butter and raw honey whole wheat sandwhiches. If I use 2 slices of bread with 1/2 tablespoon each sunbutter and honey they are 4 points.
- turkey taco's which run around 10 points with tortillas, rice, and all the fixins.
- kashi granola bars, I really like the cherry chocolate and trail mix. They are 2 points but a sweet treat.
I also thought I would share my two favorite Weight watchers website.
The first is www.dwlz.com she has a link at the very top of the site for resteraunts and she has the points for every fasy food place or resteraunt that is a chain or is popular. I think I use this site 4 times a week. She also has links to other weight watchers info like points for foods and stuff.
The other is www.ronisweigh.com Roni is a weight watcher guru, she knows it all. She lost 70 pounds. She has links to tools like how many points you should aim for based on height and weight, she has recipies, answers questions, and has a food calculator in case you don't have a weight watchers slide to calculate points of foods.
These are the tools and foods that keep me going.
Well I am off to do homework but I hope you find some of this info helpful and useful,
Ali

2009-04-27T06:51:00.000-07:00

What a great weekend.
Sat I had to be at school at 8 for clay day. Clayy day is where local high schools come and compete in clay events. It was so cool to work with the kids and see how amazing they are. After clay day I headed to Garrett's little league game. My mother and father in law came to the boys games for the day and of course we used the time to half watch the game and half chit chat. It was great too see them.
Sunday we headed to church in the morning. In the afternoon we went to my in laws for my husbands, brother in laws, and nieces birthday celebration. I love the chance to get to see all of the Brenner's. Because it was my nieces birthday my sis in law had all the girls get their hair and make up one on the patio. We all know that I have 3 boys and no girls. I was asked to do hair and makeup and have to admit I was a bit nervous because I can't even do my hair half of the time. I did a great job and the girls looked so cute, I will try to post a pic if I can get one for you to see. I got to witness my nieces and nephews throwiing lemons over a wall because they thought no adults were out there and man are they a little force to be reconed with.
As for the diet I did great all weekend. I took things to all the events this weekend to make my life easier. I took bean salsa and my own tortillas. I was also constantly moving on Sat. so I am hoping that helps drop a few more pounds. My official weigh in day is tomorrow so I will let you know on Wed how I am doing.
I feel so much better on this diet. I am less tempted to "cheat" because there isn't to much I really can't have. Tonight for dinner we are going to have blueberry pancakes and eggs with sugar free syrup.
Well off to write two papers and go shopping for ceramic supplies. Oh yeah I also get to go pick up a baseball glove that I won at an auction that Garrett is so excited about. hat a great and busy day it will be.
Ali

2009-04-24T07:09:00.000-07:00

My husband is making me look really bad and I am ok with it. I have yet to exercise other than house cleaning and walking the school campus because I have to. Shawn on the other hand has been running 1 1/2 miles and walking 1 more mile on his lunch break. He is doing fantastic.
I have been doing very well on the eating side and I am making smart choices. I have been doing alot of whole wheat bread with sun butter which is like peanut butter but it is made out of sunflower seeds, it is higher in fiber and it spreads alot better then typical peanut butter, 1/2 tablespoon is 1 pt. I also add a 1/2 tablespoon of raw honey for 1 pt. and I get a 4 pt sandwhich. Yum! We have done ff bean burritoes on whole wheat tortillas and tuna melts. I have been eating a ton of fruit, 1 1/2 cups of sut strawberries are only 1 pt. We are having so much fun learning what new things we can eat.
I have not weighed in yet especially because I have been eating so much whole wheat;) I will weigh in on Tues and see how it all went.
We are having Shawn softball team over tonight for taco's and poker tonight so I am going to clean and get ready.
Have a really good weekend,
Ali

2009-04-22T08:21:00.000-07:00

Two days and so far so good. I am not weighing myself this time. I am going to weigh in weekly so that I don't get discouraged. I am feeling better about the closet experiance today. It is nice being able to find clothes without getting lost each morning.
Today we are going to an art night at Cody's school and will be painting a family canvas. It should be fun. We are making sure that dinner is ready and on the table early so that we eat before we go and don't have any temptation in fast food on the way home. Tomorrow we have two little league games and a full day of school for me so I am not sure how we are going to fit dinner in at all. I am going to look for packable meals that are quick to fix.
Have a good Earth day,
Ali

2009-04-20T11:24:00.000-07:00

I just spend 2 hours cleaning my closet and packing up everything that doesn't fit. All my 10 and 12 are in boxes until I get back to that size. I decided it wasn't worth getting dressed everyday and looking at the 100 things in my closet that didn't fit while the stuff that did was at the bottom of the closet due to lack of room. It was rough I kept looking at these tiny cloths and was rough on myself. I feel like crap at the moment but I know when I get to that point of opening all the boxes and everything fitting I will be glad I did this.
Had to share so I can look back later and remember why I did this.
Ali

2009-04-20T07:19:00.001-07:00

Two Months until I will be a college graduate. Yeah!!!
So today is the day. I woke up this morning ready to get back on track. Shawn and I are spending the next t wo months losing some weight before the annual beach trip. I am ready to lose again. I have let myself go and I am not proud. I weighed in this morning at 200.4 I was so sad to see the number start with a 2. I know I have to do soemthing or I will be 20 pounds heavier before I know it. I am honestly so disappointed when I think that 1 year ago I was 30 pounds lighted. I am upset with myself that I did let the weight get back on but instead of eating over it I am going to get back to losing and in a healthier way.
Have a great Monday,
Ali

2009-04-15T08:31:00.001-07:00

April 15th
Man oh man, just when I thought life couldn't get any crazier it did. I am taking 18 units, 12 is usually full time so I am packed with homework and reading all the time. The kids baseball hasn't eased up at all, we are at pracice or games 5 days a week and sometimes 6. I can't complain thought. Life is great we are all healthy and content. The other new activity in our life is that the Quakes baseball games started this week. We went on Monday for Shawn's birthday and I even managed to get his name on the announcment board. We love the Quakes games it is our time to escape with our family.
What else has been going on? Well I know I talked about having to take my CSET in Feb. and I got my results on Monday. Lets just say I have to go back and redo i part of it. I passed the art history part but I was 5 points from passing on the studio arts part of it. I can't start the credential program until I pass both parts so I get to go back and retake it in May.
So we leave for our beach trip vacation in 2 months and 4 days and lets just say that I am not ready at all. I am ready for a vacation but not shorts or tank tops. I am going out today and stocking the house so that Shawn and I can start weight watchers tomorrow. I think that as a team we can do alot better than we have been when I cook for them and for myself. I am going to do things the kids will like so that I am not in the kitchen all day. he hardest part is with our hecktic life lately we have been at baseball at 4:30 and haven't been home and eating dinner until 9pm and fast food has been our staple because I can't cook at 9 at night. I am going to look for some crockpot recipies and some things I can heat up in the microwave.
So I will post Friday with how our first days goes. Hvae a great Tues and Wed.
Ali

2009-04-06T09:59:00.000-07:00

With time off from school I thought I would be able to get so much done. Not the case. I spent the week cleaning house, being a better Mom as far as homework and school with the boys, and a majority went to little league practice which is kind of consuming our lives right now. I don't mind one bit but it is a lot of time.
I am back to school tomorrow with a very busy 18 unit quarter in store for me. I can say that as of today I have 75 days until my graduation. I am so thrilled that I will have the entire summer off to be a Mom and wife. I miss being a stay at home Mom with only that to concentrate on.
So we are out of town next weekend for Easter and Monday is Shawn's 31st birthday. We are taking him to a Quakes game and bowling per his request.
I am excited but knew with these events coming up especially 3 days camping that there was no way I was going to diet. Shawn and I talked for a long time last night and we both with each other support are going to start weight watchers on April 16. I will go shopping on the 15th and get things in order. We decided to start mid week so that we have the willpower to get through the weekend. SO I am taking the week off of the blog so that I have lots to talk about next week. So look for me on Wed. with the starting weight and all that fun stuff. 74 days until we leave for vacation and I am nowhere near where I want to be for bathing suit season.
See ya next wed.
Ali
Oh And Happy Easter everyone<3

2009-03-31T07:08:00.000-07:00

So the kids are at school today and Pj has to go to daycare for 2 days this week to hold his spot. I am a free Mom from 9-2 Tues. and Thur. Sad part is I am not sure what to do with the time. Today I am thinking of a long slaw market trip and Trader Joe's. Seems like when I take the kids it is a rush and I end up with tons of extras.
Thur. I am going to get a pedicure and hang out with a friend.
Yesterday I went to Lowes and got a few paint samples forr the boys bathroom. I am tired of navy blue and wanted something lighter and maybe even white. I put the colors up all over the bathroom and non are the true winner and once I stated painting I started to think maybe I don't feel like painting. So now I have a blue bathroom with white squares and no desire to finish it. I guess it is a good thing I have the whole summer off to catch up on stuff like that.
Have a good day,
Ali

2009-03-30T09:52:00.000-07:00

I am officially on Spring break from school this week. I really need the break. As I sit here and think of the million things I want to achieve this week I can't help but think in the back of my mind the dieting should be one of those things. I woke up this morning and had my coffee and nothing else becasue I am an not wanting to start dieting but also don't want to cheat if I do end up going to the market and starting today. Sad isn't it.
I also want to paint at least one room in my house this week but I have to many choices. While I want to paint I also want to take the week to do nothing. So I gues you can tell that I am in no mood to make decisions. Alright I will let you know what happens tomorrow.
Ali

2009-03-23T08:44:00.001-07:00

As I am studying for my finals this week I am once again feeling so overwhelmed with school. I am taking this week to just work on school and next Monday I will be back on. I more then likely will not post until them. I studied all day Sun., all day today, and I am nowhere ready for the test. Wed. I have to make and finish 2 sculptures for Thur. Then on Friday I want to make the kids spring break seem like we did something so I might take them to the beach.
Have a good week,
Ali

2009-03-19T07:43:00.001-07:00

Shawn got up with Garrett today which was nice because I got to sleep in an extra hour. The bad part is now I am running late for school. Good thing I don't have to be there until 11am today.
I will post again tomorrow.

2009-03-18T08:19:00.000-07:00

Well I posted a few days ago that I had fallen. Lets just say it took me a few days to get back up.
I am still having a hard time doing the low carb thing. I enjoy the quick weight loss but I am rethinking losing fast or losing for good. I think that even though I have a love/hate relationship with Weigh watchers it is the healthies choice for me. I can live and still go out on it. Low carb confines you to the house and making all of your food, it is very difficult. I am thinking that with a few people I know doing w.w. at the current time that would be very helpful as well. Although I would love to be at my goal in 3 months I know I have to be realistic with myself. I am not going to be in a bikini by June and I think I am ok with that. So today I am going to pull my w.w. books out and plan my life once again.
I am going crazy in school. I have one more day before finals next week and I am drained. I got my final review questions yesterday and I can't even understand half of them without a dictionary. Should be a fun studying weekend. Today I have to finish my senior portfolio which is a folder tat is getting me ready to graduate. It should only take a few hours. After my folder I have to paint a sculpture of Shawn that I am making and maybe I will attempt those questions later this afternoon. The good part is I planned ahead and got all of my ceramics done so that is finished and turned in. I just keep thinking 3 months 2 days until I walk as a college graduate. Yeah!!!
Have a good Wednesday,
Ali

2009-03-13T06:37:00.000-07:00

When you fall down get back up.
Well I totally fell yesterday. After turning in my 10 page paper a group from the class talked about going and getting food and maybe a cocktail. They have asked a million times and I am always turning them down. This time I decided to go. It ended up being me and one other girl from school who is another person I have been trying to hang out with for over a year so I was excited. This is the same girl who I ate lunch with a few weeks ago who blocked her food when we went out so I wouldn't have to look at it, her name is Nicole. We went out and had a cocktail bit I also haad a grilled chicken sanwhich and some potato wedges. I tried to make one of the better choices on the menu but I am sure being cooked at a bar it wasn't that healthy. The food was really good and it was worth the treat. After lunch we went to Nicole's house and she had a ton of super cute clothes for me. Nicole recently lost a bunch of weight and looks awesome. So I got Nicole's fat clothes which is ok with me because they are cute and I even got the perfect graduation dress.
Last night I had baseball for the kids and after we stopped to get them dinner. I then had a small burrito. So lets just say it wasn't my best day. Today I get back up and am back on track.
This weekend is going to be super busy. We have opening day for Little league tomorrow. I am working the booth from 8-10. Cody has a game at 10 that I will head right over to. I am taking my big teaching test tomorrow called the CSET at 1:30 in Riverside. I have to turn in pictures of my work so today I will be taking pics and getting my portfolio together. The sad part is I have to miss Garrett's first game at 3 because the test take a few hours. I am super happy that this is the last test for teaching I will have to take. Almost there, 3 months to go.
Have a great weekend. I will be on track all weekend and look forward to Monday,
Ali

2009-03-12T06:46:00.001-07:00

I made it through my headache yesterday although it is still lingering around this morning. I finished my 10 page paper and got it printed off. This morning I go turn it in, what a relief. I have one week left and then finals. This quarter has gone by so fast.
I am kind of in a hurry this morning so I will tell you that I weighed in at 188.6 so down again. I did however have another one of those yummy salads for dinner last night but I am thinking if that keeps me on track then how bad can corn and black beans possible be?
Have a good Thur.
Ali