Memorial Day Weekend

We did our yearly camping trip to Scott County Park in Iowa. Yes, this seems like a long way to drive (5 hours) to sleep in a tent for 3 nights…but it is well worth it. Thursday began our adventure with packing everything we needed for the trip into our Fusion. And I can tell you, that little car has some room…as exhibited in sample A (last year’s trip). Well there was going to be an sample A, but I can’t find it…hum…I wonder where I left it…Oh well moving on… While traveling the 5 hours, the boys enjoyed a couple of movies and thank you again Mamu and Papa Shu…they truly are a God sent. Though several times we heard the following conversation:

Bear: “we are camping” “I want to go in my tent and camp” “ I go in my tent and sleep on my bed”
Bubba: just staring and nodding, but not any nod…the one of I could care less and please be quite, the movie is on.
Bear: “Are we there yet? I want to go camping” “I want out” “Are we there yet?” “Bubba can’t sleep in my tent, or my bed” “is Bubba going to camp too?”

Friday afternoon, we spent setting up camp and grocery shopping for the weekend. We literally spent a week’s worth of grocery money for 4 partial days of food…but that is part of the fun. We took the boys swimming Saturday morning…which they just loved (though very expensive!!!) The Scott County Park has a pool with a splash pad for younger kids. I have now found a splash pad close to us that is free and plan to take the boys there. Bubba was like a fish to water in the big pool and I am sure will not take long to learn to swim (like his mommy). Bear slowly warmed up to the idea of not having a death grip on me and by the time we were done with the big pool, he was kicking his feet semi doggy paddling.

Saturday night was our every year campfire with family and friends. We always have a blast when everyone comes out to have dinner and spend time together. It never seems like we have enough time to see everyone and the campfire gives us a chance to see several at one time. Though this year we bought everything for s’mores and forgot to do them.  Sorry!

Sunday was spent visiting those family members that have gone before us and explaining to the boys who they were…and it did not take long before they were both asleep. The evening was spent with great friends celebrating a birthday.

Monday, we got to spend some time with the shu side of the family during a cookout. This side of the family always seems to get left out on our trips or we are rushed because it is last minute. But this time we got to spend several hours with them. The boys got to play with several young kids and though bear got picked on he had fun. We headed home after a long day and with two (actually 3) very sleepy boys.

This past Friday night, I broke a rule of mine…

We went out to dinner on Friday night with my in-laws to StirCrazy, which is located on the outside of one of the malls here. StirCrazy is a mix of stir-fry options or traditional Chinese (well, American style Chinese). To which I wore my jeans and one of my newer tee-shirts, but I was barely able to keep my pants up even with the belt that I “borrowed” from Josh (though I don’t think he knows, but he will now). I told Josh that after dinner, we were going to walk around the mall with the boys, since I did not go to the gym. After dinner, we loaded the boys up in the double stroller, said good bye to the in-laws and headed into the mall. Please note that we have not been in a mall in close to a year, let alone on a Friday night…let’s just say that it was interesting. As well as, I don’t remember teenagers being so rude or impatient. But that is another rant for a different time. We walked through a couple stores, some were just not contusive to have the double stroller in. I decided while we were there, I was going to look at buying a pair of jeans and I did after 4 stores. Finally at Macy’s (where I have never shopped), I found a pair of Levi jeans (yes, plus size Levi jeans, not some store plus size brand) and the best part…they are 2, yes 2, sizes smaller than the jeans that I had on. Yippee!! So to say that I was excited, is an understatement. I had broken my rule of not buying brand-new clothes before I settled on a weight, but my “fat” jeans were…well just say too fat for me. As you can see today, by my ticker at the top of the page, I am officially 50 pounds smaller in 10 weeks. I actually am 2 pounds heavier than I was as a junior in high school…those two pounds will be gone soon.

At the end of April, Auntie J came to visit for a week. The boys absolutely love it when she comes, especially bear. She arrived late Saturday night, but she did not get to see the boys until Monday. Since Auntie J and Mamu Shu went to Iowa for a wedding shower and we went to Louisville on Sunday. But they got to spend a lot of time with Auntie over the week. I actually think they were at Mamu’s every day she was. They even spent the night on Tuesday night, since Auntie was going to watch them on Wednesday. Thursday, the boys went with J and Auntie J to the zoo. For what I hear it was a blast for them. Bubba came home with a “The Gas We Pass: A Story of Farts” book


yes they did get it for him and yes there is a story behind this, but we are not going there. Bear received the tube of cars he has been drooling over for the past two years. Friday, Bear decided the evening activities. We had Spaghetti and Meatballs, then watched Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs. Saturday, Auntie, Mamu, the boys and I went to the Children’s museum for the day to see Bob the Builder. Which it was Bob the Builder day at the museum, so there were other activities spread out around the museum to do. The boys got to meet Bob the Builder and have their picture taken with him, which I think Bear is still talking about. Then before we knew it, the week was over and Auntie was leaving on a jet plane…until next time.

Clothing Update

I am finding that some of my clothes are getting a little too baggy and I think it is time to retire them (ie pass them along). I am able to wear a 1x shirt comfortably now. I don’t think it is going to take me long before I will need to buy some new shirts and jeans. Which brings me to my jeans…that are WAY too big now, I wore them two weekends ago and had to wear a belt that I notched a new hole in. Last week I wore a pair of pants to work and someone told me that they were too big and I should donate them in the clothing drive box on my way home. To which I wore them home, washed them, and brought them back to work and donated them :)

Over the weekend I tried on a shirt that J bought for me in high school and it actually fits, though I could loss about another 5 pounds and it would fit great! WHen I showed J that I could fit into it, he said I had to wait to wear it for a special occasion, like going on a date.

So I am going to be heading to Goodwill here soon to pick out some temporary clothes, unless someone has some to donate to me.

Six weeks and doing great!

I am officially 6 weeks post op and I fell good beyond being tired. I have developed a milk intolerance and was not getting the protein from all the milk and whey based proteins that I was consuming, which is making me tired. Last week, I went and seen my dietician and surgeon. I am down 35 pounds, lost 7 inches from my waist, my blood sugar is normal, and so is my blood pressure. Yippee!

My surgeon opened a lot more food options to me, since I will not be getting my protein from milk. I am able to have any type of fish, shell fish, lean hamburger, turkey, chicken, lean pork, turkey bacon, peanut butter and that is just the proteins. She also is allowing me to have salads, any green veggie, apples, berries, pear, bananas, grapefruit (but light on this), and cream cheese (light). She just asked for me to stay away from starch veggies, pasta, cereal, and rice till I am six months out. I am still on 2 oz per meal, but will move to 3 oz over the next couple of weeks. I have enjoyed a salad for lunch the past two days (ie the same salad and have probably another day to eat on it). I had ground hamburger with tomatoes and green beans last night for dinner (my adapted version gulosh).

Knowing that I can have more food options has set off some cravings. One craving I have had is for chicken wings. I am not able to handle regularly cooked (baked or grilled) chicken, but I can handle wings. I am not sure if it is because of the sauce or what, but it is working for me. I have tried meatloaf and pork chops, but it did not work to well. So I am trying things and I will keep tally of what is working.

Traveling in cars with boys...

The boys and I went to Louisville with my mom on Sunday to visit an aunt and cousins before they moved to Florida. It was great seeing them.
We left for Louisville with two semi-happy boys who got to watch Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs (twice) on the way down.
We had a great time just talking with them and the kids paired up with my cousins 2 older kids, leaving poor little A out for just being too young… Once my aunt had arrived home from church and we went through some old family photos that my grandfather and uncle had.
Then we decided to head to Cracker Barrel (Bear’s favorite) for lunch. Bear was not happy about leaving his new found cousins, until he realized that they were in front of us. Once parked, he responded “Those are my cousins and we are eating cracker barrel.” It was so cute how attached he had become to my cousins oldest. The boys did great through lunch, both ate most of their food and Bubba tried helping mamu with her salad too.
After we had eaten, Bear went to get a tractor ( a tradition of his) and brought one back for big A to play with too. The kids sat and played for another 30 mins before the restless-ness started and it was time to go. We went outside and did a couple of photos before we loaded everyone in the cars. Bear became very upset when my cousin put him in the car and asked if we were going back to his house. I told him no that we were going home. So bear turned to my cousin and asked to go with him. Sad thing is, I think Bear would have no problems with leaving with him. So to say that he cried for a while was an understatement, well it stopped once we were crossing the bridge to Indiana.
Once we were settled in and on our way, the noise level lowered to a soft snore most of the way home.

Plain Paradise A Daughters of Promise Novel Review

By Beth Wiseman

This was a very quick read for me (3 days actually). I love reading Amish fiction and always dream about what life would be like growing up and living in an Amish community. Plain Paradise is a story about a mother from the “Englisher” world who has a terminal tumor wanting to get to know the daughter that she was forced to give up at birth to an Amish couple. After returning, she finds her daughter happy and loved by the Amish parents who raised her. We watch as both families struggle with her return and her illness as God becomes present in the situation.

Throughout the book, you slowly get to know the characters though most are vague beyond the main characters. I never felt I really rooted for someone or that I leaned in a certain direction, as I usually do with other books. I had a hard time relating to any of the story line.

The start of the book was slow due to outlining everything that was happening and foundation for what would happen. The story line was very predictable and wrapped up to way quickly. Though this was a good book, it felt that you were entering a middle part of a series or a book that was thrown together quickly.

I would recommend it to someone who loves reading Amish fiction or who wanted a quick read. To pick up your copy, visit the Thomas Nelson Website: http://www.thomasnelson.com/consumer/product_detail.asp?sku=1595548238&title=A_Daughters_of_the_Promise_Novel:_Plain_Paradise

I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”