Edited Information

Wednesday September 3, 2008 Phase Two Day 135:
This morning I walked with all my walking friends. It has been a long time since we have all been together to walk. I loved it. It was decided we’d meet at Taunie’s house at 8:30 for a visit. I went home and thought I would have a nice hour and a half relax time. Wrong. I put away the clean dishes, straightened up a few things and just when I was beginning a batch of peach smoothies, I received a phone call that needed my attention for about an hour. By the time I was free there was only time to finish what I had started and instead of eating any, simply pouring it into freezer containers and run out the door. Taunie made a lovely breakfast and I ate heartily of the egg casserole. We visited until about 12:30. I had already decided I would not go into the office today but stay home and kick back – heaven. I decided to get one of those smoothies out of the freezer and enjoy it with a movie. I added to it two crackers with turkey and cheese and a handful of almonds.

Right now I have boy scouts coming, but for dinner I am fixing teriyaki chicken, cauliflower and salad. Sounds terrific! I amaze myself sometimes. My dinner was outstanding. I marinaded the chicken in Newman’s Teriyaki marinade all afternoon. In a frying pan I heated a little light olive oil and stir fry sauce. I placed the chicken in the pan and covered it. It cooked and then simmered and stayed very tender and plump. The salad was just salad mix with extra ice burg lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber and avocado.

Wow! Just returned from watching the Republican National Convention at Rinez’s house. It was great. Sonnet came over after Institute and we had a workout walk. Felt good.

Thursday September 4, 2008 Phase Two Day 136:
Stephen & I slept in until 7:00 this morning because we were up so late watching a tape of the convention. Rudy Giuliani and Sarah Palin spoke. They were historic. Sarah has energized the Republican party and I think we finally have a real race for the white house on our hands. So, I missed step class. I ate cottage cheese and pears for breakfast. Ran an errand with Shannon then went into work. My lunch was tuna & crackers with a nectarine and a small frozen smoothie. I worked all afternoon. By the time Steph & I met at home I was hungry. There was only an hour before weight class so I ate a piece of turkey with a slice of cheese, a few almonds and a yogurt. After weight class I only had time to clean up and grab something before running out the door to Rinez’s house to watch John McCain’s speech. I had another piece of turkey with cheese and a small 100-calorie bag of popcorn. This was an impulse grab but I did not think it was too bad.

Friday September 5, 2008 Phase Two Day 137:
I have some shocking news…That is what Stephen said to me last night. We had been talking in bed then we read and said prayers like always. I reached up to turn off the light and he says, “I have some shocking news.” I asked him what it was. He said,
EDIT>>>>EDIT>>>>EDIT I have edited out the conversation at this time. Clarification will follow at a later date.

Walked with friends this morning. Cottage cheese and pears for breakfast. I want to check out a few things on the computer then go swimming. Also I need to do some calling for Prop 8 before I go into work….OK, so I am back from swimming – it was wonderful. Totally forgot to do Prop 8 calling. Went to work and ate tuna & crackers and a peach for lunch. I had a frozen smoothie with me but was too full to eat it. Now that I am home, I had my smoothie. Stephen & I are leaving for Fresno.

Had a wonderful evening with Blake & Sara. We ate at BJ’s. I had a Santa Fe salad B&S ordered a pizza. It looked very good and when they did not finish the last piece, I ate it. We also had dessert – hot fudge brownie with ice cream. Sooooo gooood! During dinner we talked >>>EDIT>>>EDIT>>>EDIT>>> I will ever thank my Heavenly Father for sending Blake to us. He is a special boy and has been his entire life. I am grateful we are exceptionally close. One of the reasons I like the movie, ‘The Work and the Glory’ is the close relationship depicted between Maryann Steed and her son Nathan. They connect. Blake and I connect. Before we left, he asked his dad for blessing and received wonderful council. Whatever he chooses, we will support him.

Saturday September 6, 2008 Phase Two Day 138:
Today Sonnet and I attend an all day seminar on nutrition. Wanda from work first told me about it months ago and with our new emphasis on weight loss, Sonnet and I signed up. It was a wonderful day listening to a very energetic speaker on health, nutrition and personal stewardship for our bodies from the perspective of a Christian. St. John’s Lutheran church hosted the event. We enjoyed every minute of it and learned many interesting things about food.

First thing, before we left, I ate some blueberries. One there I had a bottle of water. At lunch the provided turkey sandwiches, baked chips and low fat cookies. There were apples and nuts out but I did not have any. The afternoon snack was a ‘Skinny Cow’ ice cream bar. It was very good.

Tonight we went to the Larsen’s for games. Of course, there were snacks there. For some reason I was ravenous. I do not know why though. Before we went over I had tuna, crackers, and a small smoothie. Anyway, I ate chips, carrots, red grapes (which I learned that morning are a very good antioxidant). That wouldn’t have been too terrible but Add to that a brownie alamode with extra helping of brownie and you have disaster.
Home and to bed much too late.

Sunday September 7, 2008 Phase Two Day 139:
>>>EDIT>>>EDIT>>>EDIT

Poor Stephen, he is so tired this morning. Getting to bed about midnight for two days in a row then up at 5:30 to go to Sunday morning meetings is rough. It least I get to sleep in until 7:30. It is Fast Sunday so no breakfast. Fast and Testimony meeting was a little slow as far as people getting up but it had a sweet spirit. Poor Stephen again. I saw him struggling to keep his eyes open. One of the reasons I sit right in front of him is to give him the wake-up look when he is droopy. After church I worked on activities committee things and went down to break my fast about 4:00. I had a granola bar and sandwich. Mom dropped by, left and then it was time for choir practice. After practice I fixed Steph and & some Spam and eggs. I suggested we go upstairs to read, say our prayers and put Stephen to bed while I waited for Sonnet to drop by for our evening stroll. She called to say she had a CES fireside so I knew she would be late.

Monday September 8, 2008 Phase Two Day 140:
Good morning. I had some cereal this morning. Wow, I have not eaten cereal in months. Sonnet & I did some evaluating last night during our walk. We reviewed the information we gleaned from the seminar on Saturday and drew some conclusions pertaining to our individual health goals. I am going to watch the saturated fats (animal fats) and move toward the monounsaturated fats (vegetable). I am going to talk with Dr. Sidenstricker about a bone density scan to see where I am on the subject of Osteoporosis as well as look for a good calcium supplement. That is one of the reasons I had cereal today – to get some milk in me. I do not care for milk as a beverage so I only take it in when having cereal. I am going to continue to concentrate on taking in enough dark green leafy veggies and bright colored fruit.

For lunch at work, I will take tuna and crackers, a peach and a smoothie. But secretly I want to go out to the knotty pine for a salad. Wanda was out all last week with her family to the Grand Canyon – if she is not too swamped, I know she will be up to going out…..So Wanda was swamped and we stayed in. I had my tuna, crackers, peach and smoothie. Because I am watching my saturated fats, I sure noticed that mayonnaise going into the tuna. Need to go back to not draining so much water out so it will be a little moister an check out low fat mayo’s or even Miracle Whip. I ended up working late because of the big Employee Wellness program I am giving on Wednesday.

At home this evening Stephen & I ate ham, pork & beans and cauliflower out by the pond. Stephen came up and sat in the rocker by the computer while I caught up on the blog. He usually comes up to sit by me when I am working. He will bring a book or his laptop. It keeps us together even if we are independently occupied.

Tuesday September 9, 2008 Phase Two Day 141:
Slept through step class this morning. I needed it! Woke up and got cooking. I made a cake and spaghetti sauce in preparation for taking a meal into someone. I also made and delivered a cute mini birthday cake for one of me visiting teaching sisters. There was laundry to do as well as clean the upstairs landing and bedrooms. I had a bowl of cantaloupe for breakfast. My big presentation for our employee wellness program is tomorrow so work was busy. I took left over pork n’ beans and cauliflower together with mixed fruit and a granola bar for lunch. It really filled me up. On the way home, I stopped at the store to buy supplies for the presentation. The subject is ‘Brown Bagging It!’ I will talk about healthy lunches and have samples of foods. I am so not a cook but am enjoying the research and preparation for this presentation.

When I got home, I put the finishing touches on the dinner to be taken in. Stephen dropped it off because I needed to be across town at 4:30 to meet Sonnet for weight lift class. After class, we came home and measured. To date I have lost 20 pounds and 14.75 inches. Sonnet has lost 30 pounds and 18.25 inches. Great news for us! I had to hurry and clean up for Relief Society. It was our quarterly meeting. The sisters served taco salad and brownies. Did I have a lot – oh ya. It was very yummy.