Official start weigh in- post vacation

Well, today is the "start" of my program.  I weighed in this morning at 216.3 lbs.  Up two pounds since before vacation, but all things considered, not bad.  I'm starting this week with simple movement, i.e. walking, for my exercise. Next week I'm going to start my "slim in six" exercise program.

Getting back on track eating may take a bit longer.  My stove is broken at the moment and I'm not sure when the repair people will be able to make it to fix the stove/oven.  Until they do, I'm limited on my food options.  I'm trying to keep a handle on them, choosing high fiber cereals and other such "better for me" fare, but it doesn't always go as smoothly as we would hope.

 

Home again, Home again, jiggedy jig

Well, the kids and I arrived in Frankfurt on Tuesday, August 16.  Dealing with jet lag, but hoping to be on here soon to discuss some of the more interesting aspects of my travels and share some pics.

Mother In Law

I have always thought that my mother in law and I had a pretty decent relationship.  Guess I was just fooling myself.  I don't know.

Prior to our arrival in Phoenix, she wrote to my husband in Afghanistan asking that while he was in Phoenix, we stay at their house. (both my mother and his parents live in Phoenix).  I agreed when Paul asked me. Usually we stay at my mother's.  In the past she has had more room for all of us to stay there.  The one time we stayed with Paul's parents, they put Paul and I on a twin bed to share! (Paul is 6 ft 2, and I was chunky at the time).  It was a hoot, uncomfortable as hell and I vowed I wouldn't stay there again if I couldn't at least have a double bed.

Anyway, this time I agreed because they have moved into a larger home and actually have a guest bedroom. 

So during my second week at my mother's, my friend Lisa came into town to visit (she lives in Ohio).  Towards the end of the week, I asked my MIL if she could watch the kids one morning so I could take Lisa to the casino with my mom and my aunt.  She (the MIL) said no... her other son and his wife were visiting for two days.  No biggie.  I was a little disappointed, but really it was my own fault for forgetting that M and his wife would be in town.  I said nothing about it in my emails to Paul because it was not a big deal. 

Well, (so sue me for being nosy), I got into Paul's email account today and there is this long note from his mother whining about how she hasn't heard from me in a week (she knew I was coming up to Colorado to visit my sister), and she hopes that I understand she didn't want to watch my kids when her son and his wife "who's only visited twice since they got married and only had two days in town." I had not mentioned it at all to Paul because frankly, I did understand, it was not THAT big a deal to me, and I don't think that he needs to be worrying about petty stuff like that.

Now I don't want to stay at her house.  UGH. I'm half tempted to bring Paul back to my mom's house for at least the first couple of days he arrives because my mother tends to give us a lot of breathing space whereas Paul's mom wants to plan every moment of our time when we are with them. But I'm gonna suck it up because this is not worth the fight.  I'm just regretting that Paul, the kids, and I are not going to really have much time to reconnect as a familyduring this break.

Traveling about the country

Been in the U.S. now for over three weeks.  While in Arizona, visited the Grand Canyon and Sedona. I am now in Colorado Springs, visiting my sister.  I go back to Phoenix on Sunday and then Paul arrives sometime the week of July 11.  I am so looking forward to seeing him.

Weight has stayed the same. Not much new in that department.

Learning to love oneself

Love begins at home with learning to love ourselves. This is not trite psychobabble. You Geminis are quite capable of saying the right thing at the right time. You can often get the love you need. But now it's time to stop and nurture your own self. Not only will it feel good, but it can also deepen the way you love others

This was my horoscope for yesterday.  But I think it speaks volumes to everyone of us.  Generally speaking, we give so much of ourselves and our time to others, leaving very little for our own needs.  I think there is something to be said that first we must fill ourselves and then we can give more freely and openly to others.

Waiting to hear

Paul flies the Apaches.  When I read these reports I wonder if he is one of the responding helicopters.  I know he is not stationed at the camp that was attacked.  But I also know he's flown out to hunt for the attackers in the past.   I also know that this means it will be a few days before I hear from him.  UGH!  the waiting and not knowing is so frustrating. 

I feel for the families of the soldiers involved. It is never easy.  Waiting to hear the news if your soldier was involved, waiting to hear from your soldier if he/she wasn't.  Communications are limited until the next of kin are contacted.  Now, I have another 2-3 day wait til I hear from him.

KABUL, Afghanistan (June 8) - Rebel rockets struck U.S. troops unloading supplies from a helicopter in eastern Afghanistan on Wednesday, killing two and wounding eight in one of the bloodiest assaults on American forces since insurgent violence picked up in March.

The killings came a day after the Afghan government warned that Taliban and al-Qaida fighters are waging a campaign of violence in hopes of undermining legislative elections in September, although the rebels failed to disrupt last fall's presidential vote.

After the explosions at the base in Shkin, 4 miles from the border with Pakistan, U.S. warplanes and attack helicopters rushed to the scene to search for the attackers, but found no trace of them, Lt. Col. Jerry O'Hara said.

The U.S. spokesman said four rockets hit the base.

''This was a serious attack against coalition forces,'' O'Hara said. ''Security is not as good as it should be. But when you look at it over the course of months, incidents are on the decline. But that doesn't appear to be the case today.''

O'Hara said the Shkin base is part of an operation along the border to prevent ''foreign fighters from entering into this country to derail the peace process.''

Weekly Weigh in

I don't know how.. lol.. but I am losing again.  My exercise has been sporadic at best, with so many changes happening on a daily basis.  And my eating has not been as on target as I would like it to be.. but in the last 7 days , I've managed to lose 2.2 lbs.. WOO HOO!   We are set to leave on Monday.  We're taking the train up to Frankfurt on Sunday, and staying overnight at a hotel near the airport.  I didn't want to leave the car in the parking lot for two months (can you imagine the fees!!).  Our plane takes off about 11:30 am and with the new rules about check-in.. I'd have to have us on the train Monday morning by 4:30 to get to Frankfurt in time.. decided it would be less hectic if we just spent the night up in Frankfurt.  This way.. I can leave my house pretty clean and with the beds all made and dishes all done.. a first I think for me when it comes to traveling.   I've been busy on E-bay this month.  Selling a lot of the homeschooling curriculum I used this past year.  So much of it was in such great shape, it seemed a shame for it not to get used again.  I made enough money to subsidize a good part of my "mini-vacation" with my sister.  She's meeting up with us mid-july, about the same time that Paul is due in.  I am leaving him with the kids and taking a 3-4 day breather with my sister.  As much as I hate to miss those days with Paul, I have to be honest and say that I'm looking forward to NOT being "mom" 24/7.    Paul's dad is scheduled for surgery on June 14 (the day after we get there).  The doctors are pretty confident at the moment that the tumor is inclusive and has not had the chance to spread.  I hope the surgery bears out what all the early tests are saying.   I'm sending my computer out in the mail tomorrow so I can have it at my mother's .. LOL.. how addicted is that?  It would probably make more sense to just buy a cheap one at Walmart once I am there, but I am so not interested in having to set it all up.  Rather just have mine arrive and plug it in. I have 24 hours to make a final decision about this.  The plus side of sending the computer (actually it's the kids) is that it is already loaded up with all their favorite games so they'd have a few things to do at Gram's.   The rest of this week, I'm trying to plan out menus for while we are at my mom's.  I think I mentioned before I intend to take over cooking duties while we are there.  So I want to go armed with some recipes and menu plans.  But I want to keep it a bit open as well... I have to admit that I have a lot of excitement, anticipating all the new products that have been out since we've arrived in Germany.   I've also decided that while I'm in Phoenix I will go to WW meetings in person. I figure I can get 8 weeks worth under my belt while I'm there.  I am hoping that the meetings will give me that extra boost of "gotta stick with it" that I've been sorely lacking lately.   Am also trying to help my son, Mac get his weight a bit more under control.  He's been mentioning he wants to lose weight.. I don't think he needs to lose much, but what I really think he needs is to get out and play more, as well as think about portion control.   Okay.. this got longwinded and I didn't mean for it to.. sorry :)