Dinner Menu for My Parents....

I've not seen my parents since Christmas day. I miss them, but life is busy right now. We talk daily, but I still want to see them. I am planning a very special dinner for them on Sunday January 31st. I'm even going to send them a fancy invitation with a menu included!

Here is the Menu:

Cream of Leek and Potato Soup

Flank Steak with Bobby Flay's Balsamic Rosemary Marinade
(Hannah, you are so fortunate to have Biz as your mom! I've begged your mom to adopt HH and I on several occassions.)

Parmesan Risotto

Corn Flake Bars

I can't wait to do this!!!

Celebrate Good Times....

After watching the Frog and the Princess, we went to Jack Fry's for dinner. The Jack Burger deserves every single award it has gotten. I told HH that it burgers like this that make it EASY for me not to eat McDonalds burgers and other crap like that. When I want an awesome burger, I want an awesome burger. Since having my WLS, I am not willing to compromise quality for quick access, cheap, junk.

The Happy Couple! :) We have spent a good day reflecting on our special day last year, and all the good things that have come about since then.

We are watching Ice Age 3 now.

I'm meeting my best friend Wendy for lunch, but first I must stop in and get the new Vera Bradley pattern (in a purse, wallet, lunchbox, school bag....hey, I like to coordinate).

Commence Celebrating

Today is the anniversary of when HH asked me to marry him. OH MY what a year it has been!!! Let the celebrating begin!

This was taken January 17, 2009 at The Melting Pot celebrating our anniversary.

In case you are new to the blog, here is the Proposal Scoop post I wrote.

Forgot to Mention

My left jaw is killing me! I have had a habit for years and years of popping my left jaw. It never has hurt me. Today it started really hurting. I called my dentist on her emergency cell phone, and asked if I could see her on Monday or Tuesday. She is going to try to work me in on Monday. I asked if she would take an x-ray just to make sure something isn't really wrong.

Saturday = SNOW TUBING (Another First for Me)

View of where we will be sliding down in our snow tubes.

HH is getting nervous since I am taking him on yet another activity that requires a waiver. He said, "The last time I signed a waiver with you I lost a layer of skin." (When we went whitewater rafting, HH got a really bad sunburn.)

This is my favorite picture. I was pretty scared going up, and each time I rode with my tube attached to his. It was SO MUCH FUN!!!

The best part was when our group went down all together (all nine of us). We get up there, and they have this little skinny girl who is supposed to get us started down the hill. Another guy in our group turns to me and says, "Look at that girl, she doesn't have enough *ss to get us started down this hill." The poor girl ends up going down half the hill with us, and we all kicked her with our boots as we passed her by. It was really funny after I knew she was ok.

YPAS Madrgial Dinner:

This was a wonderful event! One girl had a beyond amazing voice, and I leaned over to HH and said, "I wish I could sing like her." He replied, "And she wishes that she could be as beautiful as you are."

Now we are sitting at home relaxing, watching The Proposal.

Friday Recap

I came home to this SERIOUSLY organized pantry that HH did on Friday. What a way to a girl's heart? Yes, that is a whole lot of protein powder on top. I know the flavors I like, and while I don't need them everyday, I do like to keep it on hand. (Putting the protein powder up there actually freed up two entire SHELVES in the pantry.)

Bball in the hood went well....we won! :)

Picture with Nyelah....she is the hardest worker, and I love this girl!!!

Two more of my students....

Why does HH have his eyes closed? His personalized M&Ms came in, and I couldn't wait to show him. We are going to wait to eat them on Valentine's Day. One has our picture, then there three different personalized messages. The picture turned out really nice.

HH was happy!

Great Post

Lyn, over at Escape from Obesity, wrote this post titled "Breaking Point."

What really resonated with me....she says....

"Everything has a trade off. For a long time Big Macs and french fries were *worth* the limited life I got in return....You just have to reach a point where it is not worth it to YOU anymore. Where you want the rich joyful life instead of the candy bar. It really is a trade-off for me. One I am now willing to make."

I think of all the things I was trading my good health for....huge to-go meals at Outback, a large pizza with breadsticks and a 2-liter, coca-cola like crazy. I am worth more now. Somedays I still question myself, but I want a better life than what I was living. I now know how miserable I was, since I was so heavy then and had been for so long, I didn't know what life could be like. This side of life is wonderful. I want to keep it.

Thanks Lyn for the wonderful post!

Excellent Quote....

"The thing that is really hard, and really amazing, is giving up on being perfect and beginning the work of becoming yourself." - Anna Quiden

Show Us Your Life - Diets, Exercise Programs, and Weight Loss Ideas....

This is from Kelly's Korner, and a Friday feature of hers...

I guess I am a bit scared of the reaction I might get from Kelly's Korner readers, as many people feel that I took the "easy" way out. I have struggled with my weight all my life, and when I reached 393.6 pounds, I had weight loss surgery. I've learned a lot about myself as the weight has come off.

1. I can NEVER drink Coca-Cola again. EVER. I was a major addict having between 4-6 per day. I have been "clean" since the day of surgery. I can do pretty well without thinking about it for a long time, then every now and again, I think, "I'd kill for a Coca-Cola." Then I proceed to obsess about having one for the next thirty minutes. No other thought can enter my brain. I recently had that experience over the Christmas holiday one night while HH and I were out to dinner. When I had that "attack" I talked with HH wondering if this is the feeling that former smokers have. I've met many a person that have not smoked in twenty years that say they could light one up right then. Like the craving never completely goes away.

2. While I have a very forgiving surgery (as I malabsorb 80% of the fat I consume), I do not go out and have fast food very much anymore. Actually most of it, the smell makes me nauseous. I do enjoy Moe's Southwest Grill, and that is a "go to" food for me when I'm out and need a quick bite. The more I learn how to cook though, I really enjoy preparing meals at home. It gives me a real sense of accomplishment. I've made some bombs for meals, but I've also made some really good stuff too.

3. I weight myself everyday. This is a love/hate relationship, because I often know it is water weight, but I still let it get to me mentally. I need the number on the scale to make sure I don't go back to where I was.

4. I wear "real" pants....as in pants with a defined waist, no elastic. When you get up to a 36W like I was, there is really not that much you can wear. I need the boundary of knowing I need to ease back on things.

5. I've become much more discriminating in my food choices. I used to just eat candy because it was "around"...now I have certain favorites like Peanut Butter Dove Chocolates, but I don't waste my calories on things that I really don't savor.

If you are interested in knowing more about my weight loss journey, the majority of it is under 2007-2008. Please feel free to read it. I am also willing to answer any questions you might have.

Wednesday Night Recap (and Tonight's Cooking Class!!!)

On Wednesday night, HH engaged me in a lively reading of "Revolutionary Mothers" while I was making Peanut Butter and Strawberry Jam muffins. Don't these look awesome? I managed to make them without eating the whole jar of Smucker's Jam. (I did have a few bites of jam though!)

I also made Black Bean Soup for HH. This was for dinner for Thursday night. Something just doesn't seem right about me going to cooking class each week, and leaving him to fend for himself and have Taco Bell for dinner. HH sees no problem in getting Taco Bell on that night though. The soup did have just a bit of kick to it, but it was mild enough for me to enjoy.

COOKING CLASS: BASIC TRAINING 101

I am posing with my new chef's knife. Tonight I learned lots of knife skill techniques. I have to admit that I am really scared of using the knife, and I chop/peel things very slowly. (I am taking an extra knife skills class later on this month, just to become more comfortable with it.) I made a veggie and fruit tray, black bean dip and hummus. I really think that I can be a fan of hummus. (There are many things that I've not become a fan of until adulthood.)

I am posing with my cookbook from class. I cannot tell you how excited I am about taking it! The one big surprise was that the men outnumbered the women in our class of fifteen!

HH has been a lifesaver this week in the fact that he cleaned out the plastic container cabinet, otherwise known as the cabinet that completely purges itself onto the floor every single time I open it. Today he took on the pantry. HH is in the middle of it, but wow what an improvement he has already made.

HH had a phone interview tonight for a church in Virginia.