Desperately seeking weight loss ideas

First a bit of back story.

Growing up I was always skinny!  Very SKINNY!!  If anorexia had been around then in the minds of people other than doctors, everyone would have thought I was.  I had a very healthy appetite, just great metabolism and never gained an ounce. I wore a size 4 (back then it was really really hard to find any size smaller than that) but since I was 5' 10'' I had to wear a size 8 because that was the smallest size a tall came in then.  I always looked like I was wearing clothes that were a million sizes too big (which I was) and that made me look even skinnier!  Soaking wet I MIGHT weigh 80 or 85 pounds!

First baby took care of that!  I gained 100 pounds with him.  The doctor was worried I was underweight and told me not to worry about loosing the weight...my metabolism would take care of the extra!  Famous last words!

Said baby is almost 33 now.

So, for the past 33 years I have been overweight.  But, truthfully I have never had trouble loosing the weight for special occasions.  Like, a few years ago, we had Weight Watchers at work.  There was a prize for the most lost...no problem.  I quickly lost 20 pounds during the 12 weeks without even trying hard.  Kept it off for almost a year, but then came back.

Last year for Disney I wanted to loose at least 30 pounds.  I started in February and lost 30 pounds relatively easy by our September trip to Disney.  Now it has all come back...along with about 20 extra.

This trip has been in the planning stages since January.  We leave in 89 days.  I have done the same things as in the past, but I have continued to gain.  I tried Alli...but I don't eat enough fat to make it work!  I mean I had to work hard at eating 15 grams of fat at each meal!

I try to eat relatively healthy...only one helping of whatever we eat, no snacking, and stay as active as I can with my arthritis.  I actually eat about half what I feed to either of the kids.

In the past, both Weight Watchers and South Beach have worked for me.Will power is never my problem...

Right now, I can eat two to three bites of food before I feel full. I am eating ...probably only one meal a day.  I just don't get hungry.  But still the weight keeps creeping up.  Since July 4th  (when I had that tummy thing where I lost 10 pounds that weekend) I have gained over 30 pounds...while DIETING!

I need to jumpstart this thing...but I really don't know how.  I've read and researched all the 'old wives tales' about eating more to trick your metabolism to loosing weight..as well as all the medical stuff about why not to do each of these things.

So, tell me... what are your weight loss trick .  I mean I really am tired of looking like I did when I was 8 and a half months pregnant with my first kid!


Nini

Two Weeks down....

Well, today marks two weeks of school completed...


So far I am less than thrilled, but Mr D is very happy!

One of the side effects of his meds is that he gets sleepy during the day.  Another one is that occasionally he can't sleep during the night.  Both were explained in DETAIL at our IEP meeting.  While it is not in writing (therefore it didn't happen evidently!) they promised to make allowances for his sleepyness at school.  We even talked about my bringing in a blanket for him to sleep.

Last night, between his meds and a storm, he woke up at 3 and did not (could not) go back to sleep.  I sent an email to his teacher ...just as an FYI.  She wrote me back saying...basically that was too bad.  His academics were more important than his rest and she would send a lot of work home with him over the weekend so he could 'catch up'!

If I remember correctly we are sending him to public school...I should not have to be teaching him at home as well!

I guess this is just something else I need to add to his new IEP in a few weeks..


Evidently, everyone at that school knows more than all the doctors he has been seeing for the past 5 years...and can make the decisions as to what he needs and what is best for him!


Nini

Hubbies...can't live with them and can't live without them!

My hubby has this idea that since both kids are now in public school I have nothing what so ever to do all day with my time...so he keeps volunteering me for things!

Like today...we have therapy on Wednesday mornings.  He volunteered me to watch my grand daughter early this morning...unfortunately, he FORGOT to tell me!  Luckily, he called me to find out where I was...I told him, since he did the volunteering, he could do the watching until I got home.  He said fine.  I come home to find out he is not here....but his phone is!

I get up EVERY morning at 6.  Including the weekends.  It is the only way I can stay on top of half the stuff that I need to get done.  There is so much falling through the cracks it is not funny!  My house hasn't been clean in who knows how long!  I have enough sewing scheduled to keep me busy for the next 5 months...but it all has to be done in 3 months!  I can't remember the last time I slept in.  Hubby doesn't believe in getting up before noon on the days he doesn't work...and has been off for the past 2 weeks!


OK...now I feel better......



Nini

Updates, Update, I have updates!

OK...first one is...last night we had our double digit party for Disney.  Only 99 days until we leave, so we took a trip to the 99 cent theater to see Toy Story 3.  Kids loved it, The Princess particularly loved the potty (I think we took 4 potty breaks!).

And afterward, we were treated to a fantastic light display courtesy of  Tropical depression number 5 (or at least the remnants of said tropical depression).  There was so much lightning that at times it was almost non stop!  There were some pretty close strikes as well.  We had to wait almost 30 minutes after the movie to be able to get to the car!  We got home to not a drop of rain!

So in that same vein, my second update is on my wonderful pool.  It is up and full, and so inviting...but we are having a torrential downpour!  It started around 2 am and has not let up at all.  Our weather advisory says heavy rains for the remainder of the day.  I have NEVER gotten a significant weather advisory about the AMOUNT of rain expected!  So, even though this pool isn't leaking, I STILL have a mud pit in my back yard!

Next update is on Mr D's school.  I have about 10 pages of notes so far to take with me to our next IEP meeting.  Plus I have written a 4 page narrative of Mr D's story.  It was suggested we include more info on Mr D into his permanent record.  Right now it only says there was a car accident.  Nothing about how bad it was.  As one of his therapists said, it read like it was just a fender bender!

And I will be ordering a book to help me..It is from Wrightslaw called From Emotion to Advocacy.  I will be using a gift card for Amazon that I earned from Swagbucks.....finally getting some use out of that!

The Princess is having a birthday party today to mark her three years of being The Princess!  Her actual birthday is on Wednesday, but this is going to so much better than waiting until then to have a party!  I have her birthday quilt almost finished.  I still need to make the label and the binding.  I don't think I will be getting it finished before the party, but hope to have it finished this weekend.  So, Memaw will be an Indian Giver today.  I'll give it to her and then take it back home to finish!

We have made it through the first week of school. Somehow.  I am trying my best to remain positive...but Mr D's teacher has decided to completely ignore everything that we talked about...however, she IS following the IEP...since it had absolutely NOTHING on it!  Another note on Monday....hopefully she will get tired o\f seeing the notes from me and either do the things we talked about and agreed to...or stop sending me home his work!  LOL

I finally have a date for my next MRI!  Next Tuesday.  Hopefully, once this gets done I can get some relief on my back.  I'm almost to the point of just deciding to go ahead with the surgery.  If nothing else it will put an end to the pain!  Of course, since we only have 14 weeks until we go to Disney, I doubt it can be done until we get back...which puts it in the holiday season which means it will have to wait until next year!  Sheesh...

So..the next update is my house is a mess.  Well, ok, that really isn't anything new, but I am going to try and get a little bit done today before we go to the party.


Nini

My, how time flies!

In looking through some stuff, trying to get everything gathered up for Mr D's IEP meeting next month...I found a catalog.  Not just any catalog.  One of the catalogs that Mr D appeared in.  The pictures were taken back in 2005.  Just a couple of months after the accident, while he was in therapy at Grayson.

He was such a BABY then!


Nini

Updates on Mr D

Another milestone today...Mr D rode the bus for the first time in his LIFE!!!

He was so excited, he woke up at 5:30!  He said he couldn't sleep all night, but he remembered the rule that he can't get out of his room until an adult wakes up.  So he closed his door and watched tv...very softly.

...and we have our next IEP meeting planned.

Yesterday, when I gave a copy of his IEP to his therapists, they were appalled!  Seems it indicated I had given permission to the school to bill medicaid for services...NOT!!! So, I had to draft a quick letter to make sure they understood that any such permission was inadvertent and definitely rescinded!

So, now I realize I haven't given the story of Figment.  So here goes.....

After the accident, Damien spoke primarily in monotones and one syllable words.  On our first trip back to Disney after the accident, he fell in love with the ride Journey into Imagination.  It had a main character...named Figment...that basically got into trouble and taught you about using your imagination.  He decided that Figment was a word that 'felt' good to say.

Harder words, like multi syllables, were something his speech therapist was working on without much success.

We stayed at Shades of Green on that trip and had a coupon for some free merchandise from the gift shop.  Mr D decided he wanted a puppy dog from their build a bear type machine.  He named it Figment.  Figment went every where with him.  He took it to Day care, to school, and to church.  He knew that Figment had to live in his back pack and could only come out at nap time.

Today, Figment has been repaired so many times he is a pathetic looking little scraggle of a dog.

So, when I asked him if he wanted me to make him a shirt for the first day of school, it was only fitting that his first choice be Figment!  Figment has been with him through a lot of his important steps in his recovery.  It only makes sense they should be together now.


Nini

What a difference a day makes!

Yesterday, when I picked up Mr D for his appt in Athens, his teacher wanted to speak with me...seems she is going on and on about how good he is doing, while at the same time his para-pro is telling me I need to let him write more...his writing is NOT on grade level....really?

His psychologist appt went about like I thought...she was mortified when I showed her his homework for the first day of school.  Her opinion was that school should not set him up for failure, but for success. There is no way on the planet that he can be expected to know those spelling words in a week...probably not in a year will he know them.  He is having trouble with reading blended sounds within words, no way will he understand when a silent e is needed and when it is not.

So, next month we are starting a new round of testing.  This should give the school the data they need to place him better.  We will see....



Nini

Well, both Mr D and Mommy made it through the first day back at school.  Since there is no adaptive transportation ready for him yet, I had to go pick him up.  School gets out at 3:30, so I left the house at 2:30 (knowing there would be a crowd)It is about a 10 minute drive.  I was actually about the 10th car there, not too bad!

Five minutes later, I looked around and there were cars EVERY WHERE!!!  It was easily over 300 cars!  They were in the grass, all along the road, it was unbelievable!

So we are sitting there, waiting.  I decided to turn off the truck to conserve gas and enjoy the somewhat cooler temps...high 80's.  As soon as I turned off the motor and opened the windows I realized it was a mistake!  There was a giant truck (dualie 4 wheel drive type) in front of me with his motor running...and it was diesel!

Then it started to rain!

Then the fire alarm went off at school.

I was able to notice it took a full minute for the office staff to make it out of the building and stand in their designated spaces.  TEN minutes later, the kids started leaving the school to stand in their designated spaces in the back parking lot (for the buses).  FIFTEEN minutes LATER than that some kids were STILL coming out of the building!

I know, I know...it is only the first day, and it takes a while for the new routines to settle in...but really, who thought it was a good idea to have a fire drill in the RAIN on the FIRST day of school???  With all the parents sitting in front wondering what is going on!

By 4:00...you read that right...FOUR o'clock! Mr D had finally gotten into the truck and we were on our way home.  Did you remember me saying that I was about the 10th car there...and how many there were BEHIND me? Yes...Miss B did not get home until Five o'clock...she rode the bus!

Anyway, back to the first day of school for Mt D.  He had a blast!  He loved it!  He loved the thought that he had HOMEWORK!!!

He had to read a story from page 14 to page 45 in his reading book, and study his spelling words...except he cannot read, and spelling is something we never did tackle!  I read the story to him and asked him the questions at the end of the story.  We ignored the spelling words!

I have a feeling it is going to be an interesting year!

Nini

First Day of School observations

Yup.  We have officially had our first...

So, my first thought is why in the world are there so many 'buzzard-like' birds in the trees on our street?  Looks kinda like a scene from the old Hitchcock thriller "Birds"!!! On the way to school, I answered that question...there are three deer that did not make it to the other side of the road.

My next question is....How many negative interactions do you have to have with a person before you can truthfully say, "this will not be a positive relationship"?  I have had three interactions with the principal of my kids school.  Not a single one has been positive.
1- Where he informed me that since he has no direct knowledge of racial bullying in his school, he cannot believe it is happening.  Right...because we all know that bullies love to pick on other children in FRONT of the principal!
2- During an IEP meeting with me he explains that having Mr D miss a half day of school to attend what he considers to be a 'non medically necessary doctor's' appointment will hurt his school's bottom line.  (In his defense, the principal is a 'doctor'...just not a medical doctor and highly UN-qualified to determine what is medically necessary )
3- This morning, where he informed me I cannot park in the handicapped section to take my son into class.  Even though I have a handicapped placard in my vehicle.  Both my son and I each have one.  But they were evidently meant for other people and not for us!

I have a feeling this is going to be a L O N G school year!

Nini

Four Hours

Yup...that is how long I was at the school this afternoon in an IEP meeting for Mr D.  At this point I am so not wanting him to go to school!

I first spoke with them on Monday.   At that first meeting we discussed the adaptive transportation option.  Today they acted like it was news to them!  Even though they had already filled out the paper work to request it!  Now I am told it will take up to 3 weeks to get the transportation office to make arrangements for him, but they would try and expedite it, but it would still take at least 5 days.

Now I may not be a rocket scientist, but if they had started the paperwork on Monday...wouldn't that be the required 5 days...school starts Monday.

I told them my main concern about his last time at public school was his spec ed teacher had a 'study buddy' that did all his work for him. So guess who his teacher is...that's right!  And her contribution to the whole evening was she thought Mr D would react positively to Peer Mentors...the proper word for 'study buddies'.

The one thing I sad that would be a deal breaker is the regularly scheduled therapies that he is currently in.  On Monday they said it was fine...now, not so much.  He will be counted as absent, so it will effect their bottom line.  Because it is not considered medically necessary...they offer the same 'type' of therapy at school.  Even though what they offer is designed to help him function in SCHOOL.  What he currently gets will help him function in LIFE!

We won't even talk about the whole Disney thing!


I have some serious praying to do this weekend!


Nini

Decisions, Decisions...

Well, it seems that I have been getting a lot of requests to make various t shirts.  I'm really trying hard to make the decision to make them.  I've already got enough designs to make 3 t shirts a day, and never exhaust my design supply, and all my favorite designers are still cranking out those fabulous designs.

I have discovered, I have gone from buying the designs I need for a specific project, to buying designs I liked.  I have so many designs I have never even tried to stitch out!  I started getting them with projects in mind...but either just never got to or changed my mind. If all I ever do is stitch out samples of what I have available...I'll stay busy forever!

So...if you are interested, you might want to keep an eye on my Etsy site...or maybe my Facebook page...there MAY be some new stuff showing up there soon!

Etsy ID: QuiltsbyNini
Facebook page: Quilts by Nini

(How is that for originality?  LOL)


Nini

School...here we come, ready or not!

School starts here on Monday.  I'm not 100% sure how I feel about that.  Mr D has decided he wants to go to public school like 'normal' kids.  Since there is nothing 'normal' about him, let's just say I am a little more than apprehensive about how this is going to work.

I have met with someone at the school for about 3 hours on Monday, and spoke to someone for a half hour on the phone from the school board.  On Friday I have a meeting at school with the Special Ed director for the school board, the principal, the special ed teachers, and some other assorted people to discuss the particulars and logistics of the whole idea.

My emotions have gone from fear and dread, and are now bordering on excitement.  At some point, it has occurred to me that it will give me more time to sew!  Since the bus will be picking them both up around 7...and the Princess will not be arriving until around 2 (at least for the first couple of weeks) that will give me 5 hours of uninterrupted sewing time.  I am almost giddy at the thought!

Of course, none of the adults in this house really expect the whole public school thing to be a long term solution.  In fact, when I told hubby that I was giving it 2 months and then re-evaluate the whole situation...he laughed and said he did not expect it to last that long!

But in the meantime...I'm making some 'pie-in-the-sky' plans for how I am going to spend my 'free' time next week...we shall see...


Nini

In just 2 short weeks, we will be having a party to celebrate the fact that the castle will have a Princess that is three years old.

At that party I am presenting her Highness with a new quilt.  The fabric has been bought, the time is blocked out...but I have zero ideas!

Since I have less than 2 weeks to finish it, it has to be a simple design, but yet worthy of her Royal Majesty.  After I tend to the million and one things on my to do list for the day, I am going to spend a few hours locked in my dungeon pouring over quilt books to get an idea.

Nini

A word or two about time management

In my previous life I was a Small Business Commercial Lines Insurance Underwriter.  I lived and died by my calendar.  I had to know what policies were coming up for renewal and when.  I had to order reports and inspections so I would be prepared for the renewals.  I had to let the agents know what my best price was  (and why) for those renewals, and I often spoke with the insureds to let them know what was going on with their renewals. The agents and insureds often contacted me with their claims (even though I was not in the claims department).  I had to schedule my appointments with clients and agents so as to not interfere with my load of work, and had to work on new business.

My calendar (ie: Franklin Planner) kept me sane and on top of my 'stuff'.

Now, I am trying to home school one special needs child, run a small (very small) business, be a full time child care provider for my adorable grand daughter, run a house, and I'm sure there is more, but it is not written down so I can't remember it! I now carry 4 different calendars.  One for doctor appointments, one for Disney related stuff, one for home school stuff, and one for sewing.  On top of that I have a calendar in my phone that has a brief description of what is going on in my life.

I live by deadlines.  If I do not give myself deadlines, I can't function.  I would just let things pile up and do them all the night before I needed them!  I can always find 'something else' to do if I do not have a deadline.

So, my Snow White Dress had a deadline of mail by today.  Because of that deadline, I made changes to my original design to fit the time constraints.  My construction methods were rushed and hurried.  When something didn't work exactly as planned, I was stressed that I had to not only seam rip, but come up with an alternative.  When I discovered I left off the 'tie' to hold up the overskirt, I didn't have the time to take the skirt completely off, so I had to improvise a method to hold up the skirt.

Now, to the final finished product.

Is it cute? Yes.  Will she like it?  Yes.  Is it recognizable as Snow White? Yes.  Is it perfect? No. Am I proud of it? No.  Would a few more days have made a difference in my last two answers? Yes.  Would it have changed the recipients enjoyment of the dress? No.

While a few more days would have made me proud of the final outcome, it would not have changed the special little girl's enjoyment of the sundress on her Second Wish trip to Disney.  The lesson in all this?  Time Management would have given me a bit more time to make this dress perfect and something I could be proud to put my name on.  Those few extra hours would have made all the difference in the world to me.  But the dress itself is what makes the difference to the new owner.



Nini

It has been a while since I've posted here...mainly because I am sick and tired of writing about the wonderful 'free' pool and all it is costing me!

++++++++++++++++++

So, with that out of the way, I'll move on to sewing.  I've had a very busy couple of weeks in that department...just didn't really get much done.  Changes in schedules always take me a while to get used to LOL!  Anyway, I did finally get the Birthday Cake Quilt finished.  I have got to learn how to digitize.  I think this pattern could be really cute and easy to do on an embroidery machine, but I really HATE doing it by 'hand'.  Trying to put all those applique pieces down and look half way decent is a skill I do NOT have!
Anyway here is a picture of the Birthday Cake Quilt.  (you have to promise not to look at it too closely!)

And now to the piece i could kick myself on...

I was making a Snow White dress for a little girl on a special trip to Disney. Her favorite princess is Snow White, so I attempted to make her a Snow White sundress.  This is where my deadline got the best of me.  I would have much preferred to spend at least a week on this dress.  But I did it in just 2 nights of a few hours each.  I'm not at all happy with the way it turned out, but it looks cute in pictures!

I really hope she likes it!

I think it would look better with ruffles on the bottom, but I was afraid it would add too much bulk and it is still summer after all! And the yellow fabric was not my first choice, but I cut the original fabric wrong and had to make do with something from my stash.  It is a bit washed out for my tastes.

My construction methods on this one left a lot to be desired, and I can honestly say I learned a lot from this little sun dress.  I learned a lot of what NOT to do.

So...

Now my next project is to make my little Princess a quilt for her birthday.  I've bought a lot of fabric, but I have yet to decide what pattern I am going to make. (I know...you should REALLY decide what you are going to do before you purchase fabric...other wise you may end up without enough to do what you want to!)

So...off to the post office to mail out this dress and back to work!


Nini