January 24, 2006

Disneyland Bound

We are headed for "The Magic Kingdom" the first week in February. We have already booked our lodging & are planning our trip. One day we are going to visit Bob's Grandma Marie. When were in California last time (Oct 2004) his Grandma was a remarkably young & sharp 92 years old. This time on the phone she didn't sound so sharp. She no longer drives & is having some significant health problems. Since she hasn't seen the new baby & she is the closet Grandparent (& the oldest in the worst health) we are going to drop in for a visit. Depending on how bad off she is, we are going to try to talk my MIL into driving out there to see her while she's visits us in March.

Crissy, we are not telling ANYONE about this trip to Disneyland. We just want to relax & enjoy our mini vacation without any remarks or critisims from the family. We are still thinking about an Illinois trip this fall, it all depends on finances & work.

Back to the subject of this post. We found a affordable hotel with continental breakfast just 150 yards from the main pedestrian entrance from Disneyland. Surprisingly, many hotels charge for parking, even of their guests! The hotel we found does not charge for parking. That will save us about $10 per day. Since we aren't big breakfast eaters, the breakfast saves us up to $30 each day! Since we are within walking distance of Disney, we won't have to move our car & lose or parking spot....plus we just burn that many more calories.

I am trying to plan ways for me to minimize that snacking & soda pop while in the park. There are many stands with fresh fruit & bottled water. Do I really feel like paying through the nose for that? You aren't supposed to bring your own food & drink into the park either. There are lockers just to the outside of the park entrance for rent. I will have bottled water to make Charlotte's bottles, which I can bring a couple extras & tell them it is to make the baby's bottles. Hopefully that will work. I think I will be drinking & filling a water bottle with drinking fountain water for myself. I will also probably bury a couple of Granola bars for each day in the diaper bag. Salad is available at many of the eateries in Disney. Like I said, I am really looking into this. As for February instead of just journaling my food, one of my goals was to really be conscious of my food choices had already decided this BEFORE DH suggested the trip.

Last night we all walked 3108 steps = 1.422 miles according to my pedometer in exactly 30 minutes. Elizabeth pushed a Barbie Doll in her doll stroller alongside her Daddy while I pushed Charlotte in the big stroller. I am going to drag DH & kids out for another walk tonight if he gets home early enough. The girls actually enjoy the walks, it is DH that doesn't like them so much. Walking was another goal I had decided to tackel beginning in February. The Disney trip just bumped it up by a couple of weeks. I will be wearing my pedometer in Disney & tracking my steps daily. I will also be tracking my food in my food journal & entering it at Fit Day shortly after we get home.

My DSH insisted that I book a reflexology session for my feet the Sunday before we leave. An hour long session is $85. For $15 more I could get a 30 minute reflexology session & a pedicure with a hand parafin dip! DH said if that was what I wanted I could have it. Sunday is the only day he can watch the kids while I go to the spa for some pampering. He'd better watch out because I could get used to that kind of pampering. Once again, that was HIS idea. I wasn't about to turn that down!

I will probably copy this post to my TOANL blog.

I will try to write at least once more before we leave for Disney.




January 16, 2006

Bella is gone

Saturday we took Bella to the Humane Society to find a new home. She was a sweet dog...when she wasn't doing one of the following:
  1. Using the carpet as a toilet.
  2. REFUSING to go potty OUTSIDE.
  3. Jumping on my 3 year old.
  4. Nipping or gnawing on someone OR something other than her chew toys.
  5. Using the litterbox as her own personal treat dispenser.
  6. Chasing the cats in our home.

She will make a great outdoor pet to the right family. Unfortunately, after 2 months of trying...it was time for her to go. I didn't notice how much time I was spending just cleaning up after her & putting things up out of her reach. She was attatched to me & nobody else in our family. I just didn't have the time to give her the attention she deserved and needed. I am positive that she will find a more suitable home now.

Today I spent about 3 hours shampooing our livingroom carpet. I moved furniture & shampooed while I had XM radio cranked to disco music via the satellite dish. I'm sure it was quite a site. Imagine a 5 ft 2.5 inch fatty sporting an oversized bleach spotted stain covered t-shirt in bright orange, faded blue sweat pants with white stripes down the sides with a hole in the rear & hair tied into a sloppy bun on her head. I'm sure I was a vision of lovliness when my DH walked in the door from work. LOL! He did say that the carpet looked nice though!

Sunday I finally took all of the ornaments off the tree & put them away. This is no small task as we have three 18 gallon totes full of ornaments that hang on the tree each year. That took the better part of 4 hours. While Bob & the girls slept I watched my Chicago Bears lose to the Carolina Panthers. It was a good game. I also journaled in my diary & gave myself a mini manicure. That is part of me turning over a new leaf...making time for myself whenever I can. I know it will make me a better wife & mother in the end.

Saturday night Bob & I played "Scene It" the TV edition after the girls went to bed. That was much needed us time. We stayed up until 2 am playing that game. We had fun though.

http://turningoveranewleafin2006.blogspot.com/

January 12, 2006

Just another day....

Here I am on the computer & I smell something. I find out it is dog poop as I hear my daughter saying "Damm! Bella, you went poop in here AGAIN?" I chuckle to myself as I pick up Bellas "gift" on the carpet. I shouldn't but I know that Liz got that word from myself or my DH.

This same little girl LOVES to feed her baby sister, pick out clothes for herself & her sister on nearly a daily basis & to take the wet laundry out of the wash & put it into the dryer. She is ALL girl with the exception of playing in the dirt. She has the most fun playing in the dirt. There are times that I think I am raising a female version of the Peanuts character "Pigpen". LOL! She rarely fails to make me both smile & annoyed in the same day. She definately keeps things interesting around here.

I am just trying to focus on something OTHER than my weight today. I'm not frustrated by my progress as it's only been a week. I am lacking energy today & I just want to go to sleep. I haven't eaten as much sugar as I have been the past few weeks. I think it is affecting my energy level. You know what? I have to get off of the sugar highs sometimes, so today is as good a day as any.

My DH just came home.

January 10, 2006

The Creation Story

In the beginning, God created the Heavens and the Earth and populated the Earth with broccoli, cauliflower, spinach and red and green and yellow vegetables of all kinds so that Man and Woman would long, healthy lives. Then using God's great gifts, Satan created Ben and Jerry's Ice Cream and Krispy Creme Donuts. Satan said "You want chocolate with that?", and Man said "Yes!" and Woman said, "and as long as you're at, add some sprinkles." And they gained 10 pounds. And Satan smiled.

God created the healthful yogurt that Woman might keep the figure that Man found so fair. And Satan brought forth white flour from the wheat, and sugar from the cane and combined them. And Woman went from size 6 to size 14.

So God said "Try fresh green salad." And Satan presented Thousand-Island Dressing, buttery croutons and garlic toast on the side. And Man and Woman unfastened their belts following the repast. God then said "I have sent you heart healthy vegetables and olive oil in which to cook them." Satan brought forth deep fried fish and chicken-fried steak so big it needed it's own platter. And Man gained more weight and his cholesterol went through the roof.

Then God created a light, fluffy white cake and named it "Angel Food Cake," and said "It is good." Satan then created chocolate cake and named it "Devil's Food."

God then brought forth running shoes so that His children might lose those extra pounds. And Satan gave cable TV with a remote control so Man would not have to toil changing the channels. And Man and Woman laughed and cried before the flickering blue light and gained pounds.

Then God brought forth the potato, naturally low in fat and brimming with nutrition. And Satan peeled off the healthful skin and sliced the starchy center into chips and deep-fried them. And Man gained pounds.

God then gave beef so that Man might consume fewer calories and still satisfy his appetite. And Satan created McDonald's and it's 99 cent double cheeseburger. Then said "You want fries with that?" And Man replied, "Yes! And super size them!" And Satan said, "It is good."

And Man went into cardiac arrest. God sighed and created quadruple bypass surgery. Then Satan created HMO's.

Thought for the day.....
There is more money being spent on breast implants and Viagra today than on Alzheimer's research. This means that by 2040, there should be a large elderly population with perky boobs and huge erections and absolutely no recollection of what to do with them.

If you don't send this to five old friends right away there will be five fewer people laughing in the world.


BTW... the address of my second blog is

http://turningoveranewleafin2006.blogspot.com

http://www.fitday.com/WebFit/PublicJournals.html?Owner=TOANLin2006

January 07, 2006






This is beautiful Sedona, AZ. MY DH took these with his digital camera on November 25th, 2005.

I'm wrapping up this entry. Our trackball is giving us fits & needs replacing. It takes the fun out of my blog when it has PMS.

January 06, 2006

I have another blog

It is called Turning Over A New Leaf.

I created TOANL to track & journal my journey to changing my life in several areas. The first & most urgent being the struggle to regain my health. With a BMI of 42.2....I'd say urgent is a pretty acurate description.

I will be keeping Purple Puddles as well. I enjoy sharing photos & details of my life as a SAHM on the road to self improvement. PP is my special place to vent, share, laugh & cry. It's my "cyber baby" & I cannot let it go.

As soon as I can figure out HOW to post the link to my new blog & few of my favorites in the sidebar, I shall do just that.

January 04, 2006

! Happy 2006 !

What did you do on New Year's Eve, or as my daughter says it "New Ears". LOL

We did what we needed to & were home by 3pm. We wanted to get home before all of the traffic & the party goers were out & about. The girls were asleep before 9pm, but DH & I were exhausted for some reason. We cuddled in our room & struggled to stay awake long enough to see Dick Clark this year. The clock struck Midnight, we saw the ball drop, gave each other a peck & a "Happy New Year", shut the TV off & promply fell asleep.

The next day we painted the walls of our oldest daughters room light purple. This weekend we are planning on finishing her room by painting the ceiling dark bluish-purple & adding glow in the dark stars...just like in our previous house. The exception being that instead of a white fan, that we left for the buyers, we got her a pink fan from Lowe's. She saw it & insisted that was the only one she wanted. Since it was under $100, her Daddy bought it for her.

Monday I got my first ever manicure, pedicure & a one hour deep tissue massage. I was in HEAVEN! SOme of my problem spots on my back are still bruised from the massage, but it didn't hurt while she was rubbing out the knots in my shoulders & lower back. It felt SO good. No, I'm not into pain. The manicure & pedicure was enjoyable as well. DH got me a gift certificate to a day spa for Christmas & scheduled the appointment for Monday when he KNEW he was off from work. When the ladies asked if it was a gift & told them yes. They asked where he got the idea for the services he chose & I told them I had NO idea. I didn't either! I had no idea that I needed that massage THAT much. I have a very sweet hubby!

Elizabeth's favorite gifts were the Whack-a-mole game we gave her & the dress up princess trunk that her Godparents gave her. Charlotte's favorites were the Classical Stacker we gave her & the Sleeping Muscial Pooh-Bear her Godparents gave her. My husbands favorites were the Homer Simpson Chia pet that Elizabeth HAD to have for him & the Stars Wars three DVD set Widescreen that I found for him...on Christmas Eve. The toaster was actually a close second. He opened it & used it the next morning. I think we all know what MY favorite gift was.

Our baby, Charlotte has started rolling around to get where she wants to. When she tries to get her legs under herself to rock she falls & cries in frustration. Today she was having blast in her exersaucer. When Lizzy was a baby she ALWAYS had a constant favorite, her swing. Charlottes favorites seem to change from day to day. Some days the exersaucer is what she wants, others it's the Johnny Jump Up, still others she wants her swing & some days she just wants to roll around on the floor. She ALWAYS wants to be included in whatever we are doing.

Tonight I read the girls two books by Shel Silverstine. (SP?) The girls were glued to these books. If you have read them, then you are aware they are just black & white pictures. I read them The Missing Piece & The Giving Tree. Elizabeth was even showing me how the circle was rolling along by doing summersaults next to me a couple of times. When it came to reading them poems from "A Light in The Attic" (the book chosen by Elizabeth) she was no longer interested & instead asked if she could read a book to me. She went & got Cinderella & "read" it to me via pictures. I will never, ever discourage reading in my home. Especially at the ages my girls are right now.

Elizabeth & I also had a "pretty" day while her sister was asleep in her crib. We put on make-up, painted our fingers & her toes as well as dressed her up in her Princess outfits she got from her Godparents. She had the best time with me today & she made a point of showing her Daddy her pretty fingers & toes when he got home. She is SUCH a girl! LOL! Daddy will have his hands full when she gets interested in clothes, boys & make-up. Look out!

On January 2nd I gave up regular soda. I am still drinking caffinated soda but switched to diet. When the diet soda is gone, I will be eliminating the caffiene as well. I have a raging headache but I think that is from the diet soda & lack of sugar intake. Tommorrow I will begin pushing the water down my throat. I could be dehydrated, causing my headache as well.

I'm off to drink some water, take some asprin, take a shower & go to bed.

Take care!