Newsletter

For the first time ever, I have created a family newsletter. I've wanted to for years. And never did. Well, I finally did and I am pretty sure I will keep it up yearly. All I have left to do is get a new picture to use for it. The last professional one we had done I was 30 pounds heavier, and I would rather use a more updated one. That one was taken in March this year. So some time this week hopefully some one can take our picture with out it coming out a blur (some people for some reason don't seem to understand our camera and the pictures always come out a blur when we ask others to do it).

I'm working on my mailing list now though.

Vince has been working on getting all my cds uploaded to the PC so I can use it on my mp3 player. He got me a really nice one that will record, so I can use it for conventions as a early anniversary gift.

We went to Wal-mart yesterday and it was the most peaceful I had ever seen it! I can't believe people here sleep in! In Kansas they are in mobs outside waiting for the doors to open! Not here. lol Oh well to my advantage. I think I will always shop the day after Christmas early. It was just so quite and to be the only ones there, was GREAT! Usually it's a mad house. Cause it's so new. NYCers aren't used to Wal-mart yet. And go nuts in there! lol Cause the prices are only about a 1/2 to 1/3 of what other stores charge for the exact same items. For instance at most grocery stores here pudding mix, is 1.10 a box. At Wal-mart, it's .52 cents a box! Any way, that's about it so far.

Fuel

I just posted this to JWLW. And I thought I would add it here, cause it caused me to think so much!

"I was just now watching a TV program, on FitTV called 10 years younger. It's about a group of people being helped by doctors, to make themselves, look and feel ten years younger.

The doctor just said something so profound, I had to run in here and post!

He said, most people pay more attention the kind/quality of gas they put in their cars, then the kind/quality of food they eat!

Oh my!!!!!!!! That is just sooo scary to hear some one say that. BUT, at the same time I know it's sooo true!

It brought to mind, something I hear from soooo many people over and over, it seems to be the number one excuse I hear. "Eating healthy, cost too much money".

Thinking about the above statement of gasoline in our cars. Would we put water in our gas tanks cause it's cheaper then gasoline? NO way! Why? Because the car wouldn't run and it would die. Well, what in the world are we thinking when we don't put the right kind of fuel (healthy foods) in our bodies? Hey it's the same thing, some people say junk food is cheaper (I personally don't believe that, but let's say it is) would it make any more sense to put junk in our bodies that will not help us be healthy and kill us, then it would to put water, or other cheaper fluids in a car, cause it would kill it even though it is cheaper? NO!

Then, I got to thinking a car is a material possession. It will eventually die, and probably much sooner then we will. Cars can be replaced. The only way we will be replaced is in the new system. Cars come from man, our life comes from Jehovah. Which is more valuable? Our life!! What in the world is Jehovah thinking when he sees us put more value on a car, then our lives that he gave us. I wonder if it makes his heart sad.

I know if I gave a gift as precious as life to some one, and they threw it to the way side not caring for it or even trying to keep it, it would make me feel sad, and unappreciated. Especially when I see the same person take care of something much less important and from some one they don't even know! (a car is not from Jehovah, it's from some man we don't even know who invented it, and even though it's helpful, it's not as important as our life).

It was just a big epiphany, and something to think about!"

Man was that a thought! The correlation of people taking more care of inanimate objects then their own lives, never crossed my mind till I heard that single sentence! OUCHEE WA WA! Ack! It's a painful thought even!

New Coat

I am tired. My hips have been hurting like crazy. But, Vince got me a new coat, cause of my over 80 pound loss, my old coat was just way way too big. I love the new coat though! :) So I am very happy about it. :) I can't wait to get to goal weight still though. But, this is nice too. :)

I need to get back with fly lady, I have been doing a little but not as much as I was.

I have decided the moisturizing my face, was very important so I am going to for sure start doing that with my fly lady schedule! I got some really nice cream at Bath and Body Works, it's Creme Brulee Scented, and just awesomely YUMMY!! :)

I've also been cooking up a bunch of new recipes. I totally love this turkey stuffing quiche I tried (very low calories!), and this pumpkin pie. I will be adding it to my site shortly!

Any way, I'm just exhausted today. So I think I will take a nap and start doing more again tomorrow. Or probably later this evening. I think later this evening I will for sure, at least shred papers for 15 minutes.

I will also be working on my site blog redecorating a little more soon. And also be working on some stuff for the Silver Dollar City sites. :)

Here's a picture of me in my new coat. :)

Ugh Blogger

On December 1st, is when I last posted here. But, there was tech problems with blogger and it lost every thing. Today they gave me every thing back! I didn't want to post till I heard back from them. Of course I contacted them immediately!

Any way, the house is really coming along! Vince says he don't remember the last time it looked this good. And frankly neither do I. I am just doing it baby steps though. I am so happy I can now open the door with out seeing horrified looks on the delivery woman's face, as she looks on at what must of looked like a explosion in here! lol haha

I still need to declutter the hallway quite a bit. I am still focusing on the living room. So I do my own version of room rescue in the hall way each day. So I do one thing and one thing only. That way I don't get side tracked or overwhelmed. Yesterday I picked up my service bag and put it away. Today I picked up a newspaper that was lying there. Tomorrow as I stroll through to the living room I will pick up something else and so on till it's done. Thankfully the foyer looks great! (that's a major part people see when I open the door! lol) The living room is really coming along. And my side of the bedroom is making head way. I am not doing zones yet. Cause a week will not make a dent in these rooms. So it's better for me to focus on one room till it's done. That's how I did the pantry. And it took me about 4 months. (doing little bits here and there, till I was happy with it.) Any way I am liking actually seeing some progress. And what I have been doing is focusing on the living room by doing 2 fifteen minute sessions each day. Then I do a 27 fling boogie daily in the bedroom, and two of my mini room rescues each day, one in the hallway and one in the pantry. Just needed a little touch up, since I have been doing the other rooms, sometimes in the flings, and decluttering sessions things are tossed in there, cause that's where they belong. So in my mini rescue I put what ever has been tossed in there (one item) exactly where it belongs. Any way it's working!

And boy am I glad my archives are back!

In my cleaning I still have not came across a old stretching mat I used to have. So I am hoping I do. I can't remember if I brought it home, or left it with my parents. But, it sure seems like I brought it home. So far no sign of it. If I don't find it by the time the whole apartment is finished, then I will buy a new one. In the meantime, since I have decluttered so much of the living room, I was able to get out a fluffy towel and put it down, and I have added crunches to my morning exercise routine. I was just doing them at Curves, now I can do them daily. I sure will be happy to get my stretching mat to do them on. The towel doesn't lessen the hardness of the floor too much! lol.

Tech

I actually posted this December 1st. But, blogger was having technical difficulties, so I am republishing it!

Today was a good day. I am really getting a lot done. I am trying really hard to stick with it and not burn out and I think it's working. The book case doesn't look like a terrible explosion happened any more. I am shocked and frankly a little upset with myself over the amount of books we have, cause I couldn't find one and would just pick up another one at meeting after giving up looking. Now we have found them all and have several of many! Well, I guess if we ever have children they can use them. Or we can donate them to a new family in the truth or something.

Any way I am happy with the way things are shaping up. It still looks like some redneck/hillbillies had a party gone bad here. But, it's getting much much better! lol We can see the floor! I will share pictures when it is done. But, I figure it may be at least another month for the living room maybe two. I just have been doing small missions in the bedroom. While focusing on the living room. When the living room is through we will focus on the bedroom and do small missions in the kitchen, then focus on the kitchen while doing small missions in the bathroom. And so on. The pantry thankfully has stayed good since I did it all last spring. (The pictures are in the archives). And I am very happy with that accomplishment!

Well, I've been updating my website. And will probably rework the graphics on my blog soon too. Just don't know when. :) So let me know when you see the changes if you like it or not. :)

Cleaning

I've really been cleaning my living room and picking up the bedroom the past week and a half. I have donated 19 bags of clothes! WOW! And I haven't got to the closet yet! SCARY! lol Any way I am happy to see things coming along though! YES! I am thinking of having a anniversary party here on our anniversary.... the house could conceivably be clean enough by then. So I have started a plan for it. But, if it's not, it's not. But, that's what I'm shooting for. I know for sure by next year it will be how I want it!

Donating

I just donated another 2 bags of clothes! So that's 13 all together!

I cleaned the hallway closet today. And I was taking a mental inventory of what I needed to buy to make the closet more functional (shelves, hooks, shoe bag, coat rack!). And then later I thought, I should write that in my control journal! And I did! The control journal is GREAT. I never thought I would use one. But, I love it! I like that mine is small so it's not over powering for me. I am just really loving it. Even though I don't do every thing I put in there yet (most are goals!) I am doing a lot! And it's nice to look at, at the end of the day and see just how much I really did accomplish. Before I would go to bed worried I didn't do enough. Now I go to bed happy that even though I didn't do every thing, a LOT was accomplished. Cause I can see it in black and white. Before I would have thought I didn't get so many things done so it wasn't good enough, forgetting all about all the things I did to! So I am highly highly suggesting a control journal! If you don't know what a control journal is, or how to make one, go to www.flylady.net . I got a dayrunner that is so cool at Wal-mart for only 8.50! And it has a pocket even for my cell phone. And a handle like a purse too. Has literally every thing I need once I get off insulin, I won't need a purse at all, I will just use this. Cause it has a place for credit cards, ID, money, calculator, literally every thing I need! But, now I need a purse to carry my insulin in. But, I'm just about off it. I only take 25 units a day, versus the 144 I used to have to take. So I think I will be off it in a couple of years tops!

Flylady Musings

I've kept up with fly lady! Oh yeah! And I have donated 11 bags of clothes so far! I have finally made a dent. But, probably could donate at LEAST another 11 bags. Then we are going through Vince clothes too! In fact, I have a pile waiting on the bed for him when he gets home from work. I will have him tell me if wants to keep them or not. He has a lot he don't like, or that are too small for him. So we are getting rid of them! It's only a small pile right now. I will just have him do a little at a time since he works.

Any way, did a lot today did 3-15 minute segments! It's still a disaster, but it will get there!

The really sad thing, that is keeping me going is Oprah's show yesterday! See, it was on hoarding compulsions. I believe I have it a little. Really even though my house wasn't nearly as filthy as the woman's on there (mine's mainly clutter!). I can relate. I mean.... well it starts with the weight. I can see so many correlations between clutter/hoarding and obesity. No one wakes up one day 250-300 pounds, no one wakes up one day with a disastrous house. It slowly takes over. Also like with weight when you try to lose it, and you mess up one day you say oh well I ruined the day I am a failure and you quit (most times), same with the clutter, you try to get rid of it, and you mess up one day, and you think you ruined every thing and you quit. Also like weight, when you have 100 or more pound to lose it takes a long time to lose it! And you have to just try to take it as a journey and focus on small segments, cause 100 or more pounds is not coming off over night. A disastrous house won't be clean over night, you have to take it in small segments.

Oprah said over and over again she didn't understand how the woman could live like that. (granted it was disgusting!). But, I thought, I wish I could talk to Oprah. Cause see Oprah was 100 pounds or more over weight at one time. Oprah kept saying most people would do this or that at this or that point. I want to say to Oprah a lot of people if they gain just 5 or 10 pounds jump on it, and cut back on desserts, exercise more, etc until they get that 5 or 10 pounds off. But, something in us didn't make us stop... sure we tried some things, but we didn't stick with it, till we were more then 100 pounds over weight. It's the same with a cluttered house, sure most people would do something at a small point... something in us weather it's a compulsion, depression or a compulsion driven by depression or other health problems, started it then it was hard to dig out of it! So I think if I could explain it that way to Oprah maybe she could relate. This all just came to me while I was watching the show. Just how much obesity and the clutter can relate. Even though not all obese people are clutterers, and not all clutterers are obese. The root problems are the same! Depression, compulsion, illnesses!

Any way it's helped open my mind a little more to why I got to this point. And just like I have resolved this time to not let my weight over come me again, I am not going to let the clutter win again either. I will beat it, and over come it. It will just take some more loving my self (just like losing weight has). And working on truly finding the root problems and working on changing them!

Well, that's my book for today!

Hoot

I haven't posted here in forever, I know I need to do better! lol

Any way I've been to LA, and visited Richard Simmons, and went to Hoot Camp in September. In October, hmm don't remember what I was doing! lol November has been good, I've been trying a lot of new recipes, at least one new one a week and that's been a lot of fun. I need to get out a calendar and some newsletters and plan my menus for December soon.

I also made a new website, where I post the recipes I have tried and a little review on them. It's at http://www.wolfprncez.homestead.com/reviews.html

I will try harder to get back to blogging. On a good note the pantry has stayed in pretty good shape. The rest of the house needs help! lol So I am back to my fly lady! I need it! So.... as of today, I'm doing 15 minutes a day at least, FLYING! I'm going to try for 2 or 3-15 minutes segments a day though cause my apartment really needs it. I have done 2 today so far. So I actually may be able to get in 4 today.

Wish me well with the fly lady endeavor I really really need it. And if any one is coming to NYC bring a mop and a bucket and help me!! lol J/K

Family Picnic

Not a whole lot has been going on. We went to a picnic at Vince Grandparents in Brooklyn last night. It went well. I took a layered salad and After Dinner Mint Cheesecake Squares. They were good. But, a little on the minty side. lol Next time I think I will use peppermint or cherry flavoring instead.

Let's see not much else going on. We're going to dinner with Vince mom, and her sister and daughter & son, and his fiance tonight.

Curves has still been going well too. Hmmm not much else going on really though.

Day in the Park

Grrr, it's been forever since I have been here again!

Last weekend we had a family picnic. It went well. I made a JoAnna Lund recipe of course. Pineapple Coconut cake. Every one loved it.

My Curves was closed for a few days though. They had a flood. So I had to go to a different Curves, boy am I glad to be back to my regular Curves. I like it much more then the other one. Especially the people there. And now I see what people mean about disco music. See my Curves doesn't have Disco Music, we have country, R&B, hip hop mix thing. lol Yes all those on one CD. lol It's Dolly Pardon, Will Smith, and Cher all on the same CD mix. lol hahaha Things like Working 9 to 5 (Dolly), Miami (Will Smith), and some Cher Song I know it's Cher, but I don't know the name. I don't care for Cher much, and am always happy when that one is over, especially since this particular song makes it sound like the CD is skipping, but it's just her singing. lol Also funny thing is, this same CD even has that de da song that the little hamster online is famous for. lol (it was originally in Disney's cartoon version of Robin Hood though). The Disco music the other Curves had on I didn't recognize but one song. I recognized KC and the Sunshine Band Singing, Get Down Tonight, and that was it. lol

Well, when I got back to my Curves today, apparently it was flooded cause of the patrons (women who go there), have been flooding the toilet, and putting feces on the walls, and floor etc! EWE, so now no one can go to the bathroom with out permission. It said Curves staff was no longer going to clean feces off the walls and floor. Well, I should hope not. Apparently this has been a ongoing situation. But, I never go to the bathroom, so I didn't know! How can people be so nasty. I know when my step father was a janitor for a high school, the girls were nastier then the boys there too. The girls bathroom would have feces, always on the stall walls, floor, and even ceiling! Worse then animals. Totally disgusting! I just don't understand it though. Makes me totally disgusted in how humans have drove themselves to this kind of injury, and insanity!

Well, any way that's about it for now. Will try to get back more often!

Working Overtime

I have been busy. Grrr I need to get here more often.

Any way Vince has been having really long over time lately. So yesterday I didn't figure I would get to Curves. I go on Sundays, Tuesdays and Fridays. Cause they aren't meeting days. And it gives me days in between off from strength training. Then I walk in place at home. Any way I finally broke my plateau too! Well, yesterday Vince was working the 8-4 shift. And he called and asked me if he could work over time. He's never had over time on this shift before, (well only during 9-11) and we need the money this month so I said yes. And I would just do a harder work out at home. Although I was fine with it I was kind of disappointed cause on this shift I don't get to go on Sunday either, I have to wait till Monday then go on Weds, and Friday. And it messes up the whole week, but Curves closes early on Sunday so this week each month I just have to do it out of whack. Then Vince mom called and said she would pick me up and take me. I was so happy! So she took me, and even though she joined on the 9th this was her first work out. She loved it. And said she wanted to go back on Sunday. Really she wanted to go back today, but I told her to give her muscles a rest. So she is going to take me Sunday too! I am so happy about that! So I don't have to have my week out of whack. I hope she sticks with it, and will keep taking me this one Sunday a month at least. So that way I don't have to have my week out of whack, and go on Wednesday which is a meeting day. I really like to have my meeting days off.

Other then that I don't really know what else to talk about. lol I've been eating some new foods. Well, not exactly new just in different ways. I've been experimenting a lot in the kitchen. My new favorite is my version of eggplant Parmesan, I make with eggplant, that I coat lightly with bread crumbs and bake instead of fry. Then I use fat free ricotta, and low calorie spaghetti sauce, and low fat mozzarella cheese. It is so good with spaghetti squash on the side! I have also made chicken parm, using Bocca vegetarian chicken patties and it was AWESOME! I did it the exact same way I did the eggplant one, except the chicken patties were already breaded and cooked. And only 1 starch and one protein window! YEAH!

Then I discovered Keeblers fudge shop ice cream cones. I LOVE THEM! They are one extra window for me (35 calories) on the Richard Simmons plan. And I love to fill them with Skinny cow chocolate peanut butter cookie dough ice cream! Oh my! YUM!!!!!!!

So I've been having fun with my food. And my exercise. And am so so so glad I am finally past that plateau!

Oh yeah and yesterday I hand washed 4 loads of laundry in the bathroom sink to save money. Now that was some upper body exercise! It took me 2 hours. But, I think I will just keep on washing our laundry this way. It's cheaper, and it really wasn't that bad. And I like the way the clothes smell too.

Love Bethel

I went to Bethel today. We went to 90 Sands (residential/kitchen/dining room), Adams-Printing, and 360 Furman-Shipping. It was a great day. I will add pictures soon!

I went to the literature cabinet, and I looked through the catalog of every thing that we have. I had no idea that they had a book of Questions to use for the My Book of Bible Stories. It was a paper back (like a thick tract). The brother said it was for the sign language brothers to use. I picked one up any way. Because, I have studied the My Book of Bible Stories with many children, and adults for that matter, and always put my questions I made up on sticky notes. I liked having the questions already made up for me. That way I am not missing any important details either! Wow I highly recommend it, if you study with or have small children. It's very neat.

The other thing I learned was that they make special books for prison, the Live Forever, New World Translation Bible, and a few other books come in paper back! Who knew? I never knew this, the whole time I have wrote to friends and family in prison. I always had to rip the covers off to send to them! The sister on the tour said when ever you witness to people in prison, you should contact the society first, and see if they aren't already shipping to that prison, I think she said that there were three thousand prisons that they ship to regularly! WOW!

The other neat thing we learned, was that duplicating of tapes (Watchtower & Awake) will no longer be done by the Society, but by a outside source after October. AND, that they believe with in five years we will no longer have anything on cassette tape, but not only go to CDS but actually we will probably be doing MP3s and DVDs! That was exciting to hear!

I also picked up a DVD in the literature-The Blood Transfusion one.

We had a great day. I packed PB & Jelly sandwiches. So we had a really good time. Pictures soon to come!