Feeling Good.

Today, I mowed the lawn then took a walk with Karen and the girls. It was a beautiful spring day and I am feeling good.

I have lost about 32 pounds so far. It is going a little slower than I expected but that is probably a good thing. I had another fill about a week ago. It always takes me about a week to get used to the tight feeling again. I have been eating really well this week and that boosted a little more weight loss. The weather helps that I can outside more.

We have also been working on the pool. The girls actually tried to go swimming today. Still a little too cold, but the young love to try.

I am also running for school board. The elections are this week. Last week was busy with a meet the canidates night and then a budget meeting. Then a couple of local papers called. There are actually 5 people running for one position. I thought I would run and get my name out there this year and then maybe try again next year. I think there is a local man who has grown up in Lyons and has a lot of family. I think he is going to win but it does not hurt to try.

Doctor appointments

I had 3 Doctor appointments last Wednesday and at one of them I had a fill for my band. They did not really put much in but boy could I feel a difference. On Wednesday, I was only able to have some Chicken Noodle Soup and scrambled eggs.

Then Thursday, was a tough day. I ate some cottage cheese for breakfast and I was doing fine. It was a half day of school for my kids that day, so they had breakfast and then a snack around 10:15 am. I had not brought my lunch or snacks thinking I would be able to run home after the kids were done for the day. However, I started not feeling very good about time for their snack. They were having graham crackers. I had a graham cracker before but not since my fill. I ate 2 squares and they just sat there. I could feel them and it felt like bad heartburn. So, for lunch I just drank and thought that eventually they would dissolve and move on down. They did not move until late that night.

I had plans to go with Karen and the girls to Applebee's for Karen's Birthday. I did not want to cancel on her, so off we went. I ordered a cheese quesadilla and thought that I would be able to eat by then. I took about 3 bites and could not eat anymore. I felt bad and I think that Karen felt bad. I hope she had a nice birthday. I tried to tell her that it was okay that I could not eat. I need to loose weight and we were out for her. I think overall the night was a success but that was a tough day.

I have been eating better since then and nothing else has gotten stuck. I am eating a lot of yogurt and soft foods again. I have lost another 4 pounds in the last few days. I am at 274. So, I felt bad for Karen and it did not feel good to have some food stuck. The only thing I can think is that I did not chew the food enough. I am fortunate that I have not thrown up. I can tell when I am full and it can get painful if I try to eat too much.

New Lifestyle

Ok, I admit that I am not very good at blogging. I often do not feel like I have much to say. However, now I am starting a new journey and lifestyle. On February 1, 2010 I had the Realize Band operation to help me loose weight. I am not proud of the weight I have put on over the years. I admit that I enjoy food and I am also an emotional eater. On February 1st I weighed in at 295. I really had a hard time deciding whether to put that on here but I guess that facing the facts may help in the long run.

The surgery went well. Actually went really fast and I was home the next day. The biggest problem I faced was getting rid of the gas from the surgery. I also had a old lady for a roommate and was awake most of the night I spent in the hospital. I could not wait to come home, so I could rest. Oh and my veins are always a problem with an IV or drawing blood. Sometimes finding my veins can be painful.

Since then I have gone from a liquid diet to soft foods and now adding regular but healthier food choices back into my diet. I can really feel myself get full and I like that feeling. Before I would often have kept eating right past what I really needed. I have lost 17 pounds so far, which is good for one month. I am now at 278. However, I do want to get a fill when I go in for my check up this week. I just do not want to eat and not loose. If the fill is not comfortable they can take it out.

I am eating 3 meals with a snack in the afternoon and evening. I am eating a lot of yogurt, sugar free pudding, fruit, soups, and flat bread sandwhiches. I also enjoy some oatmeal or 2 scrambled eggs for breakfast. Now that the weather is getting nice it is easier to take walks. Plus my dog loves to go for walks. I would also like to go to Zumba which is a dance/aerobic workout but I am trying to loose a little more and then I will be able to keep up better. It is an hour long class that they offer at the Community Center and Brittany's dance studio. It is very popular right now.

So, I am working hard to make some permanate changes. I am going to blog to keep everyone updated and document the journey.

Camping with the family!

This last weekend, we had a good time with the family. Bob, Teri and Haley came down to camp on Friday evening to Sunday. Carissa was excited about this fact. Then on Saturday Karen and the girls came out and stayed the night. Sue and Mark came out for dinner on Saturday but had a busy schedule for Sunday.

Everyone enjoyed dinner and we roasted marshmellows. Of course, we also had a clan of dogs to add to the confusion.

Brenna was a character of the night. When she first came the girls of course wanted to hit the swimming pool. The campground had not opened it yet for the season, but I had bought squirt guns and water balloons for entertainment. So, they arrive about 5 pm and John had just hit me with a whole bucket of water. I was trying to get him back unsuccessfully. So, when he was helping Karen park her car I was hiding behind the camper. He thought of this and tried to use Karen as a shield. I yelled to her to run away and did an okay job of getting John. Anyway, Alexis and Brenna wanted to get in on the fun. So, Brenna comes over and keeps taking my squirt guns because she quickly empties hers (usually on me). At this point, I suggest that Uncle Bob is way too dry. She goes after him and he is a good sport. He decides to pick her up and dunk only the tip of her head in the water because she will not give him the water gun. She gets back to her feet and yells "Your mean." I try to appease her with the fact that not to worry we are going to have cupcakes later. She immediately perks up and starts right back in squirting people.

The water fight goes on for another good 20 minutes and Brenna is right in the middle. At one point, Bob is still trying to catch up because now all of the girls are attacking him. So, he picks up the water bucket and throws it at Brenna and Carissa. Brenna yells at him "You ruined me!" She is wet from head to toe and was having a great time getting everyone else but did not appreciate Uncle Bob drenching her, that ended the fight but the adults all wished we had video taped it. She was so serious that she was ruined. It was funny.

She quickly made up with him when he took her to the park and bought a popsicle. I think everyone had a good time and we are hoping to schedule another camping trip soon. Karen is talking about coming out for the 4th of July.

Beautiful Month of May

Carissa's Birthday is this month and she is determined that the family get together. She had a whole speech on how she has not seen everyone since Christmas. So, we made some cards and delivered them to our local family. It looks like everyone is going to try to make it. We are going to have a BBQ, Marshmellows and camp. Carissa is excited.

We have also been working hard to open our pool. John and the girls have done a great job it took a little extra work because we did not open it last year. However, it is looking good and the girls can not wait for the really warm weather. They were hoping to get in today but it only got into the high 60's.

I had a great time in NYC with 4 other teachers. We had to drive down and it was a little tricky down in NYC but then we parked the van. We either walked, took the subway, and Friday night a cab. They really do drive crazy and I thought that was just a myth. We saw Time Square, Central park, Trump Tower and walked down 5th Ave with all the expensive stores like FAO, Tiffany's and SAKS.

Funny Things!

Yeah, it is Spring! Spring came early to upstate New York. I am glad because Winter came early and was long. The birds and flowers are out. It is easier to get out and take a walk or play some tennis.

This week I had a couple of funny moments that I would thought I would share. A little boy in my class has webbed fingers and has had some surgery. We have talked a lot in class about how people are different but still the same in many ways. This week as I was sitting with him to try to get him to settle down at rest time, he was doing everything possible to stay awake. He was holding on to my pointer finger at one point and starts to count my fingers. He only counted 4 because he was holding on to one of them. He says "Oh, no. You only have 4 fingers." So I ask him what about the one you are holding on too? He decided that I had 5 after that. Then he talks about my "big hands" compared to his small ones. He is a cutie but he can also push some buttons at times. He loves to sing and parrot me. He will repeat directions or other conversations. At first I thought he was trying to be a smart-Alec but now I think he is just hyper sensitive and it is his way of processing things.

Then yesterday, I asked John to help me take out the garbage. So, he did with some grumbling. After that he comes in to put in a new bag. He pulls out a garbage bag and starts to yell at me because it is too small to fit the can. I waited for him to finish ranting then asked him to shake the bag out. He does and laughs to say "Oh it is magic." I told him that I have bought the same bags for years and that now that he has finally figured it out he needs to practice more often. By the way, he just learned how to load the dishwasher soap and start that too.

Nutrition appointmet Update

I had a nutrition appointment and I have lost 11 pounds so far. Everything is going really well. I am not drinking soda, except for when we occasionally eat out. I am eating more balanced meals and writing all of it down. Plans are still set for the summer. Yeah!

We have had some really nice weather the last week or so. This last weekend we bought some cheap tennis rackets and we have been playing the last few days. The girls really enjoy going with me which is good for them too. John went with us once and he was funny. He kept trying to coach us but then struggled as much as we did with hitting the ball. We are able to laugh and enjoy it.

We are also looking forward to going camping. If the weather stays nice for the weekend. We are going to go out and start doing some spring clean up.

I am surprised but Brittany is excited about going out to camp. She often prefers to stay home on her own or do things with friends these days. I can not believe it but her 9th grade is almost at an end. I have an appointment tomorrow with the school counselor and Brittany to set up her classes for 10th grade. She has even more choices then I had back in school. They were encouraging her to look into a BOCES program but I am would prefer she does not and I think she agrees. We get some good time talking when we walk or play tennis.

February Break!!! Yeah!

It is time for the February Break. My class has been passing around several illnesses and now Brittany also succumbed to an illness this week. She is only doing a little better, but tonight her school had a Winter Dance and she did not want to miss it.


Brittany has been busy and this week she competed with her team in League Cheerleading Competition. The team did okay but the great news is Brittany made the 2nd team All-Stars. It is a great accomplishment for a Freshmen. She has a new coach and has been a little frustrated this season, but the hard work has paid off.

Carissa also competed in Solo Fest this last week. She was so nervous. She really did not want to do it but her music teacher encouraged her to try. We had more than a few tears the morning she had to play. I tried to tell her of a traumatic experience I had playing the piano for at church and then making a mistake. I thought the world had come to an end, but everyone was nice and told me I did well. She did very well also on her music and scored high. She was so glad when it was over.

Well, I also go back for a nutrition appointment on Monday. I am doing really well with my attempts to change my eating habits. I have cut out Diet soda except for the occasional soda when we go out to eat. I know I have lost weight. However, I still need to get in more exercise. I need to work on that part.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Lifestyle changes

I went to my nutrition appointment today and I have a lot of work ahead of me. I found out right away that my insurance is requiring me to have 6 months of nutritional counseling, as apposed to the minimum of 3 months. So, it looks like the earliest I will be having the surgery is over the summer in late July or August. I am a little disappointed that it will take that long but it gives me time to adjust my habits.

I also have to cut our soda because of the carbonation and caffeine. I am also going to have to get used to not drinking with meals. I like water so it will not be a problem getting the fluids but I am accustomed to sitting down to a meal with a drink. I also have to keep a food journal and lose at least 5 % of my current weight. I know I can do that because I have done it before while on Weight Watchers.

There are a lot of little changes that they want me to start getting accustomed to, like chewing my food completely, take at least 30 minutes to eat, 3 meals around 400 calories and 3 snacks around 100 calories. I will also need to go low-fat and sugar free on almost everything. I also have to limit eating out because many fast-food choices are high in fat and calories. She also recommend that we look up Mindful Eating on Google.

I actually knew a lot of the things she was saying from other attempts at losing weight. As we all know there is no magic way to lose weight. It is all about eating less, eating good foods, and exercise more. I guess I am looking at this journey and the Lap Band as a way to help me make the changes that are hard for me to do on my own. I think that because it will restrict the stomach to a size of the walnut you have no choice but to make some initial changes and then the person has to do the rest for themselves.

Both the doctor and the nutritionist said that 1 in 5 people are still not successful even with the surgery at keeping the weight off. The only reason for this is human error, not a malfunction or a stretching stomach. It is physically impossible to stretch it and they have x-rays to back it up. The only way for a person to then gain it back is by eating high calorie foods all the time. Interesting!

Blogging my weight loss journey!

Okay, here I am this summer (6/2008) at camp. I am not happy with pictures and the way I look. I avoid it at all cost. However, I am beginning a new journey by attempting Lap Band Surgery to help me loose weight. I have the support of my Doctor and I have begun the process to have the surgery done.

I found out a few weeks ago that my insurance will cover a large portion of the cost of the surgery. At one point, I was not sure that I would qualify, but the lights are green and systems are a go. I now have an appointment with the nutritionist this Thursday and it looks like I should be able to schedule the surgery in about 2 to 3 months.

I know this is a life changing event and I will need to make a personal commitment. The surgery does not just take the weight off and some people still loose weight intially but then can gain it back. I will have to change my eating habits permanately and may have to cut out some foods althogether. I drink diet soda daily and I may have to cut that out due to the carbonation. I will find out soon.

Even with all of this, I am excited. I am looking at it as a chance for help in making some serious life style changes. It will not be easy but well worth it. I want to be able to hike with my girls and not be winded early. I would like to ride my bike for a few miles and go swimming without being embarrassed. I want to shop in normal retail stores. I will probably never be real thin but my goal is at least a size 14.

So, my journey begins and I would like to write about my experience and let you know how I am doing. Here we go!!!

New ----

Okay we had to break down and purchase a new washer and dryer. We were able to pay cash and that is important. In the past we would have run to Sears and charged the last, high tech model. We really can not complain because our old set lasted 14 years, but our dryer went out last week. We were using a washer that a friend gave to us when our washer broke. It was old and rocked around but got us through the last 6 months. I am glad to have the new set. It is a standard top-loader with just a few settings but our clothes are clean. The dryer takes less time then our older one, so everything is great.

I have also set up a new email address because my Road Runner account was set up on my laptop and that has not been working. I am able to get on my work computer, John's laptop, or the girls computer but I am not sure how to check the email. So, I have gone with yahoo and I will send the address out but be patient if you sent something to Road runner.

Holiday Break is Over!

Happy New Year. We had a fantastic holiday break. We were all lazy for the most part but the girls love their new I-pods and the WII. Now we are back to school and off to a new year. Hopefully this year will be a great year.

Extreme Makeover Home Edition. Finally photos!

Bring in the furniture on Sunday. It was lots of fun to watch. They take several shots and it is not as spontaneous as I thought. I also realized that the volunteers really do a lot of work to make the house come together. However, Homemaker Over has it down to a science and everything is organized.

Designers are preparing for the "Bring in the furniture" shot.

Ty took lots of time to sign autographs.

Here you see Ty in a White shirt. If you scroll down, those are the photos when we first noticed him. John is taking pictures like crazy but some how misses Ty changing his shirt. The girls and I were not happy with him.

Now we can see his face.

This is when we notice Ty in the green shirt.

One of the Designers from the show. Sorry, I can not remember his name.

The home in Geneva with lots of blue workers.

Finally some 2008 Camping Photos

Brittany has to pose even when camping.

This is a pretty good photo of our campsite with lawn.

This is our campsite in the evening and John is relaxing with the dogs.

Carissa and Megan (family friend) posing for the pictures.

John, Buster, and Jasmine relaxing at camp.

Buster and Jasmine enjoying camping.

We had a good time this summer and we are making payments for our next season. We had a great time swimming, fishing, hiking, go to the drive-in movies, and playing games. We also enjoyed our camp fires with plenty of marshmellows. If anyone wants to go camping give us a call. We can put a tent on our site or they have campers to rent.

Grand Jury Duty

I have finished serving on Grand Jury and I enjoyed the experience. We had a variety of cases and some were tough. I learned a lot about the legal system and that there are check systems in place. It is amazing to see how small mistakes can change the course of a person's life. When you are first called to serve, all I could think about is how inconvientant it would be. However, I think that we should think of it as our right and responsiblity. For me it was worth the time.

Christmas Shopping

This last weekend, we went as a family to do some Christmas shopping. The girls are at the age that they love to go to the mall and we have limited time with John down in New York City. So, we met Haley and Terry at the food court for diner and the girls were going to go shopping by themselves. Well we did not know at the time that the girls went ahead but then turned around to follow us. They hid behind pillars and went into other stores when they thought that we saw them. They had a good laugh over this and I will have to say that I did not know that they were following us the whole time.

Anyway, we did make a big purchase. They kind of knew at that point what we were going to get them because of the cost, we are not going to have a whole bunch of other presents. It is a topic that has been discuss for the last few months, and with them getting older it is hard to hide things. So, they did see us in the Apple store.

The funny thing is that Brittany was very upset with John. She thought for sure he was trying to trick her. So, she accused him of asking the sales people for empty boxes. She thought for sure that he had changed his mind. She was really upset that night but since has let it go. So, I think that she has now found the gift and confirmed that we did make a purchase. I thought we had it in a good hiding spot but they are home for a few hours by themselves.

On a side note, John was hysterical this weekend. We went to deliver some oranges to Karen. When he pulled into her driveway, he tried to pull up the hill a little to back in. When he pulled up the hill it made a huge scrapping noise. So I said what are you doing? He replied "I did not know it was a hill." I started laughing because it is obvious and is steep. What I think he meant is that he thought he could drive up it, like he used to do with the truck.

Christmas!!!

I love Christmas time!

I do not like the crazy shopping malls and stress of buying gifts. However, now that my girls are older and we have been sticking to a tight budget things are loads easier. The girls want one expensive gift, and then we will get a few more things for stocking stuffer and so on. We usually do not hit the mall until after the Christmas season. Oh and I am a teacher I can already see a rise in behavior between Halloween and Christmas. The children usually come back from the holiday break calmer and ready to work. I look forward to that too.

What I love is the spirit and friendly mood. I love getting together with friends and family. I also love going to my children's concerts. We are also going to try to go to my niece's chorus concert. At work, we are doing a secret Santa and we have to keep it under $20. We give small gifts the week before and then have a pot luck to reveal who we had. It is always fun to try to figure out who has you.

I love to have a white Christmas. This year we have already seen a lot of snow and cold weather. I think we are in for a long winter. I may end up regretting the white Christmas.

Long Overdue New Post

I have not posted in ages. I have not particular reason, other than my laptop is broken and has still not been fixed. Our family has been busy. In October, we enjoyed visiting with Grandma and Grandpa Vastbinder as well as the rest of the East Coast Vastbinder Clan. We do not visit with each other nearly enough unless their is a holiday or another reason. Everyone is so busy with their families and commitments, it is hard to get together. Then in November, John went to a conference in Vegas and also had the opportunity to visit his family in Utah. He had a great time and it had been a few years since he had the chance to see his family. We are still hoping to get out west this summer.

Now, John is off to NYC for a job that is suppose to run anywhere from 2 to 8 weeks. He is very nervous about it because he will be in a hotel in New Jersey then commute into NYC for the job at Chase.

Brittany and Carissa are doing well in school. Carissa really likes her teacher this year and that helps a lot. Brittany is doing a great job in 9th grade and the fact that she is in High School still scares me. I guess it has made me realize that I will only have her for a few more years. She is a beautiful, young lady who will do great things but she grew up so quickly. Carissa's cheer leading is done for the year. I tried to talk her into to playing basketball but she did not want to. Brittany is on the Varsity Basketball Cheerleader. They have a new coach and she is not really happy with some of it but she is sticking with it. She has her first game this Tuesday.

No More Braces

Brittany is so excited because she no longer has her braces. She has had them on for a little over 3 years. Her teeth look really good and she says that her teeth feel funny.

The day that she was scheduled to get the braces off the Dr. was funny. She walks out to the waiting area and tells Brittany that her arm hurts from playing tennis the night before. Brittany did not know what to say. Then the Dr. laughed and told she would try to take them off. After they were off the Dr. then had to borrow Brittany's sun-glasses to check her teeth. She was great with Brittany and we are glad to be over that milestone.

FYI: Everything else is going great. We are busy with school, work, and football. Brittany went to her Homecoming dance this weekend, which was tough on her Dad. He let her stay until 10 pm until she gets a little older. Carissa is loving the 5th grade. She really likes her teacher and is doing fantastic. She also has been enjoying the weather and enjoys jumping on the trampoline.

Life is good.

Quick update: Carissa went to Haley's birthday and had a great time. The girls stayed up most of the night playing WII and having fun. In two weekends, we have Brenna's birthday party to go to. Fall is a busy time of year for family birthdays but it has been great to visit with family.

Brittany is enjoying Varsity Football Cheerleading. Carissa's team on the Jr. Lyons is full of drama. I think it is the pre-teen thing. However, she seems to be having a good time over all.

My class this year is great. I have some concerns but so far no one is physically violent. Thank goodness.