Eating Healthier

So today I decided I would do the right thing, by me....and my family. Today I will make an effort to eat healthier, to walk, and to lose weight. This morning started out with eggs, brown rice to spoon the eggs over (yes it was good!) and...unfortuantely yeah I totally used up the remaning bacon. Hey! Gotta start soemwhere. But no bread.

Tonight, we are having pot roast. Not the best of choices, esp with potatoes.....but.... I hate to throw out food that we have already purchased so I am going to do regular dinners and healther breafkasts and lunches.

I totally love vegs don't you? Whats your favorite way to start your day? I have a magic bullet and I believe Im gonna get back to the homemade smoothies!

Can't beat fresh strawberries, bananas and cantelope! Whats your favorite food? I've also discovered I really like tomatoes, cucumbers dripped in lemon juice with garlic salt and pepper!
Tapilias in the freezer for lunches.

I gotta start somewhere, and this is my start!

Autumn/Halloween

Just little tidbits. Pumkin Spice. Hot cocoa, warms the heart on a cool evening. Not even winter yet. Leaves just now changing colors. Enjoying life as it goes by. Pumkin spice reminds me of fall with the oncoming winter. Home made or semi homemade, nothing but the best. If you love to cook, or enjoy baking like I do, then you welcome the fall and winter when the baking and cooking of things for those chilly evenings sounds so delish.

Have you decorated your porch into the fall festives? Im still looking for hay. Walmarts prices are ridiculous for such a little bale. I love fall. The smell of harvests in the air. We have so much to be thankful for. I know my blessings are more than bountiful. My God is a great God. He truly deserves every bit of praise and thanks for a wonderful life with so much to be greatful and thankful for.

Halloween is right around the corner. I dont celebrate but I find myself ending up in some way, participating because who can't resist a peek at all the cute little ones running around in the cute outfits that we can ooh and awww over? Who can resist the urge to sit outside in the beautiful fall evenings with a cup of hot cocoa or spiced coffee and hand out candy just to see the kids smiling faces? For whatever reason so many of us may not celebrate---I just try to look at it as a "fall festive" and ignore the spooky costumes that make me shudder.

I'd be thrilled if it was just a "fall festive" instead of calling it halloween. Cuz ain't nothing wrong with a little fun, I just wish we could do the spooks on a different nite--let them do their thing...and the rest of us not into spooks can do the fun fall festives minus that. But then again.....people enjoy getting into the haunted houses around every state, just for the fun of it, without thinking of that the meanings are behind it. Or maybe, just maybe...I think too much. I dont want to deny my kids their fun, but at the same time....real or not, those places give me the heebie jeebies. each to our own right?

So Ill just stick to the "fall" themes, enjoy the coolness of the evenings, put a smile on my face, and be thankful for all the good in my life and just enjoy the festives the best I can to make the best of it.

Enjoy autumn and all it brings! Blessings all around!

Blogtime

Been more than a handful of months since I've blogged.

One thing I've learned in the past months, being in so much pain from that car accident-- it culdve been so much worse.
I have so much to be thankful and greatful for.

I have an amazing family and friends. So many times we get lost in our own paths, we become depressed, withdrawn and feel so helpless.

I wont deny feeling those things. But the impt thing is if I can get thru something like this, so can you. Anyone can.

The past many months have been challening months for me. Unable to cook, clean, do laundry, fold clothes, bend over, squat down, wash dishes, I mean....really basically literally house and bedridden. Ofc in the beginning I was stubborn, bec I had no one else to do those things for me, I didt hem myself no matter how painful it was.

I cried endless tears unable to get out of bed and barely get around, but somehow, I managed. It was the most difficult thing ever, to drive a car. Lifting my foot to push on the gaspedal, was something I never dreamed would be painful. Holding the steeringwheel was difficult.

Doing the simpliest things like grocery shopping, walking into walmart, something women enjoy doing---(ok so the majority)....If I so much as set a foot in walmart, within moments I would be in the car bawling my eyes out for a good 10 mins before I would be able to leave.

I did this all in silence. I didnt allow people to see my tears.
I went to church, sport events, shopped as I needed...and smiled and endured the pain of sitting, standing or walking, then left as soon as I could, to escape to my car, to back out, drive away, and let the tears roll.

Then....I realized, I had to back off. Healing periods MUST happen. And it wasnt going to as long as I pushed myself and endured what I didnt need to endure.

I thought I was going to fall apart. Endless nights that seemed like morning would never come. Pain so intense, all you can do for hours is pray and beg for some relief to sleep.

Months of therapy and I didnt care that the cost was soaring well over 10 thousand dollars. All I cared abt was the little bit of relief I could get.

And today---whether its from my hard work of strengthening my core, or my therpaists work of his hands thru the Lord, or the injections or all combined---my back doesnt hurt soo soo bad.

My hip hurts still, as it always has. Whatever is wrong is still there, but we only recently realized my back wasn't making my leg/hip hurt. Its been an entirely seperate issue.

For months I havent been able to sleep back pain and hip pain has been so intense. And now, i can close my eyes, toss and turn a bit, with frusterations, but sleep will visit, and i can get my rest, and a pain fre nite or two in betwen.

My leg still feels like i need to unscrew it. Take it off for the nite, and just deal with the muscle and lower back pain which seems less than the hip/leg butt pain.

My point i guess, is that strength, prayer and faith are important. Drowning our sorrows won't get us anywhere. Its okay to cry, but keep on going. Dont give up, not even when things seem at their bleekest. We WILL be okay. For the battle has already been won.

weightloss update

Its been awhile since I've blogged and even longer since I've blogged abt weightloss.

4 months into 2010--somehow I've managed to lose 10 lbs for someone who can't go walking, or work out or anything.
Just now starting to be able to do a few things I couldn't do before. Falling off the wagon into eating whatever is bound to happen. But I think water and being careful with what you eat DOES pay off even if you can't excersize.

I fell off and ate whatever, even resorted to drinking vanilla cream dr peppers. So imagine my awe when I got on the scale in March at the drs office.

Its been a hard couple of months physically. I'm ready to get back into the swing of things, but one step at a time--slowly.
Got a therapist that makes sure I don't rush into things I'm not ready for. At one point I thought I was ready to walk---I swear I saw him grimace--hiding that doubtful look. I got permission to do 5 mins---but within a day after asking, I realized I wasn't ready. So haven't attempted it.

Now, I'm ready. Gonna attempt the treadmill at the gym later today---Im excited over even just five mins. I know it doesnt sound like much but for me----I know five mins is gonna be alot.

I cant walk in walmart just yet. Tried to the other day, just to get the kiddo some socks---I didnt die when I got out but i was grimacing. Something to do with the floors. I can walk outside or on a treadmill, but not in walmart. So weird.

Will try to catch up bloggin' I know I got some readers that enjoy staying up to date. Lotsa love!

Cochlear--Supporting with signlanguage

This is widely growing. It has always been a huge debate. Currently so many doctors are referring hearing parents with newborn babies that are deaf-to a cochlear implant specialist.
People who specialize in cochlear implant will encourage every hearing parent that their child can be normal and hear normally with the use of cochlear implants.

Did you ever stop to think? At the end of the day, the child is still deaf. What if the cochlear needs to be adjusted? What if the child doesn't have it on? What if the child gets up in the middle of the night and is sick and goes to mom and dad, and doesn't have it on? What struggles do you face until its on?

Why not be able to sign, and communicate at the end of the day as a second option of communication?

I am a strong advocate of using sign with cochlear implant. It is my hope and goal that parents out there will realize that there is nothing wrong with sign language. If you are a parent, considering implant for your child, or your child already has one--please do consider teaching yourself and your child sign. At the end of the day, the cochlear does not make him/her hearing.
Lets communicate! www.projectnadine.org has a GIFT program, specifically designed to help your needs. Perhaps they can reference you. Perhaps they can give you guidence you would not otherwise recieve from a party that strongly advocates cochlear--without options of sign language. I do believe at the end of the day, you will be greatful for adding signs to cochlear implants. :) Feel free to comment, I would love to hear from you!

Ice Storm! Cold, Snow....Snow Icecream!

Today was nice. It was cold. The wind blew and it snowed. Thats rare! It snowed Christmas eve like a blizzard and then again today!? Amamazing!

Yesterday we had an icestorm. Very pretty--luckily we didnt lose power. The boys and I made snowice cream today. My son is 14 and his friend is here. They've never had snowicecream before. Word of wise: Use the hood of ur car! So u know its clean! :-D

Interpreters for the Deaf

You know, it seems today that we have more and more students becoming interpreters---yet, because of VRS--we are losing our interpreters in the deaf community.

Either way--I am greatful for my interpreters. A recent discussion "Should we thank our interpreters?" YES!
I had a few that said "no"---Their reasoning was "They get paid. Why should we say thank you-when they are doing their job and they get paid to do it".

I'll tell u exactly why--Because they dont HAVE to be an interpreter and deal with those who have an ugly attitude. For those that accept assignments, whether freelance or via an agency--they can see your name, and not have to accept the assignment. If you choose to be ugly, and ungreatful--guess what--you may have a difficult time finding someone that wants to interpret for you.

Another reason is this: These interpreters have families. They may have children. They don't have to be on call at 11pm or 2am when you need to go to the emergency room. Many of them also have full time 8-5 jobs--whether its interpreting or working elsewhere. This takes away from their time with their spouses and children. Are they required to be on call? No. They're not. Their calls are their choices. So---be thankful! :)

Its important for us to thank our interpreters. It also encourages them to continue learning, to continuing to find ways to better and improve. We show them that we appreciate them, and in turn, they will appreciate us, and they'll feel motivated to take assignments with your name on it. :)

They work hard to reach these goals. There are requirements of them--here in Oklahoma they have to hold QAST certifications---and they cost money to achieve them. Show your interpreter some love today! :)

I LOVE MY TERPS! Thank you guys so much for all you do! YOU ARE APPRECIATED!!! :)