A regular update

 I've been busy with dog-walks, house stuff and the kids stuff. Let's see if I can remember what has happened since October.  

I'll start with school stuff.  Bert has done very well with the transition to middle school.  The only class he consistently has homework in is Advanced Math.  And that was the only class he seemed to really have to "work" at.  The rest come without much extra effort, and no extra studying.  And as such, he got As in all his classes, except math, which he got a C.  We weren't disappointed though, because he worked hard for that C.  And he made honour roll, which he was really proud about.  He made a new friend, Julian, as well.  Mostly, though, it's all the same kids from elementary school, which is good too.  I'm very happy he has a good group of boys to be with.  My only beef is: he is (apparently, I haven't confirmed) the only one in the group without a cell phone.  6th graders don't need cell phones.  Especially smart phones.  Anyway, this semester is almost 2 months in, and he's doing well again.  As in everything except math, which is currently a solid B (84%).  So far, so good.

Bronwyn has been hit or miss about school.  Nearly every morning is a struggle though.  She doesn't want to go, she needs a mental health day, etc.  She doesn't want to get dressed, or go out the door.  Occasionally, the stars align and she is pleasant.  Once she's at school is hit or miss as well.  Some days she does a lot of work, she participates, and is happy to be there.  Other days she does little to no work, is grumpy or disruptive.  She is hitting all the goals, testing wise, except writing.  She is a little behind in that.  She signed up for the after school ceramics class at the beginning of 2026.  Bert took the same class when he was in 4th grade, I think (maybe 5th).  She's really enjoyed in, and has some talent in it as well.  I think she could be very artistic, if she let herself.  But she has a lot of issues with perfectionism, which doesn't let her try.  

More on Bronwyn.  She was formally diagnosed with ARFID, which is a restrictive diet eating disorder.  We were not surprised, though, it took a long time to get the diagnosis.  And anorexia was a possibility for a bit too, which was scary to think an 8 year old could have those kind of body issues.  We certainly never talk about being fat as a bad thing (not that she is anywhere near fat either).  In her psychology appointments, she's been working on food exposure exercises and trying new foods.  It's a VERY slow process.  We're supposed to be practicing at home too, but she refuses. I found it a little funny that the dietician/nutritionist was way less helpful than the psychologist has been, but I guess it makes sense. 

Bronwyn has gotten into roller skating.  We found a sports complex in South San Jose that does open skate on most Friday and Saturday nights.  So most Friday nights, she and I go and skate for 45-55 minutes.  (The session is 90 minutes, but we get tired).  We went as a family once, but Bert couldn't believe Bronwyn bested him at something, and vowed never to skate again.  And so far, he hasn't been back.  Thus far, knock on wood, I haven't fallen yet.  With the exception of the first time I put my skates on at home.  

She in currently doing social skills once a week, and ABA once a week.  They're trying to add in another day of ABA, but there isn't a BT that fits our schedule yet.

Way back in July, I had a deep cleaning at the dentist, which caused/quickened a tooth breaking.  It wasn't bothering me, aside from the fact that it was broken.  Amazingly, it didn't hurt at all.  I went to the dentist to get a referral for an oral surgeon.  But when they were looking at the tooth, discovered the one in front of it needed a root canal.  I dragged my feet on that a bit, but eventually got the root canal in September.  I kept the temporary crown on longer than I should have because, as you likely know by now, I HATE dental work.  But again, it wasn't bothering me.  Eventually the dental office called me and said we need to get that crown on.  So I did that.  My old dentist retired suddenly for health reasons and a new one (Dr Reza) took over the practice.  I like the new dentist.  I'm starting to suspect maybe I do numb up ok, and my previous dentist was not exact enough with his shots.  Anyway, I got the crown done, and at that appointment, they x-rayed all my teeth.  The results were bad.  My jaw bone looks way older than is should.  Which means, I have bad genes, I have bruxism, and/or I don't take care of my teeth.  I know I have bruxism and bad genes, and I do care for my teeth.  Even when we didn't have dental insurance, I still went every 6 months.  Aside from the deterioration in my jaw, I had tooth issues as well.  One with a broken root.  The original broken tooth and 2 possible other candidates for extraction.  I have receding gums, with deep pockets.  I have a cavity that needs a filling.  My dad had very similar teeth issues at a similar age.  So far, for this year, I'll have spent $1250 on my teeth.  I haven't gotten the bills yet, just the EOBs.  This doesn't include however much extractions and anesthesia will cost.  And I imagine I'll hit my yearly max before too long and have to push things back to next year.  (It's only February!)

On top of this dental mess, stuff is happening at work for Aaron.  There were a round of lay offs.  He didn't get laid off per say, but his position will likely be taken by someone else, and he'll have to change to a new job code.  Somehow, 10 years seniority isn't enough.  I don't quite understand all the moving parts.  And it'll be a couple weeks before we fine out what his new job will be.  He is bummed because he likes his job, team, and boss.  I am optimistic because I'm hoping he'll get moved to a closer office.  Right now, he's about as far away as one can be (13 miles, which can take up to an hour each way, but is typically 45 minutes).  He's previously worked at offices that were about a 20 minute commute.  (Really, he's practically in Milpitas at the current office).

Bertram's birthday is on Friday.  We're having a friend party at the bowling ally/arcade in Eastridge.  Then the family party on Sunday.  I can't believe he's going to be 12.

Last January I was 218lbs, I am currently down to 184.  I am no longer obese!  Woohoo!  There is a long way before I'm in the normal range, according to BMI, but I'm happy with the progress.

 Bertram has been doing better at school lately.  We had a mini IEP meeting on Wednesday that went pretty well.  On Wednesday, he got his Invisalign.  They were supposed to glue on little anchors, but Bert wouldn't let them.  The orthodontist said we could try them without and see how he does.  He didn't want to keep them in his mouth.  I was feeling worried.  But Thursday we practiced wearing it after school.  Today he wore the top and bottom after school without issue.  (He was playing with them a lot the first couple days).  Tonight, he agreed to sleep with the top one in.  Which is a big change, since he was concerned about swallowing it.  We're going back next Wednesday to follow up.  Bertie has said he's ready to switch to the next trays, but I'm going to wait til the next appointment.  I feel like, in general, Bert's attitude has been improving.  He is just fun to be around.  We did an ADHD assessment ad we're waiting to hear back about that.  We're also meeting with the district psychologist to see if there might be a program that would be a better fit, as being in a class with 27 kids is a lot.  So a lot is in the works.

Bronwyn has been doing well too.  She has been doing food practice in ABA.  Before that she would mainly eat Ensure and squeeze applesauce, and sprinkle in French fries, pretzels, crackers, cookies, ice cream and sometimes pancakes.  That was about it.  The first few times of food practice were awful.  She pretty much cried for 30+ minutes straight and not try anything.  Or we'd sort of pin her down and pop something in her mouth.  It was hard to be part of and hard to listen to.  But like potty training, it's like something just clicked.  The first few times she tried anything, she'd gag.  But it got better.  This week she's tried: peanut butter, strawberries, chicken, turkey, pineapple, apple, sauced pasta, tomato, banana, refried beans, buttered bread, pear, chocolate cake, yogurt, cheese, edamame, carrots, peas, chicken nuggets, and probably some things I'm forgetting.  The peas and carrots were the only things she didn't like, she cleaned her plate every time.  We've been letting her watch YouTube only at meal time.  And as long as she is taking bites she can keep watching. Hopefully, we'll be able to wean the videos away in the future.  But she actually sat at the table and ate dinner with us tonight (with the videos), and I can't remember the last time that happened.  Also, she had been very adamant that he didn't want me to give her bangs.  But I really hated the hair being in her eyes all the time.  This morning, she finally let me cut her hair.  I did it really quick, but it actually turned out really well.

I've still been tired all the time, but I've been getting some things done.  I've mostly stayed on top of cleaning.  And I got a couple paint by numbers to do.  That's been really enjoyable.  I finished a flamingo one, and I'm working on a big Pokemon one (Eevee and Pikachu) for Bert.  I got a book on how to crochet from the library, so hopefully I'll be able to figure that out.  Last library visit, I grabbed four books, and I didn't like any of them.  It was disappointing.  Like, I wonder if my attention span isn't long enough for books anymore.  My yardwork is pretty much done.  I've been listening to a lot of podcasts.  Depression is still looming, but I've been staying ahead of it pretty well.  I took a break from social media.  I got tired of seeing stupid and upsetting opinions.  I don't know how to separate my emotions from stuff like that.  I started noom at the beginning of the year.  I've lost 8 lbs, but completely stalled.  I'm still trying, so hopefully my body will catch on a t some point.

Aaron and I did an adult thing and bought new couches.  The couches we had were Aaron's cousin's cast offs.  They were lumpy and sinky, and I got tired of it.  I started out looking at Ikea.  But we were looking for a sofa-loveseat set, and Ikea didn't really have anything like that.  I looked around online a little.  We'd looked at Living Spaces previously, but didn't find anything that spoke to us.  The other thing if we have very specific dimensions that the couches need to fit in our tiny living room.  I settled on Ashley Homestore, because they had a lot online.  Last week we went, and spend an hour trying and retrying couches.  We found a set we liked and the sofa has a bed in it, which is good to have.  We spent a little more than I wanted (around $2000), but we figured we'll have them a long time, and since we actually found something we like, that fits our room.  It was supposed to be 4-6 weeks for delivery, but both pieces were delivered today. 

All the blah blah

I haven't blogged for a while.  I just haven't felt like I have a lot to say. 

Bronwyn had her 18 month well check this week.  She is still a tiny a bean.  10% for weight and 40% for height.  The weight is pretty typical, but she's gained a lot on height.  Otherwise, she's doing great.  She has a lot of words (67 at last count).  She loves smiling, and dancing.  She is starting to do pretend play.  She LOVES books.  She reads by herself, and loves to be read to.  Well, sometimes read to, sometimes just to look at pictures together.  She knows animal sounds, and likes different animals.  We're planning on going to the zoo on Monday.

Planning to, because both kids are sick, again.  Both kids have fevers, but not much else.  At bedtime Bertram was 102.7 and Bron was 100.8.  Bron took a 4 hour nap, and Bertram laid down and watched a whole movie with me. Those are two things that never happen.  I don't have a fever, but I slept a lot.  Even after a good night of sleep.  I'm supposed to run 6 miles tomorrow.  But we'll see...

Training is going ok.  I still feel like there is no way I can be successful, but I'll keep pushing a long.

I've been thinking about going to an overeaters anonymous meeting.  There are a bunch around here.  I love eating.  I eat when I'm not hungry, just because I like eating.  This is (of course) not healthy or normal.  So I need to find a better strategy, because I will likely never get to a healthy weight otherwise.

I've kept up with a daily devotional.  I read the Upper Room, my once a day bible, a chapter or two from the book of mormon, and the day from the Stoics book.  Though, the more I read the Stoic book, the more I'm not sure it's for me.  Also, while the devotional can be somewhat enjoyable, I'm not sure I'm getting a lot out of it.  I don't feel more spiritual, or connected to god. 

On Potty Training, and Worth

Today is day 3 off potty training.  Day 1 was awful.  Mostly he got to the potty, but there were some accidents, of course.  The best thing about day 1 was that he pooped in his potty without any prompting.  I'd read about several different methods and went with a "Potty Training in 3 Days" one.

The one I was going to use is very strict.  You throw all the diapers away on day one.  (We use cloth, so I didn't do that).  You put the kid in underwear and only have their potty in the bathroom.  Then you say "Tell mommy when you have to go potty" about every 10 seconds.  When you see they start to pee, you whisk them off to finish on the potty.  You stay by their side EVERY SECOND.  Then praise them all the time.  At nap you tell them to call for you when they need to pee.  Then for night time, you stop liquids 3 hours before bed time.  Then wake them after they've been asleep for an hour, and once again in the middle of the night.

So I started with that one, but I modified it.  I have two potties, one in the living room, and another nearby.  And I started him naked.  He mostly got to the potty.  But rushing him there once he's started was not an option, as the flood gates opened.  Bertram is a very independent child, he likes playing by himself, and wasn't happy that I was glued to his side, asking him to tell me when he needed to go.  He also wanted to dump the pee in the toilet every time.  But he got a little too excited some times, and threw it all over the place.  Nap time was non-existent.  He called me into his room at least 5 times, he did pee a few of those times.  But in the end, didn't nap, and wet the bed.  After "nap time" I put him in underwear.  That was a huge failure.  I think he equates underwear to diapers, so he peed in them constantly, which was a much bigger mess.  I had already decided after this first day that this plan was not going to work for us.  The thought of waking Bertie up AN HOUR after he fell asleep would be awful, because he's not likely to go back to sleep, and he would be in a foul mood (same for waking him in the middle of the night).  I put him in a diaper for bed.
Day 2 was much better.  He made it to the potty all but one time.  He was start to dribble pee, and tell me, then I'd tell him to run to the potty and finish, which he did.  He stayed dry in a pair of underwear for an hour or so.  Day 2 was 80% better than day one.
Today is day 3.  No pee accidents so far.  He's pooped a few times (I think because he didn't sit long enough).  Two times, he was grabbing at his bum, and I could see the poop had already started.  So he made it in time.  One time he was standing in the chair at the table, and just pooped.  I scooped him up and set him on his potty and told him to wait while I cleaned.  While he was sitting he pooped a little more.  But he did a 45 minute visit to his grandparents without incident.
I told Aaron maybe once he has a decent handle on it, then maybe we can try the 3 day blitz.  But at this point, we will likely have to take him to church in a diaper.

Today is day 75 (out of 90) of the Bikini Body Mommy Challenge.  I was feeling a little disappointed.  My weight has not changed much and my measurements are relatively stagnant too. That gets me down, of course, because it feel like a lot of work going unrewarded.  Which isn't true, of course.  I am getting stronger, and the numbers on my fit test show it.  So I think about my body.  I though I was fat at 160 before I got pregnant (as the weight I used to sit at was around 143).  But here I am, 3 years after conception and still at 180, a size 14 (when I used to be a 10).  Then I think about my worth.  Am I worth any less at 180 lbs?  Am I a worse mother, wife, sister, Christian, or daughter? Is there anything I can't do now, that I could do 40 lbs lighter?  (Aside from wearing pre-pregnancy clothes?)  No.  My body conceived a child (something I wasn't sure it could do).  My body kept that baby safe, and healthy as he grew.  By body nourished that little boy for 18 months, and he thrived.  So, weight and sizes are numbers, but there are better things to be concerned with.

Blog all the things!

The past two days

My mom left early yesterday.  I was am emotional, weepy mess most of the rest of the day.  (I envy people who live close to their moms).  I did manage to get a few things done, as Bertie slept pretty well during the day.  I cleaned up, and did some laundry.  The previous day, I found a floppy sun hat for Bertie at H&M in size 2-4 months.  I'd been looking for a hat for him, but everything I'd found previously was either huge, or expensive.  This hat was $6.  I washed it yesterday, and when I pulled it out of the machine, it had completely fallen apart.  I read the instructions, and I'd washed it correctly.  So that bummed me out further.
I left the house with Bertie, and we first went to Kaiser to pick up my meds.  We then went to the mall to exchange the hat.  (I bought the hat at a further away H&M, and chose to go to the one near home).  That store was really messy, and disorganized.  I searched and searched, and finally found the hat.  They only had two: 0-1 months and 1-2 months.  So I ended up choosing a different hat in 4-6 months.  Then I went to the register.  The sales girl was pretty rude, and implied that you generally can't return things after they've been washed, and in the same breath stating you should always wash baby clothes before using them.  She asked why the hat was damp (because it just came out of the washer), and asked if I'd washed the receipt too, since it was damp from being next to the hat.  She did the exchange, but the whole situation was really frustrating.  On the way out of the mall, I really needed to pee, so we went through Target.  There was only one large stall, and for some reason, a mom had sent her small child into that one (alone).  And the door didn't stay closed on it own.  So we left.

In the parking lot, Bertie started wailing.  So I fed him in the front seat, and just sat there sobbing.

From there we went to Sprouts to get a couple things.  That was uneventful, except that I'm the worst line chooser.

After we had dinner, Bertie started crying and didn't stop for two hours.  We tried everything.  I even drove him around.  At one point he was crying so hard, I pulled over and climbed in the back with him.  I took him out of his seat, and held him, and cried with him.  When I thought I'd calmed him, I put him back in the seat, and he started up again.  (Also, he cries tears now, so it's extra sad).

We got home, and I handed the screaming car seat to Aaron and told him "I give up".  And as soon as Aaron took him out, he stopped.  It was like a miracle.

He slept in his crib for 3 hours, and the rest of the night in bed with me, waking every 3 hours (which is more often than usual).

Today Bertie and I got up early (for us) around 7:30, but went back to sleep for a few hours.  Once we were awake, he didn't want to be put down.  I think I got him to sleep for an hour at one point.  Eventually I put him in the Mai-tai.  He slept for 3 hours, and I got some house work done.

I fed him at 3ish, and then took him to Aaron's folks' house.  They watched him so I could run to the bank, and post office.  Normally I'd just bring him along, but with him wanting to be held all the time, it's a lot of in and out of the car seat.  But they were happy to watch him, and I was happy to have a break.  He was still happy (sleeping) when I got back, so I left him, and did the dishes and put some laundry away.

Aaron came home, we ate, and Bertie went back in the Mai-tai.  We got ready to go on a walk with the dogs.  They get really excited when it's walk time.  And as I was bending over to get my sweater, Fiona jumped up and scratched Bertram across his forehead and the top of his head.  (She wasn't trying to hurt him, or even be near him, she's just a dumb excitable dog).  He woke up and cried.  I cried.  He was ok (I even called and woke up my mom to back sure I didn't give him brain damage).  We went on our walk.

 When we got back he started getting fussy, so I gave him a bath.  Often, the bath will back him really mad, but today I propped his head up on a towel and he was pretty happy.  And he didn't have a screaming period.  And he went down to sleep really easily (in the bassinet, but that's ok).

Body

I'm not crazy about my body right now.  I'm just slightly under 190 lbs (I think, I haven't weighed in a couple weeks).  Pre-pregnancy weight was about 164, which is high for me.  My goal is to be back at 140 (or under).  50 pound seems really daunting, especially when time to exercise doesn't often occur, and I'm so tired.  But I need to start.  I'm going to get the tires pumped up on the jogging stroller, and start the couch potato to 5k workout, and possibly throw in some weights too.

Bertie

He is 7 weeks today.  As of Tuesday he weighed 9.7lbs.  He's smiled a couple times.  His neck is getting really strong.  He likes to throw his head around when we hold him.  He's still a good sleeper when he sleeps.  He's spending a little more time awake.  And lately he's been spitting up, which is a new development.  We had his baby blessing at church on Sunday

Blog dump

I've been meaning to write for a while, but things keep coming up.

Aaron:
He's been at camp for about a week now.  Things have been going ok here.  Things at camp have been hectic, and crappy.  I miss him, but I'm doing ok.  I don't mind being alone too much.  He's been good about calling every day, which helps a lot.  I'm going up to see him this weekend, hopefully it's not awful.

Work:
Work is going very well.  I got a raise today!  And starting next year, I'll be getting 120 hours of PTO (I'm getting 96 right now).  Plus I'm feeling more caught up, so things are less stressful.  I really enjoy my job.  I like that I'm along most of the time.  Also, I can go exercise on my lunch, and come back all sweaty and gross, and I'm only offending myself.

Health and Wellness:
Dr Hensley (my shrink) ok'd me to get back on Adderall until I get pregnant.  That has made a HUGE difference.  I'm not having trouble keeping my eyes open in the morning, and I have energy.
Last week, I did really well at exercising.  I ran MTWF. I walked on Thursday, and did a stair workout on Saturday.  This week has been slower going.  I did a long walk yesterday.  Today I only did the dog walk.  I haven't been sleeping well for the past few days.  So I was tired, and just didn't feel great.  I'm not sure I'll get much of an opportunity to run the rest of the week.  Tomorrow will probably be my last chance, since it's supposed to be super hot (around 100 for the next 5-6 days!).  I may ride the stationary bike to get some exercise.
I've been counting calories as well.  (Another good thing about Adderall is that I'm not very hungry most of the time, as opposed to before when I was always starving).  I'm down about 4 lbs so far.  That is a very encouraging start.  14 more lbs to get back where I was.
I've also cut way back on Diet Coke.  I still love Diet Coke.

The Rest:
I made Zelda a new dog coat yesterday.  Well, I did most of it yesterday.  I finished it today.  I still want to put a couple of patches on it.  I'm going to try to make a matching one for Yoie, if there's time.
I've been working on making the lawns look nicer.  Lots and lots of water.
Sunday was our 8th anniversary.  It was lame, since we didn't spend it together.  Also, he didn't get me a card or anything.  I sent him one.  Oh well.
I went to church on Sunday, and stayed for all three hours.  Yay me.

Weighty Issue

I knew I was gaining weight.  My usual weight is 142.  Today I bit the bullet and weighed myself, after avoiding the scale for weeks.  157.  I can hardly believe it.  It's been 10 years since I weighed this much.  My highest was 163.

I think there are a few factors at work here.  The first was getting off of Adderall.  One of the main side effects of Adderall is weight loss.  The second factor is depression.  It's been pulling me down a lot lately.  To the point where I don't want to do anything.  After work I sit on the couch and watch a lot of tv, or play on my tablet.  The third factor is a combination of the first two: fatigue.  I'm so tired all the time.  I just want to sleep.  I think it's probably a vicious cycle.  I'm tired, and depressed so I don't exercise.  Not exercising makes me gain weight, which makes me more tired, depressed and fat.

My clothes are all tight, some flat out don't fit anymore.  My underwear and bras are tight.  My rings are snug.  Even my sweatpants are tighter.  My mother in law patted my belly last week because she thought (and hoped) I was pregnant.

Here's the plan:
This first week(starting tomorrow) is detox.  No sugars, no diet soda, and as few processed foods as possible.  I'll be eating a lot of fruits, vegetables, tofu, eggs, salad and oatmeal.  This is going to be hard, I'm super addicted to candy and diet coke.  That's why I think it's essential to cut them out for at least the first week.  I'll also be counting calories
I'm going to start moving a lot.  I ordered something from tv.  I've never done that before, but I got Hip Hop Abs.  Not because I want great abs (well, I do, but it's not a priority), but it actually looks like fun; something reminiscent of Zumba.  That will be 6 days a week.  I'm going to try to do some two-a-days too.  Probably jogging, hiking, stationary bike, and yoga.

My goal is to be at least 10 lbs lighter by the time I got see my family in a month.  My longer term goal is to be 20-30 lbs lighter by labour day.  I'll be weighing in every Wednesday, including tomorrow, just to get in the habit.  I'll maybe post a new picture in 2 or 3 weeks.

At this time

I opened my Discover Card bill and found I owed $0 this month.  I love when that happens!  We never carry credit card debt.  I think we've done it once it all of our married life, and then it was for only a month.  In terms of debt, we have $3700 left on my car to pay off, and all of Aaron's school loan.  As for the car, I'm making double (or triple) payments; I'm going to have it paid off before the year is through.  The student loan is hefty.  And we're hoping Aaron can stay in a non-profit or government job for the next 9 years so he qualifies for loan forgiveness.  But we're only making small payments on that, since they're income based, and it's going on my income from last year.
We're actually doing really well financially.  So I'm putting quite a bit into our two savings accounts (one for actual savings, one large unexpected bills eg: vet).  Right now, while our expenses are still low, we're going to save save $ave.
My dad bought a new Prius today, a red one.  He has two cars (well, three right now): a 92 Dodge Caravan, and a 99 Toyota Corolla.  He selling the van this weekend.  Then he wants to replace the Corolla with a new Corolla in a year or so.
We got a new cat on Tuesday.  We named him Julius.  He's a three year old grey and white tabby.  He's still afraid of Fiona, but he's getting a little braver each day.  And he a big snuggle cat, which is nice.
I've made a new weight loss plan.  These are the rules for the next month:

1. Track all calories every day.  (I was doing this but not being very strict about it)
2. Maximum of 24 oz of diet soda a day.  (I am really addicted to diet coke, so setting a two can limit is a good start).
3. No sweets except on Sundays and special occasions.  (I'm also really addicted to sugar.  So this has been tough, but I know it's healthier to do without it)
4. If not running errands, walk or jog on lunch break.  (I'm lucky enough that I can eat lunch at my desk, then use my lunch hour as I please.  Sometimes I need to buy groceries, but most days I'm free.  And since I work alone most of the time, I can come back to work all sweaty and red-faced).
5. Ride the bike 4-5 times a week, aiming for 45-60 minutes at a time.  (I have my bike on a trainer, in the living room.  I can watch tv and petal away.)
6. Weigh in Sunday morning.

I'm hovering around 150, I think I'm currently 148 or 149.  I'm going to get back to 140.  Then I'll see what to do from there.  I would like to sign up for a 10k or half marathon.  But I think I might be healthy enough to get pregnant in the next few months.  I don't want to sign up and pay for something I might not be able to do.

Weekly Wrap-up

• I spent most of Wednesday and Thursday cleaning like a fiend.  I wanted Aaron to be able to come home from his two-week business trip to a nice clean home.  I did a lot, and the house looks great.  The only thing I wasn't able to do was mow the lawns.  Not too bad though.
• Work has been going well.  I think I've got it all down now.  I have my weekly meeting with the owner and office manager on Monday, so I guess I'll know for sure then.  It was a productive week.
• I went to work at 6am on Friday.  Since I was leaving early (supposedly at 2) to get Aaron from the airport.  He didn't actually arrive til after 3.  But that's ok, I worked nearly 8 hours.  Plus I've been doing a bit of overtime lately.  So I'm looking forward to next payday.
• I going to fly out to see my mom and sisters in October.  I was looking at flights earlier in the week, and found some for $320.  When I started looking towards the end of the week, $385 is the lowest.  I hate that, why does it happen?  My mom is buying, so it's not really a huge deal, but I don't want her to pay more.
• Weight loss is still going very well.  I was 137.5 this morning!  The first goal I set was 133.  But if I can get there, I'll probably aim for 129 or so.  It would be a lot easier if I could exercise more, but I don't have the energy for that (stupid crohns).  
• Against my better judgement, I agreed to help out in nursery at church tomorrow.  The lady left me a message, and I sat on it for a while.  Anything having to do with kids for extended periods of time tends to be heartbreaking for me.  But I felt like I should do it.  And then it'll force me to stay for all 3 hours, and I won't have to go to ladies' Sunday school (which is generally asinine, at best).
• I told Aaron next time he goes away, he'll have to make me some freezer meals.  I can cook (not well), but when I'm alone, I'm not motivated to do so; I usually have tv dinners, canned soup, or cereal.  Aaron (rightly so) worries about my diet.  

Quick Sunday Post

Psyching myself up to go to church.  Since Aaron's been gone, I've been pretty happy cloistering myself, so I'd rather not go.  But I'll at least go for the first part, and take it from there.  Here are some other tidbits:

• Took the dogos to Rio del Mar beach yesterday.  It was a lot of fun.  I'm embarrassed to say that I'm actually sore from all the sand walking/running.  It's easier with two people, but Aaron always gets nervous driving distances with the dogs.  Mostly because Yoie will trampoline back and forth across the front seats.
• Since we didn't have anything specific to do, I took the long, roundabout way home.  It was nice, except I was hoping to see all the little fruit stands I remembered from my youth.  But there were none.  I did, however, get the dogs lunch from a Jack in the Box drive through.  Grilled chicken strips, seemed dog appropriate, and they were so hungry.
• Friday was Humira day.  It hurt, as always.  And I have a nice little bruise.  I probably need to talk to my doctor, it seems like I'm bruising easily lately.
• I finally thought of a couple things for Aaron's birthday.  But since he reads the blog from time to time, I won't elaborate.
• It's birthday time. Friday was my MiL's birthday.  Saturday was my dad's birthday.  And today is my sister in law's birthday.  Plus Rebecca and Aaron's birthdays at the end of the month.
• I've been cutting out milk lately (just milk, not all dairy) in favour of soy milk.  A lot less calories, since I'm trying to drop a little weight.  One cup has half the calories of 1% milk.  So I think I'll be doing that for a while.
• As of yesterday, I'm down 6lbs in 5 weeks.  Yay me!  139 and feelin' fine.  Well, as fine as I can feel. :-P  I'm trying to get down to 135 right now (I should be there in another month).  And then maybe I'll aim for 132 or 130, we'll see.  Exercising is the hardest part, since I still have no energy.  I've been using the myfitnesspal app.  It's great, I love it.  So I'm doing it healthfully, and making sure I'm getting all my needed vitamins.
• There was a little hiccup at work this week.  Well, a big hiccup, but only a small one having to do with me.  I was entering some of the billing wrong, which I discovered a week or so ago.  But I wasn't fixing the error correctly.  So I'm working on going back and fixing that.  I'm meeting with the owner tomorrow, just to update him on that, and show him the processes.
• The big hiccup doesn't have to do with me, except that I'm helping out.  One of the front desk gals, J, is newly pregnant (10 weeks) and has been ridiculously sick.  As in she had to get IV fluids, and she's lost so much weight that her OBGYN said she can't work for at least 3 weeks!  She is the opener for the front desk.  Cue where I come in.  I'm now opening at the main office from 7 til 8 or 9 depending on the day.  Then I go over to the billing office for the rest of the day, barring any complications, in which case, I go back, and help out at the main office.  It's a lot of back and forth, but I don't mind too much.  I actually get to see people this way, since I'm usually all alone at the other office.