School's back in session

and with that is one happy momma! We had a wonderful summer but I am relieved that school is back in session, especially for my daughter's sake. This year is third grade and so begins the arduous task of getting her ready to take the WASL in the Spring (don't get me started on that!). It should be interesting, needless to say.

As usual we have been incredibly busy here with everything from work to doctor's to a mini vacation we took last weekend down in Anacortes. We visited Deception Pass and Deception State Park, which is absolutely beautiful. I loved the bridge, but going on it and trying to walk across was another story. I have a big fear of heights and I could not even get a quarter of the way across without feeling dizzy and nauseous. I'm still glad we were able to go down there to see it- it truly is a sight to behold! Here are some pictures from our trip:

The Deception Pass sign at the bridge:



I thought this was cool, it kind of reminded me of the movie The Goonies (someday I will get my butt down to Astoria, Oregon and see it for myself!), and there seems to be little caves down there!



Here is the bridge in all of her glory- truly amazing structure but scary look down!



And finally, a picture of my daughter on the beach in the Deception State Park:


This is probably our first real trip together as a family ever, which was nice. I am looking forward to going down there again next year!

Other than that, soccer season has begun and my daughter is gearing up with practices for her games. We are looking forward to see how much she has grown during this season (her third soccer season). She just finished some swimming lessons recently as well, and I plan on enrolling her in more eventually, just with soccer on her plate at the moment there's not a lot of room for anything else (or I will create burn out for her and myself!).

I am continuing my fight trying to lose this weight, so far so good, just going to keep plugging along and am trying to get assistance with a nutritionist to achieve my goals faster (hopefully). One of these days I'll actually get back to what my blog was about in the past and write about food and how retraining myself in the food department has changed me. I will say this much for now- Tillamook has great ice cream and cheese- but their yogurt? So yummy. Not exactly low-calorie but it does not contain that High Fructose Corn Syrup junk and it's low in fat. Tillamook makes some good stuff. I will also add that Ezekiel bread is DELICIOUS!

Til next time!

I am back

Well, I have been back since last Tuesday (August 28th). I don't know where to begin. First off, it was wonderful to see all the people I grew up with for the first time in 10 years. The reunion went wonderfully, and it's something I'll never forget. There are now plans for an 11th year reunion trip to Vegas (which I will see if my husband and I could pull off!). It also has me very excited for my 20 year reunion although it's 10 years off. I joked with a couple of my friends about it saying, "By then I will have a daughter going into her senior year of high school!" I really do NOT want to think about that right now!

It was also wonderful seeing my family and spending time with them, but the downside(s) to my trip were that one, I ended up very ill due to the Yaz pill (which my doctor had taken me off of the day I left for California, I am back on it now, it was a week break). I was weak and something weird was going on with my stomach. I was nauseous and I could not hold much food down. I also know that with the Yaz I gained back the weight I had dropped over the summer while working out, which really pissed me off because I had worked so hard at it. I am going to resume my workout starting Wednesday now that I am not feeling as weak and am up to the challenge. Another downside was the fact that I was technically there for only four full days, and I felt like I was tugged in several different directions. There just was not enough time to squeeze everyone in like I had wanted to. By the end of the trip, I felt terrible about not getting the chance to spend much time with my father or his fiancee and her daughter.

We canceled our camping trip for Labor Day because I came home extremely weak and not feeling too hot. I barely made it out of SeaTac due to my condition. I am bummed that we had to cancel the trip, but it was for the best. Not to mention, it's raining up here this weekend! Maybe it worked out for the best? Next summer we will go camping, but in July sometime.

I met his fiancee and her daughter and I love them both. I am so glad I had the chance to meet them but I am bummed I didn't get a lot of time with them. I'm hoping to get out to California next summer for a trip and to spend more time with them. Next time I go home it'll be for at least a week, if not two (depending on whether I am working or not, of course). My father showed compassion towards me for the first time because of how ill I am. It's true, I have gained weight since I saw him last summer- mostly due to my quitting smoking, but also the inactivity after quitting smoking and before starting my exercise regimen and the various hormonal problems/Yaz. He finally realized that I am not just a lazy fat slob and for once in my life, he realized that there are huge medical problems that I need to tend to. It was nice that he finally saw me for me. It also helped me to accept who I am. Yes, I look huge in some of those reunion photos- but you know what?? This is who I am. I have to accept it- I have to be okay with it, because I know that I am working on it. I have the diet part down, I had the exercise part down (which I am getting back into come Wednesday!), and hopefully I'll have this weight loss thing down. I'm not doing it for looks- I'm doing it because I want to be around for my daughter and I don't want to die from my obesity. But at the same time I can accept that for now, this is who I am. I'm hoping with diet, exercise, and going to the doctors, we can pinpoint the problems and work on them together. I am optimistic.

I have a couple of reviews to post and some pictures to share, which I will do in the next week or so! It's been a nice break, but it's also nice to be home.

NFB: It's almost time

I leave for California next week! I am really excited about getting to see my family and going to my 10 year high school reunion. I haven't seen a lot of these people in 10 years, and I am definitely looking forward to chatting it up with them again. I am a bit nervous about giving a speech (which I was asked to do), but I will get it done.

I'm also nervous about flying, for so many reasons, I just wish I could drive down there, despite it being a 20+ hour trip. I hate flying!

I can't wait to see my mom again, be around family I haven't seen in nearly two years and just hang out with old friends.

There won't be any blogging from me, as expected, when I am gone, but I promise to take a ton of pictures (especially when we go out to eat!). I am REALLY looking forward to having some Chinese food, California-style, again as well!