Saturday, December 30, 2023

Franken journal- 2023 reflections.


 Hello my internet peeps,

New Year's is right around the corner. Alexa says it is in 29 or so hours as a matter of fact. I am in such a good mood and I have been for DAYS!  I saw a IG post about someone that keeps a bullet journal. I really liked the concept she had so I am rolling with it. I went and spent that dog sitting AND Christmas money to buy stuff I wanted to so that I could start. First I needed a journal- I went to Walmart because Amazon delivery wouldn't be till Jan 4th when I was looking and I wanted to start NOW. I bought two because I couldn't decide which one I liked more.  I know me and I knew that paying the extra $ was worth the saving of my sanity. Why? Because I know me.  Whatever I got would be wrong and I would want the other one which would make me go back to the store and spend more money. 

Basically, she made a bullet journal/ memory book. I love planners and looking at them but when it comes down to it I don't use them. They don't work for what I want blah blah. I started mine on the spiral one I got and I am LOVING it.  I have made mistakes but they don't irritate me like they would in a planner.  This is more like a work of art and I am fine with it. I am keeping track of memories/scrap book, food eaten, dinners made, goals, possible meals, and whatever else my heart desires. I spent the money on something I had actually wondered about in the past but didn't really need it. Now I doooo- It is a portable printer that prints pictures 2x3 on sticker paper. So I can actually have the pictures printed and easily able to be seen. I take so many photos but I rarely look at them. They just live in my phone's memory and might be used for social media or here. Or they might just be things I took and never touch again.  This way I can have those pictures front and center along with a summary of my day. I am doodling in it as well which feels good as I never play with being artistic anymore. 

I will share pictures as I have it more fleshed out. I also need to find a good way to get pictures on here. It isn't the smoothest transfer so that gets annoying. I did get the blogger app to try and helps with that though.   ( I inserted this picture thinking I could with the app. It deleted my whole post. Thankfully I had made a copy first of the words or I would have been super pissed) 

I have been looking back at things and that is what I will spend tonight and tomorrow night doing. Comparing old weights and how much I have lost and gained.  Usually, I stay the same but you may recall that I creeped up this past year. Spring term with taking 6 classes is where I gained my Freshman 15. From 12/30/22 at 225.4 all the way up to my highest in in May of 241 that is actually 15.6 lbs. I started working with Amanda in July and I lost a few pounds. Then when I stopped working with her I went a bit crazy starting the end of August. I am up from my lowest working with her but I am not upset. Because I am still lower than my start weight with her. I started at 237.6 and am now at 231.8- I am still down 5.8 lbs overall.  I don't want to be in the 30's though so that is my first goal. To get back in the 22x.  From last NYE-eve to this NYE-eve is only a gain of 6.4 lbs.  It could be a lot worse. It could still be the whole 15.6 lbs up. 

Tuesday, December 26, 2023

Merry Christmas!

I hope your Christmas was enjoyable!  I have had some that I have been upset and grumpy. Thankfully this year was awesome! I was pleased with the gifts I got this year for my little one, so that helps a lot. The boys are of the age that cash is appreciated. I got them both mini fridges for their rooms last year. This year they got a 12-pack and money deposited into the account of choice. 

I received Christmas money as well that I have to decide what to do with. I am also dog sitting the neighbors dogs as they go on a cruise this week. He had offered $100 but ended up leaving $140 so Yeah!  This is a picture of the pups. The bigger one is a bit of a pill. He is a rescue that was abused so it takes time for him to warm up.  He has nipped at me a few times with neighbor present. He did yesterday as well but only got my shirt. Today there was no nipping! Granted, I am also bribing them with treats.  LOL  

Sunday, December 10, 2023

Week at a glance

I sat down and opened this post yesterday but just never got around to writing it. 


I did however do a little blog hoping and found some blogs I have not seen in forever. I need to get links together and look at them every day or every other day. I just don't really think about blogs unless I am on the computer. I have a mini computer in my phone but that is social media territory. For some reason, my brain only wants to pair reading blogs with a computer screen. 

I am all over the place today just to warn you.  





This is the Iron treatment brand I am receiving. As you know, I am on my 3rd set. I started Monday of these with all being this same one. A nurse asked me why they have me on the same one if it isn't sticking and I told her I have no idea. She did say it could be what my insurance will approve.  She messaged whoever handles that to look into it but she hadn't heard back by the time I was done. 

I go tomorrow for the second round so hopefully she is working and I can ask her if she heard back.  When I was waiting for the IV I could hear her talking to a elderly couple about the treatment the man was going to be receiving and I could tell that she really cares. She also has an interesting sense of humor. She wears a medical alert bracelet that says "if found, throw me in the trash".  She said she has worked in the ER locally for years and sees how that goes so she would rather go in the trash. Uhhhhhhhh ok  LOL

Nespresso's Pumpkin Spice Cake Vertuo pod. I just think it is so pretty!

Here are just a few dinner pictures from this week. 

Teriyaki Salmon with rice

Carnita pork over rice with too many onions


BBQ pork loaded fries


My In-laws took squirt for the night Saturday and she will not be home till after 7 pm Sunday night. Took advantage of this and went to dinner using a gift card to Chilis. 

Dip trio part of appetizer upgrade with the 3 for $10.99 deal. It was an extra $3.49

Bunless burger with fries

Adorable notebook I didn't need but wanted from Five Below. 
Please note- these are the MLP from when I was a kid. The MLP now have rounder softer faces. The pink face in the back is actually Cotton Candy whom I have in my closet somewhere. 

There are little faces on the dividing tabs!

Dinner in the crockpot. Just a roast with a bunch of crap thrown on top. 

I have been trying to eat gluten-free to see if that will help with my iron retention. I am wondering if I have silent celiac or something. Celiacs is known for causing anemia and my blood work always shows high inflammation.   I had gluten twice this week (Publix Fried Chicken) Once for dinner Wed night and then leftovers for lunch the next day. I was looking at it like it is only a little, and it will be ok (how I look at carbs lately- trying to be more low carb as well which coincides with watching gluten)   

My c-section apron has been behaving differently this week. I cannot quite figure out what the issue is but it has been different. It almost feels like it has raised as far as the normal overhang. I have not lost weight that would typically equal a lift of that belly flap. Thursday was a bad day as far as my c-section scars and stuff (I have 3). They NEVER, EVER hurt and just exist. Thursday they were puffy and I could almost feel each scar specifically. My belly was upset Thursday night as well and I will spare you the details.  How about as I am sitting here thinking about writing this it is making me wonder if I do have a gluten sensitivity thing I don't know about. Maybe that is why my pannis is rising? Maybe the two meals with gluten in the chicken breading really hit me as I had been GF for several days prior?

Just speculation at this point. But I will be watching to see if it continues to change. 





Tuesday, December 5, 2023

A Tuesday post?? Whaaaaat

 I posted Sunday which had been my "normal" lately but here I am on a Tuesday.


I have to come share.


I AM DONE WITH COLLEGE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!   I took my last final last night and scored better than I thought I would and I ended up with the B I wanted.  Grades will not be finalized till next Tuesday on 12/12/23 but I already know my stuff.  


This girl now has earned enough credits to graduate with her AA.  I cannot walk until May unfortunately as the college only walks once a year.  


I am not sure if I am going to stay here with just my AA or if I will keep going.  I have looked into continuing on but nothing is jumping out at me that interests me.  I really don't like the concept of student teaching that comes with education degrees. If I decide to teach I can come in with any BA though so that doesn't matter.  


I had my iron infusion and it went well.  I tolerate this stuff and have no side effects.


I am on day 4 of no sugar.  I am trying to go back to the way I was eating in like 2019. Where I ate lower carb and whole foods.  Lowering gluten intake as I mentioned previously but this comes hand in hand with low carb and more whole foods. 

Sunday, December 3, 2023

Another Sunday

 Wow,

What a momentous occasion!  Today will be the last day I study/work on College stuff for my AA. I have to be honest and admit I don't want to!  But I also want to end with a B so I have to. I could not take my final and walk away with a C in Elementary Statistics. I only need 9 correct out of 20 though on the final and I will end with a B. I already am ending my other class with an A. 


Today is day 2 of trying to cut sugar/gluten/carbs. I am not going to be super strict about gluten, just try and avoid it as much as I can. My blood work is always so wonky and a lot of it shows infection. Celiac is something that could go with my blood work numbers. So I figured it wouldn't hurt to try and cut it down. A lot of high-carb items have gluten so cutting those down will help cut down gluten intake. I am not doing no carbs, just attempting to keep them lower period.  I don't remember my exact numbers when I was working with Amanda but this is what I have in MFP. I know the protein was 150 technically though. 


I found that I didn't lose crap though if I was up to the 1700 daily. I needed to be more in the 1500 range for loss to happen. Even with all the movement I was doing when I was working with her. 

Here it is 4 pm again and I have not started my Math work. Whoopsie!  

I wanted to share a few things.  I have a diary app on my phone that I use occasionally. I like it but there is no option to add pictures. Sure I can use my iPad and like a digital planner and do the same thing but then I have to get the pictures over to the iPad. I just downloaded one this morning that I am doing to be playing with. Here is a screenshot- that is today's breakfast in the picture.






This is the second picture. It showed me on Timehop on Fb that I posted it 10 years ago. Kinda dumb that I am still running on setbacks. 

I will leave you with this and tell you that it is 100% accurate. 

Medical procedure again tomorrow- MORE IRON!  I am dropping after four months so the Oncologist wants me to have more.  I had an appointment with him on Wednesday. They called me Tuesday and said he wants to see you tomorrow. Ummm  I had blood work the week before that phone call so that is scary. I already knew he wanted me to do iron again because they called the day after blood work. Anyway- The appointment was a waste of my time.  I had to go to the office to have a Telemed appointment with him??  He asked me why my iron was low??? Umm, I don't know!!!  If I knew I would fix it don't ya think! Then he told me my appointment for iron was Monday. Never mind the fact I was waiting on a call first to verify the price before I committed.  I know the full price is like $450 and there is no way I can swing that. I had to jump through hoops to get the price but it appears it will be the same as last time. About $92 or so.