almost a year!!!

I am shocked that it has been almost a year since I decided to become a healthy person. Wow. It was the end of March last year, that fateful day I went to the dr. and had a blood pressure reading of 156/84.

Reading back on some of those entries here is amazing, I could barely walk up that evil hill.

And after a sluggish winter of maintaining my weight, going up and down, and the gallbladder surgery, I am starting all over again. I did my mile+ walk/run thing yesterday, where I jogged until I couldn't, then walked briskly until my breathing was almost normal, than took off again. I also did a ten minute version of my old exercises, and some squats, which were killer. There is really something to be said about exercise when it concerns making good food choices...when I wasn't able to do much physically, it seemed my self-control was really hindered. I have had a few days of eating well...yesterday I did have some chocolate chips, but I think I can still progress with a bit of dark chocolate in my life. I reach in that bag and make myself drop a few back in...then after they melt away in my mouth, I have to almost beat myself up to resist going back for more...

I could eat chicken every day. Wait, I do! Just about, anyway. Yesterday I par-boiled drumsticks and thighs, then grilled them with barbecue sauce just enough to give them that grilled flavor, any yum! We also had mixed veggies and noodles, although I skipped the noodles.

Basically, all I eat is meat and veggies and fruit and almonds, plus my oatmeal and peanutbutter for breakfast. And a daily yogurt. I love bread, especially freshly baked bread, love the crust and the soft fluffy inside, I love bagels and muffins and raisin toast...but I cannot have those things anymore. If carbs made one thin, I would be a toothpick after all these years. All those pregnancies eating crackers and bagels, all those years being so tired and having those little babies and having so little time, grabbing the quick fixes to eat: carbs. No wonder I was so tired all the time. It was a vicious circle, being too tired to exercise, being too fat to exercise, and having a snack when I couldn't get a nap...

I feel like I am finally coming up for a breath of air. If I could do it all over again, I would certainly eat better, and I would have MADE time to exercise, somehow. But it seemed totally insane to even consider it when I had a floor that always needed sweeping and it took planning just to sneak in to go pee.

Just for the record, I WOULD do it all over again.

Today I have to pick three kids up, take one to the dr., and two to the dentist. That means I have to leave here in a few hours. I have already put in a load of towels, and it is not too messy in here since I did a lot yesterday.

I texted Ben a picture of the Evil Hill yesterday while on my walk. It made him homesick. I think he is feeling it extra badly right now. I wish he could come home before deploying, but he simply doesn't have enough leave time.

It isn't always easy to keep track of who is where around here. Especially on the nice days when kids are going on bike rides and walks. Yesterday I took my walk, Joe went on a run, a few went on a bike ride, and two of the girls went on a walk. Trouble was, I didn't know these two girls even went. I would have sent them with my phone and gave them a time limit/limit to how far they could go. But, they didn't tell me. Dinner time came, I thought they were in their room. Nope, the other kids started saying, they are still gone. Gone where? (Good Mom Award). Joseph hopped in the car and found them a mile or so down the road. They had gone further than they realized, around a huge loop they thought was much smaller, then one of them got a tummy ache, and they couldn't go any farther for a while...they were pretty thankful to see Joseph, and came in the door saying they would never ever do that again. Wake up call for me, though. It is second nature to keep track of the little ones, but when the older ones slip out like that, oops! They were gone for two and a half hours! (and of course they, "Thought you knew, Mom!")

I won't be issuing tracking bracelets, but I will be reminding them all to please check with me before going anywhere. Not that I always remember, sometimes I get panicked and ask where someone is, and on of the other kids reminds me that they are shopping with cousins or at soccer practice. blah.

But most of the time I know where they all are and what they are doing.

We are having nice warm and spring-like weather, and I love it. We could well be getting more snow next week, I doubt winter is gone for good, but it is still nice to enjoy the sunshine and warmth.