Thanksgiving 2008

Thanksgiving 2008 was a success. The Turducken was amazing and the deep fried turkey well, it was deep fried....The highlight food wise was this snicker/apple creation from Curts mother made and the baked cheese grits Lora made. Oh my they were amazing and I didn't think I could love grits. Amazing I tell you.



I really enjoyed spending Thanksgiving morning preparing the Turducken and making green bean casserole while listening to the Twilight Zone marathon and watching it from time to time. I also was able to see a friend who moved to the San Diego area. It was nice to see her and we even got to chat some while she was in traffic on her way up to the valley.



I'm so grateful for the life I have today. Though the past three days I've had a migraine off and on and my throat hurts I'm still in pretty good spirits. My family is amazing and I'm so glad that I am present in their lives. My health is getting better and though my appetite is gone again (really forcing myself to eat at times) I have to remember to take care of myself. I have to remember that I need to make sure I get enough nutrients because otherwise I'm no good to anyone I care about if I get weak and start not to feel good. I have to remember that I do get low on protein, b-12, and iron and that vitamins are a must for me. I have to remember I can never be too busy or my health will suffer.



This year has been a lot of growth for me. I've made some great decisions in my life and have learned a bit more how important those around me really are.



I'm glad that yesterday went so well and that we had a great time. We had 4 families together; the Beattys, the Kastans, the Obers, and the Widhalms. We had a great time and you know we just sat around and talked and that was so relaxing. To get to know more about those you don't see too often is nice.



Here are the Kastans at Thanksgiving dinner and I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving as well....

Mini List

My mini list of why I'm grateful this Tuesday, November 25, 2008:

• I'm clean and sober and able to be fully present in my life!
• I have a wonderful husband who puts up with my type A self!
• I have a beautiful and smart little girl who just keeps amazing me more and more each day!
• I don't weigh 257 lbs. anymore. I'm becoming a much healthier person (I really have to take my vitamins daily). Though I have road blocks at times with my health I am so much better than I was at the end of 2006 and 2007.
• I have my family in my life today and I'm able to be there for them.
• I have a job that allows me to work fully from home if I need to making it easier to be there for my daughter.

Just a mini list of gratitude to remind me how good I really do have it...

Broken

So I've been really good about meeting with my trainer and now taking this boxing class at the local park.

I met with my doctor Friday, and well, I'm broken. I have to wear an ankle brace at almost all times due to the lack of cartilage in my ankle, he wants me to stop wearing flip flops so much (come on it's So. Cal in November and 80+ degrees), and stop lifting weights or doing push ups. That really gets to me. I've worked so hard to get healthier and now the things I really wanted to work on I can't for a while. I guess I'm supposed to learn a bit of patience here and maybe a bit of relaxation is what I may need.

My trainer will do more leg and cardio work with me and my boxing coach will have me do more jump roping and sprints while the others do push ups or some of the boxing moves.

It can get very frustrating at times when you try to take care of yourself but your body is broken lol. I feel so old having arthritis at 32 and having it since I was in my late 20's.

I'm excited to go to boxing tonight but I wish I could participate more. I am getting really good at push ups.

Update to come later......

Weekend of Fun

This weekend was great...sure it started with a lovely migraine but I got to spend time with friends, breakfast, lunch & dinner & coffee all equaling a lot of catching up.

It's been nice to stay on the westside more and really limit my trips to the valley. It's really helped me thus far to become more connected. Kaila has been going with me to Kick Boxing classes and the instructor includes and encourages the kids to be there with the mothers and doesn't charge extra for them. That so rocks!

Here's a pic of Jill and I with our new hair do's. I went black to match my eyebrows (and to cover the gray) and Jill went more blond and I really like it.

On a side note, I've ordered through EBay "Dead Until Dark" and plan on reading the whole series. I am not into the whole vampire thing or books but I'm hooked to True Blood on HBO and they say if a movie is great the book is better so I can wait for the book to come.

Finally, I received an email from The Bellagio for a winter special and I'm taking Eric for our birthdays to relax and enjoy ourselves for the weekend. I can't wait!!!

I'm going to practice what my dear Lynn told me yesterday and live a week of non fault finding even within me and this will be a nice practice.

Have a great week!