The holiday and the dietician

I hope everyone had a great 4th of July weekend - I know I did!! I got to spend quality time with my family and enjoy the great outdoors. It has been a few years since I was able to spend time in the lake - since the weather has been so cold, it hasn't warmed up enough. This year we were finally able to enjoy it again!

Anyways, before I ventured up north for the weekend I met with my dietician for the first time. It was very enlightening. The appointment started with her asking me quite a few questions, which led to me having to say all of my bad habits out loud in a matter of 10 minutes. Talk about a stomach punch.
However, this is a very necessary part of the process. I have bad habits, which has led to me being overweight. I am a snacker. I eat too much fast food. I don't stop eating when I am full. Plus many more. It was an overall great appointment, I learned quite a bit. Some tips she shared with me included:
1. Only eat at a table. Even if it is a snack. If you aren't hungry enough, you likely won't eat at the table unless it is time for a meal.
2. Avoid routes on the way home that take you by fast food places so you will be less tempted.
3. Stop eating when you are full. It takes 20 minutes for your brain to catch up to your stomach.
She also set nutritional goals for me to start working on now, which will overall help when I have surgery:
1. Eat 3 meals per day and eliminate snacks 2. 64 ounces of water each day 3. Remove beverages from meals 4. Eat 60 grams of protein per day 5. Keep a food diary 6. Use measuring cups and spoons 7. Remove trigger foods from home 8. Exercise plan: 3-4 times per week 20-30 minutes 9. Avoid pop and juices
So, my first goal is to cut out pop completely. My second is to clean out my kitchen and start meal planning every Sunday. I meet with the surgeon again tomorrow. Stay tuned...

My fur babes, before and after

While taking a quick break from doing homework this weekend, I came across this cute website: 22 Adorable Before and After Pictures of Animals. Let me tell you, it's freaking adorable. It inspired me to do the same thing with my animals.  Can you tell how productive I am being with homework?

Abbey, 10 years apart

Will, 8 years apart

Butterscotch aka "Dude", 3 years apart

Aren't my fur babes cute? This little project also made me feel super old. Oui. Okay, back to homework.

Tragedy and loss.

When people talk about religion, often the same theme emerges: "I just can't not believe there isn't something greater out there." People just can't grasp that life is made up of random events, that our decisions are not premeditated or that we aren't living out a pre-made plan, created for us by a higher power. 
So when I hear those words, "I just have to believe there is something greater, that someone created us and is listening to us and has designed our life", I cringe. Because I whole-heartedly disagree.
I am the opposite. I can't live in a world, thinking that there is a higher power filling lives with tragedy. I can't live in a world and think that my 34-year-old cousin died today because "God must have had a plan for her". Really? People can actually look you in the eyes during a time of tragedy and sadness and tell you that their "God" had a better plan? "He" took a mother from her 2 young kids for his plan? "He" took a wife from her husband for his better plan? You know what I would say to this so called "God"? FUCK you. FUCK your plan. If there is a God, which I highly doubt their is, then he a is selfish bastard. 
And if this offends you in some way, then please don't read my blog. Please do NOT try to save me and tell me to find Jesus, because trust me, I gave up that charade a good long time ago.
Missy, I don't know why you were taken from your husband or your kids today. I just know that your family loves you and will miss you. From the time we were kids, hiding from the video camera and swimming at grandpa's, to playing Scattergories at my mom's birthday sleepover this year and hanging out at the cabin...you always made us laugh and filled our hearts with light. Thank-you for being you.

Missy, her husband Bryan and their kids, Brayden and Laney at my wedding.

The One with the Family Weekend

I spent the weekend with my family up north (that's what we say in Michigan...we're going up north! Our cabin is hardly north, it's mostly west. Anyways...) It was so much fun! It was nice to get away for a couple of days and to spend time with my mom's side of the family. As you can see from the pictures, we had quite a crew up there!

Anyways, I'm done with the posting every day. From here on out, I will only post when I have something interesting to say. 

Meet this month's awesome sponsor!

Day #333: Happy Father's Day!

First, I would to say Happy Father's Day to my dad, Jack!! You're the greatest and I love you very much!

Second, I would like to say Happy Father's Day to my husband, Bob! You are a great dad to your wonderful kids. And hopefully, one day (long from now!) to one of our own! :)

And last, Happy Father's Day to all you Father's out there!!!

Meet this month's awesome sponsor!

Day #61: Endless Shrimp

So, as a treat since Chelsea (step-daughter) hasn't spent the weekend with us in awhile, we decided to go to Red Lobster for endless shrimp. We LOVE endless shrimp. It was a fun time. We have very random conversations.

A couple with a baby sat in the booth behind us. The baby was sitting off to the side, and was looking around. Apparently, the baby liked Bob because randomly Bob states:

"That baby stared at me for a long time. I think he imprinted."

Bob & Chelsea, enjoying their shrimps!

Me: "He's probably trying to figure out what that thing is on your face." (Note: Bob has recently grown a beard. He doesn't usually have a beard and as such, I have been making fun of him. Secretly, I like the beard.)

Me: "I want a baby."
Chelsea: "I think dad likes having teenagers."
Bob: (makes a face)
Me: "He likes younger kids. Kids who can wipe their own butt but he doesn't have to worry about them getting pregnant."
Chelsea: "I am a good child! Most teenagers are out being prostitutes. But I like apple juice!"
(insert two people blink,blinking here)
Bob: "That's random."

I love family time! 

Anyways, while at Red Lobster, I realized that I did one of the "25 Things Fat People Shouldn't Do"! Actually, not one but two! For those who are unaware of the list, here it is:

25 Things Fat People Shouldn't Do is an unabashed middle finger to the preposterous idea that any human who weighs more than the status quo does not deserve to live a full and well rounded (ahem) life. The list of 25 is composed word for word from direct lists of sheer assholery found on the internet. These range from the absurd to the profoundly shameful, and I will be disproving this offensive notion with style. Feel free to join in on the fun, and if you do, visit the Militant Baker to link-up and share. May the Chub Club live long and prosper!

The List:

Do a cannonball

Swing at the park

Wear a bikini

Drive

Wear animal print

Eat in public

Wear shirts with glitter

Ride a scooter

Make art of themselves

Shimmy

Jump in an elevator
Be straight

Wear an ironic t-shirt

Go to the movies

Me, sitting in a booth AND eating in public. BOOM!

Roll down a hill

Walk through a doorway

Run

Go to bars

Fly in an airplane

Sit on anything plastic

Dance

Wear a mumu

Sit at a booth

Ride a bike

Live.

I sat in a booth and I ate in public. I actually found the list from my friend over PonderWonders, who is unshamelessly checking things off the list! 

Now onto Sunday Social!

1. 5 items you can't live without on a daily basis(water, food, shelter, and clothes dont count) 

Okay, in no particular order: MacBook Pro, iPhone, chapstick, tissues, wedding ring

2. All time favorite book? Why? 

Hm, I think PS I Love You by Cecelia Ahern. I read this book long before it was turned into a movie (which sucked compared to the book). I loved the story behind it. A dying husband helped the love of his life make it through the first year following his death. So good. I cry every time.

3. Something you'd like to accomplish before the end of 2012

Getting back into a good gym routine. I am so failing at that right now!

4. If you could go back and relive any year of your life which year would it be?

Uhm, this is hard one. Is it bad that I can remember which years I would NOT re-live? Uhm this year and 2006?? Actually, I would re-live 2006 because I would change a lot of it. I needed an attitude adjustment.

5. What do you wish people knew about you without you having to tell them? 

When I am being quiet at work, it does NOT mean that I am in a bad mood! It means I am concentrating. Ever heard of people saying they can't walk and chew gum? Yeah, I have a hard time chatting and thinking. Weird, I know.

Until tomorrow,
Big, beautiful & broke... Chelsea

Day #51: Fur-Babies

While looking for inspiration for today's post, I realized...I take a lot of pictures of my dog sleeping.

 It's funny how pets become part of your family. Each of my animals have a personality. Abbey, the dog, is really...dumb. But she is cute and lovable. She loves to sleep on the couch with us. She sits and stares intently while you eat. She barks at herself in the window. She will run up to giant dogs, barking like she's going to eat them and then lick them to death. She cuddles with cats. She eats cat poop.

 Will has a very strong personality. He is my cuddle buddy. However, my dad also nicknamed him the devil cat. When he wants something. He wants it NOW. If he is hungry and I haven't fed him, he will throw "Will fits". He will go into the kitchen and slam the cupboard doors. Or he will

 jump on the counter and knock stuff off. Or he will find a plastic bag or paper and walk on it to make noise. When he wants his food, he's not messing around. When I wake up in the morning, he knows it's time for food, so he will follow me around the house and meow at me until I physically put food in his dish. He doesn't like to get his whiskers wet, so he knocks the water out of the dish and licks the water. He talks to squirrels. He sits in the window and makes "click" sounds at birds and squirrels.

Last night, Bob gave him a piece of paracord to play with and he somehow tangled it around his mid-section AND around a metal candelabra I had on my kitchen table. Last night, while relaxing, we suddenly heard MULTIPLE crashes. He jumped off the table, scared the shit out of himself from the noise he made and took off running. Because his string was tied to him AND the candelabra, when he fled down into the basement to run from the noise, he made even more noise while the candelabra crashed and banged the entire way down the stairs, until I finally rescued him. Meanwhile, he scared the crap (literally I think) out of Butterscotch, who ran downstairs to get away from him and then back up when Will went down and hid...until I got home from work today. Weirdos.

There is poor Butterscotch, or "Little Dude" as we call him. He's much smaller than Will, so that's how he got his nickname. He's our baby. He's a little scaredy-cat. I'm pretty sure he has post-traumatic stress disorder after Will's antic's last night. He doesn't meow, he squeaks or squeals. When we first got him, he would roll around in his litter box and fling it like he was playing in a sandbox. He poops more than any other animal I have ever seen. He splashes water out of the water dish...simply to play in it. I can't tell you how many mornings I put on fresh socks and step in water on the floor. He rolls around in the bathtub after someone showers. He's also, a little weirdo.

So, those are my fur-babies! My little weirdos.

Also, head over to my mom's blog here...she's finally blogging again! yay! I love her entry today. It's very vulnerable, but motivating. Love you mom!

And one more thing...A wonderful link-up! Self-love is a wonderful thing. I am a size 22 and I love myself!

This was the best I could do! I suck at picture taking.

Until tomorrow,
Big, beautiful & broke... Chelsea
I published this entry and went to the bathroom, and low and behold, Butterscotch was caught rolling around in the bathtub! Oui.

Caught! Red handed.