Bethanny Has A Broken Wrist

And now she has a cute pink cast! She was running into the house and fell forward - then we had to go to the ER! UGH. But this is a water proof cast so she will be able to go to swimming lessons. YEAH. Anyway, we blinged it up with some Hot Fix Rhinestones I got on EBAY for my other projects but have not used yet. So, if you have to have a cast as a kid then it might as well be cute.

I read the best book! NO MORE MONDAYS!

I read No More Mondays and I was so inspired! It's about how we find what we need to do through thinking about where you want to go. Some of the stuff in there is common sense but a lot of it just rang true! I do so enjoy the work I do, I love getting to travel but I continue to struggle with the Mommy stuff - like wanting to be home!
So, I read this because I listen to Dave Ramsey a lot and I love his book -
and he mentions Dan Miller as an inspiration. If you know me you know I LOVE LOVE LOVE Dave Ramsey and am following the Total Money Makeover.

I am not going to do a whole review on it because I returned it to the Library, but I will say that I did BUY 48 Days to the work you love - after I read the No More Mondays and I am going to start finding a way to love the things I do!

Best part is - Dan Miller and Dave Ramsey both have a podcast that I download to my ITouch and listen to while I work out or in the car. You should try it.

A Letter on HealthCare

When will we start seeing health care as a right instead of a privilege?

Being a Registered Dietitian since 1997, I have seen a few different types of health care. I was in the Army, and experienced health care that was provided with no deductibles, no copays and some wait time but not much. After leaving the military, I have had the "privilege" of being employed full time and having health care as an option to pay for. I pay for the benefit for me and my family to the tune of over $500/month, plus co pays and deductibles. The system we have now is neither fun or cost effective. I am also a disabled veteran, and have the opportunity to experience the VA health care system in relation to my disability. Health care with no co pays but with extensive wait times.

So, why did I just explain all of that to you?

Because I have been listening to Congress debate the health care issue for the past several months and I am appalled. To those who have not had the opportunity to work in our health care system, I say you are missing out. It is a very good example of a CASTE system, with levels of care that relate to your ability to pay. And if you cannot pay, you may die of a preventable illness. IN AMERICA? WOW!

I think we should look at health care the way we see public education systems. We as a country would never take away the public school system, and we provide this education to make our country a better place. There are private schools you can attend if you like, but many of our public schools are excellent! Would you say today that someone does not have a right to be educated? Yet, that is exactly what we do with health care. And that is much more of a life or death issue if you ask me. So, we feel that a basic level of education is a necessity and are willing to support it with our dollars. But not the health and well being of our citizens. WHAT?

We should provide clinics and basic health care to all of our citizens, and I don't mind paying for some of it because GUESS WHAT - I already am. Everyone who goes to the ER with a CANCER and gets extensive end of life treatment for a problem that could have been solved sooner through preventative measures costs $$$. Who pays for that? Each and every person with insurance and the suffering of that individual adn their family are not without measure. There is not a price we can set on a life, yet we do when we refuse basic service to our country men.

Training our Boxer Puppy - Cali

I have had the responsibility of taking our new boxer puppy to the training sessions on a weekly basis at Petsmart. We have a really good trainer, and when we get out of the car at Petsmart Cali practically runs to the training room. She just loves it!

But I had a revelation this last week. We are on week 5 and working on greeting strangers. And you work to have the dog sit to meet people. But we have a problem with her jumping on all of us at home. And the trainer says we are probably unconsciously reinforcing that behavior by rewarding it. So, I thought - hummm....

And then it hit me! We can get her to stop jumping on the little one by waiting for good behavior just like we would a stranger! And guess what? It works. She practically wiggles while sitting, but she is trying to sit to be greeted and we don't have to try to work around her jumping all over!

Just thought I would share - positive reinforcement and clicker training really work!

Will Power Again

So, this time it's a much better story. So far, since I started weight watchers, I have lost a whopping 18 pounds! Man, the clothes fit so much better. And I am hungry a little bit, but not much. And I have exercised once, so who knows what I could do if I got off my butt and started walking 3 days a week!

But I have to tell you that I have pop tarts almost every morning for breakfast, and they are 4 points a pop! So, in an effort to reduce the number of points I eat for breakfast - so I can eat them later - I tried the "Fiber" pop tarts.

Well, I actually kind of like the Strawberry Fiber One poptart - and it's only 3 points so that is kosher for me. Tastes a little dry but not too bad and I can eat it. I also tried the Kellogg's Pop Tart Brand Fiber Pop Tart in chocolate fudge and it was awful! Tasted like I was eating a dry piece of wheat toast. I thought I was eating wheat bread instead of chocolate. Not really worth it. Might feed it to the dog!

Rambling thoughts...

Well, it’s a matter of will power. I don’t know where mine goes sometimes. I really want to lose weight, and I bought a dress to wear in my sister’s wedding (on ebay – custom made). I am going to have it made with a lace up back – my sister’s suggestion so I can get it made now and it can fit tighter later if I lose a lot more weight.

But the way it’s going, about 1 pound a week, is depressing. I am not sure how long I have weighed this much but I know it’s not good. So it’s progress in the right direction. And the clothes are looser, just not falling off. Hopefully I can get my wedding ring off soon. (Yep, I gained so much weight that I can’t get the darn thing off).

And I am so much better with will power when people are around. I find it funny that I have to psych myself up to go out to eat by myself so I won’t over eat. I am better to pick out what I want, order take out – like at Panera or Subway – and leave than to sit in a restaurant. It’s not so much that I even WANT to eat that much – I get full on way less food than I used to. It’s just a hard habit to break. And even though I can have it occasionally, I feel sad without dessert. It was my comfort and friend.

Things that make you go humm…

Thoughts and plans going well

I wanted to take today to be a thankful day:

1. I am thankful for my sister and her son. They are always helpful and willing to do what we need to get the job done. They are going to get a new member of the family soon - Kirk, and I will be thankful for him as well.
2. I am thankful for my husband. He is such a great dad and suffers through my traveling job where I am gone 4 days a week most of the time. He is supportive of the crafting business as well.
3. I am thankful for my local library. They keep me in books up to my ears, with minimal overdue charges. Yes, I am so happy I can sign up on line, walk in and pick up the books and leave.

Thank you for being part of my thankful day. What are you thankful for?