Lifestyle Changes and all that jazz

Last Saturday I blogged about returning to my fat doctor and dietitian. I am back to following what I eat closely and making a full out effort to cut the carbs, and eat high protein 6 times a day.

2 yrs ago I did this and lost 80 lbs. Life happened this past year and I fell off my healthy eating wagon, and gained 25 of that back. Actually I think it was more like 27 by the time I got to the doctor.

Anyhow today is the normal day my friends the Zonies do their accountability for the week (they are my cheerleaders and encouragers) so when I hopped on the scale today, it was nice to see that in 7 days I have lost 10 lbs.  Most water weight Im sure, but none the less its nice to see a change.

Now to keep from obsessing over the scale and weighing 10 times a day.

How about some votes?

Can I drum up some votes for Abby, the New Bunny in Town? Contest is through 1800flowers. Tyler (the friend with Tulip, Toby the rescued pot belly pigs, plus 6 rescued dogs)  has Abby in this photo contest :) Here's why you should vote for Abby---- Excerpt from Tyler's page

ABBY deserves to win The New Bunny In Town Contest & here is why:

Abby--she was so sick & thin about 7 wks old--she was left chained to a tree in freezing temps, rain, no food, water or shelter---her *owners* had been arrested & no one saw her...It wasn't until a few days later someone heard whimpering..I took her from their yard...
Her first year was very difficult--not only was she really sick but she also had severe hip dysplasia by 7 mos old, 2 torn acl's which she had TTA surgeries for, also diagnosed with osteoarthritis in her elbows & shoulders...at 2 yrs old she had a stem cell transplant--a year later she is finally really enjoying life as it should be...she is now a little over 3 yrs.....

Vote for Abby!

Little Piggy with no name

Late Tuesday, maybe early Wednesday Maybelle had a piglet. Well actually she had 5, but 4 got out of the pen and were lost :( So one little piggy remains.  We knew she was pregnant, but by vet calculation anticipated piglets in 3 wks. We were off.

Forget that I asked for a break-----

I believe it was an open invitation to pile some more on my overflowing plate.

Last night we dropped my truck off to get a new tire (one had excessive wear) and an alignment. Total cost $160. Or at least thats what it was before they took the wheel off :/

So break time this morning, Mr Digger sends me a message.  Wheel bearing, idler arm, upper control arms and bushings all shot. Plus the alignment and tire. $450 later it drives straight. Ugh.

We felt relief when Mr Digger's contractor picked up scale paying jobs, unfortunately most of what has been saved has had to be spent on small emergencies that have popped up the past month.

Im not a believer

In karma. Its based on a religion that isn't my own.

I do believe what comes around goes around though. Im just waiting for it to go around, and around, and around.

A while back, apparently, a vehicle was in a minor accident. By minor I mean literally minimal damage. Someone claimed it with their insurance company for replacement car seats. $1200 in car seats. They were RIGHT on making sure they got the money for that.

However then they ran over their mother's car, with their boyfriends vehicle... and spent hours berating their mother for turning it in and telling her insurance company that it was boyfriends truck (not soon to be ex husbands). While the first incident may or may not be fraud, the second one most certainly is. It is against the law to file a false report with an insurance company for any reason, even if its not for your personal financial gain.
Mother's insurance company will pay out, but only partially (Why I dont know, she was asleep in the HOUSE when the car was smashed, to the tune of 2600.00) Boyfriend refuses to give mother his policy number.

In what world is this right? Where is it okay to lie about what vehicle you are driving when you smash into someone else's car and do major damage?  What world is it right to not bother to turn it in?

Im so tired of self centered entitled people.

Photo Blog Hopping?

This looks like LOTS of fun! Im going to give it a try----

Linked from A Good Life Blog

***photos edited via instagram.  do you instagram?  find me @loveliveshere & let's picture bond!***


Game Rules:
1.  your pictures have to be taken by your camera phone. that's it!  you don't even have to have a picture for every day.  got one camera phone pic of something fun from this week?  link up!

2.  if you want to grab the code below & put it in your post to have the linky with all the thumbnails show up on your blog do it. 

and please post a link to my blog so others can come here to grab the code, too.
the more kids who come out to play, the more fun it will be, right?

Oh for PETE'S SAKE

Can I catch a break?

Went to the doctor, took a bit longer than anticipated. Get home and am on the phone (why does this stuff always happen when someone is on the phone and hears the shrill screams of a child???) Anyhow... get home walk through door, lil dude sails into the kitchen, gives me a hug, runs back into my bedroom, where Mr Digger is.... then returns WAILING.

His pinkie finger is spurting blood. Arterial spurt. So I holler for Dental floss (to cut circulation to the pinky) and mention he has hit an artery. Apparently today my degree doesnt mean much, because my husband wants to know how I would know that. Umm geez.

So I remove pressure briefly, and what do you know, bright red SPURTING blood. I get it stopped, and cleaned up, then we go looking for the source of the owie.


Apparently lil dude was going to "scare" Mr Digger, and dropped down to the floor, and found a fish hook embedded in the carpet at the edge of the bed.

Tetanus shot is up to date. No ER visit is needed, and I wont be mentioning that 1) I dont have a tackle box, and 2) it was not my side of the bed.

Joke Of The Day... LOL!!!

Joke Of The Day... LOL!!!

A college student challenged a senior citizen, saying it was impossible for their generation to understand his. “You grew up in a different world,” the student said. “Today we have television, jet planes, space travel, nuclear energy, computers…”

Taking advantage of a pause in the student’s litany, the geezer said, “You’re right. We didn’t have those things when we were young; so we invented them! What are you doing for the next generation??”

Happy weekend everyone!!!

What Did You Get Accomplished Today?

I hate that question. No matter how innocently it is asked, it has an accusatory tone. Especially when you run around ALL day and the answer is basically--- nothing.

Yesterday my friend needed a ride to pick up her car from the dealership. 40 miles from my house to her house,and another 20ish to the dealership. Not a big deal. I get to her house at 10, we MUST leave now, as I have a school bus to catch at 130, and I know I have to drop her off at dealership by 11, so I can make it home with some time to spare.

We start out, hit I65 southbound. We make it all of 5 miles, and hit traffic. We plug along at O.005 miles per hour for 15 minutes. We sit stuck for almost 2 hours. 

I finally say we have to go back... we have 5 kids in the car (3 mine 2 hers) they all are "starving" and have to pee, and I have less than 2 hours before the bus comes.

So I get to the left side of the road, cut through the center, and rush back to my house. We wait.... and wait.... and wait....

The bus is 25 minutes LATE. Substitute driver O_o.

Once we get lil' dude, this officially starts 2 weeks of  "Spring Break". We head out the door after everyone has peed, diapers are changed... and start back towards Nashville, or more specifically, Antioch.

We get back on the interstate, and make it outside of Rivergate, before we hit--- wait for it!!! What did we hit? TRAFFIC. Why is there traffic going INTO Nashville on a Friday afternoon at 330 pm? Who knows, but we played the sit, go sit go sit go game for another 40 minutes. We get on the 24 south onramp, and dead stop.

Kill me now. Kids are screaming (there are 6 of them remember) someone stole someone else's french fry, straws have been removed from sippy bottles and water is being flung around the car...

Is there a breaking point? Apparently not... for the next thing I know above all the ruckus a tampon comes flying to the front of the car, sans wrapper and beans my friend in the neck. 

WE LOST IT. What more could you do but laugh. Apparently my purse was discovered in the back of the truck ( I rarely carry one but have one with essentials in it just in case) 

Eventually we made it to the dealership, she got her car and we parted ways.... I got back to the Rivergate area and once again hit horrendous traffic. I cut off on a back road, only to watch 3 fire trucks and an ambulance pass me. However they were not headed to the traffic jam on the interstate, they were headed to the wreck 3 miles up the road (BLOCKING the entire road) that I was trying to travel on... back road back to the interstate and continue on. BIG SIGH.

8 hours, $80 in high costing fuel, and 300 miles later... I made it home. 

The next time she calls and needs a ride I will say remember the last time you asked me to take you to Nashville? I should probably open a donation for my gas fund now. :/

What did I get accomplished today? Im alive, the kids survived and that is IT.

Today is the Day

Back on my own bandwagon for weight loss.

2 years ago, I started a doctor monitored low carb high protein diet and lost 80 lbs. This past winter has been rough on me, and while my sunny disposition shines through on my blog, I have suffered from depression off and on since about October. Life can be overwhelming. If you don't agree, you aren't living your life to its potential!

So today at 4 I am headed back to the doctor and we shall discuss the 25lbs that have crept back on to my butt and attached themselves and hung on for dear life.

A Plea for Help

I have talked about my friend Tyler before. Tyler works for Petco in their corporate office. He works when he is at work, and he works when he is at home. His work from home includes rescuing Pit Bulls, a deaf Boxer named Archie, and recently 2 Pot Belly Pigs.

Tulip is his latest rescue, and she was starved by her previous owner under the misconception that withholding food would keep her small or a micro-pig.

There is no such thing as a micro-pig and withholding food, followed by being rescued and actually fed, has led to some pretty serious health issues for Tulip.

Tyler survives 100% by working, and donations when his rescues have health issues he cant afford on his own. 100% of donations go directly to the vet bill, and if you are iffy about donating through a "chipin" Tyler has always posted the name and number of the vet where you can make a direct donation to whichever animal is in need.

Im making this plea not only for Tulip, but for Tyler. he does such wonderful work with the animals he rescues, and they truly are his family (his children so to speak) He currently has 6 dogs, and 2 pot belly's (If I have them counted correctly).

If you can give a buck, check out their chip-in. 

Thank You!

Love/Hate Relationship

I do hate where we currently live. I cant wait for June to arrive and us to move, even if its just 60 or so miles south.

However tonight, I love where we live, simply because it is a VERY small town. Everyone knows everyone... and well, it worked to my benefit tonight.

Mr Digger dropped the Tahoe off to get the exhaust fixed. Dont ask me what is wrong with it, I have no clue. But we dropped it off yesterday. Tonight we went to get it, and 2 glass packs (2 WHATS?) and some pipes... for the dual exhaust cost us $100. I was dreading the cost and was prepared for $200 or more.

Then Mr Digger said hey can you look at my wife's blazer. Now mind you, I have been complaining for no less than 8 MONTHS of the rattle and horrifying noises that my exhaust makes. I cringe at the thought of what I am sure will be $200... because Midas quoted me $400 and we all know they rip you off.

But 2 hours (and 4 OUTRAGEOUSLY cranky kids later) We left this local mechanic with a new exhaust and muffler on my blazer, for $75. Thats right... both vehicles for under $200.

Im grateful, simply because there are a lot of changes coming in our lives, and excess expenses could really kick us in the butt, at least for now.

Peanut Butter Snobbery

Confession time.

I love Peanut butter.

Im a snob. A peanut butter snob. I never knew this until today. We eat a LOT of peanut butter in our house. When I say a lot, Im talking at least 1 18 oz jar a week, and usually its the 24 oz jar. I usually buy JIF. Occasionally I buy store brand, or Peter Pan. Ive even tried the Reeses, but wasnt impressed.

The last jar I bought, was Peter Pan Honey Roasted Creamy peanut butter. It was umm gritty. When your honey has sat for awhile it granulates. Apparently it does this in the peanut butter too. But it wasnt "that" bad, overall, and we ate the entire jar in no time.

So yesterday I was at the IGA, and saw Peter Pan on sale 2, 18 oz jars for $5?! WHAAA? Awesome deal. I snagged 2 from the shelf. I noticed they said whipped, but did not see the small print 1/3 less sugar.

This morning I was making toast with peanut butter for a kid. When I did the un-talked about. I licked the spoon. Okay well I started to.

Peter Pan failed with this whipped peanut butter. Or maybe they should have left that 1/3 sugar in it. Either way it was the most horrifyingly horrible taste I have let enter my mouth in awhile. (and I tried brussel sprouts recently!)

Have you ever been making cookies/candies/cake anything in which you had to mix in shortening/lard/crisco etc? Have you ever accidentally licked THAT spoon? Yeah. This tasted like straight up crisco. OMGeez.

Adding to my list of DO NOT BUY products, regardless of the "great" deal they are. Im just wondering if I will be able to get the kids to eat the 2 jars I bought. One is unopened, maybe I will donate it :/

Someone is Having Fun

I had my cell number changed back in September, after 6-10 calls per day from a collection agency who insisted I was someone else. Even when called and told my name is Apryl, I am NOT XYZNONBILLPAYING PERSON, I was straight up told I was a liar.

So, those that NEED my number have it. 2 weeks ago I started getting texts from numerous people (to whom I can not reply) offering services to catch my husband/boyfriend/lover cheating. 

People, I dont need your help. I have a keylogger on his computer, I have GPS on his phone, I know the passwords to his email, his voicemail, his facebook etc. Ive been down this road, I dont need your help!

Next up----

The random emails to my school acct. Now I know this situation is obviously "personal" since the school doesnt disclose email addresses to anyone. So in order to have my school email address, you KNOW me. Narrows it down, yes indeed.

So the really cool email from Miss Cline Anderson, who would like to build a relationship with me was awesome! I responded too! I have to wonder if Miss Cline Anderson will be scared by the thought of Ichthyosis, or leprosy? Love knows no bounds right?

Possum with Cheese

I know.

Today Devil Child asked if I was making a cake. I said no.  So then she asked me to make the next best thing. Well apparently it is in her little mind anyhow. She said can we have possum with cheese?

Yeah, umm wow. Sam and I joke about possum stew all the time, but never possum with cheese. I have to wonder does she want melted colby or are we talking velveeta?

This child's roots are showing, this is Kentucky's finest people!

Putting My Degree to Good Use

Okay so no, I didnt land a cushy job in a hospital.

But last night Baby J was outside playing with Devil Child and Lil Dude. They apparently forgot they are not allowed to play in the woods (lots of junk that needs cleaned up out there been there since before we bought the house)

Baby J stepped on a board, with a nail in it. It went through her flip flop into her foot. Ouch. Apparently Mr Digger isnt very good with blood. Freaked out is an understatement.

Fortunately the tetanus shot is up to date, and a little cleaning, some peroxide and a neosporin filled bandaid remedied the situation, as well as some clean up with an iodine infused surgical sponge ;)


This morning she is running through the house like nothing ever happened.

Yum!

Tonights supper is bacon and cheese covered grilled chicken, with tomato, wrapped in romaine leaf.

My inspiration is the low carb menu at Cracker Barrel. Theirs is sans the tomato and romaine.

Mr Digger wanted his on Texas Toast--- I complied ;)

And while I was cooking someone found the cereal cabinet and helped themselves to cheerios!

There Comes A Time

When you have to let go.

This post isnt for me. Its for others (and one man in particular) who have a hard time letting go, and moving on. Sometimes we have to cut people out of our lives to make our lives what we want them to be. Their purpose in your life is over, and its time to walk away.

1) You can spend your life in one of two ways. You can always be the victim, or you can learn to be the survivor. The choice is yours, and yours alone. When you choose, you have to own that choice. As a child who has grown to be an adult  you can not continue to blame your parents for all their failings. Your failings are now yours. What you do with them will matter, ultimately only to you.

If you plan to continue to take the victim route, dont be surprised when you lose friends, and sympathy from those around you. 10 years later, people are tired of the same excuses for the behavior, the hatred that fills your life, and that inability to be a normal functioning member of society.

Your parents aren't the ones out there applying for jobs, and not getting them. You are. You are your own person. Society has a realm of acceptability, things like gauging and multiple facial piercings are not currently in the realm. 

2) Forgiveness is not really for the person who has hurt you (whether real or imagined) Its for YOU. When you forgive what has happened to you, you set yourself free. You are able to stop dwelling on it, thinking about it or letting it haunt you every day of your life.

I know where you learned to play this role, and I am sorry you had to grow up in an environment that taught you to behave this way.  You come by it honestly, but its up to you to overcome the victim mentality you have learned from the greatest victim of all time, and be something more. Life is not constructed of what other people have "done to you" Its built from what you choose to do about it. 

Help! Ive been sucked in------

Drawsomething by OMGPOP games.


I currently have 18 people Im playing with, more than my last round of Words With Friends.  It started out with me just wondering what people were talking about on Facebook.... one thing led to another and off I went to dig through the app store, in search of, Drawsomething.

Did I plan to download it? Umm yeah, really I did have every intention of downloading it, but I never anticipated that I would wind up playing with so many people and impatiently waiting for them to complete their turn.

I guess this is how fads are born :/ I am not a follower dammit!

Ruffled Homecoming Dress

My friend Jess asked me about a dress she found on Pinterest...  So I went looking, and after checking it out (and the 2 blogs it was associated with) I decided to give it a go at making it for her. Their Navy homecoming is 7 months out, so I have plenty of time right?

Giving credit--- first Heart Break Kids Blog for the American color themed dress and then  Tidbits--- for her original "pattern".


WRONG! One of the other girls from the Zone has homecoming in 2.5 wks... she asked if I could make her one as well! Here we go!

I bought a few items (since I didnt have a lot of red white or blue teeshirts laying around ;) ) and Started on the first one today. So far so good...

Is it half full or half empty?

My plate that is.... This morning I had to make a trip to Owensboro, 60 miles to the north for an 830 appt.

I took lil dude to school... Got had and made it 3 of the 7 miles north towards my house when my truck decided to overheat.

Couldnt happen yesterday, no way! I limped home... Made it into the driveway when it died.i hope beyond hope the engine didn't blow. Ran got the Tahoe and realized my truck is blocking the driveway. By some miracle from God, it started... Pulled it into the yard and took off.

30 minutes late, made my wait to be seen short.

Now jetsetting from one end of the sate to the other... 120 miles to make an 1130 class. I may quit while I'm ahead and just stay home!

Pillowcase Dress part 2

Got through the first dress, the second one came together in about half the time ;) Really simple cute dresses. I will be adding them to my storefront as soon as a get a few more samples made :) Be sure to come by and like my page on Facebook  The Snooty Hen
This one actually fits Baby J, my model. Hairbows  are custom made by All Ribboned Out

 Baby J, ready for her modeling session LOL

 OMGeez! There are BUGS!

Pillowcase Dresses

Everyone makes them... I see them all over Etsy, all over Facebook, all over the place.

So knowing I can create my own, I refuse to  be sucked into buying them for $20 or more, plus I have this really cool new embroidery machine and I can deck them out in awesome designs!