My Mini-Me

She's even got my fake Uggs on. Isn't she the cutest stinkin' thing?

This Is Not A Nice Day

1)I have two aunts in the hospital.

2)Going without sugar hasn't turned me into the instant Julie Andrews I was hoping for. I'm still feeling like Oscar the Grouch. That guy lives in a trash can, people! If I'm going to feel grouchy no matter what, I might as well eat a dozen or two fresh-baked chocolate chip cookies every day.

3)We have houseguests for the next five nights. NET is here again for three and then my famous mother-in-law and her sister for two. Generally this is okay, but it means the kids wake up earlier.

4)Cleaned three bathrooms. Didn't get to mopping the floor.

5)I can't figure out Joe's NY Giants pillowcase so I can't sew it yet.

6)We've had a couple big changes at our parish and they're really getting me down. Not enough to long for the "old way" of handling things in churches past, but down just the same. Like shedding tears down. Fresh-baked chocolate chip cookie down.

7)No, I haven't had any cookies. Not a one. I found out today that Ellen DeGeneres is quitting sugar, too. Apparently just earlier this week. Maybe this would all be more glamorous if I had the whole nation watching, and not just the faithful few who read my blog. Or maybe that would be a tad too much pressure. And I'd have to hunker down in my closet away from my skinny lesbian wife to sneak something from my secret stash of Snickers bars. I suppose I'll stick with my own life. Even on a not so nice day like today.

Walgreens is my enemy

I've been coughing. A lot. Maybe it's because I took up smoking to help with giving up sugar. JUST KIDDING! I've been sick, and Kevin begged me to go buy some cough medicine the other night.

Moseyed over to Walgreens and reviewed the giant section of cough remedies. Of the ninety-four thousand brands of cough medicine available, I probably read the labels of two dozen. Call me nitpicky (and I'm okay with that), but I wanted to try to find some brand with no sugar and no aspartame. Spare me the lecture on what small amounts would be in a dose. It's the principle of the thing, ya know??? Finally settled on a box of Walgreens-brand cough medicine DM.

Made my way to the cashier, and in my heightened state of sugar-awareness realized that the entire check-out aisle was covered with sugar-laden products. Has it ALWAYS been that way? I guess, now that I think of it, I've never seen broccoli florets for sale there. Mr. Customer ahead of me finished purchasing his tobacco and it was my turn. As I stood there, Ms. Cashier gave me a scripted verbal advertisement for some new Milky Way bar!!! You have GOT to be kidding me. She went on and on (it seemed to my irrational sugar-free brain) using adjectives like "scrumptious" "chocolatey" "heavenly" and "delight". Luckily, my brain heard "rage-inducing" "deadly" "fattening" and "addictive". I told her, "No sugar for me."

Ms. Cashier looked up and told me the price of my one little box of 4-hour cough relief was EIGHTEEN DOLLARS!!! I remember the NyQuil was seven, and I thought that was pricey. Frustrated and confused, and afraid the Milky Way monster might make its way over the counter and engulf me - I said, "Eighteen dollars? No, thanks." And walked out.

A New Kind Of Valentine's Party

In celebration of my last name, I volunteered to host the Catholic homeschool group's Valentine's party.

Valentine's party says to me: cards! candy! games!

But in a giant Catholic homeschool group, this is what it's shaping up to be:

Mass, said by a favorite Priest of the group (also a favorite Priest of mine - he's the one who said I "look Irish".) Yes, Mass. In my house. I need to do a little research on this, but I think I oughtta at least Lemon Pledge the dining room table because I have a feeling it will be serving as the altar.

A massive card exchange. There might be around 60 children attending. Wowza. I see backyard cleanup and furniture rearranging in my weekend plans. Plus a whole lot of Valentine card prep.

Games I never thought of as a Protestant: pin the Sacred Heart on Jesus and pin the Immaculate Heart on Mary. I laughed as I asked my neighbor, "Are you SURE this is okay?" She laughed back and said she was sure it was as long as we weren't REMOVING the vital organs from Jesus and Mary! So there you go. This promises to be a fun experience.

I'm racin'! (WE're racin'!)

My first relay. Just registered for a half of a half marathon with my friend/neighbor/former staff partner Mike Nalley. Half of a half sounds quite doable. Just gotta get out my lightning shoes. It actually is time for some new running shoes, I just noticed an unprecedented blister. Off to train!

2-2-10

Happy Groundhog's Day!
For those of you who don't live in the sunshine-y Southwest, six more weeks of Winter might be a tad depressing. But we're enjoying the cool, crisp days.

How did you spend the holiday?

I:

am sick
slept in, didn't shower til after lunch
did several loads of laundry
taught my 1st grader and 3rd grader
cooked all 3 of my meals - this new eating is keeping me in the kitchen a LOT
organized my sewing box
cut out a pattern for my next project
watched a bunch of TV with my kids
bathed kids and clipped fingernails and toenails (ew!)
wrote a letter to my aunt
started planning a Valentine's bash
copied report card forms
brought in the trash cans and recycle bins


If you thought THIS was boring, you should consider yourself lucky. I almost listed the contents of our junk drawer. Maybe for the next holiday post.

Protein Power! Another facet of Teri's new eating.

Ever count how many grams of protein you eat at breakfast? No? Me either, until today.

Once, when I was pregnant with somebody, my midwife told me to try to balance my protein and carb intake at breakfast. I found it highly unrealistic considering my stroooooooong penchant for cold cereal. But, I went to the health food store and bought some protein shake mix and that was my best effort.

Now, according to my new plan of attack on rage, anger, mood swings, and general psychoness - I have to eat more than 20 grams of protein at breakfast! (And one serving of a complex carb.) Spent a good amount of time on the internet last night educating myself on the protein content of many foods.

Breakfast this morning was two scrambled eggs, two tablespoons of peanut butter on a whole wheat pita, and a half a cup of milk. Egads. People always SAY breakfast should be the biggest meal of the day, but I've never actually seen anybody DO it.

Also, there are beans in my future. I have never soaked and cooked my own beans. Cans are just so nice and convenient. Last night I read the bag, the cookbook, and a couple of recipes online and soaked my pintos! Cooked 'em for 90 minutes this morning. Ate 'em with rice and cheese for lunch. Then looked around for dessert for one pleasant moment before I remembered I'm on Day 9 of "No Sugar!" Only stayed sad and desperate for a fraction of a second before I brewed some sweet and spicy (no sugar, no caffeine) tea. Which also helps with the lovely chest cold I have.


I need more bean recipes. And breakfast ideas that don't make me want to barf. Really, I should be planning a memorial service for cold cereal, my long-time companion. Is there a blog out there written by a girl like me with sugar issues, four kids, cooking retardation, and no love for vegetables? If you know of it, send the link my way!