Till Death Do Us Part

For those that have been following my blog, this is in reference to Weight Loss Surgery that I am now pursuing. 

When taking my vows almost 13 years ago, the phrase 'Till death do us part' meant dieing of old age. As I get older, I am seeing possibilities of more ways to die. Some that I can control, some that I can not. My weight is one that fits in the middle, or at least so I thought.


Here is my story: It was a dark and stormy night many years ago. My mother lay on her hospital bed begging for drugs....then I was born. Yes, I believe that is where my story began. I have always had some form of weight issue. Growing bigger and bigger each year. I have tried weight watchers and have been successful in the past. However, now, it seems that the weight is here to stay. My aunt, mother, and wife have gone through the RNY procedure, with some complications, but mostly the surgery has been effective. I am one that has argued against surgery in the past. I felt it was the easy way out. Then I saw my loved ones going through the procedure. Easy is not the case. In fact, it is hard and you constantly struggle with your mind and body working separately. Constantly, I ask myself if I can do this on my own or if I need to go through the surgery. To this day, I am not completely certain. I would like to believe that I can start exercising and I can stop eating the $hit that has brought me to this point.

Jurney begins toward surgery.

After discussing this with my wife in August of 2009, I have decided to approach the idea of surgery. My wife made the appointment for me with Dr. Caccuci's office (Sept 13th) and my primary care physician (Aug 31). Wish me luck as I advance through this process and pray that I am given divine direction.

LD Day 2: Love is kind

Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.
—Ephesians 4:32

TODAY’S DARE

In addition to saying nothing negative to your spouse again today, do at least one unexpected gesture as an act of kindness.
____________________________________________
 
Yesterday morning, I woke up made my lunch and wrote a note on the board for my wife.  "You did an awesome job with the house!  I (Heart) U". Then I went in and gave her a kiss and woke her up for the morning.  NOTE: It is much easier to be sweeter in the morning when the kids are still asleep.
When I arrived home from work, I gave my kids their usual hug and kiss and then proceeded to walk to mommy to give her a kiss.  This is something that hasn't happened in a long time as I am usually ready to change into my comfortable clothes and relax for a few minutes.  This extra kiss was nice. I found it also refreshed me. Made me feel kind of kiddish inside, like I was back in High School. (Kid in reference to High School...Yep, I am getting old.)  Anyway, I took the kids to the park while wife went to school for a meeting on an upcoming school/kid special class. (Good Touch/Bad Touch).  Following that we came home, ate dinner, and prepared the girls for bedtime.  I tried to be helpful by getting her milk when she needed her glass refreshed and cleaned up dinner when completed.  Finalizing the day, I gave her a kiss and proceeded to bed.

While I didn't exactly do any unexpected kindness, I feel that I met the goal for today.  No arguments, extra affection, and special attention.

LD Day 1: Love is Patient

Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.
—Ephesians 4:2 NIV

TODAY’S DARE

The first part of this dare is fairly simple. Although love is communicated in a number of ways, our words often reflect the condition of our heart. For the next day, resolve to demonstrate patience and to say nothing negative to your spouse at all. If the temptation arises, choose not to say anything. It’s better to hold your tongue than to say something you’ll regret.

_______________________________________________________________________________

This was fairly easy for me as today was her birthday and I did not see her for half of her day.  When I arrived home my mother watched the children as she and I went to the mall and walked around window shopping.  Following that we went to TGIF and had a wonderful dinner.  We laughed, we joked, and I believe we reconnected.  For me, tomorrow and the next day and the next day will be the challenge.  While today was easy to stay away from the negative comments (in my honest opinion) when I add the kids and the daily frustrations into the mixed, I will need to continue this.  Wish me luck as I tackle tomorrows challenge while trying to encorporate todays.

Tomorrow's Love Dare is:  Love is kind

Love Dare: Intro

My wife and I recently watched “Fireproof”. It was a great movie and opened my eyes to things that I have been neglecting.

Almost 13 years ago, my wife and I embarked on a journey that has been very similar to a roller coaster. There have been some slow and fast times. There have been times when we were flying high and times when we were very low. There have been many twists and turns along the way. Just like with any roller coaster, I never want it to end. When my ride ends, I hope it to be either thru death not divorce.

Getting back to neglecting, I must admit that while I try to be a good husband, at times it has been difficult. Not because of my wife’s actions, but by lack of my own. Too often I let the stresses of life rule my emotions. Financial and children are amongst the top factors of my stress. During the day I let each of these churn inside my head, affecting every thought. When communicating with my wife, I tend to become short or irritable at her. At the end of the day, plop down in front of the computer or TV. Ready to veg out and forget all that I had been thinking during the day.

From the time I watched the movie until now, I have considered taking the love dare as I know that my heart and mind need it to cleanse and repair what I have done. After some research online today I ran across the following site which opened up the dares for each day. You can find them too @ http://www.bhpublishinggroup.com/lovedare/.

As I go forward, I will detail my thoughts and comments on each day. Please feel free to follow, comment, and encourage me during my journey.

Daddy Scotty,

P.S. Happy Birthday Wife-E-Pooh!

Where Has The Summer Gone?!?

Seems like only yesterday I was dreaming of warmer weather, breaking out the motorcycle and heading for the hills. Since that day, chaos has taken over. Kids turned 5, a pool at mamaw’s house, gymnastics, parks, bicycles, etc. Not that I am complaining. I love the time that I spent with my kids. That is time I could never get back and I did it in a positive and memorable way.

I have also neglected my blog, which doesn’t concern me much. I love to write, I am a social nutcase. Using Twitter and Facebook, I am able connect with other parents. Some with multiples some not, but all have something to offer.

This week, my girls started kindergarten. They absolutely love their teacher and their classmates. Before long “A” will be having a boyfriend, like she did in preschool. She is much like me. (In the social aspect, not the boyfriend.) Many parents have told me that once they start kindergarten things speed up. I assumed that already. However, I never thought about all the other stuff that goes along with school. Softball sign-ups, still questioning; girl scouts; fundraisers, PTO meetings, etc.

We have been preparing all summer for the time when the girls enter kindergarten and what steps we were going to take to ensure that “A” is not subjected to peanuts. I could never have imagined how understanding, cooperative, and assertive that the school was going to be. The girls school lives are close to the nurses’ office. They are the first class to eat lunch. When 1 child dropped peanut butter on his shirt, the teacher took him straight to the nurse and changed his shirt and washed his hands. I am amazed and happy beyond belief. One area that I am still struggling with is the bus ride. My wife and I decided it was best for the girls not to ride the bus. Main reason is the peanut allergy. We can not control what happens on the bus and can not expect the driver to control the situation. This is hard for me, because they have been dreaming and excited about riding the bus since they first learned to say the words “School bus”. Maybe when they mature enough to understand the risk and how to protect themselves, we can allow them to go on the bus. Until then, we will keep them off the bus.

Mommy is volunteering at the school. This gives mommy, girls, teachers and administrators a little more comfort about the peanut allergy, while wife-e-pooh assists them with some much needed help. As they say, a Win-Win situation.

I wish each of you a very happy week. May each day bring happiness and love to your life.

Like Sands Through An Hour Glass...

Hello friends, hope all are doing well. Time seems to pass so quickly anymore. My last post was June 5th prior to going to Holiday World. To sum up Holiday World, the kids had a good time despite problems with the hotel and eating facilities the first night. Holiday World itself was wonderful. The girls loved to play at the water park and enjoyed what rides they were able to ride due to their size. That night, Alexa developed a high fever with strep, scarlet fever, and strawberry tongue. She was miserable for several days.


Speaking of time passing quickly, the girls turned 5 on Saturday. I can not believe it. On Saturday, we had an outdoor party at my mother’s house. We had a small 15’ diameter pool set up, many tables and chairs, a play set, and much more. The kids and adults all had a fun time. Needless to say, I am exhausted still. Our house is still trashed from the preparation that we had to do in combination with the toys and stuff we had to bring back home. Hopefully, tonight we will be able to do some massive cleaning.

Tonight, if my state legislatures do not pass a budget, I will be without a job tomorrow. That is until something is rectified. I would say welfare and food stamps here I come, but if a state shutdown is in effect, I will not be able to get these services. This brings new meaning to the song by Lee Greenwood, “If tomorrow all the things were gone, I’d worked for all my life. And I had to start again with just my children and my wife.” I am not worried though. True, I do not trust any politician to think of anyone other than themselves, I do think there will be some sort of budget past tonight.

Santa Claus, Here We Come!!!

Santa Claus, Indiana that is. We are going to Holiday World. We will be staying at Santa’s Lodge. While I am excited to be going, I am not excited about the drive there or back. 3 hours stuck in a car with (almost) 5 year olds. Though, I believe we can keep them occupied.


In case you were wondering, my Weight Watchers journey has been doing poorly. I am failing at journaling and during the two weeks surrounding Memorial Day, I gained 4.2 pounds. If you remember, I lost 4 pounds prior. That means, I was .2 pounds higher than my starting weight. That stinks. This morning, I decided to check out the points that I ate yesterday. I totaled around 52+ points. Most of it, 34 points was just on dinner. I had a culvers double cheeseburger deluxe with cheese curds. No wonder I am having problems. With my trip this weekend to Holiday World, I am going to be eating out a lot. Wish me luck as I enter unknown food establishments and buy food. Hopefully, I will be making some good decisions instead of poor ones. FYI - If you would like to find out the WW points on food you are buying from restaurants, I would suggest going to www.dwlz.com. This is a good site, if you have access to the internet. For a portable version, I would suggest the book produced and sold by Weight Watchers. It is a convenient side and has most of the chain restaurants in them.

As for my depression, I have been having some ups and downs lately. I am considering changing from Lexapro to maybe Cymbalta to see if it can help my drowsiness and also provide an appetite suppressant as a side effect.

Hugz,

Daddy Scotty

Memorial Day ~ Thank You Soldiers

Memorial: “something designed to preserve the memory of a person or an event, like a monument or a special day.”

Memorial Day: legal holiday in the United States, last Monday in May; commemorates the members of the United States armed forces who were killed in war.

Thank: Gratitude, appreciation, or thankfulness is a positive emotion or attitude in acknowledgment of a benefit that one has received or will receive.

You: To all Soldiers that have served and given themselves in the line of duty to protect the freedoms of our country.

You: To all Soldiers that have served and were discharged. Some that still relive the days when they were on the front lines, seeing their friends and family fall. Some that came home to an ungrateful country.

You: To all Soldiers that were held captive, killed, or have gone missing in a foreign land.

You: To all Soldiers still serving and continue to serve while much of the public and foreign countries are against their actions.

You: Mothers, Fathers, Sons, Daughters, Brother and Sisters that have lost or fear the possible loss of a loved one.

Today, I attended a Memorial Day event hosted in Indianapolis, home of the Indy 500. While much of the state and world was focused on their Memorial Day celebrations and carb day at the track, I was there. I was there when they sang the National Anthem; I was there as they announced the names of those that have passed since April of 2008. I was there as they played taps and brought the wagon, with casket, covered by a flag, driven by a team of horses. I was there, as all stood in silence, sadness, and in respect, for those that have died.

It is sad that there are still so many that not only condemn the war, but also condemn the soldiers both alive and dead. Many of these men and women joined as mere children in search of education, discipline, pride, or love.

Please, if you see a past, present or future soldier, please say “THANK YOU”.

God Bless,
Daddy Scotty

Diet…er…Lifestyle Change

I am trying to change the way I am viewing Weight Watchers in my life. I can not just try to diet. I must admit to myself and realize that this needs to be a lifestyle change. This is not something that I can stop when I reach my target. I will need to continue this not only for me but for my family. I do not want my children to grow up following in these footsteps of mine. Desserts every night and lounging on the sofa all night is not the example I want to show them.

Thankfully, we have joined a fitness and aquatic center that will allow all of us to swim, work out, and play. When wife-e-pooh and I want to work out alone or if either of us take the girls by ourselves, we will be able to drop them off in the play area. They have some large tunnels for them to crawl through, areas to color or play ball. Last night was my first night to walk through the facility. My wife and girls have been there previously to do water aerobics and swim lessons. I can not wait to start working out. I have been using the elliptical machine at home. Still not able to keep going for long periods of time, but I am working on it. I have also started walking more and taking the stairs. (MY LEGS HURT)

As far a journaling, I have finally started to do what I am supposed to. Though, I know I have a long way to go. One big modification that I recently made was noticing that I was starving myself every day until dinner time. In between all of this, I would have cravings for chocolate, donuts, cakes, et cetera that I could not easily control. With the assistance from wife-e-pooh, I changed my breakfast from 2 oatmeal packets to 1 sausage, egg, and cheese sandwich at home. It comes up to 6 points and it has kept me full for 4 hours now. That is amazing. Normally, I would be hungry by this time.

Daddy Scotty

~If you continue to do what you have always done, you will continue to get what you have always got.

314/314/200
Starting Weight / Last Weigh-In Weight / Goal

Weight Watchers

Diet:
After discussing and attempting weight loss on my own, I am going back to Weight Watchers.  Tonight was my first night.  I weighed in at 314.  A lot more than I wanted to be and more than I was the last time I attempted Weight Watchers.  However, I had lost 85 pounds then.  I know it wont be easy.  I have been down this path before.  The chocolate will keep calling my name, my girls will continue to offer me their leftovers, and people will tell me that one bite wont matter.  One thing that will help me out is that my family has just joined a local aquatic and fitness recreation center.   

Girls as Flower Girls:
On Saturday, the girls were flower girls in my cousin's wedding. They were so beautiful in their purple dresses.  They did really well, then they danced the night away w/boys.  This daddy was watching very closely.  The girls kept calling the bride a princess.  It was very cute. My aunt that has been fighting cancer was able to be there for her grandaughter's wedding.  It was a special day.  Not sure how long she has left, but am glad that we all got a chance to be together again.

Prayer Request for Aunt

Please keep my Aunt Rita in your thoughts and prayers. She has been battling cancer, and it seems that the time is quickly dwindling down.  While the doctors are currently disagreeing how long she has, it is certain that she is not as coherent and she doesn't have the same physical abilities she used to.

Please also keep my mother, Linda, in your prayers.  She is a strong woman, but has been taking this very hard.  Rita is her closest sister and friend. 

Thank you,

Daddy Scotty

Come on warmer weather

Hello fellow reader. I say that as I believe I only have one or two that read my posts. Either way, this is my way to document my life, both good times and bad. If you enjoy my posts, please feel free to continue to read.

The weather has been rainy and cool lately. When it wasn’t I was sick with a sinus cold. We are expecting warmer weather this week. Thank goodness! I plan to take the motorcycle out sometime this week. Possibly down to Nashville, Indiana. If you are an Indiana resident and want to offer up a good route to ride, please email me at tripletdad7@yahoo.com. I am always up for something different. Please note that I love scenery, not traffic congestion.

I am learning more things regarding medicine for the family. Vicks vapor rub, rubbed on the feet, helps a child (or anyone) that is up coughing throughout the night. Really, it has helped Emily.

If you haven’t noticed, I am now on twitter. I find it fun to enter some of my stats, which in turn updates my twitter widget on this blog. I have found several new parents of multiples on there that I have not had a chance to connect with up until now. As some of you know, I am part of several groups. The Parents_of_Triplets_Club and the Dads_of_Triplets_Club, both are yahoo groups. I also have a facebook and a myspace account. Through these social services, I have met some of the most wonderful parents of multiples (twins, triplets, quads, quints, and more). No, I have not yet connected with the Octomom or Jon and Kate group. Though, I am sure they could offer some interesting conversations. Personally, 3 is enough for me. Though, I am sure that if I had started with a higher order of multiples I probably would have found a way to make it fine as well.

Do any of my reader(s) have any questions that you want to know about me? I will answer just about anything. However, I will keep some information confidential. Ask a way. If you have nothing to ask on your mind, feel free to leave me a comment. I enjoy hearing others opinions or statements.

Thanks and have a wonderful week.

Hugz,
Daddy Scotty

On The Road (OTR) with a Triplet Dad

I am going to attempt to start up a new segment to my blog. It is called “On The Road with a Triplet Dad”. This will be my opinion column to things I read or see that I have found interesting or useful.

Today’s topic is on the Indy’s Child magazine, www.indyschild.com. Recently, I have found this in a Marsh Supermarket in the free publication section by the doors. Thumbing through it, I have learned many things. From activities for the family to interesting columns on various parts of a child’s life, I am sure you will find something useful in it.

Opening up the online page for this magazine, I am intrigued to find an article on Making Music in Indy, written by Kimberly Harms. In it she informs the readers about many places that offer opportunities for children to play with or explore music. I know for one, my children love to play instruments. “A” is love with the piano, “M” loves the drum, and “E” loves the guitar. Though, they switch quite often from one to another.

Did you know that the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra (ISO) has an instrument petting zoo? I sure didn’t. What about a community drum circle for all ages and all skill levels in Castleton? Me neither.

I know that I am going to research this website for more activities that I can take my kids to. The same old routine gets boring and the kids get more agitated when there isn’t a variety.

Whelp, that is all for me. Take care and have fun with your family.

The Great Depression is Over....or soon will be

No, I am not meaning the economy.  Not even meaning my fluctuating mood.  I am meaning, winter.  Winter is a time that I don't really care for.  I tend to stay inside and not venture out too far away from a warm building.  A couple of weeks ago, my family went to Florida.  The weather was an awesome, with tempetures in the 80's.  Then, I returned home to temps back in the 30-40's.  Now, we are in the 60-70's.  I have been taking walks and have even ridden the motorcycle once. 

With the newness of spring upon us, and the feeling that it is time to revitalize ourselves, I am looking to make a new spring resolution.  With the onset of warmer weather, and the multitude of activities that can be done outside, I am planning more outtings with the kids, [playgrounds, parks, walks, bicycle rides (for them), and who knows what else]. 

I recently read an article about detoxing the body.  Basically ridding the body of the toxic substances that we continually put in it.  This got me thinking.  Maybe it is time for me to attempt to change my mindset regarding things edible and drinkable.  What is potentially toxic and what isn't?  Reason of thinking, if I consider sugar and fat laden food as toxic instead of "can't eat cause I am on a diet", maybe I can actually accomplish my goal of making the scale go backwards instead forwards.

Wish me luck, and if anyone has any supportive statements for me, please post

Update on me, vacation, and Alexa's surgery

Writing, while not always in correct grammar or spelling, has always been an outlet for me to get out my “demons”. Recently, my comments have inspired some to confront me on some issues. While I do appreciate their and your concerns, I want you to know that I am well and good. However, I do have my moments, as we all do.

On Thursday, my daughters, Melissa, and I were invited to a friends’ house for a play date. It was a very nice night. We met some really nice people, and the kids enjoyed themselves. We adults enjoyed ourselves too. We played Guitar Hero and talked much of the evening. The dinner was a simple yet delicious pasta bake. It was accompanied with green beans, salad, cheese bread, and a rich, yet good, frosted brownie. The girls weren’t too thrilled with the 2 Great Dane’s that the family had. Alexa did eventually warm up enough to pet them. Madison clung to mommy every time the dogs got up. She is deathly afraid of dogs. I would enjoy having another play date in the future as we all had fun.

This last weekend my father and I went on a guy’s day out. We went to the Motorcycle Expo, Boat Sport and Travel Show, Dick’s sporting goods, and then out to eat at Logan’s Roadhouse. I came away from the Expo with a new Leather MC jacket and a pair of goggles that fit over my glasses. This will make riding in the evening so much easier this year. I really did appreciate the time that my father gave to me. I know that walking during all of that was probably a struggle for him as well. We talked and laughed the entire day. These moments together I treasure, as I know that someday, I will not be able to experience that anymore. Over the years I have learned and continue to learn that we need to make each moment count. Hug, when you can hug. Cry, when you can cry. Laugh, when you can laugh. I have seen first hand how the passing of a parent can affect a person. It is something I wish we would never have to experience. Though, we are bound to the circle of life. With every beginning there is an end. We just can never prepare for it.

We are almost prepared to head down to Florida for a nice vacation. Personally, I am not thrilled about driving the entire way with three 4 year old girls. Thankfully, we did buy some new movies that will keep them entertained. We also plan to take several breaks along the way and also to stop half way for the night. I can not wait to see the looks on my girls, as well as my wife’s, faces as we enter the park of what I call Neverland. (No, not the Neverland Rach) A place where a person is never old (though I am sure I will still feel it). When the joy of days gone by surface and we all think like a kid again.

I am not too thrilled on the fact that we have to come back and within days take Alexa to the hospital for surgery. She is going to have reimplantation surgery where the surgeon is going to disconnect the ureter’s and reconnect them to the bladder. This will hopefully end the kidney reflux that she has. It should also stop the yearly VCUG test that is quite painful and uncomfortable.

That is all for now.

BLAH!

Today was not a great day. To start off I work up feeling exhausted. Probably from going to bed at 1am and getting up at 6:45am. Thankfully, I had preset my coffee maker to be ready this morning. So, I made me a mug of coffee and placed the rest in a thermos and headed of to work. The drive into work was pretty good. No traffic issues. However, as soon as I arrived at work, I started getting phone calls and emails needing immediate answers. What helped cheer me up this morning was that a coworker that I had helped yesterday had brought in some donuts from Wal-Mart.


Ever notice how good things can actually make things worse? I ended up eating most of the donut holes as my coworkers were not here today. That led me to overeating, then depression about how much I weigh set in. That, combined with what has been going on the past few days has put me in a downward, but manageable, spiral. Why do I take such things to heart? Why can I not see the sunshine through the rain? Thankfully, I am taking my meds. Without them, that downward spiral would not be manageable and I would end up thinking things that I shouldn’t be thinking about.

On a different and brighter note:

Tonight, my family and I are going to a friend of the girls for a play date/dinner. This should be interesting. This boy they went to school with. He actually, had a really hard time after we had to pull the girls out when Alexa had her allergic reaction to peanuts. He started asking his mother about why the girls were not at school anymore and why he couldn’t send them a valentine. The mother gave in and looked up our address so that he could send valentines cards to the girls. That was so sweet.

Keep me in your thoughts. Hopefully, this weekend will be better.

Self-Loathing

     I guess it is time for some self loathing.  This all happened following a talk I had with a coworker.  Apparently, I threw her under the bus.  It wasn't my intention.  Seems like that happens way too often. 

    To all friends past and present:  If I have stated or done something that has made you feel that I am against you in any way, or if you feel that I have thrown you under the bus, I am sorry.  My mouth often goes faster than my mind.  My fingers, typing, go even faster. 

Quote:
God grant me patience
...and I want it right now!
The Patience Prayer
Bits & Pieces Magazine Vol. R/No. 2.

May God Bless You and Keep You

For those that know me, I have had a history of going to church. I have even held some teaching/leadership positions. Much to my dismay, I have fallen away from the church in the past 9 years. Now, I am going to church at Grace Missionary Church near me. My girls love it there and Melissa and I are now being fed spiritually.

During the past few days of driving to and from work, I have been listening to some Christian radio stations. This has made me think quite a bit who I am and what I should be. I know that I have a ways to go before I am fully representing the kind of Christian I want to be. However, at least I know now, I am on my way back.

I have had a simple and common bible verse going through my head lately. John 3:16 "For God so loved the world that He gave His only son, that whosoever believes in him will not perish but have everlasting life". This time, I was thinking of it in terms of a father as many have done before.

1.) "For God" - The creator of all and whom I place my faith and trust.
2.) "So Loved The World" - Full of sin, hate, greed, defiance
3.) "That He gave His only Son" - His ONLY Son. I can not imagine giving up one of my girls. I can only imagine what it would be like to give up my only. To take it further, to give up my Son to bear the sins of the world as described in #2, to die on a cross for me.
4.) "That whosoever" - Even a sinner such as I, with some defiance, greed and hate.
5.) "Believes in Him" - Believes in the Son to be the embodyment of God and the only path to heaven".
6.) "Will not perish" - In the fires of hell.
7.) "But will have everlasting life" - In Heaven.


It is my prayer that God will Bless You and Keep You safe.

Dear Valentine

To my valentine, Melissa:

   "You are my sunshine, my only sunshine, you make me happy when skies are grey, you'll never know dear how much I love you, please don't take my sunshine away".  How true those lyrics are.  You are my best friend, my companion, my lover, my caretaker, my happiness, my heartache, my joy, my sunshine.  You are everything to me.  There is no other that could ever replace or compare to you.  You are a wonderful wife, mother and friend.  You know how to cheer me up, level me out, and beat me down whenever needed.

    This is our 15th Valentines together and I love you just as much, if not more, than I did when we met. 

S&M, Always and forever,

Scott

Another day another try

hat can I say? I am a flawed human. Though, I am learning during this rough patch of journaling. I have replaced snacking on sweets with chewing sugarless gum. Extra Polar Ice to be exact. I have also replaced my nightly sugary snack with Jello brand Sugar Free chocolate pudding and whipped cream. As for the rest of my diet issues, I am still having a problem with ordering the wrong meals when I eat out, both restaurants and fast food. I always go for the cheapest or tastiest. I have been doing better as far as choosing chicken over hamburger, but I still find it a challenge.


Despite my hurt ankle (from an accident in October) I am trying to walk more. During lunch I usually take a 15 to 30 minute walk around the lower level of my workplace. I always finish with a stretching exercise, especially with the ankle to prevent further damage. Tonight, unless something comes up to stop me, I will be trying the Walk Away The Pounds tape series. This should give me some nightly cardio.

Updated:  Well, didn't do the WATP tape.  No extra workout other than the regular playing with the triplets.  I have attached my spreadsheet of what I ate.  I know that I could have done much better, but what can I say?  I at least wrote down what I ate.   Next step, do it again today and strive for perfection. 

Do you have words of wisdom on what I could do to assist is this process?  Let me know. 

Thank you,

Scott H.

Day 5 (Skipping 3 and 4)

What a weekend. Stress was high and I didn't even watch what I was eating. Now that it is Monday and I am back to work, I will be able to utilize the more structured schedule to continue.

Note: Today should have been the start of my new challenge to capture my food on camera. I forgotten it and now have decided to just journal online. I still welcome any inspirational comments you may have.

Journal:
7am Chocolate Glazed Donut
7:30-12pm 4 mug of coffee (Smaller mug than usual. Equates to about 3/4 pot of coffee.) w/2tbsp sugar.
12pm Sandwich w/3 slices of honey ham, 1 tbsp of mustard, and 2 piece of wheat bread.
12pm Yoplait yogurt original peach
12-pm 1 mug water

Fitness:
12:30-1pm   Slow - Moderate Walking w/ankle pain

Day 2

Today has been pretty good in terms of journaling what I eat. Since I am currently at work and the only office to the sweets is locked, I have resisted temptation. When I get home and the real work and stress begin, I am sure to have moments of desperation.

Journal:
7am-10am 1/2 Pot of coffee w/2tbsp sugar total
7am 10 donut gems
10am 1 mug of water
12:30pm 1 sandwich (2 pc Honey Loaf prepackaged deli meat, 2 pc wheat bread, 1 tbsp mustard)
12:30pm 1 Yoplait yogurt

Activity
15 minutes of moderate walking

Day 1

Today, I started journaling everything that I was eating. I didn't do too bad, but I know I could have done better.

Journal:
7:30am - 1 Venti Carmel Macciatto (Full fat / calorie version)
9am-12am - 1/2 Pot of coffee w/2tbsp sugar total
7am - 8 donut gems
12pm - 8 Fish sticks
12pm - 1/2 c Macaroni and Cheese
12pm - 1/2 c Green Beans
2pm - 1 minature reece cup
12pm-5pm - 2 mugs of water
7pm - 2 bowls of Potatoe Soup w/velveeta cheese in it
7pm - 2.5 Grilled Cheese Sandwiches
7pm-9pm - 2 Valentine Sugar Cookies
9pm - 2 M&M's

End of Day Comment:
I know that I did poorly when it came to what I ate. I could have done so much better. The way I look at it is that at least I now have a documented daily eating habit. From there, I can only go up.

Blog Challenge ~ Starts 01/26/2009

Hello all,

I was thinking about starting a new thing on Monday that will challenge me in being accountable for what I am doing and share my experiences. I was wondering if anyone would be interested in doing this as well with me.


1.) Set up a blog that pertains to your weight loss journey.

2.) Update daily with pictures and/or info of what you ate and the nutritional content of the item.

3.) Keep a loss/gain log. I would say keep a log of how much you weigh, but I thought that may be too personal. Though, I don't mind telling people I am BIG guy.

4.) Send me the link to yours so that we can link together.
If not, please feel free to leave me comments of encouragement. You know us "Losers" need it.

Thanks,

Scott H.

New Year

Today is the 2nd day of the new year. How time quick time passes.

2008 Daddy Scotty's Recap:

- Girls turned 4 this year and oh, how they have sprouted in their independence and self awareness. They are so energetic and have developed greatly in their language skills. I never know what sentence they are going to use on me next.

- Girls started preschool. They love it. The teachers, Miss Diane and Miss AJ are wonderful. They hug on the girls and really have a close bond with the girls. Which is what the girls enjoy. Pastor Kurt plays the guitar and piano for them and they love singing the songs. I recently got a guitar for Christmas and when I play, the girls compare me with Pastor Kurt. Which, I must say is much better at the guitar that I am. I am only a beginner.

- Girls started gymnastics. It is an extra cost that is hard for us to always come up with, but I find it to be worth it. They really enjoy having an opportunity to due structured activity. If they grow up to be gymnists, fine, but that is not why we have them in there.

- In October, we were all in a car accident. A car ran a stop sign and we ended up T-Boning the girl. Thankfully, everyone but myself came out of it fine. I hurt my ankle. We have settled on the vehicle, Alexa, Emily, and Madison. Melissa and myself are currently waiting. She will probably settle soon, then me shortly after. I would like to make sure that my ankle heals properly. Right now, it still hurts with too much walking, standing, or climbing.

- In December we had our second Peanut Allergy scare. The girls received a piece of minuture reece cup in their school holiday bag. Alexa took one bite and after two epi-pens and 1 dose of benadryl she was off to the hospital in an ambulance. Let's just say, mommy, daddy, and grandma will be watching things more carefully now. We will also have a talk with the teachers so that they are aware of what happened and that they need to be made more aware of what the girls are eating. Especially, since every parent brings a snack in one day a month.

2009 Forecast:
- Alexa will be having reimplantation surgery in March to clear up the Kidney reflux she has. She is the last one to have this surgery. Melissa and I fear that we waited to late to do it. Alexa already remembers so much and does not let memories go. She still talks about the accident and peanut scare like it was yesterday. We pray that she will be mostly like Madison and recover really quickly.

- Melissa and I are going to start looking into a gym package to assist us in losing weight and keeping it off. Melissa is already on her way to getting a cover spot on GQ or Maxim. She is one HOT mama. Me? You might see me on Playgirl one of these days. NOT! Gotcha thinking though, didn't it?

- Girls will turn five in June and will no longer be my toddler princesses. I will have to accept it that my princesses are growing up and will be leaving the next in 13 years.

- In August, the girls will start Kindergarden. Starting them on the path of a public school based education.

Wish us luck in the New Year, we will need it.

Thanks, Daddy Scotty

2009

Here I go again

Well, it is 2009, and as usual, I am thinking about New Year's resolutions. They are all the standard ones; lose weight; exercise; be a better father husband, son, brother, and friend.

Even though, I know from past resolutions that the ones requiring effort (diet and exercise) usually fail. I will not fail to continue trying.

As Mark Twain was said, "The secret to getting ahead is getting started. The secret of getting started is breaking your complex overwhelming tasks into small manageable tasks, and then starting on the first one." Therefore, I must get started. While getting started, I can not focus on the goal (lose 200 pounds, be a lean mean fighting machine, or expect immediate results). I must realize that losing weight is a minute by minute, hour by hour and day by day task. Each time I put something in my mouth, I am either hurting or helping my body.

"What do you want to be when you grow up" is usually a question I ask my daughters. However, now I am asking myself, "Who do I want to be when they grow up". Do I want to be confined to a bed or wheel chair due to the weight I am carrying or do I want to be an active father who can participate in the lives of my children? I choose the latter, I choose life.

While I am not sure exactly what this blog will end up being, I will try to use it as a way to be accountable for the actions I do.

If you have any uplifting quotes or encouragement to pass to me, please do so. I love seeing messages from readers.

Thank you,

Daddy Scotty