Sac of Potatoes

I finally made it to my home state. California!! I didn't grow up in Sacramento, but this is where my Dad lives now. It's a nice place.

I was watching the local news last night and I about fell over when the weather girl said "it feels like winter out there this week, make sure you grab an extra layer, the highs are only in the 80's". Usually the high in this part of the state in past 100.

About a week ago in the mountains ( yes they are mountains) there was a lighting storm that started 700 wildfires. It has been so smokey that the sun has turned red.It's kinda strange too see it like that.

So enough about the weather .

The main reason for my trip was because my step sister Kathy was going to get married on Saturday. On Wednesday she called me to let me know that the wedding had been canceled. ( her divorce from her first husband had not be finalized.. pretty good reason to cancel).

I still had the plane ticket and so I still headed down. My dad and step- mom live in a 2 bedroom apt, no bigger that the cultural hall at church. ( maybe even smaller.) Living in this tiny 2 bedroom apt is : my Dad, my Step- mom, my Step-mom's older sister, my step- sister and her 4 children, and coming up for the wedding, her fiance. So 5 adults and 4 children. What a Zoo! Luckily I had thought of getting a hotel room for the weekend. But silly me trying to save the day I invited my sister and her 4 kids to come stay with me at the hotel. ( and she invited her fiance).

So here I am in the hotel last night, nearing midnight when my sister shows up with what looks like her whole wardrobe, 4 children and all of their wardrobes.

Jet lag setting in all I want to do I sleep and the 10 year old wants to watch TV and show me all of her outfits for the next few day. My sister never being one for her soft and loving nature is trying to get the 2 year old to stop crying. And the 4 year woke up to tell us he wet himself ( and the bed).Meanwhile more and more clothing arrives in the form of laundry baskets by the fiance. I'm trying to get the 10 year old in her jammies and come lay down, the 2 year wants absolutely nothing to do with me... and I was not about to deal with the 4 year old.

At 12:30, the 10 year old informs me it is still way to early to be going to bed and that she is NOT sleepy.

Finally after all settles down. In one bed is: ( the previously wetted bed) the fiance and 2 of the children, and in my bed packed like sardines is me, the 10 year old the 2 year old and my sister. Every half an hour or so the 10 year old would wake up and sleepily look around, and if you where not careful her head would come crashing down on yours. Needless to say I got about 5 hours of good sleep. And I'm thankful for it! Today I'm planning on fishing with my Dad, and going to the distribution center. I promise to give more updates for Dis-function Junction later. Miss ya all.

Oh BTW I'm craving pancakes!

Mormon Cookies

Every mids & swings I make Jason's section at work, cookies. They have become known as the "Mormon Cookies". I'm guessing it becuase I happen to a member of the church. I really like doing it. This is the first time I've made them however that I did not get to taste test ( half the batch).

So how do I make them:

2 1/4 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup shortening
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon almond extract
2 eggs, beaten
bag of chocolate chips, a bag of white chocolate chips, bag of butterscotch chips

Bag of walnuts
Directions
1Preheat oven 350 degrees.
2Combine flour and baking soda.
3In a large bowl beat brown sugar, sugar, butter, shortening, vanilla, and almond extract.
4Mix until well blended.
5Add eggs and mix well.
6Beat in the flour mixture.
7Stir in all the bags of chips.
8Drop by rounded teasponful and bake 10-12 minutes, I never set a timer.. I just check by site.

I like the idea that I can do a little bit of missionary work.

How's it Going??

How am I doing? It's a common question now a days. So here is an update. Lets start with my food. I would say I eat about 500-600 calories a day. Most all the calories come with as much protein as I can get. So a typical day starts with 20oz of a protein shake ( half nonfat milk, I hate the way the shakes tastes) and I can drink that in about an hour. At noon, I will have about 2oz of yogurt. ( that can take me up to an hour to eat.) For dinner, I've really enjoyed cream of wheat with splenda, or 1/2cup of cereal.
I keep a record of all of my food on SparkPeople its free and has all types of food or you can add your own if they don't have it. I love it.

So do I get hungry? Sorta. I get head hungry. I will smell something, or look at the clock and my mind will tell me that I am hungry. I still go to the fridge looking for food, and I know it just by habit. My stomach however never feels empty. And after I eat a small amount of food I get full.

I take 10 pills a day. 4 calcium pills a day, 2 gallbladder pills ( so I don't get 1gallstones) 2 B-12 dots that melt in your mouth, 1 nexium so that I don't get ulcers in my new stomach. and a mulit- vitamin. I sorta cheat however on my multi- vitamin. I found that Viactiv makes a milk chocolate chewable vitamin. I love these things. Its a great way to get a chocolate craving and vitamins at the same time. ( I know that they make calcium chews too, but there are 2 types of calcium, carbonate and citrate. I can only take the citrate, and they don't make chewy citrate yet). As you can see with my Weight Loss Ticker I have lost about 35lbs since surgery. Some days I won't lose anything and then the next day I will lose 3-5lbs. I bought my first shirt in the "normal" women's section this week. It's still an XL but hey it still felt good. Thank you all for your support. ( me in my new XL tee-shirt)

P.S. Please feel free to ask me anything.

Windchimes

One of the most beautiful spots in the city was St. Patrick's Cathedral. The smell of the burning candles really set the mood.
The stained glass windows where donated by King Louis Philippe of France. I think that was by far the best part of the cathedral.
Meri, had pointed out to me what looked like wind chimes on the ceiling. Perplexed about it she found an usher and inquired about them.

It turns out they where not wind chimes, they are four cardinals' galeros. ( caps) with their hair dangling like a chime. Talk about creepy. I don't know why they have this tradition. But I'm sure glad we don't do that.