Little Bit

I am going to be a Nana again!!! I have two gorgeous grandsons, who are going to be Big Brothers in September. Our new baby is a girl, and Nana has already been shopping for our Little Bit. We will be having a baby shower in a few weeks, and I have been having fun getting it all together. WE are so excited. Here are some pictures of the Big Brothers who will be nearly five when their baby sister is born. They are standing by a tree in a park in one picture, and having fun at a bluegrass festival in the other. They look so grown up!

A Fresh Start

Hi! I haven't posted in a LONG time, but I read everyone every day. This picture is a recent one of me, but my weight is still the same as 6 months ago. Fifty pounds down.
There are several reasons for the lack of posts, one, I have been working like crazy finishing the work for my NBPT certification requirements. I am done with that after 6 months of work, but won't have the results until NOVEMBER.
Also, We have finally ended the school year (on June 10th!), after snow and flood make-up days.
But The main reason I haven't written is that I haven't been making lapband progress. I have kept the 50 pounds off, but not made further progress. I am extremely glad that I look and feel much better, but wish I could have results like many of you do at nearly a year from receiving the lapband. I realize that exercise and following the rules would probably increase my chances of success (LOL).
I still have a lot of trouble with sweets. I can't eat much good-for-me foods at a time, but have no problem at all with sweets of all sorts. I also HATE exercise. The reasons I became obese to start with are still there, I just have help from the lapband to not eat so much at once.
Now, on to the fresh start! I am giving myself a goal of 20 more pounds off before school starts back again, have seen a dietician to refresh all the good eating habits, and hope that the less stressful summertime will help me focus and get the scale heading in the right direction. I am working on planning, writing my food intake down, trying to keep protein, fat and carbohydrate mg on target, and walking a while everyday. Keep your fingers crossed for me! :) Good luck to everyone out there!

Laurel’s Top 10 List (for today)

Drum Roll Please!


The Top 10 items on Laurel’s lapband menu are….


Number 10-- Tomato Bisque (Large can of diced Tomatoes, 12 oz. can of V-8 juice, 2 cups fat free buttermilk whizzed in the blender and heated)

Number 9-- Scrambled egg w/ chopped ham and fat free cheese slice melted in it

Number 8-- Strawberry Milk Shake (1 cup frozen Strawberries, 1/2 cup skim milk, 1/4 cup cottage cheese and 3 packs Splenda, Whirred in the Magic Bullet)

Number 7-- Homemade vegetable soup (Made with ground beef)

Number 6 -- Chili (Homemade or Wendy’s if I am in a rush!)

Number 5 -- Chicken Hash and corn cakes (chopped chicken and broth thickened with flour, spooned over fat free corn cakes YUM!)

Number 4-- Jello Pudding Mousse (Sugar-free chocolate Jello Pudding mixed with ½ cup Cool Whip Free)

Number 3-- Cream of Wheat (Made with Skim Milk)

Number 2-- Morning Star Pizza flavored Veggie Patty with reduced fat co-jack cheese melted on top

And the number one item on my lapband menu is….Quaker Oat Squares cereal. I am obsessed with this cereal right now. Skim milk, savoring one square at a time, chewing, chewing, chewing… I love this, and it doesn’t take much to fill me up.

And that is Laurel’s Top 10 List (for today) I hope some of you bandsters out there will make this a traveling blog post, I would love to hear what you are eating! And what works with your band.

Crazy-Busy, and Update!

I am working on an additional teacher certification. The NBPTS, National Board of Professional Teaching Standards, so I will be a nationally board certified teacher, if I pass the 10 sections of the test. The deadline to submit the 4 writing portfolio entries is next week, so I am typing night and day right now!

Sorry I didn't update the last post, but I am crazy-busy, and I was disappointed about the visit to the Doctor. They said that they wouldn't give me another fill because I am not eating like I should. (3 nice meals, protein first...) I am to come back after I do that for a while and see how it goes. So I am mad at myself and the doctor's office! Also, they told me the insurance would not pay anymore, and they made me pay $100 before I could see someone. No one had told me this before, so it was a shock. SO I pay the $100, go see the PA, and NO FILL! I know I am not doing the best, but I can eat all the time and need some help. AARRGGHH! So at 8 months out, still 55 pounds of weight loss.

But as I often tell myself, the surgery was well worth doing if I don't lose anymore weight. I am so glad I have a band! Maybe after the stress of this deadline is past, I can settle down and do better. I have taken the day off from work to focus on my portfolio,so, Now, back to typing!!

How much is your fill?

I am going to get a fill on Monday, and I am nervous about it! I have 6.3 in a 10cc band right now. I weigh 176-178, and have been there for over two months. I sometimes get stuck, with pain in my chest and some sliming, but have never had a PB incident. I feel the band works good until about 3-4 in the afternoon, but I eat ENTIRELY too much in the evening, and if I eat slow, I think I could just eat and eat right on! (My husband works nights, and I think I eat from boredom, a lot...) I know I am not eating the way I should, so I worry that a fill might put me into a danger zone! Anyway, I would like to compare where I am with other bandsters. I know everyone is different, but would you share your fill amount? Thank you all!

My Valentine! Through Thick and Thin

Thin and Thick! (I need to work on some current pictures, now that I've lost 55 pounds!)

My valentine! Scott and I met in high school. I was the first person he asked out when he got his driver's license at 16! We got married when we were 18 years old, and we have been married for 31 years. (It's not necessary for anyone to get your calculators out, we both turned 50 in 2009!:))
Scott has been with me through thick and thin,(mostly THICK.) He always made sure that I knew he loved me, even when I gained more than 100 pounds from my weight at our wedding. We have two wonderful children and two perfect grandchildren, with one more on the way. We have been through college together, several jobs, 10 moves, hysterectomy, back surgery, lapband surgery... all on MY part, I might add. He has stood by me through everything, (and we all know it takes a lot to help a spouse through surgery). I can always count on Scott to take care of me. I love him so! Happy Valentine's Day, honey!!

Another random quiz :)

1. What is your occupation right now? Elementary school librarian



2. What color are your socks right now? white



3. What are you listening to right now? complete silence



4. What was the last thing you ate? Weight Watchers cookie dough dessert


5. Can you drive a stick shift? No



6. Last person you spoke to on the phone? My sister, Susanna



7. Do you like the person who sent this to you? I copied it myself! So yeah, I like me ! :)


8. How old are you today? 50



9. What is your favorite sport to watch on tv? Olympics



10. What is your favorite drink? Crystal light lemonade



11. Have you ever dyed your hair? High-lighted it once, but I didn't like it


12. Favorite food? anything sweet, Italian



13. What is the last movie you watched? Blind Side with Sandra Bullock



14. Favorite day of the year? Christmas day



16. What was your favorite toy as a child? Books! Books! Books!



17. What is your favorite season? Fall



18. Cherries or Blueberries? Cherries (Favorite is Strawberries)



19. Do you want your friends to e-mail you back? just posting it


22. Living situation. My husband and I are by ourselves now. (We were high school sweethearts, and have been married for 32 years!) Our son is married with two children and our daughter is married and lives a mile away.



23. When was the last time you cried? Last Monday.



24. What is on the floor of your closet right now. Lots of clothes and shoes.


26. What did you do last night? Church, talked to Mom, read facebook and blogs.



27. What are you most afraid of? being outside by myself at night



28. Plain, cheese, or spicy hamburgers? Cheese



29. Favorite dog breed? We have a Jack Russell


30. Favorite day of the week? Friday,a whole weekend to look forward to!


31. How many states have you lived in? one, Kentucky


32. Diamonds or pearls? Diamond, singular (My only diamond is my engagement ring :) )


33. What is your favorite flower? Pansy



34. What is your favorite color? Red



35. What hobbies do you like to do? Scrapbooking, reading, anything to do with my grandchildren!