The bodybug

I'm so excited! I just got the body bugg.  If you don't know what it is here's a link to the website http://www.bodybugg.com/ . Basically its a device you wear on your arm and it reads your body temperature, how many steps you take etc. to calculate how many calories you burn in a day.  Then all I have to do is keep track of what I east stick it in to my profile and it will tell me how many calories I've eaten and how many I've burned thus helping me lose weight.  I'm on day two of using it and I love it.  Its comfortable, hides well under my clothes, and makes me feel guilty every time I eat something high in calories lol. I also like that it sets realistic goals for you.  It doesn't tell me it will help me lose x amount of weight in a month or two months. I'm really excited to see more weight loss. Hello shorts if it ever does get warm in Seattle lol. 

Tea party Monday

I am taking this test on Friday to become a chief workshop manager at my job (Store Manager) and so my schedule was changed. So instead of working today I had it off. No big deal except I got to have a fun tea party with Buggy and her favorite stuffy Lolly Monkey. We had tea and popcorn lol. Tea of course was fake, but the popcorn was real. It was so fun to just watch her serve us the popcorn and pretend to drink her tea.

Here she is drinking her tea.

I can't even begin to tell you how much I enjoyed that small 20 min. She is so funny. 

I'm still not sure what I am going to do once Hubby leave for BCT. I am trying to find a part time job in Vegas, because I don't want to be pennyless while we wait for Hubby's first paycheck. I applied for a Front desk clerk position, the only problem is that its on call which could be a problem. I guess we'll see what happens.

At a crossroads.

With just 2 or so months till hubby leaves for BCT I am stuck.  I thought I had my whole world figured out. The plan was to take a 2 month long road trip to Georgia and live with my parents while he was in BCT and AIT, but I've had so many things pop up with better opportunites. 1. I was offered promotion pending someone not coming back from maternity leave. So that means my own store, my rules, my way, a nice raise, and of course more work experience. On the down side it also means just me and buggy. Full time childcare which is crazy amout of money, plus having to find someone I can trust, and finally being away from her even more. I'm not sure about that because hubby will already be gone for so long I don't want her missing both parents. 2. Moving in August to my sisters in las vegas, working part time, but going back to school more than full time and getting that much closer to getting my bachelor's degree finally. I've been working on the damn thing for almost 10 years off and on and I just really want to get my degree.  The down side is living with my sister. Thats a lot to ask someone and she and I have lived together as adults and it did not go well. I'm just stuck I don't know what to do.  I'm really leaning towards the school portion of things, but my mother of course wants me and mostly buggy home with her. I would get to spend a ton of time with Buggy just being a mommy.  I love that idea, but I also want to finish my school. UGGHH. I'm not sure what to do.  I guess I have a few months to decide

Are you psycho?

So what do you do when someone you loves becomes obssesive about something? Let me give you a little back story.

My mother (God love her) lives in an HOA community. They are not 100% full so there is a property management company making all of the decisions for the HOA along side the builders. My mother being the helpful person she is has really got involved with the community. Planning parties, walks, charities etc, but she also seems to get involved in any and ALL drama. My mother never does anything half way so when she's involved she will no every story, every detail, who said what and why they said it. She likes to believe she is not a gossip, but the women talks to everyone who will listen. I love her please don't get that wrong, but how do I tell her she goes over board? She is to the point in her community that many of the neighbors want nothing to do with her. I will admit some of those people don't want to have to deal with her because she has no problem enforcing the rules, but the other people just don't like her because she is drama.

Now things are getting bad. Her neighbor built a HUGE fireplace and put in a ton of landscaping so much landscaping that his house looks a little ridiculous. He just keeps adding and adding. The problem is that he has not got permission like he is required to from the HOA or the county commisioners and zoning boards. He put this huge fireplace only 3 feet from his fences and tress which is against county ordinance. They have come out and told him it was not right there has been a hearing and he was told he had to take it down. He won't do any of it. Well being the fact that he lives across from my parents house my mother feels she needs to get involved. Her reason was his craziness was bringing down everyone elses property value. Now shes is obssesed with "taking him down" Its freaks me out. She takes pictures of his house, eves drops on his conversations and is getting the housing community involved. Granted he is not a good person, but I'm affraid if she pushes this to much more he is going to do something bad. She has already over heard him saying he was going to have her taken care of. I'm not sure what that means, but it scary. All the while I'm sitting here wishing she would just drop it a little bit. Don't get so involved. It went from being something that was good for the neighbor hood to being something very personal to her. She talks about it all the time and I wonder what makes her this way? Am I going to be like this too? Will I then pass this on to my daughter.

Connecting with old friends

I love facebook. I have found people I used to go to elementary school with. Its insane. I was just kinda looking around tonight and happened to find my ex and the good side of his family. The ones I actually liked who actually liked me. I am now going to be having his niece come up for a few days and help her tour U of W. She wants to play softball there. The funny thing was I always thought she didn't like me low and behold I am and was always her favorite of all his girlfirends. It was so good to talk to them I haven't seen them in about 5 years or so.

My mother in law has been here and staying with us about a month now. She leaves in the morning early to go back home and I have to say I want her to stay. We have gotten close and I enjoy having her around. She lost her husband last august and seems to be a little lost without him. She has been a lot happier since she got here and I hate to see her get back in a funk. I can't imagine losing my husband espeically after being married 62 years. She is 80 they adopted my husband and his sister when they were babies. I couldn't have picked a better mother and grandmother or even a better mother in law. I'm a lucky girl.

Trip of a lifetime!

Hubby and I have been talking a lot lately about what buggy and I are going to do while he is gone. I can afford to stay here put buggy into a daycare and just work and be in Washington alone. We don't have any friends or at this point any family, so I would truely be alone. The other option is I could go back to Georgia and stay with my parents while he's gone. I don't have to pay any kind of rent and I don't have to work if I don't want to. I also have a friend who will be getting a new job at the same company I work for and said he would be more than happy to hire me part time if I wanted to work. This option just seems like it would be stupid not to do. So once hubby leaves buggy and I are taking a very long trip. We will start out by stopping in Boise. I grew up there and still have many friends that I haven't seen in years. We will probably only be there 1 or 2 days, then we will work our way down to Paul Idaho. The home of my grandparents. We will be there a minimum of a week, but if we feel like it we may stay 2. Then we will make our way down to Las Vegas. I lived there 6 years and my sister still lives there so I will stay with her and her family. Originally when I first hatched this plan I was going to stay there for a week, but as of yesterday I am up to 4 weeks lol. I have a ton of friends and my school is there. Lucky for me my sister loves me and wants me to stay a long time. Plus she has never met buggy. Last time I saw her was about 3 months prior to having buggy. Once we are done there we are going to take a small side trip to California to see some old church friends and to go to the happiest place on earth DISNEYLAND! It will be buggy's first time and I can't wait. I do wish hubby would be there for it,but I'm sure we'll have plenty of chances to go. Then we will finally make our way to Tennesse which is where hubby's family is. I plan to stay about a week to two weeks with them, so buggy knows her mimi and her aunt stephanie and uncle terry. Then we will be in Georgia for the duration. I'm not sure if I want to work or not. It would be great to because it would be extra money to save, but then it goes back to having to put buggy in daycare which I hate the thought of. Either way I am truely excited at the prospect of a long fun vacation.

My body hurts in places I didn't know I had muscles in.

I had my first session with my trainer today. He begins by telling me today will be an easy day. I want to make sure you come back the next time. I think telling me this was a mistake. By the end of the session I was sweating in places I didn't know you could sweat. My arms felt like jello and I could barely walk down the stairs. I do have to say I feel really good though. Yes I am sore and I feel weak, but my mood is really good and I feel like I am breathing better. Is that possible?

We did a lot of arms today which is good because I'd like to get them toned out as fast a possible. Once we are done he says " now comes the fun stuff." I can tell he's being sarcastic. He takes me over to were all the exercise balls are and grabs a small one. Sits it up against the wall and shows me exactly what he wants me to do. So like he showed me I put the ball against the wall and then against the small of my back and begin to squat. I do like 6 or 7 and as I am in the squatting position he says ok freeze. FREEZE are you kidding me! I'm in the sitting position, I am 80 lbs over weight and I already feel like I'm going to drop dead any second. But freeze is what I did until he told me I could begin squatting again. This went on over and over again for about 5 min. Man oh man was something so small so hard. All in all I think he's gonna be an awesome trainer. He is realistic and seems to know what he's doing. The best part came at the end. He says to me ok well we are done for today and we'll get you set up for next time. So I'm thinking at this point yes I can go home and relax until I go to work at 2. NOPE! He then proceeds to tell me " so once your done with our workouts I want you to get on a cardio machine and do 30 min, but your heart rates needs to stay between 155 and 160. CRAP! I don't know where I found the energy, but I did what he told me. I got on an eliptical and went for 30 min. Its took me 10 min just to hit 155 and every ounce of being in my body to stay there the other 20 min. I have a feeling I'm going to start seeing my weight drop off pretty quick. If not I'm good with it coming off slow as well :)

Let them eat QUICHE!

What does a busy mother of 1 feed her family for breakfast? To be honest in our household its everyone for themselves, except of course buggy. She usually gets a tasty breakfast of berries or some type of fruit, or sausage and toast. My problem is that doing for yourself means more grocery bills than if we just made one meal. The second problem I have is that my husband and I are both trying to lose weight and so what ever is made has to be healthy. So I'm sitting at the grocery store trying to come up with healthy ideas when the lite pops on! (DING) Quiche?! Its fast simple and for the most party healthy. My husband loves eggs so why not. So this morning I made a very lovely sausage, cheese, and spinach quiche. Its turned out pretty good and I figured this could be a good way to get us all around the breakfast table and eating healthy. Now I just need a few more ideas so put in the quiche so it doesn't get boring.

Sunday morning blahs

I would like to know why we can't start spring like the other half of the country. I'm tired of the cold and want it to be at least warm enough for me not to have to wear a jacket. Yesterdays high was a wopping 49 degrees, while my friends and family in other parts of the country get 75 and 80. Oh well I guess thats what I get for moving to the north.

I love having a sunday off. I don't know why its any different from any other day, but there is just something about Sundays. I have no plans as of right now, but I do at some point want to make my way to the grocery store and also to the gym. I've laid off the cardio a lot and really started weights but I'm not seeing the reults I thought I would. Part of that may have to do with the fact that I'm not eating nearly healthy enough. UGG I hate to diet or watch what I eat. Why does it have to be so much harder the older you get.? I've got to find the motivation I had a few months ago. Summer is coming and I am determined that this year I'm wearing shorts. I haven't worn shorts in years, because I carry a lot of my weight in my legs and can't ever find shorts that fit both my thighs and my waist comfortably. Anyone know any good exercises for the lower region of your body?

I'd like to break your damn computer!

I'd like to break my husbands computer! The man spends all his free time on it, playing his stupid video games. He leaves in just a few months for Basic training and he chooses to spend his time talking to people in other states he doesn't know and playing video games. I don't get it. I don't expect him to be with me and Buggy every min, but he's been playing the same game ALL day long. Only time he has stopped is to cook dinner and eat. It took him exactly 3.5 minutes to inhale his dinner so he could go back in there and continue to play. How does a wife compete? How do I get him to see that he's over doing it on the computer? To make matters worse he and I had asked his grandmother to come and visit us and he has spent zero time with her. She seems to be ok, but its driving me nuts. I would be so angry in her position.

Sittin at and airport in Phoenix

My work trip eneded today and so I made my way to the airport, dropped off my rental care, and then found myself at the gate over and hour and a half early. I'd always rather be early then late. So out popped the lap top and I just kinda fiddle faddled around the internet and then I noticed the gate kiosk said they were overbook and looking for volunteers. I figured hey I dont' have to work again for 3 days lets see what they are offering. I ask if they still need volunteers and the lady told me they did that I would be put on another flight that would get in only 3 hours later then my own and I would get a 500 dollar voucher for it. How could I turn that down. My husband and I want to take a trip before he leaves for basic to see his grandmother and his sister. How perfct would this be. Unfortunatley in the time between me volunteering and the time the plane left the seat I was supposed to be on the other flight was sold. UH OH! Of course the air line was going to be as accomodating as possible. I am now booked on first class for tonight going to Portland and then they are putting me up for the night and I fly home first thing in the morning. Not ideal, but do able. First class doesn't hurt my feelings either. Dinner was also on them. Thanks U.S. airways.

All in all a good trip. I learned a ton about my new job and the trainer told me he wished he could talk me into moving to Phoenix and being part of his staff. I'd say a very good compliment. At the end of the day my trainer handed me a Bear condo (as we call them) inside was a bear I had stuffed myself the prior day with a little graduation cap and gown and a little honors rob. I couldn't have been happier. What a great way to end a great week. I made new friends, learned a ton about work and for the first time in a long time wasn't stressed out about my job, life, etc.

Missing home!

I just started a new job, and lucky me I get to train in another state. Basically a free trip to Pheonix. I flew in yesterday morning and then had a quick workout and off to work I went. It was a good day and I really took home a lot of cool idea's for my store. I was fine the whole day until I got off and went back to the hotel. Immediatly I started missing Buggy and Billy. I called and talk to them for awhile or at least Billy. Buggy's new thing is NO so when daddy asked her to come talk to mommy on the phone it was just NO NO NO over and over again. I know its not personal it never really is at that age, but it still makes me feel kinda bad. I miss them a lot. We don't spend much time apart. I guess this is something I'll have to get used to especially once Billy goes to Basic training. Today should be another interesting day of training today, hopefully it will go faster than last night.

The weather sucks and so does my attitude this morning

I seem to be having one of those days were you wake up on the wrong side of the bed. I'm cranky and irritated with everything. Like the fact that my husband who is supposed to be dieting to lose weight to get his butt into the army decided to take a trip to QFC last night and get red velvet cake! Uggg its hard enough for me to stay away from stuff like that when its at the grocery store, but now I have to have it eyeball me every time I go into the kitchen! Silly I know, but I have a weekness for sweets and I feel like I'm being sabotaged along with my husband sabotaging himself. I'm being strong and haven't touched it, but I'm annoyed lol. I cooked myself a few pieces of sausage (3 carbs total) and and stack of medium chedder cheese, hopefully that will get rid of the nagging in my head to eat the cake. I am going to quickly finish my breakfast and go to the gym. I have found in the last few weeks that the gym is a good place to go get uncranky (is that a word). So I will make the windy, rainey, and cold trek to 24 hour fitness and work out for at least an hour.

I know I haven't talked about it much since I started blogging, but I am obese. That word makes me cringe, but that is what I am. I have always been overweight, but in the last 10 years (since highschool) I have become obese. I topped out at 306 a few months after my daughter was born and its taken me 2 years to realize I have to do something about it now! I had orginally planned to have gastric bypass, but through out the process there was always something in the back of my mind telling me not to do it. So they day of the surgery came I went to the hospital got all ready to go and then decided I wasn't making the right decision. For some reason I just felt I could do it on my own. To date I have lost 27 lbs, but I had got down 34 lbs. The last few weeks I have completely gone off my diet. I have been exercising, but for me that is no help. I know I will always struggle with my weight, but I really need to get down to a decent size. Its hard to have to only eat certain foods espeically when I work near so many good food places. I am starting my diet again today. I do low carbs (no more than 30 grams per day) and only drink water or iced tea with sweat and low. It works well for me if I follow it, but its hard to fight temptation to have good food. My current goal is to get to my prepregnancy weight fo 252 so as of today I have 27 lbs to do it in. I hope I can stick to the diet long enough to see that goal realized.

Oh what a day or few days!

Monday was a big day for me. After working for the same company for 9 and a half years I finally found a new job. Monday was my first day. I am now working for an awesome company. I spend my day making children smile. I play with them help them pick out clothes for their teddy bears and go out of my way to make them happy. Its great. I spend my day smiling and being silly and hearing these wonderful stories of their little lives. If you haven't figured it out I am working and Build a bear workshop. Its such a fun job I can't even describe. My first few days of training have been informative. I've learned how to stuff a bear and sew him up in the back, how to add sound and do a heart cerimony. Its great! My daughter is in love also. She is a big build a bear fan and has many to date. I can only imagine how many more will become part of our family.

This is a picture of Buggy's latest build a bear creation.

We call her Lolly Monkey

As it says in my last few blogs buggy and I both ended up pretty sick last week. Thankfully the medication given to us by our doctors kicked in right away. Buggy's 102 temperature died its last death last night and I am finally starting to get my voice back. My husband is a tad disappointed he says the house has been so peaceful without my screaming at him lol. Ahh what does he know! Unfortunatley us canceling the nanny on Monday because Buggy was sick seemed to have pissed her off and she told me today that she is no longer going to watch Buggy for us, so its back to the drawing board about who is going to watch her. Oh well I guess another one bites the dust. Nannies don't say around to often, because my and my husbands works schedules change week to week. Its hard when you work in retail or service industry.

Last night as I was going to bed I went to open a window in my room and what do I see around the windows seals? MOLD! I don't know how long its been growing but all 3 windows in my room have mold growing around them, also one in my living room and its starting to grow in the window in my daughters room. I have taken pictures and called my landlord. They are supposed be sending someone to clean it up and take care of it, but we'll see how that goes. I am going to write them a formal letter and send it certified mail in case the don't properly take care of it. I hope I'm not going to have to fight to get it properly taken care of. Only time will tell.

Well its only Tuesdays and I'm ready for the weekend. I'm tired, happy, tired and ready to relax. Hope everyone elses week is going good!

Sick kid, sick family!

Today was eventful. My 2 year old daughter came down with a moderate fever last night. We filled her with the usual tylenol and a temped bath and it came down. To bed she went were she slept through the night, but woke up early back up in the 101/102 range. She was playing and happy all day with her moderate temp until finally about 2 o' clock I went back to her room to check on her because she had been playing in there most of the day and what do I find in the middle of the hall way, Buggy! She had taken her diaper off (something she does often as we are in the middle of potty training) and was laying face down on the floor. I of course had a heart attack and quickly ran to her. She popped right up and said "diaper mommy...my back hurts" After taking her temperature for the 10oth time I made the decision that it was time for the ER. We get there and immediatly they start taking temperatures, asking questions, and feeling her neck and back. She hates every min and couldn't help but let us know. She is a daddy's girl so of course daddy had to hold her the entire time. I love watching him with her. They decide that because she had been complaining about her back hurting that maybe it was a kidney infection so they needed a urine sample. Its not like they can just hand a unpotty trained two year old a cup and say go pee in this. What that means is a small catheter is place in the bladder to get the urine. Wow oh wow was she not happy and I can't say that I blame her. Luckily it was quick and easy, but they still had an x-ray they wanted. Daddy went with her and it was over in a flash. They found a upper respitory virus and a possible urinary tract infection. They prescribed some medicine and sent her home with (in her words) a siclepop and a beanie baby. She was happy camper and seemed to perk right up when told she could say buh bye. We are home and she still has a moderate fever, but she's in a great mood running all over in nothing but her diaper and eating all the sisclepops she wants. Anyone have any suggestions how to get rid of a fever. We are doing tylenol and temped baths, but it keeps popping back up.

Jaden afte we got home from the ER

(Doesn't look sick does she?)

Going to the gym

As I put in my last blog my husband sold his little beater car and we are now a one car family. Unfortunatley for me that means my normal gym routine is out the door. I would have left my 11am this morning to go to the gym, dropped the bug and day care and had 2 wonderful hours to get out the energy, frustration, stress, and yucky sickness I've had for the last 4 days. Now I have to come up with a new plan. I thought about throwing Jaden in the stroller and walking the probably 2 miles to the gym, but by the time I get there that will have been a workout not to mention I would have to walk all the way back completely up hill which again is another workout on its own and I'm affriad I would be over doing it. So I guess I'll have to run to the gym the minute Billy gets home from work so then he can go after me. We have been going together which is awesome and I suppose on weeknights we can still do that. I'm sure it will all work itself out. I do have to say I am extremely proud of my husband. He for at least as long as I have known him only ever wanted to lift weights at the gym, but because he has to lose weight to join the army and has to run a mile in under 9 min he is really started focusing more on the cardio side of his workout. I have always been more of a cardio person when I worked out. Unfortunatley for me for many years I did nothing and became very sedentary. Thats how I gained 110 lbs in 9 years. It took me going to a playground with buggy and not being able to go down a slide to realize I have a big problem. Since then I have cute out the crap food and I am at the gym at least 5 days a week for no less than an hour. I love the crossramp and the eliptical trainer and try and switch out both when I am working out. I am determined this is the year I lose the weight and I've got a good start at it. I don't want my daughter thinking its ok to just sit around eating junk and watching TV.

First step in a long journey.

My husband is getting ready to join the army so we are slowly scaleing back, because once he gets his first post we don't want to have to move a ton of crap around. So tonight he sold his little beater Toyota Corolla. We are back to being a one car family. I hate the thought because my husband often times goes to work long before I do. I am back to getting up at 530am to get my husband to work by 7am. I know that it won't matter in a few months when he leaves for basic, but that seems so far away. I've noticed I have a hard time letting things go. I hated that car so why would I be so darned sad that its gone lol. Ok as I am writing I am decideing I refuse to be sad. We are making moves towards the positive and not having the convience of two cars is just a small part of our journey.

I hate being sick

So I woke up yesterday morning with a horrible cough. It progressively got worse through out the day until I had completely lost my voice. I feel fine with the exception of the nasty cough and not being able to talk. No fever, no aches or pains. I don't know what it could be. I am going to try and get into a doctors office today. I am hoping its not bronchitis. I am hacking up so pretty nasty stuff. I just hope I don't give it to my husband or buggy the last thing we can afford right now is for all of us to be sick. I start a new job on monday and as of the 31st we have zero insurance for a month. I guess its good this happend sooner rather than later. Lucky for me I was supposed to work one last day at my job, but with the crud I have thats not gonna happen. I'm sure it will piss off my boss, but oh well not like it will affect my life anymore. So off to doctor Palmer I go. Hope things turn out good. Wish me luck!

Blog World here I come!

Well I guess when writing a blog you should probably introduce yourself. My name is Kandice and I am a wife and mother of 1 very tenacious 2 year old nicknamed Buggy or Buggalicious. I've decided to start a blog more as a diary of my life events than anything else.

My husband Billy is starting the journey of joining the Army. I'm excited, nervous, scared, crazed you name it I am it. The reaction to this news has been mixed. Many are happy for us and excited, but many are asking "are you crazy we are in the middle of a war". All I can say to that is he feels a sense of duty to his country and in this economy many have to do what they have to do. Luckily he is going in as a wheel mechanic which I hope means he won't see to much action. I guess only time will tell. Billy is a big wierdo. This is what attracted him to me. A nerd at heart he tries to potray mans man who doesn't cry and spits and is the rock, but deep down he's a softy especially for those little hazzle eyes of buggy. A good father isn't even the word to describe him. He's attentative, loveable, strict, and her bestfriend. I couldn't have asked for a better husband or father.

Buggalicous

This is my crazy buggy. She my little bundle of energy and words. Talking is what she best at and even though I can't understand what she says I can't help but hang on her every word. She has changed my world and I couldn't be happier about it. I didn't realize till she was born what unconditional love really was. She has everyone in her life wrapped around her little finger.

Life is crazy and I can't wait to see what happens next.