Whatcha Eating Today VSGers? Tuesday 11/28/17

Morning! It's supposed to be 50 degrees today, but currently, it's only 5. I hope it starts warming up super quickly so I can enjoy the walk over to the fitness center. I forgot my earbuds yesterday, so never got in a run. Tomorrow I'm taking the day off work to volunteer at the Scholastic Book Fair at my kid's school. I've always wanted to work in a bookstore!

QOTD: Do you participate in any 'giving' programs at Christmas? Do you drop money for the Salvation Army Bell Ringers? Donate to Toys for Tots? Maybe a local program? I have taken five names off the Angel Tree for girls who are 4, 5, 6 and 15. I managed to buy a large lot of Shopkins from a deal site that I can split up among the little ones. Then, I have two Coach wallets (from the outlet, paid less than $20 for them) that I planned to use as giveaways for my business but never did. I'm going to give those to the 15-year-olds. We also ask our kids to play secret Santa to someone who isn't family. The only rule is that they can not ever tell them who are they. They have to secretly deliver the gift and move on.

10 months post-op/Maintenance/131.9lbs

M1: Coffee, PP, Miralax, HC

M2: Fage Total w/ SF Pudding Mix and Walnuts

M3: Turkey & Cheese

M4: Boneless, Skinless Chicken Thigh w/ Brussels & Squash

M5: Yogurt w/ PB

E: 2-mile run at the fitness center

Good morning! It's currently 40 degrees here, but it'll climb to about 68 by noon. Mississippi is notorious for its warm, balmy winter days.

QOTD: I make food baskets with small gifts for the families at my school that struggle the most. I work in an extremely poverty stricken area. Usually I do small earbuds, power banks, phone chargers, books for the readers, $10 gift cards, anything a teen or preteen would like. This year I won't be able to do as many because I'll be paying for my surgery in 2 weeks. I'm sad about it, but sometimes that's how things work out.

We donate most of our extra belongings and time to a local Domestic Violence Shelter that helps abused women and children.

I never donate to the Salvation Army because of the way they treat and charge the people in their shelters and their anti-LGBT political maneuvering.

B: premier protein shake

L: canned chicken 5 oz. with a sliced cucumber

D: remaining canned chicken and steamed veggies

S: 2/3 cup Greek nonfat yogurt

(Already 16 oz. of water!)

Good morning - it's cold here too - regret not wearing a winter coat.

QOTD: We have a giving tree at work and yesterday I read through the tags that were left. I picked a 15 year old boy who asked for a coat and sweater - it made me so sad. I was thrilled to take advantage of the fact that it was cyber monday and bought him a warm lands end coat and 2 sweaters! I also always donate to salvation army red kettle as that was my mother's favorite and i do it in memory of her.

B: cheerios in the car -dry (not a good idea as it is not satisfying and I don't mentally feel like I had breakfast)

L: homemade soup

D: leftover turkey

S: cheesecake tart - thank goodness this is the end of them!

E: walk the dog

L/V - working on it

I LOVE that you chose a teenager from the giving tree. They are so often overlooked by others, and it makes me sad when they just ask for basic necessities as well. :-)

Good morning all! Hubby is not working today so today will be honey-do heaven for me and honey-do h3ll for him.

QOTD: Traditionally, I had helped organize (through my previous job) an angel tree for senior citizens in nursing homes that have little to no family. Just like teens they are often forgotten. We also give all our extra 'stuff' to the Salvation Army. I have a unique perspective on SA due to my brother being a recipient of their services. They offer second (third, fourth, and so on...) chances for persons with addiction issues. The program is not easy, but those who graduate have a chance to mend old relationships and create new lives. My brother was not successful, but that was on him, not the program.

M1: Smoked Turkey

M2: Soft boiled egg

M3: Smoked Turkey with some little tomatoes

M4: Skipping

M5: Blue crab salad with ParmCrisps

S: Jerky and/or Kay's Protein Pretzels

E: Nope, but hubby will be working out today.

Water (really good!) and vits on track

Good morning! I have my first therapy appointment today. I should have done this ages ago, but I was worried about the time and money. I have a weird free hour before the appointment. I think I'm going to run home and walk the dog. I was so exhausted this morning, I couldn't get up to do it before work.

QOTD - we do an angel tree with our church. It benefits a local school. I also give money to our school toy drive.

B - latte, cottage cheese

L - shrimp

S - protein shake

D - TBD - probably the last of the leftover turkey in some homemade stock

E - walk, leg day

Water and vitamins on track

Arghh... I had my post written, but never pressed submit! It is supposed to be in the low 80s today - pool time!

QOTD: We usually take some tags from the giving tree at DH's church. I enjoy buying for the little ones, but usually do a teen as well (since their tags go last).

1 year, 8 months post-op, maintenance:

B: eggbeaters, cottage cheese, and Canadian bacon

L: Sliced turkey and cheese

D: Leftover veal Parmesan

S: yogurt

Morning All!

QOTD: I participate in something called "Stuff the Bus" every year where one of our public transit busses parks outside of a Walmart until it is filled with gifts for kids in need.

B: 1.8 eggs, 2 turkey breakfast sausages

L: 3oz Spicy Thai Beef, 1/4c Mixed veggies

D: 3oz Cajun Chicken, 1/4c mixed veggies

S1: 3 Polenta Crisps, 1 Babybel Mozza, 55g Extra Lean Kolbassa

S2: Might add 2 tbsp of SF Cool Whip and 1/4c berries tonight for a treat.

This menu is basically the same all week due to extreme meal prepping. Lol.

Cal: 673kcal Protien: 78g Carb: 17g

Today started out weird. I slept well in Art's BED all night. Yay! Then I had planned to hang out in the antigravity chair I used for reconstructive surgery #1 recovery in Lance's room since today is a cleaning day and I needed to vacate the living room, but I couldn't make the thing work due to lack of leg strength!! So I'm in his bed instead, propped up with all the pillows. So on the one hand - great night of sleep - yay! On the other hand - really stressful morning - boo! And with my luck the cleaners won't come until 3pm anyway... since they're always super late on days I want them to be early and vice versa.

I'm mostly comfortable in Lance's bed, though. My butt started getting sore fairly quickly but I grabbed my Purple cushion and I'm hoping that'll help.

Still recovering. Happily changed my my follow up with my surgeon from 12/5 to 11/30 so I'll get to see him a few days earlier for a sanity check about my wound openings. And the countdown is on since I've got 25 days to heal before I leave for my winter vacation. I need to be able to drive something like 5 hours each way, and able to walk up and down about 4 stairs. (More stairs would be better, but 4 will be sufficient.) I already knew I wouldn't be able to hike with my family, but that's okay. I'd also really like to be able to cook by then! So far I've done zero cooking, zero driving, and 1 step. :P

QOTD: I don't do anything specifically around the holidays. I abhor the Salvation Army and their treatment of the LGBTQ population - so I definitely don't give to them! (Although I also don't go out of my way to be rude to the ringers.) I'm a fan of charitable giving throughout the year so I have monthly sustaining donations for both my local NPR stations (yay for having a partner with a commute that takes him through two major metropolitan areas), Planned Parenthood, ACLU, and NOW. (I feel like I'm forgetting one. They're all small, but I know every bit helps.) I also do one time donations throughout the year to causes for my friends (like if they shave their heads for St. Baldricks or do a charity race or whatever). I donate yearly to Walking with Nathaniel in loving memory of one of the best kids I ever babysat for and to support his family. And I tend to make donations (more and more every year it seems) to charities for friends in memory of their parents when they've died. And this reminds me that I want to try to set up a recurring donation to the hospice where my dad was in his last days - I should call and see if that's an option. I also feel like my entire education is a donation of sorts to hospice/aging care, since that's what I plan to do with my life. So.. yeah, that was a long answer! The short version is: I donate to things that matter to me and those I care about throughout the year.

I think it's awesome that you ask your kiddos to do anonymous secret santa-ing.

Since I'm "trapped" in Lance's room, my meals are all screwy today.

1: small packet of beef jerky
2: quest bar
3: depending on timing I'll have another quest bar, more beef jerky, or (hopefully) my regular morning protein shake
4: SUSHI! (Well, probably tuna tataki. I feel like it's been forever since we've had Japanese and cleaning day is not a good day for having something in the slow cooker.)

liquid and vites: yup! I always feel better when I'm taking my vites. Of course, part of that might be that I lump Vyvanse in with the vites and it really helps me to be the Gwen I want to be.

exercise: nope. Although getting in and out of bed is hard work. I hadn't really realized that Lance's bed is taller than Art's bed until this morning. Thank goodness for the step stool!

Good morning,

I've been busy since I got up, been to the laundromat, got it put away, and swept and mopped the kitchen and bathroom floor.

B egg mcmuffin

L tuna, cottage cheese and honeycrisp Apple

D chicken breast, little bit of stuffing, mashed potatoes and gravy, green bean casserole and seven layer salad

Have a good day