Custom Orders

I managed to squeeze a few hours into my sewing room over the last week so I could do up some custom orders. 

These booties were ordered for newborn twin girls.  White deer hide, grey rabbit and lined with fleece.

Beaver gauntlet mittens for an RCMP officer.  Moose hide, beaver and lined with pile.  I added a strap with D-rings to cinch them on tight.

Stall, Stall, Stalling.

I knew that a stall hits most people in and around month five after weight loss surgery.  And it seems I am no exception to the rule.

For just over two weeks I have been stuck at my 69lbs loss.  Normally each month I have a 7-10 day stall where I feel bloated and miserable (typical woman, eh?).  But then right after that mini stall the weight keeps coming off.  Except this month.  Nothing.  No movement.  I am still eating well (minus the apple pie day where I chose to have a small slice of apple pie for pretty much all of my meals that day), still going to the gym three times a week, and still doing squash 1-2 times a week. 

MOVE SCALE BEFORE I THROW YOU AWAY!

I know, I know.  The scale doesn't tell the entire tale.  Inches... inches.  Yes they are still coming off.  But dammit I want to hit 70lbs!

Macaroni Madness!

I found a neat recipe for colouring pasta that could be used for crafting.  The boys and I gave it a go a few days ago.  They helped me measure and pour in the ingredients then squish the bags to mix it all together.  A very easy crafting activity that young kids can definitely help their parents do!

Coloured Pasta:
2 cups pasta, quarter cup isopropyl alcohol (rubbing alcohol), and 10 drops of food colouring. Mix in a zip lock bag and flip over every half hour for a few hours.  Then empty out the bags overnight to dry.  I laid mine out on dish towels since I thought it might stick to any paper surface.

Six colours of macaroni!

Dry and ready to go the next morning.

Little boys excited to glue macaroni down onto their train pictures.

A great fine motor building activity!

Hunter loved arranging the macaroni whereas Cavan preferred squishing out the glue!

A happy crafter!

Next we are going to dye rigatoni pasta for necklace making!  I might try using the Wilton gel colours in the next batch to see if we can get the colours a bit more vibrant.

Surprise Visit and More Good News

On Friday afternoon I was looking out my window as I was closing the curtains for quiet time and was stunned when I realized I was looking out at my mother's vehicle!  She had drive up from Dawson Creek for a surprise visit.  It was perfect timing.  I have been single-parenting for the last two months and am wiped right out and it is also spring break! 

She just left today and we had a fabulous week!  Relaxing?.... no, not at all.  Productive?.... holy crap yes!  People think that I am a busy bee, but I am nothing compare to my mother.  While she was here we rearrange the entire basement to make room for the three shelving units she gave us.  My sewing room was completely pulled apart and is amazing now!  I have a bulk food storage spot now and my guest room actually looks decent for guests now.  Furniture was moved and the vacuum went into overdrive.  We made 75lbs of sausage and canned 38 pints of moose meat.  I learned how to sew a zipper into my fur muffs and mom made the boys each two new pairs of pajamas.  She hung up all of the art work and pictures that have been off the wall for almost a year.  Then there was book reading, seed planting, skating, back yard bonfire, lots of baking and cooking, and crafting.  I think I am more exhausted now, but completely worth it!

The boys are pretty upset that she had to leave today.  Matt also had to head out for three days to a course for work.  We are just lazing around today and the boys are both a bit sick, so I feel fine with our sloth day. 

And more good news!  Matt will be covering a term position in Faro that starts the middle of June and could last sometime up to a year.  It means no travel to other communities for a while!  Yippeee!  He still has some travel over the next couple of months, but it is sure nice that we will get a bit of a reprieve from it.  The last two months of him being gone for work has been hard on all of us.  The ultimate goal is for Matt to have a permanent position that would keep him in Faro all of the time.  However, we are thankful that he does have a permanent position even if it means travel.

 Here are a few pictures from our week:

Bonfire in the backyard this weekend!  We dug out the fire pit and enjoyed the -4C weather.

The boys helping us make sausage.

Hunter reading his book to Grandma.

Apple pie baking!

Five Months- What A Difference!

Update Time!

On October 1st, I started my pre-surgery diet plan.  That day I weighed in at 319lbs.  So disheartening. 

Five months later, four and 10 days since I had my bariatric surgery, I now weight exactly 250lbs.  I have lost 69lbs so far on this journey!  I know some people believe that surgery is the easy way out, and I just wish those people could spend a day with me and see that it truly isn't.  I still have to weight, measure and track every bite of food that goes into my mouth.  I am changing life long habits and addictions.  I am learning how to deal with stress and other emotions without eating and it is hard.  Really hard.  But I am doing it and I am excelling at it!

I am really proud of my achievement this month.  The gym and I have become best friends over the last five weeks.  Three times a week I have been down there strength training.  I have also been to the squash court twice and bought myself a membership so I can go more often.  The results have already been impressive!  The inches are really coming off.  I will do a post soon on what exercises I have been doing.

Here are my original measurements, then the ones from the middle of January and last the ones done today:
Chest has gone from 51" to 47.5" to 45"
Waist has gone from 52" to 48.25" to 45.5"
Hips have gone from 64" to 59" to 55.5"
Upper arms have gone from 17" to 16" to 15.5"

My hips are really shrinking!  I have lost 8.5" just off my hips.  I love it!  I am seeing a lot more muscle tone in my arms and shoulders.  I guess even just being able to bench press a measly 55lbs is doing the trick!

This months pictures were really shocking to me.  The difference has become so noticeable!  I am really curious how I will look once I get another thirty pounds off and hit one hundred down.

The day before surgery at 308lbs.

Tuesday morning at 252lbs.

2013: Chilkoot

A friend has asked me to hike the Chilkoot trail in 2013....  and I said sure.

Panic!

Here is what the website says about the trail:

The Chilkoot should only be attempted by persons who are physically fit and experienced in hiking and backpacking. It should not be attempted by novice hikers. Individuals who have previously injured their ankles, knees or back, or who have chronic pain frequently experience flare-ups while hiking the Chilkoot. To avoid unnecessary problems test your strength and endurance on shorter, less demanding overnight trips prior to hiking the Chilkoot. Hiking with a partner or small group is preferable.

Physically fit.
Experienced in hiking.

I am none of those things.  But it sure does give me a goal now doesn't it?

This morning a friend from Whitehorse put this quote of facebook:  

"A man would do nothing, if he waited until he could do it so well that no one would find fault with what he has done." —Cardinal Newman

While she was talking about performing musically, I have found that it applies to so many situations in my life as I reflected on it today.  Even to this idea of a week long hike.  I am scared shitless of the idea, but I want to do it so badly.  I could have come up with a heap of excuses not to do it, but I said yes.  

 This is something I could have never done at over 300lbs.  But at 250 and dropping fast, I know I can get my body ready for it.

 Now I am going to have to come up with a training plan for this adventure!  Send all advice my way. 

Thank you Jill for giving me something so amazing to look forward to. 

Departure.

This is going to be a sad week for us and the kids.  Some close friends of ours who have lived in Faro for the last three years are heading back to Ontario.  I have been trying to prepare Hunter for their leaving, but the poor kid just bursts into tears anytime I mention it.  And me?  Well I just try to pretend it isn't happening so I won't burst into tears!

It has been a fantastic three years with the Autio family.  Nicole had written me after finding my blog when her husband decided to accept a transfer to Faro from Ontario.  We wrote a lot back and forth before their big move.  I was really excited since they had two children right around Hunter's age.  I have run into my fair share of people who write me after finding the blog and then move to the community I am in.  Some of those people turn into friends, some acquaintances, and others that I wish had never wrote to me!  Thankfully, Nicole and I become close friends as did our kids.

For the last three years our kids have grown rather close.  They have all attended playgroup together and now Hunter, Tomas and Maija are all in kindergarten.  There have been numerous trips to Fish Eye Lake to play in the sand and water, even more visits to the playgrounds in town and lots of runs down the sliding hills together.

On Saturday we had a big going-away party for the kids at the rec centre.  What a turn out!  Happy kids everywhere.  I sure hope we have helped send them out on a happy note!

Faro is going to seem rather empty without them after these three years of fun.  Thanks for everything Autio Family!  We wish you the best of luck in your move and new start.

Our little kids!!  Summer 2009- Tomas and Maija are side by side on the right.  Hunter is the green hat on the left.

Hunter and Maija at Fish Eye Lake 2009.  It was so cold and they didn't care at all!

Playgroup fun!  Who needs toys when you have a friend and a rubbermaid.

Hunter, Tomas, Maija and Cavan