Pinkeye

For the last couple of weeks, I've started to confirm that I get spring allergies.  The pollen count has been high and my eyes have been itchy and watery.  On Tuesday, I awoke to the familiar feeling of crusty, puffy eyes.  I went to the bathroom mirror and confirmed my suspicion - looking back at me are two red, angry eyes with yellow crusts in the corners and puffy eyelids.  I stayed home and called the doctor.  At the appointment, I was awarded a prescription for what the doctor referred to as "liquid gold," antibiotic eye drops costing around $22 after insurance.  I was also told to start taking an OTC allergy medicine and to come back if that didn't solve my problem.

Now I deal with South Park jokes and grumpily wear my glasses to work for the next 7-10 days.  If I had makeup, I would have to throw it out.  I already tossed my disposable contacts.  Now I need to make an eye doctor appointment sooner rather than later.  I have only one more pair of contacts.

And my head hurts from all the screen time at work.  So I'll stop blogging now and go rest my eyes before I head that direction.

Not posting weight anymore.

So I don't think I can go ahead with posting my weight anymore.  It's too depressing.  This morning I gained another 1.5 pounds.  Do the math.  I'm not happy about it.

Broken Pedometer

I finally put a new battery in my pedometer about a month or two ago.  And then last night, my pedometer stopped working.  The display went blank.  Now, the first battery lasted quite a while.  I can't believe I need to buy a new battery already.  So I think it's the pedometer.  I really like this pedometer, too.

I actually hadn't had the pedometer on for a while (because of the dead battery) and had started tracking again.  Only to find that I'm moving so much less than this time last year (on average about 2-3,000 steps fewer). That's likely one reason why I have gained so much weight.  So I need the pedometer to hold me accountable.  Guess I'm doing some online shopping.

Supportive Husband

Husband went grocery shopping last night and brought home the fixings for "noodles and garbage" for tonight's dinner.  He brought home Subway for dinner last night.  We both worked toward getting into bed just after 10 p.m., too.  He didn't last long upstairs and came back down to the recliner, but it was nice having him in bed for a little while.

295 lbs.

I'm going up again.  I said something to Husband.  His response?  "You need to look at your weight loss over the whole month, not just one week."  It was an extremely sensitive comment.  But my brain says, "Of course he can say that!  He's been consistently losing weight!"  Instead, I say, "Yes, but I've actually GAINED 1/2 a pound since we started!"  He says, "Oh.  Well we are coming off a holiday."  There's ALWAYS going to be a holiday, or a birthday, or some special occasion.

Then I share with him that I weight 43 pounds more right now than I did this time last year.  His response?  "That's a lot."  Um, yeah.  So he goes into "fix it" mode.  Which is what we need.  "Who's cooking dinner tonight, then?"  Well, there's no food in the house because we didn't have time this weekend to go grocery shopping.  So Subway for dinner it is and one of us will be going out shopping after the kids go to bed.

Ultimately, our issue is that we need to plan better.  Eat at home more.  Exercise.  None of which are we doing.  I have NO idea how he's been able to lose weight with all the jelly beans and chocolate he's been eating from the boys' Easter baskets.  Well, instead of being depressed and wanting to eat, I'm going to try to rededicate this week.  Let's hope for a positive return next week.

Taxes

I don't mind paying taxes.  That might sound wrong, but I appreciate the services I receive from my local governments.  My family has benefitted in the past (and in some cases, currently) from government-sponsored programs.  As a child, government cheese was a staple in our diet.  Now that I'm making decent money, I feel like I'm paying back for what I received.

However, I hate the process.  My husband has taken on the job of doing the taxes for the last many years of our marriage.  And he hates it.  He gets particularly upset when we owe money at the end of the year.  Which is the case this year.  Between federal, state, city, and school district taxes, we had to pay $3,300 this year.  That's a lot.  The good news is that we can afford it because my bonus check conveniently was paid on the 12th.  Next year, however, the bonus check likely won't be that fantastic and we shouldn't count on it to pay our taxes.  Which is why he needs to adjust his witholdings and we need to maybe consider talking to a tax advisor.  I shouldn't have mentioned that last night while he was figuring out our city bill (our city doesn't let us count all of the money we pay in the city we work if it's not the city we live in).  He went ballistic.  Oh well.

Husband gets depressed and sad every single time he does taxes.  He wants the big refund.  Personally, I would rather not give a no-interest loan to the government.  However, when we didn't get as big a refund last year, I went ahead and adjusted my withholdings.  Good thing I did - or we would owe even more this year.  I don't understand Husband, though.  I think he feels entitled to a refund and when we don't get one he is let down.  Though the bill this year is huge.  We need to make adjustments for next year.  Or I need to start hoarding money again as a contingency plan.

294.5 lbs.

Well, the 1.5 pounds found me again.  This last week has been stressful.  Not that I should use that as an excuse.  I just know that it was easier to fall back on old habits.  When we don't have time, we don't grocery shop.  We don't plan.  We eat out.
Last week, particularly over the weekend, I've been pretty stressed about work.  My annual processes are culminating - today's actually a big day.  On Friday, my family drama was added to my stress.  My mom is in the hospital and they don't know why she's having lung and heart issues.  They're running lots of tests.  I hope to hear more today.  Oh, and she's being evicted as well.  Not sure about all the specifics there, but my mom is a hoarder and that doesn't make her a great tenant for most places. She also lives with two smokers and I'm sure that isn't helping her lung and heart issues.  However, my mom is an adult and responsible for her choices.  I have to remind myself that.  Over and over and over.  Still worried about her, though. 

292.5 pounds - a 1.5 lb weight loss!

I'm surprised.  I was good last week - until Friday/Saturday/Sunday.  It was Easter weeekend - all that candy.  Plus I had a trip to and from Cleveland with the boys alone.  On the road, we do fast food.  We had my niece's birthday party - I only had ice cream and no cake.

On Sunday, we had cinnamon rolls for breakfast.  Then we went to my father-in-law's for dinner.  Traditional Easter dinner at my father-in-laws consists of:  roasted asparagus (yum!), Honeybaked Ham (yum!), kugelas (traditional Lithuanian potato/onion/bacon casserole served with salt and sour cream - yum!), applesauce, and Husband's grandmother's special Easter cake.  I feel stuffed just listening to the meal.  Imagine how I was after eating it! 

So, I'm surprised by the weight loss.  But I tried really hard during the week.  Since I lost weight, I'm not disheartened.  This morning, I was going to have my "usual" breakfast, but instead made the breakfast sandwich from the Biggest Loser cookbook.  Then I'll cut up some strawberries.  And I'll pack my lunch.

Maybe this week I'll start incorporating some exercise? Husband did order an appropriate extension cord for the treadmill for the basement.  That might help. . . I hope it comes in soon.

Missing my mommy alone time

I wake up at 5:30 a.m. every day.  I get my shower.  This morning, as I was about to put shampoo in my hair, there is a pounding on my door.  It was Igor.  He was awake and wanted to come in to brush his teeth.  I told him to go back to bed.

As I'm getting ready to blow dry my hair, Husband comes up for his shower.  Igor is ready to come in to brush his teeth again.  Husband lets him.  Hannibal cries from his room, so Husband goes to get him (still not showered).  Igor wants the big light turned off while he brushes his teeth because it's too bright.  Did I mention that I'm trying to blow dry my hair?

Husband brings back Hannibal and tells me Hannibal is "poopy."  And apparently it's been there awhile.  So, we get him changed while he screams.  I argue with Igor that his toothpaste tube was not empty and why did he throw it away?  I pack my toiletries for the trip to visit my sister this evening.  I'm taking the kids alone and leaving Husband behind. 

So now the kids are downstairs, done eating breakfast, with half an hour before Iago comes down to watch them.  Husband is just getting his shower.  And I have missed out on my precious, recharging, mommy alone time.  Oh well.