My ducks are lining up...I think...

I have almost all my ducks lined up...but in separate baskets...just in case. I also threw in a few chickens and a rabbit just to be on the safe side...getting organized in my life...is slowing working out.

I am still completed deleted off of Facebook. I deactivated it...and so far...so good. I also have insurance now, and have already scheduled drs visits for my knee, my hormone check and med check, and for my vision....as well as the dentist.

Yesterday I finished my 5th day of 12hr shifts...it was brutal. Actually it wasn't too bad, just the lack of sleep sucked. This week however...NO overtime! Super excited to get things done...or just read a book...or sleep...lol. I am hoping to go get my hair done today...and donate plasma, and maybe some chores done before the kids get home. Also I want to check out gym memberships...to help with staying in shape.

Wednesday I have a "date". This guy is a nice guy...so far. We have been chatting for a few weeks now, and met on Dec 30. He is older than I would normally go for. Typically I look for someone between 30-44...since I will be 34 in a few days...and he is 47. He has 3 boys too. However, they are 25, 19, and 4. Yes, little bit of an age difference...plus he has a 2 year old grandson.  I'm not sure what we are going to do yet. Thinking of a movie and dinner...but he said he will surprise me...so we will see :D

But I guess the big news from the weekend is turning down a first shift position. WHAT? I know, I know...but it wouldn't work out.

I went to work Friday night to find my position posted on the board. I had to ask why, since I haven't had an interview for any other position...and was hoping I wasn't being fired..lol. I was told that I received the 1st shift material position that I had applied for in September! I'm like...hmmm....would have been nice to remind me and make sure that NOW....4 months later, I would still be interested. I did spend all weekend thinking it over.  I had to make one of my favorite lists of pros and cons.

Pros:
Working 7a-3p M-F...no nights...no weekends...no holidays...and steady sleep pattern!

Cons:
Working 5 days instead of 3 days to LOSE $160 a month (losing shift differential pay).
Having to take days off if I need/have a drs appt.
Only having the weekends off to do everything.

Also I had applied for a management position, that I am really hoping I get.
Pros: Raise of $1-$2 an hour
Move up a little in the company
Less stress on my knees
Staying on 3rd shift
If I need to take a vacation I can use 24 hours and take off an entire week.
I will be working every other weekend...and the weekends I have off I will have my kids.
8 hours of Overtime on each paycheck guaranteed.

Cons: Back to working a 2-2-3 schedule...so sleeping will be messed up a little
Having to work during the week at 7pm and possibly missing sports games for the kids
Having to actually count to see what days I have off to schedule appts.

But whether I get the position or not...I'm happy where I am at. 4 months ago I would have jumped for joy for the 1st shift position. But now...now I'm used to it and it works great for me. I don't want to do it forever...but for now it works.

Until then, I have chores to do...errands to run....and a book to finish. Plus I have new bubble bath to try out....which may just take priority right now...as soon as I can find my rubber ducky!

Such a wonderful week....

It has been a long and crazy week. But I started the new year off great! I stayed over at my best friend (Janelle's) house...talking about crafting and everything under the sun. It was a wonderful way to end the year...and start a new one. Also I have worked the last 6 of 8 nights (off only Monday and Tuesday night), and I still have 3 more to go until I'm off again. Yea overtime...not...lol.

But I don't mind. I don't have my boys, and really don't want to clean...so I go to work and make some extra money...doing something I like...works for me. Save up as much as I can now, before overtime stops...if it does.

As far as my resolutions go...budgeting has been good! No real over spending...however I know it has only been a week...but still...so far so good. One of my big ones, was no fast food for the month of January. I did pick up Mc. D's on New Years Day, on the way home from Stevens Point...but that was with extra money I found...so I'm not counting it :D

Also I have been eating really healthy, with only a few minor setbacks. I have been portioning everything out, so that I don't over snack on stuff. For work, I have been bringing healthy snacks and drinking lots of water. I have been using the website www.eatingwell.com.  It is a FREE site with an interactive menu that allows you to click and drag recipes onto your calendar with all the info, plus a grocery list! I will post below which ones I have tried...and so far I have loved them all!

And the best thing...I weighed in on January 2 at 7am (I belong to a weight loss challenge at work. We weigh in every Friday right before 7am. $5 to join, and $.50 for every pound we gain. After a set challenge date, the winner wins the pot) and I was 252. I knew I had put on some weight over the holidays, but I didn't realize it was almost 10lbs! I believe I ended at around 245 right before Christmas.

HOWEVER...with careful snacking habits, more water, and walking around 5000 steps a day (I used to walk around 12000 a day with my old position...but now I drive a forklift, so I need to get off my butt more...lol)...I am DOWN...drum roll please...TEN POUNDS! Super excited! I was thinking maybe 5lbs...but 10...unheard of!

Even better...instead of celebrating by running to McD's...I went to the grocery store and picked up some more apples and oranges...and a few Lean Cuisines (they were on sale 6 for $10...perfect for this weekend, because I don't want to prep anything. I'm working five 12hr shifts in a row...I just finished night 2).

I know that the first few weeks you lose the most, so I am not expecting to lose that much again, but as long as the numbers get lower, I am happy! It is a great feeling! Plus I had binged a few times...eating a huge chocolate bar, and most of the kids chocolate from their stockings...and half a box of chocolate covered blueberries....but for the most part I was good...and it feels good!

So hopefully this weekend, things go good. I want to get back up to at least 10K steps each day this weekend, so that is my goal. Next week I did NOT pick up any overtime! It is my birthday on Thursday and I don't want to be at work this year. I get my boys an extra day so that will be nice. But now it is time to sleep...laundry is going and dishes are drying. Ok, I lied. But I dropped some clothes down the laundry chute, and I brought my dirty dishes in the kitchen...so that is a start..right? LOL

Well here are the recipes I promised.

RECIPES:
Detox water: This is to be added to 1 gallon of water. I used a plastic pouring container and doubled the recipe. This way I could make more and just dilute the water when I pour it into a water bottle.
1/2 Cucumber
1/2 Grapefruit
2 mint leaves
1 tangerine

Perfect Snack: This I found on the EatingWell website. I used smoked turkey lunch meat, instead of chunks of turkey. Also, I am not a Swiss cheese fan, but it tasted pretty good with it. I did double this and later rolled it up in a Whole Wheat tortilla to make it into more of a wrap (minus the apples of course).
1/8c (3/4oz) Cubed part-skim Swiss cheese
1/8c (1/2oz) cubed smoked turkey
1/2 apple
Calories per serving: 123.

Winter Fruit Salad: Absolutely delishish! LOVED this!!! The prep takes the longest, but I did it while catching up on my TV shows. Mixed it in a huge bowl. Made 8 servings for 3/4 each.
4 seedless oranges peeled
3 pink grapefruits peeled
1 pineapple, peeled, quartered, cored and sliced
2 star fruit, sliced
1 pomegranate worth of seeds
Calories per serving: 110

Scrambled Egg Burrito: I made this without the salsa and sour cream, since I don't like either of those. Very simple to make. This makes 4 servings, but I cut mine in half and just ate a double serving. Plus it called for 9" shells, but I used three 6" shells (instead of two 9" ones).
4, 9" whole wheat flour tortillas
4 large eggs
1/8 t salt
Ground pepper to taste
1t extra virgin olive oil
1 4oz can chopped green chilies
1/2 c grated cheddar or pepper jack cheese
2c Black Bean and Tomato Salsa (they have a recipe for this), or prepared salsa
1/4c reduced fat sour cream

Use the oil, and cook the chilies, then add the eggs until they are scrambled. Then assemble them into the tortillas with the cheese and salsa, garnishing with sour cream.
Calories per serving: 328

Mini Rice Cake Snacks: I LOVE these! I used to be able to eat an entire bag just watching TV...and now the bag has lasted me a week, because I have been portioning them out. I'm not a huge PB fan, and accidentally bought the crunchy natural Pb in stead of creamy...but it worked out. It had more calories than I wanted, but I loved the textures and surprisingly it filled me up. Plus my breaks are only 10 minutes, and I could leave all this at work and assemble them when I was ready. No prep time needed.
8 mini Apple Cinnamon Rice Cakes (can use any flavor, but they said AC, so I picked AC)
2T natural Pb
4 banana slices.

Spread Pb on 4 mini cakes, and place a slice of banana...then top with another rice cake. Simple and easy. Each banana made enough for 2 servings, so it was perfect for work. I ended up eating it as an "open faced sandwich" and then eating the other 4 mini cakes alone.
Calories per serving: 297
And that is it so far. Granted I had a few frozen burritos for dinner once or twice, and combined a few things...and of course...toast and coffee. But these were my new recipes...yum yum!

Off to bed...really hoping it will get above zero sometime this weekend...would be nice to feel my fingers again!