High Fructose Corn Syrup

Well you all know I read "The book." That is what Kristi, Leslie and I say when referring to "The Skinny Bitch." Which is a book about eating healthy. I took some good things from the book. I don't eat like the books says I should. I have stopped eating meat. I still eat it just not very often. When I was on my period last month I craved it. Now I do not.

Something not from the book.....High fructose corn syrup. The book does mention it but not as much as it should. One of my pharmacist explained to me a little about what that ingredient does. It does not allow your brain or body to release the hormone that tells you your full. He suggested taking this out of my diet and see what happens. I have done it. With this decision I have had to give up my favorite thing in the world and that is KETCHUP. I have only done it for about a week. I don't really see any difference in my weight or clothes fitting. However, I do feel as if I eat and think about food less. I'm going to try it a few more weeks and see what happens.

When I started I was amazed at the things that had high fructose corn syrup and what didn't. There are LOTS of my favorite sweets that I can still eat. I can only have ranch dressing all the others have HFCS. I have to buy the very very expensive bread to avoid it.

Without HFCS, Meat, and Ketchup you wonder what I eat. Fruits, Vegetables, Peanut butter sandwich's, some fake meat, certain cereal, Kashi granola bars. There are lots plus I'm having to try new things which is good. For now I like the change, I hope I can continue to change my eating habits so that I can feel better and hopefully not pass my bad eating habits on to my children.

Some more

Here is one of my sister all pretty and me looking like I just came from the gym. One of these would have to be the best picture taken. You would think with children as old as them they could smile!

A few silly pictures

On Saturday I went to my sisters. Aleigh and Brie had a cheer thing during the day. They just showed off all their mad skills, to anyone who wanted to pay and watch. OF COURSE I did! Then that evening the girls had a cheer banquet, and I went home. However we did TRY to take some good pictures of the family all dressed up. However, the kids just couldn't get it together. I thought I would post some of the funnier pictures.

Brie wanted her legs up on the bench and her mom said "No you are in a dress." I just happened to snap the picture as she says "Gosh Mom."

This one turned out pretty sweet.

Here is the kids all dressed nice and me in my slum clothes! Of course the kids don't look all that thrilled to be taking a picture.

The family shot, the tall guy is my sisters boyfriend, David. The small boy is his son Chance. Aleigh couldn't keep her gum in her mouth and well I'm not sure what is going on with Brie's silly face!

My fave of them all. This is probably around the time we said we are not going until we have a good picture. I tell you Alex is so funny! I love that kid!

Flat tire

Yesterday I was just chilling on the couch watching The Gauntlet episode I had taped but not yet watched. When Scotty comes in the house and says "Hey idiot you got a flat, pop your trunk."

What???? Why does this happen to me.

It all turns out good. My sweet step-bro changed my tire I have one of those way cool donuts on now. Even better, I had just bought that tire in October it is practically new. I by some miracle found my receipt from OCTOBER, that says I purchased for $9.76 a road hazard warranty or something. I called walmart and she said "YUP you can have it fixed for free! " I'm so happy!

There is my sad pitiful donut. I think cars look so funny with donuts on them. Look how dirty my car is maybe after getting my tire fixed and the much needed oil change. I will go and wash it.

It's a girl

I am so excited. My cousin who has 4 boys and had taken the neccessary precations to keep from having any more children, found out at Christmas that she was having a baby. She found out the other day that she is having a GIRL. Everyone is excited, I think her husband is extremly excited. I am very very excited. The lord knew that there just needed to be a little girl in that sweet family!

For Montana

My Cousin passed away this weekend. I like the way my Aunt put it, He lost his on going battle with drugs. I have never had to endure the pain of losing someone close to me. Montana I have to say is the first. My mothers parents died when I was small, I can remember little things about them, and all the wonderful things my mother has told me. The fact that I have never been through it makes me not know how to handle it. I don't know how to feel, act or what to say when I hear of death.

I was at work when I found out. I was distracted which I think has been a good thing. Although I haven't seen Montana in a few years I think it was 2 years ago at a Family Christmas that I last saw him. I feel more sorrow than I thought I would. I think we were closer in our younger years than we have been in the last few. I babysat him and his little brother Kevin YEARS ago! I'm so old! I thought to make me feel a little better and as memorial to him I would blog my two favorite stories of him.

I was babysitting and I guess I had spent the night. In the morning Montana was eating a bowl of cereal and said "this doesn't taste right." I looked in the fridge at the milk and it had expired. Not by like a day but long enough that when I opened the lid I could smell the nasty milk without putting the jug to my nose. I said "uh the milk is bad, its not going to taste good." he said "oh I thought something was wrong with it."
(It has been a few years I may not be quoting right but you can get the just of it.) Thanks to Montana I always check the date on milk and I will not drink it if it is the day BEFORE the expiration date.

Story 2 actually make me look like a bad babysitter BUT just remember we were all ok in the end. The alarm on the house was set and I decided I wanted a hot dog. I still do not know why but when I hit start on the microwave the alarm went off. I don't remember who I called but I do remember that I did not click over to get the other line which was the alarm company calling for my secret code. Which then sent the signal for the police to come out. I was scared BIG TIME. I grabbed the fireplace utensils and gave one to each boy and had one boy in front of me and the other behind me. YES I was protecting myself....besides they were big boys. Also by doing that I knew where they both were. :) We began to walk through the house, just like in the horror movies before the killer comes out. Ends up no one is in the house. The police show up anyway. I open the door and explain that I'm not sure what happened but we are ok. (by this time I think I had called my Aunt and maybe they were coming home, I'm not sure again it is a little blurry. It is the old age.) I had put the fire pokers up or something cause I didn't want the police to think I was a complete Idiot. BUT I'm pretty sure it was Kevin who jumps out holding the poker and says to the police..."Yah I'm gonna get them I'm not scared." HA! Those boys are funny!

Why can't things just be simple.

I should be finishing my stats test that is due in less than 24 hours. I have completed half of it and decided to take a break. I have spent the last oh....30-45mins trying to get this stupid SD card to work on my phone. I don't understand why it can not be simple. You would think you would put it in the computer, copy the music, put the card in the phone then be able to listen to the music. WELL you can't do that. Last night I spent around the same amount of time trying to get my computer to even acknowledge the fact the memory card existed. I gave up and went to bed. Tonight I was able to, HOW?, I do not know. I was able to copy all my songs to the card. BUT when I put it in the phone.......NOW the phone says there is not music! I'm so freaking irritated! I have decided I'm not wasting anymore time with this tonight.



However, tomorrow night I'm calling a tech support, the card, phone, or computer. Someone will know how to fix it.....I hope. Otherwise walmart is giving me my $40 back. That is a whole different story. I thought the card was $27 turns out it was $39.99.



Technology is just so challenging. Sometimes I wish we could just go back to the Tandy 1000, remember those. We had one growing up and the BIG FLOPPY DISK! HA We have come such a long way.

That reminds me of some show I was watching the other day that was set in the 70's I think and they were all amazed at the microwave! HA!

I'm so irritated

I FINALLY upgraded my phone. My old phone the back was falling off all the time it was in bad shape. I was just so attached to it that I just had a hard time switching. I went to the store on Friday and upgraded to a LG something. It has an MP3 player in it and the front of it has the little play and stop buttons. I like it a lot. Tonight I went to walmart to get a memory card so I can load my music on it and then listen to it on my phone. Well, I ripped into my memory card and it doesn't work I can not get anything to save on it. It is crazy and totally pissing me off. It is almost 3am and I'm sitting here trying to get this dang thing to work. I don't even know if walmart will take this thing back because of the way I ripped into the package.

Here is my new pretty black phone.

And open, look at my big nasty UN-lady like hands.

Here is my new one next to my old one. If you look real close on the old one you can see all the wonderful scratches! That poor phone has been dropped a whole bunch. Aren't my bed sheets so cute! I just LOVE them.

This is what we do in this small town to have fun. ha! just kidding at walmart when I bought this stupid memory card that does not work, I also bought some Easter eggs. Look what I found on the Easter egg isle. It is a money hat ha!!!! "Weirdo on isle 7!"

Pivot

This is my Favorite episode of Friends.

The End

Spring Break is over after today. Although I didn't go to a nice sunny beach, or ski in Colorado. I did enjoy the break. Today is my last day of doing nothing. I have to work on Saturday and on Sunday, that is a bummer. I didn't get much of anything accomplished during Spring Break. I have a take home test for my Stats class due on Monday. Looks like I will be working on that today. Robbie and Laura's kids are coming over for us to watch for a couple of hours today. I want to make cookies with them. I just can't decide because I know it will make a mess. I don't think I want to clean today! HA

My little sister Madalyn came and spent the night with me last night it was fun. She is going to Denton today to meet the girl she is going to be rooming with in college. I can not believe that girl is going to college. I remember when she was a baby.

100 Random Things about ME

1. I wear size 12 women shoes.
2. I eat candy when I drive long distance cause it helps keep me awake.
3. I now love songs that I hated as a kid, but my parents listened to them all the time.
4. I hate to be hot
5. I love my car, I just wish it didn't have so many dings.
6. The only car I would rather have than my accord is a Saab 9-3 convertible
7. I fear my children will not be as cute as my sisters kids and I will have trouble loving them.
8. I was stuck in an elevator for 30 minutes and was not rescued someone hit the button for the elevator and it woke up and started moving.
9. My sister and I were playing monster when I was little and she knocked out one of my teeth. (it was loose already)
10. I got ear infections as a child a bunch
11. I caught the front yard on fire with a sparkler as a child
12. I stole nails from the hardware store so my sister and I could play McDonalds. (we were building a house and we used the nails as fries but they had all been used, I just picked up some more. My sister made me throw them in the trash and tell me mom)
13. I feel very guilty when I do bad things
14. I told my mom when my sister and my best friend and I made prank phone calls cause I felt guilty. (they were not to happy with me)
15. I use to wake my mom at night to tell her things I had done hoping she would forget and not punish me, but I would be rid of the guilt. It worked sometimes.
16. I snore
17. I read in the bathroom.
18. I have a hard time telling people no.
19. I am a pack rat
20. I have a small attention span and get sidetracked easily
21. I was scared of the dark as a child, now I love to sleep in the dark
22. I like the house to be lit up during the day
23. I start stuff and never finish it
24. As a kid I played outside all the time.
25. As a kid I rode my bike into a tree stump and flipped off just like you would see on tv.
26. When I was about 10 or 11, my sister slapped me because I said bitch, but I thought I was saying PITCH.
27. My bus drivers name was Mrs. White
28. I have never broken a bone
29. I have never had stitches
30. I have never stayed overnight in the hospital
31. I want a breast reduction and have since I graduated high school
32. I am a germ freak
33. I love playing practical jokes on people
34. I don't know how to deal with death so I ignore it
35. I cry watching tv
36. I think it is extremely gross when people go to the bathroom and do not wash their hands, or if they just run water over them.
37. I don't know what I'm going to do when I get out of school
38. I like to sleep with a fan on
39. I like airplane food, well some of it
40. I'm scared to drive in the rain
41. Thunderstorms really scare me
42. I love to go camping (just no rain please)
43. When I was little I use to pick up bugs and daddy long legs and chase my sister with them. Now I am very scared and grossed out by them.
44. I have a weak stomach, smells and sights make me gag.
45. I'm afraid that after I get gas that my car will blow up when I turn the car back on
46. I eat ketchup on just about everything, I'm sometimes embarrassed by the way people look at me or things they say.
47. I'm a loud person, I have tried to be less loud, I just can't do it. It bothers me when people point it out.
48. I love chips and hot sauce
49. I also love pickles
50. I love to exercise when I do, but I have no motivation to do it.
51. The only fruit I like it bananas, oranges, grapes, pineapple, and apples (I guess that is a bunch but there are a bunch I do not like)
52. I can only eat tomatoes it they are diced very small and I love them! I can not just bite into one or eat cherry tomatoes or sliced tomatoes
53. I do not handle pain well at all. My mom says to call her after my babies are born.
54. My favorite holiday is fourth of July
55. I had a pair of shorts when I was 11 that I wore till after high school when they just fell apart, they were just pajama shorts. I miss them :(
56. When there is a tornado on the loose, I hide in a closet with snacks, phone, flashlight, and a bag of clothes. People laugh but I feel safe.
57. I love to read
58. I am tone deaf
59. I'm a middle child, and have hated it all my life.
60. When I cook I dirty just about every dish and utensil.
61. I love salads
62. I just within the last few weeks started liking cucumbers they are yummy!
63. I'm a procrastinator
64. I love cheese
65. I am either late or very early when I go places never on time
66. My sisters kids have me wrapped around their fingers
67. I hate to iron, I only do it when I absolutely have to and that is maybe 2 times a year.
68. I have a pair of pants that are dry clean only, I have not worn them in about a year cause I can't remember to take them to the dry cleaners. They are at the bottom of my dirty clothes hamper.
69. I like crooked smiles I think they are unique and cute.
70. I talk in my sleep
71. I do not like to talk in the morning until I have brushed my teeth
72. In grade school I got in a fight with my best friend because she did not share a piece of gum with me.
73. I am not a morning person
74. I fall asleep anywhere
75. I once fell asleep in a tow truck when I was about 19 and my car was being towed. My friend Tiffany was with me. She was mad cause the truck driver was weird.
76. My first car was a big, long white Oldsmobile cutless supreme.
77. My second car was a gold hatchback Honda accord that I called Carlos. Some friends of mine called it the golden nugget.
78. I have never owned a car with 4 doors.
79. My parents fed me corn on the cob (my fave) when I lost my two front teeth.
80. I love to stay up late
81. In 5th grade I tried to make a rocked out of a thread spool, tin can, and a match.
82. I bite my fingernails, I have tried to stop and I can't
83. I eat cereal but never for breakfast
84. I can not drink milk, it grosses me out but I love it in my cereal.
85. One day when my dad came home from work I wanted to show him that I could drink milk from a glass and after my mouth was full of milk I spit it out all over him. (I have never tried again)
86. I love orange juice
87. The first CD I ever owned was Reba, My sisters boyfriend bought it for me.
88. It took me 5 months to complete drivers ed. My teacher wanted me to drive again before he signed off on me. It took 3 months to set a date to drive. Once I did I was released.
89. I love to swim, but do not very good in a bathing suit.
90. My first wreck was because I was trying to wake my sister up so I didn't have to listen to her complain about her neck hurting from the way she was sleeping.
91. I hope I am a funny old lady, and not a crabby one.
92. I was a girl scout
93. Four other Amber's went home the same day from the hospital that I did
94. I had jaundice very bad as a baby I had to stay under the lamp most of the day
95. My mother was 10 days late and they had to induce her twice before I was born
96. I weighed 9lbs 1oz, and have been big ever since
97. I love to buy bags and purses
98. I usually only buy things on sale or clearance
99. I'm scared of guns, I don't even like to look at them
100. It took me FOEVER to come up with these 100 things.

A kind letter to American retailers

Dear Retailers,

Have you read the news lately, AMERICA IS OBESE. We are not all little sizes anymore. The fat folks are taking over and you need to recognize and put some dang cute clothes in bigger sizes on sale.

Nothing pisses me off more to have the walk ALL the way to the back of the store to the "WOMAN'S WORLD." I have to pass by all these cute cute clothes that are CHEAP. Only to find some burgundy floral pants with no buttons just the 2 year olds elastic waistband that cost $50.

It is a "BIG WOMAN'S WORLD" and we are taking it over, watch out. Start making some cute clothes in big sizes. I'm overweight yes but I'm not 80 I can still button my pants and burgundy floral is not quite my style.

We don't necessarily enjoying being tubs of lard, BUT maybe just maybe if we had clothes that didn't make us feel worthless and out of date we would have the desire to put the Twinkies down. I'm not saying I want a tub-top and mini skirt. Lets just face it there are just some things voluptuous ladies should not wear, but cute jeans and tops that fully cover shouldn't be to much to ask.

Sincerely,
One big lady

Surprising Statistics

Today at work...we were very very slow. I managed to read the Cosmo magazine for the month of march.

It said that 31% of singles say the Internet can serve as a substitute for a significant other. I'm just a little confused by that, but it is a small percent no need to analyze it.

However, something worth worrying about....25 is the percent of times unmarried Americans use condoms when having sex. I don't know about you but I now know why STD's are so prevalent, and so many out of wedlock babies are being born. What is America thinking?

I love ladybugs

Today I was at the library studying for one of the many test I have this week and this little ladybug just crawled up on my paper. It was so cute. I don't know where it came from so I took a picture with my phone (not the greatest quality). I don't know where it went either. What a sweet little bug! :)

I spent the weekend with my best friend Kristi and her wonderful family. They just added a new little baby to the mix, Will. He is so sweet, and I love him, and did not want to leave tonight.

I didn't really realize this until this weekend mostly tonight on my drive home, but I do not like people to say "I LOVE YOU" nor do I like to say it. Yes it is sad to say. I have always thought that maybe I have a little trouble with my "feelings." Tonight I realized that I truly do have trouble with my feelings. Who knows why I'm like this. I feel I was given enough love and attention as a child. I can not explain the anxiety I experience when it comes to saying or hearing those 3 words. It doesn't matter if it is someone I am dating or anyone else.

Unbelievable to my family and friends, I have been in relationships before that lasted pass the first few dates. I never say anything or bring them around cause I'm not ready for them to be around. However, I have never nor do I ever see myself being able to say those words. The thought of saying them or having someone else say them scares me. I think in relationships I try to stay distant so that it doesn't happen. Now don't get me wrong I do say "I love you" and like to hear it but only to and from a select few people.

My mother of course, Dad, sisters, always my Alex, Brie, and Aleigh, a select few family members and very close friends. I also say it to children that I'm close with and love.

There are times that I have had people say it and I can remember very vividly the way I felt let me just tell you It kinda freaks me out. I remember watching movies and seeing people freak about hearing it and having to say it back to someone they were dating, I always thought it was so silly. I understand now having noticed my own craziness when it is just some person in my life. I will probably go into convulsions if I ever dated someone that says it to me or I say to them. I never thought I would say this but maybe it is best that I be single, just to keep the anxiety away.

If I say it I guess you should feel privileged, If I don't, It doesn't mean I don't like you, Sorry like I said it is just hard for me. :)

It is pretty crazy since at the beginning of this post I said that I love Will and I do. It is crazy to me how easily I say I love him and have only known him a few days. :)