If this bugs you... I'll slug you...

 

Megan's (and Rosemary's) hand and the monster slug that was found on the Wadleigh driveway.

This one is a leopard slug - you can tell by the spots on 3/4 of his body.

 

The grass at the opposite end of my mouth is just stuck to the slug's backside.

 

Once you touch a slug the shrink in size...I picked this one up with a dandelion leaf - So I wouldn't get all slimy.

Yes, some people eat slugs (cooked of course)...I have yet to meet one though.

 

That's as close as my tongue got to the slug.

 

The slug gained back his courage and started to move again.

 

We have slugs all over the place.  Most are only an inch or two in length.  In the morning, on the sidewalks you can see shiny slug slime trails.

An now I will make myself magically disappear...

 

This is my belt...

I've had this belt for a couple of years.

Here are a few of it's characteristics - some momentous.

Bottom hole - never used - there are three more below it that are identical.

The "strained hole" - why I never loosened it just one notch to relieve the stress on the hole, I will never know.  Maybe it was that thought process of - "I am not gaining weight...I cannot...I will not move my belt out just one more notch."

So on Jan 3 I made a major life change - FOR ME.  No special diets or plans or groups or anything like that. Just the plain and simple eat better, eat less, and exercise more.  I had to do this for me and stay that way.  I have milestones and goals but no destination but to be healthier and happier.  It has been an interesting road traveled...healthier has opened more doors of happiness and happiness has opened doors to healthier.

The next two notches above 'strained notch' were days of joy - to move the belt in an inch. Each time I knew I needed to move in the notch on the belt because my pants would drag in the back and hook on my heals.

At the top is the 'new notch' - this week I had to drill a new notch in my belt.  That brought me joy.

Other markers that acknowledge my losses:

* The two pairs of pants Lori gave me for Christmas - the button and the button hole never came close to touching - now they slide off without unbuttoning.

* I bought a sports jacket when I was called to the high council in Oct.  It barely fit (though I could not button it). It now overlaps by 4-5 inches

* My temple suit coat, which was bought a few months into my weight loss journey, also was a "barely fit" and it now has a couple inches of room and looks great buttoned.

 

 

 

TODAY I OFFICIALLY LOST 50 POUNDS.

This was a goal I had set in January.  I wanted to have lost 50 lbs. by my birthday.

 

 

Here are just a few of the changes that have helped my on my reduction.

 

• Less cheese, potatoes, pastas, and bread and more proteins. I make a lot of chicken dishes for dinner - hopefully the family is not getting too sick of chicken.
• I have not removed these items - just reduced them drastically.
• A LOT LESS fast food.  If I want a burger...I cook a burger, if I want a taco...I make a taco. Every once in a while I will go with the office group out for pizza.
• I Don't eat after 8pm...if I am busy and I missed dinner, I may have an orange or a banana and then stay out of the kitchen period.  There has been times that this has been hard and I have gone to bed hungry, but this also has taught me a lesson that I need to prepare and plan, which may mean I need to eat a protein bar around or something around 3p or 4p if it looks like I will be busy in the evening.
• I don't skip meals.  I don't starve myself.  This has taken some extra prep and planning...especially on the days that I have to be at work by 5a.
• I drink a lot of water. I drink half my body weight in water ounces and that is a lot of water.
• Exercise - There is a variety of things I do.
• Weekly church basketball night.
• Walking - not just trips to the bathroom from all the water. 
• Gym - my gym is at my building and is free.
• I remember Dad once telling me - "if someone wants to pay for a gym membership to work out, have them pay me and I will give them a good workout in my gym that I call My Garden."
• Positive attitude.  This is one of the biggest factors and one of the biggest life changes I have noticed in the past six month. 
• On a spiritual note:
• Prayer has helped in all aspects of this journey.  I seek for revelation and comfort and I give thanks for what I have, what I have learned, and for direction and happiness.
• My understanding of the Word of Wisdom in section 89 of the D&C has increased.  I do the do's and don't the don'ts and I have a testimony of the blessings.
• 18 And all saints who remember to keep and do these sayings, walking in obedience to the commandments, shall receive health in their navel and marrow to their bones;

   19 And shall find wisdom and great treasures of knowledge, even hidden treasures; 

 

 

I am now on a new path called 'The next 50 lbs'...



Sunday is the day of rest...

Sunday was a CRAY-ZEE full day.  Nothing bad just a very very full day.

It started with me leaving the house at 5:40a off to the Stk Center...here was the events of my day.
6:00a - Stake Council Meeting
8:30a - Ward Council Meeting with my assigned ward
11:00a - My home ward Sacrament meeting
12:15 - Teach the Gospel Principles class - lesson 15 on Covenant People.
1:00-4:00p - Ward Conference with my assigned ward
4:30p - Home teaching my favorite Sister in the Ward
5:40p Head to Lake Oswego (just south of the where the Portland Temple is located)
7:00p - Fireside for Temple Workers and their spouses with Elder Gregory Schwitzer
9:40p - walk in my front door and go to bed.
Other than the 5 minutes I was home to make a sandwich and run out the door for my home teaching visit - I was gone from 5:40a to 9:40p - a new person record.

A few of things that I learned:
1. Our ward mission leader told me he prayed about who should teach the Gospel Principles class and told me he only could think of me...so he ask.  Throughout the week I kept asking myself why me.  When I studied and prepped, I kept thinking what can I give to the class.  After the lesson was over I felt it was a good lesson with good interaction.  At the end of the day when I was driving home from the temple it hit me...the reason I was asked to teach that lesson had only a small part with actually teaching the class.  There were 3 separate times through the day that I was able to share specific answers and testimony about being a Covenant People and the Abrahamic Covenant.
2. Our Stake President Bruce Randall (some of you have met him at a wedding or church - he was also my boss at work) said if you remember that everyone is a child of God and picture them in white you will treat them as a brother or sister.
3. Elder Schwitzer taught us the 4 "C's" -- Commandments lead to Conversion which leads to Covenants which lead to Consecration.  It was a great fireside with a Stake Center full of temple workers. 

Chicken Enchilada Verde - the uber simple recipe of goodness

Because Jenna asked...This may be my Cinco de Mayo dish of choice this year.

Chicken Enchilada Verde

1 cup  Sour Cream

1 cup tomatillo salsa (Green Salsa - medium)

1 small onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 tsp. oil

3 cups shredded cooked chicken breasts

1-1/2 cups Mexican Style Shredded Four Cheese divided

1 can (4 oz.) chopped green chilies, drained

8 flour tortillas (6 inch)  (or corn)

1 chopped tomatoes and

¼ cup sliced green onions

HEAT oven to 350°F.

MIX sour cream and salsa until well blended. Cook and stir onions and garlic in hot oil in large skillet on medium heat 4 to 5 min. or until onions are crisp-tender. Stir in chicken, 1 cup sour cream mixture, 1/2 cup cheese and all the chilies.

SPOON about 1/3 cup chicken mixture down center of each tortilla(if you are using corn tortilla - put them in the microwave until heated and soft; roll up. Place, seam-sides down, in 13x9–inch baking dish sprayed with cooking spray. Top with remaining sour cream mixture and cheese. Cover.

BAKE 15 to 20 min. or until heated through.

Sprinkle with chopped tomatoes and sliced green onions just before serving.

Contance Jennifer Brattin Taylor - She is the REAL Wonder Woman...

Jen aka WONDER WOMAN celebrated her 51st birthday on  April 9th...


We had a great day and then some...

I went to work for a half day (6a-10:30a) then came home and picked up Jen for lunch at a place called Battle Grounds (a coffee shop deli).  We ordered 2 great sandwiches...a Reuben and a Chief.  The Chief tasted a lot like a Schlotzky's  sandwich on bread.  Anyone who ate lunch at the temple after Jessica's and Cody's wedding had a Battle Grounds Sandwich.
After lunch, I dropped off Jen at work (for two hours) and I went back to work to conduct an interview.
After I picked up Jen at work, I dropped her off and went grocery shopping for food for dinner.
We spent the afternoon and evening at Megan's house - making personal homemade pizza and enjoying everyone's company

Other Birthday highlights included:

• Olive and Megan planted new flowers in Jen's wagon out in front of the house
• Jen getting 'bags o' fun' for her birthday presents which included:
•            a bag of her favorite sweets
•            a bag of chips - with French onion dip
•            a bag of a couple of baseball tickets to see the Hillsboro Hops - a Single A farm team
•            a bag with a CD with personalized Jennifer Birthday songs
• A full week of shopping, cooking and dishes
•          this is the present that Jen enjoyed the most.  In fact, since she enjoyed it so much I did it again the following week and because I enjoyed it so much, I am doing it again the following week.---- I made an awesome Creamy Chicken Enchilada Verde that even impressed me.

Jessica spent the following Monday with her mother all day long - treating her to a great lunch.

Here are a few other pictures from Jen's past - most of them since I first met her...

Here was her Baptism Day

This was a previous birthday celebrated with her sister Deb

Here is Jen and Megan....first Christmas

Jen's Mom and Sister helping her get more beautiful...The USA Today Sweatshirt was something Scott got while working at the Coloradian

Jen at her friend Karen's wedding

This was one of Jen's favorite dresses (also her favorite color)

At Ft Collins - check out the garden out the window

New Year's Celebration

Young Jennifer (maybe she was a Connie back then)

A very uplifting week...

I guess I am a Bloggin' fool...most days, I am just the fool.

This past week had a couple of uplifting moments.

Wednesday's temple assignment was really good.  It was only my third day.  The first two times were a little gut wrenching.   Exactness is not always my friend and I have to work really hard to memorize word for word.  Last week was more frustrating than the week before.  The first week I got to learn mostly by myself, memorizing the way that works best for me.  Last week, my trainer, wanted me to memorize the way that works best for him.  After 30 minutes of not being able to put together two sentences, I asked if I could try it my way...just give me 15 minutes to my self.  He came back and I had the whole section word perfect.  I can feel the help of the Lord in fulfilling this responsibility and calling.
I was talking with my boss, Steve, who works the same night that I do, telling him that I look forward to an enjoyable evening at the temple.  That the first two weeks were a little stressful and mentally draining.  Wednesday night was a night that was enjoyable and very energizing.  Heavenly Father knew I needed a spiritual boost that night.  ALL the words  just came to me, no matter where I was assigned.  I got to spend an hour at the recommend desk and meet and greet the patrons coming to the temple that night.  I have yet to start the learning the initiatory, but I know with effort (and prayer) it will come.
Sunday was a good day also...We had Stake PEC, Ward Conference, and I attended the ward I am assigned to. 

Here are a few quotes that stood out to me that day.

• We can't continue to remain the same if we hope to reach our goals.
• Our bishop told us a story about when he was fishing in boat with his father and he had hooked a large salmon.  His father grabbed the back of his pants and said these words "Just focus on what you are doing...I got you".  Just like we need to do with our Father in Heaven - just focus on what we are doing because he's 'got you'.
• We need a fresh view of change - Look in the mirror and say "Where could I really change" and then do so honestly.
• He is waiting for us.
• The biggest "wow" moment was the instruction I received in Stake PEC.  That we are our worst enemy when it comes to knowing the will of our Father.  We think we know and we do things the way we think works best without listening to the Spirit and relying on personal revelation (received with effort on our part - Going to the Mount often (Temple) reading the maps (scriptures) and communication (prayer with our Father).  

We read in the Book of Mormon 1 Nephi 17
 8 And it came to pass that the Lord spake unto me, saying: Thou shalt construct a ship, after the manner which I shall show thee, that I may carry thy people across these waters.

and 1 Nephi 18

 

 1 And it came to pass that they did ^aworship the Lord, and did go forth with me; and we did work timbers of curious ^bworkmanship. And the Lord did show me from time to time after what manner I should work the timbers of the ^cship.

 2 Now I, Nephi, did not work the timbers after the manner which was learned by men, neither did I build the ship after the manner of men; but I did build it after the manner which the Lord had shown unto me; wherefore, it was not after the manner of men.

 3 And I, Nephi, did go into the mount oft, and I did ^apray oft unto the Lord; wherefore the Lord ^bshowed unto me ^cgreat things

 

It is important to listen to the Spirit when we are asked to build a ship and to build it in the way our Heavenly Father wants it built and not the way we think it needs to be built.

 

Great day - Long Day, but great day!!  And it ended with a visit from Rusty, Megan, Olive and Rosie.

Top 10 Lists...

At work I have been making a Top Ten list... I tell everybody at work I do it so they will come visit me and talk to me.

It has been a good outlet for my ever functioning brain. I usually don't think in advance of what the list is going to be that day.  I come to work...so times the list comes to me within minutes, other days it may be an hour or two..

Below are 5 that aren't really work related - easier for the non-employee can appreciate them.

 

this one is top ten wacky holidays

drawsomething...a favorite pastime

The pictures below are what I drew on my phone with my finger.  It's a game that I play with a few people around the world - my favorite people to play with is Jessica, Megan (who has forgotten how to play) and Ella. 

I play with a lunch ladies from Florida, a grandpa from Nevada, a student in California, and a Muslim lady in London England.

It's fun!