LASARRE's SparkPeople Blog

Updates

Mon, 20 May 2013 13:59:27 EST

Things have been pretty good. Sales are steady. Just got another accepted offer so I have 5 closings coming up. I am grateful it is not as crazy as it was with showings every night. This is just kind of slow and steady. I also re-listed a condo I had listed last fall.

The dog has been keeping me busy. She is a great workout in and of herself. We go for long walks and she never tires. The good thing is that she passes out when we get home and she's quiet. Sydney, the older do...

My Stars Must Be Misaligned

Fri, 17 May 2013 12:11:26 EST

I don't know what I did to upset someone, but it seems like nothing is going right. We all know about my aunt's funeral that I didn't know about. Of course, facing a second epidural doesn't thrill me, but if the Celebrex helps, maybe the 2nd epidural will.

Yesterday, I decided to go and ride. My back has been better the last couple of days and I have a really busy weekend so I decided it was beautiful out and a great day to spend time in the saddle. The barn didn't go so good. I...

My Son is at it Again

Thu, 16 May 2013 15:26:07 EST

I think the last time I wrote about him, I wrote that I was so proud that my son was working and getting all these jobs. Well, I found out that he is helping this guy out, but he isn't getting paid. He is just using our car to schlep the guy around.

When I called him on it, he got in my face telling me what he was and wasn't going to do. I told him if he couldn't follow the rules here, he could go live with that guy. They can be bums together. We pay for everything for my son an...

Decisions...

Wed, 15 May 2013 21:36:19 EST

Ugh! I hate when things happen that involve my family who don't speak to me. Last night, I got a call from the one aunt who I am still close to. She is my mother's sister. She wanted to let me know that my sister had called my cousin to tell her that my aunt passed away. The aunt who passed away is my dad's sister. I haven't seen her for about 7 years. I saw her at my mother's funeral, but she said nothing to me. I talked to her twice since my mother passed away, but she more or less ble...

Better Today

Tue, 14 May 2013 11:44:52 EST

The ulcerative colitis is better today. I just am being very careful about what I'm eating. Really watching seeds and such.

My back is also better, but it is not 100%. I am on a huge debate about going riding which I know is pretty stupid. I will probably not go. I will probably just take Summer to the dog park.
I can get my exercise with her. I am still waiting to hear back from the doctor and see if I have to do another injection next week.

My weight was up ...

So So Today

Mon, 13 May 2013 14:01:45 EST

Yesterday was a wonderful, quiet and enjoyable day. Just spent it at home with the kids and DH. Watched movies, hung outside with the dogs and didn't do any work. Didn't do any exercise either as my back has been really hurting since the epidural. Then I rode JC Saturday and it got even worse.

Today, my back is pretty bad. The doc who did the epidural said that there was disc degeneration lower in my back and, if I came back for a second one, he would want to go lower. Not onl...

Spring 5% Challenge Goals

Sat, 11 May 2013 11:44:43 EST

I can't believe it is time for another 5% challenge. My main goal this time is to hit the 5% loss. I have been doing really well losing weight the last couple of weeks. I want to continue it.

I want to continue exercising at least 5/7 days a week. Really wish the weather would get decent so we could continue to walk the dog. I hate walking in the rain. I also hate riding in the rain. The damp weather just makes my body hurt.

I will continue to pay attention to wha...

I Feel Good

Thu, 9 May 2013 10:21:54 EST

Wow, my blogs have changed since Summer came into our lives. I feel good. I am not negative all the time anymore. I was a little upset last night when I saw in some results that my sister won at a horse show with a horse she raised who is a half sister to JC. I do miss talking to her about it, but she made her choice. Looking at results, she has been showing all over. I still don't feel bad about not letting her sell my mom's stuff that I have. She is spending close to 10k per horse sh...

It Is Over

Tue, 7 May 2013 19:35:02 EST

The epidural wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be. The steroid injections hurt more than the epidural. He said I have lots of deterioration in places so I would probably need 1 to 2 more injections for them to work. It didn't hurt so I will go back. He said I can keep riding as long as it doesn't make it any worse. Even if it did, I wouldn't stop. That was a moot point to discuss.

Afterwards, we went to lunch. We came home and Brian worked on the yard. Summer was out...

Updates

Mon, 6 May 2013 21:29:04 EST

Had a great day yesterday. Took pup for a long walk yesterday morning, showed two properties, went and rode JC and then took pup for another walk. This dog is getting me outside more than I have been in the last couple of years. JC was a really good boy and it was beautiful outside. I am going to write an offer for the buyer from yesterday. It was a good day.

The two dogs are doing ok. They really don't see each other a lot. Summer loves to be outside and so we hook her up in ...

Good Day

Sat, 4 May 2013 22:13:53 EST

I am still not feeling 100%. I am thinking maybe it is a virus because my daughter came down with it today. My stomach isn't as bad as it was, but the headache is still there.

This morning it was still sort of rainy. I had two properties to show. I don't think it will go anywhere, but face time is always good. I decided I still wasn't feeling well and I had the house to clean so we just went to get lunch. I had half a turkey sandwich and a salad with the dressing on the sid...

Resolutions

Fri, 3 May 2013 12:29:21 EST

Everything seems to be calming down. The two dogs are doing very well together. Sydney puts Summer in her place when necessary. They are starting to lay together and yesterday they ate together. We are figuring out Summer and she is figuring us out. She is a really smart dog. About the only thing she truly needs work on is her leash manners, but we will work on that. If my son wasn't more hyper than the dog, she could stay a lot calmer.

I made an appointment to get the epidur...

Our New Addition

Thu, 2 May 2013 12:21:39 EST

We got a friend for Sydney yesterday. She is approximately 1 year old lab/retriever mix. She loves the dog and the cats. The dog likes her. It was the first time I have seen Syd wag her tail in a long time. The cats aren't so sure, but they will survive. She is completely trained and we can't figure out why she was returned to the humane society. She is a wonderful, loving dog. She has as much energy as my son so it is working out well. She is tiring him out lol.

We had ...

Another Decision

Wed, 1 May 2013 11:38:41 EST

I have made another decision. I have decided that I am so tired of the pain in my back and shoulders from the lack of disc in my neck that I am going to go ahead and get the epidural block. I have been with this doctor for years and he hasn't steered me wrong yet. I probably should have done it 3 months ago when he told me too, but I am way too stubborn for that. I figure I will just live with the pain. Now, the pain is affecting my life and I can't deal with that anymore. I have enough...

Tough Decisions

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 12:36:26 EST

I did talk to my doctor about feeling so sick from the new BP meds. She has me on that now every other day and my old one every day. I'm hoping that works. My BP is just not that high. Even if it were, I can't keep feeling awful like I do with that drug.

On another note, we are on a debate. Many of you know that my dog is pretty old. She will be 15 and she has lost most of her bloom. She pretty much lays all day and follows me. She can no longer hear which is not helpful wher...

Out of Sorts

Mon, 29 Apr 2013 12:35:47 EST

Hi All. Kind of out of sorts still. I had an offer that has been going on since April 7. I was only able to get hold of the listing agent once. Then someone else from his office contacted the paperwork. Then the seller started calling me himself. I am used to that dealing with this particular brokerage. In either case, after the home inspection, I sent copies of it to the agent and the person who has been handling the paperwork. Then the seller called me as he said he hasn't been able ...

Blood Work Is Back

Fri, 26 Apr 2013 11:45:44 EST

My doc called me two days ago and told me that all my blood work is back and looks good except my sugar level is up. She is calling it pre-diabetes. She said, at this point, to continue doing what I'm doing and continue losing the weight. I am down another 1.5 lbs this week. Woohoo!

I started researching pre-diabetes and I noticed that statins can raise glucose levels. I've been trying to get hold of her to discuss this, but we have been playing telephone tag. I want to try goi...

One Step at a Time

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 12:10:33 EST

Went to the doc yesterday. She was really happy that my weight was down by 5 lbs. She had only requested 4. My blood pressure was up, but I think that was because the blood pressure cup went nuts and wouldn't stop. I also think I have white coat syndrome when it comes to my blood pressure. LOL

We talked about the changes I've made and I've learned that just 30 - 45 minutes of exercise at least 5 days a week works for me.

Finally, the sun is shining and JC is healthy. ...

The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

Sun, 21 Apr 2013 11:02:52 EST

The good...JC is completely healed. He went back outside with the other horses yesterday. When he came in, he was completely sound. Not any lameness at all. I was hoping to get to ride today, but I have a buyer in town from Pennsylvania and won't be able to get out there. I will go out on Tuesday :)

The bad...My lack of exercise. I haven't gotten in any exercise since Thursday. Something I did during that exercise tweaked my back. I have already had back surgery so I am not ...

Here We Go Again

Thu, 18 Apr 2013 11:50:24 EST

My son finished the job he was working on with the contractor. He learned a lot of skills working with him that he can use with any other job. So, we are now 3 months from getting the new job coach. In those 3 months, she has accomplished absolutely .....nothing. She has made no calls, gotten him no temporary placements, and doesn't follow up with him except the bi-weekly meetings she is supposed to have with him to get paid.

I have a staffing with DVR this afternoon. I am goi...

Need to work on setting boundaries

Wed, 17 Apr 2013 11:31:02 EST

I really have to work on setting boundaries with my buyers. They seem to think that they can contact me at anytime with no notice and I'll jump through hoops which I generally do. I don't want to do that anymore. I just stress myself out.

I have some buyers moving here from another part of the state. I have them booked for two days next week. They contacted me yesterday evening that they were on their way here for a funeral and they wanted me to set showings for them today. I comp...

Slow But Steady

Sat, 13 Apr 2013 11:15:21 EST

I have accomplished the goal that my doc wanted. She said that she believed in losing 1/2 per week in order to keep it off. I did that without realizing it. I got my fitbit aria scale in February. Since I got it 10 weeks ago, I have lost 5 lbs. That actually does add up to 1/2 lb per week.

One thing I've learned with that scale is that you can look at the number everyday, but you have to remember it is just a number. There are other truer measures to weight loss and being he...

Wanted to Share

Wed, 10 Apr 2013 12:51:11 EST

How foods affect our bodies:

I Think I dropped a clothes size

Tue, 9 Apr 2013 19:30:20 EST

I say think because I'm not really sure. I was wearing a size 18, but when I went shopping today, all the 18s were too big. I ended up with a 16.

However, I ended up in the Woman's sizes. Now, they make Woman's petites beginning at size 14. It is all very confusing. I am too short for regular clothes and too heavy for petite clothes.

Now, they make clothes for short fat people lol.

This week has been good. I have been taking time for myself. I am stil...

Updates and Ramblings

Sun, 7 Apr 2013 13:05:11 EST

I am supposed to be showings properties, but one got an offer already and my buyers are still not pre-approved. So, I get to sit here for another hour until I have to meet some other buyers. Unfortunately, I had already gotten ready to leave (make up and all), so that kind of leaves out working out unless I just do some basic walk it out and don't sweat. Which I may do.

It looks like my son may actually have a job. Well, he will work 4 days a week. Three days he is working for...

Something to Remember

Sat, 6 Apr 2013 09:55:28 EST

This is so true. What we look like on the outside is not the person that is on the inside. We all need to remember this.

Had to Share

Thu, 4 Apr 2013 13:18:01 EST

I didn't add in my previous post that my almost 15 year old Shepherd mix is having issues. I read this and had to share to remind myself of all she has given us:

A Dog's Prayer (Author unknown)

Treat me kindly, my beloved master for no heart in the world is more grateful for kindness than the loving heart of me.
Do not break my spirit with a stick, for though I lick your hand between blows, your patience and understanding will more quickly teach me the things you ...

Frustrated and Tired

Thu, 4 Apr 2013 12:04:31 EST

Did our taxes last weekend. Not happy with the amount we have to pay. Of course all of our closings are after the 15th. I have people absolutely trying my patience. One of my buyers decided she didn't want to close when she was supposed to...today, but never let me know. Now, the other side is not signing the amendment to extend the closing. I warned my buyer, but she thought it was a game. I have another buyer who got a great deal on a property she wants to buy to rent out. Home insp...

Marching into April

Mon, 1 Apr 2013 12:30:55 EST

For me, March was a rather forgetful month. I didn't get out to see JC nearly enough. My back, neck etc. were not good and my exercise was off. I worked way too many hours and didn't take enough time for myself.

I will get back on track in April. I may not push the exercise as hard as I did, but I am going to work on at least 30 minutes a day 5/7 days a week.

JC will be at least 2 days a week. I had a great time with him this weekend and I have to remember how much he...

My Special Boy

Fri, 29 Mar 2013 22:01:19 EST

I am so lucky. I have a special boy in my life that most people don't. Most of you who know me know that I am talking about JC. He got hurt last week and has been lame since last week Thursday.

I called today and the person that takes care of him said that he was still walking lame, but to come out because it could be in his head. I went out and he was so happy to see us. I didn't catch any part of him being lame until I took him out of his stall. He wasn't really lame; he wa...

Today's Thought

Thu, 28 Mar 2013 00:14:14 EST

Letter to Self

Mon, 25 Mar 2013 18:21:59 EST

Today's spark coach challenge is to write a letter to myself as if I were a friend in my situation.

Dear Self,
You need to cut yourself some slack. Everything does not need to get done at once. You are entitled to take a break every now and then.

However, you do have to realize that you do tend to fall off the tracks. That's ok as long as you get back on. Yes, there are certain foods you like to eat which aren't always the greatest. This is a lifestyle change a...

Sometimes You Just Need a Break

Sun, 24 Mar 2013 19:43:56 EST

At the end of last week, I was just doing the treadmill or Walk it Out, but I was still so sore. My back, shoulders and neck were killing me. Now, this weekend I have been so busy that I haven't had time to do anything.

I apologize to my team. I had showings all day yesterday and offers to write today and I am exhausted. I finally stopped worrying about my steps and my points because I couldn't deal with that and with work. The girl who was supposed to help me has done nothi...

Updates

Fri, 22 Mar 2013 15:14:36 EST

I did get in 45 minutes on the treadmill yesterday. I did 65 minutes of Walk it Out today. I don't think I am breaking any records, but I got them done.

I am staying within calories for the most part.

I am bummed. It is finally nice out or at least above freezing and JC is lame. He will be on handwalk for the next few days. My son did not get the job he applied for. Of course, now it will take me another 6 months for him to apply for another one. I'm not sure exa...

Lost Motivation

Thu, 21 Mar 2013 13:26:11 EST

The cold has zapped me. Winter is never ending. I feel like I am spending all my energy trying to stay warm and have no energy for anything else.

I was going to go see JC today, but with the wind chills it is ridiculously cold. Then I got a text from the person who takes care of him that he is lame anyway. Doofus got his feet trimmed and ran out to be with his friend. They were running toward each other, missed somehow and clunked their hooves together. Now he is lame.
...

Good Day

Mon, 18 Mar 2013 20:02:35 EST

We are not even going to discuss yesterday. My St. Pat's celebration was off the charts. This is a new day. I had a very peaceful day watching Lifetime movies and catching up on some other shows.

I got in an 80 minute workout this evening and over 4 miles. I wasn't going to workout today, but once I got started, I kept going.

I have a 3rd showing on a property I have listed. This agent showing it is kind of odd, but if he can sell it that would be great as this is ...

Wonderful Restful Day :)

Sat, 16 Mar 2013 21:45:44 EST

Today, DH and I spent the morning catching up on shows we haven't seen and have gotten behind on. I did take one phone call for a new buyer and I did answer a plea for help from a buyer that closed last week. I played Words with Friends and Scramble and had a very pleasant, quiet time. I didn't even let my son worry me. Had that argument last night.

Left at 3:30 to go see JC. He was wonderful. I spent 90 minutes grooming, riding, toweling him and grooming him again. I did so...

Need to Get Back to It

Fri, 15 Mar 2013 12:37:59 EST

I was doing so good with my eating and exercise and then my life went on overload. Trying to fit in everything was just not happening. I had no energy for exercise or work. I missed 2 days of exercise this week. I tracked only breakfast as we ate out all but one day this week.

I am going to get my choo choo back on the tracks. I am definitely taking off work tomorrow. I may actually even take Sunday. Of course, no work means taxes. I have to get them done. YUCK!

I...

Me Day

Thu, 14 Mar 2013 23:43:58 EST

I had a relatively quiet day. I watched lifetime movies this morning. Got leads on 3 new buyers. Had a closing this afternoon and one showing. Then we went out for a very small pizza.

I have taken the last two days off of exercise to give my body a chance to recoup. It is really sore. I have been feeling twinges in my back which is never a good sign.

I plan to have the same kind of day tomorrow and maybe have at least one day on the weekend off.

I put in...

Tired Today :(

Tue, 12 Mar 2013 13:38:33 EST

We ended up going out for our anniversary last night. We had a gift certificate that someone gave us and decided to use that. I'm afraid we celebrated a bit much and I am tired. My throat is sore which I don't think had anything to do with the celebration. I'm wondering if it isn't more this awful damp weather we have been having. It is making every part of my body sore.

Unfortunately, I don't think I'll get to see JC today. It is cold and damp again. Add that to my sore t...

I Am Very Lucky

Mon, 11 Mar 2013 11:19:36 EST

Twenty four years ago, I married my best friend. He is still my best friend. He is also my business partner and the father of my children, our dog, our cats and, of course, JC. He did try to ride JC once. That was enough for him. JC tried to dump him lol.

I am one very lucky person which I have to remember even with everything else that goes on. Brian is always there. Through all my surgeries, Brian was the only one there. When I had my children, Brian was the only one at t...

Lost My Way

Sun, 10 Mar 2013 12:20:48 EST

Things have been so crazy lately that I have lost my way a bit. I have been getting in my exercise for the most part. Yesterday, I didn't get home from work until after 8:00 and started early so I didn't get any in. I'm not really worried about the exercise. I think my body likes a break every now and then.

I think I've lost it more with tracking. We have literally been eating out every day except 1 since Saturday (last week). We have been so busy and we have been going in two...

Teddy Blog #7 Sharing

Fri, 8 Mar 2013 12:59:44 EST

Is there anything I would like to share today? Yes and this is a complete rant. I am frustrated and angry and have lost my patience. Why do people think you are supposed to be at their beck and call from 7 a.m. to 12 midnight? Why do they think they should be treated better than anyone else and the rules don't apply to them?

Why is it when I feel like I have gotten things under control, they explode again? Why is it everything happens at the same time? Why is it I can't get a...

Staying on Track

Thu, 7 Mar 2013 10:59:49 EST

I have been pretty proud of myself this week. It has been really busy week with work and my regular schedule has been completely undone. However, I have adjusted my workout time to make sure I get it done before I leave.

My steps haven't been quite as high as I like, but at least I am not blowing off my workouts. The one issue I have had is fitting in time for riding. Between the cold, snowstorms and my schedule, I haven't been able to get to the barn since last Tuesday when JC col...

What Can I Improve Upon.....

Wed, 6 Mar 2013 11:40:12 EST

Oh so many things...One thing I really have to improve is letting go of things that are beyond my control. At the forefront, of course, is letting go of my so called siblings. They have told me that I am no longer considered part of the family. I did nothing to them. This is a choice they made not me and I have to remember to keep toxic people like this out of my life.

As I think over the years, they actually separated me out years ago. I wasn't even invited to my brother's wedding...

Seeking Advice Day 4 Challenge Blog

Tue, 5 Mar 2013 11:22:21 EST

I do need advice. I have been debating back and forth for 3 months. As many of you know, I have degenerative disc disease in my neck. He basically said that I have no disc left and he thinks that is what is causing my back, neck and shoulder pain.

The last time I saw him, he basically said that I should wear a cervical collar for when I sleep and, if it doesn't get 75% better, I should get an epidural block. The pain hasn't gotten any better. It is continuously in my upper ba...

Teddy Bear 3 Day by Day

Mon, 4 Mar 2013 12:09:36 EST

How am I doing day by day? I am actually doing really well. I find that if I don't exercise, I get stiff so I do it. For example, I was going to take yesterday off. We spent the afternoon watching movies and relaxing.

My husband went to make dinner around 5:00. I know it usually takes him an hour or more. So, I did Leslie Sansone, my treadmill and Walk it Out. I ended up working out a total of 90 minutes.

Right now, I am really stoked to keep moving and keep t...

A New Habit

Sun, 3 Mar 2013 13:12:48 EST

I would really like to get in the habit of eating home more. We eat out a lot, but many times we do it because we are done showing houses so late. We are pretty good about lunch and, if we are showing houses all day, we do pack a sandwich. But, there are days, like yesterday, where we thought we would be done by 2 and didn't get done until 4:00. By then, we had had no lunch.

Unfortunately, the restaurant we thought was open wasn't and we had to wait until 5 when a different res...

Staying On Track- It's the Challenge

Sat, 2 Mar 2013 09:44:53 EST

One of our "challenges" this week for the 5% challenge is to blog every day. Those of you who know me know this is going to be so difficult for me lol. Not really.

One of the topics we are supposed to blog about is how we keep ourselves on track. I thought about it and I keep myself on track in various ways:

1. I think about the members of my teams and the challenges I have agreed to participate in to help the teams. I have no right to tell everyone else to move if I...

February Reflection; March Goals

Fri, 1 Mar 2013 12:04:14 EST

February didn't end too bad. My weight is holding steady where it is which isn't good, but it is 4 lbs less from where it was holding steady before. My steps are regularly above 10,000 now. I have added healthy supplements to my diet and am making better choices. There was a lot of stress in February, but my blood pressure is still in the normal range. Wohoo! Not moving on to blood pressure meds :)

March...
My goals for March are really rather simple. I want to keep wor...