creating a food addict???

I may have recently had a breakthrough on my 16 year struggle with food addiction!! I have lost 22 pounds but more importantly I have gone to many restaurants, celebrations and even on vacation in which I have turned down my favorites: fries, chips, pop tarts, donuts, fried fast food picks, sweet tea, sodas, sugar, butter, and just plain junk food!! AND in the absence of vegetables and fruit......I have longed for them!! I even ordered turnip greens at a restaurant......... a first for me!!! I didn't even eat them when my mom prepared them for FREE!!!

HOWEVER.........THIS WEEK AND WEEKEND......I REALIZED I AM CREATING A FOOD ADDICT IN MY OWN HOME.......

Alright, I knew that already.....and I have only allowed healthy food in my home since June BUT it was Jack's birthday so I gave him his favorite things.......

Jack was born on my dad's birthday so we always have a wonderful and fun double celebration! Jack looks forward to it every year!!
We do Corky's for my dad (I have done that every year since 1987). We did that last Sunday. Jack ate a 1/2 order ribs.

Friday, August 27, 2010
We celebrate with dad, with Jack's favorite....TACO BELL
Jack ate: mexican pizza, 2 bean burritos and a soft taco
THEN......

a huge double chocolate chip cookie cake with butter cream chocolate icing in the middle and on top!

Saturday, August 28, 2010

We woke Jack up at 8:30am with breakfast in bed....special order from Gibson's Donuts BEST IN MEMPHIS!!!

Texas size birthday donut with 2 regular size donuts....

Not sure if he is in pain from the sight of food or being up so early as a 13 year old!!

Then at noon we celebrated with Gran and Pop Pop Ziegenhorn at TACO BELL.

He ate a bean burrito and a soft taco because he was still full from the breakfast!!

THEN.....

a chocolate, chocolate, chocolate cake after lunch!!!

So for his birthday dinner, Jeff made him homemade fried rice!!

and he tried some more of his texas-size donut!!

He was allowed that one can of coke and he made it last the whole day!!  Not sure if he had a good birthday or not.......I was grossed out watching him eat all that food!! 

He did get this as a gift:

but with the other things I have shown you......I probably could have saved my $2.99!!

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!

On August 28th, my baby will head from childhood to manhood! He is at a special time in his life! A new rite of passage!!

I have seen the signs......our wallet has sure felt it.......his eating habits have changed...

It is so important for a boy to have wise and mature men in his life! Jack is fortunate to have so many to be able to ask for help, ask questions, to know he is loved unconditionally, to go to for anything ....

well...he might need your prayers for this one....

ummmmmm??????

Jack will always have a best friend through anything in life!! I am so thrilled that they have bonded from the beginning. Jack is the perfect big brother.......and of course Max is the perfect younger brother!!

So as we take the next 2 days to celebrate Jack's 13th birthday (actually we started last Sunday night at Corky's).......I will be praising God for everything he has provided and everything he has prevented, everything he has taken away, allowed to happen, every gift (not material) he has given to Jeff and I to give to Jack, etc......

I spent the past couple of days sitting back and allowing Jack to be Jack....listening and observing....I like that kid!! Most parents love their kids but not all parents can say they like them!!! ESPECIALLY at age 13!!!

8th times a charm?????

Today was Max's 8th surgery on his ear. They put in his right tube and took out his left tube. He has a hole in his left ear with a tiny bit of hearing loss and we will surgically fix that at a later date (long story).

This time, Max had some pain and they had to give him some pain killers.

Here is Max before his surgery:

Here is Max after his surgery, on pain killers, watching Sponge Bob.......ahhhhh the best!!!!

He is home now......a tiny bit sick to his stomach, watching kid shows on Netflix and eating a push pop.

My favorite ENT was speaking to us after the surgery this morning. He was telling us how he loves us. We are such cool parents, good parents, good kids, and we are easy to deal with. Then he looks at me, points at me and says "you are SOOOO laid back!"

I grinned and looked at Jeff.

Jeff laughed out loud and spit all over the room.

I said, "did you hear that? I am laid back."

Dr. Chanin grinned, rolled his eyes and then renamed me. He said, "ok, fine. You are low maintenance."

Jeff said, "yes, she is low maintenance."

One last thing......

Here is the craziest and somewhat disturbing medical accessory that they sent home with Max when he was about 6 years old and they did it again today. It is for vomiting. I  think it looks too much like something else. When I first saw it several years ago, I tried hard not to laugh out loud! Max had just come out of surgery and he was sick. The nurse flopped this up on his bed and I know my eyes widened! REALLY??? Who designed this?? What happened to the square bags we used to receive on the airplanes???

goats in Alabama

We had a great time on our vacation! The boys could not wait to put on their suits and head to the beach!!

I have no idea what all the fuss was about! The water was so clear and the beach was great!!

Our condo was lovely!! I jogged around the star shaped perimeter each and every day!!

The boys were in a constant state of happiness the entire week!!

Jeff's family is fun but I must admit that the dress code for eating out is a bit odd!!

It is amazing how a week with the one you love can put things back in perspective!!!

I don't miss Alabama, but I do miss the ocean!!............(sorry Alabamites?? I couldn't sleep at night for all the banjo playin'...... hee hee.... )

Florida Rules!!! GO GATORS!!!

Random Thoughts........

1. I have grown to hate Facebook. From a psychological point of view..it is horrible for insecure people.     BUT I fear that if I delete it that I might miss out on what everyone is doing AND people won't go to my blog on their own.................my point exactly!!

2. This has nothing to with a political view, it is strictly personal BUT I heard that the Obama's could possibly be overlapping part of their vacation in the vicinity where we plan to be vacationing. If the beach is shut down for security reasons, I will be very upset!! If Mrs. Obama and I have matching swimwear, I will be very upset!! (I am absolutely sure she shops at Sam's for her swimwear to save on money as I do!!).

3. I have hit the 20 pound mark!!! As of today, I have lost 20 pounds!!! I have 15 more to go! I wish I could lose 5 more pounds before our vacation but I am happy either way!! I have had many temptations the past couple of weeks and I have passed the tests with flying colors!! Yesterday, my 5 year old nephew came within 2 feet of me holding some Sonic tater tots. They looked so yummy, greasy and salty!!! Murder did not once flash through my mind!! Only the thought of my mouth opening up like the Alien on the movie ALIEN and only taking off the tiniest part of the ends of his fingers!!! I could smell the tots, taste the salt and grease.......This only lasted about a minute.....Then I teased him, pulled on his arm a bit and let him go....but I could see the fear in his eyes so he must have seen the hunger in mine!!!

WILD THINGS!!!

Attention: Scout leaders, Coaches, Teachers and Parents!!!

In one day, I just read one of my favorite "help" books! I STRONGLY urge the above mentioned to read this book.

The authors, Stephen and David, take you from birthing your son to graduating him from college. They guide you through development stages, how the male brain works (YES! they have one!), how to love them, the needs of their heart, how to continue raising them through the teen years (and not give yourself a lobotomy!!), and how to parent college men! I was pleasantly surprised to read the part on learning styles. As a teacher, I loved this part!! I have used this for years in my tutoring!! I painfully drank in the chapters on what not to do as a mother. Thankfully Oprah is about to start her last season.....I can stop fearing the call to appear on her show!! (But Dr. Phil keeps advertising for his "Family" to help)

If you are one of my readers in the Memphis area, please run get this book! READ IT!! 

If you work with or parent girls, then you need to read Raising Girls by Sissy Goff. 

On September 12, 2010 (2pm-5pm) at Second Presbyterian Church, there is a Parenting Conference. Sissy Goff and David Thomas do a creative "tag team" presentation to give a deep discussion on both raising boys and girls!! The cost is $10 a person (childcare is available for a fee). You must register. You can online at 2PC.org. 

MAZ

P.S.

I usually "poo poo" these type books because psychologist tend to tell you to be gooey, let kids be kids, don't hurt their psyche.......BUT this book is "right on spot"....I totally agree with everything!!! That is why I read the book in one day. It was like I was dehydrated, desperate (I have 2 preteens) and I was downing the last glass of water in the desert! I am keeping it as a reference book!! My Bible, this and 2 other books I like!!

big things come in small packages

See the blue "T" shaped item? Some of you might not have experience in this area....it is a "T-tube" for an ear. It creates a hole to allow air to get behind the ear drum. The orange item is a treasure chest that the ENT (ear, nose, throat doctor) puts the tube in when it comes out. Then the "tube fairy" leaves a present or money under the pillow. 

NO!!! the penny is not the present. It is for size reference in this picture. AND if you look closely, there is ear gunk in the orange box....WHY? because I am gross!!

That is ear tube #7 that Max just had surgery for this May (right ear). We went to the ENT yesterday for a check up on an ear infection in the other ear (left ear). THIS right tube was already out.

Since MAY there has been a new "T" tube "invented" and we will now try this tube on August 25th in Max's 8th surgery..... I think........... I am writing them down....but I am starting to lose count.....

We also received some sad but not TOO bad news. I don't THINK it is permanent. 

Max's left ear looks worse than his right ear. He has a huge hole that has opened up. 

1. This is good because he doesn't need that left tube now (the tube's purpose is to create the hole to get air behind the ear drum).

2. It is bad because it is huge and causing the ear infections and now has caused some hearing loss. The ENT can not do surgery to close it up at this point because of the problems occurring in the right ear but he will have to have surgery in the next couple of years on his left ear to close up the hole.

I often wonder how Max really feels about all this....

It really makes me tired. I feel bad for him. It stresses me out. He gets 2 shots a week, can't have pets, can't put his head under water, misses out on things because of illnesses.....

But when I ask Max how he feels or what he is thinking, blah, blah....

He always says. "I am fine"...."It's OK"....."I will have fun".....

He always makes the best out of everything. 

Either he has the best attitude in the world and is truly happy or we ALL better watch our backs one day!!!

If there were 3 of me........

If there were 3 of me........


Jeff would probably join witness relocation....but that is not my point...

The happiest me would be the ME that I am:
Stay-at-home-and-teaching-my-two-sons-ME....which I absolutely love and I am completely happy and thrilled with doing!!!

The second me would be Dr. Margaret Ziegenhorn (in education). I would open up my own school. It would be a teaching school and educators would come from all over the world. It would "showcase" the best in classroom management, individual plans, behavior teaching, sensory diverse classrooms, lesson planning, support for teachers, organization ideas, motivational teaching, hands-on teaching, NOT teaching toward standardized testing, etc....

The third me would create a foundation that organizes all the other foundations, missions, etc.....so that the grant money, charity money, etc can be used effectively where needed (does that make sense???...probably not...but it does to me).

If there were 2 of you, what would you do???
(let me guess, mom and dad are the only ones who will comment on my blog.......that is ok, I love my parents)