Legs feels better - musta been the cookies!

So, I don't usually have the ingredients to make cookies in my house, because if I do, I'll make them and eat all of them! Yesterday we made cookies with coconut oil - and they were incredible! I had 7 - yes, SEVEN! - yesterday, and then 7 more today...

I ummm, ate salad for dinner tonight as an apology to my body (I have pictures but am too lazy to get them up tonight)...and now, I'm eating chocolate chips...to punish my body more...I have been wanting cramps and a stomach ache, something to tell me that I might be pregnant, but I have nothing...even with all this junk I ate the last two days - nothing...how in the world can I not get a stomach ache from all that! FWIW, I took an HPT today (8DPO), negative - obviously...I'll keep taking them, cause I have 20 of them left...and, well, I feel like it...

On the good news front, my legs aren't hurting at all any more, so for the first time in a week, I'm able to sleep...I've been taking advantage of that, I slept for 9 hours last night, then took a 3 hour nap this afternoon...I really needed it, hadn't gotten more than 5 hours of sleep this whole week and it was driving me crazy!

Tomorrow is my dr appointment - YEAH!!

On Tuesday, I'm starting a new exercise plan...I have been such a blob about that recently...so, here's the plan:
Tuesday/Thursday - yoga at 6am
Monday - swimming at 5pm
Wednesday - swimming at 6am
Wednesday/Saturday/Sunday - walking for 3-5 miles with DH
That should be a good relaxing exercise schedule...

6DPO

Ok, I take it back...I am now not being productive at all...
now that I'm at 6DPO, I'm obsessing about every little twinge...
Honestly, everything is identical to last month, and my temps are so low compared to most people's post-O temps that I might as well get ready for next month...

and, I was so sick also, not the end of the world, but it means I have to try again...

So, on Monday I'm testing even if I have no good reason to test, we dont have school, so I have the day off...I also have my dr appt. and I'm really going to hope that she can get me on SOMETHING so that I O sooner...if they do not give me something to get me to O sooner...then next cycle I'm going to take 150mg soy isoflavones on CD3-7:
http://www.twoweekwait.com/newsletter/2006-01/
Along with the Robitussin starting when I start to see signs of O, and the Instead cups (only for when I need to get up - not when I'm just laying there...I guess I'll keep up the OPKs, but I NEVER get + OPKS, so I think thats just a waste of money...oh, and I'll start BBT at CD14 as well...

At least I have a plan...am really hoping that I dont have to wait till CD31 to O again, its just too long, I cant handle that neverending wait...

In other news, I've been having trouble sleeping all week cause the muscles in my legs are really messed up, and they are still hurting, so sleeping hasn't been fun lately...I need to go do some yoga or something to help them, but I haven't yet...

I guess thats all for today...
Oh - HAPPY (early) VALENTINE'S DAY !!

I can focus now!!

For the last month, I've been obsessing about everything ovulation...every twinge, timing everything perfectly, not stressing out DH, not stressing out myself...

And now, its over, I've Oed, and at this point there is nothing more I can do...
And, I can finally focus on other things...since getting over being sick, I'm actually doing things that I should have done for the last month...

Here's to getting things done!!

Well, nevermind...again...

So, my hopes were high yesterday - thinking that I might O - I mean, it's CD26, so it should happen soon, right?

But, I dont think it did...CM dried up just like every time I almost O - but don't...so here I sit, once again...so mad at my body for not working right (AGAIN!)...

OPRAH and my diet!

Am so obsessed with so many things...

I was watching Oprah, and she had Dr. Oz and some other health guy on - and they both said what a great breakfast that 2 eggs was!! COOL!! I eat that every day...

Lunch is good with the kashi...

After work, I eat veggie sushi which is also good...

And then dinner in beans and quinoa/or frozen dinner...pretty good too...

Only bad is that I make myself those Almond Joy balls or chocolate concoction every night...and sometimes I sneak a cookie or two during the day at work...

Think I need to change the veggie sushi to something like grilled veggies, since the sushi is expensive and I dont have many other veggies...also, NEED more water...but other than that, I'm set...

Haven't gained hardly anything since Ironman, so thats good...

Spinach Omlette

Ok, so I definitely had a nice night last night, we went to the Star Party, and silly DH was in shorts (he's a bit stubborn and he hates pants), so he was cold, but they had a campfire, hot cocoa, and smores...so it was all good...

Got to see Venus up close, the Orion nebula (a cloud of dust and gas in the Orion constellation) and the Pleideas (sp?)...very cool...

So, I'm up again, and making breakfast...I'd never made this before with spinach, and it definitely needs some tweaking, which I'll talk more about as I go...again, it took a total of 5 minutes...but I was only making it for myself, so for 2 people, it might take a bit longer...

Ingredients (sorry, didn't take a picture of them):
2 eggs
spinach
Everglades seasoning
Fage Yogurt
Strawberries

The first thing I did was make the inside of the omlette...steamed the spinach...then put the drained spinach in a cup, and mixed in the yogurt and the Everglades seasoning (I love the stuff, the flavor is just about perfect for almost everything)...






Then I made the egg part - this is the part that I definitely need to tweak - will explain as I go. What I did was just break the eggs, put them right in the pan, and stir a bit with the spatuala...but, the eggs were a bit "thick"...so, what I should have done is put the eggs in a bowl, mix with some milk...and then put it in a larger pan to make a larger, thinner omlette...so, if you are making this - do that...anyway...after the top part got more solid looking, I flipped it with a spatula, and just let the other part cook for about 30 seconds...




After that, I put the omlette on a plate...then put the yogurt/spinach inside...and made it into an omlette...for flavor, I put a bit if everglades seasoning on top...also included a few fresh strawberries, cause they looked yummy...hope you like it...




Ok, now for the nutritional value:
2 eggs: 70 Cal each = 140 Cal (10 g Fat, 0 g Carbohydrates, 12 g Protein)
Spinach (about 1 cup): 7 Cal (0 g Fat, 1 g Carbohyrates - 1gFiber, 0gSugar, 1 g Protein)
Yogurt (1/2 cup): 60 Cal (0 g Fat, 4.5 g Carbohydrates - 0gFiber, 4.5gSugar, 10 g Protein)
Strawberries (3): 17 Cal (0 g Fat, 4 g Carbohydrates - 1gFiber, 2.5gSugar, 0 g Protein)
Total = 224 Cal (10 g Fat, 9.5 g Carbohydrates - 2gFiber, 7gSugar, 23 g Protein)

WOW! Very few calories...fewer than I thought, and tons of protein...good!
If I keep this kind of calorie content up, then I can eat 5 meals a day - GREAT!!

I'm pretty down today...

Sorry for the downer post...I can be happy and funny...but wow have I not been on this blog...just not feeling it right now...anyway...

I have been doing Big Brothers, Big Sisters for 6 1/2 years. The kid that I have is a really great kid, but the circumstances in which she lives aren't the best. I've been with her since she was 9, and now she is almost 16. Yesterday she was telling me that her mom was screaming at her and her brother because they didn't fold the laundry, and saying how she wished tht she had never had kids, and all kinds of horrible things. This has happened before. A few years ago, the mother kicked the kid out and made her live with a friend of hers in a whole nother town. Last year, she was kicked out again (the mother has anger control issues), and lived with me for a month. And, here I sit, desperately wanting kids, having the financial ability to pay for kids, having the patience to deal with kids (I deal with 150 teenagers every day at school)...and yet, I'm having trouble even conceiving a child, and yet her mom had a kid that she didn't even want and doesn't appreciate - ON ACCIDENT!! Just doesn't seem fair...

To be even more of a downer...a friend of mine has been very depressed since March 2008. Since that time, he has called me on the phone (on average) two times/week - and usually the phone calls last about 2 hours each time. This is hard on me...I've spent hours and hours just listening...and there is nothing that I can do...and its depresing, and just hard...
He's in a really bad spot, and pretty much takes it out on me - he always gets mad at me for any tiny thing, and at a certain point, it really is difficult to take - even though I know he's going through a really tough time. Anyway, last week, I spoke to him for 2 hours on Monday (at a time when I was dealing with my dog nearly dying - and he kept saying how I should put the dog down - but I shouldn't - the dog is ok now -- so I was getting annoyed)...anyway, on Tuseday of last week, he wrote me an email, but I didn't check email Tuesday or Wednesday (I just got busy)...so, on Wednesday night, he called and said to check email...I checked on Thursday morning and wrote him back...and now he wont talk to me...so, I dont feel like dealing with it, cause I dont want to get yelled at, but I'm worried about him, and its making my stomach twist in knots...I emailed him yesterday, I think he wants an apology...but I'm not sorry, I just can't believe that he's this mad at me for not answering an email...I'm not a business, I dont have a 24 hour turn around time...ugh!! This is just making me horribly messed up, am trying not to think about it...but that isnt working...

I got my ultrasound of my thyroid today. Because I go back to the thyroid doctor to get the evaluation of the thyroid on Monday. I've never gotten an ultrasound before, and I gotta say that I was a bit sad that I wasn't getting a ultrasound of a baby...

Again, sorry for being so down...just some things weighing on my mind...

On a positive note, my husband is wonderful...my dogs are healthy...and I'm already 10 days into my cycle...if I can just keep my stress in check (IF ONLY!!), then I should O on CD18...in only 8 days - I HOPE!! I have everything all ready to go:
1. Robitussin (I got 400mg generic tablets) - will take 2/day starting at CD15...
2. Instead cups - already tried them out...to put in after...
3. 50 OPKs (I understand how these work better, and am more in tune with my body so I shouldn't waste as many as I did last time)
4. Starting to take BBT on Tuesday - CD14...and I know that my body is very obvious when it Os now...
5. 21 HPTs...heh heh...

And, the best thing - OBAMA IS GOING TO BE PRSIDENT ON TUESDAY - YEAH!!!!!!!

I also scheduled a first appointment with a gynocologist...and its on February 16 (VERY SOON!)...unlike the yearly person I went to in June...this one will be able to be proactive if she feels that I'm not Oing fast enough...since I have only had 6 cycles in all of 2008, I'm hoping that she will be practive very quickly!

Time to RELAX!

I'm a pretty stressed person - especially with this, cause there is literally nothing I can do to *make* it happen...I'm usually so in control, this is such a new experience...

So, right now, my goal is to RELAX!! I am sure that I stressed so much last month that it delayed O (I kept seeing signs of O - and then they'd go away - 3 times starting at CD18 - which is when I usually - on a normal cycle - O anyway)...so, if I start thinking too much about O...now, I visualize being on the beach, and relaxing...

Right now, I'm only CD4, so its working pretty well...but, as I get closer to O day, I'm sure that it will be more difficult...

So, things I have to keep myself busy:
1. School
2. Hubby (we love going to movies and there are some good ones out right now - will write more on that later)
3. Cleaning
4. Dollies (I've been neglecting them so much lately)
5. Facebook (I've been able to reconnect with about 20 people who I was really good friends with when I was a kid - so, I can always write to them when I'm obsessing too much)
6. Cooking (more on that later!)
7. Visualizing Eggie meets sperm, they fall in love...and the rest is history...LOL!

I have done a blood test for getting results on my thyroid...I'm going back to the doctor to find out the results next Monday...am hoping that it can be fixed quickly...

In a week!!

Best TTC is next week...is it wrong to have a countdown??!!

Why are the chances to concieve only 25%?

Ok, so I know that 25% is technically high - I mean 1/4 of people who try to get pregnant do - but I'm curious why it isn't higher?

Does it include everyone, or just people who are really trying?

I realize that if it includes everyone: those who drink, smoke, are significantly overweight, are significantly underweight, don't pay attention to their bodies (BBT, OT, CM, etc.) then this would make sense...but for those who are so careful and aware and healthy...is it still only 1 in 4...and if so why?? That just doesnt make sense...

Can't find the answer...

I think that I'm not officially going to have much of a chance until my husband's little guys recover from Ironman - and that isn't going to be until the middle of January (75 days since Ironman) - so, we can practice, but it will probably be a while...

Fireplace?

I'v been running the fireplace a lot lately, and it gets kinda smoky in the house - but I LOVE the warmth...curious as to if this is bad...

Obviously smoking is bad, but what about fireplace breathing?

What not to eat WHILE pregnant

This is from babycenter.com and I thought that it was pretty interesting. Since we are entering the holiday season - this tells us all the stuff that pregnant women can't eat...geesh, there is so much!!
But, hey, as long as chocolate is ok, I'm happy:)
Not that I'm not getting completely ahead of myself...but, a girl can dream - right!

Valentine's Day• Chocolates: If your Valentine brings you a box of chocolates, feel free to dive right in. But to be on the safe side, avoid candies filled with alcoholic liqueurs like Grand Marnier or Amaretto.

Memorial Day, Fourth of July, and Labor Day• Pre-made salads: Steer clear of store-bought salads and side dishes that contain mayonnaise or egg-based dressings, like potato salad, some pasta salads, and coleslaw. They may have been improperly stored, and can harbor salmonella and listeria. Homemade salads with mayo and egg-based dressings are okay, as long as you know they've been properly prepared (with pasteurized or cooked eggs) and refrigerated, and haven't been left out in the sun.• Hot dogs: It's safe to enjoy a hot dog, provided it's fresh off the grill or has otherwise been cooked until steaming hot (to at least 165 degrees Fahrenheit) to kill bacteria that may be present. But because hot dogs are generally high in nitrates, as well as fat and sodium, they're best as an occasional treat.• Burgers and other grilled meat or fish: If you're offered a burger or other grilled or barbecued meat, chicken, pork, or fish, make sure it's cooked well done and not pink in any areas. E. coli and toxoplasma can lurk in undercooked meats.Note: Because of concerns about mercury in fish, the FDA recommends limiting yourself to 12 ounces (about two servings) of fish a week, and avoid some kinds of fish altogether. For more information, see our article on eating fish safely during pregnancy.• Raw sprouts: Don't garnish your burger or salad with alfalfa or other raw sprouts. They can be an E. coli hazard.

Halloween• Raw cookie dough or cake batter: If you're preparing Halloween cookies or cupcakes, resist the temptation to sample the batter. The raw eggs in cookie dough and cake batter could contain salmonella or other bacteria harmful to you and your baby. Stick with store-bought goodies or bake your treats without tasting the uncooked batter.

ThanksgivingOn Turkey day (as on every other day) it's important to be vigilant against germs and bacteria in the kitchen. Wash your hands frequently when preparing meals and be careful to clean any surface that's come in contact with raw meat or eggs before using it again. Use separate cutting boards for poultry and produce, and keep uncooked poultry and meat chilled in the refrigerator and separate from other food items.Don't leave leftovers out for more than two hours, and store them in shallow containers so they'll cool quickly. Make sure your refrigerator is set between 35 and 40 degrees F and your freezer at or below zero to keep cold foods from going bad.• Turkey and stuffing: Cook the turkey until it reaches an internal temperature of 180 degrees F (use a meat thermometer to check it). If you're preparing stuffing (also known as dressing), cook it outside the turkey in a separate baking dish to 165 degrees F. The inside of a stuffed turkey's cavity doesn't get hot enough to kill off harmful bacteria.• Unpasteurized cider: If hot or cold apple cider is served, make sure it's pasteurized. Unpasteurized juices — including cider — are unsafe during pregnancy because they can contain bacteria like E. coli. (Note: Almost all juice sold is pasteurized — and unpasteurized juice sold in containers is required to carry a warning label.)• Smoked meats and meat spreads: If you're serving meat spreads like pâté, or smoked meats such as smoked salmon, make sure they're canned, not from the refrigerated section of the grocery store. Refrigerated meat spreads and smoked meats can contain listeria.

Winter holidays• Unpasteurized soft cheeses: Fruit and cheese platters are a party staple, and a relatively healthy way to fill up, but stay away from soft cheeses made with unpasteurized milk. Unpasteurized or "raw milk" cheeses may contain listeria, which is killed during the pasteurization process.Before eating soft cheeses, the FDA recommends checking the label to make sure it says "made with pasteurized milk." If you can't check the label — for example, if you're at a party — avoid soft cheeses (including Brie, Camembert, goat cheese, Limburger, Montrachet, Neufchâtel, Pont L'Evêque, and Mexican-style cheeses like queso fresco) and semi-soft cheeses (such as Asiago, Bel Paese, bleu, brick, Gorgonzola, Havarti, Muenster, Port Salut, Taleggio, and blue-veined cheeses like Roquefort). If you're not sure which cheeses are safe, stick with hard cheeses like cheddar, Swiss, and Monterey Jack.

• Sushi: Avoid sushi trays with raw fish — especially if it has been sitting out on a buffet for any period of time — because it may contain parasites and bacteria. Although raw fish poses little direct risk to your baby, if you get ill from sushi you'll likely suffer from vomiting and dehydration, which can affect your unborn baby.• Carving stations: If your party features a carving station with roast beef or turkey, make sure the meat is cooked well-done and is still steaming hot. Avoid sauces like bearnaise, hollandaise, and aioli, which can contain uncooked eggs.

• Eggnog: Homemade eggnog is generally off-limits, because it's usually made with raw, unpasteurized eggs — and alcohol. But you can make a virgin, pregnancy-safe version at home with a pasteurized egg product or an egg alternative like Egg Beaters. Or try store-bought eggnog — just check the label to make sure the eggs are pasteurized. You might consider "soy nog," which doesn't contain eggs or any other dairy products. You can find it during the winter holidays in most large grocery stores as well as specialty health-food stores.• Fruitcake and other alcoholic food items: Fruitcake and other desserts that use alcohol as an ingredient are generally okay, because most of the alcohol burns off during cooking. If the fruitcake has been soaked in rum or other liquor after being baked, however, little of the alcohol will have evaporated, and you should probably steer clear.

New Year's Eve• Raw oysters and other shellfish: Stay away from uncooked shellfish, including oysters, clams, mussels, and scallops. Cook shellfish until the shell opens to ensure that any bacteria or parasites have been killed.• Champagne and other alcoholic beverages: Check with your doctor or healthcare provider about whether it's okay to have a sip of champagne at midnight. But if you're like most moms-to-be, you'll be asleep long before the ball drops, so toast an early New Year's with a glass of sparkling water or soda, and then head to bed.

Random thoughts: Christmas surprise

Ok...so, DH doesn't read this blog, so I can say anything here...

I know in my head that it is NOT likely that we will get PG on our first month TTC, but, in my heart...it would just be so amazing...if O occurs during the week of 12/8-12/12 (which is should), then I'd know if I was PG by 12/25...and ummm, yea, that would be quite the Christmas present for DH...

Again, I know its not likely, but it would be so nice...

I shouldn't be this obsessed...