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Tonight, I guided Nico, my 15 year old, in the fine art of shaving.  We have been putting it off for more than a month because neither of us wanted to face that milestone.  He was beginning to look dirty and had been accused of having a "mexistache" at school.  His peach fuzz was making itself known.

First off, he forbid to me take pictures.  Secondly, he did great.  He listened well and followed directions.  He didn't cut himself at all and managed to get 99% of the hair off on the first try.  He went back and searched out fuzzy spots and got it all.

I am not sure how I feel about this milestone.  I feel like I should want to cry over the loss of my baby.  I feel proud, but not sad right now.  He actually looks younger, more like my baby face now that the fuzz is gone.

In other news, I took the big kids to see Avatar in 3D today, a gift from the grandparents.  It was a much better movie that I think many are giving it credit for.  The effects were amazing.  Several times I forgot I was watching CGI, the facial expressions and body movements were that good.  It WAS predictable, only because it is a story we all know too well.  Big and powerful invades simple and stable for their resources.  Simple fights back and wins.

I wish that happened more in real life.  Most of the time simple and stable doesn't stand a chance.

1.  Burger King now offers a Morning Star Veggie Burger on the menu.  If you exclude the mayonnaise, you are doing pretty good for about 330 calories and 23 grams of protein.  Too bad they don't offer the Spicy Black Bean  burger because that one is super good.

2.  Fiber Plus bars are totally yummy.

3. Blue Diamond has a 100 calorie pack of almonds and walnuts that I am loving although they only show the almonds on the website.

I am doing pretty o.k. with my eating.  I am not necessarily happy about it all, but I am not feeling deprived.  Honestly, if I make good choices, I am eating a great deal of food.  Its amazing how much you can eat if you aren't eating crap.  I can already tell a difference in my body in small ways.

Regardless, I am sticking with it.  I think I can , I think I can, I think I can!

Thanks to everyone who left the sweet encouraging comments about my new eating.  I appreciate that so much. I did excellent for 48 hours and then had pizza last night.  Not only pizza, but deep dish and 3 slices.  That was the old me popping in for a quick hello.  I don't blame her, it was good pizza.

But believe it or not, I was so so good yesterday that the pizza didn't even put me over my calorie limit.  I couldn't believe it.  BUT, here is the surprising part.  I felt AWFUL after eating it.  My stomach was upset like crazy.  My body did not like all that fat and starchy carbs.

So today began with Frosted Mini Wheats.  Much better.

Tonight I am throwing a poker night complete with a spaghetti dinner.  I bought the food last week, so I have to return to the store for whole wheat pasta.  I hope some of the guests will try it, but I am making the semolina pasta also.

Have a wonderful Saturday!

Well, it appears that my NOT new years resolution is the one I am going to be working on after all.  I have been having headaches and nausea for about two weeks.  ALOT of blood tests were ordered and a CT scan.  While I don't know all the results, they made a point of calling me to tell me my fasting blood sugar and cholesterol were high and my vitamin D was low.

Bummer.

Soooo, I have seen the nutritionist and gotten my guidelines.  I have informed the kids that big kitchen changes are here.  I have downloaded a Spark People app to my itouch.   I have eaten healthy for 24 hours.  I didn't know I liked tilapia?

My weight has finally become a health issue.  I have been teetering on the brink of morbidly obese and ignoring it.   It is a shame that I have given up on myself and my health.  I have got to dig deep for some will power and stick with the changes in my diet.

I see the nutritionist in two weeks for a weigh in.  Here is to hoping I drop a few pounds!

I thought I had it together, books, laptop, pens, pencils.

I was wrong.

I am lacking some essential items.


I need to be carrying one of these at all times, even while walking and most definitely while the professors are lecturing.  Perhaps they have some note taking function I am unaware of.  My huge laptop is out of place!

I am also in dire need of a Bump-It.  This required college female accessory mocks my incredibly unruly gray streaked hair.  No wonder the learning isn't sticking in my head??


I will keep observing the natives and try to discover more essential college gear in hopes of securing straight As.

Wish me luck....oh and please send sweatpants with words on the rear.  I need all the help I can get.

I am thrilled to report that NIco has mono, not cancer or any of the other ugly things that a lump in the neck and low grade fever could indicate.  I have to admit I was more than a little scared of the blood test results.


My family has been largely untouched by tragedy.  Every family has something they suffer through.  Cancer, birth defect, tragic accident killing a family member, natural disaster destroying homes.  We have been so fortunate, but it seems I am always waiting for the other shoe to fall.  I know our time will come when we have to rise to the occasion.


Once again, we have dodged a bullet and been left with our family intact and safe.  I can't thank God enough.

Nico's appointment this morning was ok.  She felt the lump, decided it was a lymph node and then checked all the other lymph nodes on his body.  Including the ones in his groin, much to his embarrassment.    She told us that the fact that it was movable and small were good things.  She offered three choices.  1. wait and see what it does.  2. Do blood work.  3.  Blood work and an ultrasound.  She suggested the middle road so that is what we have done.  


He had blood drawn this morning.  They are running a CBC and an EBP, which I am going to google in a moment as I have no idea what that checks for.  We should know the results in a few days.  She would not, however, speculate on what might be the cause.  I can respect that.


Thanks for all the sweet thoughts in the comments.  

My oldest son, Nico, found a small lump in the side of his neck last week. We go to the doctor tomorrow to have it looked at. I am not too too worried because it feels like the small pea sized lump I have in my arm. I am hoping it is just something like that.


But, as we all know, it is our jobs as moms to freak out internally as we consider all the horrible things it "could" be. A high school friend found a lump in her neck at 16 or 17 that was Hodgkins Disease.


BUT, I keep going back to the fact that if my eyes were closed I wouldn't be able to tell the difference between his lump and my completely not scary benign arm lump. His appointment is at 8:45 in the morning, so at least I won't have to wait all day to find something out.


Have a great return to real life tomorrow!