My $30 shopping trip

Great week at Publix, CVS, and Walgreens for me. Here's what I got at the three stores, I saved 68% at Publix today using sales and coupons. I was extra excited about all the free Schick razors, sour cream, and all the cheap Smart Balance items! Also the V8 juices were only $1 each at Walgreens after the $2 off coupons. My husband will also be enjoying the sugary cereal which was .67 per box at CVS (after coupons and ECB's)


Also, don't forget on Wednesday you can get a FREE 8x10 picture enlargement on Walgreens.com with promo code MOTHER at check out.

On the diabetes front.... I have a cold and I feel like CRAP. I am really concerned about my hypothyroidism and am planning to call my endo on Monday to schedule an appointment to talk about the EXTREME fatigue I've recently started feeling. Something is wrong and I am going to push for further blood work and testing because I know this is not right....

Pyramids and Plains

This is what my CGM screen looked like this morning on my 9 hour trend screen. It began at about 80, climbed to almost 400 and crashed back down to 45ish. It looked like a perfect little triangular pyramid.... NOT what we diabetics like to see when wearing awesome technology such as this.... It is partly my own fault, because I am positive that the CGM did it's normal BEEEEEP!!!! once I hit 200 to let me know I was out of range, but I probably ignored it and pressed the button while enjoying my dreams about dreaming. (Yes... us over tired moms dream about blissful sleep) This would later turn out to bite me in the you know what, as I awoke feeling sick as a dog, complete with 100 lb. extremities and pounding heart in my chest.

As diabetics, we prefer this image instead.....



The beautiful flat line that resembles the Great Plains. Steady, sexy, stable lines right in between the 80-120 mg marks. I have a feeling I know exactly how this pyramid night happened. It has to do with a little, sinful snack I had that starts with a B and ends with AGEL. Ahhhh... always a problem food for me.... but constantly beckoning my name along with it's evil friend, Pineapple Cream Cheese from the refrigerator.

Tonight I was a little nicer to my body, enjoying a huge grilled chicken salad and brown rice for dinner. =) Here's to lots of flat lines for all of us!!!!

5 Reasons Why Having Diabetes Is Cool...

In attempts to try to focus on gratitude today... I've decided to list 5 reasons why having diabetes is cool. I had to really rack my brain for this one.

5. Because I wear an awesome Animas pump with a wicked cool back light... I always have a flashlight to guide me down dark
hallways at night. See? Diabetes prevents me from tripping over toys, clothes, and Jack Russell Terriers.

4. When strangers ask me if I have the time, I can ALWAYS say yes and reach down for my CGM or my pump. Diabetes lets
me help strangers....

3. If a child is crying... I always have Smarties around to cheer them up. Diabetes helps me make children smile.

2. If a friend is on a diet and isn't sure if they should order that fattening sandwich, I can instantly rattle off the carb and fat
count for them. Diabetes allows me to help dieters.

1. If I say something stupid and regret saying it the moment it comes out of my mouth, I can always blame it on low blood
sugar. Diabetes makes me look more intelligent (or like a stuttering drunk, it's all relative).

Sometimes you just need to take a step back and laugh at a chronic illness.

An Analogy Gone Bad...

I wear many hats... wife, daughter, sister, friend, piano teacher, worship leader, chef, housekeeper, ... the list goes on and on. One of my favorites, is "Mommy." As the mother of a 4 year old and 20 month old I hear it often, "Mommy, Mommy, Mommy!" They always need something. Milk, snacks, diaper changes, play mate, a kiss for their boo boo, and often a referee. I LOVE being a Mom, and I am blessed that I get to spend a lot of time with my kids, despite the fact that sometimes it's exhausting.

Last night something incredible happened. They both slept all night. No one had a bad dream. No one wet the bed. No one needed a 3 am sippee cup. We spent the whole day at the beach and just wore them out silly with the swimming, sandcastle building, and burying each other in the sand.

But alas... I was still awoken.

Ah, diabetes. The third child I never wanted. Like a little pre schooler who constantly tells me in a high-pitched whiny voice, "Feed me. Change your infusion set. Charge your Dexcom. BEEEEEEEEEEP!!! Test! Pick up your prescription. Schedule your check up. Ketones? Drink water! BEEEEEEEEP!!" Get the picture? I was so ticked.

Diabetes really is like a third child... only not the kind you whole heartedly adore. Maybe I shouldn't even compare it to a child since they are so precious and lovable... and diabetes is not. Maybe diabetes is more like the annoying yippee dog that vies for your attention and pees on your carpet? No... dogs are still lovable deep down, when they lay at your feet and give you good company. Maybe diabetes is more like termites. An annoying uninvited pest that destroys your home. But termites don't keep you up at night.... well I guess they could if you knew they were there. That's kinda creepy....

Ya know what? It's been a long day. Good night D-peeps.

Carraba's Chicken Bryan Recipe

CHICKEN BRYAN (CARRABBA’S)
6 boneless skinned chicken breasts
1 ½ cup chopped sun dried tomatoes
1 TB minced garlic
1 TB minced yellow onion
2 TB butter
½ c. dry white wine
¼ c fresh lemon juice
2/3 c cold butter- sliced
¼ c chopped fresh basil
1.2 tsp. kosher salt
½ tsp white pepper
EVOO for brushing
8 oz. goat cheese

Sautee garlic and onion in 2 TB butter in a large skillet over med. Heat until tender. Stir in wine and lemon juice, increase heat to medium high and simmer to reduce by ½.

Reduce heat to low and stir in cold butter, one slice at a time

Stir in tomatoes, basil, salt and pepper. Remove from heat and set aside.

Brush chicken with EVOO and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill chicken over hot coals 15-20 minutes

A couple minutes before chicken is done, place equal amounts of cheese on each breast, spoon tomatoes over chicken.

Serves: 5-6

Baby Steps... Reflecting on My Journey

It's been over a year since I started this blog in attempts to help control my Type 1 diabetes and get some support from other people who could relate with my daily struggles. I'm so thankful for all the amazing people who've encouraged me on this ride.

Over the last year or so I got my A1c back in range to the 6.0-7.0 marks. I began using a Continuous Glucose Monitor to help keep my sugar levels in check. I began an intense exercise program that helped me go from 145 lbs. down to my current 115 lbs. and I began making better food choices. Last week I decided to become a distributor for what I think is a KICK BUTT health product that can benefit ANYONE but especially diabetics. (I started a blog about those endeavors, but I'm not really gonna focus on it here... if you are interested in learning more, just ask and I got ya covered)

It dawned on me today as I was talking to a few of my girlfriend's about giving up on artificial sweeteners and diet soda that I have NEVER FELT MORE HEALTHY OR IN CONTROL OF MY DIABETES as I do today. Then I got a little emotional.... I haven't been able to feel this way, ever!! Don't get me wrong, I still have days where my sugars fly off the handle, I eat pizza and it kicks my butt, or my pump infusion set malfunctions, or I wake up with a sweaty low in the middle of the night... but those times are getting fewer and farther in between.

I realized today that by giving up diet soda I was really getting committed in my discipline for wanting to really optimize the way I feel and the way I live day to day. OK, let me clarify... because I don't want it to sound like those of you who drink diet coke all day long are immature, undedicated diabetics. What I'm trying to say is that I LOOOOOOOOOOOVE Diet Soda. My Mom and I have argued for years about how it's not good for you, etc. I know this, you know this. But my view was always, "Well... dang it. I have this stupid disease and I can't drink juice unless my sugars are low, I can't drink regular sodas or fancy coffee drinks, so that leaves water, milk, and diet stuff! So leave me alone! Let me have my variety!" And I SOOOOOO GET that attitude! The reason I'm kinda freaking out is because this is the first time in my life that *I* have actually WANTED to give up the artificial stuff in attempts to really continue to grow towards healthiness (is that a word?).

So this is me kinda tootin my horn. I'm proud of it, because for me... this is big. And HARD.

But I'm excited. And I want to keep this journey going so I can continue to tell diabetes to go *insert word of choice here* itself and I can live the rockin life God intended me to have! Much love to all my D-friends (and my non-D friends at that) and keep kickin it till we find a cure!

My New Addiction... The Spaghetti Squash

Hello. My name is Windy and I'm a squash-a-holic. I've been "Tweeting" and "Face Book Status-ing" about my love for eating spaghetti squash and lots of people have been asking me how I make it, so I thought I'd write up a recipe! It's very simple, DELICIOUS, and low carb... and you can change it as you like. HERE is a link for the carb count from plain squash (not including toppings)

1. Preheat oven to 400

2. Take the squash and cut it in half long ways.

3. Scoop out all the pulp and all the seeds.

4. Take some EVOO and rub it all over the inside of both squash, then you add some salt and pepper

5. Take the squash and place them on a cookie sheet rind side up and bake for about 30-45 min depending on how big and
thick the squash is. Just keep your eye on it and when it starts to get a little brown on the bottom and it's sizzleing and
tender, it's done.

6. Flip it over and take a fork and start to move it back and forth, it will start to shread up the inside so it looks like spaghetti
noodles!

You can eat it just like this. Or you can add spaghetti meat, or cheese, or parmasean or whatever to the top!

ENJOY!