Sunday, August 8, 2010

Saturday August 8, 2010....

On Saturday we spent the day with Vern's kids at the San Diego Zoo. Vern's Daughter, Jasmine, lives in New York and she's out here visiting for a couple of weeks. His son, Joe, is here in San Diego. It was so great to get to spend the day with them! Jasmine's boyfriend, Mike, and Joe's girlfriend, Diana, were also with us for the day. All four kids are just delightful kids!

This is the first time since I have known Vern that they were all together for the day. It's a long story but divorce, distance, cancer, emotional issues...all combined to cause Vern to not have much of a relationship with his daughter. This day is truly an answer to much prayer that someday they would be able to begin to bond and forge a relationship. It was a bit awkward and both of them were nervous and unsure of how to connect or what to say to each other...but they hung in there and spent the day together! Joe was absolutely a godsend with his easy banter and relaxed manner! He really helped to keep the conversation going and provided comic relief so many times throughtout the day. Just look at the huge smile on Vern's face in this first picture of all of them together!




I knew it was going to be a long day and good, healthy, low points food was not going to be easy to get. So I started the day with a vitatop, a couple of "Cutie" oranges, and a half a cup of Fage Total 0 yogurt. I also had coffee with creamer for a total of 4.5 points.
(I can't figure out why Blogger insists on turning this one photo sideways. It was right side up when I uploaded it...twice!)



We walked around the zoo for around 5 hours. The weather was gorgeous! It was in the upper 70's with a wonderful, cool breeze. Just an incredibly beautiful San Diego day!
I can't find my Weight Watchers Pedometer. It's somewhere in the house. I remember bringing it in from the car after the Disneyland trip but I can't find it. I'm guessing I either forgot where I put it or Fred (the cat) has carried it off somewhere. Anyhow...I gave myself 3 activity points for the day.

The following are a few shots we took throughout the day...






Can I just tell you...the Meercats are my very favorite animals in the entire zoo! I could watch them all day long! Check out that whole pile of Meercats in the background! They are so cute!











Apparently there is no place like San Diego for Mexican food...that's what people keep telling me, anyway. So, of course, being from New York, where according to Jasmine and Mike there is no decent Mexican food, the kids wanted to have Mexican. So we left the zoo and all met up again in Old Town where we had lunch/dinner at Fred's Mexican Cafe. It was a good time and we lingered a long time just talking nad eating and laughing together.

I had this...I was at a complete loss as to how to really count the points for this. It was veggie tacos. The tacos were filled with portabelo mushrooms, roasted corn, tomatoes, oaxaca cheese, avocado slices, and salsa fresco, on corn tortillas. There were refried black beans and rice on the side. I probably should have...no, make that, I DEFINITELY should have, had them pack half of it into a "to go" container when they first brought it to the table. But...I didn't. I ate every bite of it. Gulp!! It was delicious! I counted it as 25 points.




What I didn't photograph and you can't see here is what I ate later that evening. I had a big bowl of cereal, kix, cheerios, and fiber one, with almond breeze. Would have been FINE if I had stopped then! But noooo...I also ate a sandwich thin with peanut butter and jelly on it, and some Quaker Quakes Cheddar Cheese flavored rice snacks...Yes, I had sort of a binge, freak out, lose my mind moment! i hate when I let this happen, I hate the feelings, both physical and mental that these binges bring on. I am realizing that I am at risk for the binge behavior after I find myself at a restuarant where there seem to be no clear cut, choices for me. When I don't know how to count the points and I have to just do my best to pick...that seems to be when I am at risk for completely losing control. Realizing this, I hope to be better prepared, no, I am DETERMINED to be better prepared, mentally and emotionally for the next time I find myself in this situation. In retrospect, I could have had them put half of the meal in a "to go" container and then I wouldn't have felt like I had cheated. I could have gone home and snacked on fruits, vegetables...or any one of the tons of healthy options I have stocked my kitchen with! I could have gotten busy doing something else...like updating my blog...when the desire to eat everything in the kitchen hit!

OK..today is a new day and I am back at it. I'm glad this is a journey that is going to last a lifetime and times like last night are only bumps in the road, aren't you?

So...my points for the day were 47.5

Did it, tracked it, now I'm moving on!

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Yeah, you can't change what you did yesterday, but it sounds like you learned from it and won't let it happen again! I LOVE your pictures, what a beautiful family! The pic of you and Vern is fabulous! Looks like you had a great day!

Lesia said...

So excited that Vern got to hang out with his daughters. So cool! It sounded like a great day and even though it ended on a binge you can say now that it is over and chalk it up to a non diet day. I have read on other blogs that they do that some times. Plus you have weekly points that can be used too. Great out look on being prepared and I know you will do it. When are you guys going to Sea World? Can't go back to New York without seeing Orca! love ya.

Karla said...

tomorrow is a new day, looks like you had a nice time at the zoo, focus on that part of your wonderful day, count the points and move on.

Joy said...

Hi Vickie, Love the pictures - You look great!!! I am glad the visit went well!! Hugs!

Patrick said...

The SD Zoo rocks. I am not a huge zoo guy really, but have been to SD a few times and the zoo is a must stop.

Something else that rocks is that TRAP shirt, hilarious!

On my blog I have an award for you, you are A Blog With Substance:
http://responsibility199.blogspot.com/2010/08/day-114-blog-with-substance.html