Fresh?

I've been trying to eat less. It goes back to Summer vacation. I gained about 7 pounds in two weeks, and then I stopped pumping. BAD IDEA. When I was pumping I ate everything without hesitation, and then I went back for seconds. In retrospect, I should have gone on vacation, pumped for another month, lost that extra vacation weight and THEN stopped. Well I didn't, I'm now at my heaviest EVER. (except for when I was 6 1/2 months pregnant, imagine how big I would have been if these guys went to term!) I'm uncomfortable, fat, and just plain gross.

In an effort to be less gross, we bought an elliptical machine. (my favorite form of cardio) It's a beauty...a Precor. (sigh) We got it used on E-bay, so I don't feel so bad about being over indulgent, but boy is it nice to use a gym quality elliptical in the comfort of my own bedroom. (yes, sadly it's the only room where there is enough space, too many toys) I'd been able to use it 3 or 4 times a week, until Christmas. It got hectic, and my workout time? well it became gift wrapping time, Christmas card writing time, and other holiday related time. During that time, I lost a few pounds, nothing drastic, but I felt like I was going in the right direction. And then we went on vacation.

I left my Precor, (sigh) for chocolate covered peanut butter balls, for blueberry french toast, for gigantic burgers and other holiday goodies. I did restrain myself, I tried to only have one serving, or I'd say only two peanut butter balls today, it helped I'm sure, but alas, I put all that weight on again. ARGH!!!!

We got home, and I decided I had to get serious. Now, I don't believe in dieting, I believe in self control, exercise, and lots of moderation. I'm back on the elliptical, shooting for 4 to 5 times a week, babies willing, and I decided that salad (instead of chips, salsa, a quesadilla, Ryan's left over dino bites and sweet potato fries) sounded delightful for lunch yesterday. I was going to the store for eggs and yogurt (for Ryan) so I grabbed a couple of bags of lettuce, (yes, bags, I'm a mom..who has time to shred lettuce!?!) and some grape tomatoes. I had green onions, avocado and dressing at home, I was set.

We got home after our errands, I fed the boys, put them down for naps, ran for 33 minutes on my Precor, (sigh) showered, and began making my lunch. I washed a bag of lettuce (yes, even though it SAYS its thoroughly washed I ALWAYS wash my produce, hey, my Dad was a produce man, and he always said wash your fruits and veggies, so I always wash my fruits and veggies!) I cut up an avocado from my Mom's tree, (our trees are barren again this year, keep your fingers crossed for next year) chopped up some green onions and got out those grape tomatoes to wash and slice.

This is what I found 3 tomatoes into the container

Yep, that's MOLD!!! and lots of it. I was going to pick through and use the good ones, but there were more bad than good. Normally I'd do one of two things, toss the whole bunch and be cranky, or go back to the store and get new tomatoes. Well, babies sleeping option two not an option. Toss them? I paid $3.79 for those things. Hmmm. I think if the container hadn't read this:

I might have eaten the $4.00 and been done with it. I did really want tomatoes, so, I decided to take them back tomorrow (Thursday/Today) after all I have another bag of lettuce for tomorrow's lunch. I put the tomatoes, and the receipt, (where else would I be sure to remember it) back in the fridge, and ate my very monochromatic salad.

So today, after music class, what do you know I remembered to take the tomatoes with me to music class. I unloaded the boys at the Albertson's, walked in and happened on the Manager. Lucky Me! He looked at me carrying tomatoes INTO the store and this is probably the reason he is the manager, asked me if he could help me with something. Why yes. I bought these yesterday, got them home and they were moldy. "Oh," he said, "so sorry, why don't you just go get another pack. Really sorry for your trouble." I pushed the boys over to the tomatoes, opened up a pack and you'll never guess what I found...Wait For It...MOLD!!! Hmmm, I opened another pack, MOLD, another pack, MOLD, and finally a fourth pack, MOLD. I stomped back to the Manager, suggested he send the Produce Manager over to take a look at what I had found, and asked for my money back. He threw in a loaf of freshly baked bread for my trouble, and I went home and again had a nice GREEN salad. (I did have some nice fresh--No Mold--garlic bread on the side)

I think tomorrow I'm going to have a burrito.