In preparation for Summer 2010, better known as bikini top and board shorts weather, I’ve been slowly dropping some much unwanted poundage. While being “fluffy” does have its advantages, such as one will float vs. sink, it has a decidedly huge down side as well.

As you know I began this year with great optimism on losing weight, knowing how to eat right and tracking my intake was the greatest challenge I faced. With little to show for my efforts, I finally admitted that I can’t do this on my own; I needed some guidance from professionals who know their way around weight loss, so I made the decision to go back to weight watchers.

Now, you might say Weight Watchers is for losers and guess what YOUR RIGHT. I am proud to say that I am a member of a big losers club. Turns out the lady who is leading the class I take, well she is normal. She’s down to earth and keeps weight loss real, supports everyone in their battle of the bulge and reminds us take it 5 pounds at a time. We can lose anything we wish, if we don’t set our goals so high they seem unattainable.

Really the only way you’re going to lose weight is by being accountable to yourself, learning how to eat both right and correct portions, making healthy choices at the restaurant or dinner table. Weight Watchers isn’t a program that tells you what you cant have, it actually encourages you to do what is right for you, just be willing to make choices, such as I can chose to go to a restaurant, buy a hamburger that has all the works, including but not limited to the artery clogging gunk that is so tasty we can’t seem to pass it up when it calls our names, a burger worth all the points I’m allotted during the entire day, or I can chose a better alternative that will fill me up and allow me to eat other delicious meals during the day, I’m being told one thing, be accountable to yourself for what you CHOSE to eat.

So far an 8.4 pound lost and a lot more to go, but I’ve chosen to get back to my old beach body self!! Updates will come =)

Have a fabulous Monday; Spring has sprung as your allergies can attest!!!

Enjoy!

Kat

Just recently, I had headed down to my local grocery store to buy feminine hygiene products, as I was out and the “auntie” came to visit. I moseyed over to the correct isle and while I was checking out the various products available to us women, I noticed a gaggle of sales clerks. So, the assistant manager, so his tag said…asked “Can I help you find anything?” I responded with a polite “No, thank you, I think I have this one covered” he then asked “Are you sure, we don’t mind helping you” I smiled and replied “I’m quite sure, but thank you for the offer.”

As he and his group of clerks walked away, I heard one of the girls say to him, “I can’t believe you did that to that poor lady” I started to laugh as I heard him respond, “What, I have three daughters, I know about those products”

While it’s not exactly what one would expect, need or desire, the fact is he reached out to make sure my needs were met. This folks is customer service at it’s finest.

Have a fabulous day!

Kat and the kids

In the spirit of trying to keep my new years resolutions up and going, I’ve knuckled down and re-logged into a site I’ve known about for years. Fitday.com, is a free food tracking site and I must say it’s wonderful. I first discovered it way back in 2001 and have used it off and on over the past 8 years, now the only kicker is to actually LOG in and USE IT.

I tried doing the no caffeine thing, but I’m finding that being a coffee drinker, you take my caffeine away and I’m difficult at best to live with… ask the kids! So today I broke down and had a cuppa joe, only to find out what the caloric count was. So… I’m going to learn to make due with one cup a day.

Last night I actually took a night off to sleep, which for most would be nothing but to me, that’s a huge accomplishment. I couldn’t focus on the screen, so I took my happy self to bed at 11pm and lasted until 5am when I woke up thinking I had over slept. I will get this sleep thing down soon!

Outside of that… this New Year is shaping up slowly. I have various trips planned to see friends and family over the next 6 months. I’ll keep you posted!

Now, I’m going to finish savoring this cuppa joe and get back to work!

Happy Hump Day Y’all

Kat and the Kids!

It’s that time of year where we, take a couple of moments to toss about ideas for resolutions. So… here I go.

I resolve to do the following:

1. Shed 30 pounds
2. Post to the blog, at least once a week
3. Take time off to smell the proverbial roses
4. Meet up with my various friends who are all over the country for a long weekend here and there.
5. Enjoy the ones I love.

This year it’s only five little items, but sometimes making our resolutions obtainable means, results in them actually coming to fruition.

Here is wishing each and every one of you an incredible New Years! Take time to enjoy 2010!!!

Love,

Kat and the Kids

I’m pleased to announce the birth of my newest nephew, Benjamin David. Weighing in at 8 pounds 3 ounces, measuring 21 inches long, he’s a pretty darn big boy. From all reports my Sister and the lil man are doing wonderfully.

What a way to ring in the holiday!

Here is sending all my love.

Auntie Kat

You know it’s funny. When we take a job as a ‘worker bee’ for a large company there are certain expectations, that we as workers are afforded;

1. That we will be allowed do to our job without interference from supervisors who feel they should share their personal lives with us.

2. That our decisions, be it good or bad, will be reviewed by the company.

3. That we have the right to go to the proverbial bat for our policy holders.

4. That we won’t be singled out by a supervisor because we chose not to share our personal life with them.

Now, before you wonder if this is in regards to me, I have to say no its not. This would be a little blog about how a certain Geico Supervisor on the East Coast, has the ability and wear with all to harass, harangue and in general make life miserable at work for a certain male, yes I said MALE employee.

It seems that she feels it’s ok to corner him at work to discuss her sons issues with his penis, her mother in laws incontinent issues and more. Now when this male employee doesn’t chose to share his personal life with said supervisor, she feels well within her power to make his work life a living hell.

Now let me ask you. Is this considered sexual harassment in Geico’s book? Apparently not, as he was pulled into a room with two other supervisors to be told that he is considered a substandard employee for NOT being willing to discuss his personal life.

Why the blog you might ask? Because this employee feels that if he escalates his issue with this supervisor, he will be put in a situation that he doesn’t wish to be in… i.e. moved to another department or another job or worse yet fired.

Lets think about this. Over the years, women are conditioned to register a complaint with the human resource department, when they feel they are being harassed at their work place. We are also conditioned to submit complaints when we feel we are working in a hostile work environment, however let a male do this and what happens… his issues are swept under the rug because he’s a guy and we all know men shouldn’t have this issue.

Honestly, I feel this is quite unfair for the employee who is just doing his job. He gets up every morning, goes to work, healthy or sick, not to mention he was so sick recently and while his boss took a mental health day, he was encouraged to not leave work to deal with this virus and proceeded to spread it through the office, thereby costing the company several employees, who were allowed to take legitimate days off for being ill.

Sad to say that this supervisor is akin to an office Hitler and that doesn’t bode well for Geicos bottom line. It leaves them open for a potential lawsuit, this employee open for continual harassment and at the end of the day a bad taste in the mouths of those who feel that Geico is a company that does not support it’s employees.

Is this really the type of company who we’d want to insure our vehicles, homes and other items?

I wish this ‘worker bee’ the best of luck with his situation, as we all can attest that one bad supervisor can spoil the working environment for all.

Here is to hoping that Geico will actually step up and sort this issue out for this gentleman.

Have a wonderful friday!

~Kat and the Kids

Good lord what was I thinking. I made the mistake of complaining to my family in Seattle that I was missing the warm weather and I’ll be if God didn’t take notice.

We here in So. Cali are going through the first of I’m sure many heat waves, with temperatures rising to a hot 95+ yesterday today is looking even worse, some areas are expecting triple digits, all I can say is Oi, be careful what you wish for because you might just get it.

Having three kids (cats), I am leaving on an air conditioner so that they too can experience some balmy temperatures in doors like I do during my day at work. Ah… such is life of the cat.

Stay cool!

Kat and the Kids

Please join me in wishing my niece Meggie a very happy third birthday!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MEGGIE!!!!

Love,

Auntie Kat

Lets all wish my nephew a big, happy, wonderful fifth birthday!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ANDREW MICHAEL!!!

Love always,

Auntie Kat

My sisters and I are taking Andrew, who turns five this month, for his first visit to Disneyland. While at work, when I am not listening to cnn.com live, I listen to a local radio station kost1035.com. I recently heard about a big party at Disney’s California Adventures, called Mickey’s Trick or Treat Party. After finally sorting out who was going to buy the tickets, my little sister logged on to Disney.com site and found out that the party tickets for Halloween night were sold out. Well being the internet savvy person she is, she logged onto eBay, seeing that tickets were selling for $100+ per, she checked Craigslist in Seattle, Los Angeles and Orange County.

I was at work when I received a phone call from her saying can you call this person NOW!!!! Sure I replied, she had stumbled upon a young couple, who where unable to use the tickets they had purchased. I confirmed that we were looking for 4 tickets and set up a meeting for that evening.

Upon meeting this young couple and talking to them for a bit, the wife told me that after she received my sisters’ email and my phone call confirming that we wanted them, she had an additional thirteen emails, requesting the tickets. She asked me what I had planned for these tickets, so I told her about Andrews’s upcoming trip. She was so pleased that we were using them for his visit.

So when you think that things just aren’t going your way, remember to believe and if it’s meant to happen it will work itself out.

Have a wonderful day!

Kat and the kids.