Marieke Everywhere

Taken down by the man

We just did our taxes and found that we owe the equivalent to 4 months mortgage. Thus, we are now putting an axe on all non-essential spending. Goodbye Typepad account.

Succotouille

Succotouille (succotash-ratatouille)

For a few years I've been making a dish that I really love that has no 'official' name. I created the dish one day - possible out of boredom - possibly just trying to use up a bunch of random ingredients. It's mainly based on Zuchini, corn, and tomatoes - and reminds me of both a succotash and a ratatouille. Hence the name, Succotouille.

It's my favorite warm veg dish and can be made in big batches and stored away as leftovers. As an added bonus, it's very low in Weight Watchers points so I can eat a nice big bowl full without feeling too guilty (just have to watch the rice).

Here's my recipe:

In a large saucepan, combine 3 tbsps of olive oil, 1 can of diced tomatoes and 4 thinly sliced zucchini.

Cook covered over medium heat until the zucchini becomes tender, stirring occasionally.

Add 1 cup frozen corn kernels and 1/2 cup frozen peas.

Continue to cook over medium heat uncovered, stirring occasionally.

When cooked through, add salt and a little bit of table sugar to taste.

Serve over rice.

The Plan

This morning my husband and I met with our RE to go over our test results and talk about The Plan to get me pregnant. There were no surprises and we have a bit of work to do before we can move forward with ovulation induction, but I feel very encouraged.

The Results:

• Normal HSG
• Normal Thyroid
• Normal Sperm Analysis
• Elevated Glucose
• Elevated 'bad' cholesterol

The Plan:

• Loose 30 pounds
• Go back on Metformin (1500mg/day)
• Ovulation induction when I reach my goal weight

How I am going to do it:

• 'Old Fashioned' Diet and Exercise
• • Weight Watchers (I just signed up this week)
  • Elliptical 4 times a week
  • Hiking once a week
  • Pilates once a week
  • Yoga once a week
  • Gardening once a week
  • More walking

In the meantime:

I am just going to focus on living my life to the fullest and improving my over all health - I've already made a good start, all I need to do is keep it up! (Easier said than done right?)

This cracked my shit up....

From Ready to be a mom, Fertility Madlibs:

Your First Visit to the Reproductive Endocrinologist

Your first visit to a Fertility Specialist, also known as a Reproductive Endocrinologist (RE), can be [annoying] (1: An emotion). But don't worry! Your RE can be your first step in finding both the cause of and solution to your infertility. Infertility problems can make you feel [silly] (2: An emotion) or [hopeful] (3: An emotion), however a good RE will take time to address these feelings. The RE may then do an examination of your [nostril] (4: Body part) visually or by using an ultrasound. The RE may also examine your partner's [hoo ha] (5: Body part) for any signs of abnormality. The doctor will ask you some pretty personal questions, like if your cervical mucus is [smelly] (6: Adjective) and [turquoise] (7: Color), and if your menstruation looks [splotchy] (8: Adjective). The doctor may suggest that you have intercourse [fiercely] (9: Adverb) rather than [mysteriously] (10: Adverb), and for you to [scuba dive] (11: Verb) after intercourse. And don't feel bad if you have fertility challenges, even famous celebrities like [Oprah] (12: Famous Celebrity) have received infertility treatment. The most important is to keep a [sticky] (13: Adjective) attitude, and turn to your [geese] (14: Plural noun) for support. Good luck in your journey!