Home Sweet Mountain Home

As of May 23rd - we became the proud owners of our very own home. We had been looking off and on for about a year. The 2 year lease we had on the house in Boise was quickly approaching and we needed to make a decision as to whether we should extend the lease or take the plunge.

Obviously, we were a little gun-shy considering the mess we got ourselves into with the house in Colorado (luckily we barely escaped by the hair of our, and by "our" - I mean my hubby's 'cause I don't have any whiskers...yet, chinny-chin chin). We chalk that "mess" up to being young and stupid. Now we are not as young, and we would argue still not so smart. But this time around, we were determined not to make the same mistakes that we made during our first-time home buying experience.

Lesson #1: Set a price cap and DO NOT go over it. NO EXCEPTIONS!

Lesson #2: The "Suburbs" are not all that they are cracked up to be, avoid them like the plague. Okay, well maybe not like the plague - but it's not all white picket fences and American dreams. People are people not matter how pretty their front yards are or how much the HOA fees are :)

Lesson #3: The latest and greatest are not always the best and square footage only goes so far.

So rewind. Last summer, we had found a house that we really liked. It was certainly a "fixer-upper", but livable. We had dreams finding a "fixer-upper" and making it our own - so this seemed like just the right thing. It was on a few acres of land, with water rights on the outskirts of town. We were in a contract, and had the inspection done. Everything was going along as planned, until the appraisal came back 15K under what the purchase price was supposed to be. The sellers were not willing to come down on the price, and we were not going to pay more than what the house was worth (nor would the bank allow it even if we wanted to). All of this happened a week before we were supposed to close. So we pulled out of it and got our earnest $ back. You would think we were heart-broken because of it, but honestly we felt relief. We were trying to rush it, and it just wasn't the right time. One more year in Boise, and one more year of commuting for Trace wasn't the end of the world, and we knew we would find something. Which leads to a few more lessons learned along the way:

Lesson #4: Be patient and don't push it - even if it's a totally awesome find.

Lesson #5: So what if it was always a dream to find a house that needed some TLC on some land...when reality hits - finding time and $$$ to fix up said house and property kind of takes the romance out of it all. My dreams can turn into nightmares. Simple is good. I like simple :)

Around Jan. of this year, I contacted our realtor. She happens to be the closest thing we have to family out in these parts as well - we love her and her family. She knew what we were looking for and got to work. We set out to maybe find something in foreclosure or short-sale. We knew it would take about 6 months for paperwork to close on such sales, so we were ready to get started. We looked at several homes. There were a few on the short-list of things we liked. One had good storage, and a great size master bedroom - but it was a split-level home and the garage was small. Totally livable, but the lot was a little small. We kind of wanted a little more space between us and the neighbors. We found another one that had a great open floor plan, and it was a foreclosure - but the yard needed a lot of work (no fence, which is a must with my kids) and I hated the dining area. So we kept looking. It's a great buyer's market, but in a small town there are only so many homes that are available - and we just weren't finding what we were looking for. Truth be told - we weren't sure what we were looking for, we just knew what we didn't want.

I couldn't sleep one night, so I got online and started researching. I found some homes that really looked nice. Most were in a particular neighborhood, which was in the newer part of town. But they were in Suburbia central (and by "suburbia" - I mean cookie-cutter homes). Trying to keep an open mind, we went and looked - but we didn't like a single one. In fact, some we just drove by and didn't even walk through. Then there was this other house that I had found online - but it didn't have an address. I got the MLS number and sent it to my realtor. It had just came on the market and she wasn't too sure about the neighborhood. But she thought it was definitely worth checking out. So we did. And how long did it take for me to say that this house was the "one"? Any guesses?!? It was five steps. Five steps past the front door. It just felt right. It's not the latest and greatest. It's not "snob-burbia". It has charm and quirks (was originally a 2 bedroom 1 bath ranch house with a 2 car garage, but then was added on to make it a 5 bedroom 2 bath 2 story home with a detached garage/shop) and most of all space. It's an older home - which means the rooms are bigger. There are actual closets. There's a designated laundry room and a mud room - and they are not the same room! The lot is bigger, with mature trees and landscaping. It has been recently renovated - which meant it was ready to move-in and enjoy. The big plus was it was under our price cap. So we made an offer and it was accepted - three days after the sellers had listed the house on the market, plus it wasn't a short-sale. We made the offer in Feb. and they were willing to wait and close in May. Closing went perfect and we moved into the house on Memorial day weekend. Of course moving could be a post within itself - let's just say it was tough but we survived.

And now for the tour...

Entry way/front room - don't worry the vinyl lettering is already peeled off :)

Kitchen...

Dining area...

Laundry Room, just off the dining area...

Mud room, just off the Laundry room...

Bathroom #1 - love the tile work

Bedroom #1...

Bedroom #2 - which has become our office. Eventually the pink will be painted over...

Bedroom #3 - is huge. As you walk in there is a decent size room, but then as you look to the right or left, you can see more room by way of "nooks" - which are perfectly sized for beds and dressers.

Bathroom #2 - love the tile work on this one too...

Bedroom #4 - Entry...

Different view....

Bedroom #5 - Master bedroom - Entry...if you look by the window - the room actually extends a little further back to the left (closets) but it was hard to get a picture that made sense of it all...

Different view...

Now on to the backyard...

Trex-deck = Awesome!

Swing-set...kid's favorite :)

And last but no least, the shop a.k.a. the man cave.

We are now completely unpacked, but are still working on hanging pictures. We're getting there. Maybe I'll post some after pictures. Maybe. :)

5 months

As of May 1st - I have lost 94 lbs. 376 sticks of grade A butter. Folks, I am almost at the century mark. So close, yet it seems so far away. I had a check-up with Dr. Valentine and everything looks good. I was warned that the weight-loss would start slowing down. (8-10 lbs average a month is what I can start to expect). I was also told about plateaus. I really didn't need to be told, as I experienced my first one. I didn't lose a single pound for almost 14 days. Now most would be thinking "well that's not bad, why are you complaining...look how much you have lost". And it really isn't - but up until this point, I have been consistently dropping pounds like hot potatoes. I know there is a "magic window" where optimal weight-loss occurs. Statistics show that people lose about 80% of what weight they will lose overall within the 1st 6 months following surgery. I hate that the honeymoon period is coming to an end. So there is a need to change my mindset/expectations as things slow down. I need to be more patient. I also think this is the time where I really have to start to deal with all the "other" things that contributed to my fluffiness. Things like coping mechanisms and how most of mine relate to food. (Well that, and the fact that I actually feel hungry sometimes). If I am happy, I want to eat. If I am sad, I want to eat. I equate socialization with food (girls lunch bunch or date night, bbq's...that sort of thing). While I now cannot physically scarf down 1/2 a pan of brownies - it doesn't mean that I don't crave them. But it's interesting that I am noticing the cravings for what they are. And don't even get me started about PMS cravings...no amount of stomach bypass can eliminate those :) I find that on most days, I crave salt (which is new for me). But I must admit, I find myself a little frustrated that the scale is slowing down.

The other thing that has happened is that I have decided to run the Dirty Dash 10K this summer (end of August) with Trace and some family and friends. I am anxious to get that part of my life back. This race is right up my alley. It's all about having fun and challenging yourself. In my bright mind, I decided to start running. Not training - but I wanted to see how my body would react to a jog. So I ran 1/2 mile. Nothing serious. Other than asthma, my body and muscles felt great. Things were moving together. But then it happened. I got a little pain in the top of my left hip. It was the same faint pain that I have been getting off and on since I started working out after the surgery. It wasn't in the hip joint, but on the top crest part of the hip. Nothing major - it was more of an annoying pain. After the short jog, I went and played volleyball. The hip pain kept getting worse, but I played through assuming the pain was chalked up to the "your body isn't what it used to be" reason. By the time I went to bed, I couldn't sleep because the pain was so intense. It hurt to move, it hurt to lay down, I was miserable. By the time I got up, both sides of my hips were hurting. Every step I took, it felt like someone was stabbing me with an icepick. I walked like E.T. (and said Oooouch) Working out for the next week wasn't even an option, as I couldn't even walk normal.

I finally decided enough was enough, and went to a chiropractor. I went in thinking it was my TFL muscle...but it appears to be the iliopsoas muscle group. The hard thing is - the one set of muscles that can't be easily reached, and that remain "flexed" most of the time - is the group that decided to wreak havoc on me. We are still in the beginning phases as to what type of therapy to use. It looks like it will be a process of elimination. So first, we have to work on decompressing my lower back because apparently that can be a problem (same problem I have had for the past 14 years...but who's counting?), which can create bigger problems - such as hip issues. Deep tissue massage therapy is also something that the Dr thinks will help. My big issue with all of this?!? Time. The time it takes for these things to heal can be painstakingly slow. Time is something that I don't have. I need to exercise to help with plateaus. I need to start training for the 10k pretty quick (within the next 3 weeks) if I want to be ready. I haven't worked out for 2 weeks now - and I still have pain every time I take a step, especially right after I stand up. Tomorrow I am going to try some yoga and see if I can tolerate that. I am just afraid that my body, because it has been under so much stress, might take longer to heal. Getting old is stupid.

Where's E.T. when you need him? Can't he just say Oooouch and heal me? Please.

kid-isms

Aleana-ism:

Me: Aleana, how was your day at school?

Aleana: Fine. I played basketball at recess.

Me: Really?!? Like the "just shooting the ball around" kind of basketball, or the real thing?

Aleana: The real thing. It was girls against boys.

Me: {GRIN - my heart swelling with pride...now that's my baby girl!} Sounds like fun - how'd you play?

Aleana: Um - not that good. But I was only playing because Matthew was on the boys team and I think he's cute.

Wait. What's that sound? A jet? No, that would be the air deflating from my proud mama bear ego. Boys are stupid. Basketball is WAY more fun :)

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Trent-ism's:

Most of Trent comes in a form of a question. The amount of curiosity that he has is a little crazy - or maybe that's how I feel by the end of the day from having to answer all his questions. A few samples you ask?

1. Mom, if my foot got chopped off - would you buy me a peg-leg, or would you get me a fake foot?

2. How old do you have to be for the bump in your belly button to goes away - because Hannah still has a bump in hers, but I don't in mine.

3. Is the hydrogen field the same thing as the gravity field around a red dwarf star?

I can explain the difference between an innie and an outie, but try explaining the idea of gravity, in terms of a red dwarf star. Never a dull moment...I think he's a champion of the 20 Question game. However, as he has pointed out time and time again, I am not the champion of having good enough answers.

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Hannah-ism:

Hannah is a smart cookie - unfortunately she took after her mom when it comes to word confusion. She knows which word she means to say - but it doesn't always come out that way. Her current victims of word confusion? Beauty. And booty. She gets it mixed up. Not a good thing when she likes to watch Disney's Beauty and the Beast.

Let's just hope she gets it right, before I get embarrassed in public this time.

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Luke-ism:

If I say "Luke, give me a kiss", he just tilts his head so I can kiss the top of it. And most of the time, he doesn't even stop doing whatever it is he is doing. Nope, just a cute little charlie-brown-head tilt is all I need.

Do our part.

Yesterday, as I sat down on the couch to watch one of my "shows", the abc network logo appeared on the screen and interrupted the 2-hour season finale. My first thought? What the ____??? Right in the middle of my show? C'mon - the one time I can sit down and watch TV?!? Then a split second later my heart dropped, heavy with dread. The dread that can only come from hearing a voice come over the air saying "We interrupt your regularly scheduled programing to bring you this special report"...which of course is always followed by dramatic music only used when an urgent message is about to be conveyed. I never used to give these special reports a second thought... until the 9/11 attacks happened.

Emotions and memories of that day still play on my feelings of dread. Trace, cutting his morning classes short, came storming in the door of our tiny-this is all we can afford-government-subsidized apartment and told me to turn on the TV. We watched in horror as we saw the events of tragedy unfold. Life changed in an instant. Lives were taken away and a nation's idea of being invincible was shattered. The word "terrorist" took on a whole new meaning that literally hit right at home. Our nation was attacked by an enemy that could not be defined within the realms of a single country. It was a new kind of war, which at that time, could not be defined.

As I found myself sitting in front of the TV, not quite 10 years later, with that same feeling of dread...I couldn't help but feel a twinge of fear followed by the mental question of what now? We all know our nation is changing. The world climate is, for the lack of a better word, unstable. We haven't been immune to the current state of the economy. Then there seems to be an onslaught of significant natural disasters that are effecting millions of people. So what is it now? Another tsunami? A nuclear meltdown? A devastating earthquake? How many people are going to suffer? A bomb? A mass shooting? My only conundrum of what now was trying to differentiate whether the to-be-annoucned disaster was going to be man-made or something bigger than us all.

Then it was announced:

Osama Bin Laden is dead.

It took a moment to sink in. I simply could not believe it. I wanted it to be verified by more than just a "reliable" source, so I flipped through the very limited list of channels we get via antennae on TV. Everyone was broadcasting the same thing. The president would be soon be addressing the nation. This was the real deal. Clips of Bin Laden and his reign of terror were shown. Time lines were discussed. All I could think was...finally. We finally got him. Justice has been served. There was no cheering, no jumping for joy. My thoughts turned to the lives affected, be it directly from the 9/11 attacks or the war on terror that has followed.

I logged onto facebook and it was lit-up with status updates regarding the death of this horrible man. I turned my attention back to the TV. The newscasters were patiently waiting for President Obama to speak - as his time to do so had been delayed several times. Then clips of video were being shown in real time. People at the White House. People at ground zero. Cheering. Cheering for the country. Cheering for, among other things, justice and victory.

But I have to admit - I couldn't help but feel uneasy. I looked around at the faces of those cheering in the crowds. The majority of these cheering people were young. College age. And I couldn't put my finger on it, but this cheering business just didn't feel right. I couldn't understand what warranted the breaking out in song and dance in the streets. How is this honoring those lives lost? How is this honoring the men and women that have put their lives on the line to fight this man, his group and it's ideals? How can having hatred of an evil man bring about joyous shouts and celebration? Isn't that what Osama's followers did when he claimed a victory on the evil empire of America? Didn't they cheer in the streets? Now, I know it's not the same, because what he did was wrong. And what we did was bring an end to what he began. But having hatred? Even though it can be easily justified, can cheering for the demise of an evil leader who was responsible for thousands of deaths, be okay if it is fueled by hatred? Is it the right thing to do?

MLK said:

"But there is another side which we must never overlook. Hate is just as injurious to the person who hates. Like an unchecked cancer, hate corrodes the personality and eats away its vital unity. Hate destroys a man's sense of values and his objectivity. It causes him to describe the beautiful as ugly and the ugly as beautiful, and to confuse the true with the false and the false with the true.

...We never get rid of an enemy by meeting hate with hate; we get rid of an enemy by getting rid of enmity. By its very nature, hate destroys and tears down; by its very nature, love creates and builds up. Love transforms with redemptive power.

Is there enough love to solve this war on terror? In this life? I doubt it. I know it's more complicated than any one person could ever define. I know with Osama's demise, closure has been brought to many families. A chapter has been closed in what is now a much bigger book. I also know it isn't over. But there should be enough love and light to do the right thing, at least on the home front. Instead of allowing hatred to fuel cheers on the account of death, we should focus our energy on being grateful. We should express feelings of gratitude to those responsible for carrying out justice, for those who have accomplished their missions - or have died while valiantly trying to do so. We need to be part of the solution. How would I convey my gratitude? I would shake a service members hand, look him/her in the eye, and say Thank You. Thank you for your service, for your sacrifice, and for ensuring the continued freedoms that we take for granted - including the right to speak our opinions on such, and to do so freely.

Our soldiers do their part everyday. Now we need to do ours.

Hard-Boiled Eggs

Hard-boiled eggs. Rubbery. Dry. Stinky. Not my favorite thing about Easter celebration. Rest assured, my childhood memories are stocked full of good family fun surrounding Easter. The beautiful AZ weather (oh how I miss you right now), BBQs, egg hunts, the infamous potato salad, and my personal favorite - Grandma Baker's cucumber salad (my mouth is watering right now). But eggs? Just not my thing, unless they come in the form of peanut butter and chocolate nicely packaged in little foil wrappers.

Then there's T-H-E year. The one where all my memories are built around. I can't remember exactly how old I was - but I am thinking I was 8, maybe 9. All of us kids were participating in the traditional Easter egg hunt. You know, the one that is all about "fun" and not about who finds the most eggs? Some grown-up prompted me to look around the dog run side of the house. It was suggested that there maybe a box over there that may or may not have eggs in it. And I wanted eggs. I wanted to find the mostest and bestest eggs ever. There it was, a box with a scrap 2x4 and a few rocks balanced on top. Everyone was watching, as I removed the junk and opened the box. Sadly, I didn't see any eggs. ARGH! Aaron or Brian alwaaaaays win! (unofficially, of course) But, much to my surprise, sitting in the corner of the deep box was a little brown bunny. A real, live runny babbit ;) I was thrilled! I had begged my mom for a rabbit, but I didn't actually think I would get one. And out of all days, Easter?!? Happy day! I spent the rest of the family BBQ on cloud nine. (Little did I know, a few months down the road, Mr. Brown Rabbit would eventually escape his cage, live under the woodpile and forage for food in mom's garden. Oh the anger that little varmint incited. Mom was ticked. And she wanted her sugar peas back - even if it was in the form of rabbit stew. I never could catch him).

Enjoying my cloud nine status, I decided to join in the festivities with my brothers, aka - eating hard-boiled eggs. My brothers would crack the shell and just inhale them. Like candy. I don't even think they chewed. Not to be outdone, I attempted the same. Of course, just like with most things, my luck wasn't so good. I managed to pick the one egg that had been left out in the sun a little too long. My bad luck wasn't discovered until later that night after I got sent to bed. Earlier in the evening, Dad had asked me to do the dishes and I told him I didn't feel so well. He thought I was just making excuses - so dishes it was. Two hours later and still not having completed the said task, Dad, with his angry eyes sent me straight to bed. I curled up into a ball - and went to sleep. Sometime between late-night and the first signs of daylight, I woke up and no longer had a stomach ache. But what was this taste in my mouth? As I came to - I realized that my room stunk. Then I moved my hand to pull my bear closer to me. And it was then that I made my discovery - a discovery that would forever change how I feel toward hard-boiled eggs. I knew why I woke up...why it stunk...and why I had that bad taste in my mouth. At some point, that unlucky hard-boiled egg decided it was too confined. And after much protest, I must have complied and hurled it - all while sleeping. It had to be quite sometime before I woke up - because it was crusted on my precious pink and white bear and in my hair. Stupid, stupid egg.

Not much love has been lost over the years in avoiding those villainous wretched eggs. I have tried here and there to eat them. After all, they are great protein. Most good restaurants serve them with their house salads. I have even devised my own "deviled eggs" recipe - in hope that it wouldn't be the devil on my stomach. And for the most part, I am okay. I don't necessarily enjoy cooking them or smelling them cook annually. But, I want my kids to have fun in family traditions. So I cook, knowing that I can't get past the rubbery white and dry gray matter that smells like sulphur.

My luck, however, might just be turning around. Today, I came across an article that might do the trick and help with the egg mess. It appears that I have been cooking them wrong all these years. FYI - I payed very little attention as a child to cooking hard-boiled eggs, as I thought it was be useless information. I knew, for a fact, that there wasn't going to be ANY nasty smelling eggs at MY house where I will make the rules. Sigh. Anyway, I just finished cooking the eggs the right way. The smell was still nasty, but tolerant. And as far as the texture goes...I'll find out on Sunday. All I know is my kids better'd find the eggs in a timely manner, especially the ones hidden in broad daylight.

Article (from About.com - home cooking):

Believe it or not, there is an art to cooking eggs in the shell. Find out how to cook them perfectly to your tastes without that gray-green tinge. Remember, hard-boiled eggs is a misnomer as they should not be boiled for any length of time.

Difficulty: Easy

Time Required: 25 minutes

Here's How:

1. Place eggs in single layer in saucepan.
2. Cover with at least one inch of cold water over tops of shells.
3. Cover pot with lid and bring to a boil over medium heat.
4. As soon as the water comes to a full boil, remove from heat and let stand.
5. Large soft-cooked eggs: let stand in hot water 1 to 4 minutes, depending on your tastes.
6. Large hard-cooked eggs: let stand in hot water 15 to 17 minutes.
7. When cooked to desired level, drain off hot water.
8. Immediately cover with cold water and add a few ice cubes.
9. Soft-cooked eggs: let stand in cold water until cool enough to handle. Serve.
10. Hard-cooked eggs: let stand in cold water until completely cooled. Use as needed.

Tips:

1. Never boil eggs. It makes them rubbery.
2. Use older eggs. Fresh ones won't peel properly.
3. To keep eggs from cracking while cooking (before placing in water), pierce large end with a needle, which will also make them easier to peel.

Love it or hate it...

Shark S3501Q Deluxe Steam Pocket Mop

As far as chores go, I don't have a favorite - but I do have a few that I really can't stand to do. Mopping is one of them. The mop, the nasty water, the cleaner, the inevitable and mostly painful attraction between my kids and the wet floor...all reasons why this chore ranks the highest on my "rather not do" list. So, I bit the bullet. I bought a steam mop. Why did I buy a shark? Well, truthfully because it was on sale. I got it at Big Lots for $59.00. From what I could tell, the shark steam mop comes in a few different packages - and of course they are priced accordingly. The one I purchased included both swivel heads and THREE cloth covers for each head, as well as a dusting cover (for hardwood floors) and an attachment to use with carpet. Now when I started looking at buying a Shark, it was hard to find anything priced under $130.00 - and that price didn't include all of the extras that came with my set. I have, however, noticed a huge price drop within the last month. Average seems to be about $85 - $100. Why? Because shark has come out with a newer version.

The box had been sitting on the floor in the hallway for 3 weeks before I finally decided to give the whole steam mop thing a try. Yes, I am admitting that my floors had not been mopped in over three weeks. I figured that if the mop can handle 3 weeks of sticky-4 kid-2 dog-mess then it would be a keeper. Assembling the mop was quick and easy. Getting started was a cinch. I can't believe how fast I was able to get the entire kitchen and dining area clean. It was so fast in fact, I had some time leftover and was able to mop the bathroom floor as well.

Positives:

- only takes 30 seconds to warm up

- super long cord

- light-weight, not bulky - allows for easy storage

- handle length is adjustable

- bigger tank than most steam mops - tank was still half-full when I finished

- swivel heads allow easy maneuverability, the triangle one works great in the kid's bathroom

- 3 sets of cloth covers

- cloth covers are easy to put on and remove, as well as being well-made. Machine washable.

- It actually cleans - better than a traditional mop - in a fraction of the time

- no cleaner or bucket needed

- floor was barely damp afterward and dried very quickly

- I actually enjoyed mopping - guess there's a first time for everything!

Negatives:

- The only concern I had was allowing the cloth and head to cool down (directions said 2 - 5 mins, but after just a minute it was cool enough) - and discharging the steam build up, once you are done mopping. It's not a big deal - I just have to be sure not to walk away so that my kids don't touch the steam mop when it's cooling down.

Overall, I have to say - that this is one of the few times that I actually like a product as much as I thought I would. It really does do what it promises to do. I have clean floors and it didn't take me half the day to get it done. My kids didn't slip and fall, my baby didn't try to get in the nasty bucket of water, and I had time left over enough to blog about my very happy purchase. I know the latest and greatest just came out - but this older version works great. If you are looking to make your life a little easier and want to save some money at the same time - take advantage of the sale prices.

Shark Steam Mop = Love it!!!

No Joke

I know it's April Fool's Day - but it is also the 4 month mark since my surgery. It's hard to believe it's been 4 months. Some days it seems like forever ago and some days I have a hard time wrapping my head around how much weight has come off in such a little time.

My official weight loss as of today? 80 lbs. EIGHTY POUNDS!!! I could not be more excited. That's 320 sticks of butter or 106 packages of chocolate chips. March was a hard month for me. Trace was gone for two weeks - he had to go to DC for some training. And it's not like he hasn't been gone before. But I am a little rusty, I have been spoiled having him home everyday. And I like my hubby. And I miss him. Plus, I managed to have 3 of the 4 kidlets sick with the puking/diarrhea/coughing/aches and pains kind of flu that didn't just last for just 24 hours, but managed to hold on unmercilessly for over a week. Not fun. But at least Luke didn't get it. I think that would have done me in. Anyway - for those two weeks, I think I managed to get 4 workouts in. And that was in the first week. The second week, I didn't even try. Then add the infamous visit from Aunt Not-So-Fertile-Myrtle...um, ya - let's just say I was hurtin'. And my poor kids got to deal with a really stressed out, sleep deprived mom. I was so happy when Trace got back - and he managed to get on an earlier flight that got him home a day earlier. The first thing I did when he got back? I took a nap. :)

Besides the kids pulling some moves from the exorcist movie - I also had to get the house ready to show. Since we will be moving in May (hopefully), our landlord wanted to show the house and get some new renters signed. So I managed to go through all the rooms and closets and get rid of all the crap. It ended up being 2 bags per room that got donated and one bag of trash per room that filled my trash bin. I also went through my clothes. Everything that I have owned for the past 7 years? Too big. I had a pair of jean carpi's that were my favorite, but I haven't been able to fit in for the last 5 years. I saved them thinking that eventually I would lose some weight and be able to wear them again. I tried those suckers on - and I could pull them off without even unbuttoning them. How crazy is that?!? While I am trilled that they don't fit, I am sad - because they were my favorite and I didn't even get enjoy them one last time. Oh the sadness - can you feel the sarcasm? :)

The pile...

Other thoughts about this journey?

So I have been working out for 6 days a week (well before the first half of this month, and after the two weeks Trace was gone...). I alternate between Jillian Michael's torture and yoga.

I love yoga. I have this DVD - which I have actually owned since Aleana was 6 months old. Yep, it's that old and we have managed to keep it scratch free - which goes to show how much playtime, or the lack thereof, it's actually gotten. It's called "Yoga Conditioning for Weight Loss" by Susanne Deason. It's not intense - the moves are very easy - and my favorite part is that the routine was taped in the red rocks of Sedona. It makes me a little homesick every time I do the workout, but in a way it makes me feel a little closer to to home too. So having this DVD for almost 11 years now, one would think that I have become a master. Well, no - sadly that hasn't been the case. In fact, up until last week - I still couldn't do all the moves (and these moves aren't power yoga moves or anything complicated - they are moves that anyone, in any shape or size, are SUPPOSED to be able to do). And I love how I feel when it's done. I work up a sweat. I feel like my whole body is working better together. My core (I am actually getting a core!!!) feels stronger. It's a great workout for the days where my body needs some recuperation time. But the best part is my mind feels clear. It's a workout that is actually relaxing (I know, what an oxy-moron). I guess it's the little victories, like finally being able to do yoga the right way without shaking, that seem to mean the most to me.

And Jillian Michaels? Ya, she and I have a love/hate relationship. I really like her style of workouts. They get to the point, with no fru-fru-ey moves. My inner-athlete, who is biting at the bit to get out, loves the plyometrics, the kick-boxing, and the circuit training...well in theory anyway. About half-way through the workout, I have a few choice words I would like to say to her. Then I just find her annoying. When the workout is done, and I am trying not to die, I start to like her again. I am seeing results. Between the weight loss and the workouts - my body is finally changing shape. I like it.

I also have been playing volleyball on Wednesday nights from about 9:30pm to 11:30pm. And this is after my usual workout for the day. I am having so much fun. It's mostly city-league-ers, so the quality of play is really good. (FYI - People in Idaho take volleyball very seriously). Maybe one of these days I'll join a city league - but I have a hard time getting serious enough to play on a competitive level. When I see people getting intense, I just keep thinking "C'mon people, it's just a game!" But, I guess I would feel different if losing or winning actually mattered, like it would in a city league game. Bragging rights are important! :)

To sum it up, I feel like mostly me again. And not just emotionally, but physically. I know I am past the halfway mark. I still have a long way to go - but it's amazing what dropping 80 lbs can do - no joke.

TODAY

TODAY

Outside my window a new day I see

and only I can determine,

what kind of day it will be.

I can be busy & sunny,

laughing & gay,

Or boring & cold,

unhappy & gray.

My own state of mind is the

determining key,

for I am the only person

I let myself be.

I can be thoughtful &

do all I can to help,

or be selfish & think

just to myself.

I can enjoy what I do &

make it seem fun,

or gripe & complain &

make it hard on someone.

I can be patient with those

may not understand,

or belittle & hurt them

as much as I can.

But I have faith in myself

& believe what I say,

& I personally intend

to make the best of each day.

author unknown

Charlie Brown

Look who has more hair than Charlie Brown now...barely. :) - Luke 13 mos.

Need to step up my game...*pinch*

After reading lots of status updates on facebook, I realize that we are not fun or exciting when it comes to celebrating St. Patrick's Day. We have Irish in our blood somewhere...but it only shows through when someone, mostly me, is mad. I saw these cupcakes on Fabulessly Frugal last week and printed out the recipe. Today was a perfect excuse to make something full of sugar, that smells delicious and that I can't eat. :) But the kids will love me extra special today, at least until the battle of bedtime ensues - but I'll save that story for another time. For dinner we'll do the green eggs, green pancakes and green orange juice. Hopefully they will actually eat it this year - haha. However, no leprechaun traps or treasure hunts will be set up this year. Maybe next year, I'll step up my game and be a cool mom. Maybe.

Ingredients

• • White cake mix (we used an 18-1/4-ounce box)
  • Food coloring (red, blue, green, and yellow)
  • Baking cups
  • Whipped cream (optional)

Instructions

Prepare your favorite white cake mix, then divide the batter evenly among six small bowls. Following the chart below, dye each bowl of batter a rainbow color.

RAINBOW COLOR	DROPS OF FOOD COLORING
Purple	9 red and 6 blue drops
Blue	12 drops
Green	12 drops
Yellow	12 drops
Orange	12 yellow and 4 red drops
Red	18 drops

1. Line 16 muffin pan wells with baking cups. Evenly distribute the purple batter among the cups, then the blue, and so on, following the order shown. As you go, gently spread each layer of batter with the back of a spoon to cover the color underneath.
2. Bake the cupcakes according to your recipe directions. Before serving, remove the paper wrapping, and if you like, top each cupcake with a whipped-cream cloud.

They are in the oven as I type this...the smell - pure torture I tell ya!

And The Crazy Lady Contines...

One of my New Year's resolutions was to learn something new every month. In February, I learned how to do the "smokey eye" make-up technique. Once I got the hang of it, it's pretty easy and quick. I do have to say that having good make-up brushes and eyeshadow really does make a difference. Sephora was very knowledgeable and helped me figure out what I needed. It's expensive, but I think it's worth it.

So my next thing to learn is couponing - as evident on a previous post. Although I started in February, it's gonna count for March's "something new" as well because I am still learning quite a bit.

New things I have learned:

1. Don't leave your coupon filer/bin on the top of your car while you're driving. In true Sheri fashion, that's exactly what I did. Of course, I didn't realize it until I got to the store and couldn't find my coupon bin. Praying that I left it in the garage on the workbench, I turned around and headed home. About a mile before home, I noticed little pieces of paper EVERYWHERE. I kept driving, ducking my head - trying to hide my shame. (Really, who's gonna see me?!?...but I did. And turned bright red too.) About 1/2 mile later, there was an empty black recipe/card filing box. Sigh. I flipped a u-turn and headed back to the store. I wouldn't even have went back, but I had the older two kids at home with the pukes, and I needed some Gatorade. Did I stop to pick up the coupons that I worked so hard to clip and file? Nope. I told myself I would stop after I get the kids situated and not puking - but who was I kidding? I was WAY too embarrassed.

2. Round two. Having to redo the whole coupon filing system, I decided to change a few things. I found a card box with a latch that locks (you know, just in case I repeat one of my classic moments). And I also added more categories to make things a little easier to find.

3. I now shop on Mondays. I used to shop on Saturdays because I could leave the kids home. However, with coupons coming in on Sunday, and the grocery ads effective on a Sunday through Saturday cycle, Monday gives me a better chance to get some of the good things while they are still in stock. Take Walgreen's for example. This week they had two really good deals. One was on Men's deodorant. The normal cost for one is 4.98 (a bit inflated compared to Walmart). But the special was BOGO free AND I had 4 coupons for BOBO Free from the manufacturer. What does that mean? Yep, I got eight deodorants for free. I did have to pay tax on the items, but that's a given. The second deal that was really good, was their store brand of diapers. They are originally priced at $8.99 per package. Again, the special was BOGO free. Then, there was a monthly in-store coupon that can be found in their "Infant Care" pamphlet which takes $2 off each package. That means I spent $2.49 on each package. Not too shabby. While I was shopping at Walgreen's, there were others lined up behind me getting the same deals. By the time I checked out, they were already out of stock on some diaper sizes. On some specials, Walgreen's will give you a rain check if they run out of stock, but not all specials. So shopping on Monday keeps out the hassle of rain checks and doesn't put me at the risk of having my manufacturers coupons expire before they get more stock in.

4. Shop in the first half of the morning. The stores are less crowded and the cashiers are generally still happy, which means they work with you better. Also, because I have to take the 2 younger ones with me - I get home home from all my shopping just in time for lunch.

5. Free childcare at a grocery store is AWESOME! Although Luke is still too young, Hannah loves to "go play at Fred Meyers". It gives her a break and allows me to concentrate a little better (not to mention the vegetables and bread don't get squished near as often).

6. Book mark printable and e-coupon websites. It makes life much easier. Also, find a coupon blog that is based in your area - let them do all the hard work. One that is based in Boise is http://fabulesslyfrugal.com/. Not only do they make it easy for you to stay organized, but they also create lists of coupons for each Sunday insert, in alphabetical order. Why is this so awesome? Say you find something on clearance, and you remember seeing a coupon for the said clearance item in one of the inserts. But you didn't clip it, and you can't remember the date of the insert it was in. No problem - you can just go to your list and find it. So you save a little bit more money and time was not wasted. The reason why I recommend finding a blog based in your area/state - is because some deals are regional. Fabulessly Frugal is great about posting the current weekly deals. They also code the deals, letting me know how good the deals are (better than wholesale, better than most coupon scenarios, or lowest price ever/time to stock up). These lists are also printable, so all I have to do is pull the coupons on the items I need from the list. This saves me a lot of time - and takes the hassle out of it.

7. Time. At first, I wasn't sure what to expect. But now that I have been doing this for almost a month, I have a better grasp. It takes me about an hour to clip and file the coupons from the Sunday inserts and look at the grocery ads. I should mention, I don't clip all of coupons, just ones that I think I will need. Then every night, I check a couple coupon blogs to see if there are any finds or freebies - and that takes maybe 5 mins a day. As far as shopping - I went to 3 stores today. Walgreen's, Winco, and Fred Meyers. I was gone for 2 hours and 45 minutes - and that's with carting 2 kids around and in and out of car seats. So it's less than four hours a week, including the time I would already spend on shopping if I didn't clip coupons.

So what did I get this week?

Items I had coupons for:

10 cans of corn

10 cans of green beans

2 DiGiorno Pizzas

1 tub of Land O'Lakes margarine

1 (6ct) Danimals yogurt

3lbs ground beef

4 pkgs of diapers

4 (1 lb) pkgs of spaghetti noodles

8 (26oz) jars of Ragu spaghetti sauce

2 cans Campbell's Harvest Select Soup

1 (20oz) French's Mustard

4 (5ct) pkgs Better Oats instant oatmeal

3 (8oz) cans of tomato sauce)

2 (36ct) Reynolds muffin tin liners

2 (64oz) V8 splash juice

2 (8.2oz) tubes of Crest toothpaste

2 (travel size) tubes of Crest toothpaste

1 (24oz) Del Monte Ketchup

2 pkgs Betty Crocker Cake mix

1 (24ct) case of Top Ramen (great for food storage/72 hour kits)

4 (20oz) cans of Del Monte pineapple tidbits

5 (13oz) boxes of Post Selects Great Grains cereal

2 (12ct) pks of Double Roll toilet paper

1 (21oz) dial Nurtiskin lotion

8 Right Guard Total Defense Men's deodorant (Well Trace is set for the next year lol)

1 (24 servings) MiO - flavored water enhancer

Also the things I bought, which I didn't have coupons for:

Fish tank filter

tomatoes

head of lettuce

fish food

apple butter

100ct - sandwich baggies

Total cost: $219.69

What I spent: $106.85

What I saved: $112.84

Now that's just over 50% in savings. Happy me! Not bad for 4 hours a week.

Proud Mama Bear - Firstborn Cub

Warning - you should know that this post is all about bragging. It spews praises of goodness and admiration. I can't help it. I am proud of my kids, and every once in a while - I need to write it down. :)

-------------------------------------

From the beginning, as she made her entrance into this world, Aleana has always known what she does and doesn't want. All 9 lbs 3oz of her came on her own terms... sunny side up, hand, not head first (arm was raised above her head). She was my sometimes-snuggle-er. She would cuddle if she needed loves, but if not - forget about it because she had more important things to do. If she didn't want to sleep - she didn't - for HOURS at a time. She figured out that if she cried hard enough, she'd puke - and to her that meant a ticket out of the crib (took us a while to figure that one out...). She didn't want to nurse (and oh how I tried for 3 very long months). Apparently she didn't like the regular formula either. Nope, she had to have the soy stuff. (Bleck - you thought regular spit-up/projectile vomit was bad - that soy stuff is nasty!) She couldn't stand bananas. She crawled at 5 1/2 months and took her first steps when she was 10 months because she wasn't about to be held back.

Blink...

Aleana walked in the door from school yesterday. She set her coat and back pack down, and started playing with her baby brother. As I watched Luke's eyes light up and Aleana beam, I was taken back. How did she get so big? How did she turn into this caring daughter, sister, and friend?

As I was reminiscing, my heart began to swell. She is such a good kid, and to her own credit I might add. From my limited years of motherhood, even I know that there are some things that you just can't teach.

1.) Her sheer determination, for example. She sets her mind to something - and doesn't let anything get in the way. Take student council. She ran last year and lost. Her hopes were set pretty high, so when she didn't get voted in, I figured it was a hard lesson for her to learn. But I found it interesting that she didn't show much emotion - no crying. Heck, I know if I ever had the guts to put myself out there (which I never ever did) and run for student council, and then lost - I would be devastated. I was wrong about what lesson she learned, because this year she dusted off her knees and ran again. And then lost, again. This time, the only thing she voiced her thoughts on were her feelings about the person who beat her. She thought "he won just because he was the only boy running". Well, at least she learned one lesson: Yes Aleana, boys are stupid - and they will be for YEARS to come. And when you forget - I will just have to remind you. :) That's it. No tears. No sadness. Although, there was just a little bit of anger. (Honestly? I was relieved - just so I know she takes after me in at least something.)

2.) She is quietly stubborn and will work at something until she gets it right. And she has to do it her on her terms. When we were living in Colorado, she decided she wanted to run for a cross-country running group called the Land Sharks. She wasn't conditioned for it, but it's what she wanted to do. I tried to warn her that it would be hard, since she wasn't used to running long distance. Although I should not have been surprised, I was, when at her first meet she ran the whole two miles without stopping. I asked her why she didn't stop to take a breather, she said "Because I didn't want to stop".

Crazy kid - wish I had your discipline.

3.) She is a huge help with taking care of her siblings. She a natural "mother hen" so I have to reign her in sometimes, but in general, I am amazed. She willingly plays with the little two kids when she gets home from school. And by willingly, I mean - it's her idea. If I am in a bind, and need her help - I usually only have to ask once. (Well except when it comes to changing Hannah's diaper...then I need to get a little stern - but who willingly wants to change a 3 yr old's poopy diaper because the said kid refuses to be potty-trained? I don't. Why would Aleana want to?)

4.) Aleana has a bright mind. She won the spelling bee again this year for her entire school. So off to the multi-school spelling bee we went. After four long hours of sitting and waiting and then spelling - she placed second. Second place! She spelled words like guttural and salmonella. (And so you know, I had to run the spell checker on those words just now). She got out on the word "rescind" because she thought they meant "resend". Bummer.

After it was all said and done, her teacher and the principal who both came to support her, walked up and gave their congratulations. They were amazed at the words she spelled. Her teacher, Ms. Kolbrecki then asked me how hard I had to work with her on the spelling words. She was surprised when I told her I didn't. I left it up to Aleana. I want my kids to learn - but I am not going to cram it down their throats. Every kid has their pace and Aleana just happens to be a self-starter. I can't take credit for how hard she had practiced - it was all her. I figure if it was that important to her (which it was), she would put in the hard work to study and learn. The teacher and principal exchanged looks. Not too sure if they were amazed at Aleana or just disagreeing with my parental teaching approach. Judge if they want, but it works with Aleana and that's what counts.

Her work ethic is certainly applied at school. She just got her report card and is in the top of her class. Ms. Kolbrecki included this note in the report: "Aleana is the consummate student! I have never in my 12 years of teaching met a student with such a high work ethic and zest for learning. What makes Aleana even more intriguing is that she doesn't flaunt her intellect or talent. She is a quiet, hard working, and kind student. I have so enjoyed getting to know her this year. She is doing a fabulous job on her P.A.C.E. project [research paper] as well. Her writing ability is stellar, and I'm enjoying getting to know the two women she chose to write about. Again this trimester, Aleana has been reading quite a bit. She has earned 78 additional AR points, which puts her in the 335 range of points. Incredible!! What a fantastic student you are Aleana!! She has really stepped up her participation in class discussions as well. Her questions are very thoughtful and inquisitive and I am enjoying her contributions." Man those words made this mama bear proud and a little teary-eyed.

To sum it up? Aleana is just a great kid, and I am so blessed to be her mother. The Lord knew what I needed. Hopefully I can be the mother she needs...although I still can't convince her that bananas are good for her health. :)

Happy Unbirthday to Me Version 2.0

I just turned 16 years old and I was too busy to be bothered enough for a "sweet 16" birthday party. Basketball was, by far, like way more important. Duh! Then, of course, there was work and school - and I guess it just really wasn't that big of a deal to me. I wasn't sad about it. To be honest, it really had not crossed my mind all that much. So fast forward about a month later- I had started dating a boy that I had a crush on for-like-ever. Sigh. Really - I think I started liking him about a few months before...but time for a teen seems to move so tortuously slow. And hey, just because I didn't have a big shin-dig for my birthday doesn't mean I couldn't enjoy the newly acquired privilege of dating. I had, after all, just turned 16. It was THE magical number I had been waiting for, for at least the 4 previous birthdays. Who needs a party when one can date?

Sixteen sounds so young now, doesn't it?

Anyway this boy, along with my brother, had invited me to go bowling after I got off work. A real date! I called my parents from the Root Beer Stand (best place to work as a teenager by the way) and asked if it was okay. They were fine with it - but instructed me to check-in at home first. The normal standard stuff. Plus I wanted to get changed out of my stinky-smelled-like-chili fries w/cheese work clothes. Those chili fries with cheese (I like mine with extra cheese and some El Pato sauce) may be the best tasting greasy food on the planet, but it's really not as attractive to smell like them.

Aaron and the boyfriend came and picked me up after I had finished my portion of closing the Root Beer Stand. As we pulled up to the house, I noticed all the lights were off. Why didn't Aaron turn on the outside lights when he left to pick me up? No big deal - having lived there my entire life, it's not like I couldn't find the door. As I opened the door - I was immediately "greeted" by a bright-white-newly shaved/bald-headed guy, let's call him Mr. Magoo. And by "greeted" - I mean Mr. Magoo jumped out from nowhere - yelling "SURPRISE" right in my face. My first thought, in the brief moment of confusion, was to overcome the strong desire to repeatedly smack some hair back on that shiny head. Then the lights came on and I as looked around and saw my friends, it all started to make sense. It was my very own surprise party. And not just any surprise party - but a surprise UNbirthday party. Who gets those? Me. Not many people can say that. It was awesome. It was waaaaay better than any old generic "sweet 16" party. I felt special.

Yesterday was my 3 month mark since the surgery. I have officially lost 62 lbs. (That's 248 sticks of butter, just in case you wanted a more pleasant visual.) It feels good. Up until 3 weeks ago - I got such a thrill going and shopping in my own closet. I have been able to wear things that I haven't worn in 6 years. But now I have undergrown (I know it's not a real word) all of my clothes. Talk about a great feeling!

On Monday, Aleana came home from school and brought in the mail. I started sorting through the normal stuff. Bills. Junk mail. More bills. Then there was an envelope addressed to yours truly, from my parents. In my mind I was thinking - what could this be? I already got my birthday card - and so did Hannah and Luke. Trace's birthday isn't for another week. So I opened it up and it was a card. For me. I read it, and started to cry. Aleana, curious as to why I was having a sudden episode of "allergies", pulled the card from my hands. Upon reading it, she was just more confused. My parents sent me a card that said something about luck having nothing to do with my hard work. Taped to the inside of the card was money. Cold hard cash - with a hand written note that told me to go buy some new clothes. Money to buy clothes. For me. It was so touching and unexpected. The wave of emotions was just as unexpected. Happy tears. Happy that they thought of me, happy that I could shop, happy that I am accomplishing something positive on this weight-loss journey. It's always nice to get something in the mail these days that doesn't require me to pay out money - but to get a gift on an UNbirthday kind of day?

My parents did it again.

Surprise happy unbirthday to me 2.0 :)

ps - Thanks Mom and Dad. I spent the money already. I shopped at Maurice's. I am liking their clothes this season. Or maybe it's just that I am liking that they actually fit on me now.

Red Rock Studios

Just in case you're wondering, I am related to the amazing Mindy Miller - owner of Red Rock Studios. And the reason why I am saying this on my blog, is that is the closest I will ever get to having a smidgen of the talent and eye for photography that she has. I would love to say it's in my blood, but alas, it's in my hubby's . She is his sister. But maybe, just maybe one of my kids might inherit it...Yes, there's hope!

This is one of my favorite shots:

(For a better image that isn't downsized click here: http://www.redrockstudioslv.com/LasVegasPhotographyBlog/las-vegas-photography/extreme-bridal/ )

She is based in Las Vegas, but does travel shoots quite a bit. Her work is amazing and has been published in wedding magazines, and featured on CNN as well. I could go on and on...but I will let her work speak for itself.

Go ahead. Take a peak - you know you want to. :)

http://www.redrockstudioslv.com/LasVegasPhotographyBlog/

ps - For you photographer enthusiasts - she runs a feature all about tricks and tips for better photo shoot results. And for those of you who like the chance to win something for free - she does "Friday Frills Giveaway" - where she features other artists and their awesome talents...yep, you guessed it - every Friday :)

Crazy Lady is here to stay

So I decided to try this whole coupon craze thing. You know, the one where you actually save money - not just 30 cents here and there. I have been following a few blogs for about a month now and watching some youtube trying to figure out what works best as far as coupon clipping, sorting, filing, and then which order to use them.

I learned:

1. Order 4 copies of the Sunday paper. I called the paper and asked what it cost to just get 1 copy of the Sunday paper, and they told me $2.12 (including tax) - which is exactly what it said on their website. So I asked if they gave military discounts. Nope. Then I explained that I will need more than one copy because I wanted more coupon inserts. She then told me about an offer called "Coupon Sense" (which isn't listed anywhere on their website). I have to order at least 4 Sunday papers (which is what I wanted anyway) and it would only cost me $0.43 for each copy...or $2.12 total for the 4 of them. Now how does that make sense? Whatever. 4 copies for the price of 1 - no complaining here.

2. The items that go on sale usually follow a 6-8 week pattern. Stock up on sale items enough to make it until the next cycle.

3. Being organized is worth it. Made things a lot smoother today while I shopped. Well that, and Trace was home to watch the kids today.

4. Walgreens isn't that bad. The store coupons, combined with the manufacturer coupons makes it a sweet deal. This is where the 4 copies of the same coupons come in handy - Say there is a buy one get one free offer with register rewards. Right off the bat, you save 50%. Then you can use 2 manufacturer coupons (one for each item). More savings. When the purchase is complete - you get rapid rewards (works like cash for Walgreens) to use on your next purchase. You then roll over that rapid rewards coupon into your next purchase and save even more (if you use the rapid rewards for another one of the same bogofree - you might not get another rapid rewards coupon at the end of purchase - so you need to alternate your purchases with another sweet deal from a different manufacturer).

4b. Walgreens manager can be a bit snippy when he is called to do a price adjustment. When that happens, just smile - especially if he gets called to the register more than once. :)

5. Walmart price matches and honors other store coupons. Nice. There were a few things I wanted to get at Walgreens today, but they were sold out - so I got a rain check (another good deal for later). Then I went to Walmart, with my Walgreens flyer, and they not only honored the price, but also manufacturer coupons PLUS my left over rapid rewards from Walgreens. Sweet. Honestly, I'd rather go to Walgreens because it's a shorter trip, the store is smaller, the line wait is less, and the overall time spent is less - but Walmart worked just fine.

6. Stores in Boise do not have double coupons. Bummer.

7. I love the feeling that I get when I know I got a good deal. But then, I feel guilty knowing how much money I have wasted in the past. Sigh. It's a learning process - but saving the amount of money I did today - and being able to get things that I really like - makes it worth it in my coupon book. :)

So how did I fare at my first attempt at being a crazy coupon lady?

Items purchased:

4 Purex Laundry Detergents (my favorite btw) - 32 load size each

4 Purex 3in1 (Laundry Detergent, softener, and anti-static all in one) - 38 load size each

24 cans of tuna, 5oz (can you say food storage?)

1 Aussie Shampoo with pump (awesome for portion control with the kids) - 33oz

1 Aussie Conditioner with pump - 33oz

1 Box of Kleenex, 110ct

1 margarine, 15oz

1 Dawn dish soap, 10oz

2 boxes of Tampons, 40ct each

5 boxes of Jello

10 packages of seeds (for our garden)

3 Oil of Olay luxury body washes, 12oz each (they smell soooo good!)

1 Oil of Olay moisturizer

1 Secret deodorant

2 Walgreen Candy, 16oz each (cheap treat for school lunches)

1 Colgate toothpaste, 6oz

2 composition notebooks (school supplies)

2 reams of printer paper

2 packages of sharpe black permanent markers, 5 ct each

2 full-size good quality scissors

2 pkgs of binder clips, 40ct each

2 10" envelopes, 25ct each

2 Goody Ouchless hair bands, 27ct each

2 pkgs Pentel pens, 5ct each

4 cadbury creme eggs (I would say for Easter - but I doubt they'll last that long with 4 kids)

2 Hershey's drops candy, 8oz each (bribery for the kids)

1 King size Hershey's bar (makes a great addition to a bday card for visiting teaching)

1 King size Reese's Mini's

Total without coupons: $212.43

Amount I paid: $82.43

So much did I save this time? A whopping $130.04!

Not too shabby. I like this saving money thing. :)

Pristine and Perfect

Miracles.

It appears that Luke doesn't have hydrocephalus. Say what?!? Yep, we got the MRI results and could not be happier. The ventricles in his brain are still enlarged, but have shrunk since his last MRI. Did you hear that? SHRUNK!!! Why not the diagnosis of hydrocephalus, if there is still more fluid than normal? As the Dr put it, "Luke's brain is pristine" - meaning no malformations, tumors, blockages, webbing or any other concerning factors were found. The dangerous kind of hydrocephalus is pathological - which means there they have found reason why the brain is accumulating too much fluid, and the extra fluid is causing adverse effects. Luke's brain is perfect. His ventricles are large - but for no reason - that's just the way he is. It's unusual, but okay considering everything else looked great. So now his condition is classified as "benign ventriculomegaly" if there has to be a term put to it. Well that and he has a really, really big head. Dr said he is about 99.9% sure that nothing will come of this and Luke will be normal. (Although, it may take him about 5 years to grow into his noggin). We shook hands with Dr. Cherny, thanked him and said we hope we never have to see him again. He smiled.

We left the Dr's office with grins a mile wide. Trace and I loaded up Hannah and Luke in the car - still amazed at what just happened. I cried as we said a little prayer.

How is it that his ventricles could go down is size? Dr. Cherny didn't have an answer. Luke's case was unique - and they just don't know.

But I know. My family knows. My friends know. It is humbling for me to know that the faith and love of others helped bring this about. Prayer is a powerful thing. Miracles never cease.

We are grateful.

Results

Been in a thoughtful mood today.

Luke had his contrast MRI yesterday (the general anesthesia went much better than I anticipated). I hadn't heard from the Dr. yet, so I called this morning and spoke to the nurse. She told me that we needed to come in this Thursday (in two days) to see Dr. Cherny - which means she wouldn't give me the results over the phone. Sigh. I tend to over-think things, but here is my take on all of this is:

If there was was a critical problem, they would have called me right away, and discussed it over the phone - or at least made me come in today. If there was nothing wrong, then the nurse would have told me when I called - and would not make it necessary to see the neurosurgeon so soon (we weren't scheduled to see Dr. Cherny until the end of the month after all the development assessment stuff was done, which still isn't done yet). So what could this mean? Well, it means it's the in-between stuff. Something isn't right and the Dr. needs to sit us down and talk to us. Now I keep going over all the "possibilities" in my head. I keep telling my brain to shut-up, but it's so busy worrying, that is won't listen to my inner-yelling. I am having a hard time getting anything done. I hate when things paralyze me like this.

Trying to get my mind off things - I decided to exercise. I always feel better when I do - and the additional oxygen to my head might help me focus on something else. Anyway, I was getting changed and decided to weigh myself. The results? I have officially lost 50 lbs. FIFTY POUNDS! (Imagine 50 tubs of butter). That is a huge milestone for me. It's been 2 months and 7 days since my surgery.

I now have conflicting emotions. Half of me is thrilled, while the other half feels helpless. The part of my soul - full of motherly love - is heavy, but a part of my heart is lightened (both figurative and literally). How is it that I can feel both? I suppose this is how it's meant to be. Feeling the warmth and light is what keeps us sane. And is what keeps us from gloom and darkness.

Then a friend of mine posted a quote that touched my heavy, er light, sometimes heavy heart:

" A person who has good thoughts cannot ever be ugly. You can have a wonky nose and a crooked mouth and a double chin and stick-out teeth, but if you have good thoughts they will shine out your face like sunbeams and you will always look lovely." ~ Roald Dahl

I think the same sunbeams work to lighten the inner-face of our souls.