Can I get a drum-roll please...

Today marks 8 months since I had my surgery.

Weight loss so far? A grand total of 121 lbs (484 sticks of Grade A butter - mind boggling, isn't it?). Only 20 more to go...

And now for the moment you have all been waiting for (drum-roll please)...THE BEFORE AND AFTER SHOTS!!!

BEFORE:

AFTER:

Now wait, how'd that happen? Let's take it in slow motion...

May 2009 - I seem to really like this shirt...not because I love the color, but because it's one of the few that fit and was comfortable.

This is THAT picture. The picture that I took one look at and cried. The one picture that made me so sick...sick of who I had allowed myself to become, sick of feeling trapped, sick of trying without having anything to show for it. In fact, it's on my mom's facebook album - it was taken at a family reunion. She tagged me. I untagged it. Twice. I was too embarrassed. Again - I'm wearing my "favorite" shirt.

Surgery Day - Dec 2010. I couldn't even zip up my jacket.

Feb 2011

March 2011 - again with my favorite shirt...what a difference a few months make.

May 2011 - First dress I was able to buy in the regular size department :)

June 2011 - For the first time, I was actually okay and felt confident with getting my picture taken. It's been a long time...

July 2011 - Pics taken at the family reunion. I had such a good time, and not once did I feel self-conscience about my weight. Now that is a reason to celebrate!

Aug 2011 - me in my workout clothes. It feels good :)

New Kicks

Started running with new kicks (New Balance 880 - neutral runner with SC inserts) today...love these shoes. However - I don't think my body is going to love me so much tomorrow. 10K in t-minus 4 weeks. Yikes...

Dirty Dash - ready or not - here I come!

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.