- I don't have a green thumb -

I remember the 1st sunflower I tried growing...it only grew to about 6 inches tall and then died.

Since we moved to Idaho - I have stuck to wild flowers...my theory is 'if they can grow in the wild then there isn't anyway that I can kill them'. I have a pretty little garden around my mailbox.

Last year I planted several sunflower seeds and I was happy with the results - I had a few sunflowers that grew to over 6 foot and I hand some dinner plate sized flowers.

This year - I planted more and I LOVE the result. The flowers have gone crazy the past couple weeks and the tallest is over 9 feet. All the sunflowers are in our backyard. I love the natural fence. I love the privacy they give us and not to mention the beauty.

Paintin Fool -

Our dining room like the rest of our house was a dull color - plain beige - had no life, no character...no being.

I painted the living room this past May. I was planning on using the same poppy red on the far wall of the dining room (you walk into our house and the far dining room wall is what you see). But hubby wanted orange (he wanted the poppy red wall to be orange, but I could not commit to that much heat - oranges and reds are hot colors, just like blues, greens and purples are cool colors).

Me and the boys went to the store yesterday morning and I got PAINT! I picked a field poppy (orange, looks more like a burnt orange than a California poppy to me tho) and a pale yellow (Beautiful Blonde) - to go on the other 3 walls and ceiling of the dining room.

As soon as I got done with the 1st coat of orange, I knew I loved it!

Painting the pale yellow, just brightened the room more. I went to stand by the front door to see what it would look like and the 1 thing that I noticed is that you can actually tell that there is a 2nd room there - rather than just 1 really long room. It looks so much better - IMO.

I also picked up a cream for the upper cabinets in the kitchen, a dark olive for the lower cabinets (we have black and stainless in the kitchen and I figure dark cabinets - rather than the honey color they are - would look so much better) and a pistachio green to repaint the kitchen walls (I painted them a couple yrs ago, but I dont like the green - too much like a sea foam green than the jade/pistachio I was originally going for...Now I have pistachio).

I am going to be a paintin fool this week. :)

No Name ---

To call this piece or to categorize this piece as Blue Period would give one the idea that there are more, but this is the 1 and only, for now.

I had a canvas that I used in a previous art piece that didn't turn out so well...I sat it aside til I felt the need to do something with it.

A few months ago I covered the piece in plaster and then also used a make shift stencil to add texture to it (diamonds) - I painted over that, but have never been happy with where that painting was going. Today, I got a wild hair and decided to go BLUE. This is the completed piece - it has no name (7/28/9).

23 days out...

I've moved to solids foods (Yay!). I haven't had a fill yet, so I am eating more than I was 3 wks ago - more than I was means 1c - 1 1/4 c rather than 1/2c - 3/4c of food at a time. I get 1 protein drink and 3 meals. I try to eat as much cottage cheese as I can (protein, protein, protein) - My fave foods right now are squash and onions & scrabbled eggs - I will eat 1/2c of one of these and 1/2 c of cottage cheese. So Yummy.

Are we that busy?

That people need a home phone (we do not), cell phone, a work phone, home email acct, work email acct, twitter, a blog or vlog (video blogging), personal web sites, Facebook, Myspace, Bebo, and all other forms of social networking sites? Do people still have/use pagers?

What happen to the days when you didn't answer a phone at dinner time? What happened to the days of coming home from work and relaxing with the ones you love - rather than coming home and checking your email, blackberry, etc?

Do people even talk face to face anymore?
Does anyone actually sit and hand write a letter anymore?

I really can't say much in the way of this, because I am one that has email, cell, blog (Duh, right?), twitter, web site, FB & MYS. But I don't think it is because I am busy, but more that my family and friends are that busy.

Back to art...

I traded a painting for a treadmill. A girlfriend of mine wanted their name on an art piece and I wanted a treadmill....my husband calls that 'horse trading'.
She told me what she wanted on it and I went to work...I think it turned out pretty good. She said it was 'perfect' and other friends that have seen it said that it was 'totally her'.
It is about 2'x5' - they say that they are going to get old barn wood to frame it out.

another lil update...

I am wearing Capri's that I could not fit in 4 months ago!!! WooHoo!

14 days out & 1st Drs appt

I've been nervous to see my doctor for my 2 week checkup. Mainly, cause I've cheated (a lil). Everyone's doctor is different and some doctors let their patients eat a few days after surgery...mine not so much. Mine has you on a 'clear' liquid diet the 1st week, a semi clear liquid diet the 2nd week, etc... I haven't done it much, but there have been a few days where I am just HUNGRY! I've had pintos and cheese, mushed banana, cottage cheese and apple sauce - all went down fine and I chewed, chewed, chewed before swallowing.
*He didn't ask so I didn't tell, that I 'cheated'.

I went in today and the first thing they do is weigh you. I'm down a total of 24 LBS since I started this journey on June 18 (700 cal diet, 2 weeks before surgery) - 8 of those since surgery. My weight loss will not be so drastic after this...I've been on a liquid diet, bound to lose weight. Tomorrow I get to start soft foods (basically all the foods, I've already tried). Tomorrow I also cut back from 3 protein drinks a day to only 2 and 2 meals. (been informed by hubby that the protein drinks are giving me bad breath). Anyway, I can expect to lose 1-3 LBS per week from here on out. :)

I have to measure my food, I should only be able to eat 1/2c to 3/4c of food at a time. I need to do this so I can tell my doctor if I can eat more (1c, 1 1/2c) - that will help in my fills.

I go back in 4 weeks (Aug 11) to speak to the trainer and also to get my 1st fill (Needle right in my gut! Ouch!) I hear that it is painless, but we will see.

I can not do much in the way of exercising for another 4 weeks. WALK, that is about the extent of it.

11 days out.

Friday was interesting...I hadn't felt well when I woke up and by the time hubby came home I was running a high fever...the fever stayed around yesterday morning altho it wasn't as high. Today I feel fine, however, I am HOT due to the temp outside...I get rather grumpy when I am hot (you can ask hubby).

Anyway, a lil update:

I have old maternity clothes that I still wear, shorts really - only cause they are so comfy and also, I paint in them so they are colorful. Anyhow - 1 mth ago they fit!!! Yes, yall - they fit! Might have been a tad tight? I dunno....anyway, I put them on today and they are LOOSE! Seriously, there is extra space in there, not much...but maybe a couple inches?

I also have these shorts I bought, they were 1 size too big when I bought them (PMSing). Last wk I had to take them in cause they kept falling down. I took maybe a couple 3 inches in and they are still loose enough where I can just pull'em down w/o undoing them.

I have my 2 wk chkup this Wed., we will see how that goes.

*FOOD - I've been on a thick liquid diet this wk, not bad, but it is hard to get all 3 protein drinks down w/ added protein powder.
I've had fastfood too - the pinto's and cheese from Taco Bell - that 1 lil bit they serve fills me up!!! Awesome!

8 days out...

Today I have been banded for 8 days. Today I start my thicker liquid diet (last week it was semi clear liquid diet -anything you can see the sun thru). Today, I have to drink 3 protein drinks and get 2 snacks - cream soups, vegi juice or yogurt no fruit.

I also have to make sure that I get at least 50 grams of protein from here on out (have to add protein powder to foods - if protein drinks don't cover it), chewable multi-vitamin, chewable calcium.

So far so good...I feel good, not great (I still have a few gas bubbles hiding out in me - due to the gas they fill you with to do the surgery - TMI, sorry).
My 6 incisions are healing well. The incisions are not big, about the size of a penny and the largest maybe a couple inches (that is where my port is).

A life decision...

I made a life decision about a month ago. I decided to get the lap band (it is an adjustable band that fits around the stomach).

A lil about me - I have always been Big. I have always been the fat friend/cousin/sister/daughter/wife/mom. I started dieting when I was 10 years old (that is so sad).

I've tried many of things to watch my weight and they worked, at the time...just to gain it back and then some.

About 6 years ago, I was online looking at gastric bypass and came across laparoscopic banding site. I was interested more in this because I was not a fan of being dissected (GB).
I went to the seminar, but was told that my insurance would not pay because it considered the lap band as experimental.

For six years I fought with my weight, had another child and settled.

In October 2008, I went to another seminar and was told that my insurance MIGHT pay depending on if it was 'medically necessary' - which means I would have to go to the Doctor and have tests. I waited.
I would complain to my StepMom about this and she basically, told me to get off my ass and go to the Doctor.

February 2009, I went to my Midwife to get her to write a letter to the lap band surgeon that she feels it to be necessary. *thinking I was waiting for them to contact me, I waited*

April 2009, I called and set up an appointment with the surgeon and everyone else I would need to speak to about the lap band.

May 26, 2009 - I had my 3 hour appointment with the surgeon, nurse, dietitian, athletic trainer, pre-operative labs and X-ray & psychologist (psychologist and blood work had to wait 2 wks, June 11, 2009).
At this visit my Doctor informed me that IF insurance covered it, my surgery could be in July. (Mind blowing!!! it did not seem so far away, but also seemed like forever).

June 11, 2009 - went and had my blood drawn and my visit with the psychologist.
A few days later, the billing lady with the surgeon called and told me that my insurance would cover it.
I talked to my husband and we decided on a surgery date July 2, 2009.

There are things you have to do to start this journey...I was told to start a 700 calorie diet 2 weeks prior to my surgery.

June 18, 2009 - started my diet. 700 calorie diet is not much, but after a few days your body gets used to it and deals.
Brkfst: 2 eggs, cheese stick, 1/2 c fruit.
Lunch: 5 oz cooked chicken (3 oz red meat), 1/2 cooked vegi
Dinner: 5 oz cooked chicken (3 oz red meat), 1 c cooked vegi.
NO SNACKS - this was hard. You sit and think that you would like a piece of cheese or a few crackers to snack on just to realize that you are not allowed any. You also come to realize how much you graze...Oy!
The purpose of this diet is to shrink the liver (makes it easier for the surgeon during the surgery).
Also, no caffeine and alcohol had to be stopped 2 weeks before and cant have any for 6 weeks after.
today, I am 21 days without caffeine (as a southerner, this is hard...I would drink sweet tea -splenda- from the moment I woke til I went to bed) and 18 days no alcohol...not such a bad thing.

I've really come to enjoy Crystal Light. So many flavors and tastes real good.

June 20, 2009 - I had to have a sleep study. (When I went to see my doctor on May 26, he asked me if I snored - my reply to that was 'my husband says I do' and with that my doctor put me down for a sleep study).
We had to rush the sleep study (takes 10-14 days for the results to come back) and my surgery had already been scheduled.
I went in for the sleep study at 8p...it took about an hour to get all wired up (sexy, isnt it? LOL). It was a quiet night, but not really restful...it is hard to relax when you know that there are camera's watching you.

July 2, 2009 - Dropped the kids with a friend and then drove to the hospital. Went to admissions and had to answer a few lil questions: 'do you have a living will?, are you an organ donor?' <~ questions I don't want to think about before surgery! Had to have more blood work. Then went to Same Day Surgery to be prepped. Hubby stayed with me during this time, which was good...he is good comic relief. I said my 'I love You' and goodbyes to hubby as they rolled me into the operating room. I scanned once to see the tools that would be used on me and then decided that that was not such a great idea. The nurses and anesthesiologist were joking that we all had our 'party hats on'.

2 hours later I woke in RECOVERY, there I stayed for 45 minutes.

After the surgery, I felt ok. My chest was hurting and my back was killing me due to the gas.