9/16/10 Coloring Outside The Lines

• The painting spree has continued...uggh. I got all the external doors painted (harder than it sounds as several are glass...front door; all panes...it's a pain!). Yes, I still have hours of scraping the excess paint off every pane left today (inside done, just the outside)...I've always said that 'I never color inside the lines'...guess that's biting me in the butt. I called my parents to thank them for my Art Ed degree.
  
• The quote went up on the hall wall (look how cute Diane, thanks!) and I spray-painted 25 of my old picture frames black (wow, I haven't had these up since house #3 where I had the obligitory kids photos going up the stairs...DS1 wasn't even born then LOL), I just need the photos...
  Yes, I make patterns of my pics and nail through those to hang them perfectly (no, they're not lined up yet)...I'm anal, remember?!
  
• I officially hate technology...and I don't care anymore that saying that makes me sound old...technology can get me in a four day super mean mood (DH can't even do that)...my DH's been taking the brunt of it as he's tried to help me. Trying to print black & white photos for those frames...new computer downstairs where the scanner is...bought several large sizes of photo paper and then new ink cartridges...downloaded new photo programs...three different ones...then the scanner won't do anything but jam paper or 'pretend' that it's printing (making all those lovely sounds back and forth) just to taunt me while it's not printing...yes, I called my IST Sophmore at college who tried to help me over the phone, but I swear he was speaking a foreign language...four days later and I'm taking my photos to Target today for them to print...d*mn I'm stubborn...I need a TAM class (Technology Anger Management).
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• Fall has decided to arrive here...cold and rainy...OK you Aussie's, I'm sending you Spring d*mnit! 
• Oh, and DD's new job is going well...I packed her lunch the first day and had deja vu of her first days of school. I got a call the first morning 'It is Monday, isn't it Mom?'...she was 15 min. early and no one was there yet LOL. She's been going to a lot of meetings with clients...went to a 'walk through' meeting at the new hockey stadium where they're doing the signage. It sounds like they're swamped and need to get her up and running as quickly as possible...yay job!

It's just another week in BG-land!

2/9/10 Tuesday Truths

- Re. Snow: DS2 is off school again today (yesterday because of the roads). It's supposed to start snowing soon...another 10" expected...yay, more shoveling!

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- DD got a call from a head hunter in the DC area trying to fill four different jobs...would have been perfect here, but we looked at the cost of living there and she would have been losing money to live there.


- Not sure if I mentioned DS1 has mono...he missed three days of school last week and had visits to the doctor and the hospital, but is feeling a lot better now (yes, I wanted to go get him). He's hopefully going to be home this weekend with a friend...if the snow cooperates!



Happy Tuesday!

2/1/10 Finding Common Ground

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Me on our way out (wearing one of the two fitted tops I mentioned buying at Kohl's...see, it's NOT Black and even better...it's a print!). Oh, and I'm not sure if they were just trying to give me a compliment or not, but the GF's kept telling me that these size 14 jeans (the new ones) were too big.

1/29/10 I Know Victoria's Secret

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1/8/10 Another Link In The Head-Band- Part 2

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12/29/09 The Hardest Thing I've Ever Done For Myself

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12/23/09 Happy Holidays!!!

Just want to wish Happy Holidays to all my Lap Band friends!!! I’ve been crazy busy, as I’m sure you have.

The snowstorm Saturday kept Mom & Dad at home an extra day so they didn’t arrive until Sunday (so glad DH and DS1 made it home very late Friday night). Mom and Dad left yesterday and I miss them already. We had a wonderful visit…

Dad especially, must have talked to me about my WL at least 10 times during the visit…it’s funny, since I saw them a lot this Fall and it’s not like I’ve lost more than 10 or so pounds since I last saw them, but he said he can really see a change.

Dad was in a great mood as he has a new CPAP machine (I think he called it a bi-PAP?) and so he’s been sleeping better and it shows. He’s temporarily using a cane because he’s developed a heel spur, but for an 80 year old, he’s doing alright. Mom loves spoiling the grandchildren (all 12 of them) and the kids love it. I loved making the Christmas cookies with her and the kids. Mom and I stayed up late talking and laughing each night…it was such a relaxing visit.

Today DH and I finished the errands and wrapping while all the kids were gone (and I finished making the rest of the cookies); DD had work, DS1 went to meet his new GF’s parents and see her (also a PSU student), and DS2 had school. So tomorrow starts all our traditions and I can’t wait.

I'm sorry I can’t send you each a personal note, but know that I’m thinking of you all this holiday season and hope that you’re feeling my love as well as the love of all your family and friends…love is the best gift of all. I've been so blessed this year and am so thankful for your friendship. Happy Holidays!!! -BG

11/17/09 Doing A 180

 
What a difference a day makes! See that grin on my face?!! I woke up to a loss this morning...180 lbs. for the first time in a long time! Yeah baby...I'm headed back to the 70's (let's hope soon!)!

I had a follow up with the Urology Specialist today downtown at Magee Hospital (the one who put me on Vesicare...working great still BTW!). I first saw a nurse who I'd not met before. After 'suiting up' and leaving my sample, the doc finally came in. She started with 'I saw you walk by my office and didn't even recognize you!! I had to ask the girls if I had a new patient today they forgot to tell me about!!' Then she went on and on about how great I looked and asked me all kinds of questions. The best part was when she must have looked up my age. She explained to me that they just had a group of medical school students in yesterday and in medical school they teach the students to describe the patient's (I think she called it) apparent age...do they look older, younger or about their actual age. She went on and on about how much younger I look than my actual age (just the thing that someone who just went through the trauma of turning 50 needs to hear).

OK, I'm gloating here and she was probably laying it on thick as she complimented me at least a dozen times...I was embarressed actually, but it made my day, make that my week. I can count the number of NSV's I've gotten from people outside my family on one hand (sad, but I expected that as people generally see you lose slowly and I've lost weight before), so I'm allowed to revel in this a moment. OK, gloating over...but I've still got that stupid grin on my face! I had a little bit of a down day yesterday, but today turned me around...I'm Doing A 180!!!

11/5/09 14's!

DD's been busy so last night DH insisted on taking me out to get a new pair of jeans for our trip this weekend (off to see DS1)...apparently my old high-top relaxed fit Mom jeans are baggy in all the wrong places. The kids have been telling me daily that my pants are too big.

Finding a perfect pair of jeans is hard these days!!! Do you want waist-high, mid-rise, low-rise, curvy, skinny, tummy panel, stretch, straight-leg, boot-cut, and don't get me started on all the colors, wear marks, and decorations. Then I had to decide on length…I've lost an inch (down to just under 5'9") so now regulars are too short and longs are too long.

Well, I sent DH on to the other store to pick up a prescription while I got to work. He was back about the time I finally decided what I was looking for and I knew I had work fast and be out within 30 min. (he didn't get the shopping gene). I took about 8 pair into the dressing room…all too big? I tentatively came back out and sent DH to grab some 14's…THEY FIT!!!! OK, the size 14's now are more generous than when I last wore 14's many moons ago, but THEY FIT!!! My 16's, I've been wearing, I've been back into twice in the last 10 years, but 14's…I believe that was several children ago. Size 24 to a 14...awesome.

I ended up with some dark blue (no wear lines on the front- the horizontal lines across my hips and thighs made my widest part look wider), plain pocket (I don't need decorations on the back pockets drawing attention to my bum), mid-rise (no more 'Mom Jeans'), straight leg, 14L's (hope they shrink a tiny bit). OK, they're not the coolest pair of jeans, but I'll have plenty of time to look for those…maybe, just maybe…when I reach a size 12!


The nicest part came as we got back in the car (within 30 min. I might add). DH said 'You've been working so hard to get the weight off, you needed a pair of jeans that fit you…you look great!' A nice NSV...

Well we're off tomorrow to PSU to see DS1 and I can't wait to see him. We're all going to the big game (OSU-PSU Look for us, we'll be the only ones in Red as it's a PSU White-Out) and yes, DS1 and his buds have been tenting in Paternoville all week (he says he's freezing). It's been killing me that the fraternity has kept him there on the weekends we had planned. If it wasn't for DH I would have packed up and gone out there just to see him between classes...I know, I know...time to let go a little.


Saturday is my Blogiversary...so stay tuned!

10/21/09 Feel the Burn

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Bet you didn't know you have another 'sphincter' hee-hee

 



 

9/15/09 Over 18

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6/22/09 Road Trip and NSV's

I'm back from my long weekend with DS2. We had a great time with my family. We left early on Friday and arrived in Columbus for an early lunch (white-knuckled trip with pouring rain until we were almost there). I was supposed to be on mushies the whole day and then start solids Saturday (post-fill), so I chose some cottage cheese for lunch. I brought flowers from my garden and between those and Mom's we made about 8 arrangements and took them over to my Middle Sister's to start prep for the party. We worked until dinnertime and I was able to get down a little thin crust pizza and mixed fruit salad back at Mom's.

Saturday found Mom and I (and two of her Herb Society friends) on a two hour trip down to a lavender farm for a festival (sorry, I forgot my camera but found these pics of the farm online-no, I don't know that cute little boy). It smelled like heaven as we pulled into the lavender field to park. She'd signed us up for two classes so we went off to the 'Mediterranean Cooking with Herbs' class. As I've said before, I'm not the chef in our family, but I was excited for this class. I have a nice herb garden (most cooks would kill for…my neighbors do come to take snippings occasionally at my urgings) and I'd like to learn to use more of them. I always dry some herbs each year (mainly for show in my kitchen and basement rack), but the only things I really use fresh are the basil to mainly make pesto or my mozzarella/tomato Italian flag salad, the tarragon for a chicken bake dish DH makes, and occasionally some chives, dill, or oregano for an occasional recipe. The teacher is the regional cooking expert for Macy's department stores (I think she works a lot with brides, etc.) and she was very knowledgeable. I'm inspired to try to incorporate the fresh herbs more now while they're in season. We had a meal of bread, salad, chicken, pancetta, and cookies all incorporating the herbs at the end of the demo. I almost had a stuck moment as I was carefully eating the herb salad (I thought I chewed very carefully). I was trapped at an inside table with people all around or I would have gotten up as I could feel the sliming about to start. I was panicking and I'm sure the folks across from me saw my eyes watering…but then it passed in a few minutes. I quickly gave Mom the rest of my salad saying I'd taken too much…whew…that was a close one!

The Lavender Festival was wonderful, but small (about 20 vendors and the classes), so then we found ourselves with about 3 hours to kill before our next class. It was almost 90 degrees out so after the 'cut your own lavender' trip to the field and shopping the vendors (I bought; 5 plants, a pair of beaded earrings for DD's birthday in August, and 20 wooden garden markers for DS2's vegetable garden that he can decorate) we looked for a shady spot and bought some lavender ice cream from the Mennonites who had an ice cream and baked goods booth (they had a small John Deere engine attached to the ice cream maker…cool to watch). I asked for only one scoop…OMG that ice cream was wonderful…fresh cream from the cow…a scoopful of heaven!

Our last class was making a framed picture from pressed flowers and Mom is going to be doing this at one of their Festival's at the herb garden she volunteers with weekly, so she was very excited. We were done in record time (the heat made us work fast) and we were back in the car for our trip home.

Then off to Middle-Sister's for my nephew's HS graduation party (he's in a college program now to become a police officer). It went perfectly; no rain and lots of fun. We collapsed after pitching or bagging up the extra food around midnight.

Sunday we stayed until late morning so I could spend some more time with Dad for Father's Day. I gave him a nice box of smoked salmon, which he loved. Unusual gift, I know. DH and I (and the kids) twice visited DH's sister and her family when they lived in Alaska for 2 years. We took my only brother on the second trip. He loved it so much that he and DH arranged a fishing trip there (in a motor home for a week traveling the area) a few years later and they took my Dad. He loved getting the salmon they caught smoked and so the salmon I bought him was labeled as being from one of the rivers in Alaska that they fished…he noticed right away. 
 
We got in the car for our 3 ½ hour ride home and DS2 said 'It was a great weekend!' and high-fived me as he said 'It was a nice trip with just you and I!' I forget that the baby of the family, even at 13 yrs. old can still need some quality one on one time. We played Mad Libs most of the way home and stopped at McDonalds for lunch (I ate ½ a grilled chicken club sandwich…went down fine).


Had a nice evening of playing Frisbee in the backyard and grilling out for Father's Day back home with the family (Happy belated Father's Day all you Dad's). Tomorrow is the Jimmy Buffet concert with 2 neighbor couples (can't wait) and Thursday morning we leave for PennState with DS1 for our orientation (staying at the old colonial Nittany Lion Inn on campus overnight-run by the PennState hospitality program, so it should be fun). DH took off the rest of the week for all this, but I'll try to post some updates when we have some down time. I'm off to the Drs. (routine) with the boys and then on to DS2's guitar lesson (he AMAZES me with his talent...no idea where it comes from, but it's great for each kid to find something they're good at).

Today is my two-month bandiversary and I'm down 19 pounds since surgery (most of that, just post-op though). I'm just hoping to keep losing or at least not gain during this 6 week wait for the next fill. Sorry I went on and on as usual, just catching up. Have a great week all!!! I'll post some pics I just took of my garden later.

6/6/09 Learning to Believe

DS1's Graduation was perfect. It was a beautiful evening outside in the stadium. I wore my sunglasses to hide all my tears and had my tissues handy. DS1 was so happy. We got lots of pics with him and all his friends…what a great group of kids they are (a bunch of well rounded smart kids with great futures). We went out as a family afterward for a late dinner at DS1's work place (fancy Italian restaurant) and it was a lovely end to the day. The place is huge and packed, but so many co-workers came over to offer their congratulations and tell us what a great kid/worker he is. 

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5/26/09 Band Firsts

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