Coming Out About VSG.

One thing I have failed to understand on my weight loss journey is why the subject is so taboo. For every blog and tweet and post I see of people's journeys, I also know of people who are choosing to keep their success a secret. There are so many reasons why. Fear of failure, not wanting to brag....fear of being told it is the easy way out. It's ok for people to post pictures of vacations and graduations and anniversary pictures and a new haircut...yet if we post about losing a significant amount of weight, the response is usually crickets. What most people do not see is all of the private messages and texts. "How did you do it?" "how do I get started?". 

Having bariatric surgery is very similar to childbirth. We are tested and poked and prodded....then put on special diets. We research and learn about the procedure. We buy vitamins and protein shakes in anticipation of our new baby stomachs. When we get home we are sore. We drink from tiny cups and gradually graduate to tiny bowls with tiny spoons. Our lives transform, our body's become much smaller. Relationships change, attitudes change, our self-esteem begins to grow. 

In essence, our decision has hopefully added many QUALITY years to our lives. 

Obesity is an epidemic, and we are over-coming. We are stronger and healthier. Why should we hide that just so others won't feel 'uncomfortable'? 

Here is a secret about having bariatric surgery. WE SHOULDNT HAVE TO KEEP IT A SECRET. Of course the surgery has risks. SO DOES OBESITY. 

If you don't agree with what we have done, just scroll on. No one tells you that they don't like the color of the brand new car you just bought. We don't get up in arms and debate the safety ratings of it and tell you how many people die in car wrecks every year. Why should losing weight in an attempt to better our lives be any different?? 

I hope that I have put a spin on the way that people think about bariatric surgery. If you have always been skinny and do not comprehend the struggle, good for you. Hating on someone because they are choosing health doesn't make much sense to me. 

Next time someone opens up their heart and tells you that they've had bariatric surgery, recognize the life-long struggle. They are not bragging or trying to annoy you. They are showing you that they choose LIFE and are hoping to encourage someone else.

It's time to come out!! Show us your pictures, and stories! Be proud of who you are and what you have done! No more cowering and hiding from the world! Educate and empower!!

Post-op Issues...Q & A

On April 4th, 2016, I finally had my vertical sleeve surgery. Going public about such a touchy subject is a big decision. I have a lot of friends who have done the surgery, or are going to, and they will not tell anyone. One of the main reasons I am afraid to talk about it is because I am afraid I will fail. I don't want to look great for a few months and gain it all back. The choice is up to me. My food and exercise choices will be my results.

One night after having my sleep apnea test, the tech was walking me downstairs through the hospital. He said, "ya know. You qualify for bariatric surgery if you want to do that".
I knew I was huge and I knew I was not happy, but I had never considered anything so extreme. A light went off in my head and hope. Finally hope.

Each person is different and has a different story. When I told my closest friends and family, most tried to talk me out of it. I was morbidly obese, had terrible anxiety and heart palpations, had to sleep with an apnea machine, and very unhappy with how I looked. I was embarrassed for people to have to look at me. One member of my family told me I was only doing the surgery for vanity. Another told me to just exercise. I have heard so many stories about people dying during the surgery that I started believing that they were tall tales. There was ONE person who told me that they supported me and gave me their blessing. For that, I will always be grateful.  If you are considering the surgery, DO YOUR RESEARCH. Read everything...the good, the bad, the terrible stories and the amazing ones. I will be blogging about my journey and answering questions that people ask me a lot. Not because I'm bragging, but because if my posts help even just one person, the negative comments and the struggle, will all be worth it.

Today I have lost 50 pounds. I still have 60 to go but I'm enjoying wearing normal clothes and sitting in normal chairs without worrying if I can fit. I'm not sure if the fat girl mentality ever goes away. I enjoy going places and doing things. Right now I am in a size 14 and I was wearing a 20. I keep reading that your mind cannot catch up with the changes fast enough. For me, this is true. When I look in the mirror I still see the 3x me. I FEEL better but my body looks the same. A lot of people are nicer to me. Is it because I have a better attitude or because I'm socially acceptable since I'm no longer in the morbidly obese category? On the flip side, I have also noticed the exact opposite reaction. Some of the people I've known my whole life do not want to talk to me, and go out of their way to be snide or say something degrading. My dad used to tell me that if people were not nice, it's usually because they are jealous. I am starting to believe this.

Having VSG surgery is like peeling an onion. Not only are you losing body mass but your emotions, relationships, attitude and your circle of friends change. I will try to talk about my experiences through everything as candidly as I can. This surgery is not for the weak of heart. Relationships crumble if they are weak and people say things that will completely throw you off. Tough skin is almost a necessity. Without making this the longest post in history, I will begin with 'getting started' answers and work my way through there.

**disclaimer: these are my own opinions and experiences. Always go with your gut, and always speak with your physician before any life changes such as this***

I'M CONSIDERING BARIATRIC SURGERY. WHERE DO I START?
A: First, research. Google 'bariatric surgery'. There are tons of Facebook groups about the subject. Tons of articles online and hundreds of blogs. If you have insurance, call them and ask what doctors are in network. If they don't know, call the weight loss centers you have researched and ask them if they take your insurance. Most clinics make you watch a video and then you fill out a LOT of paperwork. Most insurance companies require you to be at a certain bmi and usually have at least one co-morbidity. Examples of co-morbidities are high blood pressure, sleep apnea and diabetes. Every insurance is different and your clinic will be able to tell you the requirements. On the paperwork you receive, answer everything 100% truthful. When it asks what diets you've tried, list EVERYTHING. I had to use the back (examples: Jenny Craig, Atkins, fen-phen, weight watchers, cabbage soup, personal trainer, medi-fast, low-fat, nutrition-system). If you do not have insurance, do not give up hope. There are lots of companies who will give loans for the surgery. Paying cash will give you a deeper discount. I do have friends who have had the surgery in Mexico. While I cannot recommend it, because I didn't have mine done there, I do know there is a Facebook group called 'I left my stomach in Mexico'. It has lots of people and files to help educate you more regarding that. From my previous post you can read the aggravation and time that the whole process takes. Bariatric centers are SWAMPED. You must be your own advocate. Call the insurance company yourself, make sure that your chart isn't sitting in a desk somewhere.

IS THE SURGERY LONG? HOW LONG DID YOU TAKE OFF OF WORK?
A: My surgery took approximately 30 minutes. Recovery, for me, took about an hour. Surgery always makes me extremely nauseated. Every time I woke up I would ask for something. For me, the nausea was always worse than the pain. If this is the case with you, please notify your anesthesiologist before surgery so they can give you a transdermal scop patch that goes behind your ear, and helps with nausea. I was told to take two weeks off and I needed every bit. My stomach was sore from the surgery and I wouldn't have been productive in a clinic. It's also a MUST to consume your liquids so you don't become dehydrated. Taking care of yourself is the most important thing. If you are able to have someone stay with you in the hospital, do it. It will be so much easier getting up and down and to the bathroom if you have help.

I will post more Q&A in the next post. If you have ANY questions, feel free to ask!

The Easy Way Out....The Hoops To Jump for Bariatric Surgery.

After deciding that I wanted Bariatric surgery I joined a LOT of Facebook groups. I keep reading over and over about how it is 'the easy way out'. I would like to post a run down of my steps to surgery so far and how expensive and stressful it is to take the easy way out. 

At the end of January I called to make an appointment. You are required to watch their video. They have a huge 'packet' of info to fill out. Pages and pages of questions. What diets have you tried, etc etc. I filled out the papers and faxed them. 

After one week, NO ONE CALLED. So I called them. They said they never received it. I faxed them again and mailed them by snail mail. 

After one week, NO ONE CALLED. So I called them. They had received the papers and set me up for an appointment in two weeks 

After two weeks, my first appointment. Dr.Keiths wellness center is a 3 hour drive to get to.  The nurse really pushed the lap band. I told her I didn't want the lap band. I have read hundreds of lap band horror stories and unsuccessfull people, unhappy with their decision. . Dr. Keith was very nice and answered all of my questions, thoroughly and honestly. He approved me for going ahead with the vertical sleeve. I was told that the nurse in the room would be my 'advocate' and take care of my case. She seemed nice, I felt like I would be taken care of. The nurse tells me that surgery will be the first week of March. 

2nd appt: see nutritionalist. ($65 cash). She tells me to eat 110 grams of protein, to start eating quest bars ($30 for 12), drink their shakes ($65 a bag) and start their vitamins (fish oil, calcium, multi-vitamin). 

Get lab done, insurance is charged almost $2000. They call me, tell me that my iron is low and that even though my appt is 10 days away, I can only buy their iron from their clinic. I explain that I work at a clinic and could I just get the name so my Dr could order it for me. No, they say. You can only buy it at the clinic. 

3rd appt with a different nutritionalist ($65) and psychologist ($150). I buy the iron that day then find it on Amazon. Nothing new with the nutritionalist. I talk to the psychologist, she is nice. She clears me, I hope that means I'm not crazy. My husband and I left at 5:00 am to be there for a scheduled ekg, They say they are short staffed and re-schedule it for next time. 

All of the staff have been very nice to date. I need to mention that EVERY time I call I'm put on hold. One time I was put on hold 20 minutes and so I hung up and called back and they immediately answered. Now they are saying my surgery will be mid March. 

4th appointment. Nutritionalist ($65), EKG and appointment with physical therapist ($35 copayment). I must talk about my physical therapy appointment. The therapist took my vitals then put me on the treadmill and told me she needed to make sure my vitals stayed stable while walking. WHILE I AM ON THE TREADMILL TRYING TO KEEP CHILL, SHE STARTS TALKING POLITICS. She tells me that she is voting for Hillary because she is a woman and MAKES LIGHT OF BENGHAZI. In my mind, I tell myself this is a test and I smile and walk and smile and listen to this lady with no freaking heart, and she is so impressed with how I handled her bullshit that she signs off and tells me I'm going to do great and then she gives me her cell number. 

FINALLY!! All the tests have been done, I lost ten pounds and a thousand bucks on shakes and vitamins and quest bars. So now I just need to get approval from insurance and they call and schedule me! This is what I was told. This is WRONG. 

A WEEK after I find out that the surgeon, nutritionalist, psychiatrist and Hillarys biggest supporter have approved me, I call my insurance to see if I'm approved. THEY HAVENT RECEIVED ANYTHING. I call my 'advocate'. "Oops, I guess it didn't go through."

12 days later I call insurance, I'm approved. No call from my advocate so I call her. NO RETURN CALL. They say she's at a satellite office, not there that day. I call all day the next day NO CALLS RETURNED. Finally get ahold of the most popular advocate in Oklahoma, "I have to call your insurance, I will call you back at the end of the day with a date to come to a pre-op seminar". WHAT? Can you tell me over the phone? I live 3 hours away."  "No, you have to come in. Then get lab drawn. I will call you later today".

NO CALL

NO CALL the next day. I leave messages. THEY ARE NOT RETURNED. 

The next day, after a huge wait, I quickly explain the situation. I am put on hold longer. The receptionist says the scheduling nurse was on the phone but now she is in with a patient and she will call me back at the end of the day. NO CALL. 

SO here I sit, I have spent over two grand, it has been immensely stressful on my relationship, my insurance has approved, and I can't get the one person that is supposed to help me has done absolutely nothing since day 1. Being fat sucks. Being told to just 'go for a walk' when you tell someone you want Bariatric surgery sucks. But hearing people say you are taking the easy way out when you already feel helpless and hopeless, is one of the most ignorant things a person can say. 

This is just a glimpse of the beginning. This is normal and thousands of people go through this (and much worse) every single day. It isn't the easy way,it is the only chance we think we have left of living a normal healthy life. 

Patience

While I realize I will sound like a big spoiled brat, I feel the need to talk about what has happened. In the past 4 weeks I have jumped through each and every hoop that has been put in front of me. Like a good little patient, I have increased my calcium, my protein and taken the increased amount of iron...which makes me so nauseated I feel sick all day. We have made four 6 hour trips and spent over a grand on nutritionalist visits, a psychologist visit, physical therapy, vitamins, bars and shake mixes. Anyone who says that Bariatric surgery is the easy way out, has clearly not done their research or taken the vitamins or spent their last dollar on gas money to drive three hours to see a nutritionalist for 30 minutes. I was told last week that my chart was signed off on and faxed to my insurance. I called my insurance company today and they say they haven't received anything. I called my doctors office and after three failed attempts, had to leave a message with the nurse who said she faxed my record. I know this is supposed to be difficult and I know everything won't be easy. I did not know that simply getting my file faxed to my insurance company would be such a difficult feat for the doctors office. Today I pray for strength and will try to be patient and let God handle this all.

School Days...

I'm sitting in my car waiting to pick up my neice from school. The high schoolers are running around the school...doing laps...around and around. A group of girls jogs by with their teacher next to them and about five minutes later, a heavier girl, having problems, trying her damndest to keep going. I want to get out and jog with her. I want to cheer her on and tell her that she's not alone and that life won't always suck. Just seeing all of this can bring back 25 years instantly. I have been that girl. I have been the last one picked for everything and I have felt the humiliation of it all. I was very lucky in high school that one of the 'popular' girls chose to bring me under her wing. Because of her, I was included in sleepovers and not sitting by myself at dances. I hope someday I can re-pay her for making me feel important. It is no surprise that she is a school counselor now and still standing up for the kids who really need that extra support. I wish every school could have an Ann. I hope I have the confidence to be an Ann after my surgery. I want to be able to put my wing around other people and smile and say, "Everything is going to be fine!"  

Tomorrow should be my last dietician consult and testing before its all turned into insurance. Praying it all goes well and staying up at night worrying about a lot of things I can't control. I hope that is normal. I think it is 🙂

Gastric Sleeve, Here I come!!!!

When I turned 40 I thought that some great revelation would come to me. For some reason I imagined myself being able to suddenly have the willpower to lose the fat that I have been fighting with for most of my life. My 41st birthday will be next month and none of that happened. I finally decided to take the plunge. I had my initial consult with Dr.Keith at Dr.Keiths wellness center in Norman Oklahoma. I will be blogging my progress and any set backs and pray that there is more progress than setback! I have been trusting God a lot more this past year and it has taken me places that I never thought possible. A year ago, I sort of thought I had experienced most of the good things I would be getting out of life, but the more I seek God, the more opportunities I have been given. It is a strange and wonderful thing. 

MY FIRST VISIT:

Staff are amazing, SO friendly! I love this. I weighed in (260) I am 5'9. I spoke with the Dr. He said he did more lap bands than sleeves. I told him I had read a lot of negative things about the band (a LOT). He said that since I lived so far away it would be really in-convenient to get the lap band. The lapband requires coming in every few weeks for a 'fill' or depletion of saline. After visiting with him, the nurse gave me a binder, some lab orders, and I went to the nutritionalist. 

The nutritionalist spoke with me, gave me samples of shakes I will be drinking, calcium chews and a food journal. 

Last week I had a LOT of lab drawn. I got a callback that my iron was low. I asked her how many milligrams to take and she told me I could only buy the iron at Dr.Keiths office 😐  I think this is 

weird but I will see what is so special about the iron formula when I pick it up in two days. 

There is so much that goes along with having Bariatric surgery. Fear, anxiety, happiness...it's a lot like a roller coaster. I have not told a lot of people yet but so far no one has told me I'm 'taking the easy way out'. So far the reactions have been 50/50. Half tell me not to, the other half are excited. Praying that everything works out,and would appreciate any advice!!!

IPSY VS. BIRCHBOX

I have allowed myself to be sucked in to the wonderful world of monthly subscription boxes! For 3 months I received a fancy cardboard box from www.birchbox.com. The boxes have been okay. I got a bright red stilla lipstick sample and some stinky dry shampoo. My favorite thing of all was a hair tie. Ive lost it. For the week I had it, I loved it. Overall I was dissapointed. One of the supergoop facial lotion samples burned my face so bad..really bad. I left a review but never saw it posted. I noticed all the reviews were basically raving about this thin stinky lotion that burned my face off. So I decided to cancel. I received one more box that had already been paid for and heres what it included:

a dry shampoo, 2 moisturizers. a self tanning lotion (at the end of August) and the tiniest blush you have ever seen. Like the size of a quarter. Try to apply that to a brush. 

So today I received my first Ipsy package. Keep in mond that you get ALL OF THIS for only $10 and that includes shipping. I loved it even before I opened it because it came in a shiny pink package!

Heres what I got:

A full size nail polish

sample blow dry spray

sample of gentle face wash

full size (and amazing) eyeliner

full size (with a color that looks amazing on everyone) lipstick

and the fully functional and oh so cute zippered make up bag!

I hope I save someone a little money and the hassle of wasting their time on the stinky, burning, tiny samples from birchbox. Unless you like pretty boxes better than full size makeup, the decision is an easy one. 

As a sidenote, I do get birchbox man for my husband. It is $20. I love and steal the gadgets but will probably be cancelling. All of the samples are tiny and they stink. 

Do you disagree? Have you found a monthly box you are addicted to? I would love to know!! 

DIY IPad Stand Made With License Plate

Technically this could be a nook stand. It can be a kindle stand or a pencil stand or any kind of e-reader stand. Another invention has been born as a result of my laziness and cheapness. We use the iPad a lot when watching videos for school and nothing worked to hold it up. Here's how I did it:

I made a template out of the license place and marked the places that needed bent. Here are the bends for a standard license plate:

Bend BACK at 4"

Bend UP at 8 1/2"

Bend UP again at 10"

There are several ways this can be bent. My way is always to give my plan to my husband and let him figure out. He told me that the easiest way is to use pliers and a hammer while the plate is sitting in a vice. For those who have no vice just sitting around, you can use a cement step and hammer it down to bend. 

This is a side view. It really does work great for our iPad. I thought of making one of those iPad pillows but I really think that this is much sturdier. We have a life proof case on our iPad and most stands require you to remove it before it fits. This was the perfect solution for us and I hope it is an easy fix for others with the same problem! Please comment or pin if you made one yourself. Enjoy!

Printable Pet Shop Money Game

 

 

My daughter loves playing pretend store. I decided to combine something she loves with something we need to learn. This game can be played so many ways. I suggest printing each page on cardstock and laminating them. You can then cut them into 'cards' and use them over and over. The price tags were left blank so you can add the amount you think is appropriate. Please pin and let me know if you use this game, I hope you enjoy it!

Print page 1

Print page 2

Print page 3

A few ideas:

Print several copies of page 2 (the animals) off. Give each animal a name so you have more animals in your pet shop.

Exchange places with your child. Be the 'buyer' for a turn and then be the store owner.

Make coupons (ex.  $5.00 off of 2 dogs or $0.75 off of 2 cat brushes) For a more advanced game.

Make a tiny 'pet shop' out of a small box and place the pieces in the box so you can take it anywhere.


 

California Vacation Tips

 

The title to this post should be 'DISNEYLAND IS OVER-RATED' but I wanted to share everything I learned on this trip so I gave it a proper (and not so tacky) title. There were a couple of things I did do right when planning this trip, but I made a LOT of mistakes. A lot was learned, I hope someone can benefit from this lengthy (but very beneficial) post.

 

TIP #1

We saved for a long time for this seven day trip. Mistake #1 was planning it on the same spring break that the whole world was having. A bus driver told us that the first week in March is a good slow week. I also have heard that December was a good time to go if you are just wanting to go to Disney/Universal/SeaWorld.

 

TIP #2

We used a travel agent who booked our entire trip through Southwest.com

If we would have simply went to Southwest.com and paid them directly we would have got the SAME EXACT flights, hotels and deals and would have saved over $300. If we vacation again we will use Southwest airlines. You can put 2 bags on for free and take 2 very large carry ons per person.

 

TIP #3

Next time we travel we will put EMPTY luggage on the plane. This way we can put all of our souvenir's in the bags for the way home. When we asked the lady at the hotel desk she said the nearest UPS or USPS was miles away. Our plans for shipping everything home backfired so I bought some large bags for $12 at Disneyland and sent them back as luggage. The bags were all ripped and torn up when they came off the plane but they served their purpose.

 

TIP #4

Make sure your hotel is close to where you are going. We stayed at the Carousel Inn & Suites. It was about a ten minute walk to Disneyland from where we stayed. We got to the hotel in the afternoon and they would not let us check in until 4pm. I hated this about the hotel. We were so tired from the trip and we couldn't check in and rest. We had to leave our bags at the front and decided to spend the five remaining hours at adventureland. We saw some staff call people when their rooms were open, we were never called. We checked back in at 4 and fell asleep at 8 due to the jet lag and 2 hour time difference. Be forewarned that Disney shoots off a massive amount of fireworks at 9:30 every night on spring break week. EVERY night. By the last night we slept through it but the first night we had no idea what was going on and though WW III had begun. They are loud. The staff there were all VERY VERY nice. However, I will never EVER ask for their advice if we ever visit again. I REALLY wanted to go to Trader Joes. My husband asked the front desk lady what would be the best way to get a ride there. She told him that a personal driving company (Blue Star Transportation) was the best way and even called him. She said it would be about $30 to go five miles. We were desperate so we hopped in his van and were on our way. Sammy Bakir was very nice and told us that his company was the way to travel. He said that Taxis take the longest route and charge way more than he does. He took us to Trader Joes, we were there approx. 10 minutes. When we got back to the hotel, Mr.Bakir told us we owed him SIXTY DOLLARS. For a 5 mile ride. We felt stupid and taken advantage of..... if that wasn't enough humiliation there were these posters hanging in the hotel elevator

AMG TOURS & COACH

a whole day of seeing all of the sights! We booked an appointment for the next day and talked about how exciting it all would be. The stops were so fast at each of the places that we went that we literally jumped off the bus, RAN to the sight, bought a shirt or took a picture then RAN back to the bus. AMG TOURS do not give you enough time to really SEE anything.

 

This was Santa Monica Pier. He dropped us off wayyyyy down the road. We literally ran down to the pier, bought a Bubba Gump shirt and hat and ran back to the bus. See all the people? This is how it was the entire trip. He took us to the theater to see the stars on the ground. It was more of a circus show than it was anything else. There were people dressed up as all kinds of action figures and even a super stinky spiderman with holes in his uniform....to take a picture with stinky spiderman costs money though. None of these people pose for free. Next Stop! Venice beach. We ran out, ran past all of the people trying to sell us weed and a man wearing nothing but underwear while he walked around the weights. My daughter rolled up her pant legs and I got a few good shots. Then we ran back so we didn't miss the bus.

On the way back to the hotel the driver told us that he hated taking tourists to Venice beach. It is filthy. It smells like pot, they openly sell pot in the stores and people will walk up and beg for money or ask you to buy their rap cd's if you stand still for more than ten seconds. We did not feel safe there and I will never go back. Total Cost for AMG quick tour was over $200 plus we tipped the driver because he was nice but mostly because we made it out alive and were thankful that he didn't leave us.

I'm pretty sure Carousel Inn & Suites gets a few of those dollars for advertising their 'tour' and for the 'personal driver' who overcharged us because we were tourists and we didn't know any other way. What we should have done was downloaded the UBER app and had someone drive us for twenty bucks (or less) to where we needed to go. Although the staff were friendly they most definitely had ulterior motives. I'm pretty sure if I were some uppity business woman the front desk would help me ship a package instead of telling me I'd have to walk miles away to find a fed ex.

 

We talked to a lot of bus drivers while we were there. They were all very friendly. All of them told us we got ripped off with the AMG tour. One driver even told us that he'd take us on a personal all day trip and let us stay as long as we wanted at all of the sights for half of what we payed AMG. If you want advice on anything while in California, ask a bus driver. We tipped them well and they told us lots of helpful information. They also all said that they would never take their kids to Venice Beach.

 

TIP #5

If you are going to SeaWorld, book an interactive animal experience months in advance. It cost approx. $185 for our daughter to spend an hour with a beluga. It was another $100 for the cd of pictures. This was my daughters favorite part of the whole trip. It is something they will never ever forget. The trainer told us that the dolphins are much more dangerous and that the belugas were like big kittens. We wanted to do this while we were in Texas SeaWorld but you MUST call way in advance because there are only a few openings each day. You get a free towel which is really nice, and an amazing story to tell everyone at home!

 

TIP #6

If you want to save money at SeaWorld, buy food from the small carts around the park. After the beluga experience, we were very hungry. We stopped at the restaurant serving chicken, ribs and French fries and each got a piece of cake and it was EIGHTY dollars. I almost fainted. They also offer an 'all you can eat' package in the park. If you have a large and very hungry family this might pay off to do. The park checks your bags before you go in so you don't take food. I put organic fruit roll ups in my husbands pocket and we had those if we needed them also.

 

TIP#7

When visiting Universal Studios: As soon as you enter the park, go to the very back and to the bottom floor. Everyone is still at the front of the park so we rode all of the bottom floor rides in about an hour, with absolutely no lines.

****If you have a queasy stomach, or your children are sensitive to scary things, DO NOT ride the mummy ride***** My husband thought it was 'fun' however, my daughter hated the ride and I swear I was singing a hymn the whole time because it scared me so bad. It is a very rough roller coaster in the dark ride....it then screams I WILL TAKE YOUR SOUL!!!! and goes backward in the dark in true fast roller coaster fashion. I was so nauseated after this ride that I couldn't ride anything else all day and had to take a Phenergan. I'm old but the ride was really rough too.

 

TIP #8

I read all kinds of reviews and pinterest 'tip' pins regarding Disneyland. No one told me that the castle was itty bitty. I thought it would be HUGE and MAGICAL. There were beggers all along the entire street to Disneyland. it really took away a lot of the most magical place on earth. My daughter isn't into princesses, Check the Disneyland app to see what rides are broken. Ariels ride, Small world, Alice in Wonderland, Indiana Jones and Nemo were all broken while we were there. She was very disappointed by the old rides and wanted to go back to Adventure land after being at Disneyland for just a few hours. The rides were all at least a three hour wait due to it being spring break and because the other rides were down. If your family isn't enjoying Disneyland, simply walk next door to Adventure land. It is much MUCH better than Disneyland in our opinion. I was anxious at first when my daughter wanted to leave. I had spent months talking up mickey mouse and all the fun Disney would be. It is very outdated and seeing all of the beggars outside is very sad.

My husband LOVED the Lincoln presentation. It is very much worth going to. Unfortunately the room was almost empty when we watched it. I loved being able to take my daughter to a small history lesson in Disneyland. I hope they never get rid of it :)

 

TIP #9

A bus driver told us this when we were leaving. If you ask any of the food vendors for a cup of ice water, they have it, and it is free. I don't know if this is true but it is worth a shot. A bottle of water is $3 everywhere you go. This tip will save you a LOT of money. Also, my daughter and I got an ice cream bar and they are so frozen solid that they have no taste and you can't really eat them. They are a waste of money. I had never eaten a churro so I shelled out $8 for one. It tasted like gummy dough and I threw it away.

 

TIP #10

Adventure land has a 'cars' ride. If you want to ride it, go early in the morning. My husband and daughter stood in line for 2 hours the first day and it broke down. The next day they went back and stood in line for 3 hours. They said it was worth the wait but there are fast passes to this ride that you can get if you get there first thing in the morning. As soon as the park opens go straight back and get a fast pass. This will same you a ton of time.

 

Our time together was fun and it was nice to have my daughter smiling instead of worried about school. We all agreed that our next vacation will be snow skiing. And if we visit Disney again it will be in Florida, not California. I realize that I'm just a redneck girl that doesn't know much about the city life but I really thought it would be cleaner and I wish I would've been a little more educated about the tours and not put my daughter in danger at Venice Beach. California is not the place for us. I do hope that some of these tips will help. I saw a LOT of parents with kids under two and they were stressed out and the kids were either crying or asleep. Maybe if my daughter were a princess-y type of girl it would have gone a little different. I know people who LOVE to visit Disney yearly. It just wasn't for us.

I also wondered how much to save for and how much to take. It was roughly $3000 for our seven day hotel, flight and park tickets. We basically bought whatever we wanted and spent WAY too much on food and we spent about $1200 while we were there. Knowing what I know now, I think I could cut it all in half. Hope this helps you on your next trip!!

 

 

Hammer Softie Pattern & Tutorial

 

I instantly fell in love with the plush hammers I kept seeing pop up on Pinterest. There were several different places selling them. I couldn't WAIT to get one for my new grand-daughter for Christmas! This little girl just makes me SMILE. I'm so in love with her I just can't stand it! Every single place that sold the cute little plushies was a big red SOLD OUT. So I did what any other grandma would do. Wait it out? Be patient until after Christmas?? NO WAY! This mammie made her own pattern and made the baby her very own! It did take a while to get the pattern right. Here's how I did it:

You Will Need:

cotton fabric scraps

filling

sewing machine or needle and thread

optional squeaker

 

Until I figure out how to put a pdf on the page, simply right click and hit 'fit to page' then PRINT.

 

When you print off the pattern you will see a dotted line. Use this line to seperate your top piece from your bottom piece.

 

Cut 2 of the top piece and 2 of the bottom piece.

 

 

Sew the bottom and top to both sides and iron

 

Put the two sides right sides together and sew all the way around the hammer leaving the bottom of the hammer open.

Turn inside out and iron.

 

This part is kind of tricky. Roll the handle part of the hammer halfway down to make stuffing the hammer easier. Use a LOT of stuffing. You want the hammer to be very solid, not all soft like a teddy bear. I stuffed the right and left side (top) of the hammer very solidly. I then squished up the squeaker and pushed it up to the top center of the hammer. You can place it in the head of the hammer, the side, wherever you would like. I then placed even more filling all around the squeaker so it wouldn't show. Add filling until you are at the very bottom of the hammer. Turn fabric into the handle of the hammer and sew closed. I added a bow to the babies hammer just to add a dash of cute. You can also just use one piece of fabric but I liked the contrasting fabric look.

 

***Feel free to use this pattern to make or sell as many as you'd like. PLEASE at least let me know that you like it though. It did take a lot of time and trial and error to finally perfect, and a little comment would be appreciated***

10 WAYS TO MAKE OR KILL A CRAFT SHOW

My mom used to paint (quite well) and sold the paintings at craft shows. I remember sitting there as a kid and watching how she sold, how she set up. I remember all the work involved. It is a LOT of work. I've done a few small craft shows myself. My favorite part of craft shows is BUYING from them! I would much rather give $10 for something that is handmade by someone than $2 for something that came from China. I've been to a lot of craft shows, both big and small. One of my favorite to go to is the largest in Oklahoma. The Affair of The Heart. There is one in Tulsa and one in Oklahoma City. I always critique the displays in my head, always notice the little things. Coming home from the most recent craft show, I was thinking of everything I wish I could say to the vendors.  But alas! I can! On my very own blog :) How can I get more sales at a craft show? How do I get more customers?

 

 

 

 

 

1. BE ON YOUR CELL PHONE:

This should be obvious, but it's not. It used to bother me when I was looking at someones things and they sat there texting or yacking on the phone. Now if I see someone doing this I just walk on by. Have a buddy with you if possible. If you have urgent info, go away from your table and do it. It's just rude to not give them attention.

 

2. A LITTLE OPENING INSIDE OF YOUR DISPLAY:

I think it's really pretty when a display looks like a castle, or has tons of antiques all around the 'door' with a little opening to go in. There are sometimes hundreds of people walking around the same area at once and I hate the feeling of having to fight people to go through the little hole. Please don't make a hole. It might seem appealing at first but people are too lazy to walk in and out. Or they don't want to be that close to other people.

 

3. BE ORGANIZED:

There was a product I wanted with just my grand-daughters name on it. The booth sold pretty little bulletin boards and offered free personalization. Then I find out that there's a line around the booth and that the lady selling them is making everyone stand and wait. If you personalize, please just keep a paper and pencil handy. Take the order, tell the customer it will be ready in 30 minutes and let them keep shopping. I have no patience and won't wait. Many many lost sales are due to my inability to stand in line. I know I'm not the only one.

 

4. HAVE THE PRICE DISPLAYED CLEARLY:

Make a big messy sign, or put a little tag on each individual product. It doesn't matter how you price it, but please DO IT. People get tired from walking for hours and they don't feel like asking how much each thing is. If it doesn't have a price I usually just put the product back down.

 

5. BE FRIENDLY AND PERSONAL:

I know that it's tiring to stand there for hours and hours. If I'm walking by and someone smiles and speaks to me nicely about their product, the least I do is take a card. Tell me that your sister makes the blankets. Explain the scents that you have that others don't. Show me what your product has that others don't. Personal stories draw me in every single time. Products I never even planned on buying I will buy. Because I like that you made it and I like that you took the time to tell me about it.

 

6. NETWORK:

A fancy website isn't necessary but if you have a business, people must be able to contact you. It doesn't have to be expensive to make a business card. Write your information on a pretty tag. Write on a pretty piece of scrap fabric with sharpie. Sometimes I don't want to spend all of my money at once place and do online shopping later. If there is no way to contact you, you can't get a sale later on. The more creative you get, the better. My husband wrote out his information on a red solo cup. I thought this was such a crazy idea but everyone who talked to him took one and smiled and thought it was funny. The cups were pennies each, and I bet some of them still remember the funny guy with the red solo cup business cards. Facebook is free to add your business page to. I love 'liking' businesses on facebook and seeing all of the new products. This is a great way to build up fans.

 

7. OFFER A WORM:

Not a real worm, I don't want that! I've noticed over and over that when people offer a little handmade piece of cuteness for a dollar that I must have it. A big bucket of cuteness for a dollar each, a basket of hairbows for baby for a buck...whatever your speciality is. When there is something in the consumers hand that is yours and they know they will be spending money they are more apt to take the time to look around and maybe add something else to their buy. This also gets your business card and information in their hands. Everyone has a buck. Let them spend it on your awesome product!

 

8. HAVE ENOUGH STOCK:

When I go to a show, I plan on buying. Sometimes when I go up to a table there are only a few jars/pieces/bags. If there is nothing to buy, you won't sell anything.

 

9. HAVE CHANGE:

This should be a given, but I've had to put many a product back because the person didn't have change.

 

10. MAKE IT PERSONAL:

I recently walked by a Scentsy booth. The distributor was SO nice. She explained that she was a military wife and that she offers free shipping to all of her customers as a way to keep her customer base. In that one sentence she had a loyal customer for life! I am ALL FOR helping to support any military and who can say no to free shipping with every order?? It is definitely the little touches that get the sale. It is a hard economy and people are good and want to help out the little guy whose making everything piece by piece. Let them know how awesome you are and make them feel good for buying from you. I truly believe that is what it's all about!!

 

Humility

photo taken from pinterest

When I started this blog, I did it so that I could help people. I've been overweight most of my life and I wanted to show people how I DID IT. I was proud as a peacock and though I had permission to give each and every person my opinion on food, diet and exercise. I HAD THIS DOWN!!!

And then something happened.

It began like a leak. I'd gorge. Ask my husband to go get me a cheesecake, ice cream, ANYTHING with sugar. Then I'd eat it. In a day or two it would be gone. I kept telling him, "I can get these few pounds off in no time." Then for a few days I'd eat perfect. The drip would come back....the sound in my head, "Just this once, just this once, it won't hurt!". I was still going to the gym, still doing an hour on the elliptical at least 5 days a week, I thought I was still IN SHAPE.

And not so suddenly, I am right back where I began. My trainer notices, of course. I notice. For weeks I haven't been to the grocery store, to the mini mart, out in public. I don't want them to SEE. More than likely no one will notice or even care. But the second I see someone in public I tell myself that they are talking about me. Have you ever felt like that? I don't even know if I have blog readers. But it has been therapeutic writing this all down. Like a diary but it's one that I'm holding out to the entire world.

When I was little, I remember getting my first diary. I asked my dad what to put in it, he said "Just write down what happened in your day.". I remember my first entry was 'today was a good day'. When I was 16 I burned my big purple diary, I didn't want anyone to ever read it. And here I am throwing out all my bare-ness for the entire world to judge.

I'm not sure what caused me to gain it all back. I've had a lot of personal things going on. A lot of sadness, hurt, shame and guilt. I wake up in the middle of the night with guilt. For not being present when I should have, for working too much when the kids were babies.
Sometimes it covers me like a thick, moldy wool blanket and I feel like I can't breathe.

God is the only way that I can lose weight. God is the only way I can ease myself of the guilt. I wrote a letter to my biological father about things that happened in the past. I doubt I will ever give it to him but it felt like a large person fell off of my back. I hadn't realized I was keeping all of that in.

Summer is also a hard time because my youngest daughter is gone for half of it. I hate being without her and I need to get a grip on the fact that I cannot control things. You get a divorce so your children don't have to be around that person and then you have to send them with the same person you were trying to keep them safe from.

So today I am here to confess my weight gain. To get up and start over. Again. again, and again, and again. I have to be healthy for my family and for myself. I don't want to be so ashamed of my body that we don't have a vacation. I want to go to the grocery store and I want to smile and MEAN it. I'm not going to talk myself into thinking that everyone is thinking about how fat I've become.

I was on the treadmill and my humongous again body was sweating from the small bit of exertion I was doing.

My trainer said "You might have given up on yourself, but I haven't."

Imagine how mad he must be that I've been working with him over a year and am standing before hime now at the same weight I started with (40 pounds lost then gained over and over). I would have fired me. But he stands there and says he's not giving up.

I am starting again, I am not going to gorge. I've started at 1400 calories a day and have been walking/jogging so that I can make it through a 5k in August.

Sometimes all you need is that ONE person to believe in you. I hope that everyone has a person like that. I thank God for him, and for every blessing I have been given. And today, I will begin giving God the credit, because without him, I am nothing.

Luminess Air Review

Foundation has always been a big deal for me. I had bad acne as a teenager and it left a lot of scarring. I have literally tried every type there is. Heavy cream foundation caused more acne and sweats off in the summer. More affordable drug store foundation accentuates the scars and does not cover at all. Mineral foundation doesn't cover well and makes me feel like I have cakey dirt on my face. What I've been using for the last few years is Estee Lauder double wear foundation. It is $35 and lasts about a month. It does have good coverage but it rubs off on everything and everyone. In the summer time it only stays on a couple of hours and looks gross and oily. 

After seeing the Luminess Air on GMA for only $89 with promotion code GMA50 on Good Morning America http://www.luminessair.com/gma I immediately ordered it! The regular price was $179. (I do not know when this will expire so get one soon if you are wanting one!) Being the girly girl that I am, I have ALWAYS wanted to try this. I chose the free shipping option, which, the site states it takes 4 weeks to receive. My set only took 2 weeks to receive.

I tan a lot and thought I was pretty dark so I chose the 'tan' option. There are four options for color choice.

My package arrived and I was giddy to try it but had to go to my daughters school function so I couldn't do it until that evening. The packaging is pink and swanky. It feels like Christmas unwrapping it all. I watched the dvd which is short and to the point, and then I got started!

The two 'tan' colors are VERY dark. I still couldn't wait to try it so I put some drops in the machine and started spraying. The coverage is really amazing. In the video, it instructs you to use 3-4 drops.Because of all of the scaring, it takes me a lot more than that many drops. I have to do at least 3 'layers' which takes about 15 drops all together.

I called customer service to see if I could order a lighter shade. She was super nice and is sending me a lighter color for FREE!!

Luminess has a 'club' you can join which is just an autoship of the product for a discounted price. I will definitely be joining this and will get a large bottle of foundation for $38. Since it's summer time and I'm more oily during that time, I'm going to be starting off with 'matte'.

****  while writing this post I noticed that the Today show was doing a promo on the luminess tanning set https://www.luminesstan.com/TodayShow/SelectSystem.aspx for $68.50 regular price $193.50

 code: TanTODAY  ****

FINAL THOUGHTS:

I love this part, it's like Jerry Springers 'parting opinion'. I feel like I'm sitting in the front of the stage on my wooden stool right now.

* LOVE the system. I read a lot of bad reviews on this and I really don't understand why. A couple of people said that it broke them out.

* After just a week I can say that my skin is a lot clearer and smoother. I've officially switched from the estee lauder to the luminess.

* The bronzer is so pretty and looks amazing with just a few drops. It does take a lot of the foundation for the coverage I want, but I need a lot and expected that.

*Even if you 'tan', the tan is a little too dark. They send two different shades but the tan was really dark and super dark. You are supposed to be able to mix the colors to achieve the perfect shade. If you are like me and choose the wrong color, they do send you a shade lighter for FREE which is super cool.

* On the infomercial, they show coverage of dark scars. I have none, so we tried covering a dark scar on my husbands hand. Even he was impressed of the coverage. After about four coats the scar could not be seen. The makeup really does look natural and does not look like foundation at all!

* The only thing I would recommend is a super pale or almost white 'base' so you can mix it with the darker colors in the winter when skin is lighter. This would also help when you have lots of darker colors from not choosing the right color the first time. If I could just mix my 'tan' with some white/light drops, it would be perfect and would save everyone money.

I'm dying to try the tanning spray for a safer option than the tanning bed. It looks awesome!! It will be my next luminess purchase!

If you've been considering this, buy it while it's at this price, it's so worth it!!!

would love to know how you like it!!

*This is my own opinion. I was not compensated by Luminess Air , the Today shor or GMA in in way shape or form*

DIY Hair Extensions Tutorial

I am guilty of becoming obsessed with things and then moving on. When I realized that you could make these for so much less I just had to share. This is so easy. It takes about 2 hours to complete since you are sewing each clip on by hand, but it will save you around $100 for each set you make!

I bought human hair at Sallys. You can get it online too. This brand is very thick but I wanted to make it even thicker so I folded the hair to size and then cut it. If you don't want thicker wefts, skip the first step.

The hair was approx $50, the clips are $1.79 for 3 and I bought a needle there. (I broke the needle and used an embroidery needle, it worked just as well). I made a swanky case to keep them in, I'd be happy to post the tutorial for that if anyone wants it..super easy and will store them safely and keep your comb and clips all together too.

10 ways to get through a boring treadmill workout

I'm pretty much an elliptical girl. I really don't like the treadmill. There's no real motion and a minute usually feels like 30. Sometimes, however I walk it. If I have a little knee or back pain or want to take it a little easier than the elliptical. I also hit the treadmill when I'm REALLY tired and lazy but KNOW that I must get some sort of cardio in for the day.

Here are some tricks I've been trying to make the hour go by a little faster.

As we all know, I am not a trainer, doctor or any type of fitness expert. Some people only focus on their bodies, the muscles they want to target, and their breathing. If I did this, I wouldn't last 2 minutes. My breathing is quite boring, and if I'm running on the treadmill it is similar to the sound of an elephant. I don't want to focus on that.

1. Make a new music list on your mp3 and only let yourself listen to it when you get on the treadmill. This is kind of an exciting little reward. Download a lot...you have an hour.

2. Text everyone you know. I do this a lot. When I'm texting I'm not paying attention to how long it's taking and I get to catch up on how everyone is doing.

3. Bring a friend to the gym. I know this isn't do-able most of the time, but when I've got someone there to gossip for an hour, it is the BEST!

4. Bring your nook/ipad and watch a movie! I haven't done this yet. Just found out that I can download movies from paramount pictures for my device and I'm gonna try it.

5. Play games on your device. I just saw this yesterday. A lady was playing a tetris-type game. I kept wondering why I haven't thought of that! She also played cards on her ipad. Too cool.

6. Read a book. It can be a book on your device or if you like to read real books (like me), just take a thin headband with you to the gym and wrap it around your book and the treadmill. This keeps the book open and keeps it from falling.

7. Watch tv. This one works well when there's something good on. When I forget my ipod sometimes I put it on vh1 or mtv so that I can get music in and see all the inspirational and very toned people in the videos.

8. SPEAK POSITIVE! yes, it sounds weird. I find myself talking to myself a LOT on the treadmill. Like the picture above, I wonder every second when it's going to END. Speak positive though, tell yourself how awesome you are for getting an hour in, figure out what clothes you want to fit into this summer. The negative thoughts try to creep in, just tell 'em to zip it.

9. While you are walking, clench your glutes a little bit as you step. And try flexing your abs when you think about it too. When I do this my butt is a bit sore the next day, but at least I feel like I've done something.

10. While you are doing any of the above, set mini goals. Tell yourself you can quit after just 15 minutes. When that time is up, make it just 15 more. By the time you are at 45 there's no reason to quit there, might as well get 15 more in!! Slowly but surely....get that cardio in!!!

Hair Extensions. Oh yes, I did!

****GRAINY PICTURES AHEAD!!!*****

 WHY FAKE HAIR??

The past few months have been sad for me. This is the year that my oldest daughter is graduating high school. I see all of my friends post about prom and all the exciting things that go along with senior year and I just want to cry. Perhaps I'm selfish, I just would've liked to have gone through all of the steps that seniors to go from high school to real life. Since my oldest daughter lives 3 hours away, this is pretty impossible. I'm trying to keep positive and focus my attention to the family that I have with me and not try to stress so much. :) My 9 year old will be a senior in the blink of an eye, so I'm trying to squeeze every single second of it and spend as much quality time that I can.

Also, I'm 37 now. I might be going through a mid-life crisis a little early but I didn't google it so I'm not sure I can diagnose myself. I have no plans on finding a boyfriend, and I haven't bought a convertible yet (but I need to admit that I looked at the sticker information on a convertible cadillac that was sitting in the mall) so maybe I'm just working on my bucket list.

Lots of family members and friends throughout my life have had long, flowing locks. I have a loooonnngg face though, and most of my life it's been WIDE so there are not many times my hair has been long and when it did, it didn't look great. I guess I need to blame pinterest too, they have all of these boards with pictures of long, beautiful hairstyles, and it just made me REALLY want to grow my hair out.

Since I have zero patience, I went to YOUTUBE and searched 'extensions'. After deciding that I didn't want to shell out about $600, and I didn't want a ton of little plugs in my hair, I decided on clip in extensions. Lots of reviews are online and youtube. I stumbled across My Fantasy Hair after reading a good review. They also have a thicker hair, which means it weighs more. All the others I looked at had a very low weight, and my hair is super short so I needed a thicker hair since I'm not filling in. So today I get the hair in and it really felt like Christmas. It matched exactly with the color of my hair and it's SO THICK. I hung it from tulle and styled it which took about 30 minutes and then I put the wefts in. Instructions for putting them in are all over youtube.

I'm pretty stinkin' proud of myself for this just being my first time. Of course I'm way to scared to wear them in public right now but if we go somewhere or actually go out I will test them out. My husband LOVES them, but he is pretty biased and always says he loves everything. Of course I have only had these for 8 hours, but so far my opinon of this brand is all A's. It is incredibly thick and it brushes well. The curls didn't stay very long but I used a low heat and only a couple squirts of chi helmet head.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that life is just so stinkin' short. If you want to buy a big 'ol bag of hair extensions and try them out, DO IT. Who cares what people say? I care. But I like feeling pretty too. I doubt I'll have 'Looked like a goofball with extensions' on my headstone.

Last week I'm driving home and I have the most amazing, super, FUN idea in my head. So immediately I jump online and start searching 'custom stickers'. Because my brilliant idea involves custom stickers. And, I kid you not, the next day, a company called PrintRunner contacts me and wants to know if I'd like to do a giveaway, and by the way, you can review stickers if you'd like! Would I EVER! I'm so excited for both myself and the lucky winner of this giveaway!

 PrintRunner is a full service high quality printing company located in Chatsworth, California. PrintRunner.com was established with little more than a small press and a dream. Ten years later the company became one of the foremost quality printers in Southern California.

PrintRunner is your convenient online printing resource!

Details of the giveaway prize: Stickers

Sticker Shape : Standard Stickers
Flat Width : 2"
Flat Height : 3.5"
Quantity : 250
Paper : Premium Sticker Stock
Colors : Full Color ( 4 Color Process), Black and White
Proof : NONE
Ready to Ship In : 3 Business Days
*Giveaway is open to US Residents only, ages 18 years old and above

WAYS TO ENTER:
for each entry add a comment. Winner will be chosen MARCH 12, 2012

1. REQUIRED: Visit PrintRunner Check out their custom sticker printing services. Tell me what your stickers would be used for!

extra entries:

2. Be a follower of this blog

3. Follow PrintRunner on Facebook and tell 'em I sent you!
4. Follow I See Amazing on Facebook!

5. Follow PrintRunner on Twitter!

EASY PEASY!! Good Luck!!!
Thank you to PrintRunner for providing us this giveaway, I will receive a set of stickers for hosting this!