Festival of Lights

We went downtown last night to the Festival of Lights with my friend Colleen, her son, and nieces. Several times last night I was thankful for all of the weight I have lost.

First, the train was packed and we crammed in to make us all fit. We wouldn't have been able to sit together had I still been large.

Walking would have been a major problem with all the weight.

Running to get to our train home - even though we missed it - wouldn't have been possible had I not lost the weight.

This year I am thankful for gastric bypass and that the insurance company approved me so quickly to have it done, and thankful for all the tools the surgery gave me to lose all this weight. I am thankful to have my health in better shape and that I am able to participate in fun, family events that I couldn't and wouldn't have tried before.

Halloween

Shelby was Dorothy from Wizard of Oz... her costume was first. I wanted to keep the theme (yeah- you know me and themes) so I went with the wicked witch - or was it a sexy witch??? This is my version of oz, OK? I found a lion costume for DJ, but he refused to portray cowardly, and the tin man costume was like $200! So he was a pirate. A dorothy, a witch and a pirate.... hmmm...

Anyways, went trick or treating in our neighborhood and we received lots of comments. People were impressed that mom and dad dressed up too. It was a lot of fun! Here are pics.

Sorry...

It's been so long since I've blogged... honestly I have been a bit depressed and my health has not been good. Thankfully though, both are under control again.

I joined facebook last night and have been re-connecting with people from Discover, high school and other various places. Its pretty neat to see pictures of what people look like now compared to how they looked in HS. Makes me wish I had kept in contact with more people. Anyways, lots of fun. If you have facebook, can I be your friend? LOL

Weight Loss - was down to 163 at my lowest, as of this morning, I weighed 169! Ummm... thinking the numbers are going in the wrong direction? I am able to tolerate much more now than before. I am drinking TOO much soda which is stopping immediately, and with Shelby's Halloween candy - let's just say, whatever a 2-year old can't or shouldn't eat, mommy has been eating. Enough already!! I didn't go through ALL of this to turn around, stretch my pouch out, and gain weight back. I need to pay attention to what I am intaking, how much, and most importantly, now that my health is under control again, EXERCISE! WOAH - me and that word do not get along!! But - somehow I have to fit it into my daily schedule. I thought working with 7 kids all under 3 would be exercise enough, but it's not and I have to face that.

So - I will be focusing on creating an exercise routine. Still - exercise or not - I am going to need a boob job. Bought a new bra - 36A!!!! OMG - before breast reduction in my early 20's, I was 38DDD; before gastric bypass I was a 52D. 36A is like non-existent!!

Dj lost his job

Last Friday, DJ was let go from work. He received 2 weeks severence and was paid out for his unused PTO. However, all benefits including health ended that day at midnight. Scarey!

DJ is actively looking for a new position and has applied for unemployment. He has been helping out at daycare, though we have had a slow week this week. He is actually considering staying home and helping out with daycare so that we can take the max. amount of children that I will be licensed for (8). I alone cannot take 8 because the more children under 2 you have, the less total children you can have. But with two providers, you can take the max of 8 regardless of age.

This would give me the opportunity to start a preschool program here in the morning, while DJ spent time with the younger children in the other room. Its also better to have two sets of eyes, ears, and hands with the children, especially when going outside, for walks, during meal times, etc... I had been considering taking on a partner or hiring an employee, but the benefits to doing that seemed to outweigh the costs of it.

It would mean we would need private insurance, which we are looking into and have applied for now. It would mean we are both locked into the family room; if Shelby gets sick we can't leave to take her to the Dr. We would have to take her to walk-in clinic after hours. It would mean (from what I can tell) we would mak the same amount of money as we were when he was working at Edstrom, we could get rid of the second car and the car insurance and the gas to fuel the car.

So - pending our research into this further and the tax implications, DJ might become Daddy Daycare! LOL

Volleyball anyone?

So - I cannot even tell you how many years it has been since I've played volleyball. I vaguely remember playing after high school with my mom at her work league, but I don't think that was too long after high school.

A few weekends ago, Grandma Bielawa from Arizona was in for a visit and DJ, Shelby and I went out to the cottage for an all-day visit. Two things eventful happened:

One: I went swimming in the camps swimming pool! I never would have even considered wearing a suit before in front of Turner Camp people. These are my in-laws friends and people that were invited to my wedding and baby shower. No way Jose! But I proudly put on my new suit (size 10) and went down to the pool, lose skin and all. No shame!

Two: We played sand volleyball (5 people to a team) and played 3 games - my team won 2!!! I tried to get a picture of me playing to prove that I really did play, I will post that here later on. Not that great of a pic!

It's so nice to be out enjoying life again, instead of hiding behind big clothes and excess weight.

Dreaded Asthma

(Uncle KC and Shelby)

Since I quit smoking when I found out we were pregnant with Shelby, I haven't really had to use my inhaler much. So little in fact, that the inhalers expire before I ever need to use them.

End of June I got sick with an upper respiratory (a wonderful con of running a daycare) and ever since then, my asthma has spiraled out of control!

I can honestly say that having an asthma attack is one of the scariest things to happen to me. Not only does it feel like I am suffocating, but it feels like there is a MACK truck sitting on my chest and I just can't get it off so that I can take in a breath.

Its so bad right now that I have been giving myself breathing treatments several times a day as well as taking steroids. I went to walk in clinic last monday to get the steroids, and then I went to the ER Friday Am because I couldn't get through an attack on my own. They gave me IV steroids, magnesium, and an hour long breathing treatment. He wanted to admit me, but me being me, figured I would get more rest at home than at a hospital and quite frankly, all I wanted to do was sleep and chill out.

I can't sleep - I have a horrible dry cough - and it feels like someone is squeezing me around my chest really hard. I hate that I have asthma and I feel sorry for the young children out there that have it and can't help themselves as well as I can. Its a scarey disease to have.

More food for thought

Been very busy with school, daycare and family that I haven't had much time to think about my success.

Friday marked 1 year since I had gastric bypass surgery. Down 155 lbs, I feel better than I have in years and have no regrets with having the surgery.

I was doing laundry tonight thinking about how easy it has been doing laundry lately. I mean, it doesn't take me as long because there aren't as many loads to do, and its easier to put away. But why the change? I still do laundry once a week - though now its a different day usually. I still wear work clothes and play clothes even though I work from home (scrubs for daycare). Nothing has changed with DJ.

Maybe because my clothes have gotten smaller, they take up less space. Thus creating LESS piles of laundry, allowing me to do laundry faster and put it away faster!

Another PRO of having surgery and getting my health under control!

(Picture is Shelby doing the sign for (and making the sounds for) - M O N K E Y!)