mdrai

Good Wednesday Morn, Vi's!~~ I love December and the holidays, but... TODAY IS THE DAY to get back on track!! Kids go back to school! Hubby goes back to work! Routine returns! Can I get an "Amen"?! Good Habits I am starting OR re-starting today: #1: I'm right w/you on the water, Suzie... I've got my first 16.9 oz right here! #2: I'm committing to LIQUID PRE-OP rules today - Friday to see what holiday lbs I can jumpstart off... will re-evaluate after Fill on Friday. #3: Today is Day 1 of using my Bodybugg! I set it all up yesterday, so I'm ready to go today!! #4: Starting today, I will WALK DD TO THE BUS STOP EVERY MORNING (unless it is bad weather). (I drive her down there every day because it is FAR and DOWN HILL, which means I have to crawl back up the hill after the bus comes!) First goal of 2008: Get to -75 as quickly as possible!!! Make it a great one, Vi's!!

Happy New Year, my Beautiful, Wonderful Violets!!! It's a brand-spankin' new year full of hope & promise... I'm so glad I met you all last year... and will spend the WHOLE year this year w/you all... through the good, the bad, the ugly... whatever comes our way... I'm here w/you all through it all!!! AND... I get to meet my Vi's this year!!!!!!!!!!!! AND... This is the LAST year in my life that "LOSE WEIGHT" will be a resolution!! :party: We had a fabulous time last night... really, really great! DH & I haven't had fun like that in YEARS -- I kid you not! We went to the hotel around 3pm, napped, got ready... then were picked up by a stretch SUV limo!... & whisked off to the party. So much fun... the time flew by... drank cranberry & vodkas, too, Pam!... several!... was fun to be "tipsy" (but no hang over!)... noshed on yummy appetizers... just the right size for being banded!... and mostly played Blackjack w/our "funny money" in the Monte Carlo area... DH won, I lost... you got raffle tix w/your chips & I got only 4! ha ha! but it was fun & took most of the night... danced after that... champagne toast... then another limo back to the hotel and... well... let's just say we "rang" in the new year, shall we?? :party: Here are a couple pics...

Hello again! Tracy... you look great in the suit!! Terri... love the necklace, but I already have the jewelry for tom. night... it's a set of ruby & amethyst (sp?) bracelet, earrings & necklace that dh got for me in India ages ago that I rarely wear -- like maybe 1x/year... so he's happy that I'm wearing that. Just got back from a mani/pedi/brow wax! I'm all pampered & relaxed now!! & can't clean! too bad! ha haha!

Good Sunday Morn, Vi's~~ Another day of lounging around w/no specific plans... this is almost getting old!! (remind me I said that when I'm back to "crazy" regular life!)... Thank you all again for the wonderful comments... Laura -- I checked out the B&A thread and WOWZA -- you're looking fabulous!! Love that sweater, too! Someone is calling for me... bbl...

I knew I loved you gals -- you're making my day w/all the compliments!! Thank you!! :kiss2:

OMG Kat!! You REALLY made me LAUGH OUT LOUD!! & blush!! No panties... but SPANX holding it all in & keeping it from jiggling all over the place!!!!!!!!!!!!! Ba Ha Ha!!

Thanks, everyone!!! Even I can't believe how good it looks!! I have CURVES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I still need to get shoes (w/at least a 2" heel) + a mani & pedi on Monday + I'll have makeup on + jewelry... Now that I can post a pic (oh my... watch out girls!!) I will post some of DH & I together on NYE when we're both all dolled up!! What other pics can I post now??? This opens up a whole new world of self-entertainment!! he he he!

I Did It!! Woot!!

Hey Vi's~~ It's Saturday! It feels like it's been Saturday every day this week! LOL! Went out w/a gf last night to an italian place... had crab dip, 2 rasberri-tinis, and eggplant parm... was able to eat ALL of it!!... think I need a fill much?? I've had so many fills I've lost count! I'm scheduled for next Fri. When will I hit my "sweet" spot?? So today I'm *TRYING* to do just shakes... I feel like an addict in withdrawal!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So I may just stay up in my room reading & napping all day just to get through it... the first day is the worst, right?? On the positive side of life... my NYE dress arrived today!! And I tried it on and it FITS LIKE A GLOVE!! It's an 18/20!! Amazing! I am now going to attempt to post a couple pics of me just now trying it on... if it doesn't work, then I'll do what I always do... e-mail them to TracyKS & have her do it!! LOL! But I'll try.

Good Fri Morn, Vi's~~ Everyone with snow -- BE CAREFUL!!! Ugh. I can't believe how sluggish & blech I feel! I've been eating "whatever I want" since last Sunday and I got on the scale today -- oh my! -- how come it adds up so quickly but comes off so slowly??? Yikes! And I'm all puffy... not good, not good at all!! YET it's soooooooooooooooooooooo hard to stop once I've started!! I think that's the biggest lesson I'm learning right now! I think it's a combo of psychological AND physiological factors, but still... wow! Even sitting here typing this, I KNOW I should bound back onto the wagon w/a few days/week of pre-op diet rules... I KNOW IT!!... but can you believe that actually part of me is rationalizing one more day of "eating" because ds & I are going out in a bit to run errands & it'd be nice for us to go out to lunch together, blah de blah... again I say, "Wow" to the addictive nature of food!! Plus no exercise in 2 weeks... Frightening!!

Wow Laura! Look @ your ticker! You're over the 1/2 way mark!! YAY YAY YAY YOU!

Good "Morning After" Vi's~~ Finally, the day I've been waiting for all month! The, lounge-around-in-pjs day where the only thing on the agenda is relaxing! After orchestrating what my son called one of the best Christmas's EVER... I deserve it!! (He also said that the only way it could've been better would've been if we announced that we were going to Disney! HA HA! If he only knew!! ) Judy -- You're right... it is amazing how it takes 4-6 weeks to get everything done for Christmas... and it's "done" in a flash! Opening the presents is definitely the EASY part! Tracy -- Good luck w/the move today!! You're a better woman than I! TracyKS -- Yay on the -70!!! Sorry 'bout the day care... It's amazing how when I "allow" myself to enjoy "any" food for a day or two... and now it's like I can't stop!! No wonder how I got so big!! I told myself that today was going to be protein shake day... yeah, right! Tomorrow? Friday?? It's amazing how those "old habits" aren't gone... just lurking beneath the surface waiting for a weak moment or holiday to pounce back into action!! Scary!! For instance, in my (warped) mind, I've already "blown it" for today, so "I may as well enjoy myself the rest of the day, and get back to "being good" again tomorrow" -- anyone else recognize those words??? 7 months of healthy eating, and it all comes right back! The rationalizing, the "deals" w/myself... ack!

Merry Christmas, Every One!~~ A great day happening here... kids love all their gifts and guess what?? I got a Bodybugg!! Am so excited! Oh, and the coal thing went exactly as planned... even better, actually, as dd thinks that her pop-pop told Santa to play that trick on them! LOL! Off to shower & then to my sister's home where our entire family will gather & continue the celebration! Merry Merry!

Ack! My Amazon box didn't arrive, after all! It contains 3 stocking items for me, 1 gift for my mom, and 1 gift for the kids from "Santa". Whoops! I ordered these things ages ago w/a bunch of other stuff at the same time... all the other stuff arrived! I've never had Amazon do this before... I'm bummed. Oh well, live & learn! Guess they'll be "New Year" gifts! :rose: Went to the open house & then to church... lovely. Haven't been to church in about 4-5 years! (long story) But I'm thinking that that will be my NY resolution this year... getting the kids & I back to church... This is the last check-in 'til the 'morrow... sweet dreams, for those of you who get to sleep... for me, it's waiting out dd 'til she drops off (ha!), then stuffing the stockings, etc... it could be awhile yet! Peace.

Oh! And I FINALLY ordered my NYE dress today! I got the one I posted the link for... + it comes w/a black velvet "shrug". Will post pix next week! Now all I need is shoes!

Santa clean?? That's a good one!! I still gett crankity sometimes that I spend a 4 - 6 weeks orchestrating a wonderful Christmas day for my family of 4... and a chubby fat man gets all the credit!! :rose: There's something just not right about that!! Went skating & had lunch w/our friends from NC... it was great to see them... it went too quickly! Now I'm "dressed up" (the dress I'm in is an old one from ages ago... not only is it actually too big, but it's too LONG, as well!!... I think not having so much fat to fill it up makes it hang longer!!... but it's a beautiful grey wool wrap dress that I love & have been waiting to wear... I just think that I waited too long!!) and ready to go to the open house, & then church. My last package from Amazon JUST arrived!! So I have more wrapping to do this eve, as well! (It'll give me something to do while waiting for dd to drift off the sugarplum land!) Merry, Merry!!

Merry Christmas Eve Day, Vi's!~~ It's finally here! Yeah!! Today is a whirlwind... cleaning this a.m. (I've got my kids believing that Santa won't come to a messy house!); then meeting friends from NC @ the skating rink @ 11 to skate, then lunch w/them; then home & change clothes & off to an open house after 3; then church @ 7... then home for the "sneaky" part of my day!! Our tradition is to leave our empty stockings at the foot of our beds when we go to sleep on Xmas Eve, & then when we wake up -- MAGIC! -- there's an overflowing stocking at the foot of the bed! But for the past 2-3 years my dd won't/can't sleep on Xmas eve, so it's been very hard for "Santa" to get the stockings done. So last year, I told her that an elf had to wake me up because Santa couldn't wait any longer for her to fall asleep, he had to get going to the other kids, so I had to do it for him, and that he said that next year (tonight), we had to put our stockings on the kitchen table instead! She does not like THAT idea. So I told her we'd compromise... we'd put our stockings on our beds & then what he did w/them after that was his business. Well, the other day while shopping I found these burlap bags w/ "COAL" written on them w/candy inside. I bought 3. So tonight, I'll take the empty stockings, replace them w/the COAL, stuff the stockings & leave them on the kitchen table. Voila! EXCEPT... that MY overflowing stocking will be @ the foot of my bed!! So you see what it will look like, right??? This is going to be so, so funny! ((Jenn)) Blessings to everyone for a wonderful Christmas! Each of you is a Christmas wish answered... I am so thankful that I have you all in my life!!

Good Sunday Morn, Vi's~~ Doesn't it feel like it should be Christmas... or at least Christmas eve... by now?? My kids keep saying that it's weird to have it on a Tuesday... and I think I may agree w/them! It doesn't have the right "feel" to it somehow... <shrug>... oh well... I guess even Tuesday needs to feel special sometimes! :eek: More baking & wrapping today... I'm down to the last 6 or so PBs and cookies... finally! Make it a great day, everyone!

PS -- 1 more thing about Unjury... they have EXCELLENT shipping (my orders arrive in 1 day!) and customer service.

I, too, suggest getting the sample packs & trying them for yourself... it's a very personal thing! On that note, I love, love, love unjury Vanilla (& I do use the unflavored in a pinch, but it's nowhere near as good). My fav "recipe" is the following, I love cinnamon-spicy things... I have it at least once every day: 1/2 carton of vanilla micellar milk (20 g pro) 1 scoop vanilla unjury powder (20 g pro) 1/2 scoop Big Train low-carb spiced chai (got it from Bariatric Eating - Protein, Vitamins, Gastric Bypass & Lap Band Info, Post-op recipes, and Help) 3-4 ice cubes blend & enjoy!! Good luck finding your protein!

Jenn... I'm confused... I thought getting the band meant that we didn't need to "diet" (in the traditional sense) & be hungry?? So if your band isn't doing what it's supposed to be doing... then you need to get a fill. Period. Can you call back & make an app't w/the DOCTOR asap?? Then keep going 'til you get satisfaction -- you ARE the consumer, after all (OR you change to a doc who can care for you properly). I must be missing something here, because I'd think that when you explained what's been going on in your life over these past months, that would indicate to them that you NEED a fill because you may not have the emotional & physical fortitude to "willpower" it through just now. It doesn't make sense to me. Take charge of yourself!! Good luck, sweetheart!

Yes, Judy... we need WWJD chokers this time of year! Update my siggy... slow & steady, right?

Good Saturday Morn, Vi's~~ I've already been to Wally World & back this a.m.... not too bad @ 8am, thank goodness! Now it's baking & wrapping the day away!! Great pics! I love pics! More pics!! Pam -- be gentle w/yourself & your back! Terri -- that's amazing! The wrong way on the highway? What is wrong w/people?? How can people STILL drive intoxicated??? Merry Merry to everyone who're beginning their celebrating this weekend!!

Hi Vi's~~ Busy day! And a weird night last night, too! At about 2am I was sleep walking -- sleep RUNNING, actually -- away from my bed because I thought it had a snake in it (I have these weird dreams every so often) and I must've tripped on something because all I know is I wake up and I'm flat on the floor over the threshhold to our room and I HURT! DH is like, "WTF?" and I just lay there, slowly waking up and trying to figure out how I got there and if I'm seriously hurt... I think I went down like a tree -- straight w/out putting my hands out to break the fall or anything! How weird is THAT?? I finally got up, took inventory, went potty, and then went & slept in the guest room because, well hey, that snake was still unaccounted for! This morning the toes on my left foot, my left kneecap & shin, and right shoulder are REALLY sore... only my shoulder has some rug burn & a big bruise... if I'm in one spot for too long, they stiffen up... and they hurt all the time... again... how weird!! I could tell you hilarious stories of my sleep talking and WALKing over the years... maybe I'll regale you with them in May!! Suffice to say, this is the first time I ever hurt myself, or don't remember how I ended up somewhere... a bit scary! ALMOST have all my shopping done... do NOT want to have to go out tomorrow... but I'm afraid I'll have to!! Yikes!! + ds needs a b'day gift for a party tomorrow -- ack! Make it a good night, Vi's! Sleep carefully!! I know I will be!!