Half of Bri

Hey Y'all!
 
I'm Bri. This is my insanely long now-you-know-everything-about-me story.  :P
 
I am married to my best friend with a beautiful 14-year-old daughter and a LOT of fur babies. The only way to describe my love for animals is with the words "completely and utterly obsessed". We have three amazing rescue dogs (Layla, Kelsie & Piper), three pygmy goats (Mavis, Annabelle & Eliie), six rabbits (who've been renamed by my nieces and nephews so many times I can't even begin) and a potty trained indoor pig (Ruby). Life is crazy at the funny farm but we sure do love every minute of it!
 
I'm a busy working mama as the office manager and logistics coordinator for my family's two generation human performance consulting company. I am also a licensed aesthetician and aspiring aromatherapist (currently studying to get my license in my "free" time), and a few years ago I actually went completely nuts and opened my own home-based business creating handmade bath and body products. In a nutshell, my life consists of a whole lot of beautifully blessed with a dash of chaos and a pinch of crazy (okay, maybe it's more like a handful...). 
 
I also have about a MILLION different hobbies, of which I stumble between in a haze of ADHD and OCD. Here's just a few:
Being a wife and mama, first and foremost. (I am a Softball Mom, Basketball Mom, Cheer Mom or Orchestra Mom depending on the season! Like mother, like daughter! haha) Being an auntie to my four nieces and three nephews. They are like my seven other children. Babies, man do I looooove me some babies. I just can't get enough!  Baking (I once had a semi-successful food blog, which sadly I let go to start my business - I still miss it). Cuddling on the couch with a warm blanket, cup of hot cocoa and a fire in the fireplace Traveling Sunny Spring days Hot Summer Days by the pool The scent of an Autumn breeze An unexpected snowfall  A good book and a hammock Trashy reality television (Teen Mom? The Bachelor? Hell yeah!) A great thunderstorm  Finding any excuse to use a glue gun (I once hot-glued a shelf to the wall - this obsession could has become a problem)  Talking to my animals as if they're going to answer me back. And sometimes they do. Is that weird? Yes? Er, forget I said that. Enjoying the simple things in life  
My Bariatric Journey
 
I originally began my journey in December of 2010, when I attended my first weight loss seminar. After a few years of going back and forth about which surgery to pursue, I finally decided on the gastric sleeve and my surgery was scheduled for August of 2012.  However, due to a drastic turn of events that took place less than two weeks before my scheduled surgery, I was no longer a candidate. I continued struggling with my weight in many aspects: my motivation levels, my fears about weight loss, my health, and, if we're being truthful here, my food addiction.
 
Fast forward another three years and was FINALLY well enough to go through with my surgery and was sleeved on December 2, 2015! It has been such a blessing in my life. I am down 100+ lbs. and feeling so much better already. I am excited to see where this journey continues to take me!
 
I have chronicled my journey (off and on) over the years on my blog, Half of Bri. I'd love for you to stop by sometime!