Let the photo whoring begin!

ALYSE IS HOME!!!!!!

Friday night I just was not tired. I went to my friend Janell's house and got sucked into watching the first three episodes of the vampire diaries, had a blast chatting with her, and YES, eating popcorn, LOL. When I got home it was around midnight and my intentions really were to go to bed.

Well, 4:30 a.m. rolls around and I decide that even though I'm still really not tired I should at least TRY to sleep. So that's what I did. I'm not sure exactly when I fell asleep, but I know I was up by 8:30. I rolled over and was getting ready to fall asleep again when I realized how light it was outside and then I was AWAKE because Alyse was coming home! On the phone with Rachel like 10 minutes later and we chatted away like little kids about Alyse getting in, what time her plane lands, how tired we think she will be and yada, yada, yada.

Rachel and Alyse's mom had to rent a car to go to JFK with and we were hoping she would end up with a mini-van so there would be enough room for me to take the ride. Alas, no dice. So I waited around all day long attempting to read my Norton Anthology of Neoclassical Literature. (Yeah, if it sounds like a mouthful try reading it!)

At 3:30 in the afternoon I get a text from Alyse saying she had arrived. It has been four very LONG months since I had a message from "Alyse" pop up on my cell phone. Well, if I thought waiting around all day long for her to land was annoying, waiting for them to make the trek from NYC to New Paltz was even more anticipation filled. I cooked dinner, took a bubble bath, did some makeup.. And finally I said to Jessica I couldn't wait anymore and we were heading to New Paltz. This was around 6:00 p.m.

We got to their house and they weren't there yet so we waited outside for awhile because it was so nice outside.

After a while I was like "let's go get gas". They got home before we were back from the gas station. Alyse was in her room starting to unpack a bit when I walked in and like moth to a flame I was hugging her! Her hair has gotten so long and curly! I'm so mad that I didn't somehow manage to take pictures or film or something of it. I really felt like "Ahhh, my baby sister is home at last!"

Alyse brought me back this amazing, beautiful, and totally my shade of pink Venetian mask she got while at Carnival. It's gorgeous and so finely hand made. I want to get a shadow box and turn it into artwork on my wall.

We stayed at her house for a few hours and in no time at all the four of us were razzing on each other and fist bumping across the table as one sister would crack a joke on another. I've missed the four of us being together. We're all crazy busy this week so we probably won't see each other again until next weekend I imagine but we're all gonna go do breakfast at Denny's next Sunday and be us in public! Heaven help them!

So, major announcement to make. She's home. She's seen me. The photo whoring is totally about to go down! haha, I know with the montage I sorta already started but even then there has been a part of me trying to tone it down until Alyse got home. No more!

Here I am at the gym, sweating like a pig on the treadmill. Five minutes later Mr. Indian Point walks in. *GASP* Once done on the treadmill I sort of ran into the locker room to hide, regrouped, and emerged. He was on the elliptical right in front of the locker rooms. He saw me come out and waved me over. Asked how I was doing, commented on how great I am looking, my hair looks really nice (I've had highlights and a two haircuts since he last saw me), and just general chit chat. It was an easy conversation that reminded me that first and foremost he was my friend and a part of me has missed him. So I get up on the elliptical next to him and we chatted some more. After ten minutes though I was done. Ellipticals and I are not great friends just yet.

This is me last weekend after I got my hair cut. It's been falling out so bad and thinning out as a result. I needed something new and fun for summer. I love it. It was totally inspired by Katie Sagal's character on Sons of Anarchy. She always have such great hair at Gemma Teller. I just wish I could get my hairstylist away from such extreme flat ironing. I always just let her do her thing because I always end up loving it, but these curls fell out within a half hour because of being flat ironed first.

Speaking of my hairstylist, she has re-thought lapband and now is getting sleeve. WOOHOO!!! She and I may be going to the support groups together for her office. I'm excited as I sort of would like to do the support groups, it's just that my surgeon is so far away. She also took off my hands the bag of clothes I'd had in my trunk waiting for me to drop off at a Salvation Army, Goodwill, or donation box. I hope she gets use out of some of that stuff!

Size large pjs bottoms and an XL top. Old Navy. Later this night I bought my first pair of 14s at American Eagle. They were not only my first pair of 14s that I actually purchased, they're SKINNY JEANS!!!

 Last week my uncle was in the hospital having a arterial bypass and getting stents put in for dialysis. I got to babysit my nieces and nephews while their moms went to visit their dad. Victorialyn is missing her tooth, Joe is in the back with his cute dimple showing and Ginger is in pink. We had fun watching Hop, eating popcorn, and taking our pictures. I have such a blast with these kids! Baby Josh was on my lap too but to hold the camera, balance three kids on my lap, and make sure the Joe was in the picture... It just didn't happen! Ginger is actually the spit out of my mouth when I was little, except I have dark hair and she's a red head.

See what I mean? 

Alas, that's enough photos for now. Actually, one more and I swear that's it for now!

This stuff is heaven on a spoon! Not something we'd want to have all the time, but two spoonfuls I was satisfied and oh so happy!

Happy Easter!

Isn't she just the cutest? I found this picture from AmbiClubWear on FaceBook, but it was too cute not to share.

I'm a little tired today, I did a lot of cooking yesterday. Pies, homemade bread (made some with white flour for the family, and whole wheat flour for me), stuffed eggs (see below), dips, stuffings (omg, can't wait!), and potato salad. We're doing ham for Easter this year thankfully. I'm still having a hard time with some of the white meats so turkey wasn't high on my list of wants this year.

It's going to be just us this year. Usually we have the missionaries from church over, but this year because of location issues they are unable to make it. My cousins usually pop in at all hours, but my aunt had some major reconstructive surgery to her hand yesterday. As a result, I'm sure they'll be sticking close to home. My poor Aunt, she has the most used hands out of anyone I know. About a week ago she fell down the stairs to her back patio and shattered several of the bones in her hand. She doesn't have insurance and my uncle's disability apparently was too much to qualify her for any form of help. So instead of being operated on immediately as it should have been, the stupid hospitals and doctors were being greedy and she had to wait. It's too bad because to set everything they had to re-break some of it and then insert the plates and screws. However, the silver lining is that I still have my Aunt! It could have been much worse and our family is just thankful she is here to celebrate another holiday with us. She could have broken her neck just as easily as her hand falling down a set of stairs such as those.

So, since it's Easter I'd like to share some slightly religious thoughts with you all. Many of you may know I was raised Mormon. (Latter Day Saint). I've not always stuck close to this upbringing, but I do believe in God and that Chris is the Savior. Due to a lot of teenage mistakes and judgmental people and a certain amount of my own will, I don't like actually going to church anymore. Mistakes made as a teenager and the reactions people have to them leave lasting impressions. Do not judge your youth, you have no idea how it effects them! Anyway, I've been thinking a lot about re-birth. That is after all what Easter is all about. The re-birth/resurrection of Christ. As an LDS person, I believe that after the resurrection Christ spent time in the America's teaching here.

Spring is such an amazing time and a beautiful reminder of all that Christ did for us. Everything is being re-birthed and coming alive. And this year, many of us are as well. I joke that I have lost an entire anorexic person from my body- which is true. I've officially lost 80 pounds. That is an amazing physical re-birth for me, but the more important one is that changes I'm making on the inside. I'm sure you can all relate to what I'm talking about.

I'd like everyone to stop and take a minute to think about who they were this time last year. You may or may not be reading this as a WLS patient, you may just be reading it because you know and love me and are sharing this experience with me. But think about who you were last year and in what way have you gone through a re-birth! If you are comfortable sharing your answers please feel free to leave a comment, I'd love to hear from you!

Montage

The Most Amazing Four Months of My Life

So April 5, 2012 was my Four Month Surgiversary. (I don't know if I'll ever like that phrase, lol). I totally took the day off from work to take my last final- which I passed. And then I went up to Kingston to spend the rest of the day watching movies with Mr. Moto. It was a great day and so nice to relax and not stress about work.

So, in four months I've lost 72 pounds for a grand total of 80 pounds! I think I might just be down 100lbs by my 6 month surgiversary. (Did I new goal just formulate itself, I think so!)

The last four months have been so amazing. There have been down moments, crazy hormones, tears of sorrow, tears of joy, JOY, and a new found confidence in myself and what I can accomplish.

Lets re-cap.
Survived hellacious semester. Check
Lost 72 pounds. Check
Ditched a man who didn't belong in my life. Check
Started getting periods again. Check (Although having had 6 by the 3 month mark was a bitch much, it has fixed itself now)
Fit into size 14s by the time Alyse gets home. Check
Over 1000 hits on my YouTube videos. Check
New found confidence. Check
Ability to walk 5 miles without wanting to die. Check
Hooker boots that fit up my calfs. Check

I could go on and on with this list- but a part of me feels sort of like I'm bragging- even though that really isn't my intent.

Video montage to come soon! Check back tomorrow!

Until then...