What is wrong with my nose???

I need some advice here.

When I start eating my meal, whatever it is. My nose starts running like a faucet and/or I start sneezing and need to blow my nose something fierce. This has GOT to be band-related. I'm thinking that my body is making the excess saliva (whatever) to aide the digestion process and most of it comes out my nose as well?!?! Right?!?! OMG, it's SOOOO annoying. Is there anything I can do short of not eating to make it stop???

I go back to see DK for my monthly check-up at the end of the week. Uggghh. I don't think I've had a very good month. Maybe I'll see 5lb loss if I'm lucky.

OK, back to subject of bodily fluids. LEAVE NOW IF YOU'RE SQUEMISH & TMI warning!!!!!!

Soooooo, let's talk cervical mucus. For women who have had fertility issues or just know their bodies really well, we all know we have certain times of the month with increased...errrrrr, fluids VAY DOWN THERE. ;) Now, maybe it's all in my imagination, but the last few months I've noticed some serious ummmmmm, wetness going on. (SORRY- SO TMI!!!!). Could this have ANYTHING to do with my nose issue?!?!?! Before anyone thinks I've got some infection going on...I'm fine. No odor. Just a lot of...well, YOU KNOW. I'm not even super frisky either so it's not like I'm just ovulating or anything. IDK. Very odd.

Anyway, so that concludes my biology questions for today. :)

5 months Bandiversary and I'm in the teens! WOOT!

It occured to me earlier that today is my 5 month anniversary since I was banded. Insane. I was also greeted this morning with a brilliant number on the scale:

223...which let me remind you...

IS 4 LBS heavier than DK's scale....drumroll please...

THAT MAKES ME 219!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Happy Dance Happy Dance Happy Dance!!!!!!

I took this most recent comparison on Friday, the 19th. I messed up the date on the first one, but this is a 'then and now' shot. I still have a ways to go, but I'm thankful to finally be seeing a difference, feeling a difference, etc...

8 Years in Pictures

I have been online trying to update the layout of my blog. I was SOOO sick of what I had before. When I started looking around online, I found this one for Xmas! I thought it was pretty groovy! Anyway, so I started playing with the layout and I was going to put some older pics in the column on the right so people viewing my blog could see where I was before all of this started.

You know, the fat pictures.


Or should I say, the fat-ER pictures.

I'll probably still put them on my blog layout eventually, but I decided to post them here.

These really make me sad to look at. Not only do I remember that girl so well, but when searching for pics, I realized they were hard to find. I know the moms out there can probably relate to always being the photographer and never the subject, but I think I made a conscience effort in the last 8-10 yrs to avoid being in front of the camera. I mean, avoid it like the plague. What makes me more sad, is scanning through holiday pics of my oldest DD and not seeing ANY of me with her.

It's almost as if I wasn't even there.

That really breaks my heart. God forbid if anything happens to me while my girls are still young (or really ever), I would like to leave behind some photographic evidence that they did have a mother who loved them with all of her being. By being absent in the pics, whether intentionally or not, is really upsetting to me. Going through these have made me realize that I need to force my non-photographer DH to take some pics of me and my girls. They need to know I was there and that I love them.

OK....here we go. A trip down plus-size memory lane....

Heels were created by the Devil

I've been wanting boots. Not cowboy boots. Not suede low boots. Oh no, those would be too easy. I wanted heeled boots. Sassy boots. Boots that say "Look out world, I've lost 40lbs and I'm feeling ZESTY!!" OK, not really...but I did want a pair of boots, with a heel to look great with the prep coat I got from Old Navy a few weeks back (Size XXL BABY!!!!!!!!). So I found some. Low boots (because I'm still a big girl with big calves, so high boots aren't an option; YET!) I found two pairs, actually. One at p@yless while shopping with my daughter for boots for her (I know, only the best for me and family! bwahahahaha I don't spend money on quality shoes for me. I'll get into that post at a later date). Anyway, so I found those, and then I found another pair at JCP. Similar in styles, but different enough to warrant buying both of them.

Let me see if I can find pics.....


OK, this is the p@yless boot, 2.75in heel:


This is the JCP boot, over 3in heel:



Cute, eh?!

I had been wearing the first boot around the house, in thick socks trying to break them in. They are pretty comfortable. So after a few days, I decided I would try to wear them to work yesterday. It's our casual day. I thought wearing my new coat, my size 18 Gloria V jeans I rec'd from the S'Hood, and my boots would make for a VERY spiffy T.

FOR THE LOVE OF ALL THAT IS HOLY............. HEELS are made from the DEVIL. How on earth do women wear those daily??????????????? I just don't get it!!!!!!!!!!! I tried to do as little walking as required in my day, but I did have to make a trip to the mall to buy my Harry Potter tickets and grab an ornament at Hallmark. By the time I got back to the car, I felt like I was walking on hot coals and that I would tip over any second. WHAT IS THE DEAL?!?!?!?!? I mean, at 2.75in high, they're not even really high. Plus, I'm sure I looked like a 12yo wobbling around in heels for the first time. When I was younger, my BFFs mom was a model back in the 60s. She always told us to "walk like a wave in the ocean" when wearing any type of heel. Well, yesteday I looked like a whale trying to manuever choppy seas during a hurricane. OMFG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It was awful. In fact, during the date night with the hubby last night, I opted for other shoes because I just couldn't deal with the pain I was sure to be in walking from point A to point B, and then back again.

So really, is there a trick?!?!? I mean, I've worn heels before in my younger days and I don't remember them hurting so damn much.

Well, as for the sassy JCP, well they were mail ordered. I got them yesterday and my fat foot wouldn't even squeeze into them! They are SOOOO going back. I think after yesterday, even if they did fit, they would still go back!!!!!!!!!

Anyway, on a side....HARRY POTTER WAS AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I laughed and cried!!!!!!! Can't wait for #2!!!

I became one of THEM....

You know, the people who lose a bunch of weight and then go do something drastic with their appearance. Yep, that's me.

BEFORE:



After:


My hair grows like a freakin weed, so I'm not that heartbroken that my long hair is gone. It's been short before, it just takes some getting used to. After a million positive comments from friends, I think I made a good decision to chop it!! Even if I did become one of 'those' people!!

I've got Scents & pics!

I've been busy! Yep, you're reading the blog of one of the newest consultants of Scentsy, the wickless candle. If you haven't heard of these, oh let me tell you!!! They are only THEE BEST THING EVER!!! haha I've always been a self-proclaimed candle snob for years. Then a few years ago, my MIL gifted one of the Scentsy systems to me and I was hooked!! Safe around kids & animals, and pretty inexpensive, I was HOOKED!! So last week I signed up! GREATNESS!!! What makes it even better, I got my first recruit 3 days after I signed up! My friend, who was a new customer, fell in love with the product and decided she had to sell it too!! I'm telling you, if have never heard of these and you know no one who sells this stuff, you should contact me!! :) OK, PSA done with!


So to the band. Ugghhh. It's still there. EJ has its moments. Somedays he wants to be super tight and others, he's loosey-goosey. I don't get it! I do know that I'm pretty close to the 2TEENS (OMG, that sounds AWESOME!!), so I've got to keep pushing along.

I've had a few NSVs this week. I decided to go to Kohls to try on some clothes and see what sizes I'm near. After trying on some various outfits, I discoved that I can squeeze my ass into a XL IN THE FREAKIN MISSES SECTION!!!!!!!!!!!! CAN I GET A WOOT?!?!?!?! Really, they were shirts and I think they were stretchy so they gave some, but still. I'll take it!! In a dress, I tried on a 1X and about died over that too. Girls, I was wearing a just-right bordering on too tight 26 when I started this journey, so to wear a 14-16 is just insane to me. Before my trek to Kohls, I REALLY wanted one of those Prep Coats from Old Navy when they were on sale. When I went online, they only had misses sizes, no big girls. They did have a XXL so I decided to try it. They also had some 'skinny' jeans for dirt cheap in a 22. I took a chance and bought those two. Let's just say, I'm wearing them both tomorrow to work!!! I was SOOOOOOO excited to try them on and have them BOTH fit right out of the box!!!!!

So that's that. Oh, here is my latest comparison pics. I really need to work on standing in the same spot so I look at least the same height in all of them! haha






I hope you're all well, and I will try to be a better blogger/commentor!

Stretched Pouch???

I think my band and my pouch are toast. :(. I went to see DK yesterday for a fill and in 27 days I had only lost 5lbs. Needless to say I got another fill. She could only do .1cc so now I'm at 6.3cc in a 10cc band. I did fine last night. Had a protein drink and went to bed. Today I had some coffee, a campbells Soup at Hand and some water. When I got home DH was making dinner and he had enough food to feed an army. Taco night. Damn.

I think he forgot about the fill. So, in my weakened state, I decided to have a taco. No problems. Odd. Man, these are really good. I had another. Then baby girl only ate some of hers, so I finished hers. Yes, 2.5 tacos one flipping day after a fill.

Damn

damn


Damn.


Is my pouch too stretched out?? Opinions, anyone?? If it is, can it be unstretched???? One thing I didn't mention is that my fills are done under flouriscope, and the PA didn't say anything about my pouch looking too large.

Any advice??? Words of wisdom?? I feel just awful. Tomorrow I'm only doing liquids if it kills me. Uggghhhh. Help!!!!

Rangers, Candy, and November- Oh my

I've been the worst blogger ever. I don't know what the deal is, but when I get home, the last thing I want to do is play on the PC. Normally I'm too busy to log on in the evenings, but tonight I promised I would upload some pics to FB so my family could see the girls in their costumes.

P1 was a woodland fairy and P2 was a cute little ladybug. They both made out like bandits, and mommy has been sampling their candy. I'm so proud of myself. I've only had 2 pieces!! Prior EJ, that would have been multiplied by 20 by now!!!

Speaking of EJ. He's fine. I go in on Wednesday and I think I will get another fill. I've been eating larger quantities, snacking more, and I know I've only lost 5lbs since I was last there. Uggghhh. I went to a support group meeting last Thursday and when I stood on their scale, I was saddened to see that. 5 stinkin pounds. Uggghhh. See, fill STAT!

Rangers. Rangers. Rangers. Stupid Stupid Stupid. Need I say more?!?!

I've kind of lost my motivation. I just feel blah about the whole thing. I'm making poor choices when it comes to food and I'm not exercising. I guess I've just fallen off the wagon and I need to get back on. Now that my busy crazy month is officially over, maybe I will have time to breathe now and prepare for the next hoorah!!

I hope everyone is well. I've read a few blogs, but I'm sorry for not commenting. Bad T, bad. Know I still love you all anyway!

Oh, on the grandpa front. He got moved to rehab now, so he's out of ICU. He's doing better but I think he's got a long road ahead of him. It breaks my heart because I've never seen him sick or frail. Now I'm seeing pics of him and it's so sad. I know he just needs to get his strength back, but it's still hard knowing he's like that. Anyway, just thought I'd share. Thanks for the prayers.

Before I go, I will leave you with a few pics of my girls!