Loving Lydia

Windows

Happy Easter

Fashion ON!!!!

Update

First, I gotta apologize I've not been updating very frequently on here. I wish I could say I've been doing something terribly important or constructive...but the truth is I've just been on Facebook playing Farmville and Vampire Wars and being a total frump because of my LAP band. I have lost more weight...but it's been a struggle. I never know when I'm going to have a successful eating experience (meaning no vomiting) or one where I'm in pain for an hour and then upchucking all my hard work. And trust me, eating is hard work anymore. Today for instance I threw back up breakfast and lunch. Dinner was my first meal I kept down. Why couldn't I keep down breakfast and lunch? Hell if I know...but up it came. I've lost 25 pounds though. I just feel like with the excercising 4-5 times a week and the diet changes I should have lost more by now...but I'm probably just being too hard on myself. Or at least that's what I tell myself.

Now more about the important stuff...Lydia. We have Kindergarten registration next week. Hard to believe our girl will be going to school. It's a WOW moment. In preparation we've been getting her eyes checked...physicals...etc. Her eyes are good though they did find she was slightly farsighted. (So likely reading glasses are in her future.) Her teeth are good, her hearing is good and so is her body. She's 3'6 and 38 pounds of beautiful. She's growing like crazy. She's wearing 6Ts! I swear she totally skipped 5T!!

Friends Day

Tuesday was friends day at Lydia's dance class. Ms. Karen encourages the girls to invite a friend every Valentines Day for a free class and fun festivities. This year due to snow cancellations friend day was a little late--but that didn't seem to spoil the fun. With 20 girls in the class usally the room was packed with almost 40 five year olds all clad in pink! Absolute cuteness ensued. Lydia invited Isolde who wore one of Lydia's favourite dance dresses she lent her and the pair were inseperable. Lydia tried to show off and Isolde concentrated on the steps with all her might. It was totally precious.  

My two new friends

Til we meet again at the Rainbow's Bridge

 Rest In Peace my Ben-ben. Mommy misses you. 

Just this side of heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge. When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge. There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run and play together. There is plenty of food, water and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable.

All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor. Those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by. The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing; they each miss someone very special to them, who had to be left behind. They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance. His bright eyes are intent. His eager body quivers. Suddenly he begins to run from the group, flying over the green grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster. You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart. Then you cross Rainbow Bridge together....  Author unknown...

What I don't have

No to the entire Hepatitis alphabet...more tests on my liver tomorrow plus my liver biopsy has been forwarded to Vanderbuilt for a more in depth analysis.  I've lost no additional weight...but I have lost an inch around my waist. (That makes for a total of 3 inches lost thusfar.) I'm going to the gym about twice a week. Trying to get up to three times a week, but all the doctor's visits makes that difficult.

That's about it in updateville. More pics of the real reason you come here coming soon! 

LAP Bands and Liver

Today marks the 1 month anniversary of my surgery, so I figure it's time to have an update. So far I've lost 20 lbs . The week after surgery I couldn't eat or drink and had to be hospitalized. The week after I gained two pounds and the week after that I lost it again. This week, because of the snow, I don't know where my weight is at. Maybe I've lost, maybe I haven't. I'll get to go to the gym tomorrow...so I'll know then.

The LAP band thing has been quite the physical and emotional journey. Eating hurts. (So how I gained I have no idea...cause trust me, I avoid food!) I've talked to my doctor about the pain and he said he's done all the tests and I have no problems other than extreme (like uber extreme) swelling. He's keeping a close eye on me and is concerned, but the 1cc of liquid that he had in the band as a primer is gone and I'm wearing the largest band they make so there isn't much he can do to make me more comfortable. There hasn't been any discussion about removing the band yet because I am getting food down. It's just painful.

I can eat some foods without pain...cottage cheese is one. I eat a lot of that. I have it at least once a day. A typical day's food intake for me is: Breakfast--Coffee, 1/2 a cup of juice, 1/2 a cup of cottage cheese. Lunch--a V8 and 1/2 cup of meat. Dinner--varies from night to night. This evening I had white lasagna with brocolli. I have 2 protien drinks a day. Isopure. (EXPENSIVE stuff, but the only protien drink I can stomach.) The tastes of some foods have changed for me. I cannot stand tomato soup anymore. Strange but true. My sense of smell has intensified. I smell everything so clearly and from far away. I have diarrhea often, belch almost constantly and get the hiccups frequently. The worst istrying new foods. Some stuff goes down. Some stuff comes back up. Tuna, Avacados and Salmon are three foods I (at least right now) cannot eat...doesn't matter how thoroughly chopped it is or how long I chew...it gets stuck. If food gets stuck the pain is horrible. HORRIBLE. I'll walk around and drink--but if the water doesn't help it, it just aggravates the pain all the more. I begin to slime and then eventually vomit. By the time I'm done I'm exhausted. I've vomitted those three food and my medicines. That's the other thing I hate...the pills. I have to have 2 protien drinks (again EXPENSIVE and extremely hard to get in this hick town. I have to drive an hour to get them--thus adding to the expense.) That's not a huge deal other than the expense and inconvienence. What is annoying is the 2-3 calcium pills, the multivitamin, the super vitamin B, and the vitamin D I have to take. I hate them...especially the calcium. (Imagine taking 2-3 servings of grape flavoured chalk a day.) I'm learning to deal with the extra drugs and the discomfort of taking my regularly scheduled drugs.

Now the good stuff. The blood sugar is a lot better. Not perfect...but better. Already only 20 lbs lighter. My blood pressure is awesome!

Now why does my title say liver?? Betcha were wondering that huh? Well when I had the surgery the doctor noticed an above average amount of "lumpiness" to my liver. Concerned he took a biopsy and sent the sample away for testing. He suspected the prolonged obesity had caused some cirrohsis. (Not uncommon for someone who has been obese most of their life like me.) On the 15th he got the results back and I have hepatitis and the onset of cirrohsis. Cause unknown. I've since been tested a few times. We know it's not liver autoimmune 1 or 2 and the lab (after doing the wrong tests) are redoing my viral panel to check for Hep A,B,C &D. I fall into none of the risk catagories for Viral Hep though so I have an appointment on the 11th of February with a Gastroenterologist to help figure out what may be causing my hep symptoms so we can treat it. I don't know what all he'll be checking me for...Lupus and Wilson's are 2 canidates...but I know there will be other tests as well. So...I've been to the doctor a lot here recently. I'm tired of people taking my blood. (I seem to get poked or pricked at least twice a week.) And I'm tired of vomitting and I'm tired of what used to be a pleasant experience (eating) being a painful one. It is getting better...but thusfar I can honestly say--I hate this band. HATE IT. I'm being told once the swelling gets better and once I see more results I love it...but that day isn't here yet. So right now I live with it. I deal. I focus on those things I love. My hubby, my daughter, my friends, my doggy, my film class, my games, they all keep me going. I laugh more than I cry...but I do cry. And I hope. I hope for the day when this is behind me and the pain goes away and drugs are gone. I hope. And as long as I hope it's still good.

Snow much fun!

Snowball fights, snowmen and snow angels! Pink noses and toeses. Hot chocolate and dripping wet mittens. It was a good weekend!!

Snow Ice Cream

About 2-3 days before our snow Lydia came home from preschool extremely excited talking of nothing but snow ice cream. "When we gonna make the ice cream Momma?" It took me a minute or two to figure out she meant snow ice cream, but once I did, I knew I'd better find a recipe for it and pray for a ton of snow because our girl had set her cap for ice cream made of snow. (And once that cap is on, it's hard to get it back off again!) Fortunately it snowed plenty (6 inches of white fluffy goodness--a lot for Kentucky to be sure!) After a full day of fun and frolic...it was time to get to some serious snow business. Mommy got out the pot and measured the ingredients...but otherwise all the work was done by our future food network star. I didn't have much (LAP band afterall) but what I had was NUMMY! 

Snow day

Lydia's daycare was cancelled today due to the impending snow, so I ended up not going to work because I had no childcare. Unfortunately the snow was late...so Lydia didn't get to play in it as soon as she would have liked, but round about noon it began to fall. Lydia was anxious to go outside to try and catch snowflakes on her tongue. Judging by this photo though, it looks like more snowflakes caught her than she caught of them!

I've not been writing much about my LAP band here recently. I promise to do a post about that soon. I have good days with it--yesterday--and bad days with it--today--so it's definately been a yoyo kinda experience thusfar. But more about that later. Right now I just wanna kick back and enjoy the snow.  

Dance classes have restarted

and someone is glad about that.  

Mushy Phase

Hey it may not look great but it's a step up from the clear liquid phase, that's for sure.

The green is peas and the white is chicken fettuccine. Only about 1/3 got eaten. My band is still too tight for me to tolerate this whole plate .

MMM MMM good!

Ice! 2009 (A Charlie Brown Christmas)

I LOOOOOOOOOOVE me some Charlie Brown!! Seriously! I have a thing for Woodstock and Snoopy. To me The Peanuts Gang epitomizes the whole Christmas spirit. So while we normally go to Nashville's Opryland Hotel to partake in their yearly holiday festivities, this year was particularly exciting for me. All bundled up we braved the cold and slid down the stories high slides to amaze at the retelling of this Christmas classic. It was great fun (even though Woodstock was nowhere to be found.)  

Weight loss tickers (The second one is updated after my afternoon weigh in)

I'm waaaaaaaay behind on posting Christmas pics!!

Hopefully I'll get our ICE! pictures up soon too---but I'm really waaaay behind. Sorry.

This was Lydia's Preschool party. We got to attend and watch, which was great fun. Lydia got an art set and they sang songs and got to see Santa.

Lydia is sitting with Geoffrey, "her boyfriend". This is the boy she says she's going to marry someday. I approve. He's a good kid.

On wanting food.

I've had quite a few people ask me if I'm hungry. The answer is surprisingly no. I was hungry for the first few days of the liver shrinking diet...but mostly that was what they call "head hunger".  Not really hunger, but wanting to eat because it's something you are used to doing. All I could think about (surprisingly) was ground beef. Why ground beef? I have no idea...especially since I'm not against GB, but I wouldn't call it a favourite by any stretch of the imagination. Since the surgery. I've felt sick, so food isn't really something I desire.Long tall glasses of ice water is all I want all the time. I'm able to drink now...but still not really up to big drinks. A cup at a time is about all I can handle. I'm nervous about moving up to creams since I've had such a hard time with clear fluids so I'm actually really okay with where I am right now.

BTW, the needle in the stomach didn't hurt. Someone asked me that too. The swab tickled...but the needle was practically a non issue. When Dr. Swain removed the primer fluid, it felt like something I've never felt before. Not bad...just "weird".  Right now I'm not feeling too well...but I think that's a reaction to the barium. I had an adverse reaction the last time too. If it continues past tomorrow I'll call Dr. Swain...but right now I'm just happy to drink my apple juice and ice water.

I'm back from the hospital

After my first visit to the emergency room, things were just not getting better. I was vomitting on a pretty regular basis and feeling miserable. I was regretting having the surgery and praying I could get the band removed RIGHT NOW!! So, unable to get into contact with my doctor I made a second trip to the emergency room. After several hours of waiting to be admitted (there was a huge fire in town and there is a horrible case of stomach flu that was crowding the hospital) I finally saw the ER doctor. After doing more bloodwork and pumping yet more fluids into my ever dehydrating body Dr. Swain was finally contacted and I was admitted into the hospital. My very dear friend Cindy took care of Lydia while Russ stayed with me to help me during my stay. Feeling a false sense of security from the protonics and anti-nausea drugs I tried a popcicle and after an hour of hellish pain I vomitted the whole thing up. So I swore, no more anything until I saw Dr. Swain. At noon he had me wheeled down to X-ray where he had pictures done on me and he asked me why I hadn't come in sooner. I explained how I'd tried to get a hold of him and how I'd visited the ER the first time and how they told me they had contacted him to which he snuffed..."NO THEY DIDN"T!" Now angry at them and extremly concerned about me he told me there was no band slippage and that I now needed to go have a barium swallow. (GROSS---but trust me, the pain was so horrible I was more than happy to drink elephant vomit if they asked me to.) Up on the table he poked a 4 inch needle into the center of my stomach and removed fluid from the band. Then he had me drink water. I'll be honest, I was scared. Scared to drink water! But trust me, even water was painful to the point of my wanting to die. I drank, not one, but two full glasses...so he was hopeful. Up on the table I swallowed barium so he could track the flow of the liquid and while it moved slowly...it did move. He sent me to my room where I waited for him to call to let me know his decision about my release. Once I got to the room I had lunch waiting for me. (A cup of broth, a cup of grapejuice, a cup of tea, a cup of water and a popcicle--you know the thing that sent me through an hour of hellish pain just the night before.) The grapejuice burned but I got everything else down. It was great to be able to intake fluids orally. 5 days of everything going in causing incredible pain, burning and vomitting took it's toll on me both physically and emotionally. So while I can drink now, I'm still extremely cautious. Nervous that the next swallow will be the one that sets me into an hour of pain. But sofar so good and so I was released. I'm on clear liquids only for a few days to give my new stomach and my esophogas time to heal. But it's great to be home and great not to be in pain. This is hopefully the end of my complications...and as for weight loss? So far I've lost 18lbs since December 22, 2009.

P.S. I now have Dr. Swain's private number...so if anything adverse happens again I was told to go straight to him!

Introducing Deuce

Congratulations Lew! He's a sweetie. Auntie Lissy will be there to spoil you as soon as possible!

Emergency Room

I just got back from the emergency room. The vomitting never stopped and so Russell took me in. I was severely dehydrated, so I spent a lot of time this evening hooked up to an IV while they fed me insulin and anti-nausea drugs. I feel pretty good right now, but the blue vomit bag provided to me by the hospital has become my new  "security blanket" and I don't let it get too far away from me. They prescribed me an anti-nausea drug that melts in your mouth as the other pill form they'd given me was always being thrown right back up---along with all my other meds. My blood work came back fine, other than highish sugar (which makes sense since I've had no meds for 2 days for that) so that's why they gave me insulin. David and Becky (my boss/oldest friend and his wife) took care of Lydia for us while we were at the emergency room and I'm extremely greatful to them. I'm slowly trying to drink and hoping I'll be able to keep stuff down. If not I'll need to see Dr. Swain (my surgeon) to see if he can adjust the band for me so I can better keep things down. So stay tuned for more LAP band updates!

Post Surgery

I had the first surgery of the day, so I was up early. Aaron was here at 5:30am to take care of Lydia and Russell took me pretty much straight from work to the hospital. (My poor hubby has had maybe 90 minutes of sleep today.) Once I was at the hospital, they took my vitals. My blood glucose was high--as it usually is in the morning--187. But then, that's why I'm having the surgery to try to resolve or at lease relieve that problem. My heartbeat was 76, my oxygen 96 and my blood pressure 107 over 57. So I was doing well. I got my ugly green socks on and the IV tube in my hand and off they wheeled me to surgery. I was awake as I entered the operating room. The gentleman who wheeled me down told me he's had gastric bypass 2 years ago and had lost 270 lbs and that his wife had LAP band a year ago and had lost over 70lbs and he reassured me it was the best decisions the both of them had ever made--besides choosing each other. It was great to hear that...it's hard to explain all the conflicting emotions you feel---but everyone was so kind and so positive. It made it so much easier. Once I was in the operating room they moved me from the vroom vroom bed (they let me make car sounds the whole way to the emergency room---it keeps me amused! and into the very tiny operating bed. Once I was adjusted they started giving my oxygen and they laughed as I said I'd always wanted to wear an oxygen mask. (Not as cool as I thought it would be...it's smelly plastic smell.) Next thing I knew I was in recovery. I barely remember recovery...lots of you're okays and you did greats and lots of me asking if it was over and where was my husband. Then suddenly I was in a new room and Russell was asking me if I wanted water. I did...and it hurt. My stomach looked and felt bloated. I had 5 incisions. One 3 inches in length and 4 1 inch in length. I was asked to go pee and on the way I saw my doctor--who asked me how I was. I replied with the very lucid "I like your tye-dye hat." Oh yeah...I was "with it".-NOT.  No peeing...so no leaving for me. I had to drink more and take more IV fluids and that's when the nausia hit big time. After a second attempt peeing (to no avail) they sent me home. But first they Xrayed me to make sure the band was in place and positioned well. On the way home I felt more and more sick and I was almost to the bathroom when I finally lost it and threwup. Feeling a lot better, I slept. Since my nap I've tried to have broth and thrown up again. I'm just now starting to keep water down...but I dare not try anything more. I'm tired, sore and thirsty...but sofar so good. My hopes are high. Thank you to everyone for the words of encouragment, the prayers, good karma, flowers, and for feeding my hubby and daughter while I'm down. I am blessed to have each and everyone of you in my life! (And the official pre-op surgery loss was 10.3 lbs!!---So I am well on my way!)

Surgery

Tomorrow I have surgery at 7:30 am. I'll try to post in the afternoon or evening...but no promises. I've already lost 7lbs this week from the liver shrinking diet!

Blood work came back...

...and I have extremely low Vitamin D. The doctor is calling in a supplement for me that I will have to take for 8 weeks and possibly longer. Here is what Web MD says about Vitamin D problems. (My level was 10 and they like to see 32 is what they told me.)

Symptoms and Health Risks of Vitamin D Deficiency

Symptoms of bone painand muscle weakness can mean you have a vitamin D deficiency. However, for many people, the symptoms are subtle. Yet even without symptoms, too little vitamin D can pose health risks. Low blood levels of the vitamin have been associated with the following:

• Increased risk of death from cardiovascular disease
• Cognitive impairment in older adults
• Severe asthma in children
• Cancer

Research suggests that vitamin D could play a role in the prevention and treatment of a number of different conditions, including type1 and type 2 diabetes, hypertension, glucose intolerance, and multiple sclerosis.

Causes of Vitamin D Deficiency

Vitamin D deficiency can occur for a number of reasons:

You don't consume the recommended levels of the vitamin over time. This is likely if you follow a strict vegetarian diet, because most of the natural sources are animal-based, including fish and fish oils, egg yolks, cheese, and beef liver.

Your exposure to sunlight is limited. Because the body makes vitamin D when your skin is exposed to sunlight, you may be at risk of deficiency if you are homebound, live in northern latitudes, wear long robes or head coverings for religious reasons, or have an occupation that prevents sun exposure.

You have dark skin. The pigment melanin reduces the skin's ability to make vitamin D in response to sunlight exposure. Some studies show that older adults with darker skin are at high risk of vitamin D deficiency.

Your kidneys cannot convert vitamin D to its active form. As people age their kidneys are less able to convert vitamin D to its active form, thus increasing their risk of vitamin D deficiency.

Your digestive tract cannot adequately absorb vitamin D. Certain medical problems, including Crohn's disease, cystic fibrosis, and celiac disease, can affect your intestine's ability to absorb vitamin D from the food you eat.

Diets and Easy Bake

I tried to blog yesterday but my thinking was so cloudy and erratic it was hard to focus on a thought, let alone write it down. Today--at least sofar--my thinking is a little clearer so I'm gonna try to blog about my diet. Day one and two thusfar have been the hardest. In part because of the newness factor and in part because of the holiday. I let Russell do the cooking on Christmas eve, but I did the dinner for him and Lydia on Christmas day. Maybe not the smartest move for my diet, but I needed to feel a part of the meal in some way as I drank my protien shake and ate my cup of carrots. I cried a lot on Christmas. It wasn't that it was a bad day. It was just a very emotional one. The diet has given me a glimpse of what bi-polar disorder might be like. I'm literally up and energetic and filled with life one minute and then suddenly without any warning exhausted and moody. Yesterday physically I was fine but I was cloudy and I had a very difficult time focusing--I even began stuttering toward the end of the day...the day before was physically exhausting but I was thinking fine. Today I seem unaffected, other than I'm hungry. I'm still worried about surgery, but looking forward to it. I'm doing well, following the rules to the letter. Lydia knows I'm going to be having surgery and she's worried about me. Both her daddy and I are trying to relieve her stress as much as possible, but she sees me bottoming out and it bothers her. I spend as much time with her though as I can...we even spent time with her new Easy Bake Oven. (Which by the way she LOVED!) We were going to give it to her last year, but decided to wait another year until she was older and I think it was a wise decision. She made her first cookie and was so proud that she did it by herself. (Well mostly...I handled the hot stuff!) 4 cookies and 1 cake later we told her enough treats for the day and we'd fire it back up tomorrow. So dessert for her tonight will likely be easy bake goods.

Surgery is scheduled for Thursday. Aaron (one of Lydia's sitters) will be here to take care of her. I got them both microwave meals for breakfast and lunch since I don't know Aaron's level of skill in the kitchen and I'm avoiding cooking unless absolutely necessary. Russell will be going to the hospital with me and I'll have him call my folks when it's over and ask him to blog for me. (I'm sure he'll call, not sure he'll blog.) I've had a couple of people ask if I'm going to blog about the LAP band and the answer is yes. I considered setting up a new blog about it...but decided no. This is a part of Lydia's life too, and ultimately I'm doing this for my family. I want to be able to be a more active part of their lives, and get my health issues under better control for them. Because I love them and want to be around them for as long as possible. So since it's about loving them, that means it's also about Loving Lydia--so it belongs here for her.

Opening Presents 09

Honestly this Christams has been a little stressful for me this year. Food everywhere and none for me to eat...but that didn't keep us from having a jolly Christmas morning. The bribes were placed under the tree last night. (2 gingerbread men, lovingly crafted by mommy and Lydia, milk and 9 carrot sticks for the reindeer) The bait taken, Santa arrived and brought with him silver wrapped joy containing an Easy Bake Oven, purple princess pajamas, candy and sparkly high heel shoes for the girl and an IPOD shuffle and Bluray player for me and my man respectively. Lydia opened all the gifts and poured out all the stockings, regardless of whose name appeared on the package! She loved it all! Some highlights of present receiving this year included a Cinderella book, a mermaid doll, and a doll house with dolls and furniture for Lydia and for daddy some Romulan Ale and a GPS. (Purple and on a great sale because it was purple! Santa is a diligent shopper!!!) Mommy especially liked her Zombie plush doll (Thanks Bruce!!!) and her Bath and Body basket filled with goodies. We thank everyone for their friendship, love and gifts and we hope everyone had a great holiday. Happy Christmas, Kwanzaa, Solstice, and Hannukah to you all!

Here's some more pics from later in the day. Perry had a great time. He got a new frisbee (his favourite toys in the world!) a laser pointer (to be shared with the cats) and a tug toy. He was all hugs and kisses and panting with joy!!

Lydia was going to wear a black and red dress today and so she did...except not the one I bought. Instead she wore the one my sissy bought her. I think she looks lovely in it. She's also modeling her shiney high heel shoes which she asked for repeatedly!! Daddy has been running around fixing up his GPS and his Bluray...and me, I've been playing with Lydia and taking it easy. (I've been feeling a little light headed because of the liver shrinking diet.)

  

Christmas Eve 2009

Shopping Day

Today I go shopping for my food for pre-op and post-op diets. Gas-X Strips, Fiber supplements, chewable vitamins, Calcium supplements, broth, sugar free popcicles, raw veggies (2 cups a day), sugar free Jello, fat free cottage cheese (1/2 a cup a day) and 2 instant breakfasts are on the menu starting Dec. 24. Post op it's just liquids (along with the supplements)for a week and then onto pureed foods. The supplements are now a part of my life forever. (Well the Gas-X is only for post surgery pain--but otherwise it's all forever.) :-)

I'm leaping off into the abyss. Today I'll have spaghetti for dinner. (My favourite food.) I'm gonna miss it, but must no longer think of food as fun. Food is fuel. Food is fuel. Food is fuel!

Before

And so it begins. Today I had my pre-op for my LAP band surgery. My tests came out well. Heart is strong...blood sugar a little high, but otherwise good. I endured the classes, the tests, the barium swallow--which almost became the barium upchuck...but fortunately for everyone I kept it down. On Thursday I begin the liver shrinking diet. 7 days of less food than my rat Ben-ben eats in order to keep my surgery risk to a minimum. Then at 6 am on New Years Eve I enter the hospital. Because my surgery is early I will more than likely get to go home and not have to spend the night, which is nice. My fears are high, but my hopes are higher. Soon you will be seeing less of me...but in a good way.

What Santa is bringing her

http://www.fisher-price.com/fp.aspx?st=5851&e=dollhouse-thumb

And now to keep the grandparents happy, a recent picture of the receivie!

Merry little elves are we!!

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Starring...

The tree's almost all decorated. We made the chain and we still have more decorations to make from Oriental Trading. (I LOVE that company!!) But the star is already up, courtesy of Liddy and Daddy!  

That for which I am most thankful

Happy Thanksgiving everybody. Hope you have a great day!!!

Strike a Pose

 Future models only need apply. 

I just had someone email me and ask, so I thought I'd share publically...yes we are growing Liddy's hair out. She wants long hair because it's "much more beautifuller".

37

Daddy had a birthday yesterday. 37 years of wonderful.

Halloween 2009

Halloween is a big deal at our house. It's absolutely my favourite holiday. Russell and I got married on Halloween. Before our wedding one of my oldest friends David warned me: "You'll never get to celebrate your anniversary once you have children 'cause it will be all about trick or treating." My only response was, how could anything be more fun than trick or treating? I still feel that way? On the 30th we got our first taste of Trick or Treating fun at the Trail of Treats. Moved to the old gym at the university due to rain the trail is usually held in the local park where local buusinesses and organizations gather to hand out treats for youngsters. Lydia went this year with Isolde. Lydia was Mushu from Mulan and Isolde a giraffe. The next night we headed off to the city and went to the mall where Lydia dressed as a genie (or b'genie as she called it.) She picked her own outfit this year. Originally looking for a mermaid costume she saw the genie and quickly changed her mind. She's all about being beautiful and wearing jewlery and sparkles, so the costume appealed to her big time. She got quite a few positive comments and several people asked me where we got the lamp purse. (Amazon online) Most importantly though she had a great time.

3 wishes

Happy Halloween

Zombiewalk 2009 *UPDATED*

People have dreams. Some people dream about climbing Mt. Everest, some about curing cancer...my dream was a simple one. I wanted to be a part of a zombiewalk! What's a zombiewalk you ask. Click here to see a short video of a zombie walk on You tube. I know, I know, probably not your idea of a good time, but to me, it's a little slice of heaven. Those of you who know me personally and long time readers know I'm a horror fan and specifically a zombie fan. I have a zombie contingency plan. (In case of zombie apocolypsy break glass!) Seriously I "dig" zombies. (How Punny! LOL) Also those who know me and long time readers know I live in the sticks where a zombiewalk is less than likely to occur. But still I've haunted Zombiewalk.com for years, hoping--nay praying for the miracle that a zombiewalk would come to a town near me. Finally, my dedication and prayers paid off and Paducah Ky, hosted it's first annual Zombiewalk. I nearly missed it. I found out only the day before, so I cancelled rehearsal, desperately sought out a babysitter and rushed a costume and makeup job. But I made it! It was great! It was awesome! It was all I thought it would be and more! Now for next year I'm gonna help organize the zombies! Pure heaven!!!

(P.S.The"victim" in the picture is our babysitter Ashlan--who is also playing Mother Miriam Ruth in Agnes of God which I am currently directing. Lydia took the picture. I think she did a really awesome job!)

Movers in Concert

For Liddy's 5th birthday we got her tickets to see the Imagination Movers. Russell had to work, but I went with her to the concert and it was great. The Movers kept in mind their principal audience (the 10 and under crowd) while also being entertaining for the adults.(They did a pretty decent cover of Journey's "Don't Stop Believing" that I had a great time singing along with anyway!) Lydia and I danced and sang and clapped our hands. The Movers spent as much time in the audience as they did onstage and shook hands with all the kids. Mover Rich even came over to Lydia twice and told her she was "one of the prettiest girls he'd seen". Lydia is dying to tell her daddy about the whole concert--and so am I!

More Pumpkin 09

I've not had a lot of time here recently, between shows, doctor, school and my Farmville addiction (oh and going up for promotion too!) I've been swamped. We've just lost our water heater too...so showering has been an adventure around here as well. (Let's just say--naked mommy with naked 5 year old following her around in the costume shop searching for the one shower that will actually give you hot water is getting old!-Thank God the plumber is comming tomorrow!!!)

So that being said, here's some more gems from our Pumpkin outing a few weeks ago. I still have more party pics too...but (as usual) I gotta run!

The Party

Guess who is FIVE

All this, and the official party isn't even until tomorrow! :-)    
 

Wanna know what I want for Christmas?

The perfect Christmas gift for mama!

Pumpkins!!!

 Pumpkin Patch 2009! (More photos later when I have more time!)

Barre

FYI about why

So I've not been blogging as much here recently. Some of this is due to show time grind. I'm currently directing Agnes of God and that takes much of my time. Some is because I'm officially declaring I have a problem with Farmville on facebook. It's my crack. All I think about anymore is when am I gonna have enough farm cash to buy a barn!! But also I am busy with doctors. See I'm tired of being overweight. I'm tired of meds. And I LOVE clothes. I am a closet clotheshorse. Well not closet...FRUSTRATED clothes horse is more appropriate. I can't even buy clothes my size here in my town. I gotta drive an hour just to buy a pair of jeans. It sucks...and I'm tired of it sucking. So I am a canidate for LAP band surgery. Less intrusive and less dangerous than Gastric Bypass, LAP Band has a proven success rate for those of us who suffer from morbid obesity. I am following the regime right now...hot liquids first thing in the morning, no liquids with meals, excercise, certain foods are completely cut from my diet like asparagus etc. And it's hard. And it's making me grumpy and it's time consuming cause I have to see several different doctors and specialists before I qualify for the surgery. But see I have a goal. That goal is to go to China and climb the great wall with my girl. Right now that would be impossible for me to do. But with work I know I can do it.

College Picnic

Before the bee sting (Which occurred at this picnic) there was much fun and fivolity. Every year the College of Humanities and Fine Arts sponsors a picnic for the faculty and staff and their families. Everyone brings a covered dish and the College supplies Chicken, BBQ Pork and drinks. One of the things I love about where I work is we all really like each other in our department...so I spent most of my time hangin' with the dept. girls. They include Angi who teaches movement, Cindi who is our secretary and Heidi who teaches costume design. Also among "the girls" is Lydia and Isolde of course so they too "hung" with us. Isolde left eary due to tummy troubles, but Lydia played kickball, duck duck goose and freeze tag. (Until she got stung...pesky insects!) It was goods times and it was great to spend quality time with my favourite ladies.

Bee sting

 Right on the eye even. This is about a day later once the swelling had gone down some.