30 in 30 December update

1. Lose "30" pounds. (10/30)
2. Get my diabetes under control (0/12)
3. Visit my grandmother at least twice a month (2/24)
4. Read three books for leisure (0/3)
5. Complete three bible studies (0/3)
6. Complete 30 sewing projects (2/30)
7. Learn 3 new crafts (0/3)
8. Complete 30 new scrapbook pages (0/30)
9. Do 30 random acts of kindness (30/30) - helped a family out for the whole month of September, and it looks as if it will continue on for months, also is continually helping a single teenage mom, plus other small random acts...
10. Go on a cruise
11. Complete 12 monthly flylady challenges (0/12)
12. Make a control journal
13. Send out Christmas cards
14. Plan a Christmas gift exchange for Jason's side of the family
15. Have a "sister night" with Veida and Shayda three times (0/3)
16. Learn to make homemade pie crust
17. Learn to make yeast rolls
18. Blog twice a week (7/104)
19. Make caramel apples
19. Get a pair of glasses
20. Go to a pumpkin patch (never had the money or had the money and not a kid to go with)
21. Shop on Black Friday it was just for hats and gloves for the parade of lights, but it was still shopping.
22. Start a new tradition for Thanksgiving and Christmas (2/2) Thanksgiving - we went around the room and told everyone what we were thankful for, cheesy and ordinary maybe, new to us, yes. Christmas - we adopted a child from the angel tree at walmart and bough Christmas for them. This is something I NEED to do each and every year.
23. Have two date nights a month (3/12)
24. Activate and use Etsy Account
25. Raise $10,000 for church in fundraisers ($330/$10,000)
26. Seriously track fertility each month so I can have a child (4/12)
27. Plan a birthday party for Jason, Aaron and Alyssa (1/3)
28. Make/eat breakfast at least 5 times a week (25/260)
29. Pray for 15 mins a day (8/365)
30. Make a weekly budget with Jason and stick to it (0/52)


bolded is being worked on
red is not going to happen
strike out is finished

(side note: did anyone notice that I was missing 10-13 on my last few posts, I only did today because I KNEW I put the christmas card goal, and couldn't find it when I went to make it bold. Silly me.)

The LB Story Part Six

We woke up about 6, Veida was coming with us and she was going to be at my house about 8am....
There were videos we had to watch, so we spent the morning watching them, showering, and being sort of nervous....oh and thirsty, we were unable to drink anything since midnight.

Veida and Nikloas came and picked us up, and we got to the Surgery Center. Checked in, and I went back first.
My nerves were through the roof!!

I stripped down, took a pregnancy test (they wouldn't do the surgery if i was pregnant) and went to get weighed.

I weighed 301. So that means, I lost 5 pounds since the day we set the surgery date. I felt defeated, what is 5 pounds to the 120 I need to lose?

I got put in the bed, the nurses were chit chatting with me, they had all had the surgery already and were giving me encouragement. The Surgeon and Anestisologist came by and said hello, and asked me if I had any questions. I didn't.

While I waited they brought Jason back, he did his thing, then went about getting weighed. He lost 15 pounds. Jerk. lol.

Then we said our goodbyes and they took me back.

Now the last thing I remember is them wheeling me into the room and me looking around thinking, this is a small room.....that was it.

(Jason says he waited for my surgery to be over, the doctor came in and told him how I was and then they took him back, he actually remembers having to get up and move beds and they laid his hands out and then he was asleep)

When I woke up, the nurses kept telling me that I had to get up. Some time passed, I was in and out of it, then they made me move from the bed to a chair. I remember falling asleep again.
Eventually they woke me up telling me that Jason was out of surgery and that I could sleep a little while longer because I had to wait for him to come to.
The last time they woke me up, they said i had to get up to get an xray. I walked int here, my legs super shaky, and had to drink barium. At this point I was very thirsty and when I thought the drink they were going to give me was going to be refreshing, it was gross, I almost puked. lol.
The nurses brought me back to my chair, gave me my contacts, and then I was awake. I saw Jason in the bed across from mine, and he was kicking and waving his arms. The nurses kept telling him to calm down and stop trying to roll over. He wasn't listening, so this itty bitty nurse put the palm of her hand on his forehead, and he calms down. Her words were "It is funny how a 400 man feels like he is being pinned down when I do that"
About an hour later the nurses told me it was time to go, I get up, and hear Jason saying "An 8 an 8 my pain is an 8". I wasn't experiencing any pain...just a little discomfort and pressure.
I climb in the backseat of the car and wait for Jason and Veida. I fall asleep waiting. Apparently he was an hour behind me.
We get home, Veida stays with us for the afternoon. I sleep alot.

Lots of people called to check on us, and Jenna came by to drop off some soups and Popsicles.

We had some gas pressure, and Veida had picked up GasX for us. We had also pulled the mattress off Aaron's top bunk and put it on the floor. Thats where I was staying. And Jason was on the couch.

The next two days we were feeling a bit of the pain, but it wasn't too bad. My issue was I was sore all over. I couldn't figure out why, but then it dawned on me. I was sleeping on the floor, and to get up and down, I used every muscle I had in my body to hold my stomach from having to do all the work, and that made me sore.

Day two we were up and about. They said the more walking we do the better off our gas pain would be.... We went to Costco to walk around and pick up more soup. That was a chore. Man, I have never farted and burped sooooo much in my life. it was crazy, lol.

Day three post op we went to church

Day four post op we went back to costco and picked up a scale.

Day five.....we were still sore, but up and about doing our normal every day things.

Did I mention that I was watching kids this whole time? lol, yeah.....well I got Nikolas back on day 5 but I had Ainsley.....

by the next week we were pretty much good to go.

Here are a few pictures.......

At the surgery center.

Sexy sexy manVeida being mean and eating and drinking in front of me.Nikolas waiting with us in the waiting room.Right before I was taken back to the pre op room.After........that night.

2010 Christmas Questions

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Wrapping paper!! Gotta have it cute with ribbon and such.

2. Real tree or Artificial? Artificial and pre-lit. Thats how we roll.

3. When do you put up the tree? typically the day after thanksgiving, but this year we were two days late.

4. When do you take the tree down? Depends on my mood, last year it was the day after Christmas because I was sad about not having a happy holiday season with my sister, but normally New Years day I do a major cleaning after taking down the tree and decorations.

5. Do you like eggnog? not one bit, my grandmother loves it.

6. Favorite gift received as a child? that I can remember, a bike and a baton. Then I was told that when I was two I got a mini piano that I wouldn't leave alone.

7. Hardest person to buy for? Grandma, she is sentimental, however she has everything she needs most the time, and the things she asks for haven't been made since 1979. lol. (does anyone know where to get silky moomoo style actual nightgowns???)

8. Easiest person to buy for? Pretty much the kids.

9. Do you have a nativity scene? Thats a touchy subject...I had one from Avon that my grandmother was going to give me, but it was sold on accident from her storage, a few small ones have been given to me, and I either don't like it, or gave it away.

10. Mail or email Christmas cards? This is my first year to send out cards, I am doing it by snail mail, who doesn't like getting fun mail??

11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? I was given a maternity skirt when I was 16. The excuse was, Target doesn't have much transition between the plus size and their maternity sections. It did clearly say "due date" on the tag.....sigh.

12. Favorite Christmas Movie? Elf

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? As soon as the December bills are paid for and we have extra cash.....that hasn't happened yet this year.

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? sure, i am that person.

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? chocolate covered cherries

16. Lights on the tree (colored or clear)? C.L.E.A.R. ABSOLUTELY!

17. Favorite Christmas song? Oh Holy Night

18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? Stay home, and visit local family after we have done our little family Christmas traditions.

19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer's? Yes

20. Angel, star or ribbon on top of tree? We have a star

21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? One gift on Christmas Eve, and it is always pajamas. Then everything under the tree is wrapped, Santa's gifts have a different paper.

22. Favorite children's Christmas song? I want a hippoopatumus for Christmas

23. Most annoying thing about this time of the year? Tacky lawn decorations or colored lights on a tree along with a complet huge hodge podge of crapy ornaments....i.e. my grandmothers tree growing up..

24. Favorite ornament theme or color? Red and Gold

25. Turkey or ham on Christmas day? I think typically, ham.

27. Does anyone in your family dress up as Santa? Ha Ha No.

28. Age you discovered who Santa was? I was roughly 9 or 10, but I had my suspecisons before then.

29. Eggnog, hot chocolate, or apple cider? Hot Chocoate or Cider, depends on my mood.

30. Traditional colors (red and green) or other colors? I am all for matchy matchy colors, red and gree or gold and red or blue and silver, things like that.

31. Do you have any Christmas decorations on your roof? No. I don't have an offical roof, we live in apartments.

32. How does Santa get into your house? Chimney or magic key? Depends on if we have a fireplace or not, either way.

33. Do you prefer gifts or gift cards? Depends on who is shopping for me and how well they really know me.

34. Favorite children's Christmas Cartoon? The traditional Frost the Snowman, Rudolph.....you know the claymation ones.

YOUR TURN!!

This year I get to be one of THOSE people, thanks to shutterfly.com

I have always wanted to be one of those families that sends out a Christmas card. And this year on my 30/30 (30 goals I want to accomplish in my 30th year) one of them was to send out Christmas cards.
I have read several dozen blogs that advertised for the shutterfly.com promotion to bloggers. If you write up a blog for them, spread the word, they will give you 50 free Christmas cards. Who can beat free???
So I went through their site and I saw many styles I love, but this blog I am going to show you only 5 of my favorites. Remember, if you are on my mailing list, you will see one of these again soon!!!
Now to only get a fun picture made......

Without further ado....here is layla's favorite shutterfly cards.


With all said and done about Christmas, I was thinking if there is enough time between now and Christmas, I might have a family calender done as well ... wouldn't that be fun?

Ohhhhh and maybe, get some invitations made for birthdays, thats always fun too......my cousin did this for her daughter and sons birthday, and it made them so personal and cute. Not to mention easy to scrapbook....

crap.

must.
stop.
looking.
at.
shutterfly.com!